The Legend of the Condor Heroes: From Being Expelled from Peach Blossom Island

Chapter 165 Bodhisattva Snake
The old man was taken aback by Wu Chengyu's words, then frowned and pondered for a long time before he seemed to remember something.

"Sir, you've come to the right person. My family has been catching snakes for generations, and I seem to have heard of the kind of snake you're talking about."

There is a mountain called Xian Mountain, which is rarely visited by people. The area is full of mountains and dense forests, which are continuous and contain many poisonous snakes and wild beasts.

Some snake catchers, daring enough to venture there to catch snakes, have encountered this venomous snake in considerable numbers. They didn't dare venture too deep, but they still encountered dozens. Based on our experience, there must be a significant number of these snakes there.

These snakes were quite large; the ones they encountered were at least two feet long, just like you described, with golden lines on their scales and fleshy horns on their heads.

However, this snake was indeed quite ferocious, with potent venom. A bite would kill within ten breaths. Most importantly, it was extremely fast, moving like the wind. The snake catchers who encountered it back then were unprepared, and several of them died on the spot.

We snake catchers and sellers only care about the size of the snakes we catch. The bigger the snake and the more meat it has, the better it sells. There are plenty of ordinary snakes, so there's no need to provoke such a fierce venomous snake. That's why no one went to that forest anymore.

"If you enjoy snake meat, why bother looking for those other snakes? The snakes here are quite good. Would you like to choose one?"

Wu Chengyu secretly thought he was lucky. He found an old man at random and actually got some clues. These local old men, whose families had been catching snakes for generations, often appeared in the mountains and forests near Xiangyang. It was normal for them to know some information about the Bosphorus snake.

The Bosqu snake is considered a ferocious beast, and there are many of them, so naturally no one would provoke it. Therefore, no one has ever known that the snake's gallbladder has miraculous effects. Otherwise, no matter how venomous or ferocious the snake is, it would have been caught long ago. Never underestimate humans who stand at the top of the food chain.

Even with the clues about the Bodhi Serpent, Wu Chengyu still didn't dare to go. He probably couldn't even beat an ordinary street thug. If he went into the mountains, any wolf that appeared could easily make him a meal, and might even complain that his meat didn't taste good.

Wu Chengyu pondered the matter. He needed at least a dozen Bosqu snakes to test the effects of their gallbladders. If they met his expectations, the gallbladders from a dozen snakes would be enough to replenish his energy and restore some of his martial prowess. Only then could he venture into the mountains alone to capture a large number of snakes.

He looked at the snakes the old man was selling and suddenly had a thought: "Old man, since we're talking about eating snakes, which restaurant in Xiangyang makes the best snake soup?"

The old man smiled and replied, "There aren't many people who eat snake in Xiangyang City, but there are still quite a few. If you want to know the best snake soup, you should go to Zhenxianglou, which is not far away. They mainly sell wild game, and their snake soup is the best in the whole of Xiangyang City."

"I wonder what the reputation of the owner of Zhenxianglou is like?"

"Well, the manager of Zhenxianglou is surnamed Zhou. He is known for his benevolence and righteousness, and he is usually charitable."

To be honest, we usually send the best and fattest snakes we catch first. These are a bit small, so I felt bad giving them away and kept them for sale separately.

Manager Zhou was known for being honest and fair to everyone, always giving the full amount of money.

And that's not all. A couple of years ago, he asked a hunter to go up the mountain to find some game for him, but they encountered a tiger. The hunter was eaten on the spot, leaving only bones.

Upon hearing of this, Manager Zhou not only paid for the collection of the remains, but also took care of the hunter's elderly mother and young children. The hunter's son is now learning to cook at Zhenxiang Restaurant, and last year Manager Zhou even arranged a marriage for him.

Tell me, who wouldn't give such a person a thumbs up and praise their benevolence and righteousness?

"That's good. Thank you, sir. I'll head to Zhenxianglou right away to try the snake soup you mentioned."

