BFDNS 050

Chapter 50: Going to the Teahouse

As soon as Xu Yi left, Ah Xu and Ah Jin stood in the kitchen, staring at the several extra pieces of dried meat. Their small faces looked at each other, not knowing where to start.

After staring at the dried meat for a while, Ah Jin swallowed her saliva. These days she had eaten a lot of meat, but seeing so much meat, she still instinctively felt greedy. She asked Ah Xu, “Brother, how do we cook this meat?”

Ah Xu said somewhat worriedly, “Master told us to figure it out ourselves, saying as long as it goes well with rice.”

Ah Jin blinked and said with childish innocence, “But brother and I don’t know how to make delicious food. Before, we could only tend the fire to cook wild vegetable porridge and steam rice. Mother said even dogs wouldn’t eat the food we made.”

Ah Xu fell silent.

A trace of barely perceptible sadness flashed through his eyes. Ah Jin was still young and didn’t understand what those words meant, but he did.

Not letting them touch more food was because they feared they would steal and eat it.

Only after a moment of silence did Ah Xu say, “Don’t mention those words again in the future.”

Ah Jin lowered her head, not quite understanding, yet vaguely knowing something. She said softly, “Brother, Mother and Father don’t want us anymore. Now, only sir wants us. I know that.”

She would be obedient and well-behaved and wouldn’t make sir angry. That way she could always stay by the master’s side and have food and meat to eat.

Ah Xu: “Mm.”

Ah Jin said again, “Then has brother thought of how to cook it? This meat looks so dry and hard. How should we cook it to make it delicious?”

Ah Xu scratched his head. “How about…”

Ah Jin suddenly said, “How about we go find Madam He! Madam He knows how to make delicious food. She’ll definitely know how to make this dried meat taste good.”

…

Ah Xu and Ah Jin, carrying the rabbit dried meat, went to knock on the He family’s courtyard gate.

After a moment, a young man came out to open the door. Seeing two little children, He Linqiu asked in confusion, “Who are you? Who are you looking for?”

Seeing it was someone else who opened the door, Ah Xu was first somewhat at a loss, but thinking that he was now the master’s person, he absolutely could not embarrass the master when out.

He performed a servant’s bow, his clear child’s voice saying, “I am Ah Xu, here to see Madam He.”

Beside him, Ah Jin softly spoke up, “I am Ah Jin.”

After hearing this, He Linqiu was even more confused. Who were these two children? How come he had never heard his mother mention knowing children this young? When he came home on break, it seemed many things had changed, but he didn’t know where to begin.

At this moment, Madam He came out from inside the house. Seeing Ah Xu and Ah Jin, she walked over happily, saying, “Ah Xu, Ah Jin, how did you have time to come over? Come, come, come to me. It’s hot outside. Qiu’er, go pour two cups of water, and from the jar in the left cabinet, scoop out two spoonfuls of honey to put in. Don’t be stingy.”

He Linqiu: “…”

He stood there dumbly watching his mother pull the two children inside, one hand holding each. He couldn’t understand, but still followed his mother’s instructions and poured two cups of honey water to bring in.

After entering, he didn’t leave, planning to see what this was all about.

The two little children received the honey water and obediently said, “Thank you, Brother Qiu.”

He Linqiu’s lips twitched slightly. “You’re welcome.”

Madam He told Ah Xu and Ah Jin not to be polite, saying that since they had come to her home, what was a cup of sugar water? Then she caringly asked how they came over and whether they had encountered a difficult problem.

Getting to the main point, Ah Xu as the elder brother stepped forward first and said, “We have something to trouble Madam He with. Yesterday,our master brought this dried meat back from outside. We don’t know how to cook it well, so we came to ask Madam He to help us.”

With one look, Madam He could tell this was rabbit dried meat.

The dried meat looked to weigh over a jin. Smelling it, it wasn’t gamey or strong. It had been marinated with a small amount of spices before being dried, with a light fragrance of spices and meat.

