Chapter 101 Announcing to Everyone

Chapter 101 Announcing to Everyone

As the sky began to lighten, voices echoed through the alleyway. Those who had yet to finish harvesting their crops in the fields were already gathering their farming tools.

Zhao Xiping woke up at the commotion. He opened his eyes and looked at the woman in his arms. The warmth from under the quilt had flushed her cheeks lightly. He restrained his eager hands and quietly slipped out of bed, lifting the quilt carefully.

Sui Yu was startled awake. She squinted her eyes but before she could discern anything, a wave of sleepiness washed over her again, and she fell back asleep, pressing into the quilt.

Zhao Xiping chuckled softly. He put on a thin shirt and martial pants, then picked up the clothes that had been dirtied on the floor and took them outside.

The door creaked open and closed again.

The chickens wandered around the courtyard, clucking loudly when they saw someone come out.

Zhao Xiping went to the kitchen, scooped a bowl of beans, and scattered them outside. With food in their beaks, the chickens quieted down.

He soaked the dirty clothes and bedding in water, then bent down to enter the kitchen to start cooking. Just as he lit the fire under the pot, Zhao Xiaomi and Sui Liang woke up.

"Third Brother, what are we having for breakfast?" Zhao Xiaomi asked.

"I see there are still some taro roots left. Let's have taro porridge this morning," Zhao Xiping said, noticing her loud voice. He handed her a bowl and instructed, "Go with Sui Liang to the street and buy a bowl of pig blood. We don't have many vegetables at home, so we can stir-fry a dish of pig blood to go with the porridge. Do you have money? You can pay first, and I'll reimburse you later."

Zhao Xiaomi glanced towards the main house, about to speak, but a large hand appeared in front of her face. She hastily turned away and ran into the side room to get money.

Zhao Xiping stood at the kitchen door, his face dark, watching her. When Zhao Xiaomi came out with the money, she kept her head down, not daring to look around anymore.

Sui Liang was puzzled. They were just talking, why did he suddenly want to hit her?

"Go with her. If she says anything nonsense to you, come back and tell me, and I'll slap her mouth," Zhao Xiping told Sui Liang.

Zhao Xiaomi waited outside the door, and when Sui Liang joined her, they walked together toward the alley entrance.

"Why does my brother want to hit me?" Sui Liang asked. "Are you unwilling to spend the money? He said he'd pay you back."

"It's not that; you don't understand," Zhao Xiaomi shook her head. She decided to keep her eyes to herself and not look around anymore. Her Third Brother wasn't one to tolerate such behavior, and if she really angered him, he wouldn't care who she was—he would send her away.

The chickens, now fed, left the courtyard, and it became quiet again. Zhao Xiping took advantage of the peace to wash the clothes and bedding, then hung them out to dry.

By then, the porridge in the pot was boiling. Zhao Xiping propped the lid open with a spoon and went to wake Sui Yu. At this moment, he felt the inconvenience again. If it weren't for Xiaomi, he could have made up an excuse to keep Sui Liang occupied, allowing Sui Yu to sleep as long as she wanted.

Feeling satisfied, he fetched clean clothes from a wooden chest and helped Sui Yu dress. Considering that the two buying pig blood might return at any moment, he moved cautiously.

Sui Yu watched him with half-closed eyes, lifting her hands and legs cooperatively.

"The meal is almost ready; you should get up," Zhao Xiping said, carrying her horizontally. He adjusted her slightly and remarked, "You've lost a bit of weight."

Sui Yu wrapped her arms around his neck and cooed, "It's nice having you at home."

"You didn't say that last night."

Sui Yu instantly got angry and bit him through his clothes.

After a bit of playfulness, she became more alert. Sui Yu stepped down, combed her hair, and went out to wash her face and rinse her mouth.

The door was wide open, and Zhao Xiping was tidying up the bedding inside. Once the smell dissipated, he took twenty copper coins and left the house.

Zhao Xiaomi and Sui Liang returned. Seeing Zhao Xiping, she instinctively lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze.

"Give me the pig blood," Zhao Xiping extended his hand and passed her the twenty copper coins.

Zhao Xiaomi refused, "There's no need to be so clear-cut, right?"

"You keep your savings for yourself. While staying at our house, you don't need to pay for food or drinks," Zhao Xiping insisted, forcefully pushing the coins into her hand.

Sui Yu emerged from the woodshed and said, "At your brother and sister-in-law's place, it's not right for you to pay for groceries. Keep your money."

Zhao Xiaomi stood there for a moment, holding the coins. As the aroma wafted from the kitchen, she approached and said, "Third Sister, give me less pay next time. Five silver coins will do."

Sui Yu gave her a puzzled look.

"My parents are still alive; I shouldn't be supported by Third Brother..."

