Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 42: Fish Soup Feast!

Xiao Ran had given the Zhang sisters several fish before, but Third Sister had never seen Xiao Ran serve the fish up close.

The little girl is very excited watching from the sidelines.

"Young master, he's here again!" Third Sister said excitedly, pointing to the water.

"Yes, here we go again!"

"Wang Wang Wang!"

The riverbank was filled with the sounds of Third Sister and Gouzi. Zhang Dalang cut grass, glancing back every now and then.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya are also like that.

Zhang Jinhe was a little puzzled, "I've seen other people fishing before and it seems quite difficult, but young master seems to be doing it so easily?"

"The young master must be very good at fishing," Zhang Erya thought.

Zhang Jinhe, thinking of Xiao Ran's fishing rod and box, wholeheartedly agreed, "That's probably it."

Xiao Ran prepared a small stool for Third Sister, but the little girl was too excited to sit still.

More and more crucian carp were appearing in the bucket, and Third Sister was even happier than Xiao Ran.

Third Sister and Little Black beside her provided Xiao Ran with plenty of emotional value.

In San Niang's heart, Xiao Ran was very capable. Children don't lie; their words are all genuine expressions.

Xiao Ran was also feeling quite pleased; he was definitely happy that his fishing skills had been recognized.

Third Sister's laughter carried far, and hearing his sister's joy, Zhang Dalang, who was cutting grass not far away, also smiled slightly.

Although I know my time is running out, I am still full of energy.

Aside from my physical strength and ability to do some work, I don't seem to know what else to do.

Xiao Ran's performance during this period amazed Zhang Dalang.

He was completely convinced by Xiao Ran.

Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya returned carrying firewood and saw that there was already almost half a bucket full.

"So many!" Zhang Jinhe reached out and scooped one out.

"Two more should be enough," Xiao Ran said, looking at the fish.

"Young master, let me wash up first," Zhang Jinhe said.

Xiao Ran opened the cutlery box next to him, took out a very sharp knife, and said, "Use this to take out the fish scales and internal organs, dig a hole and bury them."

"Okay!" Zhang Jinhe took the knife. Although he hadn't used it yet, he could feel that the knife was exceptionally sharp.

Indeed, it is very sharp.

It's made of alloy, and it's not cheap.

Zhang Jinhe had handled fish before, but not many times. However, he was quite efficient and not a clumsy person.

Zhang Erya also wanted to help, "Young master, let me lend a hand."

"Okay!" Xiao Ran handed over another knife.

Third Sister looked around and realized that a fire would be needed soon, so she ran to the side and found some dry grass to start a fire.

Xiao Ran felt that it was about time, so he stopped fishing.

Open the box containing the kitchen utensils and take everything out.

To the astonishment of the group, folding tables, portable gas stoves, and various pots and pans appeared one after another.

This box isn't big, but it holds a lot of things.

Zhang Jinhe touched the stainless steel basin and felt that the material was very special.

Xiao Ran went over to take a look. "How is it?"

"Young master, it'll be ready soon, but I don't know if it will be okay." Zhang Jinhe didn't know what Xiao Ran's standards were either.

"That's about right, just wash it again and it'll be fine."

Xiao Ran turned around and saw Third Sister returning with some hay. He was touched; the little girl was so sensible that it broke his heart.

"Young master, here!" Third Sister handed the hay to Xiao Ran.

"Good, great!" Xiao Ran took the hay, opened the seasoning box, grabbed a piece of rock sugar, and fed it to Third Sister.

Although she didn't know what it was, San Niang opened her mouth and ate it when she saw Xiao Ran feeding her.

The sweetness of the rock sugar instantly spread on the tip of her tongue, and San Niang was delighted.

I've never eaten candy like this before. "It's so sweet!"

Xiao Ran grabbed a few more and gave them to the little girl.

Third Sister did not refuse, "Thank you, young man!"

Holding the rock candy, San Niang ran to Zhang Er Ya and Zhang Jin He and fed one to each of them.

The two of them didn't think much of it at first, but they were surprised when they tasted the rock sugar.

"Hmm? This is so sweet, it's really delicious." Zhang Jinhe was surprised; this sweetness was different from that of maltose and honey.

"Third Sister, where did you come from?" Zhang Erya asked.

"This was given to me by the young master." Third Sister was overjoyed, stretching out her small hand, with a few pieces in her palm, each a slightly different size.

Zhang Jinhe felt that if it was given by Xiao Ran, then it was perfectly normal.

Third Sister didn't forget her brother, so she ran to the other side to feed Zhang Dalang.

"Brother, isn't it sweet?"

Zhang Dalang nodded eagerly, "It's delicious."

Zhang Dalang was telling the truth; salt is not cheap, but sugar is even more of a luxury.

Xiao Ran's cooking pot wasn't big, but it was enough to cook enough rice for a few people.

I started by cooking rice.

After Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya had finished washing, they prepared scallions, ginger, and garlic, and marinated them with cooking wine to remove the fishy smell.

Choose a relatively large halal carp, and stew the rest together in one pot to make a crucian carp and tofu soup.

