Seeking calligraphy
When Pei Qingwu was led to Guizhi's room, he was completely stunned.
In fact, Guizhi is only thirty-five years old this year. In modern times, she is considered to be in her prime. If she takes good care of herself, she would still be a big sister who makes countless people flock to her. However, she is from ancient times and is a courtesan who has suffered a lot. Therefore, she is pale and looks tired, and looks like she is over fifty years old. Only in her eyes can you vaguely see some of her former beauty.
The brothel madam only cared about whether the girls made money. Now that Guizhi had no more use, she was naturally left aside to fend for herself. A little girl of about thirteen was wiping away tears as she fed her medicine by the bedside.
However, she could no longer swallow anything. She just stared blankly at the doorway with her eyes wide open, as if waiting for someone.
"Sister Guizhi, please at least drink a sip. These sisters pooled their money to buy it. The doctor said it will make you better." The little girl pleaded, crying, but Guizhi ignored her and even turned her head slightly away from the bowl.
The young woman who led Pei Qingwu in—who already knew her name was Qiantao on the way—stepped forward and asked worriedly, "Is Sister Guizhi still not well?"
"No, I can't get the medicine down, and I can't get the water down either..."
"What should we do? I overheard my mother saying that if things don't get better, it will be like before the New Year..." Qian Tao said, her expression suddenly changed, as if she had thought of something extremely terrible, and her voice gradually lowered until it was almost inaudible.
Pei Qingwu's lips twitched a few times. When she was an undergraduate, she had nothing to do, so she watched an old movie called "Sisters Stand Up," which tells the story of the reform of prostitutes after liberation. In one of the plots, a girl was no longer useful, and the madam ordered people to carry her out, put her in a coffin, and nail her to the ground while she was still breathing. This became a psychological trauma for her.
What Qiantao might see is even more terrifying.
She approached Guizhi's bedside, grasped a withered, bony hand, and whispered, "You're still awake. Are you perhaps thinking of your son?"
Upon hearing this, Guizhi's eyes, which had been dull, flashed with light for a moment.
"I will redeem you and take you to see him."
Although Pei Qingwu was not a doctor, he could tell that the woman in front of him was on her last legs, clinging to life only because of her love for her son. Buying her back seemed like a loss, but if he could let a mother see her child one last time and leave this world with a clear conscience, it would be an act of kindness and virtue.
"Qiantao, take me to see the madam. I need to redeem Guizhi from her servitude."
Qiantao stared in astonishment, looking at Pei Qingwu and then at the emaciated Guizhi. Her lips moved, but she finally agreed, "Alright, my lady, come with me."
The madam of Zuiyue Tower was fiddling with the abacus beads in the front hall when she saw Qiantao leading an unfamiliar young woman over. She merely raised her eyelids casually.
“Mother…” Qiantao said timidly, “This lady wants to… wants to redeem Sister Guizhi from her servitude.”
“Gui Zhi?” The madam scoffed, put down her abacus, and looked Pei Qingwu up and down. “That medicine pot? Young lady, I’m not saying this to be mean, but she’s barely hanging on by a thread now. If we buy her, we’ll have to hold a funeral within two days. It’s really bad luck.”
These words were harsh and cold, as if they were not spoken of a living person who was about to spend his entire life here.
Pei Qingwu suppressed his disgust: "That's precisely why I want to give her a peaceful place... Name your price."
The madam's eyes darted around. Guizhi was no longer able to entertain guests, and keeping her in the brothel would only be a waste of rice, food, and medicine, and would also take up space. It was a pleasant surprise that someone was willing to take on this hot potato, so she held up five fingers: "Five strings of cash, and her indenture. Take it."
Pei Qingwu did not haggle, but took out five strings of coins from his purse and placed them on the table in front of the madam.
The madam immediately put on a fake smile, quickly rummaged through the cabinet and found a yellowed contract, which she stuffed into Pei Qingwu's hand without even looking at it: "Madam is such a kind-hearted person, take it, you can take her away anytime."
Pei Qingwu took the flimsy indenture and felt as if it were soaked with the blood and tears of Guizhi.
She stopped looking at the madam's disgusting face and turned to Qiantao, saying, "I would like to trouble you, Madam Qiantao, to hire a sturdy carriage or sedan chair for me, and find two reliable helpers to carry Guizhi back for me."
