The wicked mother-in-law doesn't try to whitewash herself; she only abuses her awful children.

Chapter 254 The Fat Pig is Released from the Pen
Just as Tong Huaqiong was hesitating about how to explain to Man'er that the pigs were ready for slaughter, Man'er took the initiative to tell Tong Huaqiong that the pigs she was raising had gotten fat and were ready to be slaughtered.

Tong Huaqiong asked curiously, "Who told you that the pigs are about to be sold? Do you know what 'pigs being sold' means?"

Man'er said, "That's what Daddy said. Daddy said that once the pigs are fattened up, they should be sent to the market for slaughter."

Tong Huaqiong: "."

Gu Dahan, this pure-hearted old man, had no idea that this would leave Man'er with a childhood trauma.

Tong Huaqiong is overthinking it.

Man'er cried when the pigs were ready to be sold. But by the time the pigs were tied up, Man'er had already told Tong Huaqiong that she wanted to eat pork and vermicelli buns.

Tong Huaqiong: "."

In rural areas, slaughtering pigs is a major event for families every year, and this event usually takes place in the twelfth lunar month.

There aren't many people like Tong Huaqiong who slaughter pigs before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

When people learned that Tong Huaqiong was slaughtering a pig for the Mid-Autumn Festival, they sighed and wondered how such a young pig could be slaughtered so soon.

After everyone gathered around to look, they realized that Tong Huaqiong's pigs were even fatter than the pigs that other families sold for the Lunar New Year.

"Tong Dajiao must have had some good luck, even her pigs grow faster than other people's pigs."

"Look how fat that pig is, how can it be kept until the New Year?"

"It's no wonder that Aunt Tong's pigs are fatter than ours. Aunt Tong feeds her pigs corn and wheat bran, feeding them like they're human beings. What do we feed them? Nothing but grass."

Gu Dahan hired several strong young men from the fields to carry the pigs out of the pen and to his doorstep.

After the pigs were released from the pen, everyone rushed over to watch the spectacle, marveling at the plump pigs.

Some people envied Tong Huaqiong's pigs because they were fatter than other people's pigs, and someone mentioned the cost of Tong Huaqiong raising pigs, which made everyone click their tongues.

Some people have calculated how much it would cost if Tong Huaqiong fed the nearly twenty pigs she raised in the temple with corn bran.

Ordinary families simply cannot afford it.

If we're talking about the best pig butcher in the village, Tian Fugui is definitely the best. But given Chunni's experience, Tong Huaqiong is a little reluctant to hire this seemingly honest but abusive man.

However, Gu Dahan had already spoken to Tian Fugui, and Tong Huaqiong didn't want to offend Gu Dahan, so she handed over the task of slaughtering the pig to Tian Fugui.

Gu Jingzhe went home to help during his holiday. He boiled a large pot of water in the yard to use for shaving pig hair later.

The pig slaughter has begun.

Tong Huaqiong chased Man'er, Yaozu, and Liu Yanhong into the house, saying it was best not to let the children witness this horrifying and bloody scene.

Tian Fugui stood in front of the pig, holding a gleaming knife, his honest face revealing no emotion.

His son, Chunwang, was poking the pig with a stick, which made Tong Huaqiong feel uncomfortable.

This kid is so annoying!
Although the pig was destined to be slaughtered, Tong Huaqiong was still very unhappy to see Chunwang mocking the pig.

"Chunwang, don't provoke it, or it will break free of its rope and bite you." Tong Huaqiong grabbed Chunwang and snatched the stick from his hand.

Chunwang pouted, turned around, grabbed Tian Fugui's hand, and said to the pig in a provocative tone, "Dad, give it a good cut."

Tong Huaqiong thought to herself, "Next time, I will definitely not hand over the task of slaughtering pigs to Tian Fugui."

After Chunni returned from Tong Huaqiong's house last time, Tong Huaqiong didn't know if she had been beaten.

She ran into Chunni on the road, took her hand and asked her, but Chunni hesitated and didn't dare to say.

The bound pig was placed on the table.

Tian Fugui brandished his knife.

Tong Huaqiong wanted to eat pork that wasn't gamey, but she couldn't bear to watch pigs being slaughtered, so she retreated to the yard beforehand.

Tian Fugui was indeed a master pig butcher, and he dealt with the pig very quickly and efficiently. Tong Huaqiong only heard one squeal from the pig, and then there was no more sound.

