Chapter 82, The 82nd Inn: The Beauty's Plea
Because Fu Wang was Lu Xuan's savior, and Yun Yin was Fu Wang's friend, things went smoothly afterwards. Even though Jinse was dissatisfied with the environment, she swallowed it all and simply took out the things they had brought to replace them.
Yunyin watched as Jinse took away her newly made cotton quilt and replaced it with their silk quilt. She could only shake her head and let them do as they pleased.
Lu Xuan was surprisingly easy to talk to, perhaps because of Fu Wang. He didn't show any airs of a noble young master, which put Yun Yin's mind at ease. She was really worried that this small place couldn't accommodate this arrogant young master.
The next morning, Yunyin listened to the still pattering rain outside, rolled over several times, got out of bed, washed up, and called Fanghe, whose face was flushed from sleep. The two of them did a horse stance under the eaves, listening to the pitter-patter of the rain, their minds clearing, and their breathing gradually blending with the sound of the rain.
Jinse came out of the house and saw this scene. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is Lady Yun practicing martial arts?"
Zheng Guilan passed by with an umbrella and replied, "Yes, they are practicing martial arts. What would you like to eat this morning, Jinniangzi? We have some new Lingnan food here, such as rice noodle rolls. If you don't want that, we also have wontons."
Jinse withdrew her gaze and said to Zheng Guilan, "Then give each of us a serving of rice noodle rolls, and give the coachman and guards an extra serving of noodles, with plenty of noodles."
Zheng Guilan took the orders, went to the kitchen, and assigned them to Zhang Lin.
Zhang Lin smiled and said to Zheng Guilan, "You've worked hard. Go and dry your hair. It's still raining. You don't need to run around. I'll have the Wu brothers do it."
While drying her hair, Zheng Guilan shook her head and said, "The brothers work hard keeping watch at night. I'm just doing this on the side. You should hurry up and make breakfast. It's been raining these past two days, and the food stalls in front haven't been open. We don't know when the rain will stop. It's not easy for customers to come, so you should take good care of them."
Zhang Lin chuckled a few times, "I know, I won't mess things up. I was just worried about you."
Yunyin listened to the two people talking in the kitchen, her eyebrows slightly raised. After Zheng Guilan left, she walked to Zhang Lin's side and said, "You and Guilan..."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Lin shuddered. Seeing that only the two of them were in the kitchen, he patted his chest and chuckled, "Miss Yun, what do you think about me sending someone to propose marriage?"
Yunyin looked Zhang Lin up and down. He had been here for almost a year, eating and sleeping well, and had not only become more robust but also gained weight in his face, looking like a spirited young man. She nodded and said, "You should discuss it with Guilan first. Judging from her opinion, these kinds of things should be discussed in advance. Does Guilan know what you're thinking?"
Zhang Lin shook his head and said, "I haven't brought this up yet, and I don't know what Madam Zheng thinks."
Yunyin didn't care about her employees' personal matters. As long as they worked hard, she had no objections. Considering that Zhang Lin was also planning to get married, she thought for a moment and said, "In that case, starting this month, I'll give you a salary of 500 coins. How about that? Since you're planning to get married, how can you do without some money?"
“You’ve been working hard and diligently these past few months. Let’s put the past behind us. Keep up the good work, save money, and live a good life.”
Zhang Lin's words of refusal stopped in his throat. Yun Niangzi was right. If he wanted to marry Zheng Niangzi, he should naturally save some money. Otherwise, how would he marry her?
He smiled and said, "Thank you very much, Lady Yun."
After making breakfast, Yunyin waited for the other women to finish eating before having lunch with a few employees. It was still raining, and she sighed, "It seems we'll have to make tofu ourselves today. Luckily, I soaked some soybeans yesterday because I was worried about not having enough tofu due to the bad weather."
She had originally signed a contract with Sister Fang, who would make her a slab of tofu every day. However, when the weather was inconvenient, Yunyin couldn't pick up the goods, and Sister Fang couldn't deliver them either. Since they still wanted to make tofu, they had to make it themselves.
Fortunately, Yunyin also knew how to make tofu. Different brines produce different tofu. Salt brine can make firm tofu, while gypsum can make soft tofu. Yunyin wanted to make soft tofu, so she naturally had to use gypsum.
She put down her chopsticks and said to Zhang Lin, who was eating happily beside her, "Go grind the soybeans in a bit, and we'll make tofu."
