Jiang Weiping studied behind closed doors for more than half a month, and finally made a thin iron pot.
He came excitedly, and when he got to the main hall, before Rong Xi could exchange greetings, he put the iron pot on the ground and said with an excited expression: “Brother Rong, please take a look.”
Rong Xi’s eyes brightened, and he was extremely happy.
“Brother Jiang’s skills are truly extraordinary!” He praised it without hesitation, holding the pot in hand and taking a closer look.
Liu He was serving tea and was very happy to see Rong Xi’s happiness. He couldn’t help but laugh out loud and ask, “Young master, may I ask what this pot is used for?”
It is very useful!
“Grandpa Liu, first wash it with boiling water, wipe it dry, put it on the stove, light a slow fire, use chopsticks to pick up the pork, and rub it on the wall until it becomes dregs. After washing again, apply soybean oil and let it sit for a day and night. Do you remember?”
Liu He didn’t understand what Rong Xi meant, but he obeyed the instructions sincerely and stepped back with the pot in hand.
“What does brother Rong mean?” Jiang Weiping asked in confusion.
Rong Xi drank the tea and said with a smile: “The new pot should be protected with this method. If brother Jiang does not dislike it, I will invite you and brother Hu to come over someday to taste the new dishes.”
They had to wait until the Chen family left.
“You don’t have to be too modest, my friend. When it comes to cooking skills, you are already a master. Brother Hu and I are really blessed.” Jiang Weiping said it with a simple and honest smile.
The two chatted for a long time. Jiang Weiping suddenly looked serious and said, “I was walking through the street today and heard some rumors about you.”
Seeing his worried expression, Rong Xi had no doubts, and was moved in his heart. He stood up and bowed and said, “Thank you, Brother Jiang, for your concern. I am fine. As time goes by, the rumors will eventually disappear.”
“I don’t know who the villain is tarnishing your reputation, but they are truly malicious!” Jiang Weiping waved his sleeves angrily.
“Haha,” Rong Xi laughed out loud, “Brother Jiang, don’t worry about it. I am innocent, and I am not afraid of other people’s lies. Just wait a moment, and I will get the money.”
Jiang Weiping quickly stopped him and said shyly: “You don’t have to spend money. You gave me the method of smelting iron, which was a great act of kindness. I was about to talk to you about this.”
He took the paper from his arms and spread it on the table.
Rong Xi looked at it carefully, frowned slightly, and said after a while: “I deeply admire and appreciate brother Jiang’s concern, but this approach is inappropriate.”
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Weiping thought he was going to refuse, so he hurriedly said, “Without your wonderful method, I wouldn’t be able to build this thing pot. You deserve a lot of credit.”
He wanted to share the profits with Rong Xi.
Rong Xi shook his head and sighed: “Brother Jiang, although this method is wonderful, your technique will be known to others sooner or later. At that time, the government will intervene, and the method of smelting iron will be returned to the court.”
This was true, and Jiang Weiping also knew it. But he was unwilling to do so, not for himself, but for Rong Xi.
His friend was exceptionally intelligent, with a flood of ingenious ideas, yet he lived a frugal life and was unjustly criticized by others. It truly shouldn’t have been so.
“Brother Jiang, why not wait until the national mourning period has passed before submitting this method to the government?” Rong Xi suggested.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The Wei Dynasty had a system in place: if people acquired a wonderful method and performed meritorious services, the court would automatically reward them. Though the number of recipients was small, their reputation spread widely, which also benefited the Jiang family.
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His friend is the son of a Shengjing official. Even if he wants to be famous, it should be because of his knowledge. How could he be regarded as a craftsman?
Rong Xi didn’t know that Liang Weiping blamed himself, and said casually: “I have a bad reputation. If I use my name, I’m afraid that the people will spit on me and the government will hate me, which will be detrimental to things.”
Fame is not important to him.
When Jiang Weiping heard this, his heart was greatly moved, and tears welled up in his eyes. He drank tea to cover his eyes, raised his head to let his tears flow back, and sighed, “I admire you for your broad mind!”
The two chatted for a long time. At the end of the day, Jiang Weiping was reluctant to leave.
In the guest room, Chen’s masters and servants either sat or stood.
Chen Chuangu twisted the seeds and said while chewing: “Why do I always feel that there is something strange about Rong Xi?”
Just now, when mentioning the excessive supplementation, although Rong Xu was surprised, he showed no signs of shock. Could it be that he already knew?
