Chapter 194

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

The past cannot be pursued, yet the new moon and eggs remain the same.

Song Miao held that egg, rubbing it in her hand for a while, thinking of past events, spacing out for a good long while, then leaned forward again, just about to place the egg on the ground to face the bright moon, when she heard footsteps coming from not far off to her right front.

That person approached quickly, called out "Song Xiaoniangzi", and asked in surprise: "Today is clearly the Start of Summer, not the Start of Spring, why are you standing an egg up?"

Song Miao looked up; though she could not see the visitor's face clearly, recognizing the voice and figure, she knew at once it was the belatedly returned Kong Fuyang.

Hearing this call, she immediately pulled herself out of her thoughts of days past and smiled: "Young Master has finally returned, but I wonder where Young Master Han is? I heard you went to the Zhou Ya; since Cen Tongpan invited you, there was most likely a meal provided. You originally agreed to come back and eat; can you still eat at this hour?"

Kong Fuyang hurriedly said "Of course" repeatedly, then added: "None of us ate; we rushed back with all haste just for this one mouthful. Your question makes me panic — hasn't it all been snatched up by those beasts?"

He also said: "Zheng Yan was kept by that Cen Tongpan to discuss matters; who knows when he'll be back."

Song Miao stood up and said: "Rest assured, I saved plenty. Young Master, freshen up first, and you can eat as soon as you come out."

She returned to the Kitchen, put the pre-prepared noodles into the pot, and cooked them in that Braised Head Shrimp Pork Bone Soup. Just as she ladled them out, Kong Fuyang had already burrowed into the Kitchen himself. Seeing that bowl, he was so delighted he hurried forward to take it, saying: "I'll eat right here, no need to carry it back and forth!"

He sat by the table, lifted and tossed the noodles, coating them in that rich sauce color, slurped down several big mouthfuls of noodles in succession, then a few mouthfuls of soup. After the soup, noodles, and pork bone meat were all swallowed together, padding his stomach, he finally freed up space to eat the Braised Head Shrimp he had been eyeing for a long time.

When he sucked up the shrimp roe, then ate the shrimp meat, he chewed in his mouth while rapidly peeling several shrimp, so anxious his hands and feet trembled slightly.

Until he sucked into his mouth, all at once, the noodles — full of wheat fragrance, coated in thick pork bone soup juice, with both meat and roe, and even the sucked-out pork bone marrow — he couldn't help but stretch his legs straight, his whole body leaning back against the chair back. His eyes were still open, but not focused at all; he looked for all the world as if his three souls and seven spirits had all run into his mouth to work.

After a moment, swallowing that one huge mouthful of noodles that had obtained countless essences, he finally let out a long, long sigh.

"Ah — if one day there's no more of this mouthful made by Song Xiaoniangzi, what will I do!"

Song Miao saw his appearance and couldn't help laughing, saying: "Is it really that delicious?"

"You don't understand! I heard you say today is the Start of Summer, and that you'd make a side dish in the evening, so I knew it would definitely be a big dish. At the slightest free moment, my mind was full of it, pondering several times what it would be. At first I thought it was Shrimp Jujube Meat and Egg Soup, then I thought it might be the Pig Trotter Rice I'd heard of before, and I even guessed chicken, duck, and such."

"Because everything you make is delicious, just thinking about it filled my heart with anticipation. When I came back, I thought my earlier guesses were already extremely good; who could have expected it would actually be this best thing — I like shrimp, I like shrimp roe and shrimp paste, I love bone marrow even more, and these noodles are exactly the thickness and texture I like best! Coated in soup, with meat, hooked with bone marrow and shrimp roe… ah ya! You don't understand!"

Song Miao, the cook who made the dishes, was instantly capped with a "doesn't understand" hat.

She couldn't help laughing; seeing Kong Fuyang eat a large bowl cleanly eaten, not even wasting a drop of the soup bottom, after eating he looked from head to toe as if the word "satisfied" was written all over him. She also felt a bit proud.

For a cook, nothing makes one happier than a diner liking one's skill.

She smiled and said: "Next time I'll ask the shrimp farmer and try to buy some more — while we're still in Hua Prefecture, let's see if we can make it again."

Kong Fuyang was so pleased he stood up and made a deep, long bow to Song Miao. But after the bow was completed, he added: "Alas, I'm truly torn. For Song Xiaoniangzi's dishes, I want to eat the old ones again, but I also want to try every new one I haven't eaten — when you return to the Capital, that Food Shop must open early. I'll come eat three meals a day!"

Gaining a customer who delivered himself, though she knew these words might not come true, it still made her happy.

In the end the hour was not early; after a few more sentences, Kong Fuyang took his leave.

But Song Miao had just cleaned the Stove when she heard footsteps outside the Door again. She looked up and saw it was Kong Fuyang returning again after having left.

He hurriedly said: "Almost forgot — Song Xiaoniangzi, Zheng Yan said he doesn't know when he'll be back. Please don't wait long. If there's food, leave it in the pot; he'll know to come tidy it up himself. You rest early!"

Song Miao paused at these words, then quickly agreed.

