Pick up a man
Stepping out of the imposing gates of the prefectural government office, the warm afternoon sun bathed me in its rays.
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Zhang." Pei Qingwu bowed to Lord Zhang, imitating the gesture of a traditional Chinese greeting from a TV drama, his gratitude overflowing.
Zhang Gong stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes full of admiration: "Young lady, there's no need for such formality. You were able to find the law as your weapon in dire straits to protect yourself. I was merely following the natural order and upholding justice. Although the road ahead may be difficult, by establishing yourself as a woman, you will eventually gain your freedom. I hope you will take good care of yourself and make good use of your talents."
"I will remember Zhang Gong's teachings." Pei Qingwu solemnly agreed. Holding her meager dowry, she walked resolutely towards the gate of the neighborhood, step by step, under the watchful eyes of everyone.
The resentful gazes of Liu and her son were still fixed on her, but it was all irrelevant to her now.
Pei Qingwu's dowry, when converted into cash, amounted to a total of three strings of cash, or three thousand coins. She first changed out of her mourning clothes and then found an inn to stay temporarily.
Zhang Gong is right, the road ahead is fraught with danger, she must make careful plans.
Her legal expertise is probably useless here; she is more familiar with 21st-century law. Besides, there are so many clerks in the yamen, so Magistrate Zhao probably wouldn't want a weak woman.
As a liberal arts student, she didn't know how to make soap or glass, let alone extract refined salt. As for becoming a courtesan in a brothel, she really didn't have the guts...
In my distress, there was a knock on the door.
The person who came was the inn's waiter, carrying a plate of delicate pastries. He said with a smile, "Madam Pei, my boss sent over some pastries. Please have a taste. The inn is simple, please don't mind."
On the plate lay several small and exquisite pastries, like solidified white jade, delicate and smooth, shaped like slightly open flower buds, with the tender filling inside faintly visible. The surface was also pressed with an intricate mold to create extremely fine and complex patterns, with clear veins on the petals, as if morning dew had condensed on them, shimmering with a soft halo in the afternoon light.
Jade Dew Dumplings!
The name instantly popped into Pei Qingwu's mind.
Because her mother ran a pastry shop, she needed to develop new flavors, so she often read ancient books to get inspiration from those classic pastries with complicated techniques. She followed her mother around and naturally learned a lot as well.
Legend has it that this Jade Dew Dumpling is a delicacy of the imperial court. She had seen pictures of it in books and even tried to recreate it. She never expected to see such a perfect plate of Jade Dew Dumpling here.
She couldn't help but lean closer to take a closer look, and the sorrow of the past few days seemed to be somewhat dispelled by this plate of exquisite pastries.
A thought struck her like lightning, instantly illuminating the fog ahead.
She's good at this! She started helping her mother cook when she was a child and has been immersed in baking for many years. She has in-depth research and practice on the recipes, baking time and temperature of various pastries, as well as their shapes. She has been obsessed with and studied everything from European bread to Suzhou-style mooncakes, from French desserts to Cantonese dim sum.
Although the Jade Dew Dumplings in front of us are elegant and antique, their basic principle is nothing more than steaming rice flour, molding, and mixing sweet fillings. Isn't it just like many pastries of later generations? It's just that the ingredients are more natural and the process is more ancient. The experience accumulated in modern times and the knowledge across time and space can be put to good use in this field.
"This...this is Jade Dew Dumpling?" Pei Qingwu looked intently at the waiter: "It's so exquisitely made."
Seeing that the customer recognized the quality and liked it, the waiter smiled even more: "Madam has a good eye. This is our shop's specialty, Jade Dew Dumplings. It is made with the finest glutinous rice flour, steamed and drizzled with acacia honey. It is the most refreshing and not greasy."
"How could I possibly complain! It's just too exquisite and delicious." Pei Qingwu exclaimed sincerely, the thought in his mind becoming clearer and more resolute.
Opening a pastry shop wouldn't be too expensive, and you could easily emulate modern practices by dividing the house in two, using the backyard as a living area, and making pastries daily to sell in the front yard, thus saving a lot of expenses.
Without further ado, Pei Qingwu quickly tidied himself up and went out to find someone from the brokerage firm for help.
