Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard Chapter 57.6

Our Family's Daughter Has Grown Up (6)

Because they were moving into a new house, Du Xiao Li had the village chief, Shi Da, Shi Er, Qiao Mai, and so villagers that have frequently helped her called together for a meal. Everyone were all somewhat baffled. Before, when Su Su Xin was still alive, their days were still hard and tight on money. Yet suddenly, the two sibling's lives suddenly improved. In less than a year's time, they even rebuilt their house.  

However, seeing them live well, everyone was happy for them too. This meal was eaten and drunk to one's heart content. 

Regardless whether it's in the ancient times, or the modern era, moving into a new house was a big deal. Li Xue Qing also had someone send over a congratulatory gift. Incidentally, they also brought along the county magistrate's gift together with it. 

When the gifts were sent over, everyone was in the middle of eating. Learning that it was the county magistrate and the Zhou county's number one merchant, the Li family, having sent gifts at the same time, everyone were all shocked! Even Du Xiao Li didn't know why Sun Zheng would give herself a present. Only Luo Qi, who'd already recovered his memories, understood inside. That was all on behalf of Han Ming Yi. 

He'd recovered his memories after hearing Niu Jing say the words 'Medicine King Valley' to Du Xiao Li when Han Ming Yi and the others were departing. At that time, he immediately recalled Han Ming Yi's identity----Feng Ming's current dynasty's fifth prince!

The people of the government might not know people of the pugilistic world, but people of the pugilistic world knew who held power in the imperial court. That's why seeing Sun Zheng and the others' gifts, he wasn't surprised in the slightest.

Regardless for what purpose Sun Zheng was giving a present, Du Xiao Li's family position in the Du village, all because of this present, rose quite a bit. After all, even the county magistrate gave them face!

Du Xiao Li gave the people that came to deliver the presents each a red packet, and also had them stay for a meal. Before leaving, she even shared some of the wild hare, wild chicken, and whatnot that she'd previously salted with them, saying it was game from the mountains for the county magistrate and Li family's old master to try. 

Red Packets filled with money

The people that came to deliver the presents, seeing Du Xiao Li as such, all left very satisfied. After leaving, they even mutually sighed at how well she knew how to handle affairs at such a young age.

After sending away the village chief and the others, the three of them had the bowls and chopsticks cleared away. Du Xiao Li and Du Xiu Heng washed the dishes, while Luo Qi cleaned the courtyard. When everything was done, Du Xiao Li sent off Du Xiu Heng. Because today wasn't a holiday, and for the sake of moving into the new house, Du Xiu Heng had specially asked for a day off to come back. 

Today's two large table full of food were all prepared by her alone. By the time she came back from sending off Du Xiu Heng at the bottom of mountain, she was already about to collapse from exhaustion. 

Looks like this body was still no good! Du Xiao Li sighed. 

As early as the start of the eleventh month, the weather had already turned cold. By the end of the month, the crops in the fields and the grass by the roadside were all white with frost in the mornings. After entering the twelfth month, there was even an instance of light snowfall. Unfortunately, the snowfall was too small, and didn't pile up. However, in the warm southern part of the country like this, for there to be some snowfall was already very rare. 

Aside from occasionally going to the county seat to check on the winery's situation, Du Xiao Li had all her other time used on preparing marinated food for the new year. Because in the past, she'd lived in Sichuan province for a very long period of time and was rather familiar with the things there, she thus salted and smoked meat according to the customs there. She even bought pig's intestines and meat to make link sausage. 

"This is also edible?" Luo Qi looked to the dirty small intestines in the basin and asked.

"Of course! When new years comes, you'll know!" Du Xiao Li said and then went to go wash the pig intestines, using salt and vinegar to wash repeatedly for more than an hour, before finally finishing. Afterwards, she used a thin string to tie up one end of the intestines, then had the seasoned ground meat stuffed in. Roughly ten some centimeters in, she used a thin string to tie it up, and then continued stuffing, all the way until the small intestine was completely used up. 

After she finished stuffing, she used hot water to wash it once, then lastly place it together with the marinated dried meat to dry in the sun. 

