Chapter 10: Please Treat Mr. Ma to a Meal

Upon hearing Master Ma's words, Li Xiu was not angry, nor did he even attempt to defend himself. He simply opened the food box and took out the dishes inside. The food box was divided into several layers, with each layer containing a plate of food. The top layer featured garlic pig's head meat. As a result, Master Ma looked at it and chuckled, saying: "Your apology doesn't seem very sincere; you actually invited me to eat pig's head. Why is there no good meat?"

The pig's head is the most difficult to handle, so Li Xiu was the first to bring it over. The entire pig's head had already been cleaned. He used a large knife to cut the pig's head in half, then scalded it with boiling water before placing it in the pot to cook. Once it was cooked to 80% doneness, he took it out and soaked it in cold well water for later use

Upon hearing this, Li Xiu truly wished he could take out the pig intestines from yesterday and stuff them into the other person's mouth, and they would be unwashed. However, a moment of impatience could ruin a great plan, so he decided to endure once more and continued to present the third plate of braised pork. This finally prompted Master Ma to mutter to himself, "Now this shows some sincerity, but the meat does smell quite fragrant; I just wonder how it tastes"

The key to preparing garlic sauce pig's head meat is to soak it in cold water after it has been cooked, and it is necessary to change the water several times. This process results in the meat becoming pale and firm in texture, allowing it to be sliced as thin as paper, which enhances the flavor when mixed with garlic sauce

Hehe, I have been feeling quite ashamed these past few days for the offense I caused last time, so I have prepared a few small dishes to apologize to Uncle Ma! This Master Ma and Li Jing are considered comrades in arms, and since he is younger than Li Jing, Li Xiu naturally addresses him as Uncle Ma. Moreover, he did not mention anything about seeking help, as asking for assistance is also a skill that requires a gradual approach; otherwise, one may end up achieving the opposite of what they desire.

While the pig's head was soaking, Li Xiu also cut the pig's trotters into several pieces, blanched them, and then added various seasonings for stewing. This time, he was making braised pig's trotters. After bringing the pot to a boil, he reduced the heat to low and simmered for over an hour, until the broth became thick and glossy, with a slight gelatinous texture, which indicated success

"Wine!" After quite a while, Master Ma finally exclaimed, since this is an apology, and the dishes have already been prepared, how could there be no wine? Moreover, with several dishes being so delicious, the accompanying fine wine must surely be extraordinary.

Li Xiu spoke with utmost sincerity, as what he said was indeed the truth, merely omitting some details. Master Ma had been closely observing the changes in Li Xiu's facial expressions, but naturally found nothing. Nevertheless, he still expressed his disbelief, saying: "What can you accomplish in more than half a month? How can you shamelessly claim to improve the lives of the tenants? Although you only have five tenant families, that still amounts to dozens of mouths to feed. It is not that I underestimate you; if your tenants do not starve to death this winter, it will be a blessing from heaven!"

Still under that dead old willow tree, the middle-aged man known as Master Ma by Liu Laoda and his companions sat upright on a bamboo couch, holding a straight fishing rod, waiting for the fish to bite. At that moment, Li Xiu suddenly had a strange illusion, feeling that he was like a small fish in a river, seemingly free and unrestrained, yet unable to grasp his own fate.

Mr. Ma exposed him all at once, and Li Xiu also felt somewhat embarrassed. However, he had long since developed a thick skin, and quickly regained his composure. He glanced at the bowl of liquor in front of him, then lowered his head to sniff it, immediately revealing a look of disdain.

"Young man, what kind of expression is that? Do you find my wine unsatisfactory?" Master Ma, not only sharp-tongued but also keen-eyed, immediately noticed the look of disdain on Li Xiu's face and promptly questioned the wine jar with a heavy tone.

Time passed little by little, and Li Xiu stood for nearly half an hour. Finally, as noon approached, Master Ma glanced at him sideways and said, "Kid, standing next to me for half a day without saying a word, what exactly are your intentions?"

Next, he tasted the braised pig's trotters and garlic pig's head meat, discovering that each had its own unique characteristics. Although the four dishes had different flavors, they shared a common trait: they were all extremely delicious. Moreover, the preparation methods of these four dishes were quite novel; at least he had never eaten anything similar before. This made him feel quite appetized, and after taking several large bites, he suddenly reached out to Li Xiu and said: "Hand it over!"

Finally, Li Xiu took out the stir-fried bean sprouts, and at that moment, Master Ma's eyes lit up as he said: "This is great, bean sprouts are quite sought after in Chang'an, and they are usually hard to come by. The steward of the residence couldn't buy any today, yet you unexpectedly brought a plate!"

Upon Li Xiu's arrival, Master Ma did not even glance at him, indicating that he was not only temperamental but also petty, still brooding over the previous incident. This made Li Xiu unable to help but let out a bitter laugh. It seemed that achieving his goals would not be an easy task, and he could only strive to do his best; the rest would depend on fate.

Li Xiu finally reacted upon hearing this, but it was not that he had intentionally not prepared any wine; rather, he had long since resolved not to drink anymore, so the concept of wine had not even crossed his mind. By the time he realized it, it was already too late. However, this did not pose a challenge for Li Xiu. He then deliberately shook his head and sighed, saying: "Wine is a poison that runs through the intestines; Uncle Ma should drink less for his own good. Moreover, with such delicious dishes, I truly cannot find any fine wine that would pair well with them, so I simply did not prepare any!"

