37 Jasmine Melon Ice Milk
◎Matchmaker comes to your home◎
The next day was another sunny day, and the sun dyed half of the clouds red.
The restaurants and bars opened early, and the place was bustling with activity, showing the vibrant life of the city.
Jiang Qinglan had just finished working at the morning market and was currently putting a large bouquet of flowers into a vase on the counter.
Wang Huiniang received the meat and vegetables brought by the butchers and vegetable farmers and arranged them in the kitchen. After she was done, she also raised the curtain and came out from the backyard.
Before she even saw the flowers, she sighed, "What a fragrant scent!"
Jiang Qinglan said, "Just now I saw someone selling jasmine flowers on a shoulder pole, and I bought some."
Wang Huiniang smiled and said, "After all, my sister comes from a wealthy family and has good taste."
This was meant to praise her, but Jiang Qinglan knew there was another meaning behind it.
Wang Huiniang, born into poverty and widowed in middle age, had worked tirelessly to build a family fortune, and was very frugal with money. She probably wouldn't agree with the impracticality of buying flowers.
It is understandable that different experiences lead to different habits.
Jiang Qinglan was a pauper in college, and whenever he had a little money, he'd only dream of eating meat. He developed the habit of buying flowers after he became a graduate student and started teaching for teachers, which gave him more money.
She smiled slightly, didn't say anything, arranged the flowers, and went to the door of the store.
"Ah—" she exclaimed in surprise when she saw the Songhua Distillery's doors were closed. "It was open the day before yesterday, bustling with guests, and it's closed today?"
As if to clear up her confusion, a dark-faced servant who was painting glue on the door turned around and said:
"Oh, that's right. Shopkeeper Zhou said that my mother is seriously ill and he is in a hurry to go back to take care of her, so he has not even opened the shop yet."
"Our landlord is very anxious. Who are we going to rent the house to in the short term?"
It turned out that this man was the landlord's servant, who was putting up a notice to rent the house.
Jiang Qinglan's heart moved.
She was complaining that the store was too small, so why not take over the winery as well?
In this way, the store will be larger and can accommodate more tables and chairs. Secondly, it can also be used as a beverage area.
Thirdly, this place used to sell liquor, so there must be ample storage space. She could make pickled radishes, pickled cowpeas, kimchi, soybean paste, and the like, and there would be room for large jars.
She made up her mind, but didn't show it on her face. She just chatted with the man: "Hey, the shop rent is paid every three months at least. Isn't this a big loss for Shopkeeper Zhou?"
The boy was a bit stupid and worried. He brushed the paste and said casually:
"It's only ten taels of silver. If we can't rent out our shop and it's vacant for a long time, the loss will be huge."
Jiang Qinglan knew that Manager Zhou rented this shop for about five taels of silver a month.
She remained calm and waited for a few days.
She knew the shop wouldn't rent out quickly, and the street kids loved ripping at the paper on the door. The notices the boy put up would quickly become tattered, and he'd just come back to post more.
Seeing this man come twice, each time more worried than the last, she asked leisurely, "Young man, how much silver are you planning to rent this shop for a month?"
The servant scratched his head: "I can't make the decision on this."
Jiang Qinglan said, "Then let the one who can make the decision come."
The servant's face lit up with joy: "Okay, okay, I'll go and ask the boss to come over now!" After saying that, he didn't even take the bowl of paste and ran away.
In the end, Jiang Qinglan rented it for four taels of silver a month. Because she rented it for a year at a time, she gave him eight taels, making it a round sum of forty taels.
She has always been decisive in her work. She started developing drinks before she even rented the winery.
If we talk about the most popular drink nowadays, tea is the best. From the royal family to the wealthy, everyone likes to drink a cup of it.
However, the process of making tea is extremely complicated, with steps including roasting, crushing, grinding, putting into the cup, pouring tea soup, and beating.
She runs a small shop in the city, so there is no need for her to go for the elegant route.
In the process of making drinks, "brewing" is the simplest.
