Chapter 49 Broken Bones Reconnected, Sister, I'm Not in Pain.
The water shimmered, and on the stage opposite the waterside pavilion, the performance was already past its halfway point. In the past, such a wonderful show would always draw enthusiastic cheers from the guests, who would throw flowers, fruits, and even gold, silver, and silk onto the stage. But today was strange. People first buried themselves in their food, then kept praising it to their neighbors, especially the hot and rich Hu-la-tang, its color like amber. After finishing a bowl, some guests still wanted more, exclaiming to Feng Yuan, "Such delicious food is truly something I've never seen before! Have you changed your chef?"
No one paid any attention to the clear and melodious opera singing.
Before Feng Yuan could answer, another person stepped forward: "Dr. Feng, where did you find such a chef? His skills are truly superb. We should invite him to our banquet in the future." Afterwards, someone else was still squinting, savoring the spicy soup: "This soup is really... at first I didn't think it was that good, but after eating it, I realized that even the bowl was empty. It's a pity that pepper is expensive, and it can only be tasted at the Feng family's house."
Although the Feng family is now in decline, their ancestors were once members of the Northern Yan royal family. It is said that during the late Tang Dynasty, tens of thousands of catties of pepper were found in the cellars of the Feng family's various estates, which were later all looted by Huang Chao's army. However, as a family with hundreds of years of history, their influence is not entirely forgotten. The Feng family lives in the outer city and does not usually flaunt their wealth, but whenever guests visit, their meals are always filled with rare ingredients such as abalone, sea cucumber, badger, deer, beef, mutton, bird's nest, and bear paws, which gives a glimpse into their riches.
Unfortunately, the Feng family's cooking skills were lacking, resulting in a waste of their culinary talents.
Today's banquet, though lacking in rare delicacies, was even more delicious and varied.
Presumably, this all depends on the chef's skills!
Feng Yuan scratched his head, feeling somewhat bewildered by the questions from the guests. Although he was the head of the Feng family, he hadn't been home for quite some time—he and these guests had arrived at the Feng family almost one after the other today.
If it weren't for his mother's birthday, which forced him to return, he would still be diligently writing on the back hill of Biyong Academy today.
Therefore, he had no idea whether the family had changed chefs or which chef they had hired.
However, it's certain that the chef will be replaced, as this is not a skill that Feng Twenty-Five could produce. His family's chef was also a slave who had been raised in the family for generations, but due to war and dynastic changes, many of the Feng family's recipes were lost. Not only did the family members decline, but even the glorious skills of the former royal chefs were lost.
Feng Twenty-Five was the tallest among the short, barely usable. Moreover, because the Feng family had a sweet tooth, Feng Twenty-Five developed the habit of always adding sugar to his dishes.
He adds a spoonful of sugar to stir-fried vegetables, a spoonful of sugar to scrambled eggs, and a spoonful of sugar to stewed beef. Without sugar, he finds it difficult to cook.
The Feng family was used to the food and didn't find it particularly bad; how could something sweet be unappetizing? However, outsiders had a very poor opinion of the Feng family's banquets, something Feng Yuan had only heard about. He used to think that those people were simply uncultured, had never tasted such delicacies, and didn't know how to cook them, which was why they spoke so disparagingly.
But today, he tasted a completely different flavor and understood what it meant to have no taste of maltose at all, yet still have the sweetness of the dish. He realized that without adding sugar, relying entirely on bringing out the natural flavor of the ingredients, one could make such a delicious dish! It was only after tasting today's dishes that he realized how different the culinary skills could be, even among chefs!
The difference in skill was immediately apparent. It turned out that the gossip behind his back—"The Feng family's banquet is utterly awful"—wasn't slander, but simply the truth. He secretly wondered to himself: the chef preparing today's feast must be a seasoned veteran with decades of experience. He wondered where his wife had found her; he had certainly made the right choice. Could she be the head chef of Fanlou Restaurant?
So he became curious and whispered a few words to his servant, ordering him to bring the head chef of the day to see him.
