Liu Guotao smiled helplessly, then recalled recent intelligence. "By the way, there seems to be movement on the Zheng family’s side."
Yan Aohan’s eyes flickered. "Initially, I only intended to find a shield for the Yan family, so I casually designated the Zheng and Yang families as protective clans. Since they dislike living comfortably, there is no need to show mercy. The existence of the Yan family will teach them a lesson: their survival is a grace granted by the Yan family. If they reject this grace, the Yan family can take it back." He continued, "Have Zhou Feng send people to monitor both the Zheng and Yang families. Do not assume that because the Zheng family moves, the Yang family will remain still. The Yang family is not so simple either."
"Yes." Liu Guotao responded and left.
Yan Aohan looked at the documents in his hand again, then walked to the window, gazing at the pitch-black night sky. "I am truly unaccustomed to days without you by my side. It seems I must accelerate my pace."
Zhu Yanyi knew nothing of Yan Aohan’s thoughts. These days, she was mostly helping Xie Xinlian prepare for the New Year. Especially on the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, the Little New Year, they went to pound rice cakes.
This was the third time Zhu Shunyao’s family had pounded rice cakes this year. Most of the previous batches had been given away. With more social interactions and acquaintances, people preferred these local specialties over precious items. This batch was intended for their own consumption, so they used eighty jin of rice.
Zhu Yanyi loved eating gaohua (rice cake flowers) the most. As soon as she saw them, she ate one. Zhu Yanli and Zhu Zhibin, however, only liked eating rice cake balls. The three siblings enjoyed their own preferences, which was a delight in itself. With Luo Gang and others present, Zhu Shunyao brought about ten jin of gaohua and rice cake balls for them to eat slowly at home.
Zhu Yanyi’s gaohua contained special shredded pickled mustard greens from their own home, and the taste was superb.
Because the family had improved conditions, Xie Xinlian prepared plenty of fillings. The savory options included shredded pickled mustard greens, salted vegetables with winter bamboo shoots and shredded meat, and celery with shredded mushrooms. The sweet options included sesame sugar and rose bean paste.
Luo Gang and the others preferred savory flavors, so those fillings disappeared the fastest.
Zhu Yanyi added a rose bean paste filling and said, "Actually, bean paste is quite delicious too."
Qiu Meiyun said, "I always knew there were rice cakes here, and rice cake balls before the New Year, but I have only now tasted these local rice cake balls."
"Actually, the significance of these rice cakes is similar to the bobos in the North. They are both foods eaten during the New Year," Zhu Yanli said directly. "But I still prefer our rice cake balls."
"Actually, eating this is mainly about the atmosphere," Zhu Yanyi said while eating. Indeed, since they only ate this once a year, the taste naturally became something to miss.
Although there were over ten jin of rice cake balls and gaohua, with only so many people in the house, it was difficult to finish them all, even with big eaters like Luo Gang. In the end, about two jin remained. Xie Xinlian simply separated the rice cake balls and made stuffed rice cake ingots, which could be steamed tomorrow without spoiling the taste. This skill amazed the onlookers.
"Brother Luo, go check if my father has returned and how the rice cake pounding is going," Zhu Yanyi said.