Stockpiling for an Exiled General Through My Store's Back Door

Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Why Do You Look So Skilled?

It was Ling Qianjun’s first time trying a dish made with chili peppers. As soon as that bite of sour mustard fish entered his mouth, the overpowering sour and spicy kick rushed straight to his brain.

His entire body instantly began to boil, growing comfortably warm, while an indescribable stinging sensation lingered in his throat. He sniffled, but couldn’t hold it back, breaking into sudden coughs. ”COUGH, COUGH, COUGH!”

He immediately thought of a practical use for this red vegetable. If it were given to the soldiers fighting in the Northern Land, it might just help them ward off the bitter cold and withstand the physical toll of the harsh winds and snow.

Hua Buwan shot him an exasperated glance and went to grab him a bottle of green tea. When dealing with the burn of chili peppers, drinking water would only make it worse. Tea or milk was much more effective at soothing the spice—though, of course, everyone’s tolerance was different.

GLUG, GLUG, GLUG! Ling Qianjun tilted his head back and drained the entire bottle. Wiping his mouth, he stared intently at the sour mustard fish. ”This dish is excellent. It’s a delicacy unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. What is this red vegetable called? It’s even spicier than cornel.”

Hua Buwan picked up a small chili with her chopsticks and said, ”This is called a chili pepper. For people here in Sea City who don’t usually eat spicy food, adding one or two is enough. If you can handle the heat, you can add a few more. This thing gets spicier the longer you cook it.”

”I’ve never seen anything called a chili pepper in Dongxuan Country,” Ling Qianjun said in amazement.

Hua Buwan smiled. She got up, poured a bowl of clean water, and placed it next to him. ”You still have wounds on your body, so you should eat less spicy food. But if you really want some, just rinse the fish slices in this bowl of water first.” As she spoke, she demonstrated it for him.

As she did this, she was suddenly reminded of a junior schoolmate from the Xiao Xiang Region she had met in college. At mealtimes, the girl would dump an entire jar of Sea City chili sauce into her bowl, eating it straight while insisting, ”It’s not spicy at all.”

Ling Qianjun copied her actions. Sure enough, the fish wasn’t as spicy anymore, reaching a level he could comfortably accept. Taking bites of fish and sour mustard greens between mouthfuls of rice, the two of them quickly polished off everything on the table.

After eating and drinking their fill, Ling Qianjun took the initiative to gather the dishes to wash them. Hua Buwan tried to stop him but couldn’t, as he insisted, ”I’m already freeloading off your cooking. It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t do some chores.”

Hua Buwan watched as he skillfully washed the dishes, scrubbed the pot, and wiped down the stove. Raising an eyebrow, she asked out of curiosity, ”Weren’t you born into a Noble family? Even on the battlefield, you should have cooks or attendants to do this. How come you look so experienced at it now?”

Ling Qianjun didn’t stop his movements. He answered with a smile, ”I learned it from my grandfather and father when I was young. On my grandmother’s and mother’s birthdays, they would personally step into the kitchen and cook a lavish dinner, filling the table with all of their favorite dishes.

”When I got a little older, I would tag along and act as their kitchen helper, so I picked up quite a bit.”

Hearing this, Hua Buwan could already picture Ling Qianjun’s grandfather and father rolling up their sleeves to cook. She imagined how incredibly sweet it must have been for his grandmother and mother to eat meals lovingly prepared by their husbands on their birthdays.

It seemed the Ling family had excellent traditions—one only needed to look at how the men in their household behaved to know that. In an era like that, for men to pass down the tradition of stepping into the kitchen to cook for their wives generation after generation—and as Great Generals, no less—would probably cause a sensation across all of Dongxuan Country if word ever got out.