Madam He said, “This dried meat is well-made. Where did your master get it?”

Ah Xu said, “He treated a patient, and the patient gave it to master.”

Patient? master?

Beside them, He Linqiu heard the key parts and couldn’t help but speak up, “Is your master Xu Yi?”

Ah Jin’s eyes brightened as she said, “Does Brother Qiu know our master?”

He Linqiu: “…” How could he not know him! No wait, when did Xu Yi’s household gain two children?

“Mother, what’s going on?”

Only then did Madam He remember she hadn’t told Qiu’er about this yet.

Madam He smiled and said, “I forgot to tell you. Ah Xu and young Ah Jin were bought by Brother Yi from a broker. They’re good children, and they’re actually siblings. Now they’re both living at the Xu house.”

Hearing it was like this, He Linqiu thought inwardly that this was indeed something Xu Yi would do.

First picking up a puppy, and now even bringing people home.

“Ah Xu is a sensible child. I can see he’s good material. I don’t know which heartless family was so cruel as to do such inhuman things.” As Madam He spoke, she raised her hand to pat Ah Jin’s head. “Ah Jin is so well-behaved, and so clever-looking. When she grows up, she’ll definitely be a beautiful girl. Everyone will like her.”

She hadn’t given birth to a daughter, so seeing Ah Jin, she immediately took a liking to her.

Moreover, this child was so well-behaved. These past few days, hearing the two of them reciting their lessons in the house, she had praised them several times.

Hearing his mother say this, He Linqiu chimed in, “Brother Yi is even teaching them to read? Looking at what these two are wearing, it’s not the clothing of lowly servants. What are Brother Yi’s intentions? Do you know, Mother?”

Madam He said she didn’t know, but also said Xu Yi was kind-hearted, so if he did this, naturally he had his reasons.

He Linqiu said nothing more at this, but inwardly felt somewhat envious of these two little children.

He hadn’t encountered a good master’s household. Apart from the monthly wages he received, he got no other benefits. He Linqiu knew of a wealthy family where the servants, pages, and the women servants and matrons in the back quarters all received two sets of clothes every year. One thin set and one thick set. Such good fortune had never fallen to him.

While he was lost in random thoughts here, on the other side Madam He was already chatting with Ah Xu and Ah Jin about how to cook the rabbit dried meat deliciously.

Madam He hadn’t made this rabbit dried meat before, but she had made other dried meats.

She told Ah Xu to soak the rabbit dried meat in water. When it could be torn apart by hand, he should fish it out, wash it clean, tear it into pieces, then use a jar to braise it until soft. The taste would definitely be good.

Ah Jin’s mouth was watering as she listened. Swallowing her saliva, she asked, “Madam He, what seasonings should we use to braise it?”

Madam He asked, “Do you have scallions, ginger, flower wine, Sichuan pepper, zanthoxylum, star anise, and cinnamon at home?”

Ah Xu said, “We only have ginger and scallions. We don’t have any of the others.”

Madam He paused.

How could they have no seasonings at all?

She asked if Ah Xu had any copper coins to go to the spice shop and buy some to keep at home, so that in the future when braising or cooking meat, it would taste good.

Ah Xu nodded, saying the master had given him money to manage, but he just didn’t know where the spice shop was. He didn’t know the way.

Madam He said, “Qiu’er knows. Just have him take you there.”

After speaking, she had He Linqiu take Ah Xu to recognize the way to the spice shop.

He Linqiu said nothing more and told Ah Xu to follow him out.

So Ah Jin returned home first to soak the rabbit dried meat in water, while Ah Xu left with He Linqiu.

The two didn’t go to buy from the spice shop on South Street. He Linqiu said that although South Street was where poor families lived, the shopkeepers there were very shrewd. The things they sold weren’t cheap, and they were prone to passing off inferior goods as quality items.

He Linqiu said, “I know a spice shop. Their prices are the best deal in the county, and if you buy a lot, they’ll even give you some extra.”

