Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 179 Horse Meat
He Tan looked at the table full of novel dishes.

Especially when Yang Qin started the large pot to boil, the meat slices and vegetables inside slowly released their aroma. Not only that, but he also prepared sliced ​​meat and washed vegetables separately.

There was no alcohol, but a whole jar of citronella was enough to drink.

He Tan smiled and asked the Yang brothers, Jiang and Qin, to stay.

Yang Jiang seemed very reserved and dared not speak. Yang Qin said, "The banquet has been prepared at home. My sister-in-law said that if the two gentlemen are free, they can come to our home on the fifth day of the new year, and we will entertain them properly."

He Tan said, "If I have the time, I will definitely pay you a visit."

Yang Qin knew it was just polite talk, but it was enough to make him happy.

Yang Jiang and Yang Qin bowed again. Before leaving, Yang Qin looked at Wang Yan again, about to say something more, but Wang Yan spoke first: "How is your sister-in-law's illness?"

Yang Qin said, "He is much better now and is taking the medicinal diet as prescribed by the imperial physician every day."

Wang Yan nodded: "If you run out of medicinal herbs, just let me know."

Yang Qin replied, "My sister-in-law told me to thank Lord Wang properly."

He Tan knew that Wang Yan had invited the imperial physician to the Yang family, but did not know that he had brought medicinal herbs. So he said, "Don't be polite with him. He has plenty of good medicines at home."

Wang Yan then asked Yang Qin, "How is it with Mr. Tong?"

Yang Qin bowed: "I have learned a lot from you, and I will work even harder in the future."

“Study hard,” Wang Yan said, “so that you can pass the imperial examinations in the future.”

He Tan glanced at Wang Yan in surprise. Wang Yan never cared about such things. Even if the Wang family members asked him, he would usually just give a perfunctory answer. He didn't expect him to care so much about this child.

Yang Qin said solemnly, "I will definitely work hard to improve my studies."

Wang Yan continued, "Go back early, don't keep your people waiting."

Yang Jiang and Yang Qin bowed again before leaving the house with Chen Ju.

Looking at the steaming food, He Tan took a deep breath and gestured for Wang Yan to sit down. The steamed dishes in front of him were truly tempting. The Yang family had also prepared rice and flatbread; eating them together would surely be exceptionally delicious.

He Tan couldn't wait to pick up a piece with his chopsticks, blow on it, and put it in his mouth. The meat slices were soft and coated with a slightly spicy broth; they were indeed delicious. Then he tried the ribs. The taste was different from what he usually ate; it was slightly sour, which gave it a unique flavor.

He Tan thought for a moment and reached for another dish, but found that the one called "Pan Tu Hu" (a type of stewed rabbit) was the furthest from him. Just as he was about to pick it up with his chopsticks, he heard Wang Yan say, "Brother, do you know how to eat that pancake?"

He Tan was immediately drawn in by these words and put his chopsticks back: "How else can we eat it? Since it's cooked, we can just put it in our mouths."

Wang Yan got up and washed his hands, then broke off a piece and soaked it in the broth. After the cake had soaked in the broth, he gestured for He Tan to pick it up.

"Eat it like this?" He Tan picked it up and tasted it. The pancake, after being soaked in the soup, was soft, chewy, and flavorful, just like the meat.

"Everyone says there's a hot pot of meat on the street in front of the Imperial Camp that's incredibly popular. All the soldiers in the camp go to buy it. It smells so good... no wonder."

Wang Yan then served another bowl of fragrant rice cakes and placed it in front of He Tan.

He Tan tried the kumquats inside. One bite of the kumquat filled his mouth with a refreshing fragrance, which perfectly counteracted the spiciness and greasiness of the meat.

He Tan said, "When we leave Daming Prefecture and return home, we must ask Madam Xie for the recipe so that the cook can prepare it for my mother."

While He Tan was dealing with a pot of meat and vegetables, Wang Yan kept glancing at the plate of rabbit paste.

Upon hearing that she had fallen ill, he immediately summoned the city's most renowned physician, his mind preoccupied with the fear that something might truly be wrong with her...

Or rather, he feared that she was not only sick.

He thought about many things.

What if, once Xie Yuyan recovers, he is replaced by someone else?

Things he wouldn't have believed before, or things he was skeptical about, kept popping into his mind.

I almost forgot, he's already decided to let go. It's probably because he hasn't figured out what's going on with her yet.

Hearing from the imperial physician that she had woken up, he was still worried. So he remembered the wooden pagoda and went to his residence in Xingzhou to retrieve it and bring it to her side.

Now that he sees the dishes again, he can finally relax.

She is still her.

The dish had never been heard of before, and the cooking was a complete mess.

Thinking this, Wang Yan picked up a piece of rabbit shreds with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth, then touched the hard, black thing underneath. Just then, a piece fell from above; he glanced at it but didn't pick it up.

Seeing Wang Yan taste the rabbit paste, He Tan immediately asked, "Don't you not eat rabbit meat?"

Wang Yan chewed, then frowned slightly: "It doesn't taste like rabbit meat, it's a bit sour...it tastes more like horse meat."

He Tan also shrank back. When the army was on the move, there was a shortage of military supplies. Sometimes, wounded horses had to be killed for food. Those warhorses held a special place in his heart. Although it was a last resort, he couldn't help but feel bad.

Therefore, when the topic came up, He Tan naturally felt resistant and had no desire to try that dish.

“Miss Xie is so clever and resourceful, she can succeed at anything she does,” He Tan sighed after finishing his meal. “It seems that making money is exceptionally easy for her, and thinking about these things is also very easy for her.”

“There will definitely be many people at Baode Temple on the second day of the Lunar New Year. As long as she puts in the effort, there’s nothing she can’t accomplish.”

After speaking, He Tan noticed that the rabbit paste next to Wang Yan seemed to be missing a piece, specifically the blackened clump at the bottom.

He must have seen it wrong. How could you eat that pile of stuff?

He Tan rubbed his stomach. Halfway through, he wanted to call Sang Dian, Chen Ju and the others over to eat, only to find out that the Yang family had also prepared a special offering for the soldiers on duty.

Miss Xie is very thoughtful.

Reflecting on the meal again, He Tan said, "The fifth day..."

“You have something to do,” Wang Yan said. “You’re going to Zhen Ding on the third day of the lunar new year and won’t be back until the fifth.”

He Tan was taken aback. He didn't seem to have said that he would leave on the third day of the lunar new year; he could go on the sixth.

Wang Yan said, "After the sixth day, we will deal with the Xie family."

He Tan said, "So fast?"

"She's just waiting for New Year's Day, when every household holds a banquet, so that the news can spread completely," Wang Yan said, looking at the clay stove beside him.

He didn't know exactly what she would do, but he could guess what she was thinking.

……

The Yang family was bustling with activity.

Unlike previous years, the third branch of the Yang family is now in charge.

Although Yang Zongdao and his group were absent from the clan, it did not feel deserted, as members of the collateral branches of the clan were also invited into the ancestral home.

The children gathered together happily, eating and playing with their new and interesting toys.

A long table was set up in the main hall, and the wives brought out various dishes. Today, there was no distinction between master and servant; everyone gathered together to chat and laugh.

Yang Mingjing stood in the corner. He had finally managed to stay in the Yang clan, but his status had plummeted, far inferior to those of the collateral branches.

He felt regret and resentment, but he had to admit that Xie Yuyan was very capable; he had only been with the Yang family for a short time but had already earned genuine respect.

As Yang Mingjing was pondering, he suddenly heard a crackling sound. Yang Yu, who was beside him, was startled and instinctively trembled.

Yang Mingjing was also surprised and was about to find out what was going on when he heard the children cheer.