Chapter 27

Xu Qinyu planned to make glutinous rice stuffed in pork intestines.

To make this dish, glutinous rice is mixed with some vegetables and seasonings, then stuffed into cleaned pork intestines and cooked. It’s somewhat similar to shumai, which is also made with glutinous rice, but shumai uses a dough wrapper, while this dish uses pork intestines, making it more fragrant, delicious, and not greasy.

So, on her way back, Xu Qinyu bought some glutinous rice, also known as Jiangmi. The price of Jiangmi is similar to that of regular rice, both costing eleven wen per jin.

She also bought some pork belly, two sets of pig offal, and a few pig trotters. The pig trotters were intended for her family to eat, as soybean-stewed pig trotters are nutritious. Her family could now afford to eat more nourishing food. She also bought some dried shiitake mushrooms, which, although not cheap, were affordable compared to spices.

Xu Qinyu also went to the blacksmith’s shop to order a large iron pot, paying half the deposit. Once she paid the remaining half, she would have spent most of the money she earned in the past half month. Investing a lot upfront was necessary, especially since ironware was expensive. The large iron pot she ordered could stew over ten fish at a time, but it wouldn’t fit on the kitchen stove, so she needed to set up another stove. There was a wooden shed next to the kitchen where firewood was stored. She planned to move the firewood to another side and cover it with an oilcloth. Under the wooden shed, she would set up a large stove for the large iron pot, so she could stew fish outside in the future. She shared her idea with Pei Weixuan, who nodded without much comment. Yu Niang asked him to do something, and he would do it.

Xu Qinyu thought he was a bit dull, like a piece of wood.

After returning home, she started to get busy.

Ning Jie’er now actively helped with chores and was faster at scraping fish.

While stewing fish, Pei Weixuan helped wash the pork intestines. The intestines were cleaned with wood ash. Since they didn’t have enough wood ash at home, they asked neighbors for more. Neighbors were happy to help, as they usually threw away excess wood ash.

Washing pork intestines wasn’t a technical task; it just required careful attention.

After washing the intestines, she planned to braise half of them before bed and leave the rest for the next morning. Making glutinous rice stuffed in pork intestines required soaking the rice for at least three to four hours, so she also soaked the shiitake mushrooms she bought.

When the fish was ready, Madam Wen came back and started helping. She cleaned the kitchen utensils by the well and swept away the fish scales and wood ash from washing the fish and intestines.

Around 4 PM, someone knocked on the door.

Pei Weixuan opened the courtyard door to find neighbors. Madam Wen had told them the previous day that they could come around 4 PM to buy fish, so they came at the appointed time.

The neighbors didn’t enter the courtyard but stood at the gate, informing Pei Weixuan if they wanted a big or a small fish.

Actually, Old Man He had even bigger fish, but Xu Qinyu always requested fish weighing around two to three jin. So, Old Man He’s son would throw back the larger fish or those weighing less than one and a half jin into the lake, as there weren’t many buyers. If they caught fish that couldn’t be sold and died, it would be difficult to handle, so throwing them back into the lake was better.

Xu Qinyu also planned to sell some fish balls.

Fish balls are simple to make and don’t require many spices. Initially, they needed pepper powder, but it was much more expensive than other spices, so they couldn’t afford it. Instead, they used star anise and Sichuan pepper powder, making the fish balls chewy and delicious. Fish balls are safer for children to eat than braised fish. The leftover fish heads could be used to stew tofu, which also tasted good. However, they had to wait until the iron pot was ready.

Pei Weixuan collected the copper coins without saying a word and took the clay pot the neighbors gave into the kitchen to serve the fish.

Everyone thought this young man was a bit dull. They knew that Young Lady Xu was the daughter-in-law of this family and this young man’s wife. They felt that although the young man was good-looking, he was too dull and didn’t match such a capable young lady. Young Lady Xu’s cooking skills were so excellent that she could earn money to support the whole family. In the eyes of ordinary people, being capable was definitely more important than being good-looking. Moreover, Young Lady Xu wasn’t ugly. Although she had frostbite on her face previously, it had healed a lot in the past few days, and her face had become fairer, making her quite pretty. Once the frostbite on her face completely healed, she would look even better.

When the fish were almost sold out, Old Woman Luo, who hadn’t appeared for several days, showed up again. Seeing the Pei family’s gate open, she immediately tried to enter the courtyard, but two neighbors who hadn’t left yet stopped her. “Hey, old woman Luo, what are you doing? Young Lady Xu already said she wouldn’t sell fish to you. Why are you still so shameless and trying to get in?”

Old Woman Luo put on a sorrowful expression. “I know I was wrong, so I came to apologize to Young Lady Xu. That day, I was out of my mind. I truly know I was wrong. My son and husband scolded me, so I came to return the copper coins to her. Besides returning the money, I also plan to buy a fish from her today. You can supervise me. If I cause trouble again tomorrow and ask for the money back, let me die a horrible death.”

After saying this, she opened her palm, revealing sixteen copper coins. Besides the eight coins she shamelessly took back from Young Lady Xu last time, the remaining eight were for buying fish today.

The two women saw Old Woman Luo’s sincere look on her face and the copper coins in her hand, so they hesitated and somewhat believed her.

