Chapter 3: Sorghum Candy

Chapter 3: Sorghum Candy

"Making candy? With sorghum?" Hu Qiuyan couldn't contain her curiosity.

The people of Du Village were familiar with three types of sugar in their daily lives. One was cane sugar transported from the south, which cost one hundred and twenty wen (a unit of currency) per jin (approximately 0.5 kilograms). Villagers only bought one or two liang (a unit of weight) during the New Year to enjoy as a treat.

Another was malt candy, which children loved and could be bought in town. Making malt candy required a lot of grain, which made it expensive. A small stick cost three wen, enough to buy an egg.

The most common type was the red beetroot casually planted in the fields. Although not as sweet as the first two types and more laborious to eat, it was cheap and abundant. Planting four or five rows and storing them in a cool place would last a year.

Hu Qiuyan had never heard of using sorghum to make candy—sorghum was plentiful in the northeastern countryside. If it were possible, those who knew how would have already made a fortune.

"Besides sorghum, I'll also need corn and beetroot. Once it's done, I'll invite Auntie Qiuyan to try it."

"Then I'll be waiting," Hu Qiuyan said, not entirely convinced but not discouraging Qiu Huanian either.

She figured Qiu Huanian was upset with Zhao and Fu Bao, which is why he was so determined to make candy. She thought he would give up after a few days of trying. After all, sorghum was cheap, and even if it failed, it could still be eaten as grain, so nothing would go to waste.

Qiu Huanian handed two eggs to Hu Qiuyan, "Auntie, you've gone through a lot of trouble. Take these eggs back for the kids."

Qiu Huanian had been worried that Baoquan's family might not deliver as promised, so he had asked the clan leader to send someone to accompany them. Since they had gone through the trouble, it was only fair to offer some compensation.

After a few polite refusals, Hu Qiuyan finally accepted the eggs, her smile growing wider. Brother Hua was not only good-looking but also handled things well. No wonder Sister Li had doted on him so much when she was alive.

"Brother Hua, Auntie has something to ask you. When is your man coming back?"

"..."

Hearing the words "your man" directly, Qiu Huanian nearly choked and took a moment to recover.

While he was attracted to men, he wasn't interested in just anyone.

In his past life, he was young, successful, good-looking, and had a charming personality. Men who pursued him could form a circle, and some were quite eligible, but he hadn't been interested in any of them, focusing entirely on his work and making videos.

In this life, he had been assigned a "husband" right from the start. Qiu Huanian didn't resent the situation itself, but he wasn't going to accept it casually either.

He saw the other person as a responsibility inherited from the original owner, just like Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng. He planned to find a suitable wife for the other person in the future, while he himself would treat him as a brother.

If Du's eldest son was unreasonable and insisted on forcing the issue, Qiu Huanian had a way out.

"It's said that a section of the main road from the capital to here is damaged, causing delays. He should be back in about half a month," Qiu Huanian recalled.

Two months ago, Li the Widow had fallen seriously ill and finally stopped holding on. She sent a message to her eldest son in the capital to return. However, the illness didn't wait, and less than ten days after the message was sent, Li the Widow passed away.

After a lifetime of hard work for her family, she had made all arrangements and passed away peacefully.

The original owner was grief-stricken and could only send another message to Du's eldest son in the capital while arranging Li the Widow's funeral.

A few days ago, a reply finally came from Du's eldest son, bringing the bad news that his teacher had been imprisoned, and he had been trapped for several months. Only recently had he managed to leave the capital under the pretext of returning home to mourn his mother.

"It's good that he's coming back soon. Your family is full of young people, and having an adult man around will make things much easier. Half a month is just in time for this year's spring planting."

Even if he couldn't pass the imperial exams, farming would still be a viable option.

Seeing Hu Qiuyan's hesitant expression, as if she had more to say, Qiu Huanian guessed, "Auntie, do you have something to ask of my eldest son?"

Calling him "my husband" was something he would never do!

