Volume 3: Fellow villagers, let’s farm together~ Chapter 88 Xiao Yun's Confusion
Xiao Yun didn't do anything too troublesome. It was just a bonfire party on the beach. What could be more fun than barbecued skewers?
A six-month-old lamb was bled and slaughtered, sliced into slices, marinated and skewered; the fresh leeks, radishes and potatoes brought specially were sliced into slices and skewered; the tender rabbit meat and squirrel meat were skinned and the bones were broken, then sliced into pieces with the skin bones and skewered; the snake meat was cut into sections and skewered; the offshore fish and shrimp were skewered... In short, all the ingredients that could be obtained were processed, the meat was marinated, and those that could not be marinated were washed and all skewered.
Rabbits are easy to catch, but squirrel traps are a must for hunters. Put a wooden pole against a tree where squirrels live, and the squirrels will use the pole to climb the tree. Use thorns, vines, and other things on the pole to make a downward-pointing barb trap, and the squirrels can directly drill into it...
He made many kinds of barbecue skewers. When the fire was lit, he would set up a wire mesh and pick up a small brush made of his own hair (...) to brush the skewers with homemade soybean sauce, chili powder, Sichuan pepper powder, and cumin. When the wind blew, the smell would jump out arrogantly and whoever got caught in the smell would have to kneel down - at least half of the pocket money Xiao Yun earned as a tutor in college was spent on barbecue stalls.
Cumin, also known as fennel, is one of the edible spices produced in St. Bridget. It is not very popular because of its strong taste. When Prince Carlisle came to deliver samples, he put this thing inside fennel. It was Xiao Yun who smelled the familiar smell of this thing that made this barbecue perfect match come forward... He even asked Carlisle for seeds to plant.
Of the hundreds of elf warriors guarding the port, only a dozen were willing to give the Snow Wolf tribe face and attend the beach bonfire party at first. They were all friends of Hailin and Kai, or had participated in the escort team that sent gifts to the Snow Wolf tribe last time, and had confidence in the Snow Wolf tribe's food. When the smell of barbecue skewers was carried to the west by the sea breeze and enveloped most of the port, the elves who were on duty came out from all over, sniffing with pointed ears, asking each other what was going on, and their feet involuntarily walked towards the east...
The elf warriors who were still on duty also sniffed towards the east, their saliva secretion rising sharply...
General Kleist was relatively able to sit still. He endured the alluring aroma and forced himself to continue reading "The Bard's Travels" for more than ten minutes. When he stood up to pour water, he couldn't help but turn his feet. He turned out of the room, turned through the corridor, and turned to the lobby downstairs...
"General." In the lobby, the elf warrior on duty looked over eagerly.
"Well, you're the only ones here? Where are the others?" Crest looked around at the empty lobby.
"We're heading to the beach." The two elf warrior partners said enviously.
"..." Crest was silent for a moment, then walked out, "I'll go over and take a look."
The two elf warriors looked at Crest's back with envy...Ahhh, if it wasn't their turn on duty, they really wanted to go!
Kleist walked out of the hotel. The smell brought by the sea breeze was even more tempting. This fragrance seemed to have some kind of magic, making his feet unconsciously walk in the direction of the fragrance, walk, walk...
After passing two rows of cabins, the lively beach party scene illuminated by the bonfire appeared before our eyes:
A wire mesh is placed on top of a stove made of stones, and the mesh is covered with various kinds of grilled skewers. Several snow wolves are sweating profusely as they stand in front of the stove, brushing all kinds of sauces and spices on the skewers with palm-sized brushes. When the wind blows, the smoke rising from the wire mesh spreads along the wind, spreading the alluring aroma to the leeward side.
Almost all the elves who were not on duty came here, sitting or standing, scattered around the barbecue area in groups of two or three. The Snow Wolf warriors put the grilled skewers on iron trays and placed them on the long table made of logs and stones. As soon as a plate was put on the table, it was snatched up...
In addition to various types of grilled skewers, there are many jars and pots on the long table that was temporarily set up, and clean ceramic bowls are stacked on the side. People who are too spicy or too greasy can help themselves to soup; there are soups cooked with kelp and seaweed, as well as canned fruits chilled with nitrate ice water. All of them are very popular.
