Adorable Food Goddess - Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Beggars’ Bird

Helian Jing opened his mouth to call for him but then thought better of it . If brother Chunyu saw him in such an awkward look, he would surely rebuke him .

However, as he watched Chunyu’s horse gallop away, Helian Jing started to regret his decision . If he had just shouted, he could’ve escaped the dilemma he was in now and he wouldn’t need to follow the terrible kid anymore .

“What are you looking at? Take this . ” Ye Jiayao put a terrine onto Helian Jing’s hands .

Helian Jing sulkily looked away from his chance at escape . It was probably for the best, anyway . He ran away by himself, and if brother Chunyu took him home, he would look even more terrible .

“Let’s go . I hope we can find a farmhouse to stay for the night . Otherwise, we have to sleep in a broken temple . ” Ye Jiayao pushed him .

“Why don’t we take a boat? Or do we have to walk to Jin Ling?” Helian Jing said in a muffled voice .

Ye Jiayao asked, “Is there a grand canal?”

Helian Jing scowled . “What is the grand canal? I came here by boat, though . ”

Ye Jiayao’s eyes turned bright . “Where did you take the boat to?”

“Ji Ning . ”

Ye Jiayao chuckled to herself . Isn’t that the grand canal? How else can anyone get to Ji Ning from Jin Ling by boat? She wondered which emperor ordered for the grand canal to be built .

“You know how to get on a boat in Ji Ning, so what?” Ye Jiayao intentionally stared at him with an angry look .

After they left Xin Yi, they walked towards the south-west direction . They passed a village and saw some hens walking around in the wild field nearby . I am so hungry! She hasn’t eaten any fish or meat for so many days .

She saw little Jingjing staring at the old hens with wide eyes .

Should we steal them or not? Ye Jiayao felt conflicted .

I just want one to treat my stomach, but ever since I was young, I’ve been taught to have a high moral standard and not to steal .

It was not easy for these villagers to raise a few hens and they might be counting on them to lay eggs in exchange for some copper coins . They couldn’t take away their means of livelihood .

Ye Jiayao touched her tummy, trying to convey to it that no matter how hungry it felt, she would keep her principles . At this time, Ye Jiayao couldn’t help but think of the stupid donkey . That guy had extraordinary martial arts kill . Every time he went up the mountain, he would always get birds or animals . If he was with her, she would never go hungry or be afraid of anything .

“Little Jingjing, do you know how to hunt?” Ye Jiayao asked hopefully .

Helian Jing couldn’t keep his disgust off his face at what she called him . “Hunting? It is my strong suit . ”

Ye Jiayao rolled her eyes . “You’re bluffing . Show me how you hunt . ”

Helian Jing held out his two hands in despair . “If you help me find a bow and arrow, I am sure that I can do it easily . ”

“Crap! Where can I find bow and arrow for you?” Ye Jiayao sarcastically searched for weapons .

Helian Jing looked around and saw two birds resting on the dates tree nearby . He picked up a small piece of stone and smiled . “You will see . ”

Helian Jing aimed at the birds and threw the stone out .

Choo!

The two birds flew away in fear .

Ye Jiayao sneered, “Are you hitting the birds or surprising them?”

Helian Jing touched his tummy awkwardly . “I just have no energy right now . I’m hungry, otherwise, I would have hit them accurately . ”

“No skill is no skill . You don’t need to make up excuses . ” Ye Jiayao glanced at him . To be honest, she was really hungry too . However, they needed to save what little bit of food they have left for later .

Ye Jiayao begged for a pot of water and they kept on going .

Helian Jing thought about the shame he just went through and channeled it as he tried to hit every bird he saw on the road . He missed every single time .

Ye Jiayao was exhausted just by looking at him . “Aren’t you hungry? Save some energy!”

Helian Jing groaned sulkily and aimed at a bird again .

Dong…

“Ha! I got it!” Helian Jing saw the bird fall from the tree and ran happily to pick it up .

“Big Raorao, I hit it! We have meat to eat!”

What the hell? Since when I am called big Raorao?

“You called me what?” Ye Jiayao had no mustache to blow but she still stared challengingly at him .

Helian Jing saw her mad and felt even happier . “Didn’t you call me little Jingjing? Well, I am calling you big Raorao . That’s only fair . ”

“Fair my ass . Don’t think that I would leave you even the bird’s ass . ” Ye Jiayao wanted to tickle him to death .

Helian Jing was more familiar with her now and knew that she was just bluffing . She looked angry but he could tell it was all for show . He smiled . “You can leave me with one bird wing . ”

Luckily this bird was fat and Ye Jiayao could make beggars’ bird with it . She would just adapt the beggars’ way of cooking chicken .

They both went to the pond near the road and Ye Jiayao asked little Jingjing to pick up a few lotus leaves . Meanwhile, she crouched near the water, got rid of the bird’s hair and gutted it .

Helian Jing returned with some lotus leaves and asked curiously . “Are we using lotus leaves as bowls?”

Ye Jiayao couldn’t be bothered to answer him and instead ordered him to dig a hole .

