Yan Qiushu followed enthusiastically, asking with interest: “Manager Yao, what kind of mushrooms did you pick?”

“There are oyster mushrooms and small umbrella mushrooms…” Manager Yao replied. Noticing Yan Qiushu’s eager face, he regretted not having more mushrooms and said, “If I had known you liked them, I would have gathered more. It rained recently, and many mushrooms grew, but now that it’s colder, they’re harder to find.”

Mushrooms are not commonly found on noble tables. They grow naturally and often appear after rain, making them relatively cheap. Nobles usually have better food options. This time, the farm only had a limited amount, and he mentioned it casually, not expecting anyone to take an interest.

Yan Qiushu felt very regretful.

She realized she had missed out on something precious!

In ancient times, mushrooms were wild and had a taste like the freshest seafood.

Yan Qiushu held back her saliva and said, “It’s okay, Uncle. You can send them over next year, and I’ll definitely get to eat them again.”

She hadn’t saved enough money yet and wanted too much. Plus, with the New Year approaching, she wouldn’t be able to get everything done early next year, so she could enjoy the mushrooms!

Not many noble ladies cared so much about their food. Manager Yao smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll remember that!”

As they talked, they reached the kitchen.

The kitchen was very clean. Five people were busy inside: one was killing a chicken, and another was washing vegetables. When they saw Yan Qiushu and Manager Yao, they stopped working and looked at her nervously.

This girl looked elegant and seemed to be from the host family. They wondered why she was in the kitchen.

Manager Yao introduced her, saying, “This is Miss Yan. She heard we have fresh mushrooms, so she came to take a look. You all keep working. Yun Niang, follow the lady and listen to her instructions.”

“Yes.” The woman named Yun Niang, in her thirties, bowed and followed Yan Qiushu.

Yan Qiushu smiled and walked to where the mushrooms were kept.

The mushrooms looked fresh and moist. There weren’t many, but there were different types. She was especially happy to see her favorite cremini mushrooms for barbecues!

While picking the mushrooms, she found two Hericium erinaceus ^[1]also known as Lion’s Mane mushrooms, a delicacy. at the bottom!

What a lucky day!

She felt she could already smell the deliciousness of the mushrooms before cooking them!

After choosing the mushrooms, Yan Qiushu washed them and saw a young boy washing a chicken.

The boy smiled shyly and handed her water.

Yan Qiushu thanked him and said, “Please cut the chicken into pieces and blanch it in water. We’ll use it later.”

The boy nodded, surprised, “You know how to do this?”

“Yes,” Yan Qiushu affirmed.

She not only needed to cook but wanted it to be delicious.

If she couldn’t make tasty dishes with such great ingredients, she would be disappointed.

Fortunately, Yan Qiushu had guessed they would go to the farm and eat there, so she brought many spices with her.

Shui Yu brought the spices, which included star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Local ingredients like onions, ginger, and garlic were also needed.

Shui Yu had learned a lot about cooking from Yan Qiushu, so she was currently chopping onions, ginger, and garlic. The young boy was busy cutting the chicken and blanching it, making a lot of noise.

Yan Qiushu worked slowly on the mushrooms.

Hazel mushrooms would be the best for chicken stew, but there weren’t any. However, the Hericium erinaceus were even better! The other delicious mushrooms would work well too.

The only regret was not finding sweet potatoes or vermicelli ^[2]which is thin noodles made from starch.. 

Noodles wouldn’t work as well since they could become mushy.

Yan Qiushu processed the mushrooms and blanched the chicken. She scooped out the remaining water from the big pot and washed it. The young boy stood by, waiting for her next instructions.

When it came to the next step, Yan Qiushu rolled up her sleeves and took charge.

She had taken off her cloak and rolled up her sleeves, showing half of her arms. She directed the aunt at the stove to light the fire, heat the oil, and add onions, ginger, garlic, star anise, and cinnamon, stirring until fragrant. Then she added the chicken.

This step needed some time to cook so the chicken would become tender and flavorful.

At this point, she added sugar and a little wine to remove the smell, then added soy sauce to color the dish. When the beige chicken turned a beautiful brown, she added the mushrooms she had prepared.

