“You stupid woman! You’re so short-sighted! I told you to keep an eye on them! Keep an eye on them! Where were your eyes?! Now look, they’ve run away, and the money has flown off with them. I’d like to see how you intend to fill the gaping hole of the Liu family!” He Dalang, red in the face and neck, bellowed at Mrs. Li. “That was fifty taels of silver! Fifty taels!”
Mrs. Li did not back down, retorting in a shrill voice, “Blame me? Didn’t I tell you what that dead girl said at the time? You nodded, didn’t you? You even said that whatever leaked through Landlord Liu’s fingers would be enough to keep us fed for half a year! You said there was plenty of silver! Now it’s all my fault? It must be that good sister-in-law of yours who had ulterior motives all along, planning to take those little rabbit cubs with her…”
“Shut up!”
He Dalang interrupted her irritably, his eyes gloomy and his expression twisting for a moment. He recalled how submissive the mother and daughter had been yesterday, especially that girl He Mingyu, who had even sent the two younger ones over as “hostages.” It was all an act!
He slammed his fist onto the table, making the bowls and plates jump, and squeezed a sentence through his teeth: “Running? Hmph, in this territory of Bianjing, a crippled woman with three burdens trailing her—let’s see how far she can get! I will find her! I’ll drag her back!”
“The most urgent thing now is how to answer to the Liu family! Are we just going to watch fifty taels of silver vanish? I don’t agree! I was already planning to buy a set of head ornaments, and besides, Dengke needs money to smooth things over for his studies!” Mrs. Li furrowed her brow, the corners of her mouth drooping as she muttered, “If only there were another daughter…”
Meanwhile, in direct contrast to the tension in He Dalang’s house, the morning in the small courtyard at Donglizi Alley began in peace and tranquility.
It was not the night watchman’s clappers nor the piercing crow of a rooster that awakened all of Bianjing, but the deep, resonant, and soul-cleansing sound of the morning bell from Daxiangguo Temple, near the inner city. Note after note, the bell pierced the thin morning mist and echoed through every street and alley, as if soothing the restlessness of the massive city as it awoke.
He Mingyu rose with the tolling of the bell. Using a willow branch dipped in the cheapest, bitter-tasting tooth powder bought from the neighborhood grocery store, she squatted in the courtyard and carefully cleaned her teeth.
The gritty texture and poor taste made her deeply feel the bitterness of poverty once again. At this moment, He Mingyu missed her electric toothbrush and toothpaste from home dearly. She rinsed her mouth quickly; once she made money, she would definitely switch to high-quality tooth powder.
After washing up, she headed out with the little money remaining. He Mingyu first visited a sauce shop, carefully inquiring about market conditions and casually gathering quite a bit of information.
The Great Song dynasty she found herself in seemed a bit different from the historical one; there was no mention of the Liao or Western Xia territories. The current Song Emperor was in the prime of his life, the territory was vast, the people lived and worked in peace, and prices were quite reasonable.
There were three or four types of oil in the sauce shop—not to mention lard, there was sesame oil, rapeseed oil, and even soybean oil. He Mingyu chose carefully. Aside from the necessities Wu Chunlan had bought the day before, she also purchased some date vinegar, clear soy sauce, and a good amount of sesame seeds. Just as she was about to leave, a small cloth bag in the corner caught her eye.
Inside the bag were several shriveled shells with a grid-like texture—they looked incredibly familiar!
“Shopkeeper, what is this?”
The shopkeeper followed the direction of her finger, his face showing a complex expression of “finally, someone is asking about this.” He smiled and came forward. “The young lady has a good eye. This item is called ‘Fan-dou’ (foreign bean). A foreign merchant asked me to sell it—a rare imported item. It’s delicious!”
Fan-dou?
He Mingyu honestly hadn’t expected to find peanuts in this Song Dynasty!
Her heart was filled with wild joy, but on the surface, she remained calm, following the lead and asking curiously, “Delicious? Have you tasted it, shopkeeper?”
The shopkeeper’s smile stiffened for a second before he patted his chest, guaranteeing, “Of course! Fragrant, crispy, and savory!”
