Shen Chu looked up. Across from her was a young man of eighteen or nineteen, with a fair complexion—pity about his pair of large nostrils.
At this moment, his nostrils were pointed skyward like two cannon muzzles, rather nauseating to look at.
“And this young master is…?”
The young man tilted his nostrils even higher and said with an air of pride, “I am Wang Yao, the Shizi of Changping Bo. Enough talk. Let me tell you, these pastries were made personally by my family’s chef—he was once an imperial chef in the palace. I am the Shizi of a Sanpin Bojuefu. You hold no official position now, so being offered a plate of pastries is an honor for you. No need to thank me too much.”
Shen Chu’s gaze traveled around his face, and suddenly she understood:
“Oh, so you’re the young master who lost the fight for the Flower Queen to the Sixth Prince, got chased all through the streets by him, lost his pants while running, and had his leg broken.”
Pfft.
Laughter erupted all around.
Wang Yao flushed red with fury.
Two months ago, he had been chased through the streets by Pei Yuan, and somehow his pants had come off in the process. In the moment he bent to pull them up, Pei Yuan had kicked and broken one of his legs. It had become the laughingstock of the entire capital.
He had hidden at home recovering for two months, and today was his first time out attending a banquet—who could have expected Shen Chu to bring up his humiliating incident right off the bat.
Utterly hateful.
Wang Yao slammed his hand down on the table. “You… you stop changing the subject. This Shizi is being kind today. How about this—you don’t need to explain the pastry’s origins. Apologize to me for your rudeness just now, and I’ll grant you the pastries.”
Shen Yan, seated nearby, patted Wang Yao. “Wang Yao, don’t make things hard for my eldest brother. Everyone here knows my eldest brother was raised in a Daoist temple since childhood. He’s eaten a vegetarian diet since he was little. I hear that before coming to the capital, he often followed his master farming on the mountain behind the temple.”
Shen Chu raised an eyebrow and looked at Shen Yan.
Shen Yan was looking at her too, his gaze full of undisguised contempt and mockery.
When he returned from the academy and heard about the trouble Shen Chu had stirred up at home, he’d been furious.
A concubine-born son raised in the countryside, wanting to lord it over the Changning Marquis’s residence, wanting to make a name for himself in the capital—ha! He should take a piss and look at his own reflection.
He had resolved to make Shen Chu lose face today.
Wang Yao nodded, smiling wickedly. “A-Yan, you’re right. We see these pastries every day, but I’m afraid they’re quite a rarity for your eldest brother.”
In truth, this was also his first time eating this Zhaoji Baoyuzhan. Abalone live in the sea, and transporting them to the capital was difficult, so this pastry was rarely available.
He had specially had his family’s chef make it today to show off here.
But that didn’t stop him from bragging.
Wang Yao said, “A person may have looks and some talent, but what good is that? That air of nobility and breadth of vision must be cultivated over time by family heritage and background. Someone raised in a rural Daoist temple—even if he gets incredibly lucky and becomes an official someday, puts on official robes, and looks the part—can’t hide that poor, shabby air in his bones.”
Low laughter rippled through the surroundings.
Shen Yan said quietly to Shen Qingshuang, “Just watch how your brother gets revenge for you.”
Shen Qingshuang pressed her handkerchief to her lips, a flash of satisfaction in her eyes.
Today Shen Chu must be made to leave in disgrace, so that afterward he would have to beg them to bring him to banquets of the noble families.
Shen Yan stepped forward, looking at Shen Chu with feigned concern. “Wang Yao’s words may not be pleasant, but they’re the truth. Elder Brother really hasn’t seen such exquisite pastries, has he?”
He pushed the pastry plate forward. “None of us will fight you for them today, Elder Brother. Eat your fill, then tell us how they taste.”
Once Shen Chu ate this pastry, by tomorrow all of the capital would be laughing at the story of how Shen Chu had never seen the world and was a boorish, ill-mannered country bumpkin.
Heh, a lowborn bastard thinking he could blend into their circle of nobles?
With His Majesty not coming, Shen Chu was already in low spirits and had no interest in dealing with Wang Yao. Watching him and Shen Yan go on endlessly, he grew rather annoyed.
“Have the two Shizis finished talking?”
Wang Yao was still mocking Shen Chu. “Come on, Little Zhuangyuan Shen, eat up! Today’s your chance to see the world. You’re the new Zhuangyuan, after all—never even seen or tasted a pastry. What a joke that would be if word got out.”
