Chapter 261: Mid-Autumn Festival

Chapter 261: Chapter 261: Mid-Autumn Festival

In the Great Zhou dynasty, the Mid-Autumn Festival was a grand occasion, second only to the New Year and the Lantern Festival.

"The wealthy decorate their terraces and pavilions; the common folk vie for spots in taverns to admire the moon." This was how the rich celebrated.

Farming families lacked both the means and the high-minded perspective for such things. To them, the meaning of the Mid-Autumn Festival was a family reunion and a chance to eat a good meal.

On this day, even the most destitute families would find a way to have a better meal. Those who raised chickens, ducks, or geese—animals they would never bear to eat on a normal day—would grit their teeth and butcher one. They would painstakingly prepare a feast, using the festival as an excuse to satisfy the children’s cravings, and the adults could get a taste of some rich food too.

Though the celebrations were simpler and less elaborate, the measure of happiness was the same.

After breakfast, Widow Xie consulted with Ji Huan, and then took Hu Dacheng to the market to do the shopping.

Around noon, figuring they should be back by then, Ji Huan took Dabao to the Hu Family’s home.

When she entered the courtyard, they had indeed just arrived.

Widow Xie was busy unloading things from the handcart. Ji Huan went over to see what she had bought.

"We have chickens at home, so I bought an old duck. And didn’t you say you wanted to make fish balls? I got a big, fat fish for that. I also picked up some other odds and ends for vegetables, and the books you asked me to get from Boss Fang’s shop. See if it’s all there. You have no idea how crowded the streets were!"

"It’s perfect. You got everything we need. It’s just for us, so we don’t need to be too particular."

Ji Huan untied the floral-print cloth wrapping the books, gave them a quick flip-through, and then closed them.

Hu Dacheng came over carrying a small pouch, opening it to show her its contents as if presenting a treasure. "I also bought pastries and candied fruit today, and moon clusters! But Mom said we have to save the moon clusters for tonight. Sister Wan, you and Dabao should try this candied fruit. It’s so sweet!"

His "moon clusters" were what they called mooncakes.

Ji Huan smiled, picked up a piece of dried plum, and handed it to Dabao. "Have Xiao’an and Hua had any?" she asked.

"They’re asleep and haven’t woken up yet. I’ll go let them have a taste."

"Don’t let them eat too much, or they won’t have room for dinner."

"Okay!"

Hu Dacheng carried the pouch into the main hall.

Widow Xie asked Ji Huan, "What about that man? Should we..."

Although Widow Xie couldn’t wait for the wanderer to leave, it was a major festival. With every other family celebrating joyfully together, the thought of him all alone in that mud hut was rather desolate.

Ji Huan shook her head. "I went to ask him last night, but he refused to come. If he doesn’t want to, then let’s just leave it. It would be hard to explain to people if they asked, anyway. We’ll do as we always do and just send some food over after we eat."

"I suppose that’s all we can do."

Ji Huan paused for a moment before asking, "Did you go to the kiln to see Brother Liangzi?"

Going to town required passing through Daguan Village, so it was on the way.

Widow Xie sighed, a cloud of worry settling over her face.

"We went. He was so busy we barely exchanged a few words. We just gave him two mooncakes and some other food."

Seeing her son with her own eyes in that dusty kiln, so tired he was covered in grime and utterly drained of energy, all of Widow Xie’s anger melted away, leaving only a heart-wrenching ache.

"You have no idea how hot it is inside that kiln. His clothes were soaked through with sweat. He was bare-chested, and his skin looked like it had been roasted until it peeled..."

"Did you try to persuade him to come back?"

"Come back to do what? He’s a grown man now. Whatever you do, you have to endure hardship. He’ll get used to it."

Everyone who comes into this world has to roll around in bitter waters and wade through them. Who doesn’t go through that? Especially the children of poor families.

"Oh, right. Your great-uncle is also at the same kiln as Liangzi. He didn’t work today. Said an unfired brick fell on his foot. It’s not serious, but he has to rest for a few days. I mean, a man his age, what’s he doing working at a kiln? If he’s hurt and can’t work, he should just come home, especially for the festival. But he won’t. He’s just lying around the kiln quarters. I think he’s afraid of worrying his family..."

