Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

With so many people, they quickly picked up all the chestnuts from the ground.

The little princess and the others couldn't handle what was inside the thorn bag, so they just picked up what was already there and gave the thorn bag to Xiao Ran, Zhang Jinhe, and Zhang Erya.

There are quite a few on one tree.

This is enough to eat; I didn't pick any more.

The group's goal wasn't to make money from this; they mainly enjoyed the process.

"Little Pouch~ There's nothing here~" The little princess thought it was fun and wanted to keep picking up more.

"Wow, so many!" Yan Yao smiled as she looked at the chestnuts.

"Well, that's about enough. Let's go back!" Xiao Ran patted the little princess's head. "Sizi, this is enough for us to eat. We'll come again later."

"Mmm-hmm~" the little princess agreed.

After tidying up, the group carried their baskets and headed back.

The chestnuts are a bit heavy; the little princess definitely can't lift them.

Xiao Ran asked Zhang Jinhe, "Jinniang, did the chestnut tree we just knocked down belong to the village collective, or to someone else?"

Zhang Jinhe looked back and said, "It seems to be from my third grandfather's family. I remember it being like that."

"Second Aunt, go back and take some things to Third Grandfather's house."

Zhang Erya understood Xiao Ran's meaning.

This is compensation; I can't just take it for free.

Although my great-grandfather couldn't say anything, he still had to get what he was entitled to.

Xiao Ran didn't want to take advantage of him; he was quite wealthy now.

“Alright, young master, I’ll go in a bit.” Zhang Erya agreed.

Instead of rushing home, Xiao Ran led a group of people to the riverbank.

"Young master, are you going to wash up here?" Xiao Yu asked.

“I remember now, it was about picking small pebbles to roast chestnuts, young master, wasn’t it?” Zhang Jinhe thought of what had happened before.

Xiao Ran brought San Niang here to collect pebbles.

“Hmm, we don’t know where the previous ones went. We need to pick out some more suitable ones.” Xiao Ran also thought of the past, when San Niang was very introverted and had no friends.

Now that she has two little princesses with her, her personality has become much more cheerful.

“I remember the young master said before that not all pebbles are suitable,” Zhang Jinhe said, unsure.

Third Sister has already picked one up. "Young Master, is this the right one?"

"Yes, that's how it should be." Xiao Ran nodded; Third Sister still remembered.

These events are also a beautiful memory for San Niang, and she has never forgotten them in the deepest part of her heart.

"Hehe~ This is fun~" The little princess also looked down and started searching.

"What kind of young man would be suitable?" Li Lizhi asked, looking at the pebbles on the ground, unsure of which to choose.

Xiao Ran smiled and walked to Li Lizhi's side, bending down to pick up the pebble from San Niang's hand.

It was a smooth, bluish-gray pebble, about the size of a soybean.

He handed the pebble to Li Lizhi: "Fifth Sister, look, choose one like the one Third Sister has."

"It has to be bluestone or river pebbles. If you scratch it with your fingernail, the surface won't crumble."

"Try picking one like this; the one that's heavy is the right one."

"These stones conduct heat quickly, are not easily broken when fried, and can be reused several times."

"We used this kind before; the chestnuts didn't burn when roasted, and the inside was still sweet enough."

"It cannot have sharp edges or pitted textures."

"Smooth pebbles won't scratch the chestnut shells, and they won't easily stick to sugar."

"If the surface is rough, the sugar syrup will coat it and harden as you stir-fry it, making it difficult to peel."

“Look at the pebbles on the riverbank that have been washed by the water for many years. Most of them are like this. If you pick one up and rub it, your hands won’t get muddy.”

"If they're too big, they'll heat up too slowly and won't coat the chestnuts properly when roasting. If they're too small, they'll easily get stuck in the crevices of the chestnuts, and then you'll have to pick them out, which is a hassle."

When Xiao Ran spoke, the others listened very attentively.

After Xiao Ran finished speaking, the group roughly understood.

With so many people, the selection process is quick.

"That should be about right, let's go back!" Xiao Ran called out, "Let's go home and make some roasted chestnuts."

The little princess on the other side came running over excitedly.

"Seven chestnuts~"

“Yes, eat chestnuts.” Xiao Ran held the little princess’s hand.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, Zhang Jinhe brought over a wooden basin, filled it with clean water, and poured the chestnuts in to wash them.

After washing them thoroughly, I used a cloth to wipe the mud off the surface of the chestnuts.

Zhang Erya then retrieved the black iron pot from the kitchen, placed it on the earthen stove in the yard, and even found a clean coarse cloth to polish the rim of the pot until it shone.
"This pot worked well last year when I was frying chestnuts. It heats evenly and the chestnuts don't burn easily."

Xiao Ran poured the selected pebbles into clean water and rinsed them twice. After draining the water, he poured them into an iron pot and added some dry firewood to the stove.

