Chapter 174: Everything Can Be Grilled on a Stone Plate

The meal was hastily consumed by Shen Lie and his companions. After some preparation, they were ready to leave the valley. It was still the same group, minus Shen Jin.

As they were about to depart, Sang Luo came to see them off. Shen Lie whispered, "This morning, we spent two hours hunting, setting traps, and picking wild vegetables. This time, we'll head straight for our target, so it should be faster. However, since we're ambushing the boar, we can't predict its activity time. If we're delayed, it might expose our valley if we return with torches at night. Don't wait up or worry. We've all spent nights in deep forests before; we can handle ourselves."

His words were accompanied by a smile, which touched Sang Luo's heart. "If that happens, we'll enjoy your stone-grilled meat another day."

Sang Luo looked into his smiling eyes, and her heart was unexpectedly brushed by an indescribable sensation.

It was gentle but lingered, remaining even after Shen Lie and his companions had climbed up to the cave, left the valley, and disappeared from sight. Sang Luo pressed her chest, feeling a strange tenderness there.

This feeling was unfamiliar, but Sang Luo understood its meaning.

She realized that she had been touched by the gentleness and affection in Shen Lie's demeanor.

Was it affection?

She belatedly noticed that every time Shen Lie went out, he would meticulously inform her of his itinerary and return date. Had he looked at her this way before?

At first, it was a pure and exhilarating joy because of the food and water she had provided. But later, when some other emotions began to seep in, she hadn't noticed at all.

Recalling that he was supposed to leave and might even spend the night outside, she mentioned going to find a stone slab. Despite this, Shen Lie didn't mention preparing any food or water; instead, he accompanied her to search for the slab, catch fish, and test the stone.

Now, thinking about Shen Lie's constant smile throughout the journey, Sang Luo finally sensed something different.

She could almost hear the faint thumping of her own heartbeat.

Lost in thought, she returned to her cave. Shen Ning heard her footsteps and poked his head out from the kitchen, holding a freshly washed piece of ginger.

"Brother-in-law, is this piece of ginger enough?"

"Enough. Wash some garlic and grind some Sichuan peppercorns as backup." Gathering her wits, Sang Luo started preparing dinner with Shen Ning.

The stone slab she found was intended for grilling meat or frying various cuts. Clearly, today's chicken was more suitable for frying chicken cutlets.

She didn't hide anything from him and taught Shen Ning how to debone, tenderize, and marinate the meat.

Living in the valley, all ingredients were precious. So, while removing the bones, they left some meat attached, not wanting to waste anything.

"To make the chicken cutlets taste delectable, the meat needs to be marinated for one or two hours. Moreover, Xiao Jin and the others can't digest too much greasy food, so we can fry the chicken later. For now, let's simmer a pot of chicken soup while waiting for your brother and Big Mountain to return. The bones with some meat on them, along with the heads, wings, and feet, make excellent soup ingredients."

As per usual, the Shen family had their evening meal at around four o'clock. The three chickens' meaty bones and scraps were combined with the fresh mushrooms that Shen Jinhua and Shen Lie had picked in the morning, resulting in a half-clay pot of aromatic chicken soup. Dried jujubes from the Xu family and two mulberries from Sangluo added an extra depth of flavor. The scent wafted over to the Xu family next door, making them salivate as they ate wild vegetables and tofu stew.

The Chen, Lu, and Shi families also had mountain chickens. Sangluo took two bowls and instructed Shen An and Shen Ning to deliver generous servings to both the Xu and Zhou families. Once the siblings returned, their own meal would commence.

For dinner, they would enjoy the nourishing chicken soup, its taste sweet and savory, a balanced mix of meat and vegetables, and light yet restorative.

"Let's eat this for now. Later, when your big brother comes back, we'll prepare some grilled meat."

None of the younger ones declined, let alone with the prospect of roasted meat. Just the thought of having chicken soup for dinner, served in clay pots, with two bowls per person, was enough to satisfy even Shen Tie, who always felt he didn't get his fill.

What more could they ask for?

...

After the evening meal, the sun was no longer shining directly into the valley. Each family stored away their provisions, and the children, now idle, waited for the sun to set and the sky to darken. Then, the younger ones all rushed over to the Shen household, for they had heard that tonight, they would be cooking with stones, just like playing house, and preparing meat!

They were no strangers to using stones to ignite leaves for fire, but witnessing meat being cooked this way was a first. They arrived early, crouching nearby in anticipation.

Widow Chen and Qin Fangniang were delighted by the commotion and joined Sanluo to watch the spectacle. They examined the makeshift stove and stone slab. Widow Chen found it curious and asked Sanluo, "Is cooking on this better than using a clay pot? Wouldn't all the soup and water leak out?"