Following the old man's directions, Wu Chengyu quickly arrived in front of Zhenxianglou. Speaking of which, ever since he transmigrated to this world, he has truly formed an indissoluble bond with restaurants.

Gushan's Hongyun Restaurant, Yu Xiaowu's Deshenglou Restaurant, his own Wuweilou Restaurant, Deyuelou Restaurant where he fought in the competition, and Zhenxianglou Restaurant, which would soon be of great use. He stepped into the restaurant, and a waiter naturally came forward to greet him: "Sir, please come in. Would you like to stay in the main hall or go to a private room upstairs?"

"Any table in the main hall will do. Waiter, I just heard someone say that your Zhenxianglou's snake soup is excellent. Bring me a serving."

"Sir, you are a lucky man! My Zhenxianglou's Golden Snake Soup is a specialty of Xiangyang City. It is not only paired with chicken and ham, but also cooked in a rich broth. The gourmets of Xiangyang City feel uncomfortable if they don't eat it for a few days."

"How much is it per serving?"

"It's not expensive. Our Golden Snake Soup uses high-quality ingredients and takes a lot of time and effort to make, so it costs three qian of silver per serving."

Wu Chengyu nodded and asked the waiter to bring him a serving. He had managed Wuweilou before and was an expert. If what the waiter said was true, then a serving of snake soup at this level of restaurant for three qian of silver was indeed not expensive. This Zhenxianglou was definitely a conscientious business.

Before long, the golden snake soup was served to Wu Chengyu, along with a side dish to cleanse his palate.

Wu Chengyu picked up the spoon and carefully tasted it. The taste was indeed good. The snake meat was tender and smooth with no strange smell. The texture was similar to chicken. Moreover, the soup was fresh, fragrant and delicate. After eating it, he immediately felt warm all over. It could be considered a signature dish in any restaurant.

But for Wu Chengyu's extraordinary sense of taste, that was far from enough.

Wu Chengyu frequently traveled to Guangdong on business trips. He was a glutton, and when he arrived in Guangzhou, he would immediately indulge in delicious food. Whenever he had time, he would wander the streets and alleys, spending a lot of money. He visited no fewer than twenty restaurants that sold snake soup.

Compared to the Song Dynasty, the people of Guangdong and Guangxi in later generations have really come up with all sorts of creative ways to eat snake.

Wu Chengyu wasn't there to cause trouble. Having drunk the snake soup, he knew what was going on. He put down the silver, left the restaurant, went back to the old man, bought a few more snakes, then went to the pharmacy to buy some medicinal herbs before finding an inn to stay at.

In the following days, Wu Chengyu borrowed the inn's kitchen and, following the recipe he had eaten in later generations, along with the instructions on the bamboo slips, repeatedly studied how to make snake soup. He gradually restored it and then surpassed it, spending three whole days to finally summarize a new recipe.

Three days later, before the restaurant's lunch service had even begun, Wu Chengyu left the inn, carrying the borrowed food box, and returned to Zhenxianglou.

"Waiter, could you please ask your manager to come out for a chat? I've come today to establish a good relationship with your manager."

Not long after, Manager Zhou of Zhenxianglou appeared in front of Wu Chengyu. He was short and stout, probably in his fifties, with a kind face. He greeted everyone with a bow and a smile. He was puzzled to see Wu Chengyu looking like he was about to die, but he didn't show it on his face.

"This guest wishes to see me. May I ask what brings you here? If there is anything I can do to help you, I will do my best."

Wu Chengyu returned the greeting and invited the shopkeeper to sit down, saying, "My surname is Wu. I have come today to establish a good relationship with you, shopkeeper. I have no ill intentions whatsoever."

After saying that, he took out the three dishes that had been prepared in the food box and placed them in front of the shopkeeper.

　I keep my word. It's noon now, and there are still three nights left. I still have to write 10,000 words a day, five nights a day. I also have to write another 10,000 words this afternoon. It's really tiring, but I hope everyone is satisfied.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)