Chapter 85 Let's ride horses together. I'll take responsibility for you.
"Put the ball of your foot on the pedal, don't be afraid, just pedal all the way up in one go."
Holding Ninth Brother's hand, with his firm support, Shen Miao finally and carefully climbed onto the horse's back. She usually didn't wear long skirts that reached her insteps because she had to work, but today she wore a long padded jacket with a butterfly pattern and slits, paired with cotton trousers and a skirt, which was just right for riding a horse.
The saddles of the Song Dynasty were generally wide and flat, with saddle wings that extended outward in an arc shape and covered with soft cowhide, so that one person or two people could ride without any hindrance.
For someone who has never learned to ride a horse, even mounting the horse is extremely difficult the first time they ride.
Fortunately, Rolls-Royce was docile and stood motionless like a dummy horse, even though Chen Miao's movements were clumsy and nervous. But once she sat on the saddle, her initial panic at the sudden high and distant view quickly subsided.
Because Xie Qi was holding the reins, he nimbly flipped over and sat behind her.
His broad, warm chest pressed against her back, blocking the wind.
“It’s windy riding a horse, Madam Chen, please put on your cloak.” His voice was very soft, and he seemed more nervous than she was.
Shen Miao didn't dare turn around, let alone look at anyone else, even though she seemed to faintly hear A Tao's strange sobbing suppressed in her throat.
Her face was gradually getting hot, like a steamer that was constantly emitting heat.
He could only grip the edge of the saddle and respond almost inaudibly.
A moment later, Shen Miao's shoulders slumped slightly as the exposed skin at her neckline touched the soft, smooth texture of thick silk. He took off his usual fox fur cloak and tied it around her neck from behind. His long, slender arms passed over her shoulders, and his well-proportioned fingers were wrapped with ribbons embroidered with cloud patterns, preparing to tie a secure double knot around her neck.
Shen Miao slightly raised her chin to avoid touching his hand, but when she tilted her head back, her earlobe accidentally touched the protruding ulna on Xie Qi's wrist.
His hand, which was tying the knot, paused.
The cool ear brushed against his hand bones, as if ignited by the warmth of his hand, and then heated up. Shen Miao froze, awkwardly maintaining the posture, becoming even more afraid to move.
Fortunately, Xie Qi quickly tied her cloak and hurriedly withdrew his hand.
The large hood with its fur trim almost covered half of her burning face. Xie Qi was considerably taller than her, and his cloak was so long and wide that it could almost completely envelop her.
"They're gone."
His hoarse voice came from behind me.
Xie Qi reached out from her side and grabbed the reins. He gently squeezed the horse's belly with his legs, and the Rolls-Royce moved forward slowly, the cloak obscuring the flow of people on the street.
She heard Yanshu and Xiangjie singing nursery rhymes behind her, swaying their heads, and heard Chen Chuan and Jige discussing the law in their singing. She also heard the sound of hooves slowly following them.
She lowered her eyes, the fine, soft fox fur enveloping her. Her vision was dim and swaying, and the faint scent of cypress and cedar wood from the cloak filled her nostrils. She felt as if she were standing in a pine forest called Xieqi, surrounded by the dry, slightly chilly scent of resin.
Shen Miao has always loved the smell of wood, especially its raw, natural fragrance. If you don't go into the forest, cedar wood probably smells like pencil shavings, but if you walk into a misty pine forest before dawn, you'll smell a completely different, refreshing woody aroma.
After thinking for a long time, Shen Miao figured out that Xie Qi's scent was roughly like this: a hidden mountain breeze rustling through pine needles, the cold air that could only be smelled in the forest before dawn, like trees in the mist breathing quietly.
This actually made her relax, even though Xie Qi's warmth kept emanating from behind her.
As they slowly moved away from the familiar Jinliang Bridge, crossed the bridge, and soon exited the city gate, Chen Miao finally breathed a sigh of relief.
People were busy making a living, and no one paid attention to her, except perhaps for a glance at the exceptionally tall horse.
She finally dared to raise her eyes to look at Bianjing City from horseback.
She had grown taller, her gaze now above the eaves. The cramped, low-lying slums and shacks on either side seemed smaller, and sometimes the slanting eaves would brush against her head. Some of the courtyard walls were so low that she could even see the clothes drying in the yard and the dried mushrooms on the winnowing baskets.
Looking down from a high vantage point, this is what it feels like—not arrogance, but curiosity.
