Chapter 162: ◎Kitchen God Worship◎

Chapter 162: ◎Kitchen God Worship◎

They had a simple lunch and were busy preparing the offerings in the afternoon.

Worshipping the Kitchen God was a big deal, every household took it seriously. Take the Kitchen God's portrait for example; when they moved to the mountains, even summer clothes were packed in the second load, while the first load carried the most essential items like food and winter bedding, as well as the Kitchen God's portrait, door gods, red paper, incense and paper money, New Year couplets, and other items.

These items might not be used often, but they were valuable, especially those with characters on them. Dahex Village didn't have any scholar candidates, although the New Year was about bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, not everyone could afford new couplets every year, so even an old, corner-torn, and faded New Year couplet would be reused several times.

Only impoverished peasants would do this, and these so-called New Year couplets were just simple New Year greetings, only words without zodiac illustrations, which, though not elegant, did not violate any taboos.

For instance, if there was a rabbit illustration on last year's New Year couplet, and this year is the Year of the Dragon, wouldn't the Dragon Deity be angry if you pasted the old one?

Aunt Huang rummaged through the incense and paper money and the Kitchen God's portrait, and also took out last year's New Year couplets. These three couplets cost her a total of twenty-five copper coins—ten copper coins for the top scroll, ten copper coins for the bottom scroll, and five copper coins for the horizontal scroll. They were quite expensive!

She only pasted them for ten days last year and carefully stored them after the New Year, waiting to use them again this year.

"That scholar wanted to draw a zodiac on them, but I, your mother, am smart and stopped him in time, asking him to write the words only, without adding anything else." Aunt Huang proudly looked at her daughter-in-law. "Everyone admires scholars, and I respect them too, but scholars are poor, not just one person, but their whole family. Many people study from childhood to old age, pouring all their wealth into it, only to become scholar candidates. People call them 'old scholar candidates.' They haven't achieved any official rank and can't even distinguish millet from rice, unable to do farm work, needing someone to serve them meals, just like living lords... They are also arrogant, earning money by writing New Year couplets but feeling as if it dirties their hands, very disdainful, as if eating this meal hurts their face as scholars."

Aunt Huang almost rolled her eyes as she spoke. Dahex Village didn't have any scholar candidates, but the neighboring village did, and that old man wrote their New Year couplets. Not only did he charge a high price, but he also despised the peasants who came to seek his calligraphy. They spent money to get festive New Year greetings, bringing their own red paper, and he just wrote a few words but liked to put on airs.

"That old scholar candidate is very cunning, liking to draw zodiacs on New Year couplets. Without mentioning how ugly they are, he has many tricks, only allowing New Year couplets with zodiacs to be used for one year, so next year, you'd have to go to him again for calligraphy."

Qiu Yan listened to her mother's chatter all the way to the kitchen, where Aunt Zhao and the others had already prepared everything. The kitchen counter was spotlessly clean, and it was now dusk, the perfect time.

They posted the Kitchen God's portrait on the kitchen counter, and the offerings in plates were arranged: a plate of malt sugar, a plate of steamed fish, a plate of beans, a plate of dumplings, a slice of boiled pork, and a bowl of wine. There should have been fruit, but they couldn't find any at the moment, so they had to give up.

The malt sugar was offered in the hope that the Kitchen God would speak well in heaven, saying good things about their family to the Jade Emperor, blessing them with happiness and prosperity in the coming year; the fish and pork were part of the Three Sacrifices; the beans were for the Kitchen God's mount; the dumplings were a common offering; and the wine also had its meaning. Some families worried that the Kitchen God would say nonsense if he got drunk, so they didn't offer wine. Others deliberately got the Kitchen God drunk, thinking a tipsy deity would be more talkative, whispering in his ear, hoping he would speak well of them.

Three incense sticks were inserted into a piece of white radish, and the candles were lit. Aunt Huang, on behalf of the whole family, worshipped the Kitchen God.

There were also rules about who could worship. According to custom, only men could do so, not women. But their family didn't believe in this. Women did all the kitchen work, so why couldn't they worship? Only their worship would be sincere, what did men know, they couldn't even cook!

