Chapter 36: Local Specialties-O cara levou a gente para um ponto turístico onde dá para cultivar imortalidade e fazer arqueologia!(Aquele que segura a pena)

"Is this the 'superior chamber'?" Wu Jie ran his fingertip along the windowsill. "It’s certainly clean enough."

Unfortunately, there was no bathroom. He glanced at the chamber pot in the corner. He had only ever seen such things on television and had never actually used one.

Geng Cang looked at the straw mat bed. "I’ve never slept on a bed like this before. I wonder if I’ll be able to get any sleep tonight."

In stark contrast to them were the six older gentlemen, led by Zhang Huaiming. These experienced executives had long since mentally prepared themselves for the conditions of ancient times. Jiang Yijun even began studying the traces of rammed earth on the walls with great interest. "Look at these layers; each is about six inches thick, which aligns with the records in the *Kaogong Ji* (Book of Diverse Crafts)."

Once darkness had fully descended, the station master respectfully invited everyone to dine. Several low tables were arranged in the main hall, set with pottery tableware. The captain had specifically ordered several lamps to be lit, illuminating the hall brightly.

"Please, everyone, enjoy your meal," the station master said, his face beaming with smiles as he uncovered the food containers. "These have been prepared according to the standards for a Senior Grand Master."

The group looked down to see a pot of millet rice, a few pieces of boiled meat, a dish of pickled vegetables with a peculiar hue, and a jug of rice wine. As soon as the dishes were served, a pungent, gamey odor permeated the air, drifting toward their noses.

The faces of Qiao Wenbai and the other three young men turned green instantly. Feng Yiming covered his nose and shrank back. "Did they not remove the gamey smell from this meat?"

Zhang Huaiming and the others, however, didn't seem to mind. They laughed and chided the younger men, "Didn't Little Ye tell us earlier that the food here is different from what we are used to? Since we have arrived, we must follow the local customs and experience it properly. It would be a waste of the trip otherwise."

Zhou Xingfu added a reminder to the four men who had never known hardship, "You all eat too well on a daily basis; today is a good opportunity to scrub some of that grease from your stomachs."

Jiang Yijun picked up a piece of meat. "It’s the original flavor, such excellent ingredients—you youngsters just don't know quality when you see it."

Faced with the "guidance" of their elders, Qiao Wenbai and his three companions could say nothing, nor did they dare to. They could only listen obediently.

Jiang Yijun slowly placed a piece of meat into his mouth. The next second, his expression froze. The meat was dry, flavorless, and carried an indescribable, gamey stench.

Lin Ru tasted a mouthful of millet rice and found it coarse and scratchy, as if it hadn't been husked properly. She swallowed it with great difficulty.

The most miserable was Li Qingyi. He scooped up a spoonful of the dark, murky pickled vegetables, but the moment it touched his tongue, he began to cough violently. "Cough, cough! What is this? Why is it even more bitter than Chinese medicine?"

The captain and the station master looked at each other, and seeing the group's expressions, they realized the food was nearly impossible for them to swallow. The captain instructed the station master, "Go and boil some fresh *huo* soup, and do not add any salted fermented beans."

Qiao Wenbai and the other three watched the painful expressions of Zhang Huaiming's group as they struggled to eat, feeling a secret sense of satisfaction and trying their best not to laugh out loud. *Haha, lecturing us, are you? Can't even stomach it yourselves, can you?*

"Wait," Jiang Ye suddenly raised a hand to stop the station master, who was about to leave. He turned to the four young men. "Didn't Jiang Kai specifically instruct you to bring food? Where is it?"

This question successfully jolted the four into realization. Wu Jie slapped his forehead hard. "Damn! I almost forgot!"

The four of them sprang up and rushed toward the guest rooms, their luggage bags being rummaged through with a loud rustling. Before long, Qiao Wenbai returned carrying a bulging travel bag. When he pulled the zipper open, forty packs of instant noodles were neatly stacked inside, along with several vacuum-sealed packs of marinated eggs and sausages.

This was only a portion of what they had; they had also prepared five barrels of cup noodles, but those were specifically earmarked for the First Emperor of Qin, as Jiang Kai had instructed. As for the bagged noodles, in Jiang Kai's words, they were easier to pack in bulk and suitable for their own consumption. Previously, they hadn't wanted to bring so many, but looking at the situation now, they realized Jiang Kai had been incredibly wise.

"Jiang Kai said we definitely wouldn't get used to the ancient diet," Geng Cang said, pulling out a pack of braised beef noodles, the packaging shimmering under the oil lamp. "He told us to treat these as strategic supplies."

The station master and the servants looked curiously at the colorful packaging. They didn't know what these things were, but they found the bright, glossy colors quite beautiful.

The captain asked curiously, "Sir, what are these..."

"Local specialties from our hometown," Jiang Ye explained with a smile. "I must trouble you to help us prepare a clean cauldron and boil some water."

The station kitchen was suddenly thrown into a flurry of activity.

The servants brought over a large bronze cauldron used for boiling soup, and Qiao Wenbai directed them to pour half a cauldron of fresh water into it. Before the water boiled, Wu Jie observed the primitive kitchen with idle curiosity. Coarse pottery jars were piled in the corners, dried wild vegetables hung from the rafters, and a stone mill sat by the stove. Everything was unimaginably crude.

When the water began to bubble, Geng Cang and the others tore open the noodle packets and threw them all into the boiling water at once. Soon, a unique, wheaty aroma permeated the air.

"The seasoning packets! The seasoning packets!" Qiao Wenbai urged.

The four worked frantically, squeezing in all the seasoning powder and oil packets. Feng Yiming even contributed two marinated eggs, breaking them into pieces and tossing them into the pot. As the noodles boiled with a bubbling sound, an unprecedented, rich aroma exploded, filling the entire kitchen.

The station master, who had been peering in from the doorway, suddenly sniffed the air and walked inside curiously. "What... what kind of food is this? The aroma is so enticing." His eyes were fixed on the noodles rolling in the bronze cauldron, his Adam's apple bobbing continuously.

The servants tending the fire couldn't help but stop their work, subconsciously drifting toward the edge of the cauldron.

The fragrance drifted through the door cracks into the main hall. The captain, who had been struggling with his millet rice, suddenly sat up straight. "What is that so fragrant?"

Even the Qin soldiers guarding the courtyard were stirred by the scent, some peeking through the window frames in curiosity.

When a large basin of golden, steaming instant noodles was brought to the table, everyone's gaze fell upon it. The noodles were soaked in a red, glistening broth, topped with oil droplets and scallions, with bits of marinated egg and slices of sausage interspersed throughout, glowing enticingly in the lamplight.

Unlike modern instant noodles, because these were boiled over a high fire in a bronze cauldron, the aroma was far more intense than if they had been steeped in hot water.

The captain and the Qin soldiers stood to the side, their appetites piqued by the fragrance. However, since the food belonged to these distinguished guests, they dared not covet it, only stealing extra breaths of the scent, feeling satisfied just to smell it.

Catching sight of the captain from the corner of his eye, Qiao Wenbai stood up, filled a large bowl, and held it out to him. "Captain, you have worked hard escorting us. Please, have a taste of the flavors of our hometown."

The captain hurriedly backed away. "How could I possibly?"

"Do not decline, Captain," Jiang Ye said at the right moment. "This is but a small gesture of our appreciation."

While the captain hesitated, Feng Yiming had already deftly filled a bowl for every Qin soldier. These usually stoic soldiers held the rough pottery bowls, looking at one another, until finally, someone couldn't resist and took the first bite.