Lin Wu kept her hands moving as she spoke in an unhurried voice. “Young Master Shen is joking. You’ve been away from Huzhou for so long because you had important matters to attend to, so naturally you wouldn’t have had time for these little snacks. These cakes and pastries are nothing more than things I experimented with in my spare time. What you do is the truly important work—how could I let such trifles delay you? If you find the flavor agreeable, I can have A Jing bring some to you another day. And thank you as well for always looking after A Jing.”
Shen Guanting found her remark about “how could I let such trifles delay you” strangely familiar. For a moment, he couldn’t decide whether Lin Wu was simply thoughtful and tactful, or whether she was exceptionally smooth-tongued.
He gave a helpless laugh. “The important matter I’m dealing with at the moment is finding a breakfast that suits my taste. Ever since I returned home these past few days, Tigerhead has been talking day and night, going on about everything from dried meat to pancakes and making me crave them terribly. As luck would have it, I happened to pass this stall early this morning. Since we are acquaintances, I thought I might come and try something new. It seems my shortcut through the back door isn’t going to work.”
The woman standing nearby waiting to buy pastries couldn’t help laughing. “Mrs. Lin’s stall may be small, but it still has rules: first come, first served. Even if you are the Shen family’s eldest young master, you still have to follow the rules.”
Shen Guanting wasn’t offended in the least. Instead, he spread his hands candidly. “Naturally. Business is business. At Shopkeeper Lin’s stall, one must follow Shopkeeper Lin’s rules.”
Everyone laughed again.
Someone else asked curiously, “What was that meat pancake the little shopkeeper mentioned just now? Is it another new kind of food?”
“Then we’re done for,” another woman chimed in. “Once my boy gets out of school today, he’ll definitely pester me to come buy these pancakes.”
“Exactly. Mine will do the same.”
Lin Wu listened to everyone’s banter with a smile as she swiftly wrapped up the pastries.
“Young Master Shen, here are the pastries you ordered.” She handed over the oiled-paper package, then added, “One jade cake, one taro cake, one jujube-paste golden-jade cake, and one bag of thin crisps. Twenty wen in all.”
Shen Guanting accepted the package and lowered his eyes to the neat little leaf stamped on the oiled paper. It looked rather familiar.
Of course it did. The two packages of dried meat sent all the way to Nan’ya previously had borne the same leaf stamp. So this was the symbol of the Lin family’s food stall.
Young Master Shen found it rather interesting. In the future, the jade-spirit bookmarks they made together would probably have to bear this little leaf as well.
Grinning, Shen Qi handed Lin Wu twenty wen. “Mrs. Lin, I’ll have one of each too! That dried meat you make is especially delicious. It’s a shame you don’t sell it here, so I’ll just buy some pastries to satisfy my craving.”
This time, he finally knew who had written that extra letter. The dried meat had been sent along with the letter, and the dried meat had been made by this Mrs. Lin. The letter must have been written by her too.
His young master seemed quite familiar with this Mrs. Lin, though the familiarity appeared to be entirely one-sided. Mrs. Lin was busy turning pastries and collecting money, remaining polite and courteous but showing no particular warmth.
Only after buying the pastries did the two men set off for the Treasure Goods Shop. On the way, Shen Qi couldn’t resist any longer and pulled out the bag of thin crisps to munch on.
“These are truly delicious. They’re wonderfully crisp, with the fragrance of sesame—excellent, excellent! It’s a pity I’ve been away from Huzhou for so many days and missed out on so many treats. I imagine those pork-floss pancakes must be delicious too. Young Master, if you manage to get your hands on some, don’t forget to save me one.”
Even as he spoke, Shen Qi did not forget to remind him ingratiatingly.
“You witnessed my crushing defeat at the food stall just now,” Shen Guanting replied. He took his failure quite calmly, his tone leisurely. “Instead of counting on me, you’d be better off asking Tigerhead. If you wait outside the residence early tomorrow morning, perhaps you’ll manage to snatch half a pancake from his mouth.”
Shen Qi fell silent.
“Then I may as well count on the welcoming banquet the day after tomorrow. Mrs. Lin might make some pastries and give them to us as a congratulatory gift.”
Shen Guanting corrected him. “It is my welcoming banquet, and the gift is for me. There is no ‘us.’”
Shen Qi fell silent again.
Who had just suggested that he snatch half a pancake from Tigerhead’s mouth?
Now he finally understood why Shen Quan had remained so taciturn after following Young Master all these years. Shen Quan simply never spoke unless absolutely necessary. Shen Qi should never have opened his mouth. In this world, there was no one who could win an argument against his young master’s tongue.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true.
The Mrs. Lin at the stall just now had given his young master a solid rebuff. Thinking of that, Shen Qi suddenly found the thin crisps in his mouth even more delicious.
If he ate a few more, perhaps he could become as quick-witted as Mrs. Lin and utterly rout his young master the next time they faced off.
Had Lin Wu known what they were thinking when she returned home after closing the stall, she would surely have felt somewhat wronged.
Her words had not been a polite excuse. She had meant every word.
If Young Master Shen had really asked for pork-floss pancakes as his welcoming-banquet gift, she would have happily fried eight or ten for him, wrapped them neatly in oiled paper, and carried them personally to the Shen residence.
Pancakes only required some flour, eggs, and oil. Though the pork floss took a little effort, it was not particularly expensive either. It was such a modest wish that, even though she was poor, she could still satisfy it.
Even if Young Master Shen couldn’t wait until the welcoming banquet and wanted to eat them tomorrow, it would be easy enough. She could simply have A Jing bring them to Tigerhead, and Tigerhead could take them into the residence. It would only mean passing them through one extra pair of hands.
Of course, if the pancakes passed through Tigerhead’s hands, the chances of any actually reaching Young Master Shen’s mouth were probably rather slim.
People often said that in wealthy, powerful households, brothers frequently turned against each other while fighting for power and influence. Great clans were never free of intrigue, open and covert struggles, and schemes within schemes.
The Shen family, however, was something else.
One brother only wanted to make sure the other couldn’t ask their tutor for leave, while the other was determined to beat him by eating a few more bites of some fresh new delicacy.