Additionally, there was a large piece of meat left over from making dumplings yesterday, with a perfect balance of fat and lean, just right for making braised pork. After preparing the three meat dishes, Li Xiu quickly stir-fried a portion of mung bean sprouts over high heat. Finally, he completed all four dishes, three meat and one vegetable. He then took out a food box and placed the four dishes inside separately. Looking outside, it was just approaching noon, and he smiled slightly as he carried the food box out of the courtyard

Damn it, someone who can rise from a mere servant to a general is indeed not an easy person to deal with! Li Xiu was taken aback upon hearing this, but he maintained a calm demeanor on the surface. Instead, he let out a long sigh and displayed a look of grievance, saying: "Uncle Ma, we are neighbors after all, and you are aware of the situation on the farm this year. To be honest, I came to fish that day because there was not a single grain of food at home. The tenants in the Li family farm are eating pig feed every day, and the children are so hungry that they are fighting with wild dogs for food. Therefore, for more than half a month, I have not done anything else but wake up early and work late to find ways to improve the tenants' lives. It was only after much effort that there was a bit of improvement, and I finally had some food and copper coins at home, which is why I prepared a few small dishes to apologize to Uncle Ma!"

"What?" Li Xiu was left dumbfounded, not understanding what Master Ma wanted. Moreover, seeing the other party's expression of entitlement, it seemed as if he was asking for something that Li Xiu should have prepared all along. As a result, the two stared at each other in confusion, neither comprehending the other's meaning

After taking several large bites of bean sprouts, Master Ma finally turned his gaze to the meat dishes beside him. For the nobility, pork is considered a lowly meat, and those with refined tastes generally disdain eating it. However, Master Ma came from a humble background and was a military general, so he did not have such pretentious concerns. He immediately picked up a piece of braised pork and tossed it into his mouth, only to find that the pork was rich yet not greasy, tender and sweet, which made him widen his eyes in surprise. He did not expect pork could be prepared so deliciously.

Li Xiu discovered that this person with the surname Ma not only had a strange temper and a narrow mind, but also had a sharp tongue. However, since he had a request to make, he decided to pretend he had not heard and continued to bring out the second dish, which was braised pig's trotters. Although it looked very tempting with its bright red color, Master Ma immediately recognized it as pig's trotters and laughed again, saying: "Pig's head and pig's trotters, the next dish won't be pig's tail or pig's offal, will it?"

Master Ma, without any courtesy towards Li Xiu, picked up his chopsticks and took a few bites of the bean sprouts. As soon as the bean sprouts entered his mouth, he immediately exclaimed in praise, repeatedly saying "delicious." The bean sprouts were tender and crisp, and they tasted best when stir-fried. However, during the Tang Dynasty, chefs had not yet invented stir-frying; even the cooks in the princess's palace merely boiled the bean sprouts and served them cold, which naturally could not compare to the taste prepared by Li Xiu.

Apologize? At this moment, Master Ma looked at Li Xiu with great interest, his sharp gaze seemingly able to see through one's heart. He then suddenly smiled and said, "Isn't your apology a bit late? You actually waited for more than half a month to come and apologize. This seems somewhat unreasonable. Could it be that you have something to ask of me?"

"Pah! I see you must have forgotten to prepare, or perhaps you don't have the money to buy wine!" This Master Ma was not easily deceived; he immediately guessed the truth of the matter. However, he was not particularly angry. He turned around, took out a small wine jar and a wine bowl from his food box, uncorked the wine, poured a bowl of it, and placed it in front of Li Xiu. He then directly took the wine jar and drank a few mouthfuls, exclaiming, "Good wine! Refreshing!"

Originally, the best way to prepare a pig's head is to make it into a roasted pig's head, which Li Xiu particularly enjoys. However, this dish is quite complicated to prepare and takes a long time. Although Li Xiu loves to eat it, he only knows the general method and lacks the confidence to get it right on the first try. Therefore, he opted for another method, which is garlic pig's head meat. It is spicy and refreshing, delicious to eat, and not easily tiresome.

The wine in the bowl is the color of amber, representing the oldest type of Chinese yellow wine. Li Xiu's expression of disdain is not due to the quality of the yellow wine before him, but rather in response to Master Ma's behavior. Yellow wine typically does not exceed 20 degrees, yet the way the other person drinks and speaks makes it seem as if he is consuming a spirit over 60 degrees, like Erguotou. In later generations, yellow wine became associated with Confucian culture, earning it the title of the "scholar's wine." Of course, women can also partake, but seeing a robust man like Master Ma, standing at eight feet tall, drinking yellow wine with such bravado, evokes a sense of absurdity.

After settling Liu Laoda and the others, the first thing Li Xiu did upon returning home was not to think of ways to avenge them, but rather to dive into the kitchen to prepare a meal. Indeed, it was cooking; the meat delivered yesterday had not yet been finished, and the pig's head and trotters had not been dealt with. He had already asked Liu Laoda to buy various seasonings earlier, and all that was left was to turn them into dishes

The beginning of winter has passed, and today's weather is not very good. A thick layer of dark clouds hangs overhead, seemingly indicating that it might snow. The water in the Yellow Canal is quite clear, but a thin layer of ice has already formed along the riverbank. It seems that before long, the entire surface of the river will be frozen. It appears that winter in the Tang Dynasty arrives earlier than in later times.

Reflecting on the aforementioned matters, Li Xiu suddenly sighed, realizing that his previous thoughts had been somewhat simplistic. However, this was not the time for such reflections. He then approached Master Ma, standing quietly beside him without disturbing his fishing. His demeanor was one of utmost respect, as he had a request to make. Naturally, he needed to present himself in a manner befitting someone who seeks assistance. He did not believe that he possessed any aura of authority that could compel others to rush over and offer help.