"General!" Helin, with a rosy face, noticed Kleist and immediately waved enthusiastically.
"..." Crest moved quickly and gracefully to the long table where Hailin was standing. He glanced at the table and asked calmly, "Is everyone here?"
Hailin chuckled. Just then, a Snow Wolf warrior came over with an iron tray. She rushed over without hesitation and snatched the tray from the many hands that stretched out their arms. She ignored everyone's angry complaints and handed the hot and fragrant kebab plate to Crest in a flattering manner: "General, try it. It's delicious."
Crest was very reserved and casually took a bunch of...
Hailin didn't say anything to persuade the general to take more. She turned her wrist and shoved the tray into the face of another elf warrior...
Sabrina, the most beautiful elf warrior in Ananas City, was an elf beauty with short golden hair and a bright smile. She grabbed most of the skewers on the tray with both hands, shared them with her friends, and took away the rest of the skewers on the tray...
"Hehehehe——" The bootlicker Hailin didn't care at all that he had nothing to eat, and smiled foolishly at the goddess. Sabrina finished a string of squirrel meat with bones and flesh attached in a few bites, smiled at Hailin, and stuffed a string of grilled lamb and a string of grilled potatoes into Hailin's hand.
Hailin's silly smile turned her handsome elf face into a funny one.
Crest: "..." He turned his face away silently. The love affair between young men was really a bit hurtful to the eyes.
He brought the skewer closer, the smell became even more lethal, and he bit off a piece of meat with reserve. Hmm... the tender texture seemed to be rabbit meat. Before he could chew it, the rich taste provided by the mixture of various spices and unknown sauces exploded in his mouth, stimulating the secretion of saliva and the appetite. He subconsciously speeded up the chewing action and did not even notice the process of "eating". The whole skewer of roasted rabbit meat was finished by Crest.
General Kleist, who was very particular about table manners, couldn't help licking his lips after eating the roasted rabbit meat... The little bit of spice on his lips made him miss the stimulating and unprecedented rich taste even more. His appetite was aroused, but - the tray in Helin's hand was already empty.
"..." General Crest looked at the bootlicker Hailin with a very serious look.
Another snow werewolf brought a tray over, and at that moment Helin was trying hard to tell jokes to Sabrina, making Sabrina laugh while eating, and she didn't notice the serious look of her general at all.
The plate of skewers was snatched away by the other elf warriors in less than two seconds.
Those who got the skewers happily shared them with their friends, and no one paid attention to the general who had nothing in his hands.
Crest: “…” Why is it so bad?
Since he couldn't count on these guys, Crest was indeed embarrassed to squeeze with these youngsters who were one or two hundred years old to grab the skewers. So he turned his attention to the snow werewolves who were barbecuing, and the focus was on the cub Ayun, who was particularly sensible and mature for his age.
The cub Ayun was fanning himself with a fan made of leaves in his left hand, and quickly flipping the skewers on the wire mesh with his right hand. From time to time, he would use a brush to dip spices on the skewers, and he was smiling and talking to the snow werewolves around him and the elves who had finished eating the skewers and were waiting to grab the next batch.
Kleist walked over without looking around.
"The general is here too!" Xiao Yun waved his fan-holding hand at Crest, and readily gave the elves' leader a backdoor. He grabbed a handful of freshly grilled skewers, put them on a plate, and handed them to Crest naturally, "We Snow Wolf Tribe are very confident in our food. General, please try it!"
Crest felt so relieved. You little bastards, look at me! Look at how my cubs behave!
Crest took the tray naturally, and he didn't say he would eat alone. He grabbed a small portion and shared it with the elf warriors waiting beside him, and then he started to enjoy it himself - roasted lamb is so delicious~! The taste of sliced potatoes is completely different when roasted~
We grill a lot of food every day, but why did we never think of making use of spices in this way?!
It is necessary to do spice business with St. Bridget.
After eating several skewers in a row, Crest's light green skin began to glow red, and beads of sweat could be seen on his forehead...all due to the spiciness. It was so hot and spicy that he couldn't help but exhale gently.
When Xiao Yun saw this situation, he winked at Chao Yu.