Xiao Ran likes to stew fish and tofu together, so tofu was prepared in the car.

There's not much tofu available right now, so I'll have to add more fish.

Although they were eager to see Xiao Ran cook, Zhang Erya and Zhang Jinhe didn't sit idle; they took sickles and helped cut grass.

No need to take it back. Just leave it here to dry, and take it back when it's dry.

Otherwise, it cannot be stored until winter.

Watching the others cut grass, Xiao Ran subconsciously looked at his left hand, where there were still many crescent-shaped scars on his thumb and forefinger.

These are all traces left from cutting grass when I was a child.

As I grew older, the scar became less noticeable, but it was still there if you looked closely.

With everything else prepared, Xiao Ran started a fire to stew the crucian carp.

The aroma of rice and fish slowly wafted through the air. Zhang Jinhe took a sniff and exclaimed, "It smells so good!"

I couldn't help but swallow.

"Second Aunt, let's go take a look. We're not going to cut it."

"it is good!"

Zhang Jinhe pulled Zhang Erya back to Xiao Ran's side.

Zhang Jinhe was already surprised that Xiao Ran could cook, but she didn't expect it to taste so good.

"Ah! This is so addictive." Zhang Jinhe rubbed his stomach, feeling incredibly hungry.

"It'll be ready soon!" Xiao Ran smiled. Steaming fish is quick, and stewing fish is just as fast.

Looking at the crucian carp and tofu soup in the big iron pot, my appetite increased greatly.

"Brother, dinner's ready! Stop cutting!" Xiao Ran called out.

"Okay, here we come!"

Xiao Ran took out a bowl and chopsticks from the box.

I picked up a spoon and scooped out several bowls of rice.

Zhang Jinhe's eyes widened when she saw the delicate little bowl and the snow-white rice.

Zhang Jinhe was familiar with the quality of this rice, as was Zhang Erya.

Both of them had met before, but neither of them had eaten.

Turn off the fire and place the steaming fish next to the large pot.

"Young master, would you like some rice?" Zhang Jinhe pointed to the rice, surprised that he could be so extravagant.

"You don't like it?" Xiao Ran smiled.

"No, isn't this too extravagant?" "It's nothing, eat up!" Xiao Ran handed the smallest bowl to Third Sister.

Zhang Jinhe and the others took the bowls, sniffed them, and looked at the delicate little bowls in their hands.

"Wait a minute!" Xiao Ran got up and grabbed a lunchbox.

"I'll pack some up first. Jinniang, you can take it back for your grandfather to try. This fish soup is quite good."

Zhang Jinhe nodded, "Thank you, young man!"

Third Sister took a bite of rice, squinted her eyes, and exclaimed, "So delicious!"

I find that just eating rice is delicious enough.

"This fish has bones, Third Sister, be careful," Xiao Ran reminded the little girl.

"Mmm, okay!" Third Sister responded vaguely.

"This tofu is so tender, and the fish is so delicious." Zhang Jinhe couldn't stay calm at all.

Compared to this, what I usually eat is simply appalling.

Zhang Erya and Zhang Dalang had similar reactions, and the two siblings then realized that Xiao Ran had been very restrained during his meal.

Even though he didn't like the food or wasn't used to it, Xiao Ran didn't show it too obviously, but Zhang Erya and Zhang Dalang could tell.

Now that I know Xiao Ran used to eat this kind of rice and this kind of vegetables, I realize that I did make things a bit difficult for Xiao Ran before.

There's absolutely no comparison!

"I never expected the young master's cooking skills to be so amazing. Even the chefs in the restaurants of Chang'an City can't compare. Give me some fish soup!" Zhang Jinhe was very excited. She was not a reserved girl and was usually quite outgoing and not pretentious at all.

"Hmm, Jinniang, you can make the spoon yourself."

Zhang Jinhe took the spoon. "Second Aunt, do you want some?"

"Sister, I can do it myself."

"okay!"

Zhang Dalang remained silent, squatting to the side as he ate his meal in quiet contemplation; he had never tasted such food before.

There's mainly millet and not much vegetables, and not much oil or seasonings. Even the coarse salt has to be used sparingly.

No matter how skilled you are at cooking, you can't make anything good; that's a limitation of the times.

After eating with the three siblings for several days, Xiao Ran felt hungry every night when he got home, and he had to make himself a cup of instant noodles before he could fall asleep.

I feel like I've lost a few pounds.

There was no oil or salt in it, and I don't know how Zhang Dalang still had the strength to work.

Xiao Ran was finding it hard to cope; eating millet all day was really exhausting.

"Third Sister, come on, have another bowl." Xiao Ran brought over the rice cooker.

"Uh-huh!"

"Young master, that's enough, you can't finish it all." Third Sister had seen too much.

"Then let's share it with my older sister!"

"it is good!"

"Brother Zhang, come and eat some fish. There's still plenty left, don't leave any. We need to roast chestnuts in the big pot tomorrow morning!" Xiao Ran called out, and Zhang Dalang seemed a little embarrassed.

She was introverted and shy by nature, and spoke even less than Zhang Erya.

