Chapter 3 TGBW

FlamingoBees

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

The General’s Buddhist Wife

Chapter 3

Cooking ・Chive Dumplings

Approaching, Luo Jian Jia noticed the bustling and chaotic scene at the unloading area. People unloading hurriedly moved about, traders and their families stood by with furrowed brows, showing signs of impatience. In addition, there were two pavilions nearby for people to rest, where groups of three or four individuals sat, sipping tea. Not far away, there was a noodle stall, and a man who looked like a trader was eating noodles.

Originally, Luo Jian Jia intended to approach and inquire about the situation, but observing the disorder, she stayed at a distance, just watching without getting closer.

After observing for a while and taking in the surroundings, she decided to return.

On the way back, Luo Jian Jia was contemplating how to earn money. She had thought of two methods, but she needed to plan carefully and gather more information.

Having spent a considerable amount of time outside, Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao had returned from the fields.

© 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.

As she approached the door, she heard the voice of Madam Wang.

"... Eldest sister-in-law, it's not that I'm saying this, but your daughter-in-law, since causing a disturbance with her family, frequently goes back home. I heard that her family is planning to find someone else for her."

The last two words were said very lightly.

There was a sudden sound, as if something had fallen.

Then, Madam Wang's voice continued, "Big brother, be careful. I'm not making things up. People from the Luo village said it themselves. They said it clearly, even knowing all the details about who the Luo family is trying to find for her."

After helping Old Master Chu up, Madam Zhao anxiously said, "It can't be true. Eldest sister-in-law's grandfather is an educated man. How could she do such things?"

Madam Wang countered, "Why couldn't she do it? Her grandfather is an educated man, and her father is a merchant. Moreover, her father is doing quite well. She also has two younger brothers. Isn't it just thinking about getting more dowry when marrying her off?"

This counterargument was reasonable. When Luo Jian Jia first came here, she had indeed asked the Chu family for money. Although Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao were kind, they were concerned about what Madam Wang had just mentioned.

Old Master Chu was already not in good health, and upon hearing this, his face became even more unpleasant.

Madam Zhao, busy assisting him, consoled, "Husband, don't get upset. Our son is not at home, and we haven't divorced her yet. Her family won't be able to do anything."

Why couldn't they? If they insisted that Chu Wei Leng had passed away, they could take their daughter back.

However, Madam Wang, seeing Old Master Chu’s reaction, refrained from saying more. Her purpose today was to remind these honest cousins to be cautious of a cunning daughter-in-law, not to make them angry.

"Big brother, don't be upset. After all, these are just rumors, and they might be false. Today, I just wanted to talk to you about the rumors outside. I'm afraid that if you treat her too well, she might deceive you. By then, it'll be too late for regrets." Madam Wang explained.

Old Master Chu had calmed down a bit by now, saying, "Thanks for the reminder, little sister."

Seeing the uneasy expressions on their faces, Madam Wang felt that her goal for today had been achieved, and she left.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she opened the door, she saw Luo Jian Jia standing at the doorway. Judging by her expression, Madam Wang wondered how much she had overheard.

Although Madam Wang had spoken the truth, she felt a bit embarrassed being caught by the person involved. Luo Jian Jia's expression remained unchanged.

"Welcome back, daughter-in-law. Why didn't you come in?" Madam Wang tried to sound casual.

Luo Jian Jia, maintaining composure, replied, "Hello, Aunt. I just arrived and bumped into Aunt here."

Madam Wang scrutinized Luo Jian Jia's expression for a moment, finding her demeanor unchanged, and felt somewhat relieved. After all, given Luo Jian Jia's personality, if she had overheard their conversation, she wouldn't appear so calm.

"Well, your in-laws have returned from the fields. You've been outside for quite a while." Madam Wang took the initiative.

"Indeed, Aunt. I'll go back now," Luo Jian Jia said calmly, showing no signs of being disturbed

After that, Luo Jian Jia nodded towards Madam Wang and pushed the door to enter.

Inside, Luo Jian Jia remained calm, as if the recent incident had not occurred. As for the unusual expressions on Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao’s faces, she pretended not to notice.

She knew that even though Madam Wang had shared those explosive details, Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao would still choose to believe her.

Madam Wang had a good heart, but she couldn't keep her mouth shut, especially when it came to quarreling with the original host in the book or speaking ill of her behind her back to Madam Zhao. Such words were certainly uttered before.

If Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao had believed Madam Wang's words, the original host wouldn't have successfully deceived them out of their money later in the story.

