Chapter Ninety-Eight
The house became lively; Bai Qiqiu alone made just as much noise as if there were ten or so people in the yard.
Bai Qiqiu's appearance didn't change much during his trip to the capital, except that he had lost some weight.
In the courtyard sat a large wicker basket filled with gifts that Bai Qiqiu had brought back for them from the capital.
Mu Bai and Wen Zhaoran had pastries stuffed in their mouths, each holding one in their hand, their eyes filled with satisfaction.
"Brother, try these. These are all delicacies that nobles in the capital love to eat. This package contains peanut cake, this package contains square cake with auspicious characters on it, and there are also jujube blossom pastries and plum blossom cakes."
As Bai Qiqiu spoke, he picked out the pastries he had brought for his family, giving each person a bag of each kind.
Although Zhou Si and Mu Bai don't live at home often, Bai Qiqiu also brought them some.
Hibiscus was carrying a bundle of pastries, looking rather bewildered.
"Qi Qiu, you bought so much, how can we possibly finish it all?"
Bai Qiqiu bent down in the basket, seemingly searching for something, and smiled when he heard this.
"Brother, things can be stored in winter, so eat them slowly."
After saying that, he took out a piece of blue-printed cloth from the depths of the basket.
"Brother, because I was learning printing and dyeing patterns, I was delayed in the capital for a few days. I only learned this one technique, the blue background with white flowers. But I remember all the other patterns of the fabrics in the capital. I'll figure it out myself later, and maybe I can come up with it."
As he spoke, he placed the cloth in his hand into Mu Jin's arms.
“Brother, this is what I bought for you. The women and husbands in the capital all love to wear this kind of patterned clothes. I think it looks really good, and I thought it would look even better on you, so I bought a bolt of it.”
Hearing this, Mu Jin glared at him and said, "This must cost a lot of money, right? How can you waste money like this?"
That being said, even Bai Qiqiu, a carefree young man, could tell from his eyes and brows that Mu Jin really loved this piece of cloth.
Bai Qiqiu hurriedly said, "Brother, it didn't cost much money. I learned this pattern and dyed it myself at the dye shop. I only spent extra money on the dye."
Wen Zhaoran swallowed the fragrant peanut brittle in his mouth and said happily, "Brother, this cloth suits you well. You should hurry up and make a cotton coat and a jacket for yourself. Wear the six-braided silver bracelet that your husband bought for you. At the New Year, all the young men and women in the village will envy you."
Mu Jin smiled and touched her wrist, which felt a little empty because she had taken off the bracelet since she was going to the Zhou family today.
“Then I will accept it. Later, I will make one for each of us.”
After saying that, he put the cloth into the house with a smile on his face.
Since everyone received a share of the pastries, Mu Jin didn't put them in the kitchen cupboard.
A few days ago, Zhou Lin took some leftover pieces of wood from making furniture and discarded by guests, and patched them up to make a small cabinet for Mu Jin, which he then placed in her bedroom.
He was thinking of putting some homemade pastries inside so that if he got hungry at night, he wouldn't have to brave the cold wind to go out of the house to find something to eat in the kitchen.
Mu Jin put the pastries into the cupboard, her face beaming with smiles.
In the courtyard, Bai Qiqiu was still distributing the good things he had brought back from the capital to Wen Zhaoran and Mu Bai.
"Big brother, these packages of pastries are for Brother Si. I'll go and deliver them to him."
Mu Jin hurriedly said, "Si'er just separated from her family a while ago. Bai'er, take your brother Qi Qiu with you."
Mu Bai nodded and placed the packets of pastries he was carrying into Wen Zhaoran's arms.
On the way to Zhou Si's house, Mu Bai told Bai Qiqiu the reason why Zhou Si had separated from the family.
Bai Qiqiu didn't say anything about it.
In the afternoon, Zhou Lin returned home, and the yard was filled with the aroma of meat.
Zhou Si brought over a pound of pork belly yesterday, and Mu Jin made a plate of braised pork.
