by N/A
"Wah, never thought that meat cooked like this would be this delicious!" Leng Er's surprised voice came through.
"Haha, indeed not bad." Niu Jing said.
The north during the winters also had a way of eating like this, but it wasn't as delicious as this. Especially this 'mandarin duck' pot's design, truly too exquisite! Furthermore, there was also an abundant of different types of vegetables, unlike the north where they only ate mutton, beef, and whatnot. Mainly it's also because during the winters, the north doesn't have any produce.
(T/N: Pretty sure the north they're referring to is Mongolia, since that's where hotpot originated.)
"En, when I go back, I also want to let someone make one of these at home. Later on, when it snows in the winter, I can just stay at home, eat hotpot, drink some wine and watch the snow. Wow, not bad just thinking about it." Ji Liu Feng already thought to the future.
"Haha." Hearing his words, everyone all happily laughed.
Everyone ate from sunset to dusk. Towards the end, they had no choice but to light up lanterns at every table. Combined with tonight's full moon, the tables were rather bright.
"Erm, so full." Ji Liu Feng patted his own stomach and said.
"Eating this full, can you still eat mooncakes?" Du Xiao Li had the box containing the mooncakes brought over, and seeing Ji Liu Feng's round and bulging stomach, she said with a laugh.
"How do you have mooncakes?" Ji Liu Feng glanced at the mooncakes and asked.
In the past, when they were in the capital, someone else would always have the mooncakes prepared, so this bunch of men, not a single one thought to prepare mooncakes.
Du Xiao Li gave a plate of mooncakes to Leng Er, and had the one in her hand placed onto the cleaned table, saying: "The county magistrate's madam gave me this yesterday. I figured since everyone is this full, you all shouldn't be able to eat too much of this, so I had those mooncakes cut into cubes. During this mid-autumn festival, always need to eat some seasonal mooncakes, right?"
"Haha, that's right." Ji Liu Feng said, picking a toothpick cut from bamboo to poke a piece to put into his mouth. Looking to Du Xiao Li who was dividing the mooncakes for everyone, he said, "Feels like this girl is actually the owner here. That's right, girl, what's that song you sang this morning?"
"Ah that one, that's the 'Little Farmer Girl'." Du Xiao Li replied.
"Celebrating the holiday here this year, there aren't any shows. How about you sing a song for us?" Ji Liu Feng said as he bit into the mooncake.
During the mid-autumn festival every year, if the emperor doesn't organize for everyone to celebrate together, then every family and household will all think of a way to celebrate. Whether it'd be inviting an acting troupe, or something else, it would always be bustling with noise and excitement.
"That's right, your singing is quite good, sing another one for us." Niu Jing also spoke.
"Okay!" Du Xiao Li searched in her head for a bit. There seems to just be those few for mid-autumn, plus ones with modern slang won't be easy to explain. Thus, she chose a rather old song and began singing.
(T/N: Yay I get to butcher more song lyrics again; also this song is super old, from 80s I think, but if you want to hear it-----click here)
The fifteenth's moon; shines on my hometown, shines on the border station; the tranquil night; you're also longing, I am also longing; I guard by the infant's cradle; you patrol the motherland's frontier lines; I plow the farmland in our hometown; you stand guard at the borders; ah in the harvest fruit, there is your sweet and also my sweet; the military accomplishments have my half and also your half; the fifteenth's moon; shines on my hometown, shines on the border station; the tranquil night; you're also longing, I am also longing; I'm filial to my parents, bearing the burden willingly; you devote yourself to the motherland, not hesitating to shed blood and sweat; I shoulder the heavy responsibility of the whole family; you defend the country's safety; ah the motherland's prosperity has you contributions and also my contributions; thousands of families reuniting is my wish and also your wish; also your wish.
As Du Xiao Li sang, she felt it was not bad, quite fitting with the times. But she soon discovered that the mood in the courtyard had slightly changed. Even Ji Liu Feng and Leng Er didn't speak either.
Ch. 051 – That Crude Wish of Hers
That Crude Wish of Hers
"What's wrong with you all? Is it because I didn't sing well?" Du Xiao Li couldn't help asking. Seemingly her voice was still okay, and her singing wasn't completely to the point of tone deaf.
