Shao Qing didn’t think much about it.
Song Jiyun always took good care of Yuan Yunzhong’s food and clothing, and hearing that Yuan Yunzhong was ill, sending some tonics and cooking a few dishes was only natural.
He repeatedly expressed his thanks, saying, "It happens to be just in time, the young master hasn’t been eating well these days, and Magistrate Jiang has been worried about it exactly!"
Without waiting for Song Jiyun to inquire closely about Yuan Yunzhong’s illness, he bid her farewell and headed straight to the Liang County Yamen.
Song Jiyun couldn’t sit still anymore.
It was spring now. If she wanted to make pickles from Sichuan and Chongqing, one night would hardly suffice to produce crisp and appetizing pickles. However, she then remembered that, because she enjoyed eating them, they were often made at home, and there should be some old pickle brine in the kitchen. If she raised the temperature, it might work.
Song Jiyun went to the kitchen.
Indeed, there was some leftover old pickle brine in the kitchen, but as Song Jiyu had been a bit heaty recently, and she hadn’t been eating much at home, it had been some days since they had made pickles.
She simply instructed the kitchen to buy some fresh red and white radishes immediately, planning to make some pickles herself.
The woman by the stove dared not delay and hurried to the vegetable farmer who often supplied the Song Family.
Thinking that Yuan Yunzhong couldn’t eat spicy food, Song Jiyun asked for some rock sugar. She then rolled up her sleeves to adjust the pickle brine and noticed out of the corner of her eye a pile of fresh bamboo shoots in a corner of the kitchen.
Sour bamboo shoots were also a great dish, and now was indeed the season for them. However, those pickles would also take two to three days to be ready to eat.
She simply instructed Zheng Quan, "You go and light the kiln in the Stone Slab House; I’ll fire a few plain bodies."
It would be perfect to put both the pickle jars and the sour bamboo shoots there, and ferment them at high temperature.
Zheng Quan didn’t understand what the kitchen and the kiln had in common but assumed it was some sudden new idea about firing kilns that had come to Song Jiyun, so he responded and got ready with the servant boy at home.
Song Jiyun carried over two ceramic jars, placed some porcelain dowries for Song Jiyu that were prepared earlier into the little kiln, and lit a fire.
By the next day, while the porcelain dowries for Song Jiyu hadn’t quite succeeded, the pickles and the sour shoots she had made were ready. The pickles, in particular, because the chili was reduced and a large amount of rock sugar added, had the sweetness characteristic of Suzhou cuisine and were very refreshing, bearing a hint of spiciness.
After tasting and finding that the ceramic jars were unattractive and clumsy, Song Jiyun remembered she had some glazed porcelain bottles in her storage, and had Xiang Zhan find them to pack the pickles and sour shoots, which were then sent to the County Yamen.
*
Yuan Yunzhong sat leaning against the headboard, his face pale, holding a document from the Capital City, listening somewhat despondently as Magistrate Jiang discussed the case of Prince Ning, "The teacher guesses the Emperor feels the same way. As long as Prince Ning doesn’t assert any claims like ’side-by-side king’ or ’ruling across the river’, and doesn’t commit treason, being a bit greedy is just a pecuniary matter. The so-called ’smuggling case’ can thus be settled."
Despite this, he couldn’t help but complain, "It’s just a pity for several colleagues from Nanchang Prefecture, who suffered humiliation for nothing."
Yuan Yunzhong nodded languidly and spoke of returning to the Capital City, "We’ll go back together when it’s time."
Hearing this, Magistrate Jiang started to speak, then stopped, and finally sighed, "That would be good. Everyone has their youthful days!"
Yuan Yunzhong lowered his head and said nothing.
The charming spring sunlight streamed through the window lattice, brightening the blue and white gourd bottle on the desk.
Shao Qing entered, "Young Master, Boss Song has sent someone with this. It’s pickles and sour shoots. I’ve checked with the doctor, and you can eat them. I’ll prepare some for you shortly."
Yuan Yunzhong looked up.
