Eileenburg (3)
Mi thus began his days of freeloading in Eileenburg. Eileenburg boasted fresh air and captivating scenery, almost like a fairytale world, except…
"Sigh—" Mi sighed again, "Dear Miss Ellen, how can you eat such unpalatable food with such an enjoyable expression?"
“Mi,” Eileen put down her knife and fork, pinched a napkin between two fingers, and wiped her mouth, which was now spotless, with an elegant and fluid motion: “Food itself is not sinful.” It was as if the aristocratic lady who had once been picky about food at Doug Tor Restaurant had never existed.
"You're not thinking of sending this chef to Doug Tor's restaurant, are you?" The thought sent a chill down my spine.
“Oh, no, my noble honor wouldn’t allow me to do that.” Ailian chuckled softly. “Perhaps Miss Mi could also offer some guidance to my cook.”
"It would be my pleasure!" Mi pushed aside the plate in front of her, got up, and walked towards the kitchen.
Ailian's cook was a grumpy old man named Old Sanpusun. No one knew where Ailian's father had hired him. Old Sanpusun dominated the kitchen, acting like a tyrant. Ailian's father would usually just smile good-naturedly and let him continue as before. Ailian's diet had been like this since childhood. Knowing this, Mi once suspected that Ailian lived in that cramped one-bedroom room at the Flower Garden Inn to escape the unpalatable food at home, since Shila's stews were quite good.
Ellenburgh has three connected kitchens and two storerooms. The sole owner of the place is Old Sampson, a lean old man who has been a cook at Ellenburgh for thirty years. Old Sampson is a good six feet tall, and the greasy kitchen has not made him gain an ounce of weight compared to others, not even the big belly that is typical of cooks.
When Mi entered the kitchen, the servants were carrying their food out. Mi glanced at it and saw that besides black bread, there was a stew, a strangely colored soup made with some kind of mixed vegetables and minced meat. "Is this really not a potion?"—Mi pointed to the earthenware pot.
Xiao Wei was quite happy and immediately directed the plump cook to bring out various ingredients. Although the plump cook was called a cook, she was actually just a warehouse manager; all the cooking was done by Lao Shanpusun. The plump cook was the wife of the steward of Ailian Castle, and was responsible for managing the kitchen's ingredients and utensils. Originally, the plump cook should have been the head housekeeper, but Ailian's most trusted person was Xiao Wei, the head housekeeper appointed by Ailian's father.
The plump cook brought out all sorts of meat in a very generous manner, piling them up on the long cooking counter, and even brought out several baskets.
"Miss Mi, this is venison, it was just delivered this morning."
"Miss Mi, this is beef, it's been air-dried for six months."
"Miss Mi, this is lamb shoulder, it was delivered yesterday."
"Miss Mi, this is a freshly captured rabbit. We can kill it now!"
"Miss Mi, this is a pheasant."
"Miss Mi, this is a duck, look how plump it is." The plump cook lifted the basket and patted the duck's rump. "Look at these thick rumps."
Mi was dazzled by the piles of meat before her, wondering how Lao Shanpusun could make such an unpalatable dish with so many ingredients. Mi picked out a small piece of venison and asked the plump cook to kill a duck. The kitchen at Ailian Castle was naturally well-stocked with seasonings, including imported ginger, plenty of shallots, and basil. The venison was also plentiful; thinly sliced, it was marinated with salt, shallots, and basil, then scalded with oil using hot flat-bottomed scissors. After a cloud of smoke, slices of venison were laid out, and soon the unique aroma of roasted meat filled the air.
"Miss, you can't go in," came the muffled voice of Old Shanpusun. When Mi looked up, Ailian had already entered the kitchen, standing to the side blinking and watching, her drool almost dripping onto the floor. Mi used tongs to pick up a piece of venison, blew on it, and handed it to her. Ailian opened her mouth and ate it, then followed Mi with wide eyes and an open mouth.
"Oh, Miss, this is not how a noble lady should behave!" Old Sampson clutched his chest, clearly struggling to breathe.
Mi turned around and looked around in the kitchen. She found a small stove, put charcoal in it, and carried it out, saying, "Let's go, I'll take you to the garden for a picnic."
Besides venison, Mi also asked the plump cook to prepare potato slices, cabbage, and other items. The garden picnic attracted a large crowd, and the plump cook quickly took over Mi's duties. Mi also brewed a pot of fruit tea, and Ailian, having eaten her fill, slumped onto a deck chair, clutching her belly and shaking her head: "I can't eat anymore."
The plump cook was very clever. Whenever Mi had a spare moment, she would take out ingredients and ask, "Miss Mi, would you like this today?" "Miss Mi, what would you like to eat today?" After half a month of this, the plump cook not only gained management of the kitchen but also the right to use the stove. Old Sampson was quickly assigned a more suitable job by the steward, the handover of the kitchen was completed smoothly, Mi's stomach was satisfied, and the servants of Ellen Castle walked with a swagger, each with a smile on their face.
With the catering problem solved, Mi began to ponder how to help Ailian earn the title of "Flower Nightingale." Ailian's high notes relied mainly on falsetto, which was not only unsustainable but also prone to cracking. However, almost all the songs in the Flower Kingdom required hitting high notes, which was truly a headache.
Mi considered changing the music for Ailian. Ailian needed to perform the entire show by herself, which would last two or three hours. The current setlist required her to scream the high notes for an hour, something Ailian simply couldn't do. Mi decided to use a medley as a tribute to her favorite singer. From now on, she would release one new song every month. Ailian was a noblewoman and wouldn't release a recording; the recording would have to be beautiful enough to move people.
