Chapter 43: How about starting anew? Has the results really been released?
"drive--"
The sky was overcast, as if the heavens were holding back a downpour, yet it remained suspended. Some merchants traveling from afar to Bianjing carried their luggage, leading donkeys, horses, or camels, looking weary from their journey. Zhou Xiao carefully drove the Xie family's carriage away from Chenji Tangbing Shop, passing them through the bustling streets and alleys.
The carriage shaft trembled slightly, the axles creaked, and the gauze curtains, which had just been replaced after the start of summer, swayed in the wind. Xie Qi's figure was vaguely visible inside the carriage, his brows slightly furrowed, deep in thought.
When the carriage stopped at the east corner gate of the Xie residence, Xie Qi jumped down and instructed Zhou Da, "Wait here for a while, I'm afraid we'll have to go out again soon." He then hurriedly entered the main courtyard and headed straight for the small flower hall where Xi Shi usually managed affairs.
He walked through the outer corridor and had just stepped into the hanging flower gate when the gatekeeper, who was waiting at the gate to announce his arrival, saw him and immediately bowed and said, "Ninth Brother, Madam is busy and instructed me to tell you that if you come, please go back to your own courtyard first, and send someone to invite you when she has time."
Xie Qi stopped in his tracks, his mind filled with conflicting thoughts that seemed to be stuck in his chest. Just now, Madam Shen had said a lot of things that he couldn't quite understand, such as, "If you really want to supply the border, you should get permission from the court, right? If the higher-ups don't allow it, I won't do this business. I'm just a commoner and can't fight against the court. That's one point."
Secondly, I think even if the imperial decree agrees, we should be cautious to minimize the risk of long-term cooperation. I have a suggestion you can consider: it would be best to set up a "firewall company" under the Xie family and above the actual workshop. This way, the actual owner of the soup noodle workshop would not be the Xie family or the Shen family, but our two families would indirectly control the workshop by holding this firewall company.
Ninth Brother? Ninth Brother, do you understand? Actually, one layer of firewall isn't enough; it's best to design a higher layer... This way, family assets can be completely separated from the risks of the business.
He tried very hard to memorize it, but his mind was so tangled that he felt it was harder than writing ten policy essays in an hour.
But her mother was skilled at cooking and managing the family property, so perhaps she could understand what Madam Shen meant!
He silently recited the incomprehensible words in his mind again, paused for a moment, and then asked, "How much longer will Mother be busy? Do you know which manager or the head of the estate is inside answering the question?"
The doorman was also puzzled and shook his head: "It's Third Brother who's here. He came to the main courtyard early this morning with a big bundle, waiting for Madam to get up." He paused and then smiled, "I wonder if Third Brother has come up with some strange idea again. If Ninth Brother is in a hurry, he might as well take a walk in the garden. I'm afraid Madam will get angry if she hears this and will beat him up again in a while."
Xie Sanlang is unreliable. He's already in his twenties and still gets beaten frequently—a fact known to every servant in the Xie family. The servants dare not show it openly, but they all secretly look down on this third brother.
Xie Qi looked at the sky in confusion. It was still early. His third brother never got up before noon when he was at home. What was wrong with him today? After thinking for a while, he couldn't figure it out, so he sighed and flicked his robe: "Then I'll go and greet Grandma. If Third Brother comes out in a little while, call me immediately."
"Yes, I've remembered it."
Madam Xie was known for her philanthropy and devotion to Buddhism and Taoism. Therefore, she lived in the small courtyard on the north side of the Xie family compound, which was closest to the Daxiangguo Temple. Her father, Xie, who was famous in the court for his calligraphy, even wrote the three characters "Xuancao Hall" in a flamboyant style for his mother's residence.
Xuancao Hall had transplanted many lush and verdant pines and ancient cypresses, and the air was filled with the fragrance of incense all day long. Outsiders who came to visit always said that it was indeed a quiet place where devout people lived. But when Xie Qi stepped into this quiet and elegant courtyard, feeling the cool breeze from the pines, he heard his great-grandmother's booming voice laughing: "I won! I won! Hahaha!"
