Chapter 219 Ancestor worship is a major ceremony
Tu Su Minyang took the lead and rushed to the front, while Tu Su Yanting ran over excitedly and hugged her arms tightly.
Although Tu Su Minxu and Tu Su Yunxi had short legs and slow steps, they also stumbled to her, panting and calling out sweetly: "Happy New Year, sister-in-law!"
"Look, sister-in-law! We made a snowman for you!"
"Do you like it, sister-in-law?"
The little snowman held in Tu Suminyang's hands is of moderate size, with the shape of the head and abdomen clearly discernible. He also cleverly decorated the eyes, nose and mouth with small stones and mud, and even used thin branches to separate the short and fat fingers on the little arms made of snow.
Gu Yuexuan looked at the children's eyes full of expectation and smiled from ear to ear: "Did you make this for me?"
Tu Su Yanting nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, sister-in-law, do you like it?"
Seeing Gu Yuexuan smiling happily, Tu Suminyang took the opportunity to show off: "Sister Yan Ting said that she is as white as skin and as cold as bones, and she is most similar to my sister-in-law!"
"Look, sister-in-law, don't they look alike?"
In fact, Gu Yuexuan didn’t see any similarities between this little gadget and herself.
But no matter what, the enthusiasm and innocence of children in giving gifts are indeed worthy of praise.
Gu Yuexuan gently took the snowman, her hands as if holding a fragile treasure, and said solemnly, "If I bring it into the house, I'm afraid it will melt. I really can't bear to part with it."
"Come, let's find a corner by the window to put it. I want to be able to admire its beauty every day until spring comes."
Her active cooperation delighted the children, who followed her happily, excitedly looking for a perfect place to put it.
At the door, Tu Su Minfei leaned against the door frame, his eyes slightly closed, and the words imitated by Tu Su Minyang seemed to still echo in his ears.
"Skin like snowflakes, bones like ice crystals, red plum blossoms bloom proudly in the cold winter."
It is indeed amazing.
Tu Suminfei put away the multiple emotions in his eyes, exhaled gently, walked forward with a smile, and said gently: "Aunt, let me help you get the dishes and chopsticks, I'll bring them in."
Anyone could handle the simple preparations, but when it came to cooking the hearty dishes, Gu Yuexuan was the undisputed master. For tonight's rare feast, the ingredients and seasonings needed were meticulously prepared days in advance.
The pork elbow, which is fat and lean, is roasted over charcoal fire until a layer of milky white bubbles appear on the skin. After washing, it is fried in hot oil until golden brown and the pig skin expands, and then immediately immersed in ice water to cool.
While the elbow was soaking and setting, Gu Yuexuan had already prepared the ingredients: "Tu Subo, help me take the elbow out. Once the sugar color is fried, put it in the wok immediately."
Tu Subo moved quickly and followed the instructions. He opened the pot lid and the moment the oil splashed, he rolled the elbow into the pot, stir-fried it for a few times, then added water to season and put in the ingredients.
The pot of stewed pork elbow is already simmering, and Xi Lanfang has also washed the chicken to prepare for stewing.
Holding the basin, she asked, "Xuanxuan, do you want to cut the chicken into pieces and stew it whole?"
“No need to cut.”
Gu Yuexuan checked the pork belly that had been marinated in advance and said, "Today we will stew the whole thing and make a pork belly chicken dish."
"Tu Subo."
"Any instructions?"
Gu Yuexuan held a kitchen knife and gestured at the whole fat chicken, saying helplessly, "Can you remove the bones from this chicken?"
Tu Subo took the knife and said with a clear expression: "Do you want to keep the meat intact? Just remove the bones?"
"That's better."
Gu Yuexuan fiddled with the pig's stomach and said, "I want to stuff the chicken into the pig's stomach. I guess it won't fit in without removing the bones. Can you try it?"
"no problem."
Tu Subo squatted aside, concentrating on removing the chicken bones, while Tu Sumin flew over with an armful of firewood and asked with concern, "Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Without even raising her eyelids, Gu Yuexuan calmly gave the order, "Go take care of the fish that's thawed in that bucket."
She then raised her head in confusion, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes: "Do you know how to remove the scales?"
Tu Suminfei smiled playfully: "I know a thing or two, why not let me give it a try."
Gu Yuexuan had no time to spare, simply mentioning that there was hot water nearby before returning to her own business. The brisk tapping of a knife on the chopping block echoed, accompanied by the aroma of food filling the air. The entire scene exuded a simple yet lively atmosphere.
At this moment, the old grandfather, returning from a walk, walked into the house. He took a deep breath, savoring the aroma of the food and watching his family busy and orderly. His brows relaxed, and the depression in his heart gradually dissipated. He noticed that the old lady and Tu Suye were not present, so he casually asked, "What's wrong? Is your second uncle too lazy to get up today?"
Tu Subo immediately took over the conversation and responded wittily: "Second Uncle may be feeling unwell. Grandma is taking care of him. I will call him when we eat later."
The old grandfather coughed lightly, his expression unfathomable, but he didn't say much. He thought, if someone doesn't want to show up, then let them stay alone and avoid causing trouble.
So, with the grandfather's tacit approval, the old lady and Tu Suye avoided any manual labor. When it came time for dinner, their faces were filled with obvious displeasure.
Tu Subo excitedly ran outside and lit firecrackers. As the firecrackers crackled, he strode back to the main hall. At this time, Tu Suting had just finished kowtowing to the temporary ancestral tablet.
Xi Lanfang gently nudged Tu Subo and reminded him, "Go and kowtow quickly and ask for the protection of your ancestors. May everything go well for you and may you be healthy in the coming year."
Tu Subo immediately kowtowed, followed by Tu Su Minfei and Tu Su Minyang. Tu Su Minxu, despite his youth, kowtowed with remarkable sincerity and piety. If one listened closely, one could hear him quietly repeating Xi Lanfang's words, emphasizing the word "get rich" as he stood up.
Gu Yuexuan couldn't help laughing at the cute appearance of this little money-grubber. She was about to get a stool to eat when her grandfather suddenly said, "Xuanxuan, come and kowtow too."
Xi Lanfang was stunned for a moment. She looked at the old lady's face, which had suddenly become gloomy. She was filled with worry and said hesitantly, "Is this... in accordance with the rules?"
The Tusu family had been exiled here for their crimes, their lives hanging in the balance, so they naturally had no time to care for the ancestral tablets in the ancestral hall. Today's ancestral worship ceremony simply hung up the ancestral tablets written by the ancestor's father. Although the form seemed simple, it was also the Tusu family's annual traditional ancestral worship.
Ancestor worship has always been regarded as an important ceremony in the family.
In the long-standing tradition of the Tu Su family, women have always been forbidden to set foot in the sacred place of the ancestral hall, and it is even more difficult for women to participate in the worship and kowtow to their ancestors.
Even Xi Lanfang and the other three sisters-in-law had never experienced this special honor. Even the family's authority figure, the old lady, had never had the opportunity to personally participate in the Tu Su family's ancestral worship ceremony. Therefore, Gu Yuexuan's attendance was clearly inappropriate.
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