eurekapd Chapter 105 Preparing the Mid-Autumn Festival Dinner
Chapter 105 Preparing the Mid-Autumn Festival Dinner
[The previous chapter of 3,000 words has been completed. Those who haven't read it can go back and check it out.]
After issuing the order as instructed by Grand Tutor Zhen, in order to appease the disaster victims in the south and prevent the Red-Clad Army from gaining power, the emperor ordered that, except for the prefectures near the capital, all other prefectures should try their best to appease the disaster victims and prevent them from harboring resentment and becoming dissatisfied with the court.
The implication was that all prefectures and cities should provide relief to the disaster victims as much as possible. Therefore, after discussing it overnight, Prefect Zhen decided to stop driving away the disaster victims and start providing relief to them again.
Correspondingly, more and more refugees are moving into disaster relief camps outside the city, and more and more refugees are selling themselves into slavery in brokerage firms.
Zheng Hao lowered his eyes slightly, concealing the sarcasm in them.
However, Gu Lin was unaware of all this. Since autumn, he had hardly gone out. Lin Xiaoyao had also arranged for Good Fortune Tower to buy servants, and Gu Lin had not interfered.
The matter of the refugee rebellion was very sensitive, and given the large number of refugees outside the city, Prefect Zhen would have kept the news tightly under wraps, both to stabilize public sentiment and to maintain the safety of the prefecture. If Zheng Hao hadn't been informed by Mr. Zhou and the two Zhen brothers, he probably would have been just like the other people in the city, completely unaware of the situation.
However, Zheng Hao did not tell Uncle Gu about this. He thought that everything would be fine with him outside, and Uncle Gu would not need to worry. He could just live comfortably every day.
Accompanied by Zheng Hao, Gu Lin prepared the prize money and sent it to Haoyunlou Restaurant, then distributed it along with the Mid-Autumn Festival gift prepared by Lin Xiaoyao to the restaurant's staff.
After distributing the festival gifts, Gu Lin told everyone to close Good Luck Restaurant and announced that tomorrow would be a holiday. Everyone was beaming with joy. You should know that other restaurants don't care whether it's the Mid-Autumn Festival or not, and they still have to leave their waiters and waitresses to look after the shop.
The next day, the Mid-Autumn Festival, Gu Lin got out of bed, dressed, washed up, and walked out of the bedroom. He saw the tall and strong Zhao Dagen standing in the yard chopping firewood. His gaze then turned to the open kitchen, where Mu Qinglian was helping Zhao's wife cook.
Gu Lin's bedroom was facing away from Zhao Dagen, so Zhao Dagen didn't notice him when he came out.
Gu Lin said to the tall figure with his back to him, "When did Da Gen get back? He didn't even chat with Brother Zhao. He's so honest, he just came back and started chopping wood."
Since Zhao Dagen and Mu Qinglian got married, he moved out of the Mu family's house and rented a house in the prefectural city. Because Mu was good at woodworking, Zhao Dagen's daily earnings were not only enough to support the couple, but he could also send some things back to support Zhao's wife and husband from time to time.
With a swift movement, Zhao Dagen chopped firewood, his body radiating heat from the vigorous action.
Upon hearing Uncle Gu's voice, Zhao Dagen turned around, his honest face becoming even more cheerful. He grinned, revealing his white teeth, and said, "Uncle Gu, I just got back. My father asked my mother to send me out to buy some things. I saw that there wasn't enough firewood in the yard, so I chopped some. This will save you some trouble later."
Then, he thanked Gu Lin: "Thank you for taking care of me, Uncle Gu. These days, my fellow apprentices and I have made a lot of money by making gift boxes."
All the mooncake gift boxes from Haoyunlou were custom-made by Zhao Dagen and his fellow apprentices. Over the course of a few days, they produced over a thousand gift boxes, and Zhao Dagen and his fellow apprentices all made a small profit.
In response to Zhao Dagen's thanks, Gu Lin said, "We're all family. You've done a good job, so naturally I'm on your side."
Conversely, some things are understood by everyone: Zhao Dagen is simple-minded but not stupid. He will naturally keep a close eye on Uncle Gu's care and will not allow anyone to cause trouble.
Zhao Dagen said to Gu Lin, "Uncle Gu, Mom made your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs. She was just saying she wanted you to try them."
Upon hearing this, Gu Lin immediately went to the kitchen. Mu Qinglian greeted him, "Uncle Gu."
Gu Lin responded with a smile, and then, seeing that Zhao's wife was cooking, he glanced over and noticed that there were still some vegetables that hadn't been washed. So he went over, rolled up his sleeves, and started washing the vegetables.
Upon seeing this, Mu Qinglian looked somewhat anxious and said, "Uncle Gu, let me wash you. It's cold outside, you should go inside and rest."
Although Mu Qinglian didn't see Gu Lin often, she heard him talk about Gu Lin after she married Zhao Dagen.
According to Zhao Dagen, his Uncle Gu was in poor health, and the household chores were always done by others so that he wouldn't have to worry about anything. Now, seeing the slightly pale face of the young man in front of him...
