in2ebook Chapter 188 Dayi Town Village 1
Chapter 188 Dayi Town Village 1
After the meal, each person had a bowl of pork bone soup and ate it to their heart's content.
When Xie Ci'an finished eating, he looked at the leftover bones on the side and his face turned red involuntarily.
I started to doubt myself, why could I eat so much!
In contrast, Gu Changsheng was much more contented.
He ate his round belly without paying attention to details, "Xiao Man, your cooking skills are getting better and better. When will you accept an apprentice? I will let the cook at home learn from you."
Lin Jingzhe answered for Lin Xiaoman: "I won't teach you. You'll be so greedy."
"Brother Changsheng, if you eat pig's trotters and beggar's chicken every day, you will get tired of it after a few days. It's not like the chef in your family who can cook all kinds of cuisines from all over the world. He changes things up to create a sense of freshness."
After eating and drinking, Lin Jingzhe went to wash the dishes obediently.
Xie Ci'an and Gu Changsheng talked about the county examination in February.
Lin Xiaoman was very curious about the imperial examination, so she sat quietly by and listened to them talk.
Occasionally interrupt and ask a question.
When they talked about knowledge and examination halls, Lin Xiaoman remembered that the term "stinky number" was always mentioned in imperial examination papers, and became curious, so he asked about it casually.
“Is there really a bad number in the examination room?”
Among the four people present, only Gu Changsheng had passed the county examination.
But he seemed to be lucky and stayed far away from the bad ones.
"During the last county exam, a classmate from Mingyi Hall had bad luck. He was near the stinky horn and I heard he fainted in the middle of the exam."
Lin Xiaoman asked again: "Is there no solution?"
Gu Changsheng shook his head, "Any candidate who brings anything unrelated to the exam will be considered cheating."
Lin Xiaoman couldn't help but sigh: "Well, then you still need to have strong physical fitness."
After saying this, she glanced at Gu Changsheng openly, looking him up and down.
"Brother Changsheng, you haven't coughed recently after taking medicine, right? I think you should exercise properly. I heard that each exam takes several days, and you have to eat, drink, defecate and urinate in the exam room. You can't eat or sleep well, and you are highly nervous. Many strong people can't stand it."
"The court doctor also said so. Every morning after breakfast, I would walk back and forth in the yard for more than half an hour."
"Brother Changsheng, you can't walk slowly. You have to speed up your pace and let your body slowly accept it." Lin Xiaoman felt that Uncle Gu was too careful with Gu Changsheng. From childhood to adulthood, he treated him like a porcelain doll.
But the more carefully you take care of it, the more it will always be a flower in a greenhouse, unable to go out and afraid of the cold.
As long as you don't have a cough, proper exercise is beneficial to your physical and mental health.
"Then starting tomorrow, I will try to speed up my pace?"
"Okay, originally you walk for half an hour. If you're worried that you can't adapt to fast walking, you can walk for a quarter of an hour and then rest for a while, then walk for another quarter of an hour and rest for a while again. As long as you can adapt, you can practice at this pace later."
Lin Jingzhe just came over after washing the dishes. He raised his hands and cheered, "Brother Changsheng, you can't just take advantage of reading to deal with it casually. Go back to the town with your parents, and I will supervise you on behalf of Xiaoman."
Lin Xiaoman snorted twice and pulled Lin Jingzhe's arm, "Brother, have you forgotten the oath you made at Brother Ci'an's house? You have to memorize the lessons, so how can you have time to go to town?"
Gu Changsheng got the chance to take revenge, "Jingzhe, a gentleman's word is as good as gold. It's only been a few hours, and you've forgotten it?"
"Oh, how did I get myself into trouble?"
Lin Jingzhe was quite embarrassed and hesitantly said, "Then let's supervise each other. You supervise my study, I supervise your exercise, and Ci'an will supervise us both from the side."
Gu Changsheng nodded, "Okay, it's a deal."
The three of them high-fived as an oath.
Xie Ci'an was obviously forced onto the pirate ship of the two men.
Lin Xiaoman thought thoughtfully, isn’t this the ancient version of the study supervision group?
Supervise each other, learn from each other's strengths and avoid weaknesses, and make progress together.
I wonder how long my brother can hold on?
When all things come back to life, the rabbits in the mountains start to dig holes, and weeds and wild vegetables start to grow wildly, I wonder if he can still withstand the pressure by then?
At the beginning of the new year, the days are shorter and the nights are longer.
After Ping An urged him seven or eight times, Gu Changsheng said goodbye reluctantly.
It's been a long time since I had such a happy chat.
It has been a long time since I last tasted Xiaoman’s delicious food, especially the beggar’s chicken, which tasted so good and the cooking method was unheard of.
When Gu Changsheng left, Lin Xiaoman stuffed a piece of paper into his hand.
He was a little nervous, but his hand holding the paper never loosened.
