The Country Maiden: Fields and Leisure
Chapter 538 - 536: Warming the House

Chapter 538: Chapter 536: Warming the House

The women were busy at the hearth, chatting idly.

The children also found their amusement; two pig bladders were filled with water, tightly tied, and brought outside to be kicked around, attracting a bunch of kids.

The men had their wine and dishes, and whenever they got cold, they would call on the women to heat them up again for eating, continuing to feast until the late afternoon before finally feeling satisfied.

After sending off the pig-slaughtering master and those who came to help, the Wang Family men, having been drunk from the last reward feast and having thrown all responsibilities to the women of the house, were scolded by Wang Yongzhu when she found the chance.

Today, although the wine was excellent, they dared not indulge, only drinking in company.

When the guests had had enough, Wang Laozhu too drank more than his fill, while his other brothers remained quite sober.

Once the guests were seen off, they were naturally called over by Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu to help.

With the men’s help, even though they couldn’t do the delicate tasks, the jobs requiring strength were perfect for them.

Old Granny Zhang and Lady Jiang took a moment to work on stuffing sausages; they chopped the meat evenly, adding finely minced ginger and garlic, soy milk, a little white wine, and stirred until well mixed, then scooped the filling into the pig intestines with a spoon.

The pig intestines used for the sausages had to be the small intestines, thoroughly cleaned inside out without any odor, thin and translucent.

One end was tied with string, then the meat was filled in, with gentle squeezing by hand towards the bottom; the touch had to be gentle, as too much force would break the intestines, rendering them unusable.

After stuffing one section, it was tied off with string, and then several holes were pricked with a needle into the stuffed sausage to let out the air inside.

The links of sausages were arranged neatly on the cutting board, left to air out overnight, and the next day they could be hung up in the yard to dry.

Once they were mostly dried, they could be smoked, and only then was the process of making sausages complete.

When it was time to eat them, one would take out a link, clean it properly, then cook it together with rice. Once the rice was done, the sausage was ready, taken out, sliced, and served.

Or it could also be stir-fried with garlic sprouts or such, which was also incredibly delicious.

Busy until dusk, they barely managed to get things done, and each settled for a quick meal with the leftovers from lunch, exhausted with sore backs and aching waists.

The day of the warm house ceremony had arrived, and most of the pots and pans along with the majority of items had already been moved to the new house, with only a token presence left in the old house. Everyone carried a small bundle containing one or two pieces of clothing and valuable items.

With a light heart, they stepped out the door, looked back to lock the door of the ancestral home, and everyone felt an indescribable sentiment.

Compared with the new house, the old one was a bit rundown, but having lived there for decades, there was a reluctance to leave.

It was Wang Yonggui who reminded everyone, "Alright, let’s get going to the new house. The guests will be arriving soon! Besides, this old house isn’t going anywhere. We can come back to see it anytime since there are still things to be moved. There will be plenty of opportunities to return."

His words dispersed any lingering reluctance in an instant.

The kids didn’t feel this sentimentality. Seeing that the adults were finally moving, they cheerfully raced toward the new house.

Shopkeeper Wu had been personally invited by Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu a few days earlier and had already prepared a gift for the warm house ceremony.

Wu Zhongbao and Steward Lu of the Escort Agency had also come by the day before to give notice, and the three of them would go together when the time came.

Early in the morning, Steward Lu drove a carriage and the three men set off for the Wang Family’s place.

When they reached the village entrance, Jinhoo was already waiting there. He climbed into the carriage and guided the three to the new house.

This was the first visit to the new house for the three men, and they were quite curious.

From a distance, they could see a large residence with high stone walls, blue-tiled roofs, and a pair of wooden doors.

Upon reaching the entrance, Jinhoo invited the three guests to dismount the carriage. He drove the carriage to the warehouse in the backyard, where fodder had already been prepared.

At the doorway, Song Chongjin had been waiting for quite a while. He welcomed the three guests inside, first passing a bluestone screen wall. Beyond the screen, there was a neat and square courtyard, with three side rooms overlooking it. The courtyard was paved with broken stones to form a pathway, preventing the worry of getting mud on the shoes when it rained.

Several guests had already arrived in the courtyard, all from the village, and children were shrieking as they ran around.

Seeing that the gathering was a bit too lively, Song Chongjin spoke up, "How about we sit in my courtyard first?"

Shopkeeper Wu and the others naturally had no objections and said, "That would be perfect. It’ll also let us have a look at your new house."

The three guests left the Wang Family home and turned to one side, where they saw a small and elegant courtyard house.

Entering the courtyard, they found it tidy and clean. As they stepped into the west compartment of the main room, a wave of warmth greeted them.

This room had been heated since last night, naturally making it warm.

After inviting the three guests to take a seat, they brought over a pot of boiled water from the next room to serve tea.

The four of them gathered around the table, sipping tea and making casual conversation.

Shopkeeper Wu surveyed the room, and although the furniture and wood were simple, without any carved patterns, it all looked fresh and unpretentious.

The windows were ordinary wooden lattice structures, pasted with white paper.

In front of the window stood a writing desk decorated with the Four Treasures of the Study, several books, and also an abacus. The abacus beads were shiny with use, clearly indicating their frequent handling.

It was evident that this was a study.

Although it was still rather spartan.

"Your study is too plain. One of these days, I’ll write a couple of calligraphy pieces to give to you," Wu Zhongbao spoke up bluntly.

Song Chongjin just glanced at him and lifted his teacup, "Let’s drink tea—"

Wu Zhongbao’s face twitched, "What do you mean by that, Song? I offer you a calligraphy gift and you’re just showing me the door with a cup of tea? After all, I am a guest today, coming to warm your house, and you won’t even offer me a meal? I really misjudged you. I never expected you to be this kind of person—"

Before he had finished speaking, someone was heard laughing cheerily from outside the courtyard, "Never expected him to be what kind of person?"

"He turns out to be the kind of person who would accept my house-warming gift and then turn his back on me!" Wu Zhongbao blurted out.

Having said that, he suddenly paused, pushed open the window, and looked towards the courtyard. Wang Yongzhu was dressed in a brand-new pink jacket, with a white fluffy fox fur collar and cuffs, which made her complexion look delicate and her hair glossy and black, her eyes as clear as water.

A golden dragonfly hairpin was tucked into her hair, and standing there in the courtyard, she added a touch of luster to the place.

"Miss Wang!" All three men stood up.

Song Chongjin had already gone out to greet her upon hearing her voice. Seeing Wang Yongzhu dressed so thinly, he took her hand, "Are you cold? Come inside quickly!"

The two of them entered the room hand in hand, exchanged courtesies, and then sat down.

Song Chongjin brewed a fresh cup of tea for Wang Yongzhu to warm her hands with.

Wu Zhongbao sized up the two and nudged his eyes towards Song Chongjin, "Are you hastily setting up this new house because a happy event is coming soon?"

Song Chongjin didn’t even glance at him from the corner of his eye.