We can also walk sideways
Being held in the old lady's arms and caressed, Shujia discovered for the first time that she was quite popular with the elderly. She was sitting on a Luohan couch, being hugged by a woman in her forties. Her mother was sitting on the couch with this woman, talking across a small kang table.
Although she was only in her forties, in later generations she would be considered middle-aged. If she looked well, she would be called "Auntie" when walking around. If she looked more energetic, she would never be called "Auntie". But here, she would become "Old Lady", a respectful title that was a bit unpleasant compared to her appearance.
Shi Lin's wife wore a pearl-studded sash, her hair tied up, and an autumn-colored gown with a longevity pattern, paired with a green horse-faced skirt. Pearl pendants adorned her ears, and her hands, adorned with three or four rings, were well-maintained. This outfit... Shujia was a little puzzled. It had a distinct Ming Dynasty style. Honestly, it felt a bit like the 1987 film "A Dream of Red Mansions."
Today, the four of them, along with their servants, came to pay respects to their elders. After kowtowed to Shi Lin in the front hall and received a red envelope, they were ushered into the back to meet Shi Lin's wife. Shujia still doesn't know her last name! She only knows to address her as "Grandma, or Fourth Old Lady, or just Old Lady."
There was a small incident during this. When the servants followed him and kowtowed, they were completely confused about the order. Finally, Shi Lin said, "You are all here. Why should I be afraid of being called old?" So everyone changed their words, and Shi Lin was promoted to old master. The person in front of him was naturally the old lady.
Xiluo Te talked with the old lady, listened to her introduction of the various situations in Hangzhou City, and asked her many questions. Xiluo Te knew that Hangzhou was the provincial capital, where the dignitaries of the province gathered. Her husband had just arrived, and although he had his uncle's help, he also had to take care of himself.
But the old lady said, "We usually live in the camp, so we don't have to worry too much about what's going on outside. If you're bored, you can go watch a play or chat with the wives of our bannermen. Just be careful with the barbarians outside. At first, just watch them coldly; they're always fussy and like to speculate. Tomorrow, when my brother is settled, we'll have a feast and wine and hire a troupe to perform some opera. We'll see each other someday. By the way, you haven't heard any opera from the south, have you?"
The old lady meant that there are differences between Manchus and Han people. Even though the old lady's current dress is very Han Chinese, some things are not the same just because they wear the same clothes. For example, foot binding, for example, getting along with each other.
After that, she started talking about interesting anecdotes. The old lady was very interested in the scenery of Hangzhou: the mountains and rivers outside the city, the operas of Zhejiang, the vinegar fish of West Lake, the silk of Hangzhou...
This place is a land of abundance, rich in fish and rice, and rich in culture, so there's so much more to say. The beauty of West Lake, the legend of Leifeng Pagoda, and so on. It makes one yearn for it.
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The food at Shi Lin's home was different from Shi Wenbing's. It was slightly sweeter and more delicate, with a touch of southern elegance. The ingredients used were also quite different from those in the north, probably due to geographical location and climate. Humid and hot places naturally have more species than dry and cold ones. Tropical rainforests are said to be the most biodiverse places in the world.
For example, in Beijing, there is a lot of meat, and the Shi family can afford it, so there are a lot of poultry such as chickens, ducks, and geese, and sometimes pheasants and wild ducks. Meat, well, all kinds of meat, such as pork, lamb, beef and even venison, are available in large quantities.
There weren't many fish or shrimp, and the ones we had were river fish like large carp. Seafood was even rarer, and we wouldn't feed it to children. We did have some rare dried goods, but they weren't eaten very often. We did have a lot of supplements like bird's nest and ginseng, but we wouldn't let children eat too much, fearing they wouldn't be able to handle them. Vegetables were rare, especially in winter. There was some fruit, but the variety was limited.
Arriving in Hangzhou, perhaps influenced by local cuisine, I found a rich variety of dishes, including the famous Songsao fish. There were also a wide variety of vegetables, and some things you wouldn't expect to see on a northern table were presented in a dignified and beautiful way. Take this cold dish: jasmine flower salad. It's made from buds washed in clean water, blanched in hot water, and tossed with seasoning. It's surprisingly delicious.
The meal was very much to Shujia's liking. It was obvious that the dishes on the table were prepared to cater to the needs of both mother and daughter. Besides local dishes, there were also many common dishes in Beijing. There were also some dishes commonly eaten by bannermen, making it a mixed bag.
The old lady continued explaining, "Let the men sit in front, drink and chat, while we women relax. Try this! This is the chef your uncle hired after arriving in Hangzhou. He's a very skilled cook. It's different from the ones in Beijing, a little more delicate, but still edible. Since you're here, you must try it. Otherwise, it would be a real pain to be treated to a drink if you're not used to it."
