Chapter 31.2

Upon entering her home, Zhou San's wife grumbled, "What kind of nonsense is this? They're practically riding on my head, pointing fingers and giving orders. I swear! They think they've found a treasure, but it's just something I don't want!"

Zhou San, who had been rhythmically chopping firewood in the yard, paused at the sound of his wife's distress. He leaned his axe against the chopping block and wiped his brow.

A furrow forming between his eyes and he asked, "What's wrong now?"

Zhou San's wife said, "This Fourth Old Song's family... it truly baffles me. Everyone sings their praises, but whenever I see them for myself, it just doesn't add up. They don't seem to live up to the reputation they've built. Honestly, if it weren't for their wealth, do you think anyone would even give them a second glance?"

"Mother, you're back?" Zhou San's eldest daughter-in-law, smiling, walked over and said, "Mother, are you really going to hold a grudge against them? After Baosheng finishes his studies, you'll be considered a respected elder."

Zhou San's wife expression improved slightly but didn't want to appear too pleasant in front of her daughter-in-law, saying, "How many years have they been studying? Look at Xu Qiang; he's only eighteen and already holding a position. Look at your husband! Don't stick to him all the time; save some energy to study, can't you?"

Zhou Baosheng's wife cheeks twitched slightly, smiling, she said, "Mother, what are you saying? Nowadays, my husband is studying in town while I serve you at home. Why would I stick to him?"

"And you're saying you don't? I overheard a few days ago when the eldest son returned; you two were making love all night long!" Zhou San's wife pushed her daughter-in-law away and exclaimed, "A drop of essence is worth ten drops of blood, are you trying to drain Baosheng of everything he has?"

"Mother, you..." Zhou Baosheng's daughter-in-law was almost speechless with embarrassment.

Feeling that her words were getting out of hand, Zhou San intervened, saying, "What nonsense are you talking? It's been two years of marriage, and there's still no sign of a baby. Aren't you worried? Hurry up and cook, what's for dinner?"

"Eat, eat, eat, all you care about is eating!" Zhou San's wife snorted as she waddled towards the kitchen, "And what about the second son's family? What's going on with them? Am I to serve you food and drinks? Get out of here and cook!"

*

Song Dingxiang placed the pig liver in the kitchen and then entered the main room, where she saw Song Yulan. "Sister? Why are you here?"

Song Yulan smiled and said, "My little brother's one hundred days are coming up soon, so I came early to bring him some gifts. I've sewn a few bellybands and small padded jackets. Also, this outfit was originally made by Mom for the eldest, it's made of soft fabric and fits perfectly for the little brother."

Song Dingxiang said, "Why didn't I see you here earlier? Why did you come now? Did Dabao not come?"

Song Yulan replied, "He didn't come. I crossed over from the village, didn't take the main road, and I have to go back soon."

Just then, Fang shi brought in a bundle of buckskin, saying, "Your siblings are really precious, making you come all this way for this."

Song Yulan replied, "Who let her has it? She just wanted some dried fruit snacks. This isn't considered precious in our family. I happened to come to talk with Grandpa, Grandma, and my parents."

Fang shi asked, "Is your husband doing well recently?"

Song Yulan smiled and said, "He's doing well. Didn't Xu Qiang take some people? Many who wanted to follow but couldn't, Dashan at home kept saying it was fortunate he didn't go to give gifts. Otherwise, he wouldn't even be considered a distant relative, let alone be able to make money."

Upon hearing this, Song Dingxiang didn't know how to respond, "Sister, isn't he going to take up a government position and serve the people? How can you call it making money?"

Song Yulan sneered, "Who says it's not? But he claims he's going to make money. It's really disheartening for the local people there, hustling and bustling with so many people, who knows how they'll end up being there."

Li shi remarked, "It's fine to talk like this at home. Xu Qiang is still young, he might not solely be after making money. After studying so much, he needs to do something practical. It's just those relatives. Forget it, our family has no dealings with them, just focus on yourself."

"Now they're obedient, last time my mother-in-law came and left some jewelry and silver, she regretted it for half a month and hinted that she should return it. I acted like I didn't hear anything," said Song Yulan.

Li shi added, "That's how it should be. Let whatever she says go to your heart. It might exhaust you."

Song Yulan simply nodded and after a while, realizing it was getting late, she stood up and said, "I have to go, Grandma, Mom, I'll come back for my brother's hundred days celebration."

After seeing Song Yulan off, Song Dingxiang climbed onto the bed, nibbled on a piece of dried peach, and said, "Grandma, I noticed our groundbean paste is selling well and the autumn oil is doing well in the village. I plan to make more of both tomorrow and try something new."

Glancing at her, Li shi said, "Do as you wish, just remember that if you mess up, we'll have to eat it at home, can't let it go to waste."

Song Dingxiang giggled and said, "Last time Uncle came back, he gave me a book called 'A Compendium of Thousand Flavors'. I think it's quite good, and I'm thinking of picking something from it to cook. Oh, right, the soybeans are all harvested this year, so save the best ones for me."

