Chapter 224

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Zhou Shi helped Liang Yan up in one motion, her face full of smiles.

If one is a good person, once they do a good deed, a sense of satisfaction naturally arises in the heart.

Not only Zhou Shi, but Zhu Butcher was also smiling.

His face was already fleshy to begin with; now that he smiled, the loose flesh on his cheeks bulged horizontally, and he couldn't help but rub his oily bright face with a pair of large hands, looking extremely happy.

Zhu Butcher looked at his daughter Zhu Shi, grinned, and asked: "Today is such a happy occasion, and a major one at that. In a bit I'll call your brothers and their families back — will you stay home for dinner?"

Zhu Shi agreed, and then went to keep Song Miao.

The Zhu family banquet was specially held for Liang Yan; there would certainly be talk at the table. Song Miao was an outsider; anyone with a shred of tact would not go disturb them.

She smiled and said: "I still have business to make a trip to Jixian Yuan; another day I'll come again to share in the joyous atmosphere!"

Seeing that Zhou Shi was immediately arranging lodging for Liang Yan, and also saying it just so happened they were making summer clothes today, asking them to measure together, she said: "Let Elder Sister-in-law know: Liang Yan's luggage is still in Sanzao County Alley, and there are also some loose ends to tie up. Why not have him stay at my place tonight, and once everything is sorted out, I'll send him back?"

Zhou Shi naturally had no objections.

Having agreed with the Zhu family to return around the You hour to pick him up, Song Miao boarded the mule cart and went to Jixian Yuan below the Hanlin Academy.

Upon arriving, she first sought out the guards, stated her background, and asked them to help pass a message.

She waited only a short while before two people hurried out from inside.

Besides the guard, the other one looked very familiar.

This person had just walked close, already wearing a beaming smile, and said: "It's actually Young Lady Song! You've finally returned to the Capital! How have you been these past days?"

When he saw Song Miao carrying an oil-paper bundle in her hand, a cloth bundle on her back, and a basket on her back, his eyes practically crinkled into fish-tail wrinkles with joy. He hurried forward to help carry the things — it was none other than Xiao You, You Xuelu.

Song Miao asked after his well-being, then said: "Haven't seen you in a long time; Xuelu, how come you seem to have grown thinner?"

The man across from her exchanged a word with the guard, then led Song Miao toward the rear, replying: "Don't mention it! Ever since I came to Jixian Yuan, I've eaten poorly and slept poorly; the place is hot too — that's fine, but the work is also complicated. Sigh!"

The two talked all the way; on the road they sporadically encountered a few people, all with dark circles under their eyes and dull expressions, their greetings listless and weak.

When they reached a room, You Xuelu knocked on the door, called out "Teacher," and pushed the door open to enter.

Song Miao saw at a glance Chen Fuzi behind the desk, frowning, his old face wrinkled.

Seeing Song Miao enter, the other immediately set down the brush in his hand; his face was no longer bitter, his brows no longer furrowed. His mouth, originally a flat upper semicircle, almost instantly adjusted from upward to downward, turning into a delighted lower semicircle.

In this shift from up to down, Chen Fuzi's few remaining old teeth were revealed in a grin.

He stood up, walked over, first pointed out a seat for Song Miao, then turned and urged: "Xiao You, bring that Xinyang Maojian Xiao Min gave me last time... no, Summer Mao Jian isn't as good as spring and autumn... just now Liu Hanlin said he was going out to buy Xuepao Sufei Yin? You find someone to go get some from him! Iced!"

Song Miao hurriedly thanked him and tried to decline.

"Take it, take it! The weather is too hot; you drink something cool to relieve the heat!"

Chen Fuzi spoke while fetching a folding fan, and personally moved an ice basin from behind the desk, placing it right next to Song Miao, saying: "Young Lady, if you have any matter, just send someone with a message! In such sweltering heat, why did you run over at this hour?"

Song Miao hurriedly went to receive the ice basin, saying: "Because I have a matter, I specially asked Young Master Cheng to help inquire about Teacher's whereabouts. Today I happened to be nearby, thought it wasn't far, so I came along — I hired a mule cart!"

As she spoke, she presented the things she carried one by one: besides the Huazhou local specialty, there was a box of freshly made egg roll tubes, and a bottle of green plum dew.

"When I was in Huazhou, I came across newly ripened plums; it just so happened Young Master Han witnessed it, saying Teacher especially likes this kind of sweet-and-sour thing, and had me make a bottle..."

Chen Fuzi beamed, half-scolding half-praising: "This Zheng Yan, all day long he doesn't know how to say nice things, but when it comes to caring for people, he's not vague at all!"

As he spoke, he reached out and specifically took the green plum dew, and asked when it could be eaten, whether it was drunk directly mixed with water, and if there were any other particulars.

