Un jeune homme maladif qui voyage dans le temps jusqu'à la dynastie Song

Chapitre 20

Madam Shen had initially said she would only help for a few days and then return home, but seeing the restaurant's booming business, she was so busy she couldn't spare the time. Gu Zao liked her kind nature and diligence, so he simply hired her to work there long-term. Madam Shen had previously worked as a cook, serving soup and wine to customers, earning only a few coins a month. Seeing that Gu Zao was offering a much higher price, she readily agreed and worked even harder.

Ma Xing Street and the Gu family's residence were only a few streets apart. The Gu family had moved here over a month ago, and aside from the last time Qingwu returned home and sent some food over as a greeting, and Hu Shi briefly glancing over before leaving, Gu Zao had rarely been seen. Although Xiuniang had visited a few times, she always left quickly after a short while, saying she came without Hu Shi's knowledge. Gu Zao pitied her for having such a fiancé and wanted to persuade her to refuse the marriage, but each time she swallowed her words. After all, this was an era where arranged marriages were highly valued; if she were to truly advise her, not only would it be considered shocking, but Xiuniang herself probably wouldn't listen.

That evening, during the restaurant's busiest time, Gu Zao was stir-frying shredded lamb tripe for a customer in the back kitchen when she saw Hu Shi approaching. Unperturbed by the fumes, Hu Shi stood at the doorway, smiling at her as if she had something to say. It was almost March, and the weather was warming up slightly. Hu Shi wore a newly made lotus-root-colored lined robe, which made her face appear even more rounded and her figure more full.

Gu Zao waited until the shredded lamb tripe in the pot was cooked and plated, then had Liu Zao take it out. Only then did she turn to Hu Shi and say in a kind tone, "Auntie, what brings you here today? The kitchen is so hot with oil and fire, I hope you don't smell like smoke."

Madam Hu flicked the handkerchief in her hand, pulled Gu Zao out and stood under the wisteria trellis that Qingwu had newly planted in the courtyard, and then came over and said, "Come here, it's nothing much, just wanted to tell you about my Xiu Niang."

Gu Zao smiled and said, "Xiu Niang always listens to you, what's the matter now?"

Madam Hu said with a smile, "My son-in-law, who is a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), said that his official position is about to be finalized and he has come to urge us to get married. I checked the almanac and the sixth day of next month is an auspicious day. After the betrothal ceremony on that day, we will choose another good day in half a month to hold the wedding."

Gu Zao was startled and exclaimed, "How could it be so fast?"

When Madam Hu saw Gu Zao's loss of composure, she assumed it was due to her envy and said with a smug look on her face, "That's right. Once my Xiu Niang marries him, she will be a proper wife of an official. She only needs to serve my son-in-law every day. She won't have to go out and show her face to earn her own living."

Gu Zao ignored the sarcasm in her words and just stood there in a daze. Then she heard Madam Hu say, "On the sixth day, my son-in-law will have two aunts with perfect fortune and the matchmaker come to deliver gifts. I thought we should treat them well. I heard that your cooking skills are not bad. Why don't you come to my house and help out that day?"

Gu knew that she was planning to have him do unpaid labor, but the way she spoke made it sound like she was doing a favor, so he didn't care much. However, he was thinking about talking to Xiu Niang the next day.

Having shown off enough and achieved her goal of saving money on hiring a cook that day, Madam Hu said a few more words, inviting her third sister to come and keep her company, before leaving satisfied.

No sooner had Madam Hu left than Madam Fang seized the opportunity, darting behind Gu Zao and grabbing her to ask why Madam Hu had come. Upon learning it was about Xiuniang's impending marriage, Madam Fang's face fell, and without a word, she left. That evening, all Gu Zao could hear was the creaking of the bed as Madam Fang tossed and turned. This was the first time in her life that Madam Fang had suffered from insomnia. Gu Zao knew that the news of Xiuniang becoming an official's wife had stirred up her anxieties, reminding her that none of her three daughters had found a happy marriage, hence her sleepless nights. Just as she was about to offer some words of comfort, she heard snoring. Gu Zao thought for a moment in the darkness and then drifted off to sleep herself.

