The two children didn't quite understand, but the more Zhao Ruyun listened, the more she felt something was wrong.
She had a bad feeling, and the smile on her face gradually disappeared.
Until Su Luo read the last two sentences: "A heroic act, leaving no trace of his remains."
When Zhao Ruyun heard the news, it felt like the sky had fallen.
When there was no news, she still had a glimmer of hope; now, she was truly in despair.
His body slumped back in the chair, instantly losing all vitality, like a soulless body.
"Grandma, Grandma...?"
Yan Chuan and Yi Huan each shook one of Zhao Ruyun's arms. Zhao Ruyun's sudden action startled Su Luo and the two children.
"Mother-in-law..."
Su Luo went over to take Zhao Ruyun's pulse; she already knew how to take a normal pulse.
Zhao Ruyun was so shocked by the news that her brain lost control of her body.
Su Luo immediately took out silver needles from her body and performed acupuncture on Zhao Ruyun.
It took Zhao Ruyun a while to recover, and tears streamed down her face.
"Is Huaixu...is Huaixu really gone?"
"Grandma, you still have me, Yanchuan, and Yihuan. We will always be with you."
As a fellow mother, Su Luo just didn't want anyone to try and take her child away from her.
But imagine if Chen Huaixu's situation became Yanchuan's, how would she and Zhao Ruyun be different?
"Huai Xu, my Huai Xu..."
Yi Huan also cried along with Zhao Ruyun. She and Yan Chuan wanted their father, but in this family, the father was just a figure of speech.
Even if they didn't, it wouldn't change anything in their lives.
"Mother-in-law, you need to take care of yourself. There aren't many people in our family to begin with, so you can't ruin your health by crying."
Su Luo and her two children hugged Zhao Ruyun tightly. Their family had finally managed to live a life of basic sustenance, and they couldn't afford for anything to happen to anyone else.
"Grandma, don't cry. I will take good care of you in place of Daddy."
Yan Chuan patted Zhao Ruyun on the back. He was now the only boy in the family, which made their family different from others.
He needs to grow up quickly and become the pillar of his family.
"Chuan Chuan and Huan Huan, your father is really gone. My son is gone."
When an elderly person dies young, all the red lanterns in their home are replaced.
Together with Zhao Ruyun, they invited several people to build a cenotaph for Chen Huaixu.
Su Luo then went to the county to have a magnificent memorial tablet made for him.
Although he didn't achieve much, he still sacrificed for his country and is considered a hero.
The memorial tablet is even better than the one for her father-in-law.
The villagers had always thought Chen Huaixu was dead, so it was normal for Su Luo and the others to be doing these things now.
None of the villagers who went to fight with Chen Huaixu returned.
Among them was the village chief's son, who also disappeared without a trace; they're probably all dead.
...
On the tenth day of the month, the walls of the soy sauce factory were almost repaired, and the soy sauce vats had been transported to the village the day before.
A horse-drawn carriage can only carry three cylinders at a time, and it would take two days to transport one hundred cylinders.
The beginning is always the hardest, and at this crucial juncture, Su Luo had to carefully control every step she took.
"Sister Zhang, this soy sauce jar must be cleaned twice. After it's clean, you need to disinfect it with boiling water."
"Okay, Yan Chuan's mother, whatever you say, we'll do."
Now, not only the village chief listens to Su Luo, but the whole village listens to Su Luo.
"Yes, you must do as I say."
When the soy sauce was first made, one person from every household in the village had to come.
Soybeans used for brewing soy sauce must first be soaked in water until they swell, and the soaking time should be controlled to about an hour.
To maximize the absorption of water by the protein in soybeans, the soybeans should not be soaked for too long.
Otherwise, the soybeans will turn sour, which will destroy the protein.
Pour the soaked soybeans from the morning into a basket, drain the water, place them in a steamer, and steam for three hours after the water boils.
The soy sauce factory had everything ready except for firewood, so everyone brought some from their own homes, fearing there wouldn't be enough to burn.
“Yan Chuan’s mother, we must carefully record every step you take now, and not overlook the smallest detail.”
The speaker was Wang Tiezhu's father, along with Chen Ping'an and the village chief, who were elected as administrators by the villagers.
They are also key figures in soy sauce production, and Su Luo will pass on all the production techniques to the three of them.
From now on, we will entrust them with the full management of the soy sauce fermentation and oil extraction process, as they are trustworthy people in the village.
"Uncle Wang, from now on, the entire Changping Village will be on your shoulders. The task is arduous, and the future of Changping Village is in your hands."
The three were both happy and nervous when they were chosen by the villagers.
They couldn't guarantee they would do their best, so they had no choice but to force it.
"Su Luo, don't praise us so highly, I'm afraid we'll fall down."
It was when Chen Ping'an arranged things in an orderly manner while building a house for Su Luo that the villagers saw his honest appearance.
Having a sensitive heart was also one of the important criteria for his selection as a manager.
"Uncle, don't worry, with me here, you won't fall."
In the beginning, soy sauce was made in batches.
After the steamed soybeans have cooled, spread them on a winnowing basket and put them inside the house to ferment.
The house was built entirely of adobe bricks and was very well sealed. Inside, there were several bamboo shelves for storing winnowing baskets.
The temperature should be controlled to be the same as the body temperature. If the room temperature is not high enough, charcoal fire can be used to increase the temperature and promote the fermentation of soybeans.
The fermentation time is five to six days, and the soybeans need to be turned and stirred once during the process to ensure that they ferment evenly.
When yellow-green Aspergillus and yeast appear on the surface of the soybeans, remove them, pour them into a wooden bucket or vat, add water according to the ratio, and stir to allow the soybeans to absorb enough water.
Afterwards, pour out the water, put it back into the winnowing basket, and continue fermentation.
Special attention needs to be paid during this period. You need to keep an eye on it every hour. When the soybeans are slightly warm and you can smell the aroma of soy sauce, you should stop fermenting.
However, these will take a few more days to complete. She will teach these techniques to the village chief and Chen Ping'an, and then she just needs to follow up carefully.
On the Lantern Festival, Su Luo received an invitation from Nangong Qing, who said that there would be a lantern festival in Yongle County that night and invited her and her child to go to the lantern festival together.
She's been busy with the soy sauce factory these days and hasn't even heard of the lantern festival in Yongle County.
I've always heard that on the day of the lantern festival, both young ladies and gentlemen from noble families can come out and have fun.
Throughout history, many poems have been written to praise this festival. Su Luo was also curious, so she took Yan Chuan and Yi Huan to see it that evening.
"Uncle, today is the fifth day of fermentation for the first batch of soy sauce. You must control the temperature carefully tonight."
Chen Ping'an nodded. Being a manager at the soy sauce factory also paid a wage; it was a job he could do for a lifetime.
Once the soy sauce was sold, they finally made it big.
Su Luo didn't blame him for not checking on the progress of the houses in Shuiqingzhuang.
"Okay! Don't worry, Su Luo, we've been monitoring the temperature these past few days."
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