Lin Ji had no intention of going to a restaurant. Since he had nothing to do today, he decided to cook at home. He believed that his cooking skills were not inferior to those of the chefs in the restaurants. According to Lu Cong, if Lin Ji were to open a restaurant, it would definitely become popular throughout Da Qin.
He sent Lu Cong to buy five pounds of pork belly and asked him to also get some sliced beef from Ruyi Pavilion.
After returning home with the Taoist priest, Lin Ji asked the Taoist to sit in the courtyard while he started cooking.
He found spices like Sichuan peppercorns and fragrant leaves in the kitchen, wrapped them in a small cloth bag for later use.
He also steamed some rice.
Lu Cong quickly returned with the meat.
Lin Ji blanched the pork skin in a dry pot, scraped off the dirt, and blanched it in water. Then he cut the meat into evenly sized pieces.
He caramelized sugar, added the seasonings, meat, and water, and started simmering.
Finding the fire not strong enough, he used his spiritual energy to boost the flames.
In less than half an hour, the aroma of the braised pork had already wafted from the kitchen to the street outside.
Outside the open courtyard gate, many vendors from the roadside stalls kept peeking inside.
"What are you looking at? It's not for you!" Lu Cong said nonchalantly.
"This old Lu's son has latched onto Lin Chief's thigh and now he's acting like he doesn't know us!"
"Lu Cong, you little brat, you even peed on me when you were a child. In terms of seniority, you should call me uncle!"
"Even if you were my father, you still wouldn't have a share, haha!" Lu Cong retorted, closing the courtyard gate.
In the kitchen, a pot of braised pork had simmered until most of the liquid had evaporated.
Each piece of meat was a mix of fat and lean, with a deep red color.
Lin Ji picked up a piece with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.
The fatty meat melted in his mouth, while the lean meat was tender but not dry, just right.
"Come in and serve the dishes!"
"Coming, coming!" Lu Cong eagerly ran into the kitchen, poured the contents of the pot into the prepared basin.
A basin full of braised pork was carried out.
Then Lin Ji cut the sliced beef into evenly sized pieces, drizzled his own concocted vinegar chili oil over it, and served himself a bowl of rice.
After serving the beef, Lin Ji saw Lu Cong and the Taoist priest couldn't wait to grab a piece of braised pork and started eating. Lin Ji smiled and said, "Impatient, the food is still in the kitchen, help yourselves."
"Alright." Lu Cong quickly got up to serve the rice.
"Young man, help me get a bowl too, a big one!" the Taoist priest hurriedly requested.
After Lu Cong brought out the rice, the three of them didn't speak anymore, just focused on eating the meat.
It wasn't until they finished a bowl of rice that Lin Ji put down his bowl.
"The taste is good, right?" Lin Ji wiped his mouth. "This is a delicacy that can't be found elsewhere."
Lu Cong nodded repeatedly.
The Taoist priest, with a smile on his face from eating, said, "Not only good, but it's been a long time since I've tasted such delicious food, but..."
"But?" Lin Ji looked at the Taoist priest.
"Unfortunately, there's meat but no wine."
"We have wine." Lin Ji patted Lu Cong, who was still eating, and said, "Don't eat too much, there's still half a pot left, no one is competing with you! Go to my cellar and bring a jar of wine."
Lu Cong nodded and quickly went to fetch a jar of wine.
"This wine is called 'Er Guo Tou,' brewed by myself. See if it suits your taste." Lin Ji introduced.
"'Er Guo Tou'? What does it mean?" The Taoist priest asked in confusion.
After taking a sip, his eyes widened, "It's spicy, exhilarating!"
"When brewing wine, the output is divided into three pots. The first pot has too many impurities, so it's discarded. The last pot has a weak taste, also not used. Only the second pot, clear and transparent, with a strong flavor, is taken." Lin Ji explained.
The Taoist priest praised after listening and drank two more cups.
Seeing the Taoist priest drinking, Lin Ji couldn't resist either.
