Peach Blossom
The calligraphy I obtained from Magistrate Zhao was framed and hung at the entrance of the small shop. With the investment from the wives of officials, the business of Sushan Market improved day by day.
Autumn in the Northwest is extremely short, passing in the blink of an eye. When you wake up again, there is a thin layer of snow on the ground, and the wind suddenly becomes fierce, shaking the last few withered leaves on the branches and tearing them mercilessly.
Pedestrians passing by the shop had all changed into winter coats, their hands tucked into their sleeves, trying their best to ward off the bone-chilling cold.
When the weather gets cold, people tend to become lazy.
Pei Qingwu didn't open for business today. The thick wooden planks were not removed. After counting the money he had saved, he sent Gu Heng to carry back half a sheep.
In winter, you should sit around the fireplace and eat mutton.
Qinzhou is located in Longyou County, which is very close to the nomadic tribes outside the pass. Although there is no official trade, there are many private transactions. What Gu Heng brought back today were Tan sheep that the merchants exchanged with the herdsmen. The meat of Tan sheep is more chewy and tender than that of sheep raised on grain in the Central Plains.
The firewood in the stove was stripped clean, and the sliced mutton had a texture like fresh snow reflecting the sunset, glistening and translucent. The Tan sheep had little gamey smell and didn't need much processing. Just take clean well water, boil it briefly, and the soup would be as clear as jade spring water in summer. The only seasonings were star anise and chopped green onions; anything more would be superfluous.
Yinlan had baked flatbread early in the morning, broken it up, and soaked it in mutton soup. After absorbing the broth, the flavor became even more exquisite.
With their appetites whetted, Pei Qingwu and Yin Lan each drank two large bowls. Gu Heng, needless to say, was at the age where a boy could eat his father out of house and home, and he buried his head in drinking.
No matter when, as long as one has enough to eat, one feels hopeful about life.
"Ah Heng, tidy up the dishes..."
Pei Qingwu leaned against the couch, yawning lazily. She was feeling a bit sleepy after eating and drinking her fill.
The charcoal brazier inside the house was burning brightly, and fragrant mutton soup was simmering on the stove. Steamed buns for tomorrow's breakfast were being prepared in the steamer. The cellar was full of fresh vegetables, and the purse was bulging with money. Yinlan's newly embroidered cloak was hanging by the fire to warm up. She would wear it when she went out tomorrow, and it would be so comfortable.
These days are truly peaceful.
Gu Heng was slurping up the last mouthful of mutton soup. The soup had been simmering for a long time, so the bones were soft and the meat was tender. It melted in his mouth and tasted sweet and fresh. When he heard Pei Qingwu's instructions, he grunted and got up to clean up the dishes that she and Yin Lan had used.
He was able to eat his fill at Pei Qingwu's place. His once thin face had become much rounder, and he seemed to have grown taller. His sleeves were rolled up halfway, revealing his fair forearms, and the veins on his arms bulged as he moved, making him look incredibly handsome.
"By the way, Aheng, when is your birthday?" Pei Qingwu suddenly thought of this question.
Gu Heng paused for a moment: "My mother mentioned it, it seems to be the 20th of the first lunar month."
“What a wonderful day.” Pei Qingwu propped his chin up with his hand. “After the New Year, you’ll be almost sixteen.”
"Hmm..." Gu Heng was puzzled.
"I know you're in mourning this year, so it's not good to celebrate anything. But birthdays are different. How about Yinlan and I celebrate with you on that day?"
Do you celebrate your birthday?
Gu Heng seemed to have never had such a concept. His background was too embarrassing. The madam disliked his existence because it delayed his mother from entertaining customers. His mother could only busy dealing with those men. Therefore, he never felt that this was a special day.
"I won't trouble you, sir..."
“Troublesome? How could it be troublesome? Without you, I, a single woman running a shop, would have to deal with countless things, and might have been forced to close down long ago.” Pei Qingwu laughed, “Besides, it’s just a matter of setting up a meal, and cooking is what I, your boss, am best at.”
"And me too." Yin Lan, who was ironing Pei Qingwu's clothes, looked up and smiled: "Little Aheng, when the time comes, I'll make you longevity noodles, buy a farmer's old hen to make the soup base, and throw in some mushrooms. It will be incredibly delicious."
Knowing he couldn't refuse, Gu Heng gave a soft "hmm," turned his back, and seemed to raise his hand to wipe his face.
"I'm going to sleep for a while... wake me up in half an hour, it's almost New Year and there are a lot of people ordering snacks..." Pei Qingwu muttered to himself as he lay down on the couch and fell into a deep sleep.
Gu Heng washed the dishes and put them back in the cupboard. When he came out, he saw Pei Qingwu lying there like this. He frowned slightly, took a blanket from the side, and gently covered her with it.
Just as she said, as the New Year approached, the number of people ordering pastries suddenly increased. Everyone knew that the pastries at Su Shan Xiao Ji were novel and delicious. The shopkeeper was a young woman who made clean food. Even the governor's daughter praised them. Pei Qingwu had been rushing to meet orders for several days in a row. Now she was so tired that she had developed bruises. Her originally beautiful face also showed signs of fatigue.
