What was originally a very promising situation suddenly became fraught with difficulties due to the old lady's cryptic attitude.
Mrs. Shen looked worried, put her arm around her niece's shoulder, and whispered, "Did she say anything?"
“She…” Shen Yueyi blushed, but still whispered, “She asked me what kind of man I liked, and I couldn’t refuse, so I said I liked a military general who was good at both literature and martial arts.” These words were embarrassing, and her voice was barely audible. Her cheeks were slightly red, but she choked up and said, “The old lady mentioned several young generals, but she didn’t mention him at all.”
This is a bad sign.
If the old lady truly intended to keep Shen Yueyi here, with such an obvious hint, why would she beat around the bush?
Shen felt uncertain and became increasingly agitated as she thought about Wei's role in managing the household affairs.
Originally, she thought she should tear off the mask of civility and make things clear to the old lady, but before she could find an opportunity to speak, the old lady made her attitude very clear at Yue Sheng's 100th birthday banquet.
Chapter 65 Secret
The Fu family, spanning four generations, was hosting their great-grandson's 100th birthday banquet for the first time, making it a very lively occasion.
July is usually hot, but thanks to the rain last night and the lingering clouds, the day was unusually cool. The wealthy and powerful families, officials, and merchants of Qizhou City, all those with connections to the Fu family, either personally came to offer congratulations or delivered gifts to their doorsteps. The two head stewards personally oversaw the procession, registering those gifts that could be accepted and politely declining those that couldn't. The Fu family's door was bustling with activity.
The banquet was set up in the back garden, with male guests and female relatives seated in two separate areas, and Mr. and Mrs. Fu Deming each taking charge of the arrangements.
As an elderly woman, Madam Fu was carried there in a small bamboo sedan chair by servants. She sat in the waterside pavilion, flanked by her two daughters, Fu Lanyin and Shen Yueyi, with servants and maids standing around her. Despite her frail health and many worries in private, the old lady, who had long held a position of honor, still maintained a dignified demeanor on this occasion. Her autumn-colored brocade dress with floral patterns was of precious material and exquisitely embroidered. Her silver-white hair was adorned only with a gold and jade hairpin, simple yet elegant.
The female guests sat around her like stars around the moon, some showing concern for her health, others chatting about everyday things, creating a harmonious atmosphere throughout the room.
Looking at the two girls, everyone knew Fu Lanyin, but Shen Yueyi was quite unfamiliar—after arriving in Qizhou, she spent most of her time in Shou'an Hall and rarely left the mansion, so she didn't know many people.
Then someone asked with a smile.
The old lady only said that she was Shen's niece, and that she was gentle, kind, knowledgeable, and reasonable, praising her highly.
Those in the audience who understood the implied meaning and were quite close to the Fu family seized the opportunity to tease with smiles: "The young ladies in front of the old lady are indeed all very beautiful. Is Miss Shen betrothed yet? If not, I'd better hurry up. Even if I can't snatch Miss Lanyin, it would be a blessing to marry Miss Shen."
Shen Yueyi is older than Fu Lanyin, and it is indeed the age when they should be discussing marriage.
The old lady glanced at Shen Yueyi, took her hand and patted it with obvious affection, then smiled and said, "She hasn't been betrothed yet. Yueyi is considerate. If Zhao'er weren't so young, I wouldn't have let her go to someone else. It's a pity, I can only choose a good husband for her from outside. The young men in our Qizhou City are all outstanding. If you are interested, you should first get past her aunt's approval before coming to me."
This attitude, though seemingly joking, was not a joke.
Everyone below knew Shen's status in the Fu family, and a few who were interested secretly began to observe her.
Shen Yueyi sat beside her, her face flushed, showing only a shy demeanor, but her heart was gradually cooling down.
How could Madam Shen not understand her meaning? If the old lady truly wanted to arrange Shen Yueyi's marriage, she could have secretly inquired and found a reliable match. Why make it so public? These words were probably meant for her—the two had lived together for over twenty years in the household, and because she was good at reading the room and yielding, they had never had a conflict. If these words were spoken to her face, it would inevitably be awkward. By acting this way, the old lady gave her ample face in public, but also clearly stated her intentions, putting an end to her hopes.
