The courtyard was filled with defeated soldiers, all with bruises on their bodies and faces. Zhuang Yubai looked at them, then at Meng Zhizhang, his amber eyes blinking in the sunlight: “No way, Brother Meng! Did you single-handedly… ‘gang up’ on them?!”
Meng Zhizhang’s lips curled into a barely noticeable smile. A gentle breeze brushed past his brows and eyes, as soft and bright as the gaze that was currently on him.
The person reprimanding the others saw Meng Zhizhang and Zhuang Yubai come out and quickly approached with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting: “This is truly a case of the flood washing over the Dragon King’s temple. We didn’t know this was the home of Scholar Meng! The scriptures copied by Scholar Meng not only delighted our old lady but also made our master praise them to everyone, saying he had never seen such fine handwriting.”
This person was Steward Zhao from the Wu family. His mistress had personally instructed him to buy this “Gold and Jade Full House,” saying the old lady liked it very much. He was worried that Xing Er might not convey the message clearly, so he came along. Who knew that upon arrival, he would see Xing Er and the others lying all over the place.
Without needing to ask, Steward Zhao roughly understood what had happened. He might not know others well, but he knew Xing Er. He immediately scolded Xing Er, who was on the ground, and noticing the displeasure on Meng and Zhuang’s faces, he quickly kicked Xing Er’s butt.
After apologizing profusely, Steward Zhao promised to report the incident to his master and ensure that these troublesome servants were severely punished. Seeing the displeasure on the two men’s faces gradually fade, he dared to explain the purpose of his visit with a smile.
The return gift for the old lady’s birthday had troubled his mistress for quite some time. People value reciprocity, and gifting is an art, but the return gift reflects the host’s taste. As luck would have it, this “Gold and Jade Full House” was delivered right to their doorstep, a blessing from the heavens.
Steward Zhao spoke a lot of good words, looking at Meng Zhizhang with anticipation, hoping he would agree to the matter. However, Scholar Meng’s eyes were glued to the young man beside him.
As a steward, he was adept at reading people and immediately understood who had the final say in this household. He lowered his posture even more, cautiously pleading with Zhuang Yubai: “Young master, if there’s any difficulty, just say it. I have brought the money! We can pay extra!”
Zhuang Yubai knew this was a rare opportunity. The return gift for the Wu family’s birthday could reach circles and people he couldn’t cover from his rural corner. Expanding the business was undoubtedly a good thing, but taking this order now indeed posed some difficulties.
“It’s not that we’re deliberately being difficult; it’s just that we have too many orders recently. We follow a first-come, first-served principle, and with our limited manpower, even if we work day and night without rest, we can’t complete this order for your esteemed house.”
Steward Zhao’s smile froze on his face, and he rubbed his hands anxiously, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, he glanced at the people on the ground and stomped his foot, scolding loudly: “Xing Er! Get over here and apologize to the esteemed guests!”
The young servants quickly crawled over, kowtowing to Meng Zhizhang, cursing themselves for being blind and foolish, and for drinking too much cat urine, which led them to offend the esteemed guests. They begged the two gentlemen not to hold grudges and to punish them as they saw fit, but not to refuse this business.
Xing Er remained motionless on the ground, glancing at Steward Zhao, then giving Zhuang Yubai a sideways look, snorting and turning his head away, stubbornly holding his neck.
Steward Zhao gritted his teeth and kicked him, grabbing his ear and threatening: “Xing Er, don’t be stupid! Let me tell you, the mistress knows about your little affair with the young master. If you behave and stop causing trouble, the back courtyard will turn a blind eye. But if you don’t know what’s good for you… you’ll have to taste the master’s board yourself!”
Unable to fight back, Xing Er was dragged in front of Meng and Zhuang, and with a fist salute, he finally muttered, “It was Xing Er’s fault.”
On the surface, Xing Er was forced to admit his mistake, but in his heart, he was far from convinced. He breathed heavily, his cheeks puffed like fish bubbles, and his bloodshot eyes glared at Zhuang Yubai, as if he wanted to turn his humiliation into a knife and slash the face of the young man in front of him. Otherwise, such a bewitching face would eventually bring disaster.
It’s best not to pursue a cornered enemy. People like Xing Er, who are used to wallowing in the mud, have plenty of sinister tricks. If you can’t crush them in one move, it’s better to stay away. Otherwise, a mad dog will only bite indiscriminately, leaving you with nothing but a stench.
Seeing that Meng and Zhuang still had no intention of agreeing, Steward Zhao quickly put on a smile again: “If the two esteemed guests are worried about manpower, how about I send someone to help? Like these few…”
Zhuang Yubai followed Steward Zhao’s gaze to the crooked and cracked people on the ground, knowing they couldn’t help much. However, the mention of finding help gave him an idea.
Zhuang Yubai rolled his eyes, calculating in his mind, and came up with a plan: “The servants from your esteemed house… we’ve seen their skills, and the work with gold and jade is delicate. I’ll be honest, they probably can’t help much. If your esteemed house insists on placing this order, we’ll need to calculate the rush fee and labor costs separately.”
