extravagante

Capítulo 26

Chapter Sixty-Two

Upon hearing the eunuch's words, Gu Zao remained unfazed, but Fang Shi, Madam Shen, and their entourage behind her were stunned. Fang Shi reacted quickly, pulling Gu Zao aside and urgently asking, "Second Sister, when did you become involved with that person in the palace? Why did you keep it from me so tightly? And what is it we're talking about? Have you gotten into some trouble?"

Seeing Fang's strange, bared-toothed expression, Gu Zao knew she was worried about him, but he couldn't explain it to her right away, so he lowered his voice and said, "Mother, look at that eunuch. He was smiling when he spoke to me. If he were to order me to be beheaded, would he need to smile? Mother, just stay home and don't go out and talk nonsense."

Hearing Gu Zao say this, and seeing that the eunuch was indeed very amiable, Fang felt much relieved. Then she thought that her daughter was acquainted with the current Empress Dowager, and if she could cultivate a relationship with her in the future, she would be overjoyed.

Gu Zao knew what her mother was thinking. When she turned around and saw the eunuch still standing there waiting, she simply told her to stay home and not worry. Seeing that the eunuch nodded happily, she said goodbye to her third sister, Madam Shen, and the others, and then went out with the eunuch.

Gu Zao boarded the carriage bearing the imperial seal and, amidst the various discussions among the people on Horse Street, headed towards the palace.

The carriage arrived at Xuande Tower, the main gate of the palace, turned around, and continued north along the palace wall for a while before entering the palace through Gongchen Gate.

Gu Zao had heard early on that during the reign of Emperor Zhenzong, the emperor felt the palace was too small and intended to expand it. However, the common people and merchants living outside the palace walls refused to relocate, so the plan had to be abandoned. Now, it was said that during major market days, the stalls of the common people sometimes crowded out of the vermilion barriers used to block the way on the main royal road outside the Xuande Tower. The emperor tried to negotiate with the people, asking them to move some of their stalls, but the people refused, leaving the emperor helpless and forced to let the matter drop.

Previously, all of this was merely hearsay. Now, following the eunuch into the palace, Gu Zao, though walking cautiously with her head down, genuinely felt the palace's limited space and incomparable to the Forbidden City she had seen before. It wasn't until she entered the Baolu Palace, the residence of the Empress Dowager, that she truly felt a sense of imperial grandeur. Inside, ponds and springs flowed, with exotic birds and beasts, strange rocks and secluded cliffs, and beautiful flowers and trees. It seemed the current emperor, out of filial piety, had reserved the best spot in the palace for the Empress Dowager.

The eunuch did not take Gu Zao directly to see the Empress Dowager. Instead, they went through a series of twists and turns and finally entered a palace. The eunuch said it was the Imperial Kitchen in the Empress Dowager's Baolu Palace. There was already a middle-aged woman who looked like a palace maid standing inside. She said her surname was Li and she looked like the one who had served the Empress Dowager at the Grand Commandant's residence last time.

Gu Zao didn't look closely, but stepped forward and bowed. The palace maid, Li, smiled and said, "Second sister of the Gu family, the Empress Dowager has been having a poor appetite lately. Yesterday, when she ate the dishes served by the Imperial Kitchen, she suddenly remembered the dishes she had at the birthday banquet of the old lady of the Grand Commandant's mansion last year. She said she missed the taste, so I suggested that someone be sent to invite you over."

Gu Zao had been pondering this as she walked, and now that she heard her say it, she felt relieved and smiled, "It's an honor for me to have the Empress Dowager remember my cooking. I will do my best to make sure the Empress Dowager is satisfied."

Seeing that Gu Zao readily agreed, the palace maid Li was pleased and stepped forward, lowering her voice to say, "The Empress Dowager has been a vegetarian for a year, and she must be tired of the dishes prepared by the imperial chefs. Last month, she also caught a cold, and although she has recovered somewhat after treatment, her appetite has greatly diminished. The Emperor invited a high-ranking monk to give the Empress Dowager some advice. The monk said that while the Empress Dowager's vegetarianism is good, she should do it within her limits. If she ruins her health for the sake of vegetarianism, then she loses the original intention of cultivating virtue. The Empress Dowager thinks this makes sense, and now she eats a little meat."

