Chapter 34: Flavor

"What is this made of?"

Bai, the market inspector, had his attention entirely diverted by Li Po. He still hesitated to take a bite; though the northern regions had suffered through over three hundred years of chaos, and rumors of cannibalism were occasionally heard even in these times, the act of consuming "two-legged sheep" (humans) was still far removed from the lives of ordinary people. He lacked the courage to simply shove this mystery concoction into his mouth.

Li Po smiled and said, "I am from Fufeng in Guannei. My family fell into decline during my grandfather's time. By my father's generation, we were destitute, forced to borrow warhorses and armor from others just to get by."

"My father had three brothers. Two uncles died young, and another uncle joined the army and came to the Mayi frontier, though we haven't been able to find him yet."

"My father couldn't make a living at home, so he worked as a kitchen helper to survive. When my family was starving, he had no choice but to create this 'precious broth' so we wouldn't die of hunger."

"Later, we realized this broth had remarkable properties. Not only does it fill the belly, but it also strengthens the body and sharpens the senses. Don't let my scrawny appearance fool you; that's only because I've suffered on the long journey to find my uncle. Back home, I could take on three or four men at once."

Li Po spun his tall tale with increasing enthusiasm, his face becoming animated.

"You can see for yourself, this 'precious broth' of ours isn't some luxury item. It’s made of things people discard—the main ingredients are sheep liver, lungs, and tripe. Ordinary families don't eat these, let alone the wealthy."

"But I’m not lying to you. Sheep liver is excellent for the eyes, and the other parts are very nourishing. It tastes quite good, too. Try it yourself, and you'll see."

The more Inspector Bai heard, the more at ease he felt, even developing a shred of respect. Li Po’s Guannei accent helped his case once again. Looking at the contents of the bowl, realizing they were merely sheep offal, he felt a bit of disgust but also a spark of curiosity to try something new.

The background Li Po had fabricated was perfect, and the subtext was even clearer: *We may have fallen on hard times now, but our ancestors were once prominent, and I am not without my own abilities.*

Clearly, Inspector Bai understood. A smile finally appeared on his face.

He stirred the bowl with his chopsticks, looked around the room, and said, "A homicide just occurred here. I only came to investigate to make sure no more trouble arises."

Li Po was delighted. Such a soft tone was a good sign.

"Don't you worry, sir. Those of us living here won't cause you any trouble. We aren't here to conduct business; we just need a place to stay..."

As he spoke, a knock sounded at the door.

Trouble truly follows the refugee, Li Po thought helplessly as he went to open the door.

Upon seeing who it was, Li Po immediately brightened and ushered Zhang Er inside. Zhang Er’s arrival was expected; the number of people collecting porridge had dropped sharply, and it would have been strange if he hadn't come to check.

Mayi was not a large city. Although Zhang Er and Inspector Bai had no close relationship, they were acquaintances. Upon seeing each other, they exchanged bows, both looking somewhat surprised.

Zhang Er didn't think much of it, though he found it odd to see the inspector holding a bowl. He pulled up a chair and sat down with casual ease. However, seeing them so familiar with each other, the inspector was taken aback. Then, a thought crossed his mind: this young man must have some substance, or he wouldn't dare occupy a house known for a violent death in the middle of the marketplace.

Indeed, one can judge the master by the company they keep. From this, it was clear that Li Po’s hard work over the past few months had finally begun to put his life on the right track.

Soon, another bowl of the "precious broth" was placed in Zhang Er’s hands.

Zhang Er was not as cautious as the inspector. He was the one who had provided the sheep offal in the first place. Looking at the bowl, he felt a mix of pride for having done a good deed and a sense of unease. *Can this really be eaten?* He regretted coming.

He and the inspector exchanged glances, then simultaneously picked up their chopsticks, held their breath, and took a bite.

*Oh, it’s not that bad.*

That was the shared realization of both men. It deviated from Li Po’s expectations; their tolerance was far higher than he had anticipated. In truth, Li Po had overthought it. In this day and age, let alone commoners, even the minor officials in Mayi City rarely tasted meat. Generally, their diet consisted of flour-based staples and pickled vegetables. The image of daily feasts of fish and meat might exist in the wealthy houses of Chang'an, but here in Mayi, even the County Magistrate wouldn't be so extravagant.

Li Po watched in surprise as the two men finished their bowls of sheep offal in a measured, deliberate manner. Inspector Bai, a true glutton, even licked his lips, seemingly still wanting more.

Such was the allure of meat in this era.

After finishing, Zhang Er stroked his beard. Beyond feeling a bit embarrassed, he was also concerned. "Dazhang, this... is it really safe to eat?"

Inspector Bai pricked up his ears. He might be a glutton, but he was no fool.

Li Po twitched his lips, thinking, *How hypocritical, eating and drinking away, then trying to ruin the owner's reputation.*

"Don't worry, Brother Er. These organs are not only edible but highly nutritious, provided they are cleaned thoroughly. That is all we do all day. Inspector Bai came by because we were pouring out the bloody water from the cleaning process."

Zhang Er felt relieved, and the inspector nodded with a smile. Ever since Zhang Er arrived, that smile had remained on his face.

"This 'precious broth'... it tastes quite good. It’s actually somewhat similar to lamb soup. It seems the market will have a new delicacy."

Zhang Er sighed with emotion, though his thoughts were entirely different from the inspector's.

"It's getting late. I should head back. Haha, I didn't expect... this gesture of yours, Dazhang, has saved many lives. A good deed, indeed."

When seeing Zhang Er out, Li Po didn't feel right asking for anything more. Zhang Er was a kind man, and Li Po didn't want to keep taking advantage of him. Before, he might have been forced to, but things were different now—he still had the inspector inside.

Naturally, the next steps would fall to Inspector Bai. It was obvious: if two officials thought the broth was good, then it certainly was. The tastes of others might not matter, but the opinions of officials carried weight—a universal truth, past and present, that needed no questioning.