Chapter 340: Guiding the Nation, Unique and Unparalleled

Chapter 340: Guiding the Nation, Unique and Unparalleled

  Evening.

  Naye Village.

  After the sky darkened, the villagers began to gather at Deng Shirong's house to watch television.

  In fact, since the village was connected to electricity, the Naye Deng clan had acquired quite a few televisions, but most of the villagers were accustomed to gathering at the clan head's house to watch TV.

  Before the Spring Festival Gala began, everyone would chat about family matters or listen to the clan head discuss national affairs, which was a very interesting activity for the villagers.

  While chatting about family matters, the conversation inevitably turned to Deng Shirong's son-in-law, and Deng YunGui remarked, "Uncle Jiu, I didn't know until now that your son-in-law has been to the battlefield. I heard he received a second-class merit for fighting against Baiyan Nan. That's really impressive!"

  Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Indeed, he has some skills. Soldiers who have been to the battlefield are all good men."

  Deng YunQiang added, "Speaking of Baiyan Nan, that country doesn't seem very large, but it's also quite strong, managing to fight against us for so many years."

  Deng YunFeng responded, "Military strength can't be measured by the size of a country. Back in the day, Xiaori was just a small country, but its military strength was much stronger than ours. They almost conquered us."

  "Xiaori's military strength was indeed strong, there's no denying that. As for Baiyan Nan..."

  Deng Shirong scoffed and said, "Baiyan Nan has no real military strength. They can bully weaker countries, but compared to our country, they fall far short. In 1979, during the lightning war, we even reached their capital. If we hadn't withdrawn voluntarily, they wouldn't have had the chance to provoke us at the border. They would have been driven back in disarray.

  The reason they've been able to fight against us for so many years is that our country has deliberately allowed it."

  Upon hearing this, the villagers present showed surprised expressions.

  In this era, information was tightly controlled, unlike in the future where one could easily access various information online. Therefore, the villagers had no idea how the war between our country and Baiyan Nan was progressing, let alone our strategic goals.

  Deng ChangFu couldn't help but ask, "Grandfather Jiu, why does our country do this? What benefits does it bring us?"

  Deng Shirong smiled and explained, "Our country has two main purposes for doing this. The first is to train our troops. Everyone knows that only soldiers who have been to the battlefield and seen bloodshed have true combat capability. Such training opportunities don't come around often.

  At the same time, our country uses newly developed weapons in this war for testing, further enhancing our military strength.

  Additionally, we can use the artillery shells that are about to expire, avoiding waste. It's a win on multiple fronts."

  Deng YunGui looked enlightened and said, "No wonder Baiyan Nan has been able to fight against our country for so long. I thought they were strong, but it turns out our country is using them for training!"

  Deng YunQiang smiled broadly and said, "So, our country's combat strength is still very strong."

  Deng ChangDong asked, "Grandfather Jiu, what is the second purpose of our country?"

  "The second purpose is to drain Baiyan Nan and the old brother in the north," Deng Shirong said.

  "Currently, Baiyan Nan is being held back by our country's forces, deeply mired in the war. A large number of young and able-bodied laborers have been lost in the conflict. After the war with our country, it will likely be half-crippled. Even with several decades, it may not fully recover.

  The old brother in the north isn't faring much better. It is already mired in the war in Afghanistan and has to provide military aid to Baiyan Nan to fight against us, spending up to two billion dollars annually on aid.

  Moreover, it has to invest a large amount of money in the arms race.

  Such a massive economic burden is unsustainable. Just watch, if things continue like this, our old brother won't be far from collapse."

  Deng ChangFu asked in surprise, "Grandfather Jiu, the old brother in the north is allied with Baiyan Nan?"

  The others were also confused, completely unaware of the current international situation.

  Deng Shirong explained, "With our support and that of the old brother, Baiyan Nan defeated the Americans and became overconfident, thinking they were the world's third power after the U.S. and the Soviet Union. They no longer respect our country. The details are long and complicated, but in short, they are now following the old brother."

  Deng YunGui sighed, "In the early days of our country, we had such a good relationship with the old brother. It's a shame that we ended up as enemies!"

  Deng Shirong said, "There's nothing to be sorry about. The old brother isn't a good person. They only want a compliant little brother, not a true ally. If we had obediently followed their lead, everything would have been fine. But once we didn't, their attitude changed instantly."

