Chapter 33 Let's go to the Wu-Yue Guild Hall and order a table of dishes for Lin Daiyu, Zhou Rui...
Not far away on Ziling Island, Siqi was also talking about the new clothes.
"Miss, now that you've received new clothes, why don't you go and thank Miss Lin?"
Yingchun said, "Why thank her? You're being unreasonable and eager to please her, and she doesn't even care about that."
Siqi sighed helplessly: "This is just an excuse. Zilingzhou and Xiaoxiang Pavilion are the closest to each other. We should visit each other when we have nothing else to do."
"What's wrong with you today? Why are you trying to kick me out? Don't you know how I usually am?"
Siqi had so much to say, but it was hard to keep it all together, and it took her a long time to sort it out.
“Miss, all the girls in the family have someone to support them. Before Miss Lin had this Earl Zhongyong, she still had her old lady. The third young lady had her second wife, the fourth young lady had the East Mansion, and Sister-in-law Zhen always gave her things when she came. Miss Bao has her family, so she can just ask for whatever she needs. But Miss… Miss, you have to think about yourself too.”
"Miss Xing, who used to live with me, is doing just fine, isn't she?"
Speaking of Xing Xiuyan, Siqi felt even more frustrated.
“Miss should also go and see Miss Xing. A few days ago she said she was going to Longcui Nunnery to stay with Master Miaoyu for two days, but she never came back. She even took her bedding. What will the old lady and madam do when they remember?”
"What's so difficult about that?" Yingchun still seemed indifferent. "Look at this time when we were making clothes, even someone as thoughtful as Sister-in-law Lian didn't think of her. Miss Bao doesn't ask too many questions either, so why are you worrying so much? When she used to live with me, I was the one who had to worry. You were always asking her for money, and I was afraid she would complain."
"Miss!" Siqi also regretted that she hadn't learned her lesson and had spoken too tactfully. How could her young lady understand?
“The young lady has a master and a mistress, as well as an older brother and sister-in-law, so she should visit them more often.” When she went home a couple of days ago, her mother said that there was a message from over there that the eldest mistress was unhappy that the second young lady was always hanging around the second mistress, while ignoring her own proper husband and wife.
It wouldn't have been so bad before, but now that the girl is seventeen and about to start looking for a husband, it'll be too late if we don't start making connections soon.
"How can I move around?" Yingchun asked. "Going over there requires a carriage. Even Lin Daiyu would be criticized for asking for more things, let alone me. I can't even see Lian Erge and Lian Ersao. Besides, I'm staying here, so naturally I have to pay my respects to the Second Madam. I can also meet the Old Ancestor. They pay their respects to the Old Ancestor, and I'll pay my respects to them. It won't be considered impolite."
Siqi felt a sense of frustration at having nothing to say. Just as she was about to carefully explain things to her, Tanchun rushed in: "I heard that someone has reported Zhou Mama's family. Let's go to Madam's place and see. Zhou Mama is Madam's most capable nanny and has always taken good care of us. It's a good opportunity to ask her."
Yingchun responded and stood up, while Siqi's words "Miss" stuck in her throat, unable to be uttered.
"Should we go and call Lin Daiyu?" Yingchun asked instinctively.
Tan Chun hesitated for a moment, and then looked at Ying Chun's expression again. Knowing that she was unintentional, she said, "Let's not. It's cold and windy. Don't let her go out."
Yingchun and Tanchun rushed to Lady Wang's room, only to find that Xue Baochai and Shi Xiangyun had already arrived. Jia Baoyu had arrived in the morning and hadn't left yet, writing Spring Festival couplets outside. Xue Baoqin and Yuanyang were coming from afar.
Yu Chuan'er said politely, "Mother Zhou is inside giving a reply. Please wait a moment."
Although they were talking inside, they weren't trying to hide it from people. If you held your breath and kept quiet outside, you could hear what they were saying.
“Madam, as you know, our Zhou Rui has always been honest, kind, and good-natured. He must have been envied by some villain. He manages the rent for the spring and autumn seasons every year, and he's away for almost three months at a time. When he comes back, he's exhausted and needs a month to recover. This must be a false accusation. Besides, the accusation is filed in Wanping County, which... seems completely unrelated.”
“Wanping County really has no jurisdiction over Rongguo Mansion,” Madam Wang pondered.
Zhou Rui's wife stood with her head bowed, not daring to speak, but she didn't take it seriously either.
What is a county magistrate anyway?
She oversaw the travel of the women of the Rongguo Mansion, and the county magistrate had to give way to any carriage that carried the Rongguo Mansion's nameplate.
In other words, the county magistrate had to give way to her, a servant of the Rongguo Mansion.
What is a county magistrate anyway!
As for the Marquis of Zhongyong, this person did flash through Zhou Rui's mind, after all, he was the most powerful person they had ever offended.
But the problem is that disputes within noble families aren't resolved this way. The county magistrate? The first person to be dealt with when things escalate is the county magistrate.
And how much time has passed? It definitely wasn't that coward, Marquis Zhongyong.
"Hmm..." Madam Wang quickly made a decision: "It might be a false accusation. Go and inform your second mistress, and have her handle this matter."
Seeing that Madam Wang's face relaxed, Zhou Rui's wife joked, "Second Madam is probably in trouble too. She always deals with matters related to the Censorate. A county magistrate... our family has never sought connections of such a low rank before."
Madam Wang laughed, "Alright, you're getting older, but your tongue's getting more and more witty. In a couple of days—"
"Madam," came Yu Chuan'er's voice from outside, "Sister Yuanyang has arrived."
Madam Wang hurriedly invited them in.
A string of young ladies and gentlemen followed Yuanyang in. After greeting Madam Wang, they all went to ask Zhou Rui's wife.
Zhou Rui's wife said, "Sigh, I don't know why either. We don't usually leave the manor. Maybe the magistrate has lost his mind."
Yuanyang watched with a smile, and after they had asked her a round of questions, she said, "The old lady asked me to come and see what's wrong, and also said to ask Second Madam Lian to resolve it."
Madam Wang smiled and said, "It's clear that everyone in the household trusts her. Let's wait and see. If he didn't accept the gift of the red slip once, would he dare to send it a second time?"
After Yuanyang finished asking her questions, she went back to report to the old lady, and then the young ladies and gentlemen sat down.
Madam Wang glanced around and saw that four people hadn't come.
Lin Daiyu, Xichun, Jia Huan, and Jia Lan.
Jia Baoyu had obviously noticed this as well, and was just about to find an excuse about being exposed to the cold wind when Xue Baochai spoke first: "Pin'er is not in good health. She will only get better in winter when the sun has shone on the ground and it is not so cold."
Tan Chun frowned. These words not only implied that she didn't come, but also that she was lazy. She said, "We left in such a hurry that we didn't call her."
Madam Wang said, "It's nothing serious, don't make a big fuss. You should all go back. The New Year is coming soon. When the maids and servants are cleaning, be careful not to get dusty."
After everyone took their leave, Jia Baoyu thought for a moment and then headed towards Xiaoxiang Pavilion.
"This place is still the best, little sister's." Jia Baoyu stood in the middle of the study, looking around, and liked it no matter how he looked at it.
The house was warm and cozy, without a trace of dust, and even carried a faint fragrance. Many of the furnishings in the house were new additions, gifts from the Earl of Zhongyong.
Jia Baoyu felt a pang of sadness, and when he looked at his Lin Daiyu, he felt even more aggrieved.
"Try to do less needlework; you'll hurt your eyes."
Lin Daiyu was making a headband for a doll, the kind used in winter, with a red silk lining lined with snow-white rabbit fur, and a pearl sewn onto the front. She didn't even pay attention to Jia Baoyu.
It may be sour, but it's still pretty.
"Please sit down, Second Master." Zijuan brought over tea and said with a smile, "Miss really cherishes those two dolls. She won't let us touch them. But they are exquisitely made. These past few days, whenever Miss has free time, she makes clothes for them and hasn't even written any poems."
Lin Daiyu put down what she was holding and said to Jia Baoyu with a sigh, "If Qingwen were in my room, that would be wonderful."
Jia Baoyu wasn't afraid of Lin Daiyu asking him for things; what he feared was that Lin Daiyu wouldn't ask him for things: "What's so difficult about that? I'll just call her over. There's nothing wrong with my room anyway."
Xiren often told Jia Baoyu that Qingwen did nothing, and over time, Jia Baoyu also got the impression that Qingwen was always idle.
"No need, I was just asking. When you're making rouge, do you need someone else to help you?"
Jia Baoyu smiled, feeling that Lin Daiyu was still the same as before. However, after hearing Zijuan say that his sister wouldn't let anyone touch her dolls, Jia Baoyu subconsciously wanted to prove that his sister treated him differently from others. He smiled and said, "May I see them?"
Lin Daiyu glanced at him: "Have you washed your hands?"
"Does my sister dislike me?"
"I won't let anyone else touch them either," Lin Daiyu explained, then positioned the dolls, one sitting on a chair and the other leaning against the bed.
What's missing? A cabinet, a teapot? Or perhaps a guqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument)?
"...Has my sister become distant from me?" Jia Baoyu said a few words, and seeing that Lin Daiyu was unresponsive and her eyes were a little red, "I don't know where this wild brother came from, and he gave me two things, and my sister has already forgotten our past friendship?"
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Lin Daiyu said coldly. "It's not enough that you make fun of me all the time, you've even started gossiping about the Marquis of Zhongyong!"
Jia Baoyu was always quick to anger, but upon seeing Lin Daiyu's cold face, he immediately deflated: "Good sister, you know that's not what I meant. I apologize, perhaps... perhaps I've been out of my mind these past few days and was talking nonsense."
Seeing Jia Baoyu repeatedly apologizing, Lin Daiyu couldn't stay angry anymore. She said, "This is a gift from someone else, so we should keep it safe." She then took down the nine-linked rings from the display cabinet: "Let's play with this."
Jia Baoyu stayed at Xiaoxiang Pavilion until after lunch before returning. Once back, he said to Xiren with a heavy heart, "Get some silver. I'll ask Mingyan to order some food from Wuyue Guild Hall later. That's what Lin Daiyu likes to eat."
Upon hearing this, Xiren's eyelids twitched incessantly. She quickly sat down next to Jia Baoyu and said with a smile, "Second Master, what you said leaves me at a loss. Have you angered Miss Lin again? Do you want to apologize, or do you just want to order a meal? If you don't explain clearly, I won't know how much silver to give Mingyan."
Jia Baoyu recalled that at Xiaoxiang Pavilion earlier, when lunch was brought over, he ate with Lin Daiyu, but seeing that she was picking and choosing her food and had no appetite, he asked, "Are you not eating again?"
Little did Lin Daiyu know that she would glance at him and say, "Last time you said you would ask the kitchen to learn some of my favorite dishes, but it's been so long and they still haven't been sent over."
"I've been busy these past few days," Jia Baoyu said with an embarrassed smile. "I forgot to give you instructions."
Jia Baoyu felt guilty after the meal, so as soon as he got back, he thought he might as well go to the Wuyue Guild Hall and order two ready-made dishes.
But when Xiren asked that question... Jia Baoyu thought for a moment and said, "Then the Earl of Zhongyong sends Lin Daiyu dishes from the Wuyue Guild Hall every few days. Let's try them and see what's new and interesting. Didn't you say last time that you wanted to try what pork ribs stewed with red dates taste like?"
Xi Ren had served Jia Baoyu since he was a child, and the expression on his face clearly told a different story.
It wasn't for her sake at all; it was just to shut her up. When has Master Bao ever been afraid to tell her the truth?
Xi Ren suppressed her displeasure and advised, "Since that's the case, why not order a few more dishes? Second Master is only ordering for Miss Lin, what about Second Miss, Third Miss, and Fourth Miss? And Miss Bao and Miss Shi? If we only order for Miss Lin, even if we get along well normally, it will create some discord. Besides, there's the Old Madam and the other ladies upstairs. Second Madam Lian is busy all day long, so she should be made to have some fun. In my opinion, we should order two tables and invite Yuanyang and Ping'er as well, so everyone can have a good time."
You could say Jia Baoyu was filial, but you couldn't say he wasn't. He thought about it and it made sense, so he asked, "How much silver should we give Mingyan?"
How could a mere maid like Xiren know this? But she couldn't let Master Bao know that she couldn't.
“Last time, Miss Bao invited everyone to a crab feast in Miss Shi’s name. I heard it cost more than twenty taels of silver. There were many people invited that time, and I even got to eat. This time we have two tables, but Wu Yue Guild Hall is an outside restaurant… even if it’s more expensive, forty taels should be enough.”
Jia Baoyu had no concept of money, and besides, the last time he treated people to a meal, it was at cost price. This time, ordering ready-made items would be at the factory price, and they weren't even in the same class. But the problem was that he didn't know this either. He nodded and said, "Call Mingyan over."
Soon Mingyan came over, and Xiren gave him some silver and instructed him, "Order more of the dishes that the old lady and madam like, and make sure they are soft and tender."
Jia Baoyu also instructed: "Red dates stewed with pork ribs, that's what Lin Daiyu likes, and also Su's pastries."
Mingyan accepted the order and went there. The Wu-Yue Guild Hall was a well-known place in the capital, and the location was not difficult to find.
Mingyan was immediately stumped as soon as she entered. Not only was it serene, but the large counter at the entrance was made of sandalwood.
This place... I'm afraid forty taels of silver won't be enough.
The guild halls in the capital were divided into three categories. The first category was led by officials and only entertained local officials or high-ranking officials. The second category was for those who were preparing for the imperial examinations and were entertaining those who were going to take the exams.
Yes, the minimum requirement was to be a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations at the provincial level). Even if someone was a wealthy merchant, they still needed someone to guide them to enter.
Next were the guild halls led by big merchants. Although these guild halls also started with place names, they did not have high requirements for place of origin. They were just places to exchange various information and conduct large-scale transactions, and anyone could enter.
Finally, there are the upscale restaurants opened by local business owners who simply borrow the name.
Mingyan's dilemma lies here: the Wu-Yue Guild Hall is clearly in the first category.
Fortunately, his attire suggested he was a servant from a wealthy family, and the waiter was friendly, asking, "Young man, are you here to order food or a room?"
Mingyan was still good at putting on airs; most people in the Rongguo Mansion could learn this skill without being taught. He said, "Our old lady is from Jinling. Young master wants to order two tables of food and wine to show his respect to her. I heard that your dishes are authentic, so I came to ask."
The waiter immediately brought over the menu: "Please take a look at this. As for wine, we have Huiquan, Nuerhong, Wufan, and so on. But since this is to honor the old lady, I recommend Huiquan wine. It's not too strong and women can enjoy it too."
Mingyan hummed twice: "Let me check the menu first."
He became even more nervous when he saw the menu.
The dish that Master Bao ordered, which is said to be Miss Lin's favorite, is red date stewed pork ribs, and costs eight taels of silver.
Eight ounces? A whole pig wouldn't cost that much, would it?
Seeing him staring blankly at the sign for red dates and pork ribs, the waiter introduced, "This is our signature dish. We only use the tender pork ribs with cartilage at the tips. The dates are also from the Western Regions, tree-ripened, and especially sweet. We also add eight kinds of precious Chinese medicinal herbs. Don't worry, you won't taste any herbs. Everyone who has tried it becomes a repeat customer."
"It's fine." Mingyan forced herself to remain calm and continued looking at the signs. Not to mention that their signs were exquisite, with pictures, names, and prices of the dishes engraved on the front of the wooden signs, and various ingredients listed on the back. Although they were honest and straightforward, it was still too expensive.
The forty taels of silver that Sister Hua gave us could make up for ten dishes, six of which would be side dishes.
Besides meat dishes, the vegetables are just as expensive. In particular, there is a purely vegetarian stir-fry of ginkgo nuts, which uses tribute ginkgo nuts, fresh lilies, and some seasonal fresh vegetables as side dishes. This one dish alone weighs twelve ounces.
Even if fresh lilies have to be transported by horseback... that's too expensive.
Not to mention the hundreds of taels of goose shark fin, abalone, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, and so on.
This is just à la carte; there are also full-table banquets like the Spring Festival Feast and the Autumn Harvest Feast, which are charged per table. Mingyan was almost unable to count them all.
The waiter had seen all sorts of people, and seeing Mingyan's expression, he knew he couldn't place an order. So he added, "If you come to pick it up yourself, just use our box—" He pointed to the box specifically used for delivering dishes, which Mingyan had seen before.
Miss Lin often throws out these boxes, and he even heard the old woman say, "They're quite nice things, worth a lot of money."
“They add scorching hot pebbles inside, and wrap it in fireproof cloth so it stays hot for an hour. It will cost an extra five taels of silver. If you ask us to deliver it, it will cost an extra two taels.”
Mingyan nodded calmly: "Understood."
The waiter smiled and said, "You watch over there, the water's boiling, I'll be right back."
Sure enough, when he returned, Mingyan had already slipped away.
The waiter scoffed, "Where did this greenhorn come from, daring to come in without even asking around?"
Mingyan was troubled again as soon as she came out. What should she do? Should she go back and say that she didn't have enough money? But a meal here would cost more than a hundred taels... Sister Hua would definitely not agree to that.
But if the task isn't completed, he won't be able to get past Master Bao's hurdle either.
Mingyan looked around and strolled around the street. Coincidentally, he came across a Jinling Guild Hall.
This one is definitely not as expensive as the previous one, but judging from the location, the decor, and the size, it shouldn't be too different. Inside, it was even quite bustling and lively.
The waiter was much more enthusiastic, bowing and scraping as he came to greet them.
This time it went much more smoothly. The forty taels of silver given by Sister Hua were enough for two tables of food and wine. There was red date stewed pork ribs, which Miss Lin liked, as well as salted duck, a famous dish from Nanjing. We could also have a pot of stewed turtle as the main dish, and we would still have three taels left over.
Mingyan paid the deposit on the spot and agreed to deliver it to the west gate of Rongguo Mansion at noon three days later.
However, she couldn't say that when she got back. Mingyan said to Jia Baoyu with a wronged expression, "That family only deals with officials."
Jia Baoyu said, "Didn't you say you were from the Rongguo Mansion?"
Anyway, Master Bao wouldn't verify it, so Mingyan boldly said, "It's no use saying it; people won't believe it."
Jia Baoyu sighed, "Fool! Fool!"
Mingyan then said, "Later we went to a nearby Jinling Club and that's where we made the reservation."
Although Jia Baoyu was allowed to go out, he had to have a legitimate reason for each trip. Mingyan was not afraid of being exposed and praised the Jinling Guild Hall, which dispelled Jia Baoyu's doubts.
"Three days later at noon?"
Mingyan nodded: "I've already given the instructions, I guarantee it will be delivered still hot."
Jia Baoyu was finally satisfied and went to present the treasure to Grandmother Jia.
Meanwhile, the constable who had gone to deliver the warrant the day before returned, unsurprisingly failing and still bearing footprints. Ke Yuanqing was quite pleased.
"Continue tomorrow. It would be best if they could hit you a couple of times with sticks, leaving some marks."
After a few more days, we can have the constables left behind by Lord Mu deliver it, ensuring that the warrant reaches Zhou Rui.
After instructing the constables, the clerk came in again and said, "We've found some people. One is named Wang Xiaoshou, who used to be a thief but later became a hangman. He has connections in the area. The other is Manager Zhao, who opened a restaurant over there and is very well-informed."
Ke Yuanqing said, "Send the clerk and his family to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence together."
The next morning, Mu Chuan led a group to visit the Northern Camp.
The North Camp is about 30 li away from Andingmen. If they were still staying at the Zhongyong Earl's Mansion bestowed by the Emperor Emeritus, the round trip would take an hour and a half. But if they moved to the Zhongyong Earl's Mansion bestowed by the Emperor, it would only take half an hour.
This length of horseback riding is purely for physical exercise.
However, Mu Chuan felt that he had such a biased view of the eleven words "a mansion with a garden and a pond within the first ring road" that even his own mother wouldn't recognize him. In any case, the commander-in-chief didn't have to go there every day; he could stay in the military camp for half a month and go home for half a month.
At least... they can stay in the military camp for half a month before getting married.
No one would leave their fairy-like daughter at home after getting married and go live with a rough man, right?
So they still had to move after getting married. Mu Chuan sighed. Fortunately, Eunuch Bai revealed that the emperor was trying to arrange a residence for him. In the future, he would have a "super mansion with a garden and a pond within the second ring road," so moving was not out of the question.
Mu Chuan's repeated sighs terrified the deputy general who had come to greet him.
What's wrong?
The roads outside have been repaired, the military camp gate has been specially cleaned, the soldiers in formation are all wearing new armor, and their attitude is so respectful, what else could I be dissatisfied with?
As the deputy general was reflecting on his behavior, General Ning came out to greet him.
"Loyal and Brave Earl".
"General Ning."
General Ning was actually a little sour. He had served as the commander of the Northern Camp for many years, but because he was not personally appointed by the emperor, he did not even get a noble title in the end. When he retired to his hometown, he received the treatment of an ordinary second-rank official, which was not at all like the commander of the five major camps of the capital.
Mu Chuan supported General Ning's arm: "I heard that you were seriously ill. Please take good care of yourself."
"Please." General Ning gestured, "Let's talk inside."
After drinking half a cup of tea and exchanging pleasantries, Mu Chuan smiled and said, "General Ning will be setting off to return to his hometown after the New Year. I don't want to delay your journey, so how about we take care of some handovers beforehand?"
General Ning said, "Of course." He called out to the deputy general who had spoken earlier, "Take General Mu's men there—whether you prefer the accounting office or the storeroom first."
Mu Chuan smiled and said, "Let's go to the kitchen first." Account books can be falsified, and the storeroom can be stocked with the best ingredients, but the kitchen is different. By observing what the soldiers eat, you can roughly tell what kind of style the Northern Camp is.
General Ning was taken aback, then laughed: "General Mu, please."
After inspecting the kitchen, Mu Chuan knew that even if there was a deficit, it would only last for one or two years at most.
After leaving the kitchen, it was almost time for evening drills. Mu Chuan watched the soldiers drill and thought the Northern Camp was alright.
No wonder, the pay of a soldier here is almost twice that of Pingnan Town.
Mu Chuan had dinner with General Ning.
After a couple of drinks, General Ning laughed and said, "You've just returned to the capital and don't know much yet. This place is right under the emperor's nose, and it's already quite prosperous. There are also many people watching. There's no need to create such a deficit. You'll know in a few days after your men have finished checking the accounts."
Although he seemed very honest and his laughter was hearty, the audit still had to be conducted. Mu Chuan arranged for his men and the people he had borrowed from Ke Yuanqing to stay, and instructed them on which areas to focus on. After spending another night in the military camp, he led his men to the imperial mausoleum.
The imperial mausoleum was built against the mountain, which, in the words of the master, has excellent feng shui; in Mu Chuan's words, it is refreshing and pleasing to the eye.
Mu Chuan had no physical problems and had gained a wealth of mountain climbing experience in Pingnan Town. He thoroughly explored the imperial mausoleum, inspected it completely, rested there that night, and rode back to the capital the next morning.
It was already noon when we arrived in the capital.
After two days of continuous physical activity, and with the food at the imperial mausoleum not being very good, he was indeed quite hungry.
Before he even got home, he stopped in front of the Wu-Yue Guild Hall.
Miss Lin loves the food at this restaurant. Although he doesn't have any particular likes or dislikes, he wants to get used to it beforehand, especially by hearing some short stories and legends, so he can chat with Miss Lin about them in the future.
Mu Chuan and his horse were unique in the capital. As soon as he dismounted, the shopkeeper greeted him with a smile: "Sir."
Mu Chuan asked, "Any fresh ingredients available today?"
"You've come at just the right time. They brought over a few mandarin fish this morning. You know, mandarin fish go to deep waters this time of year, so they're quite hard to catch. I don't know what kind of fish chased these ones, and one even had half of its tail fin bitten off."
Before the shopkeeper could finish his introduction, four waiters carried up a large wooden tub containing three plump mandarin fish.
The shopkeeper added, "Our Suzhou-style fish is delicious. The braised crucian carp with scallions is all about preserving the original flavor, and the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish is famous for its knife skills, presentation, and taste."
Mu Chuan nodded: "I'll take all three, the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish."
The shopkeeper hesitated: "It's not easy to deliver squirrel-shaped mandarin fish; it tastes best when it's freshly fried and eaten immediately."
"No problem," Mu Chuan said with a smile. "I'll marinate the fish now and cook the biggest one first. I'll go pick up the people, and we'll start cooking it when I get back. I'll also order a stewed beef, and if you have chicken or duck, choose the freshest ones. The side dishes will be prepared to match the flavor of the fish."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com