The next morning, Gu Zao went to Gu Da's house and found Gu Da dressed and about to leave. After exchanging greetings, Gu Zao went into the backyard. Madam Hu was beaming with pride and didn't seem to care when Gu Zao arrived, simply saying that Xiu Niang was in her room. Gu Zao went up to the embroidery room and saw that Xiu Niang looked like she had just gotten up and was still a little disheveled. She was sitting blankly on the edge of the bed, and only when she saw Gu Zao did a smile appear on her face.

Gu Zao sat down next to her, glanced at Xiu Niang, and smiled slightly: "Your mother came to my house yesterday and said that the big betrothal ceremony is on the sixth day of this month. Counting the days, it's not long now."

Xiu Niang sighed softly and said, "I wish that day would never come."

Seeing her sullen expression, and noticing that no one was around, Gu Zao couldn't help but lean closer and whisper in her ear, "Xiu Niang, if you really don't want to marry Hu Qing, why don't you argue with your parents? Although it's true that a daughter's affairs are always decided by her parents, if you know it's a bad place and still close your eyes and jump in, wouldn't that be extremely foolish?"

Xiu Niang trembled and looked at Gu Zao, but couldn't speak for a long time. After a long while, she lowered her head and said, "I dare not. If my mother finds out, she will be furious. She will definitely not listen to me."

Gu Zao tried to persuade her a few more times, but seeing that she was still timid and hesitant, he knew that Xiu Niang was not a strong-willed woman and that it would be useless to say anything more. He could only sigh inwardly, put on a smile again, and comfort her a few more times before getting up and leaving.

Chapter Forty-Seven: Xiu Niang's Grand Ceremony, Third Sister's Peach Blossom, Buddha's Birthday

Gu Zao returned home, still unable to let go of Xiu Niang's worries. Although she knew that Gu Da was utterly useless, she couldn't resist finding a moment to go to Xiu Niang's house again, wanting to speak with Gu Da again. However, Gu Da seemed to be leaving early and returning late every day. After several visits, she finally managed to catch him. Seeing that no one was around, she told him her thoughts. Gu Da looked troubled and sighed, saying, "Second niece, I know you mean well for Xiu Niang, but you also know that my wife has always been domineering in this family. Even if I speak, it's useless. Besides, men have always been supposed to be... modest. As long as she doesn't go too far, Xiu Niang will be a proper official's wife after marrying into the family, and she won't suffer too much. Don't worry."

Seeing that Gu Da was also a cowardly and muddle-headed person, Gu Zao knew that it would be useless to say anything more, so he had no choice but to go home helplessly.

On the fifth day, Madam Hu was still worried and came over again to remind Gu Zao to make sure to go over early the next morning. Gu Zao didn't give her a good look, but thinking that this was ultimately Xiu Niang's life-long affair, she really couldn't help her much. Xiu Niang was probably destined to marry into the Hu family, so she just made sure to prepare a proper meal for the betrothal ceremony and try her best to make her future in-laws' aunt leave satisfied. That would be her way of showing her some consideration. So she sighed inwardly and nodded in agreement.

When Hu Shi saw that she had agreed, she put on a smile, but she didn't even say thank you. She turned to leave, and Gu Zao couldn't help but blurt out, "Auntie, Hu Qing's character is not good, and Xiu Niang is a quiet person. After she enters his family, who knows how many grievances she will suffer? Are you really willing to let your daughter marry such a person?"

Madam Hu stopped and stared at Gu Zao suspiciously, saying with some displeasure, "Second Sister, what are you saying? My son-in-law is a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) who was personally bestowed a green robe by the Emperor himself in the Golden Palace. He's about to receive an official position, and there are plenty of families in the city with daughters of marriageable age who want to win him over. Yet, he chose to marry into our family. Isn't this a match made in heaven? And what grievances could Xiu Niang possibly have after marrying into our family? I noticed she seemed rather sullen these past two days, and I was just thinking of asking you to go and comfort her. How could you say something like that?"

Gu Zao shook her head and stopped talking. Hu Shi thought she had shut Gu Zao up and left satisfied.