But instead of drinking 'Er Guo Tou,' he went to his room and took out his own gourd of wine.
As soon as he opened the gourd, a strong fruity fragrance wafted out.
Even Lu Cong, who was focused on eating, subconsciously turned to look at the gourd in Lin Ji's hand.
The Taoist priest's eyes widened even more.
"What is this?"
"A few days ago, when I was on official business, I was lucky to obtain this fruit wine brewed by monkeys in the mountains." Lin Ji poured a cup.
The fruity fragrance became even stronger.
The fruit wine was light green, like jade, liquid yet somewhat gelatinous.
When swirled in the cup, it resembled jelly, with a hint of mystery.
Lin Ji finished the cup in one go, feeling a rush of heat throughout his body. The spiritual energy in his dantian, suppressed last night, began to stir again.
"Boss, let me try it too."
"You can only have half a cup."
The monkey wine was rich in spiritual energy, and Lu Cong was only at the first stage of Body Tempering Realm, unable to handle it.
Sure enough, after half a cup, Lu Cong's face turned red and then black.
He didn't eat the meat, just bid farewell and hurriedly left Lin Ji's house.
"After this cultivation session, he might be able to enter the second stage, Qi Nourishing Realm." Lin Ji casually remarked.
Then he realized that the Taoist priest had no cultivation base, so he didn't say much.
The Taoist priest watched as Lin Ji poured himself another cup of monkey wine, his eyes fixed on it.
"Let me have a taste too."
"With your physique, if you drink it, you might drop dead on the spot." Lin Ji shook his head.
"After tasting such fine wine, I would die without regrets."
As soon as he finished speaking, the cup that Lin Ji had brought to his lips suddenly appeared in the Taoist priest's hand.
Lin Ji was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed slightly.
"You..."
The Taoist priest had already downed the monkey wine.
He remained calm, took a deep breath, and gave a thumbs up, "Good wine, more please!"
"Elder?" Lin Ji was extremely surprised. This Taoist priest had hidden his cultivation base so well that even Lin Ji's Heavenly Eyes couldn't detect it.
"Let's just drink, no need for anything else." The Taoist priest waved his hand repeatedly, took the gourd from Lin Ji, and poured himself another cup.
Seeing this, Lin Ji didn't say much and drank with the Taoist priest.
They drank for the whole afternoon.
The monkey wine was finished early on, so Lin Ji went to the cellar to fetch a few jars of 'Er Guo Tou.'
Both of them didn't suppress their intoxication with their cultivation base, so by evening, they were already leaning on each other, tongues tied.
After eating the last piece of sliced beef on the table, the Taoist priest patted his stomach and grinned.
The drunkenness on his face vanished instantly, and even the dust and oil stains on his body disappeared.
Seeing this, Lin Ji also activated his spiritual energy to dispel the alcohol from his body.
Before he could speak, the Taoist priest stood up and said with a smile, "Young friend, this drink was truly enjoyable. I can't remember the last time I had such a good time."
"Elder."
"Don't call me elder, we are peers."
The Taoist priest waved his hand, took a few rounds in the courtyard, and said, "A person like you shouldn't just stay in this small county as a chief."
"What do you mean?" Lin Ji was puzzled.
The Taoist priest looked deeply into Lin Ji's eyes, a hint of golden light flashing.
"You have great blessings and extraordinary fate. Even I can't see more."
The Taoist suddenly reached into his robe, fumbled for a while, and finally pulled out a tattered ancient book with a worm-eaten cover.
He casually threw the ancient book on the table.
"Use this to pay for your meal." With that, the Taoist walked out with his hands behind his back.
But just as he reached the door, he suddenly stopped.
"Oh, there's one more thing."
"What is it?"
"Thank you for cleaning up for me. It's hard to lay hands on my own disciple whom I've taught since childhood."
Lin Ji was stunned, not understanding.
The Taoist chuckled.
"I am Master Ti Yun. Until we meet again."
(End of this chapter)