Lin Wu looked up at the courtyard. Laifu was sprawled beside the little vegetable patch, scraping at the soil with its front paws as it chased a small bug around. After pouncing for ages without catching it, the dog had trampled two newly sprouted scallion shoots crooked.
If Lin Jing saw this, he would certainly nag at Laifu.
Lin Wu felt that the brothers’ antics were not so different from the way Lin Jing tricked Laifu into eating the mustard greens it disliked.
Come to think of it, she and Lin Jing had somehow been dragged into this battle between the brothers as well.
At the thought, Lin Wu couldn’t help shaking her head. She found the two brothers rather amusing.
At first, she had always felt that Young Master Shen’s grave and courteous temperament was nothing like the flighty Tigerhead’s.
But now it seemed that wasn’t the case after all.
Whether Young Master Shen would manage to eat the pancakes or not, Lin Wu still had to continue perfecting the pancake fillings. On her way home after closing the stall, she had collected the pastry molds she had ordered the day before, along with the tools for stuffing sausages.
Once she returned home, she first placed the scraped sausage casings in water made from wood ash and gently rubbed them clean. Wood-ash water could reduce grease and unpleasant odors, as well as kill bacteria. Though soaking them in strong liquor would have worked even better, the spirits currently available on the market were generally low in alcohol. Not only were they ineffective at removing the smell, they could also make the casings soft and rotten, which would defeat the purpose.
Next came the task of grinding the pork, with its perfect balance of lean and fat, into a fine paste. It was tiring work, but Lin Wu had made meat jerky so many times before that she was quite skilled at it now.
She mixed in the seasonings one after another, then added some of the red yeast rice powder she had bought previously for making the jerky. She stirred everything until the meat became firm, springy, and glossy, then covered it and set it aside to rest. The weather was still fairly cold, which was perfect for allowing the meat to absorb the flavors slowly. Chilled meat paste also made for springier sausages.
By the time Lin Jing returned from school, the meat was ready.
The little fellow poked his head into the kitchen and stared at the basin of rosy meat paste. Thinking they were going to make jerky again, he asked, “Are we making meat jerky again?”
“We’re making sausages today.” Lin Wu brought out the sausage casings and the wooden sausage-stuffing tube.
Lin Jing squatted beside her, watching in amazement.
The carpenter’s craftsmanship was truly excellent. The wooden tube was exceptionally easy to use. After trying it a couple of times, Lin Wu quickly got the hang of it. She gradually stuffed the meat paste into the mouth of the tube and slowly pressed it down, sending the filling smoothly into the casings. Before long, the two pounds of meat had become sausages of even size and length.
“They’re long, round strips of meat jerky!” Lin Jing exclaimed.
He had seen plenty of meat jerky, but this was the first time he had seen meat made into such a shape.
Lin Wu hung the filled sausages on a rack to dry for half an hour. Then she placed them in a pot of cold water, adding Sichuan peppercorns, cooking wine, and ginger. She used a needle to prick fine holes along the sausages, keeping the casings from bursting during cooking and allowing the flavors to penetrate more deeply.
After less than half an hour over low heat, the rich aroma of meat began to drift from the pot.
Once the sausages were cooked and had cooled, Lin Wu eagerly took out a few, scored them on both sides, and placed them on an iron griddle with a little oil. As the cuts opened slightly, fat seeped out, filling the entire kitchen with an irresistible meaty fragrance.
Lin Wu lifted one with her chopsticks and handed it to Lin Jing.
She bit into one herself, her eyes narrowing happily. It tasted exactly as she remembered. No matter when, sausages were always delicious.
But for Lin Jing, who was eating grilled sausage for the first time, it was practically a revelation.
“This is the best meat in the whole world!”
No child could resist the allure of grilled sausages.
Adults couldn’t either.
Since she had made quite a few sausages and was worried they would spoil if kept too long, Lin Wu made Lin Jing an upgraded jianbing the following morning. Along with the meat floss, the soft pancake was filled with two sausages fried until crisp on the outside and tender within.
For lunch, she stir-fried bok choy with sausage and set aside another three grilled sausages as snacks.
The upgraded jianbing successfully expanded Tigerhead’s audience for showing off from Shen Guanting alone to the entire family. From his grandfather down to Sparrow, no one was spared.
As a result, Tigerhead was driven out of the residence by everyone early that morning and sent off to wreak havoc at the academy.
Lin Jing, who deeply respected his teachers, felt that Tigerhead’s habit of “sharing good things with others” was well worth emulating. He took his own jianbing to class.
He did not have any proper classmates, so the only person he could share it with was his teacher.
Fortunately, Little Jing had a conscience. He did not merely show off without sharing. The main reason was that he had already eaten breakfast at home and truly had no room left in his stomach, so he generously gave half of the jianbing to Master Jianshan.
Yun Jianshan accepted the still-warm half and took a bite.
“The meat floss is light, crisp, and fragrant, while the sausage is pleasantly chewy and springy. The balance between salty and sweet is just right. Who would have thought that such a small pancake could contain so much ingenuity?”
He had assumed that a pancake stuffed almost entirely with meat and containing only two leaves of lettuce would become greasy after a few bites. Unexpectedly, the meat floss and sausage were seasoned so well that they had none of the usual gamey odor of meat. Every bite was fragrant.
If he continued teaching Lin Jing for long, he might get to sample many more novel foods in the future. This child was also much less troublesome to teach than Shen Guanting had been. Back then, that boy would never have shared food with him. If he did not manage to anger Master Jianshan, it was already cause for celebration.
There was no harm in returning to his mountain retreat a little later.
Lin Jing, of course, had no idea that this pancake had brought about a slight change in his academic life.
By lunchtime, of the three grilled sausages Lin Jing had brought, he kept one for himself and shared the other two with his classmates. Naturally, he received quite a few pastries and candied fruits in return, leaving his cloth bag bulging at the seams.
Though the grilled sausages had gone completely cold, the cook helped fry them again, restoring their crisp, fragrant exterior. They were not as delicious as when freshly cooked, but the children who had tasted them still wanted more.
“Jing, your family really doesn’t sell this meat, do they?” some of the children persisted.