The next day was Xiu Niang's big day, and Gu Zao went over early in the morning. Madam Hu was determined to impress her future aunt, so the meal was prepared to the highest standards in the capital: four small plates of fried and roasted dishes, four large bowls, eight stir-fries, two snacks, and a soup. Dishes included bird's nest, braised clams with lamb liver, braised deer tendon with shark fin, braised pearl vegetables with fried pigeon, sea cucumber and cherry chicken, chicken broth with whitebait slices, and stewed bamboo shoot and fatty duck soup, among others. Such a fine meal, if ordered from restaurants like Huixianlou or Fenglelou in the capital, would probably cost at least one or two hundred taels of silver. Now, she had bought the ingredients and had Gu Zao cook them, then served them in rented silver dishes and bowls. The presentation was impressive, and the money was saved. Madam Hu had indeed gained face and saved money; her plan was very shrewd.

Gu Zao watched coldly as Hu Qing's two aunts ate with greasy mouths, their words revealing their lack of common sense. She suspected that Xiu Niang's future in-laws wouldn't understand much either, adding to her growing anxiety. After everyone, including the matchmaker, had eaten and drunk their fill, Xiu Niang, dressed in a festive new outfit, was escorted by a servant and her third sister. The two aunts opened a gift box, selecting two pieces of gold jewelry for Xiu Niang to wear, uttering auspicious words. They also tentatively set the wedding date for the auspicious day of the 18th, a little over a month later. Only then was the formal betrothal ceremony complete. After seeing everyone off, Hu Shi smiled and thanked her and her third sister, telling them to take whatever dishes from the table they could afford to take home: "These are all exquisite things!" Hu Shi remarked.

Gu Zao smiled faintly, nodded slightly, and went back with her third sister. It was already past noon, and there were few people eating in the restaurant. Since Gu Zao's third sister was not there today, most of the dishes for lunch were made by Fang Shi herself. Some picky old customers complained that the taste was not right. She, Shen Niangzi, and Liu Zao were too busy to breathe and were already a little resentful. When she saw that Gu Zao's third sister had helped for most of the day and came back empty-handed, without even a drop of oil, she was even more unhappy. She endured it until the last customer left before she started cursing Hu Shi and strictly ordered Gu Zao never to go to the Hu family again. When Gu Zao smiled and agreed, she slowly suppressed her anger.

Just as Fang was about to walk towards the backyard, she suddenly remembered something that was also making her unhappy. She hurriedly turned around and said to Gu Zao angrily, "Second sister, it's all your fault. You set that rule of 'one penny for all the food,' and now this person has actually come. He looks tall and strong, but he only spends one penny a day to eat and drink plain soup. It's hard to get rid of him. It's really infuriating."

When Gu Zao heard her say that, she vaguely remembered that there seemed to be such a customer. He looked to be a young man in his early twenties who would come every day when the restaurant was less crowded and he would pay one coin for rice, take a bowl of soup to a corner, eat it in silence, and then leave in a hurry. Just as she was about to speak, her third sister interrupted, "Sister, judging from his appearance, he seems honest. He doesn't seem to be coming here to freeload. Maybe he has his own difficulties. Mother is too calculating. It's just a bowl of rice and soup, and he only paid one coin. Even if he loses, how much can he lose?"

Fang glared at her, about to scold her third sister, but Gu already smiled and said, "Mother, now that you've mentioned it, I vaguely seem to have some impression of that person. You can hold back for now, and I'll ask her if she comes again tomorrow."

Seeing that Gu Zao was willing to step forward, Fang felt a little better. She glared at her third sister and scolded her, "You're all bark and no bite," before going to the backyard.

The next day, Gu Zao kept a close eye on things and sure enough, just after lunchtime, he saw the young man enter the shop again. He spent a penny to get a bowl of rice and soup, took it to a corner, and began to wolf it down. In just a few bites, he had already finished most of the bowl of rice. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the man was around twenty years old, tall, and although his clothes were a bit old, they were still neat. He also had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and seemed like a good person. Gu Zao didn't say anything and just watched.

The man finished his meal in a few bites, and drank all the soup. He glanced longingly at the rice bucket, as if he was still not full. Finally, he stood up, lowered his head, and was about to leave when Gu Zao stepped forward and stopped him with a smile.

When the man saw that it was the lady of the house who had stopped him, he thought she was going to scold him for taking advantage of her, so his face turned red and he stood there speechless.

Gu Zao glanced around and saw that there were still some other customers eating nearby looking over, and Fang Shi was even more eyeing him menacingly. So she led the man to the back courtyard and then smiled and said, "This guest, I see that you are tall and strong. You only ate one bowl of rice just now, so you must not be full yet. It would be fine for you to have another bowl."

