Well, in truth, it still tasted like ordinary water. However, as someone with habits cultivated over a long time, Ding Baozhu used her sensitive tongue to discern that this was water that had been boiled.
What was remarkable was that this seemingly unremarkable bowl of water possessed a faint, clear fragrance, reminiscent of some kind of grass.
As a food blogger who had already exhausted the recipes of modern cuisine, she naturally had to keep things fresh. To do so, she had turned to her ancestors for help, and during that time, she had replicated many delicacies from ancient texts.
Drinks also fell under the category of delicacies, so Ding Baozhu quickly remembered that this was most likely a bowl of “Sorghum Stalk Infusion.”
Making Sorghum Stalk Infusion was much simpler than adding spices, medicinal herbs, or flowers. One simply took a small handful of bundled rice or sorghum stalks and swirled them a few times in the water after it was boiled, just to give it a bit of flavor.
This was a method commonly used by the lower classes, but after finishing an entire bowl of noodles, it was quite good for rinsing the mouth and quenching thirst.
Ding Baozhu didn’t know if there were other shops like this around, but she understood why Ding Hong was a regular here. Especially since it was close to the Butcher’s Guild, business was bound to be good.
Ding Hong ate quickly, not even leaving behind the small side dishes. Seeing that his daughter wasn’t eating as fast as usual and even had a thoughtful expression on her face, he didn’t think much of it. He simply assumed she hadn’t been recovered for long and couldn’t handle such heavy flavors yet, which made him feel a bit of regret, thinking he had been negligent.
However, before long, Ding Baozhu was once again drawn in by the aroma and resumed eating with her head down.
After the lunch hour, Ding Hong had to go back to the Butcher’s Guild to work. This time he would be busy until the sun set in the west, so he instructed Ding Baozhu:
“Go back once you’ve had your fill of fun, so your mother won’t worry.”
He paused here as he remembered something, then added:
“The supplies at home aren’t very plentiful. I’ll give you a few more copper coins; go buy some more before you leave.”
With that, he mentioned a few things the house was lacking.
Although this daughter of his had a bad temper, she didn’t spend money recklessly, so he was quite at ease in this regard. He gave Ding Baozhu some copper coins and found a bamboo basket for her.
Ding Baozhu slung the basket over her arm and smiled:
“Leave it to me, Father. There will be something delicious waiting for you when you return tonight.”
“Heh, then I shall look forward to it.”
After the father and daughter said their goodbyes, Ding Baozhu gave a wave. A rough count of the copper coins in her palm revealed there were a full twenty-some coins, which was enough to buy some rice, oil, and seasonings.
She continued to browse the market. The Ding family usually didn’t eat expensive food; items like brown rice and coarse flour were very cheap. Even the seasonings sold in bulk were divided into several grades; the high quality ones were expensive, but the low-grade ones were relatively affordable.
For instance, sugar was divided into rock sugar, white sugar, and brown sugar. The price of rock sugar was staggering, and she couldn’t afford white sugar with the coins in her hand either, so there was almost no sign of sugar in the house.
However, the price of coarse chunks of brown sugar was relatively low. Ding Baozhu thought about it and spent a few coins to buy half a catty.
But what was even more expensive than general daily necessities were fresh vegetables and mushrooms. It was no wonder most people chose to make pickles and dried vegetables, which could be preserved for a long time and also supplemented salt intake.
After buying the brown rice, Ding Baozhu searched again before finding a place that sold glutinous rice.
She hadn’t expected the price of glutinous rice to be higher as well. It was likely because not many people specialized in planting glutinous rice, and with low production, the price was naturally high.
Despite this, Ding Baozhu still decided to buy half a catty, for the sake of the plan in her mind.
In addition to that, she bought half a catty of red beans and some bean oil. The bamboo basket she was carrying was nearly full.
After checking her items and seeing she had bought everything she needed, she prepared to head home.
However, she would likely have to travel this road back to the village on her own feet.
Fortunately, Ding Baozhu had already memorized the path back—or rather, it was just one main road. There were bound to be other people traveling back and forth; as long as she followed them, she likely wouldn’t go wrong, though it would take a bit more time.
She looked up; it was currently only the beginning of the hour of Wei (1-3 PM). The spring sun wasn’t very intense, but it still shed a bright light over the land.
In this light, after walking for a while, she actually encountered the man selling yellow sparrows again.
He was sitting cross-legged as before, but this time he wasn’t chewing on grass. Instead, he was taking small bites of something that looked like a flatbread; that was likely his lunch.
The small square cages were still in front of him. Getting closer, she noticed the chirping sounds inside were a bit quieter; some had probably truly been sold.
Ding Baozhu’s mind became a bit active. One should know that people here bought those yellow sparrows specifically to eat, not to keep as pets.
Furthermore, a full-grown chicken would cost at least dozens of coins. Unlike that, if someone wanted to taste meat, they only needed to spend a few coins on these.
Moreover, at present, she had to make the Ding family believe she possessed great culinary skills so that subsequent matters could proceed more logically…
Thinking of this, Ding Baozhu stepped forward and asked:
“Are there any yellow sparrows left? What’s the price?”
When the man eating the bread looked up and saw her, he suddenly seemed to choke. He didn’t speak for a long time before finally putting away the bread and saying calmly:
“There are two small ones left. Twelve copper coins in total.”
Ding Baozhu crouched down, and the man opened the cage lid upward.
The two little yellow sparrows scrambled to fly out, but their feet seemed to be tied, and the opening was small; they couldn’t escape no matter what.
