The General's Delicious Wife Chapter 031: One piece of drumstick
The people outside are eating and drinking to their delight, but Madam Sheng is inside the room eating with dismay.
The yellow stewed chicken is the highlight of the entire feast, furthermore it smells so amazing that she has been eyeing on it ever since it is served to the table!
Who knows that just as she announces the start of the meal, before she even moves her chopsticks, Xia Yue Chu attacks the yellow stewed chicken immediately and accurately pulls out a big piece of chicken drumstick under the pile of ingredients without any hesitation.
First, not mentioning why is that piece of drumstick in this basin of yellow stewed chicken inside the room, this wench does not have the slightest bit of modestly to yield to others. Putting that drumstick directly into her own bowl.
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The yellow stewed chicken is stewed thoroughly, the chicken meat is soft and falls off the bones easily and the chicken skin glistens in a sheen of oil.
Madam Sheng watches feebly as Xia Yue Chu uses her chopsticks to separate the drumstick meat into two pieces, every piece has that glistening chicken skin attached with a good chuck of juicy and flavourful meat.
She gulps down her saliva unconsciously and assumes that she would give that two pieces of meat to herself and Xue Ping, since one is an elder and the other is a guest.
But never has she thought that Xia Yue Chu would put those two pieces of meat into Big Ni Er and Second Ni Er's bowls.
Madam Sun tenses up immediately, she cannot understand why there would be a drumstick in this basin of stewed chicken but noticing Madam Sheng' eyes that are almost spewing out fire, her first thoughts are to quickly grab the chicken meat to give it to Madam Sheng.
But the two children are still so small, how would they know about these things. They would rarely encounter any meat in their daily diet and their cravings have already been lured out long ago, how could they hold back now seeing the chicken meat, so they begin taking big mouthfuls.
Currently, Second Ni Er is still not skilful at using the chopsticks, so she grabs the chicken drumstick meat directly with her hand and takes a big bite out of it.
Madam Sheng is maddened and slams her chopsticks onto the table, frightening the kids into a hiccup.
Madam Sun buries her head down almost stuffing her face into her rice bowl, she does not dare to lift her head up to look at Madam Sheng's expression at all.
But Xia Yue Chu acts oblivious, ladling half a small bowl of the chicken broth and places it before Madam Sheng. "Mother, you taste this soup, mixing it with rice is delicious."
Madam Sheng questions her stolidly. "Do you not know the etiquettes, even if this chicken drumstick is not placed in that basin served in the central hall, it should have been given to your sister. Even for her who has come back to her maternal home, she is still a guest, how is it reasonable to treat her so negligibly."
Upon hearing this, Xia Yue Chu smiles towards Xue Ping. "I was thinking that the eldest younger sister is also somebody's mother, if there is anything delicious surely she will give the priority over to the children, why would she be so calculative over these matters with the kids."
Madam Sheng's complexion changes a few different shades, but with the considerations of her son-in-law who is directly outside, she dares not blow up in her fiery in the end.
Besides, the chicken drumstick has already gone into the two young ones' stomachs, it is not like she could possibly make them vomit it out again. Nonetheless, she credited this incident onto Xia Yue Chu's tab.
Xue Ping has initially wanted to pick on Xia Yue Chu, who knows that before she even says a word, she has been called out by Xia Yue Chu, making her mood sullen instantly.
However, she plans to maintain her self-image, she has never lost in verbal battles in the Feng family. But she does not intend to bicker over a drumstick, it would have made her seems petty instead.
Xia Yue Chu does not care to put whatever Madam Sheng has said on her heart, seeing that Madam Sun is not dependable here, she takes it upon herself to care for the two children. Scoping some chicken broth into their bowls to mix with the rice while telling them gently at the same time. "Eat slowly, don't rush, eat the rice together with other dishes, don't just eat meat only."
Second Ni Er is eating until there are oil stains all over her face, speaking in her young cutesy voice. "The food that Big Madam makes is so delicious."
"Eat more if it is delicious." Xia Yue Chu sees her eating so strenuously, she wipes her oily mouth and carries her onto her lap and bluntly feeds her the food with her chopsticks.
Where has Second Ni Er enjoyed such service and attention, being elated to the end of her wits. She could only conclude that Big Madam is truly too good, not just the food she cooks is good, she also treats her so gently, and there is a really nice scent coming from this person.
"What Sister-in-law said makes sense, the children are going through their growth spurts right now, it is right for them to eat more." Xue Ping thinking that she has found the spot to attack Xia Yue Chu with, so she purposely calls her out on it. "Seeing how much Sister-in-law loves children, when are you going to add a son to the family for Big Brother?"
