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Chen Feng smiled, “Uncle Luo, have lunch at my place. I’ll make some of my best dishes for you to try.”
Luo Xiao didn’t hesitate, “Sure, I’ve heard from my son Cheng and Mei that Chen Feng’s cooking is excellent.” He added, “It’s no fun eating and drinking with just a few people. Go call Gao Lizheng and Carpenter Wu. Also, head to Shanghui Village and tell Liu Lizheng I’m here, ask him to join us. And don’t forget Master Yu and Yu Lizheng from Guqiao Village, bring them along too.”
Upon hearing these legendary figures, Chen Ming, Chen Ye, and others were somewhat stunned.
Chen Feng quickly responded, “Alright, alright.” She couldn’t help but admire Luo Xiao’s shrewdness. By inviting the most influential and respectable people in the vicinity to dine at Chen’s without saying much, he could easily intimidate Hu Laowu.
Chen Feng and Mrs. Wang served tea, and brought out peanuts and sweets to entertain their distinguished guests before excusing themselves.
Chen Feng said to Mrs. Wang, “Hurry to Guqiao Village and buy some meat. Get a few pounds of semi-lean ham, some ribs, a pound of tenderloin, and also some pork liver and head meat. While you’re at it, grab a few pounds of good wine from the village entrance.”
She then called on Chen Gui to help invite the people Luo Xiao requested, and Chen Gui promptly set out to fulfill the task.
Chen Feng then hurried to the vegetable garden with Zhui Feng to pick vegetables, and swiftly returned to continue bustling about.
Gao Lizheng and Wu the Carpenter arrived at Chen’s, with Carpenter Wu even courteously bringing a carp and a bowl of quail eggs.
With so many esteemed guests, Mrs. Wang also sprang into action, joining Chen Feng in the bustling preparations. Chen Feng didn’t dare to slaughter the chicken, so it was Mrs. Wang who helped with that.
When Master Yu, Yu Lizheng, and Liu Lizheng arrived, the small house couldn’t accommodate everyone, so they moved to the courtyard under the jujube tree to chat. Chen Feng and Chen Gui then brought over their new table and chairs.
Passersby from the village, seeing so many esteemed guests sitting in their courtyard, couldn’t help but feel envious.
Luo Xiao, in his conversation, continually emphasized the strong bond between his family and the second branch of the Chen family, how his father highly regarded Chen Dabao, and how this child would have a bright future. He also mentioned how much his children loved the food at their house.
All these clever individuals kept on echoing his sentiments.
Unexpectedly, four more guests arrived at this moment—Yang Mingyuan, Yang Chao, Yang Qian, along with a man in his thirties. Chen Feng recognized the man, who was the chef at Xile Restaurant and had taught her how to braise meat last time. They brought along many gifts as well.
Chen Feng felt that Yang Mingyuan should have arrived earlier, wondering why he had come today.
Surprisingly, Luo Xiao also knew Yang Mingyuan and was quite taken aback by his arrival. He greeted, “Oh, Mr. Yang, what brings you here?”
Yang Mingyuan smiled and returned the greeting, “Mr. Luo, nice to meet you. My children want to play with Dabao, and I also want to discuss some business matters with the Chen family, so I came.”
Chen Feng had Chen Lu take Yang Chao and Yang Qian to the new courtyard to play with the two birds and the dog. He also had Chen Gui take Dabao to Tangyuan to invite Luo Ming Cheng and Luo Mei.
After a moment’s thought, she added, “Also, bring Dahua and Daya here, let the children play together and have fun.”
Chen Gui shook his head and said, “Forget it, they’ve come, I…” He didn’t want to say that his mother would come along. Since today’s guests were all important, he feared his mother might say something inappropriate. Besides, it was evident that they had come to support the second branch and deal with Hu Laowu.
After Luo Ming Cheng and Luo Mei arrived, Dabao also called Xiaoshitou over, making the new courtyard even more lively. The children played with Qiqi and Gray, their laughter filling the air.