She had to rise early tomorrow, so naturally she wouldn't force herself to stay up. She thought a moment, took out the Official Document she had written in her bosom, handed it to Kong Fuyang, and said: "Originally meant for Young Master Han; since he doesn't know when he'll return, giving it to you is the same — take a look, see if it can be used."

After everything was tidied up properly, Song Miao then returned to her room to rest, not to be mentioned further.

After she settled down, another hour or so passed, and Han Li finally returned from the Zhou Ya. Sure enough, he went to the Kitchen himself, boiled noodles, heated the dishes and soup, and worshipped his five viscera temple.

After washing the pots and bowls, he closed the Kitchen Door. When he returned to his room and pushed the door open, he saw Kong Fuyang bent over the desk writing, and said: "The hour is not early; you'd better sleep early, otherwise how will you endure tomorrow?"

Hearing Han Li return, Kong Fuyang hurriedly put down the Brush in his hand, blew on the paper before him, and said proudly: "You said my indictment on the kitchen barren bean matter was too vague, and the improved prevention measures weren't very usable either. You told me to set it aside and wait for you to find time to revise it. Well, I've already revised it now, no need to trouble your grand carriage — take a look!"

Han Li heard this, stepped forward to take it, glanced at it just once, but quickly asked: "Who wrote the original draft?"

Kong Fuyang knew he couldn't hide it and answered honestly: "Song Xiaoniangzi wrote it — she wrote it so well it even made me curious about her elder brother at Nanlu Academy. Born of the same mother, he certainly won't be far off! It's just a pity…"

Speaking, he picked up the Official Document Song Miao wrote from the table, handed it to Han Li, and added: "She even specially imitated your chapter-style prose, only slightly altered, or actually might not need much alteration to be directly used inside."

Han Li first finished reading Kong Fuyang's revised indictment, then read Song Miao's original draft. When reading the original draft, he flipped back and forth, reading carefully three or four times, and finally asked: "Are you done using it?"

"Done using it. Why?"

Han Li waved the Manuscript and said: "If you're not using it, I have another use for it here. I'll put it away first."

Kong Fuyang naturally didn't think much of it and agreed at once. Then he went back to praising Song Miao repeatedly. After praising the Manuscript, he couldn't help circling back to praising her skill. Finally he asked: "Zheng Yan, when we return to the Capital, if Song Xiaoniangzi's Food Shop doesn't open for a single day, we'll only get to eat breakfast. What to do?"

He seemed to have a sudden brainwave and suddenly added: "You say… Zheng Yan, how about you send word to Chen Fuzi?"

Reaching this point, he suddenly perked up and said: "You go ask Chen Fuzi to find Deng Jijiu, ask if Song Xiaoniangzi can be invited to the Academy's Gong Chu? We'll open a stall for her…"

He was right in the middle of planning when he heard Han Li say: "Never mind whether Song Xiaoniangzi herself is willing, or whether Taixue can even use this method. Even if she's willing and the Academy agrees — by this time next year, you'll definitely have already passed the imperial examination and shed your commoner status, right?"

Kong Fuyang froze.

"If you tie someone down at Taixue, by the time you shed your commoner status…"

Kong Fuyang immediately changed his mind: "No good, no good. That was me only caring about the present, not the future — opening a Food Shop is still better. At least we can eat every time we visit!"

Having suffered a setback, he quieted for a moment. His mind wandered back and forth, but he couldn't help bringing it up again: "Zheng Yan, you say if in the future I'm posted out as an official, can I bring Song Xiaoniangzi along and have her manage the Gong Chu for me?"

Han Li glanced at him and said coolly: "You manage yourself first. I see you're really very idle right now. This morning you said your mind was full of official business, not a single stray thought. You wanted me to write a poem for the record. Good thing I didn't. Tomorrow's riverway progress statistics — can you give them to me by the end of Yin Hour?"

Kong Fuyang was startled: "Didn't you say this afternoon that end of Chen Hour was fine?"

"You're now thinking of opening a stall for someone, now planning a Food Shop for someone, now planning to bring someone to manage a Gong Chu, without even asking what the person herself means — with this many delusive thoughts, I'll make you hand it in by the end of Yin Hour."

Leaving that side aside, Kong Fuyang, fearing Chen Hour might truly be changed to Yin Hour, hurriedly climbed onto his own bed, pretended to sleep. But he had truly exhausted himself all day, and had eaten his fill of noodles. He closed his eyes and before long was truly asleep.

On the other side, Zhang Siniang and Wang Sanlang, having left the Yi Guan Guan, walked along talking. As they walked, seeing the family Door right ahead, the latter said: "It's too late. You go inside first. I'll watch you go in from here."

Speaking, he took the basket off his back.

Zhang Siniang took the basket, took a handful of plums from inside, put them in a Handkerchief and wrapped them up nicely for him, and also separated a small bag of apricots, saying: "Take them back to eat."

Things given by her beloved, Wang Sanlang both wanted to accept and didn't want to accept. He declined: "You eat them yourself. There are many people at home. It looks like a fair amount here, but once eaten it's not much — the little ones scrambling to divide them, how much can you get?"

