Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Making Sausages
After a simple lunch, Miao Dahai and Miao Dong came back in the afternoon. When they saw two children running around in the yard, they realized that it was Miao Ying who came.
"What a rare guest." Miao Dong couldn't help but speak sarcastically when he saw Miao Ying. Zheng Caier, who had just come out of the kitchen, looked at him. Miao Dong coughed uncomfortably and went to talk to Huo Xing again.
Miao Dahai saw that Miao Ying seemed thinner than the last time they met, so he showed some concern for her and asked if her family was having a hard time. He also said that if she had no meat to eat, she could bring some back from home.
"I've been in mourning for the past few months." Miao Ying felt a warm feeling in his heart. "I came here today to tell you something."
There were also pieces of cured bacon hanging in the Miao family's yard. Miao Yingcai straightened his back and said, "I have a business matter I want to discuss with you."
Miao Dahai had the same reaction as Liu Qiong. Seeing that Huo Xing was not angry, he continued to listen to him.
"It seems like people now only make bacon, and no one makes sausages?" Miao Ying asked.
"Sausage? What sausage?" The four members of the Miao family looked at Miao Ying in surprise.
Miao Ying sighed and told them how to make sausages. Then he looked at Miao Dahai and said, "My family wants to make some this year, but we don't have any small intestines, so I thought of you guys. As long as the meat filling is well-seasoned, the taste will be perfect."
"Pig intestines?" Miao Dong found what he brought back today. They went out to kill pigs. Some owners gave money, some gave meat, and those who raised pigs together would use some offal to pay the debt. He brought back some pig offal today.
They were very familiar with the structure of pigs and quickly found the small intestine. Miao Dong pushed the small intestine in front of Miao Ying and asked, "Use this?"
The smell of pig offal was so strong that Miao Ying almost vomited. He quickly hid behind Huo Xing and said, "This is it. Clean it up and I'll teach you how to make it."
Zheng Cai'er said beside him, "Dad, I've packed up all the waste you brought back earlier. We can use it right away."
Miao Ying gave her a thumbs up in his heart, and sighed that this sister-in-law was really a good thing for Miao Dong.
The Miao family had more complete seasonings than theirs. Under Miao Ying's instructions, Zheng Caier cut some meat, chopped it into minced meat, and then mixed it with the seasonings to make sausage filling. She cut a piece of small intestine, sealed one end with a rope, and then found a way to stuff the minced meat into the casing. Soon a small piece of sausage was ready.
Looking at this short, plump piece of sausage, several people looked at Miao Ying: "And then?"
"Then air dry it and put it in the sun. To make it taste better, when it's almost dry, smoke it with some fruit wood. It will taste even better. Of course, bacon can also be smoked."
After Miao Ying finished speaking, the faces of the Miao family members became a little solemn. This was not a livelihood that could be converted into cash immediately. At least they had to wait until it was dried before they could know whether it could be sold. Moreover, this was something they had never seen before, and they didn't know if anyone would buy it.
However, Miao Ying was not discouraged. This is how business is. He did not dare to guarantee to his family that he would definitely make money. Whether to do it or how to do it was up to them.
Anyway, Miao Ying had already taught them all the methods, and he came back this time just to get some sausage casings for his family to make sausages.
It was already late to go home, so the four of them decided to stay at Miao's house and sleep. Zheng Caier didn't cook meat for dinner, but stir-fried vegetables and also steamed egg custard for the two children.
When it was time to go to bed, Huo Xiaobao and Xiao Mu were very excited. They had never slept together before, and they tossed and turned on Miao Ying's not-so-big bed. Because they couldn't sleep upright, they slept sideways on the bed. After washing up, they lay down in a row.
Miao Ying saw that a long part of Huo Xing's leg was still hanging by the bed, and he had a bad idea. He whispered, "You know what? When you sleep at night, if your feet are stretched out of the bed, they will be pulled away by the things under the bed."
As soon as he said this, the two children immediately curled up.
Miao Ying laughed out loud. Xiao Mu grabbed his arm and asked nervously, "Brother, why is it safe in bed?"
"Because the bedside grandmother will protect us." Miao Ying patted Xiao Mu's shoulder, "Don't be afraid, our legs can't be stretched out."
Huo Xiaobao trembled as he looked at Huo Xing from the other side: "Brother, what are you going to do?"
His eldest brother smiled and was willing to go along with Miao Ying's wishes to coax the child: "It's okay, big brother is too heavy to be pulled away."
Miao Ying's lips curved up and he patted Huo Xing's shoulder: "Go to sleep, and pray that you won't be captured tonight."
After the four of them fell asleep peacefully, the two people in the next room couldn't sleep.
Zheng Cai'er tossed and turned in bed. Miao Dong opened his eyes and looked at her: "What's wrong with you? Why aren't you sleeping so late at night?"
Zheng Caier simply sat up and said, "I think what Xiaoying is doing can be profitable."
Miao Dong curled his lips: "How did you know?"
"Didn't you say before that he didn't know anything? But look at him now. He has built a new house and is raising his children well. He has a good brain and always has brilliant ideas. I think there's nothing wrong with following him." Zheng Cai'er had heard of Miao Ying's reputation in the past, how dissolute he was and how vicious he was, but after meeting him, she found out that those were all rumors. Miao Ying was a very good person.
"What do you want to do?" Miao Dong asked.
