Ever since Shen Wei heard Aunt Duan’s advice to “wait at ease while the enemy tires himself out,” she felt she had fully entered her comfort zone. Embracing the idea that if she was going to slack off, she might as well do it thoroughly, she slept late and rose late every day. During the day, she teased Jinyun; at night, she read storybooks. Her appetite could match that of two people, yet she did not lift a finger to do any work.
Every few days, she still went to find Shen Hui to experiment with food. Her height shot up like bamboo joints, but her waistline also rounded out a little.
“Sister, what do you think of this?” In front of the stove, Shen Wei held up a plump, cute little bun and asked.
Shen Hui examined it carefully for a moment. “It’s almost there, but the wrapper should be a bit thicker. I’m afraid it might break when frying.”
“Are you two making jiazi or laowan?” Nanny Zhang leaned against the doorframe, stirring the filling for the pan-fried buns in a large porcelain bowl with her chopsticks. She then reached out to poke at the buns of varying shapes, clicking her tongue in amazement. “It’s not even the first month yet. Who eats laowan at this time? And the filling isn’t right either.”
In Great Qi, laowan refers to dumplings. “Tangyu laowan” are soup dumplings similar to wontons, “longshang laowan” are steamed dumplings, while pan-fried dumplings are similar to the emei jiazi sold in the West Market.
“They’re longbing, but I thought maybe we could try frying them,” Shen Hui replied after thinking for a while, finally remembering what buns were called in Great Qi.
“Fried longbing?” Nanny Zhang was anything but conservative. Instead, she grew excited. “Then they’re not longbing anymore. Let me see how you two are making them.”
“So I came up with a simple and easy-to-understand name: shengjianbao (pan-fried buns).” Shen Hui picked up the meat filling and explained it to Nanny Zhang one by one. “The filling isn’t made with mutton. I bought some pork from a suckling pig outside and mixed it with ginger jelly and zhuyu water.”
“Ginger jelly is meat jelly that melts when heated. Why add that?” When it came to culinary matters, understanding one thing led to understanding many others. Faced with this new creation, Nanny Zhang figured it out on her own and immediately guessed the clever use of the meat jelly. “I suppose you want the melted ginger jelly to make the filling plump and juicy.”
“Nanny is truly amazing, seeing it at a glance.” Shen Hui urged Shen Wei to quickly fry a few and offer them to Nanny Zhang first.
“The saltiness is just right, and the thickness of the wrapper is perfect. It’s a pity the bottom is too hard.” She pulled out a small flat pan used for frying meat and took over herself. Although it was her first time making this dish, she observed that the method was similar to making lamb fat and chive pancakes. After two or three tries, she had already mastered the precise heat control. “How about this batch?”
As the ginger jelly melted into the filling with the rising heat, the pan-fried buns became juicy and plump, softening the crispy bottom wrapper. Worried they might not succeed, Shen Hui had Shen Wei make them small and delicate. The savory broth soaked through the outer skin, blending softness, crispiness, and a fragrant, toasted aroma that whetted the appetite.
“As expected, we still can’t do without your guidance, Nanny.” Shen Hui ate with her mouth glistening with oil, finally satisfying her craving.
“You two, come here.” Nanny Zhang looked around to make sure no one was nearby and lowered her voice. “From now on, Ah Hui, if you want to experiment with any new dishes, tell me first. I’ll pick a time when the kitchen is less crowded and arrange for your sister to help you. And Ah Wei, remember: if anyone comes asking for the recipe, you must keep your mouth shut and not reveal it.”
As a cook, how could Nanny Zhang not know the importance of recipes? Food is the paramount necessity of the people, and it transcends wealth and poverty. She feared that someone might take advantage of the Hui and Wei sisters’ youth, tricking them to steal credit.
She looked at Shen Hui, a flicker of confusion and wonder in her eyes. "I don't know how it is, but you two are quite talented when it comes to food. My humble Servants' Kitchen has no room for you to showcase your ambitions. If you want to rise above others through this, you'll have to wait patiently."
Food and drink may seem ordinary, but they are the easiest way to reveal a person's status and temperament.