Madam Shen felt a pang of worry, but could only smile and express her gratitude to her mother-in-law for taking care of her niece, not daring to make the slightest mistake.
After a moment, once the topic had been dropped, he gave Shen Yueyi a wink.
Shen Yueyi understood, but felt extremely uncomfortable sitting there, so she forced a smile and whispered a few words to the old lady, then got up and went to the inner room.
From full of anticipation to dashed hopes, and then to being publicly enlightened today, she sat there with a forced smile, but her heart was filled with bitterness and sorrow. She felt that no amount of sweet talk and consideration could persuade the old lady, and that months of hard work had been in vain.
Once inside the room, he heard You Tong accompanying a female guest into the room, chatting and laughing with everyone. He felt increasingly resentful.
Since she was infatuated with Fu Yu and single-mindedly wanted to get into the South Tower, she felt that Wei Youtong was only beautiful but had a bad reputation and didn't know how to please the elders, so she was really not good enough for Fu Yu. At first, she secretly despised her, but gradually she felt sorry for herself and thought that Wei had gotten there first, which made her miss the opportunity. Now she was full of resentment and disheartened, and her anger and hatred were added to her.
Looking back on the events with a gloomy expression, she suddenly realized that perhaps all her previous efforts had been misdirected.
It's better to remain still than to take any action. Hoping for the old lady's help is already a pipe dream, but if Madam Wei behaves improperly, she might have to move out of the South Building...
When this thought popped into her head, Shen Yueyi felt a sudden jolt, like a drowning person seeing a withered branch to save them.
...
Inside the hall, You Tong was not in the mood for such leisure at the moment.
She could see through the petty squabbles of the Shen mother and daughter, of course. However, Shen Yueyi had been cautious enough before, though she had been busy gathering information, she hadn't dared to offend her. Because of Fu Yu's reputation, she dared not cause trouble at the South Tower. Why should You Tong bother with such idle people?
Today, there are many guests. As the young mistress, she has to help Madam Shen receive the female guests, and she hasn't had much rest since she got up this morning.
The guests have mostly arrived, and the time for the banquet to end is not far off.
After exchanging pleasantries with a female guest, Madam Shen took a moment to walk over to her, her face beaming with a kind smile. "The kitchen seems to be almost ready for the banquet. The dishes that the old lady instructed should all be served at the main table. Is the cook in your courtyard capable of making them?"
"Don't worry, Auntie. She started making arrangements the day before yesterday, and it should be almost done by now. I'll go and take a look."
"Okay, there will be soup poured in front of everyone later, so have her cook it herself. The guests are all here, so don't be embarrassed."
You Tong agreed, but fearing that Du Shuangxi might make a mistake since it was her first time helping to organize a banquet at the mansion, she took Chuncao with her and went to check on things herself.
The dish was fish drizzled with sauce and oil. The method was actually quite simple: remove the gills from the fish, wash it thoroughly, remove the sinews, make incisions, wrap it in ginger slices, steam it in a steamer, then pour in the sauce and drizzle hot oil over it. The first few steps weren't complicated; the key was the sauce and the oil. The sauce needed to be carefully prepared to infuse the fish with flavor, and the amount of oil poured on had to be just right—enough to release a fragrant aroma without compromising the tenderness of the fish. The finished dish featured tender fish; dipping a piece in the sauce was incredibly delicious.
The old lady had tried it once before, and this time she specially ordered Du Shuangxi to make it. She even cleared out a space not far outside the hall for her to drizzle oil, so that the aroma would fill the air and it could be served while it was still hot, adding a touch of fun.
The day before yesterday, You Tong asked Du Shuangxi to prepare the ingredients for making soup, and he even checked them over carefully in case anything went wrong.
Fortunately, no one dared to tamper with the banquet, and everything went smoothly.
When she arrived, Du Shuangxi had just finished cooking several dishes, and the fish with sauce was still in the steamer. She then asked several cooks to carry them and headed straight to Zhaoyue Tower, where the banquet was being held. Upon arriving, she found the room clean and tidy, with silver charcoal flickering in the small earthenware stove, and oil prepared beside it, just waiting to be heated.
