В коридоре висит полумесяц, похожий на луну

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The beauty was now in his arms, the faint fragrance of her fresh bath filling his nostrils, the smooth, cool touch of her hair on his face, and the soft, supple flesh of her breasts in his hands. He could no longer restrain himself. Just as his mind was fluttering with desire, he felt her stomp his foot heavily. But it was merely a tickle; he felt no pain whatsoever. Instead, he found her wildcat-like nature quite endearing and couldn't help but chuckle. Unexpectedly, his joy turned to sorrow. His second sister turned and thrust her knee forward, kicking him right in the spot where he was currently aroused. He winced in pain, but dared not utter a sound, thinking to himself that his second sister was truly ruthless.

Seeing that Second Sister Gu was asking her this question again, although her tone was indifferent, she could still see from the dim starlight that although there was a hint of anger on her face, she could not hide the trace of panic. She looked even more pitiful, so she forgot her pain and stared at her blankly.

Seeing that he was in such a state, Gu Zao knew that she would not be able to eat the noodles. Moreover, after he had disturbed her like this, she had already lost her appetite. So she bent down to pick up the lamp that she had just dropped on the ground, turned around and headed towards her room. When she passed by him, he suddenly reached out and stopped her.

Gu Zao thought he was going to molest her again, and raised her eyebrows, about to shake him off, when she heard him say softly, "You must be hungry, right? I ran into the maid who serves you last night and asked her. She said you went back to your room without even having dinner."

Gu Zao was taken aback, pondering the meaning behind his words, when she heard him chuckle softly and say, "I only drank some wine and ate a few bites of the dishes you made, and now I'm quite hungry. Why don't you go make something, and I'll grab something to eat while I'm at it."

Gu Zao hesitated for a moment, but saw that he had already taken the lamp from his hand and turned to go towards the small kitchen. In the end, she sighed and followed him in.

The coal in the small stove in the kitchen had been burning all night. Gu Zao brushed away the layer of ash on top, and the fire immediately glowed red again. He then lit a lamp and placed it on the table, took out the leftover noodles from the day, boiled water, cooked the noodles in the boiling water, and then added the broth he had made that day with fresh mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and wormwood to the pot. He also added some leftover bamboo shoots and bok choy. Once it boiled, he divided it into two bowls, cooked the noodles, and that was it.

Gu Zao glanced at Yang Hao and saw that the Second Master was sitting on the stool watching her work, looking quite relaxed. She then placed the noodles in front of him and said in a slightly annoyed tone, "Second Master, the noodles are here. Please eat them while they're hot."

Yang Hao smiled, stood up, pressed Gu Zao down onto the stool he had just been sitting on, then moved another stool to sit opposite her before picking up his chopsticks and starting to eat.

Yang Hao found the noodles to be exceptionally smooth and chewy, bursting with flavor in every bite. He devoured the entire bowl of noodles in no time, even drinking every last drop of the broth. Now full, by the dim light of the lamp on the table, he saw Gu Zao across from him, her head slightly bowed as she ate her noodles. Her face was bare of makeup, her hair loosely tied back with a hairpin, and even the collar of her padded jacket was slightly loose, likely because she hadn't fastened it properly when she came out. His thoughts began to stir again.

Gu Zao looked up and saw him staring at her again, his gaze seeming to devour her whole. She sighed inwardly, put down her chopsticks, and said seriously, "Second Master, there's something I know you won't like to hear, but I have no choice but to say it."

Yang Hao was completely focused on her and didn't listen carefully, only nodding casually.

Gu Zao then looked at him and said, word by word, "Second Master, I know what you're thinking. But I'm going to be frank with you today. I'm just a concubine who was cursed to bring misfortune to her husband and was kicked out of the house by the first wife. Now I only make a living with my meager skills. Second Master, on the other hand, comes from a noble family and has a high status. Although I don't know what you see in me, we are worlds apart. The old lady would never tolerate me. I have no intention of finding another husband. I advise you to give up that idea as soon as possible, so that things don't look bad for anyone later."

Yang Hao was taken aback and slightly opened his mouth.