So, Luo Jian Jia wasn't worried that Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao would change their attitude towards her because of Madam Wang's recent words.

Speaking of Madam Wang, although Luo Jian Jia didn't particularly like talkative people, she didn't bear any resentment towards her. After all, Madam Wang spoke the truth without exaggeration, and the Luo family indeed had such intentions.

Blaming herself for being too naive, Luo Jian Jia thought only about marrying a wealthy man and enjoying a comfortable life. She believed her parents were being kind to her, rescuing her from the ordeal with the Chu family. However, she didn't realize her parents' ultimate goal was to use her to secure substantial dowries to support her two younger brothers.

"Mom and dad, I just cleaned the courtyard and felt a bit stuffy. So, I went out for some fresh air," Luo Jian Jia explained.

She wasn't someone who liked to boast about her achievements or talk about her efforts. However, today's situation was different, and she needed to divert Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao’s attention.

Sure enough, Madam Zhao immediately looked at the courtyard and then inside the house, and her expression softened. After all, if their daughter really intended to leave, she wouldn't do these things. Luo Jian Jia had never done them before, so how could she suddenly start doing them before leaving?

Old Master Chu seemed to share this thought. The two exchanged a glance, and a sense of relief was visible in their eyes.

"You've worked hard; doing so much," Madam Zhao said with a smile.

"It's not hard. I don't know much about farming, so I can only do these things," Luo Jian Jia explained. Then, she glanced at the kitchen and added, "I also boiled some water just now. If you're thirsty, you can have some."

This statement surprised Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao.

How did their daughter-in-law change so suddenly?

While Old Master Chu and Madam Zhao chatted on this side, Luo Jian Jia, feeling hungry and a bit anxious, calculated the time in her heart. After sleeping for a while, she eagerly anticipated the arrival of the next hour.

Finally, with about an hour left until the next hour, she heard Madam Zhao moving around and, opening the window, confirmed that Madam Zhao had gone to the kitchen.

Luo Jian Jia quickly opened the door and followed.

"Mom, I'll cook today," Luo Jian Jia said as she opened the door.

Madam Zhao was initially surprised but quickly refused her offer, saying, "No need, no need. You can rest; I'll handle it."

"Mom, I've been married for quite a while, and I haven't cooked for you and dad yet. It's really not good. How about I cook today?" Seeing Luo Jian Jia's sincere offer, Madam Zhao thought about her recent conversation with her husband and agreed.

"Sure, then you can light the fire," Madam Zhao said.

"Thank you, Mom."

In reality, Luo Jian Jia didn't particularly enjoy cooking. However, the dishes Madam Zhao prepared were as bland as boiled water. For the sake of her own appetite and to support her upcoming plans, she decided to take matters into her own hands and cook.

~ Part 2 ~

Luo Jian Jia wasn't particularly fond of cooking, but Madam Zhao's dishes were bland, lacking flavor compared to boiled water. For the sake of her own stomach and her upcoming plans, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Although the Chu family was poor, their yard was quite large, and it was filled with various vegetables. Common vegetables found in the market were all there, making it unnecessary to buy from outside throughout the year.

Luo Jian Jia already had an idea of what to cook. Walking to the vegetable garden, she picked some celery and chives.

After rinsing them by the well and processing them, she returned to the kitchen. Madam Zhao began boiling water, while Luo Jian Jia handled the celery.

Once the water boiled and the celery was ready, she put them in the pot for a while, then took them out and cooled them with cold water.

Next, she cleaned the pot and washed it. Heating oil in the pot, she added a few slices of ginger when the oil reached the right temperature and stir-fried the celery.

Throughout the process, Madam Zhao seemed a bit bewildered. At first, she asked a few questions since this cooking method was different from what she was used to. However, as it progressed, she stopped asking and followed her daughter-in-law's instructions on when to use high or low heat.

After tasting a piece, Madam Zhao was amazed and couldn't close her mouth, saying, "How did you stir-fry it so crisp? The color is so bright."

She usually didn't like eating celery much, but being from a poor family, they didn't pay much attention to it; as long as it didn't cost money, it was fine. She used to just boil it casually in a pot, add some salt, and that's it – resulting in soft and limp celery. Unexpectedly, it wasn't that celery wasn't tasty; it was just that her way of preparing it was wrong.

Her daughter-in-law's cooking skills were truly impressive.

Luo Jian Jia was aware of her cooking abilities. After graduating, she lived alone and cooked regularly. Being particular about what she ate, she invested time in studying various recipes and experimenting with different methods. Though not comparable to many chefs, her dishes were considered good compared to what Madam Zhao usually makes.

