Song Anxin thought for a moment and nodded. The second son was quick-witted and well-suited for purchasing.
So he said, "Go with your elder brother so you can look after each other. First, buy ten large earthenware jars."
He then took out some money and gave it to Lin Fengshou: "Take this money. If you can't get a discount, don't force it. Just buy it at the original price. Be careful on the road with your older brother."
Also, go to your great-uncle Lin's place and rent his oxcart so you can transport the pottery jars back.”
Song Anxin gave him eighty coins. A large earthenware jar wasn't expensive; it was the cheapest and roughest kind. It sold for seven coins in the county town. Even if you bought it at the original price plus the cost of renting an oxcart, it would be enough.
Lin Fengshou and Lin Fengnian responded and left. Song Anxin felt that running a small business was really not easy. Not to mention the hard work and effort, she also had to invest so much money. If it weren't for the lack of this compensation, she would have to sell recipes. However, she still understood the saying that teaching an apprentice can lead to the master starving.
By the time the family finished their busy work, it was already evening. Smoke was rising from the chimneys, and every household had begun cooking.
Since Lin Fengshou didn't have time, Lin Fengyao and Lin Fenghe were building a rabbit burrow.
Song Anxin took out a pound of pork belly that had been kept in the well water. It was hot, and there were no refrigerators in ancient times. Fortunately, the well water was cool and could be used to chill some fruits and vegetables. Every household in the village did this.
There's no rabbit meat to eat, but we can have braised pork today. Luckily, she bought some candy. Just thinking about that sweet and savory braised pork makes Song Anxin's mouth water.
Then she laughed again. When did she become as greedy as those boys? It's just that resources are so scarce in ancient times. She really wants to eat fried chicken and cola, hot and sour noodles, cold noodles, barbecue, hot pot...
Song Anxin shook her head. She couldn't think about it anymore; otherwise, she would be so hungry she would cry!
So Song Anxin focused on making braised pork, with Zhang Mei helping out. Her mother-in-law was not only skilled in cooking, but also knew how to make all sorts of different dishes and was willing to patiently teach her. She had to learn well so that her mother-in-law wouldn't have to work so hard to cook in the future.
Song Anxin put the wok down and added the chopped pork belly and ginger slices directly into it to render the fat. This will make the braised pork belly light and not greasy. After the fat has rendered out, pour off the excess fat, which can be used to cook other dishes.
Add a little sugar and stir-fry together to caramelize the meat. Then add soy sauce and other seasonings, add water to cover the meat, add bay leaves, star anise, cinnamon, etc. Bring to a boil and then simmer over medium-low heat.
Song Anxin used a newly bought pot, while Zhang Mei used an old pot to stir-fry two vegetables and then cook rice.
Fifteen minutes later, the braised pork and rice were cooked together. Song Anxin reduced the sauce over high heat, and a large bowl of fragrant braised pork was ready.
Lin Fengyao and Lin Fenghe stared at the bowl of bright red braised pork on the table, which exuded an enticing sweet aroma, and swallowed hard.
Good heavens, how does Mom do it? Her dishes look better and better each time.
Song Anxin patted their heads and said with a smile, "You can't eat now. We have to wait for your older brothers to come back so we can eat together."
Then he brought out a small bowl of braised pork and said, "Fengyao, go and take this bowl of braised pork to your aunt's house. Tell her it's the interest on the loan."
Lin Fengyao quickly grabbed the bowl and left, while Lin Fenghe said he would go check on his older brothers to see if they had returned.
As soon as Lin Fenghe ran to the main road of the village, he saw Lin Fengnian and Lin Fengshou returning in an oxcart. The group quickly arrived at their doorstep, and Song Anxin and the others helped carry the pottery jar home.
As soon as Lin Fengshou reached the entrance of the courtyard, he smelled the aroma of meat. He took a deep sniff and said, "Mother, what delicious food have you cooked today? It smells so good!"
Zhang Mei laughed and said, "Second brother, you have a really good nose. Mother cooked a new dish today called braised pork. The braised pork looks so delicious with its red and oily appearance."
The younger children were so tempted that they quickly finished moving the food, washed their hands, and went to the table to eat.
The pork belly was cut into neat squares, just like tofu. When you bite into a piece, the meat is as tender and smooth as tofu, melting in your mouth. Coated in a sweet and rich broth, the taste is simply unforgettable.
The boys stopped talking and just kept eating, even using the soup to mix with their rice and finish it all.
Looking at these kids, Song Anxin thought to herself, "They really are all talk and no action!"
After the meal, the children looked very satisfied. Lin Fengshou also reported to Song Anxin about the purchase of pottery jars. They bought a lot and brought them back directly from the kiln, so the kiln charged them four coins each. Ten jars would cost forty coins. After adding the five coins for renting the oxcart, they had thirty-five coins left. Lin Fengshou gave all of it to Song Anxin and then returned the oxcart to Uncle Lin.
Sister-in-law Lin returned the bowl of braised pork that had been delivered: "Sister-in-law, where did you get such good cooking skills? My two little ones almost fought over the last bit of broth. Oh dear, it's so embarrassing."
Sister-in-law Lin covered her face and laughed.
Song Anxin replied with a smile, "My boys are about the same. By the way, sister-in-law, tell my brother I want two more big basins, and I'll pay you now."
Upon hearing this, Sister-in-law Lin quickly dropped her bowl and ran off. Her voice could still be heard from afar: "Sister-in-law, it's not too late to give it to me when it's ready."
Song Anxin hadn't even taken the money out of her sleeve yet when she smiled helplessly. She was very fortunate that there were no difficult relatives to deal with here, and most of the villagers were simple and honest.
Farmers eat dinner early, and since it gets dark more slowly in summer, the sun is only halfway up the mountain at this time.
Bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, Song Anxin's first lesson officially began.
Song Anxin stood at the top of the main room. She took a large wooden board as a blackboard and made a charcoal pencil. In fact, she didn't have any writing brushes, ink, paper, or inkstones at home, and these things cost money, a lot of money, which she couldn't afford.
Lin Fengnian, Fengshou, Fenghe, Fengyao, and Zhang Mei sat upright below. They never expected that they would actually be able to study, and at home no less!
Lin Fenghe, in particular, looked at his mother with his beautiful eyes shining brightly.
Song Anxin cleared her throat and said, "Today is the first lesson of our Lin family's little classroom. Although I am not very knowledgeable, I am more than capable of teaching you a few basic skills. From now on, our family will have classes at this time every day."
I hope you will listen attentively, study diligently, and try to remain quiet in class. If you have any questions, please raise your hand. Did everyone understand?
"Understood!"
Everyone responded in unison.
Lin Fenghe felt that his mother was not uneducated at all; in fact, she was more learned than his uncle, who was a scholar who had only completed the first level of education.
The uniform response made Song Anxin feel quite like a teacher. Ah, what was she thinking? She was now the teacher of these little ones.
Song Anxin shook off the jumbled thoughts in her mind, turned around, picked up a book, and wrote on the wooden board: "At birth, people are inherently good. Their natures are similar, but their habits differ."
Then he picked up the branch in his hand and pointed, saying, "Come on, everyone, read with me the beginning of life: 'Human nature...human nature is far apart.'"
Song Anxin would point to a sentence and read it aloud, and then the others would repeat the sentence.
After reading it aloud, Song Anxin continued, "This is the first line of the Three Character Classic, which means that when a person is first born, their nature is..."
Song Anxin's gentle voice narrated the story in a captivating way, drawing people into an ocean of knowledge.
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