Gu Zao interrupted him, sneering, "Second Master, are you suggesting taking me in as a concubine? I'm afraid the Old Madam will reluctantly accept me out of love for the house? I'll teach you that although I, Second Sister Gu, am of lowly status and have no intention of remarrying in this life, even if I were to marry one day, I would never again be a concubine. Even if that person brought a grand sedan chair, I would still have to consider it."

Yang Hao stared blankly at Gu Zao's resolute and cold face and her dark eyes in the firelight, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

After Gu Zao finished speaking, she ignored him, simply finished eating the noodles in her bowl, nodded slightly to him, turned around and left the small kitchen, returned to her room, closed the door, and as she passed by Zhen Xin, she heard her sleeping soundly without a trace of worry, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

The next day, Gu Zao got up and went to the small kitchen, where she saw an old woman who had already arrived cleaning up the dishes and pots. When she saw Gu Zao, she grabbed her and said, "Second Sister Gu, when I left last night, this place was clearly clean. How come there are two sets of unwashed dishes this morning? Could it be that some greedy person sneaked in in the middle of the night to steal some food?"

Gu Zao was stunned. Wasn't she the one who had sneaked over with that person in the middle of the night to steal food? She responded lightly with two words, while the old woman muttered something under her breath and went to do her work.

Since the old lady's birthday banquet was to be held in the evening, and Gu Zao had nothing to do at the Grand Commandant's residence today, she didn't want to see that person again. So, after the old lady had finished getting up, she went to the front of the warm pavilion to request an audience, saying that she had other matters to attend to at home today, and since the birthday banquet was already scheduled, she would come again early tomorrow morning. The old lady agreed, and Gu Zao thanked her. After returning to the kitchen and instructing the servants to prepare the necessary items, she left the Grand Commandant's residence on her own without needing anyone to lead the way.

Gu Xiuniang's marriage

Gu Zao left the Grand Commandant's mansion and passed through Zheng Gate. The streets were bustling with activity. Remembering the scent of the soap he'd used at the mansion the day before, which he found quite pleasant, he deliberately detoured to the powder shop, intending to buy some as well. Suddenly, he noticed a middle-aged woman sitting on a street corner, begging pitifully. A crowd of onlookers had gathered around her. As he passed, he overheard a man beside him sighing to his companion, "That Qin Miaoguan was once a famous courtesan during the Tianxi era, exceptionally beautiful. Even the painters in the capital loved to paint her likeness. Later, there was no news of her. It's said she became an official's concubine, a pity for many back then. Who would have thought she'd end up like this?" He then laughed, seemingly with a hint of schadenfreude.

Hearing the man's words, Gu Zao couldn't help but slow down and take a closer look. She saw the woman was disheveled, her eyes vacant, and her clothes, worn in the dead of winter, were pitifully thin—she was far from being a beauty. For some reason, Gu Zao felt a pang of sympathy, and absentmindedly tossed the money she had intended to use to buy soap into Qin Miaoguan's broken bowl. Qin Miaoguan repeatedly kowtowed in gratitude. The man who had spoken earlier seemed to be impressed by Gu Zao, but Gu Zao, disgusted by his tone, didn't even glance at him before leaving.

Upon entering her own home, Fang Shi and the others were washing radishes and cabbages in the yard. Seeing her return, Third Sister and Liu Zao were very happy and surrounded her, asking all sorts of questions. However, Fang Shi's expression was somewhat strange. Gu Zao assumed that Fang Shi was still upset about what happened a couple of days ago and didn't think much of it. She went into the house to put down what she was carrying, but then she saw a little girl, about the same age as Third Sister, peek out from inside. The girl looked timid and was a complete stranger.

Gu Zao was somewhat surprised. She was looking at the little girl when she saw that the girl had already come out of the inner room. She smiled at Gu Zao and called out, "Second Cousin."

Gu Zao was taken aback. Upon closer inspection, she noticed a faint resemblance between the little girl and Madam Hu. She immediately recognized her as Gu Xiuniang, the daughter of her eldest uncle, Gu Da. She nodded and smiled in agreement. But how did Gu Xiuniang end up in her house?