“I don’t think so.” Lin Jing tilted his head and thought about it. “We only have one iron griddle. If we use it to bake the golden jade cakes, we can’t make grilled sausages. Besides, both sausages and meat jerky take a lot of work to prepare. A Wu wouldn’t be able to keep up.”
Hearing this, the children could only give up reluctantly, their eyes filled with disappointment.
But Shen Guanting had plenty of ways to solve the problem.
That very day, he sent Shen Qi to pay a visit to Lin Wu and deliver a gift.
Shen Qi came in with a broad smile, a letter in his hand. Behind him, two assistants carried a large wooden chest.
“Mrs. Lin, my young master asked me to deliver this. He said they’re just a few insignificant odds and ends, and hopes you won’t find them too shabby.” As he spoke, Shen Qi handed over the letter.
Lin Wu accepted it and unfolded it. In essence, the letter said that Young Master Shen felt his younger brother had been lacking in manners. He had eaten Lin Jing’s jianbing for two days without offering anything in return, which made him deeply ashamed. Furthermore, the two large parcels of meat jerky that Lin Wu had sent all the way to Nanya had been a timely gift to him while he was there—practically a lifesaver.
The wording was so earnest that anyone unaware of the circumstances might have thought Young Master Shen had been exiled to Nanya.
In view of these two kindnesses, Young Master Shen had sent a modest gift and hoped that Lin Wu would not take offense.
After reading the letter, Lin Wu looked at the enormous wooden chest on the floor. Somehow, she felt that it did not quite match two jianbing and two parcels of meat jerky.
After some thought, she turned and went to the kitchen. She took out most of the sausages she had made the day before, wrapped them in oiled paper, and briefly wrote down instructions for frying and grilling them. Then she handed everything to Shen Qi.
“These sausages are a new food I’ve come up with. I’d trouble Brother Shen to take them back for Young Master Shen to try. The jianbing was merely something the children exchanged for fun. It was nothing worth mentioning, so please tell him not to take it to heart.”
Shen Qi’s eyes lit up when he accepted the package of sausages, and he thanked her repeatedly.
When Tigerhead returned from school, he was utterly dumbfounded to see his elder brother eating the grilled sausages that everyone at the academy had been begging for. There was even an entire plate of them beside him!
Shen Guanting glanced up and leisurely took a sip of tea before saying unhurriedly, “Tigerhead is back? How were your lessons today?”
Tigerhead continued staring fixedly at the plate, too stunned to react.
Following his gaze, Shen Guanting said mildly, “Oh, these? Sister Lin sent them as thanks for the chest of modest gifts I gave her.”
A modest gift? What kind of modest gift could be exchanged for so many sausages? How had he not known about it?
Meanwhile, when Lin Wu opened the wooden chest, she was just as stunned.
The chest had two compartments. The larger one was packed full of tightly compressed bundles of cotton, each quite heavy when lifted. The shallower compartment held an assortment of spices and seasonings, including pepper, dried tangerine peel, tsaoko, fennel, dried longan, and more, each neatly wrapped in oiled paper.
The jar of pepper alone was a costly rarity these days. Sold exclusively by the government, it was something ordinary households could hardly ever get their hands on. Beside it sat another jar of frosting—expensive blocks of rock sugar.
At the very edge lay a beautiful seashell, with a tiny note tucked beneath it. On the note were the words: “For Little Jing.”
Lin Wu examined everything one item at a time, silently calculating the value. The few jin of sausage and dried meat she had made were probably the most valuable goods she had ever sold in her life. Just a few jin of meat, and in exchange she had received an entire chest of things.
Did Young Master Shen really do business like this without going bankrupt?
Yet as she looked over the contents, the reason gradually became clear to her. Every item was practical. There was not a single conspicuous piece of jewelry or bolt of silk, nor anything that might invite gossip.
And at present, she happened to need a separate bed and bedding for Lin Jing, as well as quilts for the winter. The kapok had arrived at exactly the right time. It was lighter and warmer than cotton batting, and saved her the trouble of buying more.
Who would have thought that the dashing young master, always dressed in splendid robes, would be so thoughtful and considerate?
This was no gift. It was targeted poverty relief.
Could it be that after generously helping the Gu and Chen families in Nanya, the warmhearted Young Master Shen had returned to Huzhou to help her and Lin Jing as well?
Lin Wu squatted in front of the chest and stared at it for a long while.
Forget it. Since she had accepted his gifts, she was obliged to put more thought into the presents for the welcoming banquet.
As it happened, the small pouch of water chestnut starch Madam He had given her had not yet been used, so she took it out and decided to make some novel pastries.
The water chestnut starch was as fine and white as snow. Once mixed with water and steamed, it became smooth, springy, and translucent. Lin Wu divided the batter into two portions. She mixed red-date juice into one, turning it red, and spinach juice into the other, turning it green. She brought a large pot of water to a boil, steamed one layer of red batter until set, then poured a layer of green batter over it. Repeating the process four times produced a pastry with alternating red and green layers, each one clearly defined.
Once it had cooled, she cut it into small diamond-shaped pieces and arranged them on a porcelain plate. Each little piece was brightly colored and looked far more delicate than jade cake.
She made yam cakes as well. She steamed the yams and mashed them, then kneaded them together with glutinous rice flour. She took another portion of the dough and mixed in spinach juice to give it a pale green color. She divided the two-colored doughs into small portions and combined one of each color, creating a white-and-green pattern that gradually blurred into one another. She then rolled them out into wrappers, filled them, and used a mold to press them into flower shapes.
She prepared two kinds of filling: savory shredded pork with salted egg yolk, and a sweet-and-savory taro-and-egg-yolk filling. The white-and-green wrappers, set off by their delicate patterns, made the pastries look like little jade carvings.
Lin Wu took ten of each kind of pastry and packed them in two layers in a bamboo basket. She lined the bottom with clean oiled paper and covered the top with a square of blue cloth. Then she and Lin Jing set off together for the northern part of the city.
The Shen residence stood at the foot of Qiwushan in the north of the city, surrounded by green trees and far from the bustle of the streets. It was a secluded and peaceful place. Ordinary merchants naturally lived near the busy streets for convenience, but the Shen estate was so vast that no such location could be found in the marketplace. Besides, the clamor of carriages and horses and the din of human voices would hardly have suited them.
