Chapter 339

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Seeing Xu Niangzi, Han Li greeted him first, then dismounted and said, "Sorry to intrude—not here for a meal, but some other business." He then asked, "I wonder if Stall Owner Song is in?"

He then asked, "I wonder if Stall Owner Song is in?"

Xu Niangzi had not yet answered when Cheng Erniang, hearing the voice, came out from behind.

Han Li called out "Cheng Erjie," then with one hand carrying and one hand supporting, handed over the large bamboo tube he held.

The latter hurriedly thanked him and took it, saying, "Young Master Han arrives just in time—Xiao Lian has been mentioning you!"

She then said, "Niangzi is also behind!"

She first explained a few words to Xu Niangzi, then placed the bamboo tube on a side stove before stepping forward to take the reins, saying, "Leave this horse to me to groom!" After speaking, she indeed led the horse around outside toward the back.

Xu Niangzi, who ate and drank at Song Ji and treated herself as half an assistant, was very enthusiastic, saying, "I'll take Young Master inside!"

So she stepped ahead and led Han Li to the back courtyard.

Before the two had passed through the second gate, they heard talking from inside—it was Xiao Lian speaking in a muffled, grumbling voice.

"In a few days, Master and the others are going to Xu Prefecture! They say we're too young and won't take us, claiming they need someone to watch the place—but Sister, this 'someone' of mine is no different from those 'someones' of theirs. Fuzhou is so far away; didn't I walk the whole way with Mother? I heard Senior Sister say that going to Xu Prefecture takes over twenty days with stops and starts—just over twenty days! I could walk there in a few steps!"

Song Miao's voice answered her: "Then isn't that perfect? Last time you said you couldn't recognize or remember many acupoints. Now you have over twenty days—use this time to memorize them clearly. When Master returns and tests you, who knows, if she's in a good mood she might take you out next time!"

She continued, "Others go to exert themselves—this village, that village—always crossing bridges and rivers, climbing mountains and wading through water. We're still young, and besides, we haven't even learned acupuncture yet. How much help could we be?"

Hearing this question, Xiao Lian instantly deflated, letting out a long "sigh," as if facing a great difficulty. She said, "I've been studying seriously. On the diagram I recognize them accurately, and on a clay figure I can recognize them too. But on a real person, I don't know why—I just don't dare to needle!"

"Are you the only one who doesn't dare to needle?"

"No, even those older than me don't dare much either. They're all afraid of pricking the wrong spot. I'm already considered good!"

"Then let's try pigskin? Another day I'll buy some pigskin back, and you can practice needling on it. Even if you can't recognize acupoints, after pricking real meat many times, when you prick a person, you won't be so nervous, right?"

After Song Miao finished speaking, she paused, then said, "Once you're more practiced, Sister will let you try on her?"

Xiao Lian shook her head vehemently, fanning it faster than a bee's buzzing wings, saying, "No, I can't bear to! What if I prick Sister badly? I'll prick myself first. Once I'm skilled, I'll prick Uncle—he says his skin is rough and he's not afraid. Mother and Liang Yan also said they'd let me prick them! Actually, Zhu Jie'er wrote in her letter the other day too, but her hands and feet are too small, so I can't bear to prick her!"

She then asked hesitantly, "If pigskin is pricked with needles, can it still be used for cooking?"

Song Miao said: "It's best to prick before needling so it absorbs flavor. Just use pork belly, pork elbow, and lamb leg for you to try. These all have skin, and the skin textures differ, so it's better for practicing different hand sensations. You see, people's skin and flesh aren't the same either. After trying, we can just eat them ourselves!"

As she was speaking, she looked up and saw Xu Niangzi and Han Li coming from the front. She smiled and pointed, saying, "Look who's here."

Xiao Lian turned and looked, then stood up with a swish, smiling into narrowed eyes. She first called out "Han Gege," saying, "I've finished making the insect-repelling and mosquito-repelling medicine packets!"

She then said, "Wait for me, I'll go get them!"

As she spoke, she indeed ran back into the room with thumping steps.

A long table was set up in this back courtyard, with several chairs for cooling off. The table also had snacks, melon seeds, and dried fruit. Seeing Han and Xu coming, Song Miao went to clear table space for them.

Just as she was tidying, Han Li had already walked over and helped clear the melon seed shells and walnut shells. Then he turned and asked, "What would Xu Niangzi like to drink?"

His attitude was warm, his tone very easygoing, and his movements natural, just like welcoming guests at home.

Hearing him speak this way and act this way, Song Miao didn't stop him. Instead, she went to the side to wash her hands in the copper basin, then turned back and said, "Xu Niangzi said at dinner time she wanted to drink green plum dew. I'll trouble Young Master to get some ice—from the well."

"I know."

Han Li agreed, went to the well in the back, drew up a bucket, and scraped out a large bowl of ice.

Xu Niangzi had originally wanted to help attend to the guests, but who knew she was slow at everything, feeling she couldn't get a word in. Instead, she felt like she had become the guest herself. Just as she was at a loss, she saw Song Miao dry her hands, return to the table, and push a lacquer box toward her.

