The Evil Mother-in-law: Torment Children, Work Hard, Be Rich!-Chapter 254: The Fat Pig Leaves the Pen
Tong Huaqiong was hesitating about how to explain to Man Er the process of taking pigs out of the pen for slaughter when Man Er took the initiative to tell Tong Huaqiong that her pig had gotten fat and needed to be taken out of the pen.
Tong Huaqiong curiously asked, "Who told you the pig needs to be taken out? Do you know what taking a pig out of the pen means?"
Man Er said, "Dad said it. Dad said when the pig gets fat, it needs to be taken out and slaughtered."
Tong Huaqiong: "..."
Gu Dahuan, that simple traditional man, didn’t realize this might leave a childhood shadow on Man Er.
Tong Huaqiong worried too much.
When the pig was taken out, Man Er cried, but by the time the pig was tied up, Man Er was already discussing with Tong Huaqiong about wanting to eat pork noodle buns.
Tong Huaqiong: "..."
In the countryside, slaughtering a pig is a major event for every family each year, usually taking place in the twelfth lunar month.
It’s rare for someone like Tong Huaqiong to slaughter a pig to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Everyone learning of Tong Huaqiong slaughtering the pig for Mid-Autumn sighed, wondering, how big could the Mid-Autumn pig be that it’s being slaughtered so early?
Only after everyone gathered to watch did they realize that the pig at Tong Huaqiong’s home was even fatter than the pigs others slaughtered for New Year.
"What kind of good luck did Tong Dajiao have, that even the pig grows faster than others’?"
"Look how fat that pig is, there’s no way it could have lasted until New Year."
"No wonder Aunt Tong’s pig is fatter than ours; she feeds the pig corn and bran, nurturing it like a person. What do we feed them? Just grass and more grass."
Gu Dahuan hired a few strong young lads from the field to get the pig out of the pen and carry it to his house entrance.
Once the pig was out of the pen, everyone came to watch the excitement, clicking their tongues at the sight of the fat pig.
Some envied and were jealous that Tong Huaqiong’s pig was fatter than others’, while some mentioned the cost of raising pigs, making everyone click their tongues.
Someone calculated that if all the nearly twenty pigs Tong Huaqiong raised at the temple were fed with corn and bran, how much would that cost?
An average family couldn’t afford it.
As for the best pig slaughterer in the village, it was Tian Fugui. Given Chun Ni’s situation, Tong Huaqiong was hesitant to invite this seemingly honest man prone to domestic violence.
But Gu Dahuan had already arranged with Tian Fugui, and Tong Huaqiong didn’t want to offend Gu Dahuan, so the task of slaughtering the pig was given to Tian Fugui.
Jingzhe was on vacation and had returned home to help. He boiled a large pot of hot water in the yard, waiting to shave the pig later.
It’s time to slaughter the pig.
Tong Huaqiong sent Man Er, Yaozu, and Liu Yanhong into the house, thinking it best not to let the children witness the gory scene.
Tian Fugui stood in front of the pig with a shining knife, his honest face showing no expression.
His son Chun Wang was beside him, poking the pig with a stick, which made Tong Huaqiong uncomfortable.
This kid is so annoying!
Even though this pig was destined to be slaughtered, Tong Huaqiong was still annoyed to see Chun Wang teasing the pig.
"Chun Wang, stop teasing it; if it breaks free and bites you," Tong Huaqiong said, grabbing the stick from Chun Wang.
Chun Wang pouted, pulled on Tian Fugui’s hand, and provocatively said to the pig, "Dad, give it a good stab."
Tong Huaqiong thought, next time, I’ll definitely not give the pig slaughtering task to Tian Fugui.
Last time Chun Ni returned from Tong Huaqiong’s house, and Tong Huaqiong didn’t know if she got beaten.
She met Chun Ni on the road, holding her hand to ask, but Chun Ni hesitated and was afraid to speak.
The bound pig was placed on the slaughter table.
Tian Fugui raised the knife.
Tong Huaqiong wanted to eat pork that didn’t taste porky but couldn’t watch the slaughter, so she withdrew to the yard.
Tian Fugui was indeed a master pig slaughterer, swiftly handling the pig. Tong Huaqiong only heard one oink before it went silent.
