Chapter 6 The Dancer "What did you just say the eldest son of the Su family was called?"...
Su Xiaotang was overjoyed.
He rolled up his sleeves, added an appropriate amount of sourdough to the sugar and flour and kneaded it. He then instructed the cook to add warm water in small amounts several times until the dough was kneaded into a smooth dough. After kneading, he covered it with a damp cloth and placed it in the sunlight for half an hour.
In the meantime, Su Xiaotang mixed sugar, hot water, and cocoa powder into a thick paste. Then she rolled the fermented dough into a thin rectangular sheet, spread the freshly prepared filling evenly on it, rolled it up, and cut it into small pieces with an oiled knife, pinching the ends slightly to prevent the filling from leaking out.
Then brush a thin layer of oil on the bottom of the pot, put in the dough, and simmer over low heat, turning it over from time to time, until both sides are golden brown and slightly charred.
Su Xiaotang cut a slit in each of the dough pieces to check if they were cooked through. Then she prepared a portion of unsweetened cocoa paste, poured it over the surface of the dough, and finally sprinkled a layer of cocoa powder on top. And that was it!
"Try it!" Su Xiaotang happily served the freshly baked pastries to everyone to try.
The pastry emitted an extremely tempting sweet aroma, but the head chef in charge of the kitchen looked hesitant, repeatedly glancing at Zhang Mama for instructions. Zhang Mama merely shook her head almost imperceptibly, stepped forward, took a piece from the plate, and became the first to try it.
"How does it taste?" Su Xiaotang stared intently at Zhang Mama with bright eyes.
Granny Zhang chewed carefully, swallowed, and praised, "Not bad, soft and sweet, His Highness will definitely like it."
Su Xiaotang grinned, her face beaming with joy.
...
The vast expanse of blue water is adorned with magnificent painted boats.
Yuan Mingjin boarded one of the boats and sat down leisurely. The painted boat then headed straight for the center of the lake.
"You're finally back!" Shen Huaqing sat down beside her with an air of grandeur, put his arm around her shoulder, and was overjoyed. "I've collected a lot of good things these days. With you not in the capital, I didn't know who to share them with."
Shen Huaqing was a minister who had served the emperor and the son of the current prime minister. Her father was the youngest son of the retired emperor, so she and Yuan Mingjin were not only close friends but also cousins.
Yuan Mingjin knew her nature all too well, and upon hearing this, his brow twitched, and he said, "Don't do anything reckless."
"How could this be considered nonsense?" Shen Huaqing said displeasedly, clapping her hands twice. Instantly, a group of dancers filed in. "Don't spoil the fun. My mother is pressuring me to get married again today. She's even had my father look after several suitors. It's driving me crazy. Aren't the ones at home enough for me to handle?"
Light songs and graceful dances filled the air with the fragrance of perfume. The dancers wore only thin fabric bodices and skirts, revealing glimpses of their slender, white waists that made one's mouth dry. Their alluring figures swayed like water snakes, and their delicate, nail-painted fingers danced in a dazzling display.
Shen Huaqing's eyes gleamed with envy, almost popping out of their sockets, but Yuan Mingjin didn't even glance at the group, only reminding them, "Officials in the court are not allowed to patronize prostitutes."
"I haven't even become an official yet, what's there to be afraid of? Besides, it's just an invitation to watch the song and dance performance." Shen Huaqing didn't take it seriously. "With my mother and sister around, it doesn't matter if I idle around all day."
He's acting exactly like a spoiled brat.
The zither strings resonated, reaching a beautiful climax. Just as the two were appreciating the music, a dancer draped in crimson gauze and wielding a sharp sword suddenly broke through the crowd and emerged. He wore a veil, his jade-like feet touching the ground with lightness and agility, supple yet powerful. With a stretch of his long arms, the sword vanished from the air, leaving only a white, silvery light that bloomed like a fan.
Shen Huaqing was most fond of such a capable man, and immediately stood up excitedly, her eyes wide open. Yuan Mingjin couldn't help but chuckle at this, taking a sip of tea, "No wonder they keep urging you to get married."
Shen Huaqing was extremely annoyed by the constant pressure to get married, and the mere mention of "marriage" made her shudder. She suddenly remembered that this man had gotten married yesterday, and she had even attended the wedding banquet. So she teased, "Compared to those in the west courtyard, how does your little groom seem? I've heard that Su Yiyi is the epitome of a nobleman in the capital. If any son misbehaves, the elders will say—'Look at the eldest son of the Minister of Revenue! If you were even half as easygoing as him, you wouldn't be suffering this lecture today!'"
She imitated him perfectly, even coughing twice and speaking in a deep, muffled voice like an old man. Everyone thought Yuan Mingjin would burst out laughing, but instead, she frowned slightly.
What does Su mean?
