Xie Jiang squinted at them and told Dong Zi to have everyone process the pork.
She only guaranteed that these two dishes would be on the noon banquet today. As for how they were made, did Luo Dahai and his gang expect her to do it herself?
She might as well send a carrier pigeon to order her subordinates to raze Yongfeng Village.
Dong Zi: "Uh..."
Although he had seen Young Master Xie make it twice, but...
Seeing Er Gou standing by, Dong Zi immediately made up his mind.
Did the braised pork and pig trotters to be eaten by these scumbags from the West Village need to be as meticulous as Young Master Xie had made them before? No matter how good things were, they would be no better than feeding them to dogs.
Did they have to worry that no one would eat it if it didn't taste good?
That was all meat!
As long as it was cooked meat, they would fight to eat it. Was there such a thing as bad-tasting meat in the world?
Thinking of this, Dong Zi felt no pressure. He started working, directing Luo Shou and Xiao Hu.
But with three such large pigs, the three of them were not enough, so they called a few aunts over to help them bone and cut the meat.
By the time Xie Jiang woke up from her nap, the three pigs had all been processed.
The meat, cut into small pieces, was piled up in basins in the courtyard. The prime pork belly was also separated and put into two basins. The rest of the meat, when braised, would not have as good a texture as the pork belly, but with so many people at the banquet, how could pork belly alone be enough?
The pig trotters were also cut into pieces according to what she had done before.
Seeing that Xie Jiang was awake, Dong Zi ran over excitedly to report, "The ingredients and seasonings are all ready. Can we start cooking?"
The other dishes in the kitchen had already started cooking, and the entire back kitchen was filled with the aroma of various foods.
The number of people from the East and West Villages in the mess hall was increasing, and the time for the banquet was drawing nearer.
Xie Jiang walked to the wooden basins filled with meat and looked at them, nodding to acknowledge Dong Zi's preparations.
Luo Shou followed behind, wanting to speak but hesitating.
He wanted to ask when Young Master Xie planned to administer the poison.
Young Master Xie had been sleeping the whole time, and the best opportunity had been missed. Could it be that Young Master Xie planned to administer the poison while cooking?
But there were so many people in the kitchen. What if they were seen? Wouldn't it all be in vain?
Looking at Young Master Xie's groggy and incredibly leisurely appearance, Luo Shou suspected that Young Master Xie had forgotten about the poison.
Luo Shou wanted to ask and also to remind her.
But seeing Er Gou, who had been following Xie Jiang, and the two aunts helping them, Luo Shou could only scratch his scalp.
At this moment, Xie Jiang said, "After the final step, it can be cooked."
Er Gou asked curiously, "It's already washed clean. What else needs to be done?"
Xie Jiang reached into her left sleeve pocket, didn't find anything, and then reached into her right sleeve pocket.
Everyone looked at her.
Xie Jiang took out a metal bottle, pulled out the stopper, and began pouring it into a basin filled with meat pieces.
Looking at the pink powder sprinkled on the meat pieces, an aunt asked in surprise, "What is this?"
Xie Jiang continued to sprinkle the powder and replied to the aunt, "This is my secret recipe. Adding a little will make it more flavorful."
Xie Jiang held the bottle and poured it into each basin, ensuring that each basin of meat was sprinkled with the powder.
The aunt nodded as if she understood.
Luo Shou was so shocked that his eyeballs almost fell out. He was certain that the powder Young Master Xie was sprinkling was the poison that could incapacitate everyone at the banquet!
He had been worrying about how to avoid being seen just a moment ago, but who knew that Young Master Xie would be so blatant!
Xiao Hu and Dong Zi were also in the know. They were going to fight to the death with the West Village today, and no one could stand aside.
The two of them had the same shocked pupils. They looked at each other, and then neither dared to make a sound.
No wonder they said Young Master Xie was a big shot. Their psychological fortitude was no match for him.
Xie Jiang instructed, "Mix it well."
Two aunts each took a basin and directly reached in to stir.
Dong Zi and Xiao Hu also worked silently. The fate and survival of the East Village were at stake, and every piece of meat had to be evenly coated.
