Chapter 94 - 93 Alcohol Boosts Courage

Chapter 94: Chapter 93 Alcohol Boosts Courage "Where did the old shopkeeper go?" "Hey, why is the young lady still covering her face? She hasn’t gone out for so long, and even now that she does, we can’t see her..." "She smells so nice, hehe, she just walked past me..." Seeing the old shopkeeper and Wu He’s Junior Sister leave, the staff felt somewhat strange. They especially regretted not being able to see Wu He’s Junior Sister’s pretty face. Of course, some of the more sensitive ones felt a little odd inside. The Shopkeeper had always lived in the inner courtyard. Although he seldom appeared, with someone so capable present, they felt secure. Suddenly, he had gone out, and at night too. It made them feel indescribably strange. "Stop standing around." Hu Ma, seeing the situation, said, "There’s no night patrol tonight, but we still need to light the lanterns." With the Shopkeeper gone, Hu Ma was in charge of the Manor. The staff dared not be careless and quickly went to take down the lanterns. There were three lanterns in total in the Manor: one large and two small. The two smaller ones, which burned for about two hours, were usually carried during night patrols. The large one was usually hung at the Manor’s entrance. It seemed to be made from some kind of leather. It was extremely resilient, yet as thin as a cicada’s wings and crimson as blood. Inside, there was an oil lamp filled with specially-made oil paste; a single refill could burn for a long time. Currently, there wasn’t much oil left in the lanterns, so Hu Ma immediately ordered someone to refill them. The lanterns were soon lit. But instead of having them hung back where they belonged, Hu Ma brought them into the inner courtyard, chose a high pole, and hung the large lantern there, casting a red glow over the surroundings. Looking up at the red lantern hanging overhead, the men exchanged glances, a chill creeping into their hearts. Although they knew nothing, seeing the old shopkeeper leave and Hu Ma instructing the lanterns to be hung within the courtyard also made them feel the atmosphere was a bit uncanny. "Hu... Manager Hu..." Someone gathered the courage to ask softly, "Is something happening tonight?" As soon as he spoke, the others quickly turned to look, their eyes flickering with apprehension. "No..." Hu Ma, smiling, turned towards them and said, "It’s just that the year-end is approaching, so the Shopkeeper has made some arrangements. Naturally, the rules are a bit different now." "Right, about those things you were concerned about before, I asked on your behalf." He said this, looking very pleased, "Even though we’re all new here, we’re allowed to go home for the New Year this year. Not only that, but we’ll receive money and grain too! Everyone can return home with their heads held high." "Huh?" The staff had always worried about this. Hearing the news now, they were overjoyed and completely caught by surprise. Just being allowed to go home for the New Year’s Eve dinner was already incredible. They could actually bring money and grain back too? For a moment, they thought they were dreaming. But seeing the genuine joy on each other’s faces confirmed it was real, and their excitement threatened to burst through the heavens. Hu Ma was very pleased with their reaction. He had no other choice. If he’d told them beforehand what was about to happen, this bunch would have let their imaginations run wild, scaring themselves witless. Their courage would have faltered, the stove fire would have burned low, and they’d have been vulnerable to any evil spirit that might take advantage.Even the boldest among them could be spooked by the others; fear, after all, is contagious. But by telling them something joyful, their spirits lifted, and the stove fire blazed brighter, which was the best way to ward off evil spirits. A happy occasion certainly lifts the spirits; that’s the principle at work here. For a time, everyone forgot about the lantern hanging above their heads. They crowded around Hu Ma, eagerly asking when they could leave and how much money and grain they could take, causing the men’s faces to light up with enthusiasm. But then, just as this excitement had spread to everyone, they suddenly heard the sound of a rattle from outside the courtyard wall. At this time, night had fallen and everything was silent. The sound of the rattle was exceptionally clear. Simultaneously, a faint glow, looking very strange, appeared from where the sound originated. The staff hurried to stand on stools and peek outside the Manor, and were immediately shocked. In this small town where they resided, people usually went to sleep early. But now, along the dirt roads of the town, several lanterns were lit. In the distance, it looked like an old man was performing a shadow puppet show, using the light from the lanterns. And he wasn’t the only one. Further away, there was a performer juggling large jars, another with a monkey show, and even someone selling candied hawthorn. This small town had a population of just over a hundred households. It mostly catered to the passing trade caravans traveling to and from Mingzhou Prefecture. Now, with fewer merchants coming and going, and this not being a city, why had so many performers suddenly appeared? Such lively performances, yet with no audience—who were they for? Especially since they were performing so enthusiastically, but there wasn’t a single spectator around. Every household had its doors and windows tightly shut. The stark contrast made one’s heart instinctively tighten. The men who had climbed the wall to look out came down pale-faced, wanting to speak but unable to find the