Picking up the white porcelain bowl beside her, Yao Niang carefully ladled out the braised tofu, then sprinkled chopped scallions into the bowl. The emerald green scallions, the glistening red minced meat, and the tender tofu created a vibrant and enticing dish.
Yao Niang instructed Bi Tao to add a little water to the pot, then simmer all the remaining broth from the pot's sides in it until it boiled. She then ladled it out into a large bowl and used it as a soup base for noodles for a while. She then added plenty of water and waited for it to boil again.
She wasn't very good at kneading dough, but fortunately, Aunt Qin next door was extremely skilled at it and would often make some and bring it over. She would also frequently send some food to the Qin family. Today was perfect; Aunt Qin had brought over some fresh noodles, and Yao Niang thought that the whole family should have a warm bowl of plain noodles.
Once the pot was boiling, while the noodles were cooking, Yao Niang rinsed the green leafy vegetables that Bi Tao had washed in the boiling water and put them into the soup base. She also poured some of the newly brewed soy sauce from a few days ago into the bowl.
Bitao's eyes were full of anticipation: "Miss hasn't made plain noodles for so long! I'm so craving them!"
Gu Yaoniang retorted angrily, "You're the only one with a mouth."
Bitao chuckled and went to fetch the family's bowls and plates, waiting for the noodles to cook before scooping them out.
Inside the main hall of the Gu family mansion, a woman in her early thirties stood at the entrance, peering towards the gate. The Gu family mansion was just a small courtyard with one entrance; if someone entered through the main gate, the noise would soon be heard in the main hall.
A boy of about fourteen or fifteen years old appeared at the gate of the courtyard. He was dressed in the typical blue silk robe worn by scholars, though it was slightly faded, probably because it had been washed too many times. Despite this, he did not appear constrained at all; his posture was upright, and he walked with a brisk pace.
"Mother!" Gu Pingsheng quickened his pace when he saw his mother waiting for him at the door.
Madam Gu smiled as she looked at her son, reaching out to take the bundle from Gu Pingsheng's hands, but Gu Pingsheng avoided her. He peeked around, his eyes sweeping across the courtyard.
"Where is my sister?"
"I always know about your sister!" Madam Gu scolded her son. "Your sister is in the kitchen! Last time you came home you said you wanted braised tofu, and your sister made it for you this morning." She then whispered, "You shouldn't always ask your sister to cook for you. A proper young lady from an official family shouldn't be running around in the kitchen all the time. What will people think if they find out?"
Gu Pingsheng chuckled, revealing his bright white teeth, with the straightforwardness unique to young people.
"My sister likes to cook, and I like to eat, so what? Mother, neither you nor Bitao can cook as well as my sister!"
Madam Gu pinched her son in anger.
"If word gets out that you're saying this, people will think our Gu family is a family that treats its daughters with cruelty!"
Gu Pingsheng scratched his head and finally shut up.
Gu Yaoniang led Bitao through the path behind the west wing and headed towards the main hall.
In fact, she heard the noise as soon as Gu Pingsheng entered the door. The Gu family's kitchen was just a small corner set up in the north of the west wing, with a small stove. The noise from the yard could naturally reach the kitchen, but she couldn't hear it clearly.
As soon as she crossed the path, Yao Niang saw Gu Pingsheng looking at her. Upon seeing her, he jogged over, took the large bowl from her hands, and accompanied her towards the main hall.
"Sis, this noodle smells amazing!"
Yao Niang followed behind Gu Pingsheng with her hands in her sleeves, her eyes filled with a smile.
Madam Gu said meaningfully, "This was delivered to our house by Aunt Qin this morning." Upon hearing this, Yao Niang's cheeks flushed.
Aunt Qin's husband was a constable working in the same yamen as her father. Their son, Qin Yuxiu, had been a diligent student since childhood and was a well-known good young man in Qingyun County. The Qin couple also liked the lovely and beautiful Yaoniang, and the two families arranged a marriage between them. Qin Yuxiu passed the provincial examination with top honors, and the Qin family used their connections to send him to Hualing Academy on the outskirts of the capital to await the spring examination. Once Qin Yuxiu passed the examination, the two families would arrange for Yaoniang to marry him.
Gu Pingsheng had always been very fond of Qin Yuxiu, but today he was not as happy as usual. He listened silently, his face showing a solemn expression, and it was impossible to know what he was thinking.
Yao Niang looked at it strangely.
"What's wrong?" Madam Gu also felt puzzled, a strange feeling she couldn't quite put her finger on. It was already the end of March; the news of this year's results should have reached Qingyun County by now. There was no need to worry about Yuxiu passing the exam; the only question was what her name would be on the list.
Gu Pingsheng quickly adjusted his posture, smiling as he pressed the two women down to sit at the table.
"Nothing much, I was just thinking about things that happened at the academy recently and got lost in thought." Gu Pingsheng thought to himself that it was something his classmate had told him, and it was indeed something that happened at the academy.
It doesn't count as deception.
Yao Niang suppressed her suspicions, scooped out the noodles one by one into a small bowl, poured a spoonful of clear broth over them, took some minced meat from the fried tofu and sprinkled it on the noodles, and handed the small bowl to Madam Gu first.
"I'll wait for your father to come back." Madam Gu gently placed the bowl on the table.
Gu Pingsheng, however, did not care.
"Mother, please eat first! Father won't be back from his official duties for a while." Besides, once he finds out about that matter, he might not be able to eat. Gu Pingsheng thought to himself.
"Yes, Mother! Don't worry, I've saved Father's portion for him; it's in the kitchen. I'll cook it for him when he gets back."
As she spoke, Yao Niang pushed the plate of tofu towards the center of the table, stopping only when it was perfectly centered. She silently breathed a sigh of relief; "Hmm, that feels good."
Gu Pingsheng slurped his noodles, picked up a few pieces with his chopsticks and put them in his bowl, praising Yao Niang's cooking skills as he ate. This drew another scolding from Madam Gu, but Madam Gu was not annoyed and, to her credit, went to get a second bowl.
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