Chapter 18

Liu Fang, who had served others for most of his life, naturally did not consider himself a guest. With Yan Shigu and the academy master present, he was destined to be the one serving. He went to boil water, while Yan Shigu and the academy master conversed, and he stood by their side. Later, it was Yan Shigu who spoke, saying that Xia Hongsheng had invited Liu Fang and Xu Qixian to repay them for their night of vigil. As for himself and the academy master, they were merely tagging along for the meal. Only then did Liu Fang sit down.

While they were talking, Xu Qixian had already run to the stove many times. Since discussing the principle of "a gentleman keeps his distance from the kitchen" with Xia Hongsheng, he no longer avoided such places. Seeing Xia Hongsheng busy in the kitchen, he stood at the door watching. Xia Hongsheng rolled his eyes at him, not expecting a young master like him to come and help, but at least don't block the way.

Xu Qixian sheepishly rubbed his nose and smiled, making way for Xia Hongsheng. Seeing Xia Hongsheng carry a bucket of pig offal that had been washed many times until it was almost white, he asked, "Brother Xia, this thing is so ugly and dirty, how could you think of eating it? It's so filthy, how can it be fit for human consumption? I'm not lying to you, after you bought the pig offal, I asked the servants at home, and they said it can be eaten, but it's very fishy and smelly, with a sour odor. Brother, how could you think it's delicious? Aren't you being deceived?"

Xia Hongsheng had just hung the pig intestines on the cutting board and couldn't help rolling his eyes at Xu Qixian's words. Judging by appearance, it was rather laughable.

In the Tang Dynasty, slaughtering and selling beef was prohibited, unless a cow died unexpectedly or of old age, and even then, the authorities would send someone to investigate. Even if the cow really died of illness, the owner would still face some punishment, though not severe, it served as a warning from the government. Therefore, beef could only be found on the tables of high officials and nobles, and others had to wait for the opportunity to eat it. As for horses, they were rarely eaten in the Tang Dynasty due to their wide range of uses and their understanding of human nature, making people reluctant to slaughter them. Moreover, with frequent wars, even draft horses were not allowed to be slaughtered indiscriminately, making the possibility of eating them even smaller. In the Tang Dynasty, the most commonly consumed meats were sheep, chicken, duck, goose, rabbit, and pigeon. Pork, on the other hand, was at the bottom of the hierarchy of all domesticated animals in the Tang Dynasty, mainly because it was considered ugly, ate anything, and was lazy, sleeping after eating, which was far from the values promoted by the Tang people. Therefore, the Tang people naturally considered pork to be lowly. Additionally, they had not mastered the cooking methods for pork, and there were issues with its breeding. Pigs needed to be castrated, which made the meat tender and flavorful.

Thus, in the eyes of the Tang Dynasty people, pork had a poor reputation. However, in later generations, pork became much more popular, and dishes made from pork were unmatched by other animals.

"Brother Xu, you shouldn't judge everything by its appearance. Just because something looks ugly doesn't mean it lacks substance," Xia Hongsheng smiled, continuing to prepare the pork skillfully while teasing Xu Qixian.

"Hey, Brother Xia, don't try to fool me with such talk! Substance? Can this pig recite poetry or write essays?" Xu Qixian squinted his eyes and laughed.

Xia Hongsheng didn't stop his work but raised his voice slightly, "Brother Xu, you're judging the pig by its appearance. Although it seems lazy, it is actually very intelligent. Despite its ugly exterior, do you know that every part of the pig is valuable? The pigskin can be used to make shoes, which are sturdy and warm; the bristles can be used to make brushes that don't shed. Moreover, every part of the pig can be eaten, and if prepared well, it is all delicious. Most importantly, pigs grow quickly, reproduce well, and can eat anything, making them easy to raise. A mature pig yields more meat than a sheep or other small livestock. If pig farming could be promoted, every poor family in our Tang Dynasty could have meat to eat, making them strong and healthy. Do you know why the nomads and barbarians on the grasslands are so robust? It's because they have no grain and can only eat meat, which makes them strong. At the very least, fewer people would suffer from night blindness. Therefore, pigs are not a curse, not lowly, but a treasure, just misunderstood."

