Sundown is approaching when the two arrives at the village having to stop to harvest some bamboo shoots and green plums beside the road.
The two are still a bit far from the Yu brother's house when they heard a weeping woman followed by a disgruntled voice of Yu Tian.
“What did you say!? It’s impossible for Yu Yin to be gone missing in the mountain!” for the first time, Yu Tian had the urge to slap someone. “What time did he go missing? What really happened?”
“I’m sorry brother Tian, it’s my mistake. I told him to never wander away but he disregard my words. Tom...tomorrow, I’ll help you look for him.”
“Just go home, I’m going up to look for him right now, tomorrow would be too late!”
“But, it’s already approaching sundown! Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“Then what? I’m going to just leave him alone outside!?”
“It's not like that...”
“Just go home! I’m not dumb, Yu Yin would never get lost from the outskirt of the mountain! Start praying for my brother's safe return for I’m going to kill you to accompany him if something does happen!”
“Brother Tian! why are you so cruel? I haven’t done anything wrong!”
Yu Tian didn’t bother to acknowledge He Want anymore as he walks out the door holding his sword. Thinking about his brother lost and all alone and afraid in the mountain makes him go crazy in worry.
His parents are gone, Yu Tian can’t afford to bury another one.
Hearing some of the conversations, Zhang Wei instantly sums up what really happens in the mountain. Every villager knows that He Wan from the neighbouring village like Yu Tian but the man is preoccupied with his brother to think about starting a family.
He Wants must have been scheming to get Yu Yin killed by the wild beast before she confesses that Yu Yin is missing.
Zhang Wei remembers that in his dream, something like this happened, Yu Tian rescued his brother but it is already too late, he didn’t know what really happens but the Gher become a fool. After that, Yu Tian sold everything before the two disappear from the village. At that time, the Zhang Wei in his dream is already in the prefecture, his sister’s letter is the one who informs him about the incident.
This time, Yu Yin is with him safe and sound. Zhang Wei can only hope that the two brother's fate would go to the better.
Opening the gate, Yu Tian come upon Zhang Wei that is holding a carrying pole, seeing the wild boar, Yu tian asked, “Did you go to the mountain? Have you seen my..... Yu Yin!”
Seeing his brother standing beside the man, appearing safe and sound, Yu Tian nearly cry in relief. Yu Yin is here, his worst nightmare never happened.
“Xiao Yin, are you okay? are you injured somewhere?” he inquired, checking his brother for any injury. Finding none, Yu Tian spoke again, this time to Zhang Wei, “Can Yu Yin stay inside your house for a moment? I need to talk to someone.”
“Okay.”
Yu Tian first watches the two enter the neighbouring courtyard before going inside. He needed to chat with someone!
Like any other house in the banyan village, the Zhang's house is a three-sided courtyard, a main house at the centre, the right which is the kitchen and food storage and the left which is a guest quarter. At the back of the house is a chicken coop that house only a pitiful number of four hens because of the house owners consumption and some fruit trees while the front is a medium-size vegetable garden that is already teeming of life.
Zhang Wei first deposits the wild boar in the stone table beside the kitchen before ushering the Gher in the front porch of the house to rest. Because both of them are still unmarried, Zhang Wei didn’t invite the Gher inside to avoid any gossip and scandal. Because of the slow way of life, gossiping became the favourite pass time of the villagers.
After giving Yu Yin some cold water with honey to drink, Zhang Wei proceeded to butcher the hog.
In actuality, even though he is from a peasant family, he had never butchered any animal. While his parents are still alive, they spoiled him too much, not making him do any kind of household chores, even helping out in the fields. His skills in cooking come from his two months of practice after seeing the Zhang Wei in his dream cooking his own food in the military barracks. But while that Zhang Wei knows how to gut and prepare a chicken, a whole wild pig is another matter.
With the hog already drained of blood in the mountain, Zhang Wei first boils a big pot of water, submerging the hog in a hot water and scraping the hair off.
Yu Tian come shortly after, he appears to be still angry but because he didn’t speak, Zhang Wei never asked. together they quickly cut the meat while Yu Yin prepared the brine and spices rubs.
The hind legs would turn to a ham while the other parts would all be smoke meat, save for a few that Zhang Wei planned to make for sausage. He would ask Madam Lou to do it for him in exchange for pork.
Four hours of hard work later, the three are eating dinner of a pot of steam rice, pork braised ribs with potato cubes, stir fry shredded potatoes with mincemeat, pork bone soup with bamboo shoots, and mushroom, bamboo shoots stir-fry.
YOU ARE READING
Zhang Wei
Romance"What is the use of fame and power if, in the end, you're not going to keep your life?" Zhang Wei, at the age of eighteen, has a very long dream. he sees his future life, his fame, his glory and his unfortunate death at the end. knowing his fate...
