Cute Wife Gourmet

Chapter 33 Got it

Three days later, early morning.

Ye Jiayao was dressed in a grey cloth, looking like a handsome farm boy among the crowd waiting to enter the city.

She spent a hundred copper coins to buy this shabby gray coat from a farmer. It was a bit expensive, but it was safe and convenient to wear it when she went out.

She had never been to Jinan Prefecture, but she had heard of its name for a long time, all because of a classic line from Aunt Qiong Yao... Your Majesty, do you still remember Xia Yuhe by the Daming Lake?
If nothing unexpected happened, she had planned to come to Jinan for a trip this summer. Now she is standing outside the city of Jinan, but it is an ancient city from another time and space. She wonders if there is Daming Lake here.

At the hour of Mao, the city gate slowly opened and the crowd poured into the city like a tide.

People in ancient times got up very early because there were no entertainment activities at night and they went to bed early.

At this time, many shops on the street are already preparing to open for business. The breakfast stalls are the busiest, selling soup dumplings, steamed corn bread, fried dough sticks, flatbreads, and chewy ramen... The aroma is everywhere and the shouts are endless.

Ye Jiayao spent four copper coins for two big meat buns and another copper coin for a bowl of soup. After she ate her fill, she began to inquire about the location of the Wei family in Jinan Prefecture.

She found the Wei Mansion with almost no effort, but she couldn't go and ask rashly for fear of arousing suspicion, so she wandered around the back door, looking for a suitable opportunity.

Not long after, Ye Jiayao saw an old lady coming out of the back door with a basket on her shoulder. It seemed that she was going to the market to buy vegetables.

Wealthy families usually purchase ingredients from designated places, and someone will deliver the food to their door every day, but sometimes the owner will specify what he wants to eat, so you have to buy it on the spot.

Ye Jiayao followed from a distance, hoping to find an opportunity to get close to her.

When the lady arrived at the market, she did not look around but went straight to a smuggled goods stall without asking the price. She weighed three pounds of river shrimps, two crabs, and bought two sea bass. Then she went to a cooked food shop at the edge of the market. When she came out, her basket was already full and it was very difficult to carry it.

Ye Jiayao deliberately walked towards her and pretended to accidentally rub against her.

"You are asking for death. Do you have eyes? You don't even watch where you are walking." The aunt glared and cursed.

Ye Jiayao quickly bowed and apologized with a shy smile.

"Sister, I'm so sorry. I was so busy looking for someone that I didn't pay attention. I apologize to you. Sister, you are so generous and magnanimous. You are thirty this year and eighteen next year."

It was the first time that the aunt had heard such a fresh apology and she found it quite interesting. Then, when she saw that the boy had a fine face and was very handsome, her anger subsided a lot.

Men are always too tolerant towards beautiful women, and the same goes for women towards handsome men.

"You are too reckless, little brother. If you ruin my food, what will you do as compensation?" the aunt said in a gentle tone.

Ye Jiayao bowed repeatedly: "Big sister is right, it was me who was disrespectful, big sister, did I hurt you?"

The aunt smoothed the hem of her skirt and said, "Forget it, forget it. Be more careful next time."

"Yes Yes Yes……"

The aunt turned and left. Ye Jiayao hesitated for a moment and chased after her: "Sister, your basket looks quite heavy. How about I help you carry it as an apology?"

The auntie had calmed down and waved her hand: "No, no, no."

"It's okay, sister. I came here to look for my friends from the same village, but I couldn't find them. I guess they have already gone back. I'll help you carry the basket home and then go back to the village." Ye Jiayao snatched the basket from her hand without saying a word.

"Sister, where do you live?" Ye Jiayao asked with a smile.

Seeing how enthusiastic she was, the aunt let her do what she wanted. It was still a long way to go back, and she had forgotten to bring a helper with her when she went out today. If she was asked to carry it all the way back, her hands would be broken. She was relieved that someone was willing to help.

