Nine undercurrents
When the topic of health and wellness came up, Green Ripple and Red Sash immediately urged their mistress to go: "This hot spring is a rare find, and the private hot spring on this estate is clean. Madam, why don't you give it a try?"
"If Madam is willing to come, I will have Doctor Tao make another medicated bath pack, which will guarantee Madam's comfort."
The nobleman smiled and said, "Then I shall respectfully comply."
Wang Xiaoyao was extremely curious about the nobleman. When the nobleman agreed to visit the manor, Wang Pan'er quickly sent a maid to inform Wang Xiaoyao.
The prefectural school didn't have high requirements for girls; they only needed to follow the classroom records. The teachers readily granted leave, so Wang Xiaoyao simply asked for a few more days to entertain distinguished guests with her sister.
After the west wing was tidied up, Mu Chuan hadn't had time to stay there yet. So Wang Pan'er simply arranged for the noble lady to stay in the west wing, so she wouldn't have to squeeze in with the others and could have some peace and quiet.
It was early spring, and the days were short. After the nobleman finished his lunch and went back to pack his belongings, he arrived at the estate around 3 PM. By then, the sun had already set, and the warm temperature of midday was gone.
Tao Shuo diagnosed that the noblewoman was weak and felt cold at night. Wang Pan'er dared not be presumptuous and discussed with Lüyi and Hongxiao that the lady should be invited to take a bath before sunset.
For dinner, we all made barbecue together.
A while ago, she was craving barbecue, so she asked a blacksmith to make a flat-bottomed cast iron pan. The pan was just ready and ready to use, so after her bath, she decided to try grilling some meat on a hot plate.
Barbecue needs to be paired with wine, so she opened the cellar and brought out a jar of the lowest alcohol content plum wine.
The noble lady, with her two maids sauntering over, arrived at the kitchen. Wang Pan'er had already marinated the meat, lit the charcoal, and placed the grill pan on the fire.
The lady soaked in the water for about half an hour, which improved her blood circulation. Her previously somewhat dull complexion became visibly rosier. The moisture at her temples was still damp, and her eyes, still sparkling, made her radiant.
As soon as the lady took her seat, Wang Pan'er immediately picked up some pork belly and spread it on the baking tray.
The marbled meat sizzles in the pot, releasing a fragrant, brownish-red color as the smoke rises.
Wang Pan'er wrapped the roasted meat coated with special chili powder in the washed and dried lettuce and handed it to the noble lady: "Madam, would you like to try it?"
While grilled meats are also prepared in Beijing, this combination is the first time I've seen it done this way.
The lady took the lettuce wrap and took a big bite. The meat juices, infused with the aroma of charcoal, burst in her mouth. The oil mixed with the crispness of the lettuce didn't feel greasy at all. Paired with chili powder mixed with spices, the spicy aroma lingered on her lips and teeth, making it irresistible.
The lady ate three pieces in a row, and her eyes reddened as she fanned herself. Wang Xiaoyao then handed her a glass of sweet fruit wine.
She took a small sip, and her pupils suddenly flashed: "This combination is surprisingly appropriate. The owner is indeed ingenious. No wonder the medicinal cuisine restaurant is so popular."
The mushrooms placed on the outer ring also released their juices over time. Wang Pan'er placed the mushrooms into a small dish: "Madam, drink the soup first, then dip the mushrooms in the sauce and eat them."
Everything was so new and exciting that the sophisticated lady, who was used to seeing the world and had long been unfazed by change, was given a fresh perspective on the unknown.
She ate and drank heartily, forgetting that she couldn't hold her liquor, and unexpectedly became slightly tipsy.
The lady was gentle by nature, and even when drunk, she didn't cause any trouble, but she started to chatter on and on. After praising all the food on the table, she pulled the two sisters aside and said it was all very good.
Everything was wonderful, so wonderful that in the end, she pulled out her handkerchief, covered her face, and began to weep.
Wang Pan'er rarely felt awkward. She was at a loss for words in the face of the situation and could only suppress her voice and mouth to ask Lüyi and Hongxiao, "Why is Madam sad?"
Hongxiao curled the corners of her lips, her face full of sarcasm: "It's all because of our good son-in-law."
His tone was melodramatic and full of disdain, making him a true master of Yin and Yang in modern times.
Green Ripple rolled her eyes before replying, "It's good for Madam to cry. Madam usually lives a repressed life, so this is a good opportunity to release the pent-up emotions in her heart."
The lady thought the Wang sisters were good, and the two sisters also had a good impression of her.
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiaoyao's lips tightened, and Wang Pan'er also frowned slightly: "Madam has beautiful features, an extraordinary demeanor, and a kind personality. Is your son-in-law being a bit ungrateful?"
Before Lüyi could reply, the lady raised her hand to interrupt.
