Chapter 33 Daily Life at the Stall: Big Dog, Saving Money, Building a House
Shen Miao's shameless remarks, passed down through generations, nearly angered the spirited artisans of the era to the point of severing ties with her on the spot.
Finally, she had to speak softly and negotiate with them carefully. In the end, she sold three brick houses for 68 strings of cash. She also had to provide the workers with two meals a day, water and rice, otherwise they would not be full and would not be able to work properly.
In ancient times, house construction was divided into "five trades and eight professions," but carpenters were the most respected. Carpenters at this time also served as architects and designers, responsible for drawing and designing patterns, as well as guiding construction. Therefore, Old Man Yang, full of energy, carried a carpenter's square and ink line on his back and led his apprentices to Shen Miao's house to measure the land. He and Shen Miao agreed that they would build on the site of the original burned-down house.
In the original owner's memory, these three rooms were actually quite large and very square. One room used to be where her parents and Xiang'er lived, another for Ji'er, and the third was hers. The furnishings were all similar, with beds, tables, chairs, chests, and wardrobes. Now she wanted to convert all three rooms into suites, using flower cabinets as partitions to separate small living rooms and bedrooms. The outer half of Ji'er's room could be turned into a study, while the bedroom behind the partition would be for daily living, thus providing both privacy and a place to read.
In the other three bedrooms, Shen Miao wanted Old Man Yang to build a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe, including a dressing table, directly into the wall using bricks and stones, just like in later generations. Inside, wooden rods and partitions would separate different areas for folded clothes. This way, clothes wouldn't always be folded and wrinkled in trunks, requiring ironing with the bottom of a teapot every time they were taken out, and easily damaged by insects.
The wardrobes of later generations are so much better! If you were to hire someone to build a wooden wardrobe, the cost would be extremely high. But by simply building it with bricks into the wall, you can save a lot of money on wood. After applying putty, you only need to install the wardrobe doors and frames.
All three rooms should have a rainproof platform and front porch, with bricks laid to raise the floor level and rain gutters installed to prevent moisture and insects.
In the west corner of the yard, we'll dig a small pond for her free of charge, pile up some gravel around it, and pave a stone path connecting it to the front porch. And while we're at it... we'll cultivate that patch of land in the east corner as well, fence it off with a wooden fence, so she can grow some fruits and vegetables there. We'll also build her a brick chicken coop and doghouse next to the vegetable garden.
Shen Miao had originally wanted Old Man Yang and his apprentice to build her a grape trellis for free or to help her drive wooden stakes into her yard to erect a clothesline, but seeing Old Man Yang's increasingly pale face, she gave up the idea. She sighed regretfully: "Never mind, I don't want to anger this honest craftsman to death. Where will I find another carpenter with such a good temper and decent skills to work with later..."
After two collaborations on the stall and the house's doors and windows, and finding that both the kitchen door and the courtyard gate were very sturdy and fit perfectly, Shen Miao greatly admired Old Man Yang's craftsmanship and gained a better understanding of his character. When hiring a renovation company, the worst thing is to hire one that cuts corners and tries to take advantage of your lack of expertise, using inferior materials and ending up with a substandard house – that would be disastrous.
Therefore, when it comes to home renovation, the first thing to consider is the character and skills of the people involved, and the price should be the last consideration.
Old Man Yang was not good with words, and his price was not high. The materials he used to make the doors and windows for Shen Miao before were very solid.
Only now could she feel at ease looking for him.
Shen Miao and Old Man Yang talked for over an hour, drinking an entire pot of tea. Finally, Old Man Yang wiped the cold sweat from his brow and said, "Then it's settled. I'll draw up the plans when I get back, and I'll bring the car you ordered over tomorrow."
After saying that, he immediately fled with his apprentice, fearing that Shen Miao might cause some "side incident" trouble.
This Madam Shen was quick-witted and eloquent. Not only was she an expert at bargaining, but she was also good at flattering people. She would say things like, "You are just like Yang Luban!", "In all of Bianjing, I only appreciate your craftsmanship.", "If you give me a discount, I'll recommend you to some jobs later!", "If you can't give me a discount, you'll have to give me something as a gift. I'm a regular customer of yours, so you can't just give me a pittance like this."