He said this, but he was secretly feeling miserable. That foreign merchant had bragged to the heavens, and in a moment of heat, the shopkeeper had paid in advance, only to find that no one was interested in the beans. He had secretly tasted one himself—it was hard, tough, and had a stale, oily taste that couldn’t possibly be called delicious. By the time he realized he’d been had and tried to find that black-hearted merchant, it was too late.
He Mingyu nodded knowingly and reached out to grab some. “Let me see… what’s the price?”
“Hey! Don’t touch!” The shopkeeper was startled and quickly stopped her. Why did this girl help herself?
But He Mingyu’s movements were faster. She had already skillfully pinched open a peanut shell. The peanut inside was small and shriveled, the skin wrinkled and devoid of luster. It felt soft and tough to the touch—clearly stale stock that had been stored improperly.
Clutching the poor-quality peanut under the shopkeeper’s nervous gaze, she raised her face and revealed an innocent yet knowing smile. “Shopkeeper, this thing… it’s been sitting here for a while, hasn’t it? Peanuts that have been kept too long aren’t the taste you just described. They’re tough, hard on the teeth, and tend to have a weird smell. They aren’t good to eat, right?”
Hearing this, the shopkeeper’s face changed as if he’d been stepped on. “You… you’re spouting nonsense! This is clearly a treasure from overseas! You wouldn’t be saying this just to avoid buying and ruin my business, would you?”
He Mingyu remained unhurried. She sniffed the peanut she held and said slowly, “Fresh peanuts should have plump shells. The kernel inside should be chubby, crispy, and carry a clean sweetness. Whether eaten raw or roasted, they are top-tier goods.”
She described it so vividly, as if she had truly eaten them. The shopkeeper was stunned, as the description was uncannily close to what that foreign merchant had bragged about! He looked at the young woman, who was plainly dressed but carried a calm demeanor, with shock and suspicion. His heart began to beat fast: Could I have really run into someone who knows their stuff?
He Mingyu caught the change in his eyes. She immediately put on an expression of nostalgia and bluffed, “To tell you the truth, shopkeeper, my late father used to travel the Western Regions with merchant caravans in his early years. I was fortunate enough to follow him and taste these fresh peanuts. As for this batch—”
She deliberately drew out her tone and shook her head with feigned disappointment. In her heart, she thought: Peanuts and the Western Regions have nothing to do with each other, but it’s enough to fool a shopkeeper who’s desperate to dump his stock.
Seeing her bring up the “Western Regions,” the shopkeeper believed her about seventy or eighty percent. He hurriedly pulled He Mingyu to the side and lowered his voice, his face a mix of embarrassment and urgency. “Since the young lady is an expert who knows her goods, you naturally know the value of this item. It’s just… this batch has been sitting a bit too long, and the flavor is indeed a bit lacking. Look… how about this, I’ll give you a discount… you buy it, and…”
“Speaking of which, my father is advanced in years now, and he loves to ramble on about the places he’s been and the food he’s eaten…” He Mingyu furrowed her brows, looking reluctant. Under the shopkeeper’s hopeful gaze, she sighed softly. “Fine, fine. I’ll buy some to take back; it can be a way to honor his memory.”
After some haggling, the bag of peanuts was sold at a “rock-bottom price” that made He Mingyu secretly glee. The shopkeeper grumbled while packing them, “I’m losing money—this is truly selling at a loss…”
He Mingyu, however, was beaming inside. She would pick the plumpest ones and plant them in their little courtyard; perhaps by autumn, they would actually grow. After leaving the sauce shop, she bought plenty of other ingredients and then intentionally slowed her pace, her gaze quickly scanning the food stalls in the streets and alleys of Bianjing.
Sellers of Hu cakes, roasted chicken, meat pies, perilla drinks… the cries rose one after another, and the aroma of food mingled in the air. She carefully observed the flow of customers and the presentation of the food, and more importantly, quietly noted the prices. She found that the commoners in Bianjing didn’t seem to feel the pinch when spending ten or twenty coins on a meal, paying quite readily.