The man never expected the woman in front of him to say such a thing. Judging from her expression, she didn't seem to be deliberately sarcastic. He felt even more ashamed and couldn't help but bow deeply, saying, "Sister, your words have made me feel ashamed. Thank you for your understanding over the past few days. I will never dare to bother you again."

Gu Zao saw that he spoke reasonably, and felt a bit more favorably toward him. She thought he must be in some kind of predicament. Just as she was about to ask him a few more questions, Fang suddenly jumped out, pointed at the young man, and sneered, "Such a big man, yet he pulls out a penny to freeload all day long. Doesn't he know shame!"

The young man's face turned bright red. Gu Zao gestured to his third sister, who had come over after hearing the commotion, to drag Fang Shi out. Then he smiled at the man and said, "My mother is a rough and blunt person. She never speaks without thinking. Please don't take offense. I only asked you a few questions because I thought you didn't look like someone from the lower class and you didn't speak with a Beijing accent. I was afraid you had encountered some difficulties here. If you don't want to say more, I won't pry. Just come back for meals in the future. Since my restaurant has established such a rule, I would never turn away a customer."

The young man was completely convinced by Gu Zao's words, sighed, and then said something.

This man's surname was Yue, and his given name was Teng. He was from Tang County, Xiangzhou. Although his family was a poor household with only a few acres of meager land, he had been studying poetry and books since childhood and was also very fond of martial arts. He was skilled in archery and was well-known in the local county. At the end of last year, the local official recommended him to the capital to participate in this year's military examination. Although the military examination was not as important as the civil examination in this dynasty, if one passed the preliminary examination, the provincial examination, and the final palace examination, one would be immediately granted an official position and a title. Therefore, Yue's parents were very happy and scraped together the travel expenses for their son to go to the capital, hoping to hear good news back.

Yue Teng had practiced martial arts since childhood, always dreaming of making something of himself. Half a month ago, he arrived in the capital and found a foot inn to stay at. Every day, he either practiced martial arts diligently or studied the imperial examination and the Seven Military Classics in preparation for the August examination. However, a few days later, the money in his bundle was stolen by a fellow villager who was also taking the examination. Yue Teng had no choice but to move to a large dormitory in a temple that was open to vagrants at night. During the day, he would stand at the bridge and alley entrance like a porter, waiting to sell his labor for some copper coins. A few days ago, he happened to pass by here and saw that Gu Zao's restaurant had a sign that said one copper coin was enough to fill you up. So he shamelessly went in, only eating rice and drinking soup. He didn't dare to eat much, and each time he would only fill his stomach with a bowl before leaving in a hurry.

"Sister is indeed kind-hearted, but I did something wrong, and I will never dare to come again." After saying this, Yue Teng was filled with shame. He bowed deeply again and turned to leave.

Gu Zao turned her head and saw her third sister standing in the passageway, peeking around. A look of concern appeared on her face. Seeing that Yue Teng was indeed a good person, she had an idea. She smiled and said, "As the saying goes, you can help in an emergency, but not in a long-term relationship. Everyone has their inconveniences when they're away from home. My business here is doing alright, but I'm a little overwhelmed. I see you're quite strong. If you don't mind, you can stay at my shop during the day to help out before your martial arts exam. It'll be doing things like going out to buy supplies, pulling carts, or moving goods. Meals will be provided, and I'll pay you. In the evenings, since my family is all women and my brother only comes home once every two weeks, it's a bit inconvenient. You can go stay at the temple instead. What do you think?"

Yue Teng, who helped his parents in the fields at home and was not spoiled, was already somewhat willing. Suddenly, he looked up and saw a pretty girl of about fifteen or sixteen looking at him. He blushed and didn't dare to look closely. He hurriedly lowered his head and agreed.

Gu Zao smiled and told him to go eat his fill and come back to work tomorrow. Yue Teng blushed and went out to sit there. His third sister had already served him rice and brought him two dishes of vegetables. He wolfed them down and thanked her repeatedly before leaving under Fang Shi's disapproving gaze.

