Chapter 57 Amazing
Time flies, and the winter solstice has arrived in the blink of an eye.
Li Qu went to Li Rong's food stall early in the morning.
Li Rong's food stall sells breakfast, with only two options: shredded chicken and tofu pudding, and braised pork buns.
It's a recipe that Li Qu brought from her previous life.
Li Rong was in charge of the kitchen, while waiters served customers outside.
Business is booming, with customers often queuing up at the door.
Right now, she's making steamed buns with incredibly fast hands.
But look at this: a large spoonful of braised meat is placed on the snow-white, soft dough. With nimble fingertips, the braised meat is quickly gathered by the dough, and in the blink of an eye, it becomes a raw bun with evenly pleated folds.
Li Qu tied her arms and sent Yongniang, who was helping her make buns in the room, away. She then stood next to Li Rong and made buns with her.
Her sculpting was slightly worse than Li Rong's, but it wasn't ugly either.
Li Rong: "I won't be able to come to Beijing at the end of the year."
Li Qu: "He's getting married soon, at the latest by the end of next year."
Li Rong bared her front teeth, squeezed an ugly steamed bun hard, and placed it on the board where Li Qu kept the buns: "You big jerk!"
Li Qu, on the other hand, was much calmer: "He is becoming more and more lenient with me, and the situation will only get better and better."
Li Rong was both dejected and worried: "But we still haven't been able to get in touch with our eldest sister."
"The imperial court usually conducts assessments, appointments, removals, and transfers of officials from early December to the end of March next year. He said that he wanted to move his brother-in-law's official position and that it must be arranged before December."
"The fact that I gave myself to him in Hezhou will surely reach my brother-in-law's ears."
"My brother-in-law will definitely tell my sister the news."
"Then, my older sister will know we're here."
"Judging by the days, the person she sent will arrive before the New Year."
"If things go quickly, I might be able to get someone she sent to bring a letter back before the New Year."
"Really!" Li Rong exclaimed excitedly, and then squeezed out another ugly bun.
She casually placed the ugly bun after the plum bun.
Li Qu responded, "Mm."
Li Rong was in a great mood, and the steamed buns she made gradually returned to normal.
"If I hadn't been delayed in prison for a month or two, I might already be in the capital by now."
She placed the beautifully shaped steamed buns on the board where she kept them: "Could he get my brother-in-law a position in the capital?"
"No, the Zhou family can do whatever they want in the south, but in the capital, they have to be subservient."
"Is there any truth to what you said about the Yan region?"
"Do your best and leave the rest to fate." Li Qu dared not say she was 100% sure, but she would definitely bring her brother-in-law into the government's sights.
As for the funeral arrangements, as long as we get in touch with my eldest sister, she can certainly help push things along.
It's hateful that this world is so sexist, with strict doctrines that don't allow women to stand out.
Otherwise, why would she need to rely on her brother-in-law for everything?
Li Rong always trusted Li Qu: "I'll leave my eldest sister's family to you. My parents and I don't need to worry about them."
"You already have a good idea?"
Li Rong carefully shaped the steamed bun in her hand, placed it in her palm, and presented it to Li Qu: "This is my method."
Li Qu immediately understood: "Once this shop becomes famous in Hezhou, it will be perfectly legitimate for you to open a shop in the capital and make a fortune!"
Li Rong laughed: "Exactly!"
"With my excellent cooking skills, even as the Princess Consort of Yan, we can conquer Hezhou in a month."
Li Qu nodded: "As the weather gets colder, more and more people are drinking tofu pudding."
The two exchanged a glance.
When sisters are of one mind, their strength can break even metal.
They laughed at the same time.
"Second Miss!"
Yongniang called out loudly from afar.
As Li Rong was making steamed buns, she went outside and shouted in response, "What?"
Li Qu suggested, "We can let her come closer to speak."
"That Autumn Cicada Brother is here again, saying he'd like to ask you to cook some dishes and he's willing to pay!"
Li Qu: "Who is Brother Qiu Chan?"