Ji Huan frowned, her thoughts unreadable. She didn’t say anything.

After some tidying and organizing, it was time to start making lunch.

For wealthy families, the main event of the Mid-Autumn Festival was in the evening. For poor families, it was usually at noon.

Ji Huan thought about why this was. ’It’s probably to save on lamp oil at night,’ she concluded.

Other than children running wild under the moonlight, what adult had the refined interest to gaze at the moon?

"The moon? It’s always the same old thing. What’s there to look at? It’s just plain crazy!"

Widow Xie’s words made Ji Huan burst out laughing.

Praying to the moon and admiring it were one thing. But the scholars and poets didn’t just admire it; they climbed towers to embrace it, boated on lakes to invite it, drank wine to compose poems about it, and even howled at it. If Widow Xie knew about all that, wouldn’t she call it even crazier?

Just imagining the scene made Ji Huan laugh uncontrollably.

No one else in the room knew what she was laughing about, but laughter is contagious, and soon they were all laughing along for no reason.

With one person tending the stove, another butchering the chicken, and others prepping the vegetables, the room was a chaotic but lively hub of activity.

Ji Huan was in charge of the cooking.

The braised pork knuckle, which Hu Dacheng had been clamoring for, had been stewing for a while.

Next, she made Four-Treasure Tofu, Soy-Braised Eggplant, Minced Pork Rolls, Fresh Bamboo Shoot and Chicken Soup, and Chestnut-Braised Pork.

She filleted the large, fat fish, using the meat to make smooth, hot-and-sour fish balls, and the bones to make fragrant, golden-crisp fried fish bones. Then came a large, steaming basin of fragrant and nourishing lamb offal and radish soup.

The final dish was Fortune Pouch Duck.

A plump duck was deboned. A small cup of glutinous rice was mixed with shiitake mushrooms, diced bamboo shoots, the "not-so-perfect" soy sauce, along with scallion, ginger, and wine. This mixture was stuffed into the duck’s belly. The duck was then placed in a basin, covered with chicken broth, and steamed thoroughly over water.

Not only was the duck meat delicious, but its belly was like a treasure trove, an absolute favorite among the children.

After just one bite, Hu Dacheng declared that his favorite dish had officially changed from braised pork knuckle to Fortune Pouch Duck.

The table had been laden with food, but in the end, every plate and bowl was empty. Thankfully, they had set aside a portion for the wanderer beforehand.

Originally, Hu Dacheng was supposed to deliver it, but after a moment’s thought, Ji Huan decided to go herself.

When she reached the mud hut, she found the wanderer in the courtyard practicing his walking. She couldn’t tell if he had just started or had been at it for a while.

Ji Huan didn’t rush in, but stood at the entrance, watching.

The wanderer gave no sign that he had noticed her; at any rate, he didn’t look up.

After completing a lap, the wanderer let go of his crutch and, without any support, actually took a few steps!

Although his steps were heavy and slow, and he stopped moving after just those few, for someone with a severed tendon, it was immense progress.

Ji Huan completely forgot that she was in the middle of a cold war with the wanderer. She put down the food basket, ran over, and helped him into the main hall to sit. "The day before yesterday you couldn’t even let go of your crutch, but you can today!" she exclaimed in pleasant surprise. "That’s incredibly fast progress!"

The wanderer glanced at her. Unlike the past two days of cold indifference, he gave a rather reserved "mhm," and she could tell he was in a good mood.

In any conflict, as long as one side is willing to extend an olive branch, the other will usually accept it.

’So, have we broken the ice now?’

Though Ji Huan herself couldn’t quite figure out why she had started a cold war with the wanderer in the first place.

’Maybe the wanderer didn’t mean anything by bringing up the purse.’

’It’s perfectly normal for a patient to depend on their doctor and feel insecure when the doctor isn’t around.’

’I was the one who was too sensitive, and then one thing led to another and we ended up arguing.’

’But even if I was at fault, the wanderer was hardly any better.’

’His temper is foul and stubborn, and I don’t know where he gets that powerful presence from. He always overwhelms me to the point where I can’t even talk back. How could I not be furious?’

She had finally come to understand that all her efforts at self-cultivation and patience were completely wasted in front of him.