He was completely confused and ended up not getting the job that was introduced to him, but he did get plenty of free jobs that cost him money!
Old Man Yang trembled all over as he thought about it, and his apprentice helped him run even faster.
The next day, Shen Miao was very satisfied with the design and the small food cart. He immediately made a decision and found a monk from Xingguo Temple to act as an intermediary. Together with Old Man Yang and other craftsmen, they signed and pressed their fingerprints, and finalized the details of the construction period, payment, house design, etc. In front of the intermediary, Shen Miao counted out forty strings of cash and gave them to Old Man Yang. He wanted to use the money to purchase timber, stone, and to fire tiles and bricks.
Thus began the Shen family's grand house-building project in earnest.
The Gu family was the first to discover this.
Aunt Gu had a cough a couple of days ago. She took two doses of medicine and rested in the house all day without going out.
I woke up early this morning to a rumbling sound from across the street, a cacophony of voices and loud shouts. When I opened the door, I saw that the back gate of the Shen family's house was wide open, with a ramp made of wooden planks, and two strong laborers were dragging column base stones with thick hemp ropes on their shoulders.
After that, two more laborers carrying two loads of sand and gravel also entered the gate. Later, there was a continuous stream of people carrying mud and stones.
Aunt Gu was astonished: Is the Shen family going to build a house?
She stood there for a while and noticed that other neighbors had also come out. Soon they were all crowding around the Shen family's door, peeking in. Later, a carpenter with a face wrinkled like an old tree root chased them away: "Get out of the way! Stop crowding around. What's there to see? They're going to roll logs later! If anyone gets hurt, we won't be responsible!"
Aunt Gu recognized him; he was the carpenter from the Yang family across the Jinliang Bridge. The tables, chairs, and benches in her house were also made by the Yang family. So she curiously stepped forward and asked, "Old Man Yang, is the Shen family going to build a house?"
Isn't it obvious?
Hearing this, Aunt Li gasped and leaned over to ask Aunt Gu, "This Sister Shen has only been back for half a month, and she's already earned enough money to build a house? Look at all those bricks piled up inside, it's for a tiled house! Where did she get the money?"
Aunt Gu instinctively spoke up for Shen Miao: "Sigh, when she got married, Old Shen gave her a dowry of a hundred strings of cash, which caused quite a stir in our alley. It's normal for her to have some savings now that she's returned from her husband's family."
"It doesn't seem like it to me," Aunt Li said, pursing her lips. If it were dowry money, they would have started preparing to build the house within days of returning home, not waited until now. Her mind raced. She remembered that the Xie family steward had come several times, and Shen Miao had also been frequently visiting the Xie family these past few days. She had even encountered the coachman picking her up several times! It seemed that this Miss Shen's money came from the Xie family!
She's struck it rich!
Aunt Gu frowned when she saw the sour look on her face. "Even if it wasn't, it's still money she earned from working hard from dawn till dusk. Since the eldest sister came back, she's been getting up earlier than the chickens and working later than the dogs. It's not a big deal to earn some money to repair the house that burned down. The three siblings can't keep living in a dilapidated house, can they? Old Shen has already left behind a few orphans and widows, which is pitiful enough. What's wrong with her earning some money to build a house? We're all neighbors, we've all watched these children grow up. Li Tiaozi's wife, don't be so picky."
That's what they say, but what kind of business can make so much money? It's just curiosity... Aunt Li didn't say anything, but peeked out one last time. The Shen family's courtyard was already bustling with activity. She stood there for a while before turning around and leaving.
Aunt Gu shook her head and turned to go back to her own home.
Gu Tusu also got up and stood in the courtyard, wiping his face haphazardly with a towel.
Aunt Gu stepped forward and asked, "The Shen family is building a house. You've been hanging around their eldest daughter every day. Are you aware of that?"
"I don't know." Gu Tusu's face darkened, and he turned to leave.
"Hey, you brat!" Aunt Gu said, bewildered. "What's wrong with you? Why are you throwing a tantrum?"