There was still some time before the banquet ended, so Du Shuangxi wasn't in a hurry and stood by the window waiting for orders.
You Tong didn't leave either, thinking she might need it later, so she pointed out the women in the hall to her through the window. There were also several young men who had come specifically to pay their respects to the old lady. You Tong didn't recognize the others, but she recognized Wei Tianze, so she casually mentioned him.
Upon hearing this, Du Shuangxi couldn't help but glance at him a few more times. As she looked, surprise appeared in her eyes, and she narrowed her eyes to examine him closely.
So much so that when You Tong spoke of the two women behind her, she was so engrossed in watching them that she forgot to respond.
You Tong noticed and patted her with a smile, "What's wrong? Is it because he's good-looking that you're mesmerized?"
“No.” Du Shuangxi shook her head, and because she was familiar with You Tong, she chuckled and said, “My ex-husband was better looking than him. But this person, I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
This was something You Tong hadn't expected.
Du Shuangxi used to live in Zizhou, and later went to the residence of Prince Wei Jian of Xiping. He had never been anywhere else. Wei Tianze was considered Fu Yu's capable lieutenant, and he was often elusive. Even if he went elsewhere, he would not necessarily make his whereabouts public. How could Du Shuangxi have seen him?
Surprised, I couldn't help but ask, "Where did we meet?"
Du Shuangxi hesitated for a moment, then, seeing that there were still old women and maids waiting nearby, she winked at You Tong.
You Tong understood. Seeing that it wasn't time yet, he took her out to find a quiet place and asked her why.
Du Shuangxi then briefly recounted an old story to her—
When Du Shuangxi first entered the Wei family, although she had a lot of skills, she had no one to rely on and no one to promote her. The Wei family was large and prosperous, with more than a dozen concubines around Wei Jian, each occupying their own courtyard and pavilion. She did not have the good fortune to serve those favored concubines, and for a while she was only sent to deliver vegetables to a secluded courtyard.
The courtyard was in a secluded corner of the Wei residence, quite far from Wei Jian's dwelling. Although the houses were tidy, they were very deserted. Living inside was Wei Jian's former concubine, surnamed Chu, nearly forty years old. She was attended only by two maids and usually stayed indoors, remaining silent and withdrawn. Because she found Du Shuangxi's cooking to her liking, she would occasionally give her some money to have a few more dishes sent over. Although she seemed out of favor, she was quite generous, possessing gold hairpins and jade bracelets in her box, yet never wearing them.
Once, when Du Shuangxi went there, the maid was not there. She brought the vegetables into the house and saw that Chu was standing by the wall in a daze.
A painting hangs on the wall, depicting a young and handsome man.
She was so engrossed in looking at the painting that she didn't even hear Du Shuangxi enter. She just stared blankly until Du Shuangxi spoke, which brought her back to her senses, and she put the painting away.
After that, I never asked her to cook again.
Du Shuangxi originally thought that the man was Chu's lover, and she didn't dare to mention it to anyone when she was in the Wei family. But she never expected that when she saw Wei Tianze today, he looked exactly like the man in the painting! The man in the painting appeared in Qizhou from thousands of miles away, which surprised her so much that she couldn't help but stare at him intently.
You Tong was stunned. "The person in the painting really looks exactly like Wei Tianze?"
"It's like it was drawn based on his work; I remember that scene very clearly," Du Shuangxi said confidently.
You Tong's two delicate eyebrows slowly furrowed.
While it's true that people in the world can look alike, such a coincidence is rare. If Wei Tianze is indeed related to that reclusive woman in the Wei household, then this matter becomes very mysterious. I wonder if Fu Yu knows about this? He and Wei Tianze have known each other for a long time, sharing a bond of camaraderie on the battlefield and a life-or-death friendship. In terms of closeness to Fu Yu, she might not actually be as close as Wei Tianze.
But deep down, You Tong felt that something was amiss and that she needed to remind Fu Yu.
As I was deep in thought, I suddenly heard footsteps treading on the grass outside. Startled, I immediately looked up.
There was no one outside her window, and the surroundings were quiet, except for a secluded path behind her, where a rockery was reflected in the bamboo grove, and the treetops swayed gently. She looked around but didn't see anyone, except for a cat that scurried past in the distance. She breathed a sigh of relief and followed Du Shuangxi back to their spot to heat up the oil to make the fish with the sauce.
