The members of the horse caravan were overjoyed to receive the "year - end bonus" from Li Ying.
As the Chinese New Year was approaching, after delivering the last batch of goods, the business of the horse caravan finally came to an end.
Most of these horse - caravan men had been wandering for years and had no fixed abode. So Li Ying simply suggested that they stay in the fishing village to celebrate the festival together, so that it could be more lively.
Hearing the implication in her words that she seemed to be planning some large - scale construction in the fishing village, the men of the horse caravan readily agreed.
In this way, they could help with any odd jobs.
They were all straightforward people, so Li Ying skipped the false niceties and openly asked them to help repair the guesthouses.
Granny Sun watched her bustling about, directing the men to take the fired red bricks out of the kiln one by one and stack them neatly aside. A hint of worry welled up in her heart.
"A Ying, you said that wealthy and powerful families from the capital would come to our village for a vacation... But even though our village has earned some money this year, it might still be insignificant in the eyes of those rich merchants in the capital..."
After all, she had lived in the capital for more than a month and had witnessed the opulence of the wealthy families. Even if the fishing village built new houses, those people might not think much of them. It would be bad if A Ying and Lu Xunguang were accused of "poor hospitality" and even brought disgrace to Su Buzhi.
Li Ying saw Granny Sun's hesitant look and just smiled.
"Auntie, don't worry. I have my own plans."
It was true that there were many noble families in the capital. Their mansions were the result of generations of painstaking construction. Even if she spared no expense and used all her wealth, she might not be able to match even a tenth of them.
So why should she go through all that trouble for nothing?
While they were talking, the men of the horse caravan had already led their livestock and transported all the oyster shells she had ordered.
"A Ying, what's the meaning of this?"
Granny Sun looked at the mountain of oyster shells. These things were of little use. At most, they could be roasted, crushed into powder, and mixed into the feed for the Wenchang chickens in the village to supplement calcium.
But Li Ying smiled confidently.
"Auntie, these oyster shells are the most unique feature of our fishing - village resort guesthouses."
What she wanted to build was a real "oyster house" - the oyster - shell house.
After laying the foundation, they first used red bricks, seaside gravel, and sand to build the "brick - and - stone" walls of the guesthouses, and then built a thick layer of oyster shells as the outer wall.
The brick wall was more than ten inches thick. The bowl - shaped middle part of the oyster shells was interlocked, forming a hollow insulation layer, which made the oyster - shell house warm in winter and cool in summer, with good heat - insulation properties.
Moreover, since the oyster shells came from the sea, they were resistant to the humidity and alkalinity by the sea. They didn't accumulate rainwater and were not attacked by insects. Tailored to local conditions, they were not only strong and stable but also cost - effective. The overlapping oyster shells were like fish scales, reflecting a faint golden light under the sunlight, contrasting beautifully with the red - brick courtyard walls, exuding a gentle charm.
The century - old stone arch bridge in the village was also renovated in the same way. Li Ying drew some blueprints and arranged people to build a tall oyster - shell lighthouse at the dock. Firstly, it could guide the fishing boats in the village. Secondly, it was also a very eye - catching scenic spot in the fishing village.
As for the oyster meat taken out, after being cleaned, it was served on the diners' tables.
Bake the freshly harvested first - water laver over low heat until it was crispy. After cooling, tear it into small pieces.
Then add dried shrimp, scallions, and sweet - potato starch. Season with pepper, salt, and fish sauce. Beat in a few free - range chicken eggs. After mixing well, gently add the oyster meat.
Heat up a pan with oil. Fry the laver - oyster batter until both sides were golden brown. Then it could be eaten with soy sauce or sweet - and - spicy garlic sauce.
This fried laver - oyster cake had an extra crispy flavor of laver compared to the ordinary oyster omelette. It was delicious bite after bite, whether as a snack or to go with wine.
The dried oysters were used to make the traditional New - Year dish - stuffed oysters.
Chop the pork, grass - carp meat, fresh shrimp, and scallop adductor muscles into minced meat. Mix them with dried - fish powder and shallots. Stir well and then beat repeatedly until it became sticky.
For seasoning, use the Zhu Hou sauce brewed by Li Ying herself, and add an appropriate amount of oyster sauce and light soy sauce to enhance the freshness.
The way of making stuffed oysters was different from that of stuffed tofu or mushrooms. One should not hollow out the plump and most delicious part of the dried oysters. Instead, wrap the dried oysters firmly with the minced meat. After patting it evenly, wrap it with a thin layer of pig caul fat.
In this way, the meatballs would not fall apart during cooking, and it would also add a rich and greasy taste.
Line the bottom of the pot with pig skin to prevent the stuffed oysters from sticking to the pot. Then pour in the thick soup made from fish bones and fish heads. Bring it to a boil over high heat. After cooking, sprinkle some dried - fish powder and then take them out and store.
These stuffed oysters were extremely delicious. Whether steamed, boiled, or braised, they were very palatable. The minced meat was smooth and chewy, and it absorbed the thick juice of the oysters, being soft, tender, and fragrant. Cooking a large pot of them would immediately fill the village with a strong smell of meat and fish, adding a festive atmosphere for the New Year.
Winter was the best season to eat oysters. Li's Restaurant also launched several seasonal dishes - oysters baked with scallions and ginger, oyster and chicken clay pot. She wrote out the recipes and sent them to the capital with a "message - carrying hawk".
"Come to the fishing village, eat fresh oysters, stay in oyster - shell guesthouses, and experience the seaside life of working at sunrise and resting at sunset."
As soon as this slogan was launched, many diners in the capital were eager to give it a try.
Moreover, the Lu family's medical clinic timely and vigorously publicized the tonic effects of oysters and mutton hot pots. The high - ranking officials and nobles were itching to go to the fishing village to spend a warm New Year.
In just a few days, Li Ying received many invitation cards for booking guesthouses.
She arranged the rooms one by one and then carefully considered - as the Chinese New Year was approaching and these were the first batch of noble guests from the capital for the fishing - village guesthouses, it was necessary to arrange a lively and amazing temple fair to make a good start.
Li Ying was wracking her brains and carefully listing a list of suitable performance programs when suddenly she heard A Man's anxious voice outside the door.
"Sister, sister, it's bad! Go and have a look quickly. A few women came outside the village. They were making a racket and got into a fight with our villagers!"
Li Ying frowned - it was really a nuisance in the midst of all the busyness. Who on earth was coming to cause trouble?