The Great Song Dynasty's Soul-Forging in Progress

Looking at them, Wang Zhonghua felt reassured and laughed, "Look, our two 'heroines' are far more courageous than Master Lü." He turned to Lü Sanjun, his tone becoming more composed, "Master, not only will we attend the banquet, but we will go in style. Not only will we go, but we will also take this opportunity to establish the reputation of our 'Wang Family Spicy Soup' and 'Drunken Eight Immortals' in Chenzhou City!"

"Oh? What brilliant plan do you have, my dear nephew?" Lü Sanjun's eyes lit up.

"Du Ziteng!" Wang Zhonghua called out.

"Here I am, Young Master Wang!" — Now Young Master Wang's name is more renowned, while "Instructor Wang" seems to be slowly forgotten. Perhaps "Young Master Wang" sounds more dignified.

The lean and quick-witted Du Ziteng slipped in from outside the door in response, a slightly playful smile on his face, but his eyes gleaming with shrewdness. "What are your orders?"

Du Ziteng, despite his comical name, was incredibly clever and one of Wang Zhonghua's earliest members of the team. He was quick-witted, good at dealing with people, and was responsible for reconnaissance and infiltration in several anti-bandit operations, achieving remarkable feats. He could also lighten the mood with jokes when things got tense, making him the team's "joker" and strategist.

"Select a few clever brothers to infiltrate Chenzhou ahead of time. Find out the area around the government office, especially the main streets and the restaurants and teahouses," Wang Zhonghua ordered. "Most importantly, find me a suitable shop in the most prosperous area of ​​Chenzhou! We're going to open the biggest restaurant in Chenzhou, and we'll name it—'Xiange Tower'!"

"Xiange Tower?" Lü Sanjun clapped his hands. "What a wonderful name! Elegant! Let's set it up by Xiange Lake!"

"That's right!" Wang Zhonghua's eyes gleamed with ambition. "We're not just going to sell everyday delicacies like spicy soup and pan-fried buns, but we're going to make 'Drunken Eight Immortals' a staple at banquets for Chenzhou's high-ranking officials and nobles! We want the people of Chenzhou to know that those from Sanyi Village aren't just brave warriors, but also successful businessmen!"

Upon hearing this, Du Ziteng beamed with joy: "Young Master Wang, this is an exciting job! Leave it to me! I guarantee I'll find out everything about those restaurants in Chenzhou City, find a prime location, and make our 'Xiange Tower' an instant success!" He patted his chest, full of confidence.

Du Ziteng was extremely efficient; in less than half a day, he found a two-story shop in a prime location by Xiange Lake.

Upon hearing Du Ziteng's report, Wang Zhonghua laughed heartily: "Tiehua, could you please bring me the wok you forged? Brother Fusheng, could you please go to Longsheng Ferry to buy some ingredients? Today I'm going to show off my skills and let everyone taste the stir-fries from 'Xiangelou,' and see if 'Xiangelou' can become a hit!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Tiehua immediately took out a uniquely shaped cast iron wok with a round bottom from her bag—a "wok" she had forged herself based on Wang Zhonghua's description. Lü Fusheng also hurriedly brought back ingredients with his men: fresh pork tenderloin, lively river shrimp, tender green cabbage, crisp pineapple, and sesame seeds that Wang Zhonghua had specifically requested.

Soon, a makeshift stove was set up in the backyard of Sanshenglu. When Wang Zhonghua tied on a coarse cloth apron and put fatty pork into the pot to render oil, the unique aroma of the oil immediately attracted everyone's attention. The wounded soldiers who had been lying on their sickbeds couldn't help but sit up and look around curiously.

"First dish, 'Fish-flavored Shredded Pork'!" Wang Zhonghua shouted, pouring the finely sliced ​​pork tenderloin into the hot oil.

"Sizzle—!"

An unprecedented blend of aromas exploded forth, the spiciness of scallions, ginger, and garlic mingling with the sweet and sour notes of vinegar and sugar, making everyone unconsciously swallow. Du Ziteng was the first to rush to the pot, watching eagerly as the shredded meat tumbled and coated in sauce, and couldn't help but exclaim, "Young Master Wang, this aroma is so tempting!"

When the first plate of shredded pork with garlic sauce was served, everyone eagerly tasted it. A young villager with a leg injury ate with tears in his eyes: "This taste... reminds me of my mother. If my mother could eat a bite of this, I... I'd die happy!"

After savoring the dish carefully, Liu Jueming stroked his beard in amazement: "The five flavors are so perfectly balanced! This dish is appetizing and good for the spleen, just right for wounded soldiers."

Even Liu Xinyi, who prefers a light diet, couldn't help but take an extra bite, savoring it with surprise in her eyes.

"The second dish is 'Stir-fried River Shrimp'!"

