Chen Ge’er finally realized it was Yuan Mei playing a trick on him. He leaned in and asked, “Dear sister, what are you drinking?”
Yuan Niang covered her tea while secretly sipping, replying, “The same as you.”
A faint plum fragrance wafted through the air. Yuan Niang took a careful sip; though it was hot tea, she surprisingly detected a hint of icy freshness that refreshed both mind and spirit, likely due to the added mint and borneol.
Chen Ge’er wasn’t fond of this and quickly lost interest. The floor-sweeping monk poured him another cup of tea, and he sat obediently beside his father, drinking quietly.
Su Shi asked, “Where are the others?”
Chen Ge’er replied, “Elder brother is helping Mother carry Younger Brother. They should be here soon.”
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
Wang Runzhi led the group inside, and the floor-sweeping monk stood to greet them.
After exchanging pleasantries, Su Shi took Shu Ji from Su Mai’s arms and said to the monk, “Thank you for your trouble.”
The door closed, leaving only Shu Ji’s wet nurse inside while the rest of the attendants waited outside.
Su Shi placed his youngest son on the couch. The floor-sweeping monk casually unwrapped the thick blanket, examined him briefly, felt his bones and pulse, then said after some thought, “It won’t be easy to treat.”
The hopeful look in Shu Ji’s eyes instantly dimmed.
“But it’s not entirely hopeless,” the monk added.
Su Shi took a deep breath and said, “Why do you monks always speak in such a roundabout way?”
“Fashi, is it really possible?” Wang Runzhi asked, looking at him with excitement.
The floor-sweeping monk nodded and said, “But your son will have to endure some hardship.”
Shu Ji seemed to understand what was meant. He shook his head firmly and said, “Fashi Biancai, I’m not afraid of hardship.”
Biancai nodded, then turned to Su Shi and said, “I’m afraid your son will need to stay at Tianzhusi Temple for some time.”
Su Shi replied, “If you can truly cure him, not only would I let him stay, I’d even be willing to let you become his master.”
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare,” Biancai repeatedly waved his hands in refusal. He found writing brush and ink and began prescribing medicine, then added, “Medicine alone won’t be enough. We must find a way to make him stand. As long as he can stand, there’s greater hope.”
Upon hearing this, Wang Runzhi’s gaze trembled, as if she couldn’t bear the thought.
Su Shi voiced all his wife’s hidden concerns.
Shu Ji’s condition was different from ordinary toddlers learning to walk. Children learning to walk have feeling in their legs and can exert strength. When they fall and feel pain, they know when to stop.
But Shu Ji was stubborn and desperately wanted to walk. They had tried supporting him before, but no matter how careful they were, his legs would always get injured. After that, they no longer allowed him off the couch.
With no sensation in his legs, how could practicing walking be easy?
Hearing this, Biancai also lowered his head to ponder a solution.
Yuan Niang quietly finished her last sip of Plum Blossom Tea and spoke up, “In that case, why not make a Walking Cart for Third Brother?”
Everyone turned their attention to her. Yuan Niang set down her teacup and gestured, “It’s a small round cart with wheels underneath and ribbons tied to it. Use the ribbons to support Third Brother in the cart, with the cart’s height matching his leg length when standing. Let him slowly get used to it, step by step, while avoiding bumps and falls.”
Su Shi and Fashi Biancai were the first to understand Yuan Niang’s idea. They nodded in approval and said, “That’s actually a good idea.”
Su Shi patted Yuan Niang’s head and said, “Good child, we have you to thank for this.”
At that moment, a young novice monk entered and reported: “Venerable Master, Master Su, the vegetarian meal is ready. Please proceed to the rear hall for dinner.”
Su Shi had no mind for eating. He nodded and instructed the novice to take the Su family’s female members to dine first, while he himself pulled Biancai along to work on the Walking Cart that Yuan Niang had described.
Curious, Yuan Niang filled a bowl with plum blossom congee and picked up some side dishes dressed in sesame oil to watch her master work on the handicraft.
Chen Ge’er was also curious, so he simply carried his bowl and went with Yuan Niang to watch, casually snatching two pickled vegetable strips from her bowl along the way, which made Yuan Niang so angry that she chased after him.
Wang Runzhi called out behind them anxiously: “Don’t run! If you swallow cold air, you’ll get a stomachache.”
Before her words faded, the two children had already disappeared from sight.
Yuan Niang found Su Shi and handed him and Biancai Fashi a plate of vegetarian buns.
Wiping his hands, Su Shi picked up a bun and ate with evident delight, looking thoroughly content as if having a daughter fulfilled all his wishes.
Biancai Fashi chanted a Buddhist invocation and said gratefully: “The young lady is very thoughtful.”
“Naturally, my disciple is the best in the world,” Su Shi said with satisfaction. “Having her by my side has made up for my regret of not having a daughter.”
“Master, humility, humility,” Yuan Niang whispered softly.
Su Shi laughed: “No need for that with him.”
Biancai Fashi smiled faintly without responding.
After the meal, Su Shi began using an ink marker to draw lines on selected wood, while Biancai Fashi followed the ink lines with a saw to cut the lumber. The two cooperated with perfect tacit understanding.
Yuan Niang covered her congee bowl to prevent sawdust from flying into it. In her eyes, scholars were typically weak and incapable of manual labor, unfamiliar with physical work and agricultural matters—but clearly her master was different.
This was the first time she witnessed someone create a Walking Cart, like those sold in shopping malls in later generations, based solely on her description. Though the materials were different, the function was identical.
Her master was truly the most remarkable person in the world!
After some time, the Walking Cart was completed. Using leftover wood, Su Shi made a set of Luban locks for Yuan Niang.
