Chapter 11

These old scholars were indeed refined. Despite the pile of charcoal fire and the smoke nearby, they still had the heart to hold their teacups and sing songs while looking down at the city of Luozhou. Apart from their slightly off-key singing, everything else could be considered a display of unrestrained and carefree behavior. A cup of tea, a poem, and the act of drinking tea had the flavor of drinking wine. These people were not far from living a carefree life. However, as time went on, things were no longer the same. They no longer composed poems or talked about broad horizons. They no longer spoke of subduing the Tujue or stopping at Yanran. Even when they took a sip of tea, their eyes involuntarily glanced over here, unable to concentrate, and naturally, they could no longer compose poems. There was no way to resist the faint aroma that subtly escaped from under the fire, though it was very light and almost imperceptible, but precisely because of this, it was even more alluring.

Xu Qixian, on the other hand, had already lost his composure, sniffing the air vigorously, trying to capture more of the scent.

Xia Hongsheng picked up a stick from the ground, poked the charcoal fire, and swept the soil layer underneath. He calculated the time in his mind and thought it should be about ready.

"Xu Brother, come help me dig a pit to bury the charcoal fire. The weather is dry and the air is irritable; a little spark could be dangerous," Xia Hongsheng said to Xu Qixian while he started digging. When he lit the fire earlier, he had already dug a trench around it and removed the surrounding weeds. Soon, the two of them dug a pit with tree branches. Xia Hongsheng swept the charcoal fire into the pit with a stick, buried it, and stomped on it a few times to ensure there were no sparks left. Then, he dug into the already scorched and blackened soil and picked out a large lump of mud. The yellow mud shell, hardened by the fire, had already caught the attention of the scholars. They all watched Xia Hongsheng. Xia Hongsheng placed the lump of mud in front of the scholars, picked up a stone from the ground, and struck it. He then forcefully peeled off the outer layer of yellow mud and removed the lotus leaves, revealing the white and tender chicken inside. As the yellow mud and lotus leaves were removed, a strong aroma filled the air. The fat from the chicken had seeped to the surface due to the high temperature, and the aroma of the well-cooked chicken, enhanced by the spices, was so inviting that it made one's mouth water. The rich meaty aroma, which should have been greasy, was not. Instead, it had a sweet and fresh scent, making it even more appealing.

"Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Just the aroma alone is making me unable to resist!" One of the scholars stared at the chicken, his throat moving, revealing his greed. The other scholars, though they did not say anything, clearly had the same reaction, as they could not take their eyes off the chicken.

Xia Hongsheng was very satisfied with the scholars' reactions, feeling a great sense of achievement. As a seasoned foodie, it was extremely satisfying to have his culinary skills recognized by others. He extended his hand to Xu Qixian and said, "Give me the knife!"

Xu Qixian's face changed instantly. The small knife he always carried was a gift from his uncle, who had bought it from a foreign merchant in Chang'an. It was incredibly sharp, and even when used to clash with other knives and swords, it remained undamaged. He had always treasured it, but seeing the scholars' enthusiastic expressions, he smartly did not hesitate and handed the knife to Xia Hongsheng. Xia Hongsheng bowed to the scholars and then used the knife to slice the chicken into pieces, placing them on the plates in front of the scholars. During the wait, Xu Qixian had already sent his servant to the scholars' dining area to ask the cook for plates and bamboo chopsticks.

"Here is the Beggar's Chicken. Please, gentlemen, taste it." Xia Hongsheng smiled and offered it, while Xu Qixian stood behind, swallowing his saliva. However, with the scholars in front, he had no chance to eat first and could only watch with dry eyes. In fact, without even tasting it, Xu Qixian knew why his own braised chicken was not worth a penny in Xia Hongsheng's eyes just from the unique aroma.

The scholars, though already tempted by the aroma of the Beggar's Chicken, did not lose their composure. They smiled, politely yielded to each other, and then each picked up their bamboo chopsticks, gently picked up a piece of chicken from their plates, and slowly chewed it.

Beggar's Chicken was a dish Xia Hongsheng always made when camping with colleagues or friends. Everyone knew he was a foodie, so he was always the chef, and he enjoyed cooking. He was very confident in his skills. The Tang people had never tasted Beggar's Chicken, and no one had used these ingredients as spices. The novelty made it even more delicious. The spices that have always held a significant place on Chinese dining tables are not without reason. The Beggar's Chicken truly amazed the scholars, as evidenced by their increasingly bright eyes and the faster pace of their chopsticks.