"That's enough." She cried until she was done, then wiped away her tears with her handkerchief. "I made the wrong choice. I was blind in both eyes and heart. Now that my children are all around me, how can I let them see their parents separated?"
Wang Pan'er's biological parents were the same kind of people; they argued from as far back as she could remember until she had to go to school far away, and they never actually got divorced. But divorced couples are all too common in modern society, and it's nothing unusual anymore.
Knowing that such a statement was outrageous in this era, Wang Pan'er still couldn't help but mutter, "If it were my mother, I might not be able to bear seeing her compromise."
Upon hearing this, the noble lady finally smiled again. She took a handkerchief and wiped the charcoal ash from Wang Pan'er's forehead: "But as a mother, I want to give my children a complete family."
Having been born into two terrible families, he couldn't help but feel a sense of envy and admiration for the noble lady's loving treatment: "Being your child must be incredibly fortunate. My sister and I were forced to escape from the mountains by our parents to be sold to the dead for ghost marriages."
"Ah..." the lady sighed, "Like Green Ripple and Red Silk, they are also children with tragic fates. Compared to you, my worries are nothing."
The noble lady started talking, and Wang Pan'er and Wang Xiaoyao, at Hongxiao's prompting, sat down beside her.
Actually, this is just an ordinary story about a rich young lady and a poor scholar.
On the day of the parade following the release of the examination results, a young lady of sixteen sat high in a restaurant, watching the grand procession led by the top scholar march in from the street corner.
Although she is a first-class noblewoman in the capital and is pampered, she only wants to marry a man who will live with her family. Ambitious men are afraid of being chosen, so the remaining less desirable men cannot be brought into her home. Therefore, she went out today to find a suitable husband.
The top scholar was chosen by imperial decree, the second-place scholar was of average appearance, leaving only the third-place scholar, who was handsome and charming, whose brilliance was not overshadowed by the top scholar.
A commoner with no connections in the court, the third-ranked scholar was fortunate enough to gain the favor of a nobleman and, like the top scholar, was appointed as a sixth-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy.
This was an immense fortune. The third-ranked scholar, beaming with joy, entered the young lady's courtyard amidst the clamor of gongs and drums.
With the backing of a noble lady, the Hanlin Academician treated the third-ranked scholar with particular warmth, making him the most popular figure in the Hanlin Academy for a time. The couple also enjoyed a harmonious marriage, and within three years they had two children, a son and a daughter.
Unfortunately, this deep affection came to an end three years later during the annual exile ceremony.
The husband who married into the family, to prevent him from developing any disloyal intentions after gaining power, had his career career stifled by his wife's family. He was forced to stay in the inner courtyard and be expected to serve the young lady diligently.
This was a customary rule among aristocratic families. A scholar of ordinary birth, who had gone on to excel in the imperial examinations, was unaware of the intricacies of the matter and assumed that he was destined for great success.
Seeing no hope of promotion, the third-ranked scholar returned home and caused a scene.
The young lady couldn't understand why, having agreed to marry into the family, she was willing to exchange her career for wealth and status, yet she was now complaining about being unappreciated despite her talents.
In the end, the couple drifted apart, and a beautiful relationship turned into a bitter one.
"Wanting both? Do you think free lunches will just fall from the sky? They just want it all in one bite!" Wang Xiaoyao grumbled. "Greed knows no bounds. He's talented but unappreciated, and his wife has married the wrong person!"
Lu Yi retorted indignantly, "Who says otherwise!"
Originally, the purpose was to enter the Chamber of Commerce and to properly entertain the lady. However, after spending time with her, I have been completely impressed by her demeanor and kindness.
Wang Pan'er patted her chest: "Since you've come out for a stroll and happened to visit me, I'll make sure you're well taken care of. As for those awful men, to hell with them!"
The noble lady felt much better after her gloom dissipated, and seeing Wang Pan'er's confident expression, she was amused.
Luyi said, "Madam's visit this time is not entirely for relaxation. The young master is always causing trouble every three days, and more trouble every five days. The main reason is that my eldest son was ordered to go on a mission, and his life is uncertain. Madam couldn't bear it, so she went out..."
Hongxiao coughed lightly twice, then frowned slightly as she looked at Lüyi.
"It's alright, I trust the character of both of you," the lady said. "My son is fine now, he can enjoy his trip on the way back."
Born in the capital, his son went on a mission, his fate unknown, but now he is safe and sound.
One coincidence can be considered accidental, but with so many coincidences, it's hard to believe it's just a coincidence.
Wang Pan'er grasped the key words and boldly examined the noblewoman's features. Sure enough, she resembled Mu Chuan by six or seven points.
No wonder she looked familiar; I felt that she was noble and gentle, like a loving mother.
The true owner unexpectedly moved into the west wing.