Gu Zao was puzzled and was about to ask when Fang Shi came over and pulled her to the courtyard gate. She lowered her voice and said, "Second Sister, this Xiu Niang rushed to my house yesterday in a panic. She didn't want to leave last night and ended up spending the night with Third Sister. I couldn't very well send her away. When I asked her why, she just shook her head and wouldn't say a word, only shedding tears. I reckon her family doesn't even know her daughter is here. If her mother comes looking for her, it'll cause a huge uproar. I was just about to go to her house to tell her and get Xiu Niang out of there quickly."

Gu Zao turned around and saw Xiuniang standing there blankly biting her lip. She knew there must be some hidden story. She calmed Fang Shi down for a few moments, then went back inside, took Xiuniang's hand, led her to the inner room, closed the door, and sat down with her on the bed.

"Xiuniang, you ran to my house, your parents probably don't know, right?"

Gu Zao asked with a smile.

Xiu Niang kept her head down and didn't move. Gu Zao asked again before she finally nodded slightly.

Gu Zao sighed, reached out and took her hand, and said softly, "Xiu Niang, if you don't tell me what happened, I can't help you. I'm afraid your parents will be anxious, so I'll have no choice but to send you back."

Xiu Niang trembled, raised her face, and her eyes were already brimming with tears.

"Second cousin, I don't want to go back. My mother wants to break my feet and bind them up..."

Gu Zao was startled and hurriedly asked for details. After the maidservant spoke intermittently for half a day, Gu Zao finally understood the reason behind it.

It turned out that the Gu family only had one daughter, Xiuniang, and no other children. Gu Da was firmly controlled by Madam Hu. Although he was unwilling, he didn't dare to put any concubines into the household. Madam Hu naturally doted on Xiuniang. After arriving in the capital, she was determined to raise her daughter into a refined young lady from a wealthy family. She hired countless tutors to teach her poetry, calligraphy, music, and painting. However, Xiuniang was not only timid by nature and would blush easily when speaking in public, but she also didn't learn these things very well. Although Madam Hu was disappointed in her daughter, seeing how hard she was working, she had no choice but to let her be. Fortunately, her family was quite wealthy, and she could give half of it as a dowry so that her daughter wouldn't be ashamed.

In the capital, high-ranking officials, wealthy families, and powerful merchants had a custom when choosing sons-in-law: those who passed the imperial examinations were chosen regardless of family background, character, or place of origin; as long as they passed, they were eligible. Therefore, on the day the examination results were announced, people would arrive early in carriages to wait beneath the list, vying to select a newly appointed scholar as their son-in-law. In a single day, up to 10 out of 10 men would be waiting for their sons. It is said that some even regretted arriving late and failing to find a suitable son-in-law.

The Hu family were merchants, and naturally, they longed to find a son-in-law from an official family to enhance their prestige. However, their wealth couldn't compare to that of the prominent figures in the capital, so they dared not hope for the top three scholars in the imperial examinations, let alone those who were granted the title of Jinshi (a high-ranking official). After much inquiry, they finally managed to arrange a marriage with Hu Qing, a Jinshi who had been granted the title of Tong Jinshi.

The Hu family was originally from Yangzhou Prefecture, and were distant relatives of the Hu family. They had previously been a poor family with only a few acres of meager land, but now their son had passed the imperial examination, albeit as a third-class Jinshi (a lower-ranking official), a significant leap in status that made them feel much more distinguished. When the Hu family sent someone to inquire about marriage, the Hu elders, considering their son's current lack of official position and his waiting for a vacancy in the capital, and knowing that while the Hu family was somewhat uncouth, they were wealthy, and seeing the long list of dowry items, they were already willing. The two families happily agreed to the marriage, each getting what they needed, and only awaited Hu Qing's official appointment before holding the wedding ceremony.