Zhang Lin nodded quickly, ate his breakfast in a few bites, cleaned the stone mill, took out the soaked soybeans from the kitchen, placed a large bucket under the stone mill, and began grinding them carefully.
Jinse walked in from outside with an umbrella, sighed and said, "We can't go anywhere in this rain. What will my husband do when he gets up? He'll be bored."
She looked at the empty hall, and there was a place covered with a bamboo mat in front of her. She pointed to it and asked, "What's this for?"
Yunyin looked at the high platform and said, "This is a high platform. It used to be where guests held events. I was planning to paint a mural, so I covered it up."
Jinse carefully examined the area, noticing the chrysanthemums still in full bloom nearby. Her furrowed brows finally relaxed. "These chrysanthemums are blooming quite well. I didn't even notice them last night. May I take them back to the guest room later? It's perfect timing, as my husband is waking up and needs to look at the flowers to soothe his mood."
Yunyin looked at the several pots of chrysanthemums Huo Yu had given her. The petals were layered and overlapping, quite beautiful. She nodded and said, "Of course, no problem. You can put them up." She watched as Jinse called for someone to come and move the flowers, and she asked, "What would Young Master Lu like for breakfast later?"
Jinse thought about the description she had seen in the booklet, "Do you still have shrimp dumplings? And another serving of millet porridge, please."
Shrimp dumplings, Yunyin thought of the shrimp she raised. Although they weren't particularly big, they were still enough to make shrimp dumplings. She smiled and said, "Of course, no problem. I'll go cook some porridge now."
Millet porridge cooks very quickly. She took a small pot, filled it with the washed millet, and put it on the stove to cook.
The rain was drizzling outside. Yunyin, wearing a raincoat and carrying a fishing net, went to the pond to check on the situation. During this period of rain, the shrimp and crabs needed to be given more water to ensure sufficient oxygen and prevent them from suffocating.
She used a bamboo pole with a fishing net attached to scoop some shrimp in the pond, and soon a lot of shrimp were caught. She put the lively shrimp into a bucket, then glanced at the bubbling paddy field. The crabs were hiding in the water plants. The crabs, which were less than a year old, didn't have much meat. Thinking of the delicious crab-stuffed oranges she had eaten before, she swallowed and took the shrimp back to the inn.
Yunyin peeled and deveined the shrimp, then marinated the shrimp meat after pounding it. She also took some wheat starch from the shelf to make the dough. The wheat starch dough was crystal clear, and the shrimp meat inside was clearly visible, making it a perfect dough for shrimp dumplings.
Yunyin asked Lu Xuan, and he said there was nothing he particularly disliked. At least he could eat things like scallions and ginger. She chopped the scallions into scallion flowers, minced some ginger, and added marinated shrimp meat. She pinched the blanched and rested dumpling wrappers into small pieces, rolled them out, stuffed them with shrimp filling, and steamed them on top of the millet porridge after it was cooked.
By the time the millet porridge was cooked and the shrimp dumplings were steamed, the rain outside had subsided. She brought the breakfast she had prepared to the hall, where Lu Xuan had also gotten up and was dozing off, leaning on Jinse's shoulder with his eyes half-closed.
He finally looked up at Yunyin when he smelled a fragrance. He yawned and said to Yunyin, "Miss Yun, you've finally arrived. I'm so hungry."
Yunyin placed the breakfast on the table, along with the dipping sauce she had specially prepared, and said with a smile, "Alright, eat up. If you need more, there's more in the kitchen."
Lu Xuan took the handkerchief Jinse handed him, wiped his hands, and then picked up a bamboo stick to eat. His eating manners were very refined, and it was clear that he had good upbringing. Even though he was wearing a wide-sleeved robe, it did not affect his agility.
He ate three baskets of shrimp dumplings and drank two bowls of millet porridge before he was full. He patted his bulging belly and exclaimed, "They're so fresh! Where did you get these shrimp, Yun Niangzi? They're so fresh and tender. The shrimp dumplings you made are so delicious and smooth."
Yunyin: "I raised some shrimp nearby. If you like, Mr. Lu, I can make you other shrimp dishes tonight. Salt and pepper shrimp is also good, and braised shrimp is delicious. However, these shrimp have only been raised for half a year, so they are not very big. We will have to wait until next year to eat big shrimp."