Since ancient times, middlemen have always made a profit from the price difference, but unfortunately, she was new here and didn't really understand the ins and outs.
Qinzhou was an important town on the Silk Road and a vital passage on the Longyou trade route. Merchants came and went, and prices were not cheap. Even renting a place was expensive. With the help of a brokerage firm, Pei Qingwu found a small courtyard facing the street in Anyefang, south of the city.
It's called a courtyard, but it actually only has three rooms. The furnishings are simple, and the main structure is brick and gray. Winter is coming soon, so living in such a house is not too difficult.
The rent was three hundred coins a month, and Pei Qingwu paid six months' rent in one go.
In any case, let's get through the winter first.
Anyefang is a commercial area with high rents. If you go to a residential area like Yongningfang, the prices will be lower, but business will be harder there. There is also Dashifang, where foreign merchants gather and the rents are lower. The brokers have recommended it to Pei Qingwu, but she has refused outright.
There's no other reason than that the southwest alley of Dashifang is a place of brothels and gambling dens, where adultery is close to murder and gambling is close to theft. Since ancient times, these places have been places of trouble. How could Pei Qingwu, a young woman all alone, dare to go to such a place?
Money can be earned, but if you lose your life, everything is over.
After paying the rent, Pei Qingwu still had over nine hundred coins left. He didn't bother with eating, took off his shoes, sat on the bed, took out a piece of mulberry paper, and carefully planned his next move.
Merchants were discriminated against in ancient times, but what difference did it make what they did? As long as they could make money and make a living, everything was fine.
In the catering industry, creativity is the most important thing. Qinzhou is not short of shops selling pastries and fruits. Their masters have been immersed in sugar making for a long time and have already mastered the craft. She doesn't want to compete head-on with them. Instead, she wants to find another way and do something that doesn't exist in this era.
So, what should we do?
Just as she was fretting, she heard a gentle knock on the courtyard gate. Pei Qingwu got up and went out, opening the door a crack. Through the crack, she saw an old man carrying a load on a shoulder pole. He had a full head of white hair and a hunched back. When he saw her open the door, he forced a smile and said, "Young lady, would you like to buy some candy? It's homemade and very sweet."
As he spoke, the old man lifted the white cloth covering the carrying pole, revealing the sugar cubes underneath, which were crystal clear, like the finest amber.
Tangtang should be maltose. Although sugarcane technology was introduced from India during the Tang Dynasty, maltose was still the mainstream sugar in the country because it was cheap and easy to produce. It remained a favorite among people with a sweet tooth until the 1970s and 1980s.
When I was little, my grandmother would make maltose. Every time she made maltose, the whole house would be filled with a sweet aroma. After it was done, my mother would teach me how to pull the maltose. At first, I was clumsy and broke several strands.
Long-buried memories were instantly awakened. Pei Qingwu had a flash of inspiration and hurriedly asked, "Grandpa, how much do you want for all these candies?"
The old man was taken aback, seemingly not expecting this turn of events. Pei Qingwu pressed him for an answer before finally saying, "It's a small business. If you want it, young lady, just give me eighty coins."
After a quick calculation, Pei Qingwu readily agreed.
The old man laid out all the malt sugar from his carrying pole on the table. Pei Qingwu counted the money and handed it over, then took out two copper coins and gave them to him: "Thank you for your trouble, old man. Please have some tea with this."
Compared to the noble ladies in period dramas who readily shower gold and silver upon their wives, Pei Qingwu was rather meager. However, for the old man, not only had he sold everything today and been able to return home sooner, but he could also exchange the two copper coins for some snacks to amuse his young grandson. Naturally, he repeatedly expressed his gratitude.
Staring at the maltose, Pei Qingwu figured out what he was going to do.
Dragon Beard Candy, a Ming Dynasty court pastry, certainly didn't exist in this era. Moreover, the ingredients were simple and readily available, consisting of melted maltose and roasted glutinous rice flour. It was a beautiful and delicious treat, with countless strands of white sugar that melted in your mouth.
Without hesitation, Pei Qingwu went out and prepared all the necessary items.
The remaining coins in her sleeve jingled, representing her capital for a desperate gamble.
