Chapter 9 This is Xianle's sweet lotus cake
Xiao Zhang and Erniu took their bows and squatted at the base of the wall. Wei Jinyun brought out the title deed. "This yard hasn't been moved in at least forty years. I don't think Grandmother knows where the old wall was originally located. Measure carefully, and I'll check with you."
Although Xiao Zhang was busy all day, he also glanced at Wei Jinyun while he was building the wall. Although this young lady Wei had bargained hard and bought a lot of household items at the grass market, he had not stopped for a moment since returning from Changmen.
He walked up and down, watching the seams for them and passing them tiles. He finally took a nap, and when he woke up, this happened.
Seeing her yawning while looking at the deed, Xiao Zhang pressed his bow against the stone more firmly, "Don't worry, Miss Wei. The stone pillar connected to the bottom has not moved in forty years of wind and rain. It is definitely accurate."
He dragged the bamboo ruler eastward, while Erniu stared at the scale from behind. "One step, two steps... to the next wall, only twenty-four and a half steps."
Wei Jinyun held the land deed in his hand and frowned slightly. The words "twenty-five steps wide from north to south" were clearly written on the paper.
She walked the same steps as Xiao Zhang and found that it was indeed wrong. "It's wrong. This shop hasn't been taken care of for over 40 years. I don't know when they renovated it... Fortunately, we have the title deed, so they're not extorting us out of thin air. You two should remember these measurements. I'll find a reason to bring it up with the neighbors. There's no need to get into a heated argument."
Xiao Zhang stood up and said, "With the title deed, no one can argue. Let's mark out the foundation according to the old dimensions first, and then we can start once Miss Wei agrees. I guarantee it will be correct."
Wei Jinyun looked up at the dusk and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Brother Xiao Zhang and Brother Er Niu. Let's stop here for today. Grandma has fried a few dishes for dinner. We will continue tomorrow."
The two of them packed up their own dining utensils, helped to fetch two buckets of water outside, and sat down to eat together.
Wei Jinyun carefully folded the deed and stuffed it back into Wang Qiulan's bag. Today, Aunt Zhao from Li's Delicatessen had mentioned the Zhang's Stationery Shop next door while chatting with Grandma. Zhang's had been here for over twenty years, and since Wei Jinyun and the others were new here, they didn't know the owner's temperament.
If it goes well, everyone will be happy, but since they built the wall on her land, I guess she is not someone who can be easily dealt with.
If a dispute arises, you will have to use money to hire a lawyer, or at worst, take it to the government. They can make a judgment, but if you do that, I guess every time you meet Zhang Ji in the future, everyone will be filled with hatred and resentment.
She came here to make money, not to quarrel.
You have to think of a reasonable and legitimate reason to inquire for a while, and then think of a solution.
As dusk approached, the shadow of the old locust tree by the well stretched ever longer. It was approaching July, and most of the locust flowers had faded, but they still hung in clusters on the branches.
The musty smell in the yard is gone, and I can finally have time to appreciate the fragrance of this decades-old locust tree.
The two sisters also came back hand in hand at this time, but they had a lot more honey-fried fruits in their arms, as well as two lifelike bamboo-woven crickets and dragonflies.
Meng Ge'er had a chubby face and a perky fringe. He loved to smile. Although his family ran a delicatessen, Zhao Xiangping kept him very clean, and the neighbors all liked him.
He then took the two sisters for a walk around Tianqing Temple. The Wei sisters were lively and playful, like two little children under the seat of Guanyin, so they were naturally cherished by the family and given many good things.
This resulted in the two of them coming back with full stomachs, and they would be empty after just a few mouthfuls of rice. Even the steamed white fish that they usually liked to eat, Wang Qiulan picked the meat off the back of the fish for them, and it went back into her bowl.
"Sister Ling has already learned to spit thorns."
The two sisters cleaned up their own dishes and squatted in the yard to play with bamboo crickets and dragonflies.
Erniu really lived up to what Manager Zhou said, he could eat three bowls of rice in one meal.
