Chapter 7: Spicy Braised Pig Trotters

Half a month earlier, after Xu Ning had left Li Yaozu lying in the field, she had quietly inquired about Li Yaozu’s family from the villagers on the ox cart ride to town.

But this family’s reputation in the village was outrageously bad. The moment their family was mentioned, everyone would launch into endless curses—not a single person on the cart was willing to speak a word in their favor.

Li Yaozu idled about all day, chasing chickens and provoking dogs in the village. Whenever he saw a somewhat pretty woman, he wished he could glue his eyeballs to her, and from time to time he would harass decent women. And once someone went to their house to reason with them, Mother Li would turn around and accuse the other party of seducing her precious son.

Most of the villagers had long harbored resentment. But fearing damage to their own daughters’ reputations, most chose to swallow their anger. Occasionally, when they encountered a tougher family, he would get a beating—but he remained exactly as he was, not changing one bit.

Moreover, although Li Yaozu was lustful, when it came to outrageous actions he had the desire but not the courage. The villagers could do nothing about them.

Xu Ning also learned that Mother Li was greedy, stingy, and fond of showing off. After returning home, she relayed everything she had learned to Li Xiufang.

The Xu family had no concubines, and the inner quarters were very clean. But when Li Xiufang was still an unmarried girl, the dirty affairs of the inner quarters had been common enough. After Xu Ning had thoroughly investigated the Li family, Li Xiufang immediately had an idea.

First she had Xu Ning send someone to a neighboring town to make two bracelets in the capital style. In the middle of the night, one was left unnoticed at the Li family’s doorstep. When Mother Li got up the next morning and saw it, she immediately claimed it as her own, and even went around boasting to others that her Yaozu had bought it for her.

Combined with today’s farce, it was enough to make the Li family take a hard fall.

Seeing this, Mother Li hastily grabbed her precious son and turned to flee.

Xu Ning shot Huo Xiangli a look. Huo Xiangli, who had not taken more than a few steps, instantly pulled his foot back and blocked the two who were trying to slip away.

He sneered, his expression dark and vicious. “Want to leave? You called me a lover for no reason—this isn’t over!”

In the end, Huo Xiangli was responsible for stopping them, while Xu Ning went to town to report the matter to the officials.

After busying themselves for most of the day, the farce ended with Li Yaozu being publicly given twenty strokes of the plank and thrown into prison.

When the Xu family learned of this, they cheered inwardly, wishing they could set off firecrackers on the spot to celebrate. This bastard had finally gotten the retribution he deserved.

The last trace of gloom in Xu Ning’s heart also completely dispersed. She planned to make a good meal today to reward the family.

By the time she reached the market, it was already evening, and only a scattered few vendors were still hawking their goods. She bought two jin of shiitake mushrooms from one vendor, but after looking around she could not find the meat dish she wanted—the meat left in the market was no longer very fresh.

She was about to give up and just make a vegetarian feast when a pork stall caught her attention. It was not the pork on the stall that drew her eye, but the fact that she actually saw pig trotters there!

She could not help but brighten up. She absolutely loved pig trotters. She bought out every pig trotter on the stall, so heavy she could barely lift them. Once Huo Xiangli’s internal injuries were seventy or eighty percent healed, she would definitely put this laborer to use, she thought.

Perhaps the people of this era did not know how to prepare pig offal, and most people did not like eating it. So when the old man at the pork stall saw her buy all the pig trotters, he smiled so wide his teeth showed. Still, inwardly he muttered that this person must be a fool—who would buy so much of the offal no one ate?

——

The moment Xu Ning returned home, she stepped into the kitchen. When Xu Ran saw her sister enter the kitchen, she knew there was good food again. She skipped in after her.

“Elder Sister~, let me help you! I’m not like Brother-in-law, who only knows how to eat all day and doesn’t do any work!” she said in her childish language.

But what she said was indeed true. In a child’s eyes, during his injury Huo Xiangli did nothing but eat, sleep, and spend money.

Xu Ning patted her head and smiled. “Brother-in-law can help us hold down the house. Ranran, don’t hold it against him.”

