Lok Po Street is actually wider than a regular street, but because of the crowds and the fact that the carriages are wider than regular carriages, the journey is still very slow.
Seeing this, Gu Xingzhi and Qiaoniang suggested that the group get out of the carriage and walk to the dining area, while the driver would take Tayu to the backyard.
Yao Niang was pleasantly surprised: "Can we get off the carriage and walk over?"
She had assumed that since she hadn't dressed up specially for the day and Qiaoniang had a scar on her face, it might be inconvenient for her not to prepare a veil or hat. However, she found that Qiaoniang seemed completely unconcerned about it.
Gu Xingzhi gestured for Yao Niang to look at the street. Young women were walking alone or in groups, some with elaborate makeup, others with bare faces.
Yao Niang suddenly realized that when she entered the city earlier today, she had been surprised that women in Shuojing City did not need to wear veils when they went out, but she had forgotten about it now.
Qiaoniang linked arms with Yaoniang and introduced her to the various shops on Lebao Street.
Along the street were many vendors, and perhaps having heard Gu Xingzhi mention that Yao Niang liked to eat, Qiao Niang deliberately introduced several snack stalls to Yao Niang.
It's now early summer, and the cherries in Shuojing City are gradually falling to the ground. On Lebao Street, there's a small stall specializing in candied cherries. The cherries are pitted, then simmered with honey until the flesh turns an enticing amber color.
Qiaoniang specially took Yaoniang to buy a serving. It was sweet and sour, and refreshing. Yaoniang liked it very much.
As soon as they left the stall, Yao Niang couldn't help but ask, "These cherries are sweet and sour, and I imagine they're very popular with young ladies. But the stall owner looks like a big, burly man; he doesn't seem like the kind of person who can make such a snack."
Qiao Niang scoffed, "That man... he's a notorious idler around here, surnamed Li. These candied cherries are made by his wife. He used to be a good-for-nothing, so his wife had to work hard every day, making the candied cherries and then selling them. But he saw that most of the customers were women, including some beautiful young ladies, so he followed his wife around every day, taking the opportunity to flirt with them when a young lady came to buy them."
But he discovered that with his wife around, the other young women ignored him, buying from him and leaving quickly. Although his wife dared not say anything about his actions, she would secretly stop him whenever he tried to touch her. Enraged, he beat his wife and confined her at home every day to make candied cherries, while he went out to sell them freely.
Qiao Niang held Li Xianhan in utter contempt: "If it weren't for his wife's truly excellent cooking skills, with no other family in the capital able to compare, who would want to see such a disgusting piece of trash?"
Yao Niang felt a pang of pity: "Is no one going to take care of this?"
"Manage? How can we manage? Madam Li is his family. Even an upright official can't settle family disputes. And he's such a rogue. Who would dare to interfere?" Qiao Niang saw that Yao Niang seemed to feel very sorry for her, so she added, "However, many people usually buy honey-fried cherries from him. He gets money and his life is a little easier. I think he should treat Madam Li better too."
Yao Niang felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. She then thought of the new policies and asked, "But isn't it said that women can attend school and do what men do? Since the sage intends to elevate the status of women, married women should also be protected..."
As she spoke, she felt powerless, and her voice grew softer and softer.
Like Madam Li, who had already married before the new policies were implemented, she had long lost the opportunity to change her fate. She was not allowed to attend school, and perhaps she was even illiterate. She might not even know that she could now walk in the world like a man, no longer needing to depend on that unreliable husband for survival.
Seeing the tense atmosphere, Gu Xingzhi patted Yao Niang's shoulder to comfort her. He also despised the man's shameless behavior, but he couldn't empathize as deeply as Yao Niang. Women are inherently weak, and there are so many people with tragic fates. Apart from his family and lover, he truly couldn't put himself in their shoes to understand their suffering.
In the tense atmosphere, the group arrived at their intended dining location. The restaurant was resplendent in gold, with a gilded plaque above the entrance bearing three beautiful characters—Jin Yu Lou (Golden Jade Pavilion). The aroma of dishes wafted through the air as customers came and went; although not bustling with activity, the restaurant was still quite busy.
As soon as Gu Xingzhi entered, the innkeeper eagerly led everyone to the third floor to sit down. In the capital city of Shuojing, there is a pond called Fuxiang, named for the lotus flowers that bloom and exude fragrance in its height of summer. Jinyu Tower is built beside Fuxiang Pond, and the third floor offers a wide view; looking out the windows, one can see the pond's scenery. Now, with the lotus buds just beginning to sprout, the clear water and green leaves are refreshingly pleasant.
Gu Yaoniang's mood calmed down under the beautiful scenery, and then she heard Gu Xingzhi speak up: "Others wouldn't dare to come to Jinyulou for a meal if they didn't have the ability to spend a fortune! It's our own business, so go all out today! Your second uncle is treating you!" He waved his folding fan lightly, looking completely at ease.
Gu Yaoniang was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. But recalling the way upstairs, the gilded and jade-like decorations, the gleaming lights, and even the paintings and calligraphy hanging in this private room were priceless masterpieces. Thinking about it this way, Jin Yu Lou was indeed her second uncle's style all along.
Not knowing the name of Jin Yu Lou, she asked the waiter in his embroidered robe and tall hat at the door. Seeing that she was a distinguished guest brought by the owner, the waiter naturally and very attentively recited the names of the dishes:
"Our building is full of famous dishes: braised pork knuckle, stewed ribs, braised pork with potatoes..."
Gu Yaoniang's smile froze on her face.
Despite the lavish decorations and extravagant spending at Jin Yu Lou, the names of the dishes are surprisingly simple, easy to understand, and straightforward.
She grinned and said, "Isn't Second Uncle always known for his refined tastes? How come the names of the dishes at Jin Yu Lou are so simple and unadorned?"
Gu Xingzhi was extremely proud: "You don't understand. Eating and sleeping are the most important things in life. If you explain things in a vague and unclear way, the guests won't know what the ingredients are or how they are made. How can they want to eat them? Only when our Jin Yu Lou is straightforward and easy to understand can the guests choose the dishes they truly like and eat happily."
Genuine and adorable? Hu Da's braised pork knuckle, genuine and adorable?
Indeed, genuine. Cute?
Gu Yaoniang remained silent.
Qiaoniang, standing to the side, covered her mouth and chuckled. She instructed the waiter to bring out several of the restaurant's signature dishes, along with three kinds of fresh seasonal vegetables. Then she turned to Yaoniang and said, "Jinyulou wasn't like this before. It's only since Second Master upgraded Jinyulou that the restaurant has spent a lot of money, replacing all the decorations, even putting uniform embroidered outfits on the waiters, and increasing the portion sizes. But for some reason, the number of customers is decreasing day by day. Now, Jinyulou is almost becoming a worry for Second Master."
Gu Yaoniang, however, felt that she probably knew why.
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