Reborn Just To Be a Big Shot Family Freeloader - Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Feeling Sorry for Brother Monkey

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

‘Forget it. I can’t think about it anymore.’

Yan Qixun couldn’t help but remind Gongyu Hao, “Second Brother, you should also buy some soybeans tomorrow. There are only turnips, cabbages, green garlic, and spinach on our farm. But we won’t even have enough spring garlic and spinach to last us a few days. If we have soybeans, we can grow them into bean sprouts or grind them up to drink.”

“What are bean sprouts?” Her mother couldn’t understand what she was saying.

“When soybeans are soaked in cold water, they will start to grow in three to five days. They can also be fried, boiled, or be used to make soup. They are considered to be seasonal vegetables during winter. Oh, you can also use red beans and green beans for this.”

When she heard this, Gongyu Mingxi said, “There is no need for you to go into the city to buy them. Soybeans are common, so every family in the village will have some. You can exchange one of our pheasants for some soybeans.”

Soybeans were cheap but difficult to digest, so people rarely ate them. However, the villagers would grow some in their farms and use it as food source. The villagers would be happy to exchange some for a pheasant.

Yan Qixun then recalled that she had never seen tofu around her village. She wasn’t sure if tofu had existed in this current life of hers. In her past life, tofu was produced during the Han dynasty. Bean products were rich in nutrients. If they could afford meat, could they not afford beans?

“Mother, do you know if there is tofu around?”

Gongyu Mingxi knew about tofu, seeing as she once lived as Li Yian. But, she had not seen it in the current Xia dynasty.

Seeing Gongyu Mingxi shake her head, Yan Qixun said, “Making tofu will also be profitable. Our clansmen do not have any other forms of income other than farming and working part-time. If we can teach them how to make tofu and sell it, it would be a different source of income for them to make a living.”

Gongyu Mingxi looked at Yan Qixun. “You know how to make tofu too?”

These days, most of the salt was mineral salt, ready-made for brine. They would be fine as long as they didn’t use gypsum water. Yan Qixun clarified that she knew how to make tofu— she was a master of all trades. 

“Other than tofu, we can also make tofu skin, smoked bean curd, dried incense, bean paddle, bean curd, and the rest could be made into bean dregs. They are the best animal feed. Pigs, sheep, cows, horses, and ducks like to eat them. Since we have a small stone mill, I will make them tomorrow when I come back with some soybeans.”

Anyway, she had nowhere to put her research to good use, so she used this time to do whatever she could to improve their lives.

“Brother Monkey, if it’s convenient for you tomorrow, could you dig a well for me and buy me some lime? 

Gongyu Hao was puzzled. “Why do you need me to dig a well?”

“I need to make a fermentation well so I can make some papyrus.”, she replied.

“Alright.” Gongyu Hao casually replied and began to dig.

When Yan Lingyu brought some water over, Gongyu Hao used it to wash his hands and face. Yan Qixun said that she was going to handle the chicken soup tonight and that she was going to slaughter one of the chickens. 

However, Yan Lingsu stopped her and said, “Second Brother, quickly, take off your clothes and rest on the brick platform. I will slaughter the chicken. Sister Lingyu, I have some water boiling in the pot. After adding firewood, go to the fire and dry Second Brother’s clothes.”

Yan Qixun quickly said, “Sister Lingyu, go and play. I’ll check on the fire.”

Naturally, everyone pampered Yan Lingyu. Yan Qixun was shocked when Yan Lingsu asked their youngest sister to go near the fire. What a joke! Could one imagine the beautiful little Yan Lingyu leaning against the fire? 

However, Gongyu Hao did not want to lay on the brick platform. He took his outerwear off and went to the kitchen to dry his clothes.

Gongyu Mingxi went to make some noodles, while Yan Lingyu went to the courtyard to empty the water bucket that Second Brother used to wash his face and hands. After that, she returned to the brick platform to read a book.

Yan Lingsu had to wait for the water to start boiling to slaughter a chicken. She first wiped the chicken’s neck so she could drain its blood. Then she went to the farm to grab a handful of spinach, some onions, and garlic to wash by the well. Yan Qixun had nothing to do, so she followed her sister to the kitchen to check on the fire.

