The Empress's Gigolo
The Empress's Gigolo - Chapter 40: Northeastern Specialty Dishes

After preparing bamboo leaves and water for Tiantian and Gungun the next morning, Ren Baqian brought a few people to a flat ground near the kitchen in order to look for leather making materials.

Each and every pole erected on the huge plot of vacant land was connected to each other by successive ropes. Suspended from the ropes were different kinds of furs and hides. These furs and hides had gone through a simple wash and were currently being aired to dry on the ropes.

There were cow hides and goat hides. Almost a hundred people lived in the beast park and that included the odd-job workers and their family members. By reason of the appetite of Dayao people, the quantity of meat they consumed every day was considerably huge. At the very least, they had to slaughter three cows and a goat. This was under the situation that the goats in this world were larger than the horses in previous generations.

After killing the animals daily, their furs and hides would be washed and then dried this way. Then these furs and hides would be piled into bundles and stored in the warehouse. Only when they accumulated a certain quantity, did they then sell them and use the profits to buy liquor.

The value of these types of furs and hides that only went through simple washing was awfully low. As a result, not many people cared.

In addition, there were some hides which had been peeled off from the animals after they died in the beast park. Among these hides, Ren Baqian even saw a sharp-toothed tiger hide. On the yellow hide were black stripes that were much bigger and concentrated than the stripes on a tiger. It looked more like a leopard's hide. But, the pattern on the saber-toothed tiger was still much bigger and didn't have circular spots as well.

It had been said that two sharp-toothed tigers fought yesterday, and one was bitten to death.

The furs and hides which were air dried here were all very complete. Ren Baqian covered his nose and looked at them. His action was sufficient for people to immediately roll up the hides and carry them away.

Even though the furs and hides had been washed, they still emitted an extremely foul stench. These furs and hides also attracted many houseflies and other small bugs to fly about in the vicinity.

"Scrap the oily membrane and the remnant flesh off the animal hides!" Ren Baqian pulled Tie Dao and Teng Hulu over and instructed them.

Among the ten odd-job workers under him, three were at the ice cellar, and five were ploughing the farm. Only the both of them were left over here.

The two odd-job workers spent the entire morning tidying up some animal hides. After which, they soaked the animal hides in water. They would be ready for use after soaking for two days.

The remaining animal hides were bundled up and thrown to one side. Ren Baqian took the indigenous electric fan and brought the two odd-job workers along with him to Baishi District. He wanted to find a blacksmith to make a prototype according to the "electric fan" he had.

He actually considered going out alone. But after taking into consideration that the Dayao people's attitude towards outsiders wasn't good and that their fighting capabilities were superb compared to him, it would be too late to cry if he met with any mishaps.

Ultimately, he waited for both Tie Dao and Teng Hulu and only went out in the afternoon.

When he reached Baishi District, it was still the same shop owner. Ren Baqian passed the "electric fan" over for him to take a look.

"Can you make something like this? A few components can be substituted. For example, the fan blade and the pedestal could be made with either metal or wood."

"What is this?" The shop owner looked at the "electric fan" full of curiosity.

He had never seen such a thing before.

Ren Baqian aimed the "electric fan" at the shop owner and then used one hand to pull the cord all the way to the end.

The fan blade immediately started to spin. The stirred up air blew directly towards the shop owner.

After the cord straightened and he released the string in his hand, the fan blade started to spin in the opposite direction.

Experiencing the wind which was blowing directly in his face, the blacksmith shop owner's eyes lit up. "This item is interesting."

Once he received the fan, the shop owner used his hand to pull the cord at the back. Sure enough, the fan blade started to spin. When he released the string in his hand again, it spun in the opposite direction.

Then, he aimed the "electric fan" at himself, pulled the cord, and released it. He pulled the cord once again and then released it. He pulled the cord…

For a moment, he was having so much fun that he overlooked that Ren Baqian and the others who were still in the shop.

Seeing that the shop owner having a great time with the "electric fan", Ren Baqian waited for a while before he interrupted him, "So, is it possible to make one?"

"Hmm? Oh!" The shop owner abruptly responded, "We will have to dismantle it and take a look at the composition. Will that be okay?"

"Sure, all you have to do is to lift the cover at the back."

The shop owner followed Ren Baqian's instructions and lifted the cover.

