Splendid peasant girl busy farming

Chapter 12018

"Making spicy strips? Are they made especially for us?" The two brothers from Tuanyuan, who were eating candy, immediately caught this information.

This morning, after I shared their bag of spicy strips with Zhou Wang, the two little guys threw a tantrum for a while last morning.

Finally, Yang Ruoqing promised to make spicy snacks just for the two of them that night, which finally calmed her down.

“Yes, these spicy strips were made especially for you guys. I won’t give any of them to anyone else,” Yang Ruoqing said.

"That's good! We didn't have enough spicy strips yesterday," Yuanyuan muttered.

Tuantuan said, "I went to ask Sister Fuwa for some spicy snacks today, but she wouldn't give me any. She's so stingy."

Yuanyuan immediately joined Tuantuan in condemning Fuwa: "It was clearly my mother who made the spicy strips, but she wouldn't let us eat them. She even said that if we gave them to her, they would be hers. My sister is bad."

Tuantuan pouted: "We won't play with Sister Fuwa anymore."

“I’m not going anymore.” Yuanyuan nodded without hesitation.

Seeing the two little ones form an alliance to refuse to play with Fuwa over a spicy snack, Yang Ruoqing and the other adults on the sidelines were both amused and exasperated, and at one point they couldn't even get a word in edgewise.

After they finally finished speaking, Luo Fengtang deliberately put on a stern face and corrected them: "You are boys, you can't break up with someone over a few bites of food, that's a lack of class."

“Dad, it was Sister Fuwa who lacked perspective first,” Tuantuan said, immediately raising her head.

As for what exactly constitutes the overall situation, even Tuantuan himself might be completely confused.

Luo Fengtang added, "Fuwa is your cousin. Don't always focus on the spicy strips and dwell on them. You should think more about the gifts your cousin Fuwa gave you."

“That’s right,” the blacksmith Luo chimed in with a smile, “When your cousin comes back from the capital or from Changhuaizhou, does she ever not bring you delicious food and fun things? You should remember the kindness she shows!”

With everyone's words of comfort and reassurance, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan's anger towards the Fuwa mascots gradually subsided.

"Then let's not break ties with Cousin Fuwa for now," Tuantuan declared.

Yuanyuan tilted her head and looked at her brother. "If you don't break ties with me, I won't either. I'll stay with you."

"Brother, should we give today's spicy strips back to Cousin Fuwa?" Yuanyuan asked Tuantuan again.

Tuantuan thought about it seriously, but her gaze fell on Yang Ruoqing, who had remained silent.

"I will listen to my mother. I am a good child."

With Tuantuan's words, everyone turned their attention to Yang Ruoqing.

Yang Ruoqing's lips twitched slightly. Well, she had kept quiet the whole time, but she never expected that Tuantuan, that little fox, would use the guise of being a good child to stuff a 'hot potato' into her arms.

Now, whether or not to give her the Fuwa spicy strips is up to her...

“I am your mother and also Fuwa’s aunt. This is a matter between you children. I will not get involved. You can decide for yourselves.”

“But Mom, you made the spicy strips yourself, so your opinion is the most important,” Tuantuan continued. His soft, sweet voice, combined with his angelic face, made him look like an innocent and delicate little boy.

Only Yang Ruoqing knew how precocious and cunning this child was.

"Yes, just like you said, the spicy strips are made by Mom. Oh dear, it's getting late, I have to hurry up and make some spicy strips, or I'll be late!"

After saying this, Yang Ruoqing decided to flee, and immediately ran away to the backyard.

Yang Ruoqing left the blacksmith Luo and Wang Cuilian in the front yard to play with the two boys, while she washed her hands and went to the kitchen in the back yard.

The rice she had asked Linglan and the others to cook should be almost ready by now, so she could start making the spicy strips.

"Madam, the rice has been cooked for a long time. What's next?" Linglan greeted her at the kitchen door. If Madam hadn't come over soon, Linglan would have gone to the front yard to call her.

Yang Ruoqing said, "Take the rice out and bring it to the yard to cool down. I'll need it in a bit."

"Yes." Linglan immediately went to do it, and Yang Ruoqing followed. The moment the wooden pot lid was lifted, the aroma of farm-style white rice wafted out.

"Wow, you're burning so much! I don't need this much to make spicy strips," Yang Ruoqing said.

Linglan smiled and said, "I took a shortcut and cooked dinner at the same time to save firewood."

