Chapter 6 Vegetable Buns The next morning, Su Zhihan was surrounded by clattering noises...

The next morning, Su Zhihan was awakened by a clanging and banging noise. She sat up with a yawn, tilted her head and listened to the noise for a moment before slipping on her shoes, opening the door, and being immediately greeted by a wave of heat.

"Han'er is awake?" Hearing the noise, Jiang Zhenniang put down her work, wiped her hands on her apron, and turned around to look: "Go wash up quickly! By the time you're done washing up, your mother will have finished cooking, and you can go to the kitchen to work after you've eaten."

“Since I’m going to work in the kitchen anyway, I can just grab a couple of cakes from there. Why do you have to get up early to cook?” Su Zhihan sat on the kang, changing her clothes as she muttered, “You could have slept an extra incense stick’s time.”

“How can that be the same? Today is your first time in the kitchen, so of course you need to eat well and cheer up.” Jiang Zhenniang shook her head repeatedly, urging her daughter to wash up.

Su Zhihan agreed, got dressed, and went outside to wash up. She took a pig bristle toothbrush, dipped it in mulberry twig decoction, applied it to her teeth, rinsed her mouth with water, and spat it out.

Mulberry twig decoction is the cheapest 'toothpaste' available nowadays. It is said to be made by boiling willow twigs, locust twigs, mulberry twigs and other ingredients, and also contains ginger juice and asarum.

As for the taste of this stuff... well, every time Su Zhihan uses it, she feels like she's transformed into a calf, chewing on fresh hay.

...I still need to figure out ways to make money.

Su Zhihan frowned, took a sip of water, and cleaned the bad taste from her mouth.

After entering the Marquis's mansion, she chatted with the other maids and servants. Compared to the male and female servants purchased from outside, the life of mothers and daughters in the Marquis's mansion was much better than that of ordinary people. Although they also used pig bristle toothbrushes, the toothpaste and tooth powder they used were quite different.

Ordinary servants often used ointments made from more than ten kinds of Chinese medicinal herbs, while those serving their masters would use ointments containing pearl powder. As for the head maids, they used tooth powder made from pearl powder, ginseng, poria, and other fine medicinal herbs.

It is said that those toothpastes and tooth powders have a fresh and elegant taste, some of which even have a light fruity or floral fragrance. Not only do they taste much better, but they also have the effect of whitening teeth and freshening breath.

Of course, the price is also quite high.

Su Zhihan's mulberry twig decoction cost only five coins per jar and lasted for two months, while better decoctions cost twenty or thirty coins, and those with pearl powder and Chinese herbs cost nearly a hundred coins. As for what those high-quality tooth powders or the tooth powders used by the masters were, Su Zhihan didn't even ask.

Lost in her thoughts, she continued working, pouring warm water into the basin, stirring it, wiping her face with a towel, turning and going into the house, where she sat in front of the dim bronze mirror to tie her hair into a bun.

Jiang Zhenniang heated up the stove and poured the leftover cabbage and pork stew from yesterday back into the earthenware pot. When it was bubbling and boiling, she poured in the freshly made dough dumplings.

She stirred the soup with a spoon, turned around and said, "Han-jie, are you done yet—ouch!"

Jiang Zhenniang turned around and happened to see the asymmetrical bun on her daughter's head, and couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth.

Before she could speak, she noticed her daughter's flushed cheeks. Jiang Zhenniang quickly took out a palm-sized earthenware jar from the cabinet, scraped off a large piece of white face cream with her fingertip, and smeared it on Su Zhihan's cheeks: "You're not putting on face cream again! If it cracks later, you'll cry again."

Immediately afterward, while her daughter was applying face cream, Jiang Zhenniang reached out and took off the bun on top of her head. With a thin rope in her mouth and a wooden comb in her hand, she carefully combed Su Zhihan's hair and quickly tied it into two buns.

They were round and neat, and most importantly, symmetrical. Jiang Zhenniang looked at them from left to right, very satisfied. She then picked up two more silk flowers and tucked them diagonally into her daughter's hair before finally stopping, completely content.

Just then, Su Zhihan finished applying her face cream.

Jiang Zhenniang washed her hands, picked up a soup spoon and stirred the dumpling soup in the earthenware pot. Then, holding a spoon in one hand and a bowl in the other, she ladled a large bowl full for Su Zhihan: "Eat quickly."

In the increasingly cold weather, even Su Zhihan couldn't say no to such a big bowl of hot dumpling soup, and happily squinted her eyes as she took a big gulp.

After eating and drinking her fill, Su Zhihan went to work in the kitchen. She thought she had arrived early, but to her surprise, she saw Yinghong and Yangliu as soon as she entered the kitchen courtyard. The two of them had arrived even earlier than her, chatting idly as they sifted rice and flour.

"Sister Yinghong, Sister Yangliu."

