Chapter 254

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

In this minor examination, among his peers, Liang Yan took first place.

Even many fellow disciples who hadn't managed to see him shoot arrows specially went to find his target afterwards.

Everyone's attitude toward him changed very quickly once again, no longer holding back cautiously, but becoming cautious in facing him.

When class ended, Liang Yan went to collect his food box and bundle, just about to greet Zhu Zhan, when he heard someone call from behind: "Liang Yan."

He turned his head, and hurriedly saluted: "Master Cheng!"

"Come with me for a moment."

The two walked one after another toward the Teaching Hall.

Seeing Liang Yan had so many bundles and a large food box, Master Cheng conveniently took two from him, laughing: "What things, strangely heavy."

Liang Yan hurriedly said: "It's food my elder sister gave me."

Speaking, he untied the remaining bundle on his back, saying: "Master, want a taste? My Song Jiejie's culinary skill is really good!"

The bundle opened, revealing inside many small oil-paper packets, and Liang Yan let out a breath of relief at once.

——Although Song Jiejie said eating herself and sharing were both fine, if she shared too much, he truly couldn't bear it.

This way was very good, a tiny packet, the sentiment arrived, and it wouldn't make him feel too much heartache.

He took out two packets, but Master Cheng across from him laughed and waved his hand, saying: "Isn't this you children's snacks? Eat it yourself! I'm an adult, I don't like eating this sort of thing!"

The two soon entered the room.

Master Cheng had him sit, poured him tea, and asked how long he'd been in the Wuguan, whether he was accustomed, whether in daily life, getting along with fellow disciples, or in martial studies, he'd encountered any difficulties.

Liang Yan shook his head to all, only saying everything was fine.

"Zhu Zhan fought with someone at noon, do you know the reason?"

Liang Yan froze, saying in shock: "I didn't know! Wasn't it just a quarrel?"

He'd only heard Zhu Zhan say he had a dispute with someone, but didn't know there had been a fight.

Recalling now, no wonder the other's face was pitch black, he'd originally thought it was from sweeping and mopping, never expecting it was to conceal the real wounds.

"Where would a quarrel warrant making them sweep the toilet? Sweep the courtyard!" Master Cheng laughed heartily, and told the whole story.

Liang Yan was silent for a moment, his heart filled only with being moved.

Master Cheng then said: "I called you here, no other meaning. In future if you encounter any trouble, don't carry it alone, come find me, it doesn't count as finding me, finding other masters is the same."

He told the matter of his younger sister at home.

"I've been in the Wuguan some years, everyone saw my family had this kind of incident——couldn't be hidden——all wanted to show care, who knew it would implicate you."

Also said: "I've already taught them a lesson, and punished them to run the Xiao Chi, this was entirely a group of stinking brats not using their brains, but in future whether on the battlefield, entering an escort agency, or going wherever, your fellow disciple bond is not comparable to others, genuine feeling exists, you must not because of this matter truly develop a grudge."

Liang Yan shook his head, saying: "I won't!"

Master Cheng said: "You're very good, steady, broad-minded, aptitude also not bad, even without today's matter, in a few days I would still seek you out."

"I had a nickname in the army back then, called 'Hundred-Step Cheng', saying I could pierce a willow at a hundred paces, only pity later I injured my legs and feet, had to retire wounded, I think starting tomorrow, before morning lesson, I'll give you an extra hour of private training, teach you my archery, are you willing?"

Liang Yan only felt hot blood rush to his head, stood up at once, saying: "Master, I'm willing!"

Master Cheng laughed: "Alright, go then, tomorrow come an hour early to the Xiao Chi and wait for me!"

Liang Yan hurriedly thanked him, and cupped fists in salute again.

Master Cheng picked up his bundles for him, and took the food box, saying: "Go back!"

Liang Yan went to receive them, his heart surging with all kinds of excitement.

He very much wanted to express gratitude, but wasn't good with words, and had nothing else, the most precious thing on his whole body was only the two bundles of food Song Jiejie gave.

The cold jelly wasn't easy to divide, he finally still took several of the largest-looking oil-paper packets and handed them over with both hands, saying: "Master, you really try! My elder sister's skill is really good, she runs a Da Shi Jie! Every day people line up to snatch it!"

A disciple's sincere heart, Master Cheng laughed heartily, casually took one packet, saying: "Alright, I'll taste the flavor too, one packet is enough! Many thanks!"

Liang Yan couldn't say whether his heart was disappointment, or relief as he took his leave.

This side, Liang Yan's front foot had just left not a moment, that side, back foot three or five in a group walked in five or six people.

"Ai, this bunch of rabbit brats, movements taught, learned seven or eight hundred times, still can do wrong!"

"The fist art I teach, even if a monkey stood watching, seeing this many rounds, should know how to strike, don't know how, just some people can't learn!"

"How many can't learn? Still ten-odd days of drill, if other Wuguan people saw, wouldn't they laugh to death!"

