Mountain Looting: Targeted by a Leopard at the Start
Chapter 318 - 317: Ultimate Enjoyment, Delicious Rice Flower Fish!

Chapter 318: Chapter 317: Ultimate Enjoyment, Delicious Rice Flower Fish!

The Rice Flower Fish in the rice paddies were exceptionally lively.

These naturally occurring Rice Flower Fish tasted inexplicably plump and flavorful.

When it comes to food, such places truly offer the best.

The stuff outside might taste good, but it’s all processed in various ways.

Lacking the pristine freshness of superb ingredients.

Xu Yang scooped up a net, four fish in total, not big, but with excellent meat quality.

Xu Yang paid the farmers, placed the fish in a bucket, and prepared to head back to the farm to enjoy the fish.

There was nothing urgent today, just drove the tricycle out to look for Rice Flower Fish.

Once found, he’d head back to cook them.

Little Black and Maquan eyed the lively fish in the bucket, wanting to poke their heads in for a closer look.

"Little Black! Don’t watch; this isn’t for you to eat!"

Xu Yang saw Little Black’s antics and hurriedly shouted.

Hearing Xu Yang’s shout, Little Black immediately behaved, not looking any further.

The hard-earned Rice Flower Fish certainly couldn’t be fed to the dogs.

Xu Yang thought that this way of raising fish was quite good.

He could also raise them if he found a place himself.

Perfectly, there was a natural stream in the mountains he leased.

Channeling the stream into the rice paddies wasn’t a problem at all.

Eventually, other Rice Flower Fish might even join in.

In the future, he wouldn’t have to go to the river to catch them for either eating or making fried fish paste.

Of course, he’d still need to catch them—the taste of Rice Flower Fish and clear-water fish were different, and fish from natural waters tasted great too.

Both were top-notch delights, much tastier than farm-raised fish.

Xu Yang drove the tricycle, taking the two dogs back.

While passing through a wide-open wilderness, he parked the vehicle, letting the dogs run wild for a while.

They needed their playtime.

Otherwise, it would be boring to spend the whole day in the vehicle.

The two little fellows started chasing each other frantically.

They could frolic to their heart’s content without worrying about people around or needing a leash.

No wonder many dogs love the countryside.

Plenty of space to run however they wish.

In the city, any faster and they might get run over by cars or stopped by people, hardly getting to stretch their legs.

Xu Yang sat in the tricycle watching them.

Occasionally, he would pick up his phone to record a video, also collecting video material.

His own videos weren’t particularly outstanding; his viewers preferred the clips from his live streams.

Those contents looked more thrilling.

After the dogs had run enough, Xu Yang called out:

"Little Black, Yuanbao, get on the truck!"

As soon as he spoke, the two dogs immediately turned and sprinted towards him.

Then they arrived at the back of the vehicle and leaped directly onto the tricycle.

Walking the dogs was that simple.

A lazy way to walk dogs.

Seeing the dogs were both on board, Xu Yang drove back.

After returning to the farm, the first thing Xu Yang did was explore ways to cook the Rice Flower Fish.

These freshly caught Rice Flower Fish were most delicious and didn’t require complicated cooking methods.

After thinking, Xu Yang decided to use the method for Beggar’s Chicken to make Beggar’s Fish.

Such great flavor shouldn’t be let out.

It was best to wrap it up, allowing all the fresh tastes to permeate the fish, making it delightful to eat.

Without lotus leaves, he substituted aluminum foil, although lacking the taste of the leaves, the flavor of the fish remained.

Xu Yang picked some spices, many of which were natural Chinese herbs that he had ground himself.

Being in the mountains, these were not scarce, picked from the mountain and ground by himself, tasting better, and more comforting to eat.

Even the chili he used was grown on the farm.

Xu Yang knew well that to make a good Beggar’s Fish, the most crucial step was to remove the fishy smell.

It had to be thoroughly cleaned.

Xu Yang went to his small kitchen, laid the fish on the cutting board, and started to remove the fishy smell.

Things like fish films and gills, every bit had to be cleaned.

They also needed to be soaked in specially prepared cooking wine.

Lastly, mix wild ginger, green onions, and chili together, and apply thoroughly inside and outside the fish to fully marinate it.

With all the seasonings applied, wrap it in aluminum foil, then encase it in mud that he mixed himself.

All set.

Xu Yang went to the courtyard and started mixing the mud.

In a basin, he poured fine soil and added a ladle of water, then began to knead.

This mud was good quality, though it wouldn’t penetrate into the fish, but since it wrapped the outside and was baked by fire, it would imbue the aluminum foil with a hint of earthy fragrance.

The scent was light but quite comforting.

It was the art of earth and fire.

While he was kneading the mud, Little Black walked in front of Xu Yang, tilting its head, looking at him with puzzlement.

It didn’t understand why Xu Yang was playing with mud.

Or perhaps, Little Black thought it wasn’t mud but something else.

