Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Ming Yi cheerfully picked up two buckets and headed towards the kiln.
Xia Muxin instructed a few of the Aunties, and upon seeing her mother helping out, she ran over.
"Mom, just keep an eye on the kids. They're still small, and there are hot water and sharp knives everywhere. We don't want them to accidentally grab something and get hurt."
Some couples had come to help, while others were at home with their grandchildren. Xia Muxin had asked them to bring the children along; after all, it was just a meal, and she could manage that. Among the kids, the oldest was only three or four years old. The slightly older ones probably understood better, so they weren't brought along. Perhaps seeing so many people made them retreat into corners.
With so many people in the house today, it was easy to be careless. Moreover, as things were being moved around, there was a risk of bumping into something or leaving it in an unsafe spot. With her mother pregnant, Xia Muxin felt uneasy and used this as an excuse.
Upon hearing this, Aunt Xia slapped her forehead and said, "Look at my memory! The kids are important; the kids are important."
Saying this, she walked over to a few children. It was unclear what she said to them, but soon they all showed eager expressions as they followed their mother to one side.
Xia Muxin shook her head with a smile and went to check on the mung bean porridge.
"Muxin, come take a look if the porridge is ready," Aunt Liu called out as she stood up. Perhaps Da Dong Uncle had urged her for hot water again. When she saw Muxin approaching, she stirred the pot with a wooden spoon and spoke up.
Xia Muxin hurried over, took the wooden spoon to check, nodded in approval, and then fetched two large wooden buckets. With Aunt Liu and Da Dong Uncle's help, they poured the steaming mung bean porridge into the buckets.
These buckets were enormous; each could hold about a hundred pounds. Xia Muxin couldn't lift them by herself. When Ming Peng returned, he stood by watching as she and Aunt Liu lifted the heavy pot. He was terrified that they might spill it; if it burned her, he would surely face his mother's wrath. Unfortunately, he was a moment too late to help her, but thankfully nothing went wrong.
Seeing two buckets steaming with hot vapor, he rushed over, carrying one in each hand, and said, "Let me take these over!"
Xia Muxin was somewhat surprised by his strength, but quickly grabbed a yoke and was about to speak when she saw him striding away with the two buckets without even breaking a sweat.
"Wow, Muxin, what has this child been eating to grow so strong? He’s not even overweight!" Aunt Liu exclaimed, her eyes widening in astonishment. It wasn't until the pot began to crackle that she snapped back to reality and hurriedly added water to it. With a sizzling sound, black smoke billowed from the pot, and Aunt Liu patted her chest in relief.
That pot was borrowed from Muxin; if it got damaged, it would be a hefty loss.
Xia Muxin smiled and picked up a basket of bowls and chopsticks, along with a wooden ladle, heading toward the kiln.
By the time she arrived, they had already laid four rows of bricks. Their pace was relatively slow, but for those doing this for the first time, they were doing quite well.
She placed the basket beside the wooden tub and set the ladle inside it. Looking up at the sky, she estimated it was around ten-thirty. The spot where she stood was right next to the lone Poplar Tree she had left behind; its large canopy shaded half of the area.
Ming Peng was nearby, and behind them stood a large Wooden Basin filled with clear water. Xia Muxin reached in and felt how cold it was; it must have just been brought over from the river or perhaps it was prepared for drinking.
She instructed Ming Peng to place the bucket of Mung Bean Porridge into the Wooden Basin. Seeing everyone drenched in sweat, she waited a moment before calling out loudly:
"Everyone come over and have some Mung Bean Porridge! It might be a bit hot, but it's a good chance to take a break."
The conditions at home weren't great, and everyone had come out early in the morning. They were indeed hungry now, especially after having only some Salt Ginger Water earlier. Hearing that there would be Mung Bean Porridge surprised everyone, and they admired Xia Muxin's generosity even more.
They could hardly get their hands on this thing throughout the year.
Er Dan wiped the sweat from his brow and set down the tools in his hands as he walked over.
Xia Muxin was the first to scoop a bowl and head towards her brother.
She then circled around the kiln, looking here and there, before addressing everyone who was resting:
"Thank you all for your hard work. It's looking good, but I kindly ask each of you to make sure these bricks are fitted more tightly. After all, they still have moisture in them now, and when they are fired, that moisture will evaporate, causing the bricks to shrink a bit. If the gaps inside become too large, it won't be stable."
Xia Muxin tried not to sound too harsh and spoke very politely. After all, if the gaps in the bricks were indeed too large, there was a risk of collapse. If she said it outright, everyone would surely become more anxious. It was clear that Er Dan was reliable in his work; he had hired honest and straightforward people. However, upon hearing Xia Muxin's words, even those holding bowls paused.
Xia Muxin was kind-hearted and generous, even inviting them to her home for meals with their families. They couldn't let their negligence harm her.
Moreover, given that such a serious mistake had occurred, she not only refrained from blaming or scolding them but also spoke so courteously. This made all the men feel embarrassed.
