Chapter 78 Generous banquet

Su Zhi finally tidied up the house, getting ready for the “House-Warming”. Many people had already asked Shen Zi’an when they would be invited for a drink.

Su Zhi thought this was the first time her family had interacted with the villagers on such a large scale since building the house. While building the house involved spending money on labor, this time it was purely about treating the fellow villagers. Social interactions were crucial, and the more people came, the better. She wasn’t worried about others eating; she just wanted a lively atmosphere. That would show that the villagers had accepted her. In her opinion, having a good network of people was far more useful than having a few tables of good food.

Su Zhi had started preparing a couple of days ago. The menu was set. There weren’t many fresh vegetables available this season, so it was mainly cabbage, radishes, and potatoes. Additionally, Li Qing’s Wife had brought three large pumpkins from home.

Su Zhi also heard that some families sliced beans and eggplants in autumn, drying them into dried vegetables. She asked Shugen’s Wife to help buy some from households, regardless of whether they were dried beans or dried eggplants. They were all priced at ten wen per jin, almost as expensive as lean meat. Those who had these dried vegetables were happy to sell them. Those who hadn’t dried any regretted it deeply.

In addition, Su Zhi bought a large bunch of scallions, thinking of using them to stir-fry lamb. The lamb was newly purchased by Shen Zi’an, and there wasn’t much of it at the moment.

While the lamb was bought, the pork came from Shugen’s Wife’s pig. It was already quite large, fat, and strong. Shen Zi’an paid a good price for it and had a butcher slaughter the pig. After being properly cleaned, Su Zhi thought that even with this pig, they wouldn’t be able to finish it all with the guests. The remaining meat would be made into bacon and preserved meat, which they could enjoy throughout the year.

In addition to lamb and pork, Shen Zi’an also made arrangements with Li Shi to go into the mountains. The two of them brought back five or six wild rabbits, seven or eight pheasants, and even a roe deer. Now they had more than enough meat.

Finally, Su Zhi saw the old hen in the house and remembered that they didn’t have enough eggs. She went to buy some eggs, completing all the preparations.

Li Qing’s Wife looked at the pile of things Su Zhi had prepared, her eyes widening.

“I have to say, sister, you’ve prepared quite a feast. Look at all this meat, there’ll be more meat than vegetables at the banquet. You’re really generous to us guests. Just looking at all this, I’m sure the banquet will be splendid! You’re such a generous person.”

Su Zhi loved cooking, so she had prepared herself a kitchen. Inside, there were plenty of cabinets, shelves, and various cooking utensils, as well as two stoves. There were three cutting boards: one for vegetables, one for meat, and one for making noodles. The cabinets were filled with pots, bowls, ladles, and other tableware. Outside, there was a large jar and three smaller ones. The large jar contained water, while the three smaller ones held wheat, rice, and sorghum flour respectively. However, these grains were stored in bags with tied mouths before being placed in the jars and covered with lids. In addition to these staples, Su Zhi also stocked red beans, mung beans, millet, and sorghum flour in the cabinets. With money in hand, Su Zhi was determined not to compromise on food for herself and her family.

After seeing Su Zhi’s kitchen, Li Qing’s Wife and the other women couldn’t help but feel envious. Su Zhi’s kitchen was spacious, clean, and well-equipped. Any woman who knew how to cook would want a kitchen like this. Unfortunately, many people didn’t have such luxuries. Some families had small houses, let alone space for a large kitchen. Having a small shed would be considered fortunate.

Li Qing’s Wife had already envied Su Zhi’s kitchen, and now seeing it filled with ingredients, her envy only grew. She thought about how Su Zhi, just a month ago, had been considered the unluckiest woman in the village, but now she was the happiest.

Listening to Li Qing’s Wife, Su Zhi smiled and said, “At this time of year, there aren’t many fresh vegetables to serve, so we have to focus on the meat. Except for the pig, everything else was hunted by Zi’an and Brother Shitou in the mountains, so it didn’t cost anything. It may seem like we have a lot of food, but in reality, we didn’t spend much. This is also the first time we’re hosting a meal since becoming our own household. As long as it’s not too shabby, it’s good. When the time comes, I’ll ask Li Qing’s Wife to help, but don’t worry, I’ll prepare a separate table for you all, and I’ll personally sit and toast with you.”

“Sounds great! I’ll make sure to come early and help out. I’ve always heard that you’re a great cook, so I want to watch and learn from you. By the way, who else have you invited to help tomorrow?”

Li Qing’s Wife had come today to accompany Li Qing in delivering the table to Shen Zi’an’s house. Since there wouldn’t be enough tables for the banquet tomorrow, they would have to borrow some. Usually, they borrowed from other households, but since everyone would be eating at their house, not having enough tables wouldn’t be a problem. Shen Zi’an had gone to borrow tables, driving a cart pulled by oxen^[1]I would be using oxen instead of cow because it sounds better. In total, they borrowed more than ten tables, but they couldn’t fit them all in one trip. Li Qing also used his own flatbed cart to bring back several tables. That’s why Li Qing’s Wife had come along.