Aunt Huang knelt down, clasped her hands together, and devoutly bowed three times to the Kitchen God's portrait, chatting with him, "This year, we've encountered difficulties outside and moved to the mountains. We weren't able to prepare everything properly, please bear with us, we'll make up for it next year. This malt sugar was prepared by Huang and her daughter for you, the fish was caught by my eldest nephew in the cold stream, the pork comes from a pig raised by Old Lin, the beans were brought into the mountain by Niuniu and his wife, and the wine was bought by Second specifically for Brother-in-law this afternoon, as a sign of respect for you... Everyone in the family has a heart, you've seen it with your own eyes, please continue to bless our whole family next year, adults and children, and the unborn babies in the wombs, don't miss anyone, bless them all."

Peony and the others stood behind her, not daring to make a sound, listening attentively.

After chatting, Aunt Huang straightened her face and bowed, saying, "Please bless our family with smooth sailing and distance from disasters next year. Bless the two pregnant women in the family to be healthy and give birth safely. Bless the children to not get sick and grow up healthily."

The kitchen was too crowded, so Wei Dahu and the other men stood outside, holding the unusually obedient children quietly.

Every year on this day, they would worship the Kitchen God, doing it year after year. It became a custom, something they had to do, and honestly, they didn't feel much about it, worshipping for peace of mind.

But this year was different. Perhaps because of the ongoing war outside and the unstable world, they hoped for the first time that the Kitchen God would show his power. They didn't ask for wealth, just for the safety of their family.

Wei Dahu was a bit greedy, hoping that Peony wouldn't suffer during pregnancy and childbirth, and that everything would go smoothly.

It was both expectation and pleading.

After the worship, they burned the Kitchen God's portrait, sending him off. Then, Peony and the others went forward to collect the offerings, which were edible.

"Pack the sugar for Aunt Huang," Aunt Huang whispered to Peony. "The jar is in the cupboard, don't let Duck Egg and the others see, or they'll beg to eat it."

Peony nodded and was about to open the cupboard when Liu Straw, standing nearby, stopped her, "Pack what? Leave it for Duck Egg and the others to eat." As she said this, she pinched one and stuffed it into Sanhua's mouth, smiling, "We can eat it too."

Sanhua's mouth was filled with sugar, sweet enough to make her subconsciously curl her tongue around it, her eyes brightening as she said, "Straw, it's so sweet."

"I'm not sweet," Liu Straw chuckled, picking up a piece and stuffing it into Peony's mouth, straightforward, "Just eat it. The method of making malt sugar isn't difficult, but it's still a craft, I won't go into detail. This thing isn't precious, just eat it, don't save it."

Crafts were usually passed down within families, and Sanhua understood, even considerately saying, "If Aunt Huang wants to make malt sugar in the future, just tell us in advance, we'll stay away and won't peek."

Liu Straw took the plate of malt sugar to give to the children outside, laughing loudly upon hearing this, "There's no need for that, but if Sanhua wants to learn, call me sister a few more times, and if it makes me happy, I might teach you!"

"I'll never call you!" Sanhua stomped her foot and followed her into the courtyard.

"You'll call me someday!" Liu Straw confidently placed her hands on her hips and then instructed Dog and the others to line up, "Come on, line up, it's time for candy."

Having malt sugar to eat, Dog and the others were ecstatic, tilting their heads and opening their mouths to stand in a row, like baby birds in a nest waiting to be fed. Liu Straw had a lively personality and liked to tease them, picking up a piece and pretending to hesitate about whom to feed first, which made Goose Egg tug at her clothes and flatter her, calling, "Auntie Straw, feed Goose Egg first, feed Goose Egg first."

"Alright, Goose Egg has a sweet mouth, knowing how to call aunt, so I'll feed Goose Egg first." Liu Straw gently stuffed the malt sugar into Goose Egg's mouth, feeling extremely happy. She also had a day when she was surrounded by children, it was simply too joyful.

Peony watched them playing outside from the kitchen door, shaking her head with a smile, rolling up her sleeves to help her mother.

Today was the Minor New Year, and the dinner was sumptuous, with braised pig's feet, stir-fried cured meat, and a pot of mutton that had been stewing since the afternoon, its aroma wafting for half a day, making the whole family drool, working absent-mindedly. There were also dumplings specially made for the Kitchen God worship. Since they had made them, they couldn't just cook one plate, the large basin of filling had taken Second Sister-in-Law and the others half a day in the kitchen.

