Chapter 10 TGBW

FlamingoBees

Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)

The General's Buddhist Wife

Chapter 10:

Revenge ・Hot and Sour Shredded Potatoes

Among them, the most severe reaction came from Old Madam Guo.

Just as everyone was about to step forward to scold Lou Jian Jia, they saw Old Madam Guo almost gasping for air. Witnessing this, the others couldn't care less about stopping Lou Jian Jia anymore; instead, they turned to tend to Old Madam Guo.

Hearing the commotion behind her, Lou Jian Jia halted her steps and looked back at Old Madam Guo.

Seeing Old Madam Guo gradually recover after drinking a bowl of water, Lou Jian Jia felt relieved.

"You wretched girl, you don't know what's good for you..." Old Madam Guo resumed her scolding with full vigor.

Hearing her spirited voice, Lou Jian Jia knew there wasn't much to worry about.

Though she didn't have a favorable impression of the Lou family, she didn't want to carry the burden of being known as the granddaughter who angered her sickly grandmother.

© translations belonging to flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com. If you read this somewhere else instead of flamingobeestranslations.blogspot.com then the translations has been posted WITHOUT permission of translator.

Lou Jian Jia glanced faintly at Old Madam Guo and then left the Lou family's residence.

Behind her, were the Lou family members' angry shouts.

In front of her, was the picturesque scenery of Jiangnan.

Lou Jian Jia was both Lou Jian Jia and not Lou Jian Jia at the same time. To her, Old Madam Guo and the others were like familiar strangers, and their actions couldn't affect her mood in the slightest.

She was inherently a person without desires or demands. Coming suddenly to this unfamiliar and impoverished place, her most basic wish was to have enough food and drink. Of course, after satisfying her hunger and thirst, her next goal was to separate from the male lead, avoiding the same fate as in the book.

The former goal was already largely achieved, while the latter was still a work in progress.

As she looked at the wildflowers on either side of the path, Lou Jian Jia crouched down to pick some and put them in her basket.

Looking at these vibrant little flowers and then at the eggs packed under the cotton cloth in the basket, Lou Jian Jia's thoughts drifted away again.

The most important thing now was how to earn more money.

Her natal family couldn't be relied upon, and neither could Chu Wei Leng. The only person she could rely on was herself.

Previously, she had wanted to earn money just to have enough to eat, but now she felt that this money was simply not enough. With the wealthy merchant and Chu Wei Leng about to enter the scene, she had to plan for her future.

Only when she had more money in hand would she be able to improve her situation after separating from Chu Wei Leng.

Thinking about all these things, Lou Jian Jia slowly walked back to the Chu family's village.

As she entered the house, Madam Zhao smiled and asked, "Back already? Is your grandmother okay? Are your parents okay?" Before Lou Jian Jia could reply, Madam Zhao noticed the eggs in the basket and asked in surprise, "Why did you bring them back again?"

After asking, Madam Zhao nervously probed, "But... do you think your family find it too... too little?"

Thinking about her son's past actions and his current uncertain fate, Madam Zhao always felt uneasy in front of her in-laws.

Lou Jian Jia lied without batting an eyelid, "I didn't see my parents today, they weren't at home."

Hearing this, Madam Zhao immediately breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh, that's good then, that's good."

Feeling that her words might be misunderstood and worried that her daughter-in-law might read too much into it, she quickly added, "Let's go tomorrow then."

Lou Jian Jia placed the eggs properly and responded indifferently, "Hmm."

Although she agreed verbally, Lou Jian Jia had no intention of going. She just understood that if she refused to go now, Madam Zhao and Old Master Chu would surely ask for the reason. So, she just dealt with it for now, knowing that she could come up with another excuse tomorrow.

After saying these words, Lou Jian Jia went to rest. As for the quarrel and the words exchanged at the Lou family's house, she didn't give them a second thought.

For unrelated people, she never took things to heart.

After resting for a while, Lou Jian Jia looked at the wildflowers she had picked from outside and then glanced at the corner of the wall. She planted these wildflowers according to their different colors.

After planting some, she felt it was too few, so she went outside again and brought back more, planting them all in the corner of the wall.

After about an hour, the corner of the wall was adorned with numerous tiny wildflowers, lending it a lively appearance.

Lou Jian Jia paid no heed to the matter with the Lou Family, but the rest of the Lou family found her behavior quite irksome.

As dusk settled and darkness crept in, Old Madam Guo continued her grumbling, foregoing dinner altogether. Master Lou furrowed his brows deeply, while Madam Zhao stood by quietly, speaking in hushed tones.

"Perhaps they didn't earn much money, which is why Jian Jia acted this way..." Madam Zhao ventured cautiously.

"I reckon she earned too much and got too big for her britches!" Old Madam Guo retorted loudly.

Master Lou glanced at Old Madam Guo and remarked, "It's unlikely they earned much. With that small dock, they can barely make twenty wen a day at best. Plus, with Old Master Chu's health and Madam Zhao's temperament, what can they really accomplish?"

