Chapter 424: Chapter 424: Braised Pork Intestines

Aconite was the core ingredient in the True Martial Pill produced by Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory, and demand for it was massive.

Previously, Anchi Village sold all its Aconite to Japan’s Tsumura Pharmaceutical and other companies.

However, Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory offered a higher price.

As a result, it had become one of Anchi Village’s biggest customers.

This year’s contract hadn’t been signed yet.

Village Chief Ma had asked them to send someone to sign it.

"No problem. We’ll send someone over to sign the contract in a couple of days."

Li Xu said.

Afterward, Village Chief Ma mentioned that they planned to expand the Aconite cultivation area again this year.

Li Xu was curious. "Village Chief Ma, the last time I visited, the whole village was planted with Aconite. I don’t think there was any spare land left."

During his last trip to Anchi Village, he had seen that nearly every plantable patch of land was covered in Aconite. There was simply no empty space.

’How can they expand any further?’

’Are they planning to lease land from another village?’

Village Chief Ma explained, "Doctor Li, here’s the situation. There’s a large plot of land on the other side of the mountain.

But that land was previously used for growing Aloe Vera.

While Aloe Vera also sells, the price of Aconite keeps rising, so growing Aloe Vera isn’t as profitable as growing Aconite anymore.

So, we held a village meeting and decided to clear out the Aloe Vera over there, prepare the land, and plant more Aconite in the fall.

The soil there isn’t as good as in our village’s core area, but the climate is identical to Anchi Village’s, so it can still produce authentic Aconite."

"Aloe Vera?"

When Li Xu heard those words, his heart skipped a beat.

Sichuan was also one of the regions that produced Aloe Vera, and its quality was excellent.

He never expected to hear such news from Village Chief Ma right when he was worried about sourcing Aloe Vera.

He immediately pressed for details. "Village Chief Ma, how big is the Aloe Vera field you mentioned? And what specific variety is it?"

Village Chief Ma gave a rough description of the Aloe Vera field.

It was quite large, and the variety was indeed Curaçao Aloe.

After hanging up, Li Xu told Ding Kaifang the news.

Ding Kaifang was also overjoyed when he heard.

It was an absolute godsend, an unexpected light at the end of the tunnel.

The two of them discussed it and decided to head to Anchi Village to check out the Aloe Vera field themselves.

If the quality was good, they would lease it at a high price.

Once their profits increased, Anchi Village would no longer have a reason to get rid of the Aloe Vera.

After making their decision, Li Xu called Village Chief Ma again, told him about their interest in the Aloe Vera, and announced that they would make a personal trip.

Village Chief Ma was delighted to learn that Li Xu and Ding Kaifang were coming in person.

He said enthusiastically over the phone, "Doctor Li, the last time you were here, the village was busy harvesting Aconite, so we didn’t have time to host you properly. This time, you must stay for a few days. I’ll make sure to treat you well and let you try our local Jiangyou delicacies."

"Alright, we’ll be sure to."

Li Xu agreed with a smile.

Ding Kaifang immediately booked flights to Chengdu for the next day.

The next day, he and Li Xu flew to Chengdu, then transferred to a high-speed train straight to Jiangyou City.

When they arrived in Jiangyou, Village Chief Ma was already waiting at the station to greet them personally.

After some warm greetings, Village Chief Ma led the two of them to get something to eat.

"Doctor Li, President Ding, you’ve come a long way and must be hungry. Today, I’m taking you to try our most famous local dish—Jiangyou Pork Intestines. Jiangyou is renowned as the ’Hometown of Pork Intestines’!"

Li Xu and Ding Kaifang both smiled and nodded, saying they were very much looking forward to it.

Village Chief Ma took them to a restaurant called "Old Zhou’s Pork Intestines."

As soon as they reached the entrance, they were hit by a wave of lively energy.

Inside and out, the place was packed with people. Not a single seat was empty.

