13 To get rich, build roads first.
◎Homeless children at the Dragon King Temple◎
Yan Yunzhao paused, holding the teacup, and did not immediately agree, but pondered to herself.
She was just a newcomer to the restaurant business. What could the magistrate possibly do that required her help? She had a vague feeling that it must be related to the Guiyue Restaurant owner's withdrawal of investment earlier, but her income was nowhere near that of Guiyue Restaurant.
As expected, the magistrate stared at Yan Yunzhao with his somewhat cloudy eyes, sighed softly, and said with a sad expression, "I am getting old. I have served as an official for decades and have done right by the people of Lixi Town. I have a clear conscience. But I am afraid that my body will not last many more years. There is only one thing I am worried about."
Yan Yunzhao lowered his eyes and nodded, listening to him continue: "Go south from Lixi Town, near the city gate, there is a dilapidated Dragon King Temple, which takes in a group of children. Five years ago, I allocated the land to the Bai family of Guiyue Tower to open a restaurant, on the condition that they regularly deliver food to these homeless children."
"Now that Guiyue Tower has broken its contract, I am worried about those children." A trace of sorrow appeared on the magistrate's aged face.
"I've heard that Miss Yan runs her shop with great ingenuity and is not someone who is only after profit. I have a favor to ask: I hope you can take care of those children. As for the reward... if you don't mind that my savings are meager, please take it."
Yan Yunzhao put down his teacup, feeling somewhat uneasy: "Don't worry, I will do my best to help those children. There's no need for payment. You can keep it to enjoy your retirement, and the people of Lixi Town will be at ease. How can I accept this money?"
The magistrate's compassionate expression rarely showed a hint of a smile. He chuckled and said, "Miss Yan is righteous and quick-witted. I trust you with their affairs. If my shop encounters any difficulties, I will do my best to help."
Yan Yunzhao nodded with a smile: "You flatter me, Magistrate. However, I have a question. Guiyue Tower dares to openly occupy land and break the contract... does it have some powerful backer?"
The laws of Daqi are quite comprehensive, and all land belongs to the imperial court. The county magistrate reached an agreement with the Bai family of Guiyue Tower to lend them the land. Now, they have broken the agreement and dare to occupy the land and refuse to leave. They must have a powerful backer behind them, which even the county magistrate can hardly do anything about.
“Miss Yan’s guess is correct.” The magistrate took a sip of tea to clear his throat and began to explain: “This Mr. Bai originally came from a poor family. He had a younger sister who was lost when she was young, but fortunately she was adopted by a high-ranking official in the capital. After raising her to adulthood, he found her and used his adoptive father’s connections to help her open many restaurants. Guiyue Restaurant is not just in Lixi Town. Mr. Bai used to pay taxes regularly, but now, relying on the support of a high-ranking official, he doesn’t even care about paying taxes anymore.”
No wonder Boss Bai said earlier, "Don't forget who gave you that money." It certainly seems arrogant.
"I imagine the revenue and expenditure of Lixi Town are in the red because of this. I have a plan that may break this deadlock. I wonder if the magistrate would like to hear it?" Yan Yunzhao said with a smile and confidence.
"Please speak, Miss Yan."
"Why not build a good road leading to the top of Cuiliang Mountain, so that visitors can enjoy the scenery along the way, and invite literati to visit and create poems, songs, or paintings? Set up a toll booth at the foot of the mountain, and the fee doesn't need to be much, just five coins. This way, we can subsidize the road construction costs and make up for the tax arrears of Guiyue Tower."
The magistrate stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then said with delight, "This is a brilliant idea! But charging admission to the mountain is unprecedented, and I'm afraid the people will be resistant."
Yan Yunzhao smiled and shook his head: "This fee is called 'scenic area entrance fee'. Once Cuiliang Mountain is open to the public, the mountain roads will need to be maintained. It is only right that the public pays for this fee."
"Scenic spot tickets..." the county magistrate murmured, his face beaming with joy, and he granted her suggestion.
...
After returning to Cuiliang Mountain, Yan Yunzhao finished preparing the kitchen ingredients and first discussed the "Mid-Autumn Festival delicacies" with the four people in the small shop.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, it is natural to eat mooncakes, but Yan Yunzhao was not very familiar with the customs of Cuiliang's side and did not know what else should be prepared. However, Lou Su gave an idea.