Xie Jiang stood by and watched, even asking, "Can you smell the aroma?"
The aunt who was stirring lowered her head and sniffed. She didn't know if she really smelled it, but she said, "It seems quite fragrant..."
Dong Zi and Xiao Hu dared not speak, only silently planned that after they finished stirring, they would have to wash their hands.
What if they got poisoned by residual amounts?
Aunt Bao came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on her apron, and called out to Xie Jiang, "Two large pots are free. Do you want to use them?"
Dong Zi said loudly, "Yes, yes, we're coming right away."
Xie Jiang waved her hand, and everyone got busy, carrying one basin of meat each into the kitchen.
Luo Shou sat by the stove to light the fire, Dong Zi was in charge of the cooking, and Xiao Hu and Er Gou helped out.
Xie Jiang stood by and directed.
How much seasoning to add and when to add it all depended on Xie Jiang.
Not long after the meat was put into the pot, the aroma wafted out. Many people came to watch, but they were driven away by Aunt Bao with a cleaver.
In the kitchen, whether it was the cook or the helpers, everyone was so busy they wished they had two more hands. Idle people waiting to eat and drink were getting in the way!
Oh.
That Chef Xie didn't need two more hands, and didn't even use the two hands she had. She solved three big fat pigs with just a few words.
It was the first time she had heard of a chef being a chef by using their mouth.
However, Dong Zi was doing a good job. Was Chef Xie teaching Dong Zi how to make braised pork?
Regardless, learning a skill was always beneficial.
The first pot of braised pork made with prime pork belly was three to four points inferior in color, aroma, and taste to the braised pork Xie Jiang had made herself, but it still made Er Gou drool incessantly.
Er Gou had already brushed the basin clean. A large pot of braised pork was served into the basin. Luo Shou and Xiao Hu were already impatient. Each of them grabbed a piece and stuffed it into their mouths.
The rich, greasy aroma exploded in their mouths with the first bite. Xiao Hu and Luo Shou had eaten it before. Young Master Xie's braised pork was even more delicious than Dong Zi's, but they couldn't help but cry out in satisfaction.
Er Gou jumped up wanting to curse. The reason he was assigned to follow Xie Jiang was to supervise in the kitchen!
However, it was too fragrant. Between supervising and eating meat, Er Gou chose to eat meat.
Anyway, there was so much braised pork today, it wouldn't matter if one or two pieces were missing, right? At most, he would eat one less piece later?
Er Gou fished out the fattest, most tender, and largest piece and stuffed it into his mouth.
After eating, Luo Shou and Xiao Hu wanted to reach out again, but when they met Xie Jiang's glance, they remembered that the meat was poisoned!
The two of them were dumbfounded!
After looking at each other, they both bolted out of there.
Er Gou felt that the rumors were not exaggerated at all. This braised pork was truly delicious! However, since Luo Shou and Xiao Hu weren't stealing anymore, he felt too embarrassed to steal.
"What are they doing? Why are they running?"
Dong Zi knew what was going on. He looked at Young Master Xie worriedly, wanting to ask if there was an antidote, but with so many people in the kitchen, it was inconvenient to ask.
"They're rushing to the outhouse," Dong Zi said casually.
Er Gou cursed Luo Shou and Xiao Hu as cunning in his heart. They were planning to empty their bowels so they could eat their fill!
Although Dong Zi was a little worried about his companions, he didn't stop his actions. The second pot of braised pork was also served.
Aunt Bao came over, staring at the two large basins full of braised pork, feeling that they were more flavorful than the two pots of smoked meat she had just cooked. "The banquet has just started outside. Should we serve this braised pork first?"
Dong Zi glanced at Young Master Xie discreetly, but Young Master Xie gave him no instructions. Dong Zi thought for a moment, "No rush. Let's serve the later pots together, so that some people don't snatch them and cause trouble again."
The main concern was that if those who ate the meat first succumbed to the poison, and the subsequent meat had not yet been cooked, no one could be missed at today's banquet. All of the West Village had to be poisoned!