Chapter 34: The Arrogant Envoy (Part 1)

  The skill of this skinning hand made everyone exclaim in surprise. The knife in the butcher's hand seemed to be a sharp blade that could cut through iron like mud, and it didn't seem to have encountered anything that could hinder its movement. The knife moved with an extremely brisk rhythm, looking incredibly clean and efficient.

  The large basin filled with blood had been moved to one side by the sturdy man, and he took another one. This time, the butcher hummed a tune as he made a cut in the center of the cow's abdomen, as if measuring accurately, very precisely cutting open the middle. The water from the abdomen suddenly gushed out and fell into the wooden basin that had been prepared in advance. Two or three cuts were made at the throat and the base of the cow's tail to sever the connection between the water and the body, and the wooden basin filled with the cow's water was quickly carried away.

  The next performance was truly like the description in "Pao Ding's Cow Butchering": wherever his hands touched, wherever his shoulders leaned, wherever his feet trod, wherever his knees pressed, all were perfectly harmonious, like a musical performance, blending with the rhythm of the mulberry forest dance, and reaching the ultimate state. The butcher's movements, standing position, even the accuracy of his knife strokes, left everyone who had never seen such effortless cow butchering before staring in amazement.

  The butcher's knife in his hand never stopped, the ditty in his mouth never broke off, and even the steps under his feet seemed to follow a certain rhythm, giving people the feeling that he was not dissecting an ox, but dancing a kind of exotic dance.

  The knife fell onto the beef, producing a low, muffled sound that made even those battle-hardened warriors feel a chill run down their spines. Yet, against the backdrop of the background music, it was strangely pleasant to listen to. To those who had never experienced the flash of swords and the clash of steel, it was a rare delight. Even for the warriors themselves, the long, drawn-out sound of the knife slicing into meat could evoke a resonance that stirred their instincts for battle.

  As the different parts were cut and classified, the beef was neatly stacked on both sides of the frame, visible to everyone around. In an instant, before the butcher's knife had finished its work, a whole water buffalo had been transformed into a pile of bloody bones laid flat on the spread-out cowhide.

  Until now, the slightly sinister skeleton of that cow made people feel a bit cruel. However, as the butcher's tone changed, the music also changed. From that desolate and long-lasting one to a fast-paced but somewhat tense golden armor.

  The butcher's knife seems to have turned into a sprite dancing between the bones. The joints are relaxed, and the blade is thin. With thinness entering relaxation, it is easy to see that there will be plenty of room for the blade to move about. The long blade seems to have grown eyes, constantly moving in and out of the gaps between the bones, each time taking a piece of bone away from the main skeleton.

  Femur, rib, pelvis, scapula, vertebra, skull, just like a butcher's hand can take it down, no sign of the original connection with muscles and tendons. With a casual grasp, it becomes a piece, without any hesitation or difficulty. The opened bones are placed on the spread-out cowhide, each bone in its proper position, looking quite novel.

  Not to mention those old scholars who are always indecisive, nor the imperial concubines who rarely leave the palace, even the military generals who have been on the battlefield have never seen such a precise and effortless dissection procedure. With the accompaniment of music, the butcher's movements were like a dance, extremely captivating. Everyone watched with rapt attention, not a single person was distracted.

  Removing the flesh and blood from the cow bones is also a skill that deserves admiration. It's still the same knife, but it seems to have transformed into a specialized deboning knife, following the shape of the bone. With one cut, it precisely cuts off the thin membrane on the bone, and then it's as easy as taking off one's clothes, with the flesh and bones separating clearly. Occasionally, there may be some adhesion, but after one cut, there is no obstacle.

  The bones that had been stripped clean, smooth and white, without a single speck of blood or flesh, were neatly arranged on both sides. Just as the cow's skull was cleaned up and placed on the rack, the butcher finished his tune.

  According to different parts of the cut, neat and tidy meat blocks were separated from the cow bones, neatly arranged on both sides of the frame. In just a moment, over a thousand catties of beef was transformed into piles of neat meat blocks and separated bones. The bones were spotless, without a single thread of meat attached. The huge cowhide was intact, with the head and tail complete, even the eyes, mouth, and nose were not damaged in the slightest, and it was also placed on both sides of the frame.

  The entire process was so smooth and effortless, it's hard to describe. What was originally a bloody and gruesome scene of slaughtering cows had become a delightful and enjoyable sight.

  Although this is a foreign envoy's trick to provoke, those who have seen it can't help but applaud. Such craftsmanship is indeed worthy of being called the way. I used to think that being a butcher was a rough and coarse profession, but now looking at that clean and neat butcher, there seems to be a hint of a master's demeanor.

  No matter what skill it is, when it has truly reached this level, it will evoke a sense of wonder and admiration. Playing the piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting are elegant pursuits, but watching this person slaughter an ox, surprisingly, doesn't have that feeling of disgust and coarseness. Especially when he hums a tune, steps out a dance, and effortlessly wields the butcher knife in his hand, slowly dissecting the entire cow before everyone's eyes, it even brings a hint of genuine delight.

  The butcher's knife had been handed over to the guard beside him, who examined it and presented it to the emperor, because the emperor also wanted to see if the knife he used was as described in "Pao Ding Jie Niu", still shining like new after a decade or so without being replaced.

  When the emperor finished his appreciation with a smile, the leader of the barbarian envoys stepped forward respectfully, followed by the big Han and the butcher. After a deep bow, the envoy spoke again: "A humble skill from a vassal state, crude and hard to bear, just enough to amuse your majesty. May I ask if our heavenly dynasty can also let Pangs Ding transmit this technique, and give us vassals a lesson, so that we common people can open our eyes?"

  This barbarian envoy, having lost the debate, was unwilling to give up and continued to press his point. The Emperor's face changed color at once, and before he could open his mouth, a high-ranking official jumped out and pointed at the barbarian envoy, scolding him: "How dare you! Do you want to perform such a lowly skill in front of these senior officials and put our great China in a difficult position?"

  The barbarian envoy was greatly shocked and repeatedly said he did not dare. He was again seized by the minister: "How is it? Are you not among the senior officials present, or do you want the Emperor to personally take action?" Among those present, except for the senior officials, there was only the Emperor, so the minister's words were correct. How could anyone in this crowd be engaged in the lowly profession of slaughtering cattle? The barbarian envoy's request was so impudent that it would not have been excessive to immediately execute him on the spot.

  It's Saturday, wish everyone a happy weekend. Thank you for recommending and collecting, thank you all 0BP