Chapter 110: Miao's Kitchen Chapter 109: Carpentry

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

To continue, after Cheng Erniang finished delivering to all the places, she hurriedly brought that letter back home to Song Miao.

Xiao Lian heard there was a letter; she had been peeling garlic, and both her ears perked up at once. Several times she wanted to interject, but listening to her mother talking with Song Miao nonstop, she couldn't find a spot to insert herself, and was frantic with anxiety.

After a long while, waiting until Song Miao finished reading that letter, she couldn't help but sidle over and ask: "Elder Sister, is this the same kind of letter as the ones my uncle used to send back before?"

She added: "My mother has a box, specially for keeping the letters Uncle sends back. Does this one also need to be put inside?"

Cheng Erniang laughed and scolded: "Silly child, this is a letter someone else gave your elder sister, not Uncle's."

Then she turned her head and smiled at Song Miao: "I told her that when Uncle was at the prefectural academy, sometimes when he returned home he would teach her to recite poems and recognize characters. This child has always blamed herself for not remembering the characters and poems she learned at age two, and is determined to have Xiao Jian come teach her again."

"Unfortunately, ever since entering the Capital, the Taixue manages strictly, and Xiao Jian doesn't have much time to come out. She has been constantly thinking about it, wanting to learn characters from letters herself."

Xiao Lian's face and ears instantly flushed red. She covered her face with her hand and turned away, grumbling in a muffled voice: "Mother."

The speaker had no intention, but the listener took it to heart. Song Miao immediately called out: "Xiao Lian."

That child instantly ran over with a red face.

Song Miao said: "Your uncle is studying and temporarily has no time. Elder Sister will teach you to recognize characters first. Are you willing?"

Xiao Lian's eyes shone bright. She hurriedly agreed, then hastily looked at her mother.

Song Miao then said to Cheng Erniang: "Having a skill is naturally most important, but if you can also recognize characters and learn a bit of accounting, wherever you go you won't fear starving. In the future, when you establish your own household, you'll have a clear plan in your heart."

Cheng Erniang was both startled and delighted, and said: "How can this be allowed? I'm afraid she won't learn well, and it would waste the young lady's effort!"

Song Miao smiled: "Why can't it be allowed? Learning a few characters a day, over a year that's over a thousand characters. Why wait for her uncle to come teach? Waiting and waiting, the sky turns dark! Who knows when that will be?"

She added: "Not just Xiao Lian. Er Niangzi should learn too. In the future, if this food shop really gets going, when hiring others, with people supplying goods and customers coming and going, won't you need to exert effort? It's not good to rely entirely on me alone to purchase and keep accounts, is it?"

Cheng Erniang, with such a steady temperament, rarely reddened her eyes, and said: "This... this makes the young lady trouble herself!"

She couldn't help but add: "Don't laugh at me, young lady. Since childhood I watched my younger brother study and picked up a few characters following him. But with the passing of time and no leisure to pay much attention, I learned and forgot, forgot and relearned — Xiao Jian's letters, I asked someone to help read them, and I also tried to read them myself. Unfortunately, I just can't remember them!"

Saying this, she hurriedly told Xiao Lian: "Quickly kowtow to your elder sister and acknowledge this master."

She added: "Wait until another day when I send over some cut meat for the young lady. I'll properly present the ceremonial gift and offer the tuition gift!"

Song Miao, acknowledging she could be this teacher, did not decline. She sat on the chair, accepted Xiao Lian's kowtow, then looked at Cheng Erniang and said: "Er Niangzi, won't you kowtow?"

Cheng Erniang froze for a moment.

Song Miao said: "In the teacher-student relationship, we go by learning, not seniority. We follow those who are good. Though you are a few years older than me, if you want to kowtow, I dare accept it."

Cheng Erniang was overjoyed and also stepped forward, performing the disciple ceremony to Song Miao on that cushion.

After the two finished kowtowing, Song Miao directly picked up a brush and said: "First day, we'll ignore everything else and first learn to write your own names."

To be frugal, she didn't use ink either. She dipped in clean water and wrote Cheng Erniang's full name "Yue Ying" two characters, and another "Lian" character. After writing the three characters, she took the mother and daughter's hands respectively and guided them through the strokes once, deliberately asking: "I only guided you once. Can you remember?"

For a moment the mother and daughter busily crowded together, their hands tracing the characters written on that white cloth nonstop.

Xiao Lian was both anxious and flustered, and said: "Why does my name have so many strokes!"

She added: "Mother, if I change my name now, is it still in time?"

Cheng Erniang also said: "Young lady, Xiao Lian's 'Lian' character is very hard to remember — once the cloth dries, it can't be seen anymore!"

Song Miao only told the two not to panic, and said: "Characters have their forms."

As she spoke, she broke that "Lian" character into upper and lower parts, and said: "Lian is the fruit of the lotus. Taking grass as the head, the lotus seedpods inside the lotus pod are connected like a honeycomb. Taking its meaning, it is grass above a 'Lian' (connect) character."

Fuzhou is the hometown of lotus seeds. The mother and daughter had seen plenty, so they naturally knew the lotus pod's appearance and immediately understood.