"Wei Mansion." said the aunt.

Ye Jiayao was surprised: "Is it the residence of Prefect Wei?"

"Yes, it is the residence of Prefect Wei."

Ye Jiayao immediately revealed an expression of admiration and flattery: "Oh, I bumped into an honorable person today, big sister, I said that your style and your mind are different from others at first glance. It turns out that you are from the prefect's house. Big sister, you are amazing, people from rich families are different."

The aunt said with a smile: "You are such a smooth talker, why am I different from others?"

Ye Jiayao said seriously, "Of course it's different, big sister. You just need to stand in the crowd, without saying or doing anything, and your aura will immediately show who is better."

The aunt was made happy by her, and the two of them chatted and laughed all the way, and before they knew it, they arrived at Wei's house.

Ye Jiayao returned the basket to the auntie: "Sister, I will take you here."

Seeing that she was sweating profusely from exhaustion, the aunt said, "Why don't you come in and have a drink of water!"

Ye Jiayao smiled innocently: "I am a little thirsty, but... I have never been to such a big house, so I don't dare to go in."

The aunt laughed: "What's the big deal? Come in and have a drink of water before you leave."

"Hey!" Ye Jiayao responded cheerfully and snatched the basket again: "I'll carry it."

Ye Jiayao guessed correctly, this auntie worked in the kitchen, otherwise how could her face be so greasy? She probably sneaked a lot of delicious food.

"Hey, Sister Gui, where did you get such a handsome young man?" A group of aunts working in the kitchen came up to tease Ye Jiayao when they saw her. Sister Gui smiled and said, "He got him from the market. He bumped into me by accident and insisted on bringing me some vegetables as an apology."

Ye Jiayao put down the basket and said with a smile: "Hello, sisters, I came to ask for a glass of water."

Sister Gui said, "Wait a minute. I'll get you some water."

Ye Jiayao looked around with the look of a country bumpkin who had never seen the world, and said with a sigh, "Wow, rich families are different. Even their kitchens are bigger than mine."

"Hey, little brother, where are you from? Your accent doesn't sound like a local." asked an aunt.

"Oh, my family is originally from Yangzhou. We came to Shandong a few years ago to do some small business, but unfortunately we lost money. So we plan to go back to Yangzhou in a while." Ye Jiayao deliberately mentioned Yangzhou.

"Oh, what a coincidence! Our eldest lady is also from Yangzhou." Sister Gui brought over a bowl of tea.

Ye Jiayao was surprised: "Really? Where in Yangzhou is your eldest young lady from? How many years has she been in Jinan?"

Mrs. Gui said, "How can it be several years? She just got married last month."

"She's from Yangzhou City, the daughter of the Tongzhi. She's a perfect match for my young master, but it's a pity that she has a bad temper..." Another auntie said halfway, made a helpless expression, and didn't continue.

Ye Jiayao was secretly shocked. How could she have married last month? Could it be that the Wei family just found someone to take her place?
As they were talking, someone came in with a clear voice that was a bit arrogant: "Sister Gui, are the river shrimps and crabs that the eldest young lady wanted available?"

When Ye Jiayao heard the voice and turned around, she almost spit out water. Damn, isn’t this Taohong, the girl beside her second sister Ye Jinrong?

Mrs. Gui hurried forward to answer: "I bought it. It's fresh and lively."

"Okay then, make some cooked shrimps for lunch and crab roe buns for dessert. Make sure they are very delicate." Tao Hong gave the instructions and turned to leave without even glancing at Ye Jiayao.

Damn, this slut still looks like a bully who takes advantage of others.

Mrs. Gui waited for Taohong to leave, then she spat at the door and muttered something, apparently she disliked Taohong very much.

"Sister, who is this person? He looks so impressive." Ye Jiayao asked.

Mrs. Gui rolled her eyes and said angrily, "Who else could it be? The maidservant next to the eldest young lady."