Shen Chu unhurriedly picked up a pastry from the table and said with a faint smile, “It’s true, I’ve never seen such an exquisite, such a precious pastry from the Imperial Kitchen.”
As soon as the words fell, laughter rippled around them.
Some of the young ladies who had admired Shen Chu’s talent and looks now showed traces of disappointment on their faces.
A man really ought to be worldly.
Wang Yao smiled, glancing instinctively at Shen Qingshuang.
He had long been infatuated with Shen Qingshuang. Seeing his beloved smile, he instantly felt he’d found a way to please her and prepared to keep mocking Shen Chu.
But Shen Chu turned the conversation. “It’s only that from childhood I studied loyalty in statecraft and wisdom in judging men, so naturally I can’t compare to the two Shizis, whose worldliness is all invested in pastries.”
Roars of laughter erupted around them.
Wang Yao was furious. “Even in eating, drinking, and merrymaking, we have the means for it. Heh, the pastries we grew up leaving over to feed the dogs—you’ve probably never even tasted those, have you? What use is all that book learning? Say whatever you like, you still can’t even recognize a pastry.”
Shen Yan frowned. “Elder Brother, we mean no harm. We only wanted you to have some pastries. Why do you speak of us this way?”
Shen Qingshuang also spoke in a gentle voice. “Elder Brother, this pastry is called Zhaoji Baoyuzhan. It’s made with abalone from the sea. Don’t be fooled by its small size—the ingredients are very rich: pine nuts, green peppers, radish, cucumber, sweet corn, plus diced abalone. It’s wonderfully fragrant and delicious. My brother genuinely wants you to eat something fine, Elder Brother. Please don’t misunderstand our intentions.”
Wang Yao flattered with a smile, “My, I’ve eaten this pastry so many times and never knew there was so much learning in it. Miss Shen truly knows her stuff—worthy of the name of talented lady, indeed.”
A faint smugness surfaced in Shen Qingshuang’s smiling eyes.
Wang Yao curled his lip. “Miss Shen, why waste so many words on him? Never mind the pastry—Little Zhuangyuan Shen has probably never even seen what an abalone looks like.”
Low laughter sounded around them.
“My, my, what a lively gathering. Have I disturbed you all?” A slightly shrill voice suddenly rang out.
Everyone turned to see a middle-aged man in a dark red eunuch’s uniform walking in.
Shen Qingshuang was the first to rise. “Eunuch Cai, what brings you here?”
The newcomer was a great favorite of the current emperor, Longqingdi—the Yuqian Zongguan, Cai Chong.
Cai Chong came forward carrying a wooden bucket and bowed. “Greetings to all the young masters and ladies. The tribute from Donghaiguo has arrived—all live creatures, no less. His Majesty found them quite novel and sent some over for Chengyang Da Zhang Gongzhu to nourish her health. The Da Zhang Gongzhu instructed this servant to bring them to Meiyuan first, so everyone could take a look at these rare treasures from Donghaiguo.”
He set the bucket on the ground, and everyone crowded around.
Shen Yan was the first to speak. “These black things, thumb-sized—those should be sea cucumbers, right?”
Shen Qingshuang nodded. “Correct, they are sea cucumbers, just smaller than the ones we usually eat.”
Wang Yao looked them over. “What about that dark greenish-brown thing over there? I wonder what it is. Miss Shen has read so many books and is so knowledgeable—do you know what this is?”
Shen Qingshuang’s expression stiffened slightly. She didn’t recognize it either.
“This… this creature has a hard shell, with spots on it. Qingshuang has read in books that the most precious thing in the sea is the black-spotted cod. Perhaps this is…”
Pfft.
Shen Chu couldn’t hold back and burst out laughing.
Shen Qingshuang couldn’t keep up the act, her face flushing red. “Big Brother should know what this is. Why don’t you tell everyone about it?”
All eyes turned to Shen Chu.
Shen Chu glanced into the bucket and smiled faintly. “Mm, I believe I’ve seen one before.”
Wang Yao roared with laughter, his face full of scorn. “Shen Chu, you really can brag without even blinking. These are creatures from the sea—how could you possibly recognize them?”
Shen Yan looked disgusted. “Big Brother, don’t puff yourself up just to save face. If you get it wrong later, you’ll only embarrass yourself more.”
Shen Chu lifted her chin slightly, deliberately putting on an arrogant air. “If I can really name this creature and describe its habitat, you two will apologize to me for your rudeness just now.”
Wang Yao blurted out, “If you can actually do it, the two of us will drink every last drop of water in this bucket.”