Chapter 421: A Rare Guest ( 6 )
After a moment of pause, Yao Zhi continued, "If the next General is someone who only cares about his own achievements and disregards the soldiers’ and people’s lives, I might lose you and become a widow."
"What’s more, the news about the General cooperating with a mysterious Lei family must have reached the capital. We are already too involved to back out now."
"We are now grasshoppers tied to the same rope as the General. If he dies, we won’t be able to survive either. So, we have to amass as much money as we can before the Imperial Court frames him and confiscates all of his wealth."
Fu Chen’an found his wife’s words made sense and asked again, "Then what about the Xue family?"
"Although they are the General’s in-laws, they are merchants. At most, they would be exiled, but their lives wouldn’t be harmed. As for their wealth, they are merchants. They won’t put all of their eggs in one basket. We don’t have to worry about them."
"In the worst case, before the Imperial Court can confiscate their wealth, we can just sneak into their mansions and empty out their treasuries first. We won’t let those corrupt officials or the Emperor get any profit," Yao Zhi added with a mischievous grin.
Seeing his wife’s cunning glint, Fu Chen’an let out a chuckle. He rubbed her head and smiled. "Since you have made up your mind, I will follow your decision."
Satisfied with her husband’s words, Yao Zhi hugged his arm and said, "Thank you, Husband!"
"Mhmm."
The two of them were too engrossed in their conversation and forgot to keep their distance.
Unbeknownst to them, the soldiers, especially Xiao Wei, were stunned by what they saw. They couldn’t believe the cold and rigid Fu Chen’an would let a man hug him and act coquettishly with him.
When the break time was almost up, Fu Chen’an pinched his wife’s chubby cheek lightly and said, "I can go to the manor tonight. You should rest early and not wait for me."
"Okay. Remember to drink more spiritual spring water."
"I know."
After Yao Zhi reminded her husband about some things, she finally left under everyone’s gaze.
The moment Fu Chen’an turned around, he met everyone’s complicated gazes. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "Time’s up! Get on your horses!"
Hearing this, his subordinates came back to their senses and let out a groan. Even though they felt as tired as dogs, they still mounted their horses, picked up their bows, and continued their archery practice.
As for Yao Zhi, she went to the cooking area.
Since it was a temporary military camp, the so-called cooking area was a simple open field where the soldiers built several mud stoves.
The location of the cooking area was also near the granaries, making it easier for the military cooks to transport the ingredients.
When Yao Zhi arrived, the military cooks, their disciples, and the assistants were busy preparing the ingredients for lunch. The amount of ingredients they prepared was massive.
The total number of soldiers brought by Lu Qianxuan to reclaim the Northeast City was 100,000.
During the war, the casualties were around 200 people. Added to the civilians left in the Northeast City, the military cooks had to prepare enough food for around 125,000 people.
For such a large number, even if there were more than 200 people working, they still needed several hours just to prepare a meal.
Yao Zhi didn’t bother the cooks and walked around the cooking area. She saw that besides the millet and sorghum porridge, they also made a soup using corn and dried vegetables.
When she saw the soldiers put the dried vegetables directly into the soup, she couldn’t help but say, "Brother, if you put the dried vegetables in directly, you need to simmer the soup for at least 15 to 20 minutes for them to rehydrate properly. Also, add more water to it."
The soldiers were taken aback by her sudden comment. They looked at her clothes and noticed that they were made from good material. They didn’t want to offend a high-ranking person, so they chose to keep quiet and nod.
They added more water to the large pot and lowered the heat. 15 minutes later, they noticed that the previously shriveled dried corn and vegetables had turned plump and soft.
Yao Zhi nodded and said, "When they become plump and soft, then it’s ready."
After she said this, she pointed at the dried carrots and potatoes and added, "As for root vegetables like those, it will take a longer time for them to rehydrate."
"So, if you want to save firewood, you can soak it in warm water for around 20 to 30 minutes before using it for cooking. After being rehydrated, they can be used to make stir-fry dishes or steamed dishes."
The cooks finally understood that their methods were wrong. They hadn’t rehydrated the dried vegetables properly. It was no wonder that when they used them in a stir-fried dish, it tasted awful.
They cupped their fists and said, "Thank you for giving us a pointer, Sir."
"It’s just a small matter," Yao Zhi smiled.
Seeing that their cooking methods were too rough, she folded up her sleeves and said, "Aren’t there preserved meats? Take them out. I will show you the best rice dish using preserved meat."
The soldiers didn’t know her identity, but for her to be able to enter the camp, she had to be someone who had received permission from the General.
So, following her instructions, the soldiers brought over a bag of rice, preserved pork belly, preserved duck legs, Chinese meat sausage, and a large clay pot.
Since preserved meat rice is best cooked using charcoal, Yao Zhi avoided everyone’s sight and took out a bag of charcoal and a basket of vegetables.
First, she rinsed the preserved pork belly and preserved duck legs using warm water. She rubbed the meat with her fingers to remove as much surface oil as she could.
