Chapter 269: Wonderful Kitchen Chapter 291: Knocking on the Door

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Xin Feng had a broad smile on his face as he replied, "So I say Zheng Yan is reliable—it's hard on him that he can handle both big and small matters so meticulously, and think things through so thoroughly!"

Between husband and wife, they naturally couldn't be bothered to beat around the bush, so Du Shi spoke directly: "How do I feel it's not quite right—Young Master Han is being too meticulous toward Miss Song Xiaoniang!"

Xin Feng was stunned and asked, "Where is it not right?"

He laughed heartily: "You must be thinking too much! You see, when Zheng Yan used to take care of me in Yanjin County, before he left, he even went to the clothing shop to have several sets of undergarments and lower garments custom-made separately, so it would be convenient for someone to wash and change them for me."

"It was only later that the person delivering the clothes explained to me in detail what was going on and how to change them that I realized—when I returned to the Capital, didn't you also say you'd never seen such thoughtfulness in those undergarments and pants?"

He waved his hand again, speaking with finality: "He's just that kind of person!"

Du Shi curled her lips and shook her head: "Did he write you a letter teaching you how to dress?"

Xin Feng's old face turned red: "Well, I'm not exactly literate!"

Du Shi asked again: "You can at least look at pictures, right? Did he draw you a picture?"

"You, why do you always split hairs over nothing! These two things aren't the same at all!" Xin Feng furrowed his two thick brows, unconsciously imagining it for a moment, the more he thought the stranger it seemed, and he hurriedly shook his head hard twice, trying to toss that image out of his head: "Draw a picture to teach me how to wear pants? It's strange enough to kill me!"

He paused, then said: "You're thinking too much! Miss Song Xiaoniang has such a nature and conducts herself so well—who wouldn't want to treat her better? Look at you, you've only known her a few days, yet you're willing to let her use the gold bestowed by the Empress Dowager first!"

He added: "Besides, the three of us aren't like outsiders. If it weren't for that Song family girl's sharp eyes and keen mind, how could Zheng Yan and I accomplish so many things and establish so many achievements? Given her family background and her run of bad luck, Zheng Yan and I must take extra care of her—that's a given!"

Du Shi was actually somewhat persuaded, thought it over, stopped obsessing over the matter, hesitated a moment, then said: "Why I'm so generous, don't you know?"

She glanced at her husband with a reproachful look and said: "Apart from the fact that Miss Song Xiaoniang is genuinely a good person and I really want her not to suffer too much, most importantly, it's for your sake."

This plain sentence fell into Xin Feng's ears, making his pair of copper-bell eyes widen even further.

He had been sitting, but instantly it was as if a wooden stool covered in hairy chestnut burrs had been placed under his buttocks; he scratched his head and cheeks, his buttocks bobbing up and down, unable to sit still any longer. He got up and scooted close to his wife, chuckling as he said: "Good wife... I know I've been causing you worry lately, handling everything inside and outside the house, you've worked hard... Once I'm better, I'll let you rest properly, and you'll manage everything in the house!"

Speaking, he groped around to take his wife's hand.

Du Haoniang yanked hard, but couldn't pull her hand back, so she had to spit at him and said: "Our daughter is outside, who knows when she'll come in—if she sees you, you shameless father, I still want more!"

She stood up again and said: "Hurry up and get better, behave yourself in the future. I don't ask for anything else, just don't make me worry so much—that would be a blessing from heaven!"

After a while, the whole family had dinner. The big ones and the small ones were all eating char siu for the first time, and they loved it immensely.

Xin Feng then said: "Miss Song Xiaoniang also invited you to take the two little ones to eat roast pigeon when you have time—I got to eat one today, that crispy skin! That meat, roasted pigeon is really fragrant, full of meat juice inside, so delicious I could hardly react!"

"She originally wanted to bring some for you, but she said this stuff has to be eaten while the furnace heat is still on to be fragrant, so better tomorrow..."

Du Haoniang said: "Tomorrow I'm going to handle official business, go and come back—Miss Song Xiaoniang is so busy, how could she find time for so much? Once the food shop opens, we'll properly take care of the business, and bring the two little ones to eat there!"

By evening, seeing that things were mostly cleaned up and it was getting late, the couple were just about to urge the children to sleep when someone knocked on the door.

Xin Feng answered the door and saw that it was actually Gan Shifu from the daytime.

He didn't enter, just stood outside the door talking to Xin Feng.

"Originally I thought it was getting late and not suitable to visit—but today the Censor told me this matter is urgent, and any news, good or bad, should be reported in time. I happened to be passing by, so I said it all in one breath."

"... I found many familiar blacksmiths, all said they hadn't seen or heard of this thing. Even with drawings, they weren't detailed enough, afraid of making a mistake somewhere and rendering it unusable, so none dared to take it on."

Xin Feng listened anxiously and asked: "Is there no other way? Not even a skilled craftsman?"

Gan Shifu spread his hands and said: "I've asked everyone I know. Just now I also asked them to help inquire, and they said they'd send word when they had news, but judging by their tone, most likely there won't be any news."

