Chapter 298: Family Dinner for Two
After the young master left, Mrs. Pu went to her nephew's house to celebrate the New Year in a fit of anger, leaving her disappointing young wife behind. There were loud noises of firecrackers outside, but the small courtyard was so quiet that it seemed as if no one lived there. Yang Si Niang lay on the bed, staring at the roof, without blinking for a long time.
When they got home, Ning Banniang ran over and asked, "Seventh Brother, where have you been? I'm going to Weizhou County to see Ah Hui tomorrow. Are you going?"
Ning Qilang was about to say, "Let's go together." Anyway, he didn't want to be forced by his parents to go on a blind date in Beijing, so he just wanted to go somewhere quiet. But when the words came to his lips, he changed the sentence, "That may not be possible. I have an appointment with Zhao Zijin and I have something else to do."
Ning Ba Niang did not suspect that her brother was lying, and asked casually, "What's the matter?"
"Don't ask about the affairs between men, young ladies."
Ningning:...Okay, she was just asking casually. The New Year is coming soon. If her sister wasn’t too busy, she wouldn’t have run away from the capital.
The sky was dark, the cold wind was howling, and the dead vines and old trees were covered with snow and frost, like silver bars, cold and beautiful.
In a small courtyard in the south city of Weizhou County, icicles were like transparent crystal pillars, hanging on the eaves in rows. It was so cold that it made people's noses sore and their heads ache, and their feet felt like two pieces of ice.
Qiu Shan came back from shopping on the street and quickly moved two baskets of food to the kitchen. He called out to the main house, "Master, we have bought all the food for the New Year. What are we going to eat for lunch today?"
Hearing the sound, Shangguan Yu put on a fox fur coat and pushed the door open to leave.
Zhong Wanhui, who was sitting by the fire, asked the maid to put a coat on her and followed Shangguan Yu out of the house.
Shangguan Yu turned around and said, "It's cold outside, just wait for me inside."
The young lady smiled and shook her head, her eyes seemed to speak. No, she would follow him and never leave his side.
well!
Shangguan Yu also shook his head, but he sighed.
Okay, if you're not afraid of the cold, just follow me.
Open the door a little bit, and the chilly north wind blows into the warm house.
Shangguan Yu hurried out, but he held the door with his hand to let the young lady follow him out. Then he walked outside, holding up the fox fur coat to block the north wind blowing towards the young lady, "Be careful, the frost on the ground is slippery."
Zhong Wanhui seemed to understand his concern. Her skinny little face was full of smiles. She looked sweetly at the man who was shielding her from the wind, and her whole body seemed to be bathed in warm light.
Shangguan Yu looked towards the small kitchen, avoiding the young lady's passionate gaze.
When Qiu Shan saw the young master, he quickly came out of the kitchen and said, "Hey, young master, you can answer from inside the room. I can hear you."
Shangguan Yu took the young lady into the kitchen and looked at the ingredients in the basket, including spinach, radish, cabbage, tofu, mutton, etc. "Let's make a pot."
He was afraid of the cold, so Mrs. Su told him to eat more mutton, pot, etc. in winter to warm his body.
"Okay!" Qiu Shan said happily, "Mother Qu and I will do it together. It will be ready soon. Sir, you can take Madam Hui back to the house first."
Shangguan Yu nodded, "Thank you for your hard work."
"Look at what the young master said."
As long as the young master is fine, Qiushan will be fine too.
The eldest girl beside Zhong Wanhui, Qiao Qiao, said with a smile, "Brother Qiu, I will come and help too."
Qiu Shan smiled and said, "Thank you very much, Miss Qiao."
When there are more people, things get busy faster.
It was indeed cold outside, so Shangguan Yu asked them to hurry into the kitchen and light a stove to keep warm.
"Sir, you should go back to the house too."
Shangguan Yu nodded, turned around, and saw the young lady whose face and nose were red from the cold but still stood beside him with a happy look on her face. He said gently, "Let's go back to the house."
The young lady just smiled and didn't say anything. He left, and she left too.
Just like his shadow.
The weather was gloomy, with thick, low, grayish-yellow turbid clouds all over the sky. The northwest wind howled and ran wildly in the wilderness, as if it was holding a sharp sword that could pierce through the thick fur coat, not to mention the exposed face, which was cut by it again and again, causing unbearable pain.
Just a few steps in the corridor were freezing cold.
The two of them hurried into the house and closed the door behind them.
Because of Shangguan Yu's health, after buying this courtyard, he not only installed a kang, but also built a fireplace in the main room. As long as the door is closed, the main room is as warm as spring.
Throughout the winter, Shangguan Yu either sat in front of the fireplace reading a book or painted and taught students in front of the fireplace. His life was fulfilling and peaceful. Even though there was a young lady, although she stuck to him, she didn't talk and was very quiet. When he didn't pay special attention to her, it seemed that she had no impact on his life.