The reason why Yu has difficulty in handling things on his own is that he lacks decisiveness and is a bit indecisive when faced with urgent matters, but his advantages such as carefulness and good vision cannot be erased. He immediately brought a bowl of chilled canned fruit to the elf general.
The so-called barbecued skewers with iced drinks, even the emperor would not exchange them for this. Even the Chinese people, whose tongues have been bombarded, cannot refuse this enjoyment, not to mention Crest. After taking a sip of the refreshingly sweet and sour canned juice, the eyes of this elf general narrowed...
Seeing this, Xiao Yun was delighted and increased the intensity of his sugar-coated bombardment again - he asked Yu to bring a small stool and a small table to Crest, put a whole plate of grilled skewers on the table, and bring a whole can of iced fruit cans over, openly giving the elf general special treatment...
Others stood and watched, while he sat and ate. Of course, Crest felt a little embarrassed, so he asked two elves to sit with him. This time, when he started eating again, Crest enjoyed it and felt comfortable. No wonder Hailin's personality became so lively after meeting Ayun, the cub of the snow wolf tribe. She was no longer sharp-tongued and sarcastic. Making friends with such a knowledgeable and interesting person would make anyone open-minded~
After a barbecue party, even the most reserved elves would sweat profusely and forget their manners. In the second half of the night, when the soldiers on duty, who had been tempted by the smell of barbecue for several hours, rushed over to satisfy their curiosity and appetite, the atmosphere of the party reached a new high. Even the awkward guy Kai took the initiative to come over and learn how to barbecue from the Snow Wolf Man... The Snow Wolf Man is a good person who doesn't hide his own knowledge! They will teach anyone who wants to learn how to barbecue!
The people who were flipping the skewers and brushing the ingredients had all become elves, so Xiao Yun could finally take a break. After wiping the sweat off his face, he quickly squeezed to General Crest's table. Without the general saying anything, he explained the essence of grilling skewers: the meat must be marinated and the ingredients must be sufficient. He also suggested that the general could grill skewers for his family when he returned to the city - most elves over 300 years old have families, and this elf in front of him, who looked like Rhinete, was also a handsome guy who got married early.
Modern people dislike the abuse of spices and pursue returning to nature and the original flavor of ingredients. However, the premise of abuse is that the social environment has had a relatively long period of overcapacity and rampant spice production... This does not exist in this world. It's not that the world's spice production is so low that it is as expensive as gold, but that logistics cannot keep up and there is a relatively bad trade monopoly. The garlic and ginger in St. Brigid's plantation can be piled up to rot, and on the grassland, you can't even get decent salt.
The elves were not short of basic spices, as they could produce garlic and ginger by themselves. However, they had never tasted spices that only grew in the south, such as chili peppers and cumin. They also had no idea what the skills of using existing spices to make sauces were, such as heavy-flavored and irritating soy sauce, vinegar, garlic sauce, bean paste, barbecue sauce, etc. This was exactly the ultimate goal of Xiao Yun's barbecue party: he planned to process the spices exchanged from St. Bridget into sauces, package them using the same sealing process as canned fruit, and then sell them.
This kind of product, which collects raw materials, processes them and then sells them, is not suitable for sale on the grassland. After all, the grassland tribes are poor and their purchasing power cannot be relied upon... Therefore, the target customer groups can only be the three groups that the Snow Wolf Tribe can currently contact: one is to sell back to Saint Bridge, the second is to promote it to the elves, and the third is to see if the sea tribe has any willingness to buy.
In other words, this bonfire party is actually a trade fair...
Honey garlic sauce, mix the mashed garlic with honey in the ratio of eight to two, put it into jars and place it in a dark place to ferment. The fermentation process is similar to that of soy sauce, but the time is shorter than soy sauce, and it can be done in seven to ten days. After fermentation, divide it into bottles and scoop it out with a spoon and add salt when using. As long as it is not exposed to light and should be stored in a ventilated and cool place as much as possible, it can be stored for three to six months.
In addition to this sauce, whose main customers are the elves, there are also bottled vinegar and soy sauce, and fist-sized ceramic jars of bean paste. After several items were placed on the table, General Crest took the initiative to ask about the price without Xiao Yun trying hard to sell them...
