Chapter 62 Eating Bobo Chicken and Setting Off Fireworks!
As dusk settled, the last rays of sunlight faded into a dim, inky blue on the horizon. In the Shen family's courtyard, two large basins of boiled chicken had been blanched and were now soaking in a cold broth brimming with sesame seeds and glistening reddish-brown oil.
Strings of bamboo skewers peek out from the edge of a large ceramic bowl, adorned with a dazzling array of over a dozen meat and vegetable dishes. The chicken and pork belly skewers are thinly sliced and tender, their marbling clearly visible; soaked in the red broth, even the meat is tinged with a glossy, spicy oil color. Other meat dishes, such as duck feet, pig ears, and gizzards, are either blanched or braised, each with its own unique flavor. Among the vegetables, the wood ear mushrooms are curled and soft, the lotus root is translucent and powdery, and the pea sprouts are fresh and vibrant. The lettuce is crisp and refreshing, the yam is soft and tender, and the white cabbage is sweet and refreshing. There are also firm tofu, dried tofu, bean curd sheets, rice cakes, fried dough sticks…
Upon closer inspection, the variety of ingredients in this bowl seemed endless.
The courtyard has grown larger, and the original small square table has been moved to the front shop, becoming a table for slicing roast duck. When Shen Miao renovated the house, she replaced the dining table in the backyard with a larger one that could seat ten people. Now, with the children, everyone can sit together without being so crowded that their elbows bump into each other, and even their chopsticks don't fight.
Both pots of Bo Bo Chicken are made by simmering fresh chicken in broth until the chicken meat is cooked but not mushy. The chicken is then taken out, sliced along the grain, diced, and then skewered.
Next came making chili oil. Since there was no chili powder available, Shen Miao could only grind the ginger and leeks commonly eaten by people in the Song Dynasty into powder, then add sesame seeds, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, and other spices, pouring hot oil over them to release their aroma. The resulting chili oil wasn't as bright red as later generations, and it wasn't spicy enough, but it was still very fragrant.
Then use this chili oil to season the chicken broth, add some soy sauce and aged vinegar to enhance the flavor, a little sugar to improve the freshness, mix in minced garlic, sesame oil, etc., stir well, and then you can soak the skewered ingredients in it. After a quarter of an hour, the meat and vegetables will be fully soaked in the broth and dyed with the spicy chili oil, and then you can enjoy them to your heart's content.
This was the first time Xie Qi had ever eaten like this.
The Shen family didn't have a large oil lamp that could hold ten or more pounds of oil; they used ordinary bamboo lanterns, so the light was dim and yellow, casting a gentle glow on the ground. Two dogs were there; the larger one was lying on the porch gnawing on a bone, occasionally wagging its tail, while the other was asleep in the chicken coop, snoring loudly. The chickens were squeezed outside the coop; the hens huddled in the vegetable patch, while the rooster perched on top of the coop, one claw tucked up, looking majestic as it slept on one leg.
Looking up, I saw the low-hanging stars.
The three servants the Shen family had bought wanted to take their bowls and go eat elsewhere, but Shen Miao pressed them down on stools one by one: "If you run away, wouldn't all my money for this big table be wasted?"
After pressing them down, she looked up at Xie Qi. She had just opened her mouth when Xie Qi smiled knowingly and shook his head: "I don't care."
Shen Miao smiled as well. She had known all along. From the first time she met Yan Shu, from when Ninth Brother sent a carriage to pick her up on a rainy day, and from when he was willing to lend books to Ji Ge'er, she knew that Xie Qi didn't care about class distinctions from the bottom of his heart. He was an extremely rare person in this world.
So everyone sat around, chatting and laughing as they ate and drank. When they got too spicy, they would filter the coarse and cloudy barley wine twice with a kudzu cloth and pour it directly into a large ceramic cup with a single handle. They would drink it down along with the foam, which was truly refreshing!
Xie Qi had never seen such a large cup before, and he picked it up to examine it with great interest.
This cup is straight and wide-bellied; when filled with wine, it's difficult to lift, but one can drink it down in one go. It's especially fitting for such a hot summer night.
The Shen family's interesting possessions weren't limited to cups. In the courtyard was a small pond, filled with calamus and lotus leaves, and what appeared to be a few small bitterlings caught by Xiang Jie'er from the river—tiny yet a scene in itself. A small wooden sign stood by the pond, supported by a tiny bamboo umbrella. The sign could rotate; one side read "Frog's Backpack on a Long Journey," while the other side read "Frog Has Returned."
