I traveled through time and space to hunt and support my family in ancient times

"Big sister, here are all the spices you asked me to buy."

After putting down a paper bag, Jiang Ming said excitedly, "Lord Zhai said that he can recommend me to go to Honglin Academy in Hedong County after the New Year. Dad, sister, do you think I should go?"

Daqian State has 36 counties, each with a county. Muchuan County belongs to Hedong County. Hedong County is equivalent to the current provincial capital city, so the level of teachers in the academy is naturally much higher than that in the county.

Jiang Yue said: "People always strive for higher positions. It's a good thing that Lord Zhai has taken a liking to you. As long as the academy wants you, of course you should go."

Jiang Youshan was a little hesitant. Jiang Ming had only been studying for half a year. It would be very difficult for him to enter the county school after the new year. Would it be possible to go to Hedong County to study?

After picking out a piece of pork, Jiang Youshan said, "I was planning to ask you to deliver a piece of meat to Mr. Cui's house. Mr. Cui is knowledgeable and experienced. Let's ask Mr. Cui for his opinion."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Cui was naturally happy for Jiang Ming: "Honglin Academy is a famous academy with strict management. It not only teaches etiquette and the Five Classics, but also focuses on the cultivation of martial arts. Anyone who enters Honglin Academy, even if he cannot become an official in the future, can at least enter the county government as a clerk or pass the examination to become a pavilion chief."

Of course, this is for people without background. The dean of Honglin Academy is knowledgeable and talented, and many wealthy and powerful families try their best to send their children there. They don't want to become an official, but to discipline their children strictly.

Jiang Youshan nodded repeatedly after hearing this. He believed in the teacher.

Throughout the twelfth lunar month, Jiang Ming studied diligently. Whenever he encountered something he didn't understand, he would save it up and wait a day or two before going to Mr. Cui's house to ask for leave.

A big fat pig, most of the pork belly is pickled into bacon for easy storage, and the remaining meat is eaten during the New Year, along with pig blood, ribs and offal.

The ribs were ok, fresh ribs tasted good when stewed casually. But the pig offal was not tasty after simply steaming and stir-frying.

In the past, Jiang always used pig offal to cook dishes, and the family enjoyed the meal very much, but Jiang Yue couldn't do that. She couldn't get used to it. This time, there was such a big fat pig, and she couldn't let her mother stir-fry the pig's head.

It’s not that Cai’s cooking skills are bad, but compared to modern delicacies, especially the spiced pork head, it lacks spices and her mother can’t make it.

Jiang Yue opened the paper bag, which contained tangerine peel, licorice, cardamom, fennel and other spices. Although not complete, it would definitely taste better than frying directly. Cai had already washed the pig offal and had been soaking in water. A marinated offal operation led by Jiang Yue and jointly executed by Cai and Jiang Yue began.

It simmered on low heat for at least two hours, and when Jiang Youshan and Jiang Ming came back, the family was already sitting around the table.

Jiang Ming's eyes lit up: "Big sister, is this the spiced pork head you mentioned?"

Jiang Lei took a piece of fat and lean meat with chopsticks and stuffed it into his mouth, shaking his head and commenting: "Fat but not greasy, crispy and refreshing. Delicious."

Jiang Xue was eating a piece of pig ear and immediately said, "It's glutinous and crispy, with a unique flavor."

The whole family was overjoyed.

The villagers sent two plates of tofu, which Jiang Youshan had ordered a long time ago. The tofu maker smelled the fragrance and smiled, "The tofu you make is so fragrant. Do you have more? Let me take a plate of tofu to exchange for some for my wife and children at home?"

Tofu is in short supply during the Chinese New Year, and the tofu-making family is busy and radiant. This is the peak season for their family, and their wives and children are all busy. The busy work for the whole twelfth month is enough for the family to have a good Chinese New Year. They exchange tofu for meat to have a good meal.