Once outside the city, the Rolls-Royce was finally able to run slowly on the wide post road, leaving Xiangjie and the others far behind in an instant. The wind whistled past her ears, billowing her clothes. Chenmiao didn't know how to ride a horse yet, and once the horse started running fast, she felt her thighs and buttocks lifting off the ground!
Wow, horses can run so fast! It feels like driving a car in modern times.
This is a convertible!
Shen Miao was so frightened that her heart almost jumped into her throat.
Just as she shrank back in fear, about to cry out, Xie Qi's arm, which he had been trying to avoid touching, suddenly tightened around her.
"Don't be afraid, lean forward slightly and get used to it." Xie Qi's voice came from the wind.
Like a steadfast mountain behind her, his strong forearms encircled her body, which was almost swaying from the bumpy ride, holding her firmly in his embrace. Her back pressed tightly against his chest, her waist supported by his arms, like finally fastening a seatbelt while speeding through the car.
Forget about being shy, the jolts lessened instantly, her buttocks were no longer floating in mid-air, and her thighs no longer pounded wildly against the horse's body, which was hardened and bulging from running.
Shen Miao felt that she had survived.
No wonder that once a horse loses control, a rider who is not skilled at riding will be immediately thrown off. The strength and speed of a horse once it starts running are beyond Shen Miao's imagination.
After all, in her later life, she wasn't wealthy enough to have enough leisure time to learn to ride a horse. And those horses that were led slowly in the scenic area naturally couldn't experience the feeling of riding like a shooting star.
A gust of wind blew across her face, knocking Chenmiao's hat off.
Xie Qi even briefly loosened one hand, holding the reins with one hand, and quickly put his hat back on.
It was blown away again after a short while.
Xie Qi persisted and tried to knock it down again.
He added, "It's windy; it'll give you a headache."
This went on for several times before Shen Miao, expressionless, reached out and grabbed the brim of her hat herself.
Xie Qi chuckled softly behind her.
Now that she had a powerful backer, Shen Miao gradually adapted to the speed. Watching the fields rushing past on both sides of the post road, she even had the leisure to assess the speed of the Rolls-Royce. If calculated using the speed of later generations, it would be at least fifty or sixty kilometers per hour.
While traveling a thousand miles a day might be an exaggeration, a Rolls-Royce might actually be able to cover hundreds of miles in a single day! No wonder the Liao and Jin cavalry were so formidable in history; to be able to deploy soldiers so efficiently in the era of cold weapons was practically superhuman.
It's no wonder the emperor was so eager for Ferghana horses.
Moreover, it didn't slow down when cornering, running fast and steadily. Xie Qi could only helplessly lean down from behind, his breath mingling with the wind, almost touching Chen Miao's ear: "Sorry, it's been cooped up at home for several days and hasn't run. It seems a bit too excited today..."
"It's alright, let it run as much as it wants." Shen Miao then bent down and almost hugged the Rolls-Royce's neck. It ran around the bend with a "whoosh" and rushed far away, as if it were having a great time.
In less than a quarter of an hour, Shen Miao arrived near his own pond on the outskirts of the city. The Rolls-Royce seemed to still be enjoying itself. Xie Qi pulled on the reins and urged it several times, but it was still reluctant to stop. Finally, he had to tap its neck with the handle of the whip before it slowed down with some regret.
I almost ran too far.
When dismounting, Xie Qi jumped down first, gripping the reins with one hand to control the excited horse and keep it steady. He then reached out his other hand to Chen Miao, looking up at her and saying, "It's alright. Hold onto the saddle, take your right foot off the stirrup first, and step over. Don't be afraid, I'll catch you."
Shen Miao, having given up all hope, straddled the horse's back with her right leg and bent down towards Xie Qi as she sat sideways on the horse. His hands immediately wrapped around her and lifted her down from under her arms like he was holding a child.
Once her feet touched the ground on the edge of the field, Shen Miao steadied herself by holding onto his arm. She looked up at Xie Qi, intending to say something, but then realized that he was suppressing something even more than she was, and his eyes were slightly red. Yet, when he gazed at her face to face, his eyes were like a pool of clear water, so moving.
The early spring sunshine was unusually bright, the sky was azure, and the clouds were wispy. There was no one around, only the empty wind coming and going, stirring the fields, the strands of hair, and the fluttering of emotions in one's heart.
In this world, if you were to ask who would be willing to belong to her completely and without reservation—
"Ninth Brother".
Shen Miao tiptoed and threw herself back into his arms.
The moment her cheek collided with his chest, she heard his heartbeat instantly become turbulent and frantic.
—Only Ninth Brother.
"I will not be a heartless man."