In Huzhou, most wealthy households and retired officials with some means lived in this northern district.
Although the Shen residence occupied a considerable area, its main gate was not at all ostentatious. A black-lacquered gate stood beneath a plaque without any inscription, with only a pair of plain bronze knockers hanging upon it. There were no stone lions or high steps before the entrance. A clump of slender bamboo grew in one corner of the wall, its leaves whispering whenever the wind passed.
Had Lin Wu not visited during the Winter Solstice festival, she probably would have walked right past it.
She stepped forward and knocked on the bronze ring.
Before long, the gatekeeper poked his head out. When he saw Lin Wu and Lin Jing, he hurriedly opened the gate and ushered them inside.
Once they passed the spirit wall, the scene suddenly opened up before them.
Bluestone paved the ground, while winding corridors led through trees and flowers. There were no elaborately carved beams or dazzling displays of wealth, but every brick, tile, plant, and tree possessed a quiet, composed elegance.
Holding the bamboo basket, Lin Wu followed the gatekeeper and thought to herself that Young Master Shen’s careful and considerate nature must have come from somewhere.
If Lin Jing knew what she was thinking at that moment, he would certainly have objected. Young Master Shen’s rooms were neither understated nor orderly. They were gaudy, particular, and cheerfully careless, with one thing displayed here and another placed there.
They had only just rounded the spirit wall and taken a few steps when Sparrow and Tigerhead came hurrying toward them. Behind them followed a familiar chubby boy—Qi Lang.
There were not many guests at the welcoming banquet, mostly close relatives and friends. Strictly speaking, the only outsiders were Lin Wu and Lin Jing, along with the Qi family.
“Sister! Jing!” Sparrow ran up with her cheeks flushed bright red and grabbed Lin Wu’s hand. “You’re finally here!”
Tigerhead headed straight for Lin Jing, while Qi Lang hurried over too. The three little heads crowded together as they whispered and chattered about something.
Sparrow tugged at Lin Wu, eagerly trying to lead her inside. “Sister Lin, I’ll show you around our home! We—”
Before she could finish, a gentle woman’s voice came from the corridor ahead.
“Sparrow, the guests haven’t even entered yet, and you’ve already stopped them halfway there.”
Lin Wu looked up and saw a woman of about forty walking toward them at an unhurried pace. Her hair was neatly arranged, with a simple jade hairpin tucked into it. Her brows and eyes held a smile, and she looked every bit the good-natured sort.
The last time they had come to pay their respects during the festival, they had only exchanged hurried greetings and had not entered the residence. Thus, Lin Wu had never had any contact with the other members of the Shen family.
Sparrow called out, “Mother.”
Lin Wu immediately understood that this was Madam Shen. She took half a step forward and curtsied.
“Greetings, Madam Shen. I apologize for intruding.”
Madam Shen helped her up with a warm smile. “You’re too polite. There’s no need for such formalities. Sparrow and Tigerhead have been talking about you for ages. At last, I get to meet you in person.”
Then she noticed the bamboo basket in Lin Wu’s hand and said, “You should have just come. Why bring anything? This is too much trouble.”
“They’re only some homemade pastries. I hope you won’t think them beneath you.” Lin Wu offered the basket to her.
Madam Shen accepted it with a smile. “Then we’re in for a treat. Tigerhead has been talking about how delicious your pancakes were every day these past few days. Today we’ll finally get to taste Mrs. Lin’s handiwork.”
As she spoke, she handed the bamboo basket to the maid beside her. “Put these out at the banquet later. Let the Old Master and the others try something new as well.”
Madam Shen then turned to Lin Jing and bent down. “This must be Little Jing? Tigerhead often mentions you. You’re still our Guanting’s junior brother from the temple, aren’t you?”
Lin Jing gave a proper bow. “Greetings, Aunt Shen.”
Madam Shen’s eyes curved into a smile. “What a well-behaved child.”
Straightening, she said to Lin Wu, “The Old Master and Master Shen are waiting in the main hall. Let’s go this way.”
Lin Wu followed them through the corridors and into the main hall, where she met the rest of the Shen family.
Shen Guanting was as elegant and composed as ever, possessing an air of refined grace.
Lin Wu was just about to offer her greetings when he said, “Mrs. Lin, you’ve come at just the right time.”
She paused, assuming some important matter had arisen, and looked up at him.
Shen Guanting set down his teacup, his expression solemn. “I was just meaning to thank you for the sausages you sent yesterday. They were marvelous. They helped me regain the upper hand in front of Shen Linzhou. It seems this status as an old acquaintance still has its uses.”
Shen Zhongming gave a snort. “You’ve got some nerve saying that. In all my years, this is the first time I’ve seen someone go all the way to another person’s door to beg for a gift.”
Shen Guanting did not take it to heart. “Grandfather, you can’t put it that way. You had some of those sausages yesterday too, and now you’re turning around and undermining me?”
The whole room burst into laughter.
Lin Wu and Lin Jing had initially felt a little ill at ease among so many strangers, but the exchange put them both at ease. Lin Jing quietly edged closer to Lin Wu, then looked around the table with open curiosity.
Lin Wu smiled as well. “They’re only simple homemade foods. I hope none of you find them lacking.”
“If your food is simple,” Shen Guanting said in his unhurried voice, “then today’s welcoming feast of mine is even less worthy of being served.”
Master Shen raised his brows at that and looked toward his eldest son, finding him rather unfamiliar today. “That’s the first time I’ve heard you say something like that, Guanting. When you were at home, weren’t you always finding fault—complaining that one dish was too salty and another too bland? And now you’ve learned to praise people.”
Madam Shen promptly joined in. “It seems this trip to Nan Ya has done our Guanting a world of good. Very well, even if this welcoming feast is not to your taste, do us the favor of taking your seat. Don’t keep our guests standing.”
The welcoming feast was held in the warm gallery on the western side of the main hall.
It was called a warm gallery, though in truth it was a half-open pavilion facing a corner of the rear garden, where the plum blossoms were in full bloom.
Everyone took their seats, and the maids filed in one after another to serve the dishes and pour the wine.