Mu Qinglian became even more convinced of Zhao Dagen's words and dared not let Gu Lin touch cold water anymore.
Gu Lin looked at Mu Qinglian's busy hands and said, "You are also busy chopping vegetables and have no free time. It's just some washing of vegetables. I often help my sister-in-law wash vegetables."
Mu Qinglian didn't believe it. She looked at Zhao Saozi with a questioning look in her eyes. Zhao Saozi took a break from cooking and said, "It's alright, let him be. Your Uncle Gu knows what he's doing."
After saying that, Sister Zhao glanced around and saw the young man standing in front of the vegetable basin, washing the vegetables leaf by leaf. Sister Zhao took a breath and said, "Oh, that's enough. You don't need to wash them so carefully."
Gu Lin, used to being cheeky in front of Sister Zhao, said, "How can it be almost the same? Of course, things that go in your mouth should be washed carefully, bit by bit."
Zhao's sister-in-law's chest heaved a few times. If she weren't always busy at the stove, she would definitely have gone over to teach this young man a lesson.
Caught by the corner of her eye, Zhao's expression relaxed slightly. Seeing Gu Lin still leisurely washing vegetable leaves, Zhao said to the person, "Zheng Hao, go and help your Uncle Gu wash the vegetables. If you let him keep doing that, we won't be able to eat tonight."
Hearing what Sister Zhao said, Gu Lin looked up and saw Zheng Hao walking up to him. He turned to Sister Zhao and said with a slightly resentful tone, "Now you complain that I'm in the way. Before, when I helped you wash vegetables like this, you never complained about me at all."
Zhao's sister-in-law was speechless. How could the past compare to the present?
In the summer, Gu Lin could squat in the kitchen washing vegetables all day without her caring. But today, in the cold weather, she was still slowly washing a few vegetable leaves in the water. Zhao's wife didn't rush to scold Gu Lin; it was the result of her long-term patience.
Zheng Hao reached out to help, but Gu Lin raised his hand to stop him, then pointed to the fruit next to him and said, "I'll be done soon, you go cut the fruit."
In any other situation, Zheng Hao would have done as the other party said without hesitation, but when it came to Uncle Gu's health, Zheng Hao used gentleness to overcome the other party's obstruction and put his hand into the basin of water.
Zheng Hao said, "I'll cut the fruit after I've washed the vegetables."
Seeing that the other party had already done so, Gu Lin had no choice but to wash the vegetables with them.
Gu Lin continued washing the vegetables one leaf at a time, but with Zheng Hao's help, the whole basin of vegetables was washed in no time.
Gu Lin turned around and took the apples and pears. Zheng Hao, without saying a word, stopped him from washing the fruit and then handed him a handkerchief, saying, "Today is a festival, so the plates for displaying the fruit should be a little more elaborate. I remember there are a few exquisite plates in the storeroom that are specially used for displaying fruit. Uncle Gu, would you like to go and get them?"
After Zheng Hao said this, Gu Lin stopped worrying about washing the fruit.
He frowned slightly as he pondered the plate the other person had mentioned. After a moment, he vaguely remembered it and said, "Are you talking about the plate that the manager of Fulai Restaurant sent? That plate was a New Year's gift he gave us. I remember that plate was very exquisite, and the plate was inlaid with gold. I'll go and get it."
After saying that, Gu Lin turned and left the kitchen.
Seeing this, Sister Zhao shook her head and then said to Zheng Hao, "You really have a way."
That should be able to stop this guy.
Zheng Hao smiled slightly without saying a word. Soon, Gu Lin came over with a plate, and Zheng Hao had already washed and cut the fruit.
He said to the approaching young man, "Uncle Gu, please put the cut fruit pieces into the plate for me."
Gu Lin nodded and said, "Should we soak the fruit in salt water? That way, the fruit won't turn yellow so easily."
Zheng Hao held a knife in one hand and a peeled pear in the other, cutting it as he said, "It's already been soaked in salt water, Uncle Gu can just set it out."
So, Gu Lin arranged the fruit while chatting with Zheng Hao, and every now and then he would turn around and talk to Zhao's wife, Mu Qinglian.
Aunt Zhao got used to him, and Mu Qinglian quickly adapted to Gu Lin's just-right enthusiasm. The whole kitchen was bustling with activity; with Gu Lin present, there wasn't a moment of awkward silence.
But gradually, as Mu Qinglian watched the young man and the boy get along, she felt a strange sense of familiarity.
Gu Lin and Zheng Hao stood together. The younger man's height only reached the boy's chin. Whenever the younger man looked up to talk to the boy, the boy would habitually lean down slightly to look at the younger man and listen patiently to what he had to say.
Mu Qinglian's family had no scholars, but her former fiancé was a scholar, so she was very familiar with some of the habits of scholars.
When Mu Qinglian saw Zheng Hao, a scholar, helping to wash vegetables in the kitchen, she was very surprised. Whether it was her former fiancé or the scholars around the Mu family, they always held a book in their hands and never touched any worldly things in the house. Even when drinking water or eating, their family members would personally serve the food to each other.