Finally, Xiluotai got up and brought the old lady a bowl of soup before sitting down. The old lady was very satisfied. The old lady had been lonely. Like Xiluotai, her son was not around. Shujia's cousin had been sent to serve as an official in a remote area, and naturally, he would bring his family with him. The old lady had no daughters, and her life was quite lonely. Now that she had a younger relative who was quite knowledgeable, the old lady was naturally happy. When she was happy, she talked a lot and provided more information.
The old lady had originally intended to guide her niece-in-law. She had already prepared a small opera, set up several tables of wine and invited all the wives of officials in Hangzhou City to open up her niece-in-law's social circle. Now she was happy, and remembered her niece-in-law's question just now. She couldn't hold it in and said, "Although there are not as many nobles here as in Beijing, there are still enough to bother you. For example, the Governor of Zhejiang, the Governor of Zhejiang, your uncle is the Provincial Governor, there are also the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner, and the Hangzhou Weaving Factory sent by the Imperial Household Department. This is a big group. You have to know their wives, but you don't have to pay too much attention to them. These are civil servants. There are also Hangzhou generals and those under the banner. Some of them are not high-ranking, but they are all in the banner, so you have to pay attention to them."
Shujia pricked up her ears to listen. Her parents seemed to have already anticipated the general distribution of officials, though her great-aunt had explained it in more detail. She still hadn't quite grasped the ranks of these officials, so she could only compare them to common sense from other dynasties. For reference: Shi Wenbing's title of Vice-Governor. That was second-rank. Among these people, those above him were roughly General of Hangzhou, Governor-General of Zhejiang, and Governor-General of Zhejiang, the latter two not being part of the same system. Among all the military officials in Hangzhou, Shi Wenbing ranked second. If you include his hereditary title of Third-Class Earl, the situation becomes even more complicated...
My great-uncle Shi Lin was a provincial governor, also known as a vassal state governor. He was second only to the provincial governor in terms of rank, overseeing the province's finances and grain. In terms of rank alone, he was on the same level as Shi Wenbing, one civil and one military. The province had an censor, but according to unspoken rules, the provincial governor enjoyed a slightly higher rank than the censor.
In the end, Shi Wenbing brought his two daughters with him, and Shuxian was a concubine's daughter. Furthermore, Shi Lin had no biological granddaughters...
So, she, Shi Shujia, the little loli, was truly the undisputed crown princess of this land. In this situation, no matter what she did, as long as it wasn't too outrageous, she basically...was walking sideways. (Rou, you finally kissed your mother for once.)
When Shujia realized this, she felt not happy but rather lonely. Being taller than other girls her age meant that if her needlework was only average, she wouldn't be criticized, but instead would be praised; if her manners were merely acceptable, no one would find her lacking in decorum, but rather she would be praised for her generosity. On the other hand, she was easily isolated and flattered, like a fool.
After the old lady finished her words, she stopped talking and only invited people to try the new dishes. The maids in the mansion placed the dishes she had introduced into the bowls of Shujia and the others. This meal wasn't entirely silent—well, it was their first meeting, so I understand. But there wasn't much conversation, either; after all, this wasn't a social gathering.
After dinner, the old lady asked Xiluo Te to talk to her while she sent her two nieces and daughters away for a rest. Shujia thought, this is the bad habit of 'children walking away while adults are talking.' (Hey! This is a good habit, to prevent the little spy from overhearing.)
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Back home, Shi Wenbing had also returned, presumably having learned a great deal from Shi Lin. He too looked relaxed, and Xiluotai wasn't nervous either. What Shujia could imagine, they certainly could imagine even more. As long as the two of them were here without any fault, they would have achieved merit. Prime Minister Gao was doomed by his soldiers abusing the people, and Shi Wenbing's achievement was that he didn't go as far as he did. It must be said that having a miserable comparison group there made the successor feel much more relaxed.
Dinner was eaten at home, quietly. Afterward, Shi Wenbing went to his inner study to read, while Xiluo Te instructed her two daughters: "Later on, your great-aunt's house will be hosting a banquet for an opera. We should go together..." She gave them many instructions, such as not to be timid in answering questions and to be polite. They didn't need to show off their cooking skills; they just had to be polite and respectful.
Xiluotai added one more reminder: "If the wives and grandma give you gifts later, thank them graciously and accept them. If not, don't be rude." Seeing her two daughters accept, Xiluotai told them to go back and rest: "Rest well these two days. It's different in the south than at home. Be careful not to get heatstroke or get sick." She asked the maids if they had any Rendan or other medicine left, and sent for mung beans to make a summer-cooling soup: "Everyone on the boat is taking medicine, and mung beans have antidote properties. The doctor told us not to eat too much, but now they're back, so it's perfect to cook and cool down."