As the tender mushrooms cooked in the pot, they soaked up the sauce. After a while, she added water, covered the pot, and let it simmer for 25 minutes.

During this time, instead of waiting in the kitchen, Yan Qiushu told them what to do next. When it was almost done, she asked them to open the lid, add salt, and let it simmer for a little longer before serving.

She wanted to tell Yun Niang but noticed the boy was watching her closely while Yun Niang was busy with other dishes, so she told him directly.

The young boy nodded seriously, taking her instructions like a mission: “Don’t worry! I’ll remember everything and won’t make mistakes.”

Yan Qiushu thanked him for his hard work before leaving with her chosen mushrooms, looking back every few steps.

It would be great if there was a pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time so she could eat sooner.

While stir-frying the chicken earlier, the aroma was amazing, but once she added water, the smell faded!

Yan Qiushu sighed as she left, and the kitchen staff exchanged amused looks.

After she was gone, an older man chuckled, “Our chicken is well-raised, that’s why she liked it so much! Look at her face; she would have eaten it raw if she could.”

“It’s not just the chicken, it’s her cooking! Did you smell that fragrance?” The boy glanced at the closed pot, recalling the wonderful aroma from earlier. It was different from the usual dishes he cooked, with many flavors mixed together. “It’s incredible! Just stir-frying made it smell so good. I wonder what special ingredients she used!”

Those working on the farm were trusted by the Xiao family and were well-treated. Usually, if nobles couldn’t finish their food, they didn’t sell it, allowing the workers to eat well without craving meat.

The boy felt this time he was really being greedy.

After the boy spoke, the old man shook his head and firmly said, “I really can’t smell it. My nose isn’t good. She’s just a little girl, and she’s spoiled. She’s only a teenager, so how could she know how to cook? It must be because our chickens are well-raised!”

The boy complained, “But it’s really delicious! The smell is like nothing I’ve ever had before!”

“Chicken is the best!” The old man hid his smile and insisted.

The two of them looked at each other, neither willing to back down.

As they were about to start arguing, Yun Niang, who had just finished a dish, hurried over and intervened: “Hey, what’s there to argue about? Can’t we just wait until it’s cooked to see? Third Brother, don’t make your grandfather upset!”

Hearing this, the old man and the boy looked at each other. The boy snorted but said nothing, focusing on the pot.

The old man also watched the stove, staring at the pot with a puzzled expression.

He wanted to figure out what kind of fragrance the boy was talking about.

How could it smell good after just two stir-fries?!

In the end, the two of them silently stared at the pot in the kitchen, while Yun Niang and the other three continued chatting.

But after a while, their chatting stopped.

All that could be heard was the bubbling of food cooking and the white steam coming from the wooden lid.

After a while, Yun Niang swallowed and said in surprise, “Oh my, this smell is so good!”

They had eaten early and were now cooking, so they were a little hungry. When they smelled the aroma, their mouths watered, and they couldn’t speak anymore!

As time passed, the aroma grew stronger and stronger. It was a mix of sauce, freshness, and meat.

The different flavors blended together. Although they had never eaten this dish before, just smelling it made them imagine how tasty it must be. They couldn’t picture it clearly, but they knew it was tempting.

It smelled so good!

The once-confident old man now looked hesitant.

At this moment, the boy who had been arguing with him earlier approached with a grin: “Grandpa, the smell is stronger now. Can you smell it?”

The old man stared at him awkwardly and said nothing.

The fragrance was filling the kitchen, so it didn’t make sense to say he couldn’t smell it.

The boy chuckled proudly: “It seems you can smell it. Does it smell good?!”

The old man lightly slapped his head in frustration, but his hand softened as it came down. He laughed, “Haha, it smells great! That little girl is really talented. By the way, what did she bring? I think the main fragrance is from those ingredients.”

“I don’t know,” the boy replied, scratching his head.

But he moved closer to the stove, where the aroma was strongest. Each breath seemed filled with deliciousness, but he couldn’t eat yet. He sighed with regret, changed positions, and muttered, “This smells too good!”

The old man smacked his lips and nodded in agreement.

He thought to himself that these noble families sure know how to live well. A young girl like her can cook such amazing dishes, something they might never get to eat in their lives.