Beneath the elegant and upright pine and cypress trees, there were no people seeking enlightenment, only a few monks and nuns and an elderly woman in fine clothes with white hair, playing dominoes while eating seasonal fruits and cricket cakes.
In just a few days, why did Grandma move the mahjong table outside?
When Xie Qi walked over, Madam Xie was skillfully counting money, holding a red thread in her hand, stringing the copper coins in one by one, laughing happily: "You lost again, don't say that I, this old hag, am always scheming to cheat you out of your little bit of incense money. Later, each of you can take a box of these pastries home to eat. They are made from milk oil... Oh, our Ninth Brother is here."
"Greetings, Grandmother." Xie Qi stepped forward and bowed deeply to greet her. He also clasped his hands in prayer to the monks and nuns before turning to Grandmother Xie and asking in detail, "Grandmother, did you sleep well last night? Did you have breakfast today?"
Madam Xie's eyes immediately went blank. Yu Mama, who had served her for decades and never married, covered her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed, "Madam Xie had four egg yolk pastries for breakfast. Later, she felt it wasn't enough, so she had someone make her a bowl of soup noodles with two eggs added."
Xie Qi was immediately at his wit's end. He said helplessly, "Grandma, have you forgotten again? Last time you ate too much, you groaned and squatted in the outhouse for so long. Your legs were so numb that they cramped up, and you kept saying you would never eat so much again. And now? You've forgotten the pain as soon as the wound heals."
The monks and nuns chuckled to themselves.
The matriarch of the Xie family puts on airs in public, but in private she's just a gluttonous old child who loves all sorts of new and exciting things—something all the nuns who frequent the family know.
Madam Xie, however, did not take it to heart and retorted, "How old am I? If I can't eat this or that, what's the point of living? I might as well die early and be reincarnated to enjoy life sooner!"
"I didn't say you couldn't eat, I was just worried you'd feel uncomfortable if you ate too much..."
The grandmother and grandson started arguing back and forth over this trivial matter, but before they had exchanged more than a few words, a maidservant lifted the beaded curtain at the door and announced in a clear voice, "Madam and Third Brother have arrived."
Xie Qi and the Grand Madam both fell silent.
The nuns always came to the Xie family under the guise of preaching Buddhism, but in reality they never recited a single sutra. They only accompanied the matriarch to play cards and eat and drink. When they heard that the eldest daughter of the Xie family had arrived, they hurriedly sang "Amitabha" and quickly slipped away through the back door to say goodbye.
Lady Xi strode over.
She wore her hair in a high bun and a light blue silk jacket with wide sleeves. Her appearance was elegant yet spirited. Although she was no longer young, she exuded the poise and competence that she had cultivated over many years as the head of the household.
"Our Chun Jun has arrived." Madam Xie smiled and nodded to Xi Shi. Even though Xi Shi had been married into the Xie family for so many years, as her mother-in-law, she still affectionately called her by her maiden name, instead of calling her "Xi Shi," "eldest son's wife," or "eldest son's wife."
She was extremely satisfied with this daughter-in-law. Ever since she married Xi, she immediately handed over the power of managing the household. From then on, she ate well, drank well, and slept well. Especially after Xie's grandfather died, the old lady became even happier. She would often invite a few old friends over to play cards, or go out to travel, watch plays, and listen to music.
They would watch those burly, imposing men singing shirtless in variety shows, sometimes for an entire day without going home.
She felt stifled in the city, so she would go out to live on the estate, surrounded by her children and grandchildren, and without having to worry about trivial matters. She was extremely happy.
After Lady Xi entered, she was followed by another person.
The old lady's gaze then fell on Xie Su, who had arrived behind her, and she was taken aback.
Xie Zi actually looked a lot like Xi Shi. He was more dashing and agile than Ninth Brother, but he ruined his good looks by indulging in wine and women. He always looked like he was living a life of debauchery and staggered around. People always forgot that he was the youngest martial arts graduate since the establishment of the martial arts examination in the seventh year of Tiansheng.
