Liu An looked at the baskets on everyone’s back, each filled to the brim with longevity greens, and couldn’t help asking, “Grandpa, you finished digging them up so quickly?”
Old Master Liu chuckled. “It was a huge patch, and no one else had been harvesting there. That’s why we finished fast. Go tidy yourself up and head to town with your father and uncles. Old lady, give them some more money—An’er’s schooling will cost silver.”
As soon as Old Madam Liu heard this, she slapped her thigh. “That’s what I forgot!” She hurried inside and returned with the remaining two and a half taels of silver the family had left. Gritting her teeth, she handed it all to Liu Sanzhuang. “Sanzhuang, take this and don’t lose it. This is my precious grandson’s tuition.”
Looking at the money in his mother’s hand, Liu Sanzhuang knew it was likely all the savings the family had. He hesitated, not daring to reach out. Seeing this, Old Master Liu said sternly, “Your mother is giving it to you—why aren’t you taking it? Don’t delay my grandson’s education.”
“That’s right,” Liu Dazhuang added gently, sensing his younger brother’s conflict. “Our An’er is so clever. Once he learns to read and write, he’ll have an even brighter future. Don’t worry—we’ll earn the money back little by little.”
Liu Erzhuang chimed in, “Brother Sanzhuang, take it. If we don’t leave soon, we’ll be late getting to town. At worst, we’ll just take on more odd jobs. We’ll earn it back.”
The eldest aunt swallowed as she looked at the silver, sighing inwardly. It wasn’t that she didn’t care about her nephew—but her two daughters were nearing marriageable age, and the family might not even manage proper dowries. Still, she kept her thoughts to herself. She knew that if her nephew succeeded, the whole family would benefit. She wouldn’t let short-term worries hurt his future, so she showed no trace of dissatisfaction.
Aunt Xiao Sun had no objections either. Her two daughters weren’t in a hurry to marry. Even without schooling, her nephew had already earned the appreciation of the young master of a restaurant and was bringing income to the family. If he learned to read, perhaps he would earn even more. And even if he didn’t, she had little say in the household anyway. She could no longer bear children; the fact that her in-laws hadn’t divorced her and remarried was already a kindness. She had no grounds for complaint.
Liu An’s mother, Xiao Chen, was overjoyed. It was a good thing for her son to study. He wasn’t very strong physically—last year’s illness had terrified her. Deep down, she didn’t want him to suffer working the fields. If he could one day work in town as an accountant or steward, that would bring honor to the family. The smile on her face was impossible to hide.
Seeing his father and brothers speak so firmly, Liu Sanzhuang finally accepted the silver carefully and tucked it into his clothes—for his son’s future.
Watching his family, Liu An felt deeply moved. Silently, he vowed to study hard, earn official honors, and lift his family into a better life.
Liu Sanzhuang had his two older brothers carry the wild vegetables, while he carried his son and a small jar of braised pork intestines. The three men walked briskly for an hour before reaching town.
Familiar with the way, Liu Sanzhuang led his brothers to Heyun Restaurant. Though Liu Dazhuang and Liu Erzhuang had mentally prepared themselves, they still felt a bit uneasy standing at the entrance. The attendant, Ah Si, spotted Liu Sanzhuang and his son and hurried over with a smile.
“Uncle Liu, Brother An’er, you’re here! Manager Qiu said when you arrived, we should take you straight to the kitchen—he’s there this morning.”
“Thank you, Ah Si,” Liu Sanzhuang replied with a smile, following him inside with his brothers.
“Sanzhuang, An’er—you’re early today!” Manager Qiu greeted them cheerfully.
“Hello, Uncle Qiu,” Liu An said sweetly. “Father, Uncle, and Second Uncle brought you fresh longevity greens!”
“Manager Qiu, this is my eldest brother Liu Dazhuang and my second brother Liu Erzhuang,” Liu Sanzhuang explained. “I couldn’t carry everything alone, so they came along to help deliver the vegetables.”
The two brothers quickly offered respectful greetings.
Manager Qiu was easygoing, and since the two families already had an agreement in place, such matters were trivial. Smiling, he said, “Brother Dazhuang, Brother Erzhuang, no need to be so formal—we’re practically family.”
