Chapter 58 Braised Pork: You...you should think about it carefully!
Upon hearing that the plague had finally dissipated and that the medical officials, folk healers, and medical students who had gone to Guizhou would be returning from Guizhou, this wonderful news spread throughout Bianjing City overnight, like willow catkins in the spring breeze.
The neighbors who knew each other in the alley received the news one after another, and they all brought wine and food to the You family's courtyard, excitedly gathering to celebrate and talk. Guizhou was far away, and there was also the plague. They had managed to do such a difficult thing. Even though Sister-in-law You and her husband were still on their way, everyone couldn't help but feel happy.
We should drink a big toast to them!
Let's have a big toast when they return!
The crowd chattered about when Sister You and her companions would arrive in Bianjing, and they also imagined what kind of favors the imperial court would bestow upon them. They recounted the fragmented, unverified, yet thrilling stories of Guizhou that they had heard in the market with great enthusiasm.
As they talked, the aunties burst into laughter, especially Guan Shi and Aunt Yu, whose laughter was the loudest. While the others were unfazed, it startled Master Meng and Yu Shouzhen, who were drinking in the corner, causing them to spill some of their wine.
The two exchanged a knowing glance, each seeing their own utterly pathetic and henpecked selves reflected in the other's eyes. After a moment of silence, they raised their hands in unison, shook their heads with smiles, and clinked glasses.
The small courtyard was soon filled with the sounds of people, laughter, and dogs barking.
In the evening of March, a gentle breeze was blowing.
Although a faint red glow still lingered on the edge of the deep blue sky, several lamps had already been lit in the courtyard. Jasmine, Little Stone, and the other children were chasing after the Meng family's black-haired dog, "Hundred Years Old," running wildly all over the yard.
The 100-year-old ran around happily, wagging its tail constantly. Occasionally, when it got too caught up in the chase, it would suddenly turn around and pretend to pounce and bite. The children would then scream and scatter in all directions, turning it into a game of dog chasing people.
The laughter of children echoed through the air, kicking up dust from the cracks in the brickwork of the courtyard. A fine layer of dust settled on the hems of their clothes and shoes, but no one seemed to care.
Before long, the big black dog and the people were exhausted and collapsed on the porch. Jasmine and Little Stone rested their heads on Bai Sui's heaving belly, while Little Song hugged Bai Sui's head and lay there, also panting heavily.
A few faint stars had already appeared in the sky. The children pointed out the stars, the brightest being Venus in the west. In this world without navigation or clocks, determining the time and direction by observing the stars was something children had to learn from a young age, otherwise they would easily get lost when they went out as adults.
Therefore, even a small stone can recite it with a swaying head: "Venus is metal, governs the west, is called Venus, appears in the west, and is seen at dusk."
Jasmine clapped her hands in support.
After all, there aren't many things that Little Stone can memorize smoothly.
Xiao Song recognized many more stars and could point out each one: "The second brightest is Jupiter, the essence of wood, which governs spring. Its color is blue, and if it shines brightly, the world will be at peace! The brightest star in the east is Arcturus, which represents the Heavenly King and the Imperial Court. The red star in the southeast is Mars! Mars represents fire, which governs summer. Its color is red, and if it moves in retrograde and guards a constellation, it signifies war, drought, and locusts. [Note]"
Jasmine and Little Stone turned their heads simultaneously, both beaming with surprise: "Wow—"
Xiao Song shyly buried her face in the white-haired man's neck and chuckled. Although Liu, the registrar, was not a good official and was rather mercenary and mean, most of the neighbors did not like to associate with him. However, because all of his and his wife's children had died young, he was especially close to Xiao Song, the child born to his younger sister.
In Liu's bookstore, even the rare and unique books not for sale were open to Xiao Song's perusal. A while ago, when Liu, the registrar, returned home from his shift, he was astonished to find that Xiao Song's reading and writing were quite impressive, and she particularly loved reading Wang Ximing's *Bu Tian Ge* (Song of Walking the Heavens) from the Tang Dynasty. Upon further inquiry, it was astonishing! She had memorized all the celestial constellations, the Three Enclosures, and the Twenty-Eight Mansions, not to mention the Twenty-Four Solar Terms and the lunar calendar, which she could recite fluently.
