Chapter 32 Buying a Dog and Building a House "Eighty strings of cash, not a penny less."...

"Big sister, you've come to the market too? Oh, this is Xiang'er, hmm, you've grown taller and plumper." Uncle Shen waved his fan, a sheepish smile on his face. "I've been busy with family matters and haven't had time to visit you. Where's Ji'er? Is he better?"

Shen Miao stood up and replied, "I'm all better now. Thank you for your concern, Uncle Lao."

Although she could treat Uncle Shen's family calmly, it didn't mean she was willing to be close to them. Human nature is selfish; Uncle Shen and Madam Ding were unwilling to raise their brother's son, and therefore mistreated Ji Ge'er and Xiang Jie'er. She couldn't hold a grudge about this, so she remained resentful. Although the two families hadn't completely broken off relations, it was impossible for them to pretend nothing had happened.

Especially now that she is self-reliant and does not intend to rely on Uncle Shen's family, there is naturally no need to be too close to them.

With a quick glance, she bowed to Madam Ding again, saying, "Greetings, Aunt." Before Madam Ding could speak, she stood up on her own. Then, turning to look at Hai-ge'er, she smiled rather perfunctorily and said, "Hai-ge'er has grown taller and fatter."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two families looked at each other, seemingly having nothing more to say.

When Uncle Shen appeared, Xiangjie quickly hid behind Shen Miao. Only after Shen Miao started talking to them did she cautiously peek out, but she still held onto Shen Miao's skirt with one hand.

She disliked her uncle and aunt; her aunt was very fierce and would hit people when she was angry.

She was her parents' youngest child. When her parents were alive, her parents, older sister, and older brother all loved and indulged her, which raised her to have a childlike nature. She would cry when she wanted to cry and laugh when she wanted to laugh. Sometimes, when she was stubborn, no one could persuade her.

Especially when her parents passed away, she was still young and didn't even understand life and death, so she went to Uncle Shen's house in a daze.

But once she was in someone else's territory, not as their biological child, no one would be so lenient or indulgent, so her situation was naturally different. Even with Ji-ge'er protecting her, Xiang-jie still suffered some hardships.

It was also at Uncle Shen's house that she understood what "death" meant.

Once you're dead, you'll never come back.

Father and Mother have gone to heaven to become celestial officials and will never come back. No matter how much she cries or makes a fuss, or how sick or injured she is, they will never return.

From then on, she only had her elder sister and elder brother.

Xiangjie sniffed and cautiously peeked over from behind her older sister. Seeing that her aunt and uncle didn't look at her anymore, she breathed a sigh of relief, slowly releasing her grip on her skirt. She then held in both hands the enormous, twelve-inch (30-centimeter) long roasted starch sausage that Chenmiao had given her. The sausage was skewered on two thick bamboo sticks, roasted until it blistered and fragrant, but incredibly heavy.

It was so tiring holding it with one hand! I almost dropped it!

She took a bite, then looked up and found Haige staring intently at her sausage.

Xiang Jie'er narrowed her eyes immediately and hid behind Chen Miao again.

Hai-ge'er hates it the most! His aunt's cooking is terrible, so the whole family always has to ask idlers to buy food from outside. They often eat out for five out of three meals a day, which is why they are so round and round. But such good things never come to Xiang-jie'er and Ji-ge'er. Whenever Hai-ge'er eats something delicious, he always likes to deliberately show off in front of the two hungry people.

But he wouldn't give her a single bite.

Hmph, now that she has an older sister, she eats delicious food every day and doesn't share any with him! She's making him so envious! She won't even let him see it!

Xiangjie made a face at him, hugged her big starch sausage, and happily sat in her sister's shadow eating, one bite after another, smacking her lips—she never smacked her lips when she ate normally, but today she was deliberately making some noise.

Sure enough, Hai-ge'er tilted his head to watch her eat, the aroma of the roasted sausage wafting straight into his nose. The slightly charred meat tantalized his taste buds, especially since the aroma was more pronounced the further away he was. He could even smell the numbing fragrance of the Sichuan peppercorns sprinkled on top, making him swallow hard. He was itching to ask where she bought it, but Ding suddenly patted his shoulder: "Let's go, we still need to go to the bookstore to buy writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones!"