Only after he climbed onto the donkey cart and drove it safely away did Gu Changsheng loosen his palm and turn over the paper.
[How to make beggar's chicken...]
This?
Why did Xiaoman give him the secret recipe of beggar’s chicken?
Just because he said he wanted his dad to have a taste too?
That should be the case. My godfather's family is sometimes quite contradictory. They seem stingy, but they are very generous in some aspects.
Speaking of being generous, my stepfather and stepmother would not even let go of a grain of rice that fell on the table.
But for some reason, he felt particularly relaxed here and didn't really want to go back to the Gu Mansion.
"Ping An, my godfather and his family are moving on the eighth day of the first lunar month. What do you think we should give them as a present?"
"Master, when moving, what kind of house-protecting items are usually given as gifts? I don't understand. Why don't you ask the master? The master often visits relatives and friends, so he must know!"
-
On the seventh day, Li Shan and Li Qiao came to help early in the morning.
Kill chickens and ducks.
Borrow a table and chairs.
The eighth day of the New Year was another sunny day.
There were ten large bowls on ten round tables of different sizes and heights. Four of them were filled with chicken, duck, fish and meat, two were filled with the Lin family's special sausages and preserved eggs, and the remaining four were stir-fried cabbage with lard, shredded radish with vinegar, four-happiness meatballs and mixed flour pancakes with dried vegetables.
The villagers brought gifts to the door. Some brought ten eggs, while others brought live fish and cakes. No matter what they gave, it was the villagers' heartfelt greeting.
It is the same in all the villages. After sending the gifts, people gather together to serve a table of dishes. After one table is finished eating, the next table of dishes is served.
Aunt Li from next door brought the village head's two daughters-in-law to the kitchen to cook with Li Taohua.
The four daughters-in-law of the Li family were washing dishes in the yard.
Li Erli and the four brothers of the Li family were responsible for serving the dishes.
Lin Dajiang and Lin Jingzhe greeted the guests and led them inside.
Today, Lin Gui and Old Lady Lin were sitting in the center of the main hall. Lin Gui's dark face looked energetic, and he was wearing a new jacket made by his eldest daughter-in-law this year.
It's a bright blue color. I couldn't put it down when I first got it, but later I felt it wouldn't get dirty easily and I was reluctant to wear it. I only officially wore it today.
"Brother Lin, your coat is nice, isn't it?" The village head couldn't help but tease Lin Gui, who was always subconsciously looking at his clothes, "Is it new?"
"Yes, the old man has good craftsmanship and made it himself. Look at the thick quilting inside. It's very warm to wear." Lin Gui's eyes almost squinted with laughter. "It's just this color, it doesn't resist getting dirty!"
Lin Dazhu looked at Lin Guike's praise and said with a smile: "You just show off, you don't know how expensive these uncommon colors of fabrics are in the town's cloth shops."
"Hey, how would a rough guy like me know this?" He said this, but in his heart he loved the jacket more and more.
On the other hand, the old woman is much more casual than him.
"Brother Lin, you will have a blessed life in the second half of your life. Look at this big blue brick and tile house, it's so grand, not bad, really good."
Lin Dazhu seemed to be sitting upright, but in fact his whole mind was on the house.
Lin Dazhu also wanted to build a blue brick and tile house two years ago, but he had two grandsons studying in the town. The annual tuition alone cost six taels of silver, and there were also expenses for buying pens, paper and books. It was simply a huge hole that could not be filled no matter what he did.
After much thought, I decided that my grandson's future was more important, so I gave up the idea of building a blue brick house.
When I saw the house built by Lin Dajiang, I started to miss it again.
Let’s wait a little longer, until our two grandsons pass the imperial examinations and become scholars in the next few years.
Almost all the villagers of Shanglin Village came out, and by mid-afternoon, the ten tables for the first round were already full.
As the dishes were served one by one, the villagers sitting in their seats were dumbfounded.
"The last dish, the golden soup pickled fish, is served! It's perfect, and everyone is eating happily!"
Are you sure this dish is edible?
The waiter just said this is pickled fish, why is it not a whole fish but just a thin slice?
"Which dish is the hard dish?"
The villagers held chopsticks, not knowing which dish would be passed to the next round, and generally this bowl of dish could not be touched.
"The last one, isn't the last one usually the hard dish?"
"Isn't that the pickled fish the same as the one from Ruyi Restaurant in town? Hey~ I really want to try it!"
"Fellow villagers, I, Lin Dajiang, have had some luck in the past two years. I have started a small business and built a new house. However, I will need your support in the future. Please finish all the food today to give me face."
"They're all edible! This dish is better than the one we have on New Year's Eve!"
A quick-talking lady saw the people around her dawdling and said, "Eat quickly, eat quickly. Don't you see there are so many people standing outside? Eat quickly so you can make room for your fellow villagers."
"The pickled fish is really delicious, and it's rich in fat and water."
"It doesn't smell fishy either, Taohua's cooking is really good!"