Feng Qiniang was also curious about the person in charge of cooking.
She was probably the only one in the Feng family whose sense of taste hadn't gone numb; she never had any expectations for the family's three meals a day, let alone a feast like this. She had been somewhat troubled these past few days, constantly thinking about the calligraphy and paintings she had seen at Shen's Soup and Pancake Shop that day.
A person's handwriting reflects their character. A person's handwriting not only reveals their temperament, but also reveals their state of mind when they put pen to paper, as seen in the characters they wrote on different days. When agitated, the strokes are sloppy; when perfunctory, the ending is hasty; when calm, the characters are neat; and when happy, even the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal strokes seem light and graceful.
Ninth Brother practiced Zhong Yao's calligraphy, which was natural and unforced, appearing effortless and perfectly formed. She had originally studied the Wei style, but later followed Ninth Brother's example and switched to the Zhong style, spending her days copying the "Declaration of Loyalty." Therefore, she knew the characteristics of Ninth Brother's calligraphy well.
She... actually knew.
Ninth Brother had been betrothed since childhood to a noblewoman from the Cui family. Unable to suppress her admiration, she could only gaze from afar, keeping her bitter feelings hidden in her heart. But recently, her mother mentioned that Ninth Brother had broken off the engagement; the poor Cui woman was seriously ill and didn't know how many years she had left to live, so the marriage was cancelled. Her mother lamented how bumpy Ninth Brother's love life had been. Lost in thought, a strange, yet despicable hope and joy arose within her, and she began to visit Ninth Brother more and more frequently at the academy.
But he treated her the same as always, without changing his attitude despite the change in their marriage.
Feng Qiniang thought that she should actually be sad for Ninth Brother since his engagement was over, but the wild joy growing in her heart was undeniable. She thought that she no longer had to feel guilty for secretly admiring him, and perhaps in time, Ninth Brother would eventually see her good qualities? The Feng family and the Xie family were well-matched and on good terms, and thanks to this family background, she felt that she seemed to have grown closer to him.
But these two paintings and calligraphies shattered her self-deception. The calligraphy hanging at Shen's Soup and Pancake Shop was written so freely, almost as if it were done in an instant. This shows that when Ninth Brother wrote these words, his heart was also filled with immense joy.
Even though Ninth Brother is no longer engaged, he can still fall for other women, even if it's just a woman selling pancakes on the street in the marketplace, but it will never be her.
These days, Feng Qiniang was consumed by this despondency, unable to eat or drink. She often buried herself in her blankets, heartbroken and afraid of being seen by her mother and the maids around her. Even when tears fell, she would quickly wipe them onto her pillow. In the pitch-black night, only the brocade quilt covering her body and the pillow under her neck knew of the sorrow in her heart.
Today is her grandmother's birthday banquet. She doesn't care about her grandmother or the dishes. She dressed up carefully, hoping to see Ninth Brother. Unexpectedly, only Madam Xie came. Now her only hope was dashed. She lost her appetite and sat next to her grandmother like a wooden doll.
As the dishes were served one by one, their aromas eagerly wafted into her nostrils. Even her mentally challenged grandmother became quiet, no longer bothering her mother with nitpicking. She ate quietly and obediently from beginning to end, accepting whatever the servants offered her—a truly rare occurrence.
Feng Qiniang also took a sip of soup in a sullen mood. The strong spiciness caught her off guard and made her cough, which also brought tears to her eyes. She lowered her head and said, "It's so spicy."
But in the end, she cried freely for herself.
The soup whetted her appetite, and every dish that followed suited her taste perfectly. When she was so full that her belt felt tight, she suddenly realized that she had finished a bowl of soup, a bowl of soup noodles, a whole fish, a sesame seed cake, two jade rolls, and even the two desserts—she had eaten them all!
She was immediately filled with regret: she had previously agreed with Shiyi Niang to moderate her diet, so that she could wear her newly tailored beautiful clothes and go out to see the snow and lanterns when the New Year was approaching in the dead of winter.