"Don't talk nonsense. Liang isn't his real brother, yet he still supports him. How much more so for you, his real sister," Sui Yu frowned, leaning against the stove. "If it were last year, with less income, I wouldn't have extra money to give you. But this year, both your brother and I earn money. We can afford another mouth to feed, so stay here and stop worrying."

Zhao Xiaomi glanced at her brother and said, "My sister-in-law is the best."

Zhao Xiping ignored her.

"The dishes are ready; let's eat," Sui Yu called out. "Don't delay; I have things to do after breakfast."

The dining table had become a bed again, and the family ended up squatting in the kitchen to eat. Sui Yu felt her legs ache and couldn't squat anymore, so she took her bowl outside and sat on a stone to drink her porridge.

After breakfast, Zhao Xiaomi washed the dishes and fed the pigs while Sui Yu instructed Zhao Xiping to bring out the pickled eggs from the jar. She led him to deliver the eggs.

"Old Tu doesn't like others staring at his bald head. Don't stare at his head when you see him," Sui Yu reminded him.

When they met Old Tu, Zhao Xiping wasn't sure where to look. Old Tu was shorter than him, and looking down revealed a head as round as a pickled egg.

"Is this your man?" Old Tu asked.

Sui Yu nodded and explained, "He just returned from a mission yesterday. I'm bringing him to meet you. In the future, if there are too many items, I'll have him deliver them."

Old Tu didn't like Zhao Xiping, finding him awkward and uppity, like a noble from the imperial city. He didn't want to spend money on a sour face and insisted that Sui Yu accompany him on deliveries.

After settling the payment for the eggs, as they walked away, Zhao Xiping said, "Old Tu really doesn't like others looking at his bald head. I didn't dare look, but he still seemed unhappy."

"So be it. There won't be many more business trips this year. Once it gets cold, there won't be any caravans heading south," Sui Yu jingled the string of copper coins and said, "Buy Xiaomi a bed soon. I still need that table for my stall."

Hearing this, Zhao Xiping didn't return home. Instead, he took Sui Yu straight to the carpenter's house, where there happened to be two beds available. He spent two taels and three mace of silver to buy one.

In the afternoon, Zhao Xiping went around asking who had any old doors they didn’t need. After two days of effort, he bought four old doors. He divided the side room in half, dug a trench in the middle to bury the door panels, and left a small door for entering and exiting, which could be covered with a curtain.

"Xiaomi, you’ll sleep inside. You’re a girl, so it’s more convenient for changing clothes," Sui Yu arranged. "It will be a bit darker inside, so I’ll add a lamp for you. When you go in during the day to find something, light an oil lamp, but otherwise, it won’t affect anything."

Zhao Xiaomi had no objections.

"Liáng, don’t go into Xiaomi’s room unless necessary," Sui Yu instructed.

Sui Liang nodded.

"Let’s make do for now. Once we save enough money, we’ll move to a bigger house," Sui Yu said.

As soon as she finished speaking, there was a knock at the gate. It was the person delivering the reward, just as Zhao Xiping had mentioned: fifty pounds of pork and a small jar of wine.

After the person left, someone curious asked, "Captain Zhao, I heard you escorted the envoy this time and were gone for half a year. Is that all the reward? Didn’t they promote you?"

Zhao Xiping hesitated for a moment, considering that everything was already settled, he didn’t hide it: "No promotion. I used my merit to get Sui Yu and Sui Liang out of slavery."

The crowd was stunned, looking at him in disbelief and then turning their gaze to Sui Yu.

Sui Yu had imagined this day many times, always thinking about what expression she should have. But when it truly came, she couldn’t pretend. She looked at the man in the crowd with gratitude, thanking him for saving her from hardship and giving her freedom.

With twenty or thirty people in the yard, everyone fell silent. Those watching didn’t know how to react. They couldn’t speak, only thinking that this man was truly foolish, risking his life for such a thing.

"Haha, good news," Uncle Old Niu said, holding a child in his arms, envious: "I’m not capable. If I were, I’d want to fight for my A’shui too."

The women around thought it was fortunate their sons hadn’t married slaves; otherwise, it would have been a loss.

"Everyone, leave now. We need to cure the meat," Zhao Xiping said, ushering them away.

These people didn’t stay long, leaving the Zhao family’s door, discussing the matter.

"Third Sister-in-Law, does this mean you’re no longer a slave?" Zhao Xiaomi was delighted. "From now on, your parents won’t look down on you anymore. Come back with us for the New Year this year."

Sui Yu smiled and hugged her, saying, "You really are like my own sister, always thinking of me."

Zhao Xiaomi held her face and tilted her head, saying, "Isn’t marrying a man about relying on him for support? You’re so beautiful, can earn money, and aren’t afraid of hard work or dirt. How many men wouldn’t marry you? My Third Brother is illiterate and rough, and there are plenty of men like him. If he did nothing, he wouldn’t have kept you."

