Quick Transmigration: Not My Story

chapter 11 The Cook Mistress（part 10）

At noon, as expected, everyone feasted on stir-fried hazel grouse and braised rabbit. There were nine people in total, and ordinarily, the food wouldn’t have been enough. However, Manager Lin’s culinary skills were exceptional—both dishes were bursting with flavor. A single spoonful of food mixed with rice was completely satisfying. After the meal, a layer of bright red sauce remained in the serving bowls. Luo Tietou and Zhao Liu quickly took out their steamed buns, dipping them bit by bit until the sauce was gone.

"Comfortable, really comfortable!" Luo Tietou lay on the grass, rubbing his belly. If every mission could be accompanied by Manager Lin, he’d be willing to travel all year round. That wouldn’t be hardship—it would be luxury.

"One hazel grouse is still a bit too little, not quite enough. How about we go hunt a few more later so Manager Lin can cook again tonight?" Zhao Liu suggested in a low voice.

"Sounds good to me. Since we’ve already hunted them, even if Manager Lin doesn’t like repeating dishes, she’ll have to make an exception. Wild game is best when freshly killed and cooked—that’s when it tastes the best." Luo Tietou smacked his lips, still savoring the taste of lunch.

The tall, handsome man cast them a glance but said nothing, clearly giving silent approval.

After resting for half an hour, the convoy resumed its journey. As they passed through a dense forest, Zhao Liu and Luo Tietou heard small animals scurrying through the underbrush. Without hesitation, they grabbed their bows and chased after them. They were determined to hunt more game for a hearty dinner.

The tall man merely glanced back but did not follow. A short while later, he sensed something was wrong. Just as he was about to instruct the driver to slow down, an arrow shot out of nowhere, striking one of the horses pulling the carriage. The sudden attack startled the rest of the horses, causing chaos. Some reared up while others neighed frantically, sending the convoy into disarray. Fortunately, the driver managed to rein them in and calm them down—otherwise, Manager Lin would have suffered a major loss.

But just because the goods were unharmed didn’t mean the situation was under control. Suddenly, more than a dozen burly men emerged from the thick forest, wielding machetes and bows—clearly a band of seasoned bandits.

The tall man immediately moved closer to Manager Lin’s carriage, speaking in a low voice, "Don’t resist. Go with them for now. Zhao Liu and Tietou are still behind us—they’ll find a way to rescue us." Though he was highly skilled in martial arts and could take on a dozen bandits without issue, there were too many people in the convoy for him to protect them all.

Lin Dan tapped her fingers against the carriage window, signaling her understanding.

The entire convoy, along with the carriages, was taken up the mountain. At the top, there was a small, crude bandit stronghold—five or six earthen houses enclosed by wooden fences. It was clear that the bandits had hastily built the settlement while on the run. Though it was still small in scale, if left unchecked for three to five years, it would surely become a major threat to the region.

Lin Dan's hands were tied as she stumbled forward, all the while silently counting the number of bandits. Judging by the size of the houses and what she had observed along the way, this was a small gang of around thirty men. Several kidn*pped women were also present, forced to do labor with blank, numb expressions.

After being led into the largest earthen house, a fierce-looking bandit strode over and gruffly asked, "Did we get anything good this time?"

"Damn it, just some pickled vegetables and dried goods—not worth a single coin!" One of the bandits spat before adding, "But at least we got three fine young women. The brothers will have a good time tonight!"

The bandit leader, initially disappointed, quickly broke into a lecherous grin when he saw Lin Dan and the other two women. "Good, good! Their skin may not be the fairest, but those figures are quite something!"

Having traveled extensively, Lin Dan had a well-toned physique. Her slender waist was tightly cinched with a cloth belt, accentuating her ample chest and curvaceous hips. Unlike the frail, sickly beauty that was fashionable at the time, her robust charm was uniquely alluring. She remained calm in the face of danger, but her servants erupted in furious curses. Their defiance earned them gagged mouths and a rough beating.

The tall man lifted his gaze to the bandit leader, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint.

Lin Dan cast her companions a reassuring look before speaking slowly, "Perhaps the chief is unaware, but my ancestors were imperial chefs. I learned a few skills from my father. If the chief is willing to release my servants, I would be happy to stay and cook for your men."

She had no illusions that these ruthless bandits would actually release anyone. Her true intent was to divert their attention. To ordinary folk, an imperial chef was someone they could only dream of meeting. If she could spark their curiosity, she could buy more time. And with time, there would be a chance to escape.

"You're an imperial chef?" The bandit leader's lecherous grin faded, replaced by intrigue.

