“Coоking fоr оnеsеlf and coоking fоr others аre two соmрlеtеlу differеnt feеlings. I still prefer a simplеr life.
Mоreоvеr, therе arе no rеal secrets in cоoking—onсe еnough time passes, others will imitate it.
If business is gоod, yоu’ll faсe supрrеssiоn; if business is рооr, yоu can’t еvеn suррort yourself. It’s bоth mentallу аnd рhysiсally eхhausting.”
Ореning а shoр wasn’t Ziyu’s first сhoiсe, as shе had no wоrriеs about fооd оr drink. Whаt she wanted was tо еnjoy life, not be enslаvеd by it.
“Hahа, littlе brothеr, уou rеallу think things thrоugh clеarly!”
Steward Wang shook his head with a laugh. Who wasn’t forced by life’s circumstances? Despite his impressive appearance in public, he was still just someone working for his master.
The crowd, still reluctant to part ways, returned to their rooms to rest. It was rare to stay in one place for long, so they naturally wanted to take a good break.
…
The next day at mao hour, Ziyu, sweating profusely from running, entered the inn carrying two fragrant paper packages, bumping into Steward Wang and his group as they were coming downstairs.
“Little brother, you’re out so early! That’s impressive!”
“Brother Wang, good morning! I’m just trying to get some exercise! It’ll also help me endure less hardship on the road.”
After stepping aside to let the group pass, Ziyu hurried upstairs, unaware that Steward Wang and his companions were discussing her as they left.
“Such a refined-looking little brother, yet unexpectedly tough and hardworking.
If not for the absence of his parents, someone like him would surely have a bright future.”
“His family background must be decent. His speech and behavior don’t seem like those of an ordinary family. He probably fled after his uncle and aunt seized his property.”
…
After finishing breakfast, Ziyu laid a large stone slab borrowed from the inn on the floor of her open-door room. Placing a rented stove on it, she began cooking mutton.
Each piece of mutton, cut into three-pound portions, was soaked to remove blood, then boiled in cold water to skim off the scum. Green onions, ginger, hawthorn, and white wine were added before bringing it to a boil and simmering over low heat.
Standing guard by the stove, Ziyu clumsily took up needlework. She cut the purchased lamb hide into suitable sizes and sewed two pairs of leg guards—one large and one small—along with a lamb hide apron.
“Xiao Luo, come try these on!”
Though the stitches were uneven, Ziyu felt quite pleased with herself. As long as they kept her warm, that was enough.
Ziluo, who had been doodling on the floor with charcoal, happily ran over, spreading his little black hands and tilting his face upward.
“Brother!”
“No touching randomly, or you’ll get a spanking!”
“Hehe!” The little one, who had been planning a sneak attack, obediently placed his hands behind his back, leaving Ziyu no choice but to resign herself to helping him.
Before long, the siblings were dressed identically, with their leg guards and aprons securely fastened.
With the fur facing inward and the hide outward, if their clothes were a bit more tattered, they’d look like beggars on the street corner.
“Haha, little brother, your outfits are too funny!”
Steward Wang, who had returned at some point, appeared at the doorway, laughing heartily at the siblings’ aprons tied around their waists.
Ziyu looked up at the light outside and realized it was already noon. No wonder he was at the door.
“Hehe, it’s just too cold driving the cart! By the end of the day, my legs are frozen stiff.
They might be ugly, but they’re practical and windproof. Works just fine!”
Having thoroughly fashioned herself into a rugged fellow, Ziyu’s only redeeming feature was her face. Her attire was almost indistinguishable from that of a shepherd.
Steward Wang wasn’t impressed with the apron, but he took a liking to the siblings’ leg guards and asked Ziyu to take them off for him to examine.
“Little brother, these are quite good. You don’t mind if I copy them, do you?”
“Why would I mind? It’s something you can figure out at a glance. Just a few cloth straps tied together, but they work wonders.” Ziyu generously removed the leg guards and handed them to Steward Wang.