Sanluo chuckled. "It can be. Auntie and Grandma, come over tonight and try it out. If you like it, look there, I've chosen that stone slab for your family. Just take it away."

Widow Chen was amused. "Well, my kids are always craving your food. I'll definitely come tonight to see for myself. If it works, I'll carry it away right away."

As they chatted, Shen Lie's group returned to the valley.

Everyone was waiting for them, frequently glancing towards the entrance cave. The children were the first to spot them but refrained from cheering, instead rushing back to their homes to alert their families.

The six baskets were lowered one after another, stunning Village Chief Zhou and the others. "So much?"

Liu Sanlang, who had descended first, smiled. "Three wild boars, one large and two small. But they were all shot by Lie and Dashan."

Initially, they had spotted five wild boars, but their hiding spots were too far away. Their arrows lacked the strength and accuracy needed for such a distance, even for Liu Sanlang's brother. Their missed shots startled the boars, causing them to flee. Thus, they had only done the physical labor today.

When Sanluo came over, Shen Lie had just descended. Seeing her, he couldn't help but smile. However, feeling the strong scent of blood on him, he didn't approach. Instead, he said, "I'll distribute the meat and return."

The distribution of meat followed established precedents, allocated according to effort. Thus, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan received the lion's share, as they had hunted two of the three wild boars together, while each took down one of the smaller ones. They also distributed some portions to the brothers who had joined them and offered a few pounds to the Zhou and Xu families for their meals. The remainder was split evenly between the Chen and Shen households.

As they were all acquaintances, there was no need for precise weighing; they simply took what they deemed appropriate.

Shen Lie carried home two large baskets brimming with meat. After consulting with Sang Luo, they decided to distribute over twenty pounds to each family, and more than forty pounds to the Xu family as a token of gratitude for the food they had provided to Shen Jin and his siblings previously.

This distribution left them with a manageable amount at home.

Sang Luo found this satisfactory. With one basket of meat still remaining, she knew they would have their hands full preparing it for dinner. Considering the prospect of roasting meat and the excitement it would generate among the children, she asked Shen Lie to select a piece with a good balance of fat and lean meat. Only then did she send him off to bathe and change clothes so they could enjoy a relaxed meal later.

Upon seeing Sangluo specially cut off a piece of meat just for them, all the children swallowed their saliva.

"Sister-in-law, are you still making pork for dinner tonight?"

To the eyes of the young ones present, Sister-in-Law had prepared an exceedingly abundant spread of food. There were chicken legs, chicken breasts, giblets, tofu, leeks, mushrooms, and Chinese cabbage, alongside several bowls filled with minced ginger, garlic, leek greens, scallions, crushed Sichuan pepper, and dried zanthoxylum berries reduced to fine powder. And yet, there was still talk of adding meat to this already lavish array.

Despite not having a clue what this stone-grilled meat would taste like, and despite having eaten only in the afternoon, the younger ones couldn't help but salivate uncontrollably. This was especially true for the Shen brothers; after all, they had endured unbearable hunger for those preceding months.

Sang Luo smiled. "Prepare some extra, I suspect we won't be the only ones enjoying it later."

As predicted by Sangluo, just as she had sliced and marinated the pork belly, a group of children who had accompanied their elders to fetch meat earlier returned to the Shen residence.

Especially when Shen An and Shen Ning lit the fire; with the tall trees above, the flames were invisible from the top of the valley, but those living within the valley could see them clearly. They all flocked over to join in the excitement.

Sangluo was amiable, warmly inviting the older children to help carry the tables and chairs out of her house. They brought out several more stools as well.

There weren't enough chairs for everyone, so Chen Ershan, Xu Wenbo, and their friends led a group back to their own homes to retrieve additional chairs. As the sky darkened, the lively atmosphere at the bottom of the valley seemed to be just beginning.

With plenty of stools available, Sangluo placed a few near the stone slab specifically for her ingredients, and she found herself a chair to sit on. Even before the barbecuing started, the spectacle was already set up, drawing the curiosity of the adults from the Chen and Xu families.

When Shen Lie and Chen Dashan emerged, freshly cleaned, they found not only tables and chairs arranged, but also the tempting aroma of meat wafting through the air. A circle of children surrounded Sangluo, slurping in anticipation.

Spotting her brother, Xiaoya's face lit up. "Big Brother, hurry, come here, you can sit here."

She had known since the afternoon that her big brother would have dinner at Sister An's tonight. With the tables and chairs set, there was a spot reserved especially for him. Xiaoya was both envious and thrilled. This was far more exciting than their pretend play.

