In the sweltering kitchen, Song Jinzhao was teaching Chunxing and Qingshuang how to make cold skin noodles, cold noodles, and various tea drinks and milk teas.
By the well in the courtyard, Fushun sat on a small stool washing various pig offal. He scrubbed them back and forth with plant ash three times, changing the water over a dozen basins before the intestines were washed thoroughly white.
Just selling cold skin noodles, cold noodles, and drinks wasn't enough. Song Jinzhao also planned to add braised goods to the menu.
The aroma of the braise drifted next door. Ye Liangyu, who was doing weighted training in his courtyard, stopped his movements, looked up, and gazed in the direction the fragrance was coming from.
Yunhe walked to the wall and sniffed. "Master, it's coming from the Song household. Starting dinner preparations at the beginning of the Shen hour, isn't that a bit too early?"
Ye Liangyu took a deep breath of the enticing aroma, his mouth beginning to water.
He withdrew his gaze and said, "Miss Song's food stall is opening in a few days. She's probably testing recipes."
Yunhe helped Ye Liangyu sit down in his wheelchair. "Not just a food stall, it seems she's also planning to open a medical clinic."
Ye Liangyu stared at his own straight legs. "If Song Jinzhao can cure an illness even the imperial physicians couldn't, her opening a clinic is a good thing for the common people."
A woman who is well-read, highly skilled in martial arts, knows how to make money, and possesses exceptional medical skill—such women are rare in this world.
It's just a pity she's a woman; otherwise, a mere place like Anyang Prefecture wouldn't be able to contain her talents.
The drifting braising aroma caused the three households living nearby to come out one after another to look. Upon realizing it was from the Song family, they all scratched their heads in agitation.
What dish were they making that smelled so incredibly good, teasing everyone's appetites?
After simmering over a low flame for half a shichen, the fire was stopped to let the food soak and absorb the flavors, ready to be eaten by evening.
Chunxing and Fushun sat in the courtyard, swallowing their saliva.
Both had occasionally eaten dishes rewarded by their masters while working for other families before, but none were as fragrant as this.
Even pig offal could be turned into something exquisite. No wonder the master's family, despite their farming background, could become prosperous so quickly.
Once the eldest young master passes the provincial examination and then the metropolitan examination, the Song family's status will be completely transformed.
After school, Song Qiming went to the neighbor's house as usual for tutoring. Song Jinzhao stopped him and handed him a food box.
"New snacks made this afternoon. Take them over for Teacher Ye to try."
Seeing Song Qiming enter carrying a food box, Ye Liangyu, sitting in his wheelchair, had already guessed seventy to eighty percent of the reason.
"Teacher, these are new dishes my elder sister made. Thinking you might like them, she cut some for you to try."
Ye Liangyu signaled Yunhe to take it, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "The aroma has been drifting all afternoon; finally I get to know what it is."
Yunhe opened the food box. Inside was a plate of braised meat and a plate of braised pig offal.
Seeing something that looked like intestines, Ye Liangyu's brow furrowed slightly.
Yunhe also saw the pig offal and was about to remove the other plate when Ye Liangyu stopped him.
"Go get a pair of chopsticks."
Pig offal had never been fit for the tables of wealthy families—too strong a smell, disgusting no matter how prepared.
Pig large intestine was something one never even laid eyes on; it was the place that held waste, eating it was akin to eating waste itself.
Yet when the lid was lifted, Ye Liangyu detected only the rich aroma of braising, with no trace of foul or fishy smell.
The food was a glossy red, neatly sliced and sprinkled with crushed peanuts and cilantro flakes—Ye Liangyu's favorite. He couldn't resist wanting to taste it.
Song Qiming put down his book and placed the compiled booklet of questions on Ye Liangyu's desk.
Then he knelt by the low table himself, pondering over the previous day's homework that had been returned with comments. This was almost his daily routine.