Steward Wang tried the item on his own calf, but it was a bit too small, yet it felt very warm.
“Little brother, let me borrow this for a while. I’ll return it later. I’ll have someone rush to make a batch to sell in the next town.
I don’t have much to thank you with, but I’ll send two short lambskin jackets over for you siblings later. You can’t go without those on the road.”
“Feel free to use it!”
Getting two lambskin jackets for free was exactly what Ziyu wanted. The fur clothing in his dimensional space was at least rabbit skin jackets, which weren’t suitable to wear outside.
Steward Wang, having obtained something novel, hurried away. Ziluo, finding it amusing, ran around the room playing, while Ziyu began sewing a lambskin mattress.
…
“Brother, look quickly!”
Ziluo, who had climbed onto a chair at some point, pointed downstairs, shouting and making a fuss.
A line of exiled prisoners in prison uniforms, disheveled and dirty, wearing cangues and chains, slowly shuffled along.
The watching commoners hurled stones and spit, and some even angrily threw whatever they had in their hands.
“Beat these corrupt officials to death! Beat them to death!”
“Beat them to death!!”
…
The crowd grew increasingly agitated, with some rushing forward to slap the prisoners or spit thick phlegm in their faces.
“Break it up, break it up! Don’t beat them to death—we’ll have trouble explaining it!”
The escorting officers timely intervened, and the nearby constables stepped forward to separate the crowd.
“Brother, were Father and Mother killed by them?”
Tears welling in his eyes, Ziluo clenched his small fists, glaring angrily at the group.
“Yes, because we were too weak and had no power or influence.”
“Brother, Xiao Luo wants to become a great general and avenge Father and Mother.”
“Forget about being a great general. Focus on taking care of yourself first!”
Ziyu had no thoughts of defending the country or serving loyally. Since ancient times, how many loyal ministers and good generals had met a good end? Living a peaceful life was what truly mattered.
Steward Wang, returning, overheard the siblings’ conversation, and the doubts in his heart were instantly resolved, replaced by a touch of sympathy.
“Little brother, it’s time to go downstairs for dinner!”
Having enjoyed the hotpot Ziyu personally cooked yesterday and the mutual care along the journey, Steward Wang intended to treat him in return.
He never expected to hear about the siblings’ hidden family background. With so many corrupt officials in the world, how could ordinary people like them fight against them?
“Coming!”
Unfazed, Ziyu covered the stove door to let the food simmer slowly. As he led Ziluo out, he didn’t forget to lock the door.
…
During the meal, Steward Wang chatted with Ziyu about interesting stories he’d encountered, casually remarking:
“Lamb skin from Hegu City is famous far and wide, but it’s not suitable for the south. It’s best to sell it in Baigu Prefecture. Good-quality ones can fetch this price.”
Steward Wang waved his hand, and Ziyu smiled, nodding and cupping his hands in farewell.
“Brother Wang, thank you for your generous hospitality. We’ll head upstairs first.”
Since the inn had been booked out, Steward Wang and his group weren’t in a hurry to go upstairs and rest. Once the siblings were out of sight, the main hall returned to its bustling noise.
Finger-guessing games, drinking, chatting, and bantering—all showcasing the men’s true nature.
“Steward, we’ve also prepared some mutton and offal like Ziyu did.
Honestly, who would’ve thought the offal people look down on could be so delicious? It’s just hard to clean—freezing cold work.”
Bao Jiu, in charge of the merchant convoy’s meals, had learned a few large-pot dishes from Ziyu and now considered himself a skilled cook. He no longer felt exhausted whenever it was time to prepare meals.
“Little brother Ziyu knows how to eat well, but he’s also had a hard life. Let’s take extra care of him on the road,” Steward Wang instructed the table of people.
“Don’t worry! This young brother is a straightforward fellow, and we can’t be cowards either.” Bao Jiu patted his chest and said.