Xia Yue Chu does not feel a slightest bit uncomfortable, smiling as she replies. "I am also looking forward to continuing the lineage for the Xue family, so that's why we are trying to catch up on your Big Brother's health, since it is not like I can depend on myself alone for a child."
Xue Ping's face turns red with embarrassment from what she has said. "This, what is this you are saying, Sister-in-law does not have an ounce of honour and shame!"
"Eldest younger sister, isn't that what you have asked me, we are all ladies and madams of the same family in this conversation, there is no outsider, what is the link to honour or shame or whatnots." Xia Yue Chu blinks her eyes and looks innocently at Xue Ping. "Could it possibly be that eldest younger sister's son is birthed by your own effort?"
Xue Ping seems to have been angered to the point of falling backwards, yet she cannot refute what is said.
It is Madam Sheng who stops the conversation in the end. "That's enough, you both lessen what you have to say, Qin is still an unengaged big girl!"
Xue Qin has buried her head down eating from the beginning, she is so focused that she has not heard what the others are saying at all. Thinking in her heart how delicious these dishes are and they still have the free time to open their mouth and talk.
After tasting a bite from every single dish, her stomach is already half full, that is when she slows down her pace.
Xue Qin takes a bite of the stewed potato from the stewed chicken dish, it is crumbly and soft, and she feels that she has never eaten a potato as tasty as this.
She cannot help but assesses Xia Yue Chu with her eyes discreetly, thinking in her heart that Sister-in-law has been keeping silent all these times, who knows that she actually has such a talent. Using ordinary ingredients like this and cooking them into dishes which taste so much better than the wedding feast from that day at the Cui family.
Although Xue Ping is angry, her stomach has been hungry for some time. Ignoring Xia Yue Chu now, she brings her rice bowl to herself and starts eating. Plotting in her heart that no matter if it tastes good or not, she decides to point out some faults of hers.
However, when a piece of chicken meat enters her mouth, she becomes dumbstruck in shock.
If the chicken meat is not cooked well, it will dry out easily. But the time taken to stew this chicken is not short, yet it retains its tender chew.
Every single strand of the chicken meat has been penetrated by the delicious broth, taking a bite into it, the broth is released from the springy chicken meat and fills up the mouth.
No matter if it is the texture or the flavour, every aspect of it is just perfect. Making them eat with an inexpressible sense of satisfaction.
Xue Ping is feeling pretty complicated, and actually cannot help but feels the pity over that piece of chicken drumstick from just now, the meat on the chicken's body is so tasty, that drumstick must have been even more plump and juicy. They end up wasting that goodness on those two young lasses.
Then, she tastes a few of the other dishes. Initially, she believes that the chicken dish is Xia Yue Chu, a blind cat encountering a dead rat*, but never has she thought that everything is equally delicious.
Ever since she has married into the Feng family, she has identified herself as someone from the city, comparing to everyone in her maternal home, she has seen more and has eaten better, never has she thought that she would be surprised by a few dishes Xia Yue Chu makes at this moment.
She broods and gets even more upset. Though her chopsticks have not lessened in its movement, her mouth refuses to pay a single phrase of compliment.
Madam Sheng eats what Xia Yue Chu has made, and she is also so shock in her heart. Usually the meals at home are cooked by her, so she does not know this stupid wench has such skilful talent.
She has always enjoyed eating fish and both of her daughters have inherited it from her. But they cannot afford those bigger carps, while the small ones have too many bones, so they would seldom buy any to eat.
Now as she eats the baby carp that Xia Yue Chu has deep fried, it is crispy, and the texture is refreshing. So she picks one with her chopsticks and gives it to Xue Ping. "This I am eating is strangely delicious. Even the bones inside have been fried to a crisp, which is not spikey in the mouth at all. It is strangely sweet and fresh. Just that it is a bit consuming on the oil, but the Feng family is not lacking that bit of oil. When you go back, make some for Zhi Jun, he will surely like it."
Xue Ping brightens with a smile at Madam Sheng's mention of her son, responding to her happily. "Mother remembers him on all occasions."
"Her very own grandson, how can she not remember!" Xue Qin chips into the conversation. "Mother has been nagging over the past two days, wanting to make a set of children's clothes for Zhi Jun but not knowing how much he has grown, she has no idea how big of a size she have to make to fit him."
"I am also missing my son very much, when he comes back the next few days, I'll bring him to visit Mother." As Xue Ping is saying this, she puts the fried fish into her mouth.
Who knows that after chewing on it twice, her complexion changes completely. Plunging over to the edge of the brick bed, covering her mouth and gagging.
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Translator Notes:
*A blind cat encountering a dead rat, meaning a struck of luck.
Translated by Yellow. Sep 2022.