For example, the great prince and the princess consort prefer vegetarian dishes, but how could the Private Kitchen dare to simply boil a few leaves of vegetables and serve them to the masters? Every day before dawn, that place would start simmering the vegetarian broth needed for the entire day, using tender bamboo shoots, lettuce, bean sprouts, radishes, carrots, song vegetables, and other seasonal vegetables, just to produce two small pots of clear, bright broth.
Not to mention the fruits, seaweed, mushrooms, fox nuts, and lotus roots offered by officials from various regions throughout the seasons—all of exceptional quality, priceless and hard to come by.
Only in this way could a simple bowl of tofu soup in Chu Wangfu surpass many flavorless meat dishes from the outside markets.
If it were some noble lady showcasing her skills before her today, she wouldn't doubt it, assuming it was some novel recipe privately passed down within the family. But it was Shen Hui, who came from a humble background as a young maidservant on a manor estate.
But Nanny Zhang, despite her doubts, said nothing more. Having come from the palace, she knew the importance of holding her tongue. After all, she had been entrusted by Madam Xu to look after the two sisters, so why bother with endless suspicion?
"I'm not trying to make a name for myself, I just love food," Shen Hui repeatedly waved her hands in denial.
"But often, circumstances force us into it," Nanny Zhang warned her repeatedly. "So, don't reveal too much to others. Even if you ask Aunt Duan about this, she would give you the same advice."
"Ah Hui understands," Shen Hui replied. One of her strengths was knowing when to heed advice.
"You don't have to skip Cook Wu's portion," Nanny Zhang said, knowing she enjoyed sharing and didn't restrict her too much. "She's sharp and has probably already found her next master. She has no interest in squeezing onto that narrow path with thousands of others."
Thanking Nanny Zhang, Shen Hui happily picked up the food box and went to find Cook Wu. "Aunt Wu, I've brought you something to eat."
"It seems you're genuinely eager to learn from me," Cook Wu said. At the time, she was outside the kitchen, repairing a cracked earthen wall. Seeing Shen Hui's ingratiating expression, she understood immediately. "Alright, I agree."
She clapped her hands and immediately reached for the food. Shen Hui paused briefly, then quickly pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to her.
Cook Wu was impatient but eventually took Shen Hui's handkerchief. "Fine, fine. You people from Chang'an are so particular, washing your hands and face every day. Not like when I was in Guazhou—water was scarce on the frontier. During droughts, with sandstorms raging, there wasn't a drop of water in the wells. We barely had enough to eat and drink, let alone worry about cleanliness."
"What was the frontier like?" Shen Hui asked curiously.
"Cold at night, hot at noon, nothing but sand. There were plenty of cattle and sheep in the pastures, but they had nothing to do with us—they all belonged to the nobles. My mother was a songstress raised in the governor's mansion. After the governor was beheaded for embezzling military funds, my mother was bought by a Hu merchant. She gave birth to me, and later, when the merchant lost money, he sold us all." The frontier was harsh and bitter. Recalling her childhood, Cook Wu seemed to see again the dim, gloomy sky filled with dust.
The more Shen Hui listened, the more guilty she felt.
She had inadvertently touched on Cook Wu's painful memories.
Unexpectedly, Cook Wu laughed and nudged Shen Hui. "Why are you looking at me like that? My mother is doing just fine now. She lives outside the city and has two adopted sons to manage her fields for her."
"Is street performing really that profitable?" Chang'an was a large city, and living there was not easy; even houses outside the city weren't necessarily cheap. Shen Hui counted on her fingers, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"How could it not be profitable? I've even seen Imperial Princesses before. Two princesses once rewarded me with a pair of gold ingots." Cook Wu said with pride. "So if you learn from me, it might come in handy someday."
The temple fair was bustling, and among the spectators were many nobles and aristocrats.
Afraid that Shen Hui wouldn't believe her, Cook Wu fetched a clay brick, pressed one hand on each side, and wrapped her other arm around Shen Hui, as if trying to force rapid growth by starting with a crash course in brick-splitting.
"No, no, no, Auntie, maybe we should start with something simpler." Shen Hui, held firmly by the arm, couldn't move and looked terrified.