"Cough, cough, no, no, you sang very well." Niu Jing stroked his beard and said, "Just, these lyrics makes one somewhat sentimental. Never heard of this song before. How did you come up with it?"
"Ehh---" Du Xiao Li, thinking that she was still a seven year old child, rubbed the back of her head and said, "Didn't the neighboring village's brother Bai join the army? Leaving behind the Bai family's sister-in-law* alone at home. Yesterday, when I went to the county seat, I just happened to see her working in the fields. Thought of her just now, so just casually sang a few words."
(*T/N: Saozi translates to sister-in-law, more specifically what you would call the wife of your older brother; family terms are often used as a polite way to address neighbors.)
"The Bai family's wife huh, she's certainly quite pitiful all alone." Niu Jing said, "Bai Ming has already gone to the border station for two years already, right?"
"Yep, when big brother Bai Ming left, little carrot had just been born. Now, little carrot is already about to grow into a big carrot. Yesterday, that child was even playing with the mud in the fields."
(T/N: I really hope they didn't really name that child carrot.....)
"But still don't know how long until brother Bai is able to return!" Du Xiu Heng said.
"Although there isn't war at the borders right now, the other countries are indeed eyeing covetously at our Feng Ming*. That's why we can not relax, so those troops are unable to return home and reunite with their family." Niu Jing said.
(T/N: Feng Ming is the name of their country in case you forgot.)
"With great power under the skies, that which is long divided must unify, and that which is long unified must divide (line quoted from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms). Even if you don't invade me, I will still invade you. Just waiting to see what the ones in power are thinking. But the ones that suffer from the wars are instead us, these ordinary commoners. Sigh, don't know when brother Bai Ming can finally return." Du Xiao Li placed her chin on the table as she muttered.
When she said these words, everyone's gaze all landed on her. Finally realizing what she'd just said, she faked a cough and said, "I'm going to go get a cup of water."
"Phew---" Du Xiao Li came to the kitchen and patted her head. "Why did I say all those things!"
She stayed in the kitchen for a while, only coming out when she heard Niu Jing calling for herself.
"Why did you take so long? There's no light in the house, so thought you might have tripped." Niu Jing said.
"No, just ate too many spicy things tonight, so I was thirsty and drank a bit more water." Du Xiao Li replied.
Ever since she started practicing martial arts, her night vision have improved quite a bit. So even if there's no light at night, she still wouldn't bump into anything.
"Girl, when you grow up, what do you want to do?" Ji Liu Feng suddenly asked.
"Me? I of course want to properly use my tangerine trees to do business and earn a lot of money, hahaha!" Du Xiao Li said while laughing out loud.
"Your dreams sure are crude." Ji Liu Feng just knew she would say this and rolled his eyes at her.
"This isn't crude at all." Du Xiao Li said, "Peopling living in the world, isn't it just to want to live a little better? With these little arms and legs of mine, just relying on planting farm crops, even if I work myself to death, I still might not necessarily be able to provide for myself. That's why I definitely need to think of other ways. You say my dream
is crude, then what is your dream? Let's hear it."
"A good man naturally needs to protect the home and defend the country! My dream is to become an awe-inspiring great general in the future, letting others all unable to come bully us, and let those men all have time to return home and reunite with their families." Ji Liu Feng said. There was actually something else he didn't say, and that is to succeed his father's career.
"Alright, as expected, it's lofty. Compared to you, mine is indeed rather crude." Du Xiao Li patted his shoulder and said, "You'll protect the home and defend the country at the borders, and I'll just do my business and earn big money under your protection. En, this way of thinking is not bad, haha!"
"You're unable to forget your money at any time!" Ji Liu Feng said.
"Of course!" Du Xiao Li proudly smiled, turning her head to Du Xiu Heng and asking: "Big brother, what do you want to do in the future?"
Du Xiu Heng lovingly looked to Du Xiao Li and said, "I hope to be able to take up an official post in the future, so that I can let you live an easy and comfortable life, while also being able to pay service to the country!"
