"Turtle dove! I haven't eaten turtle dove for many years. This is a good game!"
The girl from the Yang family might be really hungry. Looking at the lively turtle doves on the tree, drool appeared in the corner of her mouth.
"Stop talking and watch me catch them!" Meow Meow whispered.
"Miss Miao Miao, wait a minute!" Yang Zhenling stopped Miao Miao: "These turtle doves have red ropes tied to their legs. These should be turtle doves with owners. They may not be raised by any islanders. This doesn't count.
It's game! If you really want to eat them, you have to inform the owner in advance."
"Brother, where is the family in this deep mountain and old forest?"
The Yang family girl looked at Yang Zhenling dissatisfied.
"Don't tell me, there must be real people here!"
Yang Zhenling stretched out his hand and pointed, and saw smoke rising from the mountainside.
"It's on the other side of the mountain. If you go there, it will be a long way back! What's more, the ancient head and others are also hungry now. Can you bear to let the distinguished guests starve?" The Yang family girl said pitifully.
"It's okay, we're not hungry."
Although she kept being called sister, Miaomiao did not memorize this pot. She looked at the Yang family girls and smiled happily.
"Sister, you are so annoying!"
After giving Miaomiao a fierce look, the Yang family girl turned to Yang Zhenling and acted coquettishly.
"Well, I'm actually hungry. Brother, let's not go to the other side of the mountain. Let's capture these turtle doves now!"
As if they heard that the Yang girls wanted to eat them, the few turtle doves that were still playing in the trees suddenly flew away, heading towards the mountainside where the smoke was rising.
The girl from the Yang family was about to cry but Yang Zhenling burst into laughter: "It seems that these turtle doves really don't want you to eat them!"
Everyone also laughed, and the girl from the Yang family shouted at the foot of the mountain: "Stinky turtle dove, bad turtle dove, just wait for me, I will eat you today!"
"Okay, stop making trouble, little sister! The mountain is quite far away. Today we mainly accompany Master Gu and the others. Whether we eat turtle doves or not depends on Master Gu's wishes." Yang Zhenling said.
"It's okay. We just came out to play anyway. Miaomiao and I are not tired. It's rare that your sister is not afraid of hard work, so let's go over there!" Gu Zheng said with a smile.
Action was what they said. Gu Zheng and others were originally on the top of the mountain and immediately started going down the mountain from the other side.
Not long after walking, the girl from the Yang family felt a little regretful. The mountain road was difficult to walk, and going down the mountain was more difficult than going up. Yang Zhenling was holding her hand almost all the way.
"Sister Yang, how about we go back?"
Meow meow walked happily at the front, turning back from time to time to chat and joke with the Yang family girl.
"No, I will not bow down to the mountain road. I will definitely eat the turtle dove cooked by Master Gu at noon today!" the girl from the Yang family said bitterly.
"Don't talk about my husband being a turtle dove. We saw the turtle dove flying over there, but it was not raised by that family. This is not certain at all. Besides, even if it was raised by someone else, they may not be willing to let it go.
Let’s eat!” Meow Meow said.
"They must be raised by that family! Otherwise, I will suffer a big loss? As for whether they are willing to part with them, sister, don't worry! As long as you say that you are a distinguished guest of the Tianxin Sect, there is nothing that the islanders will not be willing to part with!" Yang
The girl at home affirmed.
After walking forward for a while, a winding trail finally appeared on the originally roadless mountain.
"Great, there is a way!"
The girls from the Yang family cheered, realizing for the first time that Lu turned out to be so cute.
Along the road, everyone's speed became much faster.
After a while, a man carrying a hoe and a seven or eight-year-old child appeared on the road ahead.
"Uncle, wait!" Yang Zhenling said.
The shirtless man dressed like a farmer turned around and stopped to look at Yang Zhenling.
"Uncle, I want to ask you something. How many families live on this mountain?" Yang Zhenling said.
The farmer looked simple and honest, but he did not answer Yang Zhenling's question immediately. Instead, he squinted his eyes and looked up and down at Yang Zhenling.
"who are you?"
The muddy child hid behind the farmer and asked timidly.
"I am a disciple of the Tianxin Sect, and this is a distinguished guest of the Tianxin Sect. We are thirsty and hungry along the way, and we want to go to a place where people live to beg for a meal!"
Yang Zhenling was embarrassed to say that he came here to eat turtle doves, so he smiled at the mud boy and took out a Wufeng apricot and gave it to him.
The mud boy shook his head. Although he wanted to eat the foggy apricot in Yang Zhenling's hand, he held on to the farmer's clothes tightly.
"You, you, are you Yang Zhenling?"
The farmer finally spoke, with a hint of excitement in his disbelieving voice.
"My name is Yang Zhenling, uncle, do you recognize me?"
