Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 377 The Soong Sisters 2

After taking a group photo, the three continued walking along the lake.

The park gradually became lively in the evening.

Some people started playing the erhu, others practiced tai chi, and more and more middle-aged women were doing square dancing in the park's open space.

Wu Zhiyuan explained: "Many years ago, this was a landlord's manor. Now, it's a park, a place for ordinary people to relax after meals."

It is said that the owner of this manor is quite famous for his literary talent and is very knowledgeable.

The manor he built not only paid attention to feng shui layout, but also incorporated a lot of poetic and picturesque elements.

Song Yating nodded: "No wonder, every blade of grass and every tree exudes elegance."

The park has a side gate; going out through the side gate leads to the street.

The nights in Qingyan are not as brightly lit as those in big cities, but they have their own unique charm.

Shops line both sides of the street, and the aroma of barbecue stalls and snack shops wafts out.

Song Yating was drawn in by the aroma of roasted sweet potatoes.

Wu Zhiyuan said, "These are sweet potatoes from Qingyan. They're not very big, but they're especially sweet. Would you like to try some?"

Song Yating blurted out, "Of course!"

Wu Zhiyuan bought two roasted sweet potatoes.

Song Yating carefully peeled off the skin, revealing the golden sweet potato flesh steaming hot.

She took a bite and exclaimed, "It's so sweet and fragrant! Sis, you should try some too!"

Song Ya-wen took a bite and nodded, saying, "It tastes really good. You can't get this kind of food in Country A."

Wu Zhiyuan went to a specialty food restaurant.

We went up to a small private room on the second floor.

"Sister Ya-wen, how many days will you be staying in China this time?"

"Our first stop was Jiangzhong to see you." Song Yawen looked at Song Yating and added, "This was Yating's strong request."

Song Yating chuckled and said, "Sister, it's been so long since I've seen Mr. Wu. Don't you miss your old friend?"

Song Ya-wen felt a little embarrassed.

Wu Zhiyuan smiled and smoothed things over: "Yating is right, old friends should get together more often."

However, it's truly remarkable that Sister Ya-Wen, who manages such a large corporation, can find time to come to China.

Song Ya-wen said, "No matter how busy I am, I still have to see old friends. Besides, after we parted ways in Australia, I really wanted to see how you're doing."

Wu Zhiyuan asked with a smile, "How are you feeling?"

"You seem different now compared to when you were in Country A."

"What's different? Tell me."

"When you were in Country A, you were like a knife ready to be drawn at any moment—sharp, alert, and always carrying a certain energy."

I'm much more relaxed now, more like an ordinary person.

Wu Zhiyuan was slightly taken aback, then smiled: "Sister Yawen is very observant. Maybe so, being a secret agent and being a county magistrate are indeed quite different."

One is always ready for battle, the other is constantly thinking about how to improve the lives of ordinary people.

Song Yating asked, "Mr. Wu, which kind of life do you prefer?"

"I like them all. We sing the songs that correspond to the mountains we live on. Now that I'm the county magistrate, I'm thinking about how to develop Qingyan well, make the villagers' wallets fuller, and improve their lives."

Song Yawen smiled and said, "Zhiyuan, I must lend you a hand."

"Isn't it true that investing anywhere is investing? If Qingyan's conditions are so attractive, why should we go elsewhere?"

Song Yating chimed in, "That's right, sister. Let's set up the Song Group's headquarters in China here with Mr. Wu, and then I'll be in charge of the business here."

Song Ya-wen smiled and said, "Ya-ting, you're still in university?"

Song Yating pouted, looking unconvinced: "Sister, when I said I wanted to apply to study in China, you disagreed, saying it was too far away."

I've made my decision. I'll apply to study at Huaxia University, where I can manage the company while I study."

Song Ya-wen laughed and said, "What Song Group's China headquarters? So far, we haven't invested a single penny in China."

Song Yating argued, "It's not too late to invest now. China is such a huge market. How can the Song Group, which is pursuing internationalization, miss out?"

"Sister, haven't you always said you want to grow bigger and stronger? How can you talk about internationalization if you don't enter the Chinese market?"

Song Ya-wen chuckled: "Alright, whatever you say. You'll have a share in the Song Group too."

Wu Zhiyuan smiled and said, "Yating, welcome to study in China, and welcome to serve as the head of the Song Group's China headquarters."

Song Yating made a funny face.

The dishes were served piping hot and fragrant.

Stewed stone chicken, stewed pork trotters with dried bamboo shoots, mutton hot pot, wild mushroom stew, braised wild fish, garlic wild vegetables, and tofu made with local spring water.

