Mo Sang – CH 189

Chapter 189. Food and Sex

The south courtyard was indeed very spacious, with two main south-facing rooms and a row of five side rooms on the west side.

Compared to ordinary houses, the main rooms and side rooms were much deeper and wider, with large windows, making the space bright and airy.

In the southeast corner was a thatched hut, like the one Lin Sa lived in, paved with bluestone slabs, flushed with spring water, and drained through a hidden drain, making it extremely clean.

The courtyard was entirely paved with bluestone slabs, freshly washed, and the air was filled with a refreshing, clean mist.

Li Sangrou looked around the place from top to bottom and smiled at Li Qi’an. “This is where you entertain guests? It’s very nice.”

“No, very few people come to the mountains, and almost no outsiders ever stay overnight here.

This used to be a primary school. I studied here when I was little. Later, as the number of children increased, another school was built over there, and this place became empty.

Our senior uncles and aunts all have their own places to stay. When we were choosing places, we all thought this place was too big, so no one chose it, and it’s been empty ever since.”

Li Qi’an explained in great detail.

“Boss! Where should we set up the pots?” Hei Ma, looking around energetically, called out.

“Just where you are standing. Set up two stoves, one big and one small,” Li Sangrou instructed, turning around to look.

“Do your children eat together? What time is dinner?

How about we stew some bones and take them to them later?” Li Sangrou asked, looking at Li Qi’an.

“What’s wrong with that?” Li Qi’an smiled as she answered the last question. “Today is an even number, and they have not had any meat yet. There’s still an hour and a half until mealtime; everyone in the mountains eats at the same time.”

“Then we will make it. This pot is too small. Do you have a bigger one?” Li Sangrou pointed to the iron pot that Datou had brought out.

“Yes!” Li Qi’an smiled and, with Datou, went to carry the bigger pot.

Hei Ma boiled water to scald the pig and scrape off its hair, while Mazha cleaned three pheasants.

The kitchen was in the southernmost side room. Li Sangrou went in to look around, then brought out a small charcoal stove, placed it at the entrance of the main room, lit the charcoal, boiled water, and then moved out a table, finding tea leaves, a teapot, and cups to prepare tea.

Lin Sa stood at the entrance of the main room, feeling she should help, but it was obvious she could not help either side.

Blind Mi squatted next to Lin Sa, still looking miserable; he always waited to be fed.

Li Sangrou brewed tea and beckoned to Lin Sa. “Sister Lin, come and have some tea.”

Lin Sa went over, and Blind Mi followed. Facing the bamboo chair, Li Sangrou pushed towards her. Lin Sa hesitated. As the hostess, was it appropriate for her to just sit and watch while drinking tea?

Blind Mi sat down without ceremony, poured himself some tea, and drank.

Datou returned carrying a large iron pot on his back, along with a stew pot and a wok in his hands. He jogged back, placed the large pot on the makeshift stove, poured in water, and started a fire to wash it.

Li Qi’an followed behind, carrying two large bamboo baskets. She smiled as she entered. “I brought all the seasonings the kitchen has. Boss, see if it’s enough. If not, I will go to my senior uncles and aunts for more.”

Li Sangrou squatted down, examined each item, smelled them, and was very satisfied.

The seasonings were not many, but the quality was quite good.

Hei Ma cleaned and gutted the pig skillfully and quickly, cutting open its belly, chopping off the head and trotters, hanging them up to wash twice more, and placing the two halves of the pig on the cutting board.

“Let me do it,” Li Sangrou said, walking to the cutting board and taking the sharp little knife that Datou had just sharpened. She quickly deboned and butchered the meat.

Lin Sa walked over, standing on either side of the cutting board with Li Qi’an, their four eyes fixed on Li Sangrou.

“So precise,” Li Qi’an exclaimed in admiration.

Li Sangrou deboned and butchered the meat with precision and simplicity, without a single unnecessary movement.

“Nothing special, just practice makes perfect,” Li Sangrou said, removing the bones, switching to a cleaver, slicing the large bones, and placing them in the large pot.

“This is your second time handling a whole pig, is it not?” Blind Mi chimed in from across the courtyard.

“The first time is awkward, the second time is easy,” Li Sangrou replied casually.

“I’ve seen butchers debone animals in Nanzhao County, some even as skilled as the boss. They said they’ve had the craft for over ten years,” Li Qi’an exclaimed again.

This boss’s bone-carving was as swift and efficient as killing a person! She was even a little excited watching it.