Afterwards, he ordered the dishes to be served and also had to entertain the guests, so he put the matter aside for the time being.
...
The Fu family owns a theater, but they don't have the leisure to employ actors. Today, for the sake of liveliness, they invited several opera troupes to join in the fun.
After the banquet, the male guests had their business to attend to and left in small groups. The female guests, having nothing else to do, continued watching the play. You Tong, being the young mistress of the second wife, couldn't shirk her duties in this setting, and even though she felt sleepy in the afternoon, she had no choice but to keep them company.
At that moment, Fu Yu was striding towards the South Building.
That day, he went to the outskirts of the city with You Tong to relax. Although she made him angry, it didn't reach the point of a quarrel between husband and wife. After returning, he still slept in Liangshuge. Every evening, he could always find an excuse to come to her place to find something to eat. It has to be said that You Tong was not concerned about other things, but she was very enthusiastic about food. Whenever she had free time, she could discuss food with Du Shuangxi and come up with new ideas one after another.
Fu Yu used to eat communal meals in the army, and often ate dry rations when marching. He was not particularly particular about food.
After marrying her, his appetite gradually became more discerning. When they were out, he couldn't resist, but when they were at home and there was nothing urgent to do, he couldn't stomach the dishes brought by the servants in the two study rooms and couldn't help but crave the delicious food in the South Tower. Gradually, he even began to know what kind of food she had. For example, the iced red bean paste she made yesterday, although a bit too sweet, was refreshing and cooling, and quite to his liking.
He made a brief appearance at the banquet earlier that morning, then went to the drill ground, and rode back at breakneck speed, covered in sweat, still longing for that taste.
When they arrived at the South Building, Chuncao, Xia Sao, and Du Shuangxi were not there; only Zhou Gu was sitting in the shade under the eaves doing needlework.
Fu Yu didn't stand on ceremony and went straight in, asking, "Is there still any of that iced red bean paste that the young mistress served yesterday?"
“Yes, it’s in the ice chest.” Aunt Zhou quickly got up.
Fu Yu nodded. "Bring two bowls."
It's currently very hot, and it's inconvenient to leave the ice chest outside, so we're storing it in a small cellar at the foot of the north slope.
Aunt Zhou sent someone to fetch it, but it would take some time to go back and forth. With nothing else to do, Fu Yu went to the side room to find a book to read.
Once inside, he couldn't help but recall that time he returned drunk, trapping her between the desk and bookshelves, and the taste of her soft lips. Her rosy lips, her supple waist, her misty eyes... even the taste of sleeping together in bed when the boundaries between husband and wife were clear, all rushed into his mind.
Fu Yu was a little lost in thought. He placed his hand on the table and then sat down in the chair.
The writing brush and inkstone were neatly arranged on the table, and the paperweight was a delicate porcelain rabbit, with an endearing and simple appearance.
Beside her was a stack of paper, which were her usual recipes. The bottom sheet was made of Xuan paper and bound with thread.
Nowadays, apart from silk, most books are bound in accordion or dragon scale style. I have never seen books bound with thread and holes. This style is quite rare.
Fu Yu took it out with interest, opened the title page, and saw familiar handwriting in delicate, small regular script: seven neat characters—"Kyoto Hot Pot Proposal." He paused, unsure what it was. It wasn't until Aunt Zhou brought over some iced red bean paste that he flipped through it and finally understood. He'd never seen this before; it must have been made by You Tong. Fu Yu flipped through it again, this time examining it closely, and gradually, his expression became somewhat solemn.
After flipping through the book twice, when I closed it, there were only two empty bowls left on the table.
Fu Yu sat there, staring at the strangely bound book, his expression quite complicated.
...
Fu Yu knew that You Tong loved food and devoted herself to it with great care and effort.
Unexpectedly, despite being pampered and privileged as a prospective royal daughter-in-law, she harbored a secret desire to open a restaurant. Moreover, his writing was steady and methodical, even more detailed and thorough than he had anticipated, much like his meticulous surveying of terrain and customs before battles to discuss strategies—clear, organized, and even including the time required and potential costs.