He didn’t say anything, but Magistrate Jiang exclaimed, "Is this a colored glaze bottle? Using a glazed porcelain bottle for pickles, this is the first time I’m seeing this. Others who get a colored glaze bottle would keep it as a family heirloom, but Boss Song, on the other hand, uses it to hold pickles and bamboo shoots worth only three or five wen. I’ve long heard that the Song Family is the wealthiest under the heavens, and it appears the rumors are true."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Yuan Yunzhong frowned and suddenly interrupted Magistrate Jiang, also admonishing him, "Wealth should not be flaunted. It’s already difficult for her being a woman in charge of the household affairs, and you, as the official in charge of Liang County, how can you speak such words?"
Can’t he even make a remark? 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
Magistrate Jiang held back and ultimately remained silent.
Yuan Yunzhong looked emotionless, yet a trace of light flickered in his eyes as he said to Shao Qing, "Let me take a look!"
Shao Qing also felt that Jiyun’s approach was somewhat bold and thought Yuan Yunzhong was just curious. Holding two colored glaze bottles, he hurried over and said, "These two colored glaze bottles are of very good quality. I wonder if Boss Song has sent both the bottles and the contents together? Or did he just use these bottles to hold the items?"
Yuan Yunzhong unblinkingly stared at the two colored glaze bottles and asked, "Who sent these over? Where is the person?"
Shao Qing replied, "Xiang Zhan brought them over. She left after handing over the items. She said Boss Song still has to visit several kiln factories and workshops that can produce new blue-and-white porcelain today with Old Master Yan, and she also needs to hurry back to help Zheng Quan—Boss Song said last night that he suddenly decided to start the kiln to make some dowry items for the Second Miss of the Song Family."
Yuan Yunzhong nodded noncommittally, tossed the official documents he was holding onto a small table beside the bed, and asked, "Senior Brother, would you like to have a meal here before you go to meet Xu Guangzeng?"
Magistrate Jiang looked at the pickle bottle in Shao Qing’s hand, then at the sun which had not yet reached its zenith, and wondered, "So am I eating breakfast or lunch now?"
Yuan Yunzhong, face cold, replied indifferently, "Since that’s the case, I won’t keep Senior Brother any longer. The Xu Family is known in the Capital for being gourmands, their chef must be skilled."
"Then forget it," Magistrate Jiang chuckled, settling down on his robes and added, "Compared to the Xu family’s chef, I’m looking forward to Boss Song’s cooking more."
He continued clicking his tongue, "Didn’t expect that Boss Song could not only manage the hall and kitchen but also guard the family business and manage the inner house. I don’t know whose family will have the fortune of having her as a daughter-in-law in the future."
Yuan Yunzhong, upon hearing this, stiffened and instructed Shao Qing, "I’m not really hungry yet, let’s wait for the regular lunch time."
He then asked Magistrate Jiang, "Didn’t you say you were going to meet Xu Guangzeng? If you linger here any longer, you might miss both this place’s breakfast and Xu Family’s lunch."
Magistrate Jiang glared at him.
Just then, Jiang Xiaosi ran in and said, "Sir, are we still going to Lord Xu’s place? The sedan chair bearers are waiting in the sedan hall!"
Magistrate Jiang had no choice but to get up, and teasingly said to Yuan Yunzhong, "I still don’t believe it, as the esteemed official of Liang County, that I would ever run out of pickles and bamboo shoots to eat."
Yuan Yunzhong did not even twitch an eyebrow.
After Magistrate Jiang had left, Yuan Yunzhong lounged on the large welcoming pillow on his bed and said to Shao Qing, "Go find a few colored glaze bottles similar to those used for the pickles and bamboo shoots to send to Miss Song. Since we have eaten her pickles and bamboo shoots, it wouldn’t be right to let her also lose a pair of bottles."
Shao Qing agreed, "Yes." and asked, "Should we prepare some other items too? Boss Song also sent some tonics and medicinal herbs over."
"I don’t have anything nice on hand at the moment." Yuan Yunzhong waved his hand lightly, "Rather than giving some inferior quality items just for the sake of it, it’s better to buy something nice. We can talk about this when I return to the Capital City."
Shao Qing nodded repeatedly.
A government official delivered a letter to Yuan Yunzhong, saying, "The sender claims to have been your schoolmate and asked us to make sure the letter is delivered directly into your hands."
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