The house was busy, messy, dirty, and full of people. Shen Miao took her money jar, Xiang Jie'er, the dog, and the kitchen knife with her, leaving Ji Ge'er, who was going to study, at home to look after the chickens and the house. Before leaving, she brewed a large vat of strong tea for the craftsmen and steamed five trays of braised pork and coarse flour buns. Then she pushed her newly baked food cart to the morning market.
Her home was bare, with only three beds, a few benches, and a table. Now, to feed dozens of people, she barely had any leftover food, so she wasn't worried about anyone stealing it.
Aside from a few cheap bed frames, bedding, and stools, there was nothing else. If a thief saw her house, he'd probably have to donate a few coins as a token of his appreciation.
Although Ji Ge'er is not very old, he is good enough to guard the house.
Shen Miao took all her money out and hid it in a basket under the food cart.
After the morning market closed this morning, she planned to take all the copper coins she had accumulated at home to a large money exchange in Bianjing for silver. Copper coins were too heavy and took up too much space, making them inconvenient to store. The price of silver was always relatively stable, with one tael of silver worth one string of cash, and they were small in size, making them easy to hide.
She had originally considered the various paper money shops in Bianjing, but she heard that a "storage fee" of thirty coins would be deducted for every string of paper money exchanged. Although the government had now issued "official paper money" and even decreed that the crime of counterfeiting paper money was equivalent to counterfeiting official documents, and that anyone caught would be sent to the execution ground to be beheaded, Shen Miao still had little trust in the credibility of these "banks" that were first freely issued by merchants.
In this era, nothing is more secure than gold and silver.
Besides, she wasn't the kind of wealthy woman who needed to carry large sums of money when she went out, so she didn't need it for the time being.
Money is still the best!
However, silver was just a convenient "fixed-term" savings for her; she still had to use copper coins for daily expenses.
She was preoccupied with money matters and didn't notice that the small food cart attracted a lot of attention as soon as it was pushed onto the bridge.
The cart was brightly decorated, with two wheels and a wooden sign carved on the roof, painted in a striking red that could be seen from afar. Blue cloth curtains were also nailed to the cart, with the words "Chen Ji Bakery" written in large characters by Ji Ge'er.
The stall was pushed back to its original location. Mei San Niang looked at it with curiosity and even came over to touch it, marveling, "Where did you get this? It looks so nice! You can even put things on the cutting board? I really envy you, you always have one idea after another."
Shen Miao then promoted Old Man Yang's carpentry shop as well.
This cart is not only aesthetically pleasing, but it also has grooves on the sides, allowing Chen Miao's small jars and food containers to fit snugly, preventing them from tipping over when going uphill or downhill. A large round hole is specially designed in the side, and there are load-bearing crossbars underneath, allowing for the embedding of small clay stoves and griddles. There's also storage space on the side.
There were hooks on the handlebars, and Shen Miao hung a wicker basket with a handle, lined with oil paper, to hold eggshells.
Shen Miao placed a deep wicker basket on the crossbar under the cart, lined with some straw dog mats she had woven herself. Underneath the mats was her money box, and on top of the mats were the dog's bottoms. She placed the dog and the basket next to the oven where she made pancakes. In the morning, the weather was still a bit chilly, so this way the dog could follow her stall without fear of the wind or the cold.
The puppy was very well-behaved when we bought it. It didn't bark or pee indiscriminately. Shen Miao taught it to pee in the ditch a few times, and it quickly remembered. Xiang Jie and Ji Ge both loved it dearly. When Ji Ge was reciting and writing characters, it would quietly lie at his feet without making a fuss. Xiang Jie would take it to play in the yard, and the two of them would play beanbag toss until they were covered in sweat.
Xiangjie has a new playmate and is finally no longer bothering those three chicks. She had previously given all three chicks names, but Chenmiao has forgotten what they were called. She only remembers that the yellow hen with the most down and the roundest frame was named Rongrong. Now, Xiangjie has fallen in love with someone else and no longer likes the white rooster the most.
She once said angrily, "The little white chick always flies around and pecks people. I don't like it anymore. Rongrong is much better. She listens to me and doesn't run around." After that, she often let Rongrong sit on her head or shoulder to sleep, calling it, "Rongrong is my best friend."
Now that they have a puppy, Sister Xiang no longer holds daily meetings for the chickens, and Shen Miao and the chickens all breathe a sigh of relief.