"Well, when your eldest son returns, he'll need to find a livelihood. If he plans to open a private school in the village, I'd like to ask him to teach my Yun Kang."

Qiu Huanian understood that studying was quite a costly affair at the time. Du Village's conditions were relatively good compared to the surrounding areas, but there was no village school in the village. The nearest place for children to receive an education was a village school run by an old scholar in the town.

It took half an hour by mule cart and an hour on foot to travel from Du Village to the town. For villagers accustomed to traveling on foot, this wasn't too far, but kids couldn't go to school alone and needed an adult to take them. During the busy farming season, who had the time for that?

Hu Qiuyan thought that Du's eldest son, after all, had been recognized as a prodigy by a great scholar and had studied in the capital for many years. Even if his future prospects were cut short, his knowledge was still impressive.

If he opened a village school, it would be convenient and affordable for her son, Yun Kang, to get an education.

After the news spread that Du's eldest son was returning to the village, Hu Qiuyan had this idea in mind. However, since Li the Widow's funeral had just concluded, she thought it wasn't the right time to ask. Today, she finally found the opportunity.

If it weren't for needing a favor, she wouldn't have been so eager, even helping to butcher and pluck the chicken before bringing it over.

Qiu Huanian understood but didn't immediately agree. "We'll have to wait until the eldest son returns and see what he thinks. He didn't mention opening a village school in his letter, so I can't make any promises."

Hu Qiuyan was puzzled. Don't scholars who don't pass the higher exams usually open village schools to make a living? If they didn't rely on this to earn money, wouldn't their studies be in vain?

Qiu Huanian made up a few excuses to brush off Hu Qiuyan's doubts.

Actually, he wanted his husband to keep studying for the imperial exams. Just like in modern times, where education could change one's fate, in ancient times, the best way to achieve class mobility was through studying and passing the imperial exams. This was also the best investment with the highest return.

Du's eldest son was nineteen this year and had once been known as a prodigy. He had studied under a great scholar in the capital for many years, making him a prime candidate for the imperial exams.

—If it weren't for the fact that the Yu Dynasty didn't allow men like him to take the exams, Qiu Huanian would have considered taking them himself.

Wasn't it just studying? After studying hard for twelve years to get into a top university in his past life, would he be scared?

Unfortunately, he couldn't take the exams, so he had to find a roundabout way to invest in Du's eldest son.

But before that, he needed to figure out what kind of person Du's eldest son was and how much his teacher's imprisonment would affect his chances of passing the imperial exams.

Speaking of this, Qiu Huanian noticed something puzzling in the original owner's memories.

"Auntie Qiuyan, I remember that the eldest son's letter was delivered directly to our house. Why did the contents of the letter spread throughout the village so quickly?"

Hu Qiuyan frowned. "I heard it from others. Wasn't it your family who spread the news?"

Qiu Huanian shook his head. "Who would spread bad news about their own family for no reason?"

Hu Qiuyan realized something was amiss. She and Qiu Huanian's family were now on the same side, so she immediately said, "Brother Hua, don't worry. I'll go back and help you find out who started the rumor."

"Thank you, Auntie."

"Don't mention it. I'm still waiting to taste the sorghum candy you're making." Hu Qiuyan joked before leaving.

After she left, Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng gathered around, eagerly eyeing the chicken on the stove.

Since the Du family's decline, the two children only got to eat meat during the New Year.

"Brother Hua, are we going to sell the chicken in town for money?" Jiu Jiu asked softly.

"No, we'll cook it to nourish ourselves," Qiu Huanian replied with a smile.

To encourage the people to focus on production and recovery, the Yu Dynasty had shortened the mourning period compared to the previous dynasty. One month was for heavy mourning, and twelve months marked the end of the mourning period. Therefore, they were now allowed to eat meat.

Jiu Jiu and Chun Sheng cheered and volunteered to gather firewood.

Qiu Huanian washed his hands and prepared to cook the freshly slaughtered chicken.

He first thought of stir-frying the chicken but found the meat too tough, so he went with chicken soup instead.