He was being too cautious and accidentally bumped into the kang table, making a noise that made Yin Lan look up, but Pei Qingwu still didn't wake up.
"Master is too tired," Yin Lan sighed. "She has to get up again in a little while to continue making snacks. I'll stew some wolfberry, red date, and pork rib soup, which is the best for replenishing qi and blood. Little Aheng, you should have some too."
Gu Heng responded and stared blankly at the candlelight flickering on Pei Qingwu's face.
He grew up in brothels and saw many beauties since childhood, some as beautiful as peach blossoms, some as pure as lotus flowers, some as charming as spring peach blossoms, and some as aloof as winter plum blossoms. But Pei Qingwu seemed to be indescribable to him.
The day she saved him was like the compassionate Buddha statues in the Maijishan Grottoes. Later, in the mundane world, she seemed like a willow tree, beautiful and graceful, yet providing shade for herself and him, creating a small world for herself.
Now, with the candlelight outlining her features, the shadows cast by her eyelashes and nose appear even more beautiful, like the smallest shady tree in the world.
She didn't know how long she had been watching, but Yinlan came over and nudged her: "Master, it's time, there are still a lot of pastries to make..."
She was sleeping so soundly that she only moved her lips slightly. Even without rouge, her eyes were red, like washed cherries, bright and lovely. Gu Heng's heart skipped a beat, and he looked away.
"The boss? The boss!"
Yin Lan nudged him twice more before Pei Qingwu slowly woke up.
"What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her eyes, her voice languid from sleep.
“It’s past 7 PM,” Yin Lan replied, a hint of heartache flashing in her eyes. “How about we do it tomorrow? You’ve really had a hard time these past few days, Master.”
She is twenty-two years old this year. In her eyes, both Pei Qingwu and Gu Heng are younger brothers and sisters who are much younger than her.
"The sooner you finish, the sooner you'll have peace of mind."
Pei Qingwu got up and walked to the kitchen, tying her apron while looking at the orders. Right now, she was making the Golden Millet Thousand-Layer Cake ordered by the Qinzhou Sima Mansion, which was a modified version of Changzhou hemp cake.
Although it's called a cake, it's more like a baked biscuit. The dough is kneaded until smooth and soft, divided into equal portions, rolled out, and then filled with a filling made from sesame seeds.
The charcoal fire in the oven was blazing, crackling and scorching the earthenware griddle until it was scalding hot. The dough was placed on it, and tiny bubbles rose to the surface of the dough. The unique aroma of flour and sesame seeds, baked over the fire, gradually filled the air.
The edges are crispy and curled, the layers of the pastry are distinct, and the dense sesame seeds burst open when heated, making the rich aroma of the cooked dough and the unique oily fragrance of the sesame seeds even more mellow.
The finished shortbread is layered like mother-of-pearl, with a bright golden color and plump sesame seeds like golden millet. It is crispy and crumbly, soft and chewy inside, with a rich aroma and a hint of sweetness. When Pei Qingwu went to Changzhou, he bought two pieces and was amazed by them. Now, even if it were brought back to ancient times, it would still be quite popular.
The catering industry has always been difficult and arduous. Pei Qingwu often saw her mother get up early the day before to prepare ingredients and make things. Those pastries saved up to cover Pei Qingwu's living expenses and tuition fees, but also caused her mother to develop many health problems at a young age. Now, she has experienced it firsthand.
No matter how hard it is, it's her own craft, a craft that allows her to earn a living without relying on others. Just like when her biological father cheated on her and committed domestic violence, it was her mother who filed for divorce and raised her alone. It's also the skill that allowed her to make a living in ancient times. With this small shop, she can live the life she wants, instead of being tortured to death at the young age of her original self, with nowhere to seek justice.
After they finished, it was already past midnight. Yin Lan couldn't stay awake any longer and went to sleep, but Gu Heng was still waiting outside, reading a book while waiting for her.
How could the madam of Zuiyue Tower possibly let him study? Only when his mother wasn't busy would she teach him to read. After all, Gu Jiao was a famous courtesan in Qinzhou. He was literate and could even write poems and short lyrics, but he got a headache as soon as he saw characters and didn't study much seriously.
After coming to Pei Qingwu's side, due to her inherent bloodline of encouraging learning, she also made him study. She threatened to cut off his monthly allowance if he disobeyed, and only then did Gu Heng obediently hold a copy of the Book of Poetry and read it.
"Why are you still waiting? Didn't you say you didn't need to stay up with me and could just go to sleep?" Pei Qingwu asked him with a gentle smile as she wiped her hands.
"Anyway, I can't sleep, so I'll just keep the boss company." Gu Heng said, turning a page of his book.
Pei Qingwu peeked over and grinned, "You read so fast. You just finished reading 'Jianjia' yesterday. But you read it so fast, you still have to memorize it."
