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

Chapter 92 Delicious Bear Meat!

"Is the young master injured?" Xiao Ran asked again.

Sun Simiao had some idea of ​​the black bear's fighting ability.

This thing is a bit scary in terms of combat power.

"Luckily, I'm fine." Xiao Ran smiled.

Sun Simiao knew that Xiao Ran was hiding something, but that wasn't important, and Sun Simiao didn't care.

Xiao Ran really didn't want to talk about the pistol.

"That's good, that's good, let's go back!" Sun Simiao helped lead the horses, and the two walked outside.

To be able to shoot down a black bear so easily, there must be some method involved, but Sun Simiao naturally wouldn't ask about that.

On the way, they saw that Li Lizhi and the others' carriage was still there, and Li Wu and Cheng Tiehuan were also guarding nearby.

Although they didn't go looking for Xiao Ran, the group didn't leave either, but waited for Xiao Ran and Sun Simiao.

"Fifth Sister, the young master and the old gentleman are back." Li Wu saw them from afar.

Li Lizhi, who had just been looking around, also saw Xiao Ran and Sun Simiao.

Princess Li Lizhi of Yuzhang hurriedly got off the carriage.

I was quite worried before.

"Young master!" Third Sister called out as well.

Xiao Ran waved his hand, "I'm fine, nothing's wrong, it's just that I was gone for a while, and the deer ran a bit far."

Seeing that Xiao Ran didn't seem injured, the group was relieved.

"This black bear???" Li Wu was the first to react.

"I happened to run into him, and I shot him unexpectedly. It was a close call," Xiao Ran said, making up an excuse.

This gave Li Lizhi and the others a lingering sense of fear; encountering this thing was indeed dangerous.

Li Shimin, Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and the others were in relatively good condition, but Xiao Ran was in great danger on his own.

Fortunately, Xiao Ran is alright.

Xiao Ran's shooting was too simple, and he spoke of it with nonchalance.

Princess Li Lizhi of Yuzhang also felt that it was unreal.

But no one else was there; it was Xiao Ran who shot him all by himself.

The bear is still bleeding, and it's still warm.

It must have been Xiao Ran who shot him, no doubt about it.

But it still feels unbelievable.

Something felt off; Xiao Ran was looking far too relaxed.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang, among others, were people who knew their boundaries, and they didn't ask Xiao Ran any more questions.

It's not surprising that Xiao Ran is full of secrets.

Sun Simiao gathered a lot of medicinal herbs and also had a plentiful hunt.

Not only deer, but also bears.

Including the honey and bees from before, this trip would have been perfect if it hadn't involved the black bear.

They didn't linger; the black bear incident made them all quite wary.

Xiao Ran's horse was to be used to carry prey, so he couldn't ride it.

Cheng Tiehuan looked at it and said, "Young master, you can ride my horse."

Princess Yuzhang gave Cheng Tiehuan a meaningful look. Cheng Tiehuan realized what she meant and changed his words, saying, "Young master, you and Fifth and Sixth Sisters should ride in the carriage. My horse is shy and might get angry."

Li Lizhi remained silent and smiled.

"Okay!" Xiao Ran didn't care; he was fine with whatever she said.

Xiao Ran sat outside and did not go inside.

The little princess stood next to Xiao Ran, looking at the deer and the black bear. She didn't know what encountering the black bear meant.

He said with a smile, "So many ducks!"

The little princess likes the meat Xiao Ran makes.

"Yes, we can eat meat soon." Xiao Ran looked at the black bear. He had never eaten this before and was not allowed to touch it. He asked curiously, "Grandpa, is this black bear meat delicious?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Simiao stroked his beard, glanced at the black bear being carried on horseback, and slowly said, "Bear meat is a delicacy, sweet and rich in flavor, and firmer than ordinary animal meat."

"If it is bear meat from winter, because it has stored up fat, it will have a fatty aroma after being stewed until it is very tender. It is not dry or greasy, but it is warm in nature and can cause dryness if eaten too much. It should be cooked with some licorice and radish to neutralize its nature."

Sun Simiao then changed the subject, speaking of its medicinal value with a more serious tone:
"More valuable than the meat are the other parts of this bear."

“Bear bile is bitter and cold in nature. It can clear the liver and improve eyesight, as well as relieve sores and toxins. If you have red, swollen, or painful eyes, boils, or carbuncles, just grind a little into powder and apply it. It will be very effective.”

“Bear paws are another matter. They are warm in nature and can replenish qi and blood. They are a good medicine for people who are weak and fatigued. However, they are not easy to obtain and are rarely seen by ordinary people.”

"However, this bear was just shot and its blood is still fresh. The meat needs to be processed as soon as possible. Soak it in clean water to remove the blood foam, otherwise it will have a fishy smell."

Sun Simiao glanced at the curious little princess and added, "But this meat is very potent, and children have weak digestive systems, so they should only have a small taste and not eat too much."

His words not only answered the question of "whether it tastes good or not", but also pointed out the medicinal value of bear and took into account the precautions for eating it. They were both professional as a doctor and full of life experience, which made Xiao Ran nod repeatedly.