Steward Zhao was about to kneel and beg Zhuang Yubai when he heard that adding money was feasible. He was overjoyed, his face full of wrinkles smiling like a flower, and he agreed wholeheartedly: “Sure! Sure! Whatever the cost, it’s fine!”
Zhuang Yubai took a piece of paper and wrote for a while. The raw materials for 120 packs of gold balls could simultaneously produce 400 packs of jade pieces. He asked Steward Zhao if they only needed 100 packs of each.
It was a seller’s market, and being able to buy them was considered a blessing. The minimum requirement Steward Zhao received was 100 packs of each for the return gift. His mistress had instructed that if they could buy more to add to the banquet, it would be even better. Moreover, everyone in the family, from the old lady to the young girls, liked the jade pieces and clamored to have them as snacks. Earlier, he didn’t dare mention anything beyond 100 packs each, as it seemed difficult for Zhuang Yubai.
Now that Zhuang Yubai mentioned they could provide so much, Steward Zhao could only say “yes, yes, yes” and “good, good, good.” He immediately agreed to buy them all and took out 2 taels of silver as a deposit.
Zhuang Yubai didn’t rush to accept it. He handed the temporary invoice to Steward Zhao.
120 packs of gold balls + 400 packs of jade pieces = 4160 wen
Today is April 28th, and the delivery is on May 1st, leaving only three days for production. The key is that there are already orders from the school and neighbors to complete. At least one full helper is needed. Finding someone temporarily and the rush fee is 120 wen per day, totaling 360 wen.
Frying and packaging hundreds of packs of jade pieces and transporting them to the Wu family is inconvenient. After some discussion, it was decided that Zhuang Yubai would personally take the raw pieces to the Wu family to complete the final frying. This involved travel expenses. Steward Zhao said he would send someone to pick him up, but Zhuang Yubai thought for a moment and said that Niu Dayou was going to deliver charcoal, so he could hitch a ride, but the travel expenses would be covered by the Wu family.
(120 packs of gold balls + 400 packs of jade pieces) * 8 wen/pack + 3 days of labor & rush fee * 120 wen/day + round-trip travel expenses 80 wen = 4600 wen
Both parties had no objections to the pricing. Additionally, it was agreed that a 2-tael deposit would be paid today, and on April 29th, when the gold balls were ready, the Wu family would pay 1 tael as a middle payment. Furthermore, the Wu family would send two young servants to help, and the wages for the servants and the lotus leaves used for packaging would be prepared by the Wu family. On the first day of May, Zhuang Yubai would only bring the raw pieces, and the kitchen equipment and other necessities would also need to be prepared by the Wu family.
Zhuang Yubai accepted the deposit and picked two young servants with the most bruised faces from the ground, telling them to come and work the next day.
“What, you don’t want to?”
The young servants on the ground glanced at Meng Zhizhang’s clenched fists, nodding like pecking chickens, eager to say, “We want to! We want to!”
*
Meng Zhizhang closed the wooden gate and led Zhuang Yubai back to the bench to sit down, while he slowly spread the raw pieces onto a bamboo sieve.
“Aren’t you working too hard?” Meng Zhizhang knew that if Zhuang Yubai dared to take this order, he naturally had a way to complete it. He trusted him. It’s just…
Meng Zhizhang looked at Zhuang Yubai, a thin figure sitting on a small stool, casting a small shadow… It made his heart ache.
“Money, Brother Meng, look!”
Zhuang Yubai didn’t notice the complex emotions in that gaze, only flipping the piece of silver in his hand, examining it from all angles.
The silver was irregular in shape, a small piece of metal with cut marks, and the metallic smell mixed with a hint of rust.
While calculating the Wu family’s order, he also accounted for the workload of the school and neighbors’ orders. The Wu family’s order required 60 jin of wheat and 20 jin of shrimp, while the school and neighbors, along with the regular sales before the Dragon Boat Festival, required 90 jin of wheat and 30 jin of shrimp.
Such a large project was naturally impossible for Zhuang Yubai to complete alone, but wasn’t there Meng Zhizhang and Niu Dayou? Plus, with the two young servants who had been beaten into submission, the work should be quite efficient.
As for the raw materials, Meng Zhizhang told Zhuang Yubai not to worry. He would ask a classmate’s uncle to deliver 50 jin of shrimp early the day after tomorrow, and as for the wheat, he would go to Niu Dayou’s house now.
With the sky aglow, Zhuang Yubai watered the seedlings in the vegetable garden. With ample sunlight and the fertile humus in the mountains, the seedlings were visibly growing, and the ground was already covered by leaves.
For dinner, he planned to make two servings of shrimp oil and vegetable noodles as a reward. The next few days would likely not have this brief leisure.
Squatting beside the thriving vegetable seedlings, Zhuang Yubai carefully selected a large, thick leaf, pinching it gently at the base with his fingers. With a crisp “snap,” the leaf was in his hand.