Lu Xuan clapped his hands and laughed, "That's great! I love eating river delicacies the most. I didn't expect Lady Yun to be so good at cooking them."
Yunyin's eyebrows twitched slightly, and she smiled, "So it turns out that Young Master Lu also likes to eat river delicacies, and Fu Wang likes them too. He also tried the river delicacies he had eaten before."
A glint flashed in Lu Xuan's eyes, and he said with a smile, "Right? I just felt that Brother Fu and I were destined to meet, even our interests are so similar." He chuckled and said, "When I see him in Mianzhou next time, I will definitely have a good talk with him."
After finishing talking about the food, Lu Xuan looked at the rain that had started falling again outside and said, "Rainy days are for keeping guests. It seems that even the heavens want me to stay a little longer." He asked Yun Yin, "Does Lady Yun like folk songs? While we're at a leisurely time, I'll have my maid play a tune for you to pass the time."
Yunyin looked at the several maids sitting behind him and raised an eyebrow, asking, "You bring so many maids with you when you go out?"
Lu Xuan shrugged and said, "I'm taking them to Chang'an to broaden their horizons. My friend knows I love singing and dancing, so he specially invited me to participate in this event. I heard that Wan Niang from Pingkangfang is famous throughout the capital for her dance. This is also her last performance in Pingkangfang. She will soon be entering the Jiaofang. We will not be able to see such moving singing and dancing again in the future."
“These ladies are all talented people I’ve found. I’ll take them to Chang’an so they can see the splendor of the capital and not just have a limited perspective.”
Yunyin had heard that the Great Zhao loved singing and dancing. From the royal family and nobles to the common people, everyone loved singing and dancing. Otherwise, why would she have considered arranging for music to be played in the inn? Unfortunately, she didn't know anyone in this field. She never expected to meet someone who had come to Chang'an specifically to watch a song and dance performance.
At this point, she suddenly realized that this was the person she knew. She thought she might get some insights by asking him. Just as Yunyin was about to ask, a woman in green behind him lowered her eyes and said, "What kind of tune would you like to hear today, my lord? If you don't have a particular preference, how about I play a tune called 'Willow Branch'?"
Yunyin looked at the woman who was speaking. She had delicate features but a graceful demeanor. Every smile and frown of hers was full of tenderness and affection. She looked at Lu Xuan to see what he would say.
Lu Xuan smiled and said, "Since Yinshuang wants to perform, then you can do it. Go and prepare."
Lu Xuan said to the remaining dancers, "If you also want to compose a piece, you can go and prepare it."
The other women exchanged glances, and the woman in the lead smiled and said, "If Sister Yinshuang wants to compose a piece, let her do it. We'll be her listeners today and appreciate her musical skills."
Lu Xuan was quite indulgent towards these dancers, and he wasn't angry when he heard this. He smiled and said, "Alright, let's enjoy it together." He looked at Yun Yin and said, "Miss Yun, you can sit down too. If anyone else wants to listen, they can listen as well. If you want to dance, that's fine too. Anyway, not many people will be coming today, so you can all come and have some fun."
Yunyin nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go cut some fruit and come over in a bit."
When she brought over the fruit, Jinse had already had the platform cleared out, and the half-finished mural was displayed before everyone. Lu Xuan looked at the mural, then at the platform, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Madam Yun, are you planning to arrange a song and dance performance on this platform?"
Yunyin placed the fruit on his table, sat down next to him, and said with a smile, "This stage is used by students in the county to hold activities. However, I did have plans to arrange for someone to play a piece, but I didn't know anyone in this field before, and I didn't know where to find someone who could play a tune. So this matter has been put on hold. I just happened to run into you today and wanted to ask you about it."
Upon hearing this, Lu Xuan chuckled and said, "You've come to the right person to ask me about this." He was just about to have a proper discussion with Yun Yin when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Yin Shuang had already taken her seat on the stage and was about to play a piece. He stopped what he was about to say, looked at the high platform, and said, "Listen to the little piece first, and I'll tell you the details later."
According to Lu Xuan, the tune "Willow Branch" was very popular in Dazhao. It was originally a military song that described life on the frontier and the longing of soldiers and their wives. It was a very sad tune.
Later, the song was adapted by a famous poet from the Zhao state, and the sad melody became cheerful and bright, quickly becoming popular and a sensation in the Zhao state.
