Chapter 155: The Benchmark of Thatchfield Village
Throughout April, Deng Shirong was primarily occupied with two tasks:
The first was building the water wall and fence around his home, and the second was demolishing the old house.
After Deng Shirong completed the water wall and fence, the villagers couldn't help but feel envious.
With the water embankment and surrounding fence in place, Deng Shirong's house looked much more elegant.
To enhance the beauty further, Deng Shirong had exquisite wooden railings installed on the water wall and fence, making the entire property even more attractive.
While the villagers admired Deng Shirong for building the water wall and fence, they were baffled when he hired people to demolish the old house.
Why tear down a perfectly good house?
Even if no one lived in it anymore, couldn't it be used as a storage shed or a place to raise chickens and ducks?
For those whose houses weren't as good as Deng Shirong's old one, it felt like a slap in the face. It was as if others were struggling to make ends meet, while Deng Shirong was throwing away perfectly good resources. It was frustrating.
At the time, someone couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Jiu, this old house is still in good condition. Why tear it down?"
Deng Shirong couldn't exactly say that the old house blocked the view of the new one, so he smiled and replied, "I want to build a grain drying ground right in front of my house."
Hearing this, everyone understood.
In this era, farming was the primary occupation in rural areas, and the importance of a threshing ground was undeniable. Although the production team already had a large threshing ground, it was often crowded with so many households sharing it.
Especially during grain drying season, people had to rush to the threshing ground early to secure a spot.
If Deng Shirong built his own threshing ground, it would be incredibly convenient for drying crops.
When the neighbors learned of Deng Shirong's plan, they were secretly pleased. If the threshing ground was built, they would also benefit from it.
After the old house was demolished, the new house had a clearer view and looked even more majestic.
Deng Shirong also planted red flowers and moonflowers between the water wall and the fence for decoration. He then had the more than an acre of vacant land hardened with lime and cement.
By the time all this was completed, it was already May.
Originally, Deng Shirong's house was already the most beautiful in the countryside. With these additions, it became even more stunning.
Today, Deng Shirong's family has become the benchmark for Thatchfield Village, a goal for all villagers to aspire to.
At the end of April, people in the Double Prosperity area began cutting the leaves of the taro tree in preparation for making rice dumplings for the Dragon Boat Festival.
After cutting the langu leaves, they first trimmed off the thorns on both sides, then dried them in the sun. Once the leaves became soft, they were rolled into balls and boiled. The cooked langgu leaves were tough and resistant to rotting, making them ideal for wrapping rice dumplings.
Cooked alongside the langgu leaves were bamboo strips, peeled in advance and used to tie the rice dumplings.
On the third day of May, the entire Thatchfield Village busied itself with making rice dumplings, as the Deng family's Dragon Boat Festival was on the fourth day of May.
While the rest of the country celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of May, the Deng family in Thatchfield Village celebrated it a day earlier, a unique tradition in the region.
This tradition originated during the Republic of China era, when a notorious bandit named Long Sanba appeared in the Double Prosperity area.
In 1914, with the support of bandit leader Chong Zongfu, Long Sanba recruited over 150 thugs and bandits, armed them with 45 guns and 5 horses, and began his reign of terror. From Yulin in the north to Baisha in Hepu in the south, Long Sanba and his gang killed, burned, robbed, and committed countless atrocities, becoming the most infamous bandit in Double Prosperity's history.
One year, Long Sanba led 35 bandits to raid Thatchfield Village. Spotting oxen working in the fields, they attempted to steal them. However, the village team discovered the bandits and opened fire, killing more than 10 of Long Sanba's men and forcing him to flee.
As the bandit leader of southern Bobai, Long Sanba couldn't let this humiliation stand. After retreating, he announced that he would return to massacre the people of Thatchfield Village on the Dragon Boat Festival.
Upon hearing this, the Deng family of Thatchfield Village panicked. They celebrated the festival a day early on the fourth day of May, packed their belongings, and fled.
From that day on, the Deng family in Thatchfield Village has always celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival one day earlier than the rest of the country.
In later years, the Dragon Boat Festival would spark a nationwide debate over whether rice dumplings should be sweet or salty. For years, neither side could convince the other.
In the south, food tends to be salty, while in the north, it's sweet. Guangxi, being in the far south, naturally favors salty rice dumplings.
Of course, even among salty rice dumplings, the taste can vary greatly depending on the ingredients. Some are so delicious that people can't stop eating them, while others are so bad that no one wants a second bite.
At this time, Deng Shirong, along with his eldest daughter and daughter-in-law, was busy making traditional rice dumplings.
Zhang Xiuping, now more than three months pregnant, no longer needed to be as cautious as before. Sitting down to wrap rice dumplings wouldn't affect her.
In Double Prosperity, besides glutinous rice and pork, another essential ingredient for making rice dumplings is what locals call "Lotus Zen".
This leaf is a natural spice with a unique aroma, perfectly complementing the rice dumplings and meat, creating a delicious flavor.
As she began making the dumplings, Deng Yunzhen looked at the large pot of marinated pork and said, "Dad, you've marinated this pork so well. This year's rice dumplings will definitely taste much better than before."
Zhang Xiuping nodded in agreement. "Yes, the pork smells amazing even raw. Once it's wrapped in the dumplings, it'll be even more delicious."
Deng Shirong smiled as he started wrapping the dumplings. "Actually, the pork is already well-marinated and would taste good if stewed directly. But when wrapped in the dumplings, it absorbs the flavors of the pork and glutinous rice, making it even better."
The three of them chatted as they worked.
Deng Yunzhen had learned how to make traditional rice dumplings from her mother before she passed away. In the years since, she had been the one making the dumplings at home, though she often asked neighbors for help with seasoning.
Her technique was skillful. She first used langgu leaves to form an "8" shape, added an appropriate amount of glutinous rice soaked in alkaline water and seasoned at both ends, placed two slices of pig ash and a piece of pork in the middle, then wrapped it tightly with the remaining langgu leaves and tied it with bamboo strips.
This was how a traditional rice dumpling was made.
Deng Yunzhen then picked up a pair of scissors and trimmed the ends of the langgu leaves, marking whether the dumpling contained fatty or lean meat.
In this era, as in the future, some people couldn't eat fatty meat. To avoid waste, the dumplings were marked so those who didn't eat fat wouldn't accidentally take one.
Zhang Xiuping, as the only daughter in her family, had also been the main force in making rice dumplings at her mother's house. Her skills were just as good as her sister-in-law's.
Working together, the three of them wrapped all the rice dumplings in just over half an hour!
The next step was to cook them.
Unlike other places where rice dumplings are cooked for only an hour or so, the traditional rice dumplings in Double Prosperity are cooked for eight to ten hours. The glutinous rice inside must be cooked until no individual grains are visible and everything sticks together. Only then will it taste truly delicious.
(End of this chapter)