Ye Liangyu first picked up a piece of braised meat. The grain of the meat was distinct, the fat parts crystal clear like amber, the lean parts coated in a beautiful sauce color, giving an immediate impression of exceptional deliciousness.
Rich flavor filled his mouth upon the first bite. His pupils contracted slightly as he chewed. The fatty parts were tender but not mushy, the lean parts fragrant and not dry. An extreme freshness instantly captured his taste buds.
After eating three pieces in a row, he moved his chopsticks towards the pig offal, starting with the large intestine.
He sniffed it first, detecting only the perfect balance of spicy aroma, neither too strong nor too faint, just right.
Chewing it, the first sensation was springiness. After biting through the outer skin, the inside was soft and glutinous. Rich, non-greasy fat exploded on the tip of his tongue, the fragrance filling his entire mouth.
This was a delicacy Ye Liangyu had never tasted before—not smelly, exceptionally delicious, even better than the meat.
Seeing him take several more bites, nearly finishing the large intestine, Yunhe's eyes flashed with surprise.
Ye Liangyu said regretfully, "What a pity I can't drink alcohol. These would make perfect accompaniments for wine."
Song Qiming glanced up, then lowered his head again to concentrate on his thoughts.
The teacher praised it so highly; he should have taken a couple of bites himself before coming.
Another servant boy walked in from outside, cupped his hands, and said, "Master, Dean Mu of Anyang Academy is outside requesting an audience."
Ye Liangyu placed his chopsticks on the dish, used his hands to move his wheelchair out from behind the desk, and said, "Invite him in."
Then he instructed Song Qiming, "Don't make a sound. Wait until I call you before you come out."
Hidden behind the screen, Song Qiming looked up in confusion, only able to vaguely glimpse the situation outside through a crack.
Hadn't the Dean gone traveling to Jiangnan and not returned yet? Why would he come to see the teacher?
Mu Hongyue walked in, swinging the hem of his trousers, a wine pot in his right hand and side dishes in his left.
His gaze swept over Ye Liangyu's legs, pausing for half a second before shifting away.
"Retiring to your hometown without telling me in advance. If the teachers at the academy hadn't written to inform me, I wouldn't have known you were back," Mu Hongyue said with a deliberately light smile.
Ye Liangyu stared at the wine pot in his hand. "Who in this world is as carefree as you, Dean Mu? Running off to Jiangnan for half a year without returning, quite the dashing life."
Seeing him in good spirits, Mu Hongyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief in his chest.
He had feared that after becoming disabled, Ye Liangyu would be crushed. It seemed the situation was much better than he had imagined.
He raised his hands before Ye Liangyu's eyes, lifting the right, then the left.
"This is 'Dongting Spring Hue' I specially brought back from Jiangnan, and soy sauce beef from Chaoyang Tower. Have Yunhe prepare a couple more dishes, let's have a few drinks."
Ye Liangyu's shoulders drooped regretfully. "I'm abstaining from alcohol now. Staying for a meal is fine, but drinking is out of the question."
Mu Hongyue was taken aback for a moment, then handed the wine and side dishes to Yunhe.
"Store these here. We'll drink them whenever you feel like it. Now that you're back, what are your plans? You can't just stay at home all the time."
"Since you're not an official anymore anyway, the academy is short of teachers with real talent and learning. Could you help me teach the Upper Hall?"
Behind the screen, Song Qiming's attention was completely captured by the conversation outside.
Teacher Ye and Dean Mu seemed to be on very good terms. Was he going to become a teacher at the academy?
Seeing Ye Liangyu remain silent, Mu Hongyue continued, "In the entire academy, aside from me, there's no one with your level of erudition. If you could come help me, cultivating a few top-three scholars in the next imperial examination would be effortless."
Ye Liangyu couldn't help but laugh. "Aren't you daydreaming? There are only three in the top tier: Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, Tanhua."
"Anyang Prefecture hasn't produced a top-tier scholar in nearly a hundred years. Even you and I were only second tier."
