Chapter 89

Jiang Xingchen didn't know if the horned yellow sheep was similar to the mutton on Earth, but he could smell the faint gamey odor. Since that was the case, he decided to prepare it just like mutton.

If he had chili peppers, he would have made a hot pot, but lacking the ingredients, he had to settle for a clear stew. The knife flew between his fingertips as he skinned the sheep, removed the bones, and used the leg meat, crushing ginger to extract its juice...

After soaking the meat in warm water for a long time, Jiang Xingchen scooped it out, cut it into cubes, and then boiled it over a high flame, adding rice vinegar and wine to remove the gamey smell. He skimmed off the blood foam layer by layer and then washed it again...

During the process, Jiang Xingchen changed his breathing technique, and with the array activated, he could clearly sense the changes in the pot and the intensity of the heat. To maintain the essence in the meat, he had to control the fire at all times, the bellows moving intermittently, the sound like a beat.

After multiple rounds of boiling to remove the gamey smell, he added Sichuan pepper, star anise, ginger juice, and scallions to the pot, but no soy sauce for the clear stew... Soon, despite the lack of white radish, pepper, and a clay pot, the aroma of the mutton was no less fragrant than what he had cooked on Earth, making both him and Meier drool.

Switching to a low flame for a slow simmer, Jiang Xingchen cut the tenderloin and soaked it in warm water again. Without chili peppers and cumin, he could only make a stir-fried mutton with scallions.

Of course, if he could make a high broth, the stir-fried dishes would be even more delicious, but there was no time for that now; a high broth would take at least a whole day!

Next, Jiang Xingchen took out the pickled turnips, washed them to avoid making the dish too salty and affecting the freshness.

After slicing the turnips, he took out two frozen fish to clean.

Meier, helping to tend the fire, said proudly, "Brother, you're so amazing now, even the First Legion and the Beastmen Alliance need you for their trade!"

"Hehe!" Jiang Xingchen smiled and said, "It's not as simple as you think. Just cooking a meal won't facilitate a deal between the two sides... I think there's something else going on!"

"Ah?" Meier was taken aback, her expression tense, and she asked, "What's going on?"

"How would I know!" Jiang Xingchen shook his head and comforted the little girl, "You don't need to worry. Even if there is something, it's between the Legion Commander and the Beastmen Alliance, not much to do with us!"

Pausing for a moment, Jiang Xingchen muttered, "Just don't delay my request for cattle from the Beastmen Alliance!"

"What do you need cattle for, brother? There's no beef for sale now!" Meier was puzzled.

"You'll see when the time comes!" Jiang Xingchen narrowed his eyes, deliberately leaving her in suspense, then laughed at her pouting face...

After a short while, he finished cleaning the fish and started a fire on another stove, using the home-style braising method.

Finally, when he switched to a low flame for a slow simmer, Jiang Xingchen straightened up, asked Meier to watch the fire, and left the kitchen to head to the main tent.

At this moment, in the central command tent, a young man over two meters tall was sitting opposite Tang Chuxue. He had three dark golden stripes on his forehead, giving him a fierce look, and his pointed ears were covered with dark golden fur, hanging down along the earlobes.

"Clan Leader, three hundred yuan stones for three thousand warhorses is not a small amount!" Tang Chuxue smoothed the hair by her ear and said calmly.

The young man's face showed displeasure, "Miss Tang, I said when I came that we don't want yuan stones, we want sheep gut strings... The Xuan Yuan Heavenly Sect can exchange grain for sheep gut strings, and we are allies. Can't we do the same? We're not asking for your secret recipe!"

Tang Chuxue smiled and said softly, "Clan Leader, don't be in a hurry. I understand what you're saying, but you should also know that such a big deal requires approval from the military department... I've already sent the message, but there's no response yet. Please wait a bit longer."

"Wait again! If it weren't for our long-standing friendship, I wouldn't have come to you! I should go directly to the military department!"

"Hehe! Even if you go directly to the military department, it won't be resolved immediately. The imperial first-class chef has arrived!" Tang Chuxue's response was off-topic, thinking to herself, "Hmph! You came to me because you think negotiating with the military department is difficult, and you want to pressure me while I need warhorses. Do you really think I can't see through that... But our sheep gut strings aren't that easy to get..."

Hearing about the imperial first-class chef, the young man's eyes flickered, and he swallowed hard, trying to control himself. He knew he had no resistance to food. This time, he had a mission, and he couldn't fail to get the sheep gut strings.

"There's no need to eat...," he said, but before he finished, Tang Chuxue continued, "This time, I've managed to get a fifth-level demon beast, the horned yellow sheep, and I've specially invited a chef to prepare a feast for you, my old friend!"

"Fifth-level demon beast!" The young man couldn't hold back this time, his throat moving up and down with a gulping sound!

"Alright, I wouldn't want to be too picky!" He didn't want to leave anyway. Negotiating with the military department would be even more difficult. The Qiankun Empire had fought to the death to capture Pingjun City to protect the secret of the sheep gut strings. If it weren't for the once-in-a-century snow disaster, the Xuan Yuan Heavenly Sect wouldn't have been able to exchange grain for them. Besides, his appetite had been whetted.

Just as he finished speaking, Jiang Xingchen appeared from the back of the tent.

