Chapter 53: A Clever Escape Her eldest son was taken into custody by the government and is currently...
"Okay, if you have any questions, come find me at the General's Mansion." Liu Yeshu thought for a moment, "I just can't get away during dinner time."
"Okay, I was so anxious last time that I lost my mind. I shouldn't have come to you when you were busy," Widow Wang nodded, straightened her clothes, and stood up with a determined look. "Could you please tell my husband and I to meet at their village entrance tomorrow? Miss Liu, you helped me save Xiao Yu'er, and I already owe you a great favor. I have to face what happens next on my own."
The next day, her husband's family arrived at the village entrance early in the morning, looking very angry. When Widow Wang arrived, she saw that it was her mother-in-law who was leading the group. She licked her up and down several times with her eyes, then put on a hypocritical smile and said, "I heard that your business is doing well. Now that you have money, you don't even want to come home?"
"Mom," Widow Wang spoke, her voice calm but with a hint of unquestionable aura. "Xiao Yu'er is my biological daughter. I raised her alone for so many years, not expecting any help from you. That was already quite forgiving. But now you've taken Xiao Yu'er away while I'm away. What's going on?"
The mother-in-law was startled by her aura, but quickly reacted and sneered, "Xiao Yu'er's surname is Yang, so naturally she should be taken care of by our Yang family. You're a widow, and you have to work hard outside, how can you take care of her? Just give us some maintenance on time every month, and we will take good care of her."
Widow Wang had already made preparations. There was no fear on her face, but rather a sense of calmness and composure.
"You want alimony, and I'm not a heartless person. After all, we were a family back then. If you want me to pay monthly, I can agree, but the premise is that I can see my daughter now."
The eldest sister-in-law was stunned. She and her brothers exchanged a glance, already panicking. Xiao Yu'er had been rescued by Liu Yeshu a long time ago, so where did they even have the child? But she didn't dare to speak out now, and could only stammer and procrastinate: "She...she's not here. She must have gone somewhere to play because she was too lazy. You should sign a petition for alimony first, and I'll bring you to see the child when she comes back."
The mother-in-law also came forward at this time, staring at Widow Wang fiercely: "It must be you who stole the child!"
Widow Wang sneered inwardly, then suddenly burst into tears, falling to her knees and wailing, "My daughter! You lost my daughter, and you still dare to ask me for alimony! How could a widow like me steal a child? You've forced an orphan and a widow into this state! Oh, God, is there any justice in this!"
Her cries immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding villagers. The villagers came to comfort her and were furious when they heard that Widow Wang was crying about her daughter being lost by her in-laws and they were still asking for support.
"Why are you so unreasonable?"
"This family is greedy for money. Seeing that other people's business is booming, they come to rob them!"
The villagers were buzzing with discussion, and the faces of the in-laws grew increasingly grim. The eldest sister-in-law was speechless, her face flushing red. She tried to retort, but the pressure of public opinion was too great to allow her to interrupt. Her brothers were even more bewildered, standing there awkwardly, unsure how to respond.
Widow Wang took the opportunity to wipe her tears and stood up: "You must have killed Xiao Yu'er! I'm going to report it to the police!"
The mother-in-law stepped forward quickly and said, "What officials are you reporting to?!"
Her eldest son was arrested and taken to the government office. Now is a sensitive time. If Widow Wang makes trouble again, they will not gain any benefit.
Seeing the situation was unfavorable, the eldest sister-in-law from her husband's family knew that she would not get any benefits today, but she was unwilling to give up, so she said viciously: "Don't be complacent. If you don't pay the monthly alimony, we are not afraid. We can bring people to your restaurant every day and make a fuss. Let's see who dares to come to eat! We will fight you to the death."
As soon as these words were spoken, several brothers from her husband's family also echoed them, obviously wanting to use this method to force Widow Wang to submit.
Widow Wang was feeling uneasy, and her expression was no longer as calm as before.
At this moment, two people walked out from behind and stared coldly at the in-laws: "Whoever dares to cause trouble at Wang's Restaurant will be treated rudely. Let's see who is tougher, you or us."