I was seventh in the second tier; you were seventh from the bottom in the second tier. My scholarship is much better than yours; don't go embellishing yourself.
Seeing the smile spread across Ye Liangyu's face, Mu Hongyue happily curved the corners of his own mouth upward.
"Having traveled extensively across the land these years, who is more learned is not yet certain. If you have the ability, pick a few students from the Upper House, and let's compare their exam results."
Ye Liangyu leaned back, joking, "You're just trying to find a roundabout way to prod me into bringing you students. You're the dean, I'm just a tutor. Thinking of making me work for you? Not a chance."
Mu Hongyue: "So you're just going to idle at home like this? Such a waste, with all that talent in your belly having no outlet."
Ye Liangyu turned his head to look at the screen, "I've recently taken on a new disciple. Let me introduce him to you."
"Qiming, come out and meet your dean."
Mu Hongyue's expression became neutral. His attention had been entirely on his friend earlier, so he hadn't noticed anyone behind the screen.
"Where did you find this disciple? Hiding him away, not wanting me to see? You only call him out now after I've been here for ages."
Ye Liangyu stroked his beard, "Afraid you'd snatch him, didn't want you to see."
Upon suddenly hearing Ye Liangyu declare him as his newly accepted disciple, Song Qiming felt both elated and nervous.
He stepped out from behind the screen and bowed with clasped hands towards Mu Hongyue, "Student Song Qiming pays his respects to Dean Mu."
Mu Hongyue's shrewd eyes swept over him up and down. After a few moments, he shifted his gaze back to Ye Liangyu.
"You certainly don't stand on ceremony, taking advantage of my absence to snatch away this year's top candidate."
Ye Liangyu picked up his teacup and took a sip, washing away most of the five-spice flavor in his mouth.
"You didn't even return for the academy's opening. Presumably, you've seen too many top candidates to care anymore."
"I have a discerning eye. He's a student of your academy regardless, so how can it be called snatching?"
Mu Hongyue glanced sideways at Song Qiming, "When did you become his disciple?"
Song Qiming stole a glance at Ye Liangyu and, receiving an affirmative look, replied in a steady voice, "It was before the academy entrance examination."
Ye Liangyu curled the corner of his mouth in a smile, saying nothing.
Mu Hongyue took a deep breath, his gaze towards Song Qiming now holding a hint of a smile.
This was good too. Having something to do and a goal to strive for meant he wouldn't have to worry about his friend sitting around all day, letting his mind run wild, brooding over his crippled legs.
"Study well under your teacher. He was seventh in the second tier of the imperial examinations back in his day. You must not fall short of him."
Song Qiming nodded firmly, "This student will spare no effort, striving to live up to the expectations of my teacher and the dean."
After scrutinizing the essay written by Song Qiming for a long while, Mu Hongyue said to Ye Liangyu with a smile, "You've taught him well. He can advance to the Inner House during the end-of-month assessment."
Ye Liangyu said proudly, "I wouldn't have taken him on without some talent."
"The hour is about right. Qiming, you may return home for today. Come again tomorrow."
It was nearly mealtime. He intended to keep Mu Hongyue for a small gathering, and Song Qiming's presence would be inconvenient.
Song Qiming bowed in farewell to the two men. The moment he stepped outside, his face broke into a wide grin, and he hurried home with quick steps.
"Elder Sister, Master Ye has accepted me as his disciple. He is my teacher now."
Chunxing and Qingshuang, who were just setting dishes on the table, stopped and turned their heads to look at him in unison, calling out, "Young Master."
Song Qiming self-consciously touched his nose, his steps slowing down and becoming more composed. He gave them a slight nod of acknowledgment.
He had almost forgotten. There were now four more servants in the house, not just Elder Sister and the others.
Song Jinzhao looked at the slightly awkward Song Qiming.
First, he wasn't used to being served, and second, this house was indeed starting to seem a bit small.
