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墨書 Inktalez
I didn't know how I ended up walking so briskly into an empty alley, only to suddenly realize where I was. Oh no, I had lost track of Han Meilan! Turning back, I saw that the crowd and lights were far behind me.
I chuckled to myself, planning to return to the marketplace to find Han Meilan. But just then, a commotion erupted in the alley, with flickering flames and shadows moving erratically around the corner.
"Quick, don't let him get away!"
"Catch him! Capture this thief, and there will be a great reward!"
"Hurry! Hurry!"
My heart raced; what was happening? Had someone been robbed? Oh no, it seemed that the thief was nearby. If I wasn't careful, I could end up as a hostage!
It’s always like that—whatever you fear will surely come looking for you. Before I could brace myself, a tall shadow suddenly grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth tightly.
I struggled desperately, making muffled sounds, but my captor was too strong. No matter how much I fought back, it felt like an ant trying to shake a tree. I wanted to reach into my pocket for my knife, but my arms were pinned down, leaving me completely immobilized.
In less than three minutes, I was out of strength and nearly in tears. The Tang Dynasty was truly a dangerous time! But there was nothing I could do; my limbs felt weak as I was dragged into a secluded dark corner by the thief.
A flurry of footsteps approached, torches and figures passed by not far in front of us with a crackle. After a few minutes, everything fell silent. What bad luck! When someone is down on their luck, even drinking cold water can get stuck in their teeth. I needed to think quickly about how to appease this gentleman; hopefully, he didn’t plan to eliminate me.
At that moment, the man behind me spoke up, scolding me: "Hey! Listen carefully! If you can't resist next time, don't squirm like that... it makes people suspicious!"
What?! I turned in surprise as he loosened his grip on me.
Dressed in luxurious Night Blue with a mask that sparkled brightly—wasn't this Night Phantom?
"You jerk!" I couldn't hold back my expletives any longer. "Why did you grab me so hard? You nearly twisted me in half! What are you doing?!"
"What does that have to do with my grandpa?" He looked at me in surprise. "In any case, don't twist like that next time. Luckily it's me; if it were someone else... Just don't twist like that!"
I thought for a moment. Oh my gosh, just now I had been struggling in his arms with all my might, rubbing against him. How embarrassing! He was right; it was fortunate it was him. If it had been a bad person, even if they had no ill intentions, I might have twisted something out of them. Phew, thank goodness.
I'm a reasonable person, so I immediately straightened my attitude and sincerely said, "Okay, I understand. I'll remember for next time."
He stared at me and suddenly let out a long sigh, seeming quite helpless.
At that moment, I remembered the crucial question: "Hey, how did you end up here? Why are you being chased like a street rat by so many people? What's going on?"
"I went to deliver a letter!" Night Phantom replied casually.
"A letter? To whom?"
"To Yan Manor. I want the reward mentioned in their notice."
It was then that I recalled who Night Phantom was—he was the infamous Kid the Phantom Thief! His main job was to steal jewels as a notorious thief! After spending so much time together, only dealing with corpses and solving cases, I had forgotten what his real profession was.
But why did he have such a fondness for jewels? And why did he need to notify them in advance?
"Uh, when do you plan to steal it?"
"During the tournament," Night Phantom said with a grin. "With so many witnesses around, it’ll be much more interesting."
"Sigh..." I couldn't help but let out a sigh and then started lecturing like an old Marxist lady. "Stealing things isn't good... It's illegal! Plus, that's someone's hard-earned money you're taking. Just think about how they would feel! Besides, this Boss doesn't sound like a bad person; the participants even get souvenirs..."
Night Phantom chuckled lightly. "Well, since our Zhenzhen is pleading for them, fine. I'll take it to play with for a bit and then return it."
"Ah? I feel utterly confused. Why go through all this trouble just to return it after playing with it for a bit?"
"Did you play with all the gems you stole before returning them?" I found this approach quite bizarre, almost akin to modern performance art.
"Not necessarily. It depends on who the original owner is and whether I'm in the mood," Night Phantom replied nonchalantly. "If it's from a corrupt official, I might just give it to a beggar."
Hmm, could this be what 'Thief' meant in ancient times? I enjoy reading martial arts stories, and I admire those heroes who stand up for justice and act when necessary, disregarding the authority of the powerful. However, as the future Police Flower, having criminals openly declare their intent to commit theft right in front of me was something I couldn't accept psychologically.
"Don't go stealing!" I firmly stated my position. "Autumn Scissors, let me help you get it!"
Night Phantom looked surprised.
"Night, tell me honestly, what do you want the gem for?"
He stared at me for a moment, then his expression shifted to a sly smile.
"Alright, if you can get the gem for me, I'll tell you. It's a deal—cash for goods!"
I was speechless for a moment and could only sigh to end our conversation.
Actually, I suddenly made up my mind. I wanted to participate in the Cooking Competition. I had an advantage that no one else in this era had: I possessed the standard seasoning recipe for Seven Spice Chili Pepper.
There was just one problem that I hadn't considered when I boasted about my abilities.
Night followed me like a shadow and guided me into the marketplace until we successfully found Han Meilan. Just as I blended into the bustling crowd, my keen eyes caught a glimpse of blue fabric from a shop rooftop nearby.
"Why did you disappear while walking?" Han Meilan pouted slightly. Her voice was sweet and delicate, and her appearance was equally charming, drawing the attention of several young gentlemen nearby who paused to look back.
I managed to respond with a few words, my mind wandering elsewhere. Time was running short; if I wanted to compete, there was still a lot of preparation to be done. If possible, it would be best to start buying supplies at the night market tonight.
Seven Spice Chili Pepper is a complex seasoning made by grinding together mustard, dried tangerine peel, sesame seeds, Sichuan pepper, hemp seeds, perilla leaves, seaweed, ginger, and other ingredients. The ancient Seven Spice Chili Pepper recipe consists of seven ingredients, which is how it got its name. In contrast, the modern Shichimi Togarashi includes many more ingredients, with each manufacturer having their own unique blend.
Despite its complex composition, the finished product does not overpower food; in fact, it is considered a relatively mild seasoning.
I switched into study mode and recalled my notes from the Japanese cooking class. I remembered the most traditional Shichimi Togarashi recipe used red chili pepper, Sichuan pepper, white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, perilla leaves, seaweed, and hemp seeds.
I decided to go with this recipe. For an ancient Cooking Competition, using traditional methods seemed more fitting.
So I began my search for spices at the night market. Chang'an is a metropolis and quite bustling, so all sorts of goods are available here—even imported items. Soon enough, I had found black and white sesame seeds, perilla leaves, seaweed, and hemp seeds. However, no sign of the main ingredient: chili peppers.
In such a large city, how could something so common be so hard to find?
"Melan, do you know where I can buy chili peppers?" I asked the renowned chef.
Han Meilan looked at me in surprise.
"Chili peppers? What are those?"
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