Li Rong beckoned to Yongniang, then turned and placed the steamed buns on the counter, looking disgusted: "Oh, that servant boy from the capital who's all talk and no action."
"He was tall and burly, with a simple and honest appearance."
Li Qu frowned.
Li Rong was also annoyed: "I used to come to the shop to buy tofu pudding and steamed buns, but now I don't buy them anymore. I want to buy meals."
"My shop doesn't sell those things!"
"Why do you insist on buying food from me when you can't buy anything delicious at Yuzhenlou?"
"Do you think he's sick?!"
Yongniang had already approached.
Li Rong didn't hesitate at all: "I don't sell food. Next time you see him, get away from me."
Yongniang held up three fingers: "Thirty taels of silver for one meal. The ingredients will be provided by the other party. You can make whatever you want."
Li Rong stared at Yong Niang's three fingers, swallowing hard.
Thirty taels per meal, three meals a day would amount to ninety taels, and a month would be an astronomical figure of two thousand seven hundred taels!
Li Qu grabbed Yongniang's three fingers: "I'll give you fifty taels, the further away from dangerous people the better."
"Deal." Li Rong immediately agreed.
He turned and instructed Yongniang, "Go and refuse that cicada."
"Hey." Yongniang took the raw buns away.
Unexpectedly, she returned shortly afterward: "Brother Qiuchan said he's willing to offer a hundred taels of silver as a token of gratitude."
Before Li Qu could speak, Li Rong covered her mouth and said, "I feel good about making money off outsiders!"
"I promise I'll only cook, and once it's done, Yongniang will deliver it to Qiuchan."
"I will never say a word to that chillingly hypocritical gentleman."
"Maybe the food I cook doesn't suit their taste, so they ask me to cook for them a couple of times and then they stop."
"Let me have a bite of this windfall, Third Sister!"
Li Qu: "..."
*
The shop didn't close until late morning.
Li Qu's makeup was smudged by Li Rong's hands, which were covered in flour, so she took her leave of Li Rong and returned home to clean and change her makeup.
The afternoon was her first date with Zhou Jin, and as a girlfriend who was 'full of anticipation,' she should dress up nicely.
As for her second sister, she was worried and decided to send someone to keep an eye on her.
This glorious and arduous task fell to A-Quan.
Ah Quan said, "I will certainly live up to Aunt's expectations."
*
Li Qu visited his mother at Qinyuan Garden again, and by the time he returned home it was already noon.
Li Qu put on heavy makeup for the second time.
The dress she chose was a delicate pink, and she wore a pink pearl hairpin in her hair. The rest of the hair was decorated with simulated velvet flowers, the colors of which echoed the dress.
She wore pearl earrings matching the hair ornaments, and a necklace made of pink pearls and various gemstones around her neck.
Exquisite in every detail, elegant in every gesture.
Because her hair was styled in a high bun, it was inconvenient to wear a veil, so she wore a snow-white lotus-shaped robe with a large hood.
With the hood pulled up, only a delicate chin was visible, making one want to explore the stunning beauty beneath.
After Li Qu finished dressing, the entire Fanghua Garden fell silent for a moment.
Then came all sorts of praise.
Li Qu smiled and said, "With such a sweet tongue, I'll bring back some good stuff for you guys to play with later."
Another round of cheers and jubilation erupted.
However, this jubilation quickly turned into boredom by the end of the day.
Li Qu changed into casual clothes and sat by the window, teasing the small fish in the glass: "If you don't come soon, it will be dark!"
Granny Xu comforted her, "The ancestral worship is a busy matter, it should be done soon."
Li Qu couldn't even feign happiness anymore, and responded dryly, "Oh."
But Cui Guo brought her good news.
“My brother sent word that Yongniang is the one contacting Qiuchan at the shop.”
"The second young lady didn't even see Qiu Chan. After preparing the meal, she went straight out the back door and returned to Qin Garden."
Li Qu felt relieved: "Where is your brother working now?"
"It's nothing serious. Before, I helped the old man in the water room boil and deliver water. Now I'm helping my aunt run errands."
