Early the next morning, after finishing breakfast, Qin Ke hurried to the fields with his people. He squatted down to examine the base of the stalks. They had already withered and thinned; the skin at the base had turned from green to dark brown, and the leaves along the middle and lower sections had yellowed.
These were clear signs that the potatoes had entered their mature stage.
He picked up a hoe and gently pried open the soil, digging around the base of one plant. Five or six round potatoes rolled out, each about the size of Qin Ke's palm.
He placed them into the basket Han Qi was carrying, then stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, "Take these back carefully. While it hasn't snowed yet, recruit people from the village to harvest the rest."
"Master, I'm afraid no one knows how to harvest these potatoes," Han Qi said.
"First remove the vines. Have them cut the potato vines cleanly at the base with sickles," Qin Ke replied, deciding to leave the matter to Lei Zhong, who was now quite experienced with such tasks.
Harvesting potatoes required first removing the vines, then loosening the soil with tools so the potatoes emerged, after which they could simply be collected.
Moreover, harvested potatoes could not be left to dry in the sun; otherwise, their skins would turn green. Green potatoes not only looked unappealing but could also be dangerous to eat.
Qin Ke decided that at least half of the potatoes from these twenty mu of land would be reserved as seed stock. They couldn't rely on system seeds forever—true sustainability meant enabling the local people to become self-sufficient.
After all, giving someone a fish was never as good as teaching them how to fish.
Once the potato arrangements were settled, Qin Ke moved on to the greenhouses. Since the chili peppers were already ripe, he went first to inspect the chili greenhouse.
Lifting the curtain, he saw clusters of lush green leaves laden with large fruits—like strings of golden agate. The bright red chili peppers gleamed with an enticing sheen.
He picked one, took a small bite, and immediately tasted the numbing heat and spicy richness. The fiery flavor spread through his mouth, leaving a lingering aftertaste.
Seeing their master personally taste something so vividly colored, Han Qi and the others stared at him wide-eyed without blinking.
"Master… this?" someone asked hesitantly.
After nearly a year, Qin Ke finally tasted spice again. Savoring the numbing heat on his tongue, he smiled at their curious expressions and said, "You can try it too—but start with a small bite, in case you can't handle the heat."
Han Qi and Pei Xiu each picked one to taste.
Han Qi took a huge bite—half the chili at once. His tongue felt as though it had been set on fire. The burning sensation spread instantly, and he opened his mouth wide, desperately trying to cool it with air.
Seeing his eyes fill with tears and beads of sweat form on his forehead, Qin Ke burst out laughing.
Pei Xiu, far more cautious, only nibbled a tiny bit from the tip of the chili. Her reaction remained composed and dignified.
"I've never tasted anything like this before. What kind of dishes can this be used for?" Pei Xiu asked, already thinking ahead.
Qin Ke smiled mysteriously. "You'll find out soon enough."
They continued arranging the harvesting work. Chili peppers were easy to pick, and once harvested, they could be dried and stored for a long time.
Next came the tomatoes. Just as Pei Xiu had said, most were still green, though some had begun to blush red.
Finally, they reached the chive greenhouse. Since chives were a native crop, Pei Xiu kept a close watch on them, worried someone might secretly cut some to take home. After all, winter chives were extremely valuable, usually reserved for high-ranking officials and nobles.
"Once the chives are harvested, they can be sent directly to Caiyue Pavilion. I've already spoken with the family head—they'll purchase them at market price," Pei Xiu suggested, lowering her gaze.
Qin Ke wasn't particularly fond of chives to begin with. Aside from using them as filling, he couldn't think of many appealing dishes, so he nodded. "That works. Let's do as you say."
He had no intention of collaborating with other restaurants anyway.
After completing the inspection, it was already noon. Everything that needed arranging had been settled.
The people under his command—Nanqiao, Han Qi, Lei Zhong—had all grown capable through practice. These small matters could easily be entrusted to them.
However… Qin Ke glanced at Pei Xiu. What he truly lacked was high-level management talent—someone like her, educated and literate.
He had only asked her to manage things temporarily, yet she had brought everything into impeccable order, with records that were clear, thorough, and well organized.
He really wanted to recruit her.
Pei Xiu, however, had no idea Qin Ke was already considering bringing her under his wing. Her mind was filled instead with curiosity about how potatoes and chili peppers could be cooked.
That day, Lu Youqing was in the study reviewing the household accounts. As soon as Qin Ke returned home, he went straight to her to share the day's results.
"Oh? You seem quite excited," she said, stopping her abacus and resting her chin on her hand as she looked at him with a faint smile. "I wonder just how good it tastes."
Since the academy exam, Lu Youqing had relaxed considerably and no longer kept herself constantly tense as before.
"Heh, just wait and see," Qin Ke said, equally excited. Seeing something familiar in a foreign world stirred emotions that were hard to put into words.
Rolling up his sleeves, he headed straight for the kitchen, eager to show off his skills.
After more than half a year, his mouth had been so bland it might as well have grown feathers. Now that he finally had something new, he couldn't wait to taste it.
He sent Lei Zhong to buy a fish, planning to make boiled fish in chili sauce to test everyone's tolerance for spicy food. Fortunately, he had bought some soybeans earlier and sprouted bean sprouts. Even while he was away, Han Qi and the others had kept them going.
In winter, this was one of their few available vegetables.
While waiting for Lei Zhong to return with the fish, Qin Ke also stewed some pork—this time adding chunks of potato.
Of the few potatoes Han Qi had brought back, he used half in the stew. The rest he shredded into a cold potato salad, drizzled with fried chili oil, and added just a touch of sugar to balance the flavor. It was crisp, refreshing, and appetizing.
By the time that dish was finished, the pork was already simmering in the pot, and Lei Zhong returned with the fish.
Qin Ke removed the head and teeth, filleted the fish, separated the flesh from the bones, then sliced the meat. He marinated the slices with a bit of salt, rice wine, and egg white for half an hour to enhance flavor and tenderness.
He heated oil in a wok, stir-fried Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, scallions, garlic, and other aromatics, added seasonings and water, cooked the fish slices, and finally added the bean sprouts.
The aroma of chili filled the entire kitchen and drifted out through the window into the courtyard. Drawn by the scent, Lu Youqing could no longer sit still. She rose and went to the kitchen doorway, where a small crowd had already gathered, all lured there by the fragrance.
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