words. Hu Ma didn’t even need to look. Just hearing the sound of the rattle told him what was happening. Seeing the staff’s hesitation, he intentionally joked, "Performers need brains too. The people in this town are too stingy to give them any reward money. Aren’t they just performing for ghosts?" The staff tried to laugh along with him but could hardly manage it. Yet, Hu Ma seemed entirely indifferent to it. He waved his hand grandiosely and said, "We men ought to give them some reward money, but since the Shopkeeper said we’re not allowed outside, we’ll just have to enjoy the free show tonight." "Li, Hu, how’s the food coming along?" He asked loudly as he turned towards the kitchen, "With the Shopkeeper absent today, I’m in charge." "You two, forget the pickled vegetables, tofu, and cornmeal mush. Slaughter a sheep! Cut the meat! The Shopkeeper has a few jars of wine in his room; I’ll fetch them. We’re celebrating New Year’s early tonight!" "..." "What?" The staff were dumbfounded upon hearing this, almost thinking they were dreaming. Most who came to this Manor were from poor families; even those from slightly better-off families rarely ate meat more than a few times a year. They had been told there would be Blood Food provided at the Manor. In reality, it was just a tiny bit each day, hardly enough to satisfy them. Besides, Blood Food tasted quite different from the pork, beef, and mutton they craved. Simply put, their bodies were accustomed to a vegetarian diet; a month could go by without a hint of meat. The last time Hu Ma had brought some sheep from the village, they were for show, not for eating. So when Hu Ma suddenly made this decision, the joyful surprise felt unreal. Seeing Hu Ma’s smiling face and confirming he wasn’t joking, they became ecstatic and rushed to get to work. Fetching basins, sharpening knives, boiling water, coaxing the sheep to the basin. Even Li and the few others working in the kitchen were stunned. They had been here for so long but never imagined they would be preparing such a grand feast today. Knowing it would end up in their own bellies, they too revitalized their spirits. They used all the ingredients they usually hesitated to use, filling up the pots. Hu Ma really did bring out several jars of wine from the inner courtyard and even instructed them to prepare a pot of brown sugar water for later to help with the alcohol. Not only that, Hu Ma went into the kitchen specifically to check. He saw a clay pot containing about two or three jins of frozen meat—this was the Blue Tai Sui meant to be supplied to the Manor’s staff. Though it seemed like a lot, it was actually nearly all of their monthly rations. So he waved his hand grandly, telling Li to prepare it all and assuring the staff they could eat and drink to their fill today. "Tomorrow, I’ll just tell the Shopkeeper and get another piece!" With mutton to eat and such a large piece of Blue Tai Sui, the staff were even more excited than they would be for the actual New Year, bustling around with zeal to help. Amidst the excitement, only Zhou Datong’s expression was peculiar. He couldn’t ask directly but shot Hu Ma a meaningful glance. Hu Ma didn’t explain, merely nodding at him. Zhou Datong immediately understood. He stepped forward, kicked one of the men, and cursed, "Look at you, acting like you’ve never eaten anything good in your life!" "What do you mean, cut it into small pieces and stew it?" "Today, Brother Ma Zi is treating us! We have to roast the whole sheep and carve the meat straight off with knives. That’s the way to eat! So fragrant!" "..." "Which family is rich enough to eat a whole sheep like that?" The staff listened to this method of eating, and just imagining it made their mouths water profusely. Listening to this, Hu Ma became more certain of one thing: Zhou Datong’s grandfather must have embezzled quite a bit in the village. How else could he have afforded to eat whole roasted sheep? Yet, Zhou Datong’s suggestion was immediately met with unanimous agreement. They quickly built a stone stove in the courtyard, chopped plenty of firewood, lit a fire, and mounted the sheep on a spit. The men holding knives eagerly got them ready, itching to carve the mutton. Those without knives grabbed kitchen cleavers. Zhao Zhu even brought over a dung fork but was forcefully made to throw it aside by the others. "Alright, open the wine; let the feast begin!" Two tables were set up in the courtyard, laden with delicacies rarely seen in the Manor. Beside them, a large fire blazed, with the sheep roasting over it. Hu Ma silently calculated the time. Seeing it was about right, he laughed, raised his wine bowl, and led the men in a large gulp. Then, they began to feast joyously on the meat. As the night deepened and silence fell all around, the crimson lantern hanging overhead cast an undeniably eerie atmosphere. However, the men’s hearts were filled with genuine joy. They shouted and jostled, laughing and grabbing for food, their boisterousness completely dispelling any gloom. The revelry reached its peak. Everyone was engrossed in eating and drinking, completely forgetting about the performers outside. Suddenly, the main gate creaked. The heavily latched door swung open as if blown by the wind. From the pitch-black doorway, a deathly pale face suddenly peeked in, glanced around, and then quickly withdrew. The men were startled. The hands holding their wine cups froze. Hu Ma sensed the change in mood. He suddenly chuckled, "Well, now, whose little lady is that? Is she lonely and looking for a man? Wanting to come back with us for the New Year, perhaps?" The staff hesitated for a moment, and then burst into laughter again.