Li Qu put down the feather she was using to tease the small fish: "Bring me the list of people in the shop and the estate, and their relationships."
"Notify the managers of all the estates and shops that I will be reviewing the accounts at the end of the year."
"In addition, please fill out a resume for me, stating where your family members currently work and what they are good at."
"Fill out your resumes using the same template that Granny told you to use before."
She had previously been indifferent to and not particularly close to the people in the courtyard.
By now, they have many ties that have formed between them.
She needs to make arrangements for their future.
Xu Mama responded with a "yes" and happily went to carry out her task.
In the eyes of others, she increasingly resembled a humble and hardworking young woman from an ordinary family, diligently tending to her household affairs.
*
The midday sun is the warmest, able to dispel boredom and chill.
Inside the Hezhou Prison, Lin Xiaocong stood in a pillar of light, hands behind his back, looking handsome and elegant.
He was careless; he shouldn't have gone to Hezhou Prison with Huaiyan in the first place.
After the girl and her family were released from prison, he boredly cured all of the rats' headaches and fevers.
"Young master, young master, please try this. This was made for you by the second young lady herself."
Lin Xiaocong had gotten used to Qiu Chan's nonsense.
The prison warden opened the cell door, let Qiu Chan in, and then closed the door again.
Qiu Chan wiped the table clean, laid out the food, and then took out a book from her bosom: "Take a look and see if this is the book you wanted."
Lin Xiaocong took the book, gave a faint "hmm," put it aside, and sat down to eat.
When masters and servants are out and about, they don't follow the rules. It's common for them to eat at the same table and sleep in the same bed.
"This is squirrel fish. The second young lady said she's best at making this."
"This is shark skin chicken broth."
"This is braised quail with dried shrimp and pearls."
"This poached chicken is best enjoyed with dipping sauce, as it retains its original flavor."
"Second Miss spent quite a bit of time at noon today, which is why I'm late."
Lin Xiaocong didn't believe Qiu Chan's ramblings until he took the first bite of food.
He savored the delicious flavors that blossomed on his taste buds, then looked at Qiu Chan and asked, "Was this really made by Miss Li Er?"
"Yes, she's busy running her shop right now, it's very tiring for her, it's really kind of her to find time to cook for you."
The cicada rubbed its hands together with chopsticks, looking like it was drooling.
"The second daughter makes such delicious tofu pudding and steamed buns, she must be a great cook too!"
Then she looked at her master for confirmation: "Isn't it delicious?"
Lin Xiaocong changed to another dish, took a bite, and commented expressionlessly, "It's delicious."
Qiu Chan couldn't wait to pick up a piece of squirrel fish and put it in her mouth, then gagged and spat it all out.
He looked at his mistress with a mournful face: "Did the second young lady mistakenly put salt in the sugar instead of sugar?"
This was the first time I had ever eaten squirrel fish that was both extremely salty and sour.
It's hard to swallow!
Lin Xiaocong remained calm, tasting each dish: "Did she really make these?"
The cicada pointed to the sky and swore: "It's absolutely true!"
"It's just that the second young lady is short of money, so I took the liberty of giving her some money to buy ingredients."
He didn't mention at all that he had begged and pleaded with Li Rong to sell him food, which was the result of his repeated requests and the exchange of money.
They were afraid of affecting their master's appetite.
This beautiful misunderstanding arose because of him.
Lin Xiaocong smiled.
He said that her affection for him was written all over her face, so how could she have forgotten him completely after being released from prison?
She still missed him, after all.
Seeing her master become happy, Qiu Chan breathed a sigh of relief.
He knew that his master was thinking about the second young lady.
Since the second daughter's family was released from prison, the master's appetite has noticeably decreased.
That morning he mentioned, "These are chicken broth tofu pudding and braised pork buns made by the second daughter."
For the first time ever, his master didn't leave him a single bite to eat.
He chuckled, "Second Miss's cooking skills might waste a lot of ingredients."