Song Miao then broke open that "Lian" character further: left "person", right "cart". She pointed at the stall cart nearby and said: "You look. When we push the cart out to set up stall in the morning, don't we have to hold the horizontal bar under the cart with our hands and push the cart forward?"

As for that "cart", it refers to the cart body. Compared with the cart bodies seen on the street, sure enough there is a square, windowed wooden compartment in the middle, very easy to remember.

After finishing breaking down the "Lian" character, Song Miao wrote a small seal script "Lian" character and smiled: "Look at the right side 'cart'. Doesn't it look like a lotus pod? Once mature, it needs to be planted. Often there are lotus leaves covering above, unfallen flower stamens below, and in the middle a long stem..."

The two looked and indeed it was very vivid. For a moment each silently memorized.

Song Miao said: "Today we just learn these three characters. Tomorrow evening I'll come test you."

Thus, after this day's busyness ended, the mother and daughter sat on the bed in the evening. Fearing they would ruin the padded quilt, they specially lifted the fine soft layer. Each murmuring to themselves, they used their fingers to trace on the bed board, fearing that once they woke from sleep, they would completely forget what they learned today.

The mother, acknowledging her older age and greater sensibility, insisted she must learn faster than her daughter.

The daughter, thinking she had eaten the most chicken hearts the day before, believed she had become much, much smarter and could not be slower than her birth mother.

Both secretly vied to prove themselves. Even in dreams there were those dreaming of lotus flowers and lotus pods, not to mention.

That night everyone slept. By midnight, suddenly thunder crashed in bursts, torrential rain poured down. Fortunately, upon waking, the rain had lessened somewhat.

Because the rain only weakened but didn't stop, by the time Song Miao and Cheng Erniang finished setting up stall, delivered the food, went to the meat and vegetable stall to purchase and returned, the ground in Suanzao Alley had already accumulated water up to the ankles.

The two each carried things on their backs, inconvenient to hold umbrellas, so they wore raincoats and bamboo hats. By the time they reached home, both were soaked halfway. They hurried to change clothes.

Cheng Erniang saw such heavy rain and looked at the standing water in the alley, and couldn't help worrying: "If this rain keeps falling, I'm afraid there really will be a major flood!"

Song Miao said: "Our house is on an uphill slope, the terrain is high, so we're not afraid of rainwater entering the house. But going in and out will definitely be inconvenient. At that time we'll just have to suspend business first."

Cheng Erniang most feared hearing this last sentence. She hurriedly said: "I'll wear wooden clogs. Even if pushing the cart is difficult, carrying the early food on my back or in my arms to deliver, we won't have to be so anxious as to suspend business, right?"

Song Miao said: "Outside they're all saying this year's rain is bad. There might be a major flood. When I was young, the water rose to my waist. If it passes the waist, the streets and alleys can't be walked. We'll have to travel by boat."

"Travel by boat then. I've been thinking recently. Last time the young lady said student business isn't good for raising prices. Aren't we still doing business with the patrol stations and government offices? Expensive is expensive. We're not earning extra. The cost is just that high. When the water rises, do they stop eating? There will still be business to do..."

Song Miao shook her head: "At that time, even if you're determined to go out, everywhere is flooded. Outside, even the meat and vegetable stalls won't have anything to buy. We ourselves will have to stock up on more durable food to avoid starving. Where would we get ingredients to cook for them?"

She added: "That day hasn't arrived yet. Who knows, it might just be us worrying needlessly."

Hearing this, Cheng Erniang could only sigh. After a while, she said again: "Since it's like this, let me tell the young lady in advance — when that time comes, don't pay me wages. There's no principle in the world where you don't do work but still have to give money!"

Song Miao hadn't expected Cheng Erniang to be so afraid of her employer suffering a loss. She couldn't help laughing: "Outsiders who don't know, hearing Er Niangzi speak, would think you've been exploited by me into some terrible state!"

She added: "I have my own arrangements. Idle time just counts as rest. In the future there will be plenty for you to be busy with."

As the two spoke, the rain, which had been light, gradually grew heavier, pouring down like a downpour.

Cheng Erniang worried for a moment and said, "With rain this heavy, I don't know if that Young Master Han will be able to come for the meal he mentioned."

Hearing this, Song Miao only stepped over the threshold of the main door and walked to the eaves, about to speak, when she saw in the distance, amidst the splashing rain and the clatter of the heavy downpour, a person holding an umbrella approaching.

A very large, very sturdy black oil-paper umbrella blocked all the rain on its surface, then poured it down again, wrapping the person inside like a half-round curtain.

The person walked very steadily, wearing a pair of long boots, stepping on the accumulated water on the ground without splashing.

When the person drew near, Song Miao saw that he wore tight-fitting clothes, had leg wraps on his lower legs, carried a bundle on his left shoulder behind him, and held a not-small oilcloth bag in his left hand.

In such heavy rain, no matter how good the umbrella or how long the boots, it was impossible to stay completely dry.

Seeing that this person's upper and lower garments were both quite wet, though he had come braving the rain, his movements showed no embarrassment, nor the slightest hesitation or flinching, possessing a kind of "let him be drenched" nonchalance.