Gu Zao understood by the end of her explanation. It seemed the Empress Dowager's vegetarian diet had spoiled her appetite, and coupled with her old age and frailty, she had fallen ill. The Emperor, out of filial piety, had invited a high-ranking monk ostensibly to persuade her to revert to her original dietary habits, but in reality, it was merely a roundabout way to get her back to her old ways. It was likely that the imperial kitchen, seeing the Empress Dowager's sudden change in diet, had served overly rich and greasy dishes, which had made her feel bloated. After a moment's thought, Gu Zao smiled and said, "Since the Empress Dowager has a poor appetite, I don't think I should make anything too oily. My hometown is Huaiyang, where the cuisine is light and elegant. I'm thinking of making a few dishes like that for the Empress Dowager to try and see if she likes them."

Lady Li nodded in agreement and personally led Gu Zao into the kitchen. Several people were standing inside. When they saw Gu Zao enter, although they showed some displeasure, they did not dare to go too far and all came up to greet her.

Gu Zao agreed, then smiled at the man who looked like a cook and said, "I only know how to cook some simple country dishes. The Empress Dowager only summoned me on a whim because she wanted something new, and I will be going back soon. I am new here, so please give me some pointers so that I don't make a fool of myself."

Those people were initially worried that Gu Zao's arrival would take away her job, but after hearing her say this, they were relieved and naturally nodded in agreement.

Gu Zao glanced at the dishes already in the kitchen and then told them what she would be using. Someone quickly went out to prepare them. Once the ingredients were ready, Gu Zao started making three soups.

The so-called "three-tiered soup" is actually similar to the "boiling water" used in the Sichuan dish "boiled cabbage in clear broth." However, the soup Gu Zao is about to cook is even more sophisticated than that clear broth. It originated from the rich broth used in the Confucius Family Banquet of the Shandong cuisine system, which she later modified herself. She needs three fat chickens, three fat ducks, three pork hocks, and three catties of pork hind leg bones, divided into three equal portions. She puts one portion into a pot, adds scallions, ginger, and salt, skims off the foam after it boils, and simmers for three hours. Then, she removes all the ingredients from the pot and uses the broth, skimming off any remaining foam. Next, take one pound of minced chicken thigh meat ("red chili") and one pound of minced chicken breast meat ("white chili"). After heating the broth, add the two chilies separately. A wonderful phenomenon will occur: the impurities in the broth will be absorbed by the chilies. Once the broth becomes clear as water, remove the chilies, flatten them into meat patties, and add them back into the broth to simmer for another hour. After all the umami flavor of the chilies has been infused into the broth, remove and filter. This method produces a top-quality broth. Add it to dishes when cooking; there's no need for MSG, and the resulting dishes will be incredibly delicious.

Because the broth was so time-consuming to prepare, Gu Zao rarely used it. Now that he had been summoned to the palace by imperial decree, he figured that an ordinary broth would hardly satisfy the Empress Dowager, so he didn't hesitate to simmer it carefully. While the broth was simmering, he also prepared another time-consuming dish called crispy crucian carp.

This crispy fish dish uses fresh, wild crucian carp, each weighing about one ounce. After cleaning and gutting, scallions are cut into sections of equal length to the crucian carp. Soaked kelp is blanched, then rolled into kelp rolls about the thickness of scallion sections, and the ends are tied with long scallion sections. A clay pot is used, and two bowls are broken. A layer of porcelain shards is placed at the bottom of the pot. First, the kelp rolls are layered on the shards, followed by a layer of scallion sections. Finally, the crucian carp are arranged belly-up towards the edge of the pot. Shaoxing wine, vinegar, sauces, sugar, and ginger slices are added. The pot is brought to a boil over high heat, and the foam is skimmed off. A plate is then placed on top of the fish, the pot lid is covered, and the pot is simmered over low heat for three hours. The lid is then removed, a few spoonfuls of sesame oil are added, and the pot is simmered for another half hour. The dish is now ready.

When Gu Zao entered the palace, it was still before noon. By the time the soup was ready and the crucian carp was almost done, it was already late afternoon. So he started making a few other dishes: dried shrimp with celery, loofah stir-fried with fresh walnuts, and pickled water bamboo shoots, all of which were refreshing.

Gu first selected several stalks of celery, taking only the tender yellow core. He removed the tough fibers from both ends of each stalk, broke them into one-inch pieces, and placed the tender and very tender celery in two separate small dishes. He then took about twenty small dried shrimp, rubbed off any remaining husks, placed them in a bowl, poured in rice wine to cover the shrimp, and steamed them for about fifteen minutes after the water boiled. He then blanched the tender and very tender celery twice in boiling water until just cooked through, then placed them on a plate, added a little powdered sugar and salt, mixed well, and finally added two spoonfuls of the clear broth, letting it cool naturally.