Old Madam Guo seemed somewhat relieved by this and added disdainfully, "Exactly! I thought their son was promising, which is why I married Jian Jia off to them. Who would've thought he was just a short-lived fellow who achieved nothing. He died shortly after getting married, probably without gaining any benefits, just squandering a good daughter for nothing."

Lou Ding Ci, a chubby fifteen or sixteen-year-old munching on peanuts, chimed in, "If my sister really made money, wouldn't she have come home to show off long ago? Seeing her like this today, she must not be having a good time."

Seeing her favorite grandson speak up, Old Madam Guo finally showed a hint of a smile on her face.

"My grandson is right. That girl must not have made much money."

"It's just that Jian Jia seemed a bit off today," Master Lou added, pondering a little deeper.

"Could it be because we haven't fetched her for so long, and she's not doing well in the Chu family, harboring resentment?" Madam Zhao whispered.

Master Lou furrowed his brows and retorted, "Would she dare?!"

"Pah! That Chu boy is already dead. It's already generous of our family to take her back. Look around, there are plenty of girls suffering in their in-laws' homes across the villages," Old Madam Guo remarked.

"Indeed, we're all from respectable families," Master Lou agreed.

As he pondered their future plans and recalled his daughter's demeanor from the previous day, Master Lou felt a slight unease in his heart. However, he quickly dismissed this feeling.

The next morning, Lou Jian Jia resumed her usual routine of preparing meals.

Today, she fried some hot and sour shredded potatoes.

First, she peeled the potatoes, then skillfully sliced them into thin shreds with her knife.

Having cooked for herself many times before, Lou Jian Jia had excellent knife skills, chopping quickly. Even Madam Zhao, who had been cooking for decades, couldn't match her speed. She watched in admiration as Lou Jian Jia effortlessly shredded the potatoes.

With so many dishes to cook now, shredding the potatoes was quite tedious. However, Lou Jian Jia, now possessing unusual strength, felt no fatigue at all and quickly finished cutting the potatoes.

After shredding the potatoes, Lou Jian Jia rinsed them in cold water twice to remove excess starch.

Next, she sliced some red and green chili peppers for color.

Meanwhile, Madam Zhao had already boiled some water on the side.

Lou Jian Jia poured the washed potato shreds into the boiling water, then quickly scooped them out to drain excess water.

Then, using another pot, Lou Jian Jia heated some oil and sautéed chopped scallions, garlic, and dried chili peppers until fragrant. She added the sliced green and red chili peppers, stirring to release their flavors. Next, she added the blanched potato shreds, stir-frying them quickly over high heat before adding the seasoning.

In no time, a large bowl of hot and sour shredded potatoes was ready.

~ Part 2 ~

Madam Zhao didn't particularly enjoy sour flavors, especially after just finishing her meal. However, upon catching the aroma of the potato strips, she found herself feeling hungry again and couldn't help but swallow saliva.

Observing this, Lou Jian Jia remained composed and considerate, serving Madam Zhao a portion.

"Mother, please try it. How does it taste?" she offered.

Initially hesitant, Madam Zhao accepted the offer. After taking a bite, her eyes brightened, and she praised the dish wholeheartedly.

In addition to the potato strips, Lou Jian Jia also stir-fried a small green bok choy.

As the time approached, they made their way to the pier.

Leaving the house, Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao wore smiles on their faces. Their daily income was now quite stable, earning about two to three dozen wen each day. In a month, they could save up four to five hundred wen. Clearly, the surrounding food vendors didn't have as good business as them.

Naturally, they cherished and valued this trade very much.

Unexpectedly, just as they reached the village entrance, they encountered a group of people chatting together.

Among them was Madam Li.

Madam Li glanced at them, her expression not looking too pleasant.

The people sitting there were all from the same village. Seeing Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao, they greeted them with smiles.

"Uncle, are you going to the pier again?"

"Yes."

"Auntie, what did you cook today?"

"Didn't fry much, just some shredded potatoes and a small green vegetable."

"Well, it seems like the business is doing well. Uncle's complexion has improved a lot."

"It's alright, it's all thanks to the care from our neighbors."

Initially, everyone was being polite and having a good chat, but there was someone among them who felt uncomfortable.

Madam Li had been resentful of Lou Jian Jia for quite some time.

Back in the day, she was considered one of the most beautiful women in the village. Otherwise, she wouldn't have married into the village chief's family.

When they were arranged to be married, she originally favored the tall and strong Chu Wei Leng.

After all, Chu Wei Leng was like a different kind of person here, tall and robust, unlike ordinary men.

But unfortunately, fate had other plans. Despite her intentions, Chu Wei Leng never even glanced at her.

Yet this aloof Chu Wei Leng married Lou Jian Jia, who was younger and more beautiful than her.

Lou Jian Jia's boldness in marrying Chu Wei Leng was something Madam Li had heard about. Knowing this only added to her unrest. Countless times, she had pondered whether Chu Wei Leng would have married her if she had been as bold as Lou Jian Jia.