Yang Ruoqing gave her a thumbs up: "Good girl, smart!"

Receiving Yang Ruoqing's praise, Linglan's smile became even brighter. "Madam, approximately how much rice do you need to serve?"

Yang Ruoqing looked at the rice and thought it was cooked well, very fluffy. "It should weigh about three pounds. Don't put in the crispy rice at the bottom."

"Yes." Linglan immediately began serving the rice.

Yang Ruoqing rolled up her sleeves, found a bowl, and began preparing the soul-infused seasoning.

This secret ingredient is her exclusive recipe. Even though she generously shared the names and approximate proportions of various seasonings with Cao Bamei and Zhao Liuer today, the spicy strips she made still tasted different for each person using the same ingredients.

But Yang Ruoqing believes that no matter how different the tastes of these spicy snacks may be, the love that each mother has for her family and children is the same.

These mothers themselves are the ones who truly understand their family's tastes and their children's preferences. So, no matter where the spicy strips they make rank on any list of spicy strips in the world, they are the most suitable spicy strips for their family and children because they are spicy strips made with love and tailored just for them.

Take Yang Ruoqing, for example. When she was preparing the soul seasoning, she first picked out a base, and then divided it into three parts.

Luo Wuyou and Yuanyuan have almost the same taste; they are siblings who can't live without spicy food. Tuantuan prefers things that are a bit sweeter, but he can't live without spice.

Everyone else was in the same boat, but the blacksmith Luo couldn't eat it. The old man suffered from chronic illnesses such as bronchitis and couldn't tolerate spicy or stimulating foods...

So, right now, in the kitchen, Yang Ruoqing wasn't just busy with her hands, but also with her brain, which was constantly brainstorming...

In winter, the outside temperature is low and the wind is strong. A large bowl of rice will cool down in no time if it is put out.

Yang Ruoqing brought the rice back, poured in some of the crushed seasoning powder, and stirred it continuously. The originally snow-white rice ball was now stirred into a large, bright red rice ball. "Qing'er, let me give you a hand." A tall, slender figure entered the kitchen, immediately making Linglan and Shaoyao, who were busy cooking dinner, a little nervous.

Mai Sui'er, who was tending the fire at the stove with Shaoyao, didn't even dare to lift her head.

That's right, the person who came in was Luo Fengtang. Even though he deliberately restrained his aura, his presence was still too great. No matter how much he tried to suppress it, it was still easy to feel intimidated.

Yang Ruoqing looked up and smiled at him: "You've come at the right time. Help me move that dough-kneading kit to the square table in the dining room next door. I'll be right there."

"Alright!" Luo Fengtang immediately got to work, taking the things to the canteen next door.

Although the dining hall and the kitchen were connected, separated only by a round glass sliding door, the air pressure in the kitchen instantly returned to normal because he wasn't there. At least the girls who were busy cooking were able to breathe heavily again.

Actually, Yang Ruoqing could have done all of this in the kitchen, but it was because someone came.

So she moved to the cafeteria, which was better for both of them.

In the canteen, Luo Fengtang had already laid out the large wooden board for kneading dough, and the rolling pin was ready as well.

"I'll massage it, you just need to keep me company and talk to me." Seeing Luo Fengtang's eager expression, Yang Ruoqing felt a warmth in her heart.

"Okay, when your arm gets sore, I'll take over. I'll observe and learn first." Luo Fengtang then stepped aside.

Yang Ruoqing placed the bright red rice ball on the large wooden board and began to knead it.

Making spicy strips using rice as the main ingredient requires skill; you need patience and physical strength to knead the rice into balls.

The original distinct grains of rice are kneaded until their original shape is destroyed, much like a muscular man's nine-pack abs, until they finally come together as a whole.

Haha, just kidding, it's not quite accurate, but the meaning is similar. In the end, you need to knead it into a real, whole ball, similar to rice cake.

At this point, some people might say, "Why not just put it in a stone mortar and pestle to pound it?"
No, that won't do. It has to be kneaded like this after work. If you pound it, it's hard to control the force, and the rice balls might be too sticky. Rice balls that are kneaded, patted, and tossed by hand are soft and sticky but retain a certain elasticity. Moreover, while kneading, it also helps the seasonings to gradually penetrate and blend with the rice balls.

"Qing'er, are your hands sore? Let me massage them for a while." After almost the time it takes to drink a bowl of tea, Luo Fengtang suggested again.

"I'm fine, it's not sour..."