This loofah originated in India and had only recently been introduced to China, making it a rare vegetable. Gu Zao rarely saw it, so seeing it here, she selected two straight, deep green, tender loofahs. She laid them flat on the cutting board, held one loofah down with one hand, and used the remaining broken porcelain shard from earlier to scrape down the top of the loofah, thinly removing a layer of outer skin. She often used this method before, but the reason she used a porcelain shard instead of a peeler was to ensure the entire loofah remained bright green after peeling. If she used a peeler, she would have to scrape off the inner skin, exposing the white flesh. After peeling, she washed and cut the loofah into chunks. Then she drained the fresh green walnuts that she had previously peeled and soaked in water. She heated a little oil in a pan, added the fresh walnuts, and briefly fried them before removing them to drain the oil. Return the wok to the heat, add oil, and once hot, add loofah, walnuts, minced ginger, Shaoxing wine, salt, and sugar. Add chicken broth, quickly toss and stir in the wok, then remove from heat and plate. The key is to cook it quickly and efficiently, ensuring that the loofah remains bright green and the walnuts are snow-white after cooking, creating a visually appealing green and white contrast.

The braised water bamboo shoots require fermented rice wine. The imperial kitchen certainly had some, and Gu Zao tasted it; the flavor was authentic. He took a few tender water bamboo shoots, halved them, crushed them with a knife, added plenty of stock to the fermented rice wine, along with ginger juice, salt, and sugar. He brought it to a boil, then added the crushed water bamboo shoots. After it boiled again, he thickened it with a light cornstarch slurry, and once it boiled again, he poured it into a large bowl. At this point, all the water bamboo shoot pieces floated on the surface of the soup, its rich aroma tinged with a delicate fragrance, making one feel refreshed and invigorated.

Gu Zao had finished preparing these dishes when Li, the palace maid from the Empress Dowager's side, arrived on time. She had two maids pack food boxes and brought Gu Zao along, saying it was the Empress Dowager's order.

Gu Zao followed the palace maid Li to the Empress Dowager. She glanced at her; though a smile still lingered on her face, she seemed noticeably thinner than when she'd seen her last year. Gu Zao didn't look at her much further, simply bowing respectfully to offer her greetings before standing to the side with her hands at her sides.

The Empress Dowager looked at the dishes that were served in front of her. Before even taking a bite, she could smell their delicate fragrance, and she was quite satisfied. After tasting each dish, she found them to be more delicious than ever before. She finished the whole bowl of fragrant rice in front of her and still felt unsatisfied, so she asked for more. However, the palace maid Li stopped her, saying that the imperial physician had advised her not to overeat at each meal, and so she stopped.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager was satisfied with the meal, Gu Zao finally felt completely relieved. She slightly raised her eyes and saw the Empress Dowager pointing to the plate of dried shrimp and celery, sighing, "This dish reminds me of when I was a girl. Beside the ditch near my home, where the grass was green and the banks soft, this wild celery grew in abundance, lush and tender. With a gentle pull, you could pluck a stalk, the roots still clinging to the soil. Shaking it in your hand, it felt cool and delicate. That was my favorite food back then. Decades have passed in the blink of an eye, and the way you made this dish, Second Sister Gu, these few bites truly brought back that taste from back then."

Gu Zao smiled and said, "As the ancients said, among the most delicious vegetables, there is the celery from Yunmeng. It's just that the celery itself is fragrant and delicious, which complements the sweetness of the dried shrimp."

The Empress Dowager nodded and pointed to several other dishes, saying, "These dishes of yours not only look quite different from those served by the imperial chefs, but they also taste much better. This small crucian carp is fragrant, tender, and boneless, melting in your mouth. This is the first time I've ever eaten something like this, so needless to say. As for the pickled water bamboo shoots, I've eaten quite a few before, but the taste of yours is countless times more delicious. Not only does it have the aroma of pickled vegetables, but it also seems to have a fresh fragrance, like being among lotus ponds and mushrooms. I just ate it with rice and drank several large gulps."

Gu Zao smiled and replied, "Your Majesty is indeed a connoisseur of taste. I have always loved the delicate fragrance of water bamboo shoots. When cooking this dish, I was afraid that the subtle fragrance would dissipate during heating, so I skipped both boiling and simmering. I simply added it to the broth, brought it to a boil, and it was ready when it floated to the surface."

The Empress Dowager looked at Gu Zao carefully, then smiled and sighed, "You child, I knew last time that you were skillful and clever. These dishes today are exactly what I wanted. Would you like to stay in the Imperial Kitchen and cook for me? I will certainly not treat you badly."