“During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people in Daqi traditionally eat mooncakes and glutinous rice balls. However, the area around Lixi Town is a bit different. In addition to these snacks, they often make red bean porridge and red bean cakes to express their longing for their loved ones.”
"I see. What's the story behind these red bean porridge and red bean cakes?"
"It's mostly for the sake of hoping that the person they love will return soon. It's a custom among the people of Lixi Town to hold a temple ceremony on this day."
Yan Yunzhao nodded as if he understood, having already gotten some ideas on how to make Mid-Autumn Festival pastries.
When people eat porridge, they simply enjoy its freshness, glutinous texture, and smoothness; when they eat pastries, they savor its elegance and refinement.
After preparing the flour, Yan Yunzhao picked up a few eggs from his own chicken coop and, together with Jingming and the others, mixed water and kneaded the dough.
"When kneading dough, you need to focus all your energy in one direction. First, form it into a ball like this, then knead it out with force..."
As Yan Yunzhao demonstrated how to knead dough, she shared the little tricks she had learned with Jingming and the others. The three listened attentively and learned quickly, soon kneading a whole stovetop full of dough, enough to eat for several days.
Pastries made with egg whites and flour are too common, so Yan Yunzhao always likes to make something new. She chose some flowers from the jasmine plants she grew to make pastries.
Lixi Town is full of osmanthus flowers, and their fragrance fills the air every season. Most families also like to use osmanthus to make pastries. This time, she's making a jasmine one, which must be something new.
Jasmine has a delicate fragrance, but it's easy to make bitter pastries. So, as usual, I rinse and steam it, then dry and stir-fry it with black tea, and sprinkle in plenty of sugar.
The pastries were then made into various flower shapes, such as lotus, water lily, peony, and rose... A row of exquisite and delicate flower-shaped pastries was arranged, and their appearance was very pleasing.
However, the colors of these pastries were indeed a bit too similar. Yan Yunzhao and Jingming and the others used spinach, berries and other ingredients to make food coloring, and used it to outline the flower-shaped pastries, adding textures and varying the shades of the petals, making them look even better.
"The boss has such skillful hands, these pastries are so lifelike! They look like you can smell the flowers."
Qingxi, who has the greatest expertise in food, couldn't help but praise it.
"That's excellent, it shows your pastry-making skills are top-notch. Choose six different pastries and put them in a box, then price it at fifty coins," Yan Yunzhao said with satisfaction, looking at the table full of flower cakes.
Shuyu hesitated, "Boss, isn't fifty coins a bit too expensive? Usually, a bowl of vegetarian noodles only costs twenty coins."
"Perfect timing. We bought the boxes for the flower cakes from the box seller in Dongsi Alley. The flower cakes were carefully wrapped in oil paper, and the bottom was also lined with a thick layer of hemp paper. Dressing them up nicely would make them a presentable gift. Besides, these flower cakes are only made for the Mid-Autumn Festival and can't be eaten on other days, so they're not expensive."
Shuyu understood the ins and outs and gained some insight.
Preparations for the Mid-Autumn Festival cakes were in full swing. Boxes of cakes were made and placed in the kitchen, while the selected red beans and glutinous rice were soaked in water instead of being used to cook porridge.
The three grass demons were puzzled, so Yan Yunzhao explained, "Before the Mid-Autumn Festival, we need to rent a cart so we can sell our wares in town. I've already contacted a kitchen goddess, and we'll use her stove to cook them fresh, so they'll be hotter."
With this arrangement made, on the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yan Yunzhao took the three grass demons to town to sell flower cakes and red bean porridge.
The kind-hearted Lady Lu, who was using the kitchen, even helped Yan Yunzhao by adding a few candied dates to the porridge when he borrowed the stove to cook it.
"Adding jujubes to this porridge symbolizes sweetness and the early birth of a son. It's a good omen, young lady, you should eat more of it."
Yan Yunzhao smiled and declined the kind offer from this Lady Lu: "My marriage is still far from being arranged, so such a request is unlikely to be effective."
"So that's how it is. I thought that young master Lou was your husband. You two live together every day, so be careful not to let others gossip. A young lady's reputation is the most important thing, otherwise it will be difficult to find a good husband in the future."
"Thank you for your kindness, Madam Lu." Yan Yunzhao stirred the red bean porridge in the large pot and said, "I haven't thought about marriage yet. Reputation doesn't matter to me. What matters is a good husband and a good reputation? Money in one's pocket is what really matters. Besides, in the past, people only talked about a woman's reputation. Why didn't anyone teach men to restrain themselves and not have multiple wives and concubines?"
