Before the house was raided, the maidservant of the Prime Minister's residence absconded with t

At the beginning of Chenshi (7-9 AM), the village gradually began to awaken.

When Tao'er opened her eyes, sunlight was already shining through the window paper, casting a hazy patch of light on the muddy ground.

She rubbed her eyes; the scene from last night still lingered in her mind.

The things that the top leader Zhang Fei and the second leader Hu Biao said.

This forced her to connect them with Xiao Jiawulang.

Perhaps Xiao Yi's death wasn't so simple; this was the first thought that popped into Tao'er's mind.

She took a deep breath and suppressed these suspicions.

However, the biggest concern right now is whether Zhang Fei, the leader, dispelled his doubts last night.

Although the mute Ah Qi saved her last night, and the leader didn't see her, she still felt that the leader was not a simple person.

He was at least not a simple bandit leader; judging from the layout of Tiger Head Mountain Stronghold, it was anything but simple.

Although this stronghold had only been established for three short years, the imperial court was unable to completely eradicate it.

And what about that mute Ah Qi? Is he just an ordinary mute?

Was his timely appearance last night a coincidence or intentional...?

The speed at which he pulled me along last night was far beyond that of an ordinary person; he must have a background in martial arts.

Why is he in this mountain stronghold?

However, the only thing that can be certain of is that the mute Ah Qi will not harm them, otherwise there would be no need to risk saving her.

Does he have other identities? Maybe he's also an enemy of the top or second-in-command!

Tao'er's thoughts grew heavier and heavier. She shook her head and thought, "Forget it, I won't think about it too much. I'll just take it one step at a time."

Water comes with earth, soldiers come with generals, and boats will straighten themselves when they reach the bridge.

Let's see how things unfold, like reading a script while riding a donkey!

There's no way to escape right now!

She opened the window, looked at everything outside, and took a deep breath.

At this moment, Dongkui had already sat up and quickly put on her coat.

He looked up at Tao'er, who was staring out the window in a daze, and wanted to ask her something but didn't say it.

After getting dressed, she put on her shoes and got out of bed. She lifted the curtain and was about to help Ayan, who had just woken up, get dressed.

"Sister Dongkui, I can dress myself."

Ayan's voice was childish and somewhat awkward.

Sister Tao'er said that he is five years old and he has to do all the little things like dressing himself.

Tao'er nodded and smiled at Ayan: "Sister Dongkui, you don't need to help him, he can dress himself."

Dongkui paused for a moment, then smiled.

This habit was formed when she was in the mansion. At that time, she was the personal maid of the Third Madam, and the first thing she did every morning was to help Miss Qingyu get dressed and wash up.

"Okay, do it yourself." Dongkui withdrew her hand and then looked at Tao'er's slightly swollen eyes.

"Little Peach, did you not sleep well last night?"

"A little, I guess I'm not used to it."

It will be fine in a couple of days.

We need to get up too.

Although the First Madam said it could be a little later, it couldn't be too late, since they weren't guests.

The three of them tidied their clothes and did a quick wash.

As Tao'er combed her long hair, she lowered her voice and said, "Sister Dongkui, our crisis is not completely over yet."

Don't wander around this village unnecessarily, I'm afraid there might be traps or something.

Wandering around recklessly might cost you your life.

From now on, you're responsible for keeping an eye on Ayan, ensuring his safety, and also your own.

Here, some things are best left unsaid; try to avoid trouble.

Dongkui nodded quickly, "I understand, Sister Tao'er. I'm not familiar with this village either, so I won't wander around."

When she entered the village yesterday, she did see strange wooden stakes stuck around the village walls, and the ground in some places was a noticeably different color.

If Tao'er hadn't reminded her, she probably would have wandered around looking for a way out.

"Ayan, you too."

In front of those bandits, try to speak as little as possible outside, lest they realize you're a boy.

Tao'er turned to Ayan and gave him some instructions.

Ayan raised his little face, his expression serious, unlike that of a five-year-old child: "Sister Tao'er, I understand."

I'll talk less when they're around.

"And about last night, no matter who asks, you all say that none of us went out."

If you really have to answer, just say you were shocked, scared, and exhausted yesterday, so you went to bed early.

