Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

Cheng Chumo returned home excitedly carrying a bucket of fish he had caught from the river. In the bucket, big fish, small fish and shrimps were swimming happily.

Cheng Yaojin saw this from the courtyard and laughed out loud, "You little brat, what a good catch! You're in for a treat today! Tell the chef to fry these small fish and shrimps and braise the big fish. It's going to be a delicious meal."

Hua Da Jiao glared at Cheng Chumo carrying the bucket and said, "You went to the river again, kid? Look at you covered in mud! Don't bring dirt into the house. But the fish in your bucket are fresh. You'll have a delicious meal today. But don't let it happen again. If anything happens in the river, you'll be in trouble!"

Cheng Chumo scratched his head and replied with a smile: "Mom, don't worry, I'm fine. Look at these fish and shrimp, they are so good!"

As he said that, he ran to the kitchen.

As soon as he arrived at the kitchen, Cheng Chumo couldn't wait to give instructions: "Quick, clean up these small fish and shrimps, coat them with batter, and fry them slowly over low heat until they are golden brown and fragrant."

He was rubbing his hands together, his eyes fixed on the small fish and shrimps being prepared.

His nostrils twitched slightly, as if he had already smelled the tempting fragrance, a unique smell that was a mixture of the aroma of noodles and the fresh aroma of fish and shrimp.

Cheng Chumo was looking forward to the dish coming out of the pot. He kept muttering, "Hurry up, hurry up! I really want to taste this delicious food right away."

As he spoke, he rubbed his hands from time to time, and his greedy look was written all over his face.

He would go to the pot to check the heat, and then watch the progress of processing the fish and shrimp.

A servant covered his mouth and whispered to the person next to him, "Young Master is like this every time he sees something delicious. He's like a child who never grows up."

Another servant nodded in agreement. "Yes, look at how eager he is, as if these small fish and shrimp are the rarest delicacies in the world. How interesting."

There was also a young servant who smiled so hard that his eyes narrowed: "Master, this kind of temperament has really made our kitchen quite lively."

Cheng Chumo was busy in the kitchen, shouting, "We have fish porridge today, it's very delicious!"

Cheng Yaojin laughed heartily: "My son is going to show off his skills. This fish porridge smells delicious. I must try it later."

Hua Da Jiao smiled and nodded, "You naughty monkey, you can make fish porridge? But you have to pick out all the bones, don't prick anyone."

The servants also joined in the conversation. An older servant said, "Young Master is very clever. If this fish porridge is ready, it will surely fill the whole house with fragrance. I can't wait to try it."

Another servant agreed with a smile: "Yes, it is made by the young master, so it must be delicious. We are in for a treat."

Cheng Yaojin's little daughter clapped her hands and cried out, "Brother, is there a lot of fish in the fish porridge? I want to eat so much."

Cheng Chumo's face was full of pride: "Don't worry, sister, the fish porridge made by brother is full of tender fish. I guarantee you will want to eat more after you have eaten it."

Cheng Yaojin came closer and sniffed the aroma wafting from the pot. He couldn't help but say, "It smells so good! Is it almost done? This smell is making my stomach swell up."

Hua Da Jiao also came over, smiling and scolding, "Look at you, you're so impatient, you don't act like an elder. I think the porridge needs to be cooked for a while longer, so that the flavor of the fish can be fully absorbed into the porridge. There's no time to rush."

The servants all craned their necks to look over here, and one of them said, "It smells really good. Young Master's cooking skills are probably as good as our chef's. I guess it should be ready after just a few more minutes."

Cheng Yaojin's little daughter was even more anxious. She kept pulling at the corner of Cheng Chumo's clothes and shaking him: "Brother, brother, it smells so good. Is it really almost ready? I can't stand it anymore. I really want to have a bite right now."

Cheng Chumo smiled confidently, stirring the porridge in the pot while replying, "It's almost done, it's almost done. Wait a little longer, and when the porridge thickens a bit, it'll be ready. I guarantee you'll be amazed by it when you eat it."

Cheng Chumo shouted happily: "Alright, the fish porridge is out of the pot. There are also small fish and shrimps. Come and try it!"

Cheng Yaojin looked over, his face full of smiles, and strode forward and said, "Haha, it's finally ready. I know it's delicious just by smelling it. I'll have to eat two more bowls."

Hua Da Jiao also hurried over and helped set the table while saying, "Oh, this looks so tempting. Thank you for all the hard work, son. Come on and try it while it's hot."

The servants laughed and agreed, "Young Master's cooking skills are really amazing. This fish porridge looks fresh, fragrant and thick, and the small fish and shrimps are fried golden and crispy. Just looking at it makes our appetites soar."

Cheng Yaojin's little daughter was so excited that she jumped up and down, clapping her hands and shouting, "Wow, my brother's cooking must be delicious. I want to have the fish porridge first, and then the small fish and shrimps. Hurry and serve it to me."

In the main room, the flickering candlelight illuminates the table filled with delicious food.

The steaming fish porridge is served in an exquisite porcelain bowl, and the milky white surface of the porridge is slightly oily.

The tender fish meat is faintly visible, garnished with chopped green onions and shredded ginger, exuding bursts of tempting fresh fragrance.

On the plate beside, fried golden and crispy small fish and shrimps piled up into a small hill, and the scales of the small fish gleamed faintly in the candlelight.

Each small shrimp has a bent body and the shell is so crispy that it makes a "crunching" sound between the teeth when bitten.

Cheng Yaojin was the first to pick up the bowl and chopsticks, laughing and saying, "Such a delicious dish, I can't let my son down, let's eat!" After that, he scooped up a spoonful of fish porridge and put it into his mouth, with a satisfied expression as if he was tasting the most precious delicacy in the world.

Hua Da Jiao also smiled and picked up a small shrimp. As she ate it, she said, "This is fried to perfection. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It's very fragrant."

Although the servants did not dare to be as casual as their master, their eyes were full of anticipation for the delicious food. They ate quietly, occasionally muttering praises.

Cheng Yaojin's little daughter ate with her mouth full and mumbled, "It's so delicious! My brother is the best!"

Cheng Chumo's face was full of pride. After hearing everyone's praise, he smiled and responded, "That's right. I put a lot of thought into this fish porridge and fried small fish and shrimps."

"And these little shrimps, there's a certain technique to coating them in batter before frying. One point more or one point less won't do. That's why they taste so good."

As he spoke, he picked up a small, golden-fried fish and took a bite. The crisp sound was particularly clear in the room. "Eat as much as you can, there's plenty!"

Cheng Yaojin ate with great enthusiasm. He put down his bowl and chopsticks, touched his round belly, burped loudly, and then laughed: "I eat so happily."