Now, when she goes out with her stall, she no longer falls asleep after eating. Chen Miao props up the car, and Xiang Jie'er has already lifted the curtain covering the car body, crawled half her body inside, and is lying there playing with the dog.
The puppy hasn't been named yet, but Shen Miao really doesn't know how to name puppies. She can only think of names like Da Huang, Lai Fu, and Wang Wang, but they all seem a bit too old-fashioned. So she decided to think about it for a few days before making a decision.
Miss Mi arrived even earlier. She had already set up her stall and was focused on carving the wooden hairpin in her hand. When she saw Shen Miao arrive, she took a moment to look up and smile at her: "Good morning, Miss Shen."
Good morning, Xiaomi.
Then she noticed that Shen Miao had changed the food cart, and something seemed to be gurgling inside. Curious, she turned to look and saw Xiang Jie'er's bottom still sticking out. Upon closer inspection, she saw a two-month-old yellow and white puppy hidden inside.
“Madam Shen has such a large family to support.” Mei San Niang also noticed this and covered her mouth to chuckle. “The number of people in the family is really growing.”
While tending the stove, Shen Miao smiled helplessly: "I originally planned to buy a big guard dog, but I didn't find a suitable one at the market yesterday and ended up buying a puppy instead. Its teeth haven't even grown in yet, how can it guard the house? I regret it too, I can only wait for it to grow up slowly."
But perhaps it was fate. After visiting so many cat and dog stalls, she was only moved by this little dog.
"It doesn't matter. Only those raised from childhood are truly loyal to their master." Mei San Niang waved her hand dismissively.
Just then, someone asked cautiously:
"Does Madam Shen want a big guard dog?"
The old woman standing in front of Shen Miao, waiting to buy some cakes, overheard their conversation and said, "I have a fierce old dog that I've had for eight years. A few years ago, a thief climbed over the wall and was nearly killed by this dog. If Madam Shen needs it, I'd be happy to give it to you."
The old lady's surname was Wu. Every few days, she would bring her granddaughter Xiangguo'er to buy cakes, and Shenmiao recognized her.
Her granddaughter, Xiangguo'er, had a poor appetite since childhood and was a real glutton. No matter how many hawthorn pills she ate, it was no use. Often, after painstakingly preparing a meal, she would only eat a few bites. But she loved Shen Miao's pancakes. So whenever Aunt Wu chased after the child for three miles with a bowl in her hand and the child barely ate anything, she would buy some pancakes and red bean buns to coax the child back home: "If Xiangguo'er is willing to eat properly, I will take you to buy pancakes and steamed buns from Madam Shen's house."
As Shen Miao was packing the cakes into an oil paper package for her, she heard her words and asked in confusion, "You've raised such a smart dog for so many years, why do you want to give it away, Auntie? Wouldn't it be better to keep it?"
Aunt Wu looked distressed and sighed, "It's a long story... Thunder is the name of my old dog. It's fiercely protective of its owner, very imposing and tall, and incredibly strong." The old woman pointed to the child clinging to her leg, tears streaming down her face. "One day, my Xiangguo was being bullied by other children in the alley. Thunder heard Xiangguo crying, and in a panic, it broke its leash, leaped over the wall, and barked wildly as it pounced on the bullying child. It didn't bite, but the child hit the back of its head on the ground, and blood wouldn't stop. My legs aren't strong enough, and I couldn't stop it in time! Later, I took the child to the clinic, and the bleeding stopped in time. Fortunately, nothing serious happened. The child was treated with medicine, and after half a month of rest, the scab on the back of its head scabbed over and healed. But afterwards, no matter how much my family apologized, even after receiving ten strings of cash as compensation, the parents of that family still insisted on killing the dog and eating its flesh to vent their anger. Otherwise, they would report it to the authorities and have the dog beaten to death."
Shen Miao fell silent. This kind of thing... there was really no solution.