Chapter Sixty-Three

Gu Zao's heart skipped a beat. Fortunately, she had already considered that the Empress Dowager might ask her to stay. She glanced at the palace maid, Li, and smiled, "Your Majesty's pity on me and her request to stay in the palace is truly a blessing beyond measure. However, there is something I've decided to say, just for your amusement. I'm originally from the countryside of Yangzhou. I worked as a concubine for two years to make a living, but after my master died, I was sent back, and my whole family moved to the capital. When we first arrived, we lived near Ranyuan Bridge, where we lived with other poor families struggling to make a living. But they were all very kind-hearted and helped my family a great deal. Just a few days ago, I was calculating..." I've taken over a small, loss-making restaurant near the East Gate, but I'm still short on cash. When the aunties from my old neighborhood found out, they generously chipped in a bag of money and sent it to me. The men in their families are just manual laborers, bricklayers and plasterers; their kindness was like sending charcoal in the snow. I immediately agreed to let them contribute to my restaurant, promising to work hard and repay their kindness. Now that the Empress Dowager has taken a liking to me, it's truly a wonderful thing. However, if I stay in the palace, the restaurant won't be able to continue operating. Even thinking of the aunties' kindness, I should first apologize to them.”

Gu Zao spoke in this way simply because she thought the emperor was still relatively kind to the people, and thus subtly expressed her refusal. If the Empress Dowager was understanding, that would be best; if not, she would have to find another way. Little did she know that the iron-fisted old woman sitting before her, who had held power in the court for over a decade, had once shared the same background as her.

This Empress Dowager's name was Liu E. Her father died in battle when she was young, forcing her mother to take her to her maternal family. At fourteen, she was married off as a concubine to a silversmith, but was not tolerated by the first wife. She then went to the capital, Kaifeng, to make a living by playing the drum and performing folk songs. She was exceptionally skilled and kind. By chance, she met the future Emperor Zhenzong, Zhao Heng, who was then the Prince of Xiang. The two secretly pledged their love, but Emperor Taizong strongly opposed it. After enduring countless hardships, fifteen years later, at the age of thirty-six, she was finally brought into the palace and became Emperor Zhenzong's empress. She was naturally clever and intelligent, well-versed in history and literature. She accompanied Emperor Zhenzong in reviewing memorials, discussing state affairs, and handling palace matters. Her meticulousness and respect earned her Emperor Zhenzong's deep trust, which led to her later role in assisting the young Emperor Renzong in governing the country after Zhenzong's death.

The Empress Dowager, now blessed with both longevity and happiness, rarely dwells on the painful past. However, Gu Zao's words just now stirred her thoughts. Looking closely at Gu Zao, she saw that she stood gracefully, with an elegant demeanor and bright, intelligent eyes. The more she looked, the more she felt as if she were seeing her former self.

After Gu Zao finished speaking, he saw the Empress Dowager nod slightly but not say anything. However, the expression on her face seemed a little strange, and Gu Zao was feeling somewhat uneasy. Just then, he heard the Empress Dowager sigh and say, "Now that I have lived in the palace for so long, I have almost forgotten the ways of the common people. Hearing you speak of it has stirred up some memories of the past. We are quite compatible, so I won't force you to stay in the palace and keep this boring old woman company."

Gu Zao was about to reply when the palace maid Li beside him laughed and said, "The late emperor wanted to expand the palace, but the people were unwilling to move, so in the end he gave the land to the people. The people in the capital all praised the emperor for his benevolence. Now the Empress Dowager is following the late emperor's example and giving Gu's second sister to those aunts and daughters-in-law from Ranyuanqiao. Isn't that a good story?"

Gu Zao glanced at Li Gongren. She had secretly slipped some money to Li Gongren on her way to deliver the vegetables, thinking that she would have someone to help her when she spoke to the Empress Dowager later. Now that Li Gongren had spoken, praising the Empress Dowager and helping her, Gu Zao smiled and echoed her words.

Although the Empress Dowager knew that the palace maid Li was just saying nice things, she was still pleased and chuckled.

Gu Zao then smiled and said, "The imperial chefs in the Imperial Kitchen are naturally highly skilled. It's just that the imperial chefs emphasize grandeur in their cooking, unlike me who cooks without any particular method and just goes with the flow. These two times I was lucky enough to please the Empress Dowager's taste, but it's just a novelty. If the Empress Dowager really likes it, I will write down some of my recipes and leave them here. If the Empress Dowager wants to eat them, she can just ask the imperial chefs to make them."

The Empress Dowager nodded upon hearing this, then glanced at Gu Zao and smiled, "But if the imperial chefs can't replicate today's flavor in the future, I might have someone bring you back."