Uncle Shen straightened his chest and said to Shen Miao, seemingly casually, "Yes, yes, Hai-ge'er will be taking the imperial examination for children in a few days. You know Hai-ge'er has always been smart and has always been at the top of his class in Master Liu's private school. Uncle has to go now. You and Xiang-jie can take your time strolling around. We won't keep you any longer."

Although Haige'er was fat and gluttonous, and indulged in playing and being sarcastic, he miraculously had some talent when it came to studying, so it's no wonder that Uncle Shen was so proud of him.

But what did this have to do with her? Shen Miao simply said, "Uncle, take care."

After saying that, she was about to turn around and pick out another dog when Xiangjie, who was hiding behind Shen Miao, suddenly poked her head out and retorted like an angry, baring-toothed kitten: "My brother is also going to take the imperial examination, what's so great about that!"

Unexpectedly, these words made Uncle Shen burst into laughter, and Madam Ding sneered, "Oh? Ji-ge'er is going to take the exam too? Yes, anyone of the right age can take it, but taking the exam is one thing, but without a teacher to guide him and without any ambition, passing won't be so easy. Eldest sister, don't think your aunt is being harsh, but don't waste your time! Biyong Academy is an official school! Although the government has granted permission for children from good families to take the exam, do you know that thousands of children in Bianjing flock to it, but only a hundred pass each year? Even Hai-ge'er, with a teacher supervising him at school and his father guiding him at home, has been preparing for this for a long time, and we still wouldn't dare to boast that he'll definitely pass. Your Ji-ge'er..."

I'm afraid they don't even know what the exam questions are for the children's examination at Biyong Academy!

Ding didn't continue, but instead pursed her lips with a handkerchief, revealing utter disdain. Her family had spent a considerable sum of money to bribe their way in and find out in advance what kind of questions the Biyong Academy had asked in previous years.

The examination questions for enrolling students at Biyong Academy were quite different from those of other private schools.

Shen Miao glanced at Hai Ge'er, whose mouth was covered in oil and whose clothes were covered in crumbs from eating. She wasn't angry at all. Instead, she smiled and said, "Since someone like Hai Ge'er can take the exam, why can't Ji Ge'er? Ji Ge'er may not have had the qualifications in the past, but Auntie shouldn't always look at someone with old eyes."

Ding frowned. What do you mean by "someone like Hai-ge'er"?

Turning to look at her son, whose cheeks were bulging and whose eyes were fixed on the roasted sausage in Xiang Jie'er's hand, he did indeed look rather silly and dull-witted, not like a scholar.

A surge of anger rose in her heart, and she was about to retort, but Shen Miao didn't give her the chance and had already left with Xiang Jie'er.

"Uncle, Aunt, take care." Shen Miao said, pulling Xiang Jie'er around to another pet shop, Wan Jia Pet Shop, which sells kittens and puppies. She waved perfunctorily, "We're also very busy, so we won't say any more to you, Uncle and Aunt. Goodbye."

Ding felt a lump in her throat and angrily turned to pinch her son's shoulder: "All you ever do is eat, eat, eat!"

Haige'er was so aggrieved he almost dropped his pancake: "Mom, why did you hit me?"

"Hurry up and leave! Running into your niece is bad luck!" Ding shouted angrily.

Ding was very angry. She was angry because she had been outmaneuvered by Sister Shen again. When did she become so unable to argue with her?

Uncle Shen and Hai Ge'er exchanged a glance, shrugged in unison, and followed their own shrew, who was always inexplicably angry.

After walking a few steps, Ding gritted her teeth and looked back. Shen Miao had already chosen a small dog with slightly yellow fur and was intently bargaining with the person holding the dog, not even sparing them a glance.

It's as if they are extremely unimportant people.