  Deng ChangPing remarked, "You, Grandfather Jiu, are truly knowledgeable. I can't understand the relationships between countries at all. For example, our relationship with the Americans and Xiaori. We fought each other to the death, but now we are friendly again. It's completely incomprehensible."

Deng Shirong laughed and said, "There's no other way around it. The U.S. and the Soviet Union are the only two superpowers in the world today. When we were on good terms with the old brother, we naturally had no contact with the Americans and Xiaori, and we would have done everything to crush them if we had the chance.

"But now that the old brother has turned against us, our country, no matter how powerful, can't fight two superpowers at the same time. We can only temporarily set aside past grievances and unite to get through the current crisis."

"Grandfather Jiu, do you think how long our country will continue this training war?"

"It's hard to say, but I guess it will continue until Baiyan Nan and the old brother can no longer sustain it."

"Let's stop talking. The Spring Festival Gala is about to start!"

"Let's watch the gala. I wonder what funny crosstalk and skits there will be this year."

"..."

After discussing national affairs for a while, everyone turned their attention to the TV as the Spring Festival Gala began.

While watching the gala with his clan, Deng Shirong was silently contemplating. The old brother in the north was not far from disintegration. Should he take the opportunity to fish in troubled waters and bring back some good things?

Although the old brother in the north existed for a short time, it was undeniable that it was a formidable country with many advanced technologies far ahead of ours. Bringing back anything useful would greatly benefit our country's technological development.

Deng Shirong was willing to contribute his share to the country, but he couldn't expose his system space, and he didn't want to become a focus of national attention. Even if he managed to get something good, he wouldn't be able to contribute it to the country.

Therefore, he was still unsure whether he should make the trip.

...

The second day of the Lunar New Year.

Today, relatives would come over, and his eldest daughter would bring her husband back. Deng Shirong naturally planned to prepare a sumptuous meal. He left home on his motorcycle before dawn and returned around nine in the morning with a large load of fresh goods.

He had bought flower crabs, large shrimp, mudworms, oysters, clams, scallops, pig stomachs, and beef bones, all of the highest quality.

These items were not bought today but had been stored in his system space over time. He left early on his motorcycle just to find an excuse to retrieve them from the space. In reality, he didn't go to the mountain pass but drove to a brick factory, took out his bed from the space, and took a nap before driving back home.

Next, Deng Shirong went into the kitchen alone to start preparing the ingredients.

Although his children and daughters-in-law wanted to help, he sent them all out.

The main reason he didn't need help was that Deng Shirong had learned to use his system space to process ingredients.

Previously, he only used the system space for storage. Later, he discovered that he could use the space perspective to observe every subtle change. On the train, Deng Shirong kept his eyes closed, but he could still observe the facial expressions of the suspected human traffickers and the unknown young woman as they acted.

Then, he found that he could use the system space to clean. As long as something was within the space's coverage, he could collect all the dirt and make the items look brand new.

Now, he used the same method to process ingredients. By putting the ingredients into the space, he could control them with his mind, separating them according to his wishes.

This method made the ingredients not only aesthetically pleasing but also very clean, with no dirt at all.

About half an hour later, relatives started to arrive one by one.

Around ten o'clock, Deng Yunzhen and Zhu Junjie returned to her parents' house.

"Father, Happy New Year!"

Deng Yunzhen and Zhu Junjie put down their gifts and went to the kitchen to greet their father.

"Yes, Happy New Year!"

Deng Shirong put down the ingredients he was handling, washed his hands, and asked, "Did you come by bus or on bicycles?"

Deng Yunzhen replied, "We came on bicycles."

Deng Shirong said, "Riding bicycles can be quite troublesome. After the New Year, find some time to learn how to ride a motorcycle. When you buy one, it will be much more convenient to go anywhere."

Zhu Junjie nodded and said, "Sure, Father. After the New Year, I'll learn with Yunzhen."

Deng Shirong said, "Alright, you two go and have tea and chat with Third Aunt and Uncle. I've almost finished processing the ingredients and am about to start cooking."

"Father, what delicious dishes are you preparing today? I'll help you with the fire."

At this, Deng Yunzhen looked at Zhu Junjie and said, "You go out and have tea and chat with Third Aunt and Uncle."

Zhu Junjie responded and left.

Deng Yunzhen had just started the fire when Zhang Xiuping walked in and said with a smile, "Yunzhen, you're a guest today. I'll help with the fire. You should go out and have tea and wait for the meal."