Wu Zhiyuan pointed to the casserole in the middle and introduced: "This stewed stone chicken is a signature dish of our Qingyan."

The rock partridge is not a chicken, but a type of frog that lives in the crevices of rocks in mountain streams. Its meat is even more tender and delicious than that of the bullfrog.

Simmer in spring water with a few slices of ginger and some scallions over low heat to preserve the original flavor.

Song Yating picked up a small piece and put it in her mouth, praising it repeatedly: "Wow, so fresh! The meat is so tender, like fish, but firmer than fish."

Wu Zhiyuan then pointed to the large black pottery bowl: "You should try this stewed pork trotters with dried bamboo shoots."

The pig trotters are from local farm-raised pigs, smoked with pine branches and cypress leaves, giving them a unique smoky flavor.

Dried bamboo shoots are wild bamboo shoots dug from the mountains in spring, dried and stored, and they absorb the flavor best when stewed with meat.

Song Yawen picked up a piece of pig's trotter, took a bite, and the salty and smoky flavor of the cured meat spread in her mouth. The pig skin was soft and tender, and the lean meat was not dry.

She picked up another piece of dried bamboo shoot with her chopsticks. The bamboo shoot had soaked up the meat broth and was chewy yet crunchy, giving it a unique flavor.

Song Ya-wen nodded and said, "These dried bamboo shoots are really good. They're chewy and flavorful."

You can't find this taste in Chinese restaurants in country A.

Wu Zhiyuan laughed and said, "That's for sure. Our Qingyan dried bamboo shoots are all wild-grown, without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. We're also particular about how they're dried; they have to be dried in the bright sunshine to be fragrant."

The copper pot in the middle was bubbling and steaming. Wu Zhiyuan lifted the lid, and the milky white broth was boiling, with the aroma of mutton wafting out.

"The mutton hot pot uses black goats raised in our mountainous area."

These goats roam the hillsides all day, eating wild grass and drinking mountain spring water, resulting in firm meat with a mild gamey flavor.

I added angelica root, codonopsis root, and red dates while stewing, which not only removes the gamey smell but also provides nourishment.

Song Yating picked up a piece of mutton, dipped it in the secret sauce, put it in her mouth, and exclaimed with delight, "It's so delicious! Sister, you have to try it. This mutton has no gamey smell at all, and it's so tender and fragrant."

Song Yawen also took a bite, and it was indeed as Wu Zhiyuan said: the meat was firm but not tough, with a rich meaty aroma, and the spiciness and fragrance of the dipping sauce were just right.

Wu Zhiyuan then introduced the wild mushroom stew: "This wild mushroom stew uses several kinds of wild mushrooms from our mountains."

These are porcini mushrooms, green-headed mushrooms, and chanterelle mushrooms; they were all picked this season.

The taste of cultivated mushrooms is several levels different from that of wild mushrooms.

Song Yating scooped up a spoonful of mushroom soup, blew on it gently, took a careful sip, and nodded, saying, "It's so delicious! This soup is so fresh that I want to swallow my tongue."

Song Ya-wen also took a bite, and indeed, it was an indescribable freshness, the essence of the deep mountains concentrated in a bowl of soup.

The braised wild fish was served on a rectangular white porcelain plate, sprinkled with bright green scallions and cilantro.

Wu Zhiyuan said, "These are wild fish caught from the Qingyan River. The water quality of our Qingyan River is good; it's source water and there's no pollution."

This wild fish has firm flesh and no muddy taste.

Braising is the most common way to cook fish, but it's the best way to bring out its natural flavor.

Song Yating picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks. The meat was tender and the sauce was rich. She nodded repeatedly, "Delicious, delicious! It's much more flavorful than the farmed fish we usually eat."

A plate of garlic-flavored wild vegetables, vibrant green and refreshing to look at.

Wu Zhiyuan explained, "This is wild rapeseed picked from the mountain. It's the kind of wild vegetable that grows by the fields and is ignored by everyone."

Stir-frying with minced garlic is simple, but it best brings out the unique fragrance of wild vegetables.

Song Ya-wen picked up a piece with her chopsticks. The wild vegetables were slightly bitter at first, but quickly turned sweet. Paired with the aroma of minced garlic, they were refreshing and helped to cut through the greasiness.

The last dish, tofu made with local spring water, was served in a rough earthenware bowl. The tofu was white and tender, and the broth was clear.

