The War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression Begins in Songhu

Chapter 476 So-called Delicious Food (Two-in-One Chapter)

"Old Fu, what are your plans for tonight's mutton hotpot? What flavor are you thinking of?"

Standing beside the large, well-prepared sheep that had been brought out from the Japanese stronghold, Xu Feng asked a very professional question.

There was a reason why Xu Feng asked such a question.

In China, a country with an exceptionally long history of culinary culture, even a simple dish like mutton hotpot has many different preparation methods and flavors across different regions.

For example: mutton hot pot and lamb spine hot pot in Beijing, sour soup mutton hot pot in Guizhou Province, fish and mutton hot pot in border provinces, mutton hot pot with wild onions in grasslands, and clear broth mutton hot pot in Guangdong Province.

Any time traveler from the modern era could easily name a type of mutton hot pot that they love.

A crucial question then arises: the team currently consists of 36 people from all over the country, each with different tastes.

How to prepare this mutton hot pot, and what cooking methods and flavors to use, would satisfy everyone? In everyone's opinion, this was something that needed careful planning.

Of course, it would be even better if you could make it to your liking.

As for why Xu Feng didn't call Hu Biao "Deadbeat" and instead called him "Old Fu," it's simply because he couldn't help but drool over the thought of having a mutton feast.

When you open your mouth to speak, some words become unclear or have a different meaning.

The others, one by one, almost all had the same reaction as Xu Feng, which made it seem like the eldest brother shouldn't laugh at the second brother, and Xu Feng's performance didn't seem out of place at all.

Faced with Xu Feng's question, Hu Biao was surprisingly confident.

Just kidding! If there's still some debate among the time-traveler team about who has the best marksmanship, who has the strongest melee combat ability, and who has the sharpest strategic vision...

As for cooking skills, there is absolutely no doubt that this guy, Dead Pujie, is the best.

The creature glanced at the fat sheep in front of it, along with a host of accompanying ingredients and seasonings.

After speaking, he casually explained everything clearly: "To be honest, the local sheep in Yi County and Laishui are not as good as the famous sheep of the grasslands. They have a much stronger gamey smell, but it's not a big problem."

First, sauté lamb bones and trotters with lard and mutton fat, along with some spices. Then, add water and various spices to make a broth. This will ensure the broth is fresh and delicious, with no gamey smell at all.

I'll leave some meat on the lamb bones so everyone can gnaw on them like lamb bones or lamb spine, and even suck out the bone marrow.

After we finished gnawing on the bones, we cooked the lamb slices in the broth. For those who could handle spice, I made a dipping sauce with dried chili peppers, and for those who couldn't, there was sesame paste.

After we finish eating, we'll add cabbage, glass noodles, and some tender wild vegetables, and eat them with rice and noodles; the point is, we'll find a way to make sure everyone has a full stomach today.

What do you think of this arrangement?

No one answered Hu Biao's question directly, but the way everyone was slurping their saliva after Hu Biao's description said it all.

Seeing this, Hu Biao smiled smugly and prepared to assign tasks.

Before he could even speak, those who had been silent before suddenly volunteered.

Uncle Bo: "I'll take care of the lookout. If the Japanese sneak up within two kilometers and we don't notice them, you can take me down with you."

Old K, the guard, and the foreman: "We'll go lookouts elsewhere too. Just leave us a copy when we're done."

Huang Adi: "Give me the job of digging smokeless stoves. I've worked on construction sites for two years."

Xu Feng, AT, Lao Yu, Da Shou, Van Gogh: "Let's go fetch water. There's a mountain spring over there that's crystal clear. It's perfect for making mutton soup."

Annie, Xiao Cui, and Sister Yi, three female students: "Leave the washing of rice and vegetables to us."

Mr. Nanze, Shiwu, the veteran, and a group of children said, "Let's go find some wild vegetables and get some firewood."