Fang Shi replied, "Do you even need to ask? Your grandfather has already thought of it. This year, we haven't sold any of our soybeans; we've saved them all for you. Besides that, we've also saved all the black soybeans we planted this year for you to make doubanjiang (a type of fermented bean paste). We'll plant some more tomorrow."

"Grandpa is still the best. I'm going to go find Grandpa. Uncle asked me to bring back half a pound of pork liver. I'll ask Grandpa to stir-fry it for dinner tonight." Song Dingxiang grabbed two more peach cakes and ran off with a grin.

Song Xingyi was inspecting the soybeans that were drying in the backyard. The autumn oil that the family made was selling well in the village, bringing in a few dozen wen (a unit of currency) every day.

While a few dozen wen was nothing to a wealthy family, it was considered a substantial income in the village. In just a few days, it could be equivalent to a month's wages for a strong laborer doing odd jobs outside the village.

In addition to the soybeans, there were also a variety of vegetables on racks nearby for pickling, such as ganluzi (a type of mustard seed), yángjiāng (ginger), and jiècài gědā (cabbage hearts).

Winter's grip tightened in the north, leaving fresh vegetables a scarce commodity. The bounty of summer faded, replaced by a humbler table. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, and radishes became the mainstays, supplemented by the tangy crunch of pickled vegetables.

Ganluzi is also called baotācài (pagoda vegetable) because it resembles a small pagoda with its layered structure. The family had not pickled these vegetables before, but Song Dingxiang said she wanted to eat them, so Song Xingyi had arranged to collect some.

Once they were washed and dried, they could be pickled.

"Grandpa, we have chili peppers now, and I want to pickle some different kinds of vegetables. Maybe we can sell them too." Song Dingxiang squatted down and helped sift the black soybeans.

Black soybeans are also known as cándòu (broad beans), and some people call them luóhàn dòu (monk beans) or shèndòu (kidney beans). Because of their thick flesh, they taste great whether they are boiled or fried.

"Salt-preserved vegetables can be different?" Song Xingyi chuckled. "Do whatever you want with them, you can't waste them anyway."

"Pickles shouldn't always be salty. My mother's pickled cucumbers are considered salt-preserved vegetables, and I find them quite delicious."

The pickled cucumbers Song Dingxiang mentioned were small eggplants and cucumbers that didn't grow much in the autumn after the frost. They were washed clean, put into a large jar of soy sauce, and then sliced and eaten when ready, making them a great accompaniment to rice.

In later times, everyone emphasizes health and well-being, so it's best to avoid eating too much of these pickled foods. However, nowadays, being able to enjoy a bite of delicious salt-preserved vegetables in the winter is considered a luxury.

Since there wasn't much fresh produce available in winter, every household had a pickling jar to rely on for sustenance.

What good is talking about health when you can't even fill your stomach?

It's like saying "Why not eat meat?" and inviting ridicule.

Song Dingxiang had her heart set on making some spicy pickled vegetables this summer. Pickling was a cherished summer tradition for her, and the vibrant flavors always brought a smile to her face.

However, this year proved to be a whirlwind of activity. With new additions to the family, their days were filled with a different kind of joy, leaving little time for the usual summer rituals.

The dream of those spicy pickles would have to wait for another season.

However, she wasn't in a hurry. She took things one step at a time, just as she did with eating her meals—one bite at a time.

Money can never be earned all at once, and it's not worth working yourself to the bone for it. Moreover, if she were to release a bunch of recipes all at once, even if her family didn't say anything, outsiders might become envious and cause unnecessary trouble.

Song Dingxiang wanted to make Eight Treasures Pickles as well as make other pickled items like Zha Cai (preserved mustard greens) and kimchi, which were not found in this region.

Choosing eight crunchy vegetables for their crisp and refreshing texture. These included layers of winter melon, cabbage, ginger, red and white radishes, cucumber, peanuts, cabbage stems, and garlic.

She also planned to add lotus root and carrots, which were expensive and increased the cost. It was fine for personal consumption, but selling them might result in a loss.

Several vegetables in this assortment can be pickled raw. However, ginger should be boiled before pickling. This not only removes the raw, astringent taste but also makes the ginger crispier and more refreshing.

After dinner, Song Dingxiang quickly pickled two jars of about 40 kilograms of Eight Treasure Vegetables by chopping and boiling.

A curious Fang Shi wandered over during the process. With a click of her tongue, she peered into the jars, saying, "Are you pickling vegetables? It looks more like a big stew to me. How can all this stuff taste good together?"

Song Dingxiang replied, "Well, they're all pickled vegetables, so even if they don't taste good, they'll still have a salty flavor. No waste."

Despite grumbling, "You're just messing around!" Fang Shi found herself diving into the task with even more fervor than Song Dingxiang. Her sharp tongue hid a heart of gold, as always. Song Dingxiang chuckled, warmed by Fang Shi's predictable contradiction.