The flames crackled and licked the bottom of the pot, and the pebbles inside slowly heated up, making a soft hissing sound.

He gently stirred the pebbles with a long-handled wooden spatula, occasionally bending down to check their color.
"Wait until the pebbles are thoroughly heated before adding the chestnuts. This will make the chestnut shells crispy and the meat inside sweet enough."

Several children had already gathered around the stove, forming a circle like little sparrows.

The little princess stood on tiptoe, staring intently, when Xiao Ran gently pulled her back: "Sizi, be careful it's hot, look from a distance."

She wouldn't move too far, only blinking her round eyes at the pebbles in the pot, muttering, "Little Nang-kun~ when are you going to put the chestnuts in~"

Di Renjie grew even more anxious, circling the stove twice before approaching Xiao Ran and asking, "Young master, how long will it take for the pebbles to heat up?"

"It has to be very hot." Xiao Ran realized that he couldn't explain it to Di Renjie.

Princess Chengyang didn't speak, but kept staring at the chestnuts in Zhang Jinhe's hand. Seeing that she had made a cross-shaped cut on each chestnut shell with scissors, she couldn't help but ask, "Do you make cuts to make the chestnuts cook faster?"

"Yes."

Zhang Jinhe smiled and handed her the chestnuts he had scored, saying, "Score them so the shells will crack when you fry them, allowing the syrup to seep in, and they'll be easier to peel when you eat them."

"Also, you can't fry them, or the chestnuts will be blown to bits." As she spoke, she put the diced chestnuts into a bamboo basket and handed it to Xiao Ran: "Young master, all ready."

"it is good!"

Xiao Ran picked up a wooden spatula and stirred the pebbles in the pot. The pebbles had become scalding hot and were gleaming with a bluish-gray light.

He gently poured the chestnuts into the pot along the edge, and with a "whoosh," the chestnuts collided with the pebbles, making a crisp sound.

He held a wooden spatula and kept stirring the chestnuts. The chestnuts rolled around among the pebbles, and the shells slowly turned from brown to dark brown. Every now and then, steam carrying a faint chestnut aroma would waft out.

"Wow~ It smells so good~" The little princess sniffed hard, tugged at Xiao Ran's sleeve and shook it, "Little Nangjun~ Is it ready yet~"

Li Lizhi came over, tucked the stray hairs that had been blown about by the wind behind her ear, and said with a smile, "Wait a little longer. The chestnuts need to roll thoroughly in the pebbles before the shells become crisp and the flesh becomes sweet."

Xiao Ran smiled and took the small earthenware jar containing coarse sugar from Zhang Erya, then sprinkled two spoonfuls of sugar into the pot.

The sugar melted quickly when heated, coating the chestnut shells and adding a sweet aroma to the chestnut fragrance, filling the entire yard.

He continued stirring, saying, "Almost done, just two more minutes to coat it evenly with the sugar syrup, then it'll be ready to serve."

The children's eyes lit up, and they stayed close to the stove, unwilling to leave.

The little princess clutched the hem of her dress, while Princess Chengyang stared intently at the chestnuts in the pot. Yan Yao sniffed occasionally, and Di Renjie counted, "One, two, three."

When the roasted chestnuts were ready, although they were in a hurry, the children still delivered them to Li Yuan, Sun Simiao, and Empress Xiao first.

Only then did he quietly sit down and start eating.

The children ate with great relish; they had picked the stones themselves, and they had even helped to stir-fry them.

So it tastes really good.

Xiao Ran didn't actually like eating these things, but he enjoyed watching the children eat them.

The little princess is such a foodie; she eats with great relish.

Even very ordinary food can taste like delicacies from land and sea.

Zhang Erya did not forget what Xiao Ran had told her before, and brought some flour and millet with her.

Princess Yuzhang volunteered to go along.

Zhang Erya carried a cloth bag containing several pounds of flour and a bag of millet. Princess Yuzhang followed beside her, carrying a bag of rice in one hand and a handful of freshly roasted chestnuts in the other.

I specially picked it out of the bamboo basket before leaving home, wanting my great-grandparents to have a taste of something new.

The two arrived at the gate of their great-grandfather's house. The wooden door was ajar, and they could hear their great-grandmother picking vegetables inside.

Zhang Erya gently knocked on the door: "Third Grandfather, Third Grandmother, are you home?"

The door was quickly opened, and the third grandfather was still holding a hoe, obviously having just returned from the fields. Upon seeing the two of them, he immediately smiled and said, "It's Er Ya and Liu Niang, come in and sit down!"

He had sharp eyes and noticed the cloth bag in Zhang Erya's hand. He then moved aside and said, "What's this? Come in and sit down."

As they entered the courtyard, their third grandmother came out of the kitchen, wiping her apron in her hands. She led them into the house, saying, "Please sit down, please sit down. I just boiled some water and will pour you a bowl."