Jiang Qinglan didn't know much about tea art, but she speculated that the way of drinking tea in China, from "frying" in the Tang Dynasty to "making tea" in the Song Dynasty, and then to "brewing" in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and extending to the modern era, was probably all for the purpose of "saving trouble."
Who doesn’t want to be lazy? The simpler and more popular it is, the more likely it will survive.
So, what to soak?
In the heat of summer, flowers and plants flourish. Roses, jasmine, lotus leaves, honeysuckle, mint, etc., all have the effect of clearing away heat and heat, making them excellent ingredients for summer drinks.
In addition, there are fruits, which are natural drink ingredients.
Pound them until they are soft, add some ice cubes, boiled water, and a certain proportion of sugar. You can also use as much pear juice, lychee juice, grape juice, or watermelon juice as you like.
Add some red beans, barley, milk, smoothies, taro paste, etc., and you can have mango coconut, cheese berry, taro milk pudding...
The profit of making beverages is the highest, 90% water and 10% ingredients.
Otherwise, how could there be seven or eight milk tea shops on one street? Bookstores all say that they rely on selling coffee to stay in business.
Having decided to sell drinks, he had to pick one to try out. Jiang Qinglan decided to try jasmine first.
Speaking of jasmine, this pure white flower must be paired with green fruit to achieve a refreshing, elegant, and sublime temperament. Therefore, modern jasmine green grape drinks are commonly made.
But green grapes and Sunshine Rose were not available at that time. Jiang Qinglan wandered around the fruit market and finally found his target - honeydew melon.
Honeydew melons are crisp, juicy, and incredibly sweet, with a vibrant green interior. They're readily available in the summer and are reasonably priced. They're a perfect accompaniment to jasmine drinks.
The recipe for jasmine honeydew melon ice milk is not difficult.
Cut the green honeydew melon into small pieces, mash it, add milk, sugar, jasmine tea, and small ice balls.
Finally, don’t forget to decorate the surface of the drink with a few jasmine flowers. This jasmine melon ice milk specially for summer is ready.
It looks green and pleasant, and tastes refreshing and not too sweet.
Madam Sun rushed to the Xinghua Restaurant from her shop, carrying a piece of Xiangyunsha.
She was fat and more afraid of heat. She felt the backyard was chilly and knew there was ice: "Mrs. Jiang, please give me a piece of ice!" As she said that, she put the gauze on the table and picked up the round fan to fan herself.
Jiang Qinglan brought out the newly prepared drink.
Madam Sun took a gulp and was stunned. After slowly swallowing it, the coolness spread from the tip of her tongue to her chest and abdomen, and she let out a comfortable sigh.
"Ah, it's cool!"
Take another sip.
The crisp aroma of jasmine tea, the sweetness of honeydew melon puree, and the rich, mellow aroma of milk all rushed in. Finally, the icy icicles that had not yet melted in my mouth added another layer to the flavor.
Madam Sun drank it all in one breath, and the heat in her body disappeared. She then praised Jiang Qinglan's cooking skills.
Seeing that everyone around her was busy with their own things, she winked again and said, "Sister, is that thing done?"
Jiang Qinglan was digging out the bitter melon pulp.
She held a long bitter melon, cut in half, in one hand and the handle of a white porcelain spoon in the other. She pulled it upside down, and the pulp and seeds fell out one after another like defeated soldiers.
Hearing Madam Sun's question, she was a little puzzled: "What's the matter?"
"Oh, my dear sister," Madam Sun covered her mouth and laughed, saying, "On the night of Qixi Festival, an official matchmaker went to the restaurant but couldn't find you. It was me who pointed her to Jiangmi Lane."
"Oh, that's it."
Jiang Qinglan looked at the bitter melon in her hand. The flesh was slightly red. Fearing it was rotten or infested with insects, she discarded it.
"No, that young man is not suitable."
Upon hearing this, Madam Sun showed an expression of astonishment, and said excitedly:
"I knew it wouldn't work. I tricked her into telling me a few things about you, but she didn't know anything. How can this marriage be successful?"