He immediately searched everywhere and found a female tutor surnamed Guo for her. A few years ago, the Guo family, which had once belonged to the Hou clan, was exiled and sent to build the Great Wall because of their arrogance and harm to the people. However, two or three married women were not affected. One of them was disliked by her snobbish husband's family and lived a very hard life after the divorce.
Liu, the registrar, then invited him to be Xiao Song's teacher.
The Guo family is a long-established clan with a history spanning centuries. Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, they have served as astronomical officials, possessing a vast collection of star charts. Most of the Guo family women learned music, chess, calligraphy, and painting from a young age, and were also proficient in the distribution of more than 1,400 celestial phenomena.
In the early Tang or Wei-Jin periods when powerful aristocratic families were at their peak, such families were beyond the reach of ordinary people. Now, they have fallen into the hands of ordinary citizens.
In fact, it wasn't just the Guo family. After the Huang Chao Rebellion, they were killed again during the reign of the previous emperor, and a few years ago the government confiscated their property again. The powerful clans and aristocratic families collapsed completely, and the knowledge that many families had secretly passed down for hundreds of years gradually spread among the common people.
In short, Xiaosong became the only little girl in the alley who was seriously starting her education.
However, Jasmine wasn't envious. After her parents' journey to fight the plague, she had a vague idea of practicing medicine and helping the world, but being so young, this grand idea was still unclear to her. When Granny Xue asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, she childishly said that she wanted to be like Madam Zhang, the most skilled female doctor in the world, and open a big clinic.
The couple, Sister-in-law You and her husband, doted on their daughter. They never deliberately taught her to study medicine when she was young, nor did they intend for her to inherit the family business. They simply wanted her to learn whatever she liked, letting her learn whatever she wanted. Therefore, Granny Xue warned her, "Studying medicine is very difficult. If you really want to study it, you must not cry when you memorize the names and prescriptions of medicines in the future."
Jasmine held her head high and said, "I'm not afraid."
Grandma Xue smiled with relief and patted her head: "Well, it's a lucky accident. Our You family's medical skills, which have been passed down for generations, will have a successor in the future."
Now, under Grandma Xue's guidance, Jasmine is slowly starting to memorize "The Rhyme of the Properties of Medicinal Herbs", "Classified Materia Medica", and "The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic", and is even reading "The Pulse Classic".
Now, every day when Little Stone sits on the doorstep with his big horse, struggling to memorize Li Bai's "Dreaming of Visiting Mount Tianmu" (yes, the New Year is over and he still hasn't memorized it), he can see Jasmine at the You family's door and recite in a clear voice: "A floating pulse indicates a disease on the surface of Yang, a slow pulse indicates cold in the internal organs..."
Little Stone was the most envious.
Guan Rongrong was the youngest daughter of the Guan family. She came to stay for a short time before returning home. Dr. Jiang's granddaughter, Jiang Tu, was also taken away by her parents to be assigned to Jingdong Road. His two childhood playmates in the alley suddenly stopped playing together every day and started doing their own homework.
He felt somewhat disappointed.
It was as if they had all grown up overnight, while he alone remained a child.
Sometimes, after Jasmine and Xiaosong finished their classes, when the three of them went to the grocery store to eat mixed vegetable stew, they would ask him, "Little Stone, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Little Stone carried the small cloth bag his mother had sewn, carrying General Da Ma on his back every day. Hearing this question, he could only shake his head in frustration.
He didn't really know what he wanted to do. But he wanted to hire a day laborer for his mother to do housework, buy meat for the family, and build two big houses so he wouldn't be woken up by his older brother's snoring anymore.