This prompted Xie Qi to squat by the pond before dinner, carefully searching for frogs for quite some time.
The Sichuan-style boiled chicken was also delicious, surprisingly to Xie Qi's liking. It looked oily, but underneath it was cool and refreshing, with the broth having the delicious flavor of chicken soup, not greasy at all. The crisp lotus root, in particular, was covered with broth and sesame seeds. When you took a bite, it made a "crunch" sound, crisp but not crunchy, like the sound of fresh snow breaking through ice.
The gizzard was also a pleasant surprise. Xie Qi didn't know what it was at first, but Madam Shen told him it was made from chicken gizzards. After being braised, it was sliced thinly. It was firm and chewy, and the sauce had completely soaked into its texture, making it especially delicious. This broadened Xie Qi's palate, as he rarely ate offal at home.
And then there's the old tofu, slightly chewy on the outside, with a honeycomb-like core inside that's soaked in fragrant broth. Every crevice inside is brimming with rich flavor, soft and juicy, salty, fragrant, and spicy, yet it retains the original bean aroma of tofu.
Xie Qi ate with great satisfaction, much more so than if he were eating at home.
Chef Fang also had his own specialties, and quite a few of his dishes were excellent. However, the Xie family's meals involved setting up tables, laying curtains, and performing various rituals, with each household having its own set of intricacies. The eldest household of Xie Qi's family was relatively simple, because his mother couldn't stand the elaborate mealtime rituals. Whenever his father was eager to suggest playing drinking games, his mother would immediately rebuke him with "One should not speak while eating."
But if he encountered someone like his third uncle, who insisted on using dew just before dawn for brewing tea, hand-picked sandalwood for writing calligraphy, and absorbing the essence of the sun and moon in scenic mountains and clear waters for meals, preparing a single meal would often take an hour, which would be an even greater hassle.
Xie Qi had also experienced times of hardship and exposure to the elements in the past, but even in the wilderness, he had Yan Shu by his side to serve him. He didn't have to lift a finger to eat; a pot of water and a flatbread were all he needed. When he came across a village or town, he would go to a restaurant to eat something better.
Starting with the ingredients, personally skewering and soaking them, and sitting at the same table with so many people, without servants to serve him, with everything served together and him having to help himself to whatever he wanted to eat, was a very novel experience for him.
The table in the Shen family's house wasn't high, so he sat on a stool with his long legs bent, holding a string of cucumber slices in his hand. He turned his head to watch Tang Er drinking with Fu Xing's arm around his shoulder, raised his glass, and said, "Brother Fu Xing, the words are all in the wine. I'll drink it all, you can drink as you please!"
Fuxing hurriedly picked up the large wine cup and clinked it with his. The wine sloshed around, and afraid of spilling it, he quickly drank it with his mouth. Turning his head, he saw that Tang Er had already finished a cup with his head tilted back. This shocked him so much that he blurted out the Huating dialect he had learned from his former master: "Oh my, you can really drink! That's amazing!"
Atao sat beside them, had also drunk a few cups, and was burping. Her eyes were red as she looked up at the moon, as if she was missing someone.
Turning back, Xiang Jie'er and Chen Chuan were competing to see who could eat the most skewers. They couldn't count them all, so they pulled Ji Ge'er over to judge. After listening to their explanation, Ji Ge'er finally understood and helplessly corrected Xiang Jie'er: "Three times five is fifteen, not eighteen... How come you haven't memorized your 'Nine-Nine Song' yet? Even Gu's A Bao can recite it!"
Xie Qi smiled, his gaze slowly returning to his side, but he didn't dare to look openly, so he glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.
The lamplight cast a warm yellow glow on Madam Chen's face, highlighting her delicate skin with a soft sheen. She held a wine cup in both hands, smiling as she watched the crowd laughing, joking, or quietly eating. Her expression was serene yet brimming with endless tenderness. How beautiful!
Xie Qi thought he was being very careful, but Madam Shen noticed it keenly. She turned her eyes, smiled, and seemed to think he was being neglected because he didn't speak. She tilted her large wine cup over and clinked it with his: "Ninth Brother, cheers."
