Chapter 5, the banquet for assuming office, and dumplings for Xiaoman (the first full moon).

The custom of holding a welcoming banquet for new officials is an ancient one, not originating in this dynasty, but can be traced back to before the Jin Dynasty unified the country.

Officials appointed to new posts in other places are required to hold a banquet in the local area to worship the gods, to inform the surrounding people, to express their concern for the people, and to show the heavens their respect.

In layman's terms, when one is unfamiliar with a place, a banquet is held first to inform the local people of one's arrival, and also to report to the local guardian deity. However, after so many years of development, the banquet for taking office has been simplified into two main processes: a banquet and a sacrificial ceremony, which can be considered as changing with the times.

"Oh—so this banquet is quite important..."

Qingyu suddenly realized, and then she looked at Wen Chuan, "Can we go and join in the fun?"

Wen Chuan was picking vegetables, while Qing Yu sat on a chair by the kitchen door listening to him talk about the banquet for his new post.

"It depends on how the city lord organizes it. Some host their inauguration banquets by setting up a stage in the city, decorating it with lanterns and colorful decorations, and sharing the joy with the whole city. Others emphasize sacrificial rites and music, and their banquets are no different from ordinary ones."

As he spoke, he went to the back of the kitchen to get flour. Qingyu had been grumbling all night that she hadn't eaten dumplings in a long time, and he thought so too. He hadn't made them since after the New Year because he found it too troublesome.

Qingyu nodded, and while he went to get the flour, she got up and went into the kitchen. She quickly grabbed some vegetables that Wen Chuan had just picked from the table, and immediately sat back down in the chair by the door. She smiled and looked at Wen Chuan as he turned around, while waving the vegetables behind her, trying to get them to come to her.

Wen Chuan, carrying the flour, intended to knead the dough first. Ignoring Qing Yu's teasing of the chicken, he simply said, "Cai Cai squawked loudly yesterday, so don't tease her too much."

Qingyu smiled as she took the vegetables out from behind her. The girl casually plucked the leaves and occasionally tossed them into the chicken coop, saying fiercely, "Who dares to mess with it? If it sees a cultivator carrying a knife, it'll jump right on their head."

Cai Cai, who got hit on the head by a leaf in the chicken coop: "..."

Cluck cluck cluck, we agreed not to mention it again.

Wen Chuan was standing in front of the kitchen counter adding water to the dough when he heard Qing Yu's words. He smiled and said, "It's grown up now. We don't need to worry about it when it passes away."

Qingyu was taken aback, and then, thinking of Wen Chuan's attitude towards Cai Cai after she ran away these past few days, she hesitated and said, "Wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate for her to secretly run away one day?"

Wen Chuan kneaded the dough, listened to Qing Yu's words, and thought about what the chicken could say to him before it ran away. Besides, this wasn't the first time Cai Cai had run away from home, and she would naturally come back when she wanted to.

Flour got all over his hand, and he instinctively replied, "It's nothing."

As Wen Chuan was kneading the dough, he paused, and Qing Yu, who was sitting by the door teasing the chickens, also stopped what she was doing and got up.

"That Zhang Xuan seems to be nearby?"

Qingyu looked at Wen Chuan, who was busy in the kitchen. He didn't make any unnecessary movements, his fingers were slightly dipped in cold water, and he was kneading the dough with a calm expression.

Qingyu's heart eased slightly, almost imperceptibly, but in the blink of an eye, she put on a smile again, turned around and walked closer to the chicken coop, waving the vegetables in her hand in front of Cai Cai, "Cai Cai, eat some vegetables!"

"Gurgle gurgle gurgle"

"You want some? I won't give it to you!"

"Hook up! Hook up!"

Cai Cai just got back these past two days. She was indeed listless for a while on the first day, but she started barking again on the second day. She's quite temperamental, and Qing Yu teases her back and forth. Back and forth, her crowing sounds like a rooster crowing.

Wen Chuan kneaded the dough in the kitchen and cooked the vegetables, meat, and eggs. He had bought a lot of vegetables before, so he simply bought them all today. He prepared fillings such as chives and shrimp, pork and cabbage, and simple shepherd's purse and egg fillings. There were many kinds, so it wouldn't be too greasy.