But today he seemed to have been reborn. He was no longer wearing his usual loose robes, but instead a long robe with narrow sleeves and a waist cinched with gold and silver embroidery, a dark leather belt around his waist, and black leather boots on his feet. His hair, which he used to wear in a messy state after drinking, was now tied up high with a hairpin.
This made Madam Xie feel dazed. She took out her acupuncture needle and put it on her nose, as if she had seen Xie Su from three years ago.
The Xie family's children were almost all accomplished in both literature and martial arts. As the eldest son of the main wife, how could the Xie family not do their best to raise Xie Fu? Unfortunately, the child was unlucky. He had just been admitted as a military scholar in the palace examination when, the very next day, his mentor Xu Cun was implicated in the succession struggle, and the entire family of three was murdered.
Using the Xu family's unjust case as a pretext, the late emperor did not hesitate to wield the butcher's knife against the major aristocratic families. Many scions of these families became accomplices in the treason case and were imprisoned one after another like dumplings being dropped into a pot.
By weakening the aristocratic families and promoting those from humble backgrounds, the late emperor intended to pave the way for the young crown prince with the blood of the aristocracy.
Three years ago, the succession struggle caused the deaths of countless children raised with painstaking care by prominent families. Despite the advice of Xi Shi and Xie's father, Xie Suo continued to investigate the Xu family case in a time of fear and uncertainty, determined to seek justice for his mentor. However, he ultimately failed, was betrayed, and lost a hand.
He was so reckless, yet he managed to survive amidst such turbulent times and national upheaval. Perhaps it was because the late emperor spared his life for the sake of Consort Xie, who had entered the palace years ago and single-handedly closed the palace gates to save her family from certain death.
But the child was still ruined.
For three years, Lady Xi ignored him and let him do as he pleased, seemingly abandoning her eldest son entirely. Perhaps this was also a way of showing the Xie clan's submission to the current emperor and the Empress Dowager.
“Brother…” Xie Qi also stood up. He stared at Xie Su for a long time, almost unable to come back to his senses.
Xie Su smiled at him. In that smile, her eyebrows and eyes were like silver hooks, and all her regrets were dissolved in laughter.
Lady Xi had already taken her seat below Madam Xie, and personally served her a cup of hot tea, speaking in a calm tone:
“Mother, today my third son came to see his wife and talked to her for a long time,” Madam Xi said, her eyes welling up with tears. “This child said he wants to leave Bianjing and go to Qinzhou to join his maternal grandfather. From then on, he will practice martial arts diligently in preparation for the arrival of the mission to the Western Regions next year. After that, he will ask his maternal grandfather for a recommendation to go with the mission to the Western Regions.”
Madam Xie was immediately alarmed, slammed her teacup on the table, and said urgently, "How can this be? Qin Prefecture is in chaos right now, with rebellious Western Qiang people everywhere. Haven't you heard? Not long ago, they even dared to kill a third-rank official carrying the banner of the Great Song Dynasty. It's too dangerous!"
Xie Qi also turned his head sharply to look at Xie Su. He didn't say a word, but just knelt down straight.
This kneeling also brought tears to Lady Xi's eyes:
“Mother, let him go! He can't do anything if he stays in Bianjing; he'll just waste his life. Back when the Xu family was in trouble, this boy insisted on investigating the case, but just when he got a lead, the two night watchmen who saw someone climbing over the wall were run over and killed in the street! His own hand was almost cut off... and then the palace coup happened…”
Xi wiped away her tears and gritted her teeth as she continued, "For the sake of the Xie family's survival, we endured it and dared not make any further moves, but it was a hardship for him... We thought he would live in such a daze for the rest of his life, but we never expected that he would have a day when he would come to his senses. It's good that he left Bianjing. He's not under the watchful eyes of those ghostly Imperial City Guards anymore. Who cares what his surname is?"
Madam Xie also looked saddened, her eyes reddened, and she nodded heavily.
“If you, as a mother, are willing, what can I say? I just…”
Her aged eyes looked at Xie Su, and she bent down to pull him up, choking back tears as she said, "Third Brother, your great-grandmother is getting old. If you leave, you may not be able to come back for three or five years. In the future, I'm afraid we will never see each other again. If you go, remember to send back many letters so that your great-grandmother knows if you are safe and sound!"
