After cleaning up Xiao Hei, I fed him some fresh milk.
Although milking goats fresh every day is a bit of a hassle, it ensures the freshness and cleanliness of the milk, preventing diarrhea or illness caused by stale milk.
They had both exerted a lot of effort today and needed some meat to replenish their strength in the evening, so Jiang Xi went to the granary and took the last piece of cured pork ribs of the year.
Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an headed home in the evening. They were covered in sweat after a day of farm work, so they took a quick bath in the hot spring before returning to their stone house.
In the past, these ribs were always stewed, but today Jiang Xi wanted to try a different way of cooking them. So she soaked some dried radish greens in hot water, and after they were soaked, she stir-fried them with wild scallions and hot oil until they were dry, and then added some salt and Sichuan peppercorn powder.
After blanching the pork ribs, Jiang Xi found a large earthenware bowl, arranged half of the ribs at the bottom and sides, then poured radish greens into the middle of the ribs, steamed them over high heat, and then moved them to the back of the stove.
For the remaining half of the ribs, stir-fry them with Sichuan peppercorns, hot oil, and scallions. Continue stir-frying until the ribs sizzle and release oil, turning a perfect reddish-brown color. The dry-fried spicy ribs are then ready.
The pork ribs from this brand are not too thick, and there's even a lot of cartilage, plus some fat. After being stir-fried, they have a rich Sichuan peppercorn aroma, the outer layer becomes crispy from the stir-frying, and the fat and lean meat fibers inside are perfectly blended, making them fragrant but not greasy.
After dinner, the three of them, exhausted from a long day, had no energy to say anything more. Jiang Xi fed Xiao Hei milk and helped it defecate. There was nothing else she needed to do, so she went to bed early.
Turning over the soil with hoes and shovels is tiring and tedious. The tools are not up to par, and it took two people three or four days to turn over one acre of land.
The three then realized why science and technology are considered the primary productive force. Let alone high technology, even a plow would make their lives much easier.
Yan Zheng went to check on the brick house they had built in the morning. It was almost completely dried out. When he got back, he discussed with Jiang Xi and Yan Jing'an when to move.
Jiang Xi said, "How about in the next couple of days? The sweet potato seedlings and tomatoes have sprouted, but they're only about the size of peanuts, so there's no rush to transplant them."
I need to move my house quickly in the next couple of days.
Everyone was quite excited, as if they had been waiting for this moment. After all, they had helped build this new house brick by brick, and now that they had a comfortable and beautiful place to live, who wouldn't want to move in as soon as possible?
So the three of them decided to pack their things today, each packing their own luggage, and move in early tomorrow morning. They believed that moving early was a good omen.
Actually, there wasn't much stuff. Even the clothes were made according to the number of people. The only things that were difficult to organize were their pots, pans, and kitchen utensils.
In the afternoon, Yan Zheng first went to the new house to get the homemade straw broom and swept the walls inside and out. Then he put two armchairs and an eight-immortal table in the living room and called Yan Jing'an to put one of the cleaned wardrobes in each bedroom.
Everything was tidied up. After listening to Jiang Xi's words, he took two handfuls of mugwort, lit them, and smoked every corner of the house, especially the newly built walls and the two brick beds.
This is a custom in Jiang Xi's maternal grandmother's hometown. Before moving into a new house, incense or mugwort is burned to fumigate the house, driving away the musty smell and also preventing insects.
With everything prepared, everyone got up early the next day to pack. The first things to take were the dried goods and root vegetables they had at home, as well as some lard, jars, and bottles of meat, symbolizing a bountiful harvest and a life free from worries about food and clothing.
Next, Yan Jing'an led the deer, carrying pots and pans on his back, and placed them on the wall shelf in the kitchen.
Finally, Jiang Xi held Xiao Hei in her arms, with a blanket on her back.
To make it easier to care for, Xiao Hei's nest was temporarily placed in Yan Zheng and Jiang Xi's room. A half-meter-long basket was placed by the bedside, covered with a thick cloth made of rattan fiber.
After everything was tidied up, Jiang Xi had Yan Zheng bring over the straw mats they had made and spread them all on the two beds to make mattresses. After laying out the two thick layers, she then added down comforters and quilts, and Jiang Xi lay down on them to experience them firsthand.
For the first time in a long time, she suddenly felt a sense of peace.
Just as she was enjoying herself, Jiang Xi suddenly heard a crackling sound coming from outside.
Jiang Xi curiously pushed open the window and looked outside.
It turned out that Yan Zheng and Yan Jing'an were burning firewood. He had piled up stones to make a bonfire circle, using a special kind of firewood instead of firecrackers to celebrate their housewarming. Jiang Xi didn't recognize this kind of firewood either, but it made a very crackling sound when burned in the fire. Last time she accidentally used this kind of firewood to start a fire, it gave her quite a fright.
Jiang Xi quickly put on her shoes and went downstairs, covering her ears and snuggling into Yan Zheng's arms.
The three of them enjoyed the sound of firecrackers in the courtyard, creating a joyful atmosphere. As the firewood burned out and the noise gradually subsided, Yan Zheng put his arm around Jiang Xi's shoulder and said, "Miss Jiang, happy housewarming."
Jiang Xi's eyes were slightly red at the corners.
At this moment, happiness seems to have become tangible.
After setting off these symbolic firecrackers and seeing that the house was all tidied up, Yan Zheng told Jiang Xi, picked up his bow and arrows, and went out again.
It was all for the housewarming party that evening. Although there were only three people, no one wanted to skip any of the essential parts.
Spring arrived before the New Year, and he thought he might as well go out and buy some things. He figured he might as well take this opportunity to have some fun and bring some joy to everyone during these hard days.
After Yan Zheng left, Jiang Xi took out an iron pot, added water, lit the earthen stove, and boiled a pot of water.
Grandma said it symbolizes abundant wealth. Of course, we don't need the money now, but she still wants to continue this custom to prove that they are people who have come from the secular world.
Then she started packing clothes. She cleaned the camphor wood chests thoroughly, giving one to Yan Jing'an and keeping one each for Yan Zheng and herself. The down jackets and cloaks from the winter had already been washed and folded, then put into the chests to prevent insects and mold.
In spring, when we wear lighter clothes, we put our sweaters away in the closet first.
She thought to herself that as the days grew warmer, she should make some light and thin fabrics.
While tidying up, she went to the living room. Since they had just moved in, the living room felt empty and something was missing. She took out the ceramic cups for the three of them, washed them, and put them on the table. She also cleaned the kettle she had found in the ceramics room and placed it on the octagonal table.
This kettle is exquisitely crafted. A crane's head is even carved on the spout, making it look exceptionally elegant when placed on a table.
After everything was done, Jiang Xi looked at it again and again, but still felt that something was not right.
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