Seeing it, Xu Yang waved his hand and said:

"Go on, go play."

Little Black immediately turned around and trotted off.

Xu Yang continued busy with his cooking.

After the mud was ready, Xu Yang took the fish wrapped in foil, and then covered it with mud, wrapping it tightly.

As soon as everything was done, Xu Yang went to the kitchen, which had a clay stove and used firewood, making it possible to cook the mud-coated fish.

Niu Zhuang saw Xu Yang’s mud-coated package and asked with a smile,

"Farm Director, what is this delicious dish? Beggar’s chicken?"

Xu Yang replied,

"I caught a few Rice Flower Fish and am preparing to make Beggar’s Fish."

"I don’t know how it will taste, let’s cook it first."

Niu Zhuang immediately replied, "It must be delicious; everyone acknowledges your cooking skills as the best, no doubt about it."

Xu Yang just nodded, "Just tinkering with food when there’s nothing else to do."

"I haven’t had Rice Flower Fish in a long time, want to taste it."

"Next year, we’ll grow some rice, specifically to breed Rice Flower Fish."

"Then everyone will be able to enjoy it."

Hearing Xu Yang’s words, Niu Zhuang also became excited.

Such rustic, local produce is truly hard to find elsewhere.

Then, Xu Yang went outside for a stroll.

He walked out of the kitchen and saw the foolish roe deer and the Husky gathered together, one standing, one lying down, comfortably resting against the wall.

It seemed as if they had found friends with similar interests, enjoying their time motionless, then giving a silly stare at people.

Like the idlers who used to stand by the street.

Anyway, sometimes they seemed quite asking for trouble.

Initially, Xu Yang was somewhat speechless, but gradually he got used to it.

He left the living quarter and glanced outside.

The farmland of the farm was vast.

Ten greenhouses in a row also showcased its expansiveness.

The crops in the greenhouses were growing well, looked after daily, just waiting for the crops to mature to bring in significant income.

With the skill of a planting master, there’s no need to go through many detours in planting, and it is possible to avoid diseases, pests, and fruitlessness.

Therefore, the farm developed smoothly.

Inadvertently, the scale of the farm had become quite substantial.

Xu Yang, having free time, called Little Wolf over to play with him for a while.

This Little Wolf had a coat mixed with brown and gray, a slightly long face, but his eyes were always clear, lacking the wariness and craftiness of a wolf.

Not quite like a wild wolf.

This fellow, having learned a lot from Little Black and Yuanbao, was particularly obedient and affectionate towards his master.

Xu Yang called, and he came over.

Xu Yang patted Little Wolf’s head, harder than a dog’s head and with denser fur.

Moreover, the wolf’s physique was big, almost as big as a large breed dog.

He had grown to be quite majestic.

"He’s gained quite a bit of weight."

"And he’s quite robust."

Xu Yang felt Little Wolf’s waist and realized it wasn’t slim at all but rather chubby.

Little Wolf, happy with his mouth open, wore a smiling face, his tail wagging non-stop.

That was for the best; if he wasn’t fierce, the farm could keep him indefinitely.

After playing with Little Wolf for a while, Xu Yang went to check on his Beggar’s Fish.

The fish, prepared with his secret method, was bound to taste great.

He put the mud lump on a shovel and went to the yard, found a spot on the ground, and set the mud lump down.

Then, using a small trowel, he gently broke the mud apart.

The mud, having been baked by the fierce fire, shattered like porcelain, with fractures crisscrossing and patches falling off, revealing the foil inside.

Xu Yang placed the foil on a plate, peeling back the layers until the fully cooked Rice Flower Fish, completely seasoned, was revealed.

The Rice Flower Fish shone golden, and oil sizzled from it.

A waft of fragrance hit the nose.

All fresh and aromatic.

No fishy smell.

Xu Yang picked up a pair of chopsticks and carefully tasted a piece of the fish’s belly.

The flesh of the fish was fresh and tender, thoroughly flavored, indescribably delicious.

The taste of this purely farm-raised fish was indeed different from fish available elsewhere.

Having eaten much local produce, Xu Yang could distinguish the difference.

"These kind of fish are delicious, very tender."

"It has to be Rice Flower Fish reared in mountain spring water."

"The taste just isn’t there with irrigation water."

Xu Yang was particularly pleased with the taste of the Rice Flower Fish.

He savored the fish meat, the taste a bit sour and spicy with a touch of saltiness, but rather than being greasy, it felt uniquely refreshing.

Truly a delight.

"Next year, I’ll raise some too."

"It’s hard to buy this year; Rice Flower Fish from many places have already been reserved."

"Those irrigation-bred fake Rice Flower Fish don’t taste good."

"Better to raise them myself."

Xu Yang ate two fish, choosing the best cuts.

At the same time, he made a decision.

For him, life was without pressure; he didn’t impose stress on himself and took comfort as it came.

This was also the pleasure of rural life.