Drinking

The eight dishes on the table, one by one, perfectly matched the dishes Yin Yunze had mentioned earlier.

The rich aroma eagerly filled their nostrils, causing them to involuntarily salivate.

At that moment, Yin Yunze picked up a piece of stir-fried beef with scallions and put it in his mouth.

After savoring the beef and swallowing it, Yin Yunze, seeing the three staring blankly at the dishes, feigned surprise and asked, "Are you not eating? Is it because these dishes don't suit your taste?"

"No, no, no, it's perfect!"

"We... we were just seeing things!"

"Lord Fox Immortal, this is the first time I've ever seen such abundance..."

It featured beef, mutton, pork, chicken, duck, and fish; even the vegetarian dishes contained minced meat. Not to mention the two soups that sounded incredibly fancy.

It could be said that among the three, even Peng Shulan, the head constable, had never eaten such a sumptuous meal.

Putting aside other things, the slaughter of oxen was prohibited in ancient times. Even if an ox did die of disease or injury, it was not something that a poor constable like Peng Shulan could afford.

The table set up by Yin Yunze would only cost a few hundred yuan in modern times. But in this world, it was equivalent to two or three months' salary for Peng Shulan.

Modern society's abundant resources and cheap labor costs, even in their slightest manifestation, represent a devastating blow to ancient societies.

Thinking back to the seemingly playful doodles on the blank paper, the three of them couldn't help but wonder if this was a dream or an illusion.

After all, in the eyes of the world, fox spirits are masters of Illusion Technique and deception. Even if Yin Yunze is different from ordinary fox spirits, isn't he still a fox spirit?

The most impatient of them all, Song Ran, pinched himself hard. He pinched so hard that he couldn't help but cry out in pain.

Peng Shulan, true to his position as a constable, was the boldest of the three and was the first to pick up his chopsticks.

What's surprising is that Peng Shulan, despite her rough exterior, picked up the same stir-fried beef with scallions that Yin Yunze had eaten.

It was something Yin Yunze tasted himself, so it can't be fake, right?

However, before actually putting it in his mouth, Peng Shulan paused for a moment before putting it in.

However, as he carefully applied pressure with his mouth, and the rich flavors exploded in his mouth, Peng Shulan's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Delicious! Even the chef at the Immortal-Welcoming Pavilion Restaurant in the city can't compare to this dish!"

Hearing Peng Shulan's praise, Yin Yunze was not surprised.

In this ancient society, how many skilled chefs could a county town possibly have?

The ancient techniques for enhancing flavor and freshness, which were kept secret, are completely outclassed by modern seasonings.

The chicken soup that the ancients painstakingly simmered all day might not be as delicious as modern chicken soup made with just a couple of spoonfuls of chicken bouillon and water.

With the vast array of modern seasonings, even a simple stone stir-fried in oil can be made into a delicious dish that people in this world exclaim.

"If you like it, then eat more. Don't worry, it's all edible, not my Illusion Technique."

Hearing Yin Yunze say that, Peng Shulan hesitated for a moment and chose other dishes. This time, she reached for the chopped chili fish head.

Although Peng Shulan had eaten fish before, this was the first time Peng Shulan had ever seen such a large fish head cooked as a dish. The fish head, which was a foot long, looked to weigh about 20 pounds! And the pickled peppers sprinkled on top gave it a rich aroma.

However, after putting the fish in his mouth, Peng Shulan grimaced as he ate it.

Clearly, Peng Shulan had never eaten such spicy food before and wasn't used to it. However, after the initial spiciness subsided, Peng Shulan couldn't resist picking up another piece of fish and eating it with a grimace.

Seeing that Yin Yunze and Peng Shulan had started eating, especially Peng Shulan was beginning to struggle with the huge fish head, Song Zhao and Song Ran, who were just there to accompany them, also picked up their chopsticks and each took a piece of beef.

Immediately, their eyes widened in surprise!

"So this is the food that the Lord Fox Immortal eats!"

"This, this is simply heavenly food!"

Seeing the three people's reactions, Yin Yunze didn't say anything more and first fed Zhao Wan.

Fortunately, he was just a child, and soon Yin Yunze felt full.