Today, quite a few of the onlookers had eyed their family with ill intent. But the moment they heard that the burly, intimidating-looking Huo Xiangli was her husband, their gazes immediately restrained themselves considerably. No matter what, Huo Xiangli’s presence had indeed solved many troubles for them.

“Mmm~, all right! Then I won’t hold it against him.” Xu Ran shook her head as she washed the shiitake mushrooms. The loose hair on her bun buns swayed, and the baby fat that had begun to return on her cheeks quivered. She looked utterly innocent and adorable.

Xu Ning first singed the surface of the pig trotters over fire, then scrubbed the skin clean. This process could largely remove the gamey smell of the trotters.

Then she put the trotters into a pot of cold water, added scallion, ginger, and wine, and blanched them. Once the water boiled and white foam floated to the surface, she fished the trotters out.

She heated oil in a cold wok, added white sugar, and when the sugar bubbled and turned caramel-colored, she poured the trotters into the wok and stir-fried until they were evenly colored.

Then she added her homemade chili paste and seasonings. The aromas of the various ingredients were instantly released. Now she could cover the pot—after about half an hour of simmering, dinner would be ready.

While it simmered, she made a quick stir-fried shiitake mushroom dish. She heated the wok and added oil, then minced garlic. Once the garlic fragrance spread through the air, she mixed the seasonings into the oil, finally put the shiitake mushrooms into the wok, and when they became tender and springy, the dish was ready.

“How is he?” Xu Ning asked casually when she saw Xu Shu come in.

Xu Shu washed her hands before answering: “His external wounds are almost healed, but I don’t know much about this internal injury. If it’s to be treated, we need to find a doctor skilled in that area.”

Xu Ning nodded slightly. “I’ll take him to town tomorrow to have a look. The townspeople say Doctor Chen in Xinghua Lane is excellent at treating internal injuries.” She raised her eyes to Xu Shu and added, “Do you want to come along and take a look?”

Xu Shu’s movements paused, and she struggled inwardly.

When the family was still well-off, they had considered finding her a master to properly study under. But… the doctors in the capital skilled at regulating internal injuries, upon hearing that she was a young lady of the inner quarters, refused without a second thought.

“Better not. It’s fine as it is now.” She met Xu Ning’s gaze, her eyes seemingly calm and unruffled, but after so many years as sisters, Xu Ning could still see the faint, barely noticeable loneliness in them.

Xu Ning said no more, only gently took her hand.

The warmth lasted barely a few breaths before a tender child’s voice reached Xu Ning’s ear. “Elder Sister, I’m about to faint from how good it smells—can we eat now?” With that, she stood on her tiptoes and patted the stove, the drool at the corner of her mouth nearly falling to the floor.

Xu Ning and Xu Shu could not help but laugh. Xu Ning walked over and scraped her little nose. “You greedy girl. But our Ranran is still growing, so eating more is only right—that’s how you’ll grow strong and sturdy.”

“Okay.” Xu Ran replied innocently. “Once I’m strong, I’ll definitely protect you all well and knock out one bad guy with a single punch!”

With that, she even waved her little fist. Young as she was, she still understood that the family had run into trouble these past few days.

“Then Ranran had better eat a lot later.” Xu Shu walked over and flicked her forehead with a smile.

Xu Ran nodded vigorously.

Looking at this warm scene, Xu Ning unconsciously wore a contented smile. Her apricot eyes seemed to hold stars, bright enough to dazzle. Faint light bathed her, and a breeze brushed her hair—she looked utterly gentle.

When Huo Xiangli walked into the kitchen and saw her smile, he was somewhat stunned. Xu Ning had smiled at him before, but most of those smiles had been fake and sinister. So this was what she looked like when she truly smiled, he thought.

“What are you doing here?” Xu Ning asked in confusion.

“Here to help.” He turned his head to one side, his expression somewhat unnatural.

He was a man, after all, and his injuries were somewhat better now. He could not let them do everything while he just waited to eat for free.

Xu Ning nodded. “All right. Then take this out.” After Xu Ning ladled the spicy braised pig trotters into a clay pot, she said.

Huo Xiangli took the pot and walked out. The fragrance of the pig trotters kept rushing into his nose. He swallowed and suddenly felt hungry.