The third brother said, "Old Fu! I'll help you out. I'm not as good as you at cooking, but I have no problem chopping meat and cutting vegetables."

After saying that, the third brother shouted to Huang Adi, who was wielding an entrenching tool to dig in the soil, "Big Fatty, can I borrow your knife?"

The reason for this question is that when they withdrew from the Mendunshan stronghold, Huang Adi took the bone-chopping knife with him.

I guess this guy thinks he's particularly good at using this thing to kill Japanese soldiers.

As for the question of whether using a cleaver that was just used to kill Japanese soldiers to chop meat would be disgusting?

Just kidding! In these times when the nation and the country are facing their most perilous period, the ideal is to "eat the flesh of the barbarians when hungry, and drink their blood when thirsty."

Such a small annoyance is enough to bother even an adult.

Even the two youngest children, Cao'er and the ten-and-a-half-year-old, didn't think it was a problem...

And so, tempted by the delicious food so close at hand, everyone unleashed an amazing amount of initiative, busying themselves with preparations for a lamb hot pot.

Hu Biao, a restaurant owner with a considerable reputation in the modern-day capital city, did not disappoint in terms of culinary skills.

He first added some lard to the pot and then fried the mutton fat until a lot of oil was rendered out.

Then, put the lamb bones and trotters, along with some wild onions and wild garlic, into a large pot and continue to stir-fry them; the aroma of the oil and wild onions and garlic blending together is so fragrant that it makes your heart ache.

After adding high-quality spring water and covering the pot, it was simmered for a while.

Even if the water has just boiled, it's still far from being cooked through.

The people who were originally either maintaining their weapons or chatting in the surrounding area, were now completely absorbed in eating meat and drinking soup, their minds no longer focused on anything else, thanks to the enticing aroma of meat.

Especially the children, the longing in their eyes was something even Hu Biao couldn't resist.

Add the washed and chopped cabbage, radish, vermicelli, and other ingredients, all glistening with water, and set aside – the sight is simply irresistible.

However, given Hu Biao and Boss Hu's superb culinary skills, they only know a little:
The broth is far from ready yet; it will take a while for the flavors to meld, and the lamb bones aren't cooked through. Even if I wanted to give some to the kids, I doubt they could chew them.

To distract them, Hu Biao casually said:
"Children, tell me what the best thing you've ever eaten is, or what you most want to eat; after we complete the mission and break through, Uncle Hu will cook it for you then."

As Hu Biao posed his question, the children began to ponder, which successfully diverted their attention.

However, when they finally spoke, what they said was not what Hu Biao and the others had expected. Instead of chicken, duck, fish, and meat, which they could only eat during festivals, they said some unexpected things.

The youngest child, Cao'er, spoke first, her voice still timid, like a frightened little animal.

But as she spoke, perhaps recalling the most beautiful and heartwarming scene in her heart, her eyes, which had been blinded by the Japanese poison gas, suddenly regained their brightness:
"I want to eat the dumplings my mom makes, with pork cracklings and cabbage filling."

Two years ago during Chinese New Year, my mother used all the wheat flour and pork cracklings we had, along with some cabbage, to make seventeen dumplings. My mother ate eight, and I ate nine; they tasted so delicious!

The ten-and-a-half-year-old chimed in, "I want to eat that kind of canned beef from the Japanese. My dad brought it to me for my ninth birthday, and I still remember the taste."

It's a pity there was only a third of a can; it was gone in no time. I wonder when I'll be able to eat a whole one.

Based on Hu Biao and his companions' time-travel experience, they naturally knew that the Japanese canned beef of the current period was quite substantial in terms of ingredients, containing not only whole pieces of beef but also radishes and potatoes.

Each can of meat weighed only 150 grams, just enough to meet the daily ration of canned meat for the Japanese soldiers in field conditions.

If it's one-third, then it's only 50 grams, which even a ten-and-a-half-year-old child could finish in a few bites.

However, it's likely that this third of the canned food was saved by his father from his own mouth when he was ten and a half.