"I've already learned it by watching, but now my hands are itching to try it out. Good Qing'er, let me practice."

Well, before Yang Ruoqing could say anything, Luo Fengtang had already 'moved' her aside by the shoulder.

"Ha, okay, then you rub it, I'll watch." Yang Ruoqing didn't believe his nonsense about itchy hands. This man just wanted to pamper his wife all the time.

Alright, since he wants to pamper his wife, then we're magnanimous women and should respect the wishes of our male compatriots, right? We'll let you pamper her, we'll give you the chance to pamper her, so please pamper her to your heart's content!

The commotion in the canteen was overheard by several girls there. The three of them exchanged glances and chuckled to themselves.

“Our general is so good to his wife!” Peony whispered to Lily of the Valley.

They were all servants born into wealthy families, and having seen many masters and mistresses of those households, they came to the conclusion that the masters of those wealthy families, when they got together, didn't seem like a real family at all.

Open and covert struggles abound between fathers and sons, brothers, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, and even husbands and wives. Everyone has their own agenda, and the whole courtyard is filled with the clattering of abacus beads in everyone's mind.

Unlike the Luo family, who are clearly a family of powerful and wealthy individuals—a great general, a noblewoman, a top scholar who passed the imperial examination, and a young general who is accomplished in both literature and martial arts…

Yet this family is so down-to-earth and so close-knit and loving; looking across the vast Daqi region, you probably won't find another like them.

“Our lady and the general were childhood sweethearts, their relationship started from humble beginnings, and they even went through hardships together. Their bond must be extraordinary!” Linglan whispered, her eyes filled with envy.

However, this envy is only for the mutual respect and love that flows between Luo Fengtang and Yang Ruoqing at all times, not for coveting the male master. That would be an improper thought and should never be entertained.

In the dining hall, Yang Ruoqing picked up a small piece of rice ball, felt it between her fingers, and then nodded: "It's ready, no need to knead it anymore."

"Okay." Luo Fengtang stepped aside and let Yang Ruoqing take her place.

Yang Ruoqing spread out the canteen with a rolling pin, making a large rice pancake about the thickness of a one-yuan coin. Then she called Mai Sui'er to bring a kitchen knife and a chopstick.

Yang Ruoqing took a large rice cake and cut off a square piece from the middle, pushing the surrounding scraps aside for the time being. Then, with a series of movements, the rice cake in front of her was cut into even strips.

At this moment, Linglan and Shaoyao also arrived. Everyone was surprised to see those strips that looked as if they had been measured with a ruler.

"Madam, your knife skills are truly amazing! You've cut them all to the same size!"

"Indeed, I thought it had been measured with a ruler."

"Qing'er's swordsmanship is truly remarkable; the width and length of each strike are exactly the same." The layman sees the spectacle, the expert sees the details; only Luo Fengtang could see the depth of her skill at a glance.

In other words, the ruler, in Yang Ruoqing's eyes and in the hand that held the knife, was formidable!

Faced with their praise, Yang Ruoqing simply smiled. These things were not difficult for her. Although it was her first time making spicy strips that required slicing, she had already rehearsed it countless times in her mind!

"Maisui'er, I'm giving you a task." Yang Ruoqing looked at Maisui'er, who was standing on tiptoe behind Linglan with a curious expression, and called her name.

Mai Sui'er is the older sister. She is very timid and shy, and speaks in a soft voice.

When her name was called, her face flushed instantly. She looked up at Yang Ruoqing, her eyes filled with expectation—expectation to do something for Yang Ruoqing, yet also a little afraid of not doing it well. So her expectation was mixed with a bit of trepidation and nervousness.

"Don't be nervous. It's a very simple thing, but it requires care and patience. I believe you can do it." Yang Ruoqing looked at Mai Sui'er with encouraging eyes.

Then, she placed a chopstick in Mai Sui'er's hand and taught her how to gently draw a few creases on each two-centimeter-wide slice of rice.

With these folds, it will be steamed a second time later, and after it takes shape, it will look like the spicy strips it should, with sharp edges and corners.

Mai Sui'er studied very carefully and attentively. After Yang Ruoqing taught her two techniques step by step, she grasped the essentials, and then Yang Ruoqing let her do it on her own.

When Tuantuan and Yuanyuan were brought over for dinner by Luo the blacksmith and Wang Cuilian, they smelled that familiar scent that they had been longing for as soon as they entered the dining hall.