So she felt even more displeased and thought bitterly: They've all been sent home and have no parents. Let's see what kind of life they'll lead in the future! It's ridiculous to expect Ji-ge'er to pass the exam. We've spent money to send him to school, and he still skips classes. What hope can we have for him?

Ding was angry with her, but Shen Miao completely forgot about Uncle Shen's family the moment she turned around.

People say one should remain unmoved by favor or disgrace. If Uncle Shen's family looks down on her, so be it. She doesn't live for them anyway. She'll walk her own path and let them talk!

So they happily picked out a dog.

The dogs in the previous cat and dog shops didn't look very well. She took two steps forward, and the owner of the second cat and dog stall was a very kind-looking woman, known as Wan Wu Niang.

This shop only sells puppies.

Shen Miao wanted to buy a large dog and shouldn't have lingered, but she held her own chubby little puppy and affectionately petted it. Unlike the other vendors, only her wooden cages for the dogs were lined with sewn coarse cloth mats, and the dogs in the cages were clearly domesticated. There were fewer dogs and fewer breeds than at the first vendor, but the dogs were all extremely healthy and robust, with shiny fur and moist noses.

Shen Miao took a liking to a long-haired puppy with a yellow back and white belly. It had pink paws, a pink nose, and a pink tongue. It had a large frame and was much fatter than the other puppies in its litter. When she lifted it up by the scruff of its neck, its four legs naturally bent and dangled. It didn't struggle or show any fear. Its big, dark eyes, like grapes, stared at her with a wet look.

So cute! Shen Miao was instantly smitten by these puppy eyes; she wanted this one!

She had originally intended to buy a large dog, but the dogs at the previous dog dealers were all tied to wooden stakes with ropes. Five or six dogs could be crammed into one cage, leaving no room for them to stand up and turn around. Every dog ​​looked listless and had messy fur.

The only exception was Wan Wu Niang's stall. She didn't sell adult dogs; she only had two or three cages in front of her, and she didn't sell many puppies either.

As Shen Miao asked her, Wan Wuniang, who was feeding her dog in the cage with dried field mouse meat, said, "I want this young lady to know that I originally ran a cat and dog shop on Horse Market Street. I'm just here for the fun of the market today. It doesn't matter how much I sell. All the dogs in my house are raised with my own care, not passed around by several hands. You can see that when you see them. Therefore, I hope to find a family that will treat them well. If I earn money, you can buy a dog, and this little dog can also find a good home. People love money, but they should earn it honestly. I only do this kind of business."

Her words were loaded with meaning, and Chen Miao's heart stirred slightly. No wonder the dogs sold at the previous stores were all listless; they were most likely transported from other places after a long journey, especially the adult dogs, whose origins were even more unknown.

She absolutely must not buy it if it's been stolen and sold.

"Sister..." Xiangjie suddenly called out softly.

Shen Miao turned her head and saw that Xiang Jie had finished all the roasted sausages at some point and was now hugging the little fat dog tightly, holding it in her arms and rubbing her cheek against the dog's soft fur.

Wan Wuniang also petted the puppy, her tone filled with affection and pride: "Young lady has a good eye. This is the best of my litter. When it grows up, it will be majestic and powerful, and it will be more than capable of guarding the house. It would even be suitable for a noble family to buy it as a hunting dog."

"How much silver will this cost?" Shen Miao made up her mind.

"Eighty coins, plus a dog bed mat and a leash, how about that?"

Shen Miao narrowed his eyes and held up five fingers: "Fifty coins."

"How can this be!" Wan Wuniang waved her hands repeatedly.

However, Shen Miao had consulted several pet dealers before coming, doing her homework thoroughly. Dog ownership was prevalent in the Song Dynasty, and some valuable breeds in the south could cost several strings of cash. But the dog Wan Wu Niang was selling was neither a fierce mastiff, nor a Persian dog, nor the famous hunting hound. Such a young, local breed used for guarding the house would normally only cost a few dozen coins. After haggling for a long time, Shen Miao finally got it for sixty-two coins, plus a bag of dog food as a free gift.

