A Beef Dish

Chu Qingzhi was picking vegetables in the garden, knowing that Tang Jinghong would return today. She specifically went to pick some of Tang Jinghong’s favorite vegetables.

Tang Jinghong came looking for Chu Qingzhi. “Qingzhi.”

Hearing his voice, Chu Qingzhi turned her head, her face immediately lighting up with a smile. She walked towards Tang Jinghong, “When did you arrive?” “Just now. I came to find you as soon as I got back,” Tang Jinghong said, his gaze tenderly fixed on Chu Qingzhi. It seemed to him that Qingzhi had become even more beautiful in just a few days.

Chu Qingzhi said, “Wait for me a moment. I’ll just finish picking these vegetables, and then we can go back.”

“Okay.” Speaking of food, Tang Jinghong mysteriously said, “I brought something back for you.”

Chu Qingzhi’s curiosity was piqued, “Wait for me. I’ll be right back to see.” Saying this, she went back to where she had left her basket, quickly picked some more vegetables, and said, “Let’s go home.”

Upon returning home, Chu Qingzhi saw two boxes placed in the main hall, “Is this what you brought back?”

Tang Jinghong nodded, his eyes filled with gentle affection, “I brought something back for everyone. The thing I mentioned is also in these boxes.” Chu Qingzhi opened both boxes with curiosity.

… Beef!

A whole piece of beef from the loin, weighing about fifty pounds, surrounded by ice to keep it very fresh.

Chu Qingzhi was surprised, “Isn’t beef not allowed to be eaten? Where did this come from?”

Tang Jinghong explained, “Beef can be eaten, but it must be slaughtered by the officials. The beef I brought back was from a cow that died accidentally. I remembered you mentioned a while ago that beef tasted very good, so I got some for you.”

Chu Qingzhi felt touched. She had casually mentioned liking beef a long time ago, and Jinghong had remembered it all this time, “I’ll cook you a steak later.” Tang Jinghong looked forward with some anticipation, “Sounds good.” Chu Qingzhi took the beef to the kitchen to start preparing for the steak.

Tang Jinghong watched from the side.

After a while, Chu Qingzhi had marinated the beef and said to Tang Jinghong,

“I’m going to pick some dill. Do you want to come with me?”

Tang Jinghong nodded, “Let’s go together.”

Dill was a wild herb found abundantly near the workshop area.

As they headed to the workshop area, Tang Jinghong, seeing the workshop that had grown in scale, remarked with some emotion, “The workshop is getting more and more impressive.”

“It does give me a sense of accomplishment.”

The two walked towards the back of the workshop area. The two wolves saw Chu Qingzhi and followed.

Tang Jinghong petted one of the wolves, “It hasn’t been that long since I last saw you, and you’ve grown so much.” He turned to Chu Qingzhi, “What about the other wolf?”

Chu Qingzhi replied, “It was given to the Xu siblings. They even named it Xiao Ye.”

Remembering something Ren Buqing asked her, she said, “Ren Buqing wants a wolf. I had Da Bai and the others bring back four wolf pups. You can take them to him when you go back to the capital. Raising the pups from a young age will make them more friendly towards people.”

Tang Jinghong nodded, “Leave it to me.”

After walking a bit further, Chu Qingzhi became excited.

The ground was covered with many white mushrooms, densely packed, amounting to about three or four pounds, “Wait here for me. I’ll go to the workshop to get a basket to collect these mushrooms.”

Tang Jinghong stopped her, “I’ll go. You wait here for me.”

“That’ll do.”

As Tang Jinghong turned around, the two wolves had already run back to the workshop. When he reached the entrance of the workshop area, the younger wolf had already come out with a basket in its mouth.

“You two can actually understand human speech!” Tang Jinghong was surprised. Wolves are smart, but usually, they can only understand simple meanings. Yet, handling a basket seemed quite complex, but the two wolves had understood.

He returned to Chu Qingzhi’s location with the two wolves. “Qingzhi, I have an idea and I need your help.”

Chu Qingzhi took the basket to pick mushrooms. “Tell me, I’ll help you if I can.”

Tang Jinghong took another basket to pick mushrooms. “Could you train some animals that are not easily detected by others, but can understand human speech, and send them to gather military intelligence once they are trained?”

Chu Qingzhi replied with ease, “Sure, that’s simple.”

Tang Jinghong thought for a moment and said, “Qingzhi, then help me train some. Once they are ready, I’ll apply for military merits for you.”

Chu Qingzhi asked jokingly, “What kind of military merits can you apply for?” Tang Jinghong said seriously, “If they gather significant military intelligence, even a first-class military merit is possible. With a first-class merit, one can receive military rank, mansions, silver, and fertile land as rewards.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled. “That sounds quite generous.” She patted Tang Jinghong’s shoulder and said, “I’ll help you train them as soon as possible.”

“Qingzhi, thankyou.”

“You’re welcome.”

“By the way, Qingzhi, there’s something else I need to tell you.” Tang Jinghong remembered, “The assassins who tried to kill you on the official road were instructed by Lord Zhang. He paid the assassins five hundred thousand taels of silver. I’ve brought the money back for you and will give it to you later.”

“Five hundred thousand taels?” Chu Qingzhi laughed playfully, “My life is quite valuable, isn’t it?”

Tang Jinghong’s eyes turned cold. “Lord Zhang’s life is about to end. I will definitely avenge you.”

Chu Qingzhi nodded, “Rather than taking Lord Zhang’s life, I’d prefer to take

his money.”

For her, Lord Zhang’s life was of no use, but money was different. She always liked to save money.

When she was a child fleeing with her master, they were poor and often went from being hungry to full. At that time, she developed a peculiar craving for money.

After her cultivation level increased, she worked hard to save spirit stones. When she ascended, her space was filled with a huge mountain of spirit stones and countless treasures, indescribably rich.

Jang Jinghong laughed, “Then I’ll take out all the money from his private treasury for you.”

Chu Qingzhi jokingly asked, “Isn’t this an embezzlement?”

“You deserve it!” Tang Jinghong looked at Chu Qingzhi, “All the credit goes to

you.”

Chu Qingzhi smiled, “Then I’ll gladly accept.”

After picking mushrooms and dill, they returned home.

Back home, Tang Jinghong greeted Chu family, brought gifts, and then Li Qingyu pulled Chu Qingzhi aside with some fear, whispering, “Qingzhi, what kind of meat is in the kitchen?”

Beef,” Chu Qingzhi honestly replied, sharing the ins and outs with Li Qingyu.

Li Qingyu was relieved after hearing this, “I was scared to death when I saw the beef. Slaughtering an ox privately is punishable by imprisonment.”

Chu Qingzhi said, “Mother, Jinghong is a great general. How could he not know the law? If he brought it back, it must be through official channels. Don’t worry.”

Li Qingyu nodded, “Still, to avoid unnecessary trouble, let’s just eat it at home and not talk about it outside.”

Chu Qingzhi said in a coquettish tone, “I’ll have to trouble you to remind everyone.”

Li Qingyu looked at her daughter lovingly and agreed.

Chu Qingzhi cooked a steak for each person. Seeing Hong Yujun, Tang Jinghong asked Wen Shaoyuan to join them for a family reunion.