plumnovel Chapter 4. It smells so good! It really smells amazing!
Chapter 4. It smells so good! It really smells amazing!
Some people couldn't help but whisper among themselves, "Great! We get to eat at the Liu family's banquet again. I still can't stop thinking about it after the last time!"
"Indeed! The food at Young Master Zhu's house is the best in Chenzhou, even better than the biggest restaurants in the city!"
Zhu Yuanzhang stood aside, watching the people's jubilant expressions, his heart filled with doubt. He quietly pulled aside an old farmer with a beaming face beside him and asked in a low voice, "Brother, it's just a banquet, why are you all so excited?"
Upon hearing this, the old farmer smiled and said, "Outsider, you don't know this, but the food at Young Master Zhu's house is no ordinary feast! The taste is exquisite, and everyone who has eaten there praises it highly!"
"Is it really that delicious?" Zhu Yuanzhang raised an eyebrow, his tone tinged with doubt, and turned to look at Liu Bowen beside him.
Liu Bowen also shook his head slightly, leaned close to Zhu Yuanzhang's ear, and whispered, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, he is just a country bumpkin who has never eaten anything good, so he praises ordinary food as if it were the best."
"Cough cough..."
Erhu, standing beside him, nodded in agreement: "Mr. Liu is right. Ordinary people usually eat simple meals and rarely even have a decent meat dish. Naturally, they find the Liu family's food to be exceptionally delicious."
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand gently, his expression returning to calm, and said in a deep voice, "It doesn't matter. Whether it tastes good or not is not important. The first thing we're here for today is to find out how the road was built, and also to see what kind of person this Zhu Yao really is."
"Be careful, don't reveal your identities."
"yes!"
The group followed the flow of people and slowly walked towards the Liu family compound. Before long, they arrived at their destination.
From a distance, the Liu Family Compound appears to be just an ordinary residence, with walls made of blue bricks and a simple wooden gate, looking plain and unassuming. Its only notable feature is its vast size.
Liu Bowen squinted as he surveyed the mansion, a faint smile playing on his lips. He leaned closer to Zhu Yuanzhang and said, "My lord, this Zhu Yao is quite interesting. As the richest man in Chenzhou, his mansion is so simple, without a trace of the ostentatious air of a wealthy merchant. That's quite rare."
After saying that, he covered his mouth and coughed lightly twice.
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, his gaze slowly sweeping over the residence, his tone carrying a hint of approval: "Not bad, not vain, and low-key in his actions. Just for this alone, he is better than many officials in the court."
Zhu Yao led Zhu Yuanzhang and his entourage through the courtyard gate, across the spacious courtyard, to the banquet area next to the main hall in the front yard. Dozens of tables had already been set up in the area, with chairs next to each table, and everything was neatly arranged.
Zhu Yao stepped aside and gestured for them to sit down, saying to Zhu Yuanzhang and his entourage, "Father, please come and sit at the main table."
Zhu Yuanzhang did not refuse, nodded, and led Liu Bowen, Erhu and others to sit down at the main table, subtly surveying the surrounding environment.
After everyone was seated, they waited quietly for the food to be served. The people also took their seats one after another, each one craning their necks and looking on with anticipation in their eyes, muttering from time to time, "The food is coming soon!" and "Finally, we can eat delicious food!"
Before long, several servants came over with plates and placed them on the table. Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Boheng stared at them and were instantly stunned.
On the table were all raw ingredients: thinly sliced meat, diced vegetables, and some unidentified mushrooms. Each item was served in a small dish, in small portions, and looked very simple, with not a trace of cooked food.
Zhu Yuanzhang's brows furrowed instantly. He lowered his voice and muttered to Liu Bowen, "What does this mean? Why are all the dishes served raw?"
Liu Bowen, also looking puzzled, shook his head slightly and replied softly, "Your Majesty, I don't know either. Perhaps it's due to different customs in Chenzhou?"
"Even if customs are different, there's no reason to serve raw food to guests; that would be extremely impolite."
After saying that, he couldn't help but cough twice.
Erhu sat to the side, his face also looking rather grim, and said in a low voice, "Should I go and ask what's going on?"
Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "No need, let's wait and see what he's up to."
Just as the group was whispering among themselves, several servants carried over a large copper pot and placed it steadily in the center of the table. Inside the pot was a boiling red broth, the soup bubbling and steaming.
Seeing this, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned even more, his tone tinged with displeasure: "What is this? The broth is all reddish-brown; it's completely inedible!"
Liu Bowen nodded, his face full of discomfort: "Your Majesty is right. This thing looks strange and I'm afraid it's hard to swallow. I suppose those common people are just ignorant and inexperienced, which is why they flock to such things."
The two men talked back and forth, their tone full of disdain. They were convinced that this so-called "exquisite meal" was nothing more than crude country food, and it was not worthy of their attention.
But just then, Liu Bowen suddenly stopped, his brows relaxed slightly, and the look of disgust on his face gradually faded, replaced by a hint of doubt: "Hmm? Wait, this smell... it seems a little fragrant?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but sniff, taking a closer look. His tense expression eased somewhat, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes: "Huh? It really is! Just now I only thought it was pungent, but upon closer inspection, the aroma is quite unique, rich yet not irritating, and it inexplicably makes one's appetite a little stronger."
While Zhu Yuanzhang and others were still questioning, the people present couldn't wait to pick up their chopsticks, take food from the dishes, and put it into the red broth in the copper pot. After blanching it for a moment, they took it out, dipped it in the sauce, and ate it heartily, exclaiming with satisfaction: "Delicious! So delicious! It tastes just like it!" "Fragrant! Fragrant and spicy, so satisfying!"
For a time, the banquet hall was filled with the sounds of chewing and exclamations of praise, creating a very lively atmosphere.
Only Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Bowen sat at the main table, hesitant to pick up their chopsticks. Their eyes still held a hint of hesitation and doubt as they looked at the boiling red soup and the way everyone was wolfing it down, their hearts filled with confusion.
Zhu Yao noticed their actions, put down his chopsticks, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang, and asked with concern, "Father, why aren't you eating? Is this hot pot not to your taste? Or are you feeling unwell and have no appetite?"
Zhu Yuanzhang snapped out of his daze, quickly smiled to cover it up, waved his hand, and said, "It's alright, it's alright, I'm not hungry. You all eat first, I'll just watch you eat."
Zhu Yao didn't insist. He nodded, picked up his chopsticks again, took a thin slice of meat, and dipped it in the red broth for a few seconds. After the meat changed color, he took it out, dipped it in the sauce, and put it in his mouth. He chewed it carefully, a satisfied expression on his face, and exclaimed in admiration, "This meat is so tender today."
As Zhu Yuanzhang and his companions watched Zhu Yao eat with relish, and then looked at the satisfied expressions of the people around them, with the increasingly rich aroma lingering around their noses, their hesitation was gradually replaced by curiosity, and their throats involuntarily moved as they swallowed.
At first, the group managed to maintain their composure and sit calmly, but the unique fragrance seemed to have a magical power, constantly wafting into their nostrils, making them eager to try it, and they could no longer resist.
Seeing Liu Bowen's demeanor, Zhu Yuanzhang could no longer suppress his curiosity. He picked up his chopsticks and, imitating Zhu Yao, took a slice of meat and placed it into the boiling red broth...
A moment later, he scooped out the slices of meat, dipped them in the sauce, and put them in his mouth, chewing them slowly...
Delicious! So delicious!