vstars Chapter 364 Captain Zhang in the Barley Field
Chapter 364 Captain Zhang in the Barley Field
At the very end of the ancient craft of skinning sheep, the drying process is the finishing touch, crucial in its entirety.
Li Ju'an had to carefully hang the meticulously peeled sheepskins either on the mottled earthen wall or spread them out on the spotless ground. During the drying process, direct exposure to the scorching sun was strictly prohibited.
Li Ju'an gently hung the two intact argali hides under the beam of Grandpa Zhao's house to air dry. The two falcons seemed to be attracted by this extraordinary item as well. They curiously stretched out their bodies, tilting their heads so high they almost twisted their necks, staring intently at the hides. Their appearance was both comical and amusing.
Grandpa Zhao squinted, examining the two intact sheepskins before him, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. "These things are in high demand, they sell well, they can be used to make overcoats, and even drum skins." His words were filled with pride and reverence for this ancient craft.
Deep in the Xing'an Mountains, discerning merchants travel great distances to acquire valuable sheepskin. Sheepskin is considered a traditional handicraft with high artistic value.
The stripped sheepskins await the craftsmen's hands to transform them into a variety of leather art pieces, including drumheads, drum skins, drum rims, drum soles, drum bands, drum heads, drum horns, drum stands, and drumsticks.
The mutton soup, especially the meat of the ram, has a strong, pungent odor that's hard to tame. Old Mrs. Zhang has lived in the barley fields for most of her life and has a real knack for cooking mutton. Her life experiences on this land have left not only her mark but also her exceptional skill in stewing mutton.
Grandma Zhang gladly took over, and a pot of mutton soup gradually boiled under her careful care. The addition of angelica root removed the gamey smell, and a thin layer of mutton fat floated on the surface of the soup, shimmering with an enticing sheen. Bay leaves, angelica root, cinnamon, and other local spices were added to the mutton, all of which the villagers had obtained from traveling merchants in exchange for local specialties.
The hind leg meat of the lamb is cut into small pieces, and the lean meat is stewed in lamb broth until tender and thoroughly cooked. The lamb fat is crushed and poured on top of the broth. Dots of white fat float on the surface of the broth, releasing a rich, meaty aroma.
The aroma of mutton soup filled the entire Zhao family courtyard, making every passing villager's mouth water. They couldn't help but peek out as they walked by, eager to see who had cooked such fragrant meat.
Captain Zhang happened to return to the village at this time.
Captain Zhang had traveled a long way and had just returned from the bureau. In the late autumn weather, his forehead was covered in sweat. He wiped the sweat from his forehead hard, and his stomach was cramping with pain.
"Damn, what kind of food is this? It made me have diarrhea after eating it."
The food at the bureau was excellent. There were all sorts of meats from all over the country, hearty dishes, as well as ribbonfish, whitebait, and mantis shrimp.
As the head of a village in the Gobi Desert, he had never seen so many fish and shrimp before. He couldn't resist taking a few extra bites to try them out.
He had previously crossed several villages over the Xing'an Mountains and heard that the fish from those fishing villages tasted especially delicious when caught during the thaw of the river. He also heard that the fish caught in Yingtun and several fishing villages further afield near the sea were incredibly plump and had a firm, rich texture.
One bite and the fat under the fish's belly is even more delicious than pork fat.
So when the bureau's dinner party started, he held his wine glass with both hands, smiling as he toasted all the leaders, bowing and scraping as he quickly sat down, watching their every move. Only after the leaders had started eating did he hurriedly use his chopsticks, and when no one was looking, he grinned and picked up the meat from the fish tail.
That was the tail of a red snapper. He had long heard that in Lian City, this fish was a delicacy that only elderly people in the city could afford to buy during the Lunar New Year.
One of the five main dishes for a grand New Year's feast is steamed red snapper.
Zhang, the brigade leader, had long admired the fish and was so excited that he carefully picked it up with his chopsticks, even dropping some fish on his first try. At the next table, the brigade leader of Wangxing Village looked at him with a grin and joked, "What's wrong, Zhang? Is this what they call wanting to eat more but not being able to get it?"
Captain Zhang was also a little embarrassed, awkwardly chuckling as he tried to pick up the fish pieces that had fallen on the table. But with so many leaders watching, what was he, a captain from a barley-growing village, compared to them? He felt ashamed. He could only stand up, bow and scrape as he offered another round of toasts, before finally picking up a mantis shrimp and struggling to peel it with his teeth.
He stared at the red snapper meat that had fallen on the table, feeling increasingly resentful. So what if it fell? It was only fallen for three seconds; it wasn't dirty. He raised his eyelids, glanced around cleverly, and then, taking advantage of the fact that the leader and the others weren't paying attention, quickly widened his eyes, picked up the red snapper meat from the table, and hurriedly stuffed it into his mouth.
Feeling guilty, he looked up to make sure no one was watching him before feeling relieved. He happily buried his head in his rice, muttering to himself: rice is still not as good as cornbread. He still prefers cornbread and coarse grain buns. He really can't afford such refined food.
Captain Wang from Wangxingtun nearby had observed his every move. After several rounds of drinks, he was flushed and red-faced. As the party was about to end, Captain Wang stood up, raised his glass, and shouted, "Let Captain Zhang sing a military song for the leaders! Let's have a proper meal, so Captain Zhang can eat to his heart's content!"
A crowd around him clapped and cheered, egging him on.
The senior leader smiled and nodded to Captain Zhang.
Captain Zhang's chopsticks, which were still secretly picking up fish, fell to the ground with a "clatter," and he was completely taken aback.
The big boss saw him secretly picking up fish pieces? How is he going to make a good impression on the boss now? Should he even continue as a village official?
Captain Zhang was on the verge of tears, feeling utterly flattered. He could only stand up, glare fiercely at Captain Wang, and curse him in his heart.
To be honest, Captain Wang of Wangxingtun didn't do anything good either; he wasn't much better than Captain Zhang of the barley field.
Team Leader Zhang is trying his best to sing military songs for the leaders.
The powerful military song goes, "The sun sets in the west, the red clouds fly, the soldiers return to camp after target practice, return to camp!"
"The red flower on her chest reflects the colorful sunset, and joyful songs fill the sky!"
All the leaders at the table smiled approvingly and hummed along to the rhythm. When Team Leader Zhang sang with great enthusiasm and passion, a group of leaders stood up and shouted in a powerful voice:
“mi suo la mi suo!”
“la suo mi duo re!”
The familiar military songs, the same songs from 20 years ago, brought a flush of excitement to the leaders' faces, and they sang with great passion.
At this moment, Captain Wang of Wangxing Village was quite drunk. He felt that he could see double images and felt light and comfortable. He stared at the crescent-shaped flesh on the face of the red snapper and its eyes, and uncontrollably put down his chopsticks.