The tall and strong servant stood in front of the mother-in-law's family with an imposing manner and said coldly: "If anyone dares to cause trouble, I will throw him out with my own hands!" As soon as he finished speaking, the surrounding villagers began to whisper.
The eldest sister-in-law looked at the servant and was about to retort, but was stopped by her brother. He whispered, "Sister-in-law, stop it! I think these two are from the General's Mansion. We can't defeat them. Let's go quickly and don't get yourself into trouble."
When the mother-in-law heard the words "General's Mansion," her face suddenly changed. Her eldest son was still detained in the government office, so how could she dare to offend these officials? She could only glare at Widow Wang fiercely, saying, "This matter is not over yet!" Then, she left in disgrace with all her in-laws.
Widow Wang finally breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her husband's family walk away. She turned to look at the two servants and said gratefully, "Thank you, brothers, for your help. If it weren't for you, I really don't know how I would have handled this situation today."
The two waved their hands repeatedly: "Sister Wang, you are welcome. This is Miss Liu's order."
The next day, after Liu Yeshu served the dishes to Qi Yu, she did not leave. When she saw Qi Yu looking at her, she bowed politely.
"Thank you for your help, General."
Qi Yu picked up his chopsticks and said, "Speak earlier next time."
Liu Yeshu thought to herself, you looked so serious at that time, how could I dare to speak? I almost thought I was going to lose my job.
*
Ning'an County was a bitterly cold winter. At the market, vendors' cries echoed, and steaming bun stalls were always surrounded by a crowd of stomping customers. On the streets, pedestrians hurried, their breath forming tiny clouds in the air, then quickly dissipating in the biting wind.
As the Lunar New Year approached, the streets gradually became bustling. Red lanterns hung in the streets and alleys of the East Market, and vendors displayed their fresh New Year goods, their cries echoing one after another. Liu Yeshu had risen from her bed early in the morning, donning her thickest coat and preparing to go to market. The General's Mansion was enormous, and in previous years, many servants and guards had gathered for New Year's dinners. This year, Housekeeper Zhao had put her in charge of the shopping, a rather heavy task.
"Miss Liu, would you like to buy some fresh dried fruits?" an old vendor greeted with a smile.
Liu Yeshu smiled and carefully looked at the goods on the stall. "Give me thirty kilograms of walnuts, twenty kilograms of peanuts, and ten bags of melon seeds. Please weigh them for me. I'll deliver them to General Qi's residence."
"Okay!" The stall owner packed it up neatly.
Widow Wang's restaurant also saw a peak in customer traffic during this time, with a constant stream of customers, and the restaurant was almost always fully booked. In addition to traditional bacon rice, stewed meat, and meat patties, Liu Yeshu had also previously designed several festive snacks, such as sesame candied cakes, salt and pepper biscuits, and a new style of five-nut glutinous rice balls. The most popular item was still the special bacon, with its rich aroma and balanced texture of fat and lean meat, which many customers ordered to take away.
Widow Wang stood in the restaurant's kitchen, watching the busy waiters and the bustling crowds of customers in the front hall, feeling a sense of security. She had once lived on her husband's pension, a life of hardship, but she had never imagined that she would not only be able to support herself but also run such a prosperous restaurant. Just as she was thinking about this, she saw Liu Yeshu passing by the door.
"Miss Liu, come and try the sesame cake I just made!" Widow Wang walked out quickly and waved to Liu Yeshu.
Liu Yeshu came in and said with a smile, "I was still thinking about whether to come in. Business is so good, you don't have time to greet me." She took a piece and tasted it. It was indeed sweet and crispy. "Sister Wang's cooking skills are really getting better and better. This sugar cake is crispy and delicious. It will definitely be a big hit."
Widow Wang was even happier after hearing this: "Miss Liu, you're too kind. I have to thank you for your help and suggestions. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to come up with so many new ideas."
"Xiao Liu, you go ahead and greet them first!" Then, Widow Wang took Liu Yeshu to the back and pulled out an account book and a small purse from her bosom. She pushed them in front of Liu Yeshu and said, "Miss Liu, this is this month's account. Take a look. We made a lot of money this month. According to our previous agreement, half of this is your share."