Gu Jingzhe carried buckets of hot water to the pig-slaughtering table and poured them into a huge basin.

After Gu Dahan handed the pig's blood basin to Gu Jingzhe, he and several strong young men carried the pig into a basin filled with boiling water. Tian Fugui then used a razor to carefully shave the piglet clean.

“Great Heat Mother, this fat pig can sell for at least five taels of silver,” someone said.

Tong Huaqiong smiled and said, "We're not selling this pig; we'll keep it for ourselves." Everyone was shocked!

Tong Dajiao is really generous; she keeps such a fat pig for herself instead of selling it. No one in the whole village is as wasteful as her.

Even when other families in the village slaughter pigs for the New Year, no one keeps a whole pig for their own consumption; they sell most of it and keep only a small portion for the New Year.

Tong Huaqiong immediately gave away a whole pig to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Too arrogant!

Little did they know that Tong Huaqiong was craving pork so badly that she had already planned out what delicious dishes she would make.

She not only planned to keep the pig for her own family, but also intended to share some with Master Huang, Gu Baishuang, the village chief, Liu Yue'e's family, and some to stew for the shop's employees.

She didn't plan to leave any for Magistrate Liu and Lu Zhaoyang this time. She planned to slaughter one pig and give it to each of their families in half when all the pigs were ready for market at the end of the year.

"Don't go back for lunch, come eat at my house with a big pot of stew," Tong Huaqiong said to the villagers who were helping to slaughter the pig.

Everyone happily agreed.

Slaughtering a pig and treating everyone to a meal is a long-standing tradition in Qinghewan.

Tong Huaqiong invited her mother-in-law, Zhao, and Qin, who was on good terms with her, to come to her house to help with cooking.

Hong knew that Tong Huaqiong's family was slaughtering a pig, so she also came from town to help.

The main ingredients of the stew made from pig's blood and offal are pig's blood and offal.

People in the countryside don't feel slighted just because they eat pig's blood and offal, because they all know that raising a pig all year round is not easy, and the pork and ribs are for selling.

Besides, for most families who rarely have access to oily or fatty foods, being able to eat a bowl of pig's blood and offal is already quite satisfying.

Since Tong Huaqiong didn't plan to sell this pig, she specially cut off a large piece of hindquarter meat and stewed it with pig's blood and offal.

Aunt Qin was in charge of cooking, while Zhao and Hong were in charge of the main dishes.

Tong Huaqiong sent Gu Jingzhe to clean the pig offal.

As Gu Jingzhe squatted in the yard washing pig intestines, the village women and young wives sighed in disapproval.

They praised Tong Huaqiong for her ability to educate children.

Now, Gu Jingzhe has completely shed his scholarly arrogance and will not refuse any work, even though he almost gagged while washing pig intestines.

When Magistrate Liu's mother, Madam Han, arrived at the Gu family with Lu Zhaozhao, she immediately saw Gu Jingzhe's distorted face as he washed pig intestines.

Grandma, what brings you here?

Liu Yanhong was blowing up balloons in the yard with a pig's bladder when he saw his grandmother and cousin arrive. He shouted excitedly.

Tong Huaqiong was steaming buns with Zhao Shi and Aunt Qin when she was shocked to hear Liu Yanhong call out "Grandma".

Good heavens! Magistrate Liu's mother has actually graced us with her presence.

Having met Han Shi before, and possessing the soul of a modern person, Tong Huaqiong quickly calmed down upon the arrival of the county's top official's mother.

Having seen many grand occasions, Mr. Hong remained remarkably calm.

Aunt Qin and Zhao were so nervous they didn't know what to do with their hands and feet.

The magistrate's mother is the county's first lady; how can she be treated like a country bumpkin?

Not only were Aunt Qin and Zhao nervous, but the villagers who were helping in the courtyard were just as nervous.

Even though they were nervous, it didn't stop everyone from curiously observing Han.

Everyone came to the conclusion that the county magistrate's mother was no different from anyone else. Her clothes and appearance were not as elegant as those of the former village chief Xu Yong's wife. She was just a simple and honest old lady from the village.

His expression was slightly serious.

Tong Huaqiong, wearing an apron, went out to greet them. Before she could even speak, Madam Han interrupted, "It's not even the end of the year yet, and you're already slaughtering a pig?"

Tong Huaqiong said, "This pig is too fat to live to see the New Year. Since the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, let's just slaughter it and eat it."

As he spoke, he welcomed Ms. Han into the house.