"With big brother being this diligent in studying, you'll definitely be able to!" Du Xiao Li said very positively, afterwards turning her head again to Luo Qi, asking: "Big brother Luo Qi, what is your dream?"
"Luo Qi shook his head and said, "I don't even know my own past, how can I think of the future. However, right now, what I want to do most is to help you earn lots of money together!"
"Haha, big brother Luo Qi, you're so great! This is exactly what like-minded friends are!" Du Xiao Li said with a laugh. Looks like, she's not the only one that's crude here!
However, she didn't notice that Luo Qi said to accompany her in making money, and not making money for himself.
"Alright, it's very late now, we should go back." Du Xiu Heng said to Du Xiao Li.
"En. Go back and properly rest, you still need to return to school tomorrow!" Du Xiao Li said, "Then grandpa Niu, we'll being heading back first. Silver, let's go, going home now."
The moonlight was like water. Du Xiao Li and crew headed back while borrowing the moonlight. Silver had long ran ahead up front already. On the narrow and winding road, the three figure's long shadows trailed behind.
Returning to the home at the waist of the mountain, Luo Qi and Du Xiu Heng took out another jar of wine, sitting in the courtyard and began drinking. Du Xiao Li stood in the courtyard, looking at the hazy mountain village below the moonlight. Hearing Du Xiu Heng and Luo Qi chatting while drinking, and also Silver's cries at the mountain top, she felt her heart was full of happiness.
"Awooo---" She cupped her hands at her mouth, and mimic Silver's cry, howling once towards the bottom of the mountain, attracting a fit of barking from below the mountain.
"Hahaha!" Du Xiao Li heard the movements in the village below and leaned against the bamboo fence laughing non-stop.
Du Xiu Heng and Luo Qi stared at the figure below the moonlight, both unable to hold back and began laughing with her.
"Really a mischievous girl." Luo Qi had the bowl put to his mouth, said these words, and then finally took a sip of wine.
"Really great." Du Xiu Heng said.
Really great. After his own little sister had left, he was able to gain such a little sister.
Really great. She gave him the taste of home again.
The morning of the next day, Du Xiu Heng carried his own backpack and headed off to school. Du Xiao Li went to go see her grape sprouts, and seeing them growing very well, she contently returned home.
Luo Qi had all the martial arts among the ones he knew that were relatively suitable for woman all taught to Du Xiao Li. Afterwards, whenever she had time, she would begin practicing. Luo Qi sighed not just once. Du Xiao Li really was a genius in martial arts!
The following few days after mid-autumn, Hong Jie brought people to come buy tangerine. This time, coming along with her was also a woman wearing bright clothes.
"Xiao Li, this is our madam's young sister." Hong Jie opened her mouth and introduced, as soon as she saw Du Xiao Li.
Li Xue Mei's younger sister, then isn't that Zhou county's largest winery's owner?
Ever since Du Xiao Li began having dealings with Li Xue Mei, she had her matters roughly understood. She knew that her maiden family was the wealthiest family in Zhou county, possessing a very large winery. And the one in charge in the recent two years was precisely this Li Xue Qing in front of her.
"Greetings Madam Li, please sit." Du Xiao Li carried out two stools and said, "Really sorry, our house truly is too messy, can only ask you to sit here. Hong Jie, you also sit."
"It's fine." Li Xue Qing looked around this beaten and might collapse at anytime house. Although it was shabby, it was tidied up very orderly. Seeing that the stool was still relatively clean, she very casually sat down, "I don't like beating around the bush, so I'll just directly say it. This time, I specially had little Hong bring me here to find you."
Du Xiao Li looked to Li Xue Qing, feeling this person was somewhat similar to that Wang Xi Feng. Able and efficient, in this patriarchal society, propping a women's piece of the sky. She smiled and asked following along Li Xue Qing's words, "Don't know what Madam Li is looking for me for?"
(T/N: Wang Xi Feng is a character in the chinese classic 'A Dream of Red Mansions'. She's a very sociable and assertive person in the novel and holds quite a bit of power in the Jia family where she's the daughter-in-law of. )
Ch. 052 – Wanting to Buy Her Recipe
Wanting to Buy Her Recipe
T/N: Chapter (3/8) sponsored by Madam Daim! Thank you for sponsoring!