Xie Su's sorrow and reluctance were stirred up again by what was said, but he quickly became resolute. He knelt down again and kowtowed three times to Madam Xie. He said in a hoarse voice, "Grandma, I have been drunk in the wine vat every day and my mind is all muddled. But yesterday, I drunkenly went into a shop to eat soup noodles and was unexpectedly enlightened by a young lady. I finally had a great awakening."
As he spoke, he repeated Xu Xiake's words about the preciousness of life almost verbatim. Overwhelmed with emotion, he blurted out, "Although Madam Shen comes from a humble background, her character is far superior to mine. She said that Xu Xiake, even though he could no longer walk, still knew how to hold a pen and write. I've only lost one hand, but I still have my legs and my left hand. How can I continue to waste my life like this?"
“When Mr. Xu was still alive, he once gifted me a poem by Li Bai: ‘Even in death, his chivalrous spirit will remain, worthy of being a hero in this world.’ He hoped I could be such a person, but I have failed him.” Xie Su thought of the tragic death of his teacher’s entire family, and his already weak hand trembled again. “Before, I thought I was incompetent, unable to clear Mr. Xu’s name or save those two people, and could only live a life of ignominy, feeling extremely ashamed. Now, however, I understand that I must fulfill Mr. Xu’s last wish, and I must live on and climb higher. Only by achieving feats that others cannot reach can I reopen this case, and only then can Mr. Xu be exonerated. Hiding is death, avoiding is death, so I might as well have a clear conscience and do my best!”
Madam Xie and Lady Xi were so moved by Xie Su's words that they didn't notice anything else. They cheered and helped him up, about to pat him on the shoulder to encourage him, when Ninth Brother suddenly asked blankly, "Brother, which Lady Chen are you talking about?"
"What Lady Shen?" Madam Xie was forgetful and could no longer remember.
“Chen Niangzi from Yangliu East Lane,” Xie Su said obliviously, pointing to the empty porcelain plate on the table. “Even your mother knows her. She’s the one who runs the soup dumpling shop. Oh, great-grandmother, the cricket cakes you’re eating are hers.”
Xi nodded, "I see. What she said really resonates with me, and to say something like that, she must be a rare and insightful person. Very good. By the way..." Xi remembered something, turned to Xie Qi, and asked, "Speaking of her, didn't Ninth Brother go over there today? Ninth Brother, did you ask Madam Chen about setting up the instant noodle soup workshop? How did it go? Ninth Brother? Ninth Brother?"
Xie Qi stood there lost in thought, his ears turning red, without saying a word. Later, he even started chuckling to himself.
He already knew.
Lady Shen is truly the best person in the world.
When Madam Xie saw this, she shook her head and sighed, "Is there bad feng shui in our Xie family? How come our eldest grandson is fine, but our youngest grandson has become stupid?"
Lady Xi burst out laughing, glancing at her youngest son, but secretly keeping a close eye on him.
***
"Achoo!"
Shen Miao, who was being eyed by the Xie family, was squatting in her own yard, learning how to make "soap balls" from Aunt Gu. She had just started when her nose suddenly started itching and she sneezed.
Could someone be insulting her?
Shen Miao rubbed her nose and continued watching Aunt Gu pound the pig pancreas. She followed suit and tried her best to pound the pig pancreas, which had already been cleaned of fat and meridians, into a paste.
After Ninth Brother left in the morning, she busied herself cooking and selling noodles for a while, and then she had some free time. Just as she was about to go out to buy pig's head meat, Li Tiaozi suddenly knocked on the door again and said that the merchants from the outer city were all saying that Biyong Academy would be posting its results today! He was going to the outer city to wait for the results to be posted and asked if anyone from Shen Miao's family was going.
So Shenmiao hurriedly sent Jige'er out of the city with Li Tiaozi to check the list.
