Chapter 14
"Have you been waiting long? Why did you come yourself? On such a cold day, you should have just sent a servant."
Qiao Hezhi smiled as he looked at Fang Yu: "I only just arrived myself. It's no trouble."
"What did you make today?" Fang Yu took the lunchbox, even the wooden exterior was warm to the touch. "Have you eaten yet?"
"I fried some pork ribs and made a soup. I'll eat when I get back."
Fang Yu made a sound of acknowledgment. Hearing this, he looked at the lunchbox with anticipation. Seeing his expression, Qiao Hezhi said, "Master, please eat in the dining hall. It's cold outside, so I will head back now."
The academy did not allow anyone other than students to enter; even delivering meals had to be done outside. Fang Yu had originally wanted Qiao Hezhi to eat with him, but there was no suitable place outside, so he could only say: "Alright. Then you should go back and eat your meal quickly too."
Qiao Hezhi nodded in agreement. He watched Fang Yu enter the academy before turning around and getting into his small carriage.
"Master Ma, please drive a little faster."
[师傅 (Shīfu): Master, a term of respect used to address a skilled master, tradesperson, or experienced worker, such as a chef, driver, or craftsman, acknowledging their expertise and seniority.]
Si Yu glanced at her young master and said with a smile, "Is the young master hungry and in a hurry to get home? We could buy some pastries by the roadside first to tide you over."
"I'm not hungry yet." Qiao Hezhi said patiently, "This morning when the Master left, I urged him to wear an extra layer. But after all, scholars care about neatness and elegance, and he refused to look bulky. The academy's uniforms are made of thin material and aren't warm. I noticed his fingers were stiff and red just now when he came out. Staying cold might help maintain alertness, but it's not good for holding a brush to write. I'll go back early to line it, add some cotton padding. Worn on the inside, it won't look bulky and will keep him warm."
"Now you're always thinking of the Master in everything you do, young master."
"He takes good care of me in many ways too. Besides..." Qiao Hezhi lowered his head and smiled: "Husband and wife should be like this."
Si Yu said reassuringly, "Then this servant will also send someone home to inform the Old Master and Madam, to set their minds at ease."
Qiao Hezhi understood Si Yu's meaning and suddenly felt a little guilty. He and Fang Yu were actually completely innocent, nothing had happened. But now everyone in the household believed he and Fang Yu had consummated the marriage. Today, everyone treated him with much more respect. He knew the truth couldn't be known by even one more person, including Si Yu. Still, it was good to send word home. His parents had already worried over him more than enough. When he had lived under their roof, they had doted on him completely. But now that he was married, he could no longer run to his mother with every little trouble. It was time he gave his family some peace of mind.
"Go ahead. Remember to be discreet."
Meanwhile, Fang Yu carried the lunchbox to the dining hall. Many students were already eating there. In summer, people could still eat in the cool pavilions or on the streets outside the academy, but now that it was cold, everyone had to huddle in the dining hall. At least it kept out the wind and rain, and with so many people, it was actually warmer than the lecture hall.
He found a spot and couldn't wait to open the lunchbox. The aroma trapped inside immediately wafted out.
He took out the dishes from the lunchbox one by one. The top layer held a plate of polished rice. Below that was a portion of ribs fried to a golden, crispy brown. Smelling the aroma, they turned out to be garlic-marinated spare ribs. He immediately picked up a piece, they were still warm. The ribs were crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, very fragrant and crisp.
Next was a plate of stir-fried green vegetables. Fang Yu thought that was all, but surprisingly, at the bottom of the lunchbox was a small tureen of soup. Lifting the lid, he saw it was pigeon soup. The broth was a warm yellow color, rich, flavorful, and aromatic. The pigeon meat was soft and tender. It must have taken at least an hour to make such a good soup.
He served himself half a bowl and savored it slowly. This was the kind of carefully brewed, rich soup one could truly appreciate—the sort of nourishment that naturally restored one's vitality. The bowl of pigeon soup truly warmed him straight to his core.
"Pardon me, did you have this meal sent over from Qionghua Tower?"
Hearing this, Fang Yu looked up and saw a student with a rather round face, who had been sitting two seats away, come closer and strike up a conversation while staring at his food.
"But this rib dish isn't listed on Qionghua Tower's menu."
Seeing that this person also seemed very interested in food, Fang Yu said a few more words: "Indeed. This wasn't ordered from a restaurant, it was sent from home."
The scholar's eyes lit up at these words, and he immediately became more interested: "Your family actually has a cook with such skill?"
Fang Yu smiled: "Why don't you get a pair of chopsticks, brother, and come try some together?"
"Since you insist, I shall obey with pleasure!"
The scholar readily fetched his chopsticks and joined him. Pleased by his lack of pretension, Fang Yu made space and laid out the dishes. After all, a good meal shared is always better than one enjoyed alone.
"Excellent, excellent, these ribs are superb. The meat isn't tough, it's soft and tender, unlike ordinary white pork lean meat. If I'm not mistaken, these should be ribs from a black-skinned pig. Pigs of this breed run around all year, making their meat firmer than white pigs." The scholar chewed on a rib he had bitten into, squinting with praise. "Marinated with minced garlic, fried to bring out the aroma, yet not burnt or bitter. The minced garlic must have been carefully removed from the ribs before they went into the oil. The skin is fragrant, golden, and crispy, they must have been fried again in warm oil."