Xiao Ran looked a bit troubled. "How should we handle this? This is my first time dealing with a black bear!"

“The old man knows how to do it, he can handle it,” Sun Simiao said with a smile.

There are good things about bears.

“I can help; I’ve dealt with black bears before,” Li Wu said.

As for cooking, that's where Xiao Ran comes in.

After all, Xiao Ran's culinary skills are widely recognized, even better than those of the imperial chefs.

Back home, Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya were both surprised and delighted to see the deer and the black bear.

They quickly realized that the black bear was no pushover.

"Young master, you even encountered a black bear! That's too dangerous. Luckily, there are many of you." Zhang Jinhe knew that Li Wucheng and Tie Huan were both quite skilled.

“The black bear doesn’t need us; young master can handle it all by himself,” Cheng Tiehuan waved his hand.

After hearing Zhang Jinhe's story, Zhang Erya was also filled with lingering fear.

At the same time, I was also surprised that Xiao Ran's skills were too good.

Xiao Ran immediately prepared beehives, because the bees would die if they weren't released soon.

The honey also needs to be processed and stored away.

Sun Simiao and Li Wu processed the prey.

There's definitely more meat than we can eat.

Xiao Ran selected some of the stir-fried vegetables, and preserved the rest with salt, preparing to smoke them with salt.

I didn't intend to make cured meat, but this way it can be stored for a longer time.

This time the meal was more lavish than before.

Xiao Ran cooked it himself.

This made the three little girls extremely envious.

Princess Yuzhang tied on an apron and helped Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya.

Cheng Tiehuan wasn't good at delicate work, but he had plenty of strength.

They helped hang up the venison and bear meat.

This meat is much better than mutton.

Soon, a variety of dishes were laid out on the table.

It's mainly meat.

Some are stir-fried, and some are stewed.

Even though it was stewed, Xiao Ran's version tasted better than the one made by the imperial chefs of the Imperial Kitchen.

Xiao Ran has many ways to remove fishy smells, and he also has many seasonings.

Even if the imperial chefs of the Imperial Kitchen are better than Xiao Ran, it's useless; seasonings are something that cooking skills can't compensate for.

"Hey, I have to say, this bear meat is really good." Xiao Ran tasted it with the three little girls while cooking, and tasted about half a bowl.

"It tastes better than beef." Cheng Tiehuan finished speaking with an awkward smile. His family's cows always died mysteriously, and Princess Li Lizhi had also heard about it.

I steamed some rice and millet, but mainly ate meat.

The princesses were the ones who ate rice.

The little princess likes bear meat, but unfortunately she can't eat too much.

We can only eat more venison now.

Fortunately, there were also scrambled eggs with tomatoes, which the little princess enjoyed. A portion was saved for Zhang Mingde, and there was also some for Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun.

There's also Cheng Yaojin.

Xiao Ran originally wanted Li Lizhi, Cheng Tiehuan, and the others to take some meat back with them.

Princess Yuzhang, carrying the packaged bear and venison, said, "This meat is quite good, but it's a bit of a waste for others to cook it. Just take this cooked meat; let's skip the raw one!"

“Yes, yes, yes, it’s a waste for my cook to make it,” Cheng Tiehuan also said.

None of them brought any gifts, only those they knew well.

They didn't refuse the ones they were familiar with.

Cheng Tiehuan liked it, so Xiao Ran lent her a compound bow and a telescope to take home and play with.

The two little princesses took some honey back with them.

The glass that held the honey was the one Xiao Ran had used to eat canned food.

It's not big; it's considered a very luxurious cup in this era.

Anyway, all the princesses were very satisfied.

Li Lizhi and the others also helped take the persimmon cakes to Chang'an City and deliver them to Zhang's Grain Shop.

They all knew each other and understood that these persimmon cakes, after the frost had been removed, were to be sold.

I'd like to do Zhang Jinhe a favor while I'm at it.

The two little princesses usually like to eat persimmon cakes, and Zhang Jinhe is not a stingy person, so he never says anything.

If you're looking at the selling price, it's not cheap either.

Every time I go back from Xiao Ran's place, I'm quite happy.

I brought more things this time than I have ever brought before.

Li Wu and Zhang Dalang both have large appetites, but they can eat as much meat as they want, and there's no shortage of it.

Li Wu was too embarrassed to accept any meat offered by Xiao Ran, even though he was quite full.

Li Wu felt embarrassed if he didn't offer to take something with him.

Cheng Tiehuan carried a food box and a compound bow telescope as he entered the Duke of Su's mansion.

Cheng Yaojin walked over with a smile, "The girl's back!"

Cheng Yaojin saw what Cheng Tiehuan was holding. "Why did you bring back His Majesty's clairvoyance and my nephew's composite bow?"

Xiao Ran's is fine, but the telescope belongs to Li Shimin, which is not good.

This is priceless; it cannot be measured in money.

“Grandpa, they don’t belong to His Majesty, they all belong to the young master!” Cheng Tiehuan said.

"Did His Majesty and the young master exchange land before? Did the young master change his mind and switch back?"