Shen Miao released him, tilted her head back, and smiled with her eyes crinkled.
"I will take responsibility for you."
***
At the entrance of Shenji Tangbing Shop, Ah Tao watched with satisfaction as Madam Shen and Xie's Ninth Brother rode away on horseback. Humming a little tune, she turned back into the courtyard with exceptionally light steps, also sending the clueless Tang Er and Fuxing back with her.
Honestly, Ninth Brother's love for his wife is impossible to hide. Whenever he comes to the Shen family, he only looks at his wife. How come these two idiots haven't noticed? They probably need to get a pair of glasses.
Atao shook her head in exasperation at her son's lack of ambition.
Fortunately, there was someone as sensible as her. Atao sighed softly, went into the courtyard to feed Zhuifeng and Leiting, then collected eggs and fed the chickens. She also went to the woodshed to fetch wheat straw to feed Shiyilang and Shierniang.
Qilin was given a separate meal. Xie's ninth brother had brought it several jars of chicken from Chenzhou, which had already been cooked and stored in sealed earthenware jars, frozen into a meat paste in the snow so it wouldn't spoil in the cold weather. Atao painstakingly scooped out half of it with a clean, dry spoon, thawed it over water on the stove, and then warmed it before feeding it to Qilin.
After feeding all the animals in the house, big and small, she put her hands on her hips and let out a sigh of relief.
She has worried herself sick over this family.
Fuxing went off to slaughter the ducks. The ducks for today had been ordered yesterday, and Fuxing had already roasted them all this morning, with customers picking them up one after another. He was now preparing the roast ducks for tomorrow.
Tang Er shrugged and went back to the yard to wash the wool.
Once, Lady Shen asked him if wool could be spun into thread. He then thought of the felt hats of the Liao people. In his hometown, many Liao border people spun thread from wool and dog hair, which was called "dog and sheep fur." Now, he would try it—the sheared wool was filthy, covered in mud, dust, and grass clippings. Tang Er rubbed it several times with wood ash and soapberry water until the water was no longer cloudy after rinsing.
He went inside and borrowed a fine-toothed wooden comb from Atao, then patiently combed the wool out. Atao, who was eating a frozen pear, curiously watched him, asking, "Can this wool really be spun into thread?"
“I saw the Liao people do it this way, let’s give it a try.” Tang Er combed the wool until it was loose and straight, then put it on the stove to dry, and then twisted it into bundles with his fingers and put it into a basket. “Come on, let’s borrow Aunt Gu’s spinning wheel and see if it will work.”
Since the shop was closed today, and Niu Sanshi was taking care of the calves in the cowshed, Atao asked him to watch the house while she picked up the winnowing basket she usually used for embroidery and went with Tang Er to the Gu family to see how to spin wool yarn.
She still had many scraps of cloth in her winnowing basket. While watching Aunt Gu spin thread, she could also make a hat for the newly arrived Chen Shierniang. Recently, she had taken to making clothes for the family's animals.
Needless to say, Zhuifeng, Leiting, and Qilin all had a set of dog and cat clothes for the New Year. Atao made a stand-up collar, front-opening coarse cloth dog robe with autumn leaf patterns for Zhuifeng and Leiting, and a blue cloth robe with auspicious patterns for Leiting. Qilin, in particular, had even more clothes. Qilin loved to sleep and was clean, unlike Zhuifeng who was always chasing donkeys and chickens and got all dirty, so his clothes would be ruined even if she made them. Therefore, Atao favored Qilin and made the most clothes for him: there were capes, jackets, skirts, and collars with tassels.
She even made a double-breasted collar with plum blossom buttons out of scraps of cloth for the chickens at home.
Chen Ji's shop was unusually closed, but the streets were bustling with people because the lanterns on Yujie Street had been set up. Many people went to Yujie Street to comment on this year's lantern display before strolling around.
Zhang Yushan, a clerk in the Kaifeng government office, and Li Ya, a post clerk, came out of the office on empty stomachs and became somewhat irritated by the crowded streets.
"Why is Chenji closed today of all days?" Li Ya walked hurriedly. He was as thin as a bamboo pole. Despite his young age, he already had dark circles under his eyes and large bags. His face looked numb and tired.
In Kaifeng Prefecture, the Clerk (贴司) was a clerk who assisted the Prefect and Judge in organizing case files. His daily work was not only numerous and complex, requiring him to collect various pieces of evidence from all over the place, but also to repeatedly communicate with the parties involved in the case and witnesses to obtain their testimonies. Furthermore, he had to meticulously classify, number, and file the evidence he obtained for future reference. He was also responsible for managing and maintaining all the files and documents that passed through his hands. He had to be thoroughly familiar with the testimonies and evidence required by the Prefect and the Prefect, and be able to retrieve them immediately when needed.