"If I were Dajiang, I would be so fat from eating this, it's so delicious."
"Hey, these four-happiness meatballs are colorful, how are they made?"
"Why don't you cut the chicken? Come, let me help you tear it apart." Laizi's mother stood up, grabbed the chicken's neck, and tore it gently, and a chicken leg came off.
"This chicken looks delicious, I tore it apart in no time."
After saying that, she put the torn chicken leg into her grandson's bowl. There was also a dog egg on the table. When Laizi's mother saw it, she thought, these are just the right size for two little kids.
No one would dare to say anything if she did that.
So Laizi's mother tore off another chicken leg and put it in Goudan's bowl, "Goudan, eat quickly. There are only two of you at this table. I'll give each of you a chicken leg."
The chicken looked unremarkable, and everyone's attention was on the sausage, preserved eggs and pickled fish in golden soup.
Those are the same dishes as those in the big restaurants in town.
Maybe they will never eat it in their entire life.
"Mom, I want some chicken too."
Goudan stared at the chicken on the table and pulled his mother's sleeve.
"You silly child, eat the pickled fish quickly. Mom tasted it and it has no fish bones. It's delicious. If you don't eat it now, it will be gone."
"Mom, I just want to eat chicken."
Goudan's mother couldn't persuade the boy, so she tore off a piece of chicken wing and put it in Goudan's bowl, then licked it subconsciously.
Hiss~what a smell!
Goudan’s mother glanced at Goudan.
No wonder the brat refused to eat the pickled fish, it turns out the chicken is really delicious!
Goudan's mother hurriedly tore off two pieces of chicken, gave one to the head of the household and one to her mother-in-law, and tore off another piece for herself.
When others saw this, they also started to tear it apart.
"Wow~ Why is this chicken so tender and fresh? It's so delicious!" Laizi's mother ate a piece in no time and rushed to tear off another piece.
"No wonder Dajiang and Taohua can sell food at Ruyi Restaurant. How can they not sell it with such skills?"
"Yeah, I was originally wondering why Dajiang and his friends could make so much money, but now I am convinced. With this skill, even if you don't run your own business, you can still be a chef in a restaurant, right?"
"What are you thinking, Auntie Lin? If my daughter-in-law can cook so deliciously, I won't split up the family. I can eat delicious food and drink spicy drinks every day."
"A good cook cannot cook without rice. Look at these dishes, they are all filled with plenty of oil and water. Do you think Mrs. Lin is a generous person? Even if Taohua is a skilled cook, she can't make them taste good!"
"You're right. My god, what a waste! It's all oil!"
......
The people at the table were talking at the same time, and from time to time there was a hissing sound.
Those who were not at the table smelled the food and heard others say it was delicious, and the gluttony in their stomachs was almost rising to their throats.
By the end of the meal, everyone at the table wanted to lick the plates clean.
Although they didn't lick the plate out of respect, they finished all the soup and water, leaving only a pile of leftover bones on the table.
The villagers who ate the first round of Xi walked away with their stomachs full of satisfaction and a lingering aftertaste.
The Li brothers cleaned up in a hurry. After a while, the table was clear and they started the second round.
It was not until mid-noon, after three rounds of waiting, that there were finally not many people left.
The rest are a few households that came to help, as well as close relatives and good friends.
After helping out for a long day, I can finally take a break and have a hot meal.
The young master of Ruyi Tower and the shopkeeper Tong also came and sat at the same table with Lin Jingzhe, Gu Changsheng, Xie Ci'an, Li Erli and Lin Da and his son.
The village head, Lin Gui and his wife, the clan elders, Lin Dajiang and Li Taohua sat at the same table.
Lin Dahai's family, Lin Dahe's family, and Lin Xiaohua's family sat at another table.
The Li family in Shadi Village is large and has many children. Together with Lin Xiaoman and Aunt Li with their three children, they occupied three tables.
There was no rush for the final banquet, so Lin Dajiang took out the wine that he had prepared long ago and filled the glasses for Lin Gui, the head of the village and the elders.
He toasted the young master again and said a lot of words of thanks, every word coming from the bottom of his heart.
"Boss, drink less. You're talking nonsense." Li Taohua advised.
"I'm happy today, so it's okay to drink a little. Besides, I'm not drunk, haha." Lin Dajiang stared at Zhang's red face and began to say that he was not drunk.
Fortunately, Lin Dajiang knew his alcohol tolerance and didn't dare to drink anymore for fear of causing trouble.
This meal took more than half an hour, especially the table of the village head, where he chatted with several elders. One moment he said that Lin Gui was lucky, the next he said that the village head had two promising grandsons.
Lin Gui and the village head were both embarrassed by what they said.
The head of the village had a dark red face and looked a little drunk, and his words were a little confused.
"With the big river at the head of our Shanglin Village, we will build many blue brick and tile houses in the future. Just wait and see. Our Shanglin Village will become the number one village in Dayi Town."