After transmigrating to Mount Dahong in the Northern Song dynasty, Kong Lin becomes the newly appointed bandit chief, in charge of a vast but barren mountain and a band of vicious villagers.
A disastrous start from the very beginning. Kong Lin: Excuse me, maybe I should just die again.
The villagers drop to their knees in a flurry.
"If you leave, who'll lead us in robbing passersby for food?"
"If we don't get even a mouthful of rice gruel soon, my child will starve to death."
Kong Lin scratches his head.
Huh? So they're starving?
*
Kong Lin reluctantly stays.
The land is barren? No problem. He makes fertilizer himself, and yields per acre double in no time.
Not enough to eat? That's a small matter. He gathers mountain delicacies and opens an eatery to serve travelers who have been exposed to the elements on the road.
In spring, toon-root wontons come with thin wrappers and generous filling, their broth fresh and their meat tender. One bite leaves you wanting more.
In the summer heat, try a bowl of chilled elm-leaf noodles in mountain spring water. Bright green, tangy, and smooth, they chase the heat away with a single slurp.
In golden autumn, roast a batch of sweet, tender Lei Gong chestnuts, with golden pheasant soup simmered until the meat falls apart. A gentle tug, and the meat comes right off the bone.
When heavy snow seals off the mountain, there's spicy, red-oil hot pot. Paper-thin slices of fresh lamb cook as soon as they hit the water. Dip them lightly into a seasoned sesame oil sauce, and their fragrance lingers in your mouth.
*
On the day Zhou Huaijin crossed Mount Dahong on his way to the capital for the imperial examinations, he was battered by a fierce blizzard and had no choice but to seek shelter at the eatery on the mountain.
Confronted by a row of fierce-looking faces, Zhou Huaijin guarded his luggage and swore he wouldn't touch a bite of the food.
By midnight, hunger had his stomach twisting. Following the irresistible aroma of meat, he crept into the eatery's kitchen.
At the stove, a young cook lifted a ladle of snowy-white broth and poured it over a bowl of tender pink beef. The air instantly filled with a wonderful fragrance.
His mouth watered beyond his control. His legs stiff, he hesitated over how to ask for some.
But when the cook turned around, his face flushed bright red in an instant.
Theme: Hard work brings prosperity