"Still four! That's right! Mother, I still kept them in the hall, in a bit I still have to go check——has the food arrived?"

"Not yet, this shop recently is getting later and later! Taste not as good as before either!"

"Still saying, portions also less, no good still better to rotate, otherwise eat long, they think they've got us figured, gouge regulars!"

"Forget dinner, hungry a bit doesn't matter, several times breakfast also late!! Made me hungry belly go teach, wielding saber made my legs soft!"

A group of Wuguan Martial Instructors talking entered the room, seeing Master Cheng inside, all greeted him.

Everyone respectively drank water, wiped sweat, rested, after a long while, one couldn't help saying: "No good, food still not come! I'm this hungry, who has food give me a bite to pad?"

A group each contributed.

"Here, my leftover half pancake from morning."

"Last time you gave sweet cake I didn't eat, it's here, take it!"

"I have Lu Dou Fu Gan, from noon, you smell see if spoiled……"

Among the crowd of leftover rice and dishes, Master Cheng's voice was especially moving.

"I have a packet a student gave as snack, you take it to pad a bit?"

"Ah, the old-timer's still the best!!"

That man hurried forward without delay.

Cheng Shifu took that oil paper package, opening it while saying: "I still don't know what it is, it's from that new disciple——the one called Liang Yan, I'll have a taste too!"

The oil paper was sealed very tightly, inside there were actually two more small packages.

Cheng Shifu recognized a few characters, recognized the dates written on top, calculated a bit, one was for five days later, one for ten days later.

Although at this time he still couldn't see what was inside, he had already smelled a faint yet rich unfamiliar fragrance.

Saying it was faint, because the oil paper isolated it, the flavor was hard to permeate out; saying it was rich, because that flavor had a strong presence, even if only a trace, it already made people unable to avoid it.

Just as he unwrapped the oil paper package, Cheng Shifu froze for a moment.

One oil paper wrapped seven or eight pieces of meat jerky, dark brown meat jerky slices, slightly thinner than a copper coin, pinching up a piece, it could transmit light slightly, but also had a certain thickness, a very large piece, with obvious texture——one look and you could tell it was solidly made of pure meat!

Leaning in to smell, this one was also fragrant, but just ordinary meat fragrance, completely different from that smell he had smelled.

Then unwrapping the other oil paper package, inside were strand after strand of fine threads, calling them fine threads, there were also thick ones, thickness not very uniform, although he hadn't seen ginseng many times, Cheng Shifu immediately thought of ginseng whiskers.

Leaning in close, even without leaning in——that's it, it's this one giving off the fragrance!

He immediately heard the person beside him exclaim: "Ah yo! Meat jerky!! What's this one on the side?"

Cheng Shifu shook his head, saying: "Don't know."

Speaking, he pinched up a strand, stuffed it into his mouth.

Once in the mouth, a wave of rich freshness.

The seasoning was truly too good!

Salty and fragrant, the saltiness just right to excite that concentrated sea flavor of fresh sweetness, the aftertaste extremely unique, carrying rich sweetness, sweetness coming after, after sweetness then sweetness, several flavors repeatedly intertwining.

Everyone says sweet, sweet.

Cheng Shifu always thought it was a combined word, but chewing this one strand, he suddenly could distinguish the difference between sweet and sweet.

Very fragrant, texture was chewy, entering the mouth that moment was obvious salty fragrance, but chewing and chewing, sweetness emerged back, then further back, this food itself would be pressed out a sweetness, compressed in the innermost, especially durable to chew, the more you chew the fresher.

Cheng Shifu was a Central Plains person, naturally didn't know this was the characteristic of dried seafood.

A strand of unknown name thick thread, he chewed for a long half day, different from eating other things, eating this he couldn't stop, teeth slacking off a bit, that rich freshness and rich sweetness would be diluted a bit by the saliva secreted in the mouth.

From luxury to frugality is hard.

He chewed to that richness, though only a moment, already had no way to accept blandness!

Cheng Shifu didn't speak, the person opposite saw his cheeks moving nonstop, left side chew chew, right side chew chew, just one strand, practically chewed to the heights of heaven and depths of Huang Quan, couldn't help saying: "Old Cheng, no need to be this stingy!"

Speaking, he threw a strand into his own mouth while holding up the small oil paper package in his hand, asking the crowd behind: "Who among you has seen this food? Recognize what it is?"

His words just finished, the whole person suddenly froze, tears nearly rolling out.

Spicy!

Spicy spicy spicy!!!

This mouthful of spicy surged out instantly, not dogwood, but mustard seed, mustard's spicy, carrying a rushing force and choking force, imposing manner, hitting so his tongue had no time to dodge, could only stare with eyes wide, hold his breath.

Hardly waiting for the intensity to pass, just wanting to dodge a bit, that choking spicy was like morning mist instantly dispersing after the sun comes out, didn't wait for a few blinks, just all gone in a heap.

