Quick Transmigration: Not My Story

chapter 12 The Cook Mistress（part 11）

By the time the beef had been simmering for a while, a rich aroma was already wafting from the pot, making the two bandits restless. They circled around the stove, occasionally wiping away drool, and impatiently asked, “It’s been fifteen minutes already—shouldn’t it be ready to eat?”

“It’s still too early. It needs to simmer for at least another half an hour to become tender,” Lin Dan wiped her hands with a cloth and added, “Could you take me to my carriage? I need to fetch some seasoning.”

The two bandits immediately became wary. Pointing at the bottles and jars on the stove, they snapped, “There’s plenty of seasoning here already! Isn’t that enough for you?”

Lin Dan remained calm and explained gently, “This dish is missing a key ingredient that will make it truly flavorful. You can escort me there and back—I’m just a weak woman, do you really think I could escape from you? If I add this seasoning, the beef stew will taste several times better than it does now.”

The bandits inhaled the tantalizing aroma in the air and hesitated. If it could be even more delicious than this, just how good would it be? They were already aware that this imperial chef’s skills were beyond ordinary, and recalling the ease with which she slaughtered the cow earlier, they felt a bit uneasy.

Seeing their hesitation, Lin Dan took the initiative to tie a rope around her own wrists. Only then did the two reluctantly nod in agreement. Before leaving, they locked the kitchen door to prevent Peony and Azalea from escaping.

The three of them walked to the innermost part of the stronghold, winding through hidden paths until they reached a cave covered with thick vines. Without guidance, one might easily overlook it.

The bandits pulled aside the vines and barked, “Get in there and be quick about it!”

Lin Dan peered inside by the light of their torches and saw that her five carriages were indeed parked within the cave. Alongside them were dozens of large, locked chests—clearly stolen loot. Without wasting time, she climbed into one of the carriages, broke the seal on a large clay jar, scooped a few ladles of liquor into a small empty jug, and swiftly resealed the jar with parchment paper, tying it tightly with rope.

She moved quickly, completing the process in mere seconds, but the bandits still caught a whiff of the indescribably rich aroma of the liquor. The intoxicating scent made them feel slightly dizzy.

“What kind of liquor is this? How can it smell so incredible?” one of them asked, swallowing hard.

“It’s just ordinary homemade liquor, nothing special,” Lin Dan replied stiffly, her gaze evasive.

The two bandits gave her a long, suspicious look but said nothing more, leading her back to the kitchen.

Upon returning, Lin Dan poured the liquor into the simmering beef stew and gently stirred it with a spatula. The already rich broth thickened even more, becoming glossy and luscious. Each chunk of beef was now coated in a glistening, velvety sauce. A strange yet irresistible fragrance filled the air, piercing through the kitchen’s doors and windows, drifting across the entire stronghold, and leaving everyone utterly mesmerized.

“Hurry up! Scoop out some beef for us!” The bandits guarding Lin Dan banged their empty bowls impatiently.

“The meat isn’t tender enough yet. It needs a bit more time,” Lin Dan kindly explained.

“We don’t care if it’s tender! As long as it’s cooked, that’s good enough! Just give us some, now!” The two bandits were so desperate that their eyes turned red. That tantalizing aroma drove them mad with hunger, making them wish they could dive headfirst into the pot.

The other bandits also rushed over, demanding a taste. If not for the bandit leader maintaining order, the kitchen would have been ransacked already.

“What the hell did that woman put in the pot? How can it smell this good?” the bandit leader muttered after leaving the kitchen. He grabbed one of his subordinates and interrogated him while sniffing the lingering aroma in the air.

“Boss, let’s go check it out,” one of the bandits suggested eagerly. “There’s still a while before the food is ready—why don’t we have some drinks first?”

“Good idea! Bring the liquor out!”

A group of them carried the large clay jar to the main hall, removed the parchment cover, and took a deep breath. Immediately, their heads spun.

No wonder—the fragrance of this liquor was overwhelming. It was more potent than the strongest firewater, yet richer and more refined than the finest aged wines. They hadn’t even taken a sip, yet their mouths were already watering uncontrollably.

“Fill my bowl—now!” the bandit leader barked impatiently.

He grabbed a large bowl, gulped down the liquor, froze for a moment, and then burst into hearty laughter, showering it with praise. The other bandits couldn’t resist either, each taking a bowl and drinking deeply. The rich aroma spread through the air, luring more people over…

Meanwhile, Xiao Zhu and the others, who had been discussing their escape plan and how to rescue their master, suddenly caught a whiff of an indescribably rich, meaty fragrance. They immediately fell silent.

Then, with absolute certainty, they declared, “The boss is making rice wine-braised beef!”

“I’m starving…” one of the servants murmured, licking his lips.

The others exchanged glances, their stomachs growling in unison. Whenever their boss cooked, even those who weren’t hungry would suddenly feel ravenous.

Even the man who had been meditating with his eyes closed opened them and looked toward the kitchen, his Adam’s apple bobbing involuntarily.

Just as they were about to resume their escape discussion, an overpowering wave of liquor aroma rolled in from all directions, making their eyes burn with desperation.

Xiao Zhu, who had remained composed through their capture, beatings, and imprisonment, finally lost his cool. He spat harshly and cursed, “Damn those thunder-struck bastards! How dare they steal our liquor?!”

The handsome and silent man suddenly asked, "What kind of wine is this?"

Xiaozhu gritted his teeth and said, "Have you ever heard the legend from Zhongshan County—when Liu Xuanshi bought wine from a Zhongshan tavern..."

The man, well-versed in knowledge, immediately continued, "Xuanshi got drunk… The Thousand-Day Wine?"