There was still a little over a pound of mutton left, so I stir-fried it with hibiscus and scallions.
They even fished a fish out of the frozen water tank and made a braised carp dish.
The owl brought home a wild rabbit, cleaned it, and stir-fried it into a large plate of spicy rabbit cubes.
Mu Jin was overjoyed. She killed a rooster she had raised for almost a year, and served it with dried hazel mushrooms and sweet potato starch. Just smelling the aroma made her eat two bowls of rice.
When the food was served, Bai Qiqiu exclaimed, "Brother, it's all meat dishes, this is too lavish."
Wen Zhaoran set the bowls and chopsticks on the table and sighed with a smile, "Only when Brother Qi Qiu comes back will my elder brother be willing to let you go."
Hibiscus gently tapped his head with her chopsticks.
"What? Did your brother owe you something? Are you going to eat it?"
Wen Zhaoran stuck out her tongue and said coquettishly, "Big brother, you're good to me too."
Mu Jin chuckled and picked up a piece of chicken leg meat for Wen Zhaoran.
She chuckled and said, "Eat quickly, there's so much meat, it's not enough to shut you up."
The roosters at home are fatter and have firmer meat than the wild pheasants in the mountains, and they taste better.
The vermicelli was also stewed until it was very flavorful, and the whole family enjoyed the meal immensely.
Zhou Lin still ate the chicken head, while the owl under the table happily gnawed on the bone with a bit of meat still stuck to it.
Huang Pang'er ate in a very refined manner, making slurping noises, and his wooden bowl was full of meat with not a single bone in sight.
After Bai Qiqiu finished gnawing on a bone, he suddenly grinned, as if something had occurred to him.
"Speaking of which, this fate is truly wonderful."
Mu Jin was taken aback. "Why do you say that?"
Bai Qiqiu's eyes were squinting with laughter.
“Brother, do you know that I met Mu Zhaoye once in the Northern Frontier?”
"ah?"
Upon hearing Bai Qiqiu's words, the people at the table put down their chopsticks, and four pairs of eyes stared intently at Bai Qiqiu.
Bai Qiqiu felt somewhat embarrassed by the gaze.
He coughed lightly and said with a smile, "Before, when foreign enemies invaded and the town fell, those Huns were extremely ferocious, burning, killing and looting. I was about the same age as Zhaoran at that time, and my family lived in fear. Every household kept their doors tightly shut and dared not go out."
The group gradually became engrossed in listening.
Although the people in Mujia Village are not wealthy, it is a peaceful place that has never experienced war.
Aside from Wen Zhaoran, the others were all on tenterhooks.
"Later, the court sent more troops to drive the Xiongnu to the northern border. At that time, there was war and chaos everywhere."
Mu Jin nodded. "And then you met Brother Zhaoye?"
Bai Qiqiu nodded and sighed, "I only remember that a soldier protected me. Because I was so frightened, I developed a fever after being rescued and taken home. I have forgotten a lot of things from that time. This time when I went to the capital, I met a soldier who fought alongside Mu Zhaoye. When we were drinking, that soldier recognized me. He was not far away when Mu Zhaoye rescued me."
"Wow! A hero saving a damsel in distress? I've only ever seen that in storybooks."
Bai Qiqiu glared at Wen Zhaoran, "Sigh, Mu Zhaoye and I only just found out that the long scar on his face was from when he saved me."
Mu Jin sighed, "So that's why Brother Zhaoye loves teasing you so much. It turns out we've known each other for a while."
Bai Qiqiu shook his head. "At that time, Mu Zhaoye was in so much pain that he couldn't open his eyes. He only knew that he had saved someone, but he didn't know what the person looked like. When he found out it was me, he was even more surprised than I was."
Wen Zhaoran exclaimed, "In that case, you two are truly a match made in heaven, more wonderful than any storybook."
The brothers, Mu Jin and Mu Bai, nodded in agreement.