Xin Feng had no choice but to thank him.

Gan Shifu was about to take his leave when he suddenly added: "There's one more thing, I should tell the Censor too—it seems besides us, there's another group inquiring about this shelf. I originally thought it was Miss Song Xiaoniang today, but they all said it wasn't, and it's someone from the Capital Prefecture Office..."

He gave a name, then asked: "Does the Censor know him?"

Xin Feng did know him—he was a trusted aide under Left Courtyard Zhang Xunshi.

He immediately grew nervous and asked: "Since you couldn't find anyone to do it, he couldn't find anyone either, right?"

Gan Shifu saw that no one else was around, then moved closer and said: "You can't find one in the market, but I have an acquaintance who quietly told me that in his ironware workshop these past few days, some people have been coming to use the furnace—a few old craftsmen from the Imperial Armory, coming together, bringing drawings, discussing and making things according to the drawings."

"They came at 5 to 7 AM and haven't finished yet, but looking at the scraps they've made, they do look a bit like the shelf Miss Song Xiaoniang wants..."

"Those craftsmen aren't very careful about avoiding people. I overheard a few words—they said it was a rough sketch drawn by a Young Master from Hua Prefecture and sent over. Every part of the shelf has a separate sheet of paper, adding up to twenty or thirty pages thick of drawings, asking them to modify according to experience, then make after modifying."

"That Young Master from Hua Prefecture, does the Censor know who he is? If you do, you can go ask around on your end. When the time comes, borrow someone's ready-made drawings and make according to them—wouldn't that be easier than us running around like headless flies here!"

The Young Master from Hua Prefecture, sending drawings back—one could guess it must be Han Li.

Xin Feng was so anxious to make the furnace, originally to help Song Miao, and also to lend Han Li a hand. He thought that after years as a Censor, he knew people everywhere, and making a furnace and a shelf would surely be easy, but he didn't expect it to be so troublesome.

In the end, the furnace was late by a step, and the shelf had no lead at all, and someone had gotten ahead of them.

After all, Zhang Zheng of the Left Courtyard was an official, and his connections were entirely different—he could even find old craftsmen from the Imperial Armory to help. Xin Feng's abilities hadn't reached that level—if it really had to be done, only Qin Jie could do it.

Since it was something he couldn't do, he stopped obsessing over it, but inevitably felt somewhat stifled. He felt that after working for so many years, he had finally received encouragement and rewards from the Emperor and Empress Dowager. No matter how much he said he would restrain himself and keep a low profile, he felt somewhat smug in his heart. But now it was as if a basin of cold water had been poured over his head, and he became much more sober all at once.

After seeing Gan Shifu off, Xin Feng stood at the doorway, still feeling downcast. After feeding a few mosquitoes, chasing away a few, and killing two, he held up a palmful of blood and suddenly thought to turn things around.

—Zheng Yan was just a letter, yet Zhang Zheng and Qin Jie, both Censors of the Capital Prefecture Office, were fighting to help. That he could be so close to Zheng Yan, and that Zheng Yan even took the initiative to write to him—who knows how many people envied him. He should be proud!

After comforting himself, Xin Feng locked the door, returned to the house, lay on the bed, and couldn't help but whisper pillow talk with his wife.

Simply explaining what had just happened, along with his own guesses, Xin Feng finally said: "It's fine. I was originally worried I couldn't make that shelf and would delay Miss Song's matters. Now Zheng Yan is ahead, and he's even arranged it through someone. I..."

He wanted to say more, but looked up and saw his wife looking hesitant, so he asked: "What's wrong?"

Du Haoniang shook her head. After a long while, she asked again: "It's nothing. I just feel... that Young Master Han must be very busy usually, right?"

"Of course!"

Xin Feng then talked about when he was at the Capital Prefecture Office, seeing how Han Li and Kong Fuyang didn't rest even at noon—either splitting up the work or reading and reciting old books.

Now that he had gone to Hua Prefecture, matters were so important that the river defense waited for no one. He definitely had even more to do.

He hadn't finished sighing when Xin Feng heard his wife opposite say: "Twenty or thirty drawings—even for Young Master Han, it would take a long time to draw them, right?"

Xin Feng lay there, and the sleepiness he had finally gathered instantly dissipated.

"Yes, he's that busy, yet he still remembers the stove and the shelf — for a shelf, he has to draw twenty or thirty diagrams?"

"There's also that fish diagram we saw at Song Ji today — those ugly fish, each species different, ugly in that particular way, they wouldn't be easy to find, would they? And that seal — he has to draw it, and carve it too..."

Xin Feng sat up with a thump, eyes wide, turned his head to look aside, and said in a trembling voice: "Zheng Yan... the Song family girl... he hasn't developed some other ideas, has he!?"

In the darkness, Xin Feng couldn't see his wife's eyes, much less her expression; he only heard her say faintly: "Old Xin, aren't you overthinking? Young Master Han is just that kind of meticulous person!"