As Yunyin listened to Yinshuang's singing and melody, she could almost hear the scene of picking willows and giving them to friends in spring. Although it was also a farewell, it was full of nostalgia.
This piece was not only included in the Imperial Music Academy, but also had many poets who revised and added lyrics to it. Many famous courtesans sang this piece, making it even more famous.
As Yunyin listened to the beautiful melody, the pattering rain outside seemed to be the accompaniment. They were immersed in the music all morning.
After listening to Yinshuang's performance, Yunyin couldn't help but applaud and praise, "Yinshuang is really amazing, she sings beautifully and plays beautifully too."
Lu Xuan raised his head proudly, as if Yun Yin was praising him. "Of course. It cost me a lot of money to buy Yinshuang back then. Yinshuang was a famous courtesan in Chang'an. Many talented men admired her. If I hadn't had a pleasant conversation with her and she hadn't wanted to leave Chang'an, I wouldn't have had this opportunity."
Yunyin then realized that the courtesans he kept were not only famous from back then, but also trained later. His family had no objections to him keeping courtesans. As long as he didn't run away, he could do whatever he wanted. His family didn't have many demands on him, and his elder brother was there to support the family.
He was also very outgoing and knew that Yunyin was Fu Wang's friend. He didn't hold back at all and revealed all about his family. Yunyin shook her head and thought, no wonder his family didn't want him to go out. Someone as naive and innocent as him is really easy to be taken advantage of.
She said to the talkative Lu Xuan, "Alright, it's getting late. I need to prepare lunch for you. Some dishes need to be prepared in advance. Excuse me."
Lu Xuan stopped talking, waved his hand and said, "Go ahead, I'll listen to the music some more, we'll talk again when you're done."
Yunyin shook her head and went back to the kitchen. Seeing that Feng Hai was already busy, she smiled and said, "You didn't go to listen to the music? I didn't see you before."
Feng Hai: "I don't like listening to that. I can listen to military music, but I really can't stand this kind of decadent music."
Yunyin smiled and said, "I think it sounds pretty good. I see that other people like it too. It seems that my decision to invite someone to play and sing was right. Maybe it will make the inn more lively."
Upon hearing this, Feng Hai straightened his thin frame. "I heard this place used to be very desolate, but since you opened your shop here, it's become more and more lively. Now, villagers even come here to hold gatherings, at least once a month. I think it's lively enough already. How much more lively do you plan to make it?"
Yunyin put down the knife in her hand, her eyes crinkling as she said, "This is nothing. You haven't seen the real excitement. If our Yunlai Inn could be this lively, then it wouldn't be a waste of my time to open this shop here."
The modern commercial streets are so bustling. If she could bring a tenth of that to this valley, she would be very satisfied. The area around the inn is becoming more and more prosperous, she can earn more money, and more people will come to eat the delicious food she makes. Just thinking about it makes her very excited.
Yunyin became excited even while chopping vegetables, her knife flashing so fast that afterimages could be seen. Feng Hai, standing to the side, was amazed by her knife skills, sighing and marveling for a long time before going to his stove to cook as well.
After Yunyin finished preparing Jinse's dishes and ordered them, she instructed Zheng Guilan to start serving. She wiped her hands with her apron, washed her face with well water, and tidied herself up before returning to the main hall.
Lu Xuan sat alone in a chair, with Jinse kneeling beside him to help serve him food, and other maids serving him wine. He leisurely ate and drank the food, listening to some music, a truly luxurious scene.
Yunyin stood to the side, looking at the newly decorated lobby. It took her a while to realize that this was really her shop. She frowned and walked in. Before she could speak, Lu Xuan spoke up first: "Miss Yun, why don't you sit down and have something to eat with me?"
Her brows furrowed even more, and the smile that usually graced her face vanished. "How did things get like this?"
The tables and chairs she had set out earlier had been moved aside. In the center of the hall stood a magnificent dining table with a luxurious carpet underneath. The more Yunyin looked at it, the uglier her expression became. She couldn't possibly put on a pleasant face looking at such a decadent scene.
Seeing Yunyin angry, Cheng Yong, who was sitting at the counter, shrugged and patted her, saying, "Forget it, calm down. He's always been like this. Nobody cares about him in Mianzhou. Fortunately, he doesn't bully men or women. He just cares about appearances. He'll give you a lot of money. You know, those merchants actually like him quite a bit."