Fang Yu's eyes lit up: "Brother, you're a connoisseur! Your insight into food is so thorough."
"This is just a minor skill. It's your cook who is truly dedicated. May I ask where you hired them?"
Fang Yu smiled: "It's not a hired cook. It was made by my fulang. Please don't laugh."
The scholar was suddenly enlightened, then also smiled and said: "Indeed, only a fulang would be so considerate. I truly envy you."
The two chatted happily, and together they finished the meal, sweeping through the food like a whirlwind.
Although the ribs were fragrant, the only drawback was ending up with a mouthful of garlic breath. This was precisely why places like Qionghua Tower, which considered themselves refined, despite knowing how good they tasted, were unwilling to put this dish on their menu.
Fang Yu decided he would just read silently in the classroom that afternoon. He could only wish this brother good luck in advance, hoping he wouldn't be called by the teacher to discuss essays.
As he packed the dishes back into the lunchbox, he noticed some things at the bottom that looked like dried grass roots. He was wondering how they got in when the scholar exclaimed: "Your fulang is truly thoughtful and thorough! He even prepared cloves."
Chewing cloves releases a fragrant aroma and was a common item used at this time to freshen breath. Fang Yu stared at the cloves in his hand for a moment.
Xiao Qiao is truly meticulous.
"Here, brother, take some."
The scholar gratefully accepted them and said: "I am Li Yun. Thank you for your hospitality today. I will certainly return the favor another day. May I ask your name?"
"My surname is Fang, just call me Fang Yu."
Li Yun nodded: "It's almost time to return to the lecture hall. Brother Fang, let us enjoy food and tea together another day."
Fang Yu said: "That sounds excellent. Another day, let's go drink at the newly opened Meng Li Yi Huang Liang."
____
Back in the lecture hall, some classmates were already scratching their heads and writing essays. Fang Yu glanced at a few as he passed by.
Some were discussing how Emperor Wu of Jin conquered Wu through decisive action, others debated how Duke Huan of Qi achieved hegemony by exclusively employing Guan Zhong. The topics varied, but most leaned towards strategies for emperors and appointing worthy talents. Fang Yu realized he was the only one who had chosen one about agriculture and sericulture. He thought to himself, hopefully he wouldn't be the only one in the classroom being unique, otherwise the teacher would scrutinize his work carefully.
But then he thought again, agriculture and sericulture were also important matters of state. Furthermore, the current empire emphasized agriculture over commerce. Writing about this aspect probably wouldn't get him scolded. So he abandoned the idea of choosing a new topic and starting over.
Before the bell rang, he went to the library and borrowed two books: a book of poetry and a collection of policy questions. He spent the afternoon copying passages and memorizing texts, which kept him busy. However, sitting for so long made him stiff and cold, and the time seemed to crawl by.
He longed to wear his own heavy cloak and padded jacket to class, but the academy required all students to wear the standard, thin uniform. The rule was well-intentioned—by forbidding personal finery and luxury items, they hoped to minimize rivalry and distraction, ensuring every scholar's mind remained fixed on his studies.
Fang Yu had to rub his hands together after writing a few lines. Taking notes with a brush wasn't as convenient or easy as using a ballpoint or fountain pen. With stiff hands, his writing became crooked. He thought he should make a couple of pens for himself when he had time.
School ended early in the afternoon. Fang Yu didn't linger. Waiting for him outside the academy was Xuezhu, and the family's carriage had been brought. Fortunately, Xuezhu was sensible and hadn't brought out the largest and most luxurious carriage from home.
He hurried into the carriage, which was pleasingly warm from a heater that had been placed inside earlier.
Xuezhu immediately brought out a bowl of hot soup from a food container: "Master, have some soup to warm up."
Seeing it was ginger soup, Fang Yu sighed inwardly at the thoughtfulness and quickly picked it up to take a sip. However, a pungent, spicy taste assaulted his nostrils, and he almost spat it out.
"How much ginger did Xiao Qiao put in this?"
Xuezhu, hearing this, paused and said: "This was made by Miss Cousin."
"Miss Cousin?" Fang Yu's brow furrowed in confusion. "Which cousin do you mean?"
Xuezhu looked at Fang Yu in surprise: "Naturally, the cousin from the Yin family in Fangju Village, Yin Rao'er."
Fang Yu suddenly understood. He handed the soup back to Xuezhu and asked, puzzled: "How did she come to be here? And she's making soup at our house?"
For a moment, Xuezhu couldn't tell if Fang Yu was pleased or not. He reported truthfully: "Miss Cousin said she came to the city to buy some winter cotton for clothes. She mentioned she hadn't seen the Old Madam for some time and missed her very much, so she came to the house. Originally, she intended to come pick you up, Master, but she burned her hand while making the soup. A physician was called to the house, which delayed her, so she couldn't come."
Fang Yu glanced sideways at the ginger soup. He couldn't help but suspect something. While one couldn't expect everyone's skills to be like Qiao Hezhi's, most farm girls were diligent and dexterous. It seemed unlikely that simply making ginger soup would result in a burned hand.
"Is she still at the house now?"
"Yes, she is."
Fang Yu thought for a moment, then asked: "And Zhengfu?"
Xuezhu replied: "The Old Madam summoned Zhengfu this afternoon to have some pastries with her after Miss Cousin arrived."
"Tell the coachman to drive faster."
No comments:
Post a Comment