Xiao Yun was honest: "Honey garlic sauce is quite expensive. If the general doesn't mind, we hope to settle it with gold. One gram of gold is worth ten kilograms, which can be converted into equivalent copper. Soy sauce can be cheaper. One gram of gold is worth three hundred kilograms, and one gram of vinegar is worth one hundred kilograms, which can also be converted into equivalent copper. As for bean paste, since the production process is more complicated, we hope to get fifty kilograms of gold per gram... Canned fruit is easy to deal with. After all, the raw material is fruit. You can exchange it with us and we will make some processing fees."
Xiao Yun had thought about this price for a long time before coming up with it. Without precious metals to establish a monetary circulation system, it would be difficult to survive long-term by relying solely on barter. The gold mines in the northern continent were either in the hands of the dragons or the elves...so this business could only be done with the elves.
After all, the consumption of honey garlic sauce and bean paste is not large, so they can be sold at a slightly higher price. The real bulk of sales goes to soy sauce and vinegar - the raw materials for these two things are soybeans and water, and you make money by selling them. The greater the output, the lower the cost, the more money you make... Especially soy sauce, even if the transportation loss is included in the cost, the net profit is still frighteningly high!
General Crest's narrow eyes widened again - a standard gold coin weighs ten grams, and one gold coin can be exchanged for three thousand kilograms of soy sauce?! Can it be exchanged for one thousand kilograms of vinegar?! If you do business like this, won't your Snow Wolf tribe lose so much that you can only sell your underwear?!
"Uh... General?" Xiao Yun, who was full of confidence, became a little uneasy when he saw that Crest's reaction was not right. Damn, did he ask for too high a price?
"Ayun, has this price also been agreed upon by the two chiefs of your tribe?" General Crest had a friendly look on his face, and was very worried that the cub in front of him was asking for money without the consent of the chiefs.
"Uh... yes." Xiao Yun said with a stiff face, thinking for a moment and pretending to be confused, "General, is this price unreasonable?"
General Crest stared at him for a few seconds, picked up the canned iced fruit juice and took a sip - so tangled! It was not in the interests of the elves to actively help the other party raise the price. As an elf general, he could not do this. However, he felt his conscience was stinging when he bought the sauce made by the poor and kind Snow Wolf tribe with such a low price!
What should I do? I am so worried!
Xiao Yun was also confused. Wasn't it said that the elves had abundant gold reserves? Could it be that Hailin, that unreliable guy, was just bragging? !
But asking him to lower the price on his own initiative won't work - that's not how you do business!
The two of them just sat there in silence across the table... The elf warriors at the same table were frightened by the heavy atmosphere and quietly got up and left.
The sea breeze blew for a while. General Kleist raised his hand to tidy up his curly hair that was messed up by the wind, and broke the silence with a complicated expression: "In this case... I will send someone back to the tribe to ask for the opinions of the Council of Elders."
Xiao Yun thought of the elf elder Gwendolyn who had inexplicably sent his family a bunch of gifts. His expression remained unchanged, but he felt a little relieved... If that funny elder was allowed to make the final decision, he wouldn't lower the price too much.
So after handing the sample to General Crest, Xiao Yun stayed in the port for a few days to relax... One was to continue to make friends with the elf warriors to obtain information about the forest elves, and the other was to wait for the Elder Council to send someone to negotiate the price.
General Crest sent back the good buddy pair of Hailin and Kai. He couldn't count on Kai, but as for Hailin, Xiao Yun had spent a long time teaching him how to use sauces for seasoning. As long as this guy still regarded him as a friend, the Council of Elders would definitely know that the things in those bottles and jars were all good stuff.
He waited only five days before the Ananas Council of Elders sent someone.
Of course, the elders would not come in person just to do business with the Snow Wolf Tribe, as that would be cheap, so the one they sent was... Elder Gwendolyn's disciple, a female elf wizard with an extremely beautiful appearance, more beautiful than Yumi, but unfortunately with green skin and deformed ears.
This female elf mage in a white robe came riding a big bird. Yes, it was a very big, fat bird, as fat as Balk's colorful pet. When Xiao Yun heard the elf warrior's call, he ran out of the wooden house and looked up at the sky. He was very suspicious about how such a fat bird could fly, and it was carrying a female elf...