The tender leaf’s fuzz brushed against his palm, and he dared not grip it too tightly. Then the second leaf, the third… until he had a handful. The satisfaction from this primitive human gathering activity was grounding and reassuring.
After sorting the shrimp heads for the day, Zhuang Yubai washed them thoroughly several times, drained them, and set them aside. He heated the pot, added oil, and once the oil was hot, he sautéed scallions, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant, then added the shrimp heads, pressing gently to extract the shrimp roe, and simmered on low heat until red and crispy. He picked them out one by one, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and set them aside. The clear shrimp oil was poured out to cool, filling a small cup.
When Meng Zhizhang returned, closing the wooden gate with the setting sun on his back, Zhuang Yubai started another pot to boil water. Once the water boiled, he added the vegetable leaves, counted to five, and set them aside. The noodles floated to the surface, and after another half-minute of cooking, he transferred them to a bowl, topped with the vegetables and shrimp heads, and drizzled with warm shrimp oil, releasing a fragrant aroma.
The two sat in silence. The shrimp oil was bright, the vegetables were green, and the noodles were tender and coated in broth. A slurp sent the flavor straight to the taste buds. Paired with the crispy, fragrant shrimp heads, it was a rich and savory delight. In the tranquil summer evening, one bowl washed away the dust, and another was enough to comfort the soul.
With the battle starting tomorrow, they stored the raw pieces and starch, turned off the lights early, and lay down.
At the end of the month, the night sky showed no trace of the moon. The night was as dark as lacquer, painting the bedside.
Zhuang Yubai lay facing inward on the pillow, his hand next to his pouch of a thousand wen, now with the newly acquired 2 taels of silver.
“Brother Meng, you were really amazing today, taking down so many people single-handedly.” Zhuang Yubai was in high spirits, his voice high, and thinking of the 2 taels of silver he had just acquired, he really wanted to chat with someone. Excitedly, he flipped over like a carp, facing Meng Zhizhang.
He blinked, unable to see any light or the person in front of him, only able to discern the person lying on the pillow by the sound of breathing. Far away, yet seemingly close.
After a moment, a soft “hmm” came from a short distance away, a response.
Unwilling to give up, Zhuang Yubai wanted to chat more. He propped himself up on his elbow, half-leaning over the person beside him in the darkness, smiling with curiosity: “Did you often fight with people before? Were you as dashing as today? Tell me!”
The even breathing beside him seemed to pause. Just as Zhuang Yubai was about to lean down to listen, the person beside him suddenly moved, turning to lie on the other side.
He didn’t want to talk.
The bed wasn’t very sturdy, creaking softly under the weight. In the sound, Zhuang Yubai’s body swayed slightly. The warm hem of a garment brushed against his nose.
Fine, no chatting. Zhuang Yubai rolled his eyes hard, his high spirits instantly deflating. He lay back on the pillow, adjusted his position, and forced himself to sleep.
Tch, boring! Really can’t pee in the same pot with him.
The night was calm, the breathing beside him steady and deep. Unconsciously, Zhuang Yubai followed the rhythm, his breath rising and falling in his chest, his eyelids growing heavy. In the depths of sleep, his body floated like a small boat on the sea, rising and falling with the dark currents.
“Clang—” A sudden noise startled Zhuang Yubai awake from his deep sleep.
“What was that sound?” He suddenly became alert, lowering his voice, “Could it be… a thief?”
Thieves don’t steal the wind, nor the moon, nor the rain, nor the snow. Tonight, with no light and a dark wind as cover, was the perfect time for thieves to act. Having witnessed the rudeness of the young servants during the day, Zhuang Yubai wondered what kind of ruthless tactics thieves might use.
The person beside him heard it too, getting up from the pillow, seemingly about to get out of bed.
“Don’t go!” Zhuang Yubai whispered urgently, instinctively reaching out. With his hands bound, he wasn’t sure what he grabbed. He only felt the other person pause, the warm body becoming more solid, the muscles beneath the skin tensing.
Being so close, apart from the intertwined breaths in the darkness, the familiar scent of soap was accompanied by a faint pine forest aroma.
This unguarded touch unexpectedly calmed Zhuang Yubai’s emotions.
“It’s okay, I’ll go take a look.”
Suddenly, a weight settled on Zhuang Yubai’s shoulder, a firm, dry hand gently rubbing in a soothing manner.
“I’ll go with you!” Zhuang Yubai didn’t know why, but seeing the person he was holding about to leave, he clung tightly, refusing to let go.
The person being held paused for a moment, then took half a step back. The warm, strong hand on his left shoulder moved along his tense back, slowly sliding to his right shoulder, half-supporting, half-cradling him back onto the pillow.
“I’ll be right back,” Meng Zhizhang reassured softly, cautiously withdrawing his arm from the grip, and before leaving, he gave the bound wrist a reassuring squeeze.
“Don’t worry.”