Lin Xiaocong took out a purse from his waist and casually tossed it to Qiu Chan: "Take out the money and seal, give her a lot."
"Okay, all right." Qiu Chan breathed a sigh of relief.
One hundred taels per meal, but his master didn't give him any silver, so he only had enough silver to cook three meals at most.
"Didn't she ask you to pass on any message?"
"Huh?" Qiu Chan crashed for ten seconds.
Upon meeting his young master's scrutinizing gaze, he quickly fabricated, "The second young lady didn't dare to speak. There were other people in the kitchen, and she was afraid of being seen. They would just think I was a servant who bought food."
Seeing the warmth disappear from his young master's face, he quickly spread a rumor: "But she smiled at me."
"Shy and timid, wanting to speak but holding back."
The warmth on Lin Xiaocong's face vanished completely, and he stared silently at Qiu Chan.
Before dying, Qiu Chan lay upright, saying, "I'm facing you."
Lin Xiaocong gestured with his eyes: You can leave now.
Qiu Chan quickly got up, bowed to Lin Xiaocong, and then patted the cell door. When the prison warden, who had received the message, came to open the door, he disappeared in a flash.
Lin Xiaocong finally felt relieved.
His charm is indeed boundless wherever he goes.
Pick up the rice bowl.
Although the dishes can only be looked at and not eaten, there is still rice to fill one's stomach.
The rice enters the mouth.
creak...
There is sand!
He put down his rice bowl, got up, and walked to the edge of the cell: "Autumn Cicada, Autumn Cicada!"
*
"Auntie, Auntie!"
Li Qu was looking at resumes, thinking about how to arrange all the relevant personnel under her name, when she heard Xu Mama's happy voice coming from afar until it reached her desk.
"Third Master has sent someone to pick you up."
Li Qu looked up indifferently: "How many hours until it gets dark?"
"Um... it's almost the end of Wei Shi (1-3 PM), there's still a little over an hour left."
"Is it really possible to get to the foot of the mountain in just over an hour? What's the point of hiking?"
Granny Xu guessed, "Perhaps because the journey is long, they set off today and will travel tomorrow?"
Li Qu smiled, touched up her makeup, changed her clothes, and went out.
The sedan chair stopped at the side gate of the main gate, and the proud old woman asked her to get out of the sedan chair.
As soon as she lifted the curtain, she saw a slender hand reaching out.
She smiled, placed her hand in his, bowed her head as she stepped out of the sedan chair, straightened her back, and looked at the tall, handsome man.
"Considering that you personally helped me out of the sedan chair, I will not hold it against you for being late and making me wait in vain."
She was dressed so brightly and delicately today that he didn't react for a moment when he saw her smiling at him so brightly.
It wasn't until she threw a handkerchief at his face and turned away shyly that he realized he was amazed.
He grabbed the handkerchief she threw at his face, sniffed it briefly, and then moved on.
A light, orangey scent, yet also reminiscent of floral fragrances—a complex aroma that is truly delightful.
He glanced around, and seeing that no one was paying attention, he hid the handkerchief in his sleeve and chased after them.
She had already put the hood on her lotus-shaped robe herself.
He didn't hold back his praise: "Aqu looks beautiful today."
She raised her hand and lifted a corner of her hood to scold him playfully.
He couldn't help but smile slightly.
Butler Zhou happened to pass by and, seeing this scene of mutual affection, couldn't help but exclaim, "Wonderful!"
Zhou Jin glanced at him, and he stepped forward with a generous smile to bow, as if he had something to say.
"This old servant greets Third Master and Madam."
Li Qu quickly returned the greeting: "I dare not accept such a compliment."
Then he bowed to Zhou Jin and went out to get into the carriage to wait for him.
He stared at her back, watching her slender figure sway beneath her lotus-leaf dress, and suddenly felt his mouth go dry.
He stayed at Fanghua Garden these past few days. Although he knew her menstrual period had ended, he didn't touch her because of the cold nature of the medicine.
It was extremely difficult to endure.
Today, he could no longer tolerate it.
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