Lin Shu listened with a deep frown. Fortunately, the family had split; she had no desire to deal with those “extreme” relatives.
However, Xiaopu’s words solved a puzzle for her. She had wondered before how the Marchioness could fail to distinguish a premature baby like the female lead from a full-term baby like the original host. Now she understood. Her mother had been so deprived of food and warmth that even if she carried Lin Shu to full term, the baby would have been weak and scrawny, looking almost identical to a premature one. According to the Marchioness, the original host’s constitution was only nursed back to health after a long time using precious medicinal herbs. Wasn’t that exactly the same as Xiaopu’s congenital weakness?
If the original host hadn’t been switched, she might not have survived this long in the Lin family.
Lin Shu rubbed Lin Xiaopu’s tiny head. “The bitter days are over. Our family will only get better and better from now on.”
“Mhm!” Lin Xiaopu nodded heavily.
She also felt that after leaving that large household, life was improving. She no longer had to endure the looks her Grandmother and Eldest Aunt gave her—as if she were a jinx—nor did she have to hear Lin Duoliang call her a “money-loser” to her face.
Because they were going into the fields to gather snails, both had changed into straw sandals. Lin Shu’s five toes peeking out of the sandals were fair and rounded. Lin Xiaopu stole several glances along the way and couldn’t help but whisper, “Big Sister, your feet are so white. Why don’t you stay out of the field? Just wait for me on the ridge; I’ll go in to gather snails and catch loaches.”
Lin Shu laughed. “They’re white because they haven’t seen the sun. After a few days of sun, they’ll be the same color as yours.”
As she spoke, she looked up and, sure enough, spotted traces of Spotted Knotweed by a ditch; they grew in a large patch. The leaves resembled willow leaves, and the flowering period was long, with clusters of pink blossoms already covering the branches.
“Big Sister even recognizes this? This is ‘Yeast Grass.’ It’s everywhere by the fields and water, though people pull it out as a weed in the fields. It’s especially abundant by the streams and rivers. Every year in midsummer, after the hemp chores are finished, every household in Tianshui Village gathers Yeast Grass to make rice wine starter, and then brews a large vat of fermented rice to save for festive occasions. A large vat can last until early next year if eaten sparingly!”
Speaking of fermented rice, Lin Xiaopu licked her lips.
Glutinous rice was expensive; in Tianshui Village, it was only used for brewing fermented rice in the summer and making pounded rice cakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival—and that was only during good years.
“I wish it were New Year’s already.” Only then could she eat her fill.
Lin Shu couldn’t help but laugh. “Why wait for the New Year? Big Sister will let you eat delicacies even without the New Year.”
“Actually, this Yeast Grass has many other names. One is Spotted Knotweed, another is Water Pepper, and it’s also called ‘Drunk Fish Grass.’ It can irritate earthworms and leeches, remove fishy smells in cooking, and even ‘drunken’ fish so they can be caught!”
“Ah? It has so many uses? Big Sister, how does this grass catch fish?”
Lin Shu flicked her small nose and said with a smile, “It’s too late today. I’ll teach you tomorrow.”
Lin Xiaopu blinked, already looking forward to the next day!
“Big Sister, how do you know so much? Is it all written in books?”
“Of course. The Marquisate has books on everything. I don’t care for anything else, but I love studying these flowers and plants. The weeds and wild flowers on the back mountain are all treasures; I’ll tell you about them one by one later.”
Lin Xiaopu nodded like a chick pecking at grain.
Lin Shu pulled several handfuls of Spotted Knotweed and used a nearby stone to crush the juice out. The scent was okay, but when she rubbed it on her legs, her entire calf felt burning hot.
“Big Sister, so spicy, so spicy!”
“It has to be spicy so the leeches in the field won’t dare to latch on.”
The two rolled up their pant legs and applied the Spotted Knotweed juice before entering the field.
Although every household had fields and every field had loaches and snails, some neighbors were stingy and wouldn’t allow others to catch anything in their fields, fearing damage to the rice. So, the two went into their own paddy field. The five acres Lin Dashan had received were not all in one piece, but this specific acre of paddy field was not far.
It was already twilight. Farmers working the land shouldered their hoes and returned one by one; after a busy day, they were heading back for their evening meal and rest. However, the two in the field were having the time of their lives.
There were many snails in the field; a quick reach would yield a handful. Catching loaches took a bit more effort.
Lin Shu found a loach hole and approached quietly to avoid startling it. Once close enough, her hand lightly touched the entrance.