Jingzhe carried the boiled hot water bucket by bucket to the slaughter table, pouring it into a huge basin.
After handing the bowl of pig blood to Jingzhe, Gu Dahuan and a few strong lads lifted the pig into the basin full of boiling water, while Tian Fugui meticulously shaved it with a razor.
"Dashi’s mom, this pig is so fat, it could sell for at least five taels of silver," someone said.
Tong Huaqiong laughed and said, "This pig isn’t for sale; we’re keeping it for ourselves."
Everyone was shocked!
Tong Dajiao is really lavish, keeping such a fat pig all to themselves; no other family in the village does that.
Even when others slaughter pigs for New Year, they sell most of it, only keeping a small part for themselves.
Tong Huaqiong, however, is keeping the entire pig for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
It’s so luxurious!
Little did they know, Tong Huaqiong had been craving pork so badly; she already planned out what dishes to make.
This pig was not only for their own consumption; she also planned to share some with Huang Yuanwai, Gu Baishuang, the village head, and Liu Yueer’s family, and save some to stew for the clerks at the shop.
She didn’t intend to save any for County Magistrate Liu and Lu Zhaoyang this time, planning to slaughter a pig for them to have half each at year-end when more pigs were available.
"Don’t rush home at noon, stay and have a big pot meal at my place," Tong Huaqiong told the villagers who helped slaughter the pig.
Everyone happily agreed.
Inviting everyone for a meal after pig slaughtering was an old tradition in Qinghe Bay.
Tong Huaqiong called Mrs. Zhao, her in-law mother, and Aunt Qin, who she was on good terms with, to help with the cooking.
Mrs. Hong also hurried over from town to help upon learning that Tong Huaqiong’s family was slaughtering a pig.
The main dish in the pig slaughtering meal was pig blood and offal.
Country folk wouldn’t feel slighted to eat pig blood and offal because they understand how hard it is to raise a pig for a whole year; pork and ribs are meant for sale.
Besides, for most families who rarely get to eat anything greasy, being able to have a bowl of pig blood and offal is already satisfying.
Since Tong Huaqiong wasn’t planning to sell this pig, she specifically cut a big piece of haunch meat to stew together with the pig blood and offal.
Aunt Qin lit the stove, while Mrs. Zhao and Mrs. Hong took charge of the cooking.
Tong Huaqiong assigned Jingzhe to clean the pig offal.
As Jingzhe crouched in the yard cleaning the pig intestines, the village women tutted at him.
Praising Tong Huaqiong for being good at educating children.
The current Jingzhe had completely shed the scholar’s arrogance, refusing no task, even if cleaning pig intestines made him nearly retch.
When Mrs. Han, the mother of County Magistrate Liu, arrived at the Gu Family with Lu Zhaozhao, the first thing they saw was Jingzhe’s twisted face while cleaning pig intestines.
"Grandma, why are you here?"
Liu Yanhong, who was playing with pig bladders like balloons in the yard, excitedly shouted upon seeing his grandmother and aunt.
Tong Huaqiong, busy steaming buns with Mrs. Zhao and Aunt Qin in the house, was shocked to hear Yanhong call out "Grandma."
Oh my, heavens, even the County Magistrate’s mother has graced us with her presence.
Tong Huaqiong had met Mrs. Han before. With her modern soul, she quickly calmed herself to face the first lady of the county.
Mrs. Hong, having seen grand events, remained exceedingly calm.
Aunt Qin and Mrs. Zhao, however, were so nervous they didn’t know where to put their hands and feet.
The County Magistrate’s mother wasn’t someone just any village woman could compare to.
In the courtyard, those who came to help were equally nervous yet curious about observing Mrs. Han.
The consensus was that the County Magistrate’s mother was no different; her attire wasn’t as luxurious as Xu Yong’s wife from the front village, and she appeared to be just another simple village elder.
She only looked a bit stern.
Wearing an apron, Tong Huaqiong went out to greet her and before she could speak, Mrs. Han asked first, "It’s not year-end yet, and you’re already slaughtering pigs?"
Tong Huaqiong replied, "The pig is too fat to make it to the New Year. Since Mid-Autumn is approaching, might as well slaughter it for meat."
Saying this as she led Mrs. Han into the house.