So he was so exhausted that his soul seemed to leave his body. He hadn't even had a group meal today, and he was even more mentally exhausted.
Zhang Yushan was in a similar situation; his face was pale, and he kept rubbing his wrist. As a clerk, he was the clerk of the yamen. All official documents, both upward and downward, as well as correspondence with other yamens, had to be drafted and copied by him. Unfortunately, his superior, Jia Kongmu, was extremely strict and meticulous about everything. — He had just revised a document to its eighteenth version last night.
I barely slept all night.
This morning, he presented the nineteenth version of the document to Jia Kongmu's desk, not knowing if it would meet his expectations. But he had no choice; only documents approved by Jia Kongmu could be officially printed or reported to the left and right inspectors of the yamen.
Zhang Yushan had revised so much that his mind was numb, but he was still uneasy, fearing that what awaited him was another harsh reprimand or a page full of red-pen circles marking the revisions.
This year, they were two of the clerks on duty at the yamen during the first month of the lunar calendar. They were hungry and had to do more work than usual, so their resentment was naturally considerable.
During this period, at least Shen Ji delivered meals to the group every day, which was a great help! Huddled behind my messy little desk, I wolfed down my food while flipping through documents, saving some time and still being able to eat my fill, which was some consolation.
As it turns out, Shenji has closed down today!
Although someone had informed him yesterday, Zhang Yushan was still quite annoyed.
Now that they're out, they've been wandering around the street with Li Ya for half a block, still unsure what to eat.
"Did you order Three-Cup Chicken on Shen's menu last time? That chicken was really delicious." Li Ya caught a glimpse of a sign for a roasted chicken out of the corner of his eye. He looked ahead and saw that the chicken was roasted until it was dry and the meat looked tough. He immediately lost his appetite. He shook his head, turned and walked away, but he was still muttering about the Three-Cup Chicken to Zhang Yushan.
Zhang Yushan shook his head and replied, "The dish I ordered that day was braised pork. Braised pork is fatty, tender, and juicy, and it's very good."
Li Ya smacked his lips, still marveling, "That Three Cup Chicken was absolutely delicious." Even after all these days, the rich, juicy flavor of the chicken still seemed to linger in his mouth.
Zhang Yushan also sighed, "The meals delivered by Shen Ji always satisfy me. Now, what I look forward to most every day is the clear sound of the bell when Shen Ji delivers the meals." He even kept a carrot on his table, specifically for feeding Shen Ji's donkey.
Zhang Yushan really liked Shen Ji's donkey.
The donkey was impeccably groomed, wearing a tall, round little hat on its head and a small scarf around its neck. Unlike the other donkeys, which were stinking and would poop three pounds of dung just standing at the door, Shen Ji's donkey was very clean. Even its white tail was fluffy, and it would wag its tail as it ate carrots.
Li Ya's expression showed a hint of weariness as he gazed at the bustling, brightly lit streets with little interest. He and Zhang Yushan had frequented most of the restaurants, large and small, near the Imperial Street before.
He frowned slightly and muttered to himself, "It's strange. Shenji has been in charge of providing meals for our yamen for only seven or eight days, but I feel like I've gotten used to it. Every day I just look forward to waiting for a hot meal in the yamen, and I don't even have the desire to go out to eat anything else."
"Perhaps they're tired of eating out," Zhang Yushan chimed in.
Before Shen Ji started preparing meals for the group, the two of them would wander around the area every day looking for food. They couldn't go to restaurants that were too far away; there were countless tasks at the yamen, and if they went too far, they would miss official business, and if they couldn't finish their work, they would have to sleep at the yamen at night. They had been eating at the same few restaurants nearby for years, and they were really tired of them.
Moreover, the Lantern Festival was not yet over, and many shops had not yet opened, leaving the two of them with nowhere to go.
After wandering around for a while, the two, with their picky palates, didn't find anything they liked. They settled for two large steamed buns at a stall and then sighed as they returned to their work at the yamen.
The two men, munching on steamed buns, had just stepped into the yamen (government office) when they saw several junior clerks huddled together, eating a meal served on bamboo and wooden plates. Li Ya, seeing this, was astonished and blurted out, "Huh? You're having a meal served here? Has Shen Ji opened for business again?"
One of the clerks shook his head: "This is a meal prepared by Kang Ji."
