Seeing Su Buchi return in glory and scold the imperial envoy, still looking as approachable as ever, the villagers in the fishing village were naturally overjoyed.
A crowd of people surrounded him and noisily returned to the village. From afar, Mrs. Li shouted, "Master Yan! Come out quickly and have a look! Mr. Su has passed the highest imperial examination!"
Yan Lianzhi was sipping tea leisurely in his study. Hearing this, he frowned, put down his teacup and said, "These villagers in the fishing village are really short - sighted. Just becoming a top - scorer in the imperial examination, there's no need to make such a fuss!"
However, even though he said so, he still rubbed his temples and slowly got up and went out. Seeing Su Buchi looking dashing and high - spirited in his fine clothes on a high - spirited horse, he disdainfully snorted.
Su Buchi knelt respectfully in front of Yan Lianzhi, kowtowed and said, "Master, your disciple has won the first place in the palace examination. I've finally not brought disgrace to our master - school."
His expression was respectful, but Yan Lianzhi still kept a straight face and didn't reach out to help him up from the ground.
Mrs. Li really couldn't understand why the old master showed no sign of joy on such a great occasion. Afraid that the newly - crowned top - scorer would feel embarrassed, she quickly laughed and tried to smooth things over, "Young Master Su is really amazing! Our fishing village hasn't had a top - scorer for generations. He's like the Wenqu Star descended from the sky!"
The villagers all agreed. Su Buchi was embarrassed by these undisguised compliments, and a blush spread across his fair face.
A hint of disdain flashed across Yan Lianzhi's face. He sneered and said, "Humph, just a mere top - scorer. He doesn't even know whose disciple he is!"
Yan Lianzhi didn't like his disciples to enter officialdom. The former prefect was expelled from the master - school by him in a fit of anger. That's why Su Buchi was so nervous in front of him.
At this moment, although the old master casually waved his sleeve and walked away, his steps were obviously lighter than usual. Li Ying secretly smiled. This old master was really like a child with a tough mouth but a soft heart. She quickly tugged at Su Buchi who was still kneeling on the ground.
"Uncle - Master, what are you still standing there for? Get up quickly. The old master just seems calm on the surface. He's actually proud and happy for you!"
Only then did Su Buchi finally breathe a sigh of relief and followed her back to the village.
Grandma Sun couldn't help asking about his well - being. She held Su Buchi and looked at him carefully, feeling sorry that he had become darker and thinner.
Taking this opportunity, Li Ying slipped into the kitchen.
The group had returned fully - loaded from the Tea - Horse Ancient Road, and Uncle - Master had also passed the imperial examination with honors. It was necessary to prepare a sumptuous welcome feast.
Su Buchi preferred light - flavored food and was a gentle and elegant gentleman. After much thought, Li Ying finally came up with some ingenious ideas.
She blanched the dragon bones, pig's feet, mother hen, chicken feet and ham to remove the blood foam, then washed and dried them. She put them into a frying pan and fried them over low heat until they developed a golden - brown crust.
She put these golden - colored meats into a pot and boiled them until the soup turned milky white and the meat was soft and almost turned into minced meat. She filtered the soup through a fine gauze, then added large abalones, soaked scallops and dried cuttlefish.
She took another casserole and simmered it for two hours. When the essence of all the ingredients had concentrated in this small pot, she thickened the soup.
The cooked soup was amber - colored, shining with a soft luster like a fine ink stick. It tasted extremely delicious.
The freshly - dug bamboo shoots were as slender as a beauty's fingers. She carefully hollowed out the bamboo joints in the middle and stuffed them with well - beaten shrimp paste.
Finally, she took the monkey head mushrooms brought back from Yunjia Village. These mushrooms were round, white and fluffy, looking like snowballs. They were extremely cute.
Li Ying carefully tore open the monkey head mushrooms and only took the part with the longest texture in the center of each mushroom. She shredded them into thin slices, then gently rolled them into a teardrop shape and inserted them into the front part of the bamboo shoots, thus assembling them into the shape of a writing brush.
After steaming these "writing brushes", she hung them on a brush holder. The bamboo shoot shaft was as smooth as jade, the mushroom tip was plump, and the brush tip was well - gathered. It was almost indistinguishable from a real one.
The pre - cooked seafood sauce was the best inkwell at this moment. This "monkey head mushroom jade brush" could be dipped in the seafood ink and used to freely express one's feelings. When eaten, the freshness of the bamboo shoots, the softness of the monkey head mushrooms and the tenderness of the shrimp paste complemented each other.
Li Ying put the "brush holder" and "inkwell" on a white porcelain plate. Using the porcelain plate as paper, it was really elegant and interesting.
She also prepared several other mountain delicacies such as morel mushrooms stuffed with meat. Just as she was excitedly about to serve the dishes, she was stopped by Yan Lianzhi.
"Does the old master have any other instructions? Please feel free to tell me."
Yan Lianzhi stared at her. Usually, whenever Li Ying cooked some new and delicious dishes, this gourmet would be the first to come and savor them carefully.
But today, he put away his usual casualness. After a long time, he said in a deep voice, "Girl Ying, this welcome feast you've prepared is really delicate."
"But for Su Buchi... I have another dish that I want to cook for him myself."
Most scholars advocated that "a gentleman should stay away from the kitchen". Although Yan Lianzhi was not a pedantic person, he was not very good at cooking. At most, he could only steam some rice and dry rations.
Hearing that he was going to cook by himself, Li Ying couldn't help but feel secretly curious.
Yan Lianzhi took a deep breath, rolled up his wide robe sleeves with a sleeve protector. As an old man, with Li Ying's guidance, he laboriously kneaded the dough on the chopping board. Before long, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Li Ying tried to help him several times, but was rejected each time.
Finally, after cutting a portion of hand - rolled noodles, he clumsily boiled a pot of water. When the water boiled, he put the noodles into it. He took another large bowl, put a small spoonful of lard, dripped a few drops of soy sauce, poured in the broth, then fished out a chopstick of noodles and sprinkled some chopped green garlic leaves on it.
After much trouble, the old master finally gasped and served a bowl of plain noodles. The villagers who had come to watch and congratulate were all stunned. They were greatly puzzled but didn't know how to ask.
Su Buchi hesitated for just a moment, then respectfully took the bowl of noodles with both hands and sincerely said, "Thank you, Master, for your painstaking efforts."
Yan Lianzhi waved his hand, sat upright in the center on a grand master's chair. Watching him pick up a mouthful of noodles and chew, he finally said calmly.
"Buchi, as your master, I don't want you to get involved in officialdom. But since your mind is made up, I'll give you this bowl of plain noodles."
"The officialdom is full of intrigues and treacherous schemes. I just hope you'll never forget your original intention and always be as pure and innocent as this bowl of noodles today. Only in this way can you not bring disgrace to our master - school."
Li Ying had told them about the custom of "eating dumplings when going out and noodles when coming back". Su Buchi understood that his master's act was not only a warning to himself but also a reassurance. As long as he adhered to his true self, the master - school would always be his home. For a moment, his eyes filled with tears.
"Master, don't worry. Your disciple will surely live up to your trust!"