Jiang Qinglan thought to himself: "It is said that in ancient times, marriages were blind and mute, and matchmakers' words were deceiving. It seems that she is somewhat different."
Then he asked, "Is Madam Sun also a matchmaker?"
At this time, there are two types of media: official media and private media.
The official media seemed serious, but most of the time the marriage had already been arranged, and the wealthy family invited someone to go through the motions.
Real marriage introductions among the people still rely on private matchmakers.
It seems that this lady Sun not only sells cloth, but also works as a private matchmaker.
"That's not the case." Madam Sun said confidently.
"I'm not exaggerating. My matchmaking is always genuine and I never cheat. Every year, people give me rice, flour, firewood, and oil. It's because the men and women are grateful for my good matchmaking."
Jiang Qinglan listened with a smile, occasionally offering a few compliments. Unexpectedly, Madam Sun's conversation turned to her.
"I think Madam Jiang is suitable for finding a son-in-law."
"Oh?" Jiang Qinglan was a little surprised, but he didn't interrupt her. He just took out the bitter melon pulp with a smile and listened to her as if she was listening to an interesting story.
"I can see, Madam Jiang, that you are a quick-witted and capable earner. If that's the case, why would you marry someone? Isn't it better to spend your own money?"
"But sometimes, a family still needs a man. For example, someone has to fetch water and chop firewood. When you go out, you need a strong man to accompany you to avoid being robbed."
"—Of course, these things can be done by paying someone. But there are always some things that servants cannot do or talk about."
"Madam Jiang, if you take a son-in-law, firstly, you will be in charge of the finances, you will be the master and the head of the family; secondly, you will have someone who understands you and helps you with things; thirdly, if you have children in the future, they will take your surname and be included in your family tree."
My God, this plan turned out to be a good one!
Jiang Qinglan smiled and said, "It sounds like a perfect solution. But if you run into a scammer, wouldn't you lose both your money and your life?"
Madam Sun laughed heartily:
"That's right."
"But then again, isn't there a danger in getting married? Even in restaurants, there are freeloaders. Even when you're looking for a servant, there are times when you run into a swindler."
"You can't just be afraid and not try, right?"
Madam Sun was right. Because of his parents' unhappy marriage, Jiang Qinglan was very cautious about relationships in his previous life.
When she was in college and studying for her master's degree, several people confessed their love to her, but she always hesitated.
There was a boy whose hometown was in a different province from hers, and she was afraid that the relationship would not work out;
There was one person from the same hometown who had two older sisters. She was afraid that he was a mama's boy...
Anyway, for all the reasons, she rejected it herself before the discussion even started.
Well, after getting her PhD, even though she was still young, her social circle became increasingly narrow, and the pressure of writing papers became increasingly greater. She no longer had the energy to care about those trivial matters.
As for this life——
In fact, since Mr. Gao came to propose marriage last time, she has really thought about her own lifelong event.
First of all, she is not ambitious and cannot conquer the world or become rich like the heroines in novels.
She just wanted to live a comfortable life: open a small shop; have some spare money; sleep in on rainy days, and have some hot pot when she wakes up.
Just as Madam Sun said, she needs a man to live this kind of comfortable life.
——Although the life of women in this dynasty was better than that in other dynasties, there were still some restrictions.
For example, if she wanted to go out for sightseeing, she couldn't do it alone. It would be much more convenient if she had a man to go with her.
There is another point that Madam Sun did not mention explicitly, but it is extremely important to her, and that is a bed partner.
She is not a saint who has no desires. She needs someone who cares about her and can meet her physical needs.
In her previous life, although she had never done it with real guns, at least there were some small movies.
When I was studying for my master's degree, there was a classmate in her thirties who always loved to tell dirty jokes. After each one, she would sigh: "Thirty is like a wolf, forty is like a tiger..."
Well, she had to have a man, but she had to choose the right one. She roughly thought of a few conditions:
First, as Madam Sun said, he must be a son-in-law, and she is the head of the household. She has the final say on whether to have children, and if he does, the child must have the surname Jiang.
Second, you don’t have to be smart, but you must have good character and meet the minimum standards.