As soon as Fang left, she immediately began to read aloud. Gu Zao shook his head and sighed, "Mother, you are really confused. My younger brother is small, and there are only a few women running the shop. We inevitably encounter a few unreasonable scoundrels and hooligans who cause trouble. If you were to fight them all by yourself, I'm afraid you would suffer. Now there is such a tall, strong, and skilled man who can keep things in check. Moreover, he said he came to the capital to take the martial arts exam. What if he really becomes the top martial arts scholar? Are you afraid he will stay here and refuse to leave? I'm afraid you will have to fawn over him."

Fang was speechless after Gu Zao's words, and Madam Shen also chimed in. After thinking about it carefully, she realized that it was indeed true, and her anger turned to joy. She then went to clean up the leftovers on the table.

Yue Teng arrived early the next morning. He was initially worried that the old lady at the restaurant would give him a hard time, but to his surprise, she smiled at him. He assumed that her cold exterior from the previous day was merely a facade, and he felt even more grateful. He worked diligently as usual. When the rice shop delivered rice, he easily carried two large bags, going in and out of the shop. In no time, he had neatly stacked them in the back room. Fang Shi was finally satisfied when she saw this.

Time flies, and it was already early April. The weather was getting warmer, and the wisteria trellis in Gu Zao's courtyard was covered with purple flowers, a beautiful sight to behold and a delightful fragrance to smell. Qingwu took advantage of the free time to dig a pit, put a large vat down, and planted several clumps of lotus roots in it. He also released about ten fish fry into the water. Although they were not yet in bloom, they were still covered with green leaves, and their silvery scales were moving around, making them a very interesting sight.

Gu Zao is doing well now, but her heart is weighed down by Xiu Niang's marriage. She always feels sad when she thinks about it. There are only a few days left until the wedding on April 18th. She couldn't help but go and take a look without Fang Shi's knowledge. She saw that Xiu Niang's family was in a festive mood and busy preparing for the wedding. Even Xiu Niang herself looked like she had closed her eyes and was leaving it to fate. Gu Zao felt even more depressed when she returned.

Tomorrow is the eighth day of the lunar calendar, the Buddha's birthday. All the major Zen temples in and around the capital will hold bathing Buddha ceremonies. In particular, the Zen Forest Temple outside the city is rumored to have a highly virtuous monk personally giving a sermon and distributing bathing water to devout men and women. It is said that in previous years, those who were fortunate enough to hear the monk's sermon and receive the bathing water to take home for bathing all had their wishes fulfilled, some were promoted, some became rich, and some attained enlightenment. Therefore, a day in advance, countless people have already arrived at the Zen Forest Temple and lined up overnight, just waiting to get a good spot early tomorrow morning to see the monk's face and receive a bottle of the wish-fulfilling water.

After being spurred on by the marriage of Xiu Niang, Fang Shi felt uneasy seeing her three daughters hanging around without any prospects. When she heard from Madam Shen about the high monk's sermon and the efficacy of the bathing water, and was told about her eldest niece giving birth to a son, she could no longer contain herself. She personally went to call Sister Gu and brought her two children over, canceled the business for tomorrow, and arranged for Gu Zao and her third sister to go to the Chanlin Temple together on the evening of the seventh day of the new year to reserve a place.

Seeing that Fang had abandoned Wong Tai Sin and converted to Amitabha Buddha, Gu Zao secretly chuckled. She didn't believe in such things at all, and besides, she had been to Chanlin Temple once. However, seeing that Fang was so eager to go, her eldest sister also seemed tempted. So she called a carriage, prepared two baskets of various foods, and asked Yue Teng to escort her there. She herself said that she had to stay at home to watch the shop. Her third sister didn't want to go either, but for some reason, she suddenly changed her mind and said that she wanted to go too.

Although Fang wanted to grab Gu Zao and bring her closer to the master so she could absorb some of his Buddhist aura, she saw Gu Zao's resolute attitude and was afraid that if she arrived late, she wouldn't be able to get a good spot. She thought that bringing back more water for Gu Zao to wash up would be just as good. So she didn't pester her. She called her whole family, including Liu Zao, and got into the car. Under Yue Teng's escort, they headed towards Chanlin Temple. Along the way, they encountered many cars going in the same direction as them, probably all heading to Chanlin Temple. They were afraid of being late and kept urging the driver, which annoyed him so much that he threatened to kick her out halfway before she finally stopped.