Yes, the Song Dynasty already had a full range of pet services. Shops selling cats and dogs would also prepare various kinds of goods needed by cats and dogs. For example, shops that raised dogs would sell malt bran (a kind of dog food made from grain); shops that raised cats would sell loach or pig intestines; and shops that raised fish would also supply lice and shrimp. [Note] At this time, there were even services such as cat and dog bathing and grooming, which were called "changing cats and dogs".

Now that Shen Miao has bought the dog, Wan Wuniang instructed her, "My shop is about twenty paces south of Ma Xing Street. There's a sign with a bright green embroidered with a yellow dog's head; that's my shop. If you ever want to buy a doghouse, have the dog washed, or have it groomed, just come to me. I'm very skilled at trimming dog hair! Also, if this puppy ever gets sick from improper care, just bring it to me. Don't treat it haphazardly or abandon it. I know a very skilled cat and dog veterinarian, Wen Shiqi Niang. Her veterinary clinic is right next to mine. She's saved countless dog lives. Please remember that, please remember that!"

Shen Miao nodded and made a mental note of it. She thought to herself, "This Wan Wu Niang is a rare kind-hearted person."

After browsing around for a while, there wasn't much left to buy, so Shen Miao took the puppy home.

To her surprise, two figures were already loitering at the door. Shen Miao quickly stepped forward, and Zheng Neizhi, hearing the footsteps, turned around, smiling and bowing: "Madam Shen, you've returned at just the right time, Madam..."

"Please come in and have some tea, Zheng Neizhi, so we can talk slowly." Shen Miao knew that walls have ears, and she didn't intend to spread the news that she had sold the recipe so quickly, so she quickly invited Zheng Neizhi into her home.

Ji-ge'er hadn't returned home yet, and the house was cold and empty—there was no tea to be found. Shen Miao could only hurriedly put down her basket and the miscellaneous items in her hands, awkwardly went inside to pour a bowl of water, but Zheng Neizhi, who had come to discuss matters, waved his hand and refused, explaining his purpose gently: "The matter I discussed with Madam Shen has been agreed to by Madam. Madam greatly admires those cookies and raves about the egg yolk pastry with minced meat and chestnuts, so she readily agreed to the price Madam Shen quoted. However, Madam also said that Madam Shen must not only write down the recipe but also teach Chef Fang the recipe meticulously, so that Chef Fang doesn't have to ponder the recipe and delay important matters."

"Of course, I set up my stall every morning and am free in the afternoon." Old Man Yang had just told his apprentice yesterday that the stall would be ready by tomorrow, so Shen Miao didn't want to miss setting up her stall every morning. She wanted to earn her little bit of money steadily!

Zheng Neizhi thought for a moment. His family was currently preparing for a banquet, and there weren't many distinguished guests coming and going. This was a good opportunity for Madam Shen to come over. He said, "Then I'll trouble Madam Shen to make a trip to the Xie family to teach these two pastries. First, Madam Shen is a woman, and if Chef Fang were to come and go from Madam Shen's house every day, it would inevitably damage your reputation. Second, learning to cook always requires purchasing and preparing ingredients, and it's not convenient for Chef Fang to carry them with him every day. Therefore, I think it would be more convenient for Madam Shen to come to the Xie family to teach. What do you think, Madam Shen? There's another matter; please also take the time to make a list of all the ingredients needed for the cooking lessons. I will send someone to purchase them in advance. I hope Madam Shen will teach Chef Fang with all her heart."

"Good, good, thank you Zheng for your thoughtfulness." Shen Miao smiled, her eyes crinkling.

Zheng Neizhi truly lived up to his reputation as the head steward of the Xie family; he was incredibly considerate and efficient, never dragging his feet, and always thinking of others. Having Chef Fang come to the Shen family every day with bags full of pastries to teach was certainly feasible, and as Zheng Neizhi said, it was simply too conspicuous.

Now that the deal was settled, Zheng Neizhi smiled and had the young servant who had followed him present a heavy wooden box: "Please, Madam Shen, take a look."

The servant who had come with him hurriedly went to the carriage outside to fetch a large wooden box. He carried it with both hands, his steps still heavy and his forehead covered in sweat. Only after entering the Shen family's gate did he finally put it down on the small square table in the courtyard, panting.