Jiang Youshan rubbed his hands and said, "Yes, yes, wait for me to bring a bowl to serve you."

When he arrived at the kitchen, Jiang Youshan was in a dilemma. A plate of tofu cost thirty cents, and a pound of pork offal was half as cheap as meat, ten cents. But that was the price for raw meat, and he hadn't eaten enough. He felt reluctant to exchange three pounds of pork offal for a plate of tofu. What should he do?

The main reason is that he hasn’t eaten enough.

Cai took out fifty coins and gave them to Jiang Youshan with a smile: "Don't be in a daze. When I ordered the tofu, I gave them ten coins. I paid them all for the tofu. As for the meat, I gave them a small piece. You are usually slow to talk, but how can you be so quick to talk when someone takes advantage of you!"

Jiang Youshan held his forehead with his hand and said, "Mother, please remind me more often in the future."

After saying that, he looked towards Jiang Yue.

Jiang Yue smiled slightly and gave her father this face.

The tofu maker was also very good at handling things. When he sent bowls the next day, he sent a full pot of tofu pudding. Cai heated it up and mixed it with some pickles for the family to eat.

After the tofu was delivered, Cai started to get busy. She fried the meat filling and tofu, and the various vegetables stored in the cellar were washed, soaked in water, cut into shreds, and chopped into fillings. She made vegetarian meatballs, meatballs, radish meatballs, small crispy fruits, sesame balls, meat spring rolls, and all kinds of fried food.

Jiang Yue was puzzled: "So many explosions?"

"Of course I have to make more. It's Chinese New Year. I usually don't want to give you food, but I'll let you eat enough in one go. The next time you want to eat it, it will be next year."

"Don't you eat it normally? This is too much trouble."

"Why is it troublesome? I've thought of a lot of hot dishes. I'll make them for you when you're thirty. I'll make dozens of different ones."

Cai was very enthusiastic and the family went through almost all the customary procedures.

It is said that after Laba, it is the New Year. We drink Laba porridge for several days, and then we drink it until the 23rd. On the 23rd, we eat sugar melons, on the 24th, we clean the house, on the 25th, we grind tofu, on the 26th, we buy meat, and on the 27th, we slaughter the rooster...

Laba porridge? Cai made it several times. In the winter, there were no fresh vegetables, so she boiled all kinds of grains in a pot and added some sugar. It tasted good and was easy to make.

Sugar-coated haws? Cai boiled a pot of sugar and made them candied haws. The bright red haws were coated with shiny sugar. Jiang Yue enjoyed them very much. The haws were dried and placed on the table in the main hall. Anyone who wanted to eat them could take them.

Sweeping the house? Jiang Youshan and Cai Shi were not needed. Jiang Yue tied a new broom to a bamboo pole and swept the house inside and out.

Tofu? I ordered it long ago.

Meat? It's also ready.

Killing a chicken? It was originally Jiang Youshan's job. However, Jiang Yue suddenly had the idea of ​​smoking a chicken. The whole chicken was arranged in a handsome shape, first braised and then smoked, adding another hard dish to Cai's table. It was so delicious that he couldn't stop eating it.

Jiang Youshan always felt that he was useless. One day, he added grass to the cows and entered the house: "Jiang Zhi is here to see you."

Jiang Xue exclaimed: "Why did she ask me for help?"

Cai became nervous: "Could it be that they are looking for you for something?"

Jiang Youshan said: "No, if you want to find me, you should ask a boy to come."

Jiang Zhi looked at Jiang Xue's exquisite cotton-padded clothes and rosy face, and felt mixed emotions. Jiang Xue was getting prettier and prettier, with a good complexion, good clothes, and flowers. How could she look like the country girl she used to be?

"Why are you here? Aren't you busy today?"

At the end of the year, every household is busy. As the eldest granddaughter and a girl not favored by Liu, how could Jiang Zhi come out to play?

"...Grandfather asked me to ask you...whether you want to go back for the New Year?"