I broke my rule again today!
At this moment, a man and a woman suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor, led by a servant bowing.
Led by Feng Yuan's personal attendants, they went up to the waterside pavilion. Feng Qiniang heard people talking: "Dr. Feng has invited today's chef." "Really? I also want to see what kind of amazing person he is! His skills are truly beyond compare!" "Make way, I also want to see who has such the ability to turn the rotten into the miraculous."
Although the dishes prepared by her own cooks were indeed not as delicious as those today, they were not necessarily rotten! Feng Qiniang was unconvinced, so she used her round fan to partially cover half of her face and peeked out from behind the screen.
The waterside pavilion was connected to the covered walkway. The man, with his square face and burly build, was not particularly handsome. However, behind him, a slender woman gracefully approached.
She wore a light blue, narrow-sleeved jacket made of fine cloth, with a green silk sash around her waist and a plain pleated skirt. She wore only a silver hairpin in her hair. However, this somewhat shabby outfit looked exceptionally beautiful on her, as if she were naturally beautiful without any adornment.
As you get closer, you'll find that she is exceptionally beautiful, with delicate eyebrows and eyes, a small and pretty nose, and lips that seem to have been naturally slightly upturned, making her very approachable. Not to mention, her slender shoulders and waist are so small that they could be encircled with one hand, making even her simple cloth dress look beautiful.
Feng Qiniang was stunned, not to mention the other guests at the table. Many people, recovering from their astonishment, couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"Such amazing skills, I originally thought it would be an old man with a white beard..."
"And there's one who's actually a woman..."
"That woman is so beautiful! Her movements are as light as a swallow, and her demeanor is quite remarkable. Perhaps she is a cook carefully trained by some prominent family?"
"Why does he look so familiar..."
Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, suddenly a guest stood up with great delight and exclaimed loudly:
"It's Madam Shen! It's Madam Shen from Shen's Soup Dumplings in Yangliu East Alley! I knew it! That bowl of mutton soup dumplings today tasted just like Madam Shen's cooking! Sure enough, I was right! Haha! Haha!"
The man was overjoyed for some reason, almost dancing with excitement. He grabbed his friend and was so excited that he spat out words: "I am completely convinced by Madam Shen's exquisite cooking skills, and I think about it day and night! Sometimes I really wish I could move to Yangliu East Lane! Unfortunately, there are no rooms available! I told you this before, but you wouldn't believe me! I can't say it a thousand times, but it's not as good as seeing it with your own eyes and tasting it with your own mouth, right? I haven't lied to you, have I? Isn't it extremely delicious? Isn't it? Hahaha!"
Feng Qiniang was taken aback again. Willow Lane? Shen Ji?
Why...why does this sound so familiar? She felt dizzy. Could there really be such a coincidence in this world?
Madam Feng and Madam Xi then stood up one after the other and gently introduced the woman to the guests, which calmed them down. The guests then learned the reason: the Feng family's cook had fallen seriously ill, so they had asked the Xie family for a cook, and the Xie family had recommended this Madam Shen… Now it all made sense.
That chef from the Feng family, he recovered from his illness, he recovered miraculously! Many people had this thought in their minds: if he hadn't been sick, they would probably have been faced with a table full of hard-to-swallow sweet dishes, and they wouldn't have been able to enjoy such delicacies!
Noble families often held banquets, and they would borrow each other's cooks frequently. The wives of the families knew exactly who had a good cook and what dishes they were good at.
Of course, no one would ever be so foolish as to borrow a cook from the Feng family.
But today they added one more thing to their minds:
Yangliu East Lane, Shen Ji, Shen Niangzi!
Shen Miao stood there, offering only a professional smile, calmly accepting the various gazes and words of praise, admiration, and curiosity from the crowd, without uttering a single word. She knew that at this moment, there was no need for her to say anything more.
The people only became interested in her because of a delicious feast. But it's unnecessary for them to feel flattered and think they've caught the eye of these "distinguished people."
