Miao Wan sat next to Geng and washed the cabbage that Qiao Rui had not finished washing.
The temperature difference between morning and evening is large in the northwest, and it gets cold very quickly after the snow. There are not many kinds of vegetables. Cabbage and hyssop are still sold in the market now, but by November, only radishes will be available.
Geng put down her embroidery and said, "I'll wash it. You take a rest. I'll press my belly later."
Miao Wan didn't give in. "I haven't felt uncomfortable for several days. The folk remedies the doctor gave me for water and soil discomfort are quite effective."
She placed the washed cabbage in a coarse porcelain basin to dry. "Mom, if you want to do embroidery, your hands can't be rough, otherwise it will scratch the embroidery handkerchief and it will be bad. Xiaorui is young, and I still have a long way to go before giving birth. I can't just sit there and do nothing."
After her mindset changed, Miao Wan became more talkative. Now that they were just the three of them living together, many things had to be said openly in advance, otherwise Geng might not agree if she wanted to make money.
Seeing that her daughter-in-law looked really good, Geng stopped stopping her.
After washing the vegetables, Miao Wan looked carefully at their current home.
The yard must be quite old. It cannot be compared with the green bricks and tiles of Zhang the Butcher's house next door. The tiles are black and gray, and the walls are yellow mud bricks.
The wind is strong here all year round, and the straw is visible on the dilapidated walls.
After entering the courtyard, there are three rooms facing you, one main room and two side rooms. Next to the east and west side rooms are two smaller rooms, one for storing food and sundries, and the other is the kitchen.
The house was short and dilapidated, but the patio was quite large. The toilet was in the corner on the other side of Zhang the Butcher's house.
Overall, the conditions are a bit miserable.
Miao Wan felt a little strange. Since Qiao Shengwen and his son were working for the saint, and someone was secretly protecting their lives, could it be that the saint was short of money?
Why is life so hard?
She couldn't ask this question directly. Although she had read the novel, the original body probably knew nothing about it.
Miao Wan asked cryptically, "Mom, why do you always go out with Aunt Zhang? Is this town particularly chaotic?"
Geng paused for a moment as she was sewing. The fewer people who knew about some things, the better. She was afraid that her daughter-in-law would worry too much and it would be bad for her health.
She explained in a low voice, "There are soldiers stationed in the town, so it's relatively safe. But we three are women after all, and we're not the same as the people here. We should try not to attract attention, so as not to attract bandits."
Although Geng was old, she was beautiful and had a good family background. She had lived a life of luxury after getting married. Even now, she still had charm without makeup.
Qiao Shengwen is also good-looking, Qiao Ruichen is tall and handsome, and although Qiao Rui is only six years old, she is also a delicate girl.
After arriving in the northwest, Geng kept Qiao Rui away from going out except to visit Mrs. Zhang's house next door.
As for Miao Wan, she looked the same as she did in her previous life. Anyone who saw her for the first time would think that she was a fair and delicate flower. They always felt that she did not look like a serious pig farmer, so it was particularly difficult for her to negotiate orders for her pig farm at the beginning.
However, her original body was a real delicate flower, and Miao Wan was tempered by the hundreds of families' food, soft on the outside and strong on the inside.
At this moment, Miao Wan thought about the plot of "Spring" and understood what Geng meant.
Although Concubine Chen is domineering, the Saint is no pushover either. Now the Queen Mother, the Regent and the Saint are in a three-way balance of power.
Even if the Imperial Concubine wanted to leave Concubine Jin isolated and helpless, the Regent's daughter, Concubine Xian, was still in the palace. She and the Queen Mother did not dare to act too harshly to avoid completely pushing the Emperor to Concubine Xian's side.
And what about the Saint? He needed someone to secretly gather evidence against General Dingbei Chen Yi, without alerting the enemy openly.
Letting the Qiao family have an easy life in the territory of General Dingbei, Concubine Chen's uncle, would be like sending them to death.
In short, you have to keep yourself covered in bed even when eating meat, got it?
Miao Wan was just thinking about it when Qiao Rui came back, her little face flushed from running.