At that very moment, by sheer coincidence, fireworks rose into the night sky, bursting forth with a dazzling display of starlight. In the shimmering light, Xie Qi was finally able to turn his head and meet her gaze. Her face was illuminated by that instant of brilliance, her eyes sparkling, her gaze like stars falling softly into her eyes.
He gazed steadily at her, then softly replied, "Cheers."
The fireworks were fleeting, and the courtyard returned to its dim state, but Xie Qi's heart pounded like a drum for a long time.
His throat was dry, and he wanted to say something, but a round, chubby head peeked in from the half-open door of the Shen family's backyard. The owner of the head broke down in tears upon seeing the scene of feasting and drinking in the courtyard, pointing at Xie Qi and accusing him indignantly: "Ninth Brother! I knew as soon as Qiu Hao told me that you were going to eat at Madam Shen's place! You're eating alone! You didn't take me with you!"
The beautiful and enchanting feelings were instantly shattered by this wailing sound.
Xie Qi silently turned his head away, too lazy to pay him any attention.
Xiangjie stood up happily, waving her hand and cheering, "Yanshu!"
Shen Miao laughed so hard her shoulders shook. She stood up and pulled him over, saying, "There's more. Come in and eat with us."
She also gave her own stool to Yanshu. She took the new stool that Tang Er handed her and sat down again on the other side of Yanshu. She also moved her own bowl and chopsticks away from the table and placed the clean new bowls and plates that Atao had taken from the kitchen in front of Yanshu: "Don't be shy, there are no rules in my family, please eat as much as you like."
Xie Qi glanced coolly at Yan Shu, whose cheeks were devoid of tears. He had already grabbed the skewers that Madam Shen handed him, and grinned foolishly, "Madam Shen's cooking is still so good. It's fragrant and spicy. This is really delicious. I'll come again next time."
Shen Miao looked at Yan Shu and always felt that he was just like Xiang Jie'er, so she couldn't help but feel a surge of sisterly affection. She pinched the bun on his head and said, "If you like it, then eat more. You can come over anytime. Do you want rice? We also have cold noodles and soup dumplings. I'll have Fuxing make you a bowl. Would you like some?"
"Eat, eat, eat! I'll eat anything!"
He happily munched on two or three skewers, then slurped down a bowl of cold noodles, before suddenly noticing a resentful gaze beside him.
Turning his head, he saw that it was Ninth Brother who had been staring at him. He pointed to the skewers left in Xie Qi's bowl, puzzled, and asked, "Ninth Brother, aren't you going to eat them? Then..." He wouldn't mind if Xie Qi didn't eat them.
Just as the greasy fat hand was about to reach over, Xie Qi took the bowl away.
"Why did you come here?" Xie Qi asked.
"Madam sent me here. She said that the fireworks that Eleventh Sister prepared for last year's Lotus Festival haven't been finished yet. Lately, she and her sisters have only liked playing with silk dolls. They've made a whole wardrobe of clothes, shoes, and hats for the dolls, but they haven't thought about going out to set off fireworks. Madam said that if they keep doing this, the dolls will get damp, so she asked me to bring them along for Ninth Brother, Madam Shen, and Madam Shen's younger siblings to play with," Yan Shu said, her mouth stuffed full.
Xie Qi looked at him: "Where are the fireworks?"
"Zhou Da is watching at the entrance. There are so many, it seems like Eleventh Sister probably brought back the whole fireworks and firecracker shop last year."
Xie Qi sighed, rested his chin on his hand, and focused intently on eating the skewers without tasting them. He thought regretfully to himself: No wonder people often say that good times and beautiful scenery are fleeting; he truly understood that feeling.
Now, beside him is no longer the warm, fragrant Lady Shen, but only a huge rat with its mouth constantly crunching and chewing.
It's so painful.
After several rounds of drinks, Fuxing and Tang Er were both so drunk they were slurring their words, mumbling incoherently. Wine jars lay scattered on the floor, and the table was a mess of cups and plates, covered in bamboo skewers, all of which had been eaten.
Atao wiped the table, cleared the dishes, and then put them away to wash. Today, Shenmiao gave everyone in the shop the day off, and Yu also went to celebrate the holiday with her family. Atao took over her shift and volunteered to clear the dishes.
Shen Miao wanted to go in and shower with her, but she sent him away.
