The making of the mushroom sauce by Old Granny Zhang and her friends wasn’t a big deal, but the aroma drifted to the front and back yards, and even the neighbors could sll it.
The two little boys from Madam Gu’s household were craving it badly, but their family was very strict, so they could only lean over the wall and inhale the fragrance.
Watching this made Madam Gu’s heart ache, so she couldn’t help but laugh and scold, "They say the food from the neighbor’s pot always slls good. We make the sa mushroom dishes at ho, don’t we? How co I’ve never seen you crave it like this before?"
While saying this, she went inside, grabbed half a basket of eggs, and headed to knock on the Song Family’s door.
When she reached the Song Family’s doorstep, she realized that her two boys were at least decent—they were slling the aroma from their own wall and hadn’t embarrassed the family by going outside.
Outside the Song Family courtyard wall, a bunch of kids were gathered, biting their fingers and drooling.
Even Old Lady Li from Scholar Gu’s household couldn’t resist and had co running over. She was the first to arrive and was talking to Gu Yu, who opened the door: "What good food are you making? The aroma—it’s unbearable even from my front yard."
Lately, the little maid Gu Yu had been treated well at ho, eating and drinking good things, and everyone was kind to her, so she had grown bolder. She softly told Old Lady Li, "Hello Aunt Li, my grandmother is making mushroom sauce!"
Old Lady Li wasn’t a local, and upon encountering this unique fragrance, how could she, as a kitchen maid, sit still?
In recent days, she went out to buy groceries and saw many wild mushrooms from the mountains. She bought quite a few and cooked them at ho, but this was her first ti hearing about making sauce with them, so she beca very interested and eagerly wanted to enter the courtyard.
Madam Gu also happily followed behind and entered the courtyard.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, the aroma hit them.
The kitchen doors were open, and the fragrance was wafting out from inside.
Old Granny Zhang, having just recovered from a serious illness, was guiding the making of the mountain mushroom sauce, which was a labor-intensive task; Old Madam Ding was doing it herself.
Every family had its unique flavors and secrets when making sauce, and Old Madam Ding was essentially learning several people’s secret recipes for free. She happily insisted on doing it herself and not leaving it to others.
Madam Gu entered the kitchen and first praised the sauce’s aroma: "Auntie’s sauce is just too fragrant. I think this whole street is so captivated by it that they’re losing their souls. My two boys are almost crying from craving it. I had to swallow my pride and co to Auntie’s house to ask for a bowl to appease my two little rascals. Tomorrow, I’ll have to go buy so mushrooms and make a batch myself."
Old Granny Zhang discussed with Old Madam Ding this ti and planned to make several flavors to give away and keep enough for their own use. They bought plenty of ingredients, so such a small amount was nothing to worry about.
Moreover, it was a complint to their own produce, which made them even happier.
Right away, Old Madam Ding generously ladled a bowl for Madam Gu: "Take it ho for the children and the elderly to taste. If you like it, co over to Auntie’s house tomorrow and get more."
Madam Gu gladly agreed, took the bowl of sauce, left the eggs, and then happily headed ho with the sauce.
Outside the Song Family courtyard, the children waiting by the wall looked at the bowl of sauce in Madam Gu’s hands, shiny and golden, wishing their eyes could dive into the bowl.
One clever child, seeing that Madam Gu had quickly returned from the Song Family with a bowl of sauce, imdiately rushed ho.
Upon reaching ho, they cried and demanded that the adults go to the Song Family to ask for sauce!
Those who liked to take advantage saw their own children saying this and went along, grabbing a bowl and running to the Song Family.
This mountain mushroom sauce was delicious, but it took a lot of oil and firewood. Normally, a household would just buy a few pounds each year and make a small batch to satisfy their cravings.
Who goes about it like the Song Family, spending so freely without worrying about costs?
They all thought the Song Family must be rich, and since they were a scholar’s family, surely they valued appearances. If the neighborhood children were asking to eat, how could they refuse?
Upon arriving at the Song Family, oh my! There were quite a few with this sa idea.
There were five or six won at the door with bowls, knocking on the Song Family’s door.
Wang Yongzhu was inside morizing the "Classic of Difficult Issues," but she could only focus on inhaling the aroma from outside, captured by it so much that she couldn’t concentrate on her studies anymore.
Old Granny Zhang, knowing her daughter well, had already made two pancakes on a small stove to go with the freshly made mushroom sauce, and had washed so vegetables in preparation.
Seeing Wang Yongzhu co out, she instructed Gu Yu to serve it under the veranda and called Wang Yongzhu over to eat.
Wang Yongzhu wasn’t shy; she rolled up vegetables in the pancake, brushed on a layer of mushroom sauce, and passed one to Old Granny Zhang before making one for herself.
The salty and fragrant taste made her appetite grow.
While eating, Wang Yongzhu instructed them to make more for dinner, adding more vegetables.
In the kitchen, Old Madam Ding answered briskly.
Suddenly, they heard clamoring outside with soone knocking on the door.
Gu Yu went to the door and asked, "Who is it?"
She received multiple answers, nas from the neighboring families, and all from the street’s end...
Little Gu Yu had never encountered such a scene and was instantly bewildered, only turning back to look at Wang Yongzhu and Old Granny Zhang.
Old Granny Zhang frowned, "What’s going on today? Why is everyone coming to our house?"
Wang Yongzhu, with her keen senses, had already heard the won’s conversation outside while eating the pancake. She said, "Mother, they are drawn by the aroma of our simring sauce—"
Old Granny Zhang’s face darkened. She hadn’t spoken yet when the knocking outside grew louder, "Lady Wang, open the door quickly—"
"Indeed, why is the door closed in broad daylight?"
Soone even shouted directly, "Scholar’s Lady, be kind and open the door! My kids slled your sauce, and they’re rolling on the floor at ho crying for it. I can’t refuse them anymore! Scholar’s Lady, please open the door and spare us a bowl."
...
Old Granny Zhang’s face turned black, and she was about to roll up her sleeves and go forward.
Wang Yongzhu held her back and nodded to Old Granny Wu, who peeked out from the kitchen at the commotion. She instructed Old Granny Wu to close the kitchen door, then told Gu Yu, "Open the door!"
Gu Yu, trembling, opened the door, and seven or eight won rushed in all at once.
Each one entered the courtyard, their eyes darting around, and when they saw the kitchen, they wanted to rush in.
Old Granny Wu, strong and forthright, blocked them at the door: "What are you doing, each of you? Do you think this is your house or what? Coming into our house without so much as a greeting and heading for our kitchen, what do you intend to do?"
The won stopped and turned towards Old Granny Zhang and Wang Yongzhu under the veranda, "Oh, we’re just anxious! Our kids are crying at ho waiting to eat! Pardon us, pardon us—"
"Absolutely, Scholar’s Lady, why is the kitchen closed? Are you worried about us or what? Rest assured, we’re just here to ask for so sauce for the kids; we won’t touch anything else of yours!"
"Yes, Scholar’s Lady, don’t be stingy! It’s just a bit of mushroom sauce, not so valuable treasure. We’re not asking for much, just a bowl each to pacify the kids at ho!"
Soone even murmured, "Look at that, still a scholar’s lady, acting so petty! As the saying goes, distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors! We see each other every day, yet you can’t spare a little sauce..."
...
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