Song Miao smiled: "I made it as a cooked pickle; it keeps for a long time. If kept until next year, the fragrance and flavor become even more rich and mellow. But it can be eaten now too, just with less sediment — mix with water, or take a few plums and a spoonful or two of the dew, mash them and boil with water; the taste is also good."

Hearing it could be eaten right away, Chen Fuzi couldn't wait any longer, and couldn't help but open the lid.

— The clear sourness of the green-yellow plums, and the sweetness from pickling with sugar; just by smelling, it made him swallow his saliva. His remaining half-mouth of stubborn tooth roots gave an early warning, turning sour — whether from fear or anticipation, who knows.

Cooked pickled plums differ from raw pickled ones; they lack that freshness, but are more concentrated, the flavor heavier.

That plum sourness is like a sharp blade wrapped in thick cotton; you clearly know how sharp it is, but through the cotton, the touch gives a magical dull-sharp sensation.

Chen Fuzi said: "I'm someone who doesn't fear embarrassment; a gift given in person, I'll eat in person!"

As he spoke, he indeed took his own tea cup, swallowed the remaining tea in one gulp, rinsed it with water, and immediately prepared to pour the green plum dew.

Song Miao hurriedly went to take it, smiling: "Let me!"

She took the bamboo spoon tied to the bottle, about to mix the drink, when she heard someone outside speaking as they walked in.

"Brother Chen, I was a step late; not only was the Xuepao drink sold out, but the other proper thirst-quenching drinks were also long gone. I could only randomly grab some — you choose yourself!"

Song Miao looked up; the newcomer was a chubby old man, temples streaked with white, face covered in sweat. Though in Jixian Yuan, he wore not official robes but common clothes like Chen Fuzi.

He had an attendant with him; the attendant carried a food box in each hand, and upon entering brought them straight before Chen Fuzi.

Chen Fuzi hurriedly pointed at Song Miao, and told her to pick for herself.

Song Miao casually took a bamboo tube, and thanked him.

The newcomer, seeing Song Miao, was extremely surprised, and asked: "How come a young lady has come — is she a younger relative of Brother Chen's family?"

As he spoke, he already, without changing expression, fumbled all over his body, trying to find a meeting gift.

Chen Fuzi said: "She's a young friend I know — the tofu steamed buns you ate at Xiao Deng's place last time were made by her."

The newcomer froze, then delighted, hurriedly saying: "The steamed bun young lady who went to Huazhou??"

Finished speaking, he no longer bothered to pay attention to Chen Fuzi, but hurriedly turned to Song Miao, asking: "Young Lady, do you still make those tofu baozi?? When do you make them? How to buy??"

Song Miao had only made tofu steamed buns once; after a brief thought, she knew this person most likely ate them at some Taixue teacher's place.

She explained a few sentences about that day's situation, then said: "Right now the weather is hot; tofu doesn't keep. If Sir wants to eat, better wait until it cools down, or I can add ice to a food box and deliver — but then it will have to be reheated, and the taste will be completely different."

That chubby old man then asked about Song Miao's residence; learning it was in Sanzao County Alley, he hurriedly noted the address, and again said: "When I go to Taixue another day, I'll stop by to find you!"

He chatted idly here a few sentences, originally intending to take his leave, but before leaving, he couldn't help but sniff, and asked: "How come I smell the scent of sour plum soup?"

Chen Fuzi silently cursed "dog nose" in his heart, but said aloud: "This is Green Plum Dew that Zheng Yan asked Song Xiaoniangzi to help make, completely different from sour plum soup!"

He hesitated for a moment, but since the other party had spoken first, and he really wanted to show off, he finally asked: "Do you want a sip?"

Ice picks were in chunks, piled at the bottom of the bowl, then freshly steeped Green Plum Dew was poured in, followed by some scraped ice shavings; beneath were two whole wrinkled green plums. When eaten with a spoon, it was ice-cold, sour and sweet, carrying the refreshing coolness of plum pits and green plum dew; if only ice cubes were used and drunk directly after chilling, it was another flavor entirely.

Chen Fuzi considered himself old but still iron-stomached, and had tried Song Miao's methods a few times—sometimes holding the bowl of ice shavings, sometimes cradling the ice plum dew—each had its own merit, sour and sweet and fragrant, cooling from mouth to soles.

While drinking, Chen Fuzi did not forget to ask questions, all about Hua Prefecture: first asking Wang Jinghe about the riverway conditions, then about water conservancy records and canal excavation progress, and also about Cen Dezhang and others.

Song Miao answered them one by one, explaining how Han Li managed the riverways in Hua Prefecture, and how he borrowed grain and people, and so on.

Liu Hanlin had already taken a portion of green plum drink; he had wanted to stay, but seeing they were discussing serious matters, he could only make an excuse and take his leave.