"Ah, Sister Han, you've arrived?" Yinghong waved excitedly at Su Zhihan upon hearing the voice, "I have some good news to tell you!"

"Good news?"

"You don't know yet, do you?" Yinghong's round face flushed red, and her dimples appeared when she smiled. She muttered mysteriously, "I heard that Granny Zhao was kicked out of the mansion!"

In fact, Su Zhihan had heard about it yesterday, but now she looked surprised: "Granny Zhao? She was kicked out of the mansion? I saw her in the kitchen at dinner time yesterday?"

"It happened last night!"

"I heard that Granny Zhao didn't clean her assigned area properly yesterday, and went to the kitchen to eat dinner. Just then, the second young lady's head maid came to the kitchen to get some snacks. She passed by the area and found it filthy. She was furious and went to the kitchen to question Granny Zhao, but Granny Zhao wouldn't admit it. In the end, she sent someone to Steward Li to complain." Yang Liu picked up the conversation with a smile, while her eyes secretly observed Su Zhihan's expression.

When she heard about this, she found it rather strange. Then, Yang Liu recalled that Su Zhihan had been out when Granny Zhao came for dinner the day before, and couldn't help but suspect that Su Zhihan might be behind this.

“Persimmons?” Su Zhihan was slightly taken aback, her tone astonished: “How could the persimmons have fallen? Granny Zhao once told me that not a single blade of grass or leaf should be left on the main road of the courtyard. As for the persimmons, we were required to check them every day, and any that were almost ripe had to be taken down with a bamboo pole.”

Yinghong was also puzzled. After thinking for a moment, she said, "My father and mother said that the persimmons that fell to the ground were like mud, all of them were ripe. I'm afraid that Granny Zhao made these demands of you, but she didn't actually do them herself!"

"...How could Granny Zhao be so foolish!"

"She dares to be so lazy on days like this; she deserved to be kicked out," Yang Liu replied casually, not seeing anything wrong.

She then sighed and said regretfully, "It's a pity that you left so early, Han-jie. Without Granny Zhao, the sweeping and cleaning work would be much easier."

"Sister Yangliu is right." Yinghong nodded, glancing at Su Zhihan: "If Sister Han wants to go back, why don't you talk to the manager?"

Don't underestimate this seemingly simple sweeping and cleaning job; you never know when it might catch your master's eye and be asked to do something for him.

Su Zhihan said, "I think the kitchen is quite nice."

Upon hearing this, Yinghong was taken aback: "Han-jie, you are a really strange person."

Su Zhihan laughed and picked up a stool to sit next to Yinghong, then joined the two of them in sifting rice flour: "I think you're the strange one, Yinghong. You're clearly a servant, right? Yet you're willing to come to the kitchen to do menial work."

Her cheeks flushed slightly: "I'm a little clumsy."

Seeing that things were going well, Su Zhihan changed the subject, saying, "By the way, Yinghong, you are a servant born into a family, so you should be very familiar with the area around our Marquis's residence, right? Do you know any good places to eat and have fun in the capital?"

Hearing this topic, Yinghong immediately perked up. She puffed out her chest and said, "Of course! I grew up here, I know all the good food and fun things to do. Is there anything you want to buy, Han-jie? Do you want me to give you some ideas?"

"That's exactly what I meant." Su Zhihan readily admitted, and then explained the reason: "I've saved up some monthly allowance and wanted to buy some things for my mother and the mother who helped me. However, my mother and I were in a bit of a rush when we went to the capital, and then we didn't have time after we entered the mansion. I haven't gone out shopping yet, and I don't know where it's cost-effective to buy things."

Su Zhihan was not lying. She and Jiang Zhenniang were extremely nervous and in a hurry when they entered the capital that day, and they had no intention of observing the sights of the capital.

Once she arrived at the Marquis's residence, she had to save money and do chores. In the two months since, apart from running errands for others to leave the residence, she hadn't even had a chance to explore the area around the Marquis's residence properly.

Yinghong was different. She had grown up here since she was a child and had plenty of money, so she often went out to eat.

After the three left the manor, Yinghong introduced the surrounding people to the two. Within two miles of the Marquis of Zhongyong's manor, almost all the residents were wealthy families of similar status. However, if you walked a little further away, you would find a very large market town.

"Xue Ji's roast goose is so delicious!"

"That's Grandma Xue's mutton soup, it's delicious!"

"That's Zhou's. Their spicy soup is also delicious! Their vegetable buns are also good, with both sweet and savory flavors." Yinghong asked Su Zhihan and Yang Liu about their preferences, then went up and bought three, handing them to them respectively.

Su Zhihan took the steaming hot vegetable bun and examined it with great interest. The vegetable bun in front of her was about the size of her palm, reasonably priced, with tender lettuce leaves on the outside and rice, stir-fried diced meat, scrambled eggs, edamame, and mushrooms inside. It looked somewhat similar to a Northeastern Chinese rice bun.