Cook Wu didn't mind: "This is the simplest."
Before she finished speaking, she guided Shen Hui's arm and made a forceful chopping motion. Shen Hui, frightened, turned her head away, not daring to look. She only heard a faint half-crack, but the expected pain never came.
Shen Hui opened her eyes and instinctively rubbed the back of her hand, afraid that something might have shattered along with the brick that had split in two. After carefully examining it for a while, she exclaimed, "The brick was damaged and glued back together beforehand!"
"Of course, did you really think your Granny Wu had bones of steel?" Cook Wu laughed at her startled, cat-like expression.
"It's pure trickery and deceit," Shen Hui said helplessly.
"Vulgar! How is it trickery and deceit? This is called using your brain." Cook Wu explained vividly. "This trick is just a minor skill among those I've learned. The most impressive one is the trick of retrieving an iron chain from boiling oil. Besides that, I can also make heavenly scriptures appear on blank paper and command insects and ants to form auspicious phrases."
Shen Hui clasped her hands respectfully: "I humbly request your guidance, Auntie."
"Besides, I remember you wanted your younger sister to learn some basic martial arts from me to strengthen her body. I don't know much about fist or sword techniques, but I do know some staff techniques and can teach you both." Cook Wu extended her palm. "It's just that…"
"Ah Hui understands. Please accept this." Shen Hui had come prepared and handed over a small money pouch.
Since she still wanted to bring pan-fried buns to Liu'er and Qi'er, she only made a preliminary arrangement with Cook Wu and didn't immediately dive into the street-performing business.
"Liu'er, Qi'er, eat them while they're hot. There's broth inside, so take a small bite first and slowly sip the soup, or you'll burn your mouth." When she returned to the Beast House, the two young maidservants peeked out anxiously and quickly pulled Shen Hui inside. Seeing this, she knew something was up. "What's wrong?"
Qi'er opened the food box, but her eyes were fixed on Shen Hui, sparkling with excitement. "Sister, you're finally back, or you would've missed a good show."
"Before lunch, Xiao Li went to her birth mother and brought back two plates of meat to give to Granny Sun. But unexpectedly, Granny Sun flew into a rage, smashed the plates, and cursed Xiao Li's whole family for being ungrateful." Liu'er continued the explanation.
"Pah! A lowborn wretch gave birth to a lowborn girl. When I was in charge of purchases, your family would come to pay respects during festivals, and your mother would call me 'Sister Sun' or 'Granny Sun.' Now that I've fallen on hard times, you bring me leftover pork? Get out of here!" After explaining, Liu'er changed her expression, pretending to slap toward her face, imitating Granny Sun's shrewish demeanor.
Qi'er covered her face, whimpering and mimicking Xiao Li's sobs. "Godmother, I'm sorry. Since my sister-in-law gave birth, there's one more mouth to feed at home, and we can't make ends meet. These two plates of meat were something my mother couldn't bear to eat herself, and she specifically told me to bring them to you."
"Your eldest brother is a groom, your sister-in-law manages the gardens. Their combined monthly wages amount to over one tael of silver. Could it be that someone secretly went to the gambling den, making it impossible to support a child?" Liu'er stood with hands on hips, not missing a single word.
"Godmother, please don't make baseless accusations, wuwu…" Qi'er grew even more theatrical, covering her face with her sleeve, shoulders trembling.
Shen Hui couldn't bear to watch any longer. Holding two pairs of chopsticks, she skewered a shengjianbao with each and laughingly went to shut them up: "Enough, you two. You're truly masters of every skill—speaking, imitating, teasing, and singing—so mischievous. Staying in the Beast House is truly a waste of talent. You might as well go perform canjunxi."
Canjunxi is a type of variety show where one person plays the fool while another teases them. A few days ago, Shen Hui, having nothing better to do, had been taken by Cook Wu to the theater to watch it twice. It was quite amusing.
"If we go perform canjunxi, who will help Sister with her tasks?" Qi'er found the shengjianbao too hot, blowing on it with a hissing sound.
Liu'er chimed in harmoniously: "Exactly, exactly. Outside, there's no sister bringing us delicious food every day."