Chen Dashan exclaimed, impressed by not just the aroma but also the grand scene that promised a lively gathering.

"Ah Lie, it has to be your wife!"

Shen Lie was also taken aback by the sight, but he soon broke into a smile. He didn't sit down and instead moved closer to Sang Luo. He noticed that a stone slab was piled high with chicken meat and offal, garnished with a colorful array of white, green, and red seasonings. The dish had been brushed with sauce and sprinkled with scallions, making it look incredibly appetizing.

"Can I lend a hand?"

Sang Luo waved him off. "You'll have to learn first. Eat for now; you've been busy all day. Enjoy your meal with Big Mountain. This is meant to be eaten as it's being grilled."

While they spoke, the chicken skewers were ready. Since there were no knives, the skewers had already been cut into bite-sized pieces. Sang Luo called for Shen Ning to bring a plate, then started piling the chicken onto it. She first filled a plate with a dozen small pieces for Shen Ning to take to the children before serving the second helping.

The crowd was overwhelming, so she had marinated the meat from three chickens all at once. Shen Lie stood by, assisting her by taking and passing plates. In no time, a platter of fried chicken cutlets and another of fried offal were served on the table.

Chen Dashan devoured his food with gusto, praising it profusely as he ate. As for Shen Lie, while Sangluo was still busy, his mind was not on the food at all. He frequently glanced over to where she was working.

Jin Ning rushed back and joined Sangluo in frying pork belly slices and vegetables.

Madame Chen, Qin Fangniang, Madam Xu, and Wei Lingzhen watched in awe, exclaiming, "What an innovative way to cook! It smells so delicious!"

Madame Chen could hardly contain her excitement. Seeing that the stone slab Sangluo had mentioned was already clean, she promptly called out to Old Man Chen and Chen Youtian, "Go gather some stones. Let's set up one beside them. Fangniang, learn from Ah Luo and prepare some meat and vegetables."

The vegetables are grown right outside our doorstep, always readily available.

At the old Lady Chen's directive, the entire Chen family sprang into action. Even Chen Ershan and Little Ya, who were still indulging in their chicken drumsticks, eagerly joined the search for stones, followed by a swarm of children lending their help.

In the blink of an eye, one barbecue stall turned into two. After Sang Luo had grilled a few servings, Shen Ning was able to take over. With the task in his capable hands, she finally allowed herself to taste a few bites.

Well, not bad at all. The heat is substituted by prickly ash, though there's still a subtle distinction in texture. More importantly, the absence of pepper and cumin means it's lacking that essential spark of flavor, its very soul.

It stands to reason that "pepper" refers to spices imported from foreign lands. It's unlikely that the Great Qian Dynasty would have had access to it. Even if they did, it would be incredibly expensive, perhaps valued at a thousand copper coins. Only the elite families and wealthy aristocrats could afford such a luxury.

As for chili peppers, just like cotton, they didn't exist at all, at least not in the original owner's memory.

Yet, in the eyes of everyone in the valley, the soulless chicken cutlets and various skewers were incredible delicacies. A long table was gradually filled with an array of stone plate dishes. The Xu family members shamelessly came over to sample a few bites. Manager Xu, who ran a restaurant himself, had his eyes shining: "Madam Sang, this is remarkable! This way of eating is innovative. If you add more variety to the ingredients, you could even open a food stall on its own."

Sang Luo chuckled. "Master Xu, you truly live up to your reputation as a merchant."

Should there be chili peppers, peppercorns, or cumin in the mix, she would indeed give it serious thought. Barbecue, hotpot, Western cuisine – she could experiment with various styles. But without these essential spices, it would merely be a lively feast. Moreover, such indulgences would only be possible in a peaceful world where she had the means to safeguard the recipes.

Shen Lie watched as Sang Luo finally found a moment to eat amidst her busy schedule. Hastily, he began exchanging dishes he had personally tasted and found delicious with those on her side. Just as he lifted the plate, however, Sang Luo stayed his hand, saying, "I've already had my evening meal at the hour of Shen. I'm not accustomed to consuming too much after nightfall; tonight is merely for merriment and sampling a few bites. Please, all of you enjoy the food. I'll go assist Aunt You Tian for a while."

Shen Lie was aware that she didn't usually eat much at night, so he reluctantly withdrew his offer. However, Chen Dashan was quite delighted and called out in a loud voice, "Sister-in-law, apart from the family's money-making culinary skills, could you teach my mother some common techniques? I genuinely enjoy this dish."

Chen Po scolded her with a smile, "Is there anything from Ah Lie's household that you don't like?"

Everyone chuckled.