“Their family is large and powerful, and they come to our door to cause trouble every day. My son and I really have no choice. We originally thought of sending Lei Ting to our relatives' house in the countryside to raise, and then giving them some other meat as a substitute. But our relatives and friends are also a little afraid of Lei Ting, a dog that has hurt people before. But... he is really a good dog, he usually doesn't hurt people.” Aunt Wu wiped away her tears and sighed, “So when she heard that Madam Shen wanted to buy a dog, she was desperate and grasped at straws. I know that Madam Shen has two children at home, and she is probably afraid that the dog will go crazy... just pretend I didn't say anything.”
Aunt Wu took the cake, shook her head, and sadly took Xiang Guo'er's hand to leave.
Turning her back, Xiangguo grabbed Wu Da Niang's sleeve and cried as she pleaded with her grandmother, "Grandma, please don't kill Leiting, okay? Leiting is a good dog..." But all she got in response was Wu Da Niang's repeated sighs.
A thought struck Shen Miao, and she called out to them, "Auntie, please wait."
She hadn't agreed before because she thought that the dog Lei Ting, as the old woman had described, would probably only recognize one master in its entire life, and even if she were given it to her, she might not be able to keep it. But now that she knew about this, she was afraid she would feel uneasy if Lei Ting were really killed and eaten.
"When you have some free time later, bring Leiting to my house for a look. I'll see what he's made of," Shen Miao finally said.
Even if it wasn't a confirmation, it was enough to bring tears to Aunt Wu's eyes: "Oh, oh! Madam Chen, I really don't know how to thank you."
Shen Miao shook her head: "I'll just take a look first; I probably can't be of any help."
"With your kind heart, Lei Ting has a sliver of hope to survive." Aunt Wu thanked her profusely and hurriedly pulled Xiang Guo'er back home.
Mei San Niang only came over after they left and whispered to Shen Miao, "You really want a dog like that? Although it doesn't cost much money, I reckon it won't last more than a few days before it runs back home. It's impossible to tame it."
Miss Mi blew away the wood shavings and nodded slightly: "Even if my dog is sent to the countryside, it can always find its way back."
Shen Miao was reminded of her grandfather's dog. In her past life, her family had a retired police dog they adopted named Jifeng. It was very fierce and had participated in flood relief efforts. It was injured in its leg and had to retire. When she was a child, no one dared to bully her because Jifeng would always protect her.
Jifeng would carry her schoolbag to school, and he would also check the clock and calculate the time to wait for her at the school gate after school.
Rain or shine.
At any moment, the moment she shouts, he rushes to her like a god descending from the heavens.
Later, Gale grew old and went back to Dog Planet.
After Grandpa reported it to the police dog base and obtained their permission, he went to a pet burial agency and finally buried Jifeng's ashes in the yard of his old home, under the osmanthus tree where it used to love to lie and sleep.
She whispered, "Let's take a look first, let's take a look first."
After this little incident, another guest arrived. Shen Miao composed herself and continued with her work.
As the weather gets warmer, the sun rises earlier.
Xie Su walked out with dazed eyes. He had been staying in the brothels of Zhulian Lane for three or four days. If he didn't go home soon, he was afraid his mother would beat him to a pulp with the Xi family's long stick. He prepared to go home early this morning.
But after drinking and carousing all night, his legs felt like they were walking on cotton. He stumbled along, relying entirely on the servants by his side for support.
He struggled halfway there before his mind, dulled by the alcohol, finally came to its senses. His eyes glazed over as he asked his attendant, "...Where's my car? Why didn't Zhou Lao Er come to pick me up?"
The attendant chuckled and said, "Madam is preparing for a banquet, so all the carriages and horses in the house have been sent back. They're either out of town to buy things, delivering invitations to various households, or sending letters to relatives and friends in Chenzhou and Caizhou. She hasn't had a moment to spare. A few days ago, when Ninth Brother went out to study, he only had a donkey to carry his bedding. Even Ninth Brother had to walk the whole way."
Xie Su was stunned: "This... Mother is too cruel."
He's been indulging in debauchery for so long, and instead of sending someone to look for him, his mother has even sent away the carriage!
"Third brother, don't be afraid. Madam has already said that you can drink as long as you want, and even if you drink yourself to death, she won't care."
Xie Su rubbed his aching temples, feeling a mix of emotions. Finally, he slowly leaned on his attendant's shoulder and sighed, "Let's go then... Hey, when we get to the bridge, let's buy a bowl of Er Chen Tang to help me sober up, otherwise I won't be able to walk back."