The distinct aroma of pork intestines filled the air, whetting their appetites.

"This place does great business."

Ding Kaifang remarked.

"Of course. We people from Jiangyou love pork intestines, and this is a time-honored establishment, so it’s this crowded every day."

Village Chief Ma explained with a laugh, "Eating here is all about scrambling. If you can’t grab a table and can’t grab a dish, you’ll go hungry."

Inside the shop, customers were gathered in groups of three or five, or dining alone, all feasting heartily at simple tables and chairs.

The waiters weaved through the crowd, deftly clearing tables and serving food, but they still couldn’t keep up with the demand.

Knowing the place like the back of his hand, Village Chief Ma found an empty spot, and the three of them quickly sat down.

Village Chief Ma called out their order in a loud voice, "Owner, three orders of the signature Jiangyou Pork Intestines, one order of steamed spare ribs with rice flour, one order of spring rolls, and three bowls of ice jelly to finish!"

After ordering, Village Chief Ma added, "You two will have to wait a bit. The food comes out slowly here, and there’s no table service. When the dishes are ready, you have to go get them yourselves."

Sure enough, the three of them waited in line for a full half-hour before it was finally their turn.

With quick hands and sharp eyes, Village Chief Ma brought back the steaming-hot Jiangyou Pork Intestines, steamed spare ribs with rice flour, and spring rolls from the serving window, along with the crystal-clear ice jelly.

Li Xu and Ding Kaifang were already famished.

The sight of the large, glistening bowl of pork intestines instantly ignited their appetites.

The intestines were cut into uniform pieces, coated in a rich sauce, and dotted with bright red chili oil, their aroma tantalizing.

Village Chief Ma picked up his chopsticks with a smile and demonstrated, "Come, come, Doctor Li, President Ding, hurry and try it. The proper way to eat Jiangyou Pork Intestines is one bite of intestine, one bite of plain rice, followed by a sip of sour soup. It’s absolutely divine."

Li Xu did as he was told, picking up a piece of intestine and putting it in his mouth.

The intestine was tender yet springy, and it had been cleaned so thoroughly there wasn’t the slightest gamey taste.

The rich sauce enveloped the unique, fatty aroma of the intestine, mingling with the fragrant, soft rice to create a burst of satisfying flavor in his mouth.

He couldn’t help but shovel in a large mouthful of plain rice, perfectly blending the richness of the intestine with the clean fragrance of the rice. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Just as he was savoring the satisfying rhythm of a bite of intestine followed by a bite of rice, he took a sip of the sour soup Village Chief Ma had mentioned.

The soup, made from vinegar, chopped scallions, and minced ginger, was crystal clear with a tangy, aromatic scent.

One sip, and the sharp, sour taste instantly washed away any lingering greasiness, leaving him feeling refreshed and ready for more, his appetite fully stimulated.

Ding Kaifang, no longer caring about his image, devoured the pork intestines, praising them repeatedly, "Delicious! This is so delicious! These intestines are truly one of a kind."

Seeing how much they were enjoying the meal, Village Chief Ma laughed along with them.

He then pointed to the steamed spare ribs with rice flour and said, "And these steamed spare ribs are another Jiangyou specialty. The ribs are coated in rice flour and seasonings, then steamed until they’re tender and flavorful. The rice flour soaks up the meat juices, making it soft, savory, and not at all greasy."

Li Xu tried a piece of the steamed spare ribs. It was just as Village Chief Ma had described: the meat was so tender it fell off the bone, the rice flour was fragrant and delicious, and the seasoning was perfect.

He then picked up a spring roll. Its golden-brown skin was crispy, wrapped around a refreshing vegetable filling. Dipped in the special sauce, the texture was rich, and it was light and palate-cleansing.

Finally, each of the three had a bowl of ice jelly.

The crystal-clear ice jelly was topped with brown sugar syrup, crushed peanuts, raisins, and crushed hawthorn. It was cool, smooth, sweet but not cloying.