Chapter Forty-Eight: Wisteria Cakes, Yang Er's Rare Treasure

Meanwhile, everyone in the family had gone out, leaving only Gu Zao alone. She simply closed the shop early. After cleaning up the shop and kitchen, she noticed that the houses in the backyard hadn't been well maintained due to her busy schedule. Her third sister Liu Zao's house was alright, as the two of them were usually diligent. However, in Qing Wu's house, the table was covered in dust after just a wipe. Taking advantage of her free time today, she went and swept it.

While tidying up her room, Fang noticed that the space under the bed was crammed with miscellaneous items—things that Fang couldn't bear to throw away but didn't need. Most of them were old cotton wadding and worn-out shoes that she had brought over from Dongshan Village last year. They were just taking up space, so since Fang wasn't around, she dragged them all out, packed them up, and put them aside, planning to leave them by the door later for the junk collector to collect. Once the space under the bed was empty, she reached in with a broom to sweep, but then she bumped into something. Bending down to look, she was somewhat stunned. It was the box of floral soap and rosewater that Master Yang had given her before. She had hidden it under the bed before, but because she was too busy, she had gradually forgotten about it. Fang's miscellaneous items had pushed it to the very back of the bed, and now even the box was covered in dust.

Gu Zao fished the box out, wiped it clean with a rag, and placed it on the table. Opening the bottle, she immediately smelled a fragrant aroma again. She stared at it for a long time, then sighed, closed the bottle, and went to tidy up the house. After cleaning the rooms and sweeping the courtyard, she felt a sticky, sweaty discomfort. She boiled some water and took a bath from head to toe, then changed into a light yellow jacket, which made her feel better.

It was already getting dark. Gu Zao lit the oil lamp on the table and immediately noticed the bottle of rosewater. The bottle shimmered under the lamplight, as if it possessed a magical power. Gu Zao couldn't resist reaching out her hand, and only after smelling the fragrant aroma did she realize that she had already poured some out and applied it to behind her ears and wrists.

A sudden panic gripped Gu Zao's heart. She hurriedly stuffed the bottle and soap back under the bed, pushing them to the very back. Then, smelling the fragrance on herself again, she couldn't resist fetching a basin of water and frantically scrubbing the areas she had just applied the soap to until she felt she could no longer smell it.

Gu Zao had some free time and, seeing that there was nothing else to do, decided it was too early to go to bed. So she brewed a pot of flower tea and sat down to rest under the wisteria trellis. She glanced up and saw the wisteria vines winding and twisting, with clusters of purple flowers hanging among the green leaves and tendrils, swaying in the breeze – a truly romantic sight.

The sight suddenly reminded her of the wisteria cakes her grandmother used to make every year when she was a child. On a whim, she stopped drinking her tea, stood up, tiptoed, and picked about ten bunches of wisteria buds that were about to bloom, carrying them to the kitchen. She carefully recalled her grandmother's technique, mimicking how she gently lifted the buds, plucked the petals off the stem, and then pinched them between her fingers to reveal the pollen and stamens inside. She then shook the petals, letting the pollen and stamens fall off, and placed the petals one by one into a large bowl. After filling the bowl, the purple and white flowers, with their faint fragrance, were already a delight to behold.

After washing the petals, Gu Zao mixed in some sugar. She remembered that her grandmother would marinate them for about an hour after mixing the sugar, so she left them there to wait. She picked up a copy of the Book of Songs from Qingwu's house and sat under the flower stand, casually flipping through it by moonlight. When the time was almost up and the petals were starting to wilt, she took a piece of pork fat, diced it finely, poured it onto the petals, mixed it into a filling, wrapped it in rice flour to make thin round cakes, and then steamed them.

As Gu Zao waited for the wisteria cakes to cook, he suddenly remembered the pile of miscellaneous items in the house that he hadn't thrown away yet. So he picked them up, walked to the front door of the shop, opened a few door panels, and leaned out to place them on the steps in front of the shop. Looking up at the street, he saw that it was still bustling with people and vehicles because the weather had warmed up a bit. Just as he was pulling back to put the last door panel in place, suddenly a person appeared from some corner and stood in front of him.

Gu Zao looked up and was startled. Holding the door panel in her hand, she just stared at him blankly, speechless.

The man was none other than Yang Hao from the Grand Commandant's office. After only a few months, he had returned to his original bearded appearance.