Seeing the number of tables, Li Qing’s Wife knew that Shen Zi’an’s family was going to invite quite a few people, which meant there would be plenty of dishes to prepare and a lot of help would be needed.

“With you, Shugen’s Wife, and I  also invited the older and younger sisters-in-law^[2]Wang Shi and Li Shi, Aunt Jinhua said she is sending her daughter-in-law, Zhao Feng, to help. That makes five people, which should be enough,” Su Zhi said.

Even though they had split households, when a son built a house, it was customary to invite the parents over. Of course, siblings and other relatives needed to be informed as well. Family members would naturally help out to create a harmonious atmosphere, showing that even though they had separated households, they were still a close-knit family. Su Zhi relationship with her 2 sisters-in-law Wang shi and Li shi; they were kind-hearted and diligent, genuinely helpful without causing trouble. As for the other members of the Shen family, they would be given a table to eat and drink at, hoping that the woudn’t  cause any disturbances. Su Zhi didn’t expect much help from them anyway.

Li Qing’s Wife nodded, thinking that these few people were all willing to work hard, so they wouldn’t cause any chaos during the preparations.

“Fortunately, your third sister-in-law is pregnant. Otherwise, I wouldn’t want to work with her,” Li Qing’s Wife remarked.

Listening to Li Qing’s Wife, Su Zhi pursed her lips, thinking that even if she wasn’t pregnant, she wouldn’t let her help. She was nothing but trouble, and Su Zhi didn’t want her to ruin the house-warming they were planning. People here attached great importance to this event; if it went well, their future would be prosperous, but if it didn’t, things would only get worse. Although Su Zhi didn’t believe in such superstitions, nobody wanted unnecessary trouble, right?

As they spoke, it was already the next day. The women Su Zhi had invited to help arrived early, only to find that there wasn’t much for them to do.

“Little sister, look at you. You’ve done most of the work already. What do you need us for?”

Li Zheng’s daughter-in-law was called Zhao Feng, and she was both lovely and spirited. When Su Zhi saw her, she couldn’t help but think of that spicy phoenix, but this person was warm and friendly, truly likable. Some days ago, when her mother fell ill, Zhao Feng and her husband Li Sheng went to visit her. Two years ago, her maternal relatives had moved to a neighboring county to start a business, taking her parents with them. It wasn’t easy for Zhao Feng to visit them, so when she finally returned after over a month, she got along extremely well with Su Zhi. Of course, Zhao Feng was naturally friendly, and Su Zhi wasn’t timid either, so they naturally hit it off.

Su Zhi smiled and said, “Since you’re here, there’s definitely work to do. Help me with cutting vegetables, tending the fire, and keeping an eye on the pot. If there’s nothing else, we can chat together. Doesn’t that sound good?”

“That sounds great!” Zhao Feng replied enthusiastically.

Li Qing’s Wife also chuckled and clapped her hands, but she was already starting to look for tasks to do.

Wang Shi and Li Shi arrived a bit later, with them were the older girls Chunlan, Chunxiang, and Chunyue. When they arrived, it became evident that there were too many people for the tasks at hand.

Su Zhi understood that the Shen family only had two meals a day, so they must have come without having eaten. She took out a plate of steamed dumplings made last night from a pot.

“There’s not much here, but these dumplings are still warm. Please, have a taste,” Su Zhi said to them.

The girls initially waved their hands, but Su Zhi insisted and handed them the plate. Reluctantly, they accepted, each taking one dumpling. As they bit into them, the savory aroma of cabbage and pork filled their mouths, warming them from the inside. They had never eaten at this hour at the Shen residence before, but after finishing the dumplings, they felt truly content.

“Fourth Aunt, your cooking is delicious,” they complimented Su Zhi.

Chunyue, with her sweet words, praised Su Zhi’s cooking while genuinely enjoying the food.

As Chunyue spoke, she glanced around the spacious kitchen, eyeing the abundant food. She couldn’t help but wonder if her own family had split, would they be able to eat whenever they wanted? This sentiment was shared by many in the Shen family, especially Wang Shi and Li Shi. Seeing their daughters enjoying the dumplings so contentedly made their hearts ache. They wished they had the autonomy to provide their children with meals whenever they desired, even if it was just porridge.

“If you like it, feel free to have more. Fourth Auntie will prepare plenty of delicious dishes for you to enjoy later,” Su Zhi told Chunyue, feeling a closer bond with her due to her good relationship with Li Shi.

The girls eventually asked Su Zhi to arrange for them to shell peanuts. She planned to make deep-fried peanuts, perfect for accompanying drinks, loved by both women and children, though not recommended for excessive consumption.

With everyone gathered, each person began to find their tasks. Some peeled pumpkins, others chopped vegetables, some kneaded dough, while others fetched water, and the preparations began in earnest.

As Su Zhi was lifting the boiled pig’s head from the pot, she heard Shen Zi’an calling her from the doorway. Handing over her task to Shugen’s Wife, she walked out.

“Zi’an, who are these?” Su Zhi asked as she stepped outside and saw Shen Zi’an standing with a couple, the woman holding a child and the man carrying a package.