Madam Feng also sincerely praised Shen Miao in public: "Madam Shen's cooking skills are truly extraordinary. Today's birthday banquet is all made more wonderful by Madam Shen. Thank you very much for your hard work."
He also took the opportunity to praise Chef Fang, who had been neglected on the side.
Shen Miao continued her business with a smile, saying, "I wouldn't dare." Then, she blinked and added aptly, "If Madam Feng needs to hold a banquet in the future, she can still come to me."
Madam Feng smiled and agreed.
The guests heard this and couldn't help but feel agitated.
Shen Miao's words were actually meant for them, so when she glanced at the expressions of the other officials' wives, she felt that everything was in the bag.
She had just finished cooking and was eating with the other cooks in the kitchen when she started thinking about this – organizing banquets could be a long-term job! But she only needed to take two orders a month, otherwise she wouldn't have time to run her own shop, which would be putting the cart before the horse.
Shen Miao's goal is to open her own grand restaurant, so she needs to manage her small soup noodle shop even more carefully now, growing it step by step from small to big, accumulating funds, cultivating her own team, and slowly building her reputation!
After that, she and Chef Fang left.
Although the Feng family's banquet has ended, there are still many activities to follow, including watching operas and enjoying tea, visiting the garden to admire the scenery, and exchanging pleasantries and strengthening relationships among the families.
All of this was no longer Shen Miao's concern; she and Chef Fang could now take the money back.
The two walked together to the end of the covered walkway, and then Madam Feng's maidservant came over with a generous reward. The gold cakes from the Feng family were two taels each and were engraved with the Feng family's name. It was two taels more than they had agreed on before.
I got a total of twelve taels!
The Feng family is incredibly wealthy and keeps their fortunes hidden!
At that moment, Shen Miao's fake smile instantly turned into an exceptionally genuine one.
She hugged the lacquered box containing the gold ingots tightly to her chest, thinking happily, "Although the gold in the Song Dynasty wasn't polished, it still shines. It feels heavy in my hand and glitters in my eyes."
How beautiful!
Chef Fang also received twelve gold coins, which he accepted with embarrassment. After all, Shen Miao had been the main cook at today's banquet, and he had only helped with some odd jobs. If he weren't the Xie family's chef, the Feng family probably wouldn't have been so generous. It was all thanks to Madam Shen!
Shen Miao didn't feel resentful. They originally invited Chef Fang, but Madam Xie wanted to make things more convenient, so she invited her as well. To put it bluntly, she only got this fortune because of the Xie family.
So she smiled and said goodbye to Chef Fang, and the two went their separate ways. The Xie family was as efficient as ever; as she walked out of the Feng family's side gate, Zhou Da was still waiting for her!
She got into Zhou Da's car and excitedly returned home. She thought to herself, she had to hide this money quickly! This was a huge sum of money! Unfortunately, the money shops in Bianjing were all private and not as reliable as the banks of later generations. She could only hide the money deep in the cellar.
When she arrived at her doorstep, she pushed the door open with great joy, only to find the yard quiet. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that the children and Aunt Gu had already finished all the chores around the house.
The water vat is full, and the firewood is chopped—this must have been done by Ji Ge'er.
The two pine trees bought on opening day were watered and their branches pruned. Even the wildflowers that Xiangjie picked were kept in water in ceramic jars and placed on the windowsill. This must have been done by Chen Chuan, who has been quietly staying by the flowerpots these past few days.
Thunder and Wind's fur still felt damp, clearly having just been washed—this was probably Xiang Jie'er's doing, since both dogs had their hair braided.
All the eggs in the henhouse were collected, and the chicken droppings were raked out and taken to the vegetable garden to fertilize the soil. Chen Miao's chives, which had been harvested once, were now sprouting new green shoots, along with cucumbers, loofahs, eggplants, and green beans climbing lushly up the small bamboo poles. Several old, yellowish loofahs were picked, washed clean, and hung to dry in the sun—such careful work must have been done by Aunt Gu.