Hu Qing was a third-class Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), a title that was truly embarrassing. It was like being starving when someone served you a delicious meal, only to find a fly stuck in the dish. For the sake of your stomach, you had to pick up your chopsticks, but then you felt disgusted. Therefore, those who were arrogant would consider their "Jinshi background" an unspeakable secret, just like the "concubine"—said to be the same as a concubine, but in reality, they were very different. Hu Qing, who considered himself talented, deeply regretted this, feeling that he was merely a pearl hidden in the dust, unappreciated. He only wanted to find a first-class beauty to accompany him in his studies. Upon learning that Gu Xiuniang was merely plain-looking and lacked talent, he was already greatly disappointed. However, knowing that he would be waiting for a position in the capital for who knows how long, he would still need to rely on her family's money to help him get things done, so he reluctantly agreed. He spent his days taking money from the Hu family to frequent brothels and even wrote a erotic poem praising women with bound feet, which was said to have circulated widely among his fellow literati.

Since Madam Hu had married a scholar, she was overjoyed. Although she had heard rumors that her son-in-law frequented brothels, she didn't care at all. It turned out that scholars were all in power at the time, and they all vied to be romantic and amorous. However, she was still worried that Xiu Niang would be disliked in the future, and she harbored some resentment. A few days ago, she was persuaded by some woman to say that daughters of noble families all had bound feet, and that Madam Hu should also bind Xiu Niang's feet to please her future husband.

Upon hearing this, Madam Hu was delighted and immediately invited the foot-binding woman over. When the woman saw Xiu Niang, she shook her head repeatedly, saying that the girl's feet were already so big that if she wanted them to be bound beautifully, she would have to break the soles of her feet, fold the five toes and the instep together, and press them into the soles of her feet to create three-inch golden lotuses.

Xiu Niang was already frightened, and when she heard the old woman say this and saw her take the alum and roll up her sleeves as if she was about to attack, she was so frightened that she cried and screamed. Hu Shi had no choice but to let her go for the time being.

Although Gu Da felt sorry for his daughter, he was used to being scolded by Hu Shi for a long time and dared not say much. Xiu Niang, on the other hand, became more and more afraid. Yesterday, she suddenly remembered that her second uncle's family seemed to live in her old house near Ranyuan Bridge, so she secretly slipped over without telling Hu Shi.

"Second cousin, I heard that a girl from my neighborhood had her foot twisted off and bound up, and in the end, one of her feet rotted away. I'm afraid mine will rot away too..."

As Xiu Niang spoke, she was already sobbing uncontrollably.

Gu Zao was furious after hearing Xiu Niang's words. She cursed Hu Shi inwardly for being senile, not only marrying her daughter off to a philanderer but also wanting to do such a ridiculous thing. However, Xiu Niang was, after all, her daughter, and she, an outsider, couldn't say anything. So she hesitated.

Seeing Gu Zao remain silent, Xiu Niang's face turned ashen, her shoulders trembled, and she grabbed Gu Zao's hand, pleading, "Second cousin, if my mother comes looking for me, please find a way to help me..."

Gu Zao sighed, gently patted her hand, and saw that she was really pitiful. However, she couldn't think of any way to help her at the moment. She comforted her for a few words before getting up and coming out. She saw that Fang Shi was eavesdropping outside. She must have heard everything that had just been said.

"Second sister, this is her family's business. Don't interfere so much." Once they were in the courtyard, Fang Shi lowered her voice and said this. The third sister and Liu Zao had already known the reason last night and felt sorry for Xiu Niang. They just asked Gu Zao to think of a way to help her. Fang Shi was displeased and turned to go inside, muttering, "Send her home now, so that there won't be any more trouble."

Gu Zao grabbed her arm and laughed, "Mother, Auntie is confused. Xiu Niang is also pitiful. Unlike me and my third sister, we are lucky to have a mother like you, otherwise we would have suffered that pain. Just let Xiu Niang stay here for now, and we'll talk to her when Auntie comes to our door."

Fang felt somewhat relieved to have received such praise, and thinking about Hu's face, she figured it would be good if she made Hu worry for a few days. With that in mind, she didn't mention sending Xiu Niang back.