Xiaozhu glanced at him in surprise and nodded. "That's right, this wine is the legendary Thousand-Day Wine. Shopkeeper Lin traveled through Zhongshan County for three years, visiting various places, and finally managed to recreate the recipe for Thousand-Day Wine. After successfully brewing it, she buried it underground for seven years. It was just recently unearthed and was intended to be sold in the capital for a good price. When the jar was opened, a wine bug had already formed inside. The wine is extremely rich and thick—though it may not make one sleep for a thousand days, it can still render someone drunk for three days and three nights."

"The Drunken Xuanshi" is a story passed down for hundreds of years. It tells of a man named Di Xi from Zhongshan County, whose brewing skills were unparalleled. A wine enthusiast named Liu Xuanshi visited him to buy wine. Di Xi sold him a jar but forgot to warn him that the wine had an extremely strong aftereffect and should be consumed in moderation—otherwise, one could sleep for a thousand days. Liu Xuanshi drank heartily and passed out upon returning home. His family, thinking he had died, buried him. A thousand days later, Di Xi suddenly remembered this incident and rushed to find him. The Liu family then unearthed Liu Xuanshi, who had just woken up, still exuding a strong wine aroma. Those who smelled it also fell into a deep sleep for three months.

In later generations, this wine became known as Thousand-Day Wine, regarded as the true celestial drink.

With the rich wine aroma filling the air and the rowdy shouts of mountain bandits playing drinking games echoing in his ears, the handsome man licked his dry lips and gritted his teeth. "They really are a bunch of beasts!" As soon as he finished speaking, he forcefully broke free from his bindings and stood up, his face dark as ink. He had originally planned to wait until midnight to take action, but now he couldn't hold back any longer.

"You—you—you… How did you untie yourself?" Xiaozhu and the others stared at him in shock.

"Stay here for now. I'll go rescue Shopkeeper Lin. When you hear the whistle, come out and meet me." To prevent them from running around and alerting the bandits, the man made sure to untie them and gave them a warning. He then tore apart the iron chain on the door latch with his bare hands, restored it slightly, and stealthily made his way toward the direction where the aroma of meat was the strongest.

Lin Dan was stir-frying beef tendons while Shaoyao and Dujuan were shaping pounded beef into meatballs and dropping them into a milky broth made from beef bones. When the man pushed the door open and entered, the three of them were momentarily stunned. However, Lin Dan reacted the fastest—she immediately pulled him inside and swiftly shut the door behind him.

"Why are you here? What about Xiaozhu and the others?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"I'm here to rescue you," the man replied steadily while selecting kitchen knives from the counter, as his weapons had been confiscated by the bandits. "I'll get you out of the stronghold first. Once you're in the forest, don't run around. Follow the stream downstream and wait for me in an open area at the foot of the mountain. Xiaozhu and the others will come with me later." The upcoming scene would be quite bloody—not suitable for women to witness. Xiaozhu and the others could be rescued last; they could even help clean up the bodies.

With that thought in mind, the man reached out to grab Lin Dan's wrist, but she gently pushed him away. "There are over thirty vicious bandits here. You're alone—how could you possibly handle them all? Sit down and eat something. We’ll be able to leave soon." As she spoke, she brought him a plate of stir-fried beef with scallions and shoved a bowl and chopsticks into his hands.

The man instinctively took the bowl and chopsticks and wolfed down a few bites. His eyes flickered with satisfaction and enjoyment, but he quickly froze and stiffened. He said awkwardly, "This isn't the time to eat. You must leave with me now!"

"Leave? Sit down and eat!" Lin Dan lightly slapped his outstretched hand away, her voice carrying a soft chuckle.

The man glanced at his slightly tingling hand, then at Lin Dan’s bright, smiling face. He fell silent and lowered his gaze.

Shaoyao and Dujuan, looking at the half-empty pot of stewed beef, complained, "We told them the meat wasn’t fully tender yet and needed more time to simmer, but they insisted on scooping it out. Such a waste!"

"As long as they’re only wasting food and not lives, that’s already fortunate." Lin Dan tilted her head, listening closely, and her smile deepened. "The noise has stopped. Let’s go take a look."

The man immediately put down his bowl and stood up, only to be pressed back down by Lin Dan. "You sit. We’ll go." With that, she and the two young girls each carried a plate of hot dishes and strolled outside at a leisurely pace. Even if they encountered the bandits, they could use the excuse of serving food to cover their tracks—there was nothing to be afraid of.

The man touched his shoulder, his expression somewhat peculiar, then quickly followed them.

They reached the main hall without incident, only to find the floor covered with unconscious bandits. Some had collapsed onto the tables, snoring thunderously. The air was thick with an intoxicating wine aroma, so strong that it almost physically pressed against them the moment they stepped through the door. Loud snores echoed from several other buildings as well, proving that the bandits had ultimately succumbed to the allure of the Thousand-Day Wine and were now completely incapacitated.

Shaoyao and Dujuan tiptoed over to peek at the large wine jar in the center of the hall, gritting their teeth in anger. "They drank the entire jar!"

Lin Dan patted their heads and repeated the same words, "As long as they didn’t harm anyone, that’s all that matters. Let’s pack up and leave."

The man looked at the drunken bandits sprawled all over the ground, astonished. He never imagined that without a single fight, Lin Dan had already resolved everything—there was no need for anyone to save her.

Lin Dan walked past him and said leisurely, "In my world, there’s nothing that a good meal can’t fix."

As soon as her words fell, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from outside the stronghold. In the distance, the glow of torches approached in droves. Something unexpected was unfolding.