After the person left, Song Miao said: "This time I came because Young Master Han entrusted me to deliver a letter to you, sir, and there is also an extra seal."

Speaking, she carefully took out the letter and the cloth bundle and handed them to the person opposite.

Chen Fuzi took them, opened and looked for a long while, especially flipping back and forth through the last few pages; after finally finishing, he asked: "Is there a Censor named Xin Feng at the Capital Prefecture Office, Song Xiaoniangzi? Have you met him?"

Song Miao nodded in agreement, briefly introduced Xin Feng's situation in a few sentences, and added: "He is extremely enthusiastic and capable; I was planning to visit him tomorrow. Does Young Master's letter contain any other instructions?"

Chen Fuzi smiled and gave no clear answer, only opening the cloth bundle, pouring out the stone seal inside, dipping it in ink paste to try it—sure enough, he kept stroking his beard, looking at it again and again, then picking it up to view it against the sun, his liking plainly visible.

While looking at the seal, he suddenly thought of something, looked up and said: "From so far away, and in such heat—Zheng Yan actually had the nerve to ask you to help bring things back!"

Speaking, he took out a piece of white jade from his sleeve.

Between the two people was only a small square table, less than half an arm's length wide.

Chen Fuzi placed the white jade before Song Miao and said: "I recently got a piece of raw jade, very smooth, just right for a young lady to wear on her person. Take it; when he returns, tell him to find time to carve you a jade pendant, in whatever style you like—just say I said so! It would be most impolite to have someone work for nothing!"

He added: "You probably don't know that Zheng Yan, besides making tables and chairs, has carving skills that are quite presentable..."

Song Miao quickly waved her hand, not touching the jade, and only smiled: "Sir, you have wrongly blamed Young Master Han."

Speaking, she untied the sachet at her waist, took out a seal from inside, and said: "Young Master was very courteous; it was originally just a small favor, but he specially gave me this seal—so beautiful! The characters are beautiful, the carving and layout are beautiful!"

Song Miao loved this seal immensely; while speaking, she couldn't help but turn it over and hand it to Chen Fuzi to look at the raised carving on top.

The latter was stunned for a moment, then frankly and without ceremony took it, stamped an impression on paper, admired it for a long while, and couldn't help but praise: "Indeed beautiful—this youngster does have some thoughtfulness!"

He added: "Even so, I am after all an elder; since I said I would give something, it's not just anything, and there's no reason to take it back."

Speaking, seeing Song Miao place the sachet on the table, he took his white jade in one hand and the sachet in the other, about to put it inside for her.

But just as he opened the sachet, his eyes flashed, and he asked: "Why is there another seal inside? Is this also a seal made by Zheng Yan?"

"No, this is my name seal that I used before in the riverway kitchen."

Song Miao explained what had happened that day: in all, three seals had been carved; besides herself, the other two—named Kong Fuyang and Lu Wenming—each received one.

"This seal has upright and elegant characters; thanks to this seal, I saved much effort. Although I have returned to the Capital, I am truly used to it and have always carried it on me—I simply hadn't thought of it."

It was a fine seal; not only she, but the other two also treasured it immensely.

Especially Kong Fuyang; when he first got it, he wanted to stamp it at every opportunity.

Once, he saw somewhere in a miscellaneous book that printing on rawhide paper produced more beautiful colors and smoother lines than ordinary Xuan paper, so he actually believed it, ran to the kitchen, hesitated, and still wanted to borrow pigskin to stamp and see.

In the end, he felt it would desecrate his beloved seal and dared not do it.

Hearing these two anecdotes, Chen Fuzi laughed heartily, but asked: "May I take it out to look at?"

Song Miao immediately nodded.

Naturally there was no objection.

Chen Fuzi casually put the jade aside, carefully poured out the stone seal, turned it slowly in his palm, first looking at the seal body, then the seal base.

After a long while, he took a piece of silk cloth, wrapped the stone seal, put it back, then put his own white jade inside as well, smiling at Song Miao: "I think this jade suits you to wear, so I specially kept it. I am old now, and rarely think to give things to the younger generation—don't refuse me—otherwise, where would I put my face?"

He then placed the sachet before Song Miao and said: "Both seals are very beautiful, especially that name seal—its meaning is truly the best."

Seeing Chen Fuzi act this way, Song Miao sensed something and said: "This stone seal is beautifully decorated all over—with naturally formed characters—but I wonder if it has some origin?"

"How did Zheng Yan say it?"

"Young Master Han said he picked it up by the river when he was young."

"Yes." Chen Fuzi smiled. "He used to treasure it greatly, only keeping it stored away, which was such a pity; finally today it has become a seal and found a place—if you have the chance, you should use it more often!"