Waiting for you to tentatively chew two bites, prepared, still waiting for that spicy to come again, carrying faint smoked burnt fragrance of salty freshness and sweetness came out.

At this time, teeth would seem like they grew brains, wildly chewing madly.

Very tight meat quality, clearly very fine, still muscle texture sturdy, both springy and chewy, extremely hard to bite through in one bite, even two or three bites won't do, need to constantly deal with it on the left side in the mouth, cheek tired, then switch to right side, tearing, grinding.

But when chewing, could very clearly feel this one strand of dried fragrant thing slowly being soaked open in the mouth, chewing and chewing, gradually becoming loose, although still very chewy, but finally softened.

The looser, the softer, that salty freshness and charcoal roasted fragrance seeped out more and more, seeping faster and faster, more and more.

Freshness is accumulated, layer upon layer, continuously releasing, continuously stacking, at this time, not only the tongue had a brain, the hand also seemed to have consciousness, couldn't help stuffing new ones into the mouth one strand after another.

Thus the flavor in the mouth became richer and richer, fresher and fresher.

If this person could free his mouth, he would definitely shout——fresh to death I got!

He was willing to be fresh-dead painfully happily!

Two people chewing here heads not lifting, several shifu on the side early surrounded over, all researching together.

"What is this?"

"Haven't seen it ah!"

Several hands all very research-spirit reached over, each separately pinched a strand, stuffed into mouths,

Some ate the original flavor, immediately very much enjoying, some ate the mustard flavor, similarly spiced so whole person froze, half a moment before recovering, started following along chewing desperately.

One oil paper package of food, looking not little, actually truly counting, only ten or twenty strands, several people here in two or three moves divided it clean.

"What food, ate me dizzy!"

"So fresh ah! Definitely sea thing, strange, how can it be this fresh!"

Chewing to the end, freshness no longer could be squeezed out, crowd finally had to swallow down in batches one after another, food passing through tongue root, again a wild storm-like wave of freshness.

One person hesitated: "Seems like when I was stationed in Quan Zhou I ate Wu Zhi ah! Only this flavor more fresh, more fragrant, sweet also more sufficient……if it's Wu Zhi, this thing not cheap ah——Old Cheng, you give student money or not?"

Immediately someone said: "Too little, not even enough for teeth gaps!"

"Ai ya, this food thousand good ten thousand good, just one flaw not good, really stuffs teeth gaps! My teeth gaps blocked!"

"Then you don't eat!"

"Afraid of stuffing teeth gaps then don't eat! Is this Wu Zhi Si? I feel it has no flaw at all, flaw is also your own teeth's flaw, if it has no gaps, how would Wu Zhi Si go stuff?"

"Old Cheng, which disciple gave it?"

"Just now he didn't say, Liang Yan gave it!"

"Ask Liang Yan where found, I also want to buy some!"

"Buy me some too——this thing prepared to pad belly just right, I want the non-spicy one!"

"I want both, spicy and non-spicy both want, this meat jerky I also want……"

"Is the dried meat also delicious?"

A group of people started heading for the dried meat.

"Ah, I'm going! This is also delicious!!!"

"This meat is satisfying! So fragrant! Is this pork?? Get more of this!"

"Oh my, these dried meats, if they weren't fake, paired with wine——that flavor, I dare not imagine!"

"Old Cheng, help me ask the price!"

Thus, even before the next day arrived, before the sky had darkened, Cheng Shifu came knocking on the door once again.

"Cough, Liang Yan, that packet of food you gave me today——what is it called? Can it be bought?"

Cheng Shifu came to the door at noon the next day.

At this time, Song Miao was seeing a group of old masters onto the carriage.

Today Song Ji's small dining table was seven dishes and one soup, but it also controlled the portions, just letting people eat their fill, yet not making them overeat.

Stable quality, the same delicious taste as always, the old men all ate with relish, and although they knew that according to the way of health preservation and cherishing blessings, it should be so, they still couldn't help but secretly resent not being able to eat one more bite.

If it were in the past, everyone would certainly have been talking non-stop, but today for some reason, almost every single one of them was in low spirits, and even some people's gazes looking at Song Miao were evasive and flickering.

Song Miao naturally noticed.

She could actually guess a few parts, but did not ask further, only smiling and bidding farewell to everyone, and just as she was about to return to her room, she saw a person walking over from the opposite side, walking and looking, staring unceasingly at each family's door lintel.

That person was a man in his thirties, wearing short clothes, his figure not tall and sturdy, lean and wiry, also very spirited, walking with a slight limp, but the limp was not obvious.

Song Miao saw the visitor, her thoughts stirred slightly, and she stopped her feet.

Sure enough, the other party walked up, cupped his fists toward Song Miao and performed a salute, and asked: "May I ask, young lady, is this the Song Family Eatery?"