The composition inside the fan was simple. It only had bearings, a gasket and a cord. At first glance, it looked very simple.

However, the shop owner frowned, "Where did you make this?"

"What's happening?" Ren Baqian asked.

"We are not able to achieve this standard. This is perfectly made. The thickness of every part is exactly the same, I really wonder how did anyone even made this," That shop owner told Ren Baqian as he pointed at the bearings inside the "electric fan".

Ren Baqian suddenly came to a realization. Naturally, the blacksmiths in this world would not be able to manufacture something comparable to the bearings manufactured in the modern world.

"As long as the efficacy is about the same and it doesn't affect the usage, it will be good enough. But, it must be smooth and sleek. Otherwise, it would affect the strength required to pull the cord. It will also produce noise." Ren Baqian said.

The shop owner rubbed his chin and said," That can be done."

"Also, we do not have this thing over here." The shop owner said as he pointed at one of the parts inside the "electric fan".

Ren Baqian took a glance, it was the gasket.

The gasket could be made with beast tendons as well. But, there was no need for him to tell this to the shop owner.

"After the prototype is done, I will come and inspect it. If it meets the standard required, I will require another twenty of it. But, you are not allowed to divulge anything with regards to this "electric fan". Also, you are not allowed to pass this job on to someone else," Ren Baqian warned repeatedly.

Originally, he wanted to increase the time limit. But, he knew that the manufacturing of the indigenous electric fan was simple and anyone could understand how to make it. Even if he restricted the shop owner from allowing anyone else to make the "electric fan", anyone could easily replicate it by looking for another blacksmith. Therefore, he simply set the restriction at three months. As long as his goods are the first batch at the marketplace and he could earn a sum of money, it would suffice.

"Three months isn't long. But, like what you said, at the very least you'll have to order another twenty of it," the shop owner replied.

"As long as the prototype you make passes the requirements. If it does not even pass the requirements, why would anyone approach you to make this item?" Ren Baqian replied.

"Do not underestimate my skills. Although it will not be able to reach this standard, but to make a smooth and sleek "electric fan", it will not be a problem," The shop owner slammed his chest and said. Even Ren Baqian felt that he would be able to slam his internal organs out.

"Could you leave this item with me so that I can study it?" The shop owner asked. He was fiddling with the fan non-stop. Ren Baqian wondered if it was because he liked the fan or if it was because he was interested in the bearings inside.

"Sure. How long will you take to make it?" Ren Baqian asked.

"You should be able to collect this item the day after tomorrow," The shop owner replied.

Ren Baqian counted the number of days. He should be back on Earth the day after tomorrow. "I will give you an additional day and will come back three days later."

After leaving the "electric fan" at the shop, Ren Baqian left with Teng Hulu and Tie Dao.

He returned to the beast park and continued to tidy up the furs and hides.

In the afternoon, Ren Baqian was summoned to the palace and was directly escorted to the imperial kitchen.

"Brother Ren!" Upon seeing Ren Baqian, Caretaker Gou's face scrunched up for a long while. Eventually, he still had to lower his head and called him brother.

This sort of character was what Ren Baqian exactly liked about Dayao people. As long as they said something, they would definitely get things done. Even if they were not willing to do it, they still kept their word. Furthermore, looking at a lofty and buff man sulking and lowering his head calling him brother, Ren Baqian felt especially satisfied.

The other people in the imperial kitchen called him brother with more sincerity.

After all, the spices which Ren Baqian brought over expanded their horizons. Also, it gave them the confidence to say that Dayao's imperial kitchen, at the very least, had the most complete set of ingredients.

Even the imperial kitchens in the Yun Nation and the Great Xia Empire were not comparable to the Dayao Nation's imperial kitchen.

"Brother Ren, what will you be preparing today?" One of the cooks from the imperial kitchen asked. At the beginning, it was somewhat embarrassing to call him Brother Ren. However, after calling him for a few times, it had become habit.

Ren Baqian was from Northeast China, and naturally, he would be familiar with Northeastern dishes.

After thinking for quite some time, he clapped his hands and said, "I will be preparing two specialty dishes today, stewed chicken with mushroom and fried pork in scoop. Also, there will be beef ball soup. Lastly, the final dish will be a fruit platter.