"My master’s master was an imperial chef, and my father once served as the head chef for the Yongding Marquis' household," Lin Dan explained.

Hearing this, the bandit leader’s gaze changed. Both the emperor and the Yongding Marquis were figures beyond the reach of commoners. He pondered for a moment before saying, "How do I know you're telling the truth? As it happens, we recently stole two cows. If you can butcher them and prepare a meal that satisfies us, I’ll consider releasing your people."

"Then I must thank the chief in advance," Lin Dan said with a bow. "Butchering a cow is hard work. May I have my two handmaids to assist me?"

Slaughtering a cow was a dirty, labor-intensive job, and the bandits had no interest in doing it themselves. Since the two maids were still young—only twelve or thirteen years old—and posed no real threat, the bandits quickly agreed. The rest of the captives were tied up and thrown into the woodshed.

Once the bandits were gone, Xiao Zhu wriggled over to the tall man like a worm and whispered, "Big brother, do you think Zhao Liu and Tietou will find our trail? When will they get here?"

The man lay quietly on the ground, eyes slightly closed, his voice low and steady. "They will find us. Wait until nightfall."

Xiao Zhu was still anxious, staring out the window and murmuring, "I wonder how Manager Lin and the others are doing."

At that moment, Lin Dan was crouched down, carefully sharpening a knife. Every so often, she tested the blade's sharpness with her fingertip, her expression focused. Two bandits initially kept a close watch on her, but seeing that she was only tending the fire, boiling water, and sharpening her knife—without whispering with her maids or surveying the surroundings—they gradually lowered their guard and sat aside to chat.

The two cows were well-fed and healthy, clearly stolen from a farm in the valley.

After finishing her preparations, Lin Dan circled the cows a few times, running her hands over their bodies as if selecting her target. Seeing that she was finally about to start, the two bandits gathered around to watch, sneering in amusement. But their laughter soon froze.

Lin Dan picked a cow, had her maids blindfold the other one to keep it calm, and then, with one swift motion, drove her knife deep into the selected cow’s throat, severing its carotid artery. She immediately stepped back, took a ladle of water, and casually rinsed the blood off her blade.

Just five meters away, the robust farm cow collapsed silently, unable to even let out a cry as a torrent of blood gushed from its throat, quickly staining the ground.

The two bandits were dumbfounded. Lin Dan, unfazed, continued to work—scalding the hide, scraping off the hair, and burning away any remaining bristles with a red-hot iron rod. The stench of searing flesh filled the air, sending shivers down their spines.

By the time she finished skinning and butchering the cow, the bandits no longer dared to underestimate her.

"How many people are in this camp?" Lin Dan casually asked while washing her hands.

"Why do you want to know?" The bandits, now wary, shot her a guarded look.

"I need to know how many people there are so I can cook accordingly. If I prepare too little, it won't be enough for everyone." Lin Dan wiped a few blood splatters off her face with a handkerchief, her expression utterly calm.

This was a perfectly reasonable explanation. The two bandits mentally counted and replied, "There are about twenty to thirty mouths to feed. Cook a bit more."

Lin Dan nodded without further questioning. She and the two young girls carried the beef into the kitchen, cutting it into two-inch cubes before marinating it with soy sauce, cooking wine, and special salt. She then processed the ox hooves, brisket, ribs, and bones, setting them aside for later use.

"Master, how are we going to escape?" One of the young girls couldn't hold back any longer and whispered anxiously in her ear.

"Let's finish this meal first," Lin Dan replied, calmly peeling garlic.

No matter how anxious they felt, the two girls could do nothing but accept their fate and focus on washing the vegetables.

An hour later, the beef had finished marinating. Lin Dan poured half a jar of vegetable oil into a large wok, heated it until it reached about eighty percent of its smoking point, then slowly added the beef. She stir-fried the meat, flipping it skillfully until it was half-cooked before setting it aside. She discarded the excess oil, washed the wok, and added fresh oil. Once heated, she sautéed ginger slices and scallions until fragrant before returning the beef to the pot. Then, she added soy sauce, star anise, and other seasonings, continuing to stir-fry for another fifteen minutes. Finally, she poured in water and let it come to a boil before reducing the heat, carefully adjusting the firewood to keep it at a slow simmer.

With the braised beef nearly done, Lin Dan turned her attention to the ox tendons, washing and cutting them into strips before frying them in hot oil. She was preparing another dish—red-braised beef tendons.

The two young girls were completely in awe by now. They had never expected their master to focus so intently on cooking even in the middle of a bandit den. They couldn't help but wonder—was her life more important, or was making a good meal?