Gu Zao smiled and said, "This is the Empress Dowager's favor to me. Even if the Empress Dowager doesn't come to take me away, when I come up with a new dish, I will definitely ask the Empress Dowager to taste it. I just hope that the Empress Dowager won't think that my skin is thicker than a city wall at that time."

Gu Zao's words amused the Empress Dowager for a long time before she pointed at her and said, "You seem like a steady person, but who knew you could be so witty."

Gu Zao smiled without saying a word, inwardly relieved that she had finally escaped the fate of being forced to serve in the palace and had not offended the Empress Dowager. However, she also felt a slight sense of感慨 (gan3kai3, a complex feeling of mixed emotions, including regret and a touch of melancholy), realizing that she had unknowingly become almost like Wei Xiaobao, who flattered Emperor Kangxi.

Gu Zao stayed at the Empress Dowager's Baolu Palace for two more days, spending each day thinking of ways to prepare fresh dishes for her. With the Mid-Autumn Festival just around the corner, she missed her home and the restaurant and longed to return. However, seeing that the Empress Dowager seemed to enjoy her cooking and, when she sometimes called Gu Zao to chat with her, never mentioned leaving the palace, Gu Zao felt a growing anxiety, but she couldn't bring herself to suggest leaving.

Yesterday, Gu Zao made a snakehead fish roll, which involved slicing the fish into thin pieces, rolling them with strips of ham, bamboo shoots, and shredded wood ear mushrooms, tying them in half with coriander, and then deep-frying them. She also made a stewed mutton with snow pear. The Empress Dowager said it was delicious and asked that it be made again for dinner tonight. Gu Zao carefully prepared the dishes and watched as the palace maid delivered several other dishes. After thinking for a moment, she followed her maid, intending to find an opportunity to bring up her business at the palace.

Emperor Renzong was a filial son. Although the Empress Dowager was not his biological mother, he paid her respects morning and evening and showed her concern for her well-being every day. These past few days, seeing the Empress Dowager's improved appetite and spirits, he was pleased. Upon learning that a newly hired cook had prepared dishes to the Empress Dowager's liking, he intended to reward her handsomely and keep her in the palace. He was currently conversing with the Empress Dowager when the evening meal was served. Seeing that the Empress Dowager had invited him to stay, he ate with her. Indeed, the food tasted different from what he usually ate, especially the stewed mutton with snow pears—it was the first time he had tasted mutton prepared this way; it was sweet and delicious, without any gamey smell. He also heard the Empress Dowager praise the cook, but then learned that she did not wish to stay in the palace. Although he felt it was a pity, he knew he couldn't force her. He then chatted with her for a while before taking his leave.

Gu Zao was standing at the end of the line of palace servants and eunuchs, waiting intently for the Empress Dowager to finish her meal before requesting an audience. Suddenly, he heard a eunuch announce, "The Emperor is leaving the palace!" Only then did he realize that the current Emperor was also inside. Startled, he quickly lowered his head and knelt down with the other palace servants and eunuchs to see him off before standing up. He had only caught a glimpse of the Emperor earlier and hadn't really seen his face clearly, only vaguely recognizing him as a young man in his early twenties.

Gu Zao had someone announce his arrival to the Empress Dowager, bowed, and then said with a smile, "I shouldn't have brought this up, but when I left, my mother thought I would be returning soon. Now that three or four days have passed, I'm afraid she'll worry. I would like to ask Your Majesty for permission to go home first and come back to chat with you next time."

The Empress Dowager had been enjoying fresh and new dishes every day for the past few days, and she was reluctant to let her go. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "It was my oversight. I will send someone to your house to inform you. It won't be too late for you to leave in a few days."

Although Gu Zao was somewhat disappointed, she smiled helplessly and thanked her. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard the palace maid Li say with a smile, "Empress Dowager, haven't you been complaining that you're bored being confined to this palace all day? But the imperial carriage can't just leave the palace at will. Gu's second sister is so clever, her mother must be quite capable as well. Why not invite her mother over as well? Firstly, she can keep the Empress Dowager company and relieve her boredom. Secondly, with her mother by her side, Gu's second sister will surely feel more at ease thinking about food for the Empress Dowager."

Gu Zao was shocked to hear this and hurriedly declined, saying, "Absolutely not. My mother is a country bumpkin who speaks in a coarse and vulgar manner. If she were to appear before the Empress Dowager, she might offend her health."

The Empress Dowager shook her head and laughed, "How could I be so naive as to be frightened by your mother's words? I've seen plenty of concubines and noblewomen in the palace who come to pay their respects every day. They all speak elegantly, but they're quite boring. What Li Niang said is very much to my liking. I'll send someone to bring your mother over tomorrow."