These words were both familiar and strange, every sentence something he himself had just said, choking him so he could hardly answer.

In Sanzao County Alley, the Song Family Eatery likewise ate dinner early that day.

Song Miao saw Xiao Lian run two trips to the back courtyard toilet in the span of a meal; she barely finished eating, helped clear the bowls and chopsticks, then hugged her books over, propped up a small stool, faced the small table, and sat in the front hall reciting — to save lamp oil.

In just a short half-hour, she ran to the toilet several more times.

Cheng Erniang was tidying nearby and also saw her daughter going in and out; she couldn't help but nag, asking: "You didn't drink much soup or water in the evening, what's wrong with you? Are you unwell somewhere?"

Hearing her daughter say there was nothing unwell, she added a reminder: "Don't get distracted, endure tonight, and tomorrow will be fine!"

Xiao Lian answered, and before long, started running to the toilet again.

This time Cheng Erniang couldn't quite hold back; when her daughter came out, she said: "Pay attention! We're not like other people to begin with, we ought to work hard; running to the toilet all day — lazy people have more shit and piss, they'd go even if they didn't have to?"

Song Miao saw this, thought a moment, first used the excuse of urgently needing to settle accounts, asked Cheng Erniang to help look over these past few days' account books, waited for the person to leave, then moved a stool to sit beside Xiao Lian.

The moment she sat down, Xiao Lian turned her head over, calling out "Song Jiejie".

Song Miao said softly: "Is it that you're nervous inside, so you can't focus on the book?"

Xiao Lian gave a low "Mm", voice thin and weak: "I've been reciting for so long, some characters I originally knew, I don't know what's happened, they just won't go into my brain; I'm so afraid Doctor Lin won't think much of me tomorrow, or when she tests me, I won't be able to speak, and in the end I won't pass — sorry Jiejie, sorry Chen Laoxiansheng..."

Song Miao smiled: "I thought it was something — if you don't pass, you don't pass, we'll just find another master — does the world have only this one master to worship?"

Xiao Lian instantly grew anxious, hurriedly saying: "But Mother said Doctor Lin is particularly good; Jiejie went to so much trouble to invite Chen Laoxiansheng to help; we got this opportunity... how can I not give it my all? I myself really want to go learn medicine from her!"

"Chen Laoxiansheng is willing to help, the most important thing is he sees you're eager to improve, very willing to pull you up — it's not my connection."

"But the world never satisfies every wish; doing your best is enough — if you really try many masters and none work out, we can also first find a suitable pharmacy, be an apprentice inside, learn the herbs and their effects, then later ask other good doctors."

"He Lao Furen, Chen Laofushi, and those various Taixue masters — they're all capable; and Young Master Han, Young Master Kong — won't they come back? Even if those don't work, there's still Liang Yan's grandaunt..."

"Worst case, when your uncle gets an official post in the future, or your mother becomes a big shopkeeper — could they really not find you a teacher?"

Song Miao paused, then said gently: "You already have confidence, you have choices; your future path isn't just this one either — even if you take a wrong turn it doesn't matter — worldly encounters are truly wonderful; a year ago, I never imagined I'd make a living with cooking skills; you're still this young, you'll have so many opportunities, why box yourself in?"

"Be more magnanimous, widen your horizons, and look at what kind of people you see every day — that Doctor Lin, however good, does she have three heads and six arms?"

Xiao Lian hurriedly shook her head.

Song Miao smiled: "Go to sleep early — relax; you're going to worship a master, the master chooses you, but you also choose the master; one worship lasts a lifetime, absolutely cannot be careless, and don't rush."

"You watch how she speaks, acts, her attitude toward you; you also don't distort yourself, just interact normally as usual; if it feels unsuitable, don't be embarrassed — if you want to come back, just say so..."

Hearing this last sentence, Xiao Lian's pair of small eyes were full of incredulity; she asked: "I can also choose the master?"

Song Miao explained in detail to her how to choose, then said: "Go to sleep now, it's too late — tomorrow when you're asked questions, if you can't answer, you also watch the other side's expression, what kind of attitude."

"Normally Chen Laoxiansheng, Cao Fuzi, them — you've seen quite a lot; how a good teacher treats students, you know best."

After chatting a while, Xiao Lian indeed returned to her room; her heart surprisingly had no more nervousness, even the urge to run to the toilet lessened considerably; she only thought secretly: Jiejie is right, no need to look at others, just look at how Jiejie normally teaches Bingzi Ge and them, and you'll know what a good master is like; I must perform well, and also look clearly, to avoid both sides regretting later!

Early next morning, two groups from Song Ji went out with stalls; after delivering the goods and returning to the eatery, Cheng Erniang asked for half a day off, taking Xiao Lian to go to Tianyuantang to pay respects to Doctor Lin.

The mother and daughter had only been gone a short while when a carriage drove into Sanzao County Alley, stopping outside the Song Ji Eatery door.

An attendant came forward to knock, asking: "Is there a Song Xiaoniangzi here?"