Gradually, Shangguan Yu got used to having the young lady around him. He said to himself, maybe he had done something wrong in his previous life, and that was why he had been lonely and wandering for most of his life. If having the young lady by his side could keep her alive, then he would consider it a good deed!
Sitting back in front of the fireplace, Shangguan Yu picked up the book, half leaned back in the armchair, and turned the pages one by one.
The young lady also sat in front of the fireplace, picked up the pen and started writing again, stroke by stroke, smiling and calm.
For a moment, the small hall was so quiet that only the crackling sound of the charcoal fire in the fireplace could be heard. The warm air was flowing, and the years were peaceful.
"Sir, here comes the pot!"
Qiu Shan carried the copper pot with the cooked soup base into the main room and placed it on a small round table with a round hole. A charcoal brazier was placed in the hole. As soon as the copper pot was placed on it, it immediately started to bubble again. Qiao Qiao quickly placed the washed vegetables, mutton slices and other ingredients around the copper pot, and prepared the dipping sauce and placed it in front of the two masters.
"Master, Hui Niang, it's done." After saying that, he stepped aside.
Seeing that Miss Qiao had everything ready, Qiu Shan said with a smile, "Sir, Madam, if you have anything, just call me." Then he left the main room.
Shangguan Yu turned to Qiao Qiao and said, "You can also go to the kitchen to eat with Qiu Shan."
Before he had a young lady, he and Qiu Shan ate at the same table, but now that he had a young lady, he refused to eat at the same table.
Qiao Qiao looked at her master, but she acted as if she didn't hear anything and just smiled at Master Shangguan while holding her chopsticks.
Alas, Qiao Qiao was already used to it, so he had no choice but to nod, "Then sir, if there is anything wrong with Hui Niang, please call me."
Shangguan Yu and the young lady were the only ones left in the warm house. He said gently, "Eat."
The young lady nodded but did not move. She saw what dishes Shangguan Yu picked up, how to blanch them, and how to dip them in the sauce. She followed suit, doing exactly the same thing.
Shangguan Yu once again shook his head and smiled secretly, life must go on, so let it be like this for now.
This was the scene Ning Banniang saw when she opened the door after entering Shangguan's house. She had traveled over a hundred miles in the severe cold and her nose was almost running from the cold, but the young couple was sitting in front of the warm stove, happily eating from a hot pot.
Why is her life so miserable!
Shangguan Yu put down his chopsticks, stood up, and bowed, saying, "Miss Ning, I am sorry for not coming to greet you in person."
For the sake of her niece's happiness, Ning Ning pretended not to be cold and waved her hand nonchalantly, "I just came to see how Ah Hui was doing, you don't have to be nervous."
Shangguan Yu: ...What is he nervous about?
Although he was puzzled, he politely said, "Miss Ning, I'll have someone clear the table and serve new dishes..."
"No need to bother." Ningning was freezing to death. When she saw the boiling hot soup in the pot, she didn't have time to worry about whether she had eaten it before. Without saying a word, she sat down and started eating with chopsticks.
The cook of the Shangguan family was trained by Mother Dong, and some of the dipping sauces he made were Suzhou-style, very fresh and flavorful. When Ningning dipped the sauce in the sauce and ate it, she raised her eyebrows at the freshness and fragrance. In short, it was delicious.
On New Year’s Eve, when children are playing and setting off firecrackers, it is also the busiest time for housewives in the kitchen, making the best dishes, whether steamed, fried or stewed.
Walking through the alley, you can hear the sound of chopping boards in every household, chopping meat and cutting vegetables, and the smell of life is everywhere.
The Su family prepared five tables, with Su family members, employees in Su's shop, and various servants in the house. Each table had sixteen dishes, and it was very lively.
Reunion is not a formality, but a spiritual need of the people. The elderly see their children and grandchildren around, the middle-aged people are busy all year and wait for the New Year to go home, the whole family reminisces about family life, and the children look forward to getting new clothes and lucky money during the New Year, and look forward to growing up.
Su Yanli is an official, Su Ruojin is engaged, Su Dalang will take the imperial examination next year, and Su Sanlang, Su Silang and Su Xiaomei are growing up happily.
So this year, Su Ruojin gave each New Year dish a name with good meaning, such as Good Luck, Good Fortune, Happy Gathering, A House Full of Wealth, Family Portrait, Five Blessings, and Abundance Every Year.
The finale of the New Year’s Eve dinner is called Family Portrait.
The ingredients used in this dish may be slightly different in different places. In the south, there are more than a dozen ingredients used in this dish. The seafood ingredients are mainly dried squid, dried shrimp, etc. The meat ingredients include sausage, pork skin, chicken gizzards, lean meat, etc. The vegetables include dried mushrooms, yuba, fungus, bamboo shoots, etc.