He moved a wooden stool and table into the yard, intending to make dumplings there. Qingyu saw the pile of fillings and exclaimed in admiration. Although Wen Chuan usually liked to study food, he never made too much or too much. The last time he made dumplings was last winter solstice.

Last night, Qingyu suddenly had a craving for it and kept talking about it. Unexpectedly, Wenchuan prepared it the next day, and with so much filling!

"I want one too!"

Qingyu threw the vegetables in her hand away, and Cai Cai, hit on the head by the vegetable root, cried out in pain again!

Qingyu ignored it, walked to the water vat in the kitchen, scooped up some water to wash her hands, and the water flowed gently, echoing the sound of Wenchuan rolling dough outside.

East coast.

Zhang Xuan frowned; he heard that clucking of chickens again.

He looked around and saw the coastline on one side and several houses on the other.

Perhaps someone was raising chickens. He snapped out of his reverie and prepared to leave.

The sea breeze howled, and the waves crashed against the rocks on the shore, making a constant sound. Just then, a loud rooster crowed, piercing through the sea breeze and waves.

It seems like that noob!

Zhang Xuan looked in the direction of the sound and saw that most of the houses were abandoned. Only the most remote house had a few rooms, and upon closer inspection, he could see smoke rising from the chimneys, indicating that the houses were inhabited.

A curiosity, though he didn't know where it came from, drove him toward the house. As he approached, the scene in the courtyard came into view; it was the two cultivators he had met a couple of days ago—Qing Yu and Wen Chuan.

Qingyu was wearing a pale yellow dress today, looking light and graceful, and extremely radiant. She had just finished washing her hands and came out of the kitchen, while Wenchuan was rolling out dough in the yard. Hearing the noise, they looked up and both of them turned to look at her.

Zhang Xuan couldn't help but smile, saying with a hint of joy, "It's great to see you all again! I really didn't expect to run into you here. What brings you all here..."

He looked at them hesitantly, then at the entire yard: the dough, the dumpling filling, the wooden house, the kitchen, the chicken coop…

Qingyu blinked, her finger still wet with water droplets, pointing at the vegetables in the chicken coop, and looked at Zhang Xuan, who stood at the door looking rather helpless.

"You...came to see Cai Cai?"

"Of course not!" Who would look for that noob?!

Zhang Xuan pursed his lips, the awkward atmosphere from before disappearing. He had just been surprised by this unprecedented scene and wondering what the relationship was between Qing Yu and Wen Chuan.

He slung the Blood Moon Blade over his back and said, "I was just wandering around, looking at the sea, and before I knew it, I'd wandered here. I heard a rooster crowing, so I thought I'd come in and take a look. I didn't expect it to really be you guys."

Wen Chuan continued rolling out the dough, and Qing Yu said "Oh," shook the water off her hands, and sat down opposite him.

Zhang Xuan, feeling neglected: "..."

As dusk approached, a gentle sea breeze blew.

The afterglow of the sun shone on the small courtyard.

A moment later.

Zhang Xuan sat at the table, staring blankly at a lump of dough in his hand.

Wenchuan: If you really want to try making dumplings, start by playing with dough.

Qingyu: "We've all been through this, keep going!"

As she spoke, Qingyu carefully kneaded the dough in her hands. Zhang Xuan glanced at Wen Chuan, then at her.

Okay, he was just bored. Qingshui City was really peaceful, and the people were very simple and honest. He walked around for half a day without seeing a single argument. Zhang Xuan strolled from beginning to end and finished looking around very quickly.

He spent a long time looking at the sea under the sun, but then thought it would be better to practice his sword skills. Finally, he saw some cultivators his age, and Zhang Xuan felt that being with them was better than drifting around outside.

Zhang Xuan sat there, kneading the dough in his fist. He was mostly filled with curiosity. He had never seen a courtyard like this before. Logically, he would have disliked the environment, but to be honest, the courtyard was very clean and everything was in good order, not to mention the two cultivators, Qing Yu and Wen Chuan, who had remarkable demeanors.

Zhang Xuan pulled noodles out of boredom, watched them make dumplings for a while, and became more and more puzzled.

Qingyu clearly didn't know how to wrap dumplings. She put the filling in the center of the dough, then stretched the edges of the dough towards the center, sometimes even pulling it into a square shape. When she felt she didn't have enough dough, she even tore some dough from the long dough ball next to Wenchuan.

