Chapter 25 So it was you! It turns out that Xie Jiu-ge'er was actually him! ...
Wei Yao, around forty years old, was wearing a round-necked robe with a lotus flower pattern. He was leading a white-bellied, brown-haired donkey when he arrived in a hurry. Before he could even catch his breath, he uttered these words to Shen Miao.
These words surprised not only Shen Miao, but also the other vendors around her.
The plump woman's surname was Mei, and she was known as Third Sister Mei. She was standing next to Shen Miao, and when she heard this, she raised her eyebrows.
Wei Yao has been running a pastry shop in Jinliang Bridge for many years, and his meat-filled wedding cakes are very famous. Whenever there is a happy occasion in the neighborhood, people will definitely order several loads of wedding cakes from his shop. However, in recent years, pastry shops have sprung up like mushrooms after rain, and there are many new styles. But Wei's pastry shop is still an old shop with a solid foundation and good craftsmanship, so Mei San Niang also recognizes him.
When she got married, her family also ordered wedding cakes from the Wei family!
I never expected that such a prestigious shop would come to the market to recruit this pastry maker, Madam Shen.
She had only been running her stall for a few days, yet she had managed to win over Manager Wei.
However, Mei San Niang had to admit that Chen Niangzi's cooking skills were truly excellent.
Every day when Madam Shen came to set up her stall, she would give her a baked bun or a pancake, which she ate with great relish. Her only problem was that she had been eating so well these past two or three days that she had gained two pounds in her belly.
Of course, when Lady Shen gave her fragrant cakes, she reciprocated with tea, and the two quickly became acquainted.
Mei San Niang also learned about Shen Niangzi's background from others, as well as her tragic experience of losing both parents, being abandoned by her husband's family, and having to raise two young siblings. Therefore, she felt a lot of pity for her and was no longer jealous when she saw that Shen Niangzi sold out every day and her business was booming.
Seeing that she had good luck today, he quickly chimed in, "Madam Chen, this is great news! From now on, when you work at the Wei family's pastry shop making cakes, you won't have to come here in the wind and rain."
Mei San Niang genuinely believed this. Working as a pastry chef in the shop meant a guaranteed income, regardless of the weather. There was no need to worry about whether there were many customers today or few tomorrow. She received a monthly salary, and there was also rice and grain during festivals... Oh, and she also needed to help Chen Niangzi negotiate a higher salary later!
To everyone's surprise, Shen Miao remained unmoved and instead pushed away this great opportunity, gently refusing, "Thank you for your appreciation, shopkeeper, but my family used to own a shop, and I am eager to revive the family business. I do not wish to seek employment elsewhere for the time being, so thank you in advance."
Wei Yao was puzzled. He had thoroughly investigated Madam Shen's background and circumstances before coming today, yet she still acted so arrogantly. He frowned and said, "Madam Shen, are you worried that my salary is too meager? I invited you because I value your skills, not because you are a woman. I have already decided that the chefs in my shop each receive five strings of silver a month, and for every box of my homemade cakes sold, I also give them two coins as profit. You will receive the same salary as those two chefs, how about that?"
Mei San Niang's eyes lit up when she heard this—this was a very generous reward! Five strings of cash a month, plus interest!
This Manager Wei is so generous! She didn't know how to speak up, so she could only wink and make faces at Shen Miao, constantly signaling her to agree.
Shen Miao shook her head again, but tentatively asked, "Did Manager Wei get this idea after eating my roasted buns? If you value these roasted buns, I'm willing to sell them to you. In the future, I won't sell them in this market anymore, and I'll let you and your family sell them exclusively. Is that alright?"
Wei Yao pondered for a long time without expressing his opinion. Instead, he asked slyly, "Why does Madam Shen have to go to such lengths? A single recipe only yields a few dozen strings of cash, which is only a temporary profit. It will eventually run out. Why not come and work at my shop and slowly save up some money so that you can have a comfortable life year after year?"
