Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

As Yuyu moved the remaining fish to the large chopping board in the middle of the yard, she said to Xiaoyu, "Mom, these fish are perfect for drying and making cured fish. Let's clean them first."

"When you're going to dry fish, you should salt it thoroughly to let the excess water drain out. This way, the dried fish will be firmer and chewier."

Xiaoyu also got busy, and while preparing the fish, she responded, "Yes, Yuyu, when making cured fish, in addition to salt, you also need to add more spices like peppercorns, star anise, and cinnamon. Let the fragrance seep into the fish meat, and then it will taste so delicious."

"Also, you need to be patient when curing fish. You have to marinate it for a long enough time so that the fish can fully absorb the flavor of the seasoning."

Yuyu's eyes sparkled as she nodded continuously: "Yeah, Mom, I remember you said that when you're curing fish, you have to turn it over every few days so that it can be cured evenly."

"Once the cured fish is ready, we'll have plenty of delicious fish to eat in the winter. Whether it's stewed in soup or stir-fried, it's perfect with rice. And this dried fish, when the time comes, steam it or stir-fry it, it's sure to be incredibly delicious too."

While they were busy processing the fish, Li Hao strode over. Seeing the mother and daughter busying themselves, he quickly rolled up his sleeves and said, "Mom, Yuyu, let me help. You can't leave me out for this job."

Yuyu looked up at him and said with a smile, "Brother, you're here just in time. Come and help us clean up these fish. There are quite a lot of them. More hands will make things go faster."

Li Hao came to the chopping board, picked up a fish and began to process it: "We have to be careful. If we don't clean the fish thoroughly, it will affect the taste of the cured fish and dried fish later."

Xiaoyu smiled and nodded. "Hao'er is right. You two should be more serious. Let's try to finish all of this today. We can salt the fish step by step and dry the fish outside to dry in the sun. Then we can have delicious fish products to eat in the future."

Li Hao responded enthusiastically, "Don't worry, Mom. Yuyu and I will definitely work hard. If we can make the cured fish and dried fish successfully, our dinner table will be even more plentiful this winter."

After that, the three of them began to process the fish more attentively, talking and laughing, and the yard was filled with a strong home atmosphere.

Chef Mi smiled and said, "You're handling the fish quite well. However, there are a lot of details to salting and drying fish. Let me explain them to you."

Li Hao looked up at Chef Mi and responded with a smile, "Chef Mi, please tell us quickly. Although we have learned some things from you before, we are worried that if we don't do it right, the whole batch of fish will be ruined."

Chef Mi walked over and pointed at the half-processed fish on the chopping board. He said, "As for drying fish, after the fish is salted, it needs to be placed in a cool, ventilated place to air out first to control the moisture on the surface. Then, dry it in the sun. This way, the dried fish won't spoil easily and will taste better."

Yuyu listened carefully and asked quickly, "How about making cured fish, Chef Mi, besides adding spices and salt, is there anything else you should pay attention to?"

Chef Mi touched his chin and continued, "When making cured fish, the curing time is crucial. For today, it's best to marinate it for four or five days. And you have to turn the fish over every day so that every fish is evenly coated with the seasoning. Only then will the cured fish have a mellow flavor and will be delicious no matter how long it is stored."

Xiaoyu smiled and said, "Thanks to your guidance, Chef Mi. With your supervision, our cured fish and dried fish will definitely be made very well. I must try these homemade delicacies when the time comes."

Chef Mi waved his hand, smiling broadly: "Haha, of course. Seeing how hard you've worked, I'm looking forward to tasting the results soon."

As he spoke, he started to work together, and the atmosphere in the yard became more lively and cheerful.

While handling the fish, Yuyu called out to the dogs playing around the bones, "Dogs, why don't you just come and help? Why are you still having so much fun there?"

When the puppies heard what Yu Yu said, they tilted their heads and looked at her, still chasing each other and playing around the bones that they had almost chewed.

Li Hao saw this and said jokingly, "Yuyu, don't expect them to come and help. They only care about playing right now. How could they understand the fun of making cured fish and drying fish?"

Xiaoyu also laughed: "That's right, let them be, as long as they have fun."

Yuyu curled her lips and pretended to be angry and said, "Humph, then I won't play with them later. They will definitely regret not coming to help us."

After saying that, he lowered his head and continued to concentrate on processing the fish. In the yard, everyone was laughing and the puppies were playing.

Yuyu yawned loudly as he spoke, rubbed his eyes, and muttered, "Yawn, I'm so sleepy. It's really tiring to handle fish."

Li Hao looked at her and said with a smile, "Yuyu, if you're sleepy, go and rest for a while. Mom and I are here, so we don't need your help."

Xiaoyu also looked at Yuyu with concern: "Yeah, Yuyu, go lie down inside. This job will take time to finish, don't tire yourself out."

But Yuyu shook her head stubbornly: "No, Mom, Brother, I can't be lazy. I just yawned and I'm already much more awake now."

As he spoke, he patted his cheeks vigorously, trying to make himself more energetic.

Chef Mi smiled and advised, "Yuyu, don't force yourself to keep going even if you're tired. There's no rush to prepare the cured fish or dry it in the sun. Rest for a while and you'll have more energy to work."

After listening to everyone's words, Yuyu hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded: "Okay, Mom, I'll go take a nap for a while and come back to help later. Don't let us finish all the fun work."

After saying that, he walked towards the house with a somewhat lazy step, and his back looked a bit cute and tired.

Yu Yu walked into the house, muttering to herself, "Just take a nap." Not long after she lay down on the bed, she began to snore slightly.

It was obvious that sleepiness suddenly swept over her and she fell asleep quickly.

When Xiaoyu entered the house to get something, she heard the snoring and couldn't help but smile softly, then tiptoed over.

She pulled the quilt over Yuyu and whispered, "This child is exhausted. Let him have a good sleep."

Then Xiaoyu tiptoed out of the house again, and from time to time, the sound of low voices talking could be heard in the yard.