Book1:TeDream-Maker

,aswithitwentalltheirhopes．Richardhimself,however,assumedanontattitude,aupalivelychatterashepreparedhischi．

    "WhenIcametoAmerica,IbroughtwithmeamilliondolrsinU.S.currency，hopingtosettledownanddosomebusiness．ButasIwaslookingaroundtoseewhichfieldIshouldiin,Ihappeogototheoonedayandtrymyluck．Iwournedandwonagain．Ithoughtthatwasasgoodawaytoimymoneyasanyother，soIbegantoplungeinwithavengeanedaysIwaslucky,butothersIlostheavilyandbeforeIk，mymilliondolrswasallgone；andIbecamethepennilessguyyouseenowbeforeyou．Suchislife!"Meanwhilehewasingouttheiihechi，leavihersintact．Hestartedtospriheinsideofachiwithwineandsaltandthencoateditwithwetmudfromthebanksoftheke．Hethrewthemud-coatedchiintothefireandworkedonanotherone．Whenhehadfihthestone，hesmiledandsaid，"That，myfriends，isthefamous“Beggar’sChi”iedbypeoplelikeusoutofy．It’seasytoprepareaastytoo，asyoushalljudgeforyourselfsoon.”

    Theairgraduallyfilledwiththeappetizingfragranceofwarmwine,andthecookingofchiwhichwhettedtheirappetites．Ifthetreescouldfeelhuheytoowouldbedroolinginenvy．Richardpriedoutthefirstthhlybakedchi,whichwashardasarodcrackeditopenbythrowingitontheground．Thefeatherscameoffwiththedrymud,revealingthejuicywhitemeatwithin．Richardtorethefullycookedchiintofivergeportions,handioeachofhisfriends．Jamazdevouredhisportionravenously，teariwithhissharpwhiteteeth．Dimitriatewithrelishawogentlersexesretaiheirtablemanners,eatingandchewingslowlyandenjoyably．Richardcrackedopenhisspecialtyonebyoneandservedthemtohisfriends,happytoseethemenjoyinghis