"Don't I have money from mom? I want to use my own money to do this and pave the way for everyone." Zheng Caier was still a little nervous. The betrothal money actually belonged to the Miao family, and she returned it to her mother. But she felt embarrassed to say it was hers now.
Miao Dong turned over and pulled her off again: "What's yours or mine? Just do what you want. What's the purpose of family? Isn't it to provide a safety net? Go to sleep."
Zheng Caier's eyes suddenly felt sore, and then she wrapped her arms around Miao Dong's reliable waist and fell into a deep sleep.
The next morning, after they had breakfast, Miao Ying and his friends took a portion of pig intestines and were about to go back. Zheng Cai'er pulled him aside and asked him about many things to pay attention to when making sausages. Miao Ying explained everything to her in detail. Then he looked at Zheng Cai'er and said, "Sister-in-law, I believe you can do it."
Zheng Caier nodded and then sent them out of the Miao family.
Liu Qiong escorted them to the village entrance. Huo Xing walked in front, his long legs, while Liu Qiong and Miao Ying walked behind. Seeing Huo Xing holding a child in each hand, Liu Qiong asked Miao Ying, "Aren't you planning to have children yet?"
Miao Ying almost choked on his saliva: "Why do I want a child? It's too early." He really couldn't imagine what he would look like with a big belly. Just thinking about it gave him goosebumps.
"It's getting late, and you two aren't young anymore." Liu Qiong frowned. "Besides, you like children so much, what's wrong with having a child of your own?"
Miao Ying simply fell silent, and Liu Qiong whispered in his ear again, "You have a child, and your life will be settled. Isn't that good?"
Miao Ying shook his head: "I think it's pretty good now."
Liu Qiong: ...
Miao Ying thought of something again: "Mom, just urge me, but don't urge my sister-in-law. I think their relationship has finally improved."
Liu Qiong rolled her eyes at him and said, "I know. Don't worry about it. Think carefully about having your own child."
Miao Ying felt a chill on her back, then she trotted over to Huo Xing and looked at Liu Qiong: "Mom, I'm going back. You and Dad, take care of yourselves."
Liu Qiong could only wave at him and watch them leave.
After returning home, Miao Ying went to buy meat with Huo Xing again. He didn't dare let Huo Xing go alone because Huo Xing always bought the kind of fat meat with no red color at all. He didn't know why he had a special liking for it.
In the end, Miao Ying asked for a 2:8 ratio of fat to lean meat. At that time, pork cost 20 wen per catty, so Miao Ying asked for 20 catties, spending the money Huo Xing brought back.
Carrying 20 kilograms of pork, Miao Ying went to find Wang the peddler again. Wang the peddler happened to come back. Miao Ying went over and asked if he had anything new. Wang the peddler was mysterious and said that he actually had some, but they were a bit expensive.
Miao Ying watched him come out holding a jar. When he opened the jar, Miao Ying smelled a strange smell. His eyes widened: "Where did you get this from?"
Wang the peddler smiled and said, "I knew you knew what you were talking about. This is something from the Western Regions. They say it's made by mixing together many different spices."
"This is Thirteen Spices!" Miao Ying asked, "How much is it?"
"I'll buy this jar for two taels of silver," said Wang the peddler. He had thought it would sell well, but no one had asked for it for so long, and now someone finally came to buy it, he was anxious to get rid of it. "If you really want it, I'll sell it to you for one and a half taels of silver."
Miao Ying calculated that his family didn't have much money right now, so spending another 1.5 taels on this wasn't worth it. He put the jar down and said, "My house just got renovated, and I don't have any spare money for seasoning. Can you sell me some? I'll buy more when I'm better off."
Peddler Wang thought for a moment and then gave him some paper bags: "I won't charge you today, but I don't know if I can keep them until you have money."
Miao Ying nodded: "Thank you."
Peddler Wang smiled and said, "It's okay. We are an old business."
Carrying the meat and seasonings, they returned home. Huo Xing didn't say a word along the way. Miao Ying turned around and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
"You can buy it." Huo Xing said.
Miao Ying smiled and said, "It's okay. That's not necessary. When you have money, you can buy anything you want."
Li Hongying was shocked to see them buying so many things. "Why are you buying so many things?"
"Prepare New Year's goods." Miao Ying had already started chopping meat. Huo Xing saw that he was a little tired, so he took the knife and let Miao Ying rest. After he finished chopping the stuffing, Miao Ying went to mix the meat stuffing.
Grandmother also came over: "Do you want to make dumplings? But the mourning period is not over yet."
"No, make something else." Miao Ying replied.
His grandmother knew that he had more and more creative ideas every day, so she stopped paying attention to him and asked him if he needed help.
They did it faster because they had little wooden tools that made it easier for them to stuff the meat, and the sausages were ready in no time.
Miao Ying asked her grandmother for some thread, tied the sausages with thread at regular intervals, and then used a needle to poke holes in the sausages after dividing them into sections. This process was very fun, and the two children also participated in it.
After tying the sausages, blanch them in hot water, drain the water, and then hang them out to dry.
"It looks nice when it's hung up," said the grandmother. "We'll be eating so much meat this New Year."
The mourning period was not to end until February, but how could they not eat meat during the New Year? Miao Ying and Huo Xing could handle it, but the two children couldn't, so they discussed it and decided to stop mourning after the Little New Year. After all, the master wouldn't blame them.
Miao Ying clung to his grandmother's shoulders: "I need to replenish my energy."
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