Huffing and puffing, Xie Su finally arrived at Fat Sister's Fragrant Drinks. Exhausted, he plopped down on a small bamboo stool next to the shop and fanned himself with his sleeve. However, he was attracted by a familiar aroma. Turning his head, he realized: Oh, it's Xi Shi, the pancake maker.
After more than ten days apart, Xi Shi had become even more beautiful.
When I first saw her, I thought Xi Shi looked rather pale and haggard. She was beautiful, but she looked tired because of her lingering illness. Now, she seemed to have recovered her spirits. Her complexion was fair with a rosy glow, her eyes were lively, and every frown and smile was truly captivating. Eight out of ten customers who came to buy her cakes left with blushes.
"Mo Chi, go buy a cake too." Xie Su sipped his Er Chen soup, not forgetting to instruct his servant. Although he was quite drunk, his appetite was awakened by the aroma of the cake, which also reminded him of the delicious food he had eaten half a month ago.
Soon the cakes arrived. Xie Su drank tea and ate the cakes while enjoying the breeze on the bridge. Suddenly, he felt his heart open up and relaxed. The fear and sorrow he felt because of his mother's cold and disappointed attitude seemed to have dissipated.
He finished the bread in a few bites, his stomach was warm and full, and he felt a little more awake. He took the silk handkerchief handed to him by the servant and wiped his trembling hands. Unexpectedly, the wide sleeve slipped open, revealing a huge and hideous old scar on his wrist.
The scar stretched across his wrist, a shocking sight. The wound was so deep, it looked as if his hand had been chopped off at the wrist.
Xie Su seemed not to have noticed, casually tossing aside a silk handkerchief, his wide robe and sleeves concealing the wound once more.
After he finished eating and drinking, he didn't leave. Instead, he rested his chin on his hand and smiled as he admired Xi Shi making pancakes.
A warm spring breeze wafts along the Bian River, causing colorful banners to flutter in the wind and lifting strands of hair from a beautiful woman's temples—truly a beautiful sight.
Beautiful women and delicious food, but what's missing is fine wine. Xie Su couldn't help but think with a hint of regret.
As Shen Miao finished making the last pancake of the day and was scraping off the crumbs from the edge of the griddle with a spatula, she turned her head and noticed that focused and undisguised gaze.
She looked over and saw a young man in his early twenties, dressed in fine silk and reeking of alcohol, clearly still hungover. Although he was staring intently at her, his gaze was unfocused and dreamy, as if he were looking at her, yet also lost in his own dream.
There are plenty of men staring at her every day; how can she not be looked at when she's out doing business? Shen Miao didn't take it to heart. But she still glanced at him a couple more times, feeling that this person looked somewhat familiar, but... she couldn't quite put her finger on why.
Not remembering, she shrugged, smiled and said goodbye to her regular customers, packed her things, took Xiang Jie'er's hand, and Xiang Jie'er took the dog's hand, and they pushed the cart home.
After lunch, she led Xiangjie to the money exchange and exchanged all her savings for silver ingots and loose silver. She watched as the money shopkeeper took out two large silver ingots pressed into round cakes from a tray and weighed them on a scale. She leaned over the counter, her eyes shining.
Xiang Jie wanted to see too, but she wasn't tall enough to reach the counter of the money exchange, so she hopped around Shen Miao like a rabbit.
One string of copper coins could be exchanged for about one tael of silver, but if the copper coins were of poor quality, they could not even be exchanged for one tael of silver.
Shen Miao earned some good coins and some bad coins from her own stall, but the two coins the Xie family gave her were brand new, shiny, and heavy; even the money shop manager couldn't find fault with them. After deducting daily expenses and money for building a house, she finally exchanged them for a total of forty-eight taels of silver.
Some of these savings came from Sister Shen's dowry that she brought back from the Rong family, and some that she hadn't used up; some were what she earned from her daily stall; and some were leftovers from the Xie family's food purchases. A single silver ingot in this bank weighed twenty taels. Even though it was a silver ingot, it was full of the simple style of the Song people. The surface only had hammer marks, and the bottom was engraved with the year of casting and the official mark, and there were no other patterns.
