Traveling through the mountains and farming

Chapter 142 Charcoal Burning

Everyone found a place to sit down and rest. Li Chongwu took Li Chongle to a nearby stream on the hillside, collected spring water in a bamboo tube and passed it to others.

"Shall we chop the firewood later and continue after we go back for lunch?" Li Chongwu said while drinking water.

"No need to go back. I brought rice and vegetables. I'll cut bamboo nearby to make bamboo rice at noon."

Lin Wan said this and gestured in the direction of the backpack where she kept the rice and vegetables.

"Great, time to eat bamboo tube rice!" Li Ke cheered happily.

Xiaobai rubbed Lin Wan's legs happily, making a "嘤嘤" sound, as if he was also happy about being able to eat bamboo tube rice soon.

"Lin Wan, you are so thoughtful. Let's chop wood quickly so that we can eat the delicious bamboo tube rice!" Luo Fang stood up and suggested.

Everyone thought Luo Fang was right, so they all stood up, picked up their tools and prepared to chop wood.

"We choose to cut down branches that are as thick as an adult's arm, and it's best if they are about the same size and length," Lin Wan reminded.

Li Chongwu first selected suitable trees, and then he and Li Chongle each took a hatchet and was responsible for cutting down the branches.

In order to save time, Lin Wan had borrowed an axe from Aunt Li and Aunt Luo yesterday. She and Luo Fang were responsible for trimming the chopped branches and cutting them into one-meter-long pieces of firewood, which was just the right length to be placed upright in the cave.

Li Ke helped to sort the firewood, carrying it one load at a time to the side of the cave and stacking it up.

Although I only carry one or two sticks each time, I am still contributing my small strength to everyone.

Everyone had a clear division of labor and was very motivated, and everyone wanted to finish it as soon as possible.

In less than an hour, the ground was filled with chopped branches and firewood.

Lin Wan saw that it should be enough to fill the cave, so she asked everyone to stop and start preparing to make bamboo tube rice.

She carried the backpack and walked towards the nearby stream on the hillside. The water from the stream had been brought out by someone using bamboo pipes, making it very convenient to use.

Luo Fang followed behind and prepared to help wash rice, wash vegetables and cut vegetables.

They picked up a stone slab nearby to use as a chopping board, and used a clean hatchet to chop the bacon and dried mushrooms.

After Li Chongwu cut the bamboo into bamboo tubes and washed them, they mixed the washed rice, cut bacon and dried mushrooms and put them into the bamboo tubes, added an appropriate amount of mountain spring water, and then sealed them with a bamboo tube with a small ring mouth.

Li Chongwu and his two siblings had already built a long, simple barbecue table with stones and started a fire.

Lin Wan and Luo Fang brought the bamboo tube rice over and placed it diagonally over the fire to slowly roast it.

Li Chongwu saw that Lin Wan didn't bring chopsticks, so he started sharpening chopsticks.

Soon, the faint aroma of bacon wrapped in rice wafted out.

"It smells so good, it must be delicious!"

Li Ke squatted beside, adding firewood while staring at the bamboo tube rice.

"Oh oh oh!" Xiaobai cried beside him.

"Don't worry, sister-in-law has also made a bamboo tube for you." Li Chongle said with a smile, touching Xiaobai's head.

Luo Fang smelled the aroma getting stronger and stronger, and felt that it should be almost cooked, so she asked, "Is it almost cooked?"

"Open one and see. I'm not sure."

Lin Wan had only done it once or twice and couldn't really get the timing right.

Li Chongwu took the outermost bamboo tube off the fire and wrapped it with a large piece of leaves, then opened it and took a look.

"It's cooked and ready to eat."

He asked the others to wait and quickly took down all the bamboo tubes and placed them on the leaves laid out nearby.

Seeing Li Ke eager to try, Lin Wan reminded: "Don't touch it yet, wait until it cools down a bit before eating, be careful it's too hot."

Luo Fang distributed chopsticks to everyone, and everyone sat around, eager to taste the delicious bamboo tube rice.

After a while, Li Chongwu confirmed that the bamboo tube rice was finally almost cool, and everyone took a bamboo tube and started eating.

"It's so delicious!" Li Ke took the first bite.

Xiaobai, who was standing next to them, saw that someone had already started eating and started crying. Lin Wan was still helping him open the bamboo tube.

After Lin Wan helped it take the rice out of the bamboo tube and put it on the leaves, it began to gobble it up.

Everyone ate with gusto. Lin Wan thought it tasted really good, and it might be even better with a little more salt.

She thought there was enough salt in the bacon, but she was surprised.

After lunch, they took a short break and then began to load firewood into the cave.

Everyone carried all the firewood they had just chopped to the side of the cave. Lin Wan picked up the firewood and jumped into the cave. She began to put the firewood in and explained to the others:

"We need to put the larger firewood in the middle and the smaller ones at the mouth of the fire. The mouth of the fire cannot be blocked, and a little space should be left."

Although we try to cut firewood of uniform thickness, some of them may vary in size.

Three people were placing firewood in the cave, and two of them were passing the firewood on top.

After the cave was filled with firewood, Lin Wan took some short firewood and placed it on top.

"Put some short firewood horizontally on top to fill in the uneven spots. This will make it easier to build the kiln shed and allow the firewood to burn better."

After all the space was filled in, all that was left was to build the kiln shed.

They dug some more clay nearby, and cut a large bale of hay nearby.

Lin Wan led everyone to spread hay on top of the firewood to prevent the clay from falling when building the kiln shed.

Then they shoveled the clay onto the hay and used a combination of a shovel and a wooden hammer to hammer the clay in circles to compact the kiln shed and prevent subsequent collapse.

Lin Wan put down the shovel and said, "Okay, all that's left is to light the kiln."

"I'll do it, I'll do it, I'm best at firing the kiln." Li Ke immediately ran towards the fire mouth at the bottom of the slope.

She often helps with making pottery, so she should be able to do the job of making fire.

Li Chongle followed behind and helped Li Ke light the fire and add firewood.

Lin Wan and the others followed them down, and Luo Fang asked worriedly, "Don't we have to wait until the kiln roof is dry before firing?"

"No need. The kiln roof will be dried out while the charcoal is burning," Lin Wan explained.

The two siblings had already started the fire and added firewood.

"How long does it take to seal the cave?" Li Chongwu asked.

Lin Wan thought for a moment and replied, "Our cave is large enough that it will take about two days and two nights. After that, we can seal the cave if the smoke oil in the chimney is dry. After sealing the cave, we need to wait for three days, and the charcoal should be ready."

She tried hard to recall how her grandfather had answered this question when she asked him this question before. He mentioned two ways, but she only remembered this one.

At that time, my grandfather's cave was bigger than this one. It took three days and three nights to burn the charcoal. After sealing the cave, we waited for four days and four nights. It took a total of seven or eight days to burn the charcoal.

Li Chongle shouted excitedly: "Look, there's smoke coming out of the chimney up there."

Lin Wan looked towards the chimney and said, "If there is a lot of smoke coming out of the chimney, it means the firewood inside is burning."

After listening to this, everyone had a rough idea in their minds.

"I'll go pick up some dry firewood nearby in case there's not enough."

After Li Chongwu finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the woods.

Li Chongle and Li Ke also wanted to go and help, but Li Chongwu waved his hand:

"You guys stay here and watch over the kiln. Don't run around."

After he had prepared enough firewood, he proposed to send Lin Wan and the others back to the cave to live in seclusion. He would be responsible for firing the kiln for the next two days, and he would also be able to seal the kiln afterwards. They only had to wait five days before coming together to open the kiln and get charcoal.