Gu Zao glanced at Li Gongren and saw her smiling at him. He knew that she was just trying to help him get a favor, and had no idea what his old mother was really like. He felt like he was swallowing a bitter pill, and dared not refuse any longer. He could only thank her nervously and leave.

Meanwhile, Fang's three sisters and the others had been anxiously waiting for Gu Zao's return ever since she was taken to the palace. At first, Fang was quite proud, boasting to the neighbors who came to inquire about her whereabouts. However, several days passed, and Gu Zao still hadn't returned, nor was there any news. She began to feel uneasy, and would often wander around the Xuande Tower of the palace, asking anyone who came out about Gu Zao's whereabouts. But she couldn't get any information from them. When she got home, she and her three sisters, including Liu Zao, were filled with worry.

On the first day, upon hearing rumors from the neighbors that Gu Zao had entered the palace to pay homage to the Empress Dowager, Madam Hu immediately came to inquire about the news. She was filled with envy and jealousy at Fang's boastful words, and spent the entire night at home lamenting her family's bad luck. Not only was her daughter's marriage unsuccessful, but she herself was also driven to distraction by the pregnant Widow Li. Early the next morning, she couldn't resist going again, only to find that there was no news at all. Seeing the family's worried faces, she offered words of comfort. She herself thought her words of comfort were quite good, such as "Ordinary people should live peacefully; getting involved in royal affairs will only lead to bad consequences," etc., which Fang, of course, heard as gloating. Enraged, Fang slammed her hand on the table, grabbed a broom leaning against the wall, and swept it across Madam Hu. Madam Hu screamed loudly, while her third sister, Liu Zao, tried to pull her back.

Just as things were getting out of hand, the same eunuch who had visited Fangtai Restaurant before reappeared at the entrance, followed by five or six people, each carrying something in their hands.

Fang and Hu immediately stopped fighting and stood there motionless. The eunuch frowned slightly when he saw that the two women were vulgar and did not know manners, and then said in a high-pitched voice: "Second Sister Gu's cooking is highly appreciated by the Empress Dowager. She is hereby rewarded with two bolts of silk, two bolts of brocade, twenty taels of cotton, and two hundred strings of cash."

Upon hearing this, Madam Hu was immediately stunned. Madam Fang couldn't believe her ears and stood there hesitantly until her third sister pulled her down to kneel and express her gratitude.

Seeing the pile of silk fabrics and money on the table, Fang finally realized what was happening. She was so overjoyed that her mouth trembled uncontrollably, and she couldn't utter a complete sentence. Seeing the crowd of onlookers gathered at her door, all praising the spectacle, she was even more delighted. It was her third sister who was quick-witted; she offered the eunuch a seat and tea, and secretly slipped some money into his hand as a token of gratitude.

The eunuch took a sip of tea before speaking slowly and deliberately: "The Empress Dowager has bestowed another great favor upon you, granting Second Sister Gu's mother an audience with the Emperor. Pack your things and come with us now."

Upon hearing this, Fang herself was stunned, not to mention the third sister, let alone Hu and the onlookers, all of whom showed expressions of disbelief.

After her initial surprise, Fang was overjoyed. She hurriedly went to the backyard, changed into what she considered her most presentable clothes, and carefully tidied her hair and makeup. Then, amidst the astonished expressions of her third sister and Liu Zao, she happily followed the eunuch out of the palace.

Gu Zao estimated the time and figured her mother should have already been taken to the palace to see the Empress Dowager. She wished she could sprout wings and rush over to give her some pointers, but without the Empress Dowager's summons, she couldn't just go rashly. So she could only anxiously wait while preparing the crabs in her hands. Finally, the palace maid who was supposed to bring the meal arrived, and she received a verbal summons. Only then did she hurriedly rush to the flower hall where the Empress Dowager usually resided.

Gu Zao entered the room, turned around a screen, and immediately saw her mother, only to be stunned into silence. She saw that her mother was tightly wrapped in a nearly new floral silk shirt, with two flowers in her hair, and even some of her third sister's peach blossom rouge on her cheeks, though it was applied unevenly, like two red eggs rubbed on the bottom of a pot.

Chapter Sixty-Four

Gu Zao was both amused and exasperated. Seeing that Fang Shi looked so animated, she wondered what she had just said. She glanced at the Empress Dowager and saw that she was smiling and showed no displeasure. Gu Zao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After exchanging greetings, she moved closer to Fang Shi and gently tugged at her sleeve.