Ah Xu tightly clutched the money pouch in his sleeve pocket, saying softly, “I don’t have that much money.”

Every five days, the master gave him one hundred fifty wen to spend as he wished, but each time he was reluctant to spend much, afraid of spending money carelessly and wanting to save for the master.

But even just buying food cost over twenty wen each day. The money he had saved was only a few dozen wen.

Now, the money pouch he had brought out contained about a hundred copper coins.

He Linqiu said, “It won’t cost more than a few dozen wen.”

After speaking, he paused and asked, “You have a few dozen wen on you, right?”

Ah Xu nodded.

He Linqiu said, “How much exactly?”

Ah Xu looked at him, thought for a moment, then said, “I have eighty wen.” He had understated by more than ten wen.

He Linqiu: “…” That’s more money than he could manage!

For a moment, the two said nothing more.

He Linqiu didn’t know what to say to a little child, and Ah Xu himself wasn’t talkative. In front of Xu Yi and his sister, he might talk a bit more, but facing He Linqiu… they had only just met today.

Walking along, they arrived at the spice shop He Linqiu had mentioned.

As soon as they stepped inside, they heard a familiar voice saying, “Shopkeeper, I’m buying so much musk and cinnamon, can you give me a discount?”

The two immediately looked over in unison and saw Xu Yi dressed in a long robe, standing straight as a pine among the crowd.

When he said this, he paid no mind to others’ scrutiny, his gaze only on the shopkeeper at the counter.

The shopkeeper said with mixed feelings, “Young master, what you’re saying… this musk isn’t an ordinary item. How can I just give a discount? Besides, you’re not buying that much.”

Xu Yi raised his eyebrows. “It’s several taels.”

The shopkeeper smiled, as if stating an ordinary matter. “Young master doesn’t know, but this musk is quality goods. Though our county is small, there are many wealthy and noble people. Plenty buy this musk to go back and make incense. Your few taels is not considered much.”

He continued, “It’s not that I’m unwilling to give you a discount. How about this, I can’t discount the musk, but I’ll charge you twelve wen less for the cinnamon. I can’t do more than that.”

After hearing this, Xu Yi knew this was the shopkeeper’s bottom line and didn’t continue to haggle.

He was about to take out his money pouch when two sets of footsteps came from behind. He seemed to sense something and turned around.

“master!”

“Brother Yi.”

Two voices rang out together: Ah Xu and He Linqiu.

Seeing the two of them appear together before him, Xu Yi only moved his eyebrows slightly and asked, “What brings you here?”

He Linqiu said, “Ah Xu wanted to buy spices, so my mother had me show him the way. I didn’t expect to see Brother Yi here. What are you buying?”

Xu Yi said he came to buy some spices used for making medicine.

Musk could not only be used to make incense, it was also a medicinal ingredient. The reason he came to the spice shop to buy it was that the musk sold at this spice shop was cheaper than at medical halls that had gone through several middlemen.

He asked Ah Xu what spices he wanted to buy.

Ah Xu recited to Xu Yi the several kinds of spices Madam He had told him about. After listening, Xu Yi understood these spices were to be bought back to cook meat dishes.

A moment later, the three of them emerged from the spice shop.

Seeing it was still early, Xu Yi asked He Linqiu, “Want to go eat some osmanthus wine-fermented dumplings?”

After Limit of Heat came White Dew (solar term). Now it was only a few days until White Dew, when the early osmanthus flowers bloomed. At this time, eating a bowl of warm fresh osmanthus wine-fermented dumplings was undoubtedly an enjoyable thing.

He didn’t give He Linqiu and Ah Xu a chance to refuse, directly taking them to find a nearby teahouse.

This teahouse was quite large, with two floors. Upon entering, one could see exquisite furnishings inside. The beams and round pillars were all carved with birds, flowers, and fragrance. The great hall had screens painted with chrysanthemum, bamboo, orchid, and plum. Above were highly secluded private rooms, while below were small rooms separated by bamboo curtains, vaguely visible.