She estimated these last two sparrows weighed a bit over a catty. Thinking about the copper coins she had left, she asked:
“They’re the last two, and they look small. How about making it a bit cheaper? I’ll take them both for ten coins. What do you think?”
The man seemed to hesitate for a moment—and for some reason, that hesitation looked a bit like deep thought.
However, in the end, he gave a quiet sigh and said:
“Alright, ten coins then.”
Immediately after, he took out a small dagger he likely carried with him and began to process the sparrows with simple movements. He produced some large leaves from somewhere, wrapped them up, and handed them over. His movements were swift, and there wasn’t even much blood.
Ding Baozhu took them and put them in her basket, smiling:
“Thanks!”
After saying that, she turned and left—time to go back and make something delicious!
The man selling the yellow sparrows, however, frowned slightly as he packed up his simple little stall.
Why did he feel… she was a bit different?
But can a person truly change so much in just a few days?
Ding Baozhu quickened her pace. When she returned to the main road, those small stalls were still there.
She spent some time looking around. Some people selling goods had set up with just a piece of cloth and a small stool, while some simply sat on the ground, much like the man selling sparrows.
She saw some who were still villagers from Xiangshan Village, but some were complete strangers, likely from other neighboring villages. The items they sold were also very distinctive.
Most importantly, after wandering around, Ding Baozhu found that the prices at this small roadside market were indeed cheaper than in town, though the selection was more limited.
Even so, at this hour, there were still crowds of people making transactions.
However… there were very few people selling food. She didn’t know if the time for that had passed, or if this road simply had the most miscellaneous goods.
Ding Baozhu didn’t buy anything else and returned to Xiangshan Village with her basket.
From a distance, she could see people already working hard in those vast paddy fields. Ding Jin, Ding Yan, and Ding Shan were certainly among them, while Ding Shao was looking after the family’s few mu of dry land.
She pushed open the wooden gate. The afternoon hours made the courtyard feel a bit quiet, with only the chickens in the coop making occasional clucking sounds.
Ding Baozhu carefully opened the door to her house and found Ding Baoqin curled up taking a nap, while Liu Ping sat to one side with her head down doing needlework. Seeing her return, Liu Ping asked with concern:
“You’re back? Did you eat lunch?”
“I ate with Father, Mother.”
Ding Baozhu answered softly and showed the basket in her hand with a smile:
“Father instructed me to buy some daily necessities, and I also bought some ingredients. I’ll make something delicious for you all tonight, okay?”
“You child, your body has just recovered; why have you started taking an interest in cooking?” Liu Ping said helplessly.
But despite her words, having culinary skills was actually a requirement for being a wife in Xiangshan Village, as well as in other places.
Ding Baozhu had originally spent all day with her father in the company of blood and knives and didn’t cook much. Liu Ping had naturally worried about it. She just hadn’t expected that after such a major event, not only had her daughter’s personality changed, but her hobbies had changed as well.
Ding Hong had already been to the Xu family, and the Xu family hadn’t caused a scene here, which meant this marriage was still possible.
It was a case where it had to happen even if it shouldn’t, so Liu Ping would only say a few words but wouldn’t stop Ding Baozhu from wanting to cook.
Ding Baozhu smiled:
“Mother, Doctor Qiu is a miraculous doctor; my wound hasn’t hurt for a long time. I even wandered around the town today and feel fine, so don’t worry.”
Doctor Qiu lived in Xiangshan Village and ran a small clinic. Usually, he specifically attended to patients seeking medical advice and medicine, and he also made house calls.
Unlike other barefoot doctors, he possessed genuine medical skills. Therefore, not only did people in this village seek him out, but people from neighboring villages would sometimes come as well.
However, his consultation fees were not cheap. Like the time Ding Baozhu hit the pillar, it had been seized upon by Madam Jiang as a topic of criticism.
While they were talking, the previously lying Ding Baoqin suddenly scrambled to sit up, rubbed her eyes, and asked:
“Sister, you went to town? No wonder I didn’t see you when I woke up. It turns out you sneaked off with Father. If I had known, I would have woken up earlier and gone with you!”
“Were you even sleeping, with ears that sharp?”
Ding Baozhu sighed, then pulled the oil-paper bundle from the basket and said:
“How could I not think of you? These are jujube paste pastries. Share them with Mother and Baozhen, but they should be warmed up before eating…”
Although the original owner had a bad temper, her relationship with her own sisters and even her female cousins wasn’t bad.
Ding Baoqin immediately beamed and took them. She opened the bundle, picked one out, and took a bite, saying indistinctly:
“I knew Big Sister was thinking of us, hehe…”
Ding Baozhu felt helpless and turned to ask Liu Ping:
“Mother, is the stone mill still at home? I want to use it.”
“It’s kept in the old place. Why are you using that at this time?” Liu Ping asked in confusion.
Ding Baozhu gave a mysterious smile: “Naturally, to make food. Mother, just wait and see.”
Hearing this from the side, Ding Baoqin finished the jujube cake in two or three bites, slapped the crumbs off her hands, and scrambled off the bed, insisting:
“Big Sister, I’ll help you!”
As she spoke, she grabbed Ding Baozhu’s hand and pulled her out of the room—as long as she acted as a little assistant, she would surely be the first one to taste any fresh food!
“Oh, slow down, you two!”
Liu Ping called out from behind, but the two of them were already gone, so she could only shake her head.
Aside from Baozhen, who was relatively quiet, they truly all had the same personality. She wondered whose side they took after?