Forgetting her quarrel with Chen Ge’er, Yuan Niang fiddled with the Luban locks but couldn’t figure them out. After a long while, she sighed inwardly: Master is a great talent renowned throughout the land, but his disciple is rather dull and slow to learn. How troublesome.
Chen Ge’er also frowned and asked: “Father, why is this Luban lock different from the ones I’ve played with before?”
Su Shi replied: “Luban locks have endless variations without fixed patterns. Be patient and contemplate them. When you solve them, I’ll grant you each a small request.”
Chen Ge’er’s eyes sparkled with interest as he glanced at a nearby blunt knife.
Su Shi looked down at him and said leisurely: “No damaging them. These have proper solutions. Study them carefully—no shortcuts allowed.”
Chen Ge’er stuck out his tongue: “I just want to get a puppy quickly! Then it can keep Shu Ji company while he learns to walk. When we go to school, he won’t be lonely staying alone in the temple.”
Su Shi suppressed a laugh: “Hmm, understood. You want a puppy. What about you, Yuan Niang?”
Yuan Niang looked up seriously: “When I solve it, Master will know.”
The two children skipped over to sit beneath the plum tree and earnestly worked on solving the Luban locks.
The red plum blossoms were as brilliant as sunset clouds, the white ones as pure as driven snow—everything was perfectly beautiful, if one ignored the two little ones who kept arguing while trying to solve the puzzles.
Biancai Fashi pushed the Walking Cart while strolling leisurely through the plum grove with Su Shi, turning back every few steps to ask repeatedly: “Are you sure you don’t want me to read her fortune?”
“Is Master Biancai so idle? I recently acquired a Sanskrit scripture—would you translate it for me?” Su Shi deftly changed the subject.
“Ah, had I known it would come to this, I’d never have descended the mountain back then. What a missed opportunity to become her mentor,” Master Biancai lamented.
“She is bound to the mortal world. Staying with me is what’s best for her,” Su Shi stated earnestly. “This was also her father’s wish.”
“Could I perhaps become her second teacher?” Master Biancai negotiated, unwilling to give up.
“That likely won’t be possible,” Su Shi refused outright.
“Why not?” Master Biancai pressed.
“Because she loves eating fish and mutton but has no patience for scripture recitation,” Su Shi articulated slowly and deliberately.
Master Biancai: “…”
The golden crow dipped westward, molten gold spilling from the setting sun.
After immense effort, Yuan Niang finally solved the Luban lock. She and Chen Ge’er gathered the wooden pieces to show Su Shi their achievement, only to lift their heads and find him long gone.
The two children wandered until they spotted Chao Yun and Fu Shuang with several maids from other quarters competing with plum blossoms in the grove. Chen Ge’er, preoccupied with his promised puppy, didn’t stay to play but called out, “Sisters, have you seen where Father went?”
Chao Yun deftly tucked a plum blossom behind his ear. “He’s in the back hall discussing Zen with Master Biancai.”
Fu Shuang picked a lush white plum blossom and adorned Yuan Niang’s hair. “It’s dreadfully dull there. Why not stay and play with us?”
Chen Ge’er shook his head and dashed off, pulling Yuan Niang along—he was impatient to ask his father about the puppy.
When the children found Su Shi, he was sprawled indolently on a daybed eating candied cherries, feet propped on the armrest, exuding casual irreverence—hardly the picture of Zen meditation!
Seeing them approach, he popped a candied fruit into each of their mouths. “Solved it?”
“Of course!” Yuan Niang and Chen Ge’er chorused like treasure-bearers.
Su Shi asked, “Erlang wants a puppy. What about you, Yuan Niang?”
Without hesitation she declared, “I want a plump-bellied savings pot!”
Su Shi looked surprised, musing, “Is your monthly allowance insufficient? Have you become so frugal?”
“Not at all!” Yuan Niang explained. “It’s precisely because Master and Mistress give me more than I can spend that I want to save! When I grow up, I’ll buy rouge with it.”
Su Shi laughed. “The young ladies of our household receive separate funds for cosmetics. There’s no need to scrimp on your allowance.”
“Ah! How can one explain a girl’s whims?” Yuan Niang exclaimed. “Anyway, I want a chubby money pot!”
“Very well!” Su Shi agreed.
Yuan Niang sighed in relief. Her desire for a savings pot stemmed from one simple fact: her master was a spendthrift who burned through his salary each month!
She needed to start saving now for future emergencies.
On their return to the city, Su Shi detoured to take Yuan Niang and Chen Ge’er through Hangzhou’s bustling night market.
Qiantang had always been prosperous—willow-shrouded painted bridges, wind-stirred curtains of emerald, tiered rooftops sheltering countless households.
Even at night, crowds thronged the streets as all manner of trades welcomed customers. Flower-crowned tea brewers clattered cups to attract patrons, street vendors cried their wares along the lanes, while fruit shops and taverns lit lanterns outside their establishments, quietly awaiting business.
Su Shi strolled leisurely with the children. Many recognized him, calling out greetings:
“Master Su!”
“Vice Prefect!”
“Here, let me give the children some sweets!”
“Brother Zizhan, when shall we meet again? I’ve got an authentic work by Wang Youjun in my possession!”
Before long, both Yuan Niang and Chen Ge’er found their pockets filled to the brim with assorted dried fruits and pastries by the townsfolk. The weight made Yuan Niang sigh in admiration, “The people of Hangzhou truly adore our master!”
When Yuan Niang emerged from the children’s playhouse store clutching a round-bellied celadon piggy bank, even the pig’s belly had been opened by enthusiastic locals and stuffed full with waxberry candies and ten-color flower sweets.