However, his eldest and second eldest brothers both said that these were things they would do for the family after they finished their studies and started their careers, and it wasn't his turn yet, so he should just relax and enjoy himself. His third and fourth eldest brothers also said that he didn't need to worry about it. Even if his eldest and second eldest brothers didn't pass the exams, their salaries next month would make things much easier for their mother. Although they couldn't afford to build a new house, they could easily afford to ask Aunt Kui to do laundry and buy some meat to eat.
After his older brothers said that, Little Stone felt even more bored and had nothing to do.
Thinking about this, he still had no clue, so he could only lie on his back on Bai Sui's soft belly, listening to Xiao Song and Mo Li whispering to each other. He looked at the increasingly deep night and the more and more stars, and sighed in an old-fashioned manner.
However, his worries were quickly interrupted by a strong fragrance, and Little Stone's eyes immediately widened.
It tastes like braised pork! It's the braised pork that Jasmine invited him to, but he missed it!
That's wonderful! Grandma Xue made her signature braised pork again today!
Let's think about the future later, he's still young... He licked his lips and swallowed, eagerly turning his head to look into the kitchen. Eating meat is the most important thing!
Inside the You family's kitchen, steam was already rising, and figures swayed in the white mist.
Grandma Xue is in charge of cooking today. She bought a lot of fatty pork belly, each piece with a shiny skin. She has already cut it into large pieces with the skin on, and is now making caramelized sugar.
Yao Ruyi, Yu Jiuwan, and Cong Bo helped out in the kitchen.
Tomorrow is the spring imperial examination. Although there are still many students studying hard in Zhixingzhai, Yao Ruyi has stopped selling milk tea in Zhixingzhai. After all, milk is easy to cause stomach upset for many people, so it is better not to sell it at this crucial time. We cannot afford to take responsibility if something goes wrong, so it is better not to take the risk.
After working hard for many days, Uncle Cong finally got a day off. Yao Ruyi invited him over under the pretext of needing help preparing meals, so they could have some fun together.
He was burning firewood at that moment, flames licking the bottom of the pot, casting flickering light and shadow on his face. Grandma Xue said that braised pork made with coal briquettes wasn't as fragrant as that cooked over a wood-fired stove, so she switched to burning firewood today.
"Ruyi, chop some more scallions and ginger," Granny Xue called out without turning her head, her eyes fixed on the pot.
"Here I am!"
Yao Ruyi responded crisply, went to the vegetable basket to find some scallions and ginger, and finely chopped them on the cutting board. Just then, she heard a sound from the courtyard gate. As she chopped, she glanced out the window and saw several young men strolling into the courtyard. Yao Ruyi looked at them for a moment, then looked away with some disappointment.
Cheng Shujun, Meng Boyuan, and Lin Weiming were tired from studying and were called over by their parents to refresh themselves. They had exams tomorrow, and studying today would be futile. They might as well relax, eat something good, and be in good spirits for the exams tomorrow.
She thought to herself, "I thought it was Lin Wen'an."
Yu Jiuwan was tending the soup pot. Today, she had also cooked a pot of lamb spine soup. Knowing that she was coming to the You family to cook, she personally went to the morning market to pick it out.
For the best lamb spine hot pot, choose pieces with some meat and a bit of fat embedded in the bones. Wash them thoroughly, soak them to remove the blood, then chop them into sections with a thick-backed knife. The bone fragments should be whitish, and the marrow in the center should resemble milk jelly. Add two pieces of spine, a few slices of ginger, and scallions—nothing else. Place them in a pot of cold water and simmer slowly. Once the marrow oil from the bones has rendered out, the broth will turn white and taste clear and delicious.
As she skimmed the foam from the soup, inhaling the aroma of the meat, she noticed Yao Ruyi glancing into the courtyard countless times. Youth was truly wonderful. She smiled to herself, pretending not to notice, and continued to cook her soup.
Grandma Xue stared intently at the bubbling syrup in the pot. Caramelizing sugar couldn't be rushed; the rock sugar melted gradually as it heated up, turning into an amber-colored syrup, bubbling and spewing tiny golden foam—that was when the meat could be added. "Sizzle, sizzle," the chunks of meat rolled into the pot, and white steam instantly billowed up, carrying with it a rich, sweet aroma of caramel and the mingled scent of meat fat, filling the entire kitchen in a flash.