"Is Sister Ah Hui here?" Just as they were speaking, Xiao Li's voice was heard knocking at the door, her tone strained, clearly having just cried. "Sister… I heard you brought food back to the Beast House. Have you finished? I can help you return the food container."
"Thank you," Shen Hui sent Liu'er to welcome her in.
Liu'er wore an unpleasant expression: "Hurry up. Sister needs to practice calligraphy after eating and has no time for unrelated people."
However, recalling Aunt Duan's words, Shen Hui suppressed her impatience and put on a friendly, performative demeanor. "Liu'er, why must you be so harsh? Little Sister Xiao Li has already been bullied by Granny Sun. If we treat her poorly too, word will spread, making it seem like everyone in the Beast House is difficult to get along with."
She subtly winked at Liu'er.
Understanding her meaning, Liu'er pretended to be indignant, pulling Qi'er along as they left in a huff.
"It won't spread," Xiao Li timidly glanced at Liu'er. "Usually, Sister Liu'er treats me very well too. Sister, is Sister Liu'er angry with me?"
Shen Hui pursed her lips, feigning annoyance: "Hmph, that's just her temperament. Don't take it to heart."
Xiao Li nodded silently, her smile obedient, yet a shadow of something unclear flickered in her eyes.
The Double Ninth Festival was approaching, and the entire wangfu was filled with the pungent fragrance of zhuyu. In Ningyuan Residence, which rarely displayed potted flowers throughout the year, there were now rare clusters of vibrant blooms, brilliant as rosy clouds, adding a touch of vitality to the quiet, simple courtyard.
"Your humble consort pays respects to the Princess Consort." There was no rule in the rear courtyard of the mansion for morning and evening greetings. The Princess Consort of Chu only occasionally met with all the consorts and concubines on the morning of the fifteenth day of each month. If nothing was amiss, Consort Cui was too lazy to pay respects. Her visit to Ningyuan Residence now was truly a rare occurrence.
"Have you looked at the roster of noble ladies I sent Tian Nüshi to deliver? Who have you taken a liking to?" The Princess Consort of Chu did not deliberately assert her authority. Instead, she led her inside the curtained enclosure to speak, adopting a casual, familial tone. "Although marriage is decided by parental command and matchmaker's words, Second Prince has been raised under your care. As his foster mother, your opinion is as important as mine, his birth mother."
"Your humble consort dares not overstep." But Consort Cui, breaking precedent, respectfully bowed again. "However, regarding the background of a future daughter-in-law, I still wish to strengthen family ties through marriage."
"That's fine too. Whose daughter have you chosen?" The Princess Consort of Chu's gentle, amiable smile at the corner of her lips became slightly more genuine.
Consort Cui presented the roster: "She is the daughter of my paternal cousin. This cousin is the third son of my uncle, the Marquis of Xiping, and currently serves as the Sima of Shouzhou. His daughter is the same age as the Second Prince, excels in poetry and literature, has a gentle and graceful temperament, and shares common interests with the Second Prince. Moreover, she was not raised in Shouzhou but grew up under the care of my grandmother since childhood."
The Sima of Shouzhou holds the official rank of Fifth Rank. Given that he has just reached the age of thirty, his career can be considered smooth and promising.
"Your grandmother, Lady Lu, is the daughter of the late Emperor's own sister. She was cherished by the late Emperor in her youth. For the Second Prince to marry her great-granddaughter, who was raised under her guidance, is truly a blessing for him." With her objective achieved, the Princess Consort of Chu no longer continued to obstruct the matter.
Regarding this marriage, she had never truly intended for the Second Young Master to marry the daughter of Consort Cui's cousin, a minor official of the Seventh Rank. Releasing the news beforehand was merely a tactic to unsettle her.
The Princess Consort of Chu set down her teacup and took Consort Cui's hand, her gaze carrying a mix of reassurance and gratitude: "In that case, after the palace banquet for the Double Ninth Festival tomorrow, I will request Her Majesty the Empress to report the marriage to His Majesty the Emperor. Previously, Her Majesty the Empress had mentioned to me her hope that the household would arrange marriages for the children as soon as possible, so that joyous occasions might help dispel the lingering illness."