Perhaps Yan Yunzhao's words were too ahead of their time, leaving Madam Lu speechless for a long while. She reluctantly dropped the subject, fearing that further lecturing would only cause displeasure.
Yan Yunzhao served a bowl of red bean porridge, took a bite first. It was soft, sticky, and fragrant. The jujubes were delicate and tender, and sweet juice would burst out when you bit into them. The taste was just right.
A box of exquisite flower cakes was placed on a bamboo cart in front of Lu Niangzi's shop. A faint jasmine fragrance wafted through the air, attracting people to stop and take a closer look at the flower cakes.
With the enthusiastic greetings from Jingming, Qingxi, and Shuyu, many people couldn't resist buying a box and were then invited in for a bowl of red bean porridge, which smelled so good that everyone smacked their lips.
Perhaps fifty coins was still a bit expensive for ordinary people, so not many people bought it. But Yan Yunzhao wasn't in a hurry. He pulled Jingming and a few others to have tea and chat with Madam Lu.
Around afternoon, a burly-looking martial artist came to the stall and ordered ten boxes of flower cakes. Presumably, he was an envoy of some wealthy family, so the stall was carefully prepared and the cakes were given to him.
It's rare to see flower cakes packaged in carved wooden boxes; most people would wrap them in oiled paper or linen. Yan Yunzhao's set of flower cakes was extremely elaborate and could be described as exquisite.
Red bean porridge sold better than flower cakes. A bowl of porridge cost five coins, and he earned several dozen coins intermittently. He sold twenty-one boxes of flower cakes, earning a full guan. Yan Yunzhao happily led Jingming and the others to pack up and return to Cuiliang.
On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Yan Yunzhao and Lou Su had breakfast with the grass demon and went to the temple to pray for blessings according to the customs of Daqi, but they were stopped at the entrance of a small shop.
"Boss Yan, are you still selling Mid-Autumn Festival flower cakes? My daughter ate some once and kept asking for more, but this morning she found that you weren't setting up your stall, so she had to come here to look for them. I apologize for bothering you."
"It's alright." Yan Yunzhao smiled, went back to the shop to get a box and handed it to the uncle. "I have already asked Madam Lu to remember to buy the flower cakes. We will open for business after we finish visiting the temple."
Uncle nodded, beaming with joy as he carried the flower cakes down the mountain.
Perhaps it was because their homemade flower cakes were remembered that they felt a little happier, and the group's steps were lighter as they descended the mountain.
On his way to the temple, Yan Yunzhao also brought two boxes of flower cakes, one to offer as a sacrifice to the Dragon God and the other to the Heavenly Emperor.
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Dragon King Temple remained deserted due to the local area being in conflict with the Heavenly Emperor. Only Yan Yunzhao had set out exquisite flower cakes, and the children offered some fruits and white cakes as sacrifices. In contrast, the Heavenly Emperor's Hall was bustling with activity, so many people that it was difficult to move. After offering flower cakes and listening to the Taoist priests in the temple burning incense and praying for blessings, they left.
"Why not make a wish? I've heard that the Heavenly Lord Temple in Lixi Town is very efficacious."
Lou Su turned his head to look at Yan Yunzhao and said calmly.
"Is that so? I've never been too interested in these things. The Heavenly Emperor is so busy, how could he possibly have time for us mortals? Perhaps it's better not to allow it."
Yan Yunzhao strolled leisurely along the path with his hands behind his back, kicking a cobblestone on the bluestone pavement as he did so.
Behind the Heavenly Lord's Palace, the woods were deep and quiet, with moss growing along the roadside, suggesting that few people had ever been there. Lou Su chose a flat stone to sit on and looked up at her: "The Dragon God's incense offerings are scarce, so even if he doesn't listen, he will hear your wishes."
"Really?" The girl's eyes were bright and she smiled. "Then I wish that my shop will have more and more customers and that its wealth will flow in!"
Lou Su looked at her smiling face, the corners of his lips curved up, and he silently kept this wish in his heart.
"Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunion. Don't you want to go home and visit your family?"
Yan Yunzhao recalled how she had coaxed Lou Su a while ago by saying that her family ran a small eatery in another place. She was surprised that he still remembered it and didn't know how to answer. Instead, she asked, "And what about you? Your grandfather is seriously ill at home. Don't you go to see him?"