Sparrow led Lin Jing to a small table by the window. It had been set especially for the children, with a few extra plates of fruit and candied treats, as well as several low embroidered stools. Tigerhead and Qi Lang had already claimed their places and were waving Lin Jing over.
Lin Jing glanced back at Lin Wu. Only after she nodded did he happily run over.
Shen Guanting noticed this and found it rather amusing. Whenever they were outside, the child always had to look to Lin Wu for approval before doing anything. In every gesture and movement, they truly looked more like mother and son.
Just who had Mrs. Lin been before this? She was tactful and considerate in dealing with others, measured in her conduct, and possessed a remarkable skill with food. She had even managed to rescue a child of Lin Jing’s status from that place completely unharmed.
What sort of place could have raised a woman like her?
Lin Wu was unaware of Young Master Shen’s interest. At the moment, she was focused only on the dishes before her.
Though this was merely a family banquet, the spread was exceptionally generous, filling the table with meat and vegetables, cold dishes and hot dishes, steamed dishes and stews.
It was the most sumptuous meal she had eaten since arriving in this world.
After three rounds of wine and five courses of food, Madam Shen instructed the maids to bring out the pastries Lin Wu had brought.
The green-and-red water chestnut cakes and the white-and-green yam cakes looked elegant and refreshing on the table. They bore no resemblance at all to the “simple homemade foods” Lin Wu had described.
Madam Shen examined them for a moment, then asked with a smile, “These pastries look so novel, unlike anything we usually see. What are they called?”
Lin Wu replied, “The diamond-shaped pieces are water chestnut cakes, and the flower-shaped ones are yam cakes.”
Madam Shen could not help laughing. “Such exquisite pastries, yet you’ve given them such plain names.”
Lin Wu felt a little embarrassed. “I’m hopeless when it comes to naming things. Please forgive me for making a spectacle of myself.”
Shen Zhongming slowly nodded. “The hardest thing is to preserve the true flavor of the ingredients. A straightforward name without any clever embellishment reveals the skill that went into making them.”
As he spoke, he picked up a piece of water chestnut cake with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth. He nodded in approval. “Springy and smooth, sweet without being cloying. Excellent work.”
Shen Guanting sampled the yam cake. “I can taste egg yolk in this, but what is that loose, fragrant, crumbly ingredient?”
“Meat floss,” Lin Wu answered.
Shen Guanting suddenly understood. “So this is the same meat floss used in the meat floss pancakes.”
As he spoke, the corners of his eyes curved slightly. He looked at Lin Wu and asked, “I’m curious. Which came first—the meat floss for the pancakes, or the yam cakes we have today?”
The question seemed rather out of nowhere.
Lin Wu raised her eyes to look at him. His expression was perfectly natural, as though he had asked merely in passing.
Perhaps Young Master Shen simply liked to know the origins of everything he ate.
Though she did not understand why he wanted to know, she answered honestly. “As for which came first, the meat floss pancakes. But as for the reason, I made the meat floss because I wanted to make these yam cakes with meat floss and egg yolk.”
The amusement in Shen Guanting’s eyes deepened. “Thank you, Mrs. Lin, for clearing that up.”
He turned to Tigerhead. “It seems the meat floss pancakes owe today’s welcoming feast a debt of gratitude. Without these yam cakes, there would have been no meat floss—and without the meat floss, no pancakes.”
This time, Lin Wu understood. The two brothers were competing again.
Tigerhead was hunched over a piece of yam cake, chewing away. He was not bothered in the slightest. Instead, he lifted his chin and said, “Hmph! I ate both the meat floss pancakes and the yam cakes anyway! You still haven’t even had a pancake, Brother!”
As expected of brothers—they could always strike straight at each other’s sore spots.
After the welcoming feast ended, the guests took their leave one after another.
Lin Wu was just wondering what excuse she could use to ask Shen Guanting about Nan Ya when Young Master Shen obligingly came to her himself.
“Shopkeeper Lin, if you’re not in a hurry, may I speak with you in private?” His tone was casual, but his gaze settled on Lin Jing. “There are some things from Nan Ya that I need to pass on to you.”
Lin Wu’s heart stirred. She knew this concerned the Gu and Chen families.
Shen Guanting led them through several corridors toward his own courtyard.
It was a private courtyard, and it was… rather more lived-in than Lin Wu had expected.
The courtyard had been arranged with a natural, almost rustic charm. Bamboo and trees had been planted seemingly at random, here in one cluster and there in another, scattered throughout the grounds, yet they all appeared healthy and vigorous, as if carefully planned. Several unusual stones had been piled in a corner by the wall, each with a different shape, as though they had been specially brought there from somewhere else.
Several birdcages hung beneath the covered walkway, but they were empty. Perhaps he had not yet gotten around to raising birds, or perhaps the birds had flown away. A few blue-green incense burners had been placed here and there, their fragrances faint and intermittent.
They arrived at a tea room used for receiving guests. The interior was much more orderly and refined. The tables and chairs were arranged neatly, and every kind of tea ware was in place—it looked like a proper reception room. Yet the bronze crane candlesticks and bronze ornaments scattered throughout lent the room an air of casual informality.
Shen Guanting took out two letters and a cloth pouch, then sat down across from her.
“These are from the Gu and Chen families. They asked me to bring them along.” He handed the items to her.
Lin Wu accepted them and opened the cloth pouch first.
Inside were two delicately crafted sachets. Their plain fabric surfaces were decorated with a ring of intricately woven little seashells. The shells varied in size and shape, some round and some flat, but all had clearly been carefully polished, their edges smooth and their luster soft and warm. When she brought them closer, she could smell the clear fragrance of medicinal herbs mingled with the sweetness of dried flowers. The scent was clean and gentle.
She opened one of the letters and read it word by word.
The letter had been written by Gu Qing on behalf of the others. The handwriting was neat, though it carried a hint of awkward restraint. In essence, it said that the herbs and dried flowers inside the sachets had been gathered in the mountains some time ago and dried during a spell of fine weather. They had only just managed to finish the sachets before Young Master Shen set out. Since they had been short on time, the work was not as fine as they would have liked, and they hoped Mrs. Lin would not think poorly of them.