Yang Zhenling's eyes were puzzled. He frowned at first as he looked at the farmer's face, and then his eyes opened wider and wider.
"You, are you Uncle Cheng?" Yang Zhenling said excitedly.
"Have you remembered?" The farmer laughed.
When Yang Zhenling was a child, Uncle Cheng was his neighbor. Later, Yang Zhenling's parents passed away. Young Yang Zhenling and the Yang family's sisters lived in the Tianxin sect until they reached adulthood, and then moved back to the original house. However, it was originally
Their neighbor's Uncle Cheng's family has disappeared.
After so many years, they unexpectedly met their old neighbor. Both Yang Zhenling and Uncle Cheng seemed very happy.
"Xiaobao, go home first and tell your mother to prepare some dishes to entertain the distinguished guests at noon!"
"Um."
The mud boy responded, smiled at everyone, and disappeared neatly on the mountain road.
"Uncle Cheng, how many households are there around here?"
The girl from the Yang family also spoke, she was still thinking about her turtle dove.
"We are the only family here! You don't have to go anywhere today, just come to my house for a casual meal, and the distinguished guest will go home with us!"
Uncle Cheng looked at everyone with a simple and enthusiastic expression.
Yang Zhenling looked at Gu Zheng with questioning eyes. Although he wanted to go over and reminisce about the past, today's task was to take Gu Zheng for a trip. Whether he could pass it or not would ultimately depend on Gu Zheng's decision.
"Okay, let's go as guests together!"
Gu Zheng actually didn't want to go. People who were too enthusiastic would make him feel uncomfortable, but since Yang Zhenling wanted to go, it would be okay to go together.
Yang Zhenling smiled gratefully at Gu Zheng: "Fellow Taoist Gu, I'll excuse you for a moment."
"It's okay, let's go!"
Gu Zheng smiled slightly, and Yang Zhenling immediately walked in front with Uncle Cheng, reminiscing about old times as they walked.
"Uncle Cheng's family is the only one on the mountain. It seems that the quail belongs to their family. The quail didn't escape today!" The girl from the Yang family smiled mischievously.
Yang Zhenling and Uncle Cheng walked in front, and Gu Zheng and the other three walked behind. Although Gu Zheng didn't speak during the entire journey, the Yang family girls and Miaomiao teased each other from time to time, so it didn't seem boring.
Uncle Cheng's home was right in front of him, with a small courtyard and three thatched cottages. The mud boy who had come back to report the news had also cleared up and was grinning at everyone at the door.
"Xiaobao, give it!"
Yang Zhenling stepped forward quickly and took out a few Wufeng apricots and stuffed them for Uncle Cheng's child.
"Take it, this is your true spirit brother!"
Uncle Cheng spoke, and then Xiaobao took Wu Fengxing and called out "Brother Zhenling" in a crisp voice.
"Damn it, I'm back!"
After leading everyone into the courtyard, Uncle Cheng shouted into the house.
A simple peasant woman immediately walked out of the house: "Dad, the food is almost ready. You can take the distinguished guests to sit in the main room first!"
"Aunt Cheng!"
Yang Zhenling and the girl from the Yang family shouted together, and the peasant woman was slightly startled. She quickly figured out who the two of them were, and a pleasant exchange of greetings was inevitable.
In the main room, Uncle Cheng entertained Gu Zheng and others with homemade wine.
The quality of the drinks was not that good, but the drinkers were very simple, and even Gu Zheng drank a large bowl of drinks.
While everyone was drinking and chatting, a different kind of meaty aroma came from the kitchen, which made people's mouths flutter.
The little girl of the Yang family was still intoxicated at first, but soon her brows furrowed. She looked at Gu Zheng and whispered: "Master Gu, is this boiled meat?"
"It seems so. Ordinary meat won't have such a fragrant taste."
Gu Zheng didn't feel it was a pity, he just thought it was a bit fun! He originally came here after the turtle dove, but who would have expected the hospitable host to cook the turtle dove first for his guests.
On the other hand, the girl from the Yang family's face was full of pain. When she thought about the ordinary quality turtle dove being stewed by Aunt Cheng, she really felt like she couldn't laugh or cry.
After a while, Aunt Cheng brought out all the food.
Two turtle doves made soup, and two turtle doves were fried with potatoes. In addition, there was a pheasant, a hare, and some wild vegetables from the mountains.
"The food is ready. Today I specially stewed some of my turtle doves. I hope that your guests, Xiaoling, and Xiaoyue will be able to eat and drink enough!"
Uncle Cheng's words were very true, and another large bowl of wine was shared with everyone.
With a dumbfounded mood, the girl from the Yang family poured some turtle dove soup and some turtle dove meat. After tasting them all, the disappointment on her face became even stronger.