Before he left, Shen Miao pulled him aside again, bent down to look into his eyes, and told him again: "Ji-ge'er, remember. It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter whether you pass the exam or not. You don't need to deny yourself because of this entrance exam, understand? Life is a long journey, don't blame yourself. Go, after you see the results, your older sister will cook you something delicious tonight."
Ji Ge'er took a deep breath and nodded: "I understand, elder sister."
Shen Miao then let him go.
Xiangjie took Youyu to walk the dog and hasn't returned yet.
Shen Miao went out and bought pig's head meat. She then went to the Gu family to order wine for the next month. There she saw Aunt Gu making soap in the yard. After watching for a while, she excitedly expressed her desire to learn. Without saying a word, Aunt Gu brought over pig pancreas and other Chinese medicinal herbs and led her to make soap together.
There were already shops selling soap balls in the Song Dynasty. There used to be one in Yangliu East Lane that made soap balls, but they moved away later. However, Aunt Gu had probably seen how they made them a few times when she visited. It was really not difficult. She figured it out herself after a few tries. From then on, she not only made them for herself, but also sold them at the market.
She didn't keep her knowledge to herself, and before long, all the women in Yangliu East Lane learned from her how to make soap balls.
Shen Miao has now become her closed-door disciple, the soap ball.
"After pounding the pig pancreas, add some bean flour, lard, aconite, soapberry, and arborvitae leaves..." Aunt Gu said as she added the ingredients. The other ingredients were also roughly ground in a stone mortar. After mixing them together, they were pounded again, kneaded into balls, and then placed in a cool place to dry for a day before they could be used.
It's actually quite simple.
Shen Miao curiously squeezed the still-shattering ball of soap in her hand, which even smelled a bit stinky.
"Don't worry about how ugly it looks. It's much more economical to buy it this way than from the store. A piece like this sells for thirty coins outside." Aunt Gu said proudly. "With the addition of soapberry, you can get a lot of lather just by washing it with water. Take that lather and splash it on your face and hair, and wash it like that. It will come out extremely clean, dry, and comfortable."
Isn't this... a handmade facial soap? Shen Miao held it in her hand, looking at it from left to right. She felt that if she put this thing into a mold and pressed it, it would be exactly the same as the handmade soaps that sell for exorbitant prices in later generations.
The cost of this thing isn't very high.
So why did a bar of handmade soap sell for over a hundred yuan in my past life? It was only thirty coins a thousand years ago! Feeling cheated, Shen Miao became indignant.
Aunt Gu arranged the soap balls in the winnowing basket, when she suddenly noticed the jasmine flowers that Shen Miao had placed in a vase under the eaves. A thought struck her, and she remembered the scholar who had come to eat soup noodles that day. She leaned over and whispered to Shen Miao, "Elder sister, tell your aunt honestly, is someone interested in you?"
Shen Miao paused for a moment, then said, "No."
"Really not?"
"No, really, they all come here just to eat soup dumplings." Shen Miao smiled frankly. Even Xie's ninth brother, who comes most frequently, always comes to discuss business and cooperation in a very serious manner.
There was no affection to speak of.
When discussing shares with Ninth Brother, she almost blurted out that she wanted 50% of the shares. But then she thought about it and realized that it wouldn't be good for each person to own half. An equal shareholding structure would lead to a decision-making deadlock. If things were to go wrong, wouldn't it be impossible to reach an agreement?
It would be better for her to share the profits, become an effective major shareholder, and not get involved in so many management aspects, but just enjoy the dividends.
She swallowed her words back just as they were about to come out, changing her mind to 30%, but it was too late to stop herself. Then, under Xie Qi's puzzled gaze, she chuckled awkwardly and slowly withdrew two fingers.
Moreover, she discussed many details with Ninth Brother, and it's unknown how he discussed it with Madam Xie after returning home.
If this matter can be successfully resolved, she, Ji-ge'er, and Xiang-jie'er will have a stable sum of money, making their lives more secure. If the workshop does well in the future, she will receive a larger share of the profits, and she will also have start-up capital to open branches or expand her noodle shop.
Shen Miao was lost in thought when she heard Aunt Gu chuckling as she held the winnowing basket: "That's not necessarily true! How do you know they didn't come to eat the soup dumplings because they value you?"