The remaining eight taels were a large piece of silver that had been cut off with special scissors. The weight was measured and given to her along with the silver.
Before leaving, Shen Miao hid the two silver coins in her inner garment, one on each side, and tightened the belt tightly. She straightened her now full and sagging breasts and strode forward with Xiang Jie in her arms.
Her chest felt heavy, but it didn't matter; she was willing to bear this burden.
It was noon, and the craftsmen had all gone home to rest, not expected to return until 1:45 PM. She then closed the door, dug a hole in the chicken coop, hid the silver ingots inside, and instructed Xiangjie and Jige to watch the house before going to the Xie family to teach Chef Fang how to make pastries.
Knowing that she was coming, Yan Shu had come to the kitchen early to wait for her.
As soon as he entered the door, he shouted to her, "Ninth Brother has gone to the academy to study and isn't home!"
Shen Miao chuckled and said, "I didn't ask."
Yan Shu stuck out her tongue: "I think Madam Chen will definitely ask."
She wrinkled her nose, wiped the flour-covered face of Yanshu with her hands, and snorted, "Don't talk nonsense, little page."
Yanshu cried out and rushed out to fetch water to wash his face.
Chef Fang chuckled beside him. Ever since he learned that he was to learn Shen Miao's pastry-making skills, he had regarded Shen Miao as his reborn mentor. Today, he arrived early at the side gate to wait for her, preparing tea and snacks in advance. He even somehow managed to bring out a round-backed chair so that Shen Miao could sit comfortably and give her instructions. He also started addressing Shen Miao as "Ms. Shen."
It sounds strange, but Shen Miao told him not to change it.
When she returned from the Xie family, she found that Aunt Wu was already waiting at the door with a large black dog on her back.
As dusk approached and the last rays of sunlight faded, shadows stretched across the alley. A large, black dog, with its prominent bones and sharp, pointed ears, sat beside Granny Wu like a straight sword. From afar, Shen Miao, who had just alighted from the Xie family's carriage, met the dog's alert gaze.
Shen Miao approached in a daze. Although she could tell at a glance that Lei Ting from Aunt Wu's house was not a German Shepherd—and she knew, of course, that there wouldn't be German Shepherds in the Song Dynasty—its fur was still black and brown, and its eyes were bright and upright. Seeing Shen Miao approach, it slowly stood up, its expression stern and alert.
She stopped in her tracks.
What a majestic dog!
“Thunder, from now on you will follow Madam Shen.” Aunt Wu squatted down and rubbed the big black dog’s head. The dog, which had been standing motionless, now wagged its tail affectionately. Aunt Wu’s eyes were filled with tears and her voice choked with sobs, “I’m so sorry that my family couldn’t protect you.”
Lei Ting then nuzzled her hand with his head.
Aunt Wu took Shen Miao's hand and slowly held it up to the dog's nose, letting Lei Ting sniff it and become familiar with her scent.
Thunder looked up at Shen Miao, her image reflected in its almond-shaped brown eyes. It didn't seem to feel any aversion towards her, but it wasn't affectionate either.
Seeing that Lei Ting was quiet, Aunt Wu breathed a sigh of relief.
She took another step to the side, and behind her was another large bundle containing a big bag of dog food, a mat made of scraps of cloth, two dog clothes, and even a "Juqiu" stuffed with cotton. All of these were hand-sewn by Aunt Wu under the lamp.
Even Shen Miao felt a little ashamed of herself for her own dog.
The house wasn't finished yet, and her little dog was still living in the chicken coop, spending all his time sleeping with the chicks.
As Aunt Wu was leaving, she carefully told Shen Miao about Lei Ting's preferences. It liked to gnaw on big bones, but also, like a cat, loved fish soup. It loved playing Cuju (ancient Chinese football), and was incredibly fast, even able to carry a child on its back. It could also pull a cart and help carry water. She diligently listed Lei Ting's good qualities, hoping Shen Miao would like it.
“Madam Chen, the moment I saw you, I knew you were a good girl. You will treat Leiting well, won’t you? In the future, may I bring Xiangguo to visit it occasionally? If it’s inconvenient, I don’t mind not coming anymore.” Aunt Wu looked at her and pleaded hesitantly.