Putting down his chopsticks, Yin Yunze poured himself a glass of grape juice, then raised his glass and said, "You all only eat food and don't drink alcohol, do you think my wine is no good?"

Upon hearing Yin Yunze's words, Peng Shulan quickly picked up the wine jar and poured a cup for himself, Song Zhao Song Ran.

Looking at the Fox Immortal Wine, which was completely different from the cloudy wine they usually drank, as clear as well water, yet exuding a strong aroma, Peng Shulan and the other two were amazed.

However, having already enjoyed those substantial dishes, the three of them naturally no longer harbored the initial wariness towards the drinks.

Without giving the three much time to observe, Yin Yunze raised his glass and said, "I'll drink first as a sign of respect!"

As he spoke, Yin Yunze drank the juice in his glass in one gulp and showed the bottom of the glass to prove that he hadn't cheated.

Although it might seem comical for a ten-year-old girl to be doing these things, like a child imitating an adult, the three of them didn't find anything wrong with Yin Yunze, the fox spirit, doing it.

Seeing Yin Yunze drink it all in one gulp, the three of them also poured a glass of baijiu into their mouths without saying a word.

The next moment, with two loud "pfft" sounds, Song Zhao and Song Ran couldn't help but spit out the wine in their mouths.

Instantly, a layer of wine mist settled over the table of delicious food.

This is why Yin Yunze wanted to eat his fill first.

Furthermore, Song Zhao and Song Ran, caught off guard, choked and coughed incessantly.

Compared to the other two, Peng Shulan's performance was far superior. Although his face stiffened after taking a sip, he still managed to swallow the entire glass of wine with a contorted expression.

Seeing this, Yin Yunze was immediately filled with respect. This was a true man!

As if frozen in time, it took Peng Shulan a long while to finally manage to utter, "Good wine!"

The alcohol content of modern baijiu is still a bit too high for these lower-class people who can only afford to drink cloudy liquor. Of course, we cannot rule out the possibility that Yin Yunze was malicious and deliberately bought high-proof baijiu.

"Heh heh!" Seeing the three of them like this, Yin Yunze laughed loudly without any politeness, "This wine needs to be savored little by little! The way you drink it is truly like oxen chewing on peonies."

"Why didn't you say so earlier! You're such a wicked fox spirit!"

Seeing Yin Yunze's gleeful expression, Peng Shulan and the other two knew perfectly well that they had been tricked by Yin Yunze.

It is said that fox spirits love to play tricks on mortals, and the ancients were right!

However, after this little incident, the atmosphere at the dinner table suddenly became much more relaxed.

At least after learning that Yin Yunze wasn't such an aloof immortal, the pressure on Peng Shulan and the other two was greatly reduced.

After smacking their lips, Peng Shulan and the other two had to admit that the wine was indeed good.

Although they had been tricked, Peng Shulan and the other two poured themselves another glass.

This time, however, they learned their lesson and began to carefully savor the details, just as Yin Yunze had instructed.

But when you change how you drink it, the charm of this baijiu is revealed.

With expressions of pure bliss, Peng Shulan and the other two paid no heed to the fact that the food and wine on the table had been contaminated by the drinks Song Ran and Song Zhao had consumed. They continued eating and drinking, taking bites of food and sips of wine.

Because of Yin Yunze's presence, the three of them remained silent, making the atmosphere somewhat dull.

But precisely because of this, with less idle chatter, their eating speed increased. Unconsciously, the three of them began to have slightly flushed faces, and their hands and feet were no longer as nimble.

Seeing that the time was right, Yin Yunze asked, "Peng Shulan, how does my wine and food taste?"

"The wine is excellent! The food is excellent too!"

In his semi-drunken state, Peng Shulan lost his previous caution and waved his hand, saying, "I, Peng, have never eaten anything better than this in my entire life! Compared to the food and wine you, Lord Fox Immortal, have given me, what I ate for the first half of my life was nothing but pig swill! No, even worse than pig swill! I..."

Yin Yunze didn't mind Peng Shulan's rambling.

After all, if it weren't for this, how could Peng Shulan have revealed what Yin Yunze wanted to know?

Looking at the dazed Peng Shulan, Yin Yunze said, "Since you are satisfied, I have a few questions that I hope you can answer for me."