Additionally, people from the Wang family had just come by to watch the spectacle, and the Zhou family had done the same. The height of this kiln was over ten meters; stacking each brick required skill. Yet she entrusted them with the task so confidently.
The group exchanged glances and quickly finished their bowls of mung bean soup before getting back to work.
However, as they moved one brick at a time, it felt as if they were stuck like cement; they couldn't budge them at all before attempting to move another brick.
Seeing this, Xia Muxin felt deeply touched. She rolled up her sleeves and joined their ranks.
Seeing her join in, everyone worked even harder.
Ming Yi and Ming Peng also joined in.
Seeing that everyone was proficient and the four paths of bricks were completed, Xia Muxin finally felt at ease and clapped her hands before leaving.
Once she returned home, she didn’t rest but began to prepare the only dish she needed to make today. This dish was called Flour Porridge, a staple served at every banquet in her hometown.
First, she mixed flour with water, stirring it until it was thin, similar to congee. Since it was just one dish, she prepared it on her own stove.
“Miss Muxin, do you need help with the fire?”
Ming Yi helped set the table and, noticing Xia Muxin adding firewood and stirring something by herself, stepped forward to ask.
“Brother Ming Yi, I could use some help.”
Xia Muxin smiled at him and continued with her work. Ming Yi didn’t hesitate and quickly walked over to squat down by the stove.
Xia Muxin didn’t let them call her by formal titles, so they had always addressed her this way.
She added water to the pot, then went to wash the soaked Enoki mushrooms, cutting them into two pieces and placing them in a large bowl.
Over here, seeing that the water had boiled, she added some salt to the flour mixture and stirred it well. Then she slowly poured it along the sides of the pot while using a large wooden spoon to stir until everything bubbled and made a gurgling sound. Only then did she evenly sprinkle in the Silver Needle Mushrooms, mix them well, and finally crack ten eggs into the pot, adding a bit of pepper before serving.
Instead of using bowls, she filled a wooden tub with the dish. Once it was time to serve, she brought over eleven large bowls and filled them to the brim.
Ming Yi and Ming Peng helped carry them.
“Miss Muxin, what is this?”
The aroma was quite special, and they had all tasted her cooking; every new dish was a heavenly delight. At that moment, seeing the sticky substance in the bowl topped with egg flowers and Silver Needle Mushrooms, they couldn't help but swallow. The straightforward Ming Peng couldn't resist asking.
“This? Let's just call it flour paste!”
Xia Muxin didn't bother to give it a fancy name and simply borrowed one from her modern hometown.
At the entrance of the courtyard, there was a large Wooden Basin filled with water, beside which lay some Soap Pods meant for washing hands after work.
Everyone was surprised by how thoughtful Xia Muxin was. Their fatigue eased considerably as they bent down to wash their hands before finding a place to sit at the table.
Looking at the chicken, duck, fish, and meat all served in large bowls, their eyes moistened. Seeing their children present added to their gratitude towards Xia Muxin.
In the blink of an eye, ten days had passed. During these ten days, Ming Peng had been driving the cart to Town to buy vegetables before dawn, while Ming Yi stayed home to protect Xia Muxin. Meanwhile, Xia Muxin continued to run between the kitchen and the Kiln, preparing Mung Bean Porridge and Salt Ginger Water for them every day. Given the hot weather that made heatstroke likely, these two dishes practically eliminated that risk.
As everyone became more skilled, they had already laid one hundred sixty bricks. Today was the day to wrap the steel wire.
Xia Muxin had someone take the steel wire to the Kiln early on. The wire was brought by Ming Yi and his team; it wasn't thick. To be safe, Xia Muxin twisted eight strands together into one, making it thicker than a thumb. A wire needed to be wrapped around every forty bricks for stability.
Ming Yi and Ming Peng had martial arts backgrounds, so she called back a dozen others who had helped before; today's task was entrusted to them.
Knowing the size of the kiln well, Xia Muxin prepared a length of wire that would be short rather than long; generally, those without much strength couldn't complete this task.
Additionally, she instructed Er Dan Ge to tie hemp rope around his waist and carry thick branches down into the kiln. She also asked him to stuff Firewood into the other five openings. Of course, having one person do this alone would be too exhausting; although there were kiln openings underground, the air was still thin. Thus, she arranged for Black Bull and a few others to take turns—each person would work in rotation.
"Alright, tighten it up, tighten it again."
Xia Muxin directed Ming Yi and the others as they pinched the bricks with their fingers. The weather had been particularly hot these days, and the bricks had dried out quite a bit. Therefore, they had to be especially careful during this process; they absolutely couldn't afford to make a mistake. Fortunately, several of them were strong, and back and forth, they managed to secure one.
When the second one was secured, Xia Muxin shouted down to the people below:
"Light the fire!"
Seven kiln openings were already occupied, and behind them was a massive pile of firewood, stacked like a mountain. After Xia Muxin finished speaking, she poured the charcoal that had been gathered over the past few days into the center kiln.