Xu Qinyu, who had already heard Old Woman Luo’s words in the kitchen, came out holding a kitchen knife.

Old Woman Luo and the two other women were startled.

Old Woman Luo immediately put on a smiling face. “Young Lady Xu, it was my fault a few days ago. I’m here to apologize and return the copper coins. Please forgive me this time.”

Xu Qinyu raised the kitchen knife in her hand and said coldly, “I won’t sell you any fish. I made it clear when I sold the fish that if you found it unpalatable and returned the money, I would never sell it to you again. So, you should leave. I won’t take your copper coins or sell you any fish.”

She didn’t believe for a second that Old Woman Luo was genuinely apologizing.

Since the time Old Woman Luo’s daughter-in-law, Madam Lin, didn’t buy fish and returned home, Xu Qinyu had seen new injuries on Madam Lin’s face the next day. She encountered Madam Lin twice more after that, and each time, she saw new injuries on her face. Madam Lin would lower her head and walk past quickly whenever she saw Xu Qinyu.

How could someone who mistreated their daughter-in-law so badly be genuinely remorseful? Old Woman Luo’s apology was just a cover for her ulterior motives to steal Xu Qinyu’s fish recipe.

The foul smell that came from the end of the alley last time, mixed with the scents of several spices Xu Qinyu had deliberately shown to Old Woman Luo, indicated that Old Woman Luo had used the excuse of returning the fish money to sneak into Xu Qinyu’s kitchen and steal the recipe. Such a person could never be truly sorry.

Old Woman Luo probably didn’t expect Xu Qinyu to refuse so bluntly.

As the saying goes, “One doesn’t hit a smiling face.” How could this young lady give her such a cold face right away?

Old Woman Luo had thought that Xu Qinyu would have calmed down after a few days. She planned to apologize and maybe coax Xu Qinyu into teaching her how to cook fish. Moreover, her son and husband had been pressuring her to apologize and buy fish, as they could smell the various delicious scents from Osmanthus Alley but couldn’t eat any.

Old Woman Luo immediately smiled and said, “Young lady, I sincerely apologize.”

Xu Qinyu continued with a cold face, “No need. You should leave.”

“You little girl,” Old Woman Luo’s face couldn’t hold her smile anymore. “I came to apologize with good intentions, and you’re being so unforgiving.”

Seeing Old Woman Luo’s change in attitude, the two women nearby realized that she couldn’t be genuinely apologizing. They had lived in Osmanthus Alley for over ten years and knew Old Woman Luo’s character too well. They immediately persuaded her to stop causing trouble.

Xu Qinyu sold the remaining two fish to the customers and closed the courtyard door.

Old Woman Luo, furious, couldn’t hold back anymore and started cursing Xu Qinyu with vile and filthy language at the courtyard door.

The two women were angry, thinking they had believed Old Woman Luo’s fake apology.

Xu Qinyu couldn’t tolerate being insulted for no reason. She grabbed the kitchen knife and was about to open the door with a cold face. But Pei Weixuan, standing nearby, had already opened the courtyard door with a cold face. Seeing Old Woman Luo standing at the door cursing, he kicked her in the chest, sending her flying backward into the snow, where she landed with a thud, dazed and groaning. He had controlled his strength, only kicking her away without intending to kill her.

Xu Qinyu sneered, holding the kitchen knife, and walked over. She half-squatted and swung the knife towards Old Woman Luo’s head.

Old Woman Luo was terrified. She never expected this delicate young lady to be so crazy. She had only cursed her a few times, and now she wanted her life.

Old Woman Luo felt the cold blade brush past her cheek, causing a slight pain. She screamed, covering her face, “My face, my face!”

Xu Qinyu sneered, “Why are you screaming? I didn’t hurt you. If there’s a next time, I’ll cut your face.”

Of course, she wouldn’t actually break the law and cut Old Woman Luo’s face; she was just trying to scare her.

Old Woman Luo carefully touched her face and found no blood. She angrily said, “I’ll report you to the authorities!”

Xu Qinyu replied, “Go ahead. You started this trouble by eating for free without paying. When I refused to sell you food, you caused a scene and insulted me at my door. Let’s see how the county magistrate punishes you.”

The neighbors also said, “We can testify that you started the trouble.”

According to the Great Sheng Dynasty laws, this was indeed a civil dispute, and both parties would be punished. However, the troublemaker would receive double the punishment.

Old Woman Luo knew this well. She couldn’t endure twenty strokes of the cane. She clutched her chest, got up, and left quickly, not daring to curse Xu Qinyu again.

The neighbors were amazed. It turned out that the fierce feared the ruthless, and the ruthless feared those who didn’t care about their lives. Young Lady Xu looked delicate but was not to be trifled with. This couple was both fierce, and the handsome young man knew how to protect Young Lady Xu, making them a good match.

Xu Qinyu, holding the kitchen knife, turned back. Pei Jianing and Madam Wen stood at the courtyard gate, watching in awe and admiration. In the capital, noble ladies would never argue openly; they only exchanged sarcastic remarks. But Yuniang was straightforward, grabbing a kitchen knife and confronting the troublemaker directly.