"Turns out you're just a maid. I thought you were a serious master." Ye Jiayao laughed.

But her heart was filled with turmoil. Taohong was Jinrong's most proud personal maid. Taohong appeared here. The cooked shrimp was Jinrong's favorite dish. There was no doubt that the eldest young lady in this mansion was Ye Jinrong. But shouldn't Jinrong be in Yangzhou now? Even if Dad asked Jinrong to come to the rescue, she couldn't come so quickly.

She came in last month... Then there is only one possibility, Jinrong followed her. The second in command said that she was framed by her own family, and Jinrong followed secretly and had already planned to replace her.

"Hey, who among you knows how to cook shrimp?" Mrs. Gui asked everyone.

Someone pouted and said, "We haven't learned how to cook Huaiyang cuisine, so who knows how to make it?"

Someone else said, "We have made the crab roe buns several times, but they were always rejected. She doesn't even know what it means to adapt to local customs. She has such a picky mouth and delicate stomach. Why doesn't she marry a cook? She is always making things difficult for us."

"Hey, what can we do? She is the apple of the young master's eye, the treasure in his hand, and we are servants, and servants can only obey orders and be scolded."

"It's really troublesome. Fortunately, they will go to Jinling next month..." Mrs. Gui said unhappily.

Going to Jinling next month? Ye Jiayao thought, maybe Wei Liujiang was going to take part in the imperial examination and accompany Jinrong back home. Then she would have to go to Jinling too. Although she hadn't figured out how to seek justice, she couldn't let this matter go so easily. She would just have to wait and see.

Ye Jiayao said weakly, "How about? Let me try? My father used to help in the kitchen at a restaurant, and I used to hang out in restaurants when I was a kid. I've never made shrimps, but I've seen how they're made."

Mrs. Gui's eyes lit up, then dimmed again. She said sullenly, "We know the method, but we just can't make the taste that the eldest young lady wants. You haven't made it, so you probably can't do it either."

Ye Jiayao smiled and said, "Don't forget, I am also from Yangzhou. I am most familiar with the tastes of Yangzhou people. Don't worry, I will make sure that the eldest young lady will be satisfied."

Today, thanks to Mrs. Gui for bringing her in, I will just consider it as a favor to her.

"Why don't we just let him try? This is more than once or twice that we've messed up," an aunt suggested.

Ye Jiayao rolled up her sleeves and started to work. She first cleaned the river shrimp and put them in boiling water for about two or three minutes, then peeled the shrimp and put them on a plate. There is a lot of attention to the plate, and it must be arranged in a neat and beautiful shape. Huaiyang cuisine is delicate, and color, fragrance, taste and shape are all indispensable.

Ye Jiayao put the peeled shrimps neatly in a circle and began to prepare the sauce. She poured sesame oil into the pot, waited for the aroma to waft, then added soy sauce, sugar and water chestnut powder to mix. The soy sauce should not be too little, as it would not be bright enough, but too much would also affect the appearance as it would be burnt black. The amount was very important. But for Ye Jiayao, it was not a problem at all and she could do it easily.

"Boy, you don't look like a novice." Mrs. Gui was watching from the side and was secretly amazed. This boy's skills are better than hers.

Ye Jiayao said casually: "I usually cook at home, but I can't help it. My mother is not in good health."

As they were talking, the marinade was ready. Ye Jiayao used a spoon to pour it evenly on the shrimps. With a sizzling sound, a plate of fresh, fragrant, tender and smooth cooked shrimps was ready.

Ye Jiayao also cooked a few Huaiyang dishes, steamed sea bass, boiled dried shredded pork, and mapo tofu...

Damn it, Jinrong has taken over the magpie's nest, and she still has to cook for her, hoping that she will vomit, have diarrhea and indigestion after eating. Ye Jiayao cursed while cooking.

(End of this chapter)