The people of the Flower Country love flowers, especially dahlias, so Mi decided to name the first song "Dahlia." The lyrics needed to be simple and easy to sing, the melody shouldn't be too complicated, and it shouldn't require too much skill. Ideally, it should be something everyone could sing so that it would spread widely.
(Main) Dahlias bloom under the window frame.
The petals sparkled with pearls
Whose young man is that?
The unspoken words of heartbreak.
Ah Lang's passionate words
Whose heart did it drift into?
Dahlias sway in the morning breeze
Who is whispering sweet nothings to the sunrise?
(Secondary) Dahlias in the Sunset
Sighing, I wonder where time has gone.
The dahlias swayed in the evening breeze.
Singing softly while counting the stars
(Main) The red sun climbs over the blue brick wall
The petals shimmered with a gem-like light
Who is peeking out from the wall?
A pair of clear and bright eyes
The sound of cicadas chirping made my heart race.
Young man, what message did you leave behind?
Dahlias under the bright sun
Whose shadow blocked the sunlight?
(Secondary) Dahlias in the Sunset
Sighing, where has time gone?
The dahlias swayed in the evening breeze.
Singing softly while counting the stars
(Main) Fireflies carrying lanterns
Flying on the swaying flowers
The girl escaped from the room.
The young man eagerly awaited
Whose figures are nestled together?
Dahlia bowed her head and counted in a panic
Whose sweet words are carried away by the evening breeze?
Sing softly in the girl's ear
(Secondary) Dahlias in the Sunset
Sighing, I wonder where time has gone.
The dahlias swayed in the morning breeze.
Singing softly while counting the years
The entire piece uses only the sound of a crescent moon and a flute. The verses feature a harp solo, while the chorus incorporates bass harmonies and flute sounds. The entire piece lacks elaborate accompaniment, solely to highlight Ailian's rich, metallic, and magnificent alto voice.
Eileen loved the piece. Whenever she sang it, everyone in Eileen Castle would stop what they were doing and softly hum along to the rhythm. However, Eileen's music teacher was very dissatisfied. The entire piece lacked a single high note, making it unsuitable for performance at the Derek Theatre. No one would appreciate such a bland piece, and he even prevented the orchestra from accompanying Eileen.
Harpist Evans thought it sounded beautiful, and he and bagpiper Bardolph accompanied Eileen to record "Dahlia." Mi had the phonograph sent to the western market to play, and soon "Dahlia" swept through the entire city of Sun City; peddlers and laborers alike would hum a few lines of "Dahlia" while working. Riding this wave of popularity, Eileen released "The Flower Seller's Song."
Dahlia, dahlia,
I am a good girl who sells flowers
They went out to work before dawn.
Gathering dewdrops, plucking the morning glow
Flowers bloom and smell sweet
Colorful, vibrant, and fragrant
Three or five flowers tied together
Come quickly and buy it home!
Dahlia, dahlia,
I am a good girl who sells flowers
The bright sun was dazzling.
Wind and rain poured on head
Walk through the streets and alleys, go to the market
Buying flowers is really hard work
Mosquito bites are a common occurrence.
Only the fragrance of flowers brings sweetness to the heart.
Dahlia, dahlia,
I am a good girl who sells flowers
Running all over the streets in wind and rain,
Not enough to eat, not enough to sleep
Hard work and tireless efforts go unnoticed.
All the flowers were sold today.
Father is happy and mother is smiling.
The flowers will be even better tomorrow.
This time, the accompaniment used only a simple hand drum, with more compact strings added only to the intro and interlude. Again, Ailian paid for it herself. Soon, the flower-selling song spread throughout Taiyang City, along with various cover versions for selling vegetables, meat, and even going to work. The gossip magazine even published a special commentary for Ailian: "Miss Ailian's new song, with its simple melody and straightforward language, records the lives of ordinary people, carries their joys and sorrows, and opens up a completely new way of singing. The entire Taiyang City eagerly awaits Miss Ailian's new song."
Mi spent all his time figuring out how to release new songs for Eileen. She completely abandoned highbrow opera and opted for a populist approach. The populist approach worked well, but it wasn't suitable for the Derek Theatre. Other theaters would work, but the songs weren't quite right either. The audience for theater performances was wealthy; they needed excitement. But Eileen was an aristocrat. Romantic love songs didn't suit her; her high notes were lacking, and traditional repertoire wasn't suitable either.
Aileen has many pieces sent by Beth, all of them high notes that showcase virtuosity, which Aileen simply cannot sing. Sometimes Mi wonders whether those nobles who sit in the theater all night listening to these incredibly powerful sopranos are doing it to pass the time and avoid falling asleep, or if they genuinely appreciate such high-pitched and magnificent melodies.
When Aileen wasn't singing, she would lie beside Mi and watch her revise the lyrics again and again. When Mi and Iris first argued, Aileen was terrified; for the first time, she sensed a clear resentment in Mi towards the nobility. That night, she quietly approached Mi's room. Inside, Mi was working at her desk with her back to the door, her dark back like a black hole. Aileen leaned against the doorframe, watching for a long time, until Mi turned around and saw her.
"What's wrong with you?" Mi asked, looking at Ailian who seemed lost in thought, not knowing what she was doing.
"You don't like nobles?" Ailian walked into the room, touched and looked around, then sat on the bed, hugged her pillow, buried her head in it, took a deep breath, and then let go.
“I don’t like nobles like Mrs. Aldrich.” Mi thought for a moment. “I don’t know many nobles, but Miss Ellen is very nice.”
"Am I alright?" Ailian immediately raised her head, staring at Mi quietly and brightly: "Do you really think I'm alright?"
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