He also said: "Other things are fine, but aren't you fond of eating apricots? At least keep a few for yourself. Don't give them all away. It's not good for children to eat too many!"

Zhang Siniang glared at him and said, "Since I'm giving it to you, just take it!"

Wang Sanlang, seeing this, finally picked up a few plums and also took an apricot, saying softly, "I also got a reward today, and I've already saved it. Mother told me the family is saving money, to see if we can build two more rooms in these two months. It's not good to have you squeezed into the old house..."

Zhang Siniang pursed her lips and said softly, "We'll talk about it later."

She urged him again to hurry home.

After sending off her fiancé, Zhang Siniang returned home. Just as she entered the door, she heard scolding voices from inside.

"Look at you, Wang Cai was perfectly fine guarding the door, why did you go and tease it?"

"Wuwu, how would I know it would really snatch my egg!"

"Serves you right. Look at you showing off like that, carrying those few eggs running all over the street, really thinking you're some Egg King? Playing with the neighbors' kids is one thing, but not even letting off cats and dogs. You held chicken eggs right up to Wang Cai's mouth, if it didn't snatch yours, whose would it snatch?"

As soon as these words fell, wailing cries rang out from inside the room.

Zhang Siniang hurried inside and saw that first her niece was crying. The niece cried, and her nephew felt he'd suffer a huge loss if he didn't cry too, so he followed along crying. Both of them competing to see who could cry louder. Her sister-in-law shouted at this one, couldn't shout down that one.

She hurried over, put down the basket and food box in her hands, and said, "Look what Auntie brought back! If you keep crying, none of you get any!"

Seeing the fresh plums with frost, golden yellow with red tips, and apricots emitting a fresh, fragrant and sweet scent, and seeing such large shrimp, a big pork bone with lean and fat meat alternating on the bone, the children didn't even bother to wipe their snot and tears, and crowded around, one calling Auntie, that one hugging her legs acting spoiled.

Ma Shenzǐ hurriedly called out "Si Niang."

Zhang Siniang handed the things in her hands to her sister-in-law to distribute. After sending off the nephew and niece, she tugged her sister-in-law's sleeve, and the two went into the room together.

As soon as Ma Shenzǐ entered, she complained, "How come you only went to deliver an egg, send some tea, but brought back so many things? You girl, those who don't know would think you went to beg at someone's door — who gives gifts like this!"

Zhang Siniang, however, neither explained nor answered, but fell silent for a few breaths, then suddenly said, "Sister-in-law, what do you think? If I follow Song Xiaoniangzi to the Capital, do odd jobs under her, don't want wages, just room and board, would that work?"

Ma Shenzǐ was stunned upon hearing this, but said, "Does Song Xiaoniangzi agree?"

She added, "Don't think you're so remarkable just because you don't want wages. Ordinary apprentices outside, which one gets any wages? A master giving ten or twenty wen pocket money a month is considered generous. Moreover, with Song Xiaoniangzi's skill and temperament — these past few days people come every day asking me, asking where the big pancakes come from, asking if Song Xiaoniangzi still takes people, and there are even those willing to pay money to learn the skill!"

Zhang Siniang said, "I know!"

She repeated the dialogue she just had with Song Miao, then said, "From what the Young Lady said, it sounds like she's willing to take me in, and thinks well of me, it's just that there are many things in the way..."

Ma Shenzǐ was also somewhat troubled, and said, "What the Young Lady said makes sense. You going to the Capital, unfamiliar with the place and people, if you get a headache or fever, or suffer some grievance, a young unmarried woman — never mind your brother, even I wouldn't be at ease!"

She added, "And what about the marriage? The Wang family has prepared everything. Though they're poor, they've given their all in sincerity. This morning his mother even came to tell me they want to build two rooms as a bridal chamber for you two!"

Zhang Siniang hesitated a moment, but finally said, "Sister-in-law, what do you think about letting Sanlang go to the Capital with me?"

Ma Shenzǐ blanked for a moment, then immediately asked, "Have you discussed this with him?"

Zhang Siniang shook her head and said, "I wanted to ask Sister-in-law first."

She added, "I've thought about it before. Our family, the Wang family, we're all poor households, have been for many generations in Hua Prefecture. Aside from fishing and labor, it's just going to the Washing Clothes Workshop. Last time setting up a stall, hard work for a month or so, didn't earn much money. I don't care about myself, but once married, with children, I don't want them to have to pole boats and pound clothes again."

She spoke to this point, then said, "They say a moved tree dies, a moved person lives. Sister-in-law, you've seen it — Song Xiaoniangzi has such good skill, and is so magnanimous, she's someone who does great things. Right now she owes debts, but that shop will open sooner or later. With her ability, it will definitely get bigger and bigger. If I follow her now, as long as I work hard, how could I be mistreated?"

"If I can establish myself in the Capital, the family might also be able to come join us. Water flows downhill, people walk uphill — that's the Emperor's feet! Perilla, Hu Zi, wouldn't they also have a better path to choose?"

"Such a good opportunity is hard to come by. The Young Lady usually has some appreciation for me. If I don't make an effort to try and grasp it, I'm afraid that later, thinking back, I won't be able to sleep at night!"