117 Peach Blossom Wine

◎ Scarcity makes things valuable◎

"I want a bowl of hot and sour noodles!"

“Okay!”

Two skewers of grilled gluten

"Please wait a moment!"

The sounds of shouting, clashing of spatulas, and sizzling of oil mixed together.

After finally seeing off a wave of peak, Cui Xiuxiu was so tired that she saw stars and collapsed on the empty low wooden stool next to the stove - that was originally Zhang Yao's seat.

She drank half a bucket of cold water and stared at the empty stool.

During the Chinese New Year, I was bored staying outside the city. There was nothing fun to do and nothing to eat. I counted the days with my fingers, looking forward to coming back to eat the shopkeeper's delicious food and have fun with everyone.

What's the result?

When she and Yang Ying returned to Juxing Tower after the New Year, they found that Brother Chen Ming and his bastard brother had disappeared. Madam Li never saw them again. The most abnormal thing was Zhang Yao. She seemed to have lost her soul and was silent, unlike her original self.

He worked non-stop from morning to night, and his whole body exuded a cold aura of "stay away from me". Even she, an optimist, didn't dare to get close to him.

Finally, Shopkeeper Song couldn't stand it anymore and ordered Zhang Yao to take a rest in the afternoon, which is why there was this moment of free time.

She also asked Wang Zhi. He was the only one who always spent the New Year with the shopkeeper, so he must know something about the inside story. However, he hesitated and couldn't explain it clearly.

This made Cui Xiuxiu even more certain that there was something going on. But what exactly had happened? She couldn't figure it out for a moment.

By closing time, the noise gradually subsided.

Cui Xiuxiu was busy scrubbing the greasy stovetop when she heard someone moving on the stairs. Without even looking up, she called out, "We're closed. Please come back tomorrow."

But he heard a disdainful snort from the other side.

Cui Xiuxiu looked up in confusion, and when she saw who it was, her brows knitted together. "Chen Tian? Why are you here? Oh, and where's your brother? What happened during the Lunar New Year holiday?"

Chen Tian glanced at her with a nonchalant smile on his face. "So, Shopkeeper Song hasn't told you anything yet—" He said in a long drawl. "But, I'm not here to answer your questions. I'm here to see the shopkeeper."

Cui Xiuxiu rolled her eyes and said, "The shopkeeper is very busy and has no time to see you."

Chen Tian glanced at Wang Zhi who came over after hearing the noise, and deliberately raised his voice, "Okay! Don't you want to know what happened during the New Year? I'll tell you..."

"The boss has gone to the theater! He will be back soon!" Wang Zhi's face suddenly changed. He rushed up and half pushed and half shoved Chen Tian to the third floor.

He lowered his voice and spoke quickly and urgently: "Chen Tian! The shopkeeper is very kind and righteous. You did such a heinous thing, but the shopkeeper has forgiven you.

"The doctor has done his best to treat your injuries. The compensation is enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life. You should be content."

Chen Tian was pushed away without struggling, and said casually: "Don't worry, Uncle Wang, I'm not here to cause trouble."

"So what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to discuss business with Shopkeeper Song."

Cui Xiuxiu stood there, looking at Chen Tian's back and Wang Zhi's nervous expression, and became more and more confused.

A quarter of an hour later.

Song Jinyi sat opposite Chen Tian. When Chen Tian saw her coming, he still sat on the chair with one leg unceremoniously placed on the table.

Her eyes swept over his brand new royal blue satin gown, the cloud pattern with gold thread edging was clearly visible, and he also had a jade pendant of decent quality tied around his waist.

I wonder how much of the money he was given would be left after buying this outfit?

"Hey, Shopkeeper Song, you're finally here!" Chen Tian greeted her in a drawn-out tone when he saw her.

Song Jinyi's expression was calm, and she got straight to the point: "I heard you wanted to discuss business with me? I'm really curious, what business can you discuss with me?"

Chen Tian grinned. "Mr. Song, you're so forgetful. Didn't you want to negotiate with me before? To tell me not to sue that bitch Zhang Yao?" He leaned forward slightly and said in a condescending tone, "Alas, I was furious before and really didn't want to talk. Now that I've thought it through, aren't I here?"

When Song Jinyi heard him bring up the past, her eyes instantly turned cold, and she was about to stand up: "I have already discussed this matter with your brother. There is nothing to discuss with you."

Chen Tian scoffed, the smile on his face gradually fading. "Shopkeeper Song, fifty taels of silver for a few of my fingers. In your opinion, fifty taels is a great gift to send away a lowly person like me, right?"

He stretched out his hand wrapped in white cloth. "But to me, fifty taels is nothing! It can't buy back my hand! It can't buy back the suffering I've endured! Why do you think you can get rid of me with such a small amount of money? Huh?!"

Song Jinyi watched him venting with a blank expression. After he finished venting, she said calmly, "How much do you want?"

Chen Tian stared at her and slowly uttered a string of words: "I want...Juxing Tower."

"You are wishful thinking! Dream on!" Wang Zhi, who was standing aside, spoke first. This Chen Tian was too shameless, and he was so angry that his beard was shaking.

Chen Tian said disapprovingly, "I'm not asking for it for nothing. How about one thousand taels of silver? Is that good enough?"

If the shops on the first floor of Juxing Building were rented out to other businesses, the annual rent would probably be more than one thousand taels, right? Song Jinyi looked at Chen Tian coldly and refused decisively: "Impossible."

Seeing her straightforward refusal, Chen Tian didn't bother to argue. He spread his hands nonchalantly and stood up. "I'm just doing things for people in exchange for money. If Shopkeeper Song doesn't agree, there's nothing I can do."