Zhao Xiping chuckled, realizing he needed to see this sister differently.

Sui Yu held Zhao Xiaomi’s hand, saying, "Sister, you’re very clever. Thank you for speaking well of me."

"I’m just telling the truth. If you hadn’t fallen on hard times, my Third Brother wouldn’t have married you." Zhao Xiaomi spoke frankly. She had lived here for half a year and had heard about Sui Ling. Every time she saw her Third Sister-in-Law’s face, she was grateful that Sui Yu wasn’t like Sui Ling; otherwise, this family wouldn’t have kept her.

"When I go back, I’ll talk to Mother. Now that you’re free, if she still acts badly and drives you away, she’ll regret it," Zhao Xiaomi said playfully.

"How could that happen? I’m with your Third Brother for life," Sui Yu said, walking towards the kitchen. "Don’t say anything to Mother. I’m not going back because of her. We have camels, pigs, and chickens at home; someone needs to take care of them."

"Alright then," Zhao Xiaomi didn’t insist further.

Of the fifty pounds of pork, six and a half pounds were fatty pork. Sui Yu cut it off to stew, and the rest was salted and hung up. With the cool weather, it could be made into cured meat.

Without spices, Sui Yu used brine instead. The pork was first boiled to remove blood, then cut into pieces and fried to extract the fat. When almost done, she added two bowls of brine for color and a spoonful of wine to remove the fishy taste.

"Why are you doing it this way?" Zhao Xiaomi asked, puzzled.

"The brine has flavor. Didn’t you use it to mix noodles before?" Sui Yu prepared the dough, saying, "After this meal, we’ll continue selling food to earn money."

Zhao Xiaomi had no objections. She thought for a moment and added some wood to the stove. Then she ran out to find her Third Brother and whispered a few words to him.

"Okay, I understand. From now on, when you go to sell food, I’ll come over at mealtime."

"Remember to change into clean clothes and dress neatly before coming," Zhao Xiaomi worried he might be overshadowed by others; she also cared about her reputation.

"The fire is dying! Someone needs to tend to it," Sui Yu called out loudly.

"I’m coming, I’m coming," Zhao Xiaomi hurried over.

Sui Liang came in and glanced around, seeing he wasn’t needed. He called to Cat Officer and went back outside to dig worms for the chickens.

After kneading about ten pounds of dough, the sky darkened, and the pot of meat emitted a rich aroma. The brownish-red fatty pork was cooked until tender, and the dried vegetables absorbed all the sauce. When served in a bowl, sprinkled with green scallions, it looked incredibly appetizing.

People and cats gathered. Cat Officer circled around the legs, meowing and trying to climb up.

Sui Yu gave it two pieces of meat in its bowl, saying, "Here, here, eat first. You’re almost scratching my meat off."

With the cat eating, the kitchen finally quieted down. Zhao Xiping brought the wine jar, saying, "Let’s have a drink. Xiaomi and Sui Liang can have a little too."

Zhao Xiaomi had never tasted wine before. She eagerly brought a bowl, poured the wine, and took a sip. It was spicy and not very pleasant.

"Let’s raise our bowls and toast to Sui Yu and Liáng getting out of slavery," Sui Yu raised her bowl.

The four of them drank together.

"Another toast to Captain Zhao’s safe return."

They drank again.

"This last one is just for Liáng and me. Let’s toast to your brother-in-law, thanking him for everything he’s done for us," Sui Yu lowered her bowl slightly, touched it lightly with the other, and drank it all.

Zhao Xiping felt dizzy even before getting drunk. He looked at Sui Yu, seeing tears shimmering in her eyes. He gripped the bowl tightly and drank the remaining wine in one gulp.

Zhao Xiaomi quickly refilled his bowl. Sui Liang had already raised his bowl, tears streaming down his face, choking back sobs.

"Alright, alright, everything is in the wine," Zhao Xiping tapped bowls together, unable to bear seeing others cry.

Zhao Xiping drank, and Sui Liang gulped his down, cheeks puffed.

After finishing the meat, Cat Officer meowed again.

"You're such a buzzkill." Zhao Xiaomi tosses a piece of meat to it. "We humans haven't even tasted it yet, and how much have you eaten, you cat?"

"Let's eat too." Sui Yu picks up a piece of meat and feeds it to herself. The meat is tender and fragrant, not greasy at all, making the effort worthwhile.

All four of them have good appetites, devouring the meat as if it were dumplings, each piece gone in two bites, barely chewed before swallowing.

Halfway through their meal, Sui Yu boils water to cook noodles. Once the noodles are done, she scoops out half a bowl and pours some oil over it to feed the cat, which has been yowling nonstop until its voice is almost hoarse.