Wu Zhiyuan said, "This tofu is made with spring water from Qingyan Mountain."

Good water makes for tender and fragrant tofu.

No need to add anything, just simmer it like this, sprinkle some salt and chopped green onions, and you have a delicious dish.

Song Yating scooped up a spoonful of tofu. The tofu was as smooth and tender as tofu pudding, melting in her mouth. The aroma of soybeans and the sweetness of spring water blended perfectly.

Song Yating tried this and that, praising them highly.

"Sister, why don't we stay here instead of leaving? Let's just stay in Qingyan."

"I wouldn't trade this kind of delicious food for anything, not even a god."

Song Ya-wen laughed and said, "Swallow what's in your mouth before you speak. Look at you, you look like you haven't eaten for days."

Song Yating chuckled, "Sis, I'm serious. What do we eat in Country A?"

The fruits and vegetables I buy in the supermarket look pretty, but they taste bland.

"And the meat too, from those fattened animals, it can't taste as good as the meat here."

Song Ya-wen nodded: "That's true. The quality of the ingredients is indeed much lower."

In country A, to get such natural and organic produce, you have to order from specialized high-end farms, which are ridiculously expensive, and you might not even be able to find anything of this quality.

Taking the opportunity, Song Yating said, "So, why don't we just move the Song Group headquarters to China and settle down here?"

This place is vast and rich in resources, with so many delicious foods.

Today I eat in Qingyan, tomorrow in the next county, and the day after that I go to another place; I can eat something different every day of the year.

Wu Zhiyuan was amused by her: "Yating, are you trying to eat your way through all of China?"

Song Yating said matter-of-factly, "Of course! I looked it up before I came. There are eight major cuisines in China, such as Sichuan cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Huaiyang cuisine..."

Each cuisine has hundreds of famous dishes. If I could eat my way through all eight major cuisines in my lifetime, that would be a truly fulfilling experience!

Song Ya-wen was both amused and exasperated: "All you ever think about is food. Studying abroad is for learning, not for becoming a gourmet."

Song Yating argued confidently: "Reading and eating don't conflict. Reading while eating is called a balance between work and rest."

Besides, sis, don't you think the best way to understand a place's culture is to eat its food? I'm doing cultural research here.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded with a smile: "Yating's words make sense. Food is the most important thing for people, and food is indeed the most direct manifestation of a place's culture."

Our dishes in Qingyan use only local ingredients, and the cooking methods have been passed down from generation to generation. They embody the lifestyle and wisdom of the people of Qingyan.

Song Ya-wen sighed, "To be honest, I'm actually a little envious of the people of Qingyan."

Living amidst such beautiful scenery and enjoying such clean food, life may be simple, but we live a fulfilling life.

Unlike us in the city, where we're busy every day, and the food we eat looks fancy, but we don't even know where it comes from or how it's grown.

Wu Zhiyuan put down his chopsticks, looked at the steaming dishes on the table, and slowly said, "Sister Yawen, you're right, Qingyan is guarding good things."

The problem is, no matter how good the product, if it can't be sold, it won't turn into money, and ordinary people will still struggle to make ends meet.

He pointed to the wild mushroom stew: "These wild mushrooms are picked by farmers before dawn. They climb dozens of miles of mountain roads, and sometimes they can't even pick a few pounds in a day."

Sold to vendors, it costs a few dozen yuan per kilogram. But the vendors resell it to big restaurants in the city, where a single dish can sell for two or three hundred yuan. The farmers work hard, while the middlemen make the money.

In Qingyan, there are so many wonderful things like this.

The walnuts, chestnuts, and honey from the mountains, the fish and shrimp from the rivers, and the grains, vegetables, and fruits from the fields are all organic and of good quality.

However, due to inconvenient transportation, lack of information, absence of brands, and lack of distribution channels, these wonderful things could only be watched helplessly as they remained hidden deep in the mountains, unknown to the world.

The farmers in Qingyan County are not lazy; it's just that their hard work hasn't brought them the rewards they deserve.

It's not that they don't have good things, it's that their good things can't get out of the mountains.

That's why I'm in a hurry to attract investment, build roads, and promote the Qingyan brand.

For no other reason than to allow these good products to leave the mountains, fetch a good price, and bring tangible benefits to the hard-working people.

The old saying goes, "Good wine needs no bush." ​​But that was in ancient times; now we live in a market economy and the information age.

No matter how fragrant the wine is, if the alley is too deep and people can't smell it, it's all for nothing.

Even the best things are useless if they're hidden deep in the mountains and nobody knows about them.