The Double-Chapter 441 - 144: The Inside Story

It was utterly baffling how I arrived at the Duke Residence, just in time for lunch at the household, so everyone simply sat down to dine together.

Aside from Jih Heng, who didn’t appear as jovially smiling as usual, the others seemed quite happy.

Kong Liu and Wen Renyao were the liveliest of the bunch, with Wen Renyao enthusiastically saying, "Miss Jiang the Second, try the Duke’s cooking, it’s even more authentic than the Imperial Chefs of the palace, and it’s not something one gets to taste every day, only on holidays..."

With a "snap," the silver chopsticks in Jih Heng’s hand broke, and Wen Renyao immediately fell silent, very much so.

Old General Jih glanced at Jiang Li and asked, "Girl, is your surname Jiang? I haven’t asked yet, which family’s daughter are you? Judging by your accent, you are a Yanjing local, aren’t you?"

Jiang Li politely responded, "Yes. My father is Prime Minister Jiang, whom the old general should know. I am the second daughter in my family."

"Jiang Yuanbai?" Old General Jih’s expression changed slightly, and he asked, "You are Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter?"

Jiang Li nodded her head.

Old General Jih muttered something under his breath and his gaze toward Jiang Li was not as eager as before. Evidently, there had been some past friction with Jiang Yuanbai, but Jiang Li wasn’t particularly concerned.

She tasted a bit of the cured ham and bamboo shoot soup in front of her, which was extremely savory. She also tried the jujube and yam cake, which was tart and sweet. Wen Renyao was right; although she was not someone who often had access to royal cuisine, it seemed the Imperial Chef’s dishes would not be much different.

The fact that Jih Heng could cook, and that his cooking was so good, completely overturned Jiang Li’s previous impressions. A person who spent his days scheming and soul-snatching, yet could exhibit such a mundane side, made Jiang Li feel as though she had never truly known Jih Heng.

"How is it?" Kong Liu asked with a smile, "Do the dishes suit your taste?"

Jiang Li nodded, "Very good."

Jih Heng impatiently threw down his chopsticks, as if dining here with such a large table of people had already exhausted all his patience. He restrained himself, and then picked up his chopsticks again.

"Does Miss Jiang the Second know how to cook?" Wen Renyao suddenly asked Jiang Li, "I’ve heard that some young ladies have exceptional talent in cooking, but I’ve never encountered one. As for Situ Jiuyue, she certainly doesn’t cook; I’m afraid she might poison the food."

Situ Jiuyue retorted with a sneer, "There’s already poison in your bowl now."

Jiang Li paused, then said, "I know a little."

"I know Miss Jiang the Second is always modest, so what you call ’a little’ must mean you’re very skilled," Wen Renyao’s eyes lit up.

Kong Liu also looked toward Jiang Li, finding it extremely odd that Jiang Li could cook. He had witnessed the young lady’s presence on the archery range, an epitome of valor not inferior to any man. Despite appearing frail, she was actually full of ferocity. If not for the fact that she was Jiang Yuanbai’s daughter, Kong Liu would have been inclined to recruit her to the chariot team. How could such a girl be relegated to cooking soup? It would be an absolute waste!

"What is Miss Jiang the Second’s specialty?" Wen Renyao asked.

After a moment’s thought, Jiang Li named her dishes, "Roast venison and Beggar’s chicken."

As soon as she spoke these words, everyone’s gaze in the room converged on Jiang Li, even the constantly displeased Jih Heng looked at her with inquisitive eyes.

"Do... do... the people at Jiang Residence know how to make these?" Wen Renyao asked hesitantly.

"That seems more like the adventurer’s style," Lu Jiu narrowed his eyes, "The Second Miss has always carried a carefree elegance."

"I lived on Green City Mountain for eight years, many things are quite different from Yanjing City," Jiang Li said with a smile, "The mountain air is cold, and although winter there doesn’t bring snow, it often feels colder than in Yanjing City. If a hunter caught a deer, after they took the deer skin, they would sell us a bit of the meat for cheap. My maid and I could set up a campfire in the woods and roast the deer meat without needing any spices—a pinch of coarse salt is enough. The roasted venison doesn’t smell gamey; instead, it takes on the delicate fragrance of the bamboo sticks it’s skewered on."

She spoke in an unhurried manner, yet it conjured up an image in everyone’s mind: In the deep mountains during winter, a mistress and her servant, two young girls, huddled around a warm campfire, their faces glowing red. The venison sizzling over the bamboo, dripping with fat, became the sole flavor in the mountain’s depth.

"The temple doesn’t allow taking lives or eating meat, you must have snuck out, right?" Situ Jiuyue asked.

"Yes," Jiang Li chuckled, "behind the backs of the temple residents."

"You can still laugh about it," Situ Jiuyue snorted.

The looks everyone cast towards Jiang Li were tinged with pity, which made her laugh and cry at the same time. In fact, she hadn’t truly lived on Green City Mountain for eight years, and the method for roasting venison was something she learned from Xue Zhao. But it seemed to others that she found joy amidst hardship, and was quite content with it.