Third, you have to look pleasing to the eye.
Although she is not rich now, she is safe and her life will get better and better in the future.
Since you're hiring a son-in-law with money, you have to find someone good-looking. Otherwise, how can you have a good marriage?
Thinking of this, she suddenly remembered a counterexample -
For example, Yang Langjun is not good enough. Although he is kind and somewhat cute, he is not interesting at all.
She chuckled and shook her head, as if condemning herself for having such promiscuous thoughts about an honest man.
Suddenly, another face appeared in my mind. The profile was handsome and smooth, and the bright smile showed white teeth and deep dimples.
Well, although Mr. Yan has a bad temper and likes to boss people around, but considering his looks alone, he can still be her bed warmer.
As for her figure, it looked good. Two legs were strong and long, and the third leg...
Thinking of this, she inexplicably imagined some details, and her ears felt a little hot.
Madam Sun saw the change in her expression and thought she was persuaded, so she pressed the issue, "Madam Jiang, how is it?"
Jiang Qinglan woke up as if from a dream, coughed lightly, and suppressed the lust in his heart:
"Madam Sun is right. However, my parents have just passed away, and as a daughter, I would be unfilial if I continued to live in this world. How can I hold a wedding? Let's talk about this in three years."
In this dynasty, even men observe mourning for a maximum of one year, while women usually observe mourning for three months instead of months.
When Lady Sun heard that she was going to follow the ancient example and observe three years of mourning, although she was a little discouraged by her business failure, she couldn't help but admire her.
She never mentioned the matter again, but only praised the person for being "thoughtful" and "filial".
In reality, Jiang Qinglan felt that her body was not even twenty years old, and was too young. Contraceptive measures were limited these days, so how could she possibly indulge herself?
She spread the news of mourning through Madam Sun's mouth to stop the matchmakers. She would not have to expose her misfortunes over and over again if young men like Mr. Gao came to her door.
She was very happy as she made such a wishful calculation.
Little did she know that someone cared about her and even arranged her wedding in full swing.
Prince Dongping's Palace, Qingxin Courtyard.
Old Madam Xie had already investigated Jiang Qinglan's family background and wanted to trick Xie Linchuan:
"You mean, Princess Baoqing will be the wife, and Madam Jiang will be the concubine?"
"No!" Xie Linchuan refused flatly, "I don't want Zhao Yunhui."
He has always been decisive. Once he has made up his mind, he will never drag his feet.
Madam Xie said calmly, "This is not going to be easy."
"Although the Jiang family has been a prestigious family for generations, it has fallen on hard times. Her father, Jiang Yuan, has offended the government. She also divorced him before."
Xie Linchuan raised his eyes: "Why would I care about these?"
"Didn't grandmother always tell me, 'Are kings, dukes, generals, or ministers born of different bloodlines?'"[1] "Grandfather went from being a butcher to the King of Dongping. Did he rely on family background?"
Mrs. Xie looked at it deeply for a while and then laughed.
She has always liked this grandson because he has a determination to win, just like his grandfather Xie Shan.
"Grandma believes in you."
Mrs. Xie was very thoughtful and tried to say it tactfully:
"But thinking is one thing, doing is another. There is indeed a gap between you two, so you will have to put some thought into how to marry her."
"Don't worry, grandma." Xie Linchuan smiled knowingly, his spirits high, "I've already thought about it."
The next day.
As the golden crow was setting in the west, Xie Linchuan came out of Princess Anguo's mansion. His moon-white robe was dyed a faint crimson color by the afterglow.
He pressed his brow with his hand, looked at the white clouds and red sun at the end of the sky, and the lotus leaves and pink lotus nearby, and suddenly smiled.
Seeing this, Mo Shan, who was accompanying him, thought to himself: I don’t know why the prince is always so moody.
A few days ago, he kicked Pinglin like he had eaten dynamite and knocked him down with one kick, causing him to be bedridden now.
These past two days, he's been like the silly beggar at the alley entrance, always smiling like that.
I can’t afford to offend you! I can’t afford to offend you!
