Chapter Thirty-Two: Lin Zhongbo Summons

  As expected, the next day at noon, Lin Xuanmu came to the inn. Sun Er was leaning against the counter and chatting with Sun Zhuanggui. Seeing Lin Xuanmu arrive, he quickly stepped forward and greeted: "Young master is here, please sit down, same as usual?"

  "Someone has come today, not to drink wine. There's something I want to ask you." Lin Xuanmu didn't sit down either and walked to the counter, asking Sun Er: "What was the dish in yesterday's food box called? Yesterday was too busy rushing back, didn't even ask you guys."

  It turned out to be just as Xiaodong had said, and Sun Er and Sun Zhanggui exchanged a knowing glance. They were secretly impressed, because last night Xiaodong had told them that Lin Shaoxia would definitely come today, and his first question would certainly be about the dish names. They hadn't quite believed it, saying that although it was possible for Lin Shaoxia to come, he would surely put on airs before asking about the menu. Sun Er had even made a bet with Wang Xi about this, and if he lost, he would have to take responsibility for helping the Wang brothers clean up the yard according to their wishes, without being able to order around other people in the guesthouse.

  This is terrible, from the time Wang Kuang moved into that courtyard, Sun Er knew that Wang Kuang had been wanting to dig a small pond in the yard and plant a few trees by the pond, and set up several stone tables and stools. Now it's all over, he lost himself, this matter fell on his own head, can't order other people in the inn, so he can only pay for outsiders to come and do it. Thinking of this, Sun Er's face immediately turned sour: My house, my wife, there's no hope for this year. Lin Xiao Lang Jun, why don't you just be a bit more restrained? You're still a great talent, how could you lose your composure like this?

  Wang Juan knew the power of this braised pork foot, and in later generations, many of his friends who were used to eating delicious food would praise it without ceasing when they first tasted it. Some originally didn't like fatty meat or spicy food, but after taking a bite, they couldn't stop eating. In fact, the method for making this dish is not difficult; the key lies in reducing the soup and braising the meat until it's tender. When eaten, it melts in your mouth, rich but not greasy, numbingly spicy and refreshing, an extremely appetizing meat dish (imagine that, a flavor rarely encountered). This dish was created by Wang Juan's father when he forgot to watch the stove one time, and from then on, it became Wang Juan's signature dish for entertaining friends. If people who were used to eating delicious food reacted this way, one can imagine Lin Zhongbo's expression when he tasted this pork foot.

  Because Wang Kuang had instructed him beforehand, Sun Er continued to put on a bitter face (this is good, no need to pretend, thinking that he would have to take out his wallet to help Wang Kuang fix the house, his face wouldn't be bitter if it didn't have to be). He said: "In response to Young Master's question, I really don't know the name of this dish. I'll have to ask Xiao Dongjia about it. However, I do know the ingredients, but Xiao Dongjia told me not to tell anyone else, so I'm also helpless." After finishing speaking, he spread his two hands out in a gesture of helplessness.

  "Huh, this is strange." Lin Xuanmu naturally didn't know that the pig's feet were made by Wang Kuang. In his opinion, Wang Kuang was at most a clever person who helped Rich Come Inn with its plans and strategies, which was why he had such a high position in the inn. But when it came to food, it still depended on the chef in the kitchen. How could the manager of the inn not know the name of the dish, while this young boy did? "Could it be that Wang Dalang actually made that dish?"

  "That's not entirely true." Sun Er didn't expect Lin Xianglian to point out that the food was actually made by Wang Kuang. One sentence scared him so much, he thought: Oh no, Master Dong, you're making things difficult for me! I helped you clean up the yard, but now I have to deal with this person... it's like I offended you in my previous life. He complained silently, but his mouth didn't stop: "This dish, Master Dong used to eat it at home when he was young, so he said the flavor is just right, and Master Kuang made it happen. So Master Dong says that the name of this dish should be given by him."

  "So that's how it is. Where's Wang Dalang? I'll go find him." Lin Xuanmu lifted her foot and was about to head inside.

  "Is the young master here?" Wang Kuang walked into the hall with a bowl of egg drop soup and several pastries. As it was known that Wang Kuang loved spicy food in later life, but this Tang Dynasty body had never touched anything spicy before, yesterday he ate a lot of pig's feet and loach paste, which his small stomach could not handle. The whole night his stomach felt like a burning fire until he gulped down a large pot of cold tea, only feeling better in the second half of the night. So today he got up late and had no appetite, just casually using rice porridge to make a bowl of egg drop soup from the kitchen.

  "Hey, hey! Dalang, you're really enjoying yourself, aren't you? Look at your state, you've just woken up!" Lin Xuanmu saw that Wang Kuang's eyes were bleary and knew what was going on. Last night, he had brought back the box of snacks and hadn't gotten scolded by his father, but instead, his father had praised him for being filial after taking a bite. Until midnight, Lin Xuanmu's stomach was burning with discomfort before finally falling asleep. In the morning, he struggled to get up and found that his parents also had red eyes. After asking, they said it was because of the snacks again. Now, Lin Zhulang was worried that there was something wrong with the snacks, so after breakfast, he went to invite a doctor to take a look. The doctor said there was nothing wrong. Lin Zhulang still wasn't at ease, so he sent Lin Xuanmu to ask about it. Lin Xuanmu understood what was going on and took one look at Wang Kuang's state, guessing that he must be in the same situation as himself. His heart put down its guard a bit - after all, it couldn't be that someone wanted to harm him and also drag his own family into it, could there? That would be too stupid.