Shen Miao thought to herself, "As expected of a shopkeeper, she's shrewd enough and knows how to make empty promises. I haven't even responded to her yet."
But she also learned of the other party's plan, so she shook her head, curtsied and thanked him: "This servant is unwilling, thank you in advance, shopkeeper."
Wei Yao, as the shopkeeper, personally invited her, offering not only a generous reward but also repeatedly trying to persuade her. Unexpectedly, Madam Shen remained aloof, and the surrounding vendors began to whisper among themselves. He couldn't help but feel displeased and turned away, saying, "Since Madam Shen is making such a grand entrance, then I won't pester you any longer. I only hope that Madam Shen won't regret it later. Farewell!"
Mei San Niang was so angry that she beat her chest and stamped her feet.
"Oh my, Madam Chen, how could you let such a good opportunity pass you by! Don't you know his identity?" As she spoke, she stood on tiptoe and pointed to the two shops with the largest storefronts not far away. "See that? That's Wei's Pastry Shop! Every year, countless people want to enter his shop!"
Shen Miao followed her chubby hand and looked in that direction, and saw that it was a two-story building!
It is indeed very impressive.
She spread her hands and smiled: "I don't think this is a good thing, Third Sister. If a pie were to fall from the sky, how could it fall so easily on our heads? There's a saying that I've always thought is very true: everything in this world has a price, and there's no such thing as a free lunch."
These words startled Mei San Niang, who took it seriously. She came out of the shop and pulled Shen Miao aside to ask, "Then tell me, how is this not a good thing? Five strings of cash a month, plus interest. If it sells well, you could probably earn ten strings of cash a month. Where else can you find such a good deal?"
Helpless, Shen Miao could only explain in a low voice, "Think about it, the person who is unwilling to buy my recipes but is willing to pay me a high salary is sure that I can make more than one kind of pastry. If he pays me five strings of cash a month to be his teacher, he can make ten or twenty kinds of pastries a month, and even have me teach apprentices. Once the apprentices or other teachers have learned, what will he need me for? He can fire me, and what can I do? Five strings of cash a month seems like a lot, but it's more cost-effective than buying a recipe!"
Mei San Niang choked on her words, murmuring, "This Manager Wei is a well-known kind-hearted man, surely he wouldn't do such a thing?"
“Even the most honest person is still a businessman.” Shen Miao herself was a businesswoman in her past life, so she was well aware of the intricacies of the situation. She wasn’t actually angry, so she lowered her head and continued packing her things. “Merchants are driven by profit. When it comes to profit, even the most honest person will haggle over every penny. He’s doing this for his own shop. After all, if the food recipes he buys don’t sell well, or if someone else copies them, he’ll suffer a huge loss. Of course, I’m not saying that’s exactly what he’s planning, but I don’t want to be controlled by others, and I can’t gamble on this. I can’t afford to gamble.”
She waved her hand at Mei San Niang: "My most valuable asset is these hands; I have nothing else, so I have to be careful. If I really agree to Manager Wei's offer, I would be doing something short-sighted and exploitative."
In her previous life, Shen Miao's family ran a Chinese restaurant. Only she went abroad to study Western pastry for two years after graduating from university. She was almost scolded to death by her grandfather, but after she learned it, Shen Miao would come back and bake a batch from time to time. This gourmand would eat it with tea and enjoy it quite a bit.
So, where you make a living isn't important; what matters is having a solid skill. It may seem tough now, but things will get better once the shop is up and running.
Shen Miao still has confidence.
“What you said makes a lot of sense…” Mei San Niang hadn’t expected that someone so young could be so insightful and clever, and she couldn’t help but look at her with new respect. She subconsciously glanced at Ji Ge’er, who had silently put down his book and stood behind his elder sister after Wei Yao arrived.
He didn't interfere with his sister's affairs; he simply stood behind her, his back ramrod straight and taut, like a fully drawn bow.
While Shen Miao was talking, Xiang Jie'er was like a busy little hamster, helping her pack up a lot of things back and forth.