Sure enough, as soon as Cheng Yong finished speaking, a woman next to Lu Xuan walked up to Yun Yin, bowed and said, "Miss Yun, I apologize for touching your things without your permission. These are gifts from our husband, and we hope you will accept them."
Yunyin looked at the purse stuffed into her hand, another two-tael silver ingot. Not counting food expenses, she had already received four taels just from tips. She had been a little angry just now, but she had already put it out of her mind. Oh well, why bother arguing with this kind of spoiled brat? Anyway, it's been raining lately and there's no one in the shop, so let him be.
She sighed and said, "No wonder Fu Wang doesn't want to talk to him. People who aren't in the same circle shouldn't force themselves to get together."
Cheng Yong smiled and said, "You can only become friends if you get along. Isn't Lady Yun getting along well with Fu Wang? Alright, let's not talk about him anymore. It looks like it's going to rain for the next few days, so we should be careful."
Looking at the continuous drizzle outside, Yunyin said helplessly, "Winter is almost here, and there's still so much rain. This winter is going to be a harsh one. It's really too difficult."
Seeing that Yunyin ignored him, Lu Xuan pouted and said to the woman beside him, "Never mind, Shuang'er is better. Come and have a drink with me."
After finishing a cup with Lu Xuan, Yin Shuang rubbed her face and said, "My lord, I'd like to rest for a bit. Please let the other sisters keep you company."
After leaving the banquet, Yinshuang looked around but couldn't find the person she was looking for. After hesitating for a while, she still went to the kitchen.
Yunyin was teaching Fanghe the basics when she saw Yinshuang standing outside the door, seemingly wanting to say something. She stopped teaching and said to Fanghe, "You can practice on your own from now on. You can stir-fry the vegetables for lunch."
Fang He solemnly agreed and went to wash the vegetables. Yun Yin wiped her hands and walked to the door to ask, "Is there something you need, Lady Yinshuang? Does Young Master Lu have any requests?"
The rain pattered against the roof outside, and Yinshuang's voice was so soft that Yunyin almost couldn't hear her. She took a step forward and said, "Excuse me, what did you just say?"
Yinshuang frowned, pulled Yunyin into her room, and gently said after closing the door, "Miss Yun, I heard you need someone to play music. What do you think of me?"
Upon hearing this, Yunyin looked up at Yinshuang in surprise. Seeing that Yinshuang was serious and not joking, Yunyin suppressed her smile and asked, "What do you mean by this, Lady Yinshuang?"
Yinshuang bowed to Yunyin and said, "If Lady Yun thinks my zither skills are acceptable, could you take me in? I don't want to go to Chang'an."
Yunyin's fingers twitched slightly, and after a long while, she asked, "Does Young Master Lu know about this?"
Yinshuang shook her head and said, "I haven't told my husband yet. I want to wait for Lady Yun to agree before I bring it up with him."
Upon hearing this, Yunyin didn't say anything more, only shook her head, "Lady Yinshuang, I will not agree to this. Although I want someone to play music, I don't want to owe Young Master Lu too many favors. I already know that Young Master Lu went to great lengths to help you leave Chang'an back then. I can't take you in. If you don't want to go to Chang'an, you can tell him directly."
"Although Young Master Lu has a bit of a spoiled attitude, he is quite upright. If you really don't want to go, he certainly won't force you."
Yinshuang stepped forward, stopped in front of Yunyin, and knelt down, saying, "I hope Lady Yun will take pity on me."
Yunyin quickly stepped forward and lifted her up. After she stood up, she said, "It's not that I don't cherish you, but this is really inappropriate. This is between you and Lu Langjun, and it has nothing to do with me. Even if I need someone to sing, it doesn't have to be you. Please don't make things difficult for me, Lady Yinshuang. This is just a small shop, and I really don't need someone as talented as you."
Yunyin ignored Yinshuang, pushed open the door and walked out. She didn't see Yinshuang gritting her teeth. As if she had made up her mind, she tidied her clothes, came out of the room, her graceful figure and gentle expression returning to normal. She walked step by step to the lobby and sat back down next to Lu Xuan.
The author says: "Willow Branches" is a very famous tune from the Tang Dynasty. It originated from "Breaking the Willow Branches" in the Han Dynasty Yuefu horizontal flute music. Later, it was adapted by poets such as Bai Juyi and Liu Yuxi, which made it more popular.
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