"Gentlemen, does this Beggar's Chicken meet your expectations?" In just a few minutes, the entire chicken was reduced to a pile of bones on the scholars' plates. Xia Hongsheng laughed. While preparing the Beggar's Chicken for the scholars, he had a sudden idea, which became clearer with their reactions.

Old Master Yan put down his chopsticks, shook his head, and sighed, "Before, although Jing Shi was diligent, he did not have so many skills. Since he woke up from his coma, his various performances have made me wonder if there really are ghosts and gods in the world, and if there are truly immortals in the deep mountains. Could a single touch make a person change so much? ... After tasting this Beggar's Chicken, I truly feel that all the chickens I've eaten in my life were in vain. From now on, I doubt I will be able to enjoy other chicken dishes!"

"Absolutely! Absolutely!" The other scholars also put down their chopsticks, stroked their beards, and sighed.

Xia Hongsheng smiled and bowed, saying, "Gentlemen, rest assured. Whenever you want to eat, just call me, and I will prepare a feast for you."

"Hahaha, with your promise, I will often come to your place for a meal!" Xia Hongsheng's teacher laughed and teased him.

"Master, rest assured. I guarantee no repetition! Haha!" Seeing the teacher tease him, Xia Hongsheng joined in with a joke, causing the scholars to laugh heartily.

The spring air was still a bit chilly. After finishing the Beggar's Chicken, they drank another round of tea and felt the cold on the mountain, so they left together. Xia Hongsheng and Xu Qixian served the scholars until they left, then sat on a stone, feeling sore and stiff, with their stomachs rumbling from hunger.

"Xia Brother, I am truly impressed. Although I did not get to eat the Beggar's Chicken, just the aroma alone is enough to show that it is several times better than the braised chicken from Yixiangju. It's truly amazing." Xu Qixian rubbed his back, which was sore from bowing, and said, "Unfortunately, one chicken was not enough. I never thought these old scholars could eat so much. I spent the whole noon smelling the aroma without even getting a drop of the juice!"

Xu Qixian looked at Xia Hongsheng, his eyes twinkling, and said, "Brother, how about we go to my house after school today? I will have the kitchen prepare a few more chickens, and we can indulge ourselves! If I hadn't seen it, it would be fine, but after smelling it all day, I won't be able to sleep tonight if I don't taste it!"

Xu Qixian was the first person Xia Hongsheng truly befriended in the Tang Dynasty, besides his sister-in-law, and who treated him with genuine care. This small request was naturally readily agreed to. Xu Qixian was overjoyed, promising that even if the headmaster did not give him tea leaves, he would still get dozens of pounds for Xia Hongsheng, just for fun!

The afternoon class was short, and they had not even finished memorizing an article when school was dismissed. Xu Qixian took Xia Hongsheng out of the academy and down the mountain, where a carriage was waiting for them. Xia Hongsheng couldn't help but grumble inwardly. The city of Luozhou was not large, and it would take less than an hour to tour the entire city. The short distance from the academy to his home still required a carriage, truly showing the evil of the feudal landlord class!

The carriage could not move fast, and even on the city's cobblestone roads, it was bumpy, making Xia Hongsheng feel uncomfortable, even with the thick cushions inside. Xu Qixian, though used to it, was not much better. It seemed the Tang people had not yet realized the importance of shock absorption or had not found a solution. As he thought, Xia Hongsheng leaned out of the carriage, trying to examine its structure to see if it could be modified for a more comfortable ride, to avoid the churning in his stomach.

However, before he could examine the carriage, he saw a butcher carrying a bucket of pig offal, about to throw it away. Ah! The color and appearance clearly indicated a healthy black pig! Black pork is the best, and throwing it away would be a waste. If he could bring it home, he could make braised pig intestines and stir-fried pig liver, which are both cheap and delicious. His sister-in-law rarely ate meat and was severely lacking in nutrients, especially vitamin A, which was causing her to have difficulty seeing at night. This could still be remedied, but if it continued, it would lead to night blindness.

"Wait! Wait!" Xia Hongsheng jumped off the slowly moving carriage and ran to the butcher. Xu Qixian, not knowing what was happening, hurriedly ordered his servant to stop the carriage and followed him.