Chapter 115: Chapter 63 Relaxing At The Foot Of Baili Mountain_2
The young wife paused, her eyes dazzled by Gu Changsheng’s smile. Seeing her like this, she stepped forward with a shy smile on her face, “Today is the Double Seven Festival, I made so flower cakes and have brought so over for you.”
Gu Changsheng glanced at her belly, which was clearly visible under her thin sumr shirt, and without any pretense, she smiled and took the basket from her hands, lifting the blue cloth, her smile growing wider, “Sister-in-law Lan Cao has really skillful hands, these flower cakes are so beautifully made, look how lifelike the chicken and ducks are.”
Flattered by the praise, the young wife bead even more brightly and warmly responded, “Mine aren’t all that good, don’t praise so much. By the way, my ho is just next to yours.” The young wife pointed to the courtyard to the east, “My na is Lan Cao, what’s yours?”
“I’m Changsheng.” Gu Changsheng covered the basket again with the cloth and held it in her arms as they began to chat about dostic affairs, “Is Sister Lan Cao expecting?”
“Yes, a little over four months now.” Lan Cao looked at Gu Changsheng bashfully, but, seeing that she was also dressed as a woman, felt a bit less shy, “Sister Changsheng, you look like a city lady. What brought you to our village to live?”
“The weather has been so hot, and I just happen to need to go up the mountain to collect so dicinal herbs. The family is taking this chance to do so renovations, so we moved here for the ti being.”
...
“Sister Changsheng, you’re planning to go into the mountains?” Lan Cao looked at her with concern and shook her head, “That’s not good at all. Baili Mountain might not look like much, but it’s a tough climb, and the paths are treacherous. There are also many dangerous animals like jackals, wolves, blind bears, and such. You really shouldn’t go into the mountains!”
“Now that you ntion it, I was actually hoping to ask you about sothing. Does anyone in the village regularly go up the mountain and knows their way around? I’m just going to look for so herbs, it shouldn’t be dangerous.” Gu Changsheng and Lan Cao, one inside the gate and the other outside, were leaning against the door fra, deep in conversation.
“Ah, you’ve co to the right person. My father-in-law and my man often go up the mountains to hunt. Autumn has just started, and my father-in-law is thinking of heading up in a few days; I can ask him for you. You mustn’t go up by yourself, it’s too risky.” Lan Cao was happy to be of help.
Gu Changsheng chatted with her for a few more monts, then Lan Cao, needing to prepare dinner, took her leave.
As soon as Lan Cao was gone, Gu Changsheng couldn’t wait to take a flower cake shaped like a little chicken out of the basket and stuff it into her mouth. Made of glutinous rice flour, the cake had a sweet filling in the belly of the chicken. Although it wasn’t exquisite, it had a full flavor of the countryside and was quite delicious.
“Son, son, co quickly, our neighbors have brought over sothing tasty…” Gu Changsheng called out, heading back to the table set up in the courtyard as she beckoned Little at Bun, who was still inside the house working on the swing.
At the ntion of food, Little at Bun ca running quickly, his body still covered with wood shavings, and Han Mo followed behind him.
Gu Changsheng gave each of them a small flower cake and, seeing Xiao Leizi also co running at the word of food, she reluctantly gave away the last one to her.
The four small flower cakes were quickly consud by the group.
After finishing, Dong Lei inquired, still wanting more, “Wife, did these co from the neighbors?”
“Yes, they were brought by Sister Lan Cao from next door.” Gu Changsheng nodded her head.
“There’s a sweet filling inside, sugar is sothing ordinary families hold dear.” Dong Lei sighed.
“I was about to discuss this with you. Today is the Double Seven Festival, and since we’ve just moved in, which is a happy occasion of its own, we should send so pastries to the neighbors to get acquainted, Xiao Leizi, go make so quickly.”
Dong Lei bowed and answered, then happily skipped off toward the kitchen.
“Make plenty. They don’t have to be too fancy; just tasty will do.” Gu Changsheng added another instruction.
“Got it, wife.” Dong Lei replied from inside the kitchen, starting her pastry-making endeavor.
“Wife, aren’t you going to make so too? Making flower cakes on the Double Seven Festival ans you’ll be dexterous in the coming year.” Xiao Cui ca out from the house, taking the bedding off the clothesline.
“There’s a particular practice for this?” Gu Changsheng was stunned; she only knew that in modern tis, Double Seven Festival was China’s Valentine’s Day.
“Yes, it’s for praying for skillfulness. By making stead flower cake on Double Seven Festival, girls pray for craftiness and dexterity in the coming year. Tonight, it’s to be offered to the Goddess of the Moon. Lady Changsheng, you should hurry. I’ll go and make so too after a while,” Xiao Cui said as she headed back inside the house.
Gu Changsheng touched her chin and blinked several tis. Then she darted towards the kitchen.
Although she seldom cooked, it didn’t an she couldn’t.
“Lady, are you also going to steam a flower cake?” Dong Lei, who was kneading dough, asked with puzzlent as he saw Lady Changsheng entering.
The Lady Changsheng seldom entered the kitchen; truly, she was a lady who did not dabble in mundane tasks.
“What’s wrong? Can’t I?” Dong Lei’s skeptical gaze deeply provoked Gu Changsheng, who shot him a look that could kill, and snorted with her nose, “Even an amateur monk can strike the bell, you dare to look down on . Just you wait!”
She tied her long hair in a ponytail, put on an apron, and rolled up her sleeves.
Dong Lei stopped his task and sized up his lady, clicking his tongue in amazent, “My lady, I must say, you do seem quite the part.”
“Step aside, experts show their skill with a single move. Stay aside and watch carefully,” Gu Changsheng said as she took an empty mixing bowl and began skillfully mixing flour and eggs.
Soon the doorway filled with mbers of the household, each craning their necks to watch. It was a rare sight to see the lady cooking!
Gu Changsheng was not just putting on a show. She filled the dough with sweet filling, shaped it with molds and swiftly placed them on the stear.
The onlookers were flabbergasted. The lady was really skilled in the kitchen; her complete set of actions was fluid and fast. So fast!
“Co, have a taste!” Gu Changsheng held out a plate, her smile beckoning everyone to try.
“Lady, you’re truly kind,” Dong Lei, in front of the food, responded the quickest. He snatched a pentagon-shaped flower cake from the plate, not forgetting to complint her.
“It’s my first ti cooking. I wonder if it might poison soone. You all can be my guinea pigs. If you’re poisoned, I might still be able to save you,” she said.
Everyone’s hands, previously reaching out, suddenly stopped in hesitation, unsure whether to take one or not. The lady was truly…
The news reached the County Prince’s Mansion. Eunuch Yuan Bao, holding the Commandery Prince’s letter, kicked the guard who delivered the ssage, “You’re so careless, utterly careless! Lady Changsheng was cooking and you didn’t think to sneak so for ? I could have had soone rush it to the front lines. That way, I might not have been scolded so harshly by our master!”
The guard retreated step back, aggrieved, and couldn’t help but mutter while touching his nose, “If you would steal a piece for to see…”
Steal sothing from Lady Changsheng? Wasn’t that a wild fancy? Each ti he lurked around, he could feel Lady Changsheng’s barely hidden disdainful gaze, and from that look, he could decipher profound mockery!
“Besides, in this hot weather, by the ti it reached the front lines, wouldn’t it be spoiled…”
“Get lost!” Eunuch Yuan Bao was caught off guard, then turned and lanted, “Why is my life so hard…”
User Comments
0 comments from readers