When Xu Yi brought people in, a hall attendant came over to receive the three of them.

“Honored guests, please come in. Will you sit in the great hall or enter a small room?”

Xu Yi said, “The great hall is fine.”

The hall attendant’s smile didn’t diminish as he said, “Very well. Please follow me, honored guests.”

Seeing that among the three who entered, one was too young and one was dressed ordinarily, only the youth standing in the middle was eye-catching, handsome in appearance. Though the fabric of his clothing wasn’t particularly fine, only scholars could afford to wear such things.

The hall attendant centered on Xu Yi and asked what food they would like.

They had come to eat osmanthus wine-fermented dumplings, so that’s what they ordered.

The hall attendant was somewhat surprised hearing they would only eat this sweet soup, but still asked again as a matter of routine.

Xu Yi had never been to such an upscale teahouse. Seeing this, he asked, “What signature dishes do you have?”

The hall attendant smiled and said, “Our shop has endless delicious food. If you’re asking about signature dishes, that would be fresh braised peony beef slices. This beef is all freshly slaughtered that very day. You won’t find it anywhere else.

Then there’s dried bamboo shoot and old duck casserole. We select only ducks over a year old. It’s stewed until not a trace of oil can be seen, yet it’s extremely fresh and sweet. There’s also roast duck, candied lotus root, and roasted broccoli. These are all signature dishes of our teahouse.

If the honored guest wants something refreshing and cooling, we also have iced fruit and ice cream.

This ice cream is unique to our county. Our master specifically went to Bianjing to obtain the recipe. If the honored guest wants to eat it, you’ll need to send a servant early tomorrow morning to queue up for it. If you come late, you won’t get any.”

Hearing him say so much, Xu Yi could estimate what level this teahouse was at.

Especially being able to procure fresh beef, that was quite rare. And what he called “roasted broccoli” was actually roasted Western broccoli.

Western broccoli was brought from Burma during the Tang Dynasty’s Zhenguan era. By the Song Dynasty, many ways of eating it had appeared. The names were simple, it’s just called “green flower vegetable” or “cauliflower,” with “Western broccoli” as a later name.

Hearing there was this dish, Xu Yi had him bring one serving, plus two takeaway portions, as well as the osmanthus wine-fermented dumplings.

As for the “ice cream” the hall attendant mentioned, they couldn’t eat it today.

Speaking of this thing, it was like the ice cream eaten in modern times. The base was made with milk, rock sugar, and ice, with various delicious toppings added on top.

He Linqiu and Ah Xu both listened wide-eyed. They had never heard of or eaten many of these things.

After Xu Yi finished ordering, he said to them, “If you want to eat ice cream, we need to come earlier tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll have Ah Xu come queue up to buy some.”

He Linqiu quickly shook his head. “Brother Yi, I won’t eat it.”

Ah Xu nodded, saying, “If the master wants to eat it, I’ll come queue tomorrow. Don’t mention anything else.”

The hall attendant had said “ice cream” was scarce, so it must be sold at a high price. How could he eat it?

Xu Yi said indifferently, “It’s not that expensive.”

If possible, he could buy fresh milk back and make it himself directly. He just didn’t know what the difference in taste would be compared to what the teahouse sold.

If he had time, he would make a trip to the countryside to see if he could find a family that raised dairy cows and buy some from them to try for himself.

Soon, the hall attendant brought up the osmanthus wine-fermented dumplings and roasted broccoli they had ordered.

Xu Yi had been thinking about the wine-fermented dumplings. Seeing them brought up, he couldn’t wait to taste them.

The porcelain bowl the teahouse used to serve the sweet soup was painted with elegant sky-blue misty orchids, like a touch of foggy blue dotted by literati and poets on a quiet rainy day. The roasted broccoli used a pure white porcelain plate, which instead made the roasted Western broccoli on top appear even more appetizing.