  However, the task entrusted by Ah Da must still be completed. When Wang Kuang put the food on the table and sat down on a stool, Lin Xuanmu also found a stool to sit down next to him, and said to Gao San, who was wiping the table: "Brother, also follow the example of Dala and bring out a portion." Getting up early in the morning, he had no appetite for breakfast, only eating a few mouthfuls randomly. This time, seeing Wang Kuang eat lightly, his appetite actually picked up.

  Gao San also hastily, in the kitchen Wang Kuang had just cooked egg drop soup with rice, and there was still some left, hot and steaming, it quickly boiled, and soon Lin Xuanmeng brought it out.

  "Say, what was the name of that new dish you gave me yesterday? What's it made of? It tastes like a cow's hoof, but not as small as a cow's hoof. And that spicy flavor, it's really overwhelming, it bothered me all night." The Lin family had never eaten pork since they were young, and even the phrase "haven't eaten pork, haven't seen what a pig looks like" didn't apply to Lin Xiangmeng, he really hadn't seen what a pig looked like. Lin Zhongbo had seen pigs, but just didn't think much of them, although he had some suspicions in his heart, who dared to boldly send pork to the Lin family? That's not openly insulting the Lin family for only being worthy of eating pickled vegetables. Only Wang Kuang dared to do so.

  "Oh, the food yesterday was great, braised pig's trotters." Wang Kuang said with his head down, taking a sip of egg drop soup and nibbling on a pastry, speaking indistinctly.

  "What?" Lin Xuan was startled, and the bowl of egg drop soup shook in his hands, splashing onto them. He hastily put it down and frantically waved his hands around. Gao San, who had been attending to him, quickly ran off to fetch a basin of water for him to wash his hands with.

  Lin Xuanmu didn't even bother washing his hands, he was still doubting his ears had misheard, and asked again: "You said that's made from pig's trotters?!"

  "Ah, didn't Sun Guanshi tell you? That's something the young master has been eating since he was a child, it's something my father often made for me to eat." Wang Kuang naturally understood why Lin Xuanmu was so surprised, but still pretended to be clueless: "What? Is there anything wrong with that?"

  "Ah! Ah!" Lin Xuanmu was so shocked that she stuttered, "If you just let me eat it, I would have been fine, but why did you make me give that pickled thing to Father to eat?"

  "The little one has been eating pork since he was young." Wang Kuang blinked his eyes.

  "Pig's trotters are always trampling in the muddy ground all day, going everywhere, what a dirty thing! Spit! Spit! Spit!" Although Lin Xuanmu had never seen a pig before, he had heard that pig's trotters were the dirtiest things. So when he came to drink wine, he didn't mind eating braised pig ears and pork, but he had never dared to imagine eating pig's trotters.

  "What's the big deal? Don't tell me Lin Xiaolang doesn't use fertilizer on his vegetables every day? He can't be unaware of where the fertilizer comes from, right?" Wang Kuang was referring to the fact that farmers normally used human and animal manure as fertilizer.

  "This..." Lin Xuanmu was speechless, stunned for a while, and didn't even bother to eat anymore. He sighed, flung his hand, and said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to help you, Big Brother. My father's temper is not easy to deal with. I'll go back and report this now. Let's see how you handle it."

  Lin Kunmo left, and Sun Er, who was standing on one side, also turned pale. He rushed to the counter and said a few words to Sun Zhuanggui, then hurriedly went to find Sun Mingqian. Letting a county clerk eat pickled goods is an unforgivable sin, it's better to let the master come and deal with it quickly.

  Just as Sun Mingqian was about to rush over, someone from Lin's household arrived and said that they were inviting Wang Kuang to go to the mansion for a chat. Although it sounded pleasant, Sun Mingqian and the others understood that this was probably an attempt to take Wang Kuang away to interrogate him. Sun Mingqian and several others were anxious and wanted to stop Wang Kuang from going, but they couldn't. They thought about accompanying him, but the other party had already said that only Wang Kuang was invited. What could be done?

  Wang Kuang was not in a hurry, all of which were already within his expectations. He comforted Sun Ming and said: "Uncle, please rest assured, I have a plan in mind. This time it won't take an hour to come back, and who knows, maybe I'll bring good news."

  Listening to Wang Kuang say this, Sun Ming was both surprised and suspicious. Wang Kuang's cleverness went without saying, it's just a pity he didn't like studying literature. If he were to study literature, he might have achieved something. But this is an offense against the county magistrate, what could Wang Kuang do? Gritting his teeth, he stamped his foot: "Alright, Big Brother you go now, if within one hour you don't return, I'll swallow my pride and come to apologize in person. Just remember, Big Brother, if Lin Zhongshu really wants to punish us, be sure to insist it was this old man's orders. Everything will be borne by this old man."

  Wang Kuang smiled but didn't say a word, nodded slightly and followed the Lin family's people away. At this time, he already understood that Sun Mingqian had taken him as one of his own children or nephews.

  Division

  At 5 am, Grey Sparrow finally managed to write another chapter, feeling extremely tired, and went to sleep first. Striving to see if it's possible to write another chapter in the afternoon or evening.

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