Gu Zao was still in a daze when Yang Hao smiled at her and said in a low voice, "Third Sister, I just arrived in the capital, and I was thinking of you, so I couldn't help but come over again..."

It turned out that Yang Hao had gone to the Jhapa region by ship in the first month of the lunar calendar, intending to travel to the Abbasid Caliphate and Guru Rinpoche, and not wanting to return for a year or two. However, after the fleet had been at sea for only a few days, he began to miss her. More than a month had passed, and he even dreamed of the woman's appearance. Even her angry expression now warmed his heart, and he regretted the harsh words he had spoken that day.

The three men beside him, who were never keen on enduring the salty winds of the sea, had followed him all the way. Seeing their second master standing on the deck every day, gazing north, his expression shifting between solemnity and apparent joy, they, being as shrewd as Yang Hao, couldn't help but notice the reason. They whispered in Yang Hao's ear, urging him to return as soon as possible, saying that the third sister of the Gu family was already known as Xi Shi (a legendary beauty), and now that she ran a shop and was constantly in the public eye, there were probably men lining up on the streets to pursue her. Even if the third sister of the Gu family was virtuous and resolute, no matter how strong a woman was, she couldn't withstand a man's persistent pursuit. If the second master really waited a year or two before returning, the third sister of the Gu family might already be married and have children.

Yang Hao was already troubled by her, and San Dun's instigation only fueled his regret. After a few days of hasty trading at the Japo, he sent the other merchant ships onward while he hurried back. Even so, four months had passed. He arrived in the capital today, barely catching his breath, and sent San Dun and the others back first. Without saying where he was going, he silently went to Ma Xing Street and inquired about the location of the Gu family's restaurant. He was somewhat apprehensive, both eager to see his third sister and afraid of her coldness. He nervously made his way to her house, only to find the doors tightly shut. He didn't know whether to feel annoyed or relieved, and stood there in a daze for a while when suddenly he saw several doors open, and his third sister leaning out to put something by the door.

After months of separation, the person he had been longing for day and night was now right before his eyes. By the light from the shops on the street, he saw that his third sister was wearing an apricot-yellow shirt, her hair loosely tied up, and she seemed even more beautiful than before. When he saw her shrink back to climb onto the door panel, his heart warmed, and he rushed up in a few steps.

Seeing the excited and joyful look on Yang Hao's face, Gu Zao's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't latch the door shut. After a while, he came to his senses and said calmly, "So it's Second Master who's back."

Seeing Gu Zao's cold attitude, Yang Hao feared she would immediately turn on him and kick him out. In desperation, he whispered, "I... I haven't eaten all day. Isn't your house a restaurant? I'll come and eat..."

Seeing that he had actually come up with such a statement, Gu Zao couldn't help but find it amusing and said, "Second Master, what you're saying is true. My family does run a restaurant, but everyone in the village went to the temple today, so we had a meal there tonight. If you're hungry, Second Master, go eat somewhere else. Even the Grand Commandant's mansion won't let you go hungry."

Yang Hao saw that although she was still speaking coldly, there was a hint of a smile in the corner of her eyes. His heart warmed, and he hurriedly said, "I brought you some rare things from my trip. Take a look."

Gu Zao shook his head and said, "Second Master's things are naturally all good, but they are not suitable for me."

Yang Hao hurriedly said, "Third Sister, I know you don't like the jewelry that ordinary women love, so you only brought some local specialties. At this time of year, the stinky cat fruit on Najapo Island is ripe. This fruit looks strange, round and covered with thorns, and it smells strange too, but the flesh inside tastes pretty good, so I brought some over. Although many of them rotted on the way, there are still a few good ones. Try them and see if you like them. There's also a kind of yellow powder, which is said to have been introduced from Champa. It smells spicy, and the locals use it in cooking and soups. I thought you like to cook, so I brought some back. See if it's useful."

As Yang Hao spoke, he hurriedly brought over a bag from a nearby alley, opened it like a treasure, and presented it to Gu Zao.

As Gu Zao listened to his description, she already had a feeling that he had brought durian and curry powder. When she smelled that familiar yet unfamiliar, strong and strange aroma, she was certain. When she saw him take out a large bag of powder, she took it and smelled it. Sure enough, it was curry powder, and she couldn't help but feel a little happy.

