Dugu Qianye caught the last fish as Uncle Hong and the others had already cleaned the previous ones. When she saw them starting a fire, intending to grill the fish over it, she hurriedly called a halt. Noting their puzzled glances, she took out a barbecue grill, charcoal, a brush, and various seasonings all specialized for barbecuing. She lit the charcoal and then, using tongs, she clamped the fish and placed it on the grill, flipping it occasionally and brushing it with seasoning.
Meng Sanniang and the others were astonished: "You're really quite the professional, huh!"
"Grilling over a naked flame tends to char the outside while leaving the inside uncooked, and the flavor is not as good as when you grill with charcoal," Dugu Qianye explained, flipping the fish with the tongs. "I used to like making food myself, so I had this grill custom made."