Deng Yunzhen couldn't help but laugh and said, "Sister-in-law, why are you being so formal with me? You go out and entertain the guests. I'll handle this. It's a good opportunity for me to chat with Father."

Zhang Xiuping said, "Alright then, just call me if you need any help."

After the eldest daughter-in-law left, Deng Shirong rinsed the pot clean and asked, "Ahzhen, are you doing well at your in-laws' place?"

While tending to the fire, Deng Yunzhen replied, "It's okay. His parents are very nice to me, but I'm still not used to it. I don't feel as comfortable as I do at home."

Deng Shirong said, "That's normal. When you move to a new family, it takes time to adapt. Besides, you'll be back in the county town soon, so even if you're not used to it, it will only be for a few more days."

Deng Yunzhen nodded and said, "Yes, I plan to return with him on the fifth day of the New Year, and then we'll go back to the county town on the sixth day."

By now, the pot was hot, and Deng Shirong added two large scoops of lard. Once the lard melted, he added cassia bark, star anise, bay leaves, ginger slices, garlic, dried chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns, stir-frying them on low heat to release their fragrance. Then, he added Sichuan broad bean paste to stir-fry until the red oil was released.

He put in the previously blanched beef bones, added an appropriate amount of soy sauce and oyster sauce, and stir-fried until they were well-coated. After that, he poured in a bottle of beer and added enough water, along with salt, then covered the pot.

After completing the entire process, Deng Shirong instructed, "You can turn up the heat. Once the water boils, simmer it for about an hour."

While increasing the heat, Deng Yunzhen asked, "Dad, these beef bones don't seem to have much meat. What are we supposed to eat?"

Deng Shirong said, "This dish is mainly about the tendons and crunchy bones. There's not much meat, but there is some. It's a great side dish for drinking, and it's very satisfying to gnaw on."

As they chatted while cooking, Xiaodong'er ran in and jumped into Deng Yunzhen's arms, saying, "Big Auntie, you're finally back! I missed you so much!"

Deng Shirong laughed and said, "During the reunion dinner, Xiaodong'er kept asking when you would be back."

Deng Yunzhen sat Xiaodong'er on her lap and smiled, "Big Auntie missed you too. Have you been a good girl at home?"

Xiaodong'er nodded seriously, "I've been good. I didn't play with water, I didn't get my clothes dirty, and I finished all my meals. Mom praised me. Dongzi, on the other hand, has been naughty. He always gets his clothes dirty, and Mom was so angry she wanted to spank him."

Deng Yunzhen kissed her cheek and praised, "Xiaodong'er is such a good girl. After dinner, Big Auntie will give you a big red envelope. Since Dongzi has been naughty, he'll only get a small one."

Xiaodong'er kissed her back and beamed, "Thank you, Big Auntie."

...

At noon, one delicious dish after another was brought to the table.

When they started eating, the spicy and fragrant beef bones were particularly popular.

While gnawing on a bone, Zhu Junjie praised, "Dad, your cooking skills are really amazing. Even the master chefs at Shuifeng Restaurant can't match the taste of your dishes."

Deng Yunzhen said proudly, "That's true. Dad is the best at everything he does. He used to be the most famous potter in our brigade, making pots that were both light and sturdy. No one can match his skills even now."

Deng Shirong sighed, "With the development of the times, pottery is gradually losing its market. I estimate that in another two or three years, the pottery factory will no longer be able to operate."

Deng YunTai recalled that his father had mentioned this a few years ago, and at the time, he thought his father was being overly worried. However, the market did indeed change, and the sales of the pottery factory were no longer as robust as they were a few years ago.

According to YunGui, although pottery could still be sold, it required constant relocation. Sometimes, they had to visit two or three places to sell a truckload of goods, which was far from the previous demand.

Of course, the income from the pottery factory was no longer significant to Deng YunTai. The main point was that this situation once again proved his father's foresight.

If his father said the pottery factory would not be able to operate in another two or three years, it was likely to be true.

Thinking about this, Deng YunTai responded, "If it can't operate, we'll just close it. After all, we don't need that income anymore."

In his previous life, Deng Shirong had dealt with the pottery factory for decades and had a deep emotional connection to it. In this life, he planned to buy the factory when it was about to close down.

He would wait for the rise of short videos and then find an opportunity to upload videos of pottery-making to the internet, preserving these techniques for future generations. It would be a shame if these thousand-year-old techniques were lost due to the passing of the older generation.

Especially his skills in making large pots were extremely refined, and the key techniques must be passed down.