Gu Zao was worried that Xiu Niang would be bored alone in the room, so she wanted to call her out to keep her company. However, Xiu Niang shook her head and refused, saying that she was used to being locked up in the embroidery room at home and was afraid that if she went out, someone would see her and Hu Shi would take her back to bind her feet. Helpless, Gu Zao took a half-finished embroidery hoop that her third sister had made and let her pass the time by herself in the room.

When Madam Hu lost her daughter, she was so anxious that her mouth was watering. She searched everywhere but couldn't find her, so she assumed that she had been kidnapped. After being scolded and made a scene by Gu Da, she didn't even think to go to Ranyuan Bridge to look for her. She just hurriedly reported the case to the authorities and sat at home all night, tears streaming down her face, unable to sleep.

Unable to fit all four of them together that night, Gu Zao went to sleep in the outer room with Madam Fang. Madam Fang then remembered the matter of cooking at the Grand Commandant's residence and kept asking questions, but Gu Zao pretended not to hear and made no mention of cooking for the Empress Dowager. Seeing that Gu Zao had become so quiet, Madam Fang scolded her a few times and then quieted down, soon snoring could be heard.

Gu Zao slept fitfully until just past dawn, then got up, tidied himself up, and went out, hailing a carriage to head towards Zheng Gate. Although it was still early and somewhat dark, the monks from the various temples on the streets were already announcing the dawn by striking iron plaques or striking wooden fish. The inns and restaurants on the street had already lit candles and started selling porridge, rice, and snacks. Along the way, there was a constant stream of vendors hurrying to the Zhuque Gate and the morning market at Zhou Bridge.

Upon arriving at the Grand Commandant's residence, they found the main gate wide open, with two red lanterns hanging high above. They could vaguely see all sorts of people coming and going, their steps hurried. Gu Zao naturally entered through the side gate he was used to, and went straight to the small kitchen in the north room of the old lady's house.

Birthday

As Gu Zao entered, he saw that the mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers everywhere, even the door of the small kitchen had a red and gold "longevity" character pasted on it. The wives and servants inside had arrived early, and upon seeing Gu Zao, they busied themselves with their tasks as before without needing any instructions.

Gu Zaoxin knew that the previous one was just a rehearsal, and today was the official start, so he dared not be negligent. He put aside all his miscellaneous thoughts and focused on preparing the banquet. After the vegetarian Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was put on the stove to steam, he started making other dishes. Lotus seed wrappings are made by peeling cooked lotus seeds and removing their green cores, then coating them with a thin layer of mint frost and sugar syrup, baking them, and then deep-frying them in vegetable oil. Vegetarian chicken is made by taking the best tender white lotus root sections, cutting them into straight strips, rolling them in fine flour, then coating them with walnut kernels, candied orange peel, salt and pepper, and setting them aside. They are then lightly deep-fried when the time is right, resulting in a crispy and fragrant exterior and a sweet, moist lotus root interior. Frosty persimmons are made by cutting persimmon strips into various shapes, adding licorice paste, coating them with a layer of bellflower root, mint, kudzu root, borneol, white olive powder, and a little sugar syrup, and then steaming them. Vegetarian roast goose is made by taking cooked yam, cutting it into 1-inch cubes, wrapping it in bean curd skin, adding soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and pickled vegetables and galangal, and then deep-frying it in vegetable oil until it turns red. Gu Zao had considered that the Empress Dowager and the Old Madam were both elderly, so when preparing these dried fruit dishes, she avoided overly sweet or greasy options. Furthermore, the ingredients and seasonings, such as licorice paste, dried kudzu root, and borneol, were all beneficial for the elderly. Although they were small dishes, they showed considerable thought.

Gu Zao was busy when he suddenly heard an old woman's voice behind him: "Young master, this place is so filthy, what brings you here?"

Gu Zao didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. Hearing the man cough deliberately, he ignored him and just lowered his head to focus on what he was doing.