Yuan Mingjin suspected he had misheard and was about to ask further when a sudden gust of cold wind pierced his ear!
The body reacted faster than the brain. Yuan Mingjin shrunk back and dodged the sword's edge, then struck the man with a palm strike. The dancer was also extremely skilled, barely dodging the attack, then sheathed her sword and slashed again, the red veil on her arm fluttering like a hissing, venomous snake.
Although Yuan Mingjin had fought on the battlefield for several years, she was unarmed and the space on the ship was cramped. She was also afraid of hurting others, so she was at a disadvantage and was hindered at every turn. On the other hand, the dancer's moves were fast and ruthless. Every move was made with the determination to burn the boats. The gleaming green sword light was aimed straight for her head!
Chaos had broken out on the pleasure boat. The dancers screamed and scrambled to get out, crowding the deck and nearly pushing the boatwomen who were rowing the boat into the water. Shen Huaqing, who was going to follow in his mother's footsteps and become a civil official, knew nothing about martial arts. At this moment, he could only stand aside anxiously, secretly regretting his youthful ignorance and his momentary lapse in judgment, which had angered those martial arts masters' wives to the point of running away.
"What are you still standing there for?!"
Seeing the cold, bluish blade about to strike down, Yuan Mingjin gripped the sword tightly with both hands, struggling against the dancer whose eyes were burning red. They were locked in a stalemate, and blood was drawn from his palms. He turned to Shen Huaqing and roared, "Hurry up and find me a sword!"
"Coming!" Shen Huaqing replied hastily.
Fortunately, among the things she had brought to show off to Yuan Mingjin today was a sword that could cut through iron like mud. After frantically searching for a while, she finally spotted it, quickly drew the sword from its sheath, and threw it in Yuan Mingjin's direction.
Yuan Mingjin caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye, gathered his strength, and with a flick of his arm, pushed the dancer aside, caught the sword, and swung his arm to stab backhand. After the dancer regained his footing, he saw the silver light coming again and hurriedly raised his sword to block. The blades clashed, sparks flew, and a tooth-grinding, ear-piercing sound was produced.
"Who sent you?!" Yuan Mingjin and the dancer locked eyes through two thin, gleaming blades, and Yuan Mingjin demanded sharply.
"To kill you, do I need 'who sent me'?" The dancer's strength waned, and knowing he was no match for her, he laughed loudly, his eyes bloodshot as he glared at her. "No one! I want to kill you, so I will!"
Before he could finish speaking, the sword in his hand was knocked away by Yuan Mingjin and pierced the wooden floor with a clang. The blade was deeply embedded in the floor, just a step away from Shen Huaqing. She was so frightened that her legs trembled and she climbed two more steps up the stairs.
Seeing Yuan Mingjin raise his sword to stab again, the dancer had nowhere to hide and could only slowly close his eyes. The sword was close, the cold air cutting into his skin. He was waiting for his head to fall when suddenly a pain shot through the back of his neck, and he lost consciousness.
Yuan Mingjin twirled his sword, then sheathed it behind his back. "A fine sword."
But his arms were trembling slightly, uncontrollably.
Seeing the assassin fall, Shen Huaqing shakily descended the stairs from where he was hiding, his face pale as he ordered his servants, "Tie this man up! Take him to..."
"Lord Shen," Yuan Mingjin reminded him, "first check if he has any poison hidden in his mouth."
The assassin's Mandarin had a slight accent, so he must be a foreigner.
"Yes! Send him to my mother! Let her interrogate this assassin properly. How dare he assassinate a prince! He deserves to have eight heads!" Shen Huaqing finally regained some of the dignity befitting the son of a powerful official. "Detain all these dancers as well, and interrogate them thoroughly. How did this person manage to infiltrate their ranks?"
"yes!"
Yuan Mingjin lowered his eyes and looked at his palm, which had been slashed by the assassin. The flesh around the wound was swollen and purple, with a faint tendency to ulcerate, indicating that the weapon was clearly poisoned.
Her gaze sharpened.
Without further ado, she pulled Shen Huaqing aside and whispered, "That sword is poisoned. I'll leave first. You're in charge here."
Shen Huaqing's expression turned solemn, and he nodded.
The pleasure boat was hurrying from the center of the lake towards the shore, but its speed was too limited. Yuan Mingjin couldn't wait any longer. She walked to the edge of the boat, about to leap into the water, but then suddenly remembered something, turned back to Shen Huaqing's side, and asked her, "What did you say the eldest son of the Su family was called?"
Shen Huaqing replied blankly, "Su Yiyi?"
A note from the author:
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You should all be able to see the previous chapter, right? Although it was completely altered, at least it's out now (lying down peacefully). Last night I had a fierce battle with the censors, I was so anxious I was scratching my head and ears, and I got PTSD whenever I saw those little yellow letters [cracked].
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