The letter also said that they were now working at the Jibei Workshop, and that life had become much more stable. Quite a lot of the kapok in the shipment Young Master Shen had brought had come from the seeds they had collected.
As Lin Wu read on, her eyes began to sting with tears.
She lowered her eyes and carefully folded the letter, putting it away together with the sachet before looking up at Shen Guanting.
“Thank you, Young Master Shen.” Her voice was softer than before. “You must have had a tiring journey, and you even went to the trouble of delivering things for them.”
Shen Guanting waved a hand. “It was on the way. Don’t let it weigh on your mind. They’re doing well now, so you needn’t worry about them.”
Lin Wu nodded and said no more.
The two of them sat in silence for a moment.
She naturally understood that this journey had been far from the casual “on the way” he made it sound.
From Huzhou to Lingzhou, then onward to Nanya—the road was long and arduous. The stretch to Nanya in particular must have required considerable preparation and careful arrangements. He had to happen upon the exiles without drawing attention, avoid inspections without making his intentions too obvious, and arrange for them to enter the Jibei Workshop. After making sure everything was settled, he had finally left.
For a small business owner to make the journey himself and see everything through so thoroughly was already the very picture of wholehearted assistance.
Young Master Shen always appeared calm and unconcerned. He spent his days bickering and competing with Tigerhead, looking every bit like an idle young master. Yet each of the things he had done was a genuine kindness.
Unfortunately, now that she and Lin Jing could barely manage to live decent lives on their own, there was little she could do to repay him.
“Young Master Shen,” Lin Wu said suddenly, “since we happen to have met today, might we discuss the bookmark business?”
Shen Guanting raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by her directness, but he did not refuse. He nodded for her to continue.
Lin Wu went on, “I’ve thought it over. I’ll still have to run my pastry business in the future, so I truly won’t have the time to spare. I’m also unfamiliar with managing the treasure-goods shop and the stationery shop, so I wouldn’t dare interfere blindly.”
She paused and looked at Shen Guanting with an open, earnest gaze. “I’d like to hand the production method over to the craftsmen at the shops and let the Zhiyun Trading House manage the business as a whole. I’ll simply take a fee for providing the technique and won’t interfere in any of the other business matters.”
After saying this, even Lin Wu herself felt a little guilty. It was rather like trying to settle everything once and for all.
Shen Guanting, however, smiled.
“Shopkeeper Lin, you certainly are an honest woman.” Leaning back in his chair, he continued in an unhurried voice, “But this method is your unique invention. If you hand it over to the shop, we’ll be the ones benefiting. Besides, you came up with the excellent name ‘Jade Soul,’ and it has gained some renown among the village-school students thanks to Master Jianshan’s recommendation. You and your family are the ones who built that reputation.”
He paused, studying Lin Wu’s composed face as he considered his words. “How about this? We’ll settle accounts each month. After deducting the costs, you’ll receive half the profits. I’ll discuss the matter with the stationery shop.”
Lin Wu shook her head.
“Young Master Shen, although I was the one who came up with the method, the process itself isn’t difficult. Anyone with enough interest and patience could probably figure it out. I’m entrusting the business to the treasure-goods shop because I value the Zhiyun Trading House’s extensive resources and trust you to handle it. I think a thirty-seventy split would be more appropriate.”
She knew very well that the bookmark technique had a low barrier to entry. Its long-term success would depend entirely on the shop’s management. Besides, she hoped to maintain a good relationship with the Shen family—something built slowly over time, with both sides benefiting. If the Zhiyun Trading House could turn the bookmarks into a lasting business, it would provide her with a steady income. She would already be satisfied with thirty percent.
After listening to her, Shen Guanting fell silent for a moment, then chuckled lightly.
“Shopkeeper Lin, the way you put it makes it sound as though I’m taking advantage of you.”
He said no more. Instead, he rose and went behind the writing desk, spread out a sheet of paper, and ground the ink. Before long, the contract was filled from top to bottom. He read it carefully from beginning to end before setting down his brush and handing it to Lin Wu.
“Have a look, Shopkeeper Lin. See if there’s anything you find inappropriate.”
Lin Wu took it and read through every word. The terms were clear, and the responsibilities of both parties were precisely defined.
She looked up at Shen Guanting, a few thoughts stirring in her heart.
This Young Master Shen usually seemed lazy and carefree, yet whenever he handled a matter, he was remarkably thorough and efficient.
They both signed their names and pressed their fingerprints onto the contract. The business had officially taken its first step.
Lin Wu thought that this was probably the smallest business Young Master Shen had ever handled.
What she did not know was that Young Master Shen had already prepared everything needed: the fragrant sandalwood leaves for making the bookmarks, along with an entire box of pearl shells.
Once every matter had been discussed and arranged, it was already getting late. Lin Wu rose to leave and led Lin Jing outside.
Shen Guanting got up to see them out.
When they reached the courtyard gate, Lin Wu turned back and said softly, “Thank you, Young Master Shen.”
Lin Jing nodded as well, imitating her solemn manner. “Thank you, Young Master Shen.”
Shen Guanting looked up at her without saying anything. He merely gave a slight nod.
Lin Wu stepped over the threshold and had only walked a few paces when she heard his leisurely voice behind her.
“Oh, by the way, if you ever decide to sell those jianbing to the public, please let me know.”
Young Master Shen still hadn’t forgotten the jianbing.
She wondered if she ought to make him an extravagantly upgraded version one of these days, so that he would stop thinking about them all the time.
When they arrived home, Lin Jing sat at the table, holding the sachet pouch and carefully studying the two letters inside.
He recognized most of the characters on the letters, but he read them with great seriousness, tracing each one with a small finger. Every so often, he would turn to Laifu and say something.
“They said they’re doing very well now. They’re all together, so they have company,” Lin Wu explained as she sat down beside him. “They also said that A Jing should take good care of himself and that there’s no need to send them any more money. They can earn money on their own at the Jibei Workshop.”
“Is jibei that white, soft stuff?” Lin Jing asked.
Lin Wu nodded. “That’s right. When we have time, we’ll use some of it to make you a new quilt. They chose all that jibei very carefully. It’s light and warm.”