“Big Brother, the Monkey King! Was the mountain fun? Can you bring me along next time?”

Gongyu Hao rolled his eyes. “One moment, you call me Second brother. The next, you call me Brother Monkey, and then, you call me the Monkey King. When I returned home just now, you called me a dead man. Can’t you settle on just one name?”

Yan Qixun gave him a mischievous smirk and said, “Aren’t they all just the same? What I call you just depends on the current situation.”

Gongyu Hao snorted.

“Oh right, Second Brother, how on earth did you manage to hunt down so many wild chickens and rabbits?”

“I shot them using a slingshot and some stones. I only broke their legs so I could bring them back alive. Uncle Lu said that I can sell a living prey at a higher price, and they will be easier to sell.”

‘Breaking their legs.’ Yan Qixun felt a shiver go down her spine.

Uncle Lu was the only son of the Zuo family. His name was Zuo Guanglu.

“Second Brother, can you fight tigers now?”

“Fighting tigers shouldn’t be a problem.” Gongyu Hao replied. 

“Uncle Lu said that big animals like tigers and wolves would not leave the deep mountains. If we wanted to hunt them, we would have to go deeper into the mountains. However, if we were to go deeper into the mountains, we would have to set up a camp and spend the night. 

“He hadn’t notified his family that he would spend the night. He was afraid they would be worried, so he went home early.

“Although, Uncle Lu does plan on hunting some of the bigger prey. We will prepare to enter the mountains together in two days. He initially did not want to bring me along into the deep mountains. He was worried that I might get hurt. But after seeing the way I handled myself today, he was assured that I would be fine. 

“I can enter the deep mountains all by myself. I can use my spiritual Qi to sense prey. However, having Uncle Lu around will benefit me by learning some of his tracking techniques.

“Uncle Lu said that tiger skin, wolf skin, fox skin, and badger skin are valuable. Just wait until I hunt tigers and wolves for their skin so you can use them as bedding. Fox and badger skins will make comfortable coats for you as well. That way, the cold winter breeze will be more bearable.

“Oh right, I heard from Brother Lingzhou that Granduncle’s legs are acting up from the cold weather again. When I hunt some wolves later, I shall give one to him. Uncle Lu said that wolf skin is good for Granduncle’s legs.”

Yan Qixun thought about it for a moment. ‘Second Brother is not the immortal monkey he once was, after all. He is just a mere mortal now. He even said so himself that cultivation needed a lot of time to accumulate. It is difficult to deal with fierce animals barehanded.’

She imitated Brother Monkey and scratched her head. “When you have some money, go to town and buy some ox tendons. I will help make a strong bow for you.”

“If you know how to make one and do it well, you can make one for Uncle Lu. I don’t need one. I’ll just get an iron rod. Tomorrow, I will go to the town’s blacksmith and ask them how much silver it would cost to make me an iron rod. When I have silver in the future, I’ll get someone to make one for me.”

Yan Qixun said, “Sure, I’ll make a bow for Uncle Lu later. When we have the materials in the future, I will make you a steel spear, Second Brother.”

‘Poor Second Brother only had a rod as a weapon in his past life. The Golden Cudgel was indeed powerful, but did Second Brother want to use a simple iron rod as a weapon? No! The material levels of the Golden Cudgel were insanely sturdy, so no one would be able to refine it into a true immortal weapon for him.’ She felt sorry for Brother Monkey.

As the water started to boil, Yan Lingsu had finished washing the vegetables and returned. Her siblings squatted by the wooden basin and watched Yan Lingsu swiftly slaughter the chicken. Yan Qixun collected the chicken’s colorful feathers and later made a shuttlecock and a feather duster for her sister.

Yan Qixun looked at the chicken and thought that roast chicken would be delicious as well. She felt that it would be good to build an oven outside of the kitchen when she had the time.

As a former foodie, she knew a variety of Chinese cuisine and recipes. Although her cooking methods were impressive, she had reached the level of a professional pastry chef. Besides, there was nothing she could do. The Chinese cooking method was based on estimation, while the Western methods were more precise. 

As a person who spent most of her time in the laboratory, doing experiments, she preferred the Western cooking method.. She could make bread and bake cakes for her family in her free time, and they’ll love it!