Yang Huan had been out gallivanting for the past few days, but today, on his grandmother's birthday, he returned home early in the morning from the Taoist nun he had been seeing at Peach Blossom Cave. He then overheard the servants mentioning that Gu Erjie had been cooking at the mansion a few days earlier, and he cursed the servant for not informing him. After his outburst, he clutched the gold-flowered rouge he had bought to appease the concubine in his room and excitedly headed towards the small kitchen in the north room. Upon entering, he saw Gu Erjie busy at the stove with her back to him. He had assumed that Gu Erjie, hearing the old woman's calls and his deliberate cough, would at least come over to greet him, but after standing there for a while, she didn't even glance at him. She couldn't resist walking around the vegetable baskets and hampers on the ground, and went over to take out a box of rouge from her bosom. She opened the lid and presented it to Gu Zao with a grin, saying, "Second Sister, this is some top-quality rouge I specially bought from the Liang family shop on the west side of Zhuque Gate Street. They said it's a rich crimson and pomegranate-based rouge. I checked it, and it's indeed thick and smooth, and it smells wonderful. Take a look."

Gu Zao put down the spatula in her hand, raised her eyelids and said indifferently, "Young Master Yang, I am preparing the banquet for the Empress Dowager and the Old Madam today. Your rouge is good, but the scent is a bit too strong. If you accidentally put some in the dishes and it overpowers the flavor, and the Empress Dowager tastes it, that would be very bad. It is fine for you, Young Master, but I do not have the same face as you."

Yang Huan froze, withdrawing his hand. If it were up to his usual temper, being treated so coldly repeatedly would have already caused him to explode. He wanted to swallow his pride and put on a show of authority to intimidate her, but he was also reluctant. Just as he hesitated, Gu Zao spoke up with a smile, "Young Master, Huixin has already relayed the Old Madam's message today: this kitchen is for the Empress Dowager, and apart from a few helpers, no one else in the manor is allowed to enter, lest they bring in the dust and dirt. If you have nothing else, Young Master, please leave quickly."

These words were actually spoken by Huixin on Gu Zao's behalf to the old lady, to prevent that little tyrant from causing trouble. Now, they had indeed come in handy. Yang Huan, feeling awkward, wanted to vent his anger and save face, but seeing Gu Zao's smiling face, he couldn't find a single fault. The wives and servants were all looking at him with surprise, and he knew that staying any longer would be pointless, so he reluctantly left. Just as he reached his room, his mother rushed towards him, scolding, "You ungrateful wretch! It's one thing to fool around all the time, but today you don't even know how to restrain yourself! Hurry up and change your clothes to greet the guests in the main hall, or do you want your father to skin you alive?"

Yang Huan shrank back, not caring about anything else. Once inside the house, he casually tossed the box of rouge to the maid named Xiangxing, who was his new lover. He then changed into a gold-sprinkled robe and hurriedly ran towards the main hall.

Gu Zao breathed a slight sigh of relief when she saw that the little tyrant had finally left. However, she noticed that the wives and servants around her were exchanging glances, which seemed somewhat ambiguous. She ignored them and focused her attention back on the dishes. Time passed quickly as she was busy. By the time she finished carving the last fruit flower on the decorative plate, Steward Lu had already rushed over with his men, saying that the old lady's birthday celebration was in full swing and it was time to serve the dishes.

The plate that Gu had asked the old lady Jiang to taste the other day was not decorated with flowers. Now, he gently placed the flower he had carved into the shape of a lotus flower next to the plate of Buddhist brocade pouches, which were actually just crispy fried taro rolls. After glancing at the row of hot dishes that were placed in a warm basin filled with hot water and decorated with gold and silver rims, he felt that everything was in order and nodded to indicate that it could be sent over.

Manager Lu was immediately captivated by the dishes adorned with exquisite floral carvings. Fearing they might be damaged, he instructed the servants following him to handle them with utmost care. Gu Zao, seeing his cautious nature, smiled and nodded.

The dishes had been delivered, but Gu Zao couldn't leave yet; this was customary, and she understood it. Gu Zao didn't want to go anywhere else in the Grand Commandant's mansion, so she simply stayed in the kitchen. Seeing that the wives and servants had been busy with her all day without a proper meal and were still cleaning up, and noticing some leftover ingredients, she called a servant to the main kitchen to fetch some meat and eggs, saying she wanted to cook a few dishes for the group. The servant was delighted and soon returned with a large bundle of things, a smug look on her face.