He ordered the servants to weigh the vegetables. After measuring, they found there were five extra jin (about five and a half pounds). Liu Sanzhuang quickly said, “Manager Qiu, those extra five jin are for you to take home for your family to try. We hope you won’t mind.”
“How could I accept that? Your family worked hard to gather these. I should pay for them,” Manager Qiu replied.
“Please, you mustn’t,” Liu Sanzhuang insisted. “It’s just a small token of our gratitude for your care. We have nothing valuable to offer, so please accept these vegetables as a gesture.”
Seeing their sincerity, Manager Qiu no longer refused. “Very well, thank you, Brothers Liu. And from now on, don’t call me Manager Qiu—just call me Brother Qiu.” He decided he would repay their kindness in other ways when possible.
“Uncle Qiu, I also brought you and the Young Master a tasty gift!” Liu An said, hugging the jar in his arms.
Manager Qiu laughed. “Oh? What a coincidence—the Young Master has been at the restaurant these past two days. What delicious gift did you bring us?”
Only then did Liu Sanzhuang remember the braised pork intestines his wife had prepared that morning. He quickly took the jar from his son and handed it over. “Manager Qiu—Brother Qiu—my wife made this. Please have a taste with the Young Master.”
Before coming, Old Master Liu had instructed the family to say that any cooking methods were developed by the adults. Liu An was still young, and standing out too much could invite trouble. The Liu family needed no discussion when it came to protecting him—they were united. Thus, Liu Sanzhuang did not mention anything special about it.
Manager Qiu assumed it was just an ordinary homemade dish offered in goodwill. But when Liu Sanzhuang lifted the cloth covering the jar, a rich aroma immediately wafted out.
“Uncle Qiu,” Liu An said earnestly, blinking his big eyes, “it’s a bit cold now. If you heat it up, it’ll taste even better.”
Liu Sanzhuang nodded. “That’s right, Brother Qiu. It tastes best fresh out of the pot, piping hot and fragrant. Why not have someone warm it up so you and the Young Master can try it?”
Drawn in by the rich aroma, Manager Qiu immediately instructed a nearby cook to reheat the braised pork intestines. Moments later, the fragrance filled the entire kitchen. He couldn’t help swallowing. Remembering the Young Master upstairs, he quickly ordered a servant, “Serve a bowl to the Young Master—I’ll bring it to him myself.”
Turning to the Liu family, he said, “Brothers Liu, please wait a moment. I’ll be right back.” He then told an attendant to escort them to a private room and have some pastries and tea served.
Liu An, completely at ease, picked up a piece of pastry and took a bite, inwardly marveling, Still so soft and delicious. The ancients truly knew their craft.
His eldest and second uncles, however, sat stiffly in their chairs, barely daring to move. Seeing this, Liu An quickly grabbed two pieces of pastry and popped one into each of their mouths. “Uncle Dazhuang, uncle Erzhuang, try it! It’s really tasty!” Then he stuffed a piece into his own father’s mouth as well.
Caught off guard, the three men had no choice but to eat. And indeed, the pastry was delicious. But after one piece, no matter how much Liu An urged them, they refused to take another bite. Such fine treats were precious—better to let An’er eat more. Children need to eat well to grow strong.
After eating, Liu An grew thirsty and asked his father to pour him some tea. Once he’d had his fill, he said seriously, “Father, Uncle Qiu kindly prepared this for us. I’ve had mine—you and my uncles should each have a cup too. We’ve walked a long way and must be thirsty.”
Seeing his son satisfied and his brothers still stiff with restraint, Liu Sanzhuang took the initiative to pour each of them a cup of tea, then one for himself. After drinking, he felt refreshed.
It wasn’t that Liu An lacked manners—he knew that the tea and pastries served were the most ordinary kind. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have touched them so freely.
Upstairs in a private dining room, Manager Qiu stared in astonishment as the Young Master finished an entire bowl of braised intestines. He knew how picky the Young Master usually was—rarely had he seen him take such a liking to any dish, let alone pork intestines. He himself was itching to return to the kitchen for a taste.
“You said this dish was brought by that farming father and son yesterday?” the Young Master, Wang Dongyang, asked as he wiped his mouth. “Where are they now?”