Ji Ge'er was sweeping the courtyard, and Xie Qi had gathered all the wine jars under the courtyard wall. He then suggested that they go to the river to set off fireworks: "The alley is cramped, and it would be bad if the water got out."
Shen Miao glanced at Xiang Jie'er and saw that her eyes were already shining when she heard that there were going to be fireworks. She had already put her hand on Chen Chuan's wheelchair, wishing she could give the order to push Chen Chuan out the door.
Fortunately, apart from the high threshold of the shop in front, the thresholds of the Shen family's house were all movable wooden planks. They could be taken down during the day and put back up when the door was closed at night. Otherwise, with Xiang Jie'er pushing the wheelchair at her speed, if Chen Chuan had tripped over the threshold, he would have been flying to the big willow tree at the alley entrance and hanging there.
She quickly reached out and pressed down on the wheelchair before agreeing.
Xiangjie cheered with joy, unable to push the wheelchair, she turned around and pulled Yanshu out to pick out fireworks first.
The fireworks sent by the Xie family indeed filled the carriage. There were large fireworks, with sulfur gunpowder filled in bamboo and paper tubes, which would shoot out sparks when lit; there were also fireworks like gunpowder tied to bamboo sticks, which would shoot out a long tail of fire and fly into the sky with the stick after being lit.
There's also one called "Cannon Light," which flies low and falls down after flying halfway up the sky; Xiang Jie'er's favorite is "Ground Mouse," a firework that's a favorite among children in the city. You just need to roll mud into a mud roll, wrap a little gunpowder in the middle, and light it, and it will shoot fire out of the hole, spinning and darting around on the ground, which is funny and makes children clap and jump.
The most expensive one was a "box flower," which used wire to hold gunpowder inside and a frame on the outside. After being lit, the layers would fall off one by one, requiring a high level of skill from the pyrotechnician. The "box flower" that the Xie family bought was indeed flower-shaped, with different flowers layer by layer. Each layer produced a different flame when lit, and the last layer resembled a blooming chrysanthemum and even rotated.
Shen Miao locked the door. Xiang Jie'er, holding A Tao's and Yan Shu's hands, and Ji Ge'er, pushing Chen Chuan, were all excitedly surrounding Zhou Da's carriage and about to leave the alley. Only Xie Qi stayed behind and waited for her quietly. She quickly put away the key and ran to Xie Qi's side with a smile.
Less than fifteen minutes after they left, Ning Yi and his page arrived, panting, only to find the shop closed and locked. He was utterly shocked. He plopped down on the doorstep, bursting into tears, wiping them away repeatedly, utterly aggrieved: "It's all Father's fault! What was he thinking today, insisting on coming to the academy to pick me up? We were supposed to eat at home before coming back to buy roast duck, but the shop is closed! I didn't get to eat it—"
The pageboy was more composed than Ning Yi. He expressionlessly pulled out a handkerchief, sighed, and handed it to him to wipe his tear-streaked face.
He then sat quietly beside him, waiting for Ning Yi to finish crying before going home.
***
Today is the last day of the Lotus Viewing Festival. It's late at night, and there aren't as many people outside as before.
The wind was cool. Chen Miao and Xie Qi stood side by side on Jinliang Bridge, their arms leaning against the railing, looking down into the distance. Above them, fireworks glittered like stars. Several children were setting off small sparklers on the embankment below. Xiang Jie'er chased after Yan Shu, holding a sparkler that hissed and kept spitting out small sparks, which frightened Yan Shu into screaming.
Ji Ge'er accompanied Chen Chuan to set off the "Colorful Bead Tube" twice—a large bamboo tube filled with nine small fireworks that, when lit, would spray out colorful bead-like fireworks in sequence. Just when they thought it was over, it would start popping and crackling again, and it could last for a long time.
Zhou Dazhuan was in charge of setting off the dangerous fireworks. He stood far away, bent over, lit the incense stick, covered his ears, and ran away. Several times he ran far away before it even lit, and twice he lit it but didn't hear anything behind him, so he went back. Just as he got close, the fireworks suddenly went off with a series of pops and sparks, scaring him so much that he jumped up and ran away in a panic, making Shen Miao and the passersby who had stopped to watch the fireworks laugh.
Xie Qi didn't watch the fireworks at all. He secretly watched Chen Niangzi under the cover of the crowd and the night.
