“A scholar was walking in the middle of the night, and he met a beautiful woman halfway. The woman said that the doors and windows in her home were broken, and she wanted to find someone to repair them. The scholar was attracted by her beauty, and his mind was not right, so he immediately agreed. After returning home with the woman, the beautiful woman revealed her true colors. The skin of the beauty in the painting was torn off, and inside…there was actually a skeleton!”

Ah Bing and Tangyuan exclaimed, hugged themselves tightly, and said: ” Master Wen, stop talking!”

While waiting for the duck to roast, they were really bored, so everyone started guessing the backs of their hands and telling stories in turn. When it was Wen Mingtang’s turn, Wen Mingtang told a ghost story, which only frightened A Bing and Tangyuan.

Ji Caimai on the side shook his head and laughed twice while holding the wolfberry tea: only half-old children like Ah Bing and Tangyuan would be frightened by this ghost story.

However, by the time the storytelling session was finished, the roast ducks were almost ready to eat.

Wen Mingtang stood up and prepared the ingredients before picking up the roast ducks. She shredded the cucumbers and shallots and put them in the bowl. She took out yesterday’s sweet noodle sauce and also put it in a bowl. Then she put on thick gloves sewn from coarse cloth and went on to turn the roast ducks in the oven. When she turned the “duck brother”, the aroma of roast duck was already strong enough to come out of the oven. When the duck was taken out, the rich aroma mixed with fat made people inhale even more.

Wen Mingtang sharpened her knife and started slicing the roast duck.

Ji Caimai, A Bing, and Tangyuan didn’t expect this treatment. When they saw it, they immediately gathered around and watched curiously as Wen Mingtang removed the skin of the roast duck and placed it on the plate.

After looking at it for a while, Ji Caimai said: “I originally thought that this roast duck was chopped, but I didn’t expect that it took so much effort.”

However, it was also because of the effort that it took, and it was not like the regular roasted or braised duck in the past. It made people more interested in how to eat the roast duck next.

After the roast duck was sliced, Wen Mingtang placed the duck rack on a plate, smiled when everyone looked at her, took a piece of steamed wrapper, and demonstrated.

Dip a piece of roast duck with skin into the noodle sauce and put it in the middle of the wrapper, then add shredded cucumber and shredded shallots, and finally wrap the roasted duck, shredded cucumber, and shredded shallots together like spring rolls during the New Year.

She handed the wrapped roast duck to Ji Caimai who was standing aside. Ji Caimai took it and took a bite immediately.

The marinade on the duck skin was really not just for show. The roasted duck skin was a revelation to him, with its crispy and fragrant texture. When he bit into it, that thin layer of duck fat between the skin and the tender meat was pushed out by his teeth, enriching the taste of the crispy duck skin and succulent duck meat. The rich and hearty flavor made his mouth water, and he couldn’t help but continue indulging in the delicious dish.

However, as delicious as it was, if they ate it this way exclusively, the rich flavors might become overwhelming. Mixing it with sweet bean sauce, noodles, cucumber strips, and scallion strips helped balance the richness, resolving all the flavors in one bite.

Ji Caimai couldn’t stop praising the food, and over on the other side, Ah Bing and Tang Yuan couldn’t resist and started trying their hand at wrapping the roasted duck just like Wen Mingtang.

Wen Mingtang ate two, then picked up a piece of duck skin, dipped it in sugar, and put it in her mouth.

This way of eating left Ji Caimai, who had never seen it before, originally intending to pick up a piece of duck meat, hesitating for a moment. Just like Wen Mingtang, he picked up a piece of duck skin and dipped it in sugar. Before putting it in her mouth, Ji Caimai hesitated for a moment. After all, this eating method was so unique that even thinking about it left her feeling somewhat puzzled. It was hard to imagine the taste.

However, seeing the girl’s eyes narrowing slightly with pleasure while eating, Ji Caimai still put the duck skin dipped in sugar into his mouth. For a moment, the three tastes of crispy, soft, and creamy were intertwined in the mouth, and the sweetness spread from the tip of the tongue, which was unexpectedly wonderful.

Ji Caimai raised his fingers and kept cheering. Seeing this, Wen Mingtang ran to the house again. This time, what she brought back was a small jar. He scooped a spoonful of the orange-red translucent sauce from the jar into a white porcelain bowl. Wen Mingtang took a chopstick of duck meat and dipped it in, then put it in her mouth.

Ji Caimai and others, who had just learned from Wen Mingtang, dipped their chopsticks into the orange-red translucent sauce.

The sweet, sour, and fruity sauce covers the roast duck, giving it a unique and wonderful taste.

“This is the plum sauce.” Wen Mingtang glanced at the bottom of the jar and said, “If you like sour and sweet taste, you can try it.”

She made these sauces during her idle moments in the palace. Most of them were left for Zhao Shishan, who was set to leave the palace next year. She brought only these small jars with her, and there weren’t many left.

But she was in the public kitech of the Yamen, and so she could find the time to make more.

On the other side, Ji Caimai and the others continued to eat roast duck. Wen Mingtang took out another “Duck Brother” from the stove and started to slice it. After the roast duck was sliced, she put on the skin, cucumber shreds, and shallot shreds, and took a small dipping plate. After putting on the sweet noodle sauce, plum sauce, and sugar respectively, Wen Mingtang pointed to the plate of roast duck and said to Ji Caimai: “This plate is for Lin Shaoqing. He helped us greatly today and inquired about the late-night snack, so I assume he’d like to have some.”

Ji Caimai, who was putting the wrapped roast duck into his mouth, nodded and said, “Okay.”

When he finished tasting the roast duck on his tongue, he picked up the wrapper and was about to eat the next one, when he saw that the girl was still there. Looking at her, he said blankly: “What’s wrong? Since you want to send it to Lin Shaoqing, then go and send it!”

Wen Mingtang looked at him and said, “Ji Caimai, as you said before, you have to avoid suspicion, so I’m afraid it won’t be a good idea if I go. So. please send this plate for me.”

Last time, because Lin Fei was good at eating spicy food, Wen Mingtang took a second look and was seen by Ji Caimai. She was called over and given a warning, so she was very careful now.

After hearing this, Ji Caimai immediately blushed and waved hurriedly: “It was a misunderstanding last time! You can just go and deliver it yourself.”

Wen Mingtang said “Oh” and walked over with the roast duck and walked to Lin Fei’s office. In front of the hall, when she saw Zhao You squatting on the corridor and counting ants in a daze, Wen Mingtang walked over and called out: “Zhao chāyì.¹“

Zhao You was startled when he heard this and then raised his head. When he saw the roast duck she was serving, his eyes lit up: “This is…”

“I made some food.” Wen Mingtang said, “Send it to Lin Shaoqing to thank him for his help.” As she said, she explained how to eat it, and then said, “Zhao chāyì can come to the public kitchen to eat later!”

Zhao You hurriedly agreed and walked in with the roast duck.

Liu Yuan and Bai Zhu, who were speechless in the room, breathed a sigh of relief when Zhao You broke in.

There was still no clue to the case, which was really a headache! Lin Shaoqing didn’t say anything. He just lowered his head and flipped through the booklet he took from the inn. They didn’t know why he was so fascinated by it that he forgot about the two of them.

When they saw the roast duck, the two of them remembered: Master Wen made supper today!

It smells so good! Let’s enjoy the meal first, and then we can think about the case!

(End of chapter)

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Footnote

1. bailiff of feudal yamen