Gu Heng guiltily turned his head away.
"And are you sure you really understand it? For example, this 'Peach Blossom,' do you really understand what it means?" Pei Qingwu pressed.
“Peach, peach…” he stammered.
There used to be a woman named Taoyao at Zuiyue Tower. Later, she was redeemed by the governor of Qinzhou and became his concubine. At the time, he only knew that the name sounded nice, but he did not know that it came from the Book of Songs, let alone what it meant.
As he spoke, Gu Heng lowered his head deeply.
When he refused to study, his mother would beat him, crying and saying, "If you don't study, what will you do?" It was uncertain whether Pei Qingwu would act like that.
That can't be right, what master would care so much about his guards?
But Pei Qingwu isn't an ordinary head of household...
A tiny voice inside him said to him.
Hesitating, Pei Qingwu snatched the book from his hand and sat down next to him. As they got closer, her scent filled his nostrils.
Noble ladies love to use incense, and a pound of sandalwood and musk can be worth a fortune. Pei Qingwu obviously couldn't afford it, but since she spent her days in the kitchen, she inevitably developed a smell. To get rid of the smell, after washing her clothes, she would soak them in orange and pomelo peels, which produced a faint fruity fragrance that was exceptionally refreshing and elegant.
Gu Heng blushed as well.
"The 'yaoyao' refers to the tender willow swaying in the wind, like a young girl's slender waist; the 'zhuozhuo' refers to the rosy glow shining through the petals, like a bride's jade-like face radiant with spring. The ancients considered peach wood an auspicious tree for warding off evil, its flowers delicate yet not gaudy, beautiful yet not vulgar. Using the newly blossoming peach to symbolize a bride not only praises her youthful beauty but also subtly implies bringing good fortune to the family. The phrase 'suitable for the home and family' not only praises her appearance but also commends the bride's virtuous character, just as the peach truly nourishes the body..."
Pei Qingwu intended to interpret the poem carefully, but when Gu Heng heard that it described a bride's wedding and offered blessings to the newlyweds, he blushed even more.
"...Beauty fades with the seasons, but family fortunes should last a hundred years, bearing abundant fruit, a sign of many children. As the Book of Rites says, 'Peaches have many children,' a harbinger of good fortune..."
Pei Qingwu was still talking non-stop when Gu Heng suddenly stood up: "Master, I'm tired, I want to go to sleep."
After saying that, he turned and hurriedly left.
"Huh?" Pei Qingwu was puzzled. He looked down at the book in his hand and suddenly realized—Gu Heng was only a boy of fifteen or sixteen years old, the perfect age for infatuation. Reading this kind of poetry would obviously make him daydream.
Fine, I'll find him the "Songs of Chu" tomorrow and teach him about Qu Yuan's character while I'm at it.
As Pei Qingwu got up to go back to sleep, he suddenly remembered something else.
When she first transmigrated, Liu insisted on marrying herself to Sun Cheng as a concubine. Although she knew the law and used it to get away, if it weren't for Zhang Jian's righteous words, her decision to leave the Sun family and establish her own household would probably not have been so smooth.
With the New Year approaching, I should find some time to visit Master Zhang with gifts.
I just don't know what Zhang Gong likes, so I should give him something.
Or, I could make some pastries and send them over. After all, that's what I'm best at, and things I make myself, no matter the era, are always the most sincere.
Nanchang flower pastry, sugar-coated glutinous rice cake, pea flour cake, osmanthus cake... all seem quite good. They are soft and easy to digest, and don't stick to your teeth, making them perfect for the elderly. They also look nice and are presentable gifts. The ingredients are simple. If you don't have them, you can just go out and buy them tomorrow.
The lard in the pastry can be replaced with corn oil to reduce the burden on the stomach.
After making up his mind, Pei Qingwu fell asleep contentedly.
The next day, she placed all the pastries she had made on the counter, and asked Gu Heng to wrap up the millet millet crepes that he had stayed up all night baking the night before and send them to the Sima Mansion in Qinzhou. She instructed Yin Lan to take good care of the customers who bought the pastries, and then she went out to buy ingredients.
I need to buy some corn oil, lotus seed paste, peas, and also some flour and glutinous rice flour, as we're running low on them.
Lost in thought, I unknowingly arrived at the entrance of Zuiyue Tower.
After discovering it, she wanted to stay far away. The horrific scene of Gu Jiao's death was still lingering in her mind. She had no good impression of this kind of place. Before she could take a step, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the snow and ice.
In the freezing cold, she was only wearing a light gauze dress, her hands and feet were red from the cold, she was shivering, and her hair was also shaking. She looked extremely disheveled.
It was Qian Tao, whom I had met once before.
"Qiantao? What are you doing here?"
Qian Tao looked up, her eyelashes already covered with a thin layer of frost. Seeing that it was Pei Qingwu, she stammered, "I... I'm not feeling well today, but the guests insisted that I stay with them. I declined a little, and then they threw me out..."
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