Song Miao stood at the door for a few breaths; as dampness and steam gathered, her clothes felt moist, so she quickly stepped back, waited a moment, and then called out, "Such heavy rain, Young Master has come from afar, you've worked hard—if I had known, I would have said a word, and changing the day would be just the same."

The visitor was naturally that Han Li.

He had seen Song Miao from afar, a smile already on his face; as he drew near, he called out "Song Stall Owner," and after hearing those words, he replied, "There is eating for another day, and there is eating for today; how can they be lumped together?"

Song Miao couldn't help but smile.

Seeing the person enter the eaves and about to put away his umbrella, she reached out and took it from him, shook the water droplets off the umbrella, leaned it half against the door, and then invited him inside.

Han Li entered the house and saw everyone in the main hall; he first saluted Cheng Erniang, greeted Xiao Lian, and then handed the oilcloth bag in his hand to Song Miao, saying, "It's not proper to visit empty-handed; I only brought some small items."

Song Miao took it with both hands and thanked him, but said, "There are no men's clothes at home; Young Master Han, this whole outfit of yours..."

Han Li said, "I have my own clean clothes; I just need to borrow an empty room."

As he spoke, he took down the bundle resting on his left shoulder and placed it on a bench to the side.

The bundle hit the bench with a dull thud, as if something heavy were inside.

When Han Li opened the bundle, inside were adzes, hammers, chisels, planes, and other tools, all complete, everything used by a carpenter.

He said, "Yesterday I asked Cheng Erniang to bring back that letter; did Song Stall Owner see it? I need some wooden boards and timber; I only said it hastily, I don't know how much can be found."

Song Miao said, "My parents' room originally had some timber stuffed under the bed; I just don't know if it's suitable or enough."

She couldn't help but add, "Young Master works very hard at the government office; it's rare for you to have leisure to come visit, there's no need to go to such trouble..."

Her words had just fallen when Han Li said, "What I've learned is not much; I have nothing else to offer, and even if I did, Song Stall Owner wouldn't care for it. Only this carpentry skill I learned from childhood; back in the countryside, I saved up paper, ink, and money by making cabinets and furniture for people—now I've just come home to make a few tables and chairs. If you don't want them, I have nothing else to exchange for a hot meal."

He added, "Besides, the government office is very draining; it's rare to get out. Being able to make some skilled things and change my mind is what true rest is—rather, I should be thanking Song Stall Owner."

Song Miao had originally wanted to say that the silver money he gave last time was still left, but Han Li's words at this moment drew a clean line between their relationship and business or silver, so she couldn't bring herself to speak, nor did she want to.

Think about it: if she brought her cookware and cooking utensils, eagerly went to someone's house to cook for them, and the other side kept making excuses and then paid her off with money, what would she feel in her heart?

Thinking this, Song Miao immediately agreed and smiled, "Then many thanks to Young Master Han. Our home has lacked tables and chairs for a long time; I didn't expect that Young Master would personally come to do the work!"

While speaking, she led the person to the back courtyard, to Song Fu and Song's Mother's room.

The room was filled with many broken tables and chairs, as well as some miscellaneous items.

Song Miao pointed under the wooden bed and said, "There is some timber underneath, but it's not good material."

She was about to reach in and drag it out.

Han Li stopped her, saying, "You go busy yourself; I'll handle this here."

He added, "I don't know how many tables and chairs can be made here, but I'm afraid half a day won't be enough to finish."

Song Miao smiled and said, "By the custom of the market, when hiring a carpenter to come to the door, the host usually provides meals. It just depends on how many days of leave Young Master has, and how many days this work will take."

After speaking, she saluted him, told him to call her anytime if he had business, and then went to the front main hall.

Cheng Erniang saw Song Miao return and couldn't help but say, "I never thought Young Master Han was so skilled at reading, but he also knows carpentry!"

She added, "In our countryside, carpenters are very sought after; even apprentices are fought over. They won't work for nothing for three or five years, and if a person isn't clever, the master craftsman won't easily teach them. I don't know how he finds the time to both read and learn a craft!"

Song Miao said, "Young Master Han is smart and very willing to endure hardship."

She then mentioned two things she had heard about this person's conduct and daily routine when she went to the government office.

For a moment, not only did Cheng Erniang gasp in amazement, but even Xiao Lian, who was holding a tea cup about to take it to the back, was stunned.

Cheng Erniang sighed a few times, and seeing that the time was not early, she hurriedly asked, "Shall we scrub the river snails now?"

At this moment, Song Miao was no longer in a hurry to stew the soup.

She looked at a few snails poking their heads out from the bucket wall, then glanced at the yellow eels to the side, and said, "Let's eat the snails in the evening; today we bought an old hen, and it needs to be stewed for a long time to be fragrant."

Speaking, she wrapped it in a cloth, reached out, caught several long, thin yellow eels, tossed them onto the cutting board to the side, and with a slap of the knife, the several wriggling yellow eels stopped moving.

"Let's make yellow eel rice for noon."

?? Turn the page down, there's a bonus image~