That night, a solitary lamp, dim as a bean, flickered on the earthen walls of the humble room.
Pei Qingwu washed the earthenware basin, carefully crushed the maltose, poured it into a small pot, and patiently simmered it over a low flame under the stove. When the syrup thickened, the bubbles rolled like golden millet, and the sweet aroma filled the air, he carefully watched the heat and poured the boiling syrup into a wide-rimmed earthenware basin filled with cooked wheat flour.
Her fingers flew like butterflies, sweat soaked her temples, and she repeatedly kneaded, rolled, stretched, and layered the sugar dough in the cooked flour... The wheat flour fluttered like snowflakes, and she actually drew the syrup into thousands of silver threads. Then she evenly sprinkled the fragrant sesame crumbs into the sugar threads, carefully wrapped them with mulberry paper, and gently pinched the ends to seal them. One by one, the "Dragon Beard Candy" shaped like a snow cocoon and with silver threads clearly visible, lay quietly on the table.
Three hundred in total, like jade buds and pistils woven by skillful hands.
She took out a few more, cut them into small pieces, and presented them as free samples on lotus leaves. People are always hesitant about new things, and the allure of something free is always incredibly appealing, regardless of the era.
After doing all this, Pei Qingwu fell into a deep sleep.
As the fifth watch drum fell silent and the gates of the neighborhood opened, she carried two bamboo baskets and nimbly entered the dew market in the southwest corner of Anyefang.
This place was a bustling market in the early morning, with vendors and laborers gathered there. She found a relatively flat piece of blue stone, unloaded her load, set up her bamboo baskets side by side, and then took out more than ten pieces of dragon beard candy. She carefully inserted them into the rim of the baskets with sharpened bamboo skewers, making them look like a cluster of crystal-clear jade branches.
Then she raised her voice and called out, "My newly made pastries are sweeter than cliff honey and as crisp and fluffy as flowing clouds! I urge all passing gentlemen and ladies to do me the honor of trying them, and I will not charge you a single penny!"
The phrase "not taking a penny" is like a stone thrown into still water.
First, a few passersby stopped and looked around curiously, and then a well-dressed merchant stopped and asked, "Young lady, what is this? It looks as white as snow and is very beautiful."
"This is dragon beard candy that I made myself, also called silver thread candy. Please try it, my lord." Pei Qingwu smiled and handed him a small sample. The man carefully took a bite, and the thousands of sugar threads melted in his mouth, the aroma of sesame and the sweetness of cane sugar blending together instantly.
His eyes widened instantly, and he exclaimed, "Wonderful! This thing should only exist in heaven; sweet dew condenses into silk and transforms into mortal dust."
This praise immediately attracted even more onlookers.
Seeing the crowd gathering, their eyes burning with anticipation, Pei Qingwu knew the time was right. She raised three slender fingers and said, "Thank you all for your patronage. These dragon beard candies are three coins a roll, or five coins for a double standard. You'll know how they taste once you try them."
Before the words were even finished, the copper coins were already clinking into the basket. The woman opened her purse for the child, and the merchant bought them to feed his companions. In no time, most of them were sold.
As the sun began to set, before noon had even passed, both baskets of pastries were already sold out. The newly earned eight hundred coins, a day's hard work, finally brought hope.
Those who couldn't buy it inevitably looked disappointed. Pei Qingwu quickly said, "Wait until I get back and make some more. I'll make sure everyone can try it."
On the way back, Pei Qingwu bought some stationery. She had practiced regular script for a while in modern times, and her calligraphy was decent enough. So she planned to make some business cards and hand them out with the snacks when someone bought them, as a way to do some "marketing" for herself.
As she pondered, she turned into a back alley, narrow and deep, flanked by high walls, with only a sliver of dim light visible.
Passing through this alley, you'll find her home in this era.
Once she earns more money, she plans to tidy up the courtyard inside and out. She'll plant some vegetables and flowers, and maybe even raise a few chickens to lay eggs. She'll also keep a cute little cat to keep her company. Life will only get better and better...
Lost in thought, she tripped and nearly fell. Slightly annoyed, she looked down and saw a hand grabbing her skirt.