Liu Yeshu smiled and gently pushed the purse back: "Sister Wang, you've worked hard to run this restaurant. Now I'm splitting the profits with you 50-50. It's really a bargain."
Upon hearing this, Widow Wang quickly shook her head and said, "Miss Liu, you can't say that. One should never forget one's roots. The restaurant is what it is today thanks to you. I'm a simple person, and if it weren't for your guidance, how could I have made so much money on my own? We're in a partnership, so we have to be fair and just. I can't let you suffer any loss."
The two of them pushed and pushed each other, and finally Liu Yeshu gave in. "In that case, I will accept this gift. Sister Wang will have to work harder to run this shop in the future. When life gets better, we can open a branch in the city together."
Liu Yeshu smiled slightly and said lightly: "Maybe I caught a cold during exile and developed a chronic illness. Every winter, no matter how much clothes I wear, my hands and feet are always cold." Her tone was helpless, but she did not show too much concern.
Widow Wang's heart tightened when she heard this. She asked with concern, "That won't do! Have you consulted a doctor?"
Liu Yeshu shook her head, her expression calm. "It's not a serious illness, so it's nothing serious. I'm fine otherwise, but I'm just particularly afraid of the cold in winter."
Widow Wang was clearly worried. She sighed, shook her head with the tone of someone who had experienced it, and frowned, "Girl, you can't say that. Your hands and feet have been so cold all year round. After all, the root of the problem is inside your body. If you don't treat it soon, it won't be good for you when you get married..."
As soon as Liu Yeshu heard the word "marry," she immediately realized where the conversation was headed. She knew Widow Wang was doing this for her own good, but she didn't want to discuss it at the moment. She quickly stood up and interrupted her, "Sister Wang, we have a lot of shopping to do today. I was so caught up in talking to you that I almost forgot the time."
She hurriedly tidied her clothes, turned around and walked towards the door. Before leaving, she smiled and said, "I'm going first. I'll come to see you another day."
"There are also chickens and ducks. I have to go to the butcher's shop to buy some meat." Liu Yeshu silently recited the list and walked towards the butcher's shop.
When we arrived at the butcher shop, the shopkeeper came up to us with a smile and said, "Miss Liu, long time no see. Are you here to buy meat today?"
"Yes, since the New Year is almost here," Liu Yeshu nodded and began to select the meat. "Two big roosters, and two ducks. Also, five pounds of pork belly and three pounds of pig's trotters."
The shopkeeper was quick and efficient, quickly preparing all the meats Liu Yeshu needed. She looked up at the sky; the snow had stopped, and the cold wind was filled with a hint of the warmth of the New Year.
Back at the General's Mansion, Liu Yeshu busied herself with arranging the storage of the purchased goods. She sorted the meat into different categories, especially the pork destined for bacon, which needed to be cured before being smoked to create the delicious cured meat. She placed the cut pork belly into a large vat, sprinkled it with Sichuan peppercorns, salt, and star anise, and then rubbed the meat carefully with her hands, ensuring the seasoning was evenly absorbed into every piece.
"This meat needs to be marinated for three days before it can be hung up to dry." He laid out the marinated meat and prepared the drying tools. Then, he instructed the kitchen servants to properly store the other purchased ingredients.
After everything was arranged, Liu Yeshu returned to the kitchen and began to prepare the detailed menu for the New Year's Eve dinner.
"Braised pork elbow, crispy duck, steamed chicken, bacon and sauerkraut... these are the main dishes, plus a few vegetarian dishes like stir-fried bean sprouts, garlic cabbage, and braised radish. This combination of meat and vegetables is both hearty and not too greasy."
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps at the door interrupted her thoughts.
"Miss Liu!" Butler Zhao walked in quickly with a look of urgency on his face.
Liu Yeshu looked up and saw that it was Butler Zhao, and hurriedly asked, "Butler Zhao, what's going on?"
Butler Zhao panted slightly, straightened his clothes, and said solemnly: "The general wants to see you. He wants you to go to the stable immediately."
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