Gu Zao wanted to tell her to tone it down and not to speak recklessly without knowing her place. Unexpectedly, Fang Shi turned around, revealing a beaming smile, and said happily, "Second Sister, I've only ever heard of empress dowagers from previous dynasties in plays. Now that I've met the real empress dowager, I realize she's like a Guanyin Bodhisattva stepping out of a painting—I've never seen anyone so kind and gentle..."

Gu Zao felt a little embarrassed and pulled at Fang Shi again. This time, however, she was met with an unpleasant glare and said, "Why do you keep pulling at me? Just now, I told the Empress Dowager a joke about Jia Guanren eating roast duck, and she praised me for telling it well."

Helpless, Gu Zao could only stand there in silence. The Empress Dowager chuckled and said, "Second sister of the Gu family, your mother is indeed an interesting person. The joke she just told was one I had never heard before, and it was truly hilarious. Calling her here was definitely the right thing to do."

Gu Zao smiled slightly and said a few more humble words. Seeing the smug look on Fang's face, she secretly hoped that Fang wouldn't get carried away and reveal her true colors. Making a fool of herself was a minor matter. This was the royal palace. Although it couldn't be called a den of dragons and tigers, it was still a place where one could not be careless in the slightest.

The palace maid, Li, came forward and laid out the dishes for the Empress Dowager. The dishes prepared by Gu Zao today were different from those of the past few days. Because the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and crabs were said to be at their fattest with "seven points and eight rounded edges," several baskets of plump crabs had recently been delivered to the imperial kitchen, so crabs were the main dish for lunch. The dishes included several steamed crabs, crab meat stewed with finely diced tofu, green shark fin soup, and chicken slices stuffed with shepherd's purse, among others.

The Empress Dowager ordered a palace maid named Li to bestow an embroidered stool upon Fang Shi, instructing her to sit at the lower end and eat with her. Gu Zao could not stop her and could only watch helplessly as her mother happily prostrated herself and kowtowed deeply before she herself sat down on the embroidered stool, her bottom slightly touching the edge.

The Empress Dowager instructed Palace Attendant Li to place two crabs on the plate in front of Lady Fang. Lady Fang dipped them in ginger and vinegar, peeled off the shells and legs, and ate with great relish. When she reached the two large claws, Palace Attendant Li was about to hand her a pair of silver tongs to crack them open when Lady Fang had already put one in her mouth, cracked the shell with a snap, and ate the white meat inside, scraping out even the scraps of meat. In no time, a large pile of crab shells accumulated on the table in front of her. The Empress Dowager was stunned, forgetting to eat herself, and only focused on watching Lady Fang.

Seeing that she ate in a coarse manner, Gu Zao cleared her throat slightly. Fang Shi glared at her with displeasure, took a sip of warm ginger water to soothe her stomach, wiped her mouth, and looked at the Empress Dowager with a smile: "The crabs bestowed by the Empress Dowager are indeed very delicious, even plumper than the sweet sorghum crabs I used to eat."

Gu Zao was taken aback, wondering what her mother was up to this time. But the Empress Dowager was intrigued and asked with a smile what sweet sorghum stalk crab was.

Fang, having just been prompted by the Empress Dowager's question, immediately began to vividly recount: "The sweet sorghum stalks by the river have turned red, and it's almost time to harvest the seeds. The crabs in the river know this. Who told them? It was the old crab in the river. Crabs are like geese flying in the sky; geese have their leader, and crabs have their leader crab. Every year when the sweet sorghum stalks ripen, it goes to the fields to eat the seeds. The leader crab is cunning; it knows which field has the best seeds, so it tells the little crabs, 'Tonight, I'll take you all with me.' That night, the leader crab leads its many offspring, big and small, in a long line straight to the sweet sorghum stalk field." "Hmm. Once they get to the field, they use their big pincers to snap the stalk, and that's how the crabs eat the red, sweet sorghum stalks. After eating and drinking their fill, they line up again in the middle of the night to head home. The farmers use bamboo strips woven into curtains to mark the way the crabs go, placing them along the riverbank, and then light a lamp in front to illuminate the path. The crabs follow the light, recognizing their way home. The farmers squat and wait, not catching the first crab after it has flipped over the curtain, but starting with the second, they pick out the fattest ones, put them in a straw bag, and soon they can catch a whole bagful of crabs."

As Madam Fang spoke, even Gu Zao listened with great interest, while the Empress Dowager and her palace servants were even more engrossed. After Madam Fang finished speaking, Palace Servant Li asked curiously, "Why didn't you catch that crab?"

Fang coughed and said, "There's a trick to this. Once you catch the first crab, there's no one to guide you anymore. How are you supposed to catch more crabs then?"