However, those feelings of regret soon faded away.

After all, Chu Wei Leng's attitude towards Lou Jian Jia was clear.

Her feelings towards Lou Jian Jia turned more into mockery.

When Chu Wei Leng died, she unexpectedly felt an unusual sense of relief. She believed her judgment was good; it was fortunate she had given up on the aloof Chu Wei Leng. Otherwise, she would have been the one left widowed and struggling to put food on the table.

Comparing Lou Jian Jia's miserable situation to her own, where she was still the daughter-in-law of the village chief, living a comfortable life, her mood suddenly became cheerful.

However, Lou Jian Jia's demeanor on that day made her feel uneasy.

Lou Jian Jia appeared unaffected by her dire circumstances, which made Madam Li, who had hoped to see her suffer, even more dissatisfied.

Yet, there were even more unsettling matters at hand.

"Oh, Uncle and Auntie are quite cunning indeed. Clearly, you have ancestral secret recipes at home, yet you hide them away. You make the villagers sympathize with you and send you rice and vegetables," Madam Li said in a sarcastic tone.

Suddenly, the air around them fell silent.

Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao were initially stunned, but then anger surged within them. However, both of them were honest individuals, not adept at quarreling. Despite their lips trembling with anger, not a single word could escape their mouths.

Lou Jian Jia's gaze towards Madam Li turned sharp.

Madam Li's words were truly cutting.

Previously, everyone had thought that when Chu Wei Leng died, the villagers, out of sympathy, had visited their home to console Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao and had even brought them some things.

At that time, Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao were plunged into despair and pain. They had tried to refuse several times but couldn't, eventually accepting some items. However, those items were few, just some flour, a few eggs, and some vegetables.

It was common for villagers to send items even when something significant happened at home. These items were not worth much, and no one made a fuss about it.

But now, with Madam Li suddenly bringing it up, the situation naturally changed.

Her words made it seem as if Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao deliberately deceived everyone for sympathy and material goods.

And what hurt Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao even more about these cutting words was that Madam Li seemed to tacitly acknowledge the fact that their son was no longer alive.

Though everyone was initially stunned, they soon glanced at Old Master Chu's expression and regained their composure.

"Big Madam, could you please hold back a bit? It's just a few bunches of greens, hardly worth anything," someone interjected truthfully. Greens were common in every household and not particularly prized.

However, Madam Li continued her sarcastic remarks, "Even if it's not worth much, it's still grown at home, not falling from the sky. But Uncle and Auntie have the secret to making money, much richer than the rest of us."

As if afraid that others wouldn't believe her, Madam Li continued, "Haven't you been to the pier? Uncle and Auntie's stall draws a lot of people. They must earn dozens of copper coins a day."

Initially, people had heard that Chu Wei Leng and his family only earned a few copper coins a day, but now, hearing about dozens of copper coins, their expressions changed immediately.

Madam Zhao finally managed to speak up, "Where's the secret recipe? It's just that my daughter-in-law is good at cooking and makes tasty dishes to sell. If we had a secret recipe, would our family still be living like this?"

Madam Zhao's words made sense, and since everyone knew each other well in the village, they were more inclined to believe her.

Listening to the discussions around them, Madam Li raised her voice slightly, "Who are you fooling, Auntie? Your daughter-in-law can't cook at all. Besides, if your family didn't have a secret recipe, why are you doing better than the Sun family in every aspect and earning more money with more people eating at your place?"

"The Sun family?"

Lou Jian Jia squinted her eyes.

The Sun family wasn't just anyone; they were the first to follow suit. Within a few days of their arrival, they set up a stall selling rice meals and stir-fried dishes.

This matter wasn't exactly a secret.

However, how did Madam Li know so much about it?

She seemed to be aware of everything, including people's surnames and how much they earned.

Lou Jian Jia's gaze towards Madam Li was filled with meaning.

"How did you know whether I can cook or not? Just because I didn't cook before doesn't mean I can't."

Madam Wang also chimed in, "That's right, the dishes were indeed cooked by Lou Jian Jia. I saw it with my own eyes."

Madam Li fell silent, but her expression remained unfriendly. She lifted her head as if she wanted to say something else.

However, before she could speak, Lou Jian Jia continued, "But how did you know how much money the Sun family earned?"

"Could it be that you know them? After all, only people who are close would share such information."

Madam Li's expression suddenly changed.

Lou Jian Jia hadn't finished speaking yet and continued, "Speaking of which, our business had just started a couple of days ago, and the Sun family also started theirs around the same time, selling similar items. It's really quite a coincidence."

•••

https://ko-fi.com/flamingobeestranslations

Prev : TOC : Next

Search This Blog

FlamingoBeesTranslations

Chapter 10 TGBW

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Novel List + Chapter Updates

Rebirth of the Charming Girl in Space, Chapter One

Rebirth of the Charming Girl in Space, Chapter Two