Seeing her eyes crinkle with laughter, revealing her little tiger teeth, he lowered his head and smiled too.
No matter how beautiful the fireworks are, they can never compare to her.
At this moment, Yan Shu came running up again, urging Shen Miao and Xie Qi to go down and release river lanterns. He said that if they didn't release lanterns to pray for blessings during the Lotus Festival, it wouldn't be considered a proper celebration. Shen Miao had already bought quite a few colored paper lanterns, filled them with a little lamp oil and a wick, lit them, and pushed them into the river—these were cheap things.
If Yan Shu hadn't reminded her, she would have forgotten all about it while engrossed in watching the fireworks.
Fireworks in the Song Dynasty weren't as dazzling as those in later generations, but the joy and hope they carried were the same. This was the first time she'd been able to watch fireworks so quietly. The surroundings were noisy, but her heart was at peace. She thought, "This is wonderful. Even in striving to live, there are poetic fireworks."
"Let's go release river lanterns!" So, eager to try, she lifted her skirt and stepped off the bridge.
Xie Qi walked behind Shen Miao. He had given up hope on the river lanterns and flower lanterns. Even when Shen Miao lit a lotus lantern and offered it to him, he didn't dare to take it. He shook his head and laughed, "Never mind, I'll take it. It'll be burned in no time."
Shen Miao thought, "How could that be?" So she made him open his hands, carefully placed them in his palms, and waited deliberately for a while. Seeing that the lotus lantern was still intact, she pointed to the lantern in his palm, raised her eyebrows triumphantly, and laughed, "Look, isn't it perfectly fine?"
Xie Qi was also somewhat surprised, as if he had never seen a lamp before, holding the lamp and looking at it from left to right.
It really didn't burn.
This was the first lamp that passed through his hands without burning to ashes.
Xie Qi held it carefully in his hand, yet hesitated to let go.
Seeing him staring blankly at the river lanterns, holding them without moving, Shen Miao stepped forward and held his wrist: "Squat down, keep your hand still, and put it down like this."
In the sweltering midsummer heat, Xie Qi was dressed lightly, wearing a square-patterned gauze inner garment and a sheer gauze outer shirt. If worn alone, these two garments were so thin that they would be translucent. At this moment, even through the sleeves, he could feel the slight pressure of Shen Niangzi's fingers.
The flame that had been buried deep in his heart when he injured his leg earlier has now reignited, burning his entire body stiff.
Shen Miao was filled with confusion as Xie Qi squatted down, seemingly paralyzed on one side, and then stiffly lowered the river lantern with his arm.
She patted Xie Qi's arm, spoiling the mood: "Quick, quick, make a wish before it floats away."
Xie Qi was almost knocked over by her slap, but fortunately he had practiced martial arts since childhood. He quickly tightened his abdomen and regained his balance after his foot had only twisted two inches.
After regaining his balance, he raised his eyes in surprise, blinking repeatedly: How come I never noticed before... how could Madam Shen's strength be greater than his mother's? She's really amazing.
Unexpectedly, Madam Shen is also a promising martial arts student.
Shen Miao didn't look at him. She put her hands together and placed them near her mouth, making a long wish: she hoped that her whole family, including the dog, chicken, and unicorn, would be healthy and live long lives; she hoped that the shop's business would flourish; she hoped that Aunt Gu's family would be happy; she hoped that the country would be peaceful and that there would be no more trouble... Finally, she suddenly remembered something and added another wish: she hoped that Ninth Brother would also have a smooth life and not be unlucky anymore.
By the time she finished making her wish, the river lanterns had already drifted far away. Chen Miao scratched his head, wondering if the heavens had heard him.
Xie Qi smiled and turned to look at his lotus lantern. It drifted with the current and almost tipped over several times, but unexpectedly collided with Shen Niangzi's lantern and managed to stay upright, successfully merging into the stream of lanterns dotting the river.
Looking down into the cloth bag, Xie Qi saw many small river lanterns still inside. He couldn't resist taking one, lighting it, and putting it into the river. Hey, it really worked!
He can release lanterns now! Xie Qi stared at his hands in shock, finding it hard to believe. So he lit a third one, watching it float away without blinking, and it worked too!