Lou Su lowered his head and smiled, playing with the grass in his hand without saying a word.
Neither of them got a good response, but Yan Yunzhao was in a good mood and dragged Lou Su to pick a large bunch of wildflowers. When Jingming and the others returned after buying Mid-Autumn Festival sugar paintings, a cluster of flowers by the stone had already gone bare.
"Here, this is for you."
After working for a long time, Yan Yunzhao skillfully wove the cluster of wildflowers into a bouquet and handed it to Lou Su.
"Carnations don't seem to exist in this era, so I'll use this bouquet instead. I'll put it in the Heavenly Emperor's Hall later to pray for Grandpa's peace and health."
Yan Yunzhao spoke casually, but Lou Su was lost in thought for a moment before accepting the flower and smiling with his eyes lowered.
"It would be better to place it in the Dragon King Temple. Today, there are many people praying, and the Heavenly Emperor probably won't hear them."
"That makes sense, then we'll do as you say."
As dusk fell, the five of them gathered together for a lively reunion dinner. The dishes included braised fish in vinegar sauce, grilled lamb chops, braised pork knuckle, vegetarian beef brisket with soy sauce, and red bean porridge with glutinous rice balls…
As dishes were placed on the table, the entire small shop was filled with aromas. It was simple yet heartwarming, making the Mid-Autumn Festival a perfect occasion.
Even a small shop can feel like home.
...
After careful arrangements were made for all the construction matters, a sign that read "Scenic Area Ticket" was soon erected at the foot of Cuiliang Mountain, and a winding and smooth stone road leading up the mountain gradually took shape.
Sweating profusely, the tourists reached the mountainside and, delighted to find a clean and tidy eatery, went inside to rest, drink some rough tea, and eat a bowl of chewy and refreshing ramen. But what truly impressed everyone was the dish called "Hamburger."
Cui Liang Wild Game's revenue tripled, and the five of them watched their money grow steadily each day. They then hired a skilled carpenter in town to expand and renovate the shop. Green plants were added; red lanterns were hung; flowing curtains were suspended; hand-painted porcelain bowls were displayed…
After finishing one order after another, Yan Yunzhao couldn't help but sigh that the Dragon God was truly effective after closing the shop at sunset. She thought that her casual remark on Mid-Autumn Festival had actually come true, and assumed it was because the mountain road on Cuiliang Mountain had been newly built.
...
Besides running the Cui Liang Wild Game business, Yan Yunzhao squeezed out some free time to entrust the small shop to Jingming, Qingxi, and Shuyu, and took Lou Su to the Dragon King Temple in the south.
The two wandered through the city for an unknown amount of time, until the surrounding scenery gradually became desolate and two rows of houses began to stand crookedly. Only then did they see the Dragon King Temple that the magistrate had mentioned at the end of the dirt road.
The temple gate was a rotten wooden plank, with two dragons carved on either side of the lintel. It creaked open with a gentle push.
The courtyard was also in a state of disrepair. More than a dozen children, no more than twelve or thirteen years old, were playing football on the ground. The youngest was about four or five years old. They were all dressed in rags and had unkempt hair and dirty faces. Anyone could tell at a glance that they were wild children.
Noticing two ethereal figures arriving at the door, the children stopped what they were doing and stared at them in disbelief.
"Brother and sister, are you here to bring food?" A little girl stared with her big, bright eyes and timidly walked up to Yan Yunzhao and tugged at her clothes.
Yan Yunzhao chuckled softly, squatted down, and poked her cheek. Seeing that she was still holding half a cold steamed bun in her hand, he said gently, "Is this what you usually eat?"
A little girl this age should have the smoothest face, but when Yan Yunzhao touched her small face, it was covered with chilblains and stiff, chapped skin, and he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart.
The little girl nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
Given Guiyuelou's financial resources, it wasn't that they couldn't afford to prepare decent food for these dozen or so children; it was simply that they were unwilling to put in the effort. Yan Yunzhao felt a chill in his heart.
Seeing a stove and a large pot in the courtyard, and the children staring at them longingly, they must have been hungry for a long time. Yan Yunzhao then took Lou Su to buy some ingredients nearby.
Although the place was remote, there were occasional vendors selling vegetables they grew themselves and chickens and ducks they raised. Before long, Yan Yunzhao and Lou Su returned to the Dragon King Temple carrying a few chickens and a full load of vegetables.