"I'm a divorced person, who would want to marry me after just a few bowls of soup noodles?" Shen Miao said this, but she was actually quite happy and wished no one would come to propose to her. She actually thought this was quite good, as the divorce had saved her a lot of trouble.
Aunt Gu disagreed. Looking left and right, and seeing that the alley was quiet and no one was passing by, she secretly said to Shen Miao, "Eldest sister, you mustn't say that. How many women remarry? Even the Empress Dowager in the inner palace, the most noble person in the world, didn't she come from humble beginnings and was a remarried woman? When her family couldn't make ends meet, her husband pawned her into the Prince's mansion as a maid for a few dozen strings of cash, and now she's the Empress Dowager, isn't she?" [Note]
This was the first time Shen Miao had heard of such a shocking gossip. After all, the original Sister Shen had no memory of it. Her eyes widened: "Selling his wife?? Sending her to the Prince's mansion as a slave?? The Empress Dowager's ex-husband is even worse than my ex-husband!"
"Shh, shh! He's now recognized as the late emperor's sworn brother and has been granted the title of Marquis of Lejiang. It's like his whole family has risen to prominence. You mustn't scold him, or it'll be terrible if someone hears you." Aunt Gu quickly waved her hand to stop her.
Shen Miao curled her lip: "Someone like that can be granted a marquisate."
Indeed, the world is full of diverse life.
"We have to put on a show. If we don't say he's her brother, what else could we say is the Empress Dowager's ex-husband? Where would that leave the late Emperor's face? We can just find a connection, get a purple robe and a nominal title, and shut the world up. Why not?" Aunt Gu was quite open-minded. "That's why I said you don't need to belittle yourself. So what if you're a second-marriage? Look, the most powerful second-marriage woman in the world is in the inner palace!"
There are so many women who remarry, but only one has become Empress Dowager! She must be incredibly capable; otherwise, how could she have risen from the tragic beginning of being a concubine to the highest position? Everyone's life experiences are different, so how can we make comparisons? Shen Miao was both amused and exasperated, but her heart was warmed. She knew that Aunt Gu was trying to comfort her.
As they talked, they carried a winnowing basket to dry the soap. After they finished, Shen Miao thought for a moment and wondered if they should close the shop for the day.
It wasn't that she was lazy, but rather that she had been too busy lately and hadn't had a chance to properly spend time with and care for Xiangjie and Jige. It was her mistake. Why not have a nice meal today, and then take them to the night market for some fun?
She closed the shop immediately, hung up the "Closed" sign, said goodbye to Aunt Gu, went back to get some money, and went to the market to pick out a big, fat chicken. She usually ate pork, but hadn't had chicken in a long time.
Regardless of whether Ji-ge'er could pass the exam or not, Shen Miao decided to cook a delicious meal that evening. She pondered for a while; there was no sunshine today, and the wind had started to get a bit chilly after noon.
How about making a wood-fired stewed chicken? And then stick some flatbread around it. Although it's just coarse flour flatbread, not cornbread, sticking it to the pot will make one side crispy and the other soft and chewy, and it will soak up all the chicken broth from the pot. It'll definitely be delicious.
She did as she was told, picking out two large chickens and killing them as soon as she got back. Just as she was about to take the chickens into the house, she suddenly heard hurried footsteps coming from the alley entrance. Shen Miao turned around and saw Ji Ge'er, who was running with a flushed face and covered in sweat!
The hair that Shen Miao had tied up for him in the morning had all become messy, and it was disheveled in the wind as he ran.
"Sister!"
He was breathing heavily, bending over and holding his knees, gasping for air. He could only call out "Chen Miao" once before he could say nothing more.
Shen Miao stopped in surprise, picked up the white chicken, and immediately turned around to walk quickly towards him: "You're back? Why did you come back alone? Where's Uncle Li?"
"Uncle Li... Uncle Li is still behind, I... I couldn't wait any longer... Whew... I ran back... Whew..."
"So, are the results really out yet?"
"Let...whoosh...let it go..."
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