"Father, do you think the young master is that kind of person?" Cheng Tiehuan asked.

"It doesn't seem like it. What's going on?"

"Young master brought out three more today. This one is borrowed from me, and there are also three compound bows."

"How much?" Cheng Yaojin's eyes widened.

"I feel that the young man also has three far-seeing eyes."

Cheng Yaojin took the binoculars and looked at it. The appearance was exactly the same as before, without any difference.

The same effect can be achieved with a telescope.

Cheng Yaojin frowned. "Three more that are exactly the same?"

Cheng Tiehuan nodded, picked up the compound bow, and said, "These are also three, and they are exactly the same, without any difference."

Cheng Yaojin, refusing to believe in superstition, picked up an arrow and shot it.

Yes, they are the same.

"Dad, we can look at these later. We can play for a couple more days, but the bear and venison that the young master gave us will get cold if we don't eat them soon. They smell so good! I'm so full!"

Cheng Tiehuan wasn't a foodie, but she genuinely liked Xiao Ran's cooking.

“Nephew, your cooking skills are something I must try. Is the venison from hunting?” Cheng Yaojin suddenly stopped. “No, where did the bear meat come from?”

"I took it today."

"This is too dangerous! You guys went to Zhongnan Mountain?" Cheng Yaojin quickly looked at Cheng Tiehuan, "Is the girl alright?"

"Father, I didn't, I'm fine."

"You have to protect the princess's safety. It's too risky. This is not a good idea."

Cheng Tiehuan nodded, "With Fifth Uncle here, along with the old doctor and the young master, Father couldn't persuade the princesses either. All I can do is go with them."

"That's true, but if something goes wrong, we can't afford the responsibility." Cheng Yaojin was also a little scared.

Of the four princesses, three and a half were direct descendants.

Princess Yuzhang counts as half!
She was not as good as the direct descendants like Li Lizhi, but as the adopted daughter of Empress Zhangsun, she was better than the other illegitimate children.

That is, Cheng Tiehuan. If it were Cheng Chumo, Cheng Yaojin would have beaten him up first.

Ask about the details again when you're fighting.

Cheng Tiehuan certainly brought Cheng Yaojin a lot of surprises today.

Cheng Yaojin was startled to hear that Xiao Ran had hunted down a black bear all by himself without a scratch.

"As expected, the commotion you heard was probably from the killing of the black bear, but," Cheng Yaojin frowned, "what kind of method could create such a commotion and kill the black bear so easily!"

Even for Cheng Yaojin, facing a black bear alone was no easy task.

This thing is tough and hard to deal with.

In the jungle, there are more uncertainties.

Hearing Cheng Tiehuan's account, Xiao Ran felt that while picking up deer, he also picked up a black bear.

"Interesting, my nephew, you certainly have quite a few secrets." Cheng Yaojin took a bite of meat. "Very good, very good. The venison is still the same as before, and the bear meat is even more delicious."

Cheng Yaojin also praised it highly.

"Father, it tasted even better when it was fresh out of the pot." Cheng Tiehuan rubbed his belly, still looking like he was savoring the memory.

"If only the young master could come to our house!" Cheng Tiehuan smiled.

Cheng Yaojin shook his head helplessly; he really liked Xiao Ran.

Cheng Yaojin was also interested in Xiao Ran, but he knew he couldn't get too close.

Qin Qiong was also one of them.

I'm interested in both.

However, we must consider Li Shimin's side; we cannot compete with Li Shimin for power.

Getting too close isn't a good idea.

Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaidao also wanted to go, but Cheng Yaojin and Qin Qiong refused to let them.

Cheng Tiehuan did so because Li Lizhi and the others needed protection.

Cheng Yaojin didn't finish his food and left some for Cheng Chumo and the others.

He took his composite bow and telescope to the Duke of Ji's mansion to show off to Qin Qiong.

Although it's not my own, it doesn't matter.

Li Zhengdian

Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun also got to taste venison and bear meat.

The venison remains the same as before, but the bear meat is still superior.

Li Shimin hurriedly inquired about their origins, and upon hearing that they had gone to Zhongnan Mountain, he frowned.

"Girl, it's too dangerous. Don't go again unless you bring more people with you." Li Shimin didn't blame Li Wu and Cheng Tiehuan.

Knowing that this was Li Lizhi's idea, Li Wu and Cheng Tiehuan couldn't dissuade her.

The reason they felt comfortable letting Li Lizhi go out was because they knew she was sensible and knew how to conduct herself properly, just like Princess Yuzhang.

We initially agreed to go outside, but what happened next was quite unexpected.

"That huge commotion must have been caused by the young master!" Empress Zhangsun thought to herself.

Xiao Ran said he didn't know, but everyone else thought it was Xiao Ran.

Although I don't understand how Xiao Ran did it, I just feel that Xiao Ran is capable.

No matter what Xiao Ran brings out or does, neither Li Shimin nor Empress Zhangsun will be too surprised.

I feel a bit numb.

"This guy has a way to save his own life," Li Shimin chuckled.

(End of this chapter)