Yan Yunzhao set up the stove, mixed flour with water and kneaded it. Lou Su had already prepared the ingredients and was waiting for her to cook them.
The children circled around the stove, their drool almost dripping onto the ground. Fortunately, after working together for some time, Lou Su had become increasingly adept at farm work, and they didn't have to wait too long.
Chicken is chopped into pieces, and carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms are stir-fried in a pot. Water is poured in to make a thick soup, which is then used to cook noodles. The aroma of the noodles fills the air, and the children start to gobble them down, as if they want to gnaw the bowls clean.
"Don't rush, everyone gets a share." Lou Su smiled gently and patiently served food to the children who were holding their empty bowls and surrounding him.
Food always brings people closer together. The children, who were originally timid and wary, now dared to approach Yan Yunzhao and Lou Su, but they didn't speak, only quietly watching them.
"Do you like my cooking? How about this older brother and I come over often in the future?" Yan Yunzhao said gently, adopting a coaxing tone for children.
"I love it! It's so...delicious!"
Seeing their bright eyes, Yan Yunzhao smiled slightly: "Okay, I promise you, I will have a full stomach every day from now on!"
Several younger children cheered and jumped for joy, pulling Yan Yunzhao and Lou Su to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football).
Feeding a dozen or so children wasn't a difficult task for Yan Yunzhao; the cost was only a little over a hundred coins. Now that the shop was doing well, that amount of money was naturally no problem. However, she knew that if even she wasn't willing to promise to feed these homeless children, no one else would be willing to do it.
Every day after that, Yan Yunzhao would cook meals at fixed times and hire servants to deliver them to the Dragon King Temple in advance. Whenever he had free time, he would take Lou Su, Jingming, Qingxi, and Shuyu to play games with the children.
Day after day, the children at the Dragon King Temple smiled more and talked more. When the county magistrate occasionally came to visit, he would pull his older brothers and sisters aside and chatter on about Cui Liang's wild game.
Recently, Yan Yunzhao caught a cold. Seeing that he couldn't stand in the courtyard after finishing cooking, he went into the temple to avoid the wind.
The temple was dilapidated, containing only a crudely made dragon king sculpture, and looked dark and damp. If she hadn't been feeling unwell, she wouldn't have wanted to come in.
The offering platform was empty, with only the marks from the bottom of the bowls on the table and the incense ash scattered in the cracks of the table testifying to the once flourishing incense offerings of this Dragon King Temple.
Looking at the dilapidated, towering wooden dragon before him, Yan Yunzhao couldn't help but think of the dragon-binding lock at the bottom of Huaxianquan Lake.
The Dragon God Wuxiang ascended to heaven only two hundred years ago, and should still be at the height of his fame. However, these successive events have made her somewhat doubtful whether the Dragon God is really as powerful and influential as rumored.
However, the affairs of immortals are none of the concern of mortals. Yan Yunzhao shook his head, throwing away the random thoughts in his mind.
The temple door creaked open, and a ray of light shone on Yan Yunzhao's back. Lou Su closed the temple door and stepped inside, plunging the hall back into darkness.
Lou Su stood beside Yan Yunzhao and glanced indifferently at the dragon god statue inside the temple.
Yan Yunzhao hissed, then suddenly turned to Lou Suqi and asked, "You should know more about the affairs of the Great Qi than I do. In everyone's mind, what kind of existence is this Dragon God Wuxiang?"
Lou Su lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then pondered, “The Dragon God controls water, and water controls wealth, so the incense offerings are naturally plentiful. Lixi Town doesn’t rely on water for its livelihood, so it’s understandable that this temple is dilapidated. But… this Dragon God without form is probably just like this broken temple.”
Yan Yunzhao frowned in confusion and asked, "What do you mean? He led the demon realm, revitalized the dragon clan, and ascended to immortality in just a few years, living up to everyone's expectations. No matter how you look at it, he seems like a powerful figure."
Lou Su raised an eyebrow: "Is that what you think? But in my opinion, whether it's reviving the dragon clan or ascending to immortality, they are just invisible shackles that are hard for ordinary people to imagine."
"This... I didn't think it through. As the saying goes, it's lonely at the top, and he probably does have his own difficulties."
Yan Yunzhao lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought. In this majestic temple, it looked as if he were confessing. Lou Suwei chuckled softly, almost imperceptibly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com