Poor but talented scholar

Chapter 109 Story

Upon hearing this, the clan chief's eyes lit up: "Brilliant!"

Lu Chuan continued his analysis: "Think about it, elders. What do those important figures care about most? It's their lives and their health."

"Pinellia ternata can dry dampness, resolve phlegm, relieve nausea and vomiting, and is a common medicinal herb in every household."

"Especially the premium products grown in our village, they are washed clean, dried thoroughly, and peeled beautifully."

"If we send them money, they won't need it; if we send them other local products, they won't even look at them."

"But when we send Pinellia ternata, that's real, hard currency. Everyone gets sick sometimes, right?"

He said confidently, "These are grown by ourselves. Moreover, scholars value elegance, so they are not vulgar at all, but rather make us stand out."

"Great idea, this is brilliant!"

The village chief thought it sounded reasonable, but then pondered for a moment: "Chuanzi, should everyone receive the same amount?"

"Naturally, they cannot be the same."

Lu Chuan shook his head. Since they were going to use favors to create a facade, they might as well stick to it.

"Since it's a return gift, the quantity and quality of the gift should naturally vary depending on the guest's status."

"The first class consists of ordinary neighbors and villagers: they come to the feast in a few days and usually give a few coins or a few eggs as a token of their appreciation."

"We'll wrap up a small portion. It's not much, but it's enough to treat a cough and vomiting on a regular basis. It's both affordable and shows good neighborly relations."

The second class consisted of the gentry and landlords from the town and surrounding villages: these gentlemen had money and gave generous gifts.

"Let's use a bamboo basket and fill it with a pound of plump ones."

"Giving this as a gift will make it feel substantial in your hands, which will show that we are generous."

The third tier consists of officials and division commanders; we'll pack the best three jin (approximately 1.5 kg) of that.

The clan chief nodded repeatedly as he listened.

"However, simply delivering medicine is not enough."

A glint of wisdom flashed in Lu Chuan's eyes.

"Uncle, the feast is in a few days. The wealthy gentlemen in town love to hear stories."

"So, I made up a little story, and when Dad and Second Uncle are at the banquet, they'll just tell everyone this..."

Lu Chuan then delivered the prepared explanation: "I told you that when I was studying hard during the winter nights, the cold was so intense that I often coughed incessantly and couldn't concentrate on my studies."

"During the most difficult time, my parents dug up some Pinellia ternata from the back mountain, boiled it into a soup, and gave it to their son to drink."

"As a result, as soon as the medicine entered my mouth, not only did my cough disappear on the spot, but my mind even became more agile."

It was precisely because of this that his son was able to write with such eloquence in the imperial examination.

"Good heavens!" Lu Deshou was stunned, almost believing it himself.

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

"Not only that, I also composed a limerick."

In order to make the story accessible even to illiterate people, Lu Chuan specifically chose the most down-to-earth rhymes.

"There are miraculous herbs in Lu Family Village, and every single one of the Pinellia ternata is a treasure."

"Studying diligently through the years will clear your mind, and you will rise higher and higher in the imperial examinations."

The limerick was so catchy that everyone in the room recited it twice.

Having established the rules for returning the gift, Lu Chuan felt he had truly grasped the intricacies of human relationships.

He thought that the village's method was simply to chop the chicken into large pieces, put them in a big iron pot, add coarse salt, and stew them together.

Although the meat was flavorful enough, it wasn't quite right.

"Since we're going to do it, we have to raise it from beginning to end."

Lu Chuan had made up his mind.

He turned around and started rummaging through a pile of books.

He didn't just bring back the classics; after the exam, he specifically searched through various bookstores and stalls for miscellaneous notes from the past, local chronicles, and even cookbooks left behind by retired officials from previous dynasties.

A short while later, he pulled out an ancient book that recorded several traditional methods of roasting chicken.

"Chuanzi, why did you call everyone here?"

Lu Chuan found the village's most renowned cook, an auntie.

"Auntie, I've seen some books about roast chicken these past few days."

Lu Chuan turned the pages of the book and read aloud to everyone according to the records: lotus leaves, spices, and fine charcoal are needed.

"Chuanzi, it's not that I'm unwilling to help, but we've never seen any of the rare items you described in your book."

Lu Chuan looked at the aunt and suddenly realized what she meant. He slapped his forehead and said, "Auntie, I was just too bookish and overcomplicated things. The prescriptions in the book are static, but people are dynamic."

"We can use readily available materials to figure out a simple remedy."

"Since we don't have lotus leaves to wrap it up, what do we have in abundance in our field?" Lu Chuan asked with a smile, trying to inspire everyone.

The two experienced ones immediately shouted, "Cabbage leaves, or thatch grass from the ground!"

"Peel off the outer leaves of the Chinese cabbage, wrap the chicken tightly with the layers, and the effect might be even better than lotus leaves."

"Yes, that method will work!" The auntie perked up and added loudly, "As for the sauce for the chicken, which household doesn't keep a few pieces of old ginger and scallions under their stove?"

"Just crush it, then use rice wine and coarse salt to coat the chicken inside and out. The taste will definitely be amazing."

Lu Chuan nodded repeatedly, "The best part is that we grind the Pinellia ternata into powder and mix it into the mud. When those gentlemen enjoy it, we'll tell them it's called 'Pinellia ternata Immortal Chicken'."

"What about the final heat control? The book says to use a slow fire, but we don't have any charcoal. What should we do?"

An old farmer laughed heartily, "We'll use dry pine needles and miscellaneous firewood. We'll dig a big pit in the open space, bury them in the pit, and then pile firewood on top."

"The slow-cooked rice in the fields is the softest and most tender in the world. If you let it simmer for half a day, even the gods would drool."

Lu Chuan listened in awe.

"Alright, let's do as the elders say. Auntie, let's go prepare now and try making one to see how it tastes."

As darkness fell, the last wisp of smoke dissipated from the makeshift pit.

"It's been simmering for two hours, and I reckon it's almost done."

The old man in charge of watching the fire wiped his sweat and grabbed a shovel.

The mud balls were placed on the stone slab, steaming hot.

"I'll take the picture."

The aunt rolled up her sleeves, picked up a rolling pin, and whacked him with it!

Click.

With a crisp crack, the yellow clay shell split open.

Before anyone could even see the meat inside, a wonderful aroma burst forth.

The younger sister, who was watching the commotion, couldn't help but swallow hard: "It smells so good, brother! This smells ten times better than the chicken we stewed for Chinese New Year!"

The expert peeled back the cabbage leaves to reveal a golden, tender chicken.

"Scholar, you are the God of Literature, you should have the first bite." The aunt handed over a pair of bamboo chopsticks.

Lu Chuan did not refuse. He picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of chicken breast.

The chicken meat separates without any effort.

"Good, tender, flavorful, and deeply infused with taste."

Lu Chuan's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed sincerely, "Auntie, this cooking is amazing! It's much better than what I've had in restaurants."