Even if Zhang Xuan didn't understand, he knew that Qing Yu was just messing around.

Zhang Xuan: "What are you wrapping? I don't understand."

Wen Chuan: "Make less noodles."

Qingyu was making a dumpling, and the dough in his hand was missing several pieces.

Qingyu pouted, ignoring them, and focused on finishing wrapping the flower-shaped dumplings. She carefully placed them on the table, saying in a boastful tone, "Look how they are! My flower-shaped dumplings!!!"

Wen Chuan, Zhang Xuanmo.

They looked at the round dumpling at the bottom of the table, which had been pinched into petal shapes by Qingyu, making it look like a flower.

Zhang Xuan: "I think...it's actually quite good-looking..."

He'd seen flower-shaped pastries before, so flower dumplings should be the same, right?

Qingyu nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Wenchuan with bright eyes.

Wen Chuan: "It's fine."

As he spoke, he pinched the dough around the dumplings a little tighter. Oh well, he figured he could just cook them a little longer.

"Very good, since you have such good taste, I'll make a few more and treat you!"

Qingyu waved his hand boldly.

Wen Chuan smiled and then looked at Zhang Xuan: "If Young Master Zhang doesn't like the food, there are actually restaurants nearby..."

"You mean that Linfeng Terrace? I just came from there!"

Zhang Xuan tightened his grip on the dough. The terrace was clearly deserted, yet they insisted they didn't welcome guests.

He was still puzzled, but then he heard the waiter in the restaurant say that they were busy with the banquet for the city lord's inauguration in two days, and that they would be turning away all customers for the next few days. Well, poor thing, he had been wandering all the way here and was hungry but couldn't even get a meal. It turned out that it was all because of his family's affairs!

"Your own family matters? By the way, you're the city lord?" Qingyu asked.

"The city lord's wife is my older sister. I was just bored at home, so I came out with them."

Zhang Xuan replied, looking at the plump, white dumplings on the table, neatly arranged, with enticingly fragrant fillings, he instantly felt that the trip was worthwhile.

"How about this? I'll eat dumplings with you, and then I'll treat you to a welcome-offering banquet. What do you think?"

Zhang Xuan looked around at them and thought his idea was great. This way, he would have company at the banquet!

Qingyu and Wenchuan were silent for a moment, then looked at each other and then at Zhang Xuan.

"I'm not going."

Zhang Xuan: "..."

"Why? If you go as independent cultivators, I will personally lead you there. No one will dare to bully you, not even the city lord."

Zhang Xuan opened his eyes wide, expressing his confusion and sadness at Qing Yu and Wen Chuan's unanimous refusal.

Qingyu chuckled and said to Zhang Xuan, who seemed a little anxious, "I... I just don't like joining in the fun."

Nonsense. She loves to join in the fun, but she's a demon and doesn't want to be exposed like that. Besides, Zhang Xuan's knife seems to clash with her. Although she's not afraid and confident that she won't be recognized, it's better to avoid trouble.

After finishing wrapping the last dumpling, Wen Chuan said to Zhang Xuan, "I grew up in Qingshui, and no one knows that I am a cultivator."

The implication was that he didn't want to reveal his identity, thank you.

Zhang Xuan: "..."

"Hook up, hook up."

The chicken was clucking in the coop.

Zhang Xuan turned to look at the chicken: "If they're not going, why are you? Eat your food!"

...

The aroma of dumplings fills the air, and wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys.

Wen Chuan was watching the pot in the kitchen.

Qingyu lay on a deck chair looking at the sky, while Zhang Xuan used vegetable leaves to smash a chicken.

Cai Cai: "Gurgle." It's always me, Cai Cai, who gets hurt.

In the quiet atmosphere, Zhang Xuan moved lightly and walked up to Qing Yu, lowering his voice to ask curiously, "Qing Yu, what is your relationship with Wen Chuan...?"

Qingyu: ...Do you really think he won't hear you if you lower your voice?

Qingyu shifted from lying down to sitting up in the deck chair, keeping her voice down as well.

"Yes—we're good friends."

Zhang Xuan: "..."

"Ah, the dumplings are ready! Let's eat dumplings!"

Qingyu jumped up and skillfully slipped into the kitchen.

The setting sun was like blood, and the small courtyard by the sea was noisy and bustling.

But that's normal.