Chapter 94: Bravery in the Alcohol Fumes
Chapter 94: Bravery in the Alcohol Fumes
"Where did the Old Shopkeeper go?"
"Ah, why is the young miss still covering her face? She hasn't gone out for so long, and even when she did, we didn't get to see her..."
"She smells so good, hehe, she just passed by me..."
Seeing the Old Shopkeeper and Wu He's Junior Sister leave, the Apprentices felt a bit curious, especially regretting not getting to see Wu He's beautiful face. Of course, some were more sensitive and felt a bit uneasy.
In the past, the Shopkeeper always lived in the Inner Courtyard. Although he didn't show up much, having such a powerful person around made them feel secure. Suddenly, he left at night, which made them feel a bit uneasy.
"Don't just stand there."
Hu Ma said, "We won't patrol tonight, but the lanterns still need to be lit."
With the Shopkeeper gone, Hu Ma was now in charge of the Manor. The Apprentices didn't dare to be careless and quickly went to hang the lanterns.
The Manor had three such lanterns, one large and two small. The smaller ones were usually carried during night patrols, while the large one was hung at the entrance of the Manor.
They seemed to be made of some kind of leather, extremely tough yet as thin as cicada wings, and a deep red like blood. Inside was an oil lamp with a secret oil paste that could burn for a long time after a single refill.
The oil in the lamp was now low, so Hu Ma immediately ordered someone to add more lamp oil.
Soon, the lanterns were lit, but Hu Ma didn't let them hang them back up. Instead, he brought them into the Inner Courtyard, picked a tall pole, and hung the lanterns in the Outer Courtyard, lighting everything up red.
Looking up at the red lanterns hanging overhead, the Apprentices exchanged glances, feeling a bit uneasy.
Although they didn't know what was going on, seeing the Old Shopkeeper leave and Hu Ma hang the lanterns in the courtyard made them feel the atmosphere was a bit strange.
"Hu... Hu Manager..."
Someone, mustering up the courage, asked softly, "Is something going to happen today?"
As soon as he spoke, the others quickly turned to look at him, their eyes filled with a mixture of shock and fear.
"No..."
Hu Ma smiled and turned to them, saying, "It's just that it's getting close to the New Year, and the Shopkeeper has some arrangements. The rules are a bit different from before."
"That's right, about the things you were concerned about, I've asked for you."
He seemed very pleased as he continued, "We're all new here, but this year, we can go home for the New Year. Not only that, but we'll also receive money and grain. Everyone can go home with pride."
"Ah?"
The Apprentices had been worried about this, and upon hearing this, they were overjoyed.
Just being able to go home and have a New Year's Eve dinner was already a big deal, and they could actually take money and grain back?
For a moment, they thought they were dreaming. When they confirmed the joy on each other's faces, their excitement was almost overwhelming.
Hu Ma was very satisfied with their reaction.
He had no choice. If he had told them what was going to happen, they would have worried and scared themselves, weakening their courage and the furnace fire, making them vulnerable to Evil Spirits.
Even the brave ones would be scared by others, as fear is contagious.
But if he told them something happy, their spirits would rise, and the furnace fire would be strong, effectively warding off Evil Spirits.
People feel spirited when they are happy, and that's the reason.
For a moment, everyone forgot about the lanterns overhead and surrounded Hu Ma, asking when they could go home and how much money and grain they would receive.
Hu Ma explained everything to them, and the Apprentices were overjoyed.
Just as the excitement was spreading, suddenly, a sound of a rattle drum came from outside the courtyard wall.
In the dead of night, with everything quiet, the sound of the rattle drum was especially clear. At the same time, a faint light appeared where the sound came from, which was quite strange.
The Apprentices quickly climbed onto stools to look outside the Manor and were startled.
In this small town, where everyone usually went to bed early, the mud paths were now lit by a few lanterns. In the distance, they could see an old man performing a shadow puppet show under the lanterns.
Not just him, there were others too: a man juggling, another with a monkey show, and someone selling candy skewers.
This small town, with only a hundred or so households, mostly did business with merchants traveling to and from Mingzhou Prefecture. Now, with fewer travelers and not being in the city, how did so many performers suddenly appear?
The lively performances had no audience. For whom were they performing?
Especially, they were performing enthusiastically, but no one was watching. Every household had their doors and windows tightly shut.
This stark contrast made everyone feel uneasy. The Apprentice who climbed the wall to look outside came down with a pale face, wanting to say something but unable to.
Hu Ma didn't need to look. Just hearing the sound of the rattle drum, he understood what was happening.
