Transmigrator Meets Reincarnator

Chapter 194: Aunt

Instead, Chu Lian changed the topic. "Since the border troops have come out victorious, there's even more reason to celebrate. I've thought of some foods we can have for New Year's. Go and discuss it with Wenqing, then put all the ingredients we need on this list and hand it over to Manager Qin."

After all that had happened ever since they had come to Liangzhou, Wenlan was very happy to see that her mistress had finally recovered the mood to cook up some good food. Chu Lian had just mentioned the food offhandedly and Wenlan was already bubbling with questions about what she was going to make this time.

Although they were stuck out here in rural Liangzhou, Chu Lian didn't want to just make do for this New Year. Anyway, they weren't going to make it back to the capital in time for New Year's Day, so why not make their own preparations here and have some nice festivities with He Changdi?

Thus, for the following days, Wenqing, Wenlan, and Chu Lian made spring rolls, dumpling skins, then the actual dumplings, new year cake, and all sorts of assorted snacks...

Time passed so quickly that, in the blink of an eye, it was already the night of the Kitchen God Festival. Chu Lian and the maidservants prayed to the Kitchen God before they sat down with Urihan and her sons for a hearty dinner. At first, Wenqing and Wenlan weren't willing to sit at the same table as their mistress, but after Chu Lian shot them a warning look, the two of them sat down awkwardly.

The table was filled with all sorts of food. A huge hotpot was placed right in the center with plenty of ingredients next to it. There were thin slices of beef and mutton, tofu, clean sheep intestines, dried vegetables, beancurd skin, beef meatballs...

Chu Lian and a whole group of maidservants had been kept busy the whole day in order to prepare this authentic 'Chongqing hotpot'.

Other than the lack of fresh vegetables, it was pretty much the same as the modern Chongqing hotpot.

There was some weak yellow rice wine, especially suited for women to drink, warming over the brazier. Chu Lian waved her hand to signal the maidservants to start cooking.

The He Estate in Liangzhou was filled with people making merry and enjoying the festivities. Even the outer court was no exception, with Li Xing and the old soldiers leading the celebrations.

However, it wasn't so peaceful and lively back in the capital's Jing'an Estate.

At the end of November, the estate had been greeted with the news that Heir Jing'an's servant concubine, Miaozhen, was pregnant.

On the very same day, the heir's wife, Madam Zou, had burst out in a fit of temper and broken the teacup in her hand. She had even brought Senior Servant Qiao and her handmaid, Jinshui, to Miaozhen's courtyard to make a fuss.

Miaozhen had almost been force fed some herbal medicine to make her miscarry.

Luckily, her maidservant had been quick-witted enough to run away and report the situation to Countess Jing'an, Madam Liu.

When Madam Liu had heard what was going on, she flipped her lid and pushed her sickly body out of bed to stop Madam Zou.

Following that, she had brought Miaozhen back to her side so that she could have a peaceful pregnancy.

However, after forcing herself out of bed and having her blood pressure shoot up from her anger, the efforts that Great Doctor Miao had put into strengthening her body were completely wasted. The state of her health was back to where they started.

Since Madam Zou had no other outlet to vent her anger on, when He Changqi returned to the estate, she had another huge quarrel with him.

He Dalang had been feeling guilty about the whole mess at first, but after what Madam Zou put him through, that little bit of guilt instantly disappeared.