Without waiting for instructions, Uncle Cong had already reduced the amount of firewood to lower the fire and prevent the meat from burning. Granny Xue skillfully stirred the meat, and the pieces in the pan were quickly and evenly coated with the caramelized sugar, becoming a rich and glossy reddish-brown, making the aroma even more enticing.
The fire in the stove was roaring, making everyone's faces inside feel hot.
Yu Jiuwan complained of the heat and pushed the kitchen window up. He saw three small heads and a large, furry dog's head perched on the windowsill. Xiao Shitou and his two companions, along with Bai Sui who was standing up and peering through the window, were peeking through the crack. When they were discovered, they all laughed strangely and ran away.
This made Yu Jiuwan laugh out loud.
The evening breeze that slipped in through the window gently brushed against my sweaty neck, finally bringing a touch of coolness.
Yao Ruyi wiped away her sweat. The aroma of meat filling the room had become even more intense and overpowering under the heat. She took a deep breath and felt that every inch of air was filled with the rich aroma of meat. She raised her sleeve and grabbed a lock of hair to smell it. Sure enough, the aroma of meat had already seeped into the folds of her clothes and her hair.
She's practically turned into a piece of braised pork.
However, she liked the taste of the food, so she tossed her hair aside and didn't care anymore.
Suddenly there was a commotion outside, and Yao Ruyi quickly leaned out the window to take a look.
At this moment, a man brought over three large basins of Shenji roasted fish to the makeshift earthen stove in the courtyard, which was already set up on the stove with burning coal briquettes. The slightly cooled, crispy roasted fish was reheated and quickly began to boil again. The spicy and hot aroma mingled with the rich meaty fragrance from the kitchen, making it even more delicious. It whetted the appetites of Yao Ruyi and everyone in the courtyard, causing them to sniff frequently and their mouths watering.
But Lin Wen'an was still nowhere to be seen. Grandpa Yao and Dr. Jiang had both arrived.
The sky outside the window had turned from deep blue to black, with countless stars dotting the heavens. Yao Ruyi hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting around, and asked Uncle Cong casually, "Uncle Cong, why hasn't our Lord Lin arrived yet? Dinner will be served soon."
As expected, Cong Bo was unaware of her previous affair with Lin Wen'an. He was poking at the stove with fire tongs, and without turning his head amidst the crackling sparks, he said, "Yes, it's strange. Erlang has been somewhat absent-minded since yesterday. Today, a messenger brought a letter from the young master of Fuzhou, and he locked himself in his room, not allowing anyone to disturb him. I don't know if he's replying to the letter or busy with something else. Young lady, you don't need to worry about it. Let him be. If he doesn't come, I'll prepare some hot food and send it to him in a little while."
Yao Ruyi let out a long "Oh" and began to help Granny Xue set out the bowls and chopsticks. As she turned to leave, she couldn't help but let a very thin and sweet smile appear on her lips.
She couldn't help but think of what happened yesterday.
Yesterday, her sudden, earth-shattering question had left Lin Wen'an rooted to the spot for a long time. She still remembered the way his eyes were fixed on her, as if he hadn't understood, or as if he understood but didn't know how to think about what she was saying.
After a long pause, Yao Ruyi seemed to find her voice again, trying to adopt her usual composed demeanor. She straightened her posture solemnly, but when she spoke, her voice was somewhat different from usual, hoarse beyond recognition. She whispered, "Ruyi... I'm seven years older than you..."
These words seemed to be a reminder to her, and also a reminder to herself.
She tilted her head and replied, "I know, I'm not seventy, what's there to be afraid of?"
That one sentence, "What's there to be afraid of?" left him speechless. He looked at her, opened his mouth, and this usually calm and composed person was now at a loss for words.