Seeing the hesitation on the faces of the apprentices, Hu Ma deliberately laughed and said, "It takes a brain to put on a performance. The people in this town are so stingy that no one gives them any money. Aren't they performing for the ghosts?"
The apprentices tried to laugh along, but they couldn't quite manage it.
However, Hu Ma seemed to ignore their reactions. He waved his hand and said, "We should have given them some money, but the innkeeper said we can't go out. So, we'll just enjoy their free show today."
"Li Wa Zi, Hu Zi, how’s the cooking coming along?"
As he spoke, he looked towards the kitchen and called out, "The innkeeper isn’t here today, so I’m in charge."
"Don’t just make that pickled vegetable and corn porridge. Slaughter a sheep, cut some meat. There are a few jars of wine in the innkeeper’s room; I’ll bring them back. Let’s celebrate the New Year today."
"..."
"What?"
The apprentices were stunned, thinking they must be dreaming.
Most of the people who came to this village were from poor families. Even those with some wealth could hardly afford meat more than a few times a year. Even in the village, where they talked about being supplied with blood food, they only got a tiny bit each day, and it didn’t taste the same as the pork, beef, or mutton they craved.
In short, they were used to a vegetarian diet, rarely seeing meat. The last time Hu Ma brought some sheep from the village, it was just for show, not for eating.
But now, Hu Ma’s sudden decision filled them with joy and disbelief.
Seeing Hu Ma’s smile, they realized he wasn’t joking and immediately burst into cheers, eagerly starting to prepare.
They fetched basins, sharpened knives, and boiled water, coaxing the sheep to the basin.
Even Li Wa Zi and the others in the kitchen were stunned. They had never expected to prepare such a hearty meal today.
Since they were going to eat it themselves, they put in their best effort. They used everything they usually didn’t dare to use, filling the pot, while Hu Ma really brought out a few jars of wine from the inner courtyard and had them boil a pot of red sugar water to help with the hangover later.
Not only that, Hu Ma even went into the kitchen and found a clay jar with about two or three pounds of frozen meat, which was the Green Taisui supplied for the apprentices in the village.
Though it looked like a lot, it was actually the monthly ration for everyone. He waved his hand and told Li Wa Zi to cook it all, promising the apprentices that they could eat and drink freely today, and he would ask the innkeeper for more tomorrow.
The idea of having both sheep and such a large piece of Green Taisui made the apprentices more excited than during the New Year. They worked enthusiastically, preparing the meal.
Amidst the lively scene, only Zhou Datong’s eyes had a peculiar look. He couldn’t ask directly but gave Hu Ma a meaningful glance.
Hu Ma didn’t explain, just nodded at him. Zhou Datong immediately understood and kicked one of the apprentices, scolding, "You’ve never had good food."
"What do you mean by cutting it into small pieces and stewing it?"
"Today, Brother Hu Ma is treating us. We should roast the whole sheep and cut it with knives. It will be delicious!"
"..."
"Who’s so rich they can eat sheep like that?"
The apprentices, hearing this, could only imagine the taste, and their mouths started to water.
Hu Ma, hearing this, confirmed something in his mind. Zhou Datong’s grandfather must have been quite greedy in the village, able to afford whole sheep.
But Zhou Datong’s suggestion was met with immediate agreement from everyone. They quickly built a stone stove in the yard, gathered enough firewood, lit the fire, and placed the sheep on it.
Those with knives immediately took them out, eager to cut the meat. Even those without knives grabbed kitchen knives, and Zhao Zhu even brought a manure fork, though he was forced to throw it aside.
"Alright, let’s open the wine and start the feast!"
Two tables were set up in the yard, filled with the rare delicacies of the village. A fire was burning next to them, with the sheep roasting on it.
Hu Ma silently calculated the time. Seeing that it was about right, he laughed, lifted his wine bowl, and led the apprentices in a big drink, then started to eat the meat with great enthusiasm.
As night deepened and the surroundings grew silent, a deep red lantern hung overhead, creating a strange atmosphere.
But the apprentices were genuinely happy, shouting and arguing, completely dispelling the eerie ambiance.
Just as the atmosphere reached its peak, and they were so engrossed in eating that they forgot about the performers outside, a creaking sound came from the main gate. The tightly locked door was suddenly blown open by the wind.
A pale face appeared in the dark doorway, looked inside, and then quickly retreated.
The apprentices were startled, their hands holding wine bowls frozen in place.
Hu Ma sensed the change in their mood and suddenly laughed, "Hey, who’s that young lady, missing her man and wanting to come back with us for the New Year?"
The apprentices were momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter again.
(End of Chapter)
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