"My daughter-in-law," the elder woman began, her voice tinged with bewilderment, then concern, "who in our valley has cooking skills comparable to Mai Zi's? I’d wager none of your aunties can match her. You wouldn't want them to spoil good ingredients, would you?"
Chen Lan nodded, recognizing the truth in her mother-in-law's words. "Mother," she suggested, "why don't you have Manager Zheng's wife, Sun Xiaomei, and her mother, Auntie Sun, try cooking for a few days? You can assign two more aunties to assist them, so the mother and daughter can focus solely on stir-frying, while the others handle the rest. That way, no one will be overly burdened. I'll bring the necessary seasonings to the main kitchen tomorrow morning. If anything else is missing, just let me know."
Seeing her mother-in-law still hesitant, Chen Lan pressed on. "Mother, they are from the Chuan-Yu province. The province of Shu has been known as the 'Land of Abundance' since ancient times. They have countless delicacies. I'm confident their cooking skills are excellent, at least better than mine."
Chen Lan wasn't merely flattering Sun Xiaomei and her mother. In Chuan-Yu households, it was common for each family to have their own specialties in preparing home-style dishes, with culinary skills passed down through generations. This was true even in Chen Lan's past life in modern times. She had enjoyed watching cooking shows, where food bloggers often featured small street-side eateries in Chuan-Yu, claiming the truly delicious food was found in these unassuming places, their skills honed through generations.
Such home-style cooking, though simple in preparation and using common ingredients, resulted in unparalleled taste. Chen Lan mused that this must be what was meant by ancestral skills.
Though still harboring some reservations, the elder woman ultimately yielded. Chen Lan was now the de facto head of the valley, and everyone understood and respected that. They were willing to follow her lead. Moreover, the mother-in-law trusted Chen Lan's competence and her judgment of people. After a moment's thought, she agreed.
A wave of relief washed over Chen Lan. While her mother-in-law appeared kind, approachable, and unpretentious, she was also a woman of principle and conviction. Chen Lan knew her mother-in-law wasn't looking down on others' skills but was concerned about wasting precious resources. This frugality was a deeply ingrained habit from the older generation. Better to nourish the land than to waste food.
To further appease her mother-in-law, Chen Lan engaged her in conversation, recounting various Chuan-Yu delicacies from her past life: *huo guo rou*, *mao xue wang*, *ma po dou fu*, *shui zhu rou pian*, *gong bao ji ding*, *fu qi fei pian*, *la zi ji ding*, *yu xiang qie zi*, *shui zhu yu*, and *ma yi shang shu*. As Chen Lan described them, her own appetite was whetted, causing her to swallow repeatedly. It was no wonder her mother-in-law and Xiang Xi, who were listening, were equally captivated.
Observing her mother-in-law's expression, Chen Lan saw it transform from initial reluctance to sheer delight. Her heart finally settled.
With her mother-in-law reassured, Chen Lan continued with her work instructions. "Mother," she said, "there are two more matters requiring your attention. First, the vegetable garden. Please assign two aunties to be solely responsible for it, with a few assistants. As more people arrive in the valley, the garden needs careful management."
The elder woman nodded without comment.
Seeing no objection, Chen Lan continued, "Second, as the weather has warmed early this year, wild vegetables will soon be sprouting on the mountain. Starting tomorrow, in the mornings, please assign an auntie or young wife familiar with the wild vegetables of the northeastern mountains to lead all the idle young wives and girls in foraging. In the afternoons, they will all help in the vegetable garden. As for reading and writing at the study hall, once things settle down, we will build a dedicated school. We will also construct a large building for the sewing cooperative."
The mother-in-law nodded, "Xiao Lan, I agree with this approach. It's the right way. We can't let them grow lazy. As the saying goes, 'Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.' They should all do what they are capable of. Rice doesn't fall from the sky!"
Uncle De and Uncle Fu, overhearing the mother-in-law, nodded in agreement.
Chen Lan felt it was important to clarify one more matter. "Mother," she said, "after they bring back the wild vegetables, please supervise them in cleaning and preparing them. Set aside enough for two meals for everyone, as they will be foraging daily. For rare seasonal vegetables like *ci lao ya*, *xiang chun ya*, *jue cai*, *ji cai*, and *xiao gen suan*, they should not be consumed immediately. Select the best ones, tie them into half-jin bundles, and I will give them to Father. He can take them to his colleagues to trade for good items, which will help offset the valley's expenses."
Upon hearing this, the elder woman's eyes lit up, and she nodded enthusiastically. "We absolutely should do that, Xiao Lan! I've been worried. With so many people suddenly needing to eat, I was concerned we'd deplete our resources!"
Chen Lan smiled but offered no verbal reply.
Turning to Xiang Xi, she asked, "Little Watermelon, will you stay home tomorrow to teach the children, or will you accompany me to teach Ming Wei and Chun Cao how to dig foundations for the houses?"
Xiang Xi mumbled softly, "Little Basket, can I choose neither? Can I just dig the foundations myself?"
Chen Lan smiled and shook her head. "Little Watermelon, why can't you understand? Once you teach them all, you'll be free to do what you enjoy."
Xiang Xi grumbled again, "Little Basket, you're just trying to trick me! What do I even enjoy doing right now? Can I start a business?"
Chen Lan pretended not to hear and nonchalantly continued her instructions. "Alright! I'll grant your request. Tomorrow morning, take one experienced person with you to the mountainside opposite us. Find a large area to build sheep pens and pigsties. Once you've chosen the spot, report back to me immediately, and I'll send the raw materials. I've already prepared the blueprints. Here they are."
With that, she reached out to retrieve the blueprints.