Shen Miao's heart skipped a beat, thinking, "No way."

She instinctively reached out and opened it, and sure enough, it was full of copper coins! Each bright yellow coin was strung together with a red string. Zheng Naizhi considerately helped her count them; there were eighty strings in total, stacked layer upon layer inside.

After counting, Zheng Naizhi helped put it back, and even gave her the beautiful wooden box.

"Eighty strings of cash exactly, not a single coin less."

"Oh..." Shen Miao couldn't take her eyes off it and hurriedly reached out to take it. Then she suddenly remembered that she should be polite, so she chuckled and said, "Zheng Neizhi is really something. Oh, it's no problem to pay after you've taught Chef Fang. It's not like your master has never patronized my little shop before. There's no reason not to trust you. Your wife is too kind. This...this...I'll accept it with my own respect."

Before he finished speaking, he held it in his arms.

Zheng Neizhi suppressed a laugh: "That's only right. Since Madam Shen has done her best, the Xie family will naturally not break their promise."

The box is so heavy, it makes me smile from ear to ear.

Shen Miao happily showered Zheng Neizhi with sweet words, praising the eldest daughter-in-law of the Xie family, the matriarch of the Xie family, Xie Jiuge, Yan Shu, Zhou Da who drives the carriage, Fang, the head chef of the outer courtyard, Yan Qi, the gatekeeper, and Zheng Neizhi who runs errands.

Such a beautiful young woman speaking so softly and lavishly with praise could easily make one feel ecstatic. Even though Zheng Neizhi already had a grandson, he felt a little embarrassed and quickly signed a contract with Shen Miao before taking his leave to return and report.

"Let me see you off!" Shen Miao looked left and right, and finally hurriedly stuffed the money box into the chicken coop. Without even glancing at the chicks that had been frightened and flew away, she quickly lifted her skirt and went out to see them off.

She was seeing the guests off while her steps were practically flying!

Unexpectedly, the Xie family still maintained their pleasingly generous style, paying all the fees in one go! The brand-new copper coins dazzled Shen Miao, and she couldn't hide the joy on her face. She had really restrained herself just now, hurriedly covering her mouth with a handkerchief to avoid showing her big teeth to Zheng Neizhi.

As usual, he was escorted to the alley entrance, and Zheng Neizhi returned the greeting with a bow before boarding his carriage and leaving.

After seeing Zheng Neizhi off, Shen Miao went back and hurriedly dragged the box out of the chicken coop. She glanced at the puppy that she had just bought and that had only recently been weaned, and then at Xiang Jie'er, who was sitting on the steps oblivious and rubbing the puppy's ears. She felt very uneasy.

How can you leave so much money at home?

As evening fell, Shen Ji walked home, carrying eighteen copper coins in his pocket, his cheeks flushed with excitement.

Today at Lanxin Bookstore, he met a student from Biyong Academy. At that time, he and Grandpa Zhou were sitting comfortably behind the counter eating meat, chestnut, red bean and egg yolk pastries, enjoying the delicious taste, when a head with a bun appeared in front of the counter.

It nearly startled Shen Ji so much that he dropped the egg yolk pastry in his hand.

To everyone's surprise, the man kept pestering him to buy one to try.

Grandpa Zhou recognized the man and laughed heartily: "Ning Yi, Ning Yi, why aren't you studying diligently at the academy? What are you doing sneaking out here again?"

The student was tall and upright, but had a baby face. He answered with a smile, "I heard that a new mutton pancake shop has opened at Nanxun Gate, so I thought I'd go and try it. I originally planned to buy a few stacks of Xue Tao paper on the way..." He pointed to the egg yolk pastry in Shen Ji's hand, "What kind of pastry is this? I've never seen it before. It looks good. Could you tell me which shop you bought it from?"

Shen Ji then told him that he had made the food himself and was not selling it.

