CH 18

Wen Mingtang: “…”

Looking at the empty bowl, hearing the sound of noodles slurping from the prison, Wen Mingtang who came back to her senses smiled, got up, and said: ” What the Young Master said is right! The two should share two bowls. It’s just that the rice harvest is not easy, please don’t waste it!”

After finishing speaking, she took Ah Bing and Tang Yuan away without waiting for a reply from inside.

The group of them walked neatly without looking back, so they didn’t see that after they left, a face suddenly appeared at the small food outlet, and the boy lying on the ground confirmed that they had indeed left. After eating, he got up and said to the young man in satin and brocade clothes behind him: “Master, they are leaving!”

The young man who was standing in front of the noodle bowl with a straight face and looking around hurriedly took the noodle bowl. He got up, then picked up the noodles and stuffed them into his mouth. He kept nodding while eating, and said, “Oh! This is what people eat! What did those meals look like yesterday? Are they for people? It was like pig chaff.”

Looking at his bowl with only a small half of it left, the boy said with a bitter face: “Yesterday, I ate that meal!”

The meals cooked in the kitchen of the Dali Temple’s public office were indeed lacking in many aspects. The food was difficult to swallow and it was really hard to understand how they managed to make both meat and vegetarian dishes taste the same.

“Then you continue to eat today!” The boy’s face was almost buried in the noodle bowl, and he hadn’t eaten for a whole day. How can he remember those eating rules at this time?

After devouring his own bowl of noodles, the young boy snatched the remaining half of the noodles from the servant’s bowl and said, “You can have the lunch and dinner meals, but I’ll eat this morning meal!”

Holding the chopsticks and picking up an empty bowl, the servant, Shuangxi, was on the verge of tears. “Young Master, isn’t this unfair? I already ate from this bowl!”

“I have eaten it!” The padded boy walked slowly to the prison bed with the noodle bowl in his arms, sat down, and said indifferently, “This Young Master doesn’t despise you!”

The servant, Shuangxi, felt a twinge of dissatisfaction. “…” Can this be considered being picky? He hadn’t even taken a few bites yet. What’s more frustrating was that those initial mouthfuls had just whetted his appetite, and before he could fully enjoy it, the Young Master had snatched it away!

The young man who had just finished a bowl of noodles began to comment at this time, seeing him eating slowly and saying: “Oh! Look at the noodles without meat, vegetables, or eggs. The taste is delicious. It’s okay!”

Saying “Yes”, he hastily stuffed his chopsticks into his mouth, and the young man commented with a mouthful of food, “It seems that there are crushed fried peanuts in these noodles, I still love this! Crispy, salty The sweet taste is mixed with the sauce, and the aroma of chili oil is also added…”

Hearing this, the servant Shuangxi couldn’t help looking at his young master resentfully: How could the young master go so far? Just eat it you don’t have to do a running commentary on it!

However, tasting the remaining fragrance in his mouth, Shuangxi felt that the young master’s evaluation was not in vain: this noodle was really delicious! Eh! I wonder what was the name of this dish? After they go out, they can ask the cook to cook this dish!

Those cooks were really something! Why didn’t they make such delicious noodles before?

After delivering the noodles, it was already dawn when they returned to the public kitchen hall of Dali Temple. On the way back, she even saw officials from Dali Temple coming to the yamen for duty.

The sun was rising, and the entire yamen seemed full of vigor.

It was just that this vitality…dissipated in front of the kitchen of Dali Temple.

The public kitchen of Dali Temple was still empty, and there was no one there.

After Wen Mingtang brought Ah Bing and Tang Yuan back to the table, facing the empty kitchen hall of Dali Temple, the three of them sat down.

In such an empty public kitchen hall of Dali Temple, Ah Bing, and Tang Yuan have met many times on ordinary days. But seeing this public kitchen hall that no one cared about today, for some reason, they felt inexplicably aggrieved and unwilling.

They exchanged a glance, and Tang Yuan immediately spoke up, “Master Wen, please don’t be angry! I’ll talk to my father later. Although he’s just a carriage driver, he transports those important individuals daily for their official duties! He often drives the Head Minister of the Dali Temple too. I’ll make sure my father spreads the word and let everyone know that Master Wen’s culinary skills are truly exceptional!”