She first climbed down into the cellar to put the money away, then strolled over to the front porch. Peeking inside, she saw Xiangjie sleeping soundly, her little belly covered by a small floral quilt. Aunt Gu was taking a nap with her, holding a palm-leaf fan in her hand.
Shen Miao tiptoed in, took the fan and placed it aside, then covered Aunt Gu's belly with it. She then went to check on Ji Ge'er's room. Ji Ge'er and Chen Chuan were sharing a room, and with the weather getting hotter, it was too hot for them to sleep together. So Shen Miao set up a makeshift bed for him on the floor. But ever since they had eaten pickled bamboo shoots and pork soup together that day, Ji Ge'er had been pulling Chen Chuan onto the bed to sleep together, making him sleep on the inside. The two often slept head to head, their foreheads covered in sweat.
She was thinking about these things when Chen Chuan opened his eyes immediately, having only just reached the door.
He instinctively shrank back, his back arching like a cat's, and suddenly looked up at the door. Only when he saw that it was Shen Miao standing in the shadows outside did the intense wariness and fear in his eyes slowly fade away.
For some reason, Shen Miao felt relieved when she saw him breathe a sigh of relief.
Then a bitter feeling welled up inside: He was about the same age as Xiang Jie'er, such a young child, how much suffering had he endured to become like this?
After thinking for a moment, she beckoned Chen Chuan to come out.
Watching Chen Chuan tiptoe over the soundly sleeping Ji Ge'er, limping carefully in his shoes to her without making a sound, she felt a pang of sadness. She reached out and took his hand, saying, "I'll take you to see your leg."
Chen Chuan silently let her lead him. He was still extremely thin, with sunken cheeks, and it would be difficult for him to gain weight anytime soon. When Chen Miao squeezed his hand, she felt as if she was holding nothing but bones.
When they arrived at Zhao Taicheng's house, they had the most skilled old doctor there, who was also an expert in treating sprains and bone injuries, examine Chen Chuan. The old doctor rolled up his trouser leg, pinched Chen Chuan's skin-and-bones leg, which was covered in bruises and scars, and when he looked up at Chen Miao, his gaze became sharp.
Shen Miao quickly explained the origin of the child, otherwise she felt that the old doctor would spit at her fiercely and report her to the authorities so that she would be arrested.
“There are no other problems, it’s all from hunger, it can be healed slowly. As for the leg… it’s easy to treat, there’s still hope. Do you want it treated?” After listening to Shen Miao’s explanation, the old doctor withdrew his scrutinizing gaze and asked in a very calm tone.
His words made Shen Miao and Chen Chuan subconsciously relax their shoulders.
That's great, it's the best if there's hope!
Shen Miao nodded firmly and smiled, "Look at what you're saying. If it can be cured, then it definitely can. Cured? That means... cured right now?"
"Alright, it can be treated right now." The old doctor touched the child's leg again, pressing one hand on the crooked bone and rubbing it a few times.
Suddenly, the old doctor looked up, pointed outside the door, and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my, look what's that?"
Shen Miao and Chen Chuan both turned their heads to look, but saw nothing. In the blink of an eye, the old doctor slammed Chen Chuan's twisted leg hard onto the stool, and there was a "crack" sound.
Caught off guard, Chen Chuan cried out in pain, his whole body trembling, and his lame leg dangling limply.
Shen Miao's eyes widened, and she quickly hugged Chen Chuan tightly, whose face was pale with pain and whose body was instantly drenched in sweat.
The old doctor had already slowly and deliberately straightened his broken leg, ruthlessly pulled him up, and readjusted the position of the broken bone. This time, Chen Chuan cried out in pain again, but the old doctor ignored him. Instead, he applied some herbs to him and called out to the young apprentice to bring some pills, stuffing them into his mouth and making him swallow them.