The weather was getting hot, so Xie Linchuan stopped riding and jumped into the carriage. He said to Mo Shan outside:
"I'm leaving first. You can walk around here for a while, not too close, not too far, just enough for Princess Baoqing to see you."
"When she asks you, just tell her that the prefect of Lin'an is here for an urgent matter and I'm on horseback going to the office first."
How could Mo Shan not dare to respond? He just said "yes" and saw a golden object thrown out from the car.
He picked it up and saw, wow, it was a huge gold ingot!
"Here's a reward for you!" The carriage rumbled past, and Xie Linchuan's laughter still lingered in the wind.
Mo Shan's eyes widened, and he quickly put the gold ingots in his pocket, his heart pounding.
I must not let Pinglin know about this, otherwise, won’t he be so angry that he will kill me?
——
In the Xinghua Restaurant, sunlight slanted in through the window lattices, making the newly painted walls glow white.
Jiang Qinglan watched the craftsmen working while thinking:
Before, they sold breakfast and dinner, which were all light dishes like porridge and braised dishes. She and Wang Huiniang were quite busy.
Now that we have drinks, we need to buy ice, flowers, and cut fruit, which adds a lot of work.
Especially, these things are all about freshness. Going to the market early every day to select them is very labor-intensive.
So, should she hire another helper?
Just as he was thinking about it, he saw Wang Huiniang come into the room, holding a blue cloth bundle. Jiang Qinglan told her.
Wang Huiniang smiled and said, "What's so difficult about that? I can't say anything else, but I'll take care of the recruitment."
"Only now, I have another matter."
She shook the bag in her hand and let it fall, revealing a light yellow brocade folded skirt.
The silver lines outline the willow leaves, and when the sunlight shines through, they are glittering and colorful, with a subtle sense of luxury and beauty.
The brocade is expensive and embroidered with silver thread. This skirt is worth at least two taels of silver.
Jiang Qinglan was surprised: "This skirt, is my sister giving it to someone as a gift?"
She thought to herself that they were running a small business and were honest and hardworking.
There is no need to find someone from the government office or a local tyrant to support you and give clothes and jewelry to their concubines.
Wang Huiniang put the skirt on her and said:
"Exactly. It's a gift for you. I specifically asked Madam Sun next door to buy it for you."
She looked at her waist and arms: "Here, it fits perfectly."
Jiang Qinglan's eyes widened.
Wang Huiniang was a widow and had to support Hu Zi, so she was always frugal.
The day before yesterday, they had a disagreement about buying jasmine flowers.
Now, she actually spent a huge amount of money to buy a skirt for herself!
Wang Huiniang explained:
"You called me sister and took me and Hu Zi in to work. I've wanted to thank you for a long time, but I didn't know what to give you."
"These days, I see you're a young woman, yet you always wear white or blue. Isn't that a waste of your youthful beauty? So I bought some cloth and went to Panlou East Street to make this skirt."
Before he could finish his words, Jiang Qinglan felt a pang of sadness in his heart.
Since she came here, everything has been up to her own devices. She has never met anyone who expresses kindness as directly as Wang Hui Niang.
There are times when I'm weak, but I'm afraid of scaring Tuantuan, so I cry at night, hiding under the covers and shedding tears silently.
Now, this Wang family elder sister, ah...
Thinking of this, tears almost came out. Jiang Qinglan sniffed and quickly held them back.
Wang Huiniang observed her expression and took her hand again, saying:
"We're both women, and I'm a few years older than you. How could I not know how difficult it is for you?"
After living and eating together for these days, she had a general idea of the Jiang sisters' life stories.
But she was a smart person, and since the person never mentioned it, she didn't ask.
Knowing that this silly girl loves to calculate things clearly when it comes to feelings, she added:
"You don't have to refuse this skirt, and don't even mention the money. If you treat me well, I'll treat you well. That's what I should do."
Jiang Qinglan took the Shu brocade skirt, feeling mixed emotions. "Sister, what are you talking about..."
As for the rest, I don’t know what to say.