Zhang Yushan curiously leaned over for a look: "Kangji has started serving group meals too. How does it taste?" If it's good, he'll order one too!
Another clerk smiled wryly and sighed, "Having gotten used to Shenji's food, trying Kangji's is really not a good experience. Besides, take a look..." As he spoke, he put his chopsticks aside, revealing Kangji's food plates.
Kangji's meals were served on ordinary bamboo and wooden plates, without any compartments. The staple food was not rice, but two steamed buns. There was no soup served, only three dishes. Looking at the dishes, their presentation was far inferior to Shenji's; the colors were dull and unappetizing.
The white cabbage inside was all overcooked and mushy, and the shredded pork was soggy. The shredded pork was alright, but it didn't taste particularly delicious.
"Kangji Catering is priced the same as Shenji Catering, but the dishes on the menu are far inferior to those on Shenji Catering. Shenji Catering's menu always has a perfect balance of meat and vegetables, and it has both light and strong flavors, as well as spicy and sweet options."
The clerk, always shrewd and calculating, was displeased even with the bamboo and wooden plates, shaking his head repeatedly. "I'm never buying from them again. The food isn't as good as Chen Ji's, and they charge a deposit for the plates too, but the workmanship is so rough. I think Kang Ji is just blinded by greed!"
He pointed at the bamboo and wooden plate and angrily shouted, "This piece of junk costs ten coins as a deposit! What use is this thing to me? I'll return it and get my deposit back later!"
Thinking of those exquisite plates, even though the deposit was fifteen coins, the plates were finely made, using white clay. Such good plates, even if I didn't return them, it wouldn't be a loss at all. Taking them home would be incredibly useful, especially for the little ones who make a mess while eating—perfect for them!
Li Ya and Zhang Yushan exchanged glances, then looked at the large steamed bun in their hands, and both secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Chewing on the bun now, they felt much more at ease, their previous disappointment and reluctance gone.
At least I didn't waste money today, that's good.
The two bowed and parted, each returning to their usual quarters. As soon as Zhang Yushan stepped inside, he was met with particularly sympathetic glances from his colleagues, and his heart tightened. He quickly walked to the desk piled high with documents, and sure enough, the files that had been submitted that morning lay there quietly.
"Lord Jia said that he felt your writing last night was even worse in terms of wording and allusions than the one from the day before, and he was extremely dissatisfied. Now that the deadline is tight and the Left Inspector is pressing you urgently, he suggested that you revise the version from the day before yesterday slightly and submit it to save some trouble," a colleague relayed with pity.
He wrote it the day before yesterday? He's completely forgotten what he wrote the day before yesterday!
He might as well jump into the Bian River!
Zhang Yushan couldn't help but clutch his hair tightly with both hands, tilt his head back, and let out a heart-wrenching scream.
Ning Yi, who had finally returned to Beijing from her hometown, was also suffering because Shen Miao had decided to close the shop for a break.
A few days ago, the government raided and confiscated the property of all the noble families, and the Ning family was no exception. Ning's father lost his minor official position and a large sum of money. Helpless, he had no choice but to take Ning Yi back to their old house in Chenliu Town, where they spent the New Year. Although they lost their official positions and their land, the whole family was safe and sound, which was considered a great blessing.
As the Lantern Festival approaches this year, Ning Yi has returned, leading his donkey and accompanied by his page.
After all, once the Lantern Festival is over, local governments will officially resume their operations, and the results of the provincial examinations will be released soon. However, the exact date for the release of the results is still unknown, so Ning's father urged him to return as soon as possible to wait for the results, fearing that he might miss such an important event.
Ning Yi had been looking forward to coming back for a long time.
While in Chenliu Town, he had already filled most of his food journal. He meticulously recorded all the dishes cooked by Madam Shen. He wrote extensively about the roasted duck and grilled fish, producing a full six thousand words, and he couldn't stop writing. Later, he also included other delicacies such as mutton pie from Nanxunmen, crystal pork knuckle from Fanlou, plum blossom soup cake, and Guanghan cake in his journal.
I wonder if Madam Shen has any new dishes recently? Even if there aren't any new dishes, it would be nice to have a meal of that fragrant roasted duck.
With a stack of "Chenji duck tickets" tucked in his pocket, Ning Yi excitedly pulled his farting donkey across the Jinliang Bridge.
To his surprise, all he found was a tightly closed door and a wooden sign that read "Closed Today" that was swaying in the wind.
Another bolt from the blue.
Ning Yi was stunned. He grabbed his hair and let out a painful cry.
Why is it that every time he comes, Shen Ji is closed?
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