"These pine nuts are salt-roasted, so the flavor is a bit different. Knowing you like these little snacks, I specially saved some at noon. Would you like to try? They're a bit troublesome to eat."

She spoke softly and slowly, her tone smiling as she spoke, and her eyebrows and eyes were gentle too.

By now it was late. Song Ji was a small food shop, and the back courtyard wasn't open to outsiders, so naturally no lamps were hung. Only an oil lamp was placed by the table, right on Song Miao's left.

The oil lamp was dim yellow. Looking at someone by the lamp, the person was still so gentle that Xu Niangzi was speechless. Her legs seemed to have grown ears, walking on their own toward the lacquer box, and she chose a chair to sit down.

Song Miao then took a small hammer and carefully cracked the pine nut shells for her.

Xu Niangzi hurriedly said, "I'll do it myself! I'll do it myself!"

Song Miao didn't argue with her and just let go.

Soon Han Li also brought the ice over.

Xu Niangzi had a bowl of crushed ice green plum drink, then shelled pine nuts and melon seeds, cracking some and hammering others. It took her a long time to eat just two. Oddly, though she was usually impatient, tonight she wasn't anxious at all.

She sipped a mouthful of ice-cold green plum drink, leaned back in the chair, looked up, and saw Song Xiaoniangzi's smiling face to her left front, and a handsome face to her right front. A sentence naturally floated into her mind: What a good life I'm living!

The three were sitting when Xiao Lian came out puffing and panting, carrying a basket. She introduced to Han Li what this was and what that was, how to repel insects, how to prevent ants, and how to repel mosquitoes.

Han Li listened to her finish each one, then carefully asked about the markings and usage. Only then did he solemnly thank her. After putting the things away, he asked again, "Are you learning to recognize acupoints?"

After getting Xiao Lian's nod of confirmation, he continued: "I have a senior colleague from the yamen. These past few years, I don't know why, he's always slept poorly. It's hard for him to fall asleep, he dreams a lot at night, wakes up repeatedly, and wakes early in the morning. He's already seen many doctors, who all said it was due to excessive worry and prescribed medicine."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Song Miao and explained, "It's about Wu Gong."

Hearing this, Song Miao exclaimed "Ah" and said, "He used to stay up late often. He said it had always been like this. Once the matter was handed over, after returning to the Capital, he said he'd be fine as long as he attended court normally. But now that he's been back in the Capital for so long, he still can't sleep well?"

Han Li shook his head and sighed, "It's gotten worse—lately the Bian River, Jinshui River, and Wuzhang River have risen in succession. Several sluice gates were opened outside the city, and river regulation was used. He was the one who initiated it. Afraid something might go wrong in the middle, he watched day and night. After staying up for so long, even though the situation has eased now, he still can't sleep."

He then said to Xiao Lian, "This person has taken too much medicine. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. He fears medicine is three parts poison, so lately he's not willing to drink it. But I wonder if Lian Daxia has any method? Can acupuncture help?"

Hearing the three words "Lian Daxia," and seeing the person opposite speaking seriously, not at all like joking, Xiao Lian instantly felt a sense of responsibility well up in her heart. She said solemnly, "Acupuncture definitely works. It's just that I haven't learned enough yet. Let me go back and look through medical books, then ask Senior Sister and Master. When I come back, I'll tell Han Gege!"

She continued, "But the patient still needs to see a doctor! When I find a method and come back, I'll ask the patient to try it. If there's improvement, I must remind him to see a doctor. Master said people like this are very unwilling to follow doctors' orders. You must first let him see results before he'll listen. Otherwise, even with good medicine, if he doesn't believe it himself, even ten parts of effectiveness becomes only three!"

After speaking, she shouted that she was going to look through books, and indeed ran back into the room again.

Seeing her return to the room, Han Li then said to Song Miao, "There's another matter—official business brings me to ask. Earlier when you were in Hua Prefecture, didn't you make a kind of bean cake? He wants to ask you to help prepare some. When the time comes, he can carry them with him on levee and river inspections. It's very convenient. Otherwise, nowadays he can only bring steamed buns and Steamed Bun. They get hard when cold and moldy after a while."

"Is it the kind of rice-bean cake distributed to the river workers and laborers?" Hearing this, Song Miao was somewhat uncertain. "That doesn't taste good either!"

Han Li said, "That's the one. He says the taste is already good enough. The most important thing is that it's easy to carry. Otherwise, the measuring instruments are already very heavy and numerous, and they also need paper and brushes. Bringing Steamed Bun and steamed buns is really inconvenient. Even if they get flattened or crushed, that's secondary. What's most feared is accidentally getting wet or dirty water on them—then you can't eat them, but you can't throw them away either. It's better to bring those bean cakes. Just tuck them in your pocket, no need for oil paper wrapping."