But Zheng Xiucai was different. When the other person offered to help, he didn't just politely ask his parents and elders for help out of filial piety, but from the moment he entered the kitchen, he kept working non-stop, and it was clear from his posture that he had done a lot.
This is different from the scholars in Mu Qinglian's impression. In her memory, scholars cherish their hands and would not do household chores, let alone cut fruit with sharp knives like Zheng Xiucai.
Because if their hands were injured and they could no longer write, their path to the imperial examinations would be cut short. However, compared to her own hands, Mu Qinglian felt that Zheng Xiucai cared more about Uncle Gu's hands.
After quickly washing the vegetables, Zheng Xiucai gently urged Uncle Gu to fetch the plate. Then, while Uncle Gu was away, Zheng Xiucai quickly washed the fruit, peeled and chopped it. If Uncle Gu hadn't left without bringing the fruit plate back, Mu Qinglian suspected that Zheng Xiucai could have already arranged the fruit pieces on the plate.
Mu Qinglian turned to look at her mother-in-law, only to find that the other woman's expression was normal, clearly indicating that she was used to this situation.
After dinner was ready, Brother Zhao and Zhao Dagen came into the kitchen to help serve the dishes. Sister-in-law Zhao had prepared a total of twelve dishes, which filled the entire table. Zheng Hao and Zhao Dagen, who were at the table, were both big eaters, and Gu Lin and the others also had big appetites. The group chatted and laughed, drinking fruit wine and beverages, and happily enjoyed the delicious food on the table.
After the meal, Sister Zhao cut up the mooncakes and brought them over. Ever since Brother Lin started cutting the mooncakes in half to eat, they have also gotten into the habit of cutting them in half to eat.
Because of the strong wind outside, the group did not go outside to admire the moon, but instead sat inside eating mooncakes and chatting.
Sister Zhao said, "When I came back from outside this morning, I saw that the street I usually walk on was decorated so beautifully."
Gu Lin asked with interest, "Are there people selling Kongming lanterns, or doing lantern riddles?"
Interestingly, Gu Lin has been here for several years and has never gone out for sightseeing during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
For the first three years, I stayed in the county town, which is a small county town, so it's impossible to organize all these lively activities. Last year, I moved to the prefectural city and didn't have any free time, so I didn't go out to explore during the holidays.
Thinking about what he saw on his way back, Zheng Hao said, "Tonight there will be many vendors setting up stalls to sell things, and there will also be a lantern festival."
If Gu Lin had only shown some interest before, Zheng Hao's words made him really eager to try.
Seeing the change in the young man's expression beside him, Zheng Hao parted his thin lips and asked, "Uncle Gu, would you like to go out for the lantern festival?"
Gu Lin turned to look at Zheng Hao and nodded, his light brown eyes sparkling as he asked, "Isn't it too early to go out now?"
Zheng Hao said, "Now that everyone has finished their reunion dinner at home, they are gradually going out. The vendors will only arrive early, so now is the perfect time to go out."
Upon hearing this, Gu Lin immediately stood up and then looked at Zheng Hao, saying, "Shall we go out together?"
Zheng Hao nodded. Gu Lin turned to look at Zhao's wife and the others. Zhao's wife waved her hand and said, "It's cold outside, so I'll stay at home." Brother Zhao also didn't like going out, so he stayed at home with Zhao's wife.
As for Zhao Dagen and Mu Qinglian, Gu Lin didn't ask. The young couple looked at each other with affection in their eyes and brows. Gu Lin would only be asking them questions and making a fool of himself. Seeing that Zhao's wife and brother really weren't going, he said to Zheng Hao, "Let's go!"
Zheng Hao agreed, and Gu Lin immediately turned around, went back to his bedroom, put on his cloak, and then came out.
Seeing that the other person was dressed neatly, Zheng Hao left without saying a word.
"Uncle Gu, put on your mask."
As the night wind picked up, Zheng Hao reminded Gu Lin, who also felt discomfort in his nose, and took out a mask from his sleeve and put it on.
Watching the two figures depart, Mu Qinglian turned around and asked Zhao Dagen hesitantly, "Is this how Uncle Gu and Scholar Zheng always get along?"
Not noticing anything amiss, Zhao Dagen nodded and said, "Without Uncle Gu, there would be no Zheng Hao today. Therefore, Zheng Hao respects and values Uncle Gu very much. Every year when Uncle Gu catches a cold and has a fever, Zheng Hao personally tastes the medicine and serves him at his bedside."
Mu Qinglian was very surprised when she heard this, and personally tasted the medicine and served it to the sickbed.
She originally thought that her older brother and sister-in-law were already very filial people. Whenever their parents were sick, her older brother and sister-in-law would worry and take turns taking care of their parents. But they were not as filial as Zheng Hao.
After all, in ordinary families, men are busy making a living, and women have to take care of many things at home. They don't have time to serve their parents-in-law at their sickbeds all day long.
However, according to Zhao Dagen, even if Zheng Xiucai had no free time, he would rather take leave to take care of Uncle Gu. For a scholar, every inch of time is worth an inch of gold. Mu Qinglian ignored that slight unease and sighed that even if they were biological father and son, many sons would not be able to do what Zheng Xiucai did.