The chicken, weighing over two pounds after being slaughtered, was first chopped into small pieces and soaked in lightly salted water for half an hour along with the heart, liver, and other innards. Then, it was fished out and put into a pot to boil. This not only seasoned the meat but also removed any fishy taste and enhanced its freshness.

With no spices available, only a bit of salt could be added. A small bunch of tender green onions from the garden was chopped and added for flavor. Fortunately, the old rooster itself had more flavor than modern fast-grown chickens, making the soup taste authentic.

While the chicken soup was cooking, Qiu Huanian also fished out some pickled vegetables and shredded them. He cooked a pot of rice mixed with sorghum grains, and the enticing aroma of the rice and meat drifted over the courtyard walls, attracting the attention of many passing villagers.

"Is Brother Hua's family having meat today?"

"Don't you know? Fu Bao caused trouble this afternoon, and Baoquan's family compensated with a chicken."

"I heard Brother Hua, in front of the clan leader, took a long firewood knife and swung it right at Baoquan's family's face!"

"She had it coming, she's been domineering for years, and now she's been put in her place by a young man..."

The walls in the countryside are not soundproof, and the discussions outside more or less reached Qiu Huanian, who was cooking by the wall.

He smiled and loudly called into the house, "Jiu Jiu, Chun Sheng, come and have some chicken soup! This chicken will last us for three or four meals!"

Jiu Jiu put down her needlework, and Chun Sheng stopped organizing the firewood he had gathered. Both hurried to the stove, eager to dish out the meal.

Qiu Huanian served half a bowl of rice to each, along with a few pieces of meat and a spoonful of soup. The leftover meat and soup were kept in separate basins. The cool temperature allowed the meat and soup to stay fresh for a few days.

"Is it good?" Qiu Huanian asked them at the small table.

Jiu Jiu closed her eyes and carefully took a sip of the soup, then exclaimed, "Delicious!"

"Especially delicious!" Chun Sheng followed.

Qiu Huanian laughed. The chicken soup, though simply seasoned, was quite plain, but for these two children, it was a rare delicacy.

Outside, the sky gradually darkened, and the villagers who had been working outside began to return. The sound of dogs barking and children playing and running around came from beyond the courtyard walls.

Qiu Huanian leaned over to light the oil lamp on the table. The bean-sized flame burst open, casting a warm, soft yellow glow over the thatched house. The damp, earthy scent drifted in through the open door, hinting at spring.

Qiu Huanian smiled as he watched the two thin, adorable children happily eating. Unconsciously, the chicken soup in his own hand also seemed to taste better.

He had always cherished such a life in his past life—solid, free, and close to nature. Although it was also tiring, every drop of sweat fell into his own hands.

However, in his previous life, when he returned to the countryside alone, he often felt lonely.

After being reborn, facing a completely new environment and the two children he had just met today, he actually felt a warm sense of stability.

Perhaps it was the inherited memories from the original host that subtly influenced him in some ways, or perhaps it was because everything now coincided with his inner desires to some extent.

Because lamp oil was too expensive, rural people generally went to bed early and rose early. After dinner and cleaning up the dishes, Qiu Huanian taught the two children to wash their faces and rinse their mouths with clean water. He then heated the kang with them and sent them off to sleep.

Having been busy all day and dealing with the incident of Fu Bao pushing someone and the confrontation in the courtyard, Qiu Huanian bolted the door, took off his outer clothes, and as soon as his head touched the pillow, he fell asleep, sinking into a deep, sweet dream.

The next day, as the sky began to lighten, the crowing of the neighbor's chicken woke Qiu Huanian.

Judging by the sky, it was at most six o'clock. He got up from the kang, not feeling sleepy at all, but rather refreshed and clear-headed. The injury on the back of his head from the previous day had also miraculously healed almost completely.

Carefully getting up without waking the two children, Qiu Huanian put on his outer clothes and went to the yard to deal with the sorghum he had soaked the day before.

He was going to make a traditional snack that was considered modern but had no record in the original host's memory—Sorghum Candy.