“It’s something strange when it doesn’t match the rumors.” Chen Dalang leaned on the bed, holding a book and said with a smile, “And what you said about his body, if he is smart, he must have known it already.”
Chen Erlang couldn’t help but interject, “From a closer look, Rong Xi is very intelligent. He must have shown his clumsiness in Shengjing on purpose. Now that he is in Linxi, in order to make a living, he should show his talents. That is why he is different from before.”
He had to say that this reasoning was very logical.
Who could clearly tell what happened in the back house? The stepmother was not kind, staying far away from home could make Rong Xi feel more at ease.
It was just that if a man was unable to make achievements, he would regret it in life. He didn’t know what choice Rong Xi would make.
“What Chen Erlang said is true.” Chen Chuangu smiled and flattered him, “But in my opinion, Rong Xu may be even more formidable than we imagine. What we’ve seen is just the tip of the iceberg.”
Chen Dalang placed the documents neatly on the desk, “Why did you say this?”
Chen Chuangu thought about the things in the strong man’s hands, frowned, and said: “We have never seen the briquettes and coal stoves, but they are gathered in the house. Now there are new things added, which is really puzzling.”
After he finished speaking, he described what he had seen to the two of them.
Chen Erlang glanced at the servant behind him. The servant understood and left the house immediately. After a while, he returned and replied: “Liu He didn’t hide anything. He said frankly that the thing was a new iron pot, which can be used for frying dishes.”
“Fry?” Chen Chuangu was stunned, “What do you mean by ‘fry’?”
“He doesn’t know,” the servant said, looking helpless, “He said this is Young Master Rong’s order.”
When Chen Chuangu heard this, his heart itched unbearably. He almost wanted to leave the table immediately and rush to Rong Xi’s place to ask for an explanation.
“Talented individuals emerge one after another, truly a blessing for Wei Dynasty.” Chen Erlang sighed, seeming proud of it.
Chen Dalang thought more deeply and said in surprise: “If that is really a new thin pot, it shows that the blacksmith’s skills are extraordinary. But the government’s iron-smelting skills seem to be far inferior to this, right?”
As soon as these words came out, Chen Erlang was stunned and looked at him sideways. After a moment, he smiled brightly and said: “The trip to Linxi is of extraordinary significance.”
Chen Chuangu raised an eyebrow, placed the cup on the table, and asked, “Since skills belong to individuals, wouldn’t you refrain from engaging in plundering?”
“The Wei Dynasty has laws, and the people should follow them. And the court will reward them, and they will gain both fame and fortune, so why should we rob them?”
Chen Chuangu did not argue with the two powerful men, but whispered: “The rewards are very small, and the people disdain them. In this case, who is willing to research and create?”
Chen Dalang had an extraordinary ear, and when he heard what Chen Chuangu said, his sword eyebrows furrowed slightly. However, the current focus should be on the situation in Shengjing. It was inconvenient to say more about such matters at this time.
“Chen Chuangu, my leg injury has healed. Can I travel the day after tomorrow?”
Chen Chuangu glanced at him and sighed, “That’s okay.”
If it weren’t for his responsibilities, Chen Chuangu would really like to live a happy life in Rong’s house, surrounded by delicious food and having wise conversation with the young man, which was very comfortable. Shengjing was like a dragon’s pond and a tiger’s den, full of swords. If he was not careful, his life would be at risk.
At noon the next day, Chen Chuangu came to look for Rong Xi, handed the prescription to Rong Xi, and talked to him about leaving the house.
Rong Xi nodded and smiled, thanking him solemnly.
A day and night had passed, and the thin pot was ready to be used. It would be better to serve the Chen family a farewell party with new dishes.
With river-fresh fish, poultry, and other ingredients ready, Rong Xie instructed Liu He and Liu Zishi to assist nearby in arranging various condiments evenly.
Remove the tendons, membranes, and bones from the meat, then shred it and marinate it in sauce and wine for a while.
With the fire roaring and the thin pot heating up rapidly, as soon as the oil entered the pot, it emitted a white smoke that turned blue in no time. When the shredded meat was poured into the bottom of the pot, there was a sizzling sound, which startled Liu He and his grandson.
Rong Xi continued to stir-fry, and the aroma of the meat gradually filled the kitchen and even floated into the courtyard.
The two servants of the Chen family were guarding the corridor. Upon catching the aroma, they felt their mouths watering and their stomachs growling.