Ever since he had agreed to marry her, his treatment regarding food had improved considerably. He ate fragrantly almost every day—the female bandit’s cooking was truly excellent, and every time he finished eating he was still savoring it.

The imperial chefs in the palace were not bad either, but the female bandit’s food was simply too novel—he had never eaten anything like it in the palace.

He wondered what they were eating today. He unconsciously quickened his pace.

He had barely set the clay pot on the dining table when Xu Ning brought out the stir-fried shiitake mushrooms.

The family, plus the newly married son-in-law, gathered around the dining table to eat.

After the elders at the table picked up their chopsticks, Huo Xiangli impatiently picked up a piece of pig trotter. It was stewed to utter tenderness, trembling as it was lifted. The reddish-brown sauce and green scallions clung to the surface of the trotter—just looking at it opened the appetite.

The moment it entered his mouth, the first thing he tasted was the soft, sticky pig skin and the rich, savory sauce. After chewing twice, the lean meat, already thoroughly flavored by the stew, revealed itself. The texture was rich and layered, sweet and spicy—it could not have been more delicious!

One piece of pig trotter was quickly finished. He picked up another large piece and savored it carefully.

“What dish is this?” Huo Xiangli asked Xu Ning quietly after swallowing the meat in his mouth.

“Do you really want to know?” Xu Ning raised an eyebrow.

She had deliberately not said because in ancient times many people regarded pig trotters, pig intestines, and other pig offal as unclean things. She was afraid that if she told them, they would not enjoy it.

Seeing her expression, Huo Xiangli suddenly did not dare ask. So he shut his mouth and continued eating.

He picked up a chopstickful of stir-fried shiitake mushrooms and put it in his mouth. The umami of the mushrooms was perfectly released, and the texture was tender and smooth. He had not expected this dish, which looked so unremarkable, to taste so extraordinarily good.

The family ate with great relish.

After the family finished eating, Xu Ning spoke: “I’m planning to go look at houses in town in a while.”

At these words, everyone at the table looked up at her.

She continued: “The village has all sorts of people. What happened before could happen again. The town is closer to the county office and the security is better. Besides, in town we won’t have to run back and forth every day—renting a house in town to live in would be much more convenient than now.”

“Let’s go tomorrow.” Li Xiufang said slowly. “I’ll go to town with you tomorrow.”

Most of the family’s silver was now kept by Li Xiufang, with a small portion with Xu Ning. Before the disaster, the authority to manage the household had been in Li Xiufang’s hands, and she had managed all the family’s various businesses. She understood this area better.

“All right.” Xu Ning nodded to Li Xiufang.

The others had no objections, and the matter was settled.

The family chatted about everyday matters for a while before dispersing to their own rooms.

Huo Xiangli followed behind Xu Ning, walking slowly, no one knew what he was thinking.

Xu Ning pushed open the door and saw the room exactly as it had been when she left in the morning. She could not help but frown.

She walked to the bed and even saw a small section of Huo Xiangli’s white inner garment sticking out from under the quilt.

She turned around without warning, startling Huo Xiangli.

“W-what is it?” Huo Xiangli stammered. Seeing her pink, moist lips, he suddenly remembered last night’s scene, and the tips of his ears flushed red.

No! What was he thinking? Last night this female bandit had given him a fierce, potent drug—why was he the one feeling embarrassed? He was truly growing more and more depraved!

He had not done anything, he thought, and instantly hardened his stance. His chin lifted high, as if looking down his nose at people, utterly supercilious.

Xu Ning walked up to him. She had just raised her hand when Huo Xiangli involuntarily stepped back a few paces, his eyes full of terror. “W-w-what are you doing?”

He looked as if he feared Xu Ning would do something to him again—like a rooster defeated before the battle even began.

This female bandit was truly sinister! In his struggles against her he had suffered repeated defeats, he thought hatefully.

Xu Ning let out a light laugh. A pair of slender jade hands came to rest on his broad, firm chest, moving in small circles. She rose slightly on her tiptoes and said by his ear: “Husband, don’t panic. I only wanted to tell you not to leave your clothes lying around anymore.”

The warm breath spread over the shell of his ear. The red at the tips slowly spread to his entire ear. His whole body went rigid, and he did not know how to react.

Xu Ning backed him up to the edge of the bed.

Author’s Note: