Chapter 86 (Stir-fried Pork Liver)
Zhao Shuhong felt so aggrieved that she wanted to cry when she talked about this. She had been spoiled since she was a child. Although her family was a traveling merchant and favored her younger brother, they were also very generous to her daughter. When she first returned home, she thought her family would definitely not despise her.
But later, she realized that she had overthought.
Zhao Shuhong is two years older than Yan Qiushu and is actually married. She was unlucky to be captured by bandits. After being rescued by Xiao Huaiting, she was taken back by her biological father and lived with him for a while, but she waited for a long time for her husband to come and pick her up.
Her father went to ask and found out that the fact that she was kidnapped by bandits was already known to everyone in her husband's family. Her husband didn't want her, a woman who cheated on him, so he didn't come to pick her up.
Zhao Shuhong was so angry that she simply took her people and went straight back to her husband's home.
She didn't lose her virginity, and being kidnapped by robbers was not what she wanted. She did nothing wrong.
But her husband's family treated her very badly, saying all the time that she was unclean and a slut, and that she openly took a concubine for her husband.
How could Zhao Shuhong bear it? You know, her husband's family relied on hers to support a scholar. So she turned her husband's family upside down and beat her husband.
The husband was so angry that he wanted to divorce his wife, but she disagreed and wanted a divorce. Divorce means being divorced, which is unfair.
Her husband's family withheld her dowry on the grounds that she had committed one of the seven grounds for divorce, and forced her to return home alone. Otherwise, they would not give her a divorce and would demand a divorce letter.
Zhao Shuhong sought help from her family at this time, but was rejected because her father did not allow her to divorce.
She felt that it would be shameful to do so, and was even more afraid that they would expose the fact that she was abducted by bandits, which would affect the marriages of other sisters in the family. She also wanted to establish a relationship with her husband's younger brother.
That person passed the imperial examination this time and stayed in the Hanlin Academy in Kyoto to gain experience. But in Wucheng, a place far away from Kyoto, it was already a great success, especially since the Zhao family was in business and had no connections in official circles. The reason why she was married there was because her husband's younger brother had passed the provincial examination early.
So her father would rather pressure her husband, or even give him some benefits, so that he would not divorce and would allow him to take a concubine.
Zhao Shuhong didn't understand, but without the help of her family, she couldn't get her dowry away. So she gritted her teeth and gave up the dowry. She wanted to go home with the divorce papers, but her father refused to let her in and wanted to force her to go back and apologize to her husband.
She is also stubborn. Since her father doesn't agree, she won't go back and will support herself.
Zhao Shuhong was not really penniless, so she rented a house in Wucheng and started a shrimp cake business. Her shrimp cakes were good because she loved to eat them when she was a child. Her mother spent money to invite a master chef to teach the cook in the mansion, and she learned the skills by the way.
The business was originally pretty good, but her father thought it was shameful for a woman to show up in public, and sent people to persuade her to go back many times. People from her ex-husband's side also came to make trouble from time to time, making her business fall into pieces. She began to think about leaving Wucheng.
It happened that Xiao Huaiting went to Wucheng to buy local specialties. When he passed by, Zhao Shuhong recognized him and called out to him.
Xiao Huaiting was a good man. After listening to her experience, he asked her if she wanted to go to Kyoto.
So that's why she appeared in front of Yan Qiushu now.
Zhao Shuhong is brave. She can divorce, grit her teeth and start her own business, and leave the city and live in another place when she encounters difficulties. She believes that she has skills and can survive anywhere, especially when she meets the noble man Xiao Huaiting.
Yan Qiushu couldn't help but admire him after hearing this.
As a modern person, she was not as brave as Zhao Shuhong, but she felt more distressed because her experience was too similar to the original owner's, but the original owner was not as confident as her.
She was born a concubine's daughter, and the Yan family had strict family education. She had been bound by rules since childhood. If the family did not recognize her, it would be equivalent to killing her.
Yan Qiushu sighed, held her hand, and said sincerely, "Sister Zhao has suffered a lot. Although I don't have any great skills, this farm is not bad, and I am also planning to do business. However, I am not good at business. It just so happens that Sister Zhao can stay here to help, which is great."
"Of course you can stay, Ah Shu. You're so righteous, I naturally trust you. But what kind of business are you planning to start?" Zhao Shuhong reacted quickly, her eyes still red as she began to worry. "I took a quick look when I came here. Your farm is similar to the one next door, but there are too few things. I'm afraid it won't be enough for business."
Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "When running a farm stay business, our target customers are those big customers in Kyoto!"
"Hiss!" Zhao Shuhong gasped with her eyes wide open, but quickly added, "That's right, you're the future young lady of the Xiao family now, so you must have a lot of connections."
Finally, she smiled and said, "When we first separated, I was worried about you. I asked the others, but no one knew where you had gone. It turns out you came to Kyoto with General Xiao, and you even became a couple. General Xiao told me you were engaged, which scared me!"
"Ahem!" Yan Qiushu was drinking soy milk. She choked and spat out the whole mouthful. Her face flushed red as she asked in astonishment, "He told you that on his own initiative?"
"Yes, otherwise why would I come to Kyoto?" Zhao Shuhong smiled and said, "Because I wanted to come and see you."
Otherwise, she could just stay in any suitable city along the way, there was no need to come to Kyoto.
Yan Qiushu's heart was beating wildly, and she hurriedly smiled and said, "Well, then I'll tell you what I'm going to do..."
She tried to change the subject, bring the matter back to the farm stay, and express her thoughts.
Zhao Shuhong was stunned when she heard this, and then expressed her strong agreement. If she could really do business with those officials in Kyoto, she would make a lot of money just by coming and going.
If you don't have too big ambitions, this farm stay can make a few more years of money and you will never have to worry about food and drink for the rest of your life.
I just have one question, is this alone enough to attract this group of people to come here so often?
Soon Yan Qiushu took her to visit the entire farm. When they were tired, they took a carriage to the food street in the city for lunch.
After the meal, Zhao Shuhong was completely impressed. She said shyly, "I was just telling you that I was a good cook. Oh, you actually made all these things!"
Yan Qiushu said helplessly: "My skills are just average, and these are not my original creations. Someone just taught me, and I just copied them."
If it weren't for her golden finger, she would definitely not be able to compete with those chefs who have been in this industry for many years.
But it’s enough.
The atmosphere between the two of them was cheerful, but the Xiao family on the other side seemed to be much quieter.
It was obvious that Yan Qiushu was not a noisy child when she was in the Xiao family.
But as soon as she left, Dongdong and Xiao Pingsong went to school, and Wan'er stayed at home alone. She practiced basic skills with Xiao Huaiqi in the morning. The others were also in various courtyards. The house seemed to have become quiet.
It feels like going back to a year ago.
Xiao Huaiwu, on the other hand, didn't feel anything at all. She just felt very happy. She didn't expect that the chili pepper that looked pretty but tasted so pungent could actually cook, and make such delicious dishes!
There was a plate of stir-fried pork liver in front of her, which was made by the chef in the mansion using the recipe left by Yan Qiushu.
When Ah Shu left, she left behind a lot of dried and fresh chili peppers. She told the chefs to use up the fresh chili peppers quickly to prevent them from going bad, but the dried chili peppers could be used slowly.
The chefs ate with the master of the Xiao family, and their tastes became heavier. After noticing the flavor brought by the chili pepper, they decisively added chili pepper to other dishes.
For example, this stir-fried pork liver.
The pork liver was cut into pieces so that every part was covered with seasonings. The side dish was the bell pepper, three colors of red, yellow and green, stir-fried with the gray-red pork liver. The whole thing tasted so spicy that it made her mouth red.
You should know that we didn’t have this kind of treatment when eating spicy strips before.
The texture of the pork liver was a bit floury, but also a bit tough and chewy. The salty and spicy taste covered up the fishy smell. It was so delicious that she wanted to cry.
The key point is that the bell peppers that she looked down upon before were cut into square diamonds in this dish, dipped in seasonings, but the color was still bright.
Xiao Huaiwu tentatively picked up a piece of red bell pepper, and her eyes widened when she took a bite.
It’s not spicy at all!
It’s not that it’s not spicy at all, it’s mainly because it has the taste of other peppers, but its taste is sweet, a bit like white radish, refreshing and tender, a little sweet, but not too much. Against the backdrop of pork liver, it is particularly refreshing!