Zhang Erya quickly handed over the cloth bag, smiling as she said, "Third Grandfather, Third Grandmother, today we went to the mountains with our young master to pick chestnuts, and we accidentally knocked some down from your tree. This is a small token of our appreciation from our young master. Please don't mind."

Princess Yuzhang nodded in agreement and handed over the roasted chestnuts in her hand: "Third Grandfather and Third Grandmother, these are freshly roasted chestnuts. Please try them; they are especially sweet."

The third grandfather paused for a moment, then waved his hand to refuse, and stuffed the cloth bag into Zhang Erya's hand:

"Oh dear, this won't do! It's just some chestnuts. The tree has plenty, and you picking them to eat is a blessing for the tree! Why bring anything else? It's too formal!"

Third Grandmother also held Zhang Erya's hand, speaking warmly: "That's right, Erya, you and the young man are too polite. In previous years, when these chestnuts ripened, we couldn't finish them all, and it was a waste for them to fall to the ground."

"You guys can go and do it, saving us old folks from climbing trees. We should be thanking you!"

The third grandmother took the chestnuts from Princess Yuzhang's hand, peeled one, and put it in her mouth. Her eyes immediately lit up. "Oh my, these chestnuts are so sweet! They taste much better than the ones I cooked myself last year. The children will definitely love them."

Zhang Erya refused to take it back and placed the cloth bag on the table: "Third Grandfather and Third Grandmother, this is the young master's token of his affection, please accept it."

The great-grandfather sighed, then shook his head with a smile: "Young man, you're just so kind-hearted. Last year you brought new grain to the village, ensuring we all had enough to eat. What are these chestnuts? We'd be happy to do it, even move the tree!"

He pointed to the chestnut tree outside the window, "If you want to eat them next year, you can pick them anytime without asking. The chestnuts on the tree are reserved for the children."

Seeing their refusal, Princess Yuzhang also joined in the persuasion: "Third Grandfather and Third Grandmother, this is not much, it's just a token of our appreciation. We feel at ease after eating your chestnuts. If you accept them, we can explain it to our young master when we get back."

Seeing that she couldn't refuse, the third grandmother nodded and moved the cloth bag to the side of the cabinet: "Alright, we'll accept it. Er Ya, next time, let the young master come and visit us too."

Zhang Erya smiled and agreed, "Okay, I'll definitely tell the young master. We won't disturb you two while you cook, we'll head back now."

As the two walked out the door, their great-grandfather was still standing there seeing them off, waving and calling out, "Remember to call me next time you're harvesting chestnuts, I'll help you shake the tree!"

Laughter drifted in the evening breeze from inside the house. Zhang Erya and Princess Yuzhang exchanged a glance and both smiled.

Princess Yuzhang pulled Zhang Erya's arm and exclaimed, "The village is wonderful! It's so welcoming!"

Zhang Erya looked in another direction, towards her old family home, where the three siblings lived when Xiao Ran first arrived.

After Xiao Ran's new house was built, he moved into it.

"Things were fine before; the other villagers took good care of us. After the young man came, everyone was able to eat and stay warm, which made things even better."

Xiao Ran has changed a lot, and Zhang Erya is well aware of this.

Princess Yuzhang didn't know what the village was like before, but Zhang Erya did.

After becoming wealthy, Kaolao Village seems to be more harmonious, and minor squabbles seem to have disappeared.

Every household had surplus grain, so there was no need to worry about not having enough to eat, nor was there any need to ask others for grain.

Back in the courtyard, I saw several children playing around, as if things had returned to normal.

Princess Yuzhang smiled; she still liked this feeling.

Upon seeing Princess Yuzhang and Zhang Erya return, Li Yuan, holding a candied chestnut, said, "Sixth Sister! These chestnuts are really good. Make more next time you have time."

"Alright, I'll see what I can do tomorrow and make some more." Princess Yuzhang agreed; this wasn't too difficult.

Zhang Jinhe and the others are fine too; it's not necessary to find Xiao Ran.

As for chestnuts, you don't necessarily have to go to the forest yourself; you can buy them from the village.

Many families go to the mountains to collect them, and most households still have some at home.

Princess Yuzhang relayed Li Yuan's words to Li Lizhi, who nodded and said, "Buy some chestnuts tomorrow and roast a lot of them; Sizi San Niang and the others like them very much."

"Perhaps it's because the chestnuts are fresh and taste better, or perhaps it's because I haven't eaten them in a long time, but I like them both," Princess Yuzhang also thought they were good.

Unfortunately, when I returned, it had already been divided up by several children.

Xiao Ran walked over from the other side and said, "Let's see if the children from the school go to the mountains to pick chestnuts. Set aside two class periods for the children to play."

"How should we divide the chestnuts we've collected? It doesn't seem right for everyone to keep their own; they'll easily fight over them," Yu Zhang said. (End of Chapter)