"Mom, sister-in-law, Aunt Zhang said to ask Goudan and his friend Ada to bring today's water and firewood."
Miao Wan took out a handkerchief and wiped Qiao Rui's sweat off her face. She then asked Geng, "Mom, can we dig a well ourselves?"
The three of them were unable to do heavy physical work, and the nearest water source was several miles to the west, out of town, and not safe.
It’s cold now and we use less water. It will be troublesome to use water when the weather gets hot.
Moreover, no matter what business they do, it is inconvenient for them to show up in person, so they have to cooperate with others. People's hearts are hidden, and they have to make the things themselves, which will use more water. It is not a good idea to always let others pick on them.
Geng hesitated for a moment, "Wait until you give birth to the baby. I'll also do some more embroidery and ask Madam Zhang to help sell it. Digging a well costs at least ten taels of silver. For now, I have to take care of you."
She had just arrived in the northwest, her daughter-in-law was not in good health, and the cost of giving birth to a child was not small. Geng had only so much money that she really didn't dare to spend it.
Before Miao Wan could say anything, Zhang the Butcher's eldest son, Zhang Dazhuang, came in carrying firewood and water, and his youngest son, Goudan, followed behind, carrying a bucket and a large bone.
Zhang Dazhuang first put the firewood into the kitchen, filled the water tank, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Aunt Qiao, we have some big bones today. Auntie asked me to bring them over to make soup for you to nourish the young lady at home. Together with the firewood and water for the past few days, you only need to give me ten cents in total."
Geng quickly stood up and counted out seventeen copper coins from her purse, stuffing them into Goudan's hands. "How can that be? Even if offal is cheap, it's at least ten coins a bucket. Firewood is two coins a bundle, and a jar of water is one coin. Three bundles of firewood, a jar of water, and a bucket of offal, that's at least seventeen coins."
Goudan put down the bucket and quickly hid behind Ada. Zhang Dazhuang also waved his hand and said, "Offal is not worth much money. No one buys it. We all feed the chickens and ducks. My mother told you to remember that if you have enough, you should pay it together. Goudan and I will go back first. If you need anything, just shout through the wall."
Seeing the father and son running away like they were being chased by dogs, Geng's eyes reddened, "There are still many good people in this world."
When Geng came to teach Madam Zhang how to embroider, she had a purpose in mind: the butcher had enough meat and money to eat, and she had no other skills, so she was only good at embroidery.
But it is not so fast to learn embroidery. Madam Zhang has only learned the simplest Suzhou embroidery techniques. The extra money she can earn from selling the embroidery is limited and certainly cannot make up for the help others give to the Qiao family.
Miao Wan also thought that the Zhang family was a good family. They were butchers, and it would be best if they were willing to cooperate. She smiled and picked up the bucket and went to the kitchen.
"Mom is right. Let's make some delicious food to repay them."
Only then did Geng realize that her daughter-in-law was carrying the water, and she ran over to take it, "Put it down quickly, the smell is horrible. You just drank egg water, don't vomit again."
Qiao Rui also covered her nose with a worried look in her eyes, "Sister-in-law, this thing doesn't taste good. It stinks. It will stink up the baby."
Miao Wan was amused. "Don't worry, I haven't vomited for several days, and I don't feel nauseous now."
The smell of sewage was indeed unpleasant, but she was used to this kind of stench in her previous life, and the baby in her belly was very well-behaved and did not feel any discomfort at all.
She turned around and took the remaining coarse porcelain basin at home, and took a few straw ropes from the kitchen. She rinsed the sewage in the bucket and soaked them in clean water together with the straw ropes.
Seeing Qiao Rui hiding far away with a face full of resistance, Miao Wan comforted her, "Wait until sister-in-law makes the pig pancreas soap, and your hands and face will no longer be chapped in the future."
"Ah? You want to put this on your face?" Qiao Rui's small face, the size of a palm, was full of fear.
Miao Wan picked up the cleaned liver and pig intestines, her eyes shining. "We'll have to wait for the ointment. Pig pancreas soap is for washing your face and hands. These can also be eaten. They're especially good for your body."