His tone was relaxed, as if he hadn't been the one who had just spoken so loudly. "Goodbye." After saying that, he actually turned around and walked downstairs with a swagger.

Wang Zhi watched him leave like that and said to Song Jinyi, "Boss, he just...left like that?"

Song Jinyi looked solemn: "Things may not be so easy."

She ordered, "Wang Zhi, send one of the nimblest runners in the shop to follow him and see where he went and who he met."

Wang Zhi took the order and left.

The third floor fell into silence for a moment. Song Jinyi sat still, but her fingertips tapped the table unconsciously. Who was the person who instructed Chen Tianlai to make such a rude request?

******

In the blink of an eye, it was the 19th day of the first lunar month. The afterglow of the New Year's festival had completely dissipated, and people in the capital flocked to the outskirts of the city to enjoy the spring.

In the south of the city, Yujing Garden and Yuxian Temple are already crowded with people. Further west is the private garden of Wang Taiwei's family, which is not open to the public. You can peek into one corner of it from outside the courtyard, where you can see pavilions, waterside terraces, and exotic flowers and plants.

The area around Siliqiao and Wangniugang was also bustling with people. The most popular place was undoubtedly the numerous breeding gardens outside Chenzhou Gate [1].

The weather at the beginning of spring was magnificent, with clear blue skies, warm sunshine, and the air filled with the distinct, crisp scent of new growth. The breeding grounds truly lived up to their reputation, displaying lush greenery year-round. The peach blossoms, in full bloom at this moment, covered the hills and plains.

After listening to Wang Minzhi's suggestion, Song Jinyi said that the scenery of the breeding garden was so beautiful and asked her to come and see it. Cui Xiuxiu begged her for a long time.

So I gave everyone a rare day off and brought everyone here to enjoy the scenery.

The ground was covered with pink clouds and the sunset glowed brightly. Thousands of peach trees were in full bloom, and the deep and light pinks dyed the entire hillside like smoke and fog, which was beautiful beyond words.

Among them were many young ladies wearing exquisite veil hats, surrounded by maids and servants, spreading out brocade mats under the blossoming trees, sitting or standing, talking and laughing sweetly, stroking the blossom branches with their slender jade fingers, and looking around gracefully.

There are also many talented young men dressed in Confucian robes, full of vigor and vitality, sitting in groups of three or five, some sitting around reciting poems and composing essays, some wandering under the trees with their hands behind their backs, looking for inspiration and trying to turn the magnificent scene before them into beautiful poems.

Song Jinyi had something on her mind. Although the scenery before her was beautiful, it could not erase the sadness in her heart. She always felt that something was going to happen.

Li He suddenly flashed in front of her, holding a peach blossom. "Sister Jinyi! What are you thinking about?"

Song Jinyi came back to her senses and her eyes accidentally fell on the peach blossoms in her hand. The pink and tender petals looked like the pink face of a girl, which made people feel pity.

She was about to make up a random conversation starter, but when she saw the peach blossoms in full bloom, she changed the subject and said, "Look at these peach blossoms, they are really beautiful."

Li He smiled and said, "It's really beautiful. Look at these petals..."

"How about using it to make wine?"

Li He pouted, "Sister Jinyi, you are so unromantic. With such beautiful flowers, you only want to cook them."

Song Jinyi laughed out loud, called the garden manager, negotiated the price, and paid for the picking.

Song Jinyi carefully picked the half-opened peach blossoms with dew on their petals, her fingertips stained with pink. "Flowers bloom and fall, it's natural. Although this flower is beautiful, it only blooms for ten days. When it turns to mud, nothing will be left."

She gently placed a peach blossom into the basket, her eyes bright. "But wouldn't it be even better if we could make peach blossom wine, sealing this spring fragrance in a jar. As time brews, its fragrance will last longer and become more fragrant? That's how we truly capture the beauty of spring."

After enjoying the spring scenery, everyone returned to the restaurant.

Song Jinyi carefully picked the fresh peach blossoms, leaving only intact and clean petals, and gently rinsed them in clear well water to wash away the dust.

The drained petals were spread on a clean bamboo dustpan and placed in a well-ventilated area to dry in the shade. The sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting a shadow on the delicate pink petals, making them appear even more delicate.

Cui Xiuxiu helped out, looking at the bright peach blossoms, and said with a hint of regret, "These peach blossoms are a beautiful sight in spring, but for our wine to be brewed, sealed, and opened, it will take at least until late spring or early summer.

"I always feel like I'm a little behind schedule and have missed out on this beautiful spring."

Song Jinyi was washing the finest glutinous rice when she looked up. "Who says it has to be seasonal? As the saying goes, 'scarcity makes things valuable,' and summer peach blossoms are truly rare."

As she spoke, she spread out the steamed glutinous rice to cool, preparing to mix it with the fermented yeast. The courtyard was filled with the sweet aroma of steamed glutinous rice and the faint scent of peach blossoms.

Just as the two were chatting and laughing, there was a sudden sound of hurried, heavy footsteps, accompanied by the servant's panicked cry. The door of the courtyard was pushed open with a "bang", and two officers in official uniforms, with machetes on their waists, rushed in with stern faces.

"Song! Someone has accused you of committing a crime on New Year's Eve, maliciously wounding and causing disability! The evidence is irrefutable. We are under the orders of the Jingzhao prefect to bring you to the court for questioning. Come with us!"

【Author’s words】

【1】——Dreams of Splendor in the Eastern Capital