It was noon, the sun high in the sky. The shop was empty, with only the chirping of summer cicadas and the clanging of the shop's decorations.
Tuantuan wiped the sweat from his forehead and came running over:
"Wow, what a beautiful dress."
Wang Huiniang was very perceptive. The food had already been sent out, and she was afraid that staying here would embarrass Jiang Qinglan, so she said she was going to the kitchen to cut meat and let the sisters talk.
As soon as Tuantuan arrived, Jiang Qinglan immediately put away his weakness.
She touched her sister's head and said:
"Whatever color you like, I'll go to Panlou East Street and make one for you."
Tuantuan rarely said "good", but touched the glittering silver thread and murmured:
"Sister, do you still remember that when we were at home, you also had a light yellow skirt like this. The first time we saw it..."
She raised her head and glanced carefully. Seeing no anger on her sister's face, she whispered, "When you meet Brother Lu, wear that skirt."
Jiang Qinglan was in a good mood and found the little girl's timid expression a little funny.
Pinching her sister's rosy apple-like cheeks, she said calmly:
"To be honest, I don't remember."
"But when it comes to Mr. Lu, you don't have to be like this."
"Sister doesn't love him, nor does she hate him."
"As long as he doesn't say anything weird, I'll warmly welcome him to our shop to eat."
The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference.[2]
If her original body hated Lu Fei, she would just be indifferent, the same indifferent as she was to ordinary diners.
Tuantuan didn't know what she was feeling.
"Really?" The little girl laughed and whispered barely audible, "Tuantuan doesn't hate him either."
This guy has always been on his side.
In fact, Jiang Qinglan said this, but in his heart he was thinking: It is better to avoid Lu Fei if possible to avoid embarrassment.
Speaking of this, she remembered something and asked her sister:
"The Ghost Festival is coming up in a few days. We need to go to Biyunling early to burn incense for our father and mother. Will Tuantuan be able to get out of bed that day?"
Go early and come back early to avoid meeting Lu Fei.
"Yes!" Tuantuan assured proudly.
But on July 15th, at the end of the Yin hour, Jiang Qinglan called out several times, but Tuantuan didn't get up.
So she simply carried the man and his bedding roll onto the carriage.
Wang Huiniang looks after the store, and Huzi drives the cart for the two sisters.
A fat face appeared from the cocoon-like bed sheet. Hu Zi glanced at it and snorted:
"Last night, you were still swearing at me. Humph, you lazy pig!"
The child's promise was like a drunken man's oath; Jiang Qinglan never took it to heart.
She was well prepared.
There were several baskets on the carriage, one filled with flowers, fruits, snacks, paper money and other offerings, and the other filled with meals for their journey.
Biyunling is in the north of the city and it takes some time to walk there. When we get there, it will probably be dawn.
She first took out two large meat-filled buns from the basket and handed them to Hu Zi.
Then take out a bowl of cooked carrot and pork porridge and eat it slowly.
After finishing a bowl of porridge, Tuantuan woke up.
After being dazed for a while, she remembered the promise she made last night and felt a little embarrassed.
She put on her clothes obediently, folded the quilt, rinsed her mouth with salt water, and then called sweetly, "Sister——" and handed her a wooden comb.
Jiang Qinglan didn't laugh at her. He just took the comb, helped her comb her hair, and tied two small buns with a red hairband.
Afterwards, he handed her a bowl of porridge:
"Eat some porridge first, we still have a long way to go."
Tuantuan was eating when he suddenly remembered something. He started to shudder and hurriedly lifted the blue flowered cloth on the basket.
In different baskets, yellow and white chrysanthemums are elegant and lovely; apples, pears and other fruits are round and fresh;
A bowl of braised pork in rich red sauce, with a glossy red color;
Even the puff pastries on the plate were all the same size and arranged very beautifully.
"Oh no!" Tuantuan said with a sullen face, "We didn't prepare bitter melon, but that's Daddy's favorite dish!"
These days, Jiang Qinglan learned a lot about his original family from Tuantuan.