She paid a little extra, and Qiantao immediately agreed to take care of it.
Before long, a simple carriage stopped at the back gate of Zuiyue Tower. Qiantao and two burly women they had hired carefully wrapped the faintly breathing Guizhi in a thin blanket and carried her into the carriage.
Guizhi seemed to sense something; her empty eyes shifted slightly as she looked in Pei Qingwu's direction.
The carriage rumbled away from the suffocatingly glamorous place of Zuiyuelou and headed towards Sushan Xiaoji.
Upon arriving at the entrance of Sushan Market, Pei Qingwu got out of the car first and instructed the shop assistants to help with the arrangements. Gu Heng, who had been waiting in the shop, couldn't contain himself upon hearing the news about his mother and rushed out quickly.
"Master, my mother..." Gu Heng's voice stopped abruptly when he saw the withered figure being carried off the carriage. He was struck dumb, frozen in place, all color draining from his face.
Was it really his mother, Guizhi?
The mother I remember, who was so incredibly beautiful, is now just a skeleton, her face ashen, her eyes sunken, and her hair brittle.
It's only been a short time since we last met? You've been tortured beyond recognition!
Grief and anger gripped him like an invisible hand, making his throat tighten and rendering him unable to utter a single word; only his body trembled slightly.
"Aheng, I've brought your mother back. She's been waiting for you."
Guizhi seemed to hear a familiar voice. Her lifeless, cloudy eyes struggled to turn and finally focused on Gu Heng's young face.
"Heng, Heng'er..." The faint voice was like a gossamer thread that might break at any moment.
"Mother! It's me! It's Heng'er!" Gu Heng rushed to the stretcher, knelt down, and grasped his mother's withered, cold hand with trembling hands. Tears streamed down his face as he cried, "Your unfilial son... Your son is too late..."
Guizhi's lips moved with difficulty, as if she had endless things to say, but she no longer had the strength to do so.
She gazed greedily at her son's face, her eyes welling with tears. With her last ounce of strength, she uttered two barely audible words, as if they were a secret she had kept hidden her whole life: "Gu...Jiao..."
This is her real name, not Guizhi from Zuiyuelou, but the name given to her by her parents, a name that belongs to her.
She wanted to pass away peacefully in her son's arms, under the identity of "Gu Jiao," with a clear conscience.
After saying those two words, it was as if she had exhausted the last bit of candlelight in her life. Her taut heartstrings suddenly relaxed, and the breath she had been holding on to finally broke. Her eyes, which had been filled with worry and hope, slowly closed, and she was no more.
"Mother—!" A heart-wrenching wail echoed through the courtyard.
Gu Heng held his mother's still-warm but lifeless body tightly, burying his head and weeping bitterly, as if he wanted to cry out all his grievances, self-blame and endless grief.
The sky was overcast, as if it too was weeping for this woman who had endured so much suffering.
Pei Qingwu stood aside, silently watching all of this, her heart filled with unspeakable sorrow. She didn't say anything, but simply stayed quietly with the mother and son who had gone through so much hardship.
At night, Gu Jiao's body lay in state in the courtyard, with Gu Heng silently by his side, as if all his energy had been drained away, and no storm in the world could stir him up.
It was late autumn, and most of the sycamore leaves in the courtyard had fallen, with only a few remaining swirling in the bleak autumn wind.
Pei Qingwu looked at his thin back and knew that words would be ineffective at this moment. She went into the kitchen, took out a small bowl of snow-white rice, washed it carefully, and then selected two plump and round dried yellow apricots, soaked them in warm water until soft, and cut them into small cubes.
New firewood was added to the stove, and the flames crackled and licked the bottom of the pot. Water was poured into the pot, and once it boiled, the rinsed rice grains were slowly poured in.
The rice grains float and unfurl in the boiling water, gradually releasing a rich aroma. Then, use a long-handled wooden spoon to stir gently to prevent sticking, watching the rice soup thicken from its clear state.
Once the rice grains have opened up and the porridge has become smooth and creamy, sprinkle the diced dried apricots into the pot.
Golden apricot pieces tumble in the milky white rice porridge, like the last warm rays of autumn sunshine blending into it.
Next, she took a small piece of precious maltose, carefully chipped off some crumbs with the back of a knife, and added it to the porridge. Finally, she picked a small handful of dried osmanthus flowers from a ceramic jar in the corner and sprinkled them into the porridge, instantly bringing life to the simple white porridge.
The rich aroma of osmanthus, mixed with the fragrance of rice and the sweet and sour scent of dried apricots, filled the small kitchen, gently dispelling the chill of late autumn.
Pei Qingwu carried the small clay pot, walked to Gu Heng's side, and gently placed the porridge next to him.
“Aheng,” her voice was softer than usual, “Autumn is deep and it’s cold. Have some hot porridge… I added dried apricots and osmanthus flowers. It’s sweet and warm, and it will make you feel better.”
The warm steam from the bowl of porridge touched Gu Heng's cold face, and his heart seemed to be gently touched by this warmth, causing him to choke up.
With trembling hands, he picked up the spoon, scooped up a small spoonful, carefully blew on it to cool it, and put it in his mouth.
The warm rice porridge instantly enveloped my tongue and mouth, thick and smooth, with soft and sweet dried apricot pieces and a delightful fragrance of osmanthus...
Tears rolled down again without warning, dripping large drops into the porridge bowl.
Gu Heng lowered his head and silently swallowed spoonful after spoonful of porridge. As the scalding porridge slid down his throat, his limbs, frozen by grief, seemed to finally feel a faint sense of revival.
Pei Qingwu sat to the side, not disturbing him, but quietly watching over him.
The autumn wind howled, the charcoal fire glowed faintly red, and the boy silently shed tears as he swallowed the warm porridge.
After Gu Heng finished eating, as Pei Qingwu was about to clean up, he suddenly looked up without warning and called out to her, "Sister."
The sadness has passed, life goes on, and we must continue living.
Especially with Zhao Niangzi's order coming up urgently, Pei Qingwu had to turn down other people's orders. He kept pounding the milk skin and stirring the egg whites, and for a while, the only sound in the courtyard was the clanging and banging.
Since his mother's death, Gu Heng has become even more silent, burying himself in his chores. Every now and then, he would go up to Pei Qingwu and hand her a handkerchief to wipe her sweat or a cup of water.
Finally, on the evening of the second day, Pei Qingwu could no longer bear it and went to the horse shop to buy a maid.
The maid's original surname was He. Her original master was the magistrate of Dangting County. He had committed a crime and his family was raided. All the servants were sold off. When she served that family, she was named Yinlan. Pei Qingwu thought it was a good name, so he did not change it.
Yin Lan was originally a cook, and she was also clever and quick-witted. Pei Qingwu only taught her once, and she learned it almost perfectly and could assist him.
The process was much faster, and all the snacks ordered by Zhao Niangzi were prepared on time. In addition to snowflake crisps, cream cakes, lotus crisps, and flower cakes, there was also Changzhou sesame cake, which was shaped like layers of mother-of-pearl, with a bright golden color and plump sesame seeds like golden millet.
Pei Qingwu personally went to the governor's mansion and carefully delivered the pastries there.
Zhao Niangzi chose a waterside pavilion as the venue for her banquet. The wisteria trellis still retained some green, and the autumn breeze brought a slight coolness, yet it was refreshing and pleasant.
Several young ladies from official families, in the prime of their youth, dressed in fine silks and brocades, chatted and laughed. When the exquisitely shaped and tempting pastries were served, they instantly attracted everyone's attention.
"Wow, these pastries are so exquisite!" exclaimed a woman in a pale yellow dress.
"The aroma alone is enough to make one's mouth water. Where did you find such skillful hands, sister?" Another woman also leaned closer to take a closer look.
Zhao Niangzi was quite pleased with herself and gestured for Pei Qingwu to step forward.
Pei Qingwu curtsied and calmly introduced: "I am Pei Qingwu, and I am honored by the favor of Lady Zhao and all the ladies... This is Jade Floss Cake, which melts in your mouth and is as sweet as snow; this is Cloud Cheese, made with the essence of cow's milk, which is soft and delicate; this is Lotus Cup, with a flaky crust like lotus petals; this is Yaoying Cake, which is filled with seasonal fresh flowers; this is Golden Millet Thousand-Layer Roll, which is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with the aroma of sesame seeds."
She gave these snacks new names.
Everyone tasted it, and exclamations of praise were endless. The cloud-like cheese and the crystal-clear, flaky jade cake were the most sought-after.
During the lively conversation, a gentle and refined lady said softly, "Miss Pei's culinary skills are truly exquisite. I wonder if you would be willing to take on this role? My father is the Prefect of Qin Prefecture, and my aunt's brother runs the Taibai Tower in the city. We are in dire need of such a skilled chef."
Her aunt came from a merchant family, so she was less hesitant to discuss business matters.
Upon hearing this, Pei Qingwu gently shook her head: "Thank you for your kindness, Madam Li, but I have already opened a shop in Anyefang and rely on the help of my neighbors to make a living."
As she politely declined, a thought flashed through her mind like lightning.
Without hesitation, Pei Qingwu put on a sincere smile and cleverly changed the subject: "However, I have a favor to ask. My shop is newly opened and I would like to prepare some high-quality materials. If you ladies are willing to give up your official positions, you can contribute a little money for cosmetics to invest in my shop and receive dividends every year. I will do my best to live up to your trust... Although it involves commercial interests, it will only be a private contribution. You can just lend your name to the shop, and I will handle all the financial transactions."
Upon hearing this, the ladies at the table were initially taken aback, but their eyes lit up.
Although merchants are considered lowly, which noble lady in the city doesn't own a few shops? And if you secretly use your own money to register a shop without telling your elders, and sit back and wait for the dividends every year, it's both novel and interesting, and you can also earn a considerable amount of private income. Why not?
Zhao Niangzi was the first to agree with a smile: "That's a novel idea. I'll contribute twenty taels of silver."
With someone taking the lead, the other women, including Li Liu Niangzi, all agreed and quickly settled on the amount, thus securing a considerable amount of initial funding.
The banquet ended in high spirits, and Pei Qingwu was about to take his leave when he was stopped by a servant of Governor Zhao: "Master Pei, please wait. The governor requests your presence in his study."
Pei Qingwu's heart stirred slightly. He straightened his clothes and followed his attendant into the solemn study.
Governor Zhao Jue, dressed in plain clothes, sat upright behind his desk, calmly observing her.
He did remember this woman; her previous lawsuit against her ex-husband's family was clear, logical, and neither servile nor arrogant. Today, she had made his daughter look good in front of her close friends.
"The master's pastries are excellent; my daughter and her handkerchiefs were full of praise." Zhao Jue got straight to the point, his tone much gentler than when they were in court: "You handle things properly and are quite clever. Tell me, what reward do you want?"
Upon hearing this, Pei Qingwu bowed deeply and said, "Your Excellency is wise. I do have two requests... First, my guard Gu Heng's mother, Gu Jiao, was originally the most beautiful courtesan at Zuiyue Tower, but she has now passed away. Gu Heng is kind-hearted, diligent, and hardworking. I humbly request Your Excellency to grant him the privilege of being freed from his lowly status so that he can live a respectable life."
Zhao Jue stroked his beard and pondered for a moment. It was just a small favor for him to remove an insignificant boy from his registered residence, especially since his mother had just passed away, which was also a good deed. He nodded and said, "Considering his mother's pitiful state and the fact that he follows you in making a living peacefully, I grant it. Now, what about the second matter?"
Pei Qingwu was overjoyed and quickly said, "Secondly, I humbly request that Your Excellency bestow upon me a piece of calligraphy to inscribe the four characters 'Sushan Xiaoji' for my shop. With Your Excellency's calligraphy as a blessing, my humble shop will be honored, and it will also be the foundation for my livelihood."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jue smiled slightly.
This request was neither excessive nor unreasonable, and it also gave him an opportunity to show his goodwill.
She's quite a clever girl...
He secretly praised it, then said loudly, "Bring me pen and ink!"
The attendant quickly spread out fine Xuan paper, ground fragrant ink, and Governor Zhao picked up his brush, dipped it in the ink, concentrated his mind, and wrote with vigorous strokes. The four powerful characters "Sushan Xiaoji" leaped onto the paper, displaying a dignified and elegant demeanor.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Excellency!" Pei Qingwu bowed deeply in gratitude, accepting the weighty calligraphy with both hands, feeling a great weight lifted from his heart.
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