It turned out that a grand banquet was being held at the Grand Commandant's residence today, and the head kitchen had already called in several other chefs to prepare the food. Sixth Sister-in-law was also busy working there, her usual domineering attitude long gone. When the old woman went to get the dishes, no one paid her any attention. However, several other acquaintances mentioned that the food she was cooking was for the Empress Dowager, and the reward afterwards would be much more generous. They gathered around, asking all sorts of questions, full of envy. The old woman felt quite smug, and when she returned to Gu Zao, she smiled broadly.

When Gu Zao saw the old woman bring over a piece of pork, a slice of lamb leg, and a few eggs, she sliced the pork into thin slices, coated them with egg white, and stir-fried them with the remaining bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and shiitake mushroom shreds. She then cut off pieces of lamb leg meat and cooked them with peeled water chestnut balls, stir-fried some bamboo shoots, and stewed mushrooms with tofu. She then called over the wives and old women to eat together. The group gathered around with smiles, and someone pulled out a bottle of Huangjing wine from somewhere. They drank and ate heartily, one cup after another. Gu Zao, however, did not touch a drop of wine, but only ate a few bites before putting it down.

Hearing the faint sounds of drums and music coming from ahead, one of the old women said that the Grand Commandant's mansion had specially set up a stage in an open space next to the mansion to celebrate the old lady's birthday, and hired performers to entertain the people of the city. They imagined there would be pole climbing, rope jumping, handstands, backbends, bowl juggling, somersaults, and so on. The women were all eager to go and watch the spectacle. Seeing that there was nothing else to do in the kitchen, Gu Zao let them all out. The people seemed to have slipped away quickly. Gu Zao smiled and was about to get up to clean up the few remaining cups and saucers when she saw Zhen Xin rush in, panting, and say with a smile, "Sister Gu, even the Empress Dowager praised your cooking! She wants you to come and receive a reward!"

Gu Zao nodded, washed his hands, and then walked with Zhen Xin toward the main hall. They found that the entire Grand Commandant's mansion was brightly lit, illuminating half the sky. The closer they got, the louder the music became.

The birthday banquet was held in the main hall, where many male guests were enjoying their feast. The Empress Dowager, the Old Madam, and a group of female guests, however, had a separate banquet in the second hall. When Gu Zao arrived, he saw a large, gilded "longevity" character, the size of a millstone, hanging in the center of the main hall wall. The characters on it were composed of countless smaller "longevity" characters, none of which were alike – this must be a "Hundred Longevity Characters" painting. Beside it hung an embroidered portrait of the Queen Mother of the West, her figure so lifelike it seemed about to leap out. Below it was a small table, an incense burner, lit longevity candles, and longevity peaches, cakes, noodles, fragrant flowers, and fruits – a scene of opulent splendor.

There were about ten tables of food and drink set up inside and outside the second hall. The female guests on the tables were all dressed in gold hairpins and jade pendants, and in silk and satin. When Gu Zao arrived at the door of the second hall, he was led in with a smile by Hui Xin who was waiting for him. After passing a large sandalwood screen, he found that the Empress Dowager, the old lady, and several other highly respected old ladies of noble birth were all there.

Gu Zao followed Hui Xin inside. With just a glance, she vaguely saw two old women sitting side by side in the main seat. One was the old lady of the Grand Commandant's mansion, wearing a black robe with gold "Fu" (福, meaning good fortune) characters, and the other was presumably the current Empress Dowager. Not wanting to look too closely, she kowtowed towards the main seat. Then she heard a somewhat aged but vigorous voice say, "What a handsome child! Raise your head so this old woman can take a look."

Gu Zao did as instructed and raised her head to look at the Empress Dowager on the throne.

The Empress Dowager looked to be about the same age as the old lady, and her hair was also somewhat gray. She wore little adornment, except for a gold comb inserted in the center of her hair. Her eyes were bright and piercing, as if they could see right through people's hearts.

Gu Zao glanced at it only once before lowering her head slightly again.

