My subjects are too rebellious!

The next morning, it was a sunny spring day. Qin Chuan planned to take a walk around Kaifeng Prefecture, and Zhang Rang and Long San and Long Si followed behind him.

Qin Chuan strolled in the market of Kaifeng Prefecture, feeling the bustling atmosphere around him, and a sense of freedom surged in his heart.

The market is bustling with people coming and going.

Qin Chuan strolled to a stall selling fresh fruits and vegetables. The stall owner was a smiling middle-aged woman who was busy counting freshly picked cucumbers for customers.

Seeing him stop, the woman immediately greeted him warmly: "Sir, take a look at our vegetables. They were just picked this morning and are very fresh!"

Qin Chuan smiled and nodded, leaning over to take a closer look at the juicy green cucumbers and the neatly arranged tomatoes next to them, and asked casually, "Auntie, how much are your cucumbers?"

"Not expensive, not expensive, two cents per cucumber. If you buy more, I can give you a discount." The woman answered cheerfully, while deftly picking out a few of the thickest cucumbers from the basket and handing them to him.

Qin Chuan took the cucumber, sniffed the fresh melon fragrance, and said with a smile: "This cucumber looks good. Auntie, your business is really good. You are almost sold out this morning, right?"

"Thanks to you, we came early today and there are many people at the market. Business is better than usual." The woman smiled even more brightly and started talking more.

"Look, Mr. Li, the tofu seller over there, is also a regular customer of mine. He comes to me every day to buy some cucumbers to go with his tofu, saying that they are refreshing and can help relieve greasiness."

Qin Chuan looked in the direction the woman pointed, and sure enough, he saw an old man in plain clothes carrying a basket of tofu and walking towards him with a smile on his face.

He turned back and continued chatting with the woman: "Auntie, you look so healthy, are you living a comfortable life at home?"

"Well, it's not about comfort or not. It's just that my family is safe and sound and has no worries about food and clothing." The woman's face was filled with satisfaction.

"My son got married last year. He married a virtuous wife. Now she helps the family run the business, so I, as a mother, can worry less."

At this point, the woman seemed to remember something and added, "By the way, sir, have you eaten yet? We still have some freshly baked sesame cakes. Paired with these cucumbers, the taste is simply amazing!"

Qin Chuan heard this and smiled and shook his head: "Thank you for your kindness, Auntie. I have already eaten."

After saying that, Qin Chuan took out a few copper coins from his sleeve, handed them to the woman, bought a few cucumbers, exchanged a few words with her, and then continued walking towards the corner of the street.

........

Qin Chuan strolled to the corner of the street, where he was greeted by a unique aroma that attracted him to follow.

In front of a simple but clean Huo La Tang stall, several diners were concentrating on enjoying the delicious food in their bowls.

Qin Chuan's heart moved, so he went forward to find an empty seat and sat down, calling the stall owner, "Old man, give me four bowls of your special spicy soup."

After a while, four bowls of steaming hot spicy soup were served on the table.

Qin Chuan looked down and saw a flour paste in the bowl with some chopped green onions, tofu skin and other ingredients floating on it. The color was slightly dark, which was very different from the bright red and shiny Hu La Tang in his memory.

He gently scooped up a spoonful, took a sip, and found that although the taste was delicious, it lacked the spiciness and richness unique to Hu La Tang.

Putting down the spoon, Qin Chuan turned to look at the stall owner with a smile on his face, and said jokingly: "Old man, your Huo La Tang skills are good, but if you follow the authentic method of Huo La Tang, it will be more tempting."

The old man was stunned at first, then laughed heartily and said, "Oh, this guest is really an expert! Our stall only serves some home-cooked meals, how can we compare with the famous dishes of those big restaurants. However, if you are willing to teach me, I am naturally all ears."

Seeing the old man's sincere attitude, Qin Chuan said, "In fact, the key to authentic Hu La Tang lies in the preparation of the soup base. It is necessary to use beef or mutton bones to simmer for a long time to bring out the deliciousness of the broth, and then add a variety of spices, such as pepper, chili, star anise, cinnamon, etc., to stir-fry a unique spicy base. Then, slowly pour the water used to wash the gluten into the broth, stirring while pouring until a thick batter is formed. Finally, add tofu shreds, black fungus, and other ingredients, boil over high heat, and simmer over low heat until the flavors of all the ingredients are perfectly blended."

At this point, Qin Chuan paused, looked at the old man who was listening attentively, and continued: "Of course, the taste of each Huo La Tang is different, some are spicy, some are numb, but the rich aroma and rich taste are common. Old man, you might as well try this method, maybe it can make your Huo La Tang stall famous!"

After hearing this, the old man nodded repeatedly, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Thank you for your advice, I will try it right away. If it can really make my spicy soup taste even better, that would be great!"

After listening to Qin Chuan's detailed instructions, the old man's eyes flashed with eagerness to try.

He immediately took action, temporarily handing the Hu La Tang stall to his son, and hurried back home to prepare the ingredients.

Not long after, the old man returned to the stall with the re-cooked broth and the prepared ingredients. He followed Qin Chuan's instructions and operated step by step.

First, boil the broth, then add the fried spicy base, then slowly pour in the water used to wash the gluten, stirring gently with a long spoon until the batter becomes thick.

Finally, he sprinkled on shredded tofu, black fungus, and other ingredients, brought it to a boil over high heat and then simmered it over low heat to allow the flavors of the various ingredients to fully blend.

After a busy period, the old man finally made a new Huo La Tang.

He filled a bowl with great anticipation, carefully brought it to Qin Chuan, and said with a smile: "Sir, please try it. How does it taste this time?"

Qin Chuan took the bowl, blew away the cool air gently, and took a sip.

The spicy and spicy soup tasted even more delicious and mellow than before, with just the right amount of spiciness, leaving a lasting aftertaste.

But after tasting it carefully, he still felt that it lacked a bit of the unique flavor of authentic Hu La Tang.

However, considering that it was the old man's first attempt, it was quite good that he could make such a taste.

So, Qin Chuan put down the bowl, smiled and said to the old man: "Old man, your cooking skills are really good. This spicy soup tastes very good. However, authentic spicy soup still needs more time and experience to be perfected. You have taken the first step towards success. I believe that as long as you continue to work hard, you will be able to make spicy soup that everyone will praise."