Shen Miao took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away Wu Da Niang's tears: "You can come anytime, don't feel like you're bothering me. I have no parents or husband at home. I am more than happy to have such a kind and gentle elder like you to associate with me."
Aunt Wu was relieved and left. She had only taken a few steps when Lei Ting got up to follow, but she stopped him. She waved her hand forcefully, not allowing him to follow: "Go back, go back."
Thunder hesitated and stopped in place, then barked a few times.
Shen Miao was then certain that Aunt Wu was not lying to him; the big dog looked scary, but it was actually very well trained.
The injury that day was an accident.
Later, Wu Da Niang disappeared from sight, but Lei Ting refused to go into the courtyard with Shen Miao. It sat on the platform where Shen Miao had placed flowers at the door. When it got tired, it curled up under the platform. It seemed to remember Wu Da Niang's words that it was not allowed to leave, so it waited obediently.
Shen Miao didn't force it. She laid the mat that Aunt Wu had brought under the platform, tied the dog leash to the door knocker, poured some dog food for it, and went inside. She had another dog at home. The dog smelled Lei Ting and was so frightened that it trembled all over. It darted into the chicken coop and Xiang Jie couldn't pull it out no matter what she did.
Xiangjie didn't dare to look at Leiting either. That night, she hugged Chenmiao and whispered, "Leiting looks so fierce. I'm afraid it will bite me."
Shen Miao then told her the story of Lei Ting. Xiang Jie'er clutched the quilt, listened without saying a word, and looked thoughtful. Shen Miao was still wondering what she would say when she turned her head to the side, closed her eyes, and fell asleep.
It turns out that falling asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow is no exaggeration.
Ji-ge came in, put the books away, got up, and turned off the light. He thought it was good that Lei-ting had come: "With Lei-ting here, no one will dare to come near our house. If we get used to it, we can even teach our little dog how to guard the house. Sister, look, your little dog is still in the chicken coop!"
Shen Miao was also helpless. When she bought it, it was clearly very brave! It was probably because Lei Ting was so big and strong that it was probably as tall as a person when it stood up, like a fierce general among dogs. It was normal for a small dog not even as tall as its leg.
It will be better when you grow up.
But the day after Lei Ting arrived, Shen Miao noticed that fewer neighbors were peeking into her house.
Especially Aunt Li, who was afraid of dogs, would even walk around her house, which could be considered a blessing in disguise.
In the days that followed, the Shen family continued their usual routines: Shen Miao continued to set up her stall and teach cooking at the Xie family's house; the large tabby cat, Sang Biao, continued to come and mooch fried eggs, even bringing along another orange cat companion; Lei Ting continued to stay indoors; and the dog continued to play with the chickens. Nothing unusual happened.
Just as the building was nearing completion, the Imperial Academy posted a notice and announced with gongs and drums that the entrance examination would begin soon.
This was a major event, and the entire city of Bianjing was shaken.
Shen Miao had already taken Ji Ge'er to register his name. The Biyong Academy also required verification for its entrance examinations, and only sons from respectable families in Bianjing were eligible to take the exams. They also had to pay a fee of two hundred coins. As a result, many people went, but only a few passed the verification. However, it was said that several hundred people still took the exams in the end, making the competition quite fierce.
This time, she went to collect her examination number. Biyong Academy was located in the outer suburbs, covering a vast area, reportedly more than fifty acres. Every year, bamboo examination sheds were set up in places such as the Cuju field, horse field, and arrow pavilion for the entrance examinations. The children had to enter the examination sheds with their examination numbers.
This examination for children was quite prestigious, lasting a whole day. Participants had to bring their own writing materials and food.
However, the examination rooms in the examination tents were very small, with three rattan walls, a table and a bench, and nothing else. Each room was like a prison cell, and only hot water was available. The items that could be brought in were also strictly restricted. Most of the children who came to take the exams could only bring some dry biscuits to eat with water, so it was certain that they would not eat well.
But Shen Miao had a secret weapon: to ensure that the food was both delicious and convenient. She had prepared it for Ji Ge'er well in advance.
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