Stir-fried green soybeans with perfectly pickled vegetables, paired with gluten-stuffed meat that is soft on the outside and firm on the inside, and then scoop a little soup over the rice and eat together.
Erniu ate four bowls with great gusto.
"I'm not even full, I tell you."
Xiao Zhang harnessed the donkey cart, pointed at Erniu with a trembling finger, turned around and said goodbye to Wei Jinyun with a smile.
"You were so busy laughing that you didn't even bother eating."
Erniu rolled his eyes and touched the donkey's head beside him.
The two brothers worked diligently, replacing most of the tiles on the roof in just half a day. They also helped Wei Jinyun fix the door lock while they were at it. Now the door opened smoothly, saving her from having to tiptoe around in the mornings and endure the piercing noises.
The partitions in the house were almost finished, and the small windows were wide open for ventilation. In two days, Wei Jinyun would measure the margins and replace the broken windows.
Tonight was much more comfortable than yesterday.
With the new bed, Wei Fuling, who was tired from playing, was still muttering about what clothes to wear to visit her great aunt tomorrow, and then she fell asleep hugging the winter melon.
During the rainy season in June, the weather was hot and stuffy. Wang Qiulan always fanned her two granddaughters with a palm-leaf fan when they were sleeping, and would only go to sleep after they fell asleep.
Now that he had some free time, Wei Jinyun persuaded him to go to sleep.
Wei Jinyun spent seven cents on two large winter melons. Washing them and holding them while sleeping can not only calm the mind, regulate qi and blood, but also reduce temperature.
When she was a child, her grandfather would buy her one to hold every summer, which was more comfortable than a fan.
She also placed a few old bricks in each room and lit mosquito coils on them, so that they could drive away snakes, insects, rats and ants during the rainy season and sleep better.
At midnight, Wei Jinyun got up to drink water, but saw Wei Fuqiu squatting in the yard. Her small figure was sitting beside the water bucket, which frightened her.
She placed the lotus she had picked from Gaochun aside, carefully scooping water from the bucket with both hands and pouring it over the lotus.
After several days of traveling by water and staying in Pingjiang Prefecture for almost two days, the lotus had become wilted and no longer as beautiful as before.
"Sister Qi, why aren't you asleep yet? We have to go to our great aunt's house tomorrow."
Wei Jinyun took a few sips of water from the bowl and stood beside her.
"The lotus I picked has withered."
Wei Fuqiu carefully picked up the lotus and muttered with her head down, "Sister Qiu really likes Gaochun Town."
Her sister was a sensitive person. Perhaps she felt homesick when she saw the wilted lotus in the corner before going to bed.
"Sister Qi, go to sleep."
Wei Jinyun reached out and rubbed her head. "Maybe the lotus will bloom again tomorrow."
"How come?"
Wei Fuqiu looked up in surprise.
In the dark night, my sister's eyes are bright.
She reluctantly handed the lotus to Wei Jinyun, but still obediently went back to bed.
Wei Jinyun held the lotus flower in his hand, thought for a while, and went to the kitchen to get some red beans to soak.
She suddenly had an idea, not only could she coax her sister...
Wei Jinyun got up early again today. As the sun came out, the rainy season seemed to be slowly passing.
A few sparrows landed in the yard, chirping as they lowered their heads to eat up the food that fell from yesterday's dinner. When they saw her come out, they fluttered over to the wall beside them.
The newly built stove could not be used yet, so after washing up, Wei Jinyun simply lit the clay stove and moved the iron pot onto it.
A fire was already lit in the other clay oven, and steam was rising from the clay pot on top. Wei Jinyun lifted the lid of the pot, and the aroma of red beans filled the yard.
She cooked the red bean paste an hour in advance and went back to sleep. The red bean paste in the casserole was now sticky and sticky. She pressed it with a spoon and it softened and melted. She stirred it in one direction for a while, poured it into a bowl, and covered it with a layer of water to cool it down.
The fire under the clay stove was still burning, so she cooked the porridge.