Yang Hao took out the things he had brought, feeling a little uneasy, worried that she might find them too crude, and kept a close eye on her expression. When he saw her finally smile, he felt relieved and didn't say anything, just smiled at Gu Zao.

The durian was fine, but Gu Zao really liked the bag of curry powder and couldn't bear to part with it. Just as she was hesitating, Yang Hao poked his head in and said, "What's that? I smell something burnt."

Reminded by him, Gu Zao then remembered the wisteria cakes that were still steaming in her pot. She was afraid that the water had boiled dry because she had been talking to him for so long. With a sigh, she grabbed the bag of curry powder and ran inside.

Gu Zao rushed into the kitchen in a panic, lifted the lid of the pot, and took out the steamer without caring that it was too hot to handle. Sure enough, she saw that the water at the bottom had boiled away, the bottom of the pot had turned white, and the outer edge of the wisteria cake had been baked to a slightly charred color. She couldn't help but feel annoyed.

Chapter 49 Stephen Chow's Heartbreaking Dinner, Second Master's Initial Success

Gu Zao hurriedly poured a spoonful of water into the parched pot, and it immediately hissed and started emitting plumes of white smoke. Looking at the slightly golden-brown wisteria cakes, she felt a pang of annoyance when Yang Hao's voice rang out behind her: "What is this? It smells so good!"

Before he could finish speaking, he had already picked up a piece of bread, and without even noticing how hot it was, he put it in his mouth and ate it. After a few bites, he swallowed it and kept saying how delicious it was. When he was about to take a second piece, Gu Zao stopped him and said, "This bread is supposed to be fragrant and soft. It was a little burnt just now, so it's not very tasty. Even if you don't mind and want to eat it, you should wash your hands first. I saw that your hands were a little dirty from holding that bag. If you don't eat it, you'll get a stomachache and blame me."

Yang Hao chuckled and said, "I ate and lived with the sailors on the ship. The woman who cooked for me was slovenly and didn't look clean. It's alright after eating this food for so long." As he spoke, he took another piece of bread and stuffed it into his mouth before going to the well in the yard to fetch water to wash his hands.

Gu Zao picked up all the wisteria cakes and put them on a plate. She broke off a piece and chewed it. Although it had lost the soft texture she wanted, it had been baked for a long time, and the fat had almost melted into the cake. With the fragrance of wisteria flowers and the aroma of the crispy cake, it tasted quite unique. Turning her head, she saw that the person was already sitting at the table under the wisteria trellis. She took a plate of wisteria cakes over, but after taking a few steps, she saw him pick up the cup with some water left in it and was about to put it to his lips. She hurriedly called out to stop him, but it was no use. He had already gulped it down in one go, picked up the teapot, poured himself another cup, drank it down in a few gulps, and then looked up and smiled at her.

Gu Zao had no choice but to pretend not to see and placed the plate in front of him. He must have been really hungry, because he devoured everything on the plate in no time. After finishing, he even looked up at Gu Zao and smiled, "It's really delicious. I've never eaten such a pancake before. Is there any more? I'm still not full."

Gu Zao saw that he had grown a messy beard again, and his face was dark from being exposed to the wind and sun at sea. Only his eyes were bright. Looking at her now, he looked like the Taoist priest Zhong Kui from the New Year's paintings, only missing that he was holding a little devil in his hand. Gu Zao couldn't help but laugh.

Yang Hao had no idea what Gu Zao was thinking. He thought she was laughing because he thought he was such a big eater, and said awkwardly, "I was in a hurry to get back today, so I only had some snacks this morning. I haven't had a proper meal since noon..."

Gu Zaoxin softened, said nothing, turned around and went back to the kitchen. She scooped a large bowl of cold rice from the pot, then took an egg, a few scallions, a piece of fatty and lean pork, and a few sprigs of rapeseed. Seeing that there were some shrimp left over from lunch, she took those as well. She fried the egg into a tender sunny-side-up egg, finely chopped the pork into minced meat, mixed it with some seasonings, and stir-fried it with the scallions and shrimp. She then blanched the rapeseed in boiling water and drained it. She then broke up the rice grains and stir-fried them thoroughly in the pot. Finally, she put the rice in a large plate, arranged the fried egg, stir-fried shrimp and pork, and rapeseed on top of the rice, and poured meat sauce over it. She then took the plate and placed it in front of Yang Hao, and sat down on another chair next to him.