Even though the four of them were currently staying in the storeroom and woodshed, and Lanxi was still bedridden.
But with seven people present in the same space at once, a sense of crowding immediately emerged.
"Master Ye hadn't agreed before, right? Why did he suddenly relent?" It couldn't possibly be because of those two plates of braised delicacies.
Song Qiming walked up to Song Jinzhao, his mouth stretched in a grin.
"Our academy's Dean Mu and Master Ye are close friends. Dean Mu returned from Jiangnan and wanted to invite Master Ye to teach at the academy. They even argued over whose students would perform better in exams. Then Master Ye told Dean Mu that I was his newly accepted disciple, saying he had a discerning eye and praised my talent."
Song Jinzhao raised her eyebrows. "In that case, you should prepare a formal letter requesting to become an apprentice. Tomorrow morning, go next door to present tea to your teacher and take part in the apprenticeship ceremony."
Ye Liangyu being close friends with the dean of Anyang Academy made recognizing him as a teacher truly worthwhile.
Next door, Ye Liangyu and Mu Hongyue sat facing each other.
Mu Hongyue gestured with his eyes towards the soy sauce beef on the table, "Really no wine?"
From the moment he entered until now, nearly an hour had passed. He could tell that his friend's relaxed happiness wasn't feigned.
If that was the case, why had he even lost interest in drinking wine?
Ye Liangyu instructed Yunhe, "Go fetch my crutches."
He placed both hands on the armrests of his wheelchair and stood up unsteadily. Taking the crutches, he endured the pain and took two steps beside the dining table.
Yunhe followed closely beside him, hands outstretched, ready to support him at any moment.
Mu Hongyue watched with wide eyes as Ye Liangyu's legs, supported on the ground, slid forward. He could see force was being applied.
"Didn't they say the imperial physician from the palace diagnosed that you would never stand again?"
"Has it healed now?"
Ye Liangyu handed the crutches back to Yunhe, leaning on his arm to sit back down with a bitter smile, "Still far from it. It will take at least a year to walk like a normal person. No alcohol, can't drink for this period."
Mu Hongyue asked in surprise, "Which miraculous physician treated you? You even overturned the diagnosis of the palace's imperial physician!"
No wonder he seemed like nothing was wrong—it turned out he could be cured.
Ye Liangyu tilted his head toward the next-door room. "It's Song Qiming's elder sister, Miss Song, who lives next door."
Mu Hongyue was utterly stunned this time. He had heard that Song Qiming's sister was Song Jinzhao, the inventor of the waterwheel. Did she also know medicine?
"I wondered why you, who had never taken a disciple before, suddenly accepted one. So that's the reason."
Ye Liangyu shook his head gently, "Not only because Song Jinzhao can cure my legs, but also because Qiming truly has talent and is diligent."
"Since my legs won't recover in a short time anyway, I might as well take on a disciple to pass the time. Otherwise, I'd really be idle to death staying home all day, just as you said."
Mu Hongyue looked toward the neighboring room and said, "Now I truly wish to meet this Miss Song."
Ye Liangyu picked up his chopsticks to eat the meat, "You'll meet her sooner or later. When her medical clinic opens one day, you can go see her for treatment."
Mu Hongyue put on a stern face and used her chopsticks to block the beef. "I'm healthy and strong — I don't need a doctor. You always know how to needle me. Don't eat the soy‑sauce beef I bought. Chaoyang Lou hardly ever makes it this good."
Ye Liangyu pushed the plate containing the braised meat over, "Try this. It's even better than Chaoyang Lou's soy sauce beef."
Mu Hongyue frowned, "Why is there so little?"
Ye Liangyu: "If you hadn't suddenly come over, even this little bit wouldn't be left."
With one bite of the braised meat, Mu Hongyue's eyes lit up.
He eagerly picked up another piece. The more he ate, the better it tasted, and the plate was empty in no time.