Wine-fermented dumplings were sold in the marketplace, but they weren’t made this exquisitely. Each one looked uniformly round, like pearls soaking in water. And these dumplings weren’t ordinary either. Besides white, there were also pink and yellow ones.

According to the hall attendant’s explanation, the pink and yellow colors were dyed using the colors of food ingredients. As for which ingredients were used, the hall attendant smiled mysteriously and kept it secret.

Looking at such food, both He Linqiu and Ah Xu clicked their tongues slightly, not daring to use their chopsticks casually.

Only after Xu Yi reminded them twice did they pick up their spoons and eat the dumplings in their bowls in small bites.

That emerald green and lovely roasted Western broccoli, neither of them touched it.

Having no choice, Xu Yi used his chopsticks to place some on the small plates in front of them, telling them to eat more.

Western broccoli had high nutritional value. If he could buy it, Xu Yi would want to buy some from the marketplace to stir-fry himself at home.

…

After eating, Xu Yi called the hall attendant over to settle the bill.

The hall attendant said with a smile, “Honored guest, these two dishes you ordered, plus two takeaway portions, come to a total of one qian and twenty wen in silver.”

“Clang—”

The spoon in He Linqiu’s hand fell.

He hurriedly checked whether the plate and spoon had been damaged. Seeing they weren’t, he breathed a sigh of relief inwardly, then immediately tensed up again.

One hundred twenty wen!!!

These were just a few vegetable dishes. How could they be so expensive!

Seeing He Linqiu’s surprise, the hall attendant explained, “This honored guest doesn’t know but the broccoli in our shop is specially supplied from the prefecture capital. Ordinary families can’t eat it. Look at how exquisitely these wine-fermented dumplings are made? The flavor is so good. How can they be compared to those few-wen ones in the marketplace?”

He Linqiu’s breathing hitched. “…”

Xu Yi’s gaze signaled him to remain calm. This price was within his acceptable range. When he treated people to food, he used to not even consider the price. And now… naturally he didn’t need to consider it either.

After all, he didn’t often come to eat at these top-tier establishments. At ordinary teahouses and restaurants, a meal could be settled for twenty or thirty wen.

“Doctor Xu?!”

Suddenly, a call came from in front of him. Xu Yi looked up and saw Tao Qinghao entering with two young servants.

Tao Qinghao was very surprised to see Xu Yi eating at his family’s teahouse.

In his view, Xu Yi was upright and empty-handed, a poor but noble person worthy of respect.

Moreover, the food his family’s teahouse sold wasn’t cheap. An ordinary cup of beverage could sell for twenty wen.

Although Tao Qinghao hadn’t yet taken over his family’s teahouse, his father intended to cultivate him, having this young master come check the account books every month. He also loved to visit the marketplace food stalls and wasn’t one of those dandies who knew nothing.

Xu Yi narrowed his eyes slightly and asked, “This is your family’s teahouse?”

Tao Qinghao said, “Indeed it is. Of the famous teahouses and restaurants in the county, my family owns three.” As he spoke, he slapped his elegant fan and said with displeasure, “If you came to the teahouse to eat, why didn’t you tell me first? Then I could treat you for once.”

Xu Yi smiled. “I just entered a teahouse at random. I didn’t know it was yours.”

Tao Qinghao was delighted, saying, “Now you know, right? So let me treat you to this meal, to thank you for treating me to that Mint Loquat Drink last time.”

Although the weather was gradually cooling, people in the county feared heat and still loved those cold beverages.

He still couldn’t forget the Mint Loquat Drink Xu Yi had made. Looking at Xu Yi like this, his mouth unconsciously began to water.

“Do you still have that candied loquat?” Tao Qinghao couldn’t help but ask.

Xu Yi said, “I still have some. Do you want to eat it?”

Tao Qinghao waved his hand, saying, “I can’t always take advantage of you. You should keep that beverage recipe well. Don’t be like before, casually telling others about it. If you ask me, that’s your only flaw. You’re lucky that Xin… is carefree. If it were someone else, they would have long had ulterior motives and stolen your recipe.”