The Empress Dowager smiled at the old lady beside her and said, "Such a kind person, no wonder she is so skillful. It's one thing that the dishes are so good, but with so many plates and dishes on the table, she has carved a different flower on each one. It's pleasing to the eye." As she spoke, she pointed to one of the plates and asked, "What kind of flower is this? It looks simple, but it has its own kind of elegance."

Gu Zao looked over and realized that it was referring to the Buddhist brocade pouch. On the white plate, a white lotus flower shaped like a horseshoe was placed on the green lettuce leaf next to the slightly golden fried taro rolls. The white, green and yellow colors complemented each other and looked elegant and pleasing.

Gu Zao took a deep breath to calm herself before smiling and saying, "Your Majesty, this flower is called Tianhe, also known as Guanyin Lotus. It grows in Sichuan, and its flower language is pure and magnificent beauty. It is most suitable to be offered before the Buddha to enhance one's appearance."

The Empress Dowager and the old lady exchanged a glance and smiled, "These flowers have a hidden meaning? This is the first time I've heard of such a thing. It's quite strange."

Gu Zao thought for a moment and said calmly, "Your Majesty, Madam, besides this Guanyin Lotus, there are many other flowers and plants, each with its own meaning. For example, the peony on this plate represents completeness and wealth, the white mulberry represents intelligence, the plum blossom represents steadfastness and compassion, the osmanthus bouquet represents good fortune, and the chrysanthemum represents nobility and longevity. I thought that today is Madam's birthday, and Your Majesty is a lucky star, so I took the liberty of carving some auspicious flowers on each plate, both to make them pleasing to the eye and to wish for good fortune."

After Gu Zao finished speaking, the Empress Dowager and the old lady sitting down smiled, and Jiang Shi, who was standing to the side, also nodded secretly, thinking to herself that Gu's second sister was a shrewd person.

The Empress Dowager chuckled and said, "Indeed, you are a well-behaved child. Get up and answer quickly. Today, I have taken advantage of this birthday celebration to enjoy such a novel meal. If I don't reward you, it would seem that I am stingy. Tell me, what reward do you want?"

Gu Zao thanked her and then stood up. Thinking of the pair of large feet he had just seen peeking out from under the Empress Dowager's table, he hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty is merciful. In that case, I will truly ask for your grace. If it is not right, please forgive me."

Seeing the Empress Dowager nod and smile, Gu Zaoxin steeled himself and said, "This favor I'm asking is on behalf of my cousin. My aunt, in order to please her son-in-law who has passed the imperial examination, has been trying to twist and bind my cousin's unbound feet these past few days. My cousin is terrified and keeps threatening to kill herself; it's quite pitiful..."

Before Gu Zao could finish speaking, the Empress Dowager, her brows furrowed and her hand lightly slamming on the table, said angrily, "What I hate most in my life is that women's feet are bound into tiny shins for no reason. It's all because of those despicable men who want to have fun. And what is the name of your cousin's husband, who is a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations)? Since he has received the Emperor's favor, instead of focusing on being loyal to the Emperor and serving the country, he is indulging in these unorthodox practices. It is obvious that he is a man with impure thoughts. When I get back, I will have someone give him a good talking-to."

Gu Zao was secretly delighted. She had heard that the Empress Dowager on this throne was a widow and orphan who had held power all the way up. Although she had now returned power to the Emperor, her words should still carry weight. She quickly reported Hu Qing's name and place of origin, thinking that even if he couldn't change the man's lewd and vulgar nature, this warning should at least make him more restrained. She felt she had done her part for Xiu Niang. She then thanked her sincerely and left.

The Empress Dowager's words not only pleased Gu Zao, but even Jiang, standing to the side, felt a sense of relief. Thinking of Luo San Niang at home, with her bound feet and unsteady gait, yet her husband doted on her, saying she was like a willow swaying in the wind, full of charm, Jiang wished she could immediately drag Grand Commandant Yang over to hear it with her. Seeing Gu Zao leave, she thought for a moment, then beckoned to Hui Xin and whispered a few words. Hui Xin smiled and acknowledged, then left.

Xiu Niang Returns Home