They are the type of people who are ruthless and don't talk much; if provoked, they'll fight to the death.

"it is good!"

After finishing her meal and putting down her chopsticks, Zhang Jinhe said with a smile, "How will we eat at home from now on?"

Zhang Erya smiled and, thinking about what she had done, felt a little sorry for Xiao Ran for having eaten it for so many days.

Instead of rushing back, Zhang Erya and Zhang Jinhe helped wash the dishes and put them away for Xiao Ran.

Looking at the small bowl in her hand, Zhang Jinhe had only one thought in her mind: 'How valuable must this be!'

These small bowls are very exquisite; they're definitely not comparable to earthenware bowls.

The design is also nice.

Thinking back to the first time Zhang Jinhe met Xiao Ran, he felt that Xiao Ran was clean, efficient, and energetic. Zhang Jinhe thought to himself that if he was eating so well, it was normal for him to be so energetic.

The group packed up and left satisfied with their belongings.

Zhang Jinhe also took away the packing box that Xiao Ran had prepared.

Zhang Jinhe had never seen the packaging box before, and he didn't know what it was made of.

Clutching the takeout box, I hurried home.

Inside the courtyard, several workers were doing their own tasks in an orderly manner.

Zhang Mingde stared blankly at the sky, the pastries in front of him were getting a bit dry.

"Grandpa!" Zhang Jinhe entered the courtyard.

"Jinniang is back!"

“It’s cold outside, Grandpa, let’s go inside.” Zhang Jinhe helped Zhang Mingde back into the house.

"Young master went fishing by the river just now, and he was also cooking over there. His culinary skills are truly remarkable."

As she spoke, Zhang Jinhe opened the lunchbox.

If Zhang Jinhe hadn't seen how Xiao Ran closed the lid, he wouldn't have known how to open it.

“Grandpa, these are especially delicious. Young Master asked me to bring them back.” Zhang Jinhe added, “They’re not leftovers; Young Master set them aside before we ate them.”

Zhang Mingde smiled kindly, "This child is thoughtful."

"The fish soup was especially delicious; I really don't know how the young man made it."

When Zhang Mingde opened the box, he could smell the fragrance. "Hmm, it really smells wonderful!"

Zhang Mingde was taken aback when he saw the rice. "Is this what you were eating just now?"

"Yes! Young Master cooked a lot. Third Aunt and Second Aunt, we ate our fill. Maybe only Eldest Brother didn't eat enough rice, but he ate a lot of fish soup."

Zhang Mingde couldn't believe that Xiao Ran would serve such rice to these people.

"This rice is very fragrant and delicate, much better than what Father and Mother brought back from Chang'an City," Zhang Jinhe said, handing the rice to Zhang Mingde.

Zhang Mingde took the rice and looked at it, exclaiming, "What kind of family is this?!"

"Young master, you give the impression that you're not short of money. Your family must be very wealthy, much wealthier than ours. And the bowl you're using..." Zhang Jinhe didn't know how to describe it, but it was certainly stunning.

Zhang Mingde, who had previously had little appetite, now feels hungry.

"I just don't understand why the young master said he ran back from the Western Regions."

Zhang Mingde swallowed his rice. "These things are not important. He meant no harm and brought great benefits to the village. That's enough."

The village can't find fault with what Xiao Ran is doing now.

I am grateful to Xiao Ran for paying taxes for just three years.

“Grandpa, it seems like the young master knows everything.” Zhang Jinhe’s eyes were full of stars.

She had never met anyone like this before, someone she admired from the bottom of her heart.

Zhang Mingde smiled and said, "He's different. His skills can't be learned from books, and they're not found in the classics. Perhaps traveling thousands of miles is more useful than studying!"

"Grandpa, you didn't say that before. You said we should read more classic texts so we could become useful people."

Zhang Mingde didn't argue, "Jinniang, you should eat too. Grandpa can't eat all of this."

"I'm so full, I can't eat anymore!" Zhang Jinhe stood up. "I need to go collect my wages!"

Short-term laborers are paid daily, and Zhang Jinhe does this every evening.

She doesn't need to keep an eye on things; there are farmhands at home who help with the work and keep an eye on things.

Zhang Jinhe would not scold the workers. If he found them cheating or shirking their duties, he would remind them once or twice. If they still did not change, he would not hire them again.

Zhang Jinhe picked up the corn cake, took two bites, and then thought it didn't taste good anymore.

Thinking back to when Xiao Ran came before, Zhang Jinhe was a little smug, but now, thinking about it, Zhang Jinhe felt embarrassed.

These things can't compare to Xiao Ran's. Even now, thinking about them still makes me feel restless.

"Oh dear!" The more I thought about it, the more embarrassed I felt.

The persimmons that have been drying all day need to be brought back inside.

As darkness fell, Xiao Ran rubbed Third Sister's head and said, "I'm going back!"

"All right!"

Where Xiao Ran lived remained a mystery to the three siblings.

"I'm over by the pond. Don't tell anyone else. Just say I live at home."

“Okay, young master, I’ll remember that!” Zhang Erya nodded.

(End of this chapter)