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When Gu Zao followed Hui Xin through the banquet table, she did not attract anyone's attention. However, when the ladies and noblewomen saw that she had come out from behind the sandalwood screen at the main table of the Empress Dowager and the old lady of the Grand Commandant, and had vaguely heard the Empress Dowager's praise, they all stopped eating and turned to look at Gu Zao.

Gu Zao lowered his head slightly and hurried out. He hadn't gone far from the second hall when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw Hui Xin catching up with him.

Huixin came up and said in a low voice with a smile, "Second Sister Gu, Madam is pleased with the respectable banquet you hosted today, and specially ordered me to give you more wages."

Gu Zao smiled and thanked her, then followed Hui Xin to the accounting office to collect her wages. The accounting office was in the outer courtyard. After walking a few steps out of the hanging flower gate, they bumped into Yang Hao, who was wearing a dark red embroidered satin suit. Hui Xin hurriedly went over to greet him, and Gu Zao followed behind, stepping aside and also giving a slight curtsy, but with her head lowered and expressionless. Seeing Hui Xin walk forward again, she followed as well.

Yang Hao had just returned from seeing off a distinguished guest on behalf of his elder brother when he unexpectedly ran into Gu Zao. A surge of joy welled up within him, but seeing her merely lower her eyes and not even glancing at him, his joy quickly turned to melancholy. He stared blankly at her retreating figure until she turned a corner and disappeared into the distance, only then snapping out of his daze and filled with deep regret. He thought he was usually quite reserved, so how could he have been so impulsive after a few extra drinks that night? Before that night, he could have at least exchanged a few words with her; now, only a cold, distant figure remained.

Huixin went to the accounting office, took Jiang's seal, and received five snowflake silver ingots. She wrapped them up and handed them over, smiling, "Madam said it was fifty taels of snowflake silver. These five ingots are each ten taels. Please take them."

At that time in the city of Tokyo, the monthly living expenses of a typical wealthy family were no more than 30,000 coins. Giving fifty taels of silver at once was considered generous. Gu thanked them early, accepted the silver, and took his leave. As he passed the gate, he saw that under the row of red lanterns at the entrance, people were still coming and going in an endless stream, making it a lively and bustling place.

After turning a corner, they saw the scene of acrobatics that the women had mentioned earlier. Although it was already late in the evening, the crowd that had gathered to watch was huge, with everyone craning their necks as if they had been stretched an inch longer, and cheers were heard from time to time.

Gu Zao didn't join the crowd, but thinking that it was the busiest time at the Zhouqiao night market, and Zhengmen wasn't far away, she headed towards Zhouqiao. When she arrived at her stall, she saw many customers, but only Fang Shi and her third sister were busy, looking flustered. Seeing Gu Zao arrive, her third sister happily put down her noodle-cutting knife and went to wash the dishes. Fang Shi was also somewhat happy, but then complained, "That girl Xiuniang is such a troublemaker. She doesn't want to come out, but she says she's scared to stay home alone. I had to let Zaozi stay with her. Now that she's better, she's keeping me spinning like a top. There were so many customers just now, luckily the Liu family's boy came to help, otherwise we would have driven the customers away."

The Liu boy Fang mentioned was Liu Hu, who ran a noodle shop nearby. His family also lived near Ranyuan Bridge, and they had two rooms. He was a handsome young man with thick eyebrows and large eyes, but despite matchmakers coming to their door every day, he hadn't managed to find a wife. It turned out it was all because his mother was so picky. When Gu Zao's family set up their noodle stall there, Liu Hu, being a helpful person, often came to help. For this, his mother often scolded him, saying he couldn't even manage his own stall and had to go and meddle in other people's business. Gu Zao had repeatedly told him not to upset his mother, but he would just scratch his head and smile foolishly, continuing to help on his own.

Hearing what Fang said, Gu Zaochao glanced at the rice noodle soup stall. Liu Hu was standing there with a spoon in his hand, looking at her. When he saw her looking over, he immediately lowered his head and stirred the soup in the pot.

Gu Zao shook her head, washed her hands, and began skillfully rolling and cutting the dough. After she poured large spoonfuls of tender, fragrant, and juicy slices of lamb into each bowl, and personally carried the steaming bowls to the table, several regular customers exclaimed with delight, "Made by the Radish Beauty herself, they look so different, so neatly arranged!" Gu Zao exchanged a few jokes with the customers, but her hands never stopped working. The group remained busy until the night market closed before packing up and heading home.

The next day was the day before the winter solstice. The winter solstice was a very important solar term in the eyes of people at that time. Apart from the New Year, it was the most important. Even poor families in the capital would try their best to buy new clothes, prepare food, and worship their ancestors for this day. Even the government would take a three-day break and open the market. It was as lively as the New Year.

Gu Zao thought that since it was such a big festival and Xiu Niang had been away from home for several days, Gu Da Hu Shi and his wife might really worry themselves sick. After discussing it with Fang Shi, he said that he would send Xiu Niang back. Fang Shi couldn't wait for her to go back, so she readily agreed.

These past few days, Xiu Niang has been staying at Gu Zao's house. Although she sleeps with her third sister and the others every night, and the bedding is far inferior to what she's used to at home, she has found the joy of snuggling in bed with the girls for the first time in years. Although the aunt looks at her with a somewhat strange expression, her second sister, third sister, Liu Zao, and the others are all very kind people. They are afraid of getting their ankles twisted if they go back, and they are also afraid of being scolded by Madam Hu, so they are unwilling to go. As soon as Gu Zao mentions it, her eyes redden and she lowers her head.