These three siblings are all very interesting, especially Ji-ge.
Thinking of her son, who was about the same age as Ji Ge'er, Mei San Niang suddenly felt incredibly fond of him. She leaned closer to Shen Miao and whispered, "Shen Niangzi, how did you raise your brother? He's so well-behaved and sensible! He has such a good temperament and knows how to protect you. Unlike my boy, who is utterly pathetic in comparison! He's so mischievous, he'd practically be on the roof. I found him a private school, and after two days, the teacher sent him home—saying that during those two days of studying, he was only the fastest running around during meals, otherwise he was like he was possessed by a sleepy bug. He would fall asleep after reading just a couple of pages in the hall, and when the teacher punished him by making him stand up against the wall in the corridor, he could still fall asleep!"
His handwriting was so bad it looked like a dog's scrawle; no one but himself could recognize it! The teacher was so angry he almost had a stroke. This morning he returned everyone and their tuition fees. If this continues, I'm afraid I'll have a stroke too!
These words, coupled with Mei San Niang's indignant expression, made Shen Miao want to laugh. However, she knew that when parents belittle their own children in public, they don't genuinely want to be ridiculed. Rather, they are simply seeking some comfort because they are feeling frustrated.
So she suppressed her laughter and patiently explained, "The child is still young, and playing is in his nature. It shows that you, Third Sister, are a loving mother. Otherwise, how could he have such a lively personality? It's not a good thing for my brother to be like this. My parents and I died early, and we had no one to rely on. Children from poor families have to learn to be independent early. If you ask me how I disciplined him, I don't know. He just became sensible on his own."
These words left Mei San Niang speechless for a moment. Looking at Shen Miao's delicate and beautiful face, for the first time, she didn't sound bitter, but instead genuinely sighed for her.
Thinking about my own child, I actually lost a lot of anxiety.
"I've never heard anything like what you've said before. But... I'm completely convinced by it."
A customer arrived, and Mei San Niang smiled as she went back to the back of her stall to make fragrant drinks. While making the tea, she turned to Shen Miao and sighed, "I've never thought of this before. Before my father passed away, I felt I still had someone to rely on. If the man in my family wasn't good, I would pack my bags and run back to my parents' home to complain! Let's see how many beatings he can take from my father! But after my father passed away, I no longer have the courage to fight with my husband..."
After a long pause, Shen Miao finished packing her things. Ji Ge'er had been busy again, helping to carry things and wiping the sugar smear off his sister's cheeks, without saying a word, just working silently.
After preparing the tea, Mei San Niang peered at her small stall again and again, still saying with envy, "Even poor families learn to be independent early, it's rare to find someone like your brother..."
After Shen Miao said goodbye and went home, Mei San Niang's envious gaze still lingered behind her.
After arriving home, Shen Miao rested for a while and then forgot about the incident that had happened that day. She immediately began preparing the 150 red bean buns that the Xie family had ordered.
The ingredients, including red beans, coarse flour, sugar, and soybean oil, were all ordered in advance from the grain shop and delivered yesterday evening. Shen Miao had negotiated a long-term supply price with Manager Niu of the "Taifeng Grain Shop," and the grain was delivered to Shen Miao at 90% of the grain price.
Grain prices in the Song Dynasty were not as stable as in later periods, but they have remained relatively stable for the past few years.
Shen Miao was a meticulous person. She feared that a sudden rise in grain prices would inevitably cause her huge losses. Therefore, she carefully inquired with the grain shop manager about the source of grain in Bianjing and the general price increase trend.
Manager Niu was also quite surprised; he had never encountered a grain buyer asking such a probing question before. However, considering that he would be dealing with Shen Miao for a long time, he explained it to her in detail.
After listening to the shopkeeper's words, Shen Miao felt slightly relieved.
