National Forensic Doctor
Chapter 492 - 492 452

492: 452 492: 452 Jiang Yuan’s military pot was made carelessly; it basically involved tossing in whatever was available in the fridge.

Despite this, when it was served to the two Dobermans, they were so excited they almost wanted to hop while eating.

Jiang Yuan scooped a portion for himself, then shared some with his father and Uncle Qiang, saying, “Give it a try, even the dogs love it.”

Mr.

Jiang glanced at Jiang Yuan, “Think before you speak.”

Jiang Yuan chuckled and coaxed, “It should taste good, Dad, give it a try.”

When it comes to eating, Mr.

Jiang actually hadn’t been so enthusiastic in recent years.

Nowadays, he preferred to watch others enjoy the food he made; as for himself, he was content with something simple.

Rich and hearty meals were more of a spiritual enjoyment for him, filling a void from the past.

However, the dog food Jiang Yuan made today indeed had an enticing aroma, even though it was made from leftovers from the past couple of days…

“Alright, let’s have some, we’re all tired,” Mr.

Jiang invited Uncle Qiang to join them for the meal.

The three of them got ready, sitting at the table, each picking up their chopsticks to try the dish.

The steaming military pot contained over a dozen kinds of ingredients, all carefully cooked beforehand, and actually tasted pretty good.

Mr.

Jiang kept nodding as he ate, “This is much better than the hot meals I make, your skills have really improved from having a hard time in the police force, haven’t they?”

With these words, the conversation shifted to Jiang Yuan’s life.

Memories of Master Wu Jun’s red boiled eggs and Longli County’s fatty intestine and chicken stomach dishes came to Jiang Yuan’s mind as he said, “Life is alright, just pretty busy, and when I travel for work, the hosts always treat me well with local delicacies.”

“It’s best to eat what you make yourself.

Didn’t you buy a house?

If it’s too far, just buy another one so you can go back and cook at noon.

If that’s too troublesome, hire someone to at least prepare one meal.

That way, you’ll have leftovers to cook,” Mr.

Jiang said, glancing at the two Dobermans, who had already licked their bowls clean, “The dogs really do love your cooking.”

Uncle Qiang, who was enjoying the meal, sensitively lifted his head.

Jiang Yuan coughed twice and said, “Actually, the military pot I made isn’t authentic, I’ll make something different next time.”

Mr.

Jiang laughed, “A pot of leftovers, how could that be authentic?”

Uncle Qiang, aware of what an authentic military pot was, said gruffly, “According to tradition, it’s only authentic if you cook the dogs in it too, right?”

The ears of the two Dobermans stood up stiffly.

…

The next day.

Jiang Yuan spent the whole day in Jiangcun Residential Area, hopping over fire pits.

The fire pits varied in size; the smaller ones were simply arranged with alcohol burners and covered with windshields, so that even very small children could jump over them, whereas the bigger ones were made with wood, but not too tall—about half a person’s height when burning, with extra fuel placed on the side so that anyone who found the fire lacking could add more wood.

The biggest bonfire would be lit at a little past eight o’clock in the evening, and then everyone would take turns jumping through it.

These were the perks of improved living conditions in Jiang Village.

In previous years, having two or three bonfires was already impressive, and even then, the adults had to prepare a long time for it.

Now, it was much simpler, with truckloads of firewood purchased, not very costly.

If one was concerned about protecting domestic forests, they could even buy imported wood.

The cost of burning fire all night was less than that of a single large lobster.

Yet the joy it brought far surpassed the expense.

Especially towards the end of the cold season, everyone often felt stiff and rigid.

Even with indoor heating making it as warm as spring, stepping outside required bundling up in thick clothing, and the opportunities for physical activity dwindled.

Many people felt coiled up for a long time.

But when the bonfires were lit and the crowd gathered, coupled with running to jump over the fire pits, the combination of these three activities warmed everyone up.

By the end of the fire jumping, even the village dogs joined in the fun.

Mr.

Jiang was having a great time and couldn’t help but express his nostalgia, “When we were young, with such strength and vigor, it would have been great.

It’s a pity, now it’s not needed anymore…”

He watched the village youth, dressed in Supreme, Burberry, and LV, with a touch of regrets.

Uncle Qiang also said, “Indeed, if we’d had so many tall fellows back in our day, we’d have won eight or ten Bodhisattvas each year at the festival.

Next year, carrying the Bodhisattva in the water procession, each one would have had to kneel.”

Mr.

Jiang, imagining that scene, couldn’t help but laugh heartily.

Jiang Yuan knew that they were referring to the Bodhisattva-snatching event before the “You Shen” procession, which would take place tonight.

After leaping over the bonfires, everyone would carry their shoulder poles, hoist up stools, and head to the Earth Temple in a mighty procession to welcome the Bodhisattva.

Villages in the vicinity would also participate in the welcome, thereby setting the stage for an intense battle of snatch and grab — heads might literally be broken in the process.

The Bodhisattva that was successfully snatched would be carried at the very front during tomorrow’s “You Shen” procession.

The more Bodhisattvas a village had, the more prosperous and thriving it was deemed to be.

Moreover, when the farming season begins in the following months, and water becomes a contested resource, the village that had secured more Bodhisattvas theoretically had the right to use the water first — as long as the water supply wasn’t too tight, the villages generally adhered to this principle.