Once everything was prepared, Du Xiao Li then went with Luo Qi to go chop some pine wood to bring back, and outside the courtyard, built a temporary tall stove. They hung a portion of the sausages and dried meat on there, covered a oilskin on top, and then lit a fire below. Afterwards, they had the pine wood put in. Because the pine wood was moist, very soon, white smoke appeared from inside.

"What's the point of this?" Luo Qi saw how Du Xiao Li's eyes were even squinted due to the white smoke and asked. 

"Dried meant and sausage smoked using pine wood taste different from naturally air-dried ones. You'll know once you try some. Cough, cough....." Another puff of white smoke rose out from below, causing Du Xiao Li's tears to come streaming down. She quickly stood up and ran to the side, wanting to use her sleeve to wipe her tears, but Luo Qi had already handed over a blue handkerchief. 

"Thank you big brother Luo Qi." Du Xiao Li accepted the handkerchief and roughly wiped her tears a few times, finally returning to normal.

After almost two-hours, Du Xiao Li took out the smoked sausage and dry meat and hung them together with the other meat to air-dry for a few days.

Aside from dry meat and sausages, Du Xiao Li also bought a lot of New Year's goods. When everything was more or less prepared, the weather also reached the coldest period. 

(T/N: New Year goods are usually the dry snacks that are sold around Chinese New Years. Dry fruits and nuts are quite commonly sold.)

During this period, Du Xiao Li didn't go out much, nesting in bed all day to practice her inner energy.

The eight of the twelfth lunar month* just happened to be Du Xiu Heng's eleventh birthday. Before noon that day, Du Xiao Li and Luo Qi headed to the county seat and waited outside the school for Du Xiu Heng to come out.

(T/N: This is also the day of the Laba Festival, celebrating the enlightenment of Buddha.)

"Big brother!" Du Xiao Li saw Du Xiu Heng coming out from the school and waved her little hand at him.

Du Xiu Heng and Zhang Rui were preparing to go eat together, and upon seeing Du Xiao Li, the two quickly walked over.

"Younger sister, how come you've come?" Du Xiu Heng asked.

"Today's your birthday, you can't go back, so we thus came over. I reserved a private room at Tonglai Inn. Let's go over now. Big brother Zhang Rui come too, just think of it as celebrating big brother's birthday." Du Xiao Li went forward and grabbed Du Xiu Heng's hand, saying with a smile. 

"Xiu Heng, so today's your birthday, why didn't you tell me beforehand, making me not the least bit prepared." Zhang Rui said.

"I forgot, if not for younger sister, I wouldn't have remembered." Du Xiu Heng somewhat awkwardly scratched his head.

Du Xiao Li smiled and said, "I just knew you would forget. Let's go."

The party arrived at Tonglai Inn, and because Du Xiao Li had previously said they would come over at this time, the dishes were already prepared. As soon as they arrived, the dishes were served up.

Du Xiu Heng looked to the table full of food and said, "Younger sister, how can you order this many dishes, such a waste of money!"

"It's a rare occasion, celebrating your birthday with you." Du Xiao Li said. Others didn't know, but Du Xiu Heng understood her meaning. This was the first birthday she's celebrated with him since coming to this world. "You all eat first. I'm going to go downstair and have a look."

With that said, Du Xiao Li went down. Du Xiu Heng and Zhang Rui both didn't know what she went to go do right now. 

A while later, Du Xiao Li came up carrying a bowl of minced meat noodles. She had the noodles placed before Du Xiu Heng and said, "Happy birthday big brother!"

So she went just now to go make him longevity noodles!

Du Xiu Heng looked to the noodles before him, his tears instantly bubbling up. He immediately used his sleeves to wipe them.

"Aiyaa, such a good say, why are you crying!" Zhang Rui saw Du Xiu Heng's appearance and said with a smile.

"I'm just too moved!" Du Xiu Heng wiped his tears dry and looked to Du Xiao Li, saying: "Younger sister, thank you!"

T/N: Regular chapter for today lol! Thanks to the many sponsors I should be able to wrap up the remaining parts of this long chapter by end of today! Which is like 4-5am for me because I have a messed up sleep schedule. Also random but lately I've been listening to this song while translating and got really addicted and wanted to share---check it out!

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