“Qi’an, come back with your martial uncle for tea. Do not look at her; she’s a monster, nothing to see,” Blind Mi said cryptically.

“I know, you do not need to persuade me,” Lin Sa replied without turning her head.

“Sister Lin is very clever,” Li Sangrou praised again.

“I raised him; how could I not know him?” Lin Sa snorted.

“Blind Mi feels sorry for you; this is the first time I’ve seen him go to such lengths, using such roundabout methods to persuade someone,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

Li Qi’an turned and glanced at Blind Mi, smiling wryly.

“Uncle Blind advised us, ‘When you are not angry, spit on the ground; when you are angry, spit in your face,'” Hei Ma chimed in.

Li Sangrou put two hind trotters and four pigs’ feet into an earthenware pot to stew. She boiled two large pieces of hind leg meat in plain water, steamed a piece of shoulder meat, and reserved the pork belly, two tenderloins, pork neck, and pork shoulder. The rest, cut into large chunks, were put into the bone pot.

Hei Ma washed the pig’s head, split it open, and added it to the bone pot as well.

Watching the bone pot boil, Li Sangrou skimmed off the foam with a large ladle, stir-fried scallions, ginger, and soybean paste, poured them in, added a bottle of rice wine, and four or five other seasonings.

Lin Sa glanced back at the few pieces of meat on the counter, then at the large pot of meat and bones that was already bubbling and sizzling, and took a step back, hands on her hips.

Every year, she slaughtered a pig for the New Year, and just watching it looked like a chore; every time she finished cleaning it, she felt a long sigh of relief.

This time, it looked so simple and easy that she really wanted to try it.

Li Sangrou cut the pork neck and pork shoulder into thick slices, and the tenderloin into long strips, piling them onto a large plate. She looked at Li Qi’an and asked with a smile, “Do you have any leafy greens?”

“A few things, mostly winter vegetables like cabbage and radishes,” Li Qi’an quickly replied with a smile.

“Bring some of everything over here.”

Li Qi’an agreed and went out. A short while later, she returned carrying one basket on her back and another in her arms, filled with cabbage, radishes, and green garlic.

Datou brought a copper kettle of boiling water to wash the cutting board. Li Sangrou peeled a few radishes, shredded them, separated the cabbage leaves and stalks, and shredded the cabbage stalks.

While the meat and bones in the large pot were bubbling and emitting a fragrant aroma, Song Qiming and Luo Qiwen were talking, while Cheng Shan, hands behind his back, with a sullen face, reluctantly followed behind into the courtyard.

Li Sangrou glanced at Cheng Shan, who was reluctantly following behind, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

It was good that he was willing to come, willing to listen and observe; that was excellent.

Li Qi’an followed behind Datou and built a bonfire in the middle of the courtyard.

Entering the courtyard, Song Qiming hurried to the cutting board, her eyes immediately falling on the piece of pork belly. She blurted out, “Are we having some roasted pork belly?”

“Have not decided how to eat it yet. Roasted, it will taste better,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“Mmm,” Song Qiming glanced at Lin Sa and cautiously hummed in agreement.

Last time the Boss roasted pork belly, Aunt Lin almost choked on it; after finishing it, she became a prisoner.

“Then let’s grill it.” Li Sangrou took the pork belly, sliced ​​it into long strips, then into large chunks, skin and all, and put it in a bowl. She started preparing the seasonings.

After marinating the pork belly, Hei Ma had already washed the offal, blanched it in boiling water until half-cooked, and brought it over in a bowl.

Li Sangrou took out the offal, chopped it, put it back in the bowl, and then chopped a large handful of green garlic.

Li Qi’an squatted beside the cutting board, busy peeling scallions and garlic. Song Qiming stood beside her, helping to pass her bowls and plates. Luo Qiwen looked around, then went to tend the pot—his specialty and the only thing he knew how to do.

Lin Sa followed closely beside Li Sangrou, craning her neck to watch her do this and that, watching with great interest.

She chopped vegetables and meat with the efficiency of killing, crisp and clean, without a single unnecessary movement. It seemed that no matter what the task, it was light and simple in her hands, flowing smoothly like water—truly a sight to behold.

Blind Mi and Cheng Shan sat at the tea table, one with a pained expression, the other with a furrowed brow and a tense face, each drinking tea.

“How’s Junior Brother Qu’s leg? Have you gone to see him?” Blind Mi asked after finishing his tea.