This big bird , was hovering over the port, and the female elven wizard in a white robe jumped down by herself... Halfway through the jump, some invisible force held her body up, and she slowly fell down, floating to the ground like a fairy. Xiao Yun's eyelids twitched when he saw it - no, Balk was not so easy when playing wind element magic, and the movement was very loud. It turned out that he was not good at playing magic at all? !
As soon as the little leather boots on the female elf's feet touched the ground, she eagerly asked the surrounding elf warriors: "Where is Ayun, the cub of the Snow Wolf Clan?"
These soldiers got along with Xiao Yun like brothers, and someone immediately called Xiao Yun to come forward.
Xiao Yun pretended to be a nervous teenager and walked forward cautiously. When he saw the face of the female elf wizard, he naturally made an expression of surprise... When dealing with female customers, you must show that you appreciate one of their strengths. When a woman is in a good mood, she will be more willing to say anything!
The female elf mage's gaze paused on Xiao Yun, and the corner of her mouth twitched slightly... They really did send a cub out to negotiate a deal. The style of the Snow Wolf Tribe is really rough and heroic.
Silently looking away, the female elf suddenly understood Crest's complicated feelings. It was so embarrassing to shamelessly take advantage of the cub's ignorance!
Xiao Yun: “…” What the hell, he’s pretending to be so harmless, why isn’t he buying it?
"Take me to see General Crest." The female elf turned away and didn't look at him. "This... Ayun, please come as well."
Xiao Yun had no choice but to maintain his good character and follow stiffly.
This time, General Crest strangely did not hold the meeting openly in the lobby, but instead asked the soldiers on duty to bring the female elf mage and Xiao Yun to his room.
Xiao Yun sat down nervously, pretending to be uneasy and secretly looking at Crest and the female elf mage, and especially threw a few dependent eyes at Crest, like a young man looking at an elder...
Crest, the guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, actually looked away guiltily.
Xiao Yun: "..." I misjudged you! All handsome guys are bastards!
Three people sat in three single armchairs, each more silent than the last.
"...You go out first and close the door. Don't let anyone get close to the corridor." Crest gave orders to the soldiers on duty.
“?!” Xiao Yun was confused. Wait, this is not the style of you elves!
The soldier went out, the door closed, and then there was the sound of footsteps going away.
Xiao Yun began to reflect bitterly on whether he had been too smooth sailing in recent times and his vigilance had dropped. If someone attacked him later, would he transform into a wolf and jump out the window or break the door? He hadn't done anything to offend the elves, had he? How did it come to this? ! What's wrong with you elves! !
Crest and the female elf mage remained silent, until Xiao Yun's forehead was covered with sweat. When he was hesitating whether to strike first, the female elf mage finally made a move. She turned her head away from Xiao Yun and pulled out a roll of exquisite parchment from somewhere: "This is the magic contract signed by the Council of Elders of Ananas... for the transaction with the Snow Wolf Tribe. If there is no objection... it will be established once signed."
Xiao Yun's face turned serious. A magic contract was different from a contract that could be torn up at any time. It was governed by the so-called "law of language" and the cost of breach of contract was very high. Balk had mentioned this to him specifically - the green dragons had signed a magic contract when they borrowed the forest elves' territory, and the newly born dragons had to abide by the terms of the contract and were not allowed to act recklessly when they encountered a lone forest elf.
If these pointy-eared people want to play any tricks, they have to follow the terms of the contract. Xiao Yun took the parchment roll seriously and spread his hands... There is no text on the magic contract. It is a magic that leaves something like "consciousness" on the carrier. The way of "seeing" is similar to accepting the thoughts left by the writer on the carrier.
Two minutes later, Xiao Yun looked up in confusion... The content of the thoughts left on this magic contract was not long. He chewed it over and over again. The content on it was no different from the content when he made an offer to Crest. There was no hidden unfair clause at all. It was just a repetition of his words and then recorded on the parchment in the form of thoughts.
Looking to the left at Crest who was looking down in deep thought, and to the right at the female elf mage who turned her head away and faced him with the back of her head, Xiao Yun had only one thought running through his mind: What is wrong with you elves? !