In front of a stall selling starch-thickened soup, He Mingyu stopped her pace. She listened to two customers who had just finished their lunch chatting as they paid:
“Did you hear? The spring imperial examinations are coming up in a few days. The capital is going to be filled with examinees.”
“Indeed! During such grand events, Daxiangguo Temple will probably be bustling again. Maybe even the Royal family will go to pray for blessings. By the way, do you know which master’s lecture is the most popular in the temple right now?”
“Who doesn’t know that? Naturally, it’s Master Huiming! His explanation of the Avatamsaka Sutra is profound yet accessible; even the nobles in the palace summon him often! If one could get a word of guidance from him, that would be the greatest blessing…”
Listening to the passersby’s praise for Daxiangguo Temple and the high monk, He Mingyu became thoughtful. It seemed the influence of Buddhism in Bianjing was indeed far-reaching.
When she returned home with her bags, she saw Yingzi standing on a wooden stool by the courtyard wall, looking up. Next door, Memet was grinning over the low wall, handing over a small dish.
“Taste it, taste it! Ayuhunzi (pistachios) from my hometown—very delicious! And this, dried pomegranate seeds!” Memet enthusiastically promoted his hometown snacks.
He Mingyu took note and realized: Ayuhunzi were pistachios, and pomegranate seeds were just raisins.
Yingzi carefully pinched a pistachio, peeled the white shell just like Memet, and popped the green kernel into her mouth. It was salty, fragrant, and crispy, and she immediately narrowed her eyes in happiness.
Seeing her return, Shitou immediately put down his water bucket and, showing great initiative, took the various items into the kitchen. He Mingyu shared a knowing smile with Memet and stretched: Life right now seems pretty good.
After resting, the family headed out in the evening light. The further they went toward the East City, the denser the crowd became.
By the time they reached the vicinity of Yutang Alley, lanterns were lit. Stalls lined both sides of the street, and various lanterns illuminated the goods. People were selling seasonal fruits, jewelry, silk flowers, children’s toys, and of course, more food—fried sheep intestines, noodle soup, sugared fruits… the aromas mingled, tempting the appetite.
The sight amazed even He Mingyu, let alone the inexperienced Yingzi and Shitou. They whispered to each other in awe: “Mother, Big Sister, this night market is… too… too… too wonderful!”
They finally found Old Man Chen’s house deep in the alley. Following He Mingyu’s instructions, they ordered thirty small, uniform steaming baskets, agreeing to pick them up in two days. Because it was a referral from Uncle Zhang, the old man threw in two slightly larger baskets he usually sold as a bonus.
The group hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. After expressing their endless gratitude and settling a major worry, they finally had the leisure to truly immerse themselves in the nightlife of Bianjing.
He Mingyu soon spotted a batch of slightly flawed ceramic bowls and dishes at a stall. If this were elsewhere, they would still fetch a high price, but this was Bianjing—the most prosperous place in the Song Dynasty. Ten complete sets, including bowls, chopsticks, and spoons—after checking them carefully, she bought them at seven coins per set. Afterward, she hunted down a sturdy iron pot and other necessary sundries like brooms and dustpans.
“Selling Ai-ci (mugwort cakes) and almond curd—freshly steamed Ai-ci, hot and sweet almond curd!”
Seeing Yingzi gazing longingly, He Mingyu stepped forward and bought two portions of each. The Ai-ci was wrapped with sweet bean paste—soft, chewy, and fragrant—while the almond curd was pure white and delicate, leaving one feeling warm from the inside out. The family stood by the busy street; at first, there was a pang of guilt over spending money, but it was quickly replaced by satisfaction as they shared the delicacies filled with the breath of spring.
Yingzi nibbled on a mugwort cake, her eyes narrowing in happiness. “Big Sister, this green bun is so delicious! It tastes like fresh grass, but it’s sweet!”
Wu Chunlan took a sip of the almond curd and sighed, “This is good, fragrant and smooth. Yuniang, you must try it.”
Shitou took the bowl after Yingzi finished and licked it clean.
Watching the satisfied expressions on their faces, He Mingyu’s heart was filled with motivation. After they finished eating quickly, they shouldered their new purchases and headed home, stepping through the eternal lights of Bianjing with hearts full of contentment.