Bai Qiqiu blushed slightly. "It's because of me that I said that the fate between people in this world is truly wonderful."
Mu Jin smiled and said to Bai Qiqiu and Wen Zhaoran, "We are gathered together by fate. Although we are not related by blood, we are closer than brothers. We are happy today, so let's have a couple of drinks."
As he spoke, he took a jar of cloudy wine that he had bought to drink the following year from the cupboard.
Everyone except Mu Bai poured themselves a cup.
Several people raised their glasses, and Mu Bai raised a bowl of rice soup and drank it all in one gulp.
Amidst laughter and conversation, they finished their meal and drank to their hearts' content.
Zhou Lin tossed the last chicken bone to the owl, who was waiting with its mouth open.
"Zhaoye went to look for me and my master. I'm going to town this afternoon and will stay for two or three days. You all stay at home, so make sure to keep the doors and windows closed."
Mu Jin nodded, "Go and learn the trade with peace of mind. There are so many people in your family."
Zhou Lin still looked somewhat uneasy.
When Mu Heng drove the oxcart over, carrying the bundle that Mu Jin had packed for him, he left the house, looking back every few steps.
After the oxcart had gone far away, Hibiscus found a thick wooden stick and used it to brace the door shut when night fell.
Wen Zhaoran and Mu Bai went back to their room to rest, while Mu Jin was preparing to undress and take a short nap.
Bai Qiqiu, carrying a wooden box, knocked on the door and, after receiving permission, came in.
"Brother, I forgot to give you this scented soap. This box is for you and your husband. It's osmanthus scented."
"That must have cost a lot of money, right?"
Bai Qiqiu laughed and said, "Since we've come across it, we'll buy it. Going out always requires spending money. This stuff isn't available in our town. Ordinary soap isn't as fragrant as this. Two pieces, it didn't cost much money."
Mu Jin took it, smelled it carefully, and her eyebrows curved into a smile. "It smells nice. I think it doesn't need to be washed. If I put it in the closet, the clothes will probably absorb the fragrance."
"Brother, you can try putting it in the closet."
Upon hearing this, Mu Jin opened the wardrobe and quickly put the box containing the scented soap inside.
Take a packet of plum blossom cakes from the small cabinet and place it on the small table in the bedroom.
I poured two cups of coarse tea from the teapot.
"Qi Qiu, sit down. I was so worried about you being late returning from your trip to the capital."
Bai Qiqiu said with a smile, "Brother, you're blaming me. Since we're already here, I spent some money to learn a dyeing pattern so that our dye shop's business can improve."
Mu Jin handed him a piece of plum blossom cake. "Is this blue-printed fabric complicated to dye? How do you plan to price it? If the price is too high, I'm afraid few families will be willing to have it dyed."
Although Bai Qiqiu wasn't hungry, he still took it and took a bite.
"The most important thing about this blue calico is its resistance to dyeing. We need to buy lime and bean powder, and then we have to trouble my brother-in-law to carve out beautiful openwork patterns. In addition, it has to be cleaned and de-ashed, which is more expensive than our ordinary dyed cloth. It costs more than two qian of silver."
"It's a bit expensive, but the designs are novel, and many families with money would probably want to dye their hair like that."
After finishing a piece of plum blossom cake, Bai Qiqiu took a sip of tea.
“Brother, what do you think about setting the price at two qian and sixty wen? I’ve learned a bit about business in the capital. This dyeing process distinguishes wealthy households from ordinary ones. The wealthy are more willing to pay more when buying things.”
Mu Jin smiled and nodded, "Okay, I'll hurry up and finish making the apron. When I go out for a stroll, I'm afraid many of the wealthy families in the village will want to dye it."
"Okay, brother, you rest now, I'll go back to my room and get some sleep too."
After the two agreed, Bai Qiqiu got up and helped Mu Jin close the door.
Thinking that there was no man in the house, she carefully checked the gate again, and only went back into the house after finding it tightly closed.
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