Su Zhihan blew on it to cool it down, then couldn't wait to take a bite.

The first thing she tasted was the sweet and soft rice, which smelled of lard. It must have been made by mixing glutinous rice and regular rice and then stirring it with melted lard. Then came the flavors of the other side dishes. The stir-fried diced meat had a firm texture, and there were also savory eggs, sweet edamame, and fresh mushrooms. Paired with the refreshing leftovers, one bite was truly satisfying.

Su Zhihan ate one bite after another, and by the time she remembered there was a sweet version, she had almost finished the whole vegetable bun. She stuffed the last bite into her mouth, then looked up at Yinghong, who was eating the sweet vegetable bun, and asked curiously, "What's the filling in the sweet one?"

“It’s red bean paste.” Yinghong broke it open for Su Zhihan to see. Inside the sweet vegetable leaf bun was red bean paste made with honey and sugar. “It’s fragrant and sweet, and very delicious. Their best-selling item is the sweet vegetable leaf bun.”

Su Zhihan stood by and watched. Sure enough, after the three of them stood there for a short while, more than a dozen people came to buy, most of whom bought the sweet ones.

Su Zhihan seemed to be deep in thought, and some ideas began to form in her mind. Then she followed Yinghong and Yangliu, and strolled around the market with great interest.

"This is a general store; it has all sorts of random things. If you want a local specialty but can't find it, you can ask someone here to help you find it."

"This is Tian's Candied Fruit Shop. I love their candied dates the most." Yinghong went in and bought a bag, then shared it with Su Zhihan and Yang Liu. The dates were amber in color, emitting an enticing sweet fragrance. When torn apart, they were separated into strands, and one bite filled the mouth with the aroma of dates and honey.

"So sweet!"

"Right? It's just a bit pricey." Yinghong sighed regretfully, then pulled the two of them next door: "Uncle Bai's chestnuts are much better, cheaper, and taste delicious!"

Yinghong bought another bag, and Su Zhihan picked one to try. The chestnuts were soft, sticky, and sweet, with a unique aroma of roasted fruitwood. Seeing that they were inexpensive, she bought another bag, intending to take them back for her mother to try.

“Zhou’s cooked meat is the best.” After walking a few steps, Yinghong pointed to another shop and said with a smile, “Their roasted quail is amazing, but it’s a bit expensive. I usually can’t afford to buy it. I’ll just buy stir-fried quail to satisfy my craving.”

Su Zhihan looked up and immediately noticed the prices on the shop sign: a fried quail cost five coins, while a small pigeon cost thirty coins and a large one cost fifty coins!

You should know that nowadays, a plate of fried fish, roast duck, stir-fried chicken, or stir-fried rabbit in a small restaurant costs only fifteen coins. Two people can have a meal in a better restaurant or tavern for fifty coins.

The current price is shockingly expensive!

Yinghong led Su Zhihan and Yang Liu forward, hesitating over the three bowls of fried food on the table.

She originally wanted to buy a quail to try, but when she got closer, she realized that each quail was only the size of a palm. It would be fine for one person to eat, but it would be pitiful for three people to share it. Buying three quails seemed unnecessary, but quails were expensive, and it would hurt her to buy them.

She had just spent thirty coins on snacks and fruit. If she spent another thirty coins on pigeons, she would be broke for the next two weeks.

Su Zhihan glanced at Yinghong, noticing her hesitation, and smiled, "Sister Yinghong just bought a lot of food for me, so I'll buy it this time."

"No, no, how could I ask you to pay?" Yinghong shook her head repeatedly upon hearing this. She remembered what Su Zhihan had just said, that she was going to buy things for her mother and her familiar mother. Su Zhihan had only been in the manor for two months. How much money could she have saved? Probably only three hundred coins at most? Two hundred coins?

No, no, no, it might only be a hundred coins or even less.

Yinghong gritted her teeth, took out a copper coin from her crossbody bag, and was about to go to buy pigeons when she caught a glimpse of the silent Yang Liu out of the corner of her eye, and suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

She paused, then hesitated, "How about the three of us chip in the money?"

No sooner had she finished speaking than Su Zhihan heard an unfamiliar voice: "Oh my? Isn't this Sister Yinghong?"

Following the sound, Su Zhihan turned around and saw that several young women dressed in silk clothes and adorned with pearls and jewels had appeared behind her. The one standing in the middle, in particular, looked seven or eight parts similar to Yinghong.

"It really is Yinghong." The girl who had just spoken raised an eyebrow, glanced at the shop in front of her, and then turned to the person who looked similar to Yinghong and said, "Sister Pearl, doesn't your family give Yinghong any pocket money? Why are you hesitating so much about buying a fried pigeon?"

The young woman turned around again and smiled at Su Zhihan and the other two: "Sister Yinghong, and these two... sisters? They are so pitiful. Tell Sister Xiuhe what you want to eat today, and Sister Xiuhe will treat you."