Then they wrapped it with clean cotton cloth and asked the waiter to fetch a specially made splint:
"A short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one. Since we're going to treat this, we can't be afraid of the pain; after all, this is a lifelong matter. Rather than telling you and making you cry and scared, it's better to get it over with this quickly. These pills are for pain relief, take them twice a day, morning and evening. I'll also prescribe a formula to break up blood stasis, promote blood circulation, and help tendons and bones heal. Douzi! Come here! Go to the counter and weigh out two zhu each of frankincense, myrrh, prepared rhubarb, and borax; three zhu each of dragon's blood, drynaria, and wine-processed angelica; and thirty ground beetles. That's all, grab them!"
Then, turning to Shen Miao, he said, "You should decoct this medicine morning and night. Just pour three bowls of water and boil it down to one bowl. Take it for five days and then see. Your diet should be light and nutritious. Eat at least one egg every day, and no spicy or fried food. There will be some swelling in the next few days. Remember to bring the child over for me to check on whenever you have time, just in case the bone heals slowly. Also, absolutely no one is allowed to put weight on the child. Don't bump or bruise the leg. Take good care of the child for three months. If the recovery goes well, you can come back to have the splint removed."
Chen Chuan was still trembling in her arms, clenching his teeth tightly, but the trembling was so severe that his teeth were chattering, and a few gasps escaped his throat, clearly indicating that he was still in great pain. Shen Miao held him, her eyes fixed on the old doctor wrapping the cloth around his legs, her hands trembling slightly involuntarily.
Although she knew the old doctor meant well for the child, she was completely unprepared, and this was far too violent. Wasn't he going to give her a bowl of anesthetic? She was both shocked and heartbroken.
It was so hard, such a tiny little child, having to go through so many interruptions.
She just stared, her mind wandering, until Chen Chuan's hand, still trembling from the pain, suddenly touched her cheek. Only then did she realize that her face was covered in tears.
"Sister, I'm not in pain."
He was gasping for breath.
"Don't cry."
***
Later, on the way back with Chen Chuan on her back, Shen Miao kept asking him, "Does it still hurt?"
Chen Chuan's voice was hoarse, but he always told her it didn't hurt.
Shen Miao carried him on her back without any difficulty. She then instructed, "If it hurts, you must tell me. I'll ask the old doctor to prescribe some more painkillers." As she spoke, she couldn't help but complain, "How could they do this? They just broke it like that! It scared me to death!" In modern times, wouldn't they have to sign a surgical consent form and undergo general anesthesia?
Medical care at that time was really crude; they just pried it open with their bare hands.
But judging from the old doctor's confident demeanor, there shouldn't be any problems, right? He's the doctor from Zhao Taicheng's family again. He's so old; he's probably broken more legs in his life than Shen Miao has ever eaten.
She kept rambling on and on, trying to comfort herself, but in reality, she was also trying to comfort Chen Chuan.
Chen Chuan didn't say anything, but after a while, a slightly prickly head gently fell against Shen Miao's neck. Chen Chuan rested his head on her shoulder. Although he didn't say anything, this affectionate gesture softened Shen Miao's heart slightly, and she made up her mind: if she had time tomorrow, she would go to a lawyer to ask how to register Chen Chuan's household registration, hoping it would go smoothly.
She hooked the medicine packet with her fingers, lifted Chen Chuan up a little, and also turned her head to gently touch his messy hair that she had cut.
"Come on, let's go buy some meat and I'll make you egg drop soup and pork rib congee. Let's grow up strong and healthy so you can get better soon!"
***
The next morning, Shen Miao didn't open her shop. She planned to finish the banquet at the Feng family's house and then take a day off. First, she wanted to handle Chen Chuan's household registration issue; second, she wanted to buy a few large fish and, while she was at it, buy a wooden wheelchair from Old Man Yang. She vaguely remembered seeing one of these things when she bought furniture from his house a long time ago; and third, she wanted to order a batch of pottery stoves and baking pans from the pottery kiln.
That's right, the sweltering summer is almost here, and she's planning to serve a big dish at the shop! Today is a good day to try it out and invite Aunt Gu's family over for a meal, as a proper way to thank Aunt Gu for her help yesterday.