After a moment, additional ingredients such as starch, vinegar, and sugar were added to the pot, sprinkled with chopped green onions, making the fragrance even more enticing.
Liu He and Liu Zishi saw it with their own eyes and were convinced. Unexpectedly, this stir-frying technique could produce such wonderful dishes.
The aromas of various dishes gradually gathered in the courtyard, and finally, against all odds, they floated into the guest room.
Chen Chuangu took a deep breath, his greed surged, and he immediately wanted to leave the room to see what was going on.
“Don’t disturb Rong Xi’s cooking.” Chen Dalang said calmly.
It would be more convincing if one ignored the movement of Adam’s apple.
Chen Erlang was more honest and said with a reserved smile: “Rong Xi has superb skills, but it’s a pity that we have to leave the house tomorrow.”
“How about I stay?” Chen Chuangu asked sadly.
Chen Dalang’s eyes were indifferent, “It’s okay to stay.”
“Nevermind,” Chen Chuangu understood his expression and quickly changed his words, “If your leg injury recurs along the way, it will be my fault.”
Chen Dalang turned his eyes back and landed on the pages of the book, but he didn’t turn it for a long time.
Chen Chuangu rolled his eyes secretly.
Finally, when the time was approaching, the two servants prepared the dining table early. The 3 members of the Chen family sat behind the dining table. Except for Chen Dalang, who had a leg injury and could not kneel down, the other two people sat properly.
However, when the delicious dishes were served, they completely forgot about their manners.
It could be said that they had never seen such dishes on the table before, it was undeniable that the color, smell, and taste were simply perfect.
Chen Erlang picked up the chopsticks and took the shredded pork into his mouth. He immediately felt that it was extremely delicious. Compared with the soft and glutinous meat, the meat was crispy and refreshing, and it was very interesting to chew.
After he started eating, Chen Dalang and Chen Chuangu quickly tasted the food as well.
In the hearts of the three, there were thousands of emotions. How could there be such delicious food? They really don’t want to leave Linxi!
Chen Chuangu almost wanted to cry.
As for the servants, with their masters’ kind permission, the servants went to the kitchen to eat with Liu He and Liu Zishi, and their eyes filled with tears while eating.
For a moment, the only sound in Rong’s house was the sound of clattering bowls and chopsticks.
After the meal, everyone except Rong Xi felt unbearably bloated, so they had to go to the courtyard to digest.
Seeing Rong Xi shoveling dirt into bags in the courtyard, Chen Chuangu couldn’t help but step forward to ask.
“I am fat and want to walk with a bag tied up to exercise myself.” Rong Xi smiled warmly and answered him.
As the sky was ablaze with the hues of sunset, the young man stood against the backdrop of the radiant light, his features harmoniously blended, his smile genuine. Chen Chuangu’s heart was filled with a surge of protectiveness and affection. Without a second thought, he reached out and grasped the young man’s wrists.
“Brother Rong, please take care of yourself. We’ll leave tomorrow. I don’t know when I will see you again. When the problem settles, I will definitely come to find you!”
Rong Xi smiled casually and said, “I’m waiting for brother Chen here.”
Chen Dalang suddenly stepped forward, blocked Chen Chuangu, took a ring-shaped jade pendant from his sleeve, and handed it to Rong Xi.
“I cherish Zishi’s talent, but I will leave tomorrow, and there will be no one to teach him. Just hold this ring and go to Feng’s Carpenter Shop in Mengshan.”
Rong Xi raised his head, looked back, and realized that Chen Dalang was taller and more heroic than ordinary people.
If this jade had been a gift for himself, Rong Xi would surely have refused it. However, considering the future of Liu Zishi, if he hadn’t accepted it, it would have been a waste of the young man’s martial arts talent.
Rong Xi thought for a moment, then called Liu Zishi and asked him to bow and give thanks before accepting the ring.
Chen Dalang then turned around neatly and went back to the house, his smile fleeting.
Thanks for the chapter! Why do I torture myself with these stories full of good food? Oh right…because I wanted to expand my horizons & brainwash myself into not hating to cook… & now I’m hungry…
Wait, so he healed in ten days?, an injury that exposed bone healed in ten days. Also, you switch every now and then from third person to first person narrative out of nowhere.
I think because he practices martial arts? I am sorry for the confusion; I fixed it.
Wow, ML already leaves (((
Thank you for your translation 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