Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 1259 - 643: A Sudden Inspiration

The first watch, asking for pink tickets (Friendly reminder, a significant part of this Chapter is the author "popularizing science" about gourds, memories of childhood, and the author loves this topic dearly, can’t not write about it O(∩_∩)O, buyers who mind please be cautious, please support the original)

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Not to mention Shen Jin, even Shen Liu and Shen Jiu, the brothers, had never eaten gourds. Even Lian Manman and Xiao Qi, who were born and raised here, had only eaten them a few times.

Young gourds are actually delicious, and just like squash and other gourds, they can be made into soup, stir-fried, or pickled. Whether in soup or stir-fried, gourds have a very fresh taste. However, in Thirty Mile Camp, tenant farming families rarely eat gourds. The reason is nothing more than that this season’s melons, fruits, and vegetables are very abundant, with many vegetables tastier and more convenient to eat than gourds. Moreover, the period when gourds are tender enough to eat lasts just a few days.

At Thirty Mile Camp, unless it’s a year of famine and there’s nothing else to eat, generally, folks grow gourds more for making tools than for eating.

"Gourds can also be eaten, so let’s have the kitchen make some, and we can give it a try." Shen Jin said.

"Trying a little bit is okay, but I’ve heard from the village doctor that it’s cold in nature and shouldn’t be eaten too much." Lian Manman whispered to Shen Jin.

"Manman, you know quite a lot." Shen Jin responded with an ’oh’ and whispered back to Lian Manman.

"I was born and raised here, I heard it from the older generations." Lian Manman replied with a smile.

She learned these things from Lady Zhang. For instance, which wild plants are edible and how to prepare them to taste the best, or some rural common sense. Lady Zhang even taught Lian Manman and the others to recognize constellations in the night sky, discern the seasons, and predict the weather.

Lady Zhang hadn’t gone to school, but she knew quite a bit, which even surprised Lian Manman. These are skills passed down from generations in tenant farming families. Lady Zhang learned these from Zhang Qingshan and Lady Li. This knowledge isn’t meant to show off or be used academically but are survival skills for tenant farmers.

Lian Manman had read "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," where Zhuge Liang is depicted as exceptionally talented, mastering astronomy and geography, using this knowledge to win many battles. Before, Lian Manman found it magical, but after living in this world for a long time, her feeling had toned down a lot.

Speaking of mastering astronomy and geography, every competent farmer is well-versed in these fields. Isn’t it recorded in books that a certain general won a battle because he listened to an old farmer’s weather prediction?

Unfortunately, in the era she previously lived in, even though education through books was widely spread, this generational knowledge had almost disappeared.

Of course, not every farmer knows this knowledge. Those who aren’t farmers and don’t have the opportunity for good education understand even less. For example, in the Lian Family, Lady Zhang knew the most, while Lady Zhou was entirely ignorant of these things.

The simple and monotonous meals at the Lian Family Old Mansion, even in years of famine, their refusal to eat wild vegetables, are clear evidence.

It’s said that Lady Zhou, who hails from a prominent family, is unfamiliar with these survival common senses of tenant farming families. Besides Lady Zhou, Lady Gu and Lady Chiang, who were born in small urban families, also lacked these common senses due to not owning any land.

"Manman, I’ve seen gourds, but not like this one." Shen Jin continued.

"This gourd is a local one from our area, the ones displayed for decoration and play at your house would definitely be prettier." Lian Manman replied with a laugh.

Most gourds have two sections, and the local variety of gourds from Thirty Mile Camp also has two sections, but the division is not very apparent and tends toward a spherical shape. That is to say, the section at the bottom is large and round, while the one on top is very small. This type of gourd is most suitable for making ladles.

Whereas gourds used in regular households for decoration and play are usually those with both sections equally rounded, without significant size differences.

The gourd, homophonic with "fortune and prosperity," and because it grows on a vine, homophonic with "endless legacy," together, they symbolize may prosperity last for generations, encompassing the full meaning of fortune, prosperity, and longevity. Hence, the gourd is a very auspicious tool with many uses. Besides being used as decoration or containers, it can also be made into musical instruments and toys, such as the hulusheng and singing insect calabash.

However, the local gourd varieties at Thirty Mile Camp are not suitable for many of these uses, they are mostly made into ladles. Tenant farmers are less particular about fortune and prosperity, they focus on living life solidly.