Even though pottery might not have much use in the future, it is an essential part of our five-thousand-year-old Chinese civilization and must not be allowed to disappear.

After discussing the pottery factory, Deng Shirong turned to his eldest son-in-law and asked, "Ahjie, tomorrow I plan to make some huishuihe for Yunheng to take to the capital to give to his leaders. I'll also prepare some for Yunsong to take to school for the school leaders and his mentors. Do you want me to prepare some for your leaders as well?"

Zhu Junjie shook his head and said, "No need, huishuihe is a rare delicacy in the capital, and those leaders probably haven't tasted it. However, the leaders in Bobai are not short of it, so giving them huishuihe is no different from giving ordinary fruits."

Deng Shirong nodded and said, "That's true. But even if we don't give it to the leaders, we can keep it for our own family to eat. After all, we're making it together, and making a bit more won't be much trouble."

Deng Yunzhen added, "Dad, make more then. Although they make huishuihe at his place, it doesn't taste as good as yours."

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Alright, I'll make more. I'll also prepare some for your sister-in-law to take back to her parents' house."

...

The next day, Deng Shirong led his children and daughters-in-law in making huishuihe.

Huishuihe, sometimes called ciba in other places, is quite different from ciba.

The process of making ciba involves soaking rice, steaming it, pounding it, forming it into a ball, and adding ingredients.

The specific steps are as follows: wash the glutinous rice, remove the chaff and impurities, soak it for more than 4 hours, drain the water, and steam it until it is about 90% cooked.

Pour the steamed glutinous rice into a mortar and use a foot-operated pestle or a handheld "T"-shaped mallet to pound it. Because glutinous rice is sticky and the rice is hot, a basin of cold water and a person to assist (to prevent the rice from sticking) are needed.

The methods of making ciba vary from place to place, and the finished products can look very different, as shown in the following image:

Ciba from different regions can look completely different, almost like different foods.

The biggest difference between huishuihe and ciba is the use of alkaline water made from wood ash to soak the glutinous rice. This alkaline water is made from the ash of straw.

Using different types of alkaline water to soak the glutinous rice results in different flavors.

In Bangjie Village, the ash is typically made from peanut shells, soybean stalks, sesame stalks, or pine wood (each material is burned separately, and only one type of ash is used to make the alkaline water), and then the coarse particles are sieved out.

Next, boiling water is poured over the wood ash, and the resulting alkaline water is collected.

After filtering and settling to obtain clean alkaline water, it is used to soak the glutinous rice, as shown in the following image:

The key to the taste of huishuihe lies in the amount of wood ash used and the soaking time of the glutinous rice. If too much wood ash is used or the soaking time is too long, the huishuihe will have a bitter taste.

If too little wood ash is used or the soaking time is too short, the huishuihe will have a bland taste with no special aroma.

When both factors are controlled properly, the huishuihe will have a fragrant aroma. For example, if pine wood ash is used, the huishuihe will have a pine wood fragrance, which is very satisfying to eat.

Because the use of wood ash is the most distinctive feature of huishuihe, it is called huishuihe by the locals.

Thus, while huishuihe can be considered a type of ciba, it is different from ciba in all other regions, making it a unique local delicacy.

Whether in his previous life or this one, Deng Shirong has made huishuihe many times. With his culinary skills, he can easily handle it.

When the glutinous rice is steamed and poured into the mortar, an extremely rich aroma fills the air. This aroma is unique to glutinous rice soaked in alkaline water. Deng Shirong's children and daughters-in-law know how good it tastes, so they all take a small piece to eat.

The taste is truly delicious!

The next steps in making huishuihe are similar to making ciba: using a handheld "T"-shaped mallet to pound the glutinous rice until it is completely sticky and no longer looks like individual grains of rice.

Then, the mixture is placed in a container, cooled, and vacuum-packed.

The vacuum-packing machine was borrowed from a food company by Deng Shirong.

The finished huishuihe looks like the following image:

In Bobai, the most common way to eat huishuihe is by frying it, whether savory or sweet, the taste is excellent.

After vacuum-packing, the huishuihe is placed in mooncake boxes.

These mooncake boxes were purchased by Deng Shirong from a food company. While they are not as elegant as the high-end mooncake boxes of the future, they are considered very high-end packaging for this era.

Deng Shirong originally thought of including a paper with instructions on how to eat huishuihe in the mooncake boxes, but then decided against it. Letting his second and third sons personally explain the eating method to their leaders would foster more communication.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end