At this time, people's stomachs are lacking in oil and water, and liver and intestines are very nutritious and much more delicious than fatty meat.
Qiao Rui shook her head desperately, almost crying. "It stinks. I won't eat it, even if I die!"
"You want to eat this for dinner? This... Mom doesn't know how to cook it." Even Geng was a little worried, looking at the rough porcelain basin with a face full of resistance.
Geng had never cooked before. She learned how to cook from other exiled women during her exile, but what she learned was very limited.
She knew that pregnant women's taste would be a little strange. She had gone through the same thing in the past, but... she had never seen a pregnant woman who liked the smell of shit!
Miao Wan shook her head. "It's too late today. This thing takes a bit of effort to prepare. We can only eat it tomorrow."
Geng and Qiao Rui both secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Miao Wan looked at the three of them who were almost as thin as sticks and felt that it was time to show their real skills.
"Mom, then you and Xiaorui make egg soup and cabbage, and I'll take care of these things." Miao Wan said.
While Geng was cooking, Miao Wan crushed the cleaned pig pancreas with a medicine twister, and the water boiled with schizonepeta in the earthenware pot also boiled.
Schizonepeta tenuifolia is the fennel of later generations. It has a unique fragrance and can be eaten as a wild vegetable. It can also be used to extract aromatic essential oils with relatively fast volatility. It is perfect for deodorizing by putting it in boiling water.
After the mashed pig pancreas was cooked, Miao Wan mixed it with the wood ash that she had dug out from the stove in advance in a one-to-one ratio and quickly formed it into a big black ball.
"Sister-in-law, are you making medicine?" Qiao Rui squatted beside Miao Wan and asked in a low voice.
Qiao Rui had seen on her way to exile that someone applied wood ash to their wounds.
"This is called pig pancreas soap, some people also call it fragrant pancreas." Miao Wan carefully tossed the black ball. When it was no longer so hot, she expertly pinched it into five balls and placed them under the windowsill. "Let it air dry for about ten days and then you can use it."
Qiao Rui was skeptical. Fragrant soap? She wrinkled her nose and sniffed it. It didn't stink, but it didn't smell fragrant either.
Children are interested in things that require hands-on work. She couldn't help but be curious, so when Miao Wan was processing the pig intestines, she imitated her sister-in-law and helped out, jumping up and down.
Geng was standing in front of the stove watching the two of them having fun as if they were playing, she smiled and shook her head, letting them do whatever they wanted.
Some people use salt, vinegar and flour to process pig intestines, which are relatively expensive. A fellow villager in Miao Wan pig farm has a traditional method of processing it, which is very cost-effective and not complicated.
There are two key points: removing the villi and mucus on the outside and cleaning the intestines. Both require patience and repetition, and do not require much technical skills.
First, break up the softened straw rope, wrap it around the beginning of the intestine, tightly tie it with the straw rope and filter it to the other end. Use several straw ropes to filter it several times. Wait until the loose gaps in the straw ropes brush off the grease and mucus on the surface, and the outside of the intestine will be clean.
Then turn the intestines over, clean the surface grease, tear off the grease blocks and small forked intestines on top, then rub them twice with wood ash, rinse them clean, turn the intestines back, and use a straw rope to filter out the floating oil from the turned intestines. This is done.
The processed pig intestines were a very refreshing light pink color, and they also had a light flavor, so after Geng had finished cooking, Miao Wan put the cleaned intestines back into the clean water in the coarse porcelain basin, poured a little vinegar and salt to soak them, and ate first.
After dinner, Geng washed up and Qiao Rui cleaned the house. The mother and daughter didn't let Miao Wan sit down or get up.
Miao Wan did not refuse the kindness of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, and went back to her room to take out the sachet that she had used to stop vomiting a while ago.
It is said that food is the most important thing for people. Since I cannot go out to do business and have a neighbor who is a butcher, what is more suitable for making the first pot of gold than braised meat?
The author has something to say:
Cabbage: Chinese cabbage.
Schizonepeta: fennel, the leaves can be eaten as wild vegetables, the fruits can be dried and used as spices in cooking, and essential oils can also be extracted.
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