Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 1212 - 382: Returning Home, Making Mooncakes_3

Chapter 1212: Chapter 382: Returning Home, Making Mooncakes_3

"Right, speaking of which, I also have something to settle with you all." Mo Yan suddenly thought of something and said to Zhao Mu and the others with a smile, "Originally, brewing wasn’t within your duties, but since we’re short on hands, we have no choice but to trouble you. Once this batch of fruit wine is sold, I will take out twelve thousand taels from the net profit to share with you all. Young Master Yan and I have decided on this after discussion."

Zhao Mu and the others were stunned and then unanimously refused, "Boss, we eat your food, wear your clothes, and live in your house. We agreed from the beginning not to take silver, what would it look like if we did now?"

"That’s right, Boss, you’ve already helped us so much. Soon, you’re going to settle another group of our brothers; with such a great kindness, we cannot repay you, and therefore we definitely shouldn’t take the silver."

"We don’t lack food or clothing. We have nowhere to spend the silver you give us. Are we supposed to take it with us to our graves?"

"..."

Mo Yan didn’t interrupt, just listened quietly until they finished, and then with one sentence made three hundred steely men’s eyes instantly redden: "You might not need it, but do your families not need it?"

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, occasionally pierced by a few suppressed sobs. These people had been away from home for far too long, so long that their longing had penetrated deep into their bones, and they reunited with their distant relatives nightly in their dreams. Their choice not to return home after being wounded did not mean they lacked affection for their families. On the contrary, it was precisely because they cared so deeply that they could not bear to burden them, living day by day, year by year, like weeds on the frontier, aimlessly, hopelessly, until life’s end.

For the younger ones like Zhao Mu, it was still bearable, as most could imagine the situation at home, but for those hundred-plus elderly men over fifty, the longest away for thirty years. They had all been in their twenties when enlisted, at a time when they had both elder and younger dependents. Now, after twenty or thirty years, they didn’t know if their aged parents were still alive, or if their young wives, presumed "widows," remarried or stayed home serving their parents, struggling to raise their young children alone. As for the children, had they grown up safely, had they married yet?

Were they all doing well?

The atmosphere was oppressively heavy, and Mo Yan’s mood was no better. Empathizing, if she were in their shoes, not seeing her own family for decades, not knowing if they were dead or alive, she probably would have gone mad long ago. Even if those relatives were gone or lost, she wouldn’t want to live in ignorance; she had to see with her own eyes to be at peace.

Now that these men were no longer burdens to their families, they felt unburdened in their hearts. She would help them one more time, to fulfill their dream of reuniting with their families. In the future, if they wished to return, the doors of Great Chu would still be open to them; if not, it would mean they had finally found their true home, and for leaves to return to their roots is always a cause for happiness.

In the end, except for those without ties like Zhao Mu, the others all expressed a desire to return home for a visit. Mo Yan agreed without second thoughts and planned to make arrangements in advance. Based on the addresses they provided for their hometowns, she intended to determine the general situation of their families so that they would be psychologically prepared.

As for the date of returning home, it was temporarily set for the next spring. By that time, another group of discharged soldiers would have settled in Liu Yang Village, and the work in the orchard wouldn’t be delayed by these people’s departure.

With the matter of visiting relatives back home settled, everyone’s mood gradually stabilized. Mo Yan, looking through the window, pointed at the workshop opposite and said, "The day after tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I won’t be free to come by then. The remaining fruits depend on you. In that room, there are one hundred and fifty mortars and pestles specially designed for crushing large fruits like crabapples and pears. You’ll need to crush them and get them into the vats at the same time. How to divide the work specifically, you’ll have to discuss it yourselves."

Crabapples and pears were too large to squeeze one by one like grapes. These mortars and pestles had been specially custom-made in advance by her, identical in shape to the ones used to pound rice and medicine, but their size was enlarged by more than ten times. They operated on the principle of leverage, which made them easy to use, time-saving, and labor-saving, with a single mortar and pestle being able to crush at least eight hundred pounds of fruit in a day.

Zhao Mu nodded and said, "Boss, I’ll arrange this. You can go and enjoy the festival without worry."

Mo Yan smiled and said, "Since I’m the boss here, you all should have a day off for the festival, right? Tomorrow we’ll be making mooncakes at home, and you can come over to get some. You’ll have the next day off too. It’s no big deal to delay for one day."

Zhao Mu glanced at the others and thought about working as usual, but he thanked Mo Yan verbally.

Mo Yan was unaware of Zhao Mu and the others’ thoughts. Seeing that it was getting dark, she let them go home to rest. After locking the workshop door, she instructed the dogs guarding each corner to eat and drink, filling their bowls with water and food, and hidden away, she left some piles of chopped meat. Then, feeling at ease, she went home.

During the night, Mo Yan did not arrange for anyone to stand guard. For one, the workshop was too large, and if someone really did break in, catching them would not be very effective. Secondly, she needed someone who could fully manage the winery, and this person must sign a binding contract.

For now, she had temporarily entrusted the security of the orchard to the offspring of the native dogs that guarded the orchard and the medicinal garden. There were more than thirty of these dogs, and since they had grown up drinking Spirit Spring Water, their size and intelligence were superior to their parents’, making them ideal guardians for the orchard.

Apart from the dogs, there were several birds of prey lurking in the treetops and many large snakes coiled in the grass. With these creatures present, even vicious intruders wouldn’t be able to take advantage, and there was no need to worry about someone sneaking in to steal fruits or wine.

The next day, the Mo Family got up early and, after breakfast, started making mooncakes. In Great Chu, the fillings for mooncakes were quite simple, among which Mo Yan’s least favorite, the mixed-nut mooncake, nearly "dominated" ninety percent of the market. Rare varieties like rose-filled and lotus seed paste with egg yolk mooncakes were seldom seen.

It wasn’t that no one liked rose-filled and lotus seed paste with egg yolk mooncakes, but rather that they were expensive, the aristocrats among mooncakes, and only those with spare money at home would buy them to eat. Wealthy families who knew how to make these two kinds of mooncakes would do so themselves; those who didn’t would buy them from pastry shops.

The process of making mooncakes was not difficult. Mo Yan in her previous life had always made her own mooncakes. The taste and texture of the mooncakes she made were certainly superior to those produced by pastry shops.

After arriving in this era, Mo Yan rarely made them herself. This year, with a large demand for mooncakes and friends and family celebrating together, she decided to show off her skills and let everyone taste better mooncakes.

"Sister, look, the egg has rendered fat," exclaimed Xin Er as she peeled a cooled, marinated egg and saw the oily yolk.

Looking at the egg in front of her, where the yellow yolk was oozing oil, Mo Yan swallowed reflexively. She reached out for the cooked eggs in the basin but, noticing her hands were covered in flour, she urged Xin Er: "That’s the tastiest egg. Peel another one for me to try."

Xin Er nodded, quickly swallowed down the egg she had taken a bite of, and peeled another for her sister.

Mo Yan bit into the part where the egg white was thin enough to see the yolk, consuming most of it. After savoring it thoroughly, she nodded and said, "That’s the right flavor, not too salty, perfect for the filling."

With that, she took another bite and finished off the rest of the yolk. The salty richness of the egg yolk was delicious, not at all greasy, and there was no trace of a fishy taste.

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