Country Maiden: Fields and Fortune-Chapter 101

100, How to Eat Crab (2)

Yuanbao was immediately overjoyed, “Then Miss Xie, I’ll go back and get ready, and I’ll bring you a few bunches of grapes to eat!”

After Yuanbao spoke, he turned around and left.

His steps even carried a bit of joy.

“…” Zhinuan stood there and looked at the donkey and the dog behind her, “Well, let’s just take a stroll then. Have you two bathed in the water these past few days? It’s so hot; go roll around in the water by yourselves, and I’ll have Shatou put some soap pod liquid on you!”

As if understanding, the donkey and the dog dashed off toward the deepest part of the stream.

That spot had been dug out by laborers hired by Zhinuan, both for laundering clothes and for bathing the two animals.

It was a bit deep, and just right for Routuan to swim in.

The two animals played joyfully, and Zhinuan decided to apply the soap pod liquid herself, thoroughly scrubbing and brushing them before letting them frolic in the water for a while, then calling them to a stone slab to dry off in the sun.

They shook their bodies hard, spraying Zhinuan’s face with water, which made her laugh heartily.

“…”

Li Hengyi sat by the window, listening to the laughter outside, his brow slightly furrowed.

Was she better now?

She was better but wasn’t cooking for him; instead, she had time to play with two beasts.

He tossed the book heavily onto the table, “Yuanbao!”

After waiting a good while and still not seeing Yuanbao, Li Hengyi’s frown deepened, his mood worsening.

This servant, actually slacking off.

At this moment, Yuanbao was still in the kitchen picking out vegetables and couldn’t help but sneeze.

He needed to get more ribs, as the young master liked sweet and sour ribs, get a bass, as the young master liked steamed bass, and also bacon; bacon stir-fried with cucumber or tender shredded cucumber was very good, as well as sponge gourd soup, cold mixed cucumber, tomato egg soup…

Picking and choosing, he filled a basket before heading to Zhinuan’s house.

Yet he saw Zhinuan turning over stones in the stream, then picking up something and throwing it into a wooden bucket, while Shatou was also nearby.

“Miss Xie, what are you doing?” Yuanbao asked curiously.

“Catching crabs!” Zhinuan replied, “You’ll see in a bit!”

Yuanbao swallowed, “Could you share some with my young master later?”

“Sure, no problem!”

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There were indeed many crabs in the stream, big and small.

Almost every stone hid a crab underneath.

With autumn’s arrival, the crabs were already plump, and it would be great to cook them braised later.

If there was some wine to accompany the meal, it would enhance the flavor even more.

When the bucket was half full, Zhinuan called Shatou to return home.

The crabs were sorted; the small ones were shelled and their bellies removed for wrapping, while the crab roe was picked out and put into a clean bowl.

These crabs were small, with little crab roe.

A potful of crabs yielded only a small bowl of crab roe.

Zhinuan had Shatou wash the crabs while she kneaded the dough.

She chopped a bit of minced meat, scallions, and picked out the two largest crabs, scooping out the meat and mixing it all together to wrap into buns, which were placed in a small steamer, totaling only ten.

“Auntie Chen, stoke up the fire!”

Auntie Chen nodded in quick succession.

With the fire going, roasting the crab roe buns, Zhinuan had already started preparing the fried small crabs.

A small amount of flour, eggs, water, a bit of rice wine, a suitable amount of salt, spices, whisked together into a batter, poured the crabs into it. In a large pot, oil was heated until scalding hot, and the crabs, one by one coated in the batter, were dropped in to fry.

The aroma diffused into the air.

Li Hengyi, upon smelling it, took a deep breath.

“…”

He wanted to call for Yuanbao, but found that Yuanbao had still not shown up.

Li Hengyi did not know that Yuanbao was already waiting at the door.

A plate of fried crabs, five crab roe buns, a bowl of green vegetable soup, all packed in a basket, handed to Yuanbao.

“Thanks very much, Miss Xie!”

Yuanbao took it and left.

On Zhinuan’s side, she had already called Shatou and Auntie Chen to sit down and eat.

“Wow, it smells so good!” Shatou exclaimed excitedly.

Chapter 102