“The Jibei Workshop is really wonderful. It helps everyone earn money, and it can make jibei too,” Lin Jing said admiringly.
Lin Wu thought that the Jibei Workshop probably existed entirely to support the Gu and Chen families.
“Brother Tigerhead is a good person.” Lin Jing flattened the letter with his small hand, as though doing so would help him recognize a few more characters. “He doesn’t just have the Jibei Workshop. He also has a treasure-goods shop, and he’s helping us with the bookmark business.”
Hearing the jumble of names Lin Jing used for Shen Guanting—sometimes copying her and calling him “Young Master Shen,” and sometimes following Tigerhead and calling him “Brother Tigerhead”—Lin Wu couldn’t help laughing.
Suddenly, Lin Jing pointed to several characters at the end of the letter, his eyes lighting up.
“A Wu, look! I know this one! It’s the character for ‘thanks.’ I can write it too.”
Lin Wu leaned over to look, and it really was.
“They’re saying, ‘Thank you, A Wu,’” Lin Jing read. He did not recognize several of the characters in between, but he understood the general meaning. “‘Thank you, A Wu, for the dried meat!’”
“That’s right. Thank you, A Wu, for the dried meat,” Lin Wu echoed in his tone, laughing.
“A Wu’s dried meat is the best.” Lin Jing wholeheartedly agreed, then added, “The sausages are the best too, and the jianbing are the best, and the pastries are the best, and the thin crisps are the best!”
After the welcoming feast, the New Year drew closer with each passing day.
Lin Wu had originally planned to rent a food cart and expand her stall business, but the streets and markets had been packed with people these past few days, and there were still many preparations to be made for the New Year. In the end, she decided to set the matter aside and wait until after the New Year.
On the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, Lin Wu took the day off from her stall.
Lin Jing was on holiday too. The academy had begun its winter break on the twenty-third day of the twelfth month, and classes would not resume until after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.
The little fellow had lain on his stomach atop his pillow the night before, counting on his fingers. After counting and recounting, he arrived at an astonishing conclusion.
“A Wu! I can rest for more than twenty days!”
Lin Wu was tidying the broom in the outer room. “Yes, more than twenty days. Plenty of time for you to play.”
Today was Jiaonian, the Little New Year.
Because it fell so close to New Year’s Eve, it was also known as Little Year or Lesser Year. On this day, households generally did not go out to pay New Year’s visits, for there was far too much to do. The entire house had to be cleaned, the Kitchen God worshiped, door gods and peach-wood charms purchased, offerings prepared… There was not a moment to spare from dawn to dusk.
The sky had only just begun to lighten when Lin Wu woke Lin Jing.
“We have plenty of work today.” She thrust a feather duster into his hands. “Sweep the floors first, then go help Laifu tidy up its kennel.”
Every household carried out a thorough cleaning on this day, throwing away broken things and replacing worn-out items. Their house was still rather bare, with little that needed throwing out, but there were plenty of household goods that needed to be added.
That did not stop them from cleaning. Lin Jing took the feather duster and began flitting all over the house. He dusted here and waved it there, not even sparing Laifu’s kennel. He lay flat on the ground and poked his head inside, making a great commotion.
Laifu crouched to one side, tilting its little head at him and barking from time to time. It was impossible to tell whether it was cheering him on or lodging a complaint.
Most likely, it was cheering him on. After all, Laifu followed him around the house the entire time.
Once he had finished dusting, Lin Jing ran to the little vegetable patch and squatted there, pulling weeds for quite some time. In his opinion, if the house needed dusting, then the vegetable patch naturally needed weeding as well.
After they finished cleaning the house, Lin Wu took Lin Jing out with her.
The market was especially lively today. People jostled shoulder to shoulder, their voices rising in a great roar, while the stalls on either side stretched as far as the eye could see.
There were particularly many vendors selling door gods and peach-wood charms. Pairs of door-god paintings hung everywhere, each figure depicted with awe-inspiring dignity. The peach charms were thin wooden plaques painted with auspicious divine beasts such as suanni and baize. Beneath them, Yulei was painted on the left and Shentu on the right. Some scholars and teachers had even set up small tables, writing New Year verses and prayers on the spot. Red paper covered in black characters was arranged in neat rows, dazzling to the eye.
Lin Jing could hardly take it all in. One moment he was looking this way, the next that way, his little head swiveling from side to side.
Lin Wu held his hand and slowly worked her way through the crowd. Besides the door gods and peach charms, she also had to buy offerings for the Kitchen God. With a basket hooked over her arm, she selected the items one by one from the stalls: vegetables, beans, fruits and flowers…
Lin Jing followed beside her, reciting as he watched. “Vegetables, beans, fruits and flowers… We’ve bought all of those. We’re still missing the sticky malt candy!”
Jiaoya tang was a candy made from malt. It was extremely sticky and cloyingly sweet. People offered it to the Kitchen God in the hope that, after eating the candy, his mouth would be stuck shut when he ascended to Heaven, leaving him able to speak only good words and not bad ones.
Lin Wu had mentioned this to Lin Jing the day before. The little fellow had frowned and thought about it for a long while before finally asking, “If the Kitchen God’s mouth is stuck shut, won’t he get even angrier?”
Lin Wu had been momentarily stumped. “Then we’ll offer him more. If he eats until he’s happy, he won’t be angry anymore.”
Now Lin Jing stood in front of the candy stall, staring at the sticky malt candy. “Let’s buy a little extra. Then the Kitchen God can sweeten his mouth and won’t get angry.”
Once they had squeezed away from the stall, the crowd grew even more turbulent. Lin Jing was jostled from side to side, his short legs struggling to move through the gaps between people. Suddenly, his foot caught on something, and he pitched forward.
A hand came down firmly on his shoulder.
He looked up, his voice bright with delight. “Brother Ting!”
After all these days, little Lin Jing had finally settled on a fixed form of address for Shen Guanting.
Guanting looked down at him, still holding a small peach charm in one hand. It was not an ordinary wooden plaque, but a copper plate inlaid with gold and silver. Using gleaming yellow threads—whether gold paint, silver wire, or genuine gold, it was impossible to tell—the craftsman had fashioned an exquisite suanni. Two gemstones had been set into its eyes, glittering in the sunlight.