It was clearly a man's hand, with distinct knuckles and prominent veins, but it was covered in blood and looked extremely terrifying. It terrified Pei Qingwu so much that he lost two of his seven souls and couldn't even scream.
Immediately, a strong, pungent smell of rust assaulted her nostrils. Pei Qingwu was terrified and tried to pull back the hem of her skirt, but the hands held on tightly with astonishing strength.
"Help, help me..."
A faint sound came from nearby, and Pei Qingwu froze. Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw a young man dressed in a dark, coarse linen shirt, huddled in the shadow of a tall woodpile. His clothes were torn and stained with large patches of blood, and he was stubbornly reaching out a hand to tug at her skirt.
"Please..."
If it weren't for the fact that his lips were still trembling as he pleaded for help, Pei Qingwu would have truly thought he was dead.
Hesitantly, she stepped forward. Hearing the noise, the boy raised his head slightly. His face was as white as gold paper, and bloodstains on his forehead blurred his features, but his eyes were still incredibly bright, like the last two eerie green flames that ignited when a dying lone wolf was driven to the brink of death.
There's an unwritten rule in the underworld: you can't pick up men on the street. At best, you'll suffer physical and emotional abuse; at worst, your entire family will be wiped out. Besides, the boy's miserable state clearly indicates he's been beaten, has enemies, or is a runaway slave from a wealthy family...
Pei Qingwu didn't want to get into trouble.
It was clear that he was gradually losing strength, stopped calling for help, and his head tilted to the side, barely breathing. Pei Qingwu simply couldn't bear to watch him die.
"Never mind, whatever, it's because my sister is kind-hearted..." She sighed resignedly, and then used all her strength to half-drag and half-carry the unconscious boy back to her small courtyard.
Only after closing the courtyard gate and locking it did she dare to let out a long sigh of relief.
Without even taking a breath, she fetched some water and cut open the clothes that were almost soaked in blood. The fabric was stuck to her skin, so Pei Qingwu could only wet it little by little with warm water and carefully peel it off.
Even though she had prepared herself mentally, when the clothes were removed, revealing the boy's thin but scarred body, she still gasped, her fingertips turning icy cold.
Covered in whip marks, old and new, some so deep they revealed bone, oozing murky pus and blood from the torn flesh, and large swollen, bluish-purple bruises. A gruesome slash cut down his left arm, the skin torn and flesh ripped open, and charred marks from a branding iron on his shoulder and neck, their shapes blurred but emitting a foul stench of burnt flesh...
Not to mention the dense abrasions and pinch marks; it's almost impossible to find a single patch of undamaged skin.
Pei Qingwu suppressed the surging nausea and pity, picked up a clean cloth, dipped it in water, and began to wipe him gently, her movements as tender as could be.
Once the bloodstains on her face were removed, a stunningly beautiful face was revealed under the dim light of the oil lamp.
Her skin was deathly pale from blood loss, yet it couldn't hide its delicate, jade-like luster. Her eyebrows and eyes were exquisitely drawn, as if by a master painter. Long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes, and her lips were extremely pale, slightly pursed, revealing an unyielding stubbornness.
If it weren't for the clearly boyish frame, one might easily mistake her for a stunning beauty at first glance.
"Such a face... could it be..." Pei Qingwu recalled some things about high-ranking officials and nobles in ancient times, and a nameless anger mixed with a deeper pity rose up.
Ignoring the breathtaking beauty, Pei Qingwu found the only clean linen cloth in his bundle, gritted his teeth, and went to the stove to fetch a little clean wood ash as a makeshift hemostatic and anti-inflammatory treatment. Just as he gently applied it to the boy's body—
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The courtyard gate was suddenly pounded with a deafening roar, so rough and forceful that it seemed to smash the flimsy wooden door to pieces.
Immediately, a gruff male voice, brimming with hostility, shouted from outside the door: "Young lady of the Pei family! Open the door! Those lousy pastries you sold today made someone sick! They're writhing in pain with stomach cramps, open the door and give me an explanation!"
"Open the door! Are you trying to hide because you feel guilty?" another shrill voice joined in the shouting.
The boy on the couch seemed to be disturbed by the huge noise. His thick eyelashes trembled violently a few times, but he couldn't open his eyes. He could only utter a few weak, painful murmurs.
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