She took some salt and five-spice powder from her bag and rubbed it over the bird’s body and a little bit on its stomach . She sprinkled some pepper on it and then wrapped it in the lotus leaves, using the water in the pond mixed with some clay . It was supposed to be used with Shao Xin yellow rice wine so that the roasted bird’s meat would be more delicious . However, their conditions were barely livable so they couldn’t really complain . It was great enough that they have meat to eat, there was no need to be too exquisite .

“Big Raorao, the hole is dug . ” Helian Jing was excited and dug a big hole neatly and quickly .

Ye Jiayao walked over to him and looked . “You sure the hole wasn’t dug for yourself?”

They were just roasting a small bird! That hole could be used to roast a pig .

Helian Jing mumbled, “You didn’t tell me what size you want . ”

Ye Jiayao rolled her eyes at him . “Go pick some firewood . ”

Helian Jing gladly went to pick up some firewood . He had never cooked anything in the wild before . Even when he went hunting with Chunyu, they still had chefs to cook for them . He found this new experience very interesting .

“Yo, don’t bring a whole tree back! Just pick some branches . ” Ye Jiayao was afraid that the dumb kid would pull a tree out from the road .

Ye Jiayao buried the bird, which was sealed by clay, and started to make a fire . She was very familiar with using firestone as she used stove fire in Black Wind Ridge for almost a month . It wasn’t long before she had a decent fire going on .

Helian Jing looked dubious as he peered at what Ye Jiayao was doing . “You sure it will work? Sealed with clay and buried in the earth, isn’t that dirty?”

Ye Jiayao sat on the extra lotus leaves and held a Setaria Viridis in her mouth . She said, “We’ll see, just don’t drool later . ”

Helian Jing sat next to her . He smiled and flattered, “You can do so many things . I thought we’d have to beg just to live . ”

Ye Jiayao lifted her chin up and said proudly, “Of course! I’ve roamed all over the country for so many years, how can I survive without any skills?”

Helian Jing’s mouth twitched . “Bluffing again . ”

“Aye! Little Jingjing, what does your family do? Government officials or just business owners?” Ye Jiayao asked .

Helian Jing thought that if he told the truth, she would be scared . He answered humbly, “Small officials and small business . ”

Ye Jiayao didn’t believe him one bit . “Can small officials and small business people wear 100ish silvers ‘Cloud and Water Green’ clothes?”

Helian Jing decided to keep her guessing . “After we get to Jin Ling, you will know . ”

“You don’t have to tell me . ” She didn’t tell him the truth about her either, so they were even .

After almost an hour of roasting, Ye Jiayao took a stick to dig the clay package out of the dirt . The outer layer of clay was cracked from the heat and one knock by the stick shattered it . She opened up the lotus leaves, the delicious smell from inside wafting over to them .

“Wow! That smells great!” Helian Jing couldn’t stop drooling, reaching out to take the bird .

“Be careful, it’s hot . ” Ye Jiayao slapped his hands away and carefully cut a bird leg for him . “Here, have a taste . ”

Helian Jing took a bite and was immediately amazed by the soft texture and the fragrant smell of the meat and the lotus leaves . It was especially alluring . Even though the ingredients were limited, the original taste of the bird meat stood out and it was very delicious . It was more delicious than the roast lamb his chefs cook at home .

It was the first time that Ye Jiayao cooked beggars’ bird in such an original way . She was glad that she did it, though, because this way of cooking beggars’ bird had its special taste . The double package of lotus leaves and clay prevent water from steaming away and the smell from spreading around . The simple ingredients she used maximized the original taste of the bird meat .

“Tasty, tasty . Big Raorao, you are awesome,” Helian Jing praised her .

“Call me brother Jing or next time I won’t cook anything for you . ” Ye Jiayao shook the beggars’ bird in her hand playfully .

Under the seduction of delicious food, Helian Jing chose to lower his pride, ignore his status, and become a well-behaved little Jingjing .

The two of them finished off the bird voraciously, still marveling over its deliciousness even after it was long gone .

“Don’t worry, I will get a few birds or something else every day in the future,” Helian Jing said confidently as he wiped his mouth .

“I think, you hitting one today was just a fluke . I’ll believe your hunting prowess when you manage to get a few every day,” Ye Jiayao teased once again as she packed up to continue on their journey .

“Aye! You doubt me now but wait until you see my skills with a bow and arrow . Using a piece of stone to hunt was a first for me and my hands were not familiar with it . After I got used to it, everything will be easy,” Helian Jing bragged, afraid that she would look down on him again .

“Okay, you’re great! I was just afraid that you were bluffing too much . I was just helping you think more realistically . ” Ye Jiayao held her hands up in a surrendering fashion .

The sky turned darker and Ye Jiayao felt disappointed . They walked an average of ten kilometers today, and at this speed, it would take ages to get to Ji Ning .

“I can’t walk anymore, I’m so thirsty . ” Helian Jing never had such a bitter experience before . The bottom of his feet aches from the blisters he got . He plopped down on the road and took off his shoes to rub his pained feet .

Ye Jiayao looked around . They were in the middle nowhere . There was no broken pavilion, no possible resting place . “And here you are denying that you’re weak . Get up, I don’t want to spend the night in the wilderness . ”

Helian Jing stared ahead of them, getting so excited that he managed to ignore Ye Jiayao’s ridicule .

Ye Jiayao turned to look at what he was staring at – it was a watermelon plantation .

They looked at each and said, “You go . . . “