Tao'er repeated the words she had given last night, her gaze lingering on the two of them for a moment until she saw them nod solemnly.

She took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

The morning light rushed in instantly.

A slightly cool and damp scent of earth and vegetation wafts through the air.

The mornings in the mountain village are not entirely silent.

The sounds of clashing weapons came from the distant training ground, while the aroma of cooking smoke and rice porridge wafted from the direction of the kitchen.

The village is built against the mountain, with wooden buildings scattered in a pleasing manner. If it weren't for the bandits patrolling with knives, it would have been as peaceful as a mountain village.

Tao'er led Dongkui and Ayan through the courtyard. Under their feet was a solid dirt road with some cold-resistant wild vegetables planted on both sides.

Several early-rising bandits squatted against the wall, munching on flatbreads. Their eyes swept over the three men, but didn't linger.

The kitchen was already bustling with activity.

Four cooks were busy in front of the large stove, steaming in the steamer and cooking porridge in the iron pot.

Upon seeing Tao'er and the other two enter, the cooks exchanged glances, and the fat cook who had mocked Tao'er yesterday even managed a forced smile.

"Hello, Chef Xiaotao..."

Everyone shouted in unison.

Yesterday, the whole village knew that a very capable cook named Xiao Tao had arrived.

So everyone calls her Little Peach the Chef.

Tao'er nodded with a slight smile in response, then walked straight to the small stove in the corner.

This separate stove was built separately for the head of the household in the village.

In front of the stove, the mute Ah Qi was already sitting there. When he saw her coming, he immediately smiled at her, revealing his snow-white teeth.

Yesterday, Tao'er asked the chief to assign this mute man to her as a helper, and the chief readily agreed.

As long as she can cook delicious food, she doesn't have a problem needing several helpers.

However, he lowered his head slightly and did not straighten his back, so it was unclear whether he was deliberately acting like this during the day.

She clearly saw him standing straight last night, without the slightest hunchback.

Or perhaps it's not a hunchback, but rather a habit of adopting a subservient posture.

Tao'er guessed that this person was most likely doing this on purpose, probably because there was some hidden reason.

However, this has little to do with them, as long as they are not enemies.

If he's the leader's enemy, that's even better; the enemy of an enemy might be a good assistant.

"Husband, let's make plain noodles this morning!"

Keep it simple, but the broth must be flavorful.

Tao'er said to Dongkui with a smile.

Dongkui nodded and began preparing the ingredients.

Ayan sat obediently on a small stool in the corner, but his eyes were observing everyone in the kitchen.

Tao'er's small stove was not far from the other cooks' large stoves, and she could clearly hear their conversations.

"Hey, everyone be careful in the future, don't offend that family."

"That cook, Xiao Tao, is an absolute culinary genius!" A tall, thin cook said in a low voice.

"you do not say!

Yesterday at noon and for dinner, the head of the household ate several large bowls of rice!

"If we treat each other better in the future, we might be able to get a share of the profits."

The fat cook interrupted them, glancing at Tao'er, "Get to work, stop gossiping."

"That food is specially for the masters of Tiger Head Stronghold; we shouldn't even think about getting it."

Tao'er remained unfazed, pretending not to hear, and focused on kneading the dough.

Her technique was skillful and her strength was even; the dough quickly became smooth and soft.

The flour provided in the village wasn't refined, but it was fresh enough and had the unique aroma of wheat.

The essence of making Yangchun noodles lies in the broth and the noodles themselves.

Tao'er simmered chicken and pork bones together to make a broth, adding a few simple spices. Though not luxurious, it was rich and flavorful.

The noodles must be freshly pulled and cooked, with uniform thickness and a chewy, smooth texture.

When the first wisp of aroma wafted out, even the cooks who had previously looked down on Tao'er couldn't help but sniff.

"Hey, he's actually got some skills," the fat chef muttered.

After the noodles were cooked, Tao'er instructed the kitchen servants to deliver the remaining bowls to the residences of the various masters.

At this moment, a young man in his early twenties walked over. "Little Peach, the head of the household wants you to personally deliver breakfast to his room."

Tao'er's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the chief still had some suspicions about her?

Well, it's good to go in person. That way, I'll have a better understanding of the situation and be able to adapt to different circumstances.