In layman's terms, 60% of Bianjing's grain used to be transported from the south via the Bian River. Now, the prices of all kinds of grain in the Song Dynasty are much cheaper than in the previous dynasty. This is because Champa rice was introduced to the Jiangnan region from Jiaozhi (Vietnam), and this rice variety can be harvested two to three times a year, greatly increasing the rice production of the Song Dynasty. Secondly, the Song Dynasty not only achieved two harvests a year for wheat, but also moved from dry hills to plains, and the planting area gradually expanded from Jianghuai and Daming Prefecture to Huainan and Jiangnan.
Therefore, as long as the south is not affected by disasters, the price of grain in Bianjing generally only fluctuates by a few coins every ten days. However, if the south suffers from disasters such as floods, droughts, or locusts, the price of grain will rise sharply within a month.
“The wheat flour from the south is now cheaper than that from Daming Prefecture,” Shopkeeper Niu said with a smile. “Don’t worry, our emperor is a wise ruler throughout the ages. He is not only frugal himself, but also sends agricultural officials to various prefectures every year to supervise agriculture. The river embankments are also repaired every year. As long as the heavens are on our side, neither of us will go hungry.”
Indeed, the Song Dynasty here was very fortunate. History took a turn during the reign of Emperor Taizu. Without the incompetent and tyrannical genes inherited from Zhao Guangyi's lineage, the quality of emperors from Zhao Da's lineage was much better...
As Shen Miao kneaded the dough, she secretly grumbled to herself.
One hundred and fifty steamed buns is quite a lot. She worked all afternoon to make them. She could barely fit twenty of them into a bamboo steamer she had bought before, and they were stacked up to eight layers high.
He tied four ropes on each side, hooked them onto the carrying pole, and under the admiring gazes of Xiang Jie'er and Ji Ge'er, Chen Miao took a deep breath, then shouldered the pole. After standing for a while to get used to the weight, he was able to steadily go out the door.
That's how a carrying pole works; if it's balanced on both sides, it won't feel so heavy.
Ji-ge'er led Xiang-jie'er by the hand and helped her along as the three of them walked slowly. They attracted the attention of many passersby, and even the whispers on the street could be heard.
"Good heavens, this woman looks thin, but she's incredibly strong!"
"Isn't that the pancake beauty from the morning market? Where is she headed?"
"No, what 'pancake beauty'? That's 'pancake-making beauty'!"
"It's almost certainly her!"
"Look... she's made quite a lot. This lady is lucky; she's probably going to have some big spender come knocking on her door!"
Shen Miao was speechless. What "Pancake Beauty"? When did she become the "Pancake Beauty"? Although the person was corrected, the nickname "Pancake Beauty" wasn't much better!
She walked through the streets and alleys, and the chatter of the busybodies didn't cease until she reached West Bell and Drum Alley. When she arrived at the west corner gate of the Xie family's house, she was greeted by the same doorman who had been gossiping with her the day before. Seeing her carrying loads on her shoulders, he quickly jumped up from the threshold to help her.
“Madam Chen? Oh! Slow down, or I'll choose for you. Come, come, give it to me, and I'll take you inside…”
Before Shen Miao could refuse, the carrying pole on his shoulder was taken away by the gatekeeper. The other servants who were waiting with him at the gate surrounded him and teased him: "Yan Qi, did the sun rise in the west today? Why are you being so attentive, you lazy boy? Did you meet a celestial being descended to earth?"
Yan Qi's face flushed red. He gripped the carrying pole and kicked them away, saying, "Go away, what nonsense are you spouting? This is a task assigned by the mistress... Madam Chen, come with me, watch your step..."
Shen Miao just smiled and didn't say a word. At this time, when women are out making a living, they will always encounter some rude people. The more they pay attention to them, the more they will act up. It's better to ignore them.
She bowed slightly and led Ji-ge and Xiang-jie across the high bluestone threshold of the Xie family home.
The side gates of wealthy households were mostly used by servants for entry and exit or for transporting grain, firewood, and water. Therefore, when Shen Miao entered, she found herself in a simple courtyard. The east and west wing rooms had been converted into stables, and many servants were pushing carts carrying fodder. Passing through the courtyard, then along a winding corridor, through another gate, and then through a small garden, she finally entered through a small door and arrived at the outer courtyard kitchen that Yan Qi had mentioned.