The meal began, with the distinguished guests seated at the old courtyard table, while the old lady sat with the children at the new courtyard table. Chen Feng and Mrs. Wang remained busy in the kitchen.
First, they served the sliced braised pig’s head, braised ham, braised ribs, braised pork liver, braised tofu, braised quail eggs, as well as cold shredded three delicacies, cold cucumber salad, and stir-fried peanuts, allowing them to slowly enjoy the food with their drinks.
Luo Xiao had initially wondered about Yang Mingyuan’s business dealings with the Chen family, but after tasting the braised dishes, things became clearer. The flavor was almost identical to the exclusive “Nine Fragrance Braised Pork” at Xile Restaurant. Both father and son Luo loved this dish and would buy it whenever they went to the county town. Sometimes, when they visited the capital, they would take a detour to the county town to buy more and present it as a gift to their superior.
In fact, he felt that the flavor here was even more delightful. Not only the braised dishes, but every dish was delicious, even the cucumber was more tender and crisp. No wonder his children loved this food so much.
Following this, they served steamed pork with longan, golden smooth pork, braised fish, two vegetarian dishes, and finally, stewed chicken.
If Chen Feng’s guess was correct, Yang Mingyuan had come specifically for the golden smooth pork.
While osmanthus glutinous rice jujubes were easy to make, authentic golden smooth pork was quite challenging. Even if the taste of the meat was similar, achieving the crispy exterior and tender interior was a real art. Firstly, breadcrumbs weren’t available in this era, and the meat had to be tenderized with the back of a knife to retain its tenderness.
While everyone was thoroughly enjoying the meal, Hu Laowu suddenly arrived.
Hu Laowu had a certain reputation in Xiangluo Village and even in the neighboring villages. When families hosted guests, particularly esteemed ones, whether willingly or reluctantly, they would invite him to accompany them.
He shamelessly remarked, “Oh, Chen Ming’s place is really bustling today, so many distinguished guests.” He then turned to Chen Ming and said with a smile, “Did you send Gui to invite me to dine with esteemed guests? Oh, I was in the county town yesterday and just got back.”
Quite shameless indeed.
Chen Ming glanced at him, then turned his head away with a stern expression.
Luo Xiao, with a half-smile, half-serious expression, said, “Uncle Chen hadn’t planned to invite you for dinner, but I was actually considering inviting Master Hu later for some discussions. You’ve arrived a bit early.”
Unperturbed, Hu Laowu laughed, “In front of Mr. Luo, I wouldn’t dare to call myself a master. Chen Ming is my relative, so I thought I’d come early to help him entertain his distinguished guests.” He then said to Chen Gui, “Go, bring a chair for your uncle.”
Among the individuals at the table, Hu Laowu truly feared only Luo Xiao and Master Yu from the Yu family, as their backgrounds were much stronger than his. Especially the father and son from the Luo family, according to his sister’s husband, even the county magistrate and other officials had to give them face.
As for the other village leaders, he wasn’t afraid. However, if they were to join forces against him, then he would be worried.
There was also a young man at the table whom Hu Laowu hadn’t seen before, but judging from his attire and demeanor, Hu Laowu could tell he was no ordinary person.
Hu Laowu, having risen from a small-time thug in the countryside to his current status, naturally had his own code of survival.
He plastered a smile on his face and kept on with his respectful talk. As soon as he sat down, he self-punished with three cups, claiming he had been disrespectful by arriving late.
In the kitchen, Chen Feng clenched her teeth upon hearing this, while Mrs. Wang muttered under her breath, “Unbelievable, shameless.”
After Hu Laowu finished his rambling, Luo Xiao reiterated the deep bond between his family and the second branch of the Chen family. Then, changing the subject, he asked Chen Ming, “I heard your Dabao was bullied? And someone even threw filth into your yard last night?”