Ahead, Xiangjie'er's skirt and shoes were completely wet from releasing the lanterns, and Jige'er was pulling her back. Shenmiao went over to take a look, and seeing that she wasn't too wet, she ignored it. When she came back, she saw Xie Qi releasing seven or eight lotus lanterns in a row, like a child celebrating the New Year for the first time.
Previously, Yan Shu had mentioned that Ninth Brother was having some bad luck, but she hadn't really felt it herself until now... Shen Miao squatted down again, feeling both amused and sorry for him, and asked, "What wish did Ninth Brother make?"
Xie Qi turned his head with a smile in his eyes. His eyes were the most beautiful eyes Shen Miao had ever seen. It wasn't that his eyes were particularly outstanding, but rather that his clear and pure gaze was rare. His gaze was untainted by any impurity, and his bright and clear eyes were comforting.
"I'm afraid it won't come true if I say it out loud." Xie Qi suddenly became a little shy. He had made a wish, not only for his great-grandmother, parents, and brothers, but also for Lady Shen.
He didn't pray for heaven to grant his hidden desires. Tonight, as he offered the lotus lantern, gazing at its faint glow reflected in the water, the first wish that arose in his heart regarding Lady Shen was simply: "May Lady Shen..."
May you enjoy much joy, peace, and a long and worry-free life.
That's enough.
Through the dim reflection in the water, Xie Qi watched as Madam Shen bent down and picked up the bamboo sticks from the fireworks that the children had been playing with on the riverbank, and put them into the empty cloth bag that was originally used to hold river lanterns.
He quickly stood up to help her pick them up. He had initially thought she was being frugal and wanted to use the bamboo sticks and scraps of paper as kindling, but when Madam Shen saw him helping her, she whispered to him, "The Bian River is still so beautiful; don't let these things pollute the water. Besides, these bamboo sticks are hidden in the grass and are sharp. If you leave them here carelessly, people who come to the river to wash clothes or fish tomorrow will easily prick their feet."
She smiled and said, "It's not too late to go back after you've packed up."
Xie Qi stared at her blankly.
It's hard to describe how I feel right now; my heart is pounding like a cicada in a tree.
Day by day, it increases.
After the Lotus Viewing Festival, the holiday ended. Xie Qi couldn't quite remember the daily life at the academy. It was as if, with his eyes closed, he could still see that midsummer night when the shimmering firelight danced across the starry sky, see Madam Chen's hand supporting him as he placed the lantern, see her gentle smile...
It seems that with the passing of the Lotus Viewing Festival, the summer of the third year of the Baoyuan era has also quietly passed.
When he suddenly realized how quickly time had passed, it was already autumn.
This autumn is quite bleak; after just two autumn rains, the paulownia leaves have fallen, and the weather has turned cold.
On the third day of the tenth lunar month, early this morning, although the autumn wind was cool, Xie Qi was still only wearing a single dark-colored narrow-sleeved short jacket and trousers. His long hair was tied high on his head, a cloth belt was tied around his waist, and wrist guards were wrapped around his wrists. He looked as neat as a pine tree standing in the wind on a cliff. Standing next to him was Yan Shu, who was yawning and had tears in his eyes. They were waiting for Shen Ji at the entrance of Shen Ji Soup and Pancake Shop.
Shen Ji took his advice and tried the county exam in August. He failed as expected, but when he returned, he realized how tough the imperial examination was. The hardest part was not answering the questions, but taking the exam for three days straight. He even had to sleep curled up in the exam room. He was not allowed to close the door when he went to the toilet, and there were soldiers staring at him with their noses pinched.
Even with instant soup noodles available, it's still really hard to endure the exam.
After leaving the examination hall, he immediately fell ill and it took him more than half a month to stop coughing. Shen Miao immediately set about finding him a martial arts school to train his body, otherwise how would he manage if he really had to take an exam in the future?
Xie Qi happened to be eating "Old Yanzhou Lamb with Bo Xia Gong" at Shen Ji's restaurant when he heard Shen Miao say this. He volunteered to be Ji Ge'er's martial arts instructor. Every day, he would take Shen Ji to run around the inner city wall, practice standing meditation, and then perform the "Lu Zhenren Anle Fa" – a body-strengthening boxing style created by a Taoist priest in his early years, which was very effective in strengthening the body.
The vast and boundless nature responds to everything.