Ah Bing nodded and said: “I’ll go back and talk to my second cousin! Call him and ask him to help spread the word!”

The words that the two uttered one after another made Wen Mingtang couldn’t help laughing, but looking at Ah Bing and Tang Yuan who were fighting for her, Wen Mingtang shook her head and said, “It’s okay! Just take it easy!”

Really, there was no rush! Instead of dragging people here by selling favors and making people unwilling, it was better to wait, someone will come.

Indeed, enjoying food is similar to appreciating fine wine. The aroma of good food, like the fragrance of fine wine, will inevitably attract attention regardless of the surroundings.

Several people grabbed a handful of melon seeds and chatted while knocking them. When the hour of Chen was about to pass, the hour of Si was approaching, and the time for the morning meal was about to end, the three of them stood up and began to pack their things.

Looking at the unfinished five balls of dough covered under the cloth, Ah Bing couldn’t help but said, “Master Wen, can you let me bring three bowls of You Po Mian back for my family to taste?”

The noodles were so delicious, it was a pity to waste it! How about asking her to take it home and give the family a taste of these delicious oil-splashed noodles!

As soon as the words came out, Tang Yuan on the side immediately said: “Then I will ask for the remaining two bowls to take them home, and my father and I each have a bowl!”

In this way…the extra dough was not a waste! Just as Wen Mingtang was about to agree, she saw a few guards running into the public kitchen, and said out of breath, “We’ve caught up! Master Wen, give us a bowl of that You Po Mian!”

After the guards said this, they found a seat near the front and sat down, looking towards Wen Mingtang obsessively.

Because of their stubbornness in the morning, the enticing aroma of the oil-splashed noodles had been lingering in their minds until now!

Originally they thought that the Young Master who was on a hunger strike would not eat or drink like yesterday. But when they went to collect the bowls and chopsticks, what they saw were two clean bowls whose sauce was even cleaned off.

Several people looked at each other, and immediately made up their minds to come over and try these oily noodles!

After all, what delicious food has the Young Master never eaten? If this young master can lick the bowl so clean, the noodles must be delicious!

In addition, the 30 or so bowls collected today were all empty, not even a single strand of noodle were left… They wanted to come over to eat breakfast at that time, but because they had to help deliver the prisoners early in the morning, they took a trip Ministry of Punishments. This is why they came so late!

After finally sending off the prisoners, and seeing that there was still time before breakfast time was over in the public kitchen, several people rushed over in a hurry.

That was it…the oily noodles that they wanted to take back can’t be taken back now!

Although Tang Yuan and Ah Bing were a little disappointed, they were more happy! It was a good thing for Master Wen that more people can taste Master Wen’s craftsmanship!

With the sound of “stinging” oil, the fragrance spread in all directions. Soon all eyes were on Ah Bing and Tang Yuan as they deftly brought the oil-splashed noodles in front of several guards.

These few bowls made fresh were naturally better than those made in advance and taken to prison! Sure enough, as soon as the noodles were eaten, she received a lot of compliments from the guards.

“Good… delicious!” Because he ate too fast, one of the guards almost bit his own tongue, but still couldn’t help looking at Wen Mingtang, and asked, “Master Wen, what are you making as tomorrow’s breakfast? Will it be this You Po Mian?”

Wen Mingtang said with a smile, “It depends on what ingredients are being sent from the village today!”

Although the oil-splashed noodles were served as a morning meal today, typically they are prepared more frequently for lunch and dinner, which were considered proper main meals. If it weren’t for the official visit from the guards yesterday, she wouldn’t have used You Po Mian for breakfast today.

The guards heard what Wen Mingtang meant, and they smacked the taste in their mouths, feeling a little unsatisfied. To be honest, they can still eat this bowl of oily noodles for several consecutive meals without getting tired, but thinking that they will be able to eat new morning food from Wen Mingtang tomorrow, they can’t help but look forward to it a little more.

It would be nice if tomorrow came earlier!