Gu Zao sighed inwardly, thought for a moment, then pulled her aside into the inner room and whispered something in her ear. Xiu Niang was startled, and asked in a trembling voice, seemingly disbelieving, "Second cousin, will you really speak up for me?"

Gu Zao laughed and said, "How could I be the kind of person to coax you? You can go back without worry. Your mother wanted to bind your feet, but it was only so that you could please your future husband. Now, the man you are engaged to doesn't like bound feet. If your mother knew that, why would she let you suffer for no reason?"

It turned out that Gu Zao hadn't said much earlier, only mentioning to Xiu Niang that he would speak to Madam Hu on her behalf. Although Xiu Niang was somewhat skeptical, she was already fourteen or fifteen years old and knew that hiding for a day or two was fine, but not in the long run. If word got out, it would probably be bad for her reputation, so she could only reluctantly agree.

Seeing that she finally nodded, Gu Zao tidied herself up, put a veil on her face that her third sister had bought for fun, and then left the alley with Xiu Niang. They hailed a carriage on the street and headed towards Panlou East Street in the south of the city. Fang Shi originally wanted to go and see Hu Shi's disheveled state, but Gu Zao was afraid that the two of them would fight and only cause more trouble, so she persuaded her to stay at home after much persuasion.

Because tomorrow is the winter solstice, the shops on Panlou East Street were packed with people buying all sorts of goods, making it so crowded that even cars couldn't pass. It was only with great difficulty that we arrived at Xiu Niang's cloth shop. Although it was almost noon, her shop was the only one with its doors locked.

Gu Zao helped Xiu Niang out of the car and knocked on the door for a while before a panel on the door came loose and the head of the shop assistant he had seen before peeked out. When he saw that it was Gu Zao, the shop assistant was slightly stunned. When he recognized Xiu Niang next to him, his mouth was agape like an egg. He turned around and rushed inside.

Fortunately, both Gu Zao and Xiu Niang were slender, and they squeezed sideways through the gap in the partition. Xiu Niang seemed a little scared; once inside, she followed Gu Zao timidly, her steps slow. Gu Zao shook her head slightly and took her hand. As soon as Gu Zao lifted the curtain separating the two partitions, she saw Hu Shi stumbling towards her, followed by a man around fifty years old with a sallow complexion. This must be Xiu Niang's father, Gu Zao's uncle whom she had never met before, Gu Da. Both of them looked flustered, yet also filled with incredulous surprise.

Hu Shi spotted Xiu Niang hiding behind Gu Zao at a glance. She pushed Gu Zao aside, hugged Xiu Niang tightly, and started crying like a baby. Although she had no tears left, her eyelids were swollen, indicating that she hadn't had a good time these past two days.

Hu was strong, and Gu Zao was thrown off balance by her push, nearly falling and taking two steps back to regain her footing. Gu Da, of course, recognized Gu Zao and saw this, his face showing a slight hint of shame. Gu Zao didn't take it to heart, simply nodding to Gu Da and calling him "Uncle." Gu Da hummed in response.

Xiu Niang was initially afraid that Hu Shi would scold her, but seeing that Hu Shi's face looked swollen after only a few days, and her eyes were narrowed, she realized that it was because Hu Shi was worried about her. She couldn't help but feel sad and started to cry.

Hu hugged her daughter and cried for a moment, asking incessantly where she had been these past few days. When she heard that she had gone to Aunt Er's house at Ranyuanqiao, she glanced at Gu Zao as if she had just noticed her, and then looked at her own daughter and asked, "Xiuniang, you have always been a well-behaved girl. How come you are so bold as to run away from home to go there? Could it be that you have been instigated by someone?"

Xiu Niang hurriedly shook her head, but Madam Hu looked unconvinced and looked at Gu Zao with suspicion.

Gu Zao snorted coldly and said indifferently, "Aunt, if you hadn't insisted on twisting and binding Xiu Niang's feet, why would she have run to me out of fear? Now that I'm kindly sending your daughter home, you say I'm instigating this? The capital may be big, but where is there any such logic?"

Gu Da's face grew increasingly ashamed. He steeled his resolve, stamped his foot, pointed at Hu Shi, and cursed, "You wicked woman, why did you want to bind my daughter's feet for no reason? Now your infamy has somehow spread, and even my son-in-law has come to make a scene early this morning, making me lose all face. If you utter another sound, I'll divorce you!"

Hu was used to suppressing Gu Da, so when she saw him suddenly change his attitude towards her in front of Gu Zao, she was a little stunned. In addition, when she remembered the trouble her prospective son-in-law, who was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), had caused, her neck drooped weakly.

These past few days, Mr. and Mrs. Gu had been frantic with worry over their missing daughter. Fearing that word would spread and damage her reputation if she were found, they dared not make a fuss. They strictly ordered their servants to keep quiet and sent people to search everywhere. They even lost interest in business, closing their shop for several days. This morning, thinking it would be the busiest day before the Winter Solstice, they forced themselves to open the shop despite their lack of interest. However, after only a few transactions, Hu Qing stormed in, furious. Mr. and Mrs. Gu assumed he knew about Xiu Niang's disappearance and was coming to break off the engagement, fearing he would be upset about their daughter's reputation. They turned pale with fright and tried to stop him, but after hearing the reason, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Chