Chapter 62 Jinling Cangyue (Part 8) "If the bright moon ultimately does not understand..."
The most bustling area in Nanjing is undoubtedly the Qinhuai River. At night, as the lanterns are lit, the sight of oars and lanterns creating a breathtaking scene is truly magnificent. Now, with the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, it is even more vibrant. The water town has many bridges, and boats line up one after another beneath them. The ram-horn lanterns on the boat awnings are like a string of pearls, resembling flickering dragons and fiery mirages from afar. As one approaches, the sounds of stringed instruments, flutes, drums, laughter, and boisterous revelry fill the air. A chaotic blend of sound and light, a riot of brilliance vying with the moon on the water—the splendor of the Six Dynasties is on full display tonight.
Yan Chao found it difficult to move around in the bustling city, so he had to get out of the sedan chair and the group strolled along the riverbank to enjoy the scenery.
Lan Huaien noticed that Yan Chao remained silent, unsure whether he was drunk or simply uninterested, so she encouraged him, "Young master, why don't you take a boat trip on the river? The boats are brightly lit, and being among them must offer a unique experience."
Yan Chao shook his head: "Let's take a walk, the rocking on the boat is making me dizzy."
Lan Huaien smiled and agreed, then turned and whispered something to one of the eunuchs accompanying him, who quickly left.
The bridgehead was teeming with people, and the cries of vendors filled the air. A quick glance revealed a dazzling array of food and utensils. Following the clearest voice from one of the vendors, a young man in a blue robe stood under a bamboo awning. His youthful face was remarkably handsome and refined, and in front of him were various bamboo and wood carvings.
The little girl, dressed as a boy, gestured with her hands: "My ancestors were royal carpenters for three generations, a classic lineage! This Qinhuai pleasure boat is carved from rosewood, exquisitely crafted, and it's a flat price of two hundred coins, really not expensive! ...Hey, hey, hey, those bamboo cricket cages over there are thirty coins!"
She raised her head, and her gaze fell upon the person turning back by the bridge. Her expression froze, and she was instantly flustered. But the person merely smiled, turned, and left, just like any other tourist.
He must have recognized her. Cui Lanhui bit her lip guiltily, paused for a moment, and without thinking, agreed to all the bargains offered at the stall.
Yan Chao had already crossed the bridge, and Lan Huaien was still enthusiastically introducing it in his ear: "The bridge ahead is called Changban Bridge, and later it was also called Wanyue Bridge. There is a Wangyue Tower at the head of the bridge. Not only during the Mid-Autumn Festival, but every full moon, many people come to visit. There are also many beautiful women and stories. It is very elegant."
Following the direction of his finger, they saw a beautiful woman walking hand in hand, chatting and laughing. Looking further into the distance, on the opposite bank of the river were water pavilions and painted boats, with vermilion railings and sparse curtains, and bamboo curtains and gauze drapes could be vaguely seen, with the fragrance of clothes and the shadows of hair.
"About fifty steps ahead there is a fan shop, but the fan ribs are so flimsy that they fall apart at the slightest touch; next to it is a young scholar who specializes in inscribing calligraphy and painting. He blushes easily, but his calligraphy skills are quite good."
"Across the street is a small food stall, mostly selling drinks. The apple-flavored thirst drink is so-so, but the snowflake yogurt tastes very good. However, it's too easy to get diarrhea if you eat it when it's cold. As for seasonal fruits, cakes, and drinks, although they are not as refined as the imperial cuisine, they each have their own folk flavor."
"When it comes to food in Jinling, the Eight Great Restaurants are the best. Among them, the most famous is Zuixianlou. I heard that the owner is a woman surnamed Shen. She has extraordinary culinary skills and is good at business. Her signature dishes, such as sea cucumber soup, salted duck, eight-treasure tofu, and thumb ring scallops, are in no way inferior to those of the imperial chefs. It's just a pity that the restaurant is near Jubao Gate, which is too far away. I'll have to wait until next time..."①
...
Yan Chao listened to him smacking his lips and talking non-stop, but didn't find it annoying at all. Finally, he glanced at him, raised an eyebrow and said, "It seems you've already explored all of Jinling."
Lan Huaien chuckled: "Otherwise, how could I dare to bring you out?"
"The pale moon hangs over Jinling, over this imperial capital, where celestial constellations are arrayed..."②
She suddenly realized she couldn't continue reciting, so she pulled herself back to reality and turned to Lan Huaien, saying, "Even if we're not going to be immortals today, we should at least get drunk. Aren't you familiar with this place? Go buy a pot of wine and find a quiet place to sit."
"It's just one night," Yan Chao said nonchalantly, sweeping aside the dazzling world behind him with a wave of his sleeve, his smile light. "They're allowed to enjoy such a good day, but I'm not allowed to enjoy it too?"
As you move further away from the bustling riverside market, it becomes much quieter. However, the dim lights make the area feel even more desolate, and a night breeze begins to rise, carrying with it a hint of autumn.
Yan Chao stood on the bridge, gazing into the distance. He saw the moon shining brightly in the clear sky, its light scattering far and wide. He thought to himself, "Why does the moon in Jinling seem inexplicably brighter than the one in the capital?"
A cup of osmanthus wine went down her throat, half cool and half warm, its mellow aroma spreading, filling her heart with the fragrance of blooming osmanthus. She let out a long sigh, letting the melancholy of the past few days rise up, the tipsy feeling almost turning the lonely moon's shadow at the bottom of the river into frost and snow.
"Why aren't you going back to the capital? What are you doing staying in Nanjing?"
“I have said that I will accompany Your Highness,” Lan Huaien blinked, and fearing that she would become impatient, he changed to a more serious reason, “Firstly, His Majesty has not yet summoned me back, and secondly, the matter that His Majesty ordered me to investigate has not yet been clarified. There is no rush for now. Although I am not in the Emperor’s presence, it does not mean that I have lost my power.”
He held the wine pot, filled both their glasses, and raised the wine to toast her.
Yan Chao didn't mind at all, calmly raised his hand to clink glasses, and drank it all in one gulp.
Lan Huaien was stunned for a moment. After finishing his drink and regaining his senses, he saw Yan Chao chuckle gently and murmur teasingly, "It's like 'raising a cup to invite the bright moon, making it three people with you'."
Before Yan Chao could speak, he answered to himself, "If the bright moon ultimately cannot understand my feelings, then I shall remain a shadow."
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly saw the person in front of him about to fall down. Lan Huaien was startled and rushed to help him up, but Yan Chao just waved his hand, slowly sat down on the stone steps, looked up at him, and held out a wine cup to indicate that he should pour him some wine.
Yan Chao stopped talking, but shook his head and refused to leave.
Lan Huaien sighed softly, poured another cup, and moved the wine pot aside.
"This is the last cup. Your Highness, you must not drink any more."
Yan Chao casually propped her chin up and sat sideways, her eyes hazy, and scoffed, "Insolence. I am not drunk."
Lan Huaien raised an eyebrow, coaxing her like a child, and then quietly tucked her cloak in, carefully smoothing it out and wrapping it around her. Now, there was no sound of wind; as they drew closer, they could hear her even breathing. She reeked of alcohol and carried a hint of the melancholy of a scholar from the Qinhuai River.
"Your Highness, don't be sad. The Grand Secretaries and officials in the capital, as well as the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Eastern Depot, are all there. Nothing will happen. You've been working hard these past few days. It would be good for you to stay in Nanjing and relax."
"What's there to worry about? I haven't done anything wrong. They can't possibly cripple me."
She unfolded her folding fan, steadily holding the empty wine cup. Facing the moonlight, the light ink landscape blended into the night, her eyes squinting, as if it were flowing along with the Qinhuai River, swaying back and forth, reminding her of the boat she took when she traveled south.
“If we don’t want to go back, then we don’t want to go back. We’re not even as comfortable in the capital as we are now. Besides, the reforms in Jiangnan are not yet complete. If we give up and leave too easily, it would be a waste to let all our efforts go to waste. His Majesty thinks so too.”
Lan Huaien agreed and said no more. The emperor did indeed intend to leave the crown prince behind for experience, but the specific reasons could not be made public. Li Shihai's attitude spoke volumes.
"Your Highness's decision to keep Cui Shi was partly a gamble, or perhaps you were too soft-hearted?" At the time, she didn't know that Lin Zhan was a capable person, yet she still protected Cui Shi.
Lan Huaien wanted to help her solve the problem, and he had even come up with a plan and reasons, but unfortunately, she wouldn't allow it.
Yan Chao avoided answering, glancing at him instead and asking, "Is this really the only way? If that's the case, the first person I should eliminate is you."
"I am more useful than her..."
Lan Huaien pouted, but before he could finish speaking, he felt a sharp gaze from her and shut his mouth in annoyance.
Just then, a young eunuch was carrying a package towards the bridge. Lan Huaien waved for him to stop, nodded to Yan Chao, and then got up to take the package.
When she returned, she found the wine jug already in Yan Chao's hands. She seemed even more drunk at this moment, leaning against the railing, her face drowsy and hazy.
Lan Huaien frowned, snatched the wine jug, and tossed it behind him. A "plop" was heard on the river.
He immediately went to help the person up, but Yan Chao pushed him away, pointed to the package, and before he could open his mouth, Lan Huaien quickly presented it to him: "Your Highness must not have eaten well at the banquet tonight. I was afraid you would be hungry, so I sent someone to Zuixianlou to buy Five White Cakes. Boss Shen made them himself. They taste especially good. Would you like to try some?"
Yan Chao hummed in response, then nestled lazily against him. He took a small bite, nodded in praise, and said, "It's sweet but not cloying, fragrant and delicious. It's really good."
"And there's jujube syrup, which quenches thirst and helps with hangovers. It's served in a soup bottle, and it's still warm..."
The two sat for about half an incense stick's time when Liang Lu suddenly came to report: "Your Highness, people from the palace have arrived. Eunuch Sheng knows you left the palace and is anxious to send people out to look for you. If this commotion gets out of hand, it will cause trouble. We should return to the palace."
Yan Chao returned to his seat, supported by Lan Huaien's hand, and barely managed to steady himself. He then adjusted his cloak and slowly descended the bridge.
Liang Lu sighed inwardly beside him, giving Lan Huaien a resentful look: What happened to "just one bowl"?
Perhaps because he had drunk some wine and caught a chill that night, Yan Chao caught a cold after returning home. Fortunately, it was not serious; he only had occasional headaches and felt a little tired due to the changing seasons.
What troubled her even more was something else entirely.
An imperial censor impeached Cui Gan, the prefect of Meizhou, for corruption, and the assistant provincial inspector of Sichuan secretly protected him. Both have now been dismissed from their posts and arrested for questioning.
The offending official was from Nanjing, the incident occurred in Sichuan, and the news came from the capital.
The news was delayed for some time, but roughly tracing back the dates, the days when Yan Chao visited Jingxian Academy and then the Cui family coincided with the time when Cui Gan realized the truth of the matter and sought help everywhere. The Cui family in Jinling received his letter, which was later discovered during a search and used as physical evidence.
Normally, such cases would be handled by local supervisory agencies at various levels, but the emperor was furious when he heard about it, and mentioning the Cui family inevitably reminded him of the crown prince.
Yan Chao pinched the bridge of his nose and asked, "Who is the Assistant Surveillance Commissioner?"
"Your Highness, Liu Jian, the Assistant Surveillance Commissioner of Sichuan, is from Hangzhou. He previously served as the Assistant Prefect and Prefect of Meizhou, and the Prefect of Kuizhou Prefecture. Later, he was appointed to a censorate position as the Assistant Surveillance Commissioner."
Yan Chao pondered for a moment. If he had to pinpoint a coincidence, Shen Wei's father, Shen Yue, was currently the Provincial Governor of Sichuan. This thought was immediately dismissed; a second-rank official wasn't so easily brought down.
The important thing now is to sow the emperor's suspicion.
Unfortunately, Yan Chao had met the Cui family before. She was truly kept in the dark, and now she couldn't explain herself no matter what.
No wonder Li Shih-huai slipped away so quickly. The pieces were all laid out, just waiting for her to jump in.
Yan Chao's expression was grave. She couldn't intervene in this matter, and the emperor wouldn't openly express his opinion. Li Shih-huai was determined to make her suffer this loss.
She steadied herself and focused her attention on the reforms in Jiangnan. Other matters were too distant, and worrying about them was useless; this was what mattered.
Before the next new moon arrived, Lan Huaien had received a secret edict from the capital, summoning him back to the capital.
"It's good that you're returning to the palace. I mentioned your contributions in my previous memorial, and I'm sure His Majesty will appreciate it greatly."
“You…” Lan Huaien was slightly taken aback.
Yan Chao smiled and said, "Your Excellency, you have served the Emperor for many years. Now that His Majesty has been away from you for so long, he may not be used to it. After returning to the capital, you should serve him diligently and conscientiously."
"Yes. Your Highness, I will obey your orders and will not fail to live up to your grace."
Yan Chao let go, and the cat in her arms darted away. She patted her robes, stood up, and walked forward, whispering, "Your return will be beneficial to both of us. Nanjing is not worth your longing. Now that you're back, keep an eye on the capital for me. You're still the most capable one."
"Thank you for your high regard, Your Highness. I will go through fire and water for you without hesitation..."
Yan Chao felt a chill run down his spine. He glanced at the dog, whose tail was practically wagging, and immediately waved his hand to interrupt: "Go ahead. Take the cat with you."
The monthly garrison meeting held on the first and fifteenth of each month took place as scheduled. Garrison officials from both inside and outside Nanjing, as well as officials from the five ministries and six departments, gathered in the garrison hall to discuss matters. The Crown Prince, as usual, also attended. The discussions revolved around affairs in Nanjing and Southern Zhili.
Because the Crown Prince is present, some trivial matters can be reported directly for implementation. However, since being stationed in Nanjing is different from being the regent in the capital last year, his authority is limited, and many matters still need to be reported to the capital.
The Nanjing officialdom had been rectified once before by Li Shih-huai, and the atmosphere of shirking responsibility and holding positions without doing any work had changed somewhat. However, the conflicts among the officials, especially those in the inner and outer defenses and those in the military affairs, were difficult to resolve. They dared not argue too much in front of the Crown Prince, but behind his back they continued to do as they pleased, ultimately because of the unclear division of power and responsibility.
Yan Chao attempted to change the status quo, but faced numerous obstacles. One of the officials from the Left Spring Palace who accompanied him advised, "The Nanjing garrison is composed of nobles, eunuchs, and scholar-officials. This system of checks and balances was established by the emperor to prevent officials in the capital from seizing power. However, the excessive balance of power has led to unclear responsibilities. Since the capital was moved, Nanjing has served as a capital in name only. There are many redundant officials with simple duties, and many of them are exiled officials, which has caused many conflicts."
Li Shih-huai had already submitted a memorial requesting the reduction of redundant staff during the rectification campaign, and the clarification of responsibilities could be raised again, but whether the capital would heed it was another matter. As for the officialdom in Nanjing, some officials did protest that "the ancestral homeland is being used as a place of intoxicating exile," but ultimately to no avail.
"Your Highness, please forgive me. I did not intend to condone such unhealthy practices. It's just that Nanjing has been relatively stable for many years, and minor conflicts are insignificant. Now that Southern Zhili is undergoing reforms, further turmoil would be counterproductive."
Yan Chao had no choice but to temporarily abandon the plan.
In Suzhou, she had previously instructed Zhu Yongxing not to return to Nanjing often, but to report on reform-related matters regularly. Fortunately, nothing has gone wrong so far.
The capital city has been relatively calm these past few months.
In the inner palace, Consort Ming still enjoyed the greatest favor from the emperor. At her pleading, the emperor restored Consort Li's former title of Virtuous Consort. Consort Li gradually won back the emperor's favor, and along with her son, Prince Xin, the emperor's favor also rose.
After Li Shih-huai returned to the capital, the emperor even allowed Prince Xin to take on some duties in the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
This time, unlike the previous visit to the Ministry of Revenue, the Embroidered Uniform Guard were not officials outside the court, but merely close attendants. The duty of these attendants lay in "serving," and Prince Xin's act of sharing the burdens of his emperor and father would only earn him a reputation for filial piety. Once the imperial edict was issued, even if some court officials objected, the opposition was far less intense than before.
Prince Xin handled several cases and easily won the emperor's praise, making him feel refreshed and full of pride.
Inside the study of Prince Xin's mansion, Prince Xin and Li Shihuai sat facing each other, with tea boiling on the stove.
"Uncle's move is brilliant, killing two birds with one stone. Even if the Crown Prince clearly knows this is a scheme, he will be speechless. What is a mere powerless maternal relative? We must break another arm of his."
"There is no precedent in our dynasty for the Crown Prince to reside in the capital. The Crown Prince in Nanjing appears to be overseeing the country, but in reality he has no real power. How long he stays is uncertain and depends entirely on the Emperor's will. As for reforms, with the Crown Prince in charge, there will naturally be no problems."
Li Shihua stroked his beard and smiled enigmatically, then reminded him, "Since Your Highness has mentioned the maternal relatives, you must be cautious. As a cabinet minister, I must carefully consider all matters and remain loyal to His Majesty for fear of arousing his suspicion. I hope Your Highness will also refrain from becoming complacent."
At the end of September, someone brought up the matter of establishing an empress again at this time of year. Without any reason, the rumors suddenly spread from the palace.
Consort Ning was one thing, but the factions of Consort Xian and Consort Ming were arguing fiercely in private. Consort Xian had a son, and Consort Ming might also have a son when she was younger. If another legitimate son was born, given the Emperor's attitude towards the current Crown Prince, the factional struggle might become even more intense in the future.
The emperor was aware of the rumors circulating outside, but he let them go without comment. It was as if he acquiesced, or as if he was waiting for the rumors to dissipate on their own, just like before.
Consort Ming paid no attention to this, focusing solely on serving the Emperor. One day, after a meal, the Emperor suddenly asked her what she thought. Consort Ming was taken aback, but first slowly moved to the Emperor's side, frowned, and thought for a while before saying, "I like Consort Ning. She is gentle and kind, and her embroidery is beautiful."
The Emperor said, "Last time you pleaded for Consort Xian, I thought you would choose her."
Consort Ming blushed inexplicably and said with a guilty expression, "I feel sorry for Consort Xian. She has an eye ailment and longs for His Majesty every day. Her feelings are definitely genuine. But recently His Majesty has been showing her more affection, and I'm a little jealous."
She lowered her head, her soft voice revealing her petty nature, then secretly glanced at the emperor, the golden butterfly on her hair ornament shimmering in the light, her face full of girlish charm.
The emperor chuckled and pinched her cheek: "All you do is talk about love and romance all day long, aren't you ashamed?" He then put his arm around her shoulder; she was as young and charming as a flower, perhaps this was how it should be.
The emperor recalled a scene from his youth in the Cao family's backyard, where a group of young girls were scrambling for fruit, and one of them was just as carefree and mischievous as she had been.
Emperors are mostly heartless, he knew that, yet the young woman before him reminded him of Empress Wenshu. Now, he had gained exactly what Empress Wenshu had lacked after marrying him. Consort Ming made him realize that what he had longed for was truly so beautiful.
Consort Ming continued to murmur, "Anything is fine, I'll listen to Your Majesty..."
The emperor smiled gently: "I will draw your eyebrows again tomorrow morning."
The emperor ultimately chose Consort Xian.
Although the imperial edict establishing the empress had not yet been issued, the Ministry of Rites had already been ordered to prepare all the necessary arrangements. The Imperial Observatory had also begun calculating an auspicious day for the empress's investiture. It was indeed a bit rushed before the new year, and it was also inconvenient to hold a grand ceremony in winter, so they planned to choose a good day after the new year.
Such an important matter naturally warrants advice from court officials.
Regardless of those who agree, those who oppose it fixate on the fact that Consort Li was demoted for a crime, has poor character, and is unfit to be the empress. They also subtly mention that Consort Li has an eye ailment that the imperial physicians say is incurable. How could the Great Qi produce an empress with poor vision or even blindness?
In short, Prince Xin's faction rejoiced, while the Crown Prince's faction was filled with worry.
Even the usually reclusive Consort Ning couldn't help but feel worried. She recalled the Emperor's mention of the Kunning peony at the beginning of the year, and how she had even presided over the silkworm-rearing ceremony this year. Completely baffled, she wondered if the Emperor wasn't trying to hint at something.
The Emperor's intentions are unpredictable, and she is now increasingly worried about Yan Chao's situation.
He Shu had just come out of the Wenhua Hall, feeling quite annoyed, when he glanced over and saw a young girl running towards the back hall. Her clothes were quite extraordinary, somewhat like a princess, but because she was far away, he couldn't make out which noble person she was. However, the Wenhua Hall was not a place she could enter, so He Shu asked the eunuch beside him with a sullen face.
The eunuch replied, "Your Excellency, that is Princess Miaohua, daughter of Princess Yongjia. Today, when the princess entered the palace, Princess Xu was playing with Prince Changle. The prince was reading when the princess barged in, and no one dared to stop her..."
He Shu frowned even more deeply, turned around and flung his sleeves away: "What kind of behavior is this!"
Princess Yongjia was in Zhaoyang Palace, having tea with Lady Sun in an inner room. All the palace servants had been dismissed, and the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"It would be good if it wasn't Consort Ning, but in the end, Consort Xian is not worthy either. I don't like Yan Chao, and I don't want to benefit Prince Xin." Princess Yongjia snorted coldly, picked up her teacup and took a sip, her eyes and brows showing dissatisfaction.
Madam Sun said quietly, "I know the princess favors Consort Ming, but she is, after all, less experienced. His Majesty is a man who cherishes old friendships."
“I wanted to promote Consort Ming. With her by His Majesty’s side, Yan Chao will not be able to have his way.” Princess Yongjia lowered her voice and sighed, “I never knew that my sister-in-law was so farsighted from the beginning. She planted Xiao Song in Wan’an Palace before, and used him to frame Consort Li. Later, she found Xin’s sister and told her the secret that her sister was killed for taking the blame. Only then did she get He Qingxi, who was willing to risk her life for us.”
Madam Sun shook her head and said softly, "I always thought the Crown Prince was a man of integrity and upright character. I never expected that he would hire someone to kill someone for a hundred taels of gold."
“How could someone like that compare to even a fraction of my elder brother?” Princess Yongjia bit her lip, then asked, “So what’s next, sister-in-law? Are you really just going to let Consort Xian become Empress?”
"Yan Chao won't just stand by and watch all this happen. We weak women won't get involved; we'll just sit back and watch the tigers fight."
In the Qianqing Palace, Lan Huaien was helping the emperor change his clothes when he heard the emperor mutter something, so he couldn't help but ask.
The emperor yawned and said, "...The crown prince submitted a memorial, saying that he is happy to have a new empress, and as a son, he should return to the palace to celebrate."
Lan Huaien helped the emperor sit down and bowed in response, "His Highness the Crown Prince's request is reasonable and in accordance with the rules."
The emperor hummed in agreement, his voice completely flat: "It's been over four months. I reckon the Crown Prince wants to return to the capital. The empress's investiture ceremony is still a long way off, why the rush?"
Lan Huaien said, "The Imperial Observatory says the auspicious day for the investiture might not be until after the beginning of spring, which is still a long way off. If His Highness the Crown Prince returns to the capital for the grand ceremony, he will probably have to spend the New Year in Nanjing." He took off the Emperor's boots, lowered his head and sighed, "If I may say something, this Mid-Autumn Festival, His Highness the Crown Prince was drinking alone under the moon, and in his drunken stupor, he kept reciting toasts to Your Majesty, along with some wishes for family reunion. I thought it was... quite pitiful."
He lowered his voice, and after a long silence from the emperor, he snorted and said, "He's become wild since leaving the capital, drinking heavily and without any sense of propriety. It's the first time the crown prince has been away from home for so long, so he's being a bit pretentious. How can I really let him spend the New Year away from home? It wouldn't sound good if word got out. I'll call him back before the New Year, so that we can at least have a real reunion."
Lan Huaien probed, "After the New Year, will Your Highness still go to Nanjing?"
The emperor raised his hand and flicked him on the forehead: "What's wrong with your brain? Do you think I have money to burn and can let him do whatever he wants with me?"
After helping the emperor to bed, Lan Huaien withdrew, rubbing his head in frustration. He thought to himself that Yan Chao had truly taken a risky tactic. While proposing an empress might have brought him back, establishing a virtuous consort was a real gamble!
Author's Note: [Mini-Theater]
Lan Huaien: In order to win over my wife, I memorized some poems in advance. Not only can I appear cultured, but I can also use self-pity and manipulation to make her interested in me!
Liang Lu: Is it "one night" of wine or "one bowl" of wine?
The dog emperor: I'm such a good father, I knew the crown prince would miss me!
Yan Chao: *burp* This wine is really good, have another sip...
Note:
①The owner of Zuixianlou Restaurant, Shen Qiongying, is the protagonist in my best friend's food novel "Jinling Snack Time". She makes a cameo appearance. Her cooking is super delicious, highly recommended!
②“The moon shines brightly over Jinling, hanging high over the imperial capital. The celestial constellations are present, and the great river flows on with the legacy of imperial power”: from Li Bai’s “Remembering Jinling on a Moonlit Night”.
③The original line, “I raise my cup to invite the bright moon, and with my shadow, we become three. The moon does not understand drinking, and my shadow merely follows me,” is from Li Bai's poem “Drinking Alone Under the Moon.”
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