Cleaned river shrimp are poured into boiling oil, instantly curling up and turning red, their shells becoming crispy. Wang Zhonghua quickly adds minced ginger, wine, and a little salt, sprinkling a handful of green garlic sprouts on top before serving. The shrimp shells are bright red, making a crunchy sound when you bite into them, while the shrimp meat is tender, bouncy, and savory.

"These shrimp shells... you can actually eat them? And they're so crispy!" A villager with a bandage on his arm chewed incredulously, swallowing the shell and meat together, his face full of happiness.

Qin Tiehua ate the fastest, a small pile of shrimp shells already accumulated in front of her. She licked her lips, making the beauty mark on her lip shine even brighter: "This is much tastier than boiled or steamed shrimp!"

"The third dish is 'Stir-fried Cabbage with Vinegar'!"

Slice the cabbage stalks diagonally, stir-fry quickly in hot oil, add aged vinegar, and the aroma of sourness and fragrance is refreshing and helps to cut through the greasiness.

"Refreshing! This sour taste is really appetizing!" Lu Sanjun ate until his forehead was sweating and praised it repeatedly.

Next came "spinach and tofu stir-fry," "chives and eggs stir-fry"... one after another, brightly colored and fragrant stir-fries were served, completely overturning everyone's understanding of "dishes." In this era, stir-frying was not only simple, but also a "privilege" reserved for the powerful and wealthy. Cooking methods were mostly steaming, boiling, roasting, and stewing; who had ever seen such high-heat stir-frying, perfectly combining the original flavor of the ingredients with the seasonings, resulting in dishes that were excellent in color, aroma, taste, and presentation? The backyard was filled with the sounds of slurping saliva and praising the food; even Liu Xinyi quietly served herself a second bowl of rice.

Finally, Wang Zhonghua served the main dishes—golden and crispy fried dough sticks and steaming hot, spicy and flavorful Hulatang (a type of spicy soup).

"What...what is this? It looks so golden and tempting!" Everyone stared at the puffed-up, hollow, stick-shaped pasta with great curiosity.

Wang Zhonghua broke a fried dough stick in half and soaked it in the spicy soup, laughing, "This dish is called 'Fried Qin Hui'... uh, no, there's no Qin Hui yet." His mind raced, remembering the troubles on the northwest border, and he proclaimed loudly, "This dish is called—'Fried Qiang and Hu,' also known as 'Fried Dough Stick'! May the sons of my Great Song Dynasty, tempered by the flames of war, grow ever stronger, and one day, like this dish, fry the rampaging Qiang and Hu people until they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, utterly annihilating and conquering them!"

"Bomb the Qiang and Hu! What a great name!"

"Young Master Wang is right!"

"Blow up the Qiang and Hu tribes!"

The crowd roared with approval, their spirits high. The wounded seemed to forget their pain, eagerly picking up the fried dough sticks, dipping them in the spicy soup, and eating with gusto. The crispiness of the fried dough sticks and the spiciness of the soup blended in their mouths, bringing an unprecedented sense of satisfaction. Even the taciturn Wang Zhuacai, drawn by the aroma, came over, took a bite, clapped his hands, and exclaimed, "This fried dough stick is worth a big toast! Zhonghua, I'll take some back to your mother!"

This hearty meal, filled with the warmth of everyday life, not only satisfied everyone's appetites but also seemed like a silent declaration. Wang Zhonghua used his own way to tell everyone that Sanyizhai brings not only the strength to protect their homeland but also the possibility of making life more wonderful.

Du Ziteng, his mouth greasy with food, leaned close to Wang Zhonghua and winked, "Young Master Wang, with these skills, it'll be hard for our 'Xiange Tower' not to become a hit! When that happens, won't all those high-ranking officials and nobles in Chenzhou be scrambling to get in?"

Looking at the lively and vibrant scene before him, at the long-lost smiles on the faces of the wounded, and at the hope for the future in the eyes of his comrades, Wang Zhonghua felt an even stronger sense of pride.

Seeing the lively scene before him, and the long-lost smiles on the faces of the wounded, Wang Zhonghua felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He turned to Du Ziteng and whispered:

"Do you see that? This is the everyday life we ​​are here to protect."

Du Ziteng nodded emphatically, his eyes gleaming: "Young Master Wang, I understand. Once our Xiange Tower opens, we must let everyone in Chenzhou taste this flavor!"

As dusk settled, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of Sansheng Cottage, mingling with the aroma of medicine to create a heartwarming scene amidst the chaos of war. This simple yet extraordinary meal not only comforted the wounded but also ignited hope in everyone's hearts.

As dusk settled in, it poured down from afar, bathing Sanshenglu in a gentle, golden light.

The embers in the stove flickered, casting glimpses of Liu Xinyi's profile. She was adding the last ingredient to the clay pot, and the aroma of the medicine grew stronger, mingling with the cooking smoke, making it impossible to distinguish which wisp was smoke and which was the life-saving elixir.

But who knew that a life-or-death ordeal was about to befall this ethereal and peerless female healer!