"To be honest, young lady, after receiving your drawing, I was pondering the meaning of this thing. I didn't expect it to be something children could play with. Do you think we could make and sell this here? All the items you order from now on will be half price. Consider this my initial donation to you." With that, he handed over a deposit of two taels of silver.
As expected, no one gets up early without a reason.
Mo Xi didn't mince words, insisting that he would only agree if he received a processing fee. This made Maitreya Buddha's face turn sour.
"Grandma, please have mercy. We're just a small business, we don't make much money off you."
"Shopkeeper, I heard you're hiring chefs here? That must mean your business is booming and you're too busy to handle everything. And yet you're complaining to me about being poor."
"To be honest, young lady, two of our experienced craftsmen went back to their hometowns last month, and we're short-handed. We can't find replacements anytime soon, and I'm really worried." He said, his forehead actually breaking out in a sweat. Mo Xi found it strange; could a person's sweat glands really cooperate with acting?
Over time, they became acquainted. The shopkeeper was tight-lipped, but he was also willing to say a few honest words.
"Actually, I don't dare to come here. I heard that a couple of days ago, a poor guy was killed as soon as he left this shop." This rumor has been around for many versions by now, and Mo Xi picked the least gory one.
“Girl, this isn’t our fault. He only got into trouble after he left the shop. We’ve never had any problems here before.”
Mo Xi probed indirectly again, finding the shopkeeper to be very slippery, his mouth as tight as a clam shell.
Mo Xi didn't dare to leave too many traces, nor did she ask too many questions.
Regardless, the trip was worthwhile. Mo Xi was satisfied and secretly pondered Tang Si's matter.
The Four Young Masters of Tang Clan
( ) Mo Xi had been carrying that plain red maple oil-paper umbrella for the past few days, waiting at the boat rental dock at dusk. This dock was like a modern yacht club; even the private pleasure boats were mostly moored in one corner, maintained and cared for by dedicated staff. Unfortunately, she longed for him every day but could not see him. However, this also put her at ease; that rainy night was indeed a coincidence.
A few days ago, Mo Xi made another trip to the branch hall, specifically searching through old documents for any scattered bits of information about this Tang Clan's Four Young Masters, a task that left him quite dusty. Being an assassin isn't as simple and brutal as acting as a gangster, wielding a watermelon knife and hacking and slashing in the street. Records about this genius of concealed weapons are scarce; the few words that come to mind are that he lives a secluded life and is taciturn. However, there is one sentence: "A chronic cough, weak heart and lungs." The medicinal scent on the boat that day clearly had the aroma of fritillaria cirrhosa. Only then did Mo Xi decide to give it a try.
On this day, most of the painted boats and small boats had already sailed away from the shore. Mo Xi, filled with deep longing for Tang Si Shao, slowly walked towards Jushui Pavilion, holding the umbrella handle in her hand.
The restaurant is named Jushui Pavilion because it draws upon a mountain spring that flows around the entire establishment. Here, ordering and serving food are done without waiters. The flowing water creates a natural cycle, with all kinds of dishes carried on individual wooden carved boats, delivered to private rooms via waterways. Guests simply open the window to retrieve their food. Ordering is done in the same way; menus and writing materials are provided on a table. Guests write their desired dishes on slips of paper, then take a small boat from the table, place it on the water, and the food is delivered to them.
Therefore, Jushui Pavilion has no main hall, only private rooms. The private rooms are named with single characters: "Plum," "Orchid," "Bamboo," "Chrysanthemum," "Spring," "Summer," "Autumn," "Winter," "Wind," "Frost," "Rain," and "Snow." The entire pavilion has only twelve rooms, and they are always fully booked.
Mo Xi only wanted a bowl of boiled seafood, but unfortunately all the private rooms were full except for one with the character "Lan". However, the guest in the "Lan" room had made a reservation but had not shown up after half an hour. Mo Xi was a regular customer here, so the waiter naturally recognized her. He figured the guest wouldn't come, and not wanting to offend a regular customer, especially one who had given him money, he invited her with a smile.
Mo Xi had just sat down, taken a sip of Tieguanyin tea, and was about to pick up her pen to order when the waiter led in three people. Leading them was a handsome young servant, followed by a girl in a green dress pushing a wooden wheelchair with a young man sitting in it. The girl saw Mo Xi and exclaimed in surprise, then noticed the oil-paper umbrella beside her and smiled, "Miss, could you possibly be some kind of fortune teller, waiting here to return the umbrella?"
Mo Xi smiled faintly, "Life is full of unexpected encounters. I haven't had a chance to repay your kindness in sheltering me from the rain that day, and now you've taken my place. I'm truly ashamed. If you don't mind, please sit with me." It was truly a case of searching high and low without finding it.
Little did she know what Tang Huan was thinking. Since no one in the Tang Clan had ever dared to accompany her, this was the first time someone had invited her to dine with them, and she found it quite interesting.
The waiter, who had expected a difficult situation, was relieved to see that they knew each other and quickly said, "That's perfect, esteemed guests. I won't disturb your enjoyment any longer." He then scurried away. The others present couldn't help but chuckle, and the atmosphere instantly became more harmonious.
The girl in the green shirt looked at the man in the wheelchair, waiting for his instructions.
