Chapter 133: Catch Some Sleep

Before the city gate closed, Chen Wuji and Chen Bushi left the city.

After returning home, eating something, and briefly speaking with Huo Sanniang and the others, Chen Wuji locked himself in the kitchen to start tinkering.

The process of turning cane sugar into white sugar is very complicated.

Although Chen Wuji graduated in science and engineering, he had long since returned much of that knowledge to his teachers.

Knowing these methods, he actually has to thank the short videos of later generations.

Several bloggers on the ancient-methods track made videos with detailed procedures and beautiful visuals; Chen Wuji, an ignorant country bumpkin, always loved watching them and habitually gave them a triple like.

But who could have imagined that these things would actually be useful to him one day?

After dissolving the brown sugar, Chen Wuji first used the lime clarification method, then later used yellow mud water to wash out the color; to make this sugar he nearly used up all the containers at home.

Shen Youwei watched the containers Chen Wuji had set out in the courtyard to sit and adsorb, her mouth pouting like a hook, "Husband, you're really wasting good things—what's the point of ruining good sugar like this? I wanted to sneak a taste, but I never got the chance."

"I saved some for you." Chen Wuji smiled, "Go wash the pot, I'll make you something good."

"Are you going to use brown sugar?" Shen Youwei's eyes lit up.

"Right. Once I finish this, you'll definitely love me to death." Chen Wuji smiled.

Shen Youwei giggled, "Husband, I already love you to death—my skirt can barely stay up, look, my old shoulders are so smooth they keep slipping down."

Her look made Chen Wuji's lust flare up instantly; he grabbed her slender waist with both hands, "Hurry and wash the pot—just wait till tonight, I'll deal with you."

"I'm so scared, I almost wish you'd take care of me right now." Shen Youwei's bright eyes drew a seductive line as she bit Chen Wuji's ear and said coquettishly.

A surge of heat rose in Chen Wuji's chest; he slapped her butt twice, "Hurry up!"

This little girl has been getting more and more brazen lately.

Shen Youwei giggled as she darted into the kitchen.

Chen Wuji calmed himself and took the previously fermented dough from the kang.

This had been planned since he entered the house.

Having bought such expensive ingredients, if he only did experiments and didn't make something tasty for the few little gluttons at home, that would be going too far.

He placed the dough basin on the cutting board and lifted the cloth covering it to have a look.

It seemed… about right.

The white flour of the Dayu Dynasty isn't white at all—it's not even as good as the three‑grade flour of later times.

But this is already the best wheat flour the Dayu Dynasty has to offer.

However, this flour has its advantages: high gluten, comprehensive nutrition, and it's healthier.

Chen Wuji took the fermented dough out of the earthen basin, added the refined deer oil and brown sugar, and began kneading repeatedly until the surface was smooth and the dough elastic.

Thanks to Chen Wuji's recent harvest in the mountains, the household is now well supplied with fats.

Lard, deer oil, badger oil, snake oil, and sheep oil were sorted and stored in several earthen jars.

After the dough was kneaded, Chen Wuji divided it in half and then cut it into small pieces of equal size.

Afterwards, he added deer oil and brown sugar again into the center of each dough piece and repeated the previous steps.

This time he just gave it a light knead a few times, enough for the dough to envelop the deer oil and brown sugar.

"Come on, fire up the pot!"

Shen Youwei lifted her skirt, about to squat, when a figure suddenly sprang up.

He deftly stuffed straw into the stove cavity and lit a candle.

Yuan Jinshi entered so quickly, his hands and feet so nimble, that Chen Wuji was momentarily stunned.

Has he triggered some passive skill?

Are his ears that sharp?

Shen Youwei lowered the skirt she had slightly lifted, then moved to Chen Wuji's side, "Husband, I want to try too."

"Knead a bit more, it's good." Chen Wuji smirked, speaking with a double meaning.

Shen Youwei pursed her plump lips and smiled faintly without speaking.

With Yuan Jinshi present, she didn't dare be so brazen.

Chen Wuji added a little water to the pot, placed a steamer basket on top, and put the kneaded cakes inside.

"Presented Scholar, keep the fire a little lower." Chen Wuji reminded him.

"Got it, Brother Wuji."

After waiting half an hour, the first batch of cakes came out of the oven smoothly.

Chen Wuji took a bite first—crispy outside, sweet inside—just like the taste of his childhood.

Back when his family was poor, these cakes and twisted dough sticks were treats he could only get when they occasionally improved the meals.

Shen Youwei took a bite, gasped in delight, her bright little eyes crinkling happily, "Husband, you were right—these foods really can make me love you to death, they're delicious."

"Take them out and call the others over so everyone can try."

Chen Wuji said, taking one and handing it to Yuan Jinshi.

"Brother Wuji, this is made from white flour—I… I won't eat it." Yuan Jinshi swallowed, shaking his head.

"What nonsense, just eat!" Chen Wuji shoved the cake into Yuan Jinshi's hands.

Speaking of which, being able to eat this cake today we also have to thank Yuan Laoer.

This flour was what he sent over earlier.

Yuan Jinshi broke off half of the cake and put the remainder back on the cutting board.

"If you're hungry, help yourself!" Chen Wuji said.

Yuan Jinshi grinced, "Brother Wuji, we're servants; we can't break the rules. Stop trying to fool us into breaking them—without the master's order, reaching out to take something is punishable by death."

"Didn't I just order you? Are you deaf?" Chen Wuji said, exasperated.

At such a young age, where does he get all these thoughts?

When he had only a few silver coins in his pocket, he didn't mind raising these two brothers.

Now that he's not worried about food, would he still care about this?

Yuan Jinshi stared blankly, then suddenly buried his head in his bosom.

"Right, this is the money from selling the yellow pelts; you two brothers split it yourselves!" Chen Wuji took out three hundred wen and handed it to Yuan Jinshi, he almost forgot about this.

At this moment, Huo Sanniang happily ran in, saying, "Wuji, how did you make this? It's really delicious."

"Add white flour, deer oil, and cane sugar, then knead, knead." Chen Wuji said with a smile, "You Wei should already have learned the method; from now on you'll make it, and I'll enjoy a life of ease."

Huo Sanniang stared blankly, "No wonder it's so delicious..."

"Eating this once in a while is already luxurious; do you still want to eat it every day from now on?"

"I want to eat something better." Chen Wuji said, "Don't be so stingy; a catty of cane sugar can make many batches, at least seven or eight pots of these cakes, so the cost isn't actually high."

Huo Sanniang finally stopped nagging, "If you want to eat it, just tell us and I'll make it for you."

"Mm."

Chen Wuji sat down under the jujube tree in the courtyard with a cake, and had another with tea.

This bite of cake almost made him, in the presence of Da Yu, travel back to his childhood.

I don't know if anyone has been paying respects to my grandparents' graves these past two years.