Chapter 567: Chapter 567: Outdoor Barbecue

Qin Yao looked at the eagerly awaiting Song Zhang and his family, "We have a chopping knife at home. Could the two guards go to the back mountain to cut down a couple of bamboo trees?"

The two sons of the Song Family immediately stepped forward and said, "Village Chief Qin, we’ll take them there!"

Qin Yao nodded, handed the chopping knife to them, pointed out the location, and instructed them to bring back bamboo, "Remember to trim the branches, we only need the bamboo stalks."

The Song brothers readily agreed. In the city, there’s no opportunity to run wild like this, so they eagerly grabbed the knife and headed towards the bamboo forest.

"And what about us?" Mrs. Song asked curiously.

Qin Yao invited the two and Miss Song into the living room, "Let’s sit and have a cup of tea first. Once they get the bamboo and lamb ready, it’ll be our turn."

As she spoke, she winked at the slightly disappointed Miss Song, "We’ll be doing delicate work later, so we need to restore our energy to its best state."

Miss Song looked up in surprise and, upon seeing Qin Yao’s affirmative smile, the disappointment in her eyes vanished, and she was suddenly full of anticipation for the delicate tasks ahead.

"I will do my best!" she earnestly promised Qin Yao.

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the two young men from the Song Family led the guards back, carrying the bamboo.

Ah Wang’s speed was also impressive, as the lamb was already slaughtered in this short time.

Da Lang and Si Niang also returned from the Lotus Courtyard, saying that Gongliang Liao and Qi Xian had already agreed to let them use the viewing platform at the Lotus Courtyard and were looking forward to joining the barbecue party.

With both the materials and location settled, Qin Yao sent Da Lang and Si Niang back to the Lotus Courtyard and asked Shi Tou and the others to prepare the charcoal stove and tables and chairs, as today’s barbecue party would be held at the entrance of the Lotus Courtyard.

With such great weather, of course, we must have an outdoor barbecue.

Qin Yao indicated to the Song couple and Miss Song, who were drinking tea, that they could start working, and they went into the courtyard, gesturing for everyone to carry the lamb and bamboo with her to the Lotus Courtyard.

Song Zhang never imagined he could have such a surprising gain; when he came, he was still discussing with his sister about how to pay a visit to Gongliang Liao, the Great Scholar, and now he was about to see him in person.

Song Zhang couldn’t help but feel excited and remembered that Liu Ji was also a Great Scholar’s Disciple, so he rolled up his sleeves and joined Ah Wang and Liu Ji, wanting to first inquire about the Great Scholar’s preferences from the Disciple.

Everyone was holding something; the children carried stools and chairs, and Qin Yao carried the long table from her house, planning to use it as a workstation.

Liu Ji, Ah Wang, and Song Zhang carried the slaughtered lamb, while Mrs. Li carried a big pot full of lamb bones, intending to make lamb soup in the Lotus Courtyard kitchen later.

Mrs. Song and Miss Song, not wanting to seem out of place, carried baskets full of fresh vegetables.

The large group of people marched to the Lotus Courtyard, and under Qin Yao’s direction, they quickly set up a barbecue area.

Shi Tou and Ah Gu also brought out all the movable tables and chairs from the courtyard, adding the ones brought from Qin Yao’s home, setting up three sets of tables and chairs.

In front of each table, there was a charcoal stove with a wire rack taken from Qin Yao’s home’s oven on top.

The maids from the Qi Family brewed fragrant tea, with a pot per table, and added plenty of melons and fruits. At first glance, it looked just like an outdoor banquet.

However, unlike usual banquets, today’s food all depended on their own efforts, with no servants to serve it ready to eat.

In front of the large workstation, everyone rolled up their sleeves and, under Qin Yao’s arrangement, worked together to start skewering the lamb kebabs.

Ah Wang chopped the meat, Liu Ji marinated the meat, and Qin Yao and Shi Tou, among others, cut the bamboo skewers, while the Song couple and their eldest daughter were in charge of skewering the meat.

As for the four Da Lang siblings, they had long taken Qi Xian and the two young men from the Song Family to run wild in the countryside.

Gongliang Liao, as the eldest, didn’t have to do any of the work; he simply stayed in his wheelchair, drinking hot tea, basking in the sun, watching the bustling crowd in front of him.

This kind of leisure is indescribable; Gongliang Liao felt that if there was just one day in his life like this, with his closest ones nearby, watching them frolic, he would have no regrets in life.

All three charcoal stoves were lit, and Qin Yao handed over the task of cutting bamboo skewers to Shi Tou and the others. She washed her hands with water taken from the riverbank, picked up the skewered meat, and began to demonstrate for everyone.

The house always had chili, pepper, cumin, and other seasonings. Qin Yao also brought along two jars of honey from home, offering sweet, spicy, and numbing flavors, satisfying whatever taste everyone preferred.

The black goat that Song Zhang brought was quite fatty, and after marinating, most of the gamey smell was gone.

Following Qin Yao’s instructions, the Song family skewered one piece of lean meat and one piece of fat meat alternately, and Qin Yao placed them on the wire rack, fanning with one hand and grilling with the other. Under the intense heat, the lamb kebabs sizzled, emitting a fragrant aroma that made everyone swallow their saliva.

It didn’t end there. When the meat was half-cooked, Qin Yao brushed on a layer of honey, continued grilling until it was seventy percent cooked, then sprinkled on the seasoning and a handful of scallions, before placing it in the pre-prepared porcelain plate when it was eighty percent done.

"Come and try it!" Qin Yao gestured for everyone to come over. It had been a long time since she’d done a barbecue, but smelling today’s grill, the taste shouldn’t be bad.

"The things made by my wife will surely not disappoint!" Liu Ji exclaimed, even before tasting, picking up a skewer and giving it a deep sniff.

A scent, different from usual meat dishes, wafted into his nostrils, easily stirring up one’s appetite.

Liu Ji eagerly opened his mouth and took a big bite. The alternating fatty and lean meat offered a rich texture, with sweet, spicy, and numbing flavors bursting in the mouth at once, stimulating the taste buds and making one crave more.

"How is it?" Song Zhang inquired.

Liu Ji was too engrossed to answer, taking another big bite, his free hand reaching for more cooked skewers on the plate.

Though eating this kind of skewer for the first time, Liu Ji instinctively unlocked its best eating posture, alternating bites with gusto, the satisfied chewing sounds making nearby onlookers swallow in envy.

Finally, after devouring two lamb skewers, Liu Ji tossed the stick aside, wiping his mouth with satisfaction, proclaiming, "Delicious! Absolutely delicious!"

Then, he picked up two more skewers, offering one to Qin Yao with a proud wink, "Wife, you must try what you’ve made yourself. I find it amazing that there could be someone in this world both adept in the living room and in the kitchen like you!"

The other skewer was offered to Gongliang Liao, like a treasure, "Teacher, eat it while it’s hot. The hotter, the more fragrant! These kebabs are truly exquisite!"

Gongliang Liao feigned composure, nonchalantly acknowledging with a hum, using his handkerchief to hold the skewer before taking a bite.

But after the first bite, the old man’s eyes lit up instantly.

Liu Ji just looked back to see the reaction of the Song couple to the lamb skewer, and when he turned back, there was only a stick left in the old man’s hand.

"Teacher, where’s the meat?" Liu Ji asked in shock.

Gongliang Liao licked the oil from the corners of his mouth and handed him the bare stick, "Go and get five skewers... no, ten skewers, bring ten more here!"

Quietly observing everyone’s reactions, a smile appeared on Qin Yao’s lips. She knew it—no human could resist barbecue.