Chapter 124
Roast duck was not easy to make. The recipe Fang Zichen wrote required a long list of ingredients: things like fennel, boneset, cinnamon bark, clove, licorice root, and long pepper. They were difficult to buy. Some medical halls didn't have them. He ran to several shops before barely managing to gather them all.
He combined the medicinal herbs and spices in a pot, adding all the ingredients to boil them together into a marinade.
When it was time to kill the duck, Guaizai volunteered, saying he would help hold the duck's legs. Zhao Ger fetched a bowl, placed it on the ground, picked up the knife, slit its throat, and blood gushed out, flowing into the bowl.
Chicken blood and duck blood were good things. Wealthy people found them dirty and looked down on them, but for villagers, these things were also rare and delicious food.
Once the duck blood coagulated, it could be kept to cook with cabbage or simmer with tofu, both were delicious.
Having come from poverty, Zhao Ger couldn't bear to waste it.
The duck kicked its legs vigorously. Several children gathered around to watch the excitement. The duck struggled a little at first, but then it suddenly started kicking violently. Guaizai could barely hold on, his face turning red with the effort, and he was nearly knocked over by the duck's kicking. Luckily, Liu Dali came over in time to help.
It was nearly winter. The duck had just grown new feathers, which were short and difficult to pluck. Combined with Guaizai 'helping' by creating more work, they dragged on until evening before the duck was completely processed.
The children had all helped, whether by fetching water or sweeping the yard. Zhao Ger gave each of them a piece of malt sugar. The little ones thanked him, licked their malt sugar, and sat in a row on the doorstep.
After the marinade was prepared, they had to wait for it to cool before they could put the prepared duck into it. It needed to soak for three shichen (6 hours) before being taken out and placed in a cool, ventilated spot for 'air-drying'.
The process was complicated and time-consuming, truly not easy. Zhao Ger was doing it for the first time, strictly following the steps Fang Zichen had written, not daring to be the least bit negligent. He was afraid that a moment of inattention, a single mistake, would waste those several dozen copper coins.
More importantly, when Fang Zichen had told him about this roast duck, his face had been full of craving.
Fang Zichen was from a wealthy family. Although he was an adopted son, judging by his personality and behavior, it wasn't hard to see that his adoptive parents and two older brothers doted on him immensely. Otherwise, they couldn't have fostered his 'heaven and earth are great, but I am the greatest' character.
He had everything he wanted, the food and clothes he enjoyed were the best. Therefore, he was naturally a bit picky.
If he could remember this roast duck so fondly, he must really like it.
The prefectural exam was difficult. He was away from home all alone, he must be eating poorly and sleeping poorly.
Zhao Ger wanted to make it well, to give him a surprise when he returned.
He hadn't forgotten how excited and happy Fang Zichen was last time when the chili sauce was made. He held the jar of chili sauce, so happy that he kissed Zhao Ger several times.
Zhao Ger didn't dare to sleep deeply. Around midnight, estimating the time was right, Zhao Ger got up again. The night was a bit cool. He threw on a coat, stuffed the charcoal he bought yesterday into the oven after it turned red, placed the duck inside, and only after everything was done did he return to the room to rest.
Early in the morning, just as the sky was brightening, Zhao Ger got up. He asked Guaizai if he wanted to go to town with him to sell chili sauce. Guaizai rubbed his eyes and nodded.
The chili sauce was still selling well. Zhao Ger smiled, pointed towards the end of West Street, and told a customer that he wouldn't be selling here anymore, he had acquired a shop over there.
"Just selling chili sauce?" an older woman asked.
Her husband loved spicy food. He worked for a wealthy family, so their household circumstances were quite good. She often came to buy chili sauce from Zhao Ger every few days, and they had become familiar after repeated visits.
Two months ago, when the weather was hot, her husband did hard labor. When he was overworked, his appetite suffered, and he couldn't eat. Each meal was just a life-sustaining bowl of porridge. After half a month, her husband told her he didn't feel well, had no strength, felt very weak, and felt unsteady after walking just a few steps.
She happened to buy a jar of chili sauce from Zhao Ger and took it home. Her husband came back from work, saw it, was curious, smelled it, found it strangely fragrant, and the smell was tantalizing. He immediately asked her to cook a bowl of noodles. He ate it eagerly. After trying it once, he became addicted. After that, he almost had to eat some chili sauce with every meal. If he didn't, his whole body felt uncomfortable.
His appetite improved, he ate more, and then he had strength.
The older woman didn't understand these things. Remembering the first time she bought chili sauce, such a small jar for one hundred copper coins, she was shocked and muttered, 'Is there gold in it?' It was so expensive. She turned to leave after picking up the spicy sauce jar. Zhao Ger said it was expensive because it contained some medicinal herbs. Those herbs were for nourishing the body and strengthening health, so it was a bit more expensive.
Actually, it was pure nonsense.
It was all what Fang Zichen taught him to say.
Zhao Ger felt extremely uneasy after saying it.
Who knew the older woman would stop upon hearing this, hesitate for a moment, and then directly buy a jar.
After her husband ate it for a few days, he became stronger and more energetic.
After that, the older woman became a frequent customer every few days. After repeated interactions, she became quite familiar with Zhao Ger.
Zhao Ger replied: "We'll probably sell some other things too then."
"That would be more feasible." The older woman said: "Shops in town aren't cheap. Although your chili sauce sells for a high price, the ingredients inside are expensive, so you can't make much money. If you only sell chili sauce, I'm afraid the rent alone wouldn't be covered."
Zhao Ger felt somewhat embarrassed: "...What you say is true."
"Why haven't you been selling blood sausage recently?" the older woman asked.
"I can't manage it." Zhao Ger hadn't made blood sausage for almost half a month. The profit margin on blood sausage wasn't as high as the chili sauce. He alone couldn't be in two places at once and simply couldn't handle the workload. After selling his goods and returning home, he still had housework to do: washing clothes, sweeping the floor, gathering firewood. He was busy all day without stop, they were all trivial tasks, but very time-consuming.
Now he didn't have to gather firewood himself, he could buy it. But washing clothes and cooking were unavoidable. Even if he could avoid them, he wouldn't want to.
Moreover, blood sausage wasn't selling as well as it did initially. He was unwilling to waste his time and energy on it anymore.
The older woman didn't understand this and just said: "What about your husband?" Most of those doing business outside were men. When she came to buy chili sauce, she had never seen his husband. At first, it was just Zhao Ger and his son. Later, a goat was added. Rain or shine, Guaizai was thin and small, his head much larger than his body, perched on a small, short neck. It made people watching feel apprehensive, afraid his neck couldn't support it and would snap.
This was because he was thin. Also, Zhao Ger didn't dress particularly well.
It seemed either the family wasn't well-off, or he wasn't loved by his husband.
"He's busy," Zhao Ger said.
"What could he be busy with?" The older woman pursed her lips, disbelieving. Although she was from the town, she understood farm work. At this time of year, it simply wasn't busy. Furthermore, even if he were truly busy, it shouldn't mean he didn't have a single free day.
There was so much chili sauce, it must be heavy. Zhao Ger carried it back and forth every day. The man of the house didn't know to feel sorry for him.
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