The advantage was that it eliminated the need for potentially deadly conflicts over water.

However, since the Bodhisattva-snatching and “You Shen” were ultimately festive occasions, people generally exercised some restraint and did not go overboard with the competition.

Disputes over water, on the other hand, were truly driven by vital interests.

If the order of water usage was to be decided through armed combat instead of the prior Bodhisattva-snatching ritual, there would indeed be fatalities — and not just isolated incidents, but deaths every year.

Now that there was no need to fight over water, the Bodhisattva-snatching had become purely a fun parade.

The strong young men of Jiang Village didn’t need to demonstrate their… “supple and limber roots” anymore.

Jiang Yuan didn’t even go to the scene of the Bodhisattva-snatching.

He was tall and could easily become a target for the opposing villagers; an unexpected lump of earth flying his way might not kill him, but it could certainly crack his skull — it was simply not worth it.

The commotion continued until about two or three in the morning.

Jiang Yuan even made a point of checking the surveillance room and, finding no abnormalities, quietly went home to sleep.

The security company for Jiangcun Residential Area had been quietly established, with 24 genuine security guards hired to work in shifts.

Combined with a monitoring system that kept watch, security had been greatly enhanced.

Incidents like the theft of electric bikes at the gate had basically been eradicated.

The next morning, families dressed up at home and lined up downstairs.

Those who wished to follow tradition would wear ancient-style costumes, most of which were altered from stage costumes.

Those with more sophisticated tastes wore embroidered garments, some donned armor, others put on lion dance outfits or Hanfu.

The most common were the garments of gods or Bodhisattvas, embodying the spirit of “You Shen”.

Jiang Village didn’t have many requirements for such attire, as all traditions had been handed down within the village.

At most, they dated back four generations and, in reality, rules articulated by people in their sixties and seventies were considered customary.

If someone wanted to change something, the younger generation couldn’t really object.

Even those who were reluctant to participate, or had other ideas, would just wear their regular clothes for “You Shen” without anyone making comments.

Only those chosen to carry the Bodhisattva were scrutinized by the organizers, with only villagers in neat and clean attire permitted to participate.

Jiang Yuan managed to get a spot in the coveted C position behind the Bodhisattva, tasked with carrying a flag.

The flag was red, bearing no inscriptions, simply meant to be waved flamboyantly — and that was enough.

“You Shen” has always been an event filled with joy.

Now, with better conditions, it’s harder for everyone to gather together.

It is precisely these traditional activities that provide people with a reason to step away from their busy lives, from work, study, travel, eating, shopping, and other such activities.

Jiang Yuan waved the red flag as he followed the crowd, meandering through every nook and corner of the Jiangcun Residential Area.

They set off firecrackers, lit bonfires, danced with lion costumes, sang songs and performed operas, and shouted slogans.

From Jiang Village, they proceeded to the old Jiang Village for a circuit, then visited the ancestral hall adorned with plaques of merit, where they sang and bowed in homage before returning the Bodhisattva to their original place in the Earth Temple.

Only then did they meander back to Jiangcun Residential Area, where a feast was laid out to satisfy their rumbling stomachs.

Now was the time for Jiang Fuzhen to showcase his skills.

For Jiang Fuzhen these days, his biggest fear was preparing food that no one would come to eat.

However, the thought of running a charity kitchen and dealing with the relentless scrutiny was too much for him to handle.

The village banquet was the perfect occasion.

Jiang Fuzhen did his utmost to display his culinary skills, and everyone heartily indulged, which brought even more joy to the occasion.

At that moment, Jiang Yuan’s cousin Jiang Qianwen came up to him and whispered, “Brother, help me check out a few prospective matches for me.”

Jiang Yuan slowly put down his rib and asked, “How many?”

“Let’s start with one.” Jiang Qianwen pulled him along.

Soon, the two stood by a wall, tilting their heads to observe a young man in a white shirt, who appeared to be in his early twenties, idly toying with his mobile phone.

“This one has the best credentials.

What do you think?” Jiang Qianwen asked with enthusiasm.

She was just over 20 herself and was not only unbothered but actually pleased that her family was eager to find her a match.

After all, it was all in good fun.

“You need to give me his information first,” said Jiang Yuan as he lifted his binoculars to take a look.

The binoculars were unexpectedly provided by Jiang Qianwen.

Jiang Qianwen recalled the details, “They say he’s 26, about 180 cm tall, runs a company or something outside…”

“His age is a lie; he starts at 28.

His height is a lie too; he should be around 172 cm, and with the height-increasing shoes, he might measure up to 177, plus the hair, which gets him to a reported height of 180.

As for the company he runs…

I’m not sure if he actually owns a company, you can check that on your phone.

But it’s clear that he mostly does physical labor; the calluses on his hands are already quite prominent.

Of course, it could be a physical labor-intensive company…” Jiang Yuan put down his binoculars and turned to Jiang Qianwen.

Far from looking disappointed, Jiang Qianwen’s face lit up with a delighted smile.

“What’s up?” Jiang Yuan was surprised.

“This way, no matter how we interact, if anything goes wrong, it’ll only be his fault,” Jiang Qianwen said, very pleased with herself.

Jiang Yuan pondered the logic in this, not entirely convinced that the Jiang family’s genes had been passed down to Jiang Qianwen intact.