Even Hu Biao and the others couldn't help but picture this scene in their minds:
The Eighth Route Army managed to capture some Japanese canned food, and the higher-ups ordered everyone to have a treat. It was impossible for each person to have one; they could only share one among three people.

While the ten-and-a-half-year-old father silently ate his cornbread, he carefully saved his own third portion.

This was the only way to supplement and care for his child, who was filled with remorse.

The speaker said, "I want to eat roasted wheat, no! I want to eat wheat grown by the Japanese, roasted." This statement is undoubtedly quite awkward and leaves one's head spinning.

Fortunately, in the subsequent explanation from the smaller account, everyone understood the situation: "Last year, during the lean season, not only did the troops run out of food, but the villagers also ran out of food."

Once, after being starving for a long time, a fellow villager brought me some life-saving food.

That's made by picking the unripe green wheat ears, roasting them over a fire, and then rubbing the grains off. They're soft, chewy, and have a rich wheat aroma and barbecue flavor—it's delicious!

Eating like that is such a waste of food; even landlords and rich people wouldn't dare to eat like that.

So I hope that in the future we can fight our way to the island nation and take the wheat that the Japanese devils grow to cook and eat, so that the villagers won't go hungry.

Cultural troupe: "I want to eat..."

As each child spoke of their favorite food, their eyes shining with fond memories, Hu Biao and the others remained silent.

It's not that I don't want to talk, but I really don't know what to say, or it's hard to say it.

It's like many questions that they clearly want to know, but they've been holding back from asking.

For example, Cao'er never mentioned her father, nor did she mention her mother when she was ten and a half years old. Several other children in the art troupe, including Xiao Hao, never even mentioned their parents.

It's as if these children were all born from stones.

Humans don't just spring from stones, and the adults can actually guess why they never mention it.

In these terrible times, too many people sacrifice their families for the country, completely neglecting their own children.

This is precisely why Hu Biao and his colleagues dared not bring up this topic in front of the children.

After the children finished speaking, apart from their calm and carefree expressions, the other adults were indeed feeling extremely heavy-hearted.

More importantly, twenty minutes had passed unknowingly during this casual conversation, and the aroma emanating from the lamb bones in the pot, simmering over the high heat of the smokeless stove, became even more enticing.

After lifting the lid, Hu Biao, with the culinary skills of the esteemed owner of Deyuelou Restaurant, could tell at a glance:
It needs to simmer for another 10 minutes to allow the broth to fully infuse the meat and bones to reach the right tenderness.

But the meat was undoubtedly cooked; it was just a bit tough and hard to chew, which was enough for each of the little gluttons to have a piece to eat and soothe their cravings.

However, although Hu Biao had an idea in mind, he hesitated when he looked at the meat and bones in the pot.

He muttered loudly, "It's been cooking for so long, I don't even know if it's done yet?"

Knowing her husband well enough to understand what he was up to, Annie immediately chimed in, saying:
"That's easy! Just try a piece and you'll know. Why don't we let each of the kids take a bite and help us see if it's cooked?"

Upon hearing this, the children all made a 'gulp' sound as they swallowed hard; it was both funny and inexplicably heartbreaking to hear.

"Great idea! Let the kids each take a bite and check if it's cooked through."

As if he hadn't heard the sounds of people swallowing, Hu Biao spoke loudly.

Then, after seeing AT's somewhat pleading look, as he rummaged through the pot with the spatula, he added another sentence:
"Let's give the first piece to our Grassie. Grassie, don't rush! I'll find you a piece of lamb spine with more meat first."

"Thank you, Uncle Hu." Upon hearing this, Cao'er expressed her gratitude sweetly.

Upon hearing this, Hu Biao instinctively replied, "You're welcome! But remember to call me 'brother' next time, even though I'm still a young man."