Ning Yi refused, insisting on having some. Shen Ji had no choice but to sell him one egg yolk pastry from his own share. Earlier, he had overheard his sister muttering while she was making egg yolk pastries that the cost of these pastries, which included minced meat and chestnut paste, was almost ten coins. If they were sold outside, they would cost at least eighteen coins each. So he quoted the price accordingly.

The student didn't haggle at all; he simply took out a coin and took the egg yolk pastry from Shen Ji's hand.

He took a small bite and then squinted his eyes.

The layers of incredibly flaky pastry instantly crumbled into tiny fragments between his teeth, falling off with a soft "rustling" sound, each piece bursting with a rich wheat aroma. He couldn't wait to take another bite, and then, the salty, creamy egg yolk, with its exceptionally delicate, sandy texture, slowly spread in his mouth. The unique salty flavor, combined with the sweetness of the pastry, created a surprisingly mellow and lingering taste.

"Excellent, excellent, wonderful!" Ning Yi was truly amazed after swallowing it. She not only asked where Shen Ji's family lived, but also said that she would come to order the egg yolk pastry soon. "Salty and sweet are supposed to be opposite flavors, but I never imagined that your sister's skills could harmonize these two flavors so beautifully. And the red bean paste is also excellent! I am a person who cannot live without delicious food, and I have eaten many red bean paste fillings, but this is the first time I have tasted red bean paste that is so smooth and delicate. It not only neutralizes the saltiness of the egg yolk, but also adds a layer of warm sweetness. It is truly wonderful, truly wonderful!"

Shen Ji's eyes widened; it was the first time he had ever seen someone who could almost recite an entire article after just one bite of pastry.

After Ning Yi finished eating the egg yolk pastry, he didn't go to buy his mutton pancakes. Instead, his eyes lit up and he started pestering Manager Zhou. Shen Ji had brought five egg yolk pastries today. He originally planned to eat two himself, but gave the remaining three to Manager Zhou.

He sold one to Ning Yi, ate one himself, and that was it. But Grandpa Zhou still had one left.

The last one was specially saved by Manager Zhou for dinner, so he shook his head vigorously, turned around and covered the cake box tightly: "No, no, I won't give it to you!"

For this one egg yolk pastry, Ning Yi and Grandpa Zhou chased each other, and in the end, Grandpa Zhou couldn't escape and was even chased into the back room.

Shen Ji was dumbfounded. He was used to eating his older sister's food every day, and he never expected Ning Yi to be so excited about a single egg yolk pastry.

However, it's not surprising when you think about it, my sister's skills are truly unmatched! Sometimes, I feel that my sister has endless good ideas in her mind, which is why she can come up with such delicious snacks.

But in the end, he did manage to get a customer for his sister!

He had intended to share this amusing incident with his older sister, but to his surprise, she said as soon as she saw him return, "Ji-ge'er, you're finally back! Dinner's in the pot, you can eat by yourself in a bit. Watch over Xiang-jie, the puppy, and the chicks. I have to go out for a bit, I'll be right back!"

"ah?"

Shen Ji stood blankly at the door of his house. Before he could even step inside, his older sister ran out beside him in a blur and disappeared in the blink of an eye. He only vaguely saw that she seemed to be holding a heavy wooden box in her arms.

Shen Miao jogged across Jinliang Bridge and rushed into Old Man Yang's house like a whirlwind.

"Old man, I've come to you to build a house, keeping my promise!"

The sound came so suddenly that Old Man Yang, who was squatting on the ground shaving wood, was so frightened that he almost shaved his finger off, and his apprentices were also stunned.

Shen Miao pulled him along, and then found the bricklayer He Daizhao and his apprentice. They gathered a group of people together, and with their recommendations, they went to find some craftsmen who knew how to drive piles, stonemasons, and laborers who could do odd jobs.

After gathering everyone, she stared intently at the somewhat dazed craftsmen before her, and declared arrogantly, "Fifty strings of cash a month, and three large brick houses!"

Old Man Yang and He Daizhao and the others were stunned. After a long while, they turned around and left, saying, "...Farewell."

"Hey, hey, don't go! We can talk about the money! We can still talk about it!"