“Almost healed. The break was clean, the bandage was tight, and it’s healing quickly,” Cheng Shan replied, his brow furrowed.

“That’s good,” Blind Mi replied dryly, then fell silent. Cheng Shan also remained silent, and the two continued drinking tea, their brows furrowed.

A large pot of stewed meat and bones, tender and fragrant, was cooled to a semi-cool temperature. Li Qi’an and Luo Qiwen carried it to the adjacent kitchen.

Li Sangrou mixed shredded cabbage and radish, stir-fried shredded pork tenderloin over high heat, sliced ​​boiled pork, and served it with sesame oil and minced garlic. She also prepared steamed pork, roasted pork belly, pig’s trotters, and pig’s hocks, and a large pot of braised pork offal was also ready.

Hei Ma and Mazha had already baked a thick stack of thin pancakes.

A group of people sat between the makeshift stove and the fire used for roasting meat.

Blind Mi, holding a large, rough porcelain bowl, scooped out half a pig’s trotter with his chopsticks, then added a few more bites of vinegar-braised radish shreds, slurping it down as a sign of respect.

Cheng Shan followed closely behind, scooping out half a bowl of braised pork offal, adding a few bites of spicy shredded cabbage, and eating it in silence.

Lin Sa hesitated for a moment between the roasting pork belly and garlic-flavored pork slices, but her chopsticks reached for the steamed pork with rice flour.

Li Sangrou handed her a bowl of wine. “The steamed pork with rice flour is a bit dry; you cannot do without wine. A bite of meat, a sip of wine—it’s better than being a living god. That’s what Blind Mi says. You should try it.”

“Give me a bowl of wine,” Blind Mi said, only then remembering he still had wine, and hurriedly gestured to Hei Ma.

Luo Qiwen was pouring wine from a jar when he hurriedly handed him a bowl, then poured another bowl and handed it to Cheng Shan.

Song Qiming took a thin pancake, thought for a moment, tore it in half, rolled it with shredded cabbage and meat, and took a bite.

Li Qi’an imitated Li Sangrou, placing a perfectly sliced ​​piece of pork neck on the grill, flipping it a few times, dipping it in sauce, rolling it up with a cabbage leaf, and stuffing it into her mouth.

Hei Ma scooped up a large piece of pork hock, skin and all, with his chopsticks, poured a spoonful of gravy over it, tore off a piece of pancake, rolled it up with the meat and gravy, stuffed it into his mouth, squinted as he chewed, swallowed, and took a big gulp of wine.

Datou and Mazha, one eyeing garlic-infused pork belly and the other braised pork offal, each with chopsticks in one hand and a wine bowl in the other, ate and drank intermittently.

The group ate and drank, no one bothering to speak.

Li Sangrou sipped her wine, flipping the pork belly and occasionally grilling a piece of pork shoulder and wrapping it in cabbage.

By the time the pork belly was ready, the group had already eaten two rounds, and some were half full. Facing the sizzling, fragrant pork belly, Blind Mi tore off a large piece, skewered it with his chopsticks, and sipped wine with every bite.

Cheng Shan and Blind Mi shared the same piece of grilled pork, splitting it in half. Like Blind Mi, they skewered the meat with chopsticks, eating a bite and drinking a sip of wine.

Song Qiming took a bite of pork belly, drank a sip of wine, narrowed her eyes, swallowed after a moment, and hurriedly recommended to Li Qi’an, “You have to try it! This wine is not strong at all; it’s very fragrant, and the meat is even more fragrant! You have to try it! This is how you drink wine!”

Li Sangrou sipped her wine, skewering a piece of meat with her chopsticks, but did not eat much.

“Boss, this pork belly is grilled really well!” Li Qi’an, her forehead beaded with sweat from eating and drinking, could not help but praise.

“Aunt Lin ran into the Boss, who was also grilling pork belly. Aunt Lin ate so much she could not…” Meeting Luo Qiwen’s desperately pleading glance, Song Qiming immediately felt embarrassed, swallowing the rest of her words along with the pork belly.

“Even if I was not full, I could not beat her,” Lin Sa added, peeking over and picking up a piece of steamed pork.

She thought the steamed pork was the best, better than the grilled pork belly.

“Blind Mi, Sister Lin is so good to you; why did you leave her on the mountain and run around alone?” Li Sangrou asked, looking at Blind Mi.

“She’s not alone on the mountain; there are so many people on the mountain!” Blind Mi retorted irritably.

