The snowflakes are very light and soft, but when they accumulate thickly, they show a completely different flavor, and the sound of branches breaking in the mountains and forests is endless.
Not just dead branches, those trunks that usually stretch out and have more branches bear more weight, and often when the breeze blows and sways, they are unbearable and suddenly snap off, revealing extremely fresh fractures.
Ye Xinhe is wearing an old yellow bamboo hat and straw sandals, walking on the snowy path in the mountains.
The snow on the mountain road is already thick, and when you step on it, you can't reach your ankles. Even the hunters in the mountains have closed their doors. The mountains are cold and everything is quiet.
In the valley there is a small courtyard with dry firewood as the fence, which looks crumbling in the snow, but there is smoke in the bark chimney on the eaves, and there is a fire inside, which gives people a sense of warmth.
Ye Xinhe came to this small courtyard unhurriedly like a traveler who came to visit a friend from afar, but encountered heavy snow unexpectedly, pushed open the simple gate of the firewood courtyard, and walked into the small courtyard.
The wooden house, which looked a little fragile in the wind and snow, was very simple, except for an animal skin hammock, there was only a stone stove with a stone pot on it.
Some of the leaky walls are rich, full of millet, dried meat, and some dried wild vegetables and various dried mushrooms used for seasoning.
The flames in the stone stove were not too strong, and some dry wood had turned into red charcoal fire, illuminating half of the face of the owner of the wooden house.
This is a middle-aged hunter.
At least he was dressed like this, but compared with ordinary hunters, even in such a shabby room, he looked very clean, even pure.
His clothes were also stained with dust and smoke, but the marks were new.
Because with his breathing, there is always some strange force that pushes away the old dust from his body.
Under the firelight, his skin had a jade-like luster, shining with fluorescence.
What he was cooking at this time was a snake soup, the white jade-like snake meat in the light rice porridge kept tumbling, and at this time he had just added some chopped dried wild vegetables like emerald jade, he was holding a wooden spoon Turn slowly and be patient.
The aroma and sweetness of a well-cooked soup are gently exuded, just like the warm firelight, and can even make people temporarily forget the chill.
"Winter Snake Soup seems a little out of season."
Ye Xinhe raised his eyebrows slightly. He sat down on the floor opposite the middle-aged hunter, baking his own pair of straw sandals while looking at the pot of snake soup, and said slowly.
Hearing his words, the middle-aged hunter smiled slightly, and said, "This is a unique yellow croaker snake in the mountains of Yuyang County. It used to devour yellow croaker larvae seedlings when the yellow flowers bloom in the mountains. , if you are not tired of food, and you really pursue the ultimate taste, it is actually the best in winter. The meat is lean and delicate, and it is extremely delicious. In addition, the dried cabbage that has been dried in the autumn is a perfect match. The entire Yanjing There will never be a better soup than this."
"The spring thunder revives all things, and the yellow snake is easy to catch when it comes out of the hole. Although you thought the yellow snake was too fat at that time, it was easier to catch than you when the mountain was covered by heavy snow. At this time, it is cold in winter. It chooses a hole to lie down, dead silent. It is hard to find even practitioners, and it takes a lot of effort to get this pot of soup, so it seems a bit out of date." Ye Xinhe also smiled lightly and said eloquently.
Hearing these words, the middle-aged Orion smiled even more intensely, and shook his head: "Although I am indeed the strongest Master Yan in Yuyang, I have lived in seclusion for many years. As far as I am concerned, no matter how your dynasty changes, it is not as good as the pot of soup I am now. However, you still come from afar, afraid that I will make a move. Even if you see me cooking the soup patiently here, you still have the same killing intent. Somewhat inappropriate."
"If it's not my kind, it's a different kind." Ye Xinhe's face was still gentle, but he said bluntly, "I don't worry after all."
"When you came here, you walked slowly through the snowy path in the mountain, and looked at the traces I left in the mountain. Your confidence and momentum became more perfect in this courtyard. You must have absolute confidence in killing me. If I wasn't used by you, you would He wanted to kill me, but it's a pity, it's still inappropriate." The middle-aged hunter put down the wooden spoon, took out a few pieces of charcoal from the stone stove, put them in a black stone basin beside him, and looked at Ye Xinhe, He smiled and said: "Because I don't use this snake soup alone, but I specially use it to entertain a guest who came from afar. In addition to this snake soup, there is another dish that is grilled fish. The fish is made of cold lake white water fish. , The fisherman has been waiting for you here for many days, he is here, you can’t kill me if you come.”
Ye Xinhe's complexion remained unchanged, but her brows were deeply frowned.
He stopped talking, and at this moment he also sensed the arrival of an aura, an aura that he was somewhat familiar with.
He knew who the person was, his aura was a little vibrated, a little nervous, a little frightened, but also a little excited and looking forward to it.
The sound of stepping on snow outside the courtyard sounded again.
That piece of lake is far away from here, but Ding Ning has already arrived.
When he opened the door and his face was illuminated by the fire, the big fish in his hand was not dead, but the surface was slightly frosted, the body of the fish was frozen stiff, but the tail was still swaying.
Ye Xinhe looked at Ding Ning who walked in, and remained silent.
Ding Ning didn't talk to him immediately, but just handed the fish to the middle-aged Orion.
"Just right."
The middle-aged Orion was very satisfied, smiling like a mountain full of peach blossoms in spring. He took a stone knife and cut open the belly of the fish. He only cleaned the internal organs, did not wash the blood or remove the scales, but stuffed some dried meat and meat into the belly of the fish. Dried mushrooms, several kinds of seasoned wild herbs, which are grilled over charcoal fire.
The body of the fish sizzled, oil and water gradually seeped out from between the scales, and the scales became golden and soaked in oil, making them look strangely beautiful.
"The snake soup is just right. After drinking a bowl, you can eat fish, and then another bowl of snake soup. There will be no better taste and satisfaction than this." The middle-aged Orion smiled at Ding Ning and Ye Xinhe.
"Drink a bowl?"
Ding Ning took the first bowl of snake soup from the middle-aged Orion and asked Ye Xinhe.
Ye Xinhe looked as usual, took the second bowl of snake soup scooped out by the middle-aged Orion, drank it slowly, and ate up all the snake parts, then looked at Ding Ning and said, "You should know that I am from Jiaodong County? "
Ding Ning nodded, and said calmly: "I invite you to drink this bowl of snake soup, not only for the friendship in the past, but also to ask you, although you are from Jiaodong County, you have to hide in the dark, and you can't talk to Zheng Enjoying the halo of Jiaodong County and the status she later had like a sleeve, but for this you have betrayed many people who regard you as a true friend, why?"
The middle-aged Orion also restrained his smile, and said: "I can't understand it, so I agree with him to treat you to this bowl of snake soup."
Ye Xinhe put down the bowl in her hand, raised her head slightly, as if she was in deep thought.