She was momentarily at a loss for who to envy more: Mu Chuan for having a gentle and kind mother, or the lady for having a refreshing and pure son.
After a hearty meal and much revelry, the lady soon grew tired and was helped back to the west wing by Lüyi and Hongxiao.
After a light buzz, the lady slept very well, but when she woke up the next day, her forehead was throbbing slightly.
Green Ripple brought in a basin of hot water, and Red Smile brought in a bowl of soup: "This is a hangover soup that the Second Master made early this morning to help his wife so that she wouldn't have a headache."
Yesterday I was a bit out of line and made the younger generation worry about me. The lady was a little embarrassed and said, "Please forgive me, my two masters."
“They didn’t laugh at you, Madam.” Green Ripple handed the toothbrush and tooth powder to the noble lady. “They were all saddened that you had entrusted the wrong person to us.”
After rinsing her mouth, the lady washed her face with a warm towel and said with a smile, "These two little girls, forced to leave home to make their way in the world at such a young age, are already feeling sorry for me."
Green Ripple persisted: "They all feel sorry for the madam, but the son-in-law has a pair of fish eyes on his face."
The lady didn't mind the maids' loose tongues, finding them frank and adorable: "Alright, don't be angry, Lüyi. There's still a long way to go. Like the two young mistresses, you can live a wonderful life even without men."
After they had washed, dressed, and eaten breakfast, I stepped out of the room.
Wang Pan'er and Wang Xiaoyao were washing and cleaning in the small courtyard between the dining room and the kitchen when they saw the noble lady coming over. They greeted her warmly, saying, "Madam, you look very well today."
Various colorful plates and small dish baskets were piled up around the two sisters. Each dish had a small quantity but a wide variety. The lady of the house had never seen such a display before and asked curiously, "What are you preparing to make?"
"My good friend who runs a teahouse in the cherry blossom grove especially loves spicy hot pot. Like my wife, he is from the capital and was thinking of letting my wife try it too."
"Oh?" The mention of Mu Chuan piqued the lady's interest. She looked directly into Wang Pan'er's eyes, and Wang Pan'er did not flinch; their gazes met.
These eyes possess a clarity beyond their years, with an exceptionally bright and clear light, and a hint of cunning that is not at all off-putting.
The noblewoman understood immediately; the young woman before her had likely already guessed her identity: "Since we are both from the capital, our tastes are probably similar. I'll wait and see."
Wang Pan'er smiled gently.
When eating hot pot, one cannot follow the rigid rules and regulations of the capital. The noblewoman's melancholy ultimately stemmed from her constant suppression of her senses.
She throws out bait that her son likes, and the kind mother will take the bait.
Yesterday's drinking misbehavior suggests that the lady is not as well-behaved as she appears. She's thinking of using hot pot to amplify the "true self" of this wealthy lady.
After all, everyone loves hot pot. Wang Xiaoyao, who has never been able to get used to spicy broth and whose lips always swell up when eating it, always enjoys it to the fullest when paired with the tomato broth of the half-and-half pot to relieve the spiciness.
Besides the tomato broth, there's another magic ingredient to cool down the spiciness—bubble tea. This small drink has become a standard accompaniment to Wang Xiaoyao Hot Pot.
Wang Pan'er first dissolved brown sugar in water, then immediately added tapioca starch after the water boiled, and quickly stirred them into a dough. After pinching the dough into small pieces and rolling them into balls, she put them into boiling water and simmered them for half an hour, and the chewy and bouncy tapioca pearls were ready.
Wang Xiaoyao lit a small stove and brewed milk tea. The milk tea recipe was taught to him by Wang Pan'er: first, stir-fry sugar and tea leaves, then add equal proportions of water and milk.
Besides the ingredients themselves, another important tool for bubble tea is the reed straw. The small pearls enter the mouth through the straw, swirling around in the mouth, accompanied by the rich and silky milk, making every pore on the body feel refreshed.
After making the bubble tea, Wang Pan'er would add firewood and start stir-frying the base ingredients with practiced ease.
The noblewoman watched with longing as Wang Pan'er skillfully wielded the spatula.
The butter sizzled and melted in the pot, and various chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices were added, crackling and releasing a strong, spicy aroma. As the broth turned red and bubbled, the entire courtyard was filled with the unique flavor of this pot of broth.
The noble lady and her maid, who usually stayed away from the kitchen, were stunned.
Green Ripple exclaimed, "You two employers are really efficient at their work!"
Hongxiao added, "Having seen so many noble ladies who have long lived in seclusion and us obedient maids, the lively and energetic manner of Master Wang is truly captivating."
"No wonder she likes it." The lady chuckled softly, then shooed two maids to help, "You two go and prepare all these different kinds of ingredients with the two masters."
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