Yao Ruyi also harbored ill intentions, remaining silent and simply staring directly at him frankly.
In the long silence, beneath Lin Wen'an's calm exterior, he visibly became somewhat at a loss.
Just then, footsteps came from outside, and someone shouted that they wanted to buy something.
Yao Ruyi stood up and responded from a distance, but did not go over immediately. Instead, she quickly approached him, who was still sitting there with his brows slightly furrowed, his face tense, seemingly struggling with something.
"Lin Wen'an."
Even if you are older than me, have poor eyesight, difficulty walking, are too tall, or are too introverted, I don't feel you are a hindrance to me. I only feel that you suit my taste, and that is good. I am serious.
As she spoke, with lightning speed, she leaned down and lightly pecked his cheek. Seeing his pupils suddenly shrink, she spoke even faster, "I will find an opportunity to explain things clearly to Grandpa in a few days. You...you should think it over carefully!"
After saying that, she ran off like a gust of wind.
This was the first time in both her lives that she had fallen for him. Although she spoke toughly, her heart was actually racing, and she didn't have the courage to turn around and look at his expression.
But it's nothing. There's a saying that goes, "A real woman never looks back at an explosion."
Thinking back to this, she couldn't help but smile.
Yesterday afternoon, after she had sent away several students who came to buy soup dumplings, mixed vegetable soup, and other odds and ends, she finally mustered up the courage to peek into the courtyard. She saw Uncle Cong and Grandpa Yao sitting in the courtyard, still half asleep, drinking tea. Lin Wen'an was nowhere to be seen.
The spring imperial examination arrived in the blink of an eye. The students sang, danced, cried, and laughed in Zhixingzhai. No one was interested in studying. Grandpa Yao and Uncle Cong were too lazy to care.
These are the last one or two nights for those young men, just like every year. In previous years, they would gather in twos and threes in brothels, bars, and brothels to vent their frustrations and loneliness from years of hard study. This year, however, they have moved to Zhixingzhai.
Grandpa Yao was used to it and even told Ruyi not to lock the door today, to let them make a fuss. At that moment, Grandpa Yao seemed to be very clear-headed, and he smiled and sighed with vicissitudes: "After the spring examination, most of their classmates and old friends will be scattered all over the country, and I don't know when we will meet again."
Yao Ruyi nodded as she listened, agreeing verbally, but in her heart she was wondering if he had heard her long string of words before she ran away. Could it be that she spoke too quickly and he didn't hear her?
But upon hearing what Uncle Cong said, she understood.
He must have heard her. Not only did he hear her, but he also listened to her and was "thinking it over carefully."
Think about it, think about it. She chuckled again, pursing her lips. Peeking into Grandma Xue's pot of braised pork simmering over a low flame, she felt as if her heart was as broken as the pieces of pork in that pot.
Bubbling and bubbling, hot and clear, countless tiny bubbles quietly rise to the surface.
Actually, her actions yesterday weren't meant to emulate those frivolous and lecherous men who flirt and then run away. She was simply putting herself in others' shoes, considering the differences between ancient and modern thought, and knew she couldn't be that kind of irresponsible person.
In later generations, couples who are mutually attracted can date for years. However, at this time, once a man and woman are in love, they should get engaged as soon as possible. Otherwise, if they are always mingling in an ambiguous relationship, it will easily attract gossip.
Yao Ruyi herself didn't care about reputation. She wasn't a woman raised in this world. If someone gossiped behind her back, she'd let it go if she didn't hear it, but if she did, she wouldn't tolerate it and would definitely curse them back a thousand times over. When it came to arguing and cursing, had she ever been afraid?
Now that she is familiar with the neighbors in the alley, it seems that no one remembers the shy and aloof "Yao Ruyi" anymore. On the contrary, the story of her publicly scolding the middle-aged student who inexplicably proposed marriage is deeply ingrained in people's minds.