“Yes, Young Master,” Manager Qiu replied respectfully. “I’ve arranged for them to wait in a room. I was just about to settle payment for their vegetables.”
“You handled that well. Come—let’s go meet them.”
At the rare praise, Manager Qiu felt a surge of delight. It seemed befriending that farming family had indeed been the right decision.
When Wang Dongyang entered the room with Manager Qiu, Liu Sanzhuang and his brothers immediately stood. Liu Sanzhuang bowed respectfully. “Greetings, Young Master. These are my two elder brothers.”
“Brothers Liu, hello,” Wang Dongyang said with a smile. “Thank you for the dish. I enjoyed it very much.”
“As long as you liked it,” Liu Sanzhuang replied humbly. “It’s just simple home cooking from our farm. We hope you won’t find it unworthy.”
“I truly enjoyed it,” Wang Dongyang said seriously. “The flavor is unique. Brother Liu, would you consider a partnership? Or I could purchase the recipe from you.”
Startled, Liu Sanzhuang waved his hands. “Young Master, you’re too kind. Yesterday you gave my son such valuable books. How could we take silver for such a simple recipe? I’ll gladly tell you the method.”
Wang Dongyang shook his head. “A gift is one thing, business another. I genuinely like this recipe and wish to buy it.”
Liu Sanzhuang hesitated, unsure what to do, glancing at his brothers and his son.
Liu Dazhuang and Liu Erzhuang were equally uncertain. After all, the recipe had come from their nephew—they didn’t feel right speaking for him.
At that moment, Liu An stepped forward. “Young Master, the key to braised intestines lies in cleaning them properly. The cooking itself is simple—any skilled chef can master it after one try. You already gave me such precious books. We are deeply grateful and cannot accept more silver.”
Wang Dongyang looked at the boy, then at the three brothers nodding in agreement. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
“Very well. Today I’ll take advantage of your generosity and accept the recipe. But I must still compensate you. Since you refuse to sell it outright, how about profit-sharing? Each month, you receive thirty percent of the net profit from this dish. If you won’t accept that, then I won’t use the recipe.”
Liu An thought the Young Master was indeed honorable and kind-hearted. Still, thirty percent felt too high. They were simple farmers—drawing too much attention wouldn’t be wise.
Smiling, he said, “Thank you, Young Master. But one-tenth of the profit will be enough. Grandfather always says one should know contentment.”
“Yes, Young Master,” Liu Sanzhuang quickly agreed. “We shouldn’t be taking any profit at all. We didn’t do much. Let’s follow An’er’s suggestion—one-tenth will do.” He had no idea what one-tenth amounted to, but it was certainly less than thirty percent, and taking too much would make him uneasy.
Amused by the boy’s maturity, Wang Dongyang nodded. He understood the child’s intention to build goodwill.
“Very well,” he said. “One-tenth of the net profit it is. At the end of each month, come to Manager Qiu to collect your share. And I’ll need Brother Liu to teach our chef how to prepare the dish.”
“Of course, no trouble at all,” Liu Sanzhuang replied quickly. “Please just call me Sanzhuang. This is my elder brother Liu Dazhuang, and this is my second brother Liu Erzhuang.”
“Brother Dazhuang, Brother Erzhuang, Brother Sanzhuang,” Wang Dongyang greeted them warmly, without the slightest hint of condescension. The three brothers quickly bowed in return.
At that moment, Liu An added thoughtfully, “Young Master, it’s not only intestines that can be braised. My mother says pig’s ears, trotters, liver, even chicken feet can be prepared the same way. Unfortunately, we didn’t have those at home, or we would have brought some for you to try.”
Wang Dongyang smiled. “Thank you for telling me, An’er. I’ll remember that. And thank you to the Liu family.”
Liu An waved his hands in a comically grown-up manner. “You’re too kind, Young Master. It’s thanks to the books you gave me that Grandfather decided to send me to school.”
At this, Wang Dongyang raised an eyebrow. He had given the books on a whim, never expecting that such a poor family would spend their hard-earned money to send their child to study. It seemed the head of the Liu household had considerable foresight.
“Then, An’er,” he asked casually, “which private school will you be attending?”