Gu Zheng also tried the same thing. Aunt Cheng put some medicinal materials in the Turtle Dove Soup. Although it was quite tonic, the dosage of the medicine was wrong. As a result, what should have been a very delicious soup had only a hint of bitterness.
In addition, the medicinal smell is also very strong.
As for the fried turtle dove meat, there were also some things that shouldn't be put in it, so that the original flavor that ordinary-level ingredients should have did not come out at all.
"Eat more. Although it doesn't taste good, it is a piece of people's heart."
What Gu Zheng whispered was not only to Miaomiao, but also to the Yang family girl who looked disappointed.
Meow Meow, who had already put down his chopsticks, was very obedient. Not only did he pick up the chopsticks again, but he also ate the food very sweetly.
As for the girl from the Yang family, although she is also very obedient, she cannot be as devoted as Miaomiao! After all, she is really looking forward to the turtledove that Gu Zheng cooks by himself, not to mention that she is different from Miaomiao.
It is true that after passing this village, there is no such store.
"Master Gu, you said that the original turtle dove was an ordinary-level ingredient. What level of ingredient should the current turtle dove be considered?" The girl from the Yang family asked in a low voice.
"It's not bad, it belongs to the second level." Gu Zheng whispered.
Seeing that the girl from the Yang family was still depressed, Gu Zheng spoke in a low voice: "Although the ordinary-level turtle dove meat was downgraded due to Aunt Cheng's incomprehension and unreasonable cooking methods, I can feel that Aunt Cheng cooked it with great care.
! What's more, as a peasant woman, Aunt Cheng's meal is actually very good! You are a cook yourself, and I am good at cooking. If you insist on comparing Aunt Cheng with us, you are just over the top!
How can things in life be so perfect? If you compare yourself to others, you will have to die, and if you compare goods, you will have to throw them away!"
"Dear guest, don't just talk and have another bowl with me!" Uncle Cheng raised his bowl to Gu.
"good!"
Gu Zheng raised his bowl to meet him, and the two bowls collided.
"How's it going? Did my husband tell you something that suddenly enlightened you?"
Meow Meow poked the Yang girl in a daze.
"I understand the truth, but I'm just a little disappointed! After all, unlike my sister, I can't often eat delicious food made by Master Gu."
The girl from the Yang family smiled bitterly, picked up a piece of rice cake on the table, and took a big bite.
"Hey, this rice cake is delicious!"
The girl from the Yang family actually has a carefree temperament, and the delicious rice cakes seemed to make her forget all her previous disappointments.
"Xiaoyue, the reason why our family moved here is because we found that the rice grown in the spring water here is particularly sweet, and your grandma Cheng especially likes it! If you like to eat this rice cake, eat more of it.
, Auntie will pack some rice for you to take with you when you leave."
"Thank you, aunt!"
The girl from the Yang family quickly thanked her and then said, "Is it true that Grandma Cheng doesn't want to eat with us?"
"No, she can just eat in the back room." Aunt Cheng smiled.
"Hey, why don't you eat?"
The Yang family girl suddenly noticed that Xiaobao was looking blankly at the dinner table, looking like he was about to cry.
"My turtle dove, my turtle dove is gone, they won't play with me anymore."
Being questioned, the aggrieved Xiaobao cried. Although the voice was very low, everyone in the room heard it.
"Didn't Mom promise you? Next time I go out to the mountains, I will bring you some chicks to play with. As for those turtle doves, Xiaobao just forget about them!"
Aunt Cheng touched Xiaobao's head, but Xiaobao was still very disappointed.
"It turns out that those turtle doves are Xiaobao's playmates. I'm really sorry for Xiaobao!"
Seeing Xiaobao's aggrieved look, the Yang family girl also felt guilty.
"Xiaoyue, it's okay. It's just a child. You'll be fine in a while."
Aunt Cheng looked apologetic and looked at everyone who was no longer eating.
"It is not an option to keep your child from contact with the outside world since he is so old. I heard Lao Cheng chatting with Taoist Fellow Yang before. The reason why you chose to live in the mountains is because Xiaobao's grandma is sick! I don't know Xiaobao.
What kind of disease does Bao's grandma have?" Gu Zheng asked.
On the way, Gu Zheng listened to what Lao Cheng said to Yang Zhenling. Yang Zhenling also asked questions about their family's situation, but Lao Cheng seemed to be too sad and was unwilling to say more about his mother's illness.
Gu Zheng took the initiative to ask, which made Yang Zhenling smile gratefully at him first, and then he seemed to feel confident.
"Uncle Cheng, the ancient Taoist friend is a distinguished guest of the Tianxin sect and a very capable person. Please tell us what disease Grandma Cheng is suffering from! Maybe the ancient Taoist friend can cure this disease?"
Yang Zhenling looked at Uncle Cheng, who was only focused on drinking, with a rather complaining tone.