“To Sister Lin, everyone else is just a passing cloud, right?” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

Song Qiming laughed. “Everyone else is just a passing cloud! That’s a really interesting saying, ‘passing cloud’!” She waved her hand back and forth as she spoke.

She could not hold her liquor well and was already quite tipsy, half-drunk yet both excited and clear-headed.

“It’s nothing,” Li Qi’an said, also slightly intoxicated, her heart leaping with joy amidst the firelight and the aroma of meat.

“You are wrong. Compared to our sect, he’s a passing cloud!” Lin Sa felt dizzy, but her mind was exceptionally clear. “I cannot abandon our sect, abandon this place, this life, just because of him, just because of him!

He’s a passing cloud!” Lin Sa pointed at Blind Mi with her chopsticks, each word of “he’s a passing cloud” uttered with utmost force.

“Does your sect not allow marriage?” Li Sangrou looked at Li Qi’an with surprise.

“Blood ties are forbidden within the sect. Marriage is allowed, but if a woman becomes pregnant and gives birth, she cannot. She must leave the sect, return to the mortal world, and never return,” Li Qi’an’s voice trailed off with a touch of sadness.

Hmm, she was indeed remarkably clear-headed; her words were crystal clear!

Li Sangrou let out a long “Oh,” frowned, and looked at Song Qiming, asking, “What does your Gezhi Division usually tinker with? Is it all bows, crossbows, catapults—these killing machines for sieges and defenses?”

“Many things, but not all of them. There are others, like wooden oxen and flowing horses, and medicine—medicine is the most common. We also have astrology; Uncle-Master Chai’s astrological predictions are incredibly accurate!” Song Qiming said, laughing as she spoke.

“Have you ever thought about inventing something that would allow women and men…” Li Sangrou clapped her hands, “…so that they would not get pregnant during their intimate moments?”

Blind Mi choked on his wine. Cheng Shan, biting into a piece of pork belly, also choked.

Song Qiming stared at Li Sangrou, mouth agape, unable to utter a word.

Li Qi’an and Luo Qiwen stared intently at their wine glasses.

Lin Sa, however, remained remarkably calm, pointing at Song Qiming. “They are young; they do not know, but a senior master once tried it, using pig intestines and fish skin, but it did not work.”

“Not flexible enough?” Li Sangrou asked, looking at Lin Sa.

Using pig intestines and fish skin, was that a condom?

She’d never heard of such a thing before!

“I do not know. It was my senior master.

Later, Senior Grand Master Wu said it was useless to people, so it was discontinued.” Lin Sa took a sip of her wine.

“I think this thing would be extremely beneficial to people.

Women give birth one after another, spending decades either pregnant or breastfeeding. The hardship is unimaginable; a single laborer is only doing half the work.

Besides, let alone poor families, how many wealthy families drown their newborns because they think they have too many?

If we had this, women who do not want to have children could simply stop. A family could have one, two, three, or five, and if they felt that was enough, any more would be too much to afford, so they would not have any more. Would that not be great?” Li Sangrou expressed her disagreement.

“The Boss is right. Our Manager Wang had seven sons in a row. If he had not become the manager in Shunfeng, Manager Wang said he was planning to give away his sixth and seventh sons.”

“Not planning; he did give them away. They did not want any sons; they wanted daughters,” Mazha quickly chimed in.

“He even wanted to give his eldest son away as a married-in son-in-law, but they did not want him.

Manager Wang said that since his wife gave birth to their seventh child, he has not dared to sleep in the same bed with her. Tsk!” Hei Ma clicked his tongue.

“Stop messing around with those murderous things. Do something worthwhile, like this.” Li Sangrou pointed at Song Qiming. “I am telling you, you have to make this thing that a woman can use.”

“I, um…” Song Qiming’s face turned red as she held back her laughter. “I…”

“You’ve never seen a man’s thing? Do you not know how it is between men and women, this?” Li Sangrou clapped her hands again.

Song Qiming wanted to nod, but then thought she should not. She glared at Li Sangrou, holding her breath.

Li Qi’an tried her best to suppress her laughter. Luo Qiwen’s face was bright red, and he twisted his neck as much as he could.

“That’s easy. Tomorrow we will go to Nanzhao City, head to the private businesses, find a pair, and make them do it for you right there and then,” Li Sangrou said, patting Song Qiming.

Li Qi’an could not hold back any longer and burst out laughing, making Song Qiming’s face turn red.

“It’s a good thing,” Blind Mi suddenly said. “It’s important.”

Lin Sa immediately glanced sideways at him.