You should know that she and her grandmother grew up in a small town in Sichuan. Most of the aunties there are very free-spirited and never fight amongst themselves. Some of the more formidable ones, when they encounter someone who doesn't know what's good for them, can use their ancestors for eighteen generations as the center, human organs as the radius, and the slippers in their hands to increase their momentum, and then launch into a long, unrestrained, and varied barrage of insults, which can be described as thoroughly enjoyable.
In comparison, Yao Ruyi felt ashamed, as what she had learned was only superficial.
But Lin Wen'an is different. He is a native of this world and grew up reading those so-called Four Books and Five Classics and Confucianism. So we should give him more consideration.
She thought about it seriously.
Moreover, Yao Ruyi was an impatient person. If she didn't express her feelings, it would seem like she was taking advantage of the other person. Therefore, she frankly told him her feelings yesterday.
You've already said it, why keep it inside? It's so painful to keep it to yourself.
That's how it should be.
Yao Ruyi easily found a justifiable reason for her family and was no longer troubled.
While she was still in a daze, the meat in the pot had been stewed until it was tender and mushy. The thick, dark red broth coated the meat chunks, which trembled slightly in the simmering heat, glistening with an enticing sheen. Granny Xue gently poked the meat with the tip of her chopsticks, and the skin softened and caved in, then slowly bounced back, trembling like solidified fat.
She finally nodded in satisfaction: "Okay, it's ready to serve!"
Yao Ruyi couldn't help but swallow, for at that moment she and Little Stone were in a wonderfully telepathic connection.
What's the matter with Lin? What's the matter with Wen An? What's the matter with Lin Wen? Let's eat first!
The rich aroma of meat filled the spring night in March, and the laughter and chatter in the courtyard seemed to be amplified by the fragrance, becoming even more boisterous. Little Stone couldn't resist peeking into the kitchen door three times already. Grandma Xue laughed and said, "Alright, alright! Go find a seat! Dinner's ready!"
Amidst the children's cheers, Grandma Xue poured the meat and its rich sauce into a large basin. The glossy, thick sauce was still bubbling as it was poured, its aroma indescribably enticing.
Yao Ruyi practically chased after the bowl of meat as she went down the steps. She wasn't paying attention and nearly fell face-first, but luckily someone nearby caught her and helped her up.
Using the support to steady herself, Yao Ruyi felt ashamed and quickly composed herself, turning her head to look at the situation.
It is Cheng Shujun.
The boy, who had grown thinner from reading, had been standing at the kitchen door for some reason. Now, his face flushed, he quickly withdrew his hand, lowered his gaze, and whispered, "Be careful."
Yao Ruyi quickly thanked him and then smiled and wished him success in the imperial examination the next day.
Cheng Shujun looked up, hesitated for a moment as if he had something to say, but after stammering for a while, he met her questioning gaze and ultimately didn't say anything.
Actually, he was tightly clutching a small gourd wood plaque, warm and slightly damp from being held in his palm, with a round, chubby little cat's head carved on it with a paper cutter. He remembered that when he saw her take a bunch of keys to open the door of Zhixingzhai earlier, the old cat plaque hanging there was already chipped and broken.
He made a new one just like that, wanting to give it to her, but he had neither the opportunity nor the courage.
Just as he mustered a bit of courage and clutched the item in his sleeve to hand it to her, he saw her startled by a soft footstep. Suddenly, she turned her head and tiptoed to look out of the courtyard gate.
Then, her eyes lit up as if by a lamp in the night wind.
Cheng Shujun followed her gaze.
In the twilight, a blurry silhouette approached, its long shadow stretched by the lamplight. Before Cheng Shujun could even make out who it was, Yao Ruyi beside him recognized it immediately. Her brows relaxed instantly, and the corners of her lips turned up, as if she had been waiting silently for a long time, and now she had finally met him.
As the man passed the boundary between light and shadow, bathed in the gentle glow of the lanterns hanging from the courtyard gate, she lifted her skirt and joyfully ran towards the tall figure approaching from the deep twilight.
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Lin Wen-an: Do I really have so many flaws? [Cracking face]
Reference to stars: *Records of the Grand Historian*
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