It looked exceedingly expensive, and Lin Jing liked it very much. He stared at it for quite some time.
Guanting reminded him, “Watch where you’re going.”
Today he wore a deep blue-green, narrow-sleeved robe, his hair bound with a green jade crown. He looked much neater than usual, as if he had come out to attend to important business. Shen Qi followed behind him, carrying a stack of peach charms as well.
Lin Wu turned around too. Seeing him, she gave a slight nod. “Young Master Shen.”
Guanting’s gaze swept over the basket in her hand. “Have you finished your shopping?”
“Yes.” Lin Wu nodded. “And you are…”
“Buying peach charms and offerings.” Guanting’s reply was concise, though there was a hint of helplessness in his voice. He shrugged. “Grandfather says I make a habit of offending people. Today, I’m to worship the Kitchen God properly and ask him not to speak ill of me.”
Behind him, Shen Qi thought that the old master was absolutely right.
Lin Wu could not help laughing. “The Kitchen God surely judges a person by his deeds, not his words. Young Master Shen has done no small number of good deeds in his daily life. The Kitchen God has seen them all. There’s no need to go to such lengths.”
Guanting raised an eyebrow. “I see. Shopkeeper Lin is saying that I’m usually unpleasant to listen to.”
Lin Wu hastily apologized. “Please don’t take offense, Young Master Shen. I was talking about myself—that I’m unpleasant to listen to.”
The three of them continued talking as they slowly made their way out of the densest part of the crowd. They found a quieter corner and stopped there.
Guanting lowered his gaze to the woman before him.
Perhaps because she had needed to clean today, she had tied her hair up neatly. Not a single stray strand marred her face, making her features appear even cleaner and more delicate. After spending half the day walking through the market, a faint flush colored her cheeks, and her eyes were bright and shining. Compared with her usual composed and capable manner, she seemed more lively and spirited. Since they had been jostling through the crowd and speaking over the noise, her voice had risen a little too, carrying a vigor she herself had not noticed.
A thought suddenly occurred to him. He wondered how she could so calmly claim to be twenty-two. She clearly looked much younger than that.
“I suppose Mrs. Lin has none of my troubles,” he said with a smile as he withdrew his gaze.
“Hmm?” Lin Wu tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with confusion. She often felt that she could not keep up with Young Master Shen’s line of thought.
Guanting continued, “With cooking skills as fine as yours, the Kitchen God must favor you. I can only hope that, for the sake of these offerings, he will show me some mercy and not mention all the times I’ve said the wrong thing. He can just pick a few of my good deeds to talk about.”
Lin Wu’s eyes curved into a smile. The Young Master Shen before her looked so distinguished that even the peach charm in his hand was more ornate and exquisite than everyone else’s. Yet the moment he opened his mouth, he was clearly still the same Young Master Shen who loved trading barbs with Tigerhead and speaking in roundabout ways.
She rummaged through her own basket, selected something, and handed him an oil-paper packet.
“These are red bean and yam cakes we made ourselves, filled with red bean paste. A gift for you, Young Master Shen. Consider it an offering—perhaps it will help you bribe the Kitchen God a little.”
People commonly used little balls of red bean paste and flour for today’s Kitchen God offerings. Lin Wu had not felt like making those as well, so she had wrapped up some red bean cakes to serve in their place. She had not looked carefully before leaving, and apparently Lin Jing had slipped a packet of the cakes into the basket at some point.
Guanting accepted it and looked down at the oil-paper packet, which was printed with tiny leaves.
“Then I truly must thank Mrs. Lin for taking such trouble on my behalf.”
He put away the oil-paper bag, then drew a small satin pouch from his sleeve and held it out. A little plum blossom was embroidered on it.
“I didn’t know Mrs. Lin had recently welcomed a puppy into the family, so I failed to prepare a gift for it last time. I’ve brought one to make up for that today. I hope you’ll forgive me.”
Lin Jing, who had been looking around restlessly nearby, immediately came over to correct him in all seriousness. “His name is Laifu.”
Shen Guanting readily amended his words. “Then I was remiss. I hope Laifu will forgive me.”
Lin Jing nodded, satisfied.
Lin Wu accepted the pouch. “You’re too kind. Thank you for taking the trouble, Young Master Shen.”
The street market was hardly a place for conversation. People streamed past, jostling them from time to time, and even their little corner offered no peace.
So neither of them said anything more. After bidding each other farewell, they disappeared into the crowd in opposite directions.
Lin Wu walked a few steps with Lin Jing before glancing back.
Shen Guanting’s figure had already been swallowed up by the crowds and vanished from sight.
Meanwhile, Shen Guanting, already seated inside the carriage, opened the oil-paper bag. Inside were several flower-shaped yam cakes.
He picked one up and put it into his mouth.
The red-bean paste was smooth and delicate, sweet without being cloying. The cake itself was soft and glutinous, yet it did not stick to his teeth.
Hmm. Not bad.
Shen Qi, watching from the side, could not help reminding him, “Young Master, Mrs. Lin said these were offerings for the Kitchen God. Aren’t you afraid the Kitchen God will blame you for eating them?”
Shen Guanting calmly picked up another piece without even raising his eyes. “She gave them to me, so naturally I may decide what to do with them.”
“Then you should at least offer them first before eating them.” Shen Qi continued to fan the flames. “You haven’t even reached home, and you’ve already eaten them halfway there. If the Kitchen God finds out, he’ll be even more likely to say bad things about you.”
Only then did Shen Guanting look up. His voice was unhurried. “Mrs. Lin gave me these cakes in the hope that the Kitchen God would put in a good word for me. After eating them, I’ll keep her kindness in my heart, and tomorrow, when I make the Kitchen God offering, I’ll naturally be more sincere. They say sincerity brings success. If the Kitchen God is reasonable, he ought to remember the sincerity in my heart.”
Shen Qi could only feel that his young master’s mouth truly had a way of making any crooked argument sound perfectly reasonable.
All of Mrs. Lin’s painstaking efforts—bribing the Kitchen God and asking him to speak well of Young Master Shen—had been for nothing.
Even the Kitchen God himself would be talked in circles by this young master.