Along the way, servants were busy with their own tasks: some were weeding, some were sweeping, and some were climbing up the artificial hill to remove moss... Shen Miao's feet ached from walking, and she was dazzled by the sights. She felt that the Xie family probably had hundreds of servants.
Ji-ge'er grew increasingly nervous as they walked. At first, he looked around curiously, but later he stopped looking and just stared straight ahead. Xiang-jie'er, on the other hand, was very happy. As they passed the small garden, surrounded by lush flowers and trees, she shook Chen-miao's hand and whispered with delight, "Sister, look, there are so many flowers over there!"
Yan Qi led them into the kitchen, which was very spacious and had four long stoves, which were already steaming hot, with many cooks working hard inside.
"This is Madam Shen, who was instructed by the eldest mistress to deliver vegetarian snacks." Yan Qi explained to the cook inside, then unloaded the carrying pole and introduced to Shen Miao, "Madam Shen, this is Chef Fang from the outer courtyard. If you need to borrow any utensils, just tell him."
Shen Miao looked over and saw a burly man with broad shoulders and a thick waist. The man seemed to be stern and was kneading dough. He just nodded at her.
She returned the greeting.
Yan Qi then said, "I'll leave you here. I'll come back in at 2:45 PM to see you out."
Shen Miao noted it down and thanked him again.
After Yan Qi left, the cook looked up at Chen Miao and casually pointed to the two idle kilns beside him: "You can use those two kilns. Don't touch anything else. The firewood needed for the kitchen is in the partition room. Go and get some yourself."
After saying that, he buried his head in kneading the dough again, his two thick arms slapping it repeatedly with a thud.
The man seemed unhappy that she had come. Shen Miao was sensitive, but she didn't care. After all, she had come for money, and she would leave after grilling. What did it matter to her what other people thought or looked down on her?
So she led Ji Ge'er to fetch firewood. There were side rooms on both sides of the kitchen, one for storing firewood and the other for storing grain, fruit and vegetables, so it wasn't hard to find.
After carrying firewood out, one could still see the end of the path. Many neatly dressed servants were using bamboo poles and colorful tarpaulins to build a reed shed for the religious ceremony. Shen Miao tiptoed and peeked over; the figures were numerous, and the sound of chanting could be faintly heard—it was truly a grand spectacle.
He found a small, unused stool for Xiangjie and settled her in a small corner by the kitchen door. From this spot, Chenmiao could see her with just a turn of his head. There was a slight breeze at the door, making it cool and free from the smell of firewood.
Then she took out a huge bun from the top steamer, as big as Xiang Jie'er's head. When Shen Miao was making steamed buns, she took the time to make a red bean paste longevity peach-shaped bun for her, but she accidentally put in too much yeast, and it was ridiculously big.
But since she had already done it, she couldn't let it go to waste. So she steamed it and brought it over.
Xiangjie happily took it. This child really can eat, but for a child, being able to eat is a blessing; only with proper nutrition can one grow tall. Shenmiao didn't make her restrict her diet, and after Xiangjie finished eating, she ran around everywhere, chasing the chickens all over the yard, leaving no room for her to gain weight.
With food, Xiangjie became very quiet.
Now, it sat obediently on a small stool by the door, munching on a huge peach-shaped bun. With each bite, its entire face was almost buried in the bun. This attracted the attention of the chef, who glanced at it several times, probably never having seen such an amusing scene before.
Ji Ge'er stayed by the stove to tend the fire for her. As the stove gradually heated up, Chen Miao got busy.
***
In a quiet courtyard of the Xie family, Xie Qi lay on a bamboo couch, starving, and even his attendant Yan Shu was too weak to move due to hunger.