However, the most representative of the family portraits in the Jiangsu and Shanghai areas is egg dumplings. When the Chinese New Year is approaching every year, the adults begin to prepare their own New Year dishes, among which egg dumplings must be included. Take a small spoon, first pick up a piece of pork, smear it in the spoon, then scoop a spoonful of egg liquid, when the egg liquid is basically formed, put in a ball of minced meat, then pick up the egg skin aside and cover the minced meat, so that an egg dumpling is ready. Because egg dumplings are shaped like ingots, every Chinese New Year, egg dumplings are definitely indispensable in the family portrait. Then put some local pork skin, Longkou vermicelli, meatballs, fish balls, and a simple family portrait is ready.
The family dinner made by Su Ruojin is of Jianghu flavor, but it also contains some seafood that only southerners put in it. It can be regarded as a family dinner that combines the two cuisines.
The meal lasted until two or three in the afternoon. After the meal, except for the maids and servants who had signed the indentures, the rest of the Su family returned home and looked for their mothers.
In the evening, the Su family ate dumplings, kept watch, set off firecrackers, and gathered around the fireplace, chatting, chasing and playing, in a warm and cozy atmosphere.
As they chatted, Su Ruojin couldn't hold on any longer, but she couldn't sleep in bed, so she took a blanket and sat by the fire to sleep.
At the beginning of the night, Su Yanli prepared to let his daughter go back to her room to sleep.
At this time, the gate rang.
Su Yanli was stunned, "Could it be Zijin?" On New Year's Eve, he should be in the palace, right? Could he have come out of the palace?
The gatekeeper hurried to open the door, but it was a guard he didn't recognize, "You are..."
"We are the guards of the Prince Consort's Mansion. The prince is about to give birth, and Lord Su wants to invite the second lady to come over."
When the princess gives birth, she has to hire a midwife. At worst, she has to hire an imperial physician. Why hire a second lady? What can a little girl do?
The guard said, "His Highness said that the Second Lady is a lucky star. When she wants to have a baby, the Second Lady will be by her side. Please follow me to the Princess's residence."
Su Yanli wanted to refuse.
Su Ruojin shook her head at her father. Even though Princess Yuehua was her aunt and was very kind, she was still a royal princess. Since she had sent someone to talk, Su Ruojin felt that she should still go no matter what the reason was.
but……
"I don't know you. If my uncle wants me to go to the Prince Consort's Mansion, then ask someone I know to pick me up."
The two guards who came to invite people looked at each other and seemed very embarrassed. "His Highness has already launched the movement. The Prince Consort's Mansion is in a mess. Second Madam, please..."
Su Ruojin did not give in. "I don't know you, how can I know if you are bad people? I'm sorry, if you are not someone I know, I will not go with you."
"This..." The guard looked at Su Yanli in embarrassment. Before he could finish his words, Su Yanli rejected him. "Today is New Year's Eve. I'm really sorry. My daughter is neither a midwife nor a doctor. Even if she goes, it will be meaningless. Please go back."
The two guards left angrily.
Although they refused, the Su family was not in such a good mood. They always felt that...
Cheng Yingzhen looked at Su Yanli and his daughter, "Sir, Ajin, don't think about it. I think His Highness and my uncle will understand. Today is New Year's Eve."
In the Prince Consort's mansion, Princess Yuehua's stomach ached from time to time. It started with pain once an hour and now it only hurts once every half an hour. The midwife said, "Prince Consort, I'm afraid the prince is about to go into labor. Please hurry to the delivery room to wait for the birth."
Tonight, because Princess Yuehua was about to give birth, she did not go to the palace for the banquet for the first time, and sure enough, the baby was about to go into labor.
Being a father for the first time, Su Yanzu was even more nervous than Yuehua. He listened to the midwife and quickly took the baby into the delivery room. Although Princess Yuehua had been married twice, this was her first time giving birth and she was also very nervous.
"Shaobai, is Ajin here?"
"I've already asked someone to invite him."
"Shaobai, don't blame me, right?"
She even called the young lady over on New Year's Eve, but she was not calling because of her status as a princess. She just felt that the young lady was blessed and she wanted to share in her blessings.
"I know." Su Yanzu gently squeezed Princess Yuehua's hand to ease her nervousness.
On New Year’s Eve, a moonless night, the cold wind howled and biting.
Ye Huaizhen and the people from the Investigation Department hid in the night and followed the black shadow in front of them. The three of them did not blink, but the black shadow still slipped away.
"Oh no, it's gone."
The three immediately divided into three directions to search.
Half a quarter of an hour later, the three of them reunited and shook their heads, "We didn't find it."
Ye Huai stretched out his hand and punched the wall in anger, "I don't believe that we can't catch him."
"Inspector Ye, even if we catch the black shadow just now, that person may not be Gou."
Ye Huaizhen gritted his teeth, "The person behind this must be him."
She must kill him.
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