There was no rice tonight, the main course was dumplings.

The kitchen was bustling with activity, and when the last dish was cooked, Zhao Sufen took over, first washing the wok, then asking Peony, who was tending the fire, to add firewood. When the wok was hot, she didn't skimp on oil, scooping several large lumps of lard into it.

Many people were gathered around watching, not because they didn't know how to fry fish, but because women liked to watch others cook.

When the oil melted in the wok, Zhao Sufen picked up the small crucian carp drained of water in a small basket with chopsticks and carefully placed them in the wok. As soon as the fish touched the hot oil, a sizzling sound rang out, and the aroma immediately spread.

The finger-length small crucian carp spread out in the wok, frying until golden brown on one side before flipping it over. Once both sides were golden brown, Zhao Sufen scooped the fish out. When there was space in the wok, she continued to pick up the fish from the basket, repeating this process until the last fish was scooped out.

By this time, the kitchen counter was surrounded by people, and Fang Qiuyan couldn't resist swallowing her saliva, it smelled delicious.

She looked at the basin of fried small crispy fish. Actually, they couldn't be called small crispy fish, as they weren't coated with starch, just dry-fried. But they looked so appetizing, the scales were fried to a crisp golden brown, while the inside was tender. No seasonings were added, only a sprinkle of coarse salt for flavoring when refrying them.

"What are you all crowding around for, it's time to set the table." Aunt Huang swallowed her saliva, unable to look anymore, waving her hand to shoo them away, "Go, go, go, go set the tables. Iron Bull, Duck Egg, stop looking, hurry up and wash your hands, it's time to eat!"

Seeing the two children peering at the kitchen door, she laughed and grabbed them to wash their dirty little hands.

Fang Qiuyan and the others laughed and pushed each other, some washing their hands, some setting the table, some grabbing the children, it was very lively.

Peony put down the fire tongs, once the firewood in the stove burned out, it would be fine, no need to worry about it.

"Taste it." Zhao Sufen picked up a fish from the wok and offered it to her daughter's mouth. Seeing her reluctance to eat alone, she teased, "Let me say something selfish, this was specifically caught by Dahu for you, others can only taste it because of your luck, don't feel embarrassed, you deserve to eat it the most."

Peony no longer refused and bit into the fragrantly fried fish belly, holding the tail, taking a light bite. It was slightly scalding right out of the wok, but when she bit into it, the outside was crispy and the inside tender, the fish aroma bursting in her mouth, indescribably delicious, it was exactly the flavor she remembered.

"Delicious." Seeing her mother looking at her, unable to resist, Peach Blossom's eyes curved into a smile. "This is the taste; it soothes my heart when I eat it."

"Isn’t that so?" Zhao Sufen lifted the fish from the pot, feeling equally content. "When you’re pregnant, it’s like this – once you get what you’ve been craving, everything feels right. When your mother was carrying Full Storage, she craved sour fruits in the middle of the night, salivating just thinking about them. The feeling was indescribable, and without tasting them, she couldn’t even sleep. You were too young to remember, but your stepfather went to the back mountain late at night to pick sour fruits for me, stumbled in the dark, fell into a ditch, and came back all dusty with the fruits. It made me laugh so much... That was one of the few times your mother acted so spoiled."

A wistful expression flickered across her face, unclear whether she was missing the person or those days.

Peach Blossom held the tail of the fish in one hand and the head in the other, nibbling on the fried fish as she followed behind her mother like a little tail.

"The only thing I remember is how swollen your feet were then, and how they would cramp up at night, making it hard for you to sleep."

"It’s good your memory serves you well, remembering such things," Zhao Sufen said with a smile. "Your mother has had it pretty good. Some women have to work in the fields even when heavily pregnant if their partners aren’t considerate. Your stepfather knew how to take care of people; otherwise, Full Storage wouldn’t be called Full Storage, but ‘Born-in-the-Field’!"

In the village, names were often given haphazardly; children born in the field were named Born-in-the-Field, while others might be named Well-born, Mountain-born, or Field-born.

Carrying the fish, Zhao Sufen walked toward the bustling main room and whispered to her, "Your mother always said you were blessed, so now it’s time for you to enjoy it!"