Before Xu Qixian could respond, a voice from the courtyard said, "Ha, I never thought pork could have such significant uses. Indeed, many commoners in our Tang Dynasty raise pigs because they are large, have a lot of meat, and can eat anything. However, no one has discovered the other uses. As for the breeding methods, I didn't think there was anything special. But if the cooking methods are wrong, perhaps there is more to it? ... I have never tasted pork myself, but with the roasted chicken before, I have confidence in your skills, Jing Shi. Let's try this delicious pork today!"

Hearing Yan Shigu's words, Xia Hongsheng worked even harder. He needed something from Yan Shigu and planned to cook a delicious meal to win his favor. With a full stomach, Yan Shigu might be more willing to listen.

When he took out the pig offal to prepare, he realized the butcher had been very honest, giving him all the offal, including two pieces of high-quality pork belly and several large bones. The butcher must have felt guilty for selling the offal and thus gave extra. What a good person, he was increasingly fond of the principled Tang people.

He prepared stir-fried kidney, twice-cooked pork, Kung Pao pork tendons, braised pork, crispy intestine, and stir-fried liver. He also made pork and radish stew with the radishes at home and used the bones to make bone broth, which he kept for his sister-in-law to use later. The rich aroma of meat wafted from the kitchen, making Xu Qixian, who was leaning on the door frame, almost drool, constantly sniffing and looking entranced.

The meal took from morning to noon to prepare, and the dishes were placed on the table one by one. Each time a lid was lifted, the guests were surprised and exclaimed. The inviting aroma and visual appeal made even Yan Shigu, the old scholar, unable to resist swallowing.

However, the old scholar seemed skeptical, looking closely at the dishes before picking up his chopsticks and trying the most appealing braised pork. After a long pause and a long chew, he finally sighed contentedly and asked Xia Hongsheng, "Jing Shi, are these dishes all made from pork?"

"Master, Sir, I am truly convinced by Brother Xia's skills. The pork is soft, tender, and delicious, a true delicacy. Master, Sir, please enjoy!" Xu Qixian said respectfully, but his moving Adam's apple and fixed gaze betrayed his eagerness. You two seniors, please start eating, or we won't dare to start!

After a few polite exchanges, everyone began to eat. Xu Qixian and Liu Fang ate large mouthfuls, almost forgetting their manners, their hands moving faster and faster, their faces oily, and they kept encouraging their master and Yan Shigu to eat more.

Seeing the situation, Yan Shigu, the old scholar, also joined in, and the academy master rolled up his sleeves and joined the fray, eating with gusto. Xu Qixian made exaggerated exclamations, and it seemed he would never be able to do without such delicious food again.

The table was swept clean, and everyone was full, even Yan Shigu, the old scholar, who was usually very mindful of his image, subconsciously patted his stomach and belched. Xu Qixian, with his round, full belly, struggled to swallow the last piece of intestine and let out a long, satisfied sigh, looking like a beggar who had just found a meat bone.

"This is incredible, I'm so full, I'll need to drink some hawthorn water when I get home," the old scholar, Yan, chuckled and shook his head, somewhat troubled. "At my age, I never thought I would lose my composure in front of you young ones, all because of this meal!"

Xia Hongsheng couldn't help but laugh.

Yan Shigu glared at Xia Hongsheng and said, "You rascal, I have always been a gentleman, even in the face of chaos or the wrath of the dragon, I never lost my composure. But today, you made me lose my dignity. If I hear any rumors about this, I won't let you off easily! Now, what do you want?"

Xia Hongsheng grinned, earning a few more glares from the old scholar. Seeing that Yan Shigu was about to lose his temper, he quickly bowed respectfully and said, "Nothing else, I only hope to establish an interest group in the academy."

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