Mo Xi followed her gaze, and her heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, a sentence popped into her head: "The lotus-like beauty is so celestial that even immortals dare not look upon it, for fear that a single thought would lead them to the mortal realm."
Oh dear, this is a veritable monster of the modern world! It would be a pity to kill him, but what can be done?
Even the finest jade trees and fragrant orchids could not adequately describe even a fraction of the appearance of the person before me.
The man smiled, his lips curving slightly, his eyes bright and clear, his smile as radiant as the moon. He said, "I hope you don't find my advances too presumptuous, young lady." His voice was like a tranquil spring, both clear and magnetic.
Mo Xi shook her head and smiled faintly as she invited him.
The handsome young servant then helped him to a seat. Surprisingly, his smile remained unchanged, showing no embarrassment or shame in front of Mo Xi, a complete stranger.
"I've lived in Sichuan for a long time and have no knowledge of the cuisine of Jiangnan. Please don't be so formal, young lady. Why don't you offer me some advice?" Mo Xi knew he wasn't entirely being polite. The menus here weren't like those in modern times, with their pictures and descriptions. The names were all so elaborate and confusing; who knew what they were? And there wasn't even a waiter to explain. Back in modern times, she'd be completely lost looking at Chinese menus, but at least with English menus, she knew some of the ingredients.
The person she had been longing for was now right before her eyes. Mo Xi was in high spirits and, without any ceremony, picked up her brush and ink, and in one stroke wrote: "Salted duck, stewed lotus root, stewed raw fish, stir-fried turtle, clove ribs, clear stewed chicken, Nanjing scallops, lotus root crucian carp, chrysanthemum leaf jade tablet." She called out the names as she wrote, her voice clear and resonant. In her heart, however, she was seething with resentment. Eating with someone who seemed to be Tang Si, risking her life—how could she not make him bleed a little?
Tang Huan saw that she held the pen skillfully and gracefully, and was about to praise her handwriting, but then she noticed that the characters were crooked and the strokes were weak, so she really couldn't compliment her. She also saw that she could order food with such arrogance, and couldn't help but laugh.
His smile was truly like a rare flower in its first bloom, radiant and magnificent. Seeing Mo Xi's composed demeanor, showing no sign of being swayed by her young master's good looks, the girl in the green dress felt even more favorably disposed towards him.
Tang Huan took the bamboo skewer and said gently, "Between salted duck and soft-shelled turtle, which do you prefer, young lady?"
Mo Xi asked curiously, "Could it be a clash?"
"Both of these are cold in nature, and it may not taste good if they are eaten together."
Mo Xi nodded, then said regretfully, "Then let's keep the turtle." She felt even more certain of his identity; no wonder he grew up on nourishing foods.
Tang Huan found her resolute act of cutting off her own arm even more amusing, so she crossed out the salted duck and handed it back to Mo Xi.
Mo Xi would take a dish and then talk at length about its preparation and origin. The servant and the girl in the green dress also took their seats, but since they were master and servant, only Mo Xi and Tang Huan were chatting happily at the table. The girl in the green dress was lively and would occasionally chime in.
"This chrysanthemum leaf jade tablet is made of chrysanthemum leaves, fresh bamboo shoots, and cooked ham. What about the stewed raw ham?" Tang Huan asked with a smile.
"The stewing and pounding method involves killing the eel alive, removing its bones, and then pounding its back with a wooden stick to loosen its spine and tenderize its flesh. After that, it is deep-fried and then stewed, hence the name." It is tender, flavorful, and rich in aroma, which Mo Xi loves.
When half of the dishes had been served, Tang Huan had already signaled to the waiter to go out and settle the bill. Mo Xi naturally saw this, so when the meal ended, he didn't pretend to invite her, but instead happily thanked her.
But as soon as they stepped out of Jushui Pavilion, they found themselves in the midst of a drizzling autumn rain. The umbrella was now in a terrible state, and Mo Xi secretly praised the heavens for their kindness.
"Why don't you wait a moment, young lady, and I'll escort you for a while?"
A carriage emerged from behind the restaurant and soon arrived. Mo Xi gladly complied.
They escorted him to a narrow alley where the carriage couldn't proceed. After the servant lowered the footstool, Mo Xi quietly stepped down from the carriage. With a flick of his right wrist, the umbrella unfolded like a crimson leaf in the autumn rain. He bowed again and left.
“This young lady is quite a coincidence with us, and she’s also very interesting,” the girl in the green dress chuckled.
"There's something even more interesting tonight, but unfortunately we won't be able to see it." Tang Huan waited until the patch of crimson disappeared into a rain-soaked path before instructing the carriage to proceed.
Wedding night
( ) Today, Tangjiabao is decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and red silk is laid on the ground. The marriage of the eldest son of the Tang family to the eldest daughter of the Yuejian Sect is not only a great event for Tangli, but also a blessing for the entire Tang Sect.
In terms of status in the martial arts world, although the Tang Clan is a regional hegemon, the Yuejian Clan has enjoyed a high reputation for hundreds of years and is a top-tier existence comparable to Shaolin and Wudang. The Yuejian Clan's highest internal sword technique, "Yue Ren Sword," is an unparalleled martial art. However, it has extremely high requirements for the aptitude of the practitioner, and in the past hundred years, not a single disciple has been able to cultivate it to the point of perfect harmony between man and sword.