Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Sooner or Later, I’ll Make the Li Family Pay
After returning, Su Ye efficiently handled the rabbit and chicken.
Then cut them into pieces with a satisfying chop.
"Auntie, is there anything else you need? Just let me know, and I’ll help." Su Ye said cheerfully.
"You can help me knead the dough, so we can make some flatbread to eat with the stewed chicken." Meng Yao said, "By the way, both you and Sihai can handle spicy food, right?"
"We can." Su Ye replied.
Wen Shu and Wen Nuan, the siblings, had eaten together before, and Meng Yao knew they could both handle spice.
As for Master Wang, he wasn’t very good with spicy food at first. But after eating it once, he was complaining about how spicy it was while still couldn’t help himself from eating more.
So Meng Yao decided to make braised stewed chicken and spicy stir-fried rabbit.
There were several stoves in the kitchen, and Su Ye helped with the firewood while Meng Yao prepared both dishes at once.
Su Ye watched in awe. In restaurants, the chefs could make several dishes at once, but that was with multiple helpers.
Aunt Zhao was truly impressive.
As the various spices were sautéed, the aroma became more intense.
Zhao Dahe, always with a sharp nose, was already drawn by the smell.
"Mom, is there anything I can help with?" Zhao Dahe asked.
"You can help Su Ye with the firewood." Meng Yao replied.
Su Ye was taken aback, Zhao Dahe with the firewood?
Schooled people were usually quite sophisticated, weren’t they? How could they do such menial work? Was Aunt Zhao joking with Zhao Dahe?
The next moment, Zhao Dahe’s actions proved Aunt Zhao wasn’t joking. Moreover, Zhao Dahe tended to the fire with great skill, clearly used to doing this.
This is simply...
"Su Ye, you go back and rest. When it’s time to eat, Dahe will call you." Meng Yao said.
"I’d better handle the fire." Su Ye snapped back to reality and quickly replied.
"No need, sister-in-law, I’ll take care of it, and besides, I can chat with my mom." Zhao Dahe said, "Don’t feel bad, I do this often when I’m home."
Su Ye had no choice but to go back to the room.
Meng Yao lit another stove to brew digestive tea.
"Have things been going well for you since you came to Qingzhou Prefecture?" Meng Yao asked.
"Pretty well." Zhao Dahe replied.
"Why haven’t you continued disguising yourself?" Meng Yao asked.
"Once I left Fengyang Town’s borders, I used a solution to wash it away." Zhao Dahe said with a mischievous grin, "When I got to Qingzhou Prefecture, I knew I’d need to meet people, so it’s more convenient to use my real appearance."
Zhao Dahe would never admit he couldn’t stand the ugly look after disguising.
Since there hadn’t been any troubles, Meng Yao didn’t press further. Zhao Dahe was no longer a child and had his own plans.
"So, are you making connections smoothly?" Meng Yao asked again.
"The ones who move in, they’re all worth knowing." Zhao Dahe said, "Where I live isn’t just open for anyone. Those who get to live here, their knowledge and character are reputable. Mom, you don’t need to worry about that. And about Master Wang..."
Switching topics, Zhao Dahe brought up something else.
It seemed suspicious that Master Wang suddenly came to Qingzhou Prefecture, claiming to visit friends, but still felt off to Zhao Dahe.
Before he came to Qingzhou Prefecture, the Qian Family’s shop ran into problems.
But when he asked Master Wang, he said everything was resolved, otherwise, he wouldn’t have peace of mind to come here.
When he asked Zhao Xiaoshu, Zhao Xiaoshu’s answer was the same as Master Wang’s.
It seemed they weren’t telling the truth.
So Zhao Dahe had to ask Meng Yao.
Meng Yao hesitated. Since Master Wang didn’t want Dahe to know, then she...
"Mom, don’t think about hiding it from me!" Zhao Dahe took the initiative, "Don’t think that hiding this is for my own good. If you don’t tell me, I’ll just overthink things. It’ll affect my studies a lot more. Don’t worry, I have a great capacity to accept things."
Meng Yao realized the situation with the Qian Family this time was, on the surface, an old grudge between the Qian family and the Li Family’s wife, but the trigger was undeniably linked to them. In fact, you could say Zhao Dahe was crucial.
So Meng Yao decided to reveal the entire incident with the Qian Family.
Zhao Dahe’s grip on the firewood tightened, veins popping, his face lit by the fire showing nothing but anger.
"It’s come to this; there’s no point in dwelling on it." Meng Yao said, "Even if you’re angry, it’s useless. If it were just about business grudges between the Qian Family and the Li Family, the Qian Family might not necessarily lose."
Zhao Dahe understood that Qingzhou Magistrate Li Tanyun was the real key.
Even if he didn’t directly intervene, as long as he maintained his position steadily, the Li Family would oppress the Qian Family.
The Qian Family had tried to pull some strings within the government using silver, but what was bought with silver didn’t compare to familial ties like those of the Li Family.
"Mom, I will definitely not fail the provincial exam." Zhao Dahe fiercely shoved the firewood into the stove as he almost gritted his teeth to say this.
"Don’t burden yourself too much; let’s take it one step at a time." Meng Yao said.
"I know." Zhao Dahe’s voice returned to normal, "My mental resilience, if anyone were to question it, it wouldn’t be you, Mom."
"Alright, alright, when will you change this habit of boasting?" Meng Yao sighed.
"I’m not like this in front of others, only when I’m with Mom." Zhao Dahe teased, "I wonder if Brother has found Sister Zhenzhen by now."
"Who knows." Meng Yao sighed gently, "Your Aunt Qian’s behavior doesn’t seem as if she wants Zhenzhen to know."
"Yeah." Zhao Dahe responded faintly, secretly vowing that he would remember the matters with the Qian Family well. Eventually, he would make the Li Family pay.
"Alright, the food’s ready. Go call everyone for dinner." Meng Yao said.
By the time everyone came out, Meng Yao had already set the table.
A large basin of braised stewed chicken, a large basin of spicy stir-fried rabbit, and a basket of white flour flatbreads.
Zhao Xiaohua took a deep breath, "Mom, it smells so good! I love the flatbreads the most! How wonderful!"
The flatbreads were stuck to the edge of the pot and soaked a little in the chicken broth while stewing, making the side in contact with the pot golden and crispy, while the other side was very chewy. When Meng Yao made them at home, Zhao Xiaohua could eat quite a few each time.
Of course, after eating, he’d have to exercise more than usual.
The two dishes received unanimous praise from everyone.
Especially Yue Sihai and Su Ye, for both it was their first time tasting Meng Yao’s cooking. Su Ye considered himself a good cook, but after eating what Meng Yao made, he realized his own cooking couldn’t compare.
"Auntie, with your skills, not opening a restaurant is such a waste." Su Ye said earnestly.
"Though you say so, I wouldn’t want my mom to open a restaurant. Her skills are so good; the business would surely boom, but it would exhaust her." Zhao Dahe added, "Besides, if you hire a chef, I doubt they could cook better than my mom!"
Meng Yao cast a reproachful glance at Zhao Dahe, "No amount of eating can shut your mouth."
This young man’s always had a sweet tongue.
"Oh no, after eating Auntie’s cooking, I doubt I’ll be able to eat Su Ye’s cooking in the future." Yue Sihai said pitifully.