Chapter 398: Wild Boar Sausages (2)
Chapter 398: Wild Boar Sausages (2)
At the end of the year, pork was becoming expensive, costing 25 wen per pound. While wild boar meat was rare in the market, wealthy families preferred fresh options, willing to pay as much as 50 wen per pound. Mo Yan lamented the decision to use 300 pounds of wild boar meat to make sausages instead of trading it for two large fat pigs, considering it extravagant.
Mo Yan couldn't directly say they didn't lack money or pork, so she found another reason: "My father has been greatly supported by several teachers at the academy and has not properly thanked them. Now that the New Year is approaching, we have to make some sausages as gifts."
This wasn't an excuse fabricated by Mo Yan. In this era where teachers were highly respected, presenting gifts to them for the New Year was a matter of etiquette. It didn't have to be something expensive, but it had to be respectable.
"Oh, I see. Then we should prepare something nice. Sausages made from wild boar meat are quite decent!" Aunt Cai spoke sincerely, without any other intention. Now hearing Mo Yan's explanation, she agreed, "When your father passes the county exam next year, we might even need to host a thank-you banquet for the teachers!"
Mo Yan was pleased in her heart but modestly replied, "Many students participate in the township exam every year, but only a few pass the county exam. As for next year, no one can say for certain."
Aunt Cai nudged her teasingly, "Oh, you shouldn't say such discouraging words! If you're worried, why not on the 30th, ask your father to burn more paper money for the ancestors to bless him to pass the exam!"
Meng shi and Zhong shi also echoed their agreement. In their eyes, Mo Qingze was diligent and good at studying. Even without seeking blessings from the ancestors, he could pass the county exam.
Mo Yan felt embarrassed at the suggestion of burning paper for ancestors. If that really worked, why would scholars need to toil over books for years?
Aunt Cai thought it was a good idea and even encouraged Mo Yan to visit temples that were believed to be efficacious. Many people in the village believed in such practices, especially preparing incense and candles devoutly each spring to pray at the temples.
Despite Mo Yan's strange experience of being reborn with a spatial ability, she wasn't interested in praying to gods or Buddhas to achieve her desires. She casually brushed off Aunt Cai's suggestion.
Seeing Mo Yan's lack of enthusiasm, Aunt Cai didn't press further and instead asked about Wang Pantou, her son. She was genuinely worried that if Mo Yan found him incompetent, he wouldn't be able to continue working at the store next year.
Understanding her concern, Mo Yan reassured her, "Brother Pantou can work hard. If he has no other plans next year, I plan to continue hiring him to watch the shop!"
Aunt Cai was overjoyed and quickly said, "That's great! If there's work at home, he doesn't need to worry. If you don't mind, let him continue. If he doesn't work hard, you can scold him, and I won't say a word!"
Mo Yan smiled, "As long as Brother Pantou is willing to learn from Master Li, even if he leaves our rice shop in the future, he won't have trouble finding good work. Auntie, please rest assured."
Aunt Cai's smile deepened with satisfaction. She valued not just the seven hundred wen her son earned each month but also the knowledge he gained from Master Li, which would secure his future. It wasn't something money could buy.
Xiong shi and Zhou shi admired this but didn't envy it. Their sons were still young, and even if Wang Pantou couldn't continue, it wouldn't affect their sons.
Three hundred pounds of wild boar meat was substantial, and the six of them worked tirelessly until late, turning all the meat into sausages. They tied them with cotton thread, making small needle holes to prevent them from bursting when drying.
Finally, they hung these sausages on several clean, long bamboo poles in a well-ventilated room. After the weather cleared, they would take them out to dry in the sun to prevent mold.
The three women spent the whole day laboriously cutting meat. Initially, Mo Yan wanted to pay them, but none of them accepted. She couldn't let them work for nothing, so she took down three preserved wild rabbits from the eaves and insisted they each take one.
After they left, Mo Yan and the others began preparing dinner. On ordinary days, the Mo family's dinners were usually simple. In winter, they typically ate noodle soup with fried cakes or noodles with roasted flatbread, warming and nourishing.
While frying the cakes and boiling the noodles, Zhen'er came rushing in, looking anxious. "Big sister, didn't father take the day off today? Why hasn't he come back yet?"
Yun Zhao and Yun sheng, who followed closely behind, also looked worried, obviously concerned about Mo Qingze, their adoptive father.
Mo Yan initially thought something major had happened but relaxed upon hearing this. "The road is completely snowed in now, and we can't go by carriage to pick him up. I guess father plans to walk back tomorrow morning."
Tomorrow was the 23rd of the twelfth month, Small New Year's Eve. Changshan Academy had given today off, hoping students near the capital could return home for the holiday. Yet, it was nearly unheard of for such heavy snowfall. The road was becoming increasingly difficult to traverse, and even walking was challenging. Li Zhong and the others hadn't returned for several days after finding it inconvenient.
Hearing Mo Yan's explanation, the three children relaxed. Zhen'er came over with a smile, grabbed a fried cake from the tray, and bit into it, savoring it deliciously. He also recounted the commotion at Wang Dali's house earlier.
Mo Yan had anticipated this but didn't expect it to happen so soon, sighing at the evil people bringing trouble upon themselves.
Once the noodles were cooked, the three "dogs" and the mongrels who had been playing on the mountain all day ran back, marking dinner time. This time, they didn't even bring back a single rabbit fur, but Mo Yan was still very satisfied.
Since the incident with Wang Dali and others that night, she hadn't let Xiao Hua and the dogs hunt frequently in the mountains to avoid stirring up trouble. Under Xiao Hua's restraint, the mongrels were well-behaved, bringing back rabbits only every few days.
Most dog owners didn't say anything about it. A few villagers came to ask about it vaguely, but Mo Yan simply said the snow in the mountains was too thick and the weather too cold for Xiao Hua to be willing to go. One villager looked regretful, but since Xiao Hua wasn't their dog, they had to leave disappointed...
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