The words had barely faded when, before Cao'er could say anything, Mr. Nanze had already started teasing:

"You damn bastard! You told Cao'er to call you brother, but she called me uncle. Doesn't that mean you'll have to call me uncle from now on? My dear nephew, call me uncle first, and I'll give you the red envelope later."

Hu Biao immediately cursed, "Get out! Get as far away as your thoughts can take you!"

After scolding him, he couldn't help but laugh out loud because he thought about how he had made Cao'er call him "brother," and realized that it was indeed a bit brainless.

Then everyone present burst into laughter.

At this moment, they were so happy and joyful. It could be said that this was the most relaxed and joyful time for everyone since the team of 43 people was formed yesterday.

If we wait another ten minutes, the pot of lamb bones and broth will be fully cooked, and the atmosphere will be even more lively once everyone starts eating.

The premise is that none of the subsequent series of disastrous events occur...

******
Yes! Just when everyone was looking forward to this mutton hotpot, and it was about to start, a series of unfortunate changes occurred.

Hu Biao spent half a minute searching through the large pot.

Finally, we found a lamb spine that was meaty, well-cooked, and had plenty of bone marrow. We just took it out of the pot and were about to let it cool down a bit before handing it to Cao'er.

Suddenly, Uncle Bo crouched down and ran back in a flash, his face more grim than ever before.

Upon witnessing this scene, Hu Biao and the others immediately felt a chill run down their spines, realizing that the situation was far from dire.

And that was indeed the case; when Uncle Bo arrived, he immediately brought bad news:
"Damn it! Something's wrong! About two squads of Japanese soldiers are sneaking in from the southwest, and they're about two kilometers away."

Oh, right! They're all military police, and they're with two big wolfhounds.

Upon hearing this bad news, the veteran transmigrators' expressions turned somewhat serious, though they weren't overly tense.

Even though they knew that the Japanese military police were far more elite than ordinary soldiers.

I know that the selection of Japanese military police required at least a junior high school education; and they had to undergo physical, police, and intelligence training, and finally pass a year of combat assessment before they could be officially appointed.

However, even though they were so far away, Uncle Bo spotted them in advance, so they still had time to move quickly.

So Hu Biao even had the mood to complain: "What are you talking about? What do you mean I'm not doing well? I'm perfectly fine."

Then, he hurriedly issued a series of orders: "Old Cao, Consumption Ghost, Pockmarked Man, Cross, Old Car, take an MG34 general-purpose machine gun and a Czech-made machine gun to snipe the Japanese a bit."

The others quickly took out their lunchboxes, filling them with as much meat, bones, and broth as they could.

We also packed the chopped lamb and other ingredients into a bag and took them with us; we'll eat them in a safe place later.

"Xiao Cui! Take out the potassium cyanide. Pour it into the broth we can't take with us later, and see if it can poison those two big Japanese dogs. This stuff is a bit troublesome."

Under Hu Biao's orders, everyone hurriedly sprang into action.

Leaving aside the fact that Black Star and the AT team, armed with machine guns and ammunition belts, had hurriedly run about a hundred meters to the southwest to find a place to set up a temporary sniper position.

Everyone else took out their Type 92 mess kits, which they had captured from the Japanese, also known as the "pig kidney" mess kits, opened them, and prepared to fill them with broth and bones.

Thanks to the victory at Mendun Mountain, this kind of pork kidney lunchbox has become a standard item for everyone in the team, and there are quite a lot of them.

The Japanese soldiers' lunchboxes were quite large, each holding two liters.

So, if it only takes two or three minutes to fill them all up, Hu Biao and his men can take away more than half of this precious pot of broth and meat bones.

Once it's safe to add some water and salt, you can still have a decent meal.

Unfortunately, the Japanese didn't even give them that mere two or three minutes.

Just as Hu Biao was using a ladle to put a spoonful of meat and bone into a pork kidney lunchbox next to the pot, he suddenly sensed something, looked up abruptly, and saw what it was.

With a drastic change in his expression, he roared, "Air raid..."

(End of this chapter)