"Commander, preparing the horned yellow sheep takes a long time, so you'll have to wait a bit longer..." Jiang Xingchen spoke directly upon entering.

The young man's eyes widened in surprise. Jiang Xingchen's words didn't register; he was amazed that a young man could enter and leave Tang Chuxue's tent so freely.

Tang Chuxue's reaction to Jiang Xingchen's free entry was very calm. She smiled, nodded, stood up, and said, "Jiang Xingchen, come, let me introduce you. This is Clan Leader Luo Yu of the Gold Lion Clan of the Beastmen Alliance, my old friend... It's fine to wait a bit longer, but this time, you need to bring out your best skills!"

Jiang Xingchen then turned to look at Luo Yu, thinking to himself, "This is a Beastman, not much different from a normal person... just the three stripes on the forehead and the ears... Hmm! That's quite a significant difference..."

Seeing a Beastman for the first time, Jiang Xingchen couldn't help but evaluate him, but he didn't show it on the surface. After all, Luo Yu was a foreign envoy, and he couldn't be impolite.

"Clan Leader, I hope you enjoy tonight's dinner!" Jiang Xingchen bowed slightly, now understanding why Tang Chuxue had told him he could enter and leave the tent freely without the guards stopping him.

Generally, a chef wouldn't meet someone like a Clan Leader, but the old man must have told Tang Chuxue about the beef cattle, and she had intentionally arranged for him to meet Luo Yu. This was also a way of telling him that his matters didn't need her to handle them, and she wouldn't covet the distillation alcohol recipe, to avoid him being stubborn.

Another reason was to elevate his status, so he didn't have to be overly humble to the Gold Lion Clan Leader.

By now, Jiang Xingchen understood Tang Chuxue's purpose in inviting him. The Clan Leader's love for food was one aspect, but the key was the distillation alcohol. The trade between the two sides was certainly not just about buying warhorses. He needed beef cattle, and Tang Chuxue definitely had a use for his distillation alcohol. She hadn't asked for it directly because he had firmly refused Huangshi and the others last time.

"No wonder people say Tang Chuxue is the best of the young generation in the empire. After just two meetings, she has basically figured out my personality!" Jiang Xingchen thought to himself.

He usually hated such ulterior motives, but Tang Chuxue's approach didn't make him feel any resentment. Her allowing him to enter and leave the tent freely showed her intentions and her trust that he could see through them.

Luo Yu didn't put on airs as a Clan Leader and greeted Jiang Xingchen. Anyone who could enter and leave Tang Chuxue's tent freely must have a high status.

Although he was curious about Jiang Xingchen's identity, Tang Chuxue hadn't introduced him, so he couldn't ask rashly.

However, he didn't believe that Jiang Xingchen could cook well. Jiang Xingchen was too young, just a teenager, and couldn't possibly be the imperial first-class chef or handle a demon beast.

He began to doubt Tang Chuxue's words, and his interest, which had just been piqued, quickly waned, and he felt a strong sense of dissatisfaction: "Tang Chuxue, even if you disagree, you don't have to trick me like this. We are allies, after all..."

Tang Chuxue had been secretly observing Luo Yu. Seeing his expression change, she smiled to herself: "Once you taste Jiang Xingchen's cooking, you'll be speechless, and with the distillation alcohol the old man mentioned, the contract will be signed according to my terms..."

Jiang Xingchen didn't linger, greeted Luo Yu, and then left the tent.

As soon as he left, Luo Yu's expression darkened. Tang Chuxue's actions infuriated him. He felt that she wasn't just being insincere in negotiations but was outright playing with him. A sixteen-year-old, no matter how high his status, couldn't be the imperial first-class chef.

"Since you're like this, don't expect us to cooperate with you as before!" Luo Yu thought angrily. If he hadn't already agreed to stay for dinner to avoid losing face, he would have left immediately!

He remained silent, and Tang Chuxue didn't speak either, making the tent feel somewhat oppressive.

After about ten minutes, a rich aroma wafted into the tent, and Jiang Xingchen entered with a large platter.

"Hmm!" Luo Yu's eyebrows twitched, he sniffed hard, his eyes began to shine, and his lips pursed. Instantly, his previous dissatisfaction turned to surprise.

"The horned yellow sheep will be ready in a bit. This home-style braised carp, Clan Leader, you can try first!" Jiang Xingchen placed the platter on the table, and after the guards set the tableware, he left.

"Fish!" Luo Yu exclaimed in surprise: "In this season, there are actually fish... And there's a ring of white flour cakes around the plate..."

From anger to surprise, Luo Yu's emotions fluctuated uncontrollably, and his attention was completely drawn to the aroma of the home-style braised carp.

"Hmph! If you knew that Jiang Xingchen could catch tens of thousands of pounds of fish in one net, you'd be even more surprised!" Tang Chuxue thought to herself, a hint of pride in her eyes.

"Clan Leader! The food is ready, try it and see how it tastes! Not everyone can enjoy Jiang Xingchen's cooking!"

The two sat down, and Tang Chuxue gestured: "Come, Clan Leader, please!"

"Alright!" Luo Yu picked up his chopsticks, picked up a piece of fish, put it in his mouth, and after a slight chew, his expression changed dramatically. His eyes widened, and the light in them clearly spelled out "delicious."

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