Li Xue Qing looked to Du Xiao Li and said with a smile, "A few days ago, you gave my older sister that something grape wine, you said you'd fermented yourself?"
Hearing Li Xue Qing say this, Du Xiao Li roughly guessed the reason why she came here today. She smiled and said, "Yes."
"What is that grape thing?" Li Xue Qing asked.
"That is a type of fruit I found in the mountains." Du Xiao Li replied. "Unfortunately, the season for grapes has already passed, else I could've invited Madam Li and Hong Jie to try some."
"Is that so? Then that's really too bad." Madam Li said, "Don't know if you still have grape wine here?"
"Still have a little bit left. Since I don't have anything to entertain madam with, how about I invite you all to sample some." Du Xiao Li said, "You all wait a moment."
Finish saying this, Du Xiao thus entered the house and brought out a jar of grape wine. This jar has already been drunk from before, and the seal on top has already lost its original tightness. She had the wine jar placed on the ground, then took out two bowls, and after washing them clean, poured them each a bowl.
(T/N: I forgot about this but this what wine jars and bowls used to drink them back then looked like.)
"Madam, please try." Du Xiao Li lifted a bowl to give to Li Xue Qing. Afterwards, she gave the other bowl to Hong Jie.
If it was in the past, Li Xue Qing absolutely wouldn't use a bowl to drink, but right now she no longer cared about this. She lifted the bowl, smelled it, and then took a sip, feeling with her eyes closed the sensation of the wine sliding towards her throat from the tip of her tongue. A while later, she opened her eyes and asked, "You said the season for this grape has already passed?"
"Yes, every year's fifth to sixth month is the period for grapes to mature." Du Xiao Li also poured herself half a bowl and sat down to drink with them.
This was Hong Jie's first time drinking this wine. After drinking it, she said somewhat amazed, "This wine's flavor is so special! It's like wine, but also like fruit juice, so good to drink."
Li Xue Qing glanced at Hong Jie, and seeing the fondness in her eyes, she smiled, saying to Du Xiao Li, "Actually, the reason I came today is because last time at my elder sister's place I'd drank this wine, and thus wanted to ask you, whether or not you can have this wine's recipe sold to me."
"Have the wine
's recipe sold to you?" Du Xiao Li looked to Li Xue Qing in surprise, but thought to herself inside, 'As expected, she came to buy the recipe.'
"Yes. If you are willing to sell this recipe to me, then I'm willing to pay a hundred taels of silver." Li Xue Qing said.
"A hundred taels!" Hong Jie shouted in astonishment, and then quickly covered her mouth.
"Madam wants to pay a hundred taels of silver to buy my grape wine recipe?" Du Xiao Li repeated.
"Yes. A hundred taels of silver, enough for you to rebuild a simple small courtyard." Li Xue Qing confidently said.
Towards Du Xiao Li's home situation, she more or less understood already. One look at this house and one can just tell she very much lacked money.
Du Xiao Li lowered her head and thought for a moment, "Sorry madam, this recipe I can't sell it to you."
"You think it's too little?" Li Xue Qing said, seeing Du Xiao Li being unwilling, "If the reason is in regards to this price, we can properly discuss."
Du Xiao Li still shook her head and said, "My mother said, this recipe can't be sold to others."
"Your mother?" Li Xue Qing glanced at Hong Jie. Didn't she say Du Xiao Li only had an older brother?
"Yes." Du Xiao Li said, "When mother was on her death bed, she said to big brother and I, this recipe is a secret passed down from maternal grandfather's side, our foundation in establishing ourselves in the future, letting big brother and I use this recipe to make wine after we grow up. Sorry madam, this is my mother's dying wish Xiao Li doesn't dare to go against, so I can't sell you the recipe."
"Your mother's dying wish....." Li Xue Qing looked to Du Xiao Li, attempting to find from her face some signs of lying. But Du Xiao Li's sorrowful appearance made her unable to find any cracks. At last, she had no choice but to give up, "If it's your mother's dying wish, it's indeed not good for you to go against."