Lady Li and the Empress Dowager nodded, both looking as if they had suddenly understood. The Empress Dowager thought for a moment, then asked, "Then why wait until the crabs have finished eating and returned before catching them? Why not catch them before they go into the sorghum stalk field?"

Fang said smugly, "That won't do. Even prisoners in death row need to be given a good meal before they are executed. If a crab is caught, how can it not be allowed to have a good meal first?"

As soon as Fang finished speaking, the Empress Dowager and the palace servants all burst into laughter. Fang was even more pleased with herself. She rummaged through the pile of crab shells she had just peeled out and found something, holding it up and saying, "Empress Dowager, there's a story behind the sand sac inside this crab."

Gu Zao was taken aback, wondering if she was going to talk about the White Snake Lady that she had casually mentioned a few days ago when she was preparing crabs at home? Just then, the Empress Dowager smiled and urged her to begin. Fang Shi took another sip of ginger tea before starting to talk about the story, which was indeed about the White Snake.

The earliest version of the Legend of the White Snake only appeared in the late Ming Dynasty, and people at that time had never heard of it. However, compared to Gu's earlier version, Fang now embellished it even more: "...Xu Xian was tricked into going to the temple by Fahai, and the White Snake was in a panic. She had to save her husband, so she flooded Jinshan Temple. Fahai was also in a panic, and the two started fighting. Fahai was no match for the White Snake, and he ran away as fast as he could. The White Snake chased him relentlessly. When he had nowhere to run, he saw a crab and crawled into its shell. That crab was also a spirit, not to be trifled with. It said, 'I told you to crawl in, so I shut my mouth and you couldn't get out...'" As she spoke, she tore open the sandbag, put it into the ginger tea cup she had just finished drinking from, rinsed off the sand with water, turned the skin inside out, and handed it to the Empress Dowager, pointing and saying, "Look, Your Majesty, isn't this just a little monk?"

The Empress Dowager leaned closer for a closer look and chuckled, "Isn't that just a little monk sitting in a chair?" She then sighed, "That Fahai is truly despicable. The couple was enjoying their peaceful life, and he had to meddle..."

Fang slapped her thigh and echoed, "That's right, so it's no wonder they were locked up!"

Seeing that Fang Shi and the Empress Dowager were chatting away with great relish, Gu Zao was somewhat surprised. As they talked, the Empress Dowager had already eaten quite a bit of her food, and it was almost time for her usual afternoon nap when she was interrupted by Li Gongren.

The Empress Dowager asked Fang to accompany Gu Zao downstairs so the two could have a private chat. Gu Zao and Fang thanked her and then left.

Gu Zao led Fang Shi to the room where she had been staying for the past few days, dismissed the two assigned palace maids, closed the door, and whispered, "Mother, it's fine for you to be a little talkative normally, but now that you're in front of the Empress Dowager, you absolutely mustn't flaunt your words like that. You only managed to please the Empress Dowager by chance just now. If you say too much, there's no guarantee you won't say something wrong, and if you offend the nobles here, you'll really be in trouble. Also, if the Empress Dowager bestows upon you a seat or food, you absolutely mustn't be so arrogant..."

Before Gu Zao could finish speaking, Fang Shi rolled her eyes at her and interrupted, "Your mother has lived for decades, do you think I don't know these things? The Empress Dowager summoned me to the palace because she wanted something new. If I pretended to be refined, wouldn't that spoil her mood? Don't worry, I won't offend her. I'll just say what the Empress Dowager likes to hear."

Gu Zao looked at her mother in surprise, never expecting that she would have such thoughts. Just then, Fang Shi happily tugged at her clothes and asked with a smile, "Second sister, don't you think my outfit is festive? I used to worry that this silk dress would just stay at the bottom of my trunk, but today it really came in handy. Wearing it in front of the Empress Dowager, I finally gained some respectability."

Gu Zao suppressed a laugh and shook her head, too lazy to comment on her attire. She was already extremely cautious in the palace, and now with Fang Shi, a ticking time bomb, by her side, she could only hope to get out as soon as possible.

Several more days passed, and before they knew it, it was the Autumn Festival. People at that time had the custom of steaming and cooking festival rice, cakes, and wine, setting up altars and offering sacrifices to the Earth God. The same was true in the imperial palace. That evening, Empress Cao and all the concubines and beauties of the harem gathered at the Empress Dowager's Baolu Palace to worship the Earth God, and then stayed to accompany the Empress Dowager to drink wine and admire the flowers. As usual, Lady Fang was given a stool to sit on below the Empress Dowager.