Jiang Yuan loves to eat bitter melon. He always says that it is bitter on the outside but sweet on the inside, which embodies the character of a gentleman.
He, on the other hand, loved to eat braised pork. Sometimes, she would even laugh at Jiang Yuan for pinching his nose while eating bitter melon.
Jiang Qinglan pointed at the plate of braised pork and said, "Isn't there bitter melon here?"
Tuan Tuan came closer to the dish and looked at it carefully.
Hey, that two-finger-wide, burnt-brown flake is really bitter melon!
"Bitter melon can be cooked with braised pork?" She was amazed.
"Why not? It's delicious. Braised pork has a sweet and salty taste, and it's rich in oil and sauce. Eating too much can make you feel sick. Bitter melon absorbs the oil, so it just absorbs the excess oil."
"Besides, it's been stewed and cooked in this broth. Ninety percent of the bitterness is gone, leaving only one percent. It has also absorbed a lot of the flavor of the seasoning, making it fragrant, soft, and delicious."
Jiang Qinglan learned how to make the dish of braised pork with bitter melon in the school cafeteria.
University cafeterias have always loved innovation, and there are countless dark dishes such as stir-fried green peppers with oranges, which have gained a lot of notoriety online.
But in fact, the canteen chefs have also made successful attempts. For example, this bitter melon braised pork is arguably the best bitter melon she has ever tasted.
In addition, there are cured pork ribs, mung beans and bitter melon stew, sugarcane and chrysanthemum soup, etc. These are all dishes that sound strange but taste good.
After listening to her, Tuantuan looked at the glossy red sauce on the plate and swallowed.
She hurriedly covered her mouth and said, "This is a sacrifice to my father and mother. No matter how greedy I am, I can't eat it."
Jiang Qinglan smiled: "That's Daddy and Mommy's, yours is here."
The cloth on the other basket was lifted, and sure enough, there was another plate inside.
What else is there to say? Tuantuan picked up his chopsticks and started picking up the food.
But as she ate, she began to drop golden beans again:
"Dad loves bitter melon, and Mom loves braised pork. They even had a fight over this. Sister, why didn't you cook this dish when they were alive..."
Jiang Qinglan thought: The Jiang couple committed suicide against the imperial order, how brave they were. It turns out that there are also such heartwarming moments in family life.
She sighed silently, comforted Tuantuan with soft words, and said quietly:
"Sister also thought hard for a long time these days before coming up with this dish."
"Now, I send it to my father and mother's graves. First, I want to invite them to enjoy their favorite dishes; second, I want to praise them for sharing the same bed in life and the same school in death."
"Third, I also want to tell them that we two sisters have finally come to this happy end after all the hardships we have endured, and let them rest in peace."
Tuantuan had grown up and could understand these words. She sobbed but silently wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.
…
They arrived at dawn.
In a cypress forest on the south side of Biyun Ridge is the place where the Jiang couple were buried together.
Hu Zi drove the car out of the woods and left the two sisters to pay their respects.
When Tuantuan saw his parents' graves, he fell to his knees and the tears he had been trying to hold back began to flow again.
Jiang Qinglan placed yellow and white chrysanthemums, fruits and snacks, and specially placed the plate of bitter melon and braised pork in the middle.
After doing all this, she also knelt down and burned paper money.
Tuan Tuan cried and said:
"Dad, Mom, don't worry, my sister is very capable now. We don't need Brother Lu, we are living well."
"You should reincarnate as soon as possible. In the next life, we will still be a family!"
After hearing this, Jiang Qinglan felt sad.
After bowing three times with great piety, she knelt down and held Tuantuan in her arms, and the two sisters snuggled together silently.
The sky gradually brightened, birds began to chirp in the trees, and the sound of horse hooves came closer and closer.
Jiang Qinglan's face changed and he hurriedly pulled Tuan Tuan up.
He came so early too?
【Author’s words】
[1] “Are kings, princes, generals, and ministers of different races?” is from the Records of the Grand Historian: The Biography of Chen She.
[2] “The opposite of love is not hate but indifference.” From Rollo May, Love and Will.
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