With a click, the sound of the door bolt being removed came from inside, followed by the detachment of two door panels. Shen Miao poked her head out, smiling as she greeted Xie Qi, and then pushed Ji Ge'er out as well:
"Ninth Brother will be back for soup soon. Today I made duck blood and rice soup, and I also chopped up some duck intestines and diced duck liver to cook together. It's so delicious."
Yan Shu, who was swaying from sleepiness, immediately straightened up and said, "Your servant and Ninth Brother will definitely come!"
Watching the three run off into the distance, Shen Miao simply opened the shop. As the weather grew colder, the number of people coming to eat soup noodles increased day by day. Grilled fish remained very popular, but roast duck had almost become a takeout option. People preferred to buy it and take it home so that the whole family could warm themselves by the fire and eat it together.
This period coincides with the autumn harvest, the most important event of the year. The emperor sets an example by personally harvesting wheat in the imperial fields, while officials and clerks work tirelessly to encourage farming and collect taxes. Commoners with land return to supervise farming, grain merchants travel to the countryside to stockpile grain, and cotton merchants travel to various prefectures to collect cotton. Even those without land are not idle; they begin harvesting beans and peanuts from their own gardens and go up the mountain daily to chop firewood for the winter. At this time, not only adults are busy, but even children carry food and drink to the fields to help dry and harvest grain.
The Imperial College, the Biyong Academy, and other private schools all had an "autumn break."
In the Song Dynasty, schools, whether official or private, did not have "winter and summer vacations," but rather "spring and autumn vacations." Spring planting was only allowed for fifteen days, while the autumn harvest was crucial for the entire family and the country to ensure they could have enough to eat the following year. The work of harvesting wheat, cutting rice, and picking cotton was heavy, so a full fifty days of vacation was granted.
People like Meng San, whose families owned fertile land and were considered moderately wealthy, had all returned to the countryside. The once respectable students from the academy no longer cared about such things; they changed into old clothes and, together with the family's farmhands, helped their grandparents harvest wheat.
However, aristocratic families like Xie Qi, Ning Yi, and Shang An found themselves with plenty of free time during their holidays.
That's why he could visit the Shen family every day.
The Xie family owned many fields, but also many tenant farmers and land slaves, as well as many distant relatives and clansmen, so naturally Xie Qi had no chance to work the land. On the contrary, the golden autumn brought refreshing breezes, the red maples on the estate were extremely beautiful, and the withered lotus on the lake also had a unique charm. Lady Xi had already taken Eleventh Sister and the Grand Madam to stay in the suburbs for a while.
Xie Qiyi, however, used the excuse that he wanted to teach Shen Ji martial arts and that a person cannot be without integrity, so he did not go.
When Xi was young, she was very strict with her children. But as her children grew older, she became too lazy to care about everything. What was the point of constantly restricting them from doing this or that? They've grown up and have legs. Does being forbidden mean they won't be able to climb over walls?
Look how nimble Third Brother used to be at scaling walls. He'd even developed amazing footwork skills, able to jump three feet high. No ordinary wall could hold him.
Therefore, she followed Ninth Brother's lead, regardless of whether he went to Shenji to work as an accountant or a shop assistant.
Ultimately, it was his choice.
Speaking of her third brother, Xi Shi recalled the letter Xie Zi had sent from Qinzhou, and felt both joy and amusement.
Unfolding the letter, it began with this seemingly rambling passage: "Dear Mother: It has been a long time since we last corresponded, and I have been thinking of you. I wish you good health. You probably won't believe it, but without your Ninth Brother by my side, I traveled by boat with smooth sailing and by carriage on a flat road for hundreds of miles without encountering a single thief. I have now arrived safely in Qinzhou. It is truly a miracle and a stroke of good fortune..."
Good things come in pairs. Xie Su arrived safely in Qinzhou, and news also came from the soup noodle workshop in Youzhou that the workshop had been completed and the Xi family's noodle makers had made the first batch of soup noodles according to Madam Shen's recipe. The noodles had already been sent to the border soldiers who were guarding the Great Wall of Juyong Pass day and night.
After reading the letter, Lady Xi turned her head to look out the window and sighed with a smile, "I guess I made it in time."
While the smoke trees and ginkgo trees in Bianjing (Kaifeng) are just beginning to shed their leaves, Juyong Pass has already seen its first snowfall of the year. The borderlands are bitterly cold; one wonders if this will make their autumn and winter, as they guard the frontier, any easier.
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