After confirming a loach was inside, Lin Shu lunged suddenly, her move quick, accurate, and ruthless as she grabbed the loach by the head and tossed it into the bucket.
Lin Xiaopu, not to be outdone, also grabbed a loach, but she didn’t have a firm grip. The slippery loach fell back into the field and instantly burrowed into the mud. Lin Xiaopu wiped a splash of mud from her face, her little face puffed up in frustration, making Lin Shu burst into laughter.
Fifteen minutes later, the bucket held five or six loaches and a thin layer of snails at the bottom. By then, the last glow of the sunset was fading.
“Father should be back soon. Let’s go home~”
The two washed their feet in the ditch by the field, put on their straw sandals, and headed home. On the way back, Lin Shu pulled a handful of Duck’s Foot Mugwort she had seen on the way there.
While Spotted Knotweed could remove fishy smells, it relied on the spiciness of the stems and leaves, making it more suitable for stewing fish or turtles. For snails and loaches, which had a heavy earthy smell, Duck’s Foot Mugwort was better; thus, this wild vegetable had another name: “Loach Vegetable.”
It was a pity she hadn’t seen any wild perilla; adding some perilla would be even better. Any aquatic creature cooked with perilla would have its earthy smell completely covered by that unique fragrance, making the stew exceptionally delicious. Perilla could also be made into a “Perilla Drink,” one of the favorite beverages of the capital’s nobility.
Lin Xiaopu saw her grab another handful of weeds by the ditch and was no longer surprised. Whatever weed or grass it was, in her Big Sister’s mouth, it always had a great use.
When the two returned, it was nearly dark.
“Mother, Father isn’t back yet?”
“Based on usual times, he’ll be soon,” He Guixiang replied with a smile. Lin Shu rinsed the loaches and snails with water, then replaced it with clean fresh water and threw in a handful of salt. This was the fastest way to make loaches and snails spit out mud and impurities.
Actually, it would be better to keep the freshly caught loaches and snails in clean water for a few days before cooking so they could purge their systems more thoroughly, which improves the texture. If kept in mountain spring water, it would be even better.
Unfortunately, there were only two wooden buckets at home, and both were frequently used, so they couldn’t be occupied for long.
Life would be much more convenient with a fish pond at home.
Once the thought entered Lin Shu’s mind, she couldn’t stop it.
In front of the house was the stream water used by villagers; this water could only be channeled, not dammed. But behind the house was the mountain spring water flowing down. The flow was quite significant, collecting into a stream that ran for nearly a hundred yards before flowing into the ditch by the fields.
Lin Shu couldn’t help but set her sights on that mountain spring water.
However, there was no rush. Digging a large pond would take a lot of effort, and it was currently a busy season. The only laborers in the family were Father and Zhou Ye. She would wait until they were less busy to speak up. In the meantime, she would cook several good meals for them; once they were well-fed and satisfied, everything would be negotiable.
“Big Sister! Big Sister! The ‘Stinking Lady’ juice in the ceramic pot has turned into a big block of green tofu!” Lin Xiaopu suddenly shouted with joy.
He Guixiang leaned over to look as well, her expression equally surprised.
Lin Shu washed her hands and, with a smile, took a kitchen knife to cut a large section and place it on a plate.
Once the Guanyinchai juice solidified, it became an emerald-green, translucent jelly-like block. It was slippery and tender like jelly, with a strong, fresh fragrance that felt cool and refreshing in the mouth—an excellent delicacy for cooling down in the sweltering heat.
It was delicious with nothing added but a bit of salt. If one preferred a stronger flavor, one could top it with chili oil, minced garlic, and chopped onions, drizzled with vinegar and light soy sauce; unfortunately, chili peppers had not yet been introduced to the Dayuan Dynasty.
Making it sweet was also an option—mixing in some sugar and sprinkling dried fruits. If there were milk, it could even be made into a sweet drink similar to milk tea.
Lin Shu took a thin bamboo skewer and drew a grid over the emerald block; the large piece instantly fell into small squares. She then sprinkled a small spoonful of salt and added some minced wild onions and garlic. This dish of leaf jelly, as green as emerald, was ready.
“This snack is called ‘Guanyin Tofu.’ Mother, Xiaopu, hurry and get your chopsticks to try it!”
No need for Lin Shu to remind her; Lin Xiaopu had already brought over all the spoons and chopsticks.
Just one bite in, and her eyes rounded with surprise. “Slippery, tender, and so icy-cool. It’s truly delicious!”
He Guixiang said nothing, but she had already eaten two pieces in a row.