So, after taking good care of his younger siblings, the dog, and the chickens, Chen Miao changed his clothes, slung his bag over his shoulder, and went out.
She walked all the way to the back gate of Xingguo Temple, where an old lawyer surnamed Deng lived. He lived in the temple not because he was poor, but because people came to Xingguo Temple to borrow money every day. He was the perfect middleman or help to draw up contracts. He could easily sit there, talk, and write and earn a lot of money.
Shen Miao had previously asked Old Man Yang to draft the contract when he built her house. Having dealt with him before, she thought he was a decent person, so she came to him for "legal advice" this time as well. Some lawyers are rotten apples, without conscience. They take advantage of borrowers' illiteracy and deliberately write down the wrong loan amount. After the borrower signs and puts their fingerprint on the document, they are then pressured to repay the debt, leading to their family's ruin.
Lawyer Deng had never done such a despicable thing and had a good reputation in Bianjing. In fact, many people praised him for his kindness.
Lawyer Deng never expected that he would have business coming to him so early in the morning, before he had even finished brushing his teeth.
After hearing Shen Miao's words, he laughed loudly: "You and your neighbors know nothing about the law, you are as blind as blind men."
Then, with a serious expression, he said, “Do you know that the Song Dynasty Criminal Code clearly stipulates that any thief who dares to kidnap and sell children under the age of ten shall be hanged? If someone knowingly buys a kidnapped child, they shall be exiled three thousand li away and forced into labor for life. If a broker dares to hide a kidnapped child, they shall be sentenced to at least three years in prison. These are serious crimes! You dare not report it to the authorities? Are you worried that the child's indenture is in someone else's hands, and that if you report it to the authorities, he will be sent back to the broker? That's just worrying unnecessarily. Why do you think this child was able to escape? It's because those thieves were too guilty to openly search for him. Even if you put a pig in the position of Prefect of Kaifeng, he wouldn't dare to be so biased towards the kidnappers. You should have reported it to the authorities that very day!”
Shen Miao was shocked. She...she really had a prejudice against the government and laws of ancient times! She thought that in a world where buying and selling people was legal, trafficking was often overlooked, but she never expected it to be a serious crime!
However, ordinary people are usually afraid to deal with government officials, and most of them are illiterate. They are used to minding their own business and it is normal that they do not understand these laws.
"I was wrong," Shen Miao readily admitted.
"As for adoption, it's not so easy," Lawyer Deng explained carefully. "First, you need to report it to the authorities. Once they record the case, they'll send him to the orphanage for temporary care. Then you can go to the orphanage and request official registration. The orphanage is also struggling financially and would love for someone to take the child to save on food costs, so they shouldn't cause any trouble. If you give the clerk a few strings of cash, it might be possible to get the child home with you that same day. However, he has parents, so you must understand that raising him would be a waste of your time. If the authorities find his family later, you can't keep him; you'll have to return him."
Shen Miao smiled and said, "I would love for him. If he could come home one day, I would be happy for him."
Lawyer Deng unfolded his fan and chuckled: "It's easy for you to say now, but after a few years of careful nurturing, you'll see if you're willing to part with it."
Having more or less figured it out, Shen Miao pressed for confirmation one last time: "So, should I go report to the authorities first, and then take the child to the orphanage to register the child's registration? Is that alright?"
Suddenly, Lawyer Deng remembered something and looked her up and down. "Oh, right, but there's one more thing. The laws of the Song Dynasty also have restrictions on adopting children. Men must be over forty, and women must have permanent property, be physically ill, and have no children. You..."
She had heard about this!
Shen Miao was prepared. She immediately took out her letter of divorce and said with a smile, "I have property, I own a shop! And I am ill. Look, this letter of divorce is stamped with the official seal of the Jinling City government. It clearly states in black and white that I am being divorced because I have no children. You see, isn't that exactly what it means to be ill and childless? Perfect!"
Lawyer Deng: "..."
Why are you so proud of yourself?
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