Today, the family is celebrating my grandfather's birthday. A long shed of reeds has been erected in the open space of the outer courtyard, and 150 monks have been invited to chant sutras for three days. A banquet is also being prepared for the guests. Many relatives and friends have been coming and going from the Xie family these past few days.
Xie Qitian got up before dawn, dressed in plain clothes, and followed his father, uncles and brothers to his grandfather's grave outside the city to pay respects. They then rushed back to the ancestral hall to offer incense before the ancestral tablets. Afterwards, he accompanied his father, uncles and brothers to entertain relatives who had come from afar. They were busy until three quarters past noon before they had a chance to go back to their rooms to rest.
During the midday feast, there will be drinking games and poetry contests, and we also need to prepare for our father to test our knowledge of poetry in front of everyone, so we definitely won't get enough to eat.
"Ninth Brother, why don't you let me go to the kitchen and see if I can find some food?" Yan Shu couldn't stand it anymore and complained, "There are so many people and so much to do at home. The aunt from the third branch is helping the eldest daughter-in-law with her affairs, and she's even transferred all the rough servants from the young masters' courtyards to help. Even Qiu Hao, who manages the study, has been taken away from our courtyard! It's really outrageous! We're so tired that when we come back, we don't even have a hot water heater to use."
Xie Qi didn't like to dwell on these things. His mother wasn't the type to suffer a loss; she would make up for it elsewhere later. As a junior, it was best for him not to get involved. So he simply smiled and said, "I've been busy these past few days and haven't had time to attend to everything. It's alright. It seems Mother went to Grandma's courtyard to talk. I should go and pay my respects and get some refreshments. Why don't we go into the inner courtyard while we're at it?"
Yan Shu jumped up happily: "Great! Let's get the food and then take the path to the kitchen in the outer courtyard. It's closer."
Xie Qi nodded, then put on his clothes and got up. The two of them went down the steps and out of the courtyard.
The sound of chanting wafted on the wind, and the air was thick with the pungent smell of incense. Xie Qi covered his nose with his sleeve and hurried with Yan Shu through the long corridor and across a door. The first thing they saw was a very cute little girl. She had her hair in two round buns with red ribbons hanging down her cheeks. She was sitting by the door under the stove, holding a huge peach-shaped steamed bun and eating it intently.
Where did this child come from? I've never seen him before.
Just as Yan Shu was about to walk forward out of curiosity, a pair of plain embroidered shoes stepped out of the kitchen. Underneath an apricot-yellow jacket was a crimson skirt, and the sleeves were rolled up and tied high with a belt, revealing a pair of fair but strong arms.
Looking up again, I saw a familiar face.
With delicate features and a small, upturned nose, this woman seemed to have been busy at the stove for quite some time. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the fire, like pink and white peach branches sprouting in spring. She also noticed Yan Shu and exclaimed "Ai!" in surprise.
"Lady Chen!"
Yan Shu hadn't forgotten at all. Overjoyed, he blurted out, and excitedly turned to his master behind him, calling out, "Ninth Brother, Ninth Brother, look! It's the Shen Niangzi we met on the boat, the one who makes such delicious soup dumplings!"
Separated by a not-too-long gravel path, Xie Qi had already spotted it without Yan Shu shouting.
The woman stood on the moss-covered stone steps of the kitchen, her eyes seemingly cleansed by the spring breeze, and she looked up from afar.
He was initially surprised, but he quickly remembered the bowl of hot and delicious soup noodles on the boat, and also recalled the vegetarian snacks his mother had sent over the previous evening. He suddenly realized what was going on.
It turned out that the Lady Shen that his mother was talking about was the Lady Shen he had met before.
He also felt a deep connection, smiled slightly, and bowed with his hands clasped: "Madam Chen, it's been a long time."
Shen Miao hurriedly bowed. At first, she didn't really recognize him. But when Xie Qi spoke, his gentle and polite voice suddenly reminded her of the shoe she had stepped on and left a gray mark, as well as the handsome young man's face contorted in pain.
So this Xie Jiuge'er was actually him!
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