Xu Yi smiled faintly without speaking.

He would only be generous in front of people he approved of.

Tao Qinghao wanted to treat him, and he didn’t refuse. In friendships, there must be give and take for them to last longer.

After bidding farewell to Tao Qinghao, Xu Yi took He Linqiu and Ah Xu back home carrying the food.

On the way back, He Linqiu was curious about how Xu Yi knew the young master of the teahouse. He had seen this person once from afar before. His master had been invited to attend a certain banquet, and he as an errand boy went along to attend and saw him. He remembered that day, this person stood among a group of nobly dressed young masters, his expression unrestrained, talking and laughing freely.

For such a noble person to be so casual in front of Xu Yi, and looking at Xu Yi, he seemed accustomed to it.

When had the gap between him and Xu Yi grown to such a great distance?

He Linqiu was preoccupied. When they reached outside the Xu house, Xu Yi took out one portion from the food he had brought back and handed it to him, saying to take it back to Madam He. He stood dazed for a long while.

“Is Brother Qiu feeling unwell somewhere?” Seeing his expression was off, Xu Yi asked gently.

He Linqiu quickly shook his head, saying he had just zoned out.

Xu Yi looked at him. “Mm.”

…

Hearing sounds, Ah Jin opened the door for them.

Seeing her brother had returned with Xu Yi, she was very happy.

She told Xu Yi that the rabbit dried meat had already been soaked until it could be torn apart, then asked Ah Xu if he had bought the spices back.

“I bought them back.” Ah Xu replied to her, then said, “The master also took us to eat delicious food, and didn’t forget you either. He brought you a portion too.”

Ah Jin’s eyes were bright and sparkling. Lifting the box of food, she bent down and called out loudly, “Thank you, sir!”

Her voice was loud and crisp.

Xu Yi: “…” An internal sense of embarrassment arose spontaneously.

By rights, Xu Yi should have been accustomed to others calling him “sir.” Outside, when people called someone “sir” it was an honorific. At home, it was how servants addressed the master.

The meaning was different.

Because of this difference, Xu Yi occasionally was still unaccustomed to having such small children call him this way, especially calling out loudly.

Xu Yi thought for a moment and said with a smile, “A bit quieter. Don’t let others know.”

Ah Jin didn’t understand. “Why, sir?”

Xu Yi: “You’ll know in the future.”

While Ah Jin was still young, he could fool her a bit. When she grew up, he probably wouldn’t be able to fool her anymore. (tl: the “sir” they use is also used when referring to one’s husband.)

In the evening, the Xu household’s evening meal was stewed rabbit meat strips in a clay pot.

Knowing that Xu Yi loved eating some spice, Ah Xu first stir-fried the zanthoxylum and Sichuan pepper in lard until fragrant, then added ginger slices and scallion segments, bringing out all the spice flavors.

After the fragrance came out, he could add the soaked rabbit meat, stir-fry it a few times, then toss in other spices, add well water to cover the meat, and braise it over low heat until the liquid reduced. Then it could be eaten.

With one taste, Xu Yi discovered that Ah Xu’s cooking skills were actually better than his own. He couldn’t help but feel delighted inwardly.

So he decided to put Ah Xu in charge of kitchen work from now on.

The surprises continued. After the evening meal ended, Xu Yi was strolling in the courtyard to aid digestion. When returning to his room, he saw Ah Jin sitting in front of the oil lamp.

In her hands was Xu Yi’s washed clothing. Yesterday in the mountains, he had accidentally caught his sleeve on a tree branch, tearing it open.

Ah Jin was holding needle and thread, mending that torn opening. Her manner of holding the needle was serious. With each stitch and pull, the tear of several centimeters gradually disappeared before his eyes.

Xu Yi: “…”

Had he rescued two treasures?

Why was it that one was ten years old, one was eight years old, yet both had life skills better than his?