"Mmm~ Delicious! Thin and tender, with a hint of spice,"馨月 praised, chewing on the delicacy in her mouth.
"I'm glad you like it, honored guest! Please patronize my stall often if you have the chance," the stall owner replied happily, flattered by the compliment.
Chu Chen took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. Suddenly, he sensed something was amiss and asked, "Shopkeeper, this meat doesn't look like pork. What kind of meat is it made from?"
"Uh~ Honored guest, pork is too gamey and unpleasant to eat. No one usually eats it," the stall owner replied, looking at him with a strange expression. However, seeing Chu Chen's brocade robes, he assumed he was a rich young master unfamiliar with common foods and said with a smile, "You don't seem to know much about these things? Would you like me to explain?"
Pork is too gamey and unpleasant? Ah, yes, ancient people didn't castrate pigs, so the meat wouldn't have the best texture or smell.
Chu Chen remembered and patted his forehead, smiling, "Since the shopkeeper is willing, I'd be happy to listen."
"Alright~ Then I shall begin," the stall owner said with a smile. Pointing to the meat slices on his stall, he explained, "This meat is lamb. While it does have a gamey smell, it's not too strong. A simple boil with ginger slices can remove it."
"However, doing so would completely mask the lamb's natural flavor, sometimes making it hard to distinguish. Therefore, I slice it thinly, reducing its thickness and surface area, thus lessening the emitted smell. Then, I spread mustard evenly to suppress the gamey odor of the lamb while adding a spicy kick, ensuring the lamb slices still retain some of their original taste."
"With these methods complementing each other, these meat slices are perfected."
"I see."
Chu Chen nodded, continuing to eat the meat slices while pondering.
"Mmm~"
馨月 continued eating. She didn't care about the craftsmanship involved, as long as it was clean, hygienic, and non-toxic.
"May I ask what kind of meat ordinary people usually eat?" Chu Chen suddenly asked.
This further convinced the stall owner that he was dealing with a wealthy young master who knew nothing of practical matters. He chuckled, "Alas~ In the past, people lived frugally. Having enough to eat with some vegetables was a luxury, let alone choosing what meat to eat."
"However, this year, our lives in Shuangyue City have improved considerably. I'm not sure about the outer city, but in the inner city, including myself, we slaughter chickens or ducks raised at home for festivals, and maybe have an egg or two."
"I understand. Thank you, shopkeeper."
"You're too kind."
To repay the shopkeeper for his conversation, Chu Chen ordered ten bowls of meat slices to go, hung them on his wrist, and left with 馨月.
"Phew~ Made a killing. These rich young masters are truly wealthy. They don't carry money when they go out and don't even know what they're eating. Someone else pays for their purchases. It's truly enviable," the stall owner thought to himself, watching Chu Chen's retreating figure. He then shook his head and continued preparing his ingredients.
"Chu Chen, Chu Chen, were you really asking those questions because you don't even know what kind of meat you usually eat?" 馨月 asked cheerfully, already on her second bowl.
"How could that be? I know what I eat daily: chicken, duck, lamb, fish, venison, donkey, dog. How could I not distinguish them?" Chu Chen said, a vein throbbing on his forehead. Whether he was ordering dishes for her in the palace or enjoying the meals of a prime minister, he would always go to the kitchen first to understand everything and even investigate the chefs. How could he possibly not know?
"Then why did you ask?"
"How would I know if I didn't ask? We know what we eat, but what about the common people?"
"Mmm~ That's true."
馨月 suddenly recalled the lives of the common people they had seen when accompanying Chu Chen on outings. She realized that apart from knowing they ate rice and flour, she truly didn't know what else they consumed.
"Why don't we go and see the outer city or the villages outside the city?"
"Excellent idea."
Chu Chen nodded in agreement and then beckoned to a Jin Yi Wei guard who had been trailing behind them, giving him instructions.
"What is this?"
"Arrange for personnel to ensure our safety. I don't want to be assassinated in the outer city like last time."
"Alright."
Mentioning assassination, 馨月 still felt a pang of fear.
Soon, the two stood at the gate of the inner city.
The difference between the inner and outer cities was stark. If the inner city was a heavenly paradise, the outer city was a living hell. Unlike the orderly houses of the inner city, the houses in the outer city were mostly built with wood, thatch, and mud, appearing unsafe and crooked.
"This is the outer city?" 馨月 asked incredulously, looking at the crowds on the street wearing patched clothes and with sallow complexions. How could such a tragic scene exist at the foot of the emperor's palace?
"Uh~ There are always the poor and the rich everywhere. Try to look at it optimistically. At least these people's clothes aren't tattered; they're all patched. And their complexions are just pale from malnutrition, not deathly white," Chu Chen comforted her. Even in the advanced society of the 21st century, the capital of the world's strongest nation had homeless people. It was even more normal in this ancient,异世界 setting.
Despite knowing this logic, Princess 馨月 still felt a pang of sadness. She believed it was the responsibility of the royal family to ensure their subjects lived good lives.
Walking through the somewhat narrow alleys with Princess 馨月, they looked around. There were shops in the outer city, but calling them shops was a stretch; they were more like stalls with a shelf and a wooden plank outside their doors, displaying items for sale. The variety of goods was also very limited.
Their arrival caused the residents of the outer city to look at them with a mixture of fear and curiosity, cautiously observing the two noble guests. After walking for a while without any significant change, they realized that the outer city was generally like this. They decided not to proceed further, as their presence was making the residents uncomfortable and uneasy.
Princess Li 馨月, feeling down, said, "We've seen enough here. Shall we go back?"
"Yes, but before we go back, let's understand their living conditions here." Chu Chen patted her hand and walked towards a household on the street.
What does this noble want? Why is he going to Old Deng's house? Could he be related to Old Deng? Or has Old Deng run into trouble? The people who had been secretly observing Chu Chen and 馨月 were startled and grew anxious. Their fear and anxiety were not due to the brocade robes of Chu Chen and 馨月, but because eight soldiers in armor were following them.