If her son were here, would he cry because of the spicy taste?
But it was so delicious that she was willing to tolerate the spiciness!
Xiao Huaiwu ate with gusto, but Mrs. Xiao, who was sitting at the host seat, showed no interest.
She picked up the chopsticks and added some meat dishes. The seasonings in her mouth were rich and the taste was better, but she still couldn't hide the loss in her heart.
Xie Qingyun used the serving chopsticks to pick up some food for her and whispered, "What's wrong? Are you not happy to eat now that Ah Shu is gone?"
Being teased by her daughter-in-law, Madam Xiao said unhappily, "Isn't it? Normally, if this girl were here, she would have sent some food over by now."
It’s not that she was greedy for the food, although what she cooked was indeed delicious, but the important thing was that every time Mrs. Xiao received the delicious food she made herself, she would feel comfortable and her appetite would increase.
Since she came, the Xiao family has regained its vitality.
Even when she didn't bring the food occasionally, such as in the morning, or at night when she was busy taking care of the children, she felt different from now.
Xie Qingyun said with a smile: "How about I accompany you to the farm to see Ah Shu this afternoon?"
Mrs. Xiao's mind moved, and she actually had some ideas.
Everyone at the table noticed it, and Xiao Huaiwu pretended to be sour and said, "Sister-in-law, when I went to the war, did my mother do this? She didn't want to eat or drink tea?"
Xie Qingyun smiled in agreement and said, "It seems not. What's going on? Fourth Brother, you didn't pick it up, did you?"
Xiao Huaiwu hummed as if she was crying.
Madam Xiao glared at her daughter and said sarcastically, "You're not home every day, and you don't like to take care of the children when you're at home. You practice martial arts all day long, and you still have the nerve to say I don't miss you? Aren't you used to it? Ah Shu is different from you. She has no other relatives. If it weren't for this ridiculous rule, I wouldn't be willing to let her go back to the farm."
"What's wrong? Mother, why are you angry?" Mrs. Xiao had just finished her temper when a young man in formal official uniform strode in. He only heard the end of what she said and asked in confusion.
Xiao Huaiwu coughed lightly, realizing that she had offended her old mother, and dared not say anything.
Xiao Huaiyu smiled and said, "Mom misses Ah Shu."
Speaking of A Shu, Xiao Huaiting's heart stagnated. After being busy for a long time last night, he came back and heard Aunt Xu say that she had gone to stay at the farm temporarily, and his other gifts had not been sent out yet.
What he was most eager for was the chili pepper. In addition to the first time, there were also some things brought back by the following team.
As for Aunt Xu's suggestion to have the peppers delivered to the farm, he didn't do it immediately. After hearing what his third sister said, the young man thought about it and said, "I just happen to have something to deliver. Mother, will you come with me?"
Madam Xiao's unhappy expression finally faded away, revealing a smile: "Not bad, you know to send something. I was worried that you would become stupid from fighting."
Xiao Huaiting: "...Mother!"
Madam Xiao sighed: "Why are you shouting? I'm here. I've always wanted you to marry Ah Shu, but you just don't understand. Why don't you hurry up and work hard?"
Hey!
When the other people at the table heard this, they looked at Xiao Huaiting with sympathy, urging him to get married!
Who here has never been urged to do something?
But just as sympathy showed up, Xiao Huaiting nodded seriously: "Mom, don't worry, your son knows."
Everyone remembered, oh, this person just got engaged. Although this engagement was not so serious, it was still an engagement. If they tried hard, it shouldn't be difficult to get married. After all, these two people always whispered to each other at the dinner table before, and everyone could see it from their expressions.
But Madam Xiao was not satisfied. Instead, she rolled her eyes at him and said, "You're making it seem like a war. You should smile more and be like your brother to please girls, okay?"
Xiao Huaiting was silent for a moment.
He wasn't always so serious. He was a little nervous when the marriage was mentioned. He quickly relaxed after hearing this, grinning at his mother with eight big white teeth. "Mom, is this okay?"
Madam Xiao: "...Forget it, stop laughing, you look like a fool."
Xiao Huaiting: "..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