Seeing Madam Zhao's surprised expression, Luo Jian Jia smiled and said, "As long as mother enjoys it, I'll make it for you in the future. However, I usually struggle with controlling the heat, so it's thanks to you today for getting the fire just right."

Madam Zhao quickly responded, "No, no, it's because you fried it well."

Luo Jian Jia spoke the truth; stir-frying requires mastering the right heat, and she indeed struggled with this type of stove, so it was Zhao who handled the fire well.

Next, Luo Jian Jia scooped some flour, kneaded the dough, let it rise, and began making dumpling wrappers. After preparing it, she spread the well-mixed chive filling on top and covered it with another layer of dumpling wrapper.

Adding a bit of oil to the pan, Luo Jian Jia carefully placed the chive dumplings into the pan.

Despite the costliness of rice, flour, and oil at home, these vegetables were in abundance, especially the chives that could have been harvested earlier. Thinking that the vegetables were cost-free, Luo Jian Jia harvested plenty and filled the chive dumplings generously.

Fearful of accidentally breaking the dumplings and exposing the filling, she handled them delicately.

Soon, a delightful aroma filled the air, and smelling the fragrant scent, Madam Zhao exclaimed, "It smells so good..."

Luo Jian Jia thought that with better conditions, adding a few eggs would make them even more delicious.

Once the dumplings were ready, Luo Jian Jia placed them on a cutting board and sliced them in half with a knife.

Hearing the crisp sound, Madam Zhao knew that the dumplings were undoubtedly crunchy.

Being from the southern region, they usually stir-fried chives for meals, never considering combining chives with dough, and especially not in such a delicious manner. Although she hadn't tasted it yet, just smelling it, she knew the food would be delicious.

While making chive dumplings, Luo Jian Jia also cooked a pot of rice soup on the side.

Efficient in her work, and with the aid Madam Zhao on the stove, she quickly prepared the meal.

When the meal was brought to the table, Old Master Chu also showed a surprised expression on his face.

Madam Zhao explained with a smile, "Today's meal was made by Wei Leng's wife. Try it."

The Old Master picked up his chopsticks and tasted the celery. After finishing, his expression, like Madam Zhao's, became even more astonished.

"The color is beautiful, and the taste is excellent."

Then he tried the chive dumplings, thoroughly enjoying the chive dumplings he couldn't stop praising.

"I didn't know chives could be eaten like this; it's delicious, much better than just stir-frying," remarked Madam Zhao.

After chewing another bite of the chive dumpling, Old Master Chu said, "Yeah, I heard people in the north like to mix chives with dough and make something called dumplings."

"Dumplings? What's that? Is it tasty?" Madam Zhao asked curiously.

"I heard it's delicious, but I haven't tried it," Old Master Chu replied.

Luo Jian Jia thought that since none of them had tried dumplings, she could make some another day stuffed with other ingredients.

Although the eldest son and Madam Zhao were accustomed to being frugal, even though today's meal was delicious, they didn't eat much and put down their chopsticks.

Watching the two of them seemingly not satisfied, Luo Jian Jia felt a bit saddened. Seeing their restraint, she also didn't eat much.

Thinking about today's venture outside, Luo Jian Jia asked the two about the details of the wharf.

"The wharf was just opened a few months ago. Previously, everyone used to go to the county town. However, our county town is farther from the capital. It's better to take a closer route from here... Get off the boat here, take a carriage to the neighboring county, and then from there to the capital. It's almost a day quicker than before," explained Madam Zhao.

Listening to Madam Zhao's words, Luo Jian Jia understood why there were many people coming and going at the wharf. The surroundings were a bit rough, and there were not many people doing business. It turned out the wharf had recently opened.

"Your father also worked at the wharf for over a month before," added Madam Zhao.

Luo Jian Jia looked at Old Master Chu, surprised, and asked the question she most wanted to know, "How much is the monthly wage?"

Old Master Chu replied, "It's not monthly but daily pay. It's based on the weight of the goods transported. Those with strength earn more, and those without earn less. There isn't much difference between the two, roughly between ten to twenty wen."

Ten to twenty wen! That's quite a bit, enough for her to have white rice every day and eat well.

She was more inclined to give it a try...

Having observed, many laborers weren't exceptionally tall, not much taller than her. It seemed there shouldn't be too much of a problem for her to disguise herself as a man and blend in.

•••

https://ko-fi.com/flamingobeestranslations

Prev : TOC : Next

Search This Blog

FlamingoBeesTranslations

Chapter 3 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