Dressed As a Farm Boy, He Cheated on His Way Out of the Desert.

Chapter 33 A small test of skills, the carp leaps over the dragon gate

By the time the sauce pieces were all finished, it was almost dusk.

Tao Hongying put away the pots and stoves early and prepared to cook.

　　Old Mrs. Li asked to stay, "You can have dinner at my house today, and I'll ask Hongying to cook something delicious for you!"

The women had long heard from their men that the Li family's banquet was delicious. Now that Mrs. Li was really trying to persuade her to stay, she only half-heartedly refused to stay.

There were still some bones left from the red deer earlier, so Tao Hongying made soup and stewed the radish.

He also took a dozen dried small fish, fried them, added sauce and soup, stewed two pieces of tofu, and finally cut up cabbage and fried fungus.

 Zhao Yuru put thick flour pancakes in the sauce fish pot, and soon the dinner was ready.

　　When the women finally tasted Tao Hongying’s craftsmanship, they couldn’t help but say yes.

“Hongying is really amazing. She makes cabbage and tofu so delicious! Why can’t I make the same dish with this taste?”

 Zhang Ersao, who is most familiar with the Li family, responded immediately.

“You don’t know yet, right? An ancestor of Hongying’s family once served as an imperial cook, and her craftsmanship is passed down from family to family!”

After hearing this, the woman didn't know what she thought of. Her eyes suddenly lit up and she looked at Tao Hongying with obvious enthusiasm.

She was holding the rice bowl, and she changed seats with the woman next to Tao Hongying, and asked with a smile.

“Hongying, what do you know how to cook?”

Tao Hongying thought that the woman wanted to learn, so she didn't care and casually mentioned a few dishes she knew how to cook.

“I can basically cook home-cooked dishes such as crystal elbow, sweet and sour fish, and Sixi meatballs.”

When the woman heard this, her expression became even more joyful, and she quickly asked.

"You can also cook for the banquet, right? Can you take over the banquet work?"

Tao Hongying blinked, her mind quickly turned around a few times, and she smiled.

“I can also make ordinary banquets, but they are definitely not as exquisite as those made by restaurant chefs.”

 “Oh, that’s OK!” The woman clapped her hands happily, as if she had found a treasure.

Tao Hongying didn't know why. The other women also heard their conversation and asked curiously.

“Aunt Wu, why do you ask this?”

San Aunt Wu was the happy woman. She quickly took Tao Hongying's hand and explained.

“That’s right, I have a cousin from my mother’s side, and her son is getting married in three days. The cook who was scheduled to prepare a banquet went out at night and broke his arm, so he can’t take the job anymore.”

 She curled her lips secretly and said again.

“My cousin-in-law is a child, and the most important thing is respectability. He doesn’t want the women in the village to help him cook, and he is looking around to see if there is anyone who can replace the cook and prepare a banquet for his family!”

She said and patted Tao Hongying with a smile.

“Your ancestor was an imperial chef, the food is delicious, and the work is neat, so I think you are a good fit.”

"But..." Tao Hongying thought that there was so much work at home that Zhao Yuru couldn't handle it by herself. The good news hadn't passed a hundred days yet, so she hesitated.

"Hongying, let's try it." At this time, Mrs. Li spoke.

“Yuru and I are at home, you don’t have to worry about it.”

Tao Hongying thought for a while and then nodded.

“Okay, aunt, let me go with you tomorrow and try my craft first?”

“Hey, this is the best!” Aunt Wu quickly agreed.

Soon, everyone dispersed after dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. Tao Hongying went back to the house and told Li Laosi about the matter.

“I remember that Aunt Wu’s natal family was in the next village…”

Li Laosi was a little worried about his wife going out alone, so he said. “I have nothing to do tomorrow, so I’ll go with you then!”

Tao Hongying was of course happy and glanced at him with a smile, "Okay."

Jiayin is secretly sucking milk, staring at her father and mother with big eyes, and making small calculations in her heart.

I've been hanging around Li's house a lot lately, and it's really boring. Do you want to go for a walk with me tomorrow?

Early the next morning, before Jiayin could use her coquettish skills, Mrs. Li changed her granddaughter into clean clothes, wrapped her tightly and handed it to Tao Hongying.

He danced happily at the good news and almost kicked off the quilt.

Aunt Wu Sanzi's cousin lives in the village next door. It is a large village with more than a hundred households. It is closer to the county seat and is obviously much richer than Qingshui Village.

They arrived in two-quarters of an hour's walk. Aunt Wu's third cousin's husband's surname was Sun, and he was a small landowner.

 The large brick courtyard with three entrances looks very neat and elegant.

Mrs. Kong has a pretty good relationship with Aunt Wu, and she heard about Aunt Wu’s intention.

Looking at Tao Hongying's clean clothes and taking good care of the child in her arms, I felt a little more willing.

“Sister Hongying, it’s not that I don’t trust your craftsmanship, but there are a few distinguished guests at the banquet tomorrow, and I really can’t neglect them. How about you cook two dishes first, and let me taste them?”

Of course Tao Hongying agreed, so Aunt Wu stayed to talk to Mrs. Kong, and one of Mrs. Kong’s personal women took the three members of the Li family to the kitchen.

Li Laosi carried his daughter on his back to help light the fire, while Tao Hongying prepared the vegetables and cooked the pot.

The Li family bought a few carps from somewhere. They were jumping around in the bucket from time to time, with water splashing everywhere.

Tao Hongying asked, then killed one, briefly soaked fungus, and sliced ​​cabbage.

 In less than half an hour, the two dishes were ready.

One carp jumps over the dragon gate, which is carp in sauce, and the other dish is crisp and refreshing cabbage fried fungus.

 One meat and one vegetable, complete in color, flavor and flavor.

Mrs. Kong only glanced at the fried golden carp, as if she was about to jump over the dragon gate at any time.

She smiled happily, which meant good things and was a good omen.

Taste it again, the skin is crispy, the fish is tender, and the soup is sour and sweet. It is a rare good craftsmanship.

It happened that Mr. Kong came over from the study after smelling the smell. The couple ate a lot in one go and were extremely satisfied.

Mrs. Kong immediately appointed Tao Hongying as the chef and gave her a salary of twenty taels of silver.

Tao Hongying said while holding back her joy.

“Then let’s decide on the menu first, so that we can prepare the ingredients at home. I will come over tomorrow afternoon to prepare the dishes, and we will have three or four people from our family to help with the cooking.”

Mrs. Kong quickly took out the original menu, which also included braised fish. She immediately deleted it and added the carp leaping over the dragon's door.

 If nothing else, the distinguished guests are all scholars, so a dish with such a good name will definitely please everyone.

Everything was agreed upon, and it was almost noon. Everyone said goodbye and went home happily.

Aunt Wu helped her cousin solve an urgent problem and got a piece of fine cloth, enough to make a coat and skirt.

She was so happy that there was wind under her feet as she walked. She said that the remaining cloth would be used to make a pair of shoes for Tao Hongying, so she should be thanked.

At the lunch table of the Li family, everyone was surprised to hear that there was twenty taels of wages.

Old Mrs. Li hugged Jiayin and smiled happily, kissing her again and again.

“Oh, we Fu Niu are so lucky, we can always bring good things to the family! Your mother is now a person who can make a lot of money.”

Everyone was laughing, but Jia Huan was shy. He held the bowl and wanted to speak, but he couldn't. His face turned red in haste.

 (End of this chapter)