Yesterday, Wei Jinyun bought two bags of flour at the grass market. She scooped about four pounds into a wooden basin.
Flour is mixed with oil and water and kneaded into a tough yet soft water-oil dough, which is then mixed with melted lard without adding a drop of water and kneaded into a moist and oily pastry.
Of course, some safflower pollen should be added for coloring.
The dough was cut into small pieces, coated with pastry, rolled into long strips, and left to rest for two quarters of an hour. After the dough was kneaded and filled with cooled red bean paste, Wei Jinyun used a knife to carve six petals on it.
Pay attention to the temperature of the oil pan, fry it slowly in warm oil.
Small bubbles of oil were humming in the pot, and the petals of the flowers gradually stretched out in the oil, like the first beautiful lotus flowers blooming in the pond.
Wei Jinyun took a large piece of oil paper and placed the freshly baked lotus cakes on it to drain.
By the time all the lotus crisps were fried, the porridge in the clay oven at the other end was almost ready.
"You're up so early, Sister Qi."
Wei Jinyun served the porridge and placed the bowls outside to cool. He saw Wei Fuqiu yawning as she walked into the yard.
"The yard smells so good, I have a nose."
Wei Fuqiu skillfully rinsed her mouth with Poria cocos water, holding a toothbrush in her mouth, "Only Sister Ling sleeps until noon every day."
“Who said that!”
Wei Fuling was leaning on the second floor, and she caught a glimpse of Wei Fuqiu nagging her early in the morning. She ran downstairs with a few "thumps", and jumped in front of the two of them faster than a mouse.
Before she could even start a conversation with Wei Fuqiu, she saw the lotus cakes that had been prepared. "What did my sister make? They smell so good and look so pretty."
"Sister, make it for me."
Wei Fuqiu stood in front of the lotus pastries and looked at them intently.
They were stacked layer upon layer, as beautiful as the lotus lanterns that she, her grandmother and sister put in the small river in Gaochun Town in the summer.
The lotus blossomed again, and her sister had not lied to her.
"I want to hear Sister Qi scream again."
Wei Jinyun grinned with joy, half bent over and moved closer to Wei Fuqiu.
She finally called her sister.
This is probably like hearing heavenly music and having your ears cleared for a moment!
"elder sister......"
Wei Fuqiu muttered softly.
"Be good." Wei Jinyun almost laughed out loud.
“Chirp.”
Wei Fuling pulled her lips together, imitating Wei Fuqiu's tone, "Just yell, it's even uglier than the sparrows chirping on the wall. You should yell...sister, sister, sister!"
"Shut up, you're noisier than a sparrow."
With such a beautiful dessert, the cooling porridge looked dull and colorless. The two sisters each ate a piece and half a bowl of porridge with scrambled eggs in soy sauce, and then Wei Jinyun ordered the lotus cake to be delivered.
"Meng Ge'er, would you like some lotus cakes? They're sweet."
Wei Fuling held the oil-paper package in front of Meng Ge'er and said, "Sister said that every shop around here has one package."
Meng Ge'er put down the bowl, said thank you more than ten times, called out "A Niang", and ran into the store holding the oil-paper bag to find Zhao Xiangping.
"Here are the lotus cakes."
Wei Fuqiu handed the oil-paper package to Zhang Renbai, "My sister made it."
Zhang Renbai lifted the oil paper with trembling hands and saw that the pastries inside were exquisite and tempting, more beautiful than the flowers in the scroll.
He carefully picked up a piece with his hands and lowered his head to confirm again, "You, you, your sister gave it to me?"
"Um."
Wei Fuqiu nodded affirmatively.
The author has something to say:
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The bugong bamboo ruler is equivalent to today's tape measure and is used for measurement. It is usually stipulated that 1 bugong is equal to 5 shichi.
Lotus, lotus, including the "Fuqi" of Sister Qi, are all the same kind of flowers, hahahaha. [Cat head]
Wife, I want some nutrient solution [food][food]
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