Goldfield
Chapter 10: The Hidden Plan

Yu Xiaocao was furious, "Oldest aunt, who are you accusing of feigning illness? Didn't you see my mom passed out yesterday? You are a healthy person, but you are telling a sick person to work. Besides, you still think you're right. If you want to know if my mother faked her illness, then just invite Grandpa You!"

Madam Zhang who was inside her room finally could not sit still anymore when she heard Xiaocao's words, "Li Guihua, you lazy lady! You disappeared after entering cooking time and finally came back now! Why are you still chatting? Quickly go help in the kitchen!"

We have to spend money if we call a doctor!

Madam Zhang walked to the kitchen door and sneered at Liu Muyun who was busy working, "You should hurry back to your room to rest. Your daughter's heart hurts for you."

"Is there a girl who doesn't love her mother? Mom, you sit down. I'll help you bring the plates! "Yu Caodie came out of her room. He and the third son, Yu Bo were the only ones in the family who could calm the old woman down.

Madam Zhang turned her head and looked at the seafood Yu Hai and his children were holding. His gloomy expression turned bright and he immediately smiled, "Give me the barrel! The seafood looks pretty fresh. We can keep it all night and let your oldest brother sell it to a restaurant in town tomorrow morning."

"Grandmother, let's keep the oysters and steam them a little to eat by yourself! I want what it's like." Yu Xiaocao deliberately suggested.

Madam Zhang's expression instantly turned grim. He angrily said, "There's a lot you've eaten before! If we were to sell the nua in the city, one kati oyster could be worth several copper coins.  Aren't you going to get upset over eating it?!"

If Yu Hai did not stand beside them, Madam Zhang would have made a harsher comment. He called his daughter and did not even set aside the children's bucket. He wants to take everyone back to his room. As long as it was something that could be exchanged for money, he had to hold onto it at all costs.

He turned around and looked at the basket in Yu Xiaocao's hands. He gestured with his lips and said, "Bring the basket you hold in my room as well."

Xiaocao pouted and replied in annoyance, "Granny, you've taken all the seafood. It's just seaweed and sea lettuce in my basket, which cost me nothing. We should keep it and make a cold dish for grandfather to accompany his drink at night."

Madam Zhang poked her head out to take a look when she saw that it was only shiny and green seaweed, she spoke as if she was showing mercy, "This once in a while! In the future, I have the final say in everything in the family. You are not allowed to act alone!"

Yu Xiaocao agreed. He waited for Madam Zhang to enter the main hall before winking at Xiaolian and taking the small basket to the western room.

Yu Xiaolian understood his point and took out a worn pottery jug from the corner of the kitchen. He filled it with water and quietly followed his little sister into the room.

It was impossible to sell them today, so the brothers carefully placed the abalone inside the ceramic jar and hid it under the seaweed. Yu Xiaocao was still worried, so he added the mystical stone water into the dna hiding the jar in a hidden place in the corner of the bed. After that he exited the room again with the rest of the seaweed.

Yu Hai followed them inside and saw the actions of these two twin brothers. Xiaolian had always been a grumpy person.When she was angry, she even dared to argue with Madam Zhang.Therefore, she was often scolded and disciplined for her actions. Xiaocao's personality was also rather fierce right now. However, he had more tricks and was also brave. He firmly hid the expensive abalone.

In the kitchen, Mrs Liu is almost done preparing dinner. Yu Xiaocao entered and immediately made grated seaweed with crushed garlic and sea-cella soup. Therefore dinner is much more luxurious than the massalu.

During the meal, the men and women of the Yu family sat separately. On the female side, everyone had dark-looking pancakes about the size of a palm. There are also stewed vegetables flavored with a little salt and a bowl of peanut paste soup.

The men's staple food is an infinite three-flour steamed bun, made with a mixture of refined flour, millet flour and potato flour. They also ate vegetables cooked in lard, and they drank the same soup as kaun hawa.

Yu Xiaocao calmed the praise unanimously for the two dishes he personally prepared. A plate of seaweed suwir with mashed garlic tastes savory and rather spicy, while the sea lettuce soup feels very fresh and full of taste from the sea. Old Yu was very fond of grated seaweed with crushed garlic, and praised it endlessly.

Madam Zhang couldn't bear to see the second branch being praised. He stuffed a mouthful of grated seaweed into his mouth and said, "Xaiocao is quite capable. He can collect seafood in the sea and help prepare food. Doctor You has said that his health is fine, so I think we can stop preparing separate meals for him in the future.

Xiaocao was currently gripping his savory porridge and happily sharing it with Little Shitou. But his expression darkened, he also had to eat hard-seeded pancakes that were hard to swallow and disgusting bean paste soup. Urghs! It will be a painful torture! Fortunately, the abalone was not confiscated!

Madam Zhang was satisfied when she saw Xiaocao's expression. He seems to be enjoying the grain pancakes more now. He also ate more than half a bowl of grated seaweed.

Lady Li and her similarly fat son were fully focused on filling their mouths, so the rest of the grated seaweed and sea lettuce soup were also eaten by them. When the dishes were completely clean, he pulled his son, who wanted to continue eating at the table and return to their room discreetly

Xiaocao knew that they were secretly going out to eat by themselves again.

Madam Li's family was very poor at the time she married into the Yu family. Otherwise, she would not have married the Yu family's similarly poor stepson. However, a few years ago, his brother made money through small businesses and improved their family circumstances. Lady Li is the youngest and only daughter in her family. Therefore every time he came home, his parents, brother, and sister-in-law would give him some money and food to help him. Otherwise with the food the Yu Family ate, how could Madam Li and her son be fat?

It was quiet all night after dinner!

On the second day, in the western room, the Yu Hai family all woke up at the break of dawn.

Yu Hai and Hunter Zhao had agreed to hunt in the mountains. Yu Hang and Yu Xiaolian always woke up at this time collecting fish moss and picking up firewood at the foot of the mountain. On the night, Mrs Liu had already cleaned the chicken and pig stables with a broom.

Yu Xiaocao's family was surprised to see him wake up so early. Yu Hai touched his little head and said with a smile, "Sleep again. It's still pretty dark outside."

Yu Xiaocao was still worried about the important matter in his heart, so he could not sleep anymore. He replied to his father with a smile, "Even little Shitou helped with homework. How can I be lazy when I am his sister? Dad, you have to hurry. Don't make Uncle Zhao wait for long."

Yu Hai did not delay anymore and quickly gathered his things. He took out a paper bag with two steamed bread flour wrapped inside from Madam Liu and tied the water bag to her waist/Then he brought his homemade hunting bow and spear and left.

Yu Xiaocao took out the pottery jug he had hidden under the bed yesterday. Abalon became fresher after being fed by the mystical stone water.

Only a large restaurant could offer a good price for an abalone of excellent quality, yet he had just moved here and had never even left the village before. So, how could he know the direction to the city?

"Oldest Brother, is our village far from the city?" While the main hall and the eastern room were still sleeping, Yu Xiaocao carried the ceramic pot and followed her brother out the door.

Yu Hang looked at him strangely and asked, "It's quite a distance away. It will take over one shichen on foot. Why are you asking? You wouldn't think of taking this for sale in town, would you?" He pointed to the ceramic pot in his hand as he spoke.

More than one shichen? Doesn't that mean it will take at least two hours?! Yu Xiaocao looked at his short legs, sighed and said, "Are there horse carriages or ox carts traveling to the city from our village?"