"There are still forty bricks left. I hope everyone can work hard and finish laying all these bricks before they heat up."
As the fire ignited, flames leaped from the seven kilns. Even though it was still under the blazing sun, Xia Muxin stood atop the kiln, looking down with a hint of bitterness in her voice.
After all, the higher the kiln, the more challenging it was for everyone carrying bricks. They not only had to walk across wooden bridges but also had to carry fewer bricks at a time. Their speed would definitely not match that of the previous days.
Thus, she had assigned the task of cooking Mung Bean Porridge and preparing Salt Ginger Water to Ermiao and Sister Swallow while she stayed there to supervise.
As the fire blazed, heat surged up, felt even ten meters away. Those who had never experienced it before appeared to tremble on their legs as they stepped on the wood while carrying bricks.
"Everyone, don't be afraid! The steel wires have secured the kiln, and it will take at least a day and night for these bricks to heat up. So as long as we put in some effort now, I believe we can finish tonight."
Xia Muxin tried to encourage them, but as soon as she finished speaking, someone responded.
"It's easy for you to say that without doing anything! Just look at how high this is! Not to mention if the fire gets too intense; if we fall down from here, it could cost us our lives! It's easy for you to stand there and talk without feeling any pain. Although my Wang family isn't as generous as Xia Muxin's, we certainly don't want anyone's life on our hands!"
The one who spoke these words was none other than Wang Shoucai and his group. He had not shown his face for the past few days, likely because news of the situation had spread, stirring up trouble.
As he spoke, some who were about to bend down to pick up bricks hesitated.
Xia Muxin felt a sense of urgency. After all, this was the final step, and every minute was crucial. Watching the flames flickering below and the unstable wooden planks shaking, she chose not to argue with Wang Shoucai and his group. Instead, she quickly stepped down from the wooden planks, grabbed a carrying pole and brick-lifting tools, and loaded two bricks onto her shoulders before slowly making her way back up.
At that moment, each brick weighed about fifteen pounds, so the two bricks she carried were at least sixty pounds—quite a heavy load for a thirteen-year-old girl.
Her actions stunned everyone. Instantly, they felt ashamed and dropped their heads, casting aside their earlier hesitation and quickening their pace to join in.
Ming Yi and the others tried to persuade her, but Xia Muxin refused to listen. She continued to go up and down with them, brick after brick.
Wang Shoucai never expected Xia Muxin would take such an approach. Her actions spoke louder than a hundred or a thousand of his words, leaving him furious and speechless. In the end, he had no choice but to leave in defeat.
Just as they left, a shadow slipped away behind them. Later on, it was said that the Royal Family had been beaten badly by ghosts—so badly that they were unrecognizable and unable to show their faces for at least two months. But that was another story.
After a busy morning of running back and forth countless times with everyone else, Xia Muxin's legs felt numb as if they weren't her own. Her body ached all over; she could hardly stretch. Yet she didn't complain even once and forced herself to eat two large bowls during lunch.
The morning had been bright and sunny with clear skies, but just after lunch, dark clouds rolled in as if a storm was approaching.
The fire they had just started today absolutely could not be allowed to go out; if it did, reigniting it would be very difficult.
"What are we going to do?" Summer Forest exclaimed anxiously, looking up at the ominous sky with tears welling in her eyes.
Ming Yi and the others looked at Xia Muxin with deep concern.
“Miss Muxin, this meal is provided by you. I, Black Bull, will stand firm until the last moment, even if it costs me my life.”
Black Bull had a family to support; his wife had given birth thanks to Xia Muxin ensuring she had soup to drink and their child had milk. It was also her foresight that allowed him to buy medicine for his mother, saving her life. He felt he could never repay her debt, not even in another lifetime. Therefore, helping her was worth any sacrifice, even his own life.
“Muxin, I am just a worthless life with no relatives at home. My uncle and aunt are my only family. Like Black Bull, I won’t leave until the very end.”
“Thank you, villagers. At this moment, I won’t force anyone. This afternoon and evening will determine all our efforts over these days. If you don’t want to continue, you can go to my mother’s place for some shade and head home. But if you trust that my life is tougher than fate, then pick up your tools and join me to finish the remaining work.”
Xia Muxin bowed deeply in gratitude to Black Bull and Er Dan before addressing everyone. After speaking, she was the first to step forward.
Er Dan, Black Bull, Summer Forest, and Summer Old Man followed closely behind.
Summer Old Man was now in charge of one of the kilns.
“Ah, it seems Heaven is watching over us. I thought this unlucky fellow would be stuck in his bad luck forever. I heard today’s kiln work is wrapping up; the fire has already been lit at the bottom of the kiln. And now Heaven decides it’s time for rain. Don’t you think this girl is finally facing her retribution?”
The Wu Family had just finished lunch. For the past ten days, they had been hearing about the Xia Family’s kiln work—filled with admiration and envy. Hearing that rain was coming made them quite happy.
- End of Chapter -
Comment 0 Comment Count