After chattering for a long time, Shujia was able to get away and go back to her room to rest, quietly waiting for the visiting day to arrive.
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Time passed quickly. Shujia's slippers were almost finished, yet they weren't even in front of her, and her screen hadn't been finalized, when the banquet at her great-aunt's house began. The two sisters, wearing the same cheongsam and pigtails, sat quietly in the side hall, accompanied by their nanny. They waited until someone called, "The old lady or the mistress is calling for the girls," and then they went to the hall together to meet them.
They were all ladies adorned with emeralds and pearls. The wife of Zhejiang Governor Li Zhifang was middle-aged, about the same age as my great-aunt, while the wife of Li Bensheng, the provincial governor, was slightly older. Both wore hairpins and dark blue jackets. Li Bensheng's wife wore a black horse-faced skirt, while Li Zhifang's wife wore a brown horse-faced skirt with gold patches. The wife of Hangzhou General Mahada, slightly older than Xiluo, wore a Manchu dress and her jewelry consisted entirely of jade. She sat next to Xiluo, sharing the same style.
These people were sitting at the top, and the others, including the wife of the Hangzhou prefect, were... just accompanying the guests.
Shujia and Shuxian obediently stepped forward and greeted the ladies. They were called over by their great-aunt to stand by her side, where they were held by the hands and questioned about their age, what they read, what they liked to eat, and what they played with. As Shujia answered, she caught sight of the attire of the two Li ladies and the other female relatives. Suspicious, she paused before explaining that she had just read the Four Books and memorized them for fun.
Overall, the dinner was quite successful. Xiluo Te successfully entered the social circle of local noblewomen, and Mrs. Shi Lin had a legitimate right-hand man. The other ladies were pleased to see that Xiluo Te was so easy to get along with. Mrs. Li Zhifang even said, "I'll invite you to a dinner in a couple of days. Please come and see me."
During the banquet, a discussion arose about her family's opera troupe, composed entirely of female performers with beautiful singing voices. The ladies praised them unanimously, which greatly flattered Madam Li, leading to the rumor. Their satisfaction benefited Shujia and Shuxian as well. The ladies had inquired about the list of the Shi family members who would be visiting Hangzhou long before they arrived, and had already prepared gifts before their meeting.
With their good moods, they were particularly forthcoming with their gifts. The little girl's gifts consisted of nothing more than silk, necklaces, bracelets, and other items. Southern craftsmen were, after all, more refined, slightly different from the craftsmanship of Beijing. Everything exuded a quiet and elegant elegance. The two sisters thanked them and quietly left, their gifts being taken away by the maids for storage.
The ladies were of varying ages, and none of them had brought their daughters or granddaughters with them this time, so it was just the two sisters who watched the show and ate with the maids behind a screen. Well, it was quite relaxing.
After the greetings and my daughter's tour, it's time to serve the food and start the show.
Zhejiang is the birthplace of Yue Opera, but at the time, there was no Yue Opera. Instead, the only troupes available were those that performed Kunqu Opera. Other troupes likely wouldn't have been able to gain traction here; these days, opera was still somewhat regionalized. Then again, it was still unclear where this "national quintessence" was budding. During the Qianlong era, the four major Anhui troupes arrived in Beijing, giving rise to Peking Opera. This was during the reign of Qianlong's grandfather.
Shujia looked at the colorful costumes and the fluttering sleeves on the stage, and felt an inexplicable sense of emotion. She had only just come across a few familiar things until now. The relatively valuable glass mirror was one, and the play on stage was another.
Meanwhile, Shi Wenbing's interactions with colleagues and other officials in Hangzhou were relatively smooth. As a bannerman and a military officer, Shi Wenbing had no conflict with the civil service system. Mahada's wife was also very polite. After all, the Bannermen were a small population, and those with some background were bound to have some sort of connection with each other. Better to be polite. In particular, the older Bannermen who had come from Beijing remembered that Shi Wenbing's father, Heshuo Efu Huashan, was not a pleasant person.
Whatever the reason, the Shi family had been integrated into Hangzhou's high-level social circles from the very beginning. The ladies also promised that when they returned to the Li residence to watch an opera, they would bring their daughters and granddaughters with them to make friends with the two young ladies of the Shi family.
Madam Shi Lin curled her lips. "Don't I know how many relatives you have in your family? Where can I find a child of similar age to be my niece's granddaughter's friend?" Besides, in Hangzhou, with the Manchus and Han people living apart, it's not easy to visit. The older girls in the camp are all learning the rules, and the younger ones... it seems like there are no young girls in the families of the ladies in this circle.
The problem that little Shujia had been worried about for a long time was now revealed. She didn't need to worry about anyone comforting her, because... she couldn't see anyone at all.
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