He said this, but then turned to Xu Niangzi on one side and said: "The other day I heard Qi Biaotou say that Xu Niangzi is the steward of the escort bureau—this cake is actually quite suitable for the escort team to eat as dry rations."

Xu Niangzi had been pricking up one ear to listen all along, only not wanting to interrupt; now that she had a chance to interject, she immediately asked: "I was just about to ask too—what kind of cake is it? How long can it be kept?"

Song Miao explained it to her once: it was a kind of bean cake made in Hua Prefecture, with barnyard millet, millet, soybeans, and such added, seasoned with Sichuan pepper and salt; the taste was ordinary, but it was cheap, kept well, and was easy to carry.

"As long as it's dried thoroughly, it's fine to keep for ten days or half a month in autumn and winter. Back in Hua Prefecture it was early summer then, when moisture was heaviest, so I specially saved a bit; because it was well preserved, it didn't go bad even after nearly a month."

Xu Niangzi immediately said: "If Young Lady makes some, could I taste a bit? If we get used to eating it, our escort bureau will buy some—having this on hand while on escort missions, if something sudden happens, or we're in the wild and can't find a place to stop for a meal, we won't have to anxiously rush the journey; just a bite, and it's wonderfully convenient!"

Song Miao agreed with a sound and said: "There are many people on the river route; making this mainly considers frugality. If Official Wu and the escort masters want to eat it, I'll try to adjust the flavor and mix in some other grains to make it taste better."

She then carefully asked if there were any requirements.

Official Wu had no requirements; the original bean cake would do, but Xu Niangzi put forward many ideas.

"It's best if it keeps even longer; if it really can keep for a month or so, that would be even better, so we won't have to worry all the way about not being able to replenish our dry rations on an escort trip!"

"Can you make several flavors? Can there be sweet, salty, and spicy ones? That way we can take turns eating them!"

"Is there anything that can be brewed or soaked? If someone feels unwell, pour hot water over it, steaming hot, no need to cook for long, and it can be eaten directly as porridge, soup, or rice!"

Song Miao noted them down one by one and said: "I'll ponder it over these couple of days."

Xu Niangzi had suggested a lot in one breath and felt a bit embarrassed, saying: "If it's inconvenient, forget it; even an official doesn't have so many particularities, yet here I am saying all these unnecessary things!"

Song Miao immediately laughed and said: "What are you saying, Young Lady? The most precious guest is one who knows how to make requests—the more you suggest, the more right they are, and it helps me save a lot of effort! Otherwise I'd just think on my own here, and if I thought wrong I wouldn't know, wasting time for nothing."

She added: "If it can really be made with many flavors and ways of eating, and is easy to carry, then I think many other merchants, escort bureaus, and travelers on the road would also be interested. In the future I'll sell it together with Meat Gan and Dried Fish as another line of business. If it sells well, I'll thank you specially!"

After a few words, Xu Niangzi felt immensely relieved in her heart and joked: "What thanks! If our escort bureau really buys this new bean cake one day, can you let us cut in line?"

While speaking, Cheng Erniang had already come in from the back courtyard.

Han Li went to add food and water to the horses tied outside, then returned to his seat and again spoke with Song Miao about the Emperor personally visiting to inspect the Taixue steamed buns today, and about being questioned on all the drawings in the water affairs manual, and so on.

"……Today because His Majesty came, the school is stricter, and no one is allowed to go out in the afternoon or evening, so the news hasn't spread that quickly, but it will probably spread by tomorrow—since the Emperor praised the steamed buns so highly, surely someone will be curious; the food shop here can prepare early, make a new signboard, or prepare more steamed buns……"

"……The Emperor carefully asked once how the drawings you taught him that day were drawn, and even specially took the manuscript back……"

After saying this, he brought up several more matters in succession.

The two went back and forth talking for quite a while, occasionally asking Cheng Erniang and Xu Niangzi on the side for their words.

Han Li had sat here from the Xu hour until nearly the Xu hour; saying it was getting late, that the food shop still had work tomorrow, and that he shouldn't disturb them too much, he took his leave proactively.

Before leaving, Xu Niangzi felt that after saying so many things all evening, she herself had spoken quite a bit, feeling a strong sense of participation, as if her relationship with Song Xiaoniangzi had advanced further, and she had become acquainted with Young Master Han, as if they were old friends at first sight.

She couldn't help but follow Song Miao to see him off; after walking a few steps, she was called back by Cheng Erniang, who asked: "Xu Niangzi, I'm boiling sheep's milk here—do you want sugar in your bowl?"

Xu Niangzi hesitated at once, and only after quite a while decided to have it sweet, then casually asked: "Why is there suddenly sheep's milk?"

"It was also sent by Young Master Han." Cheng Erniang simply mentioned in passing.

Xu Niangzi didn't think much at first, but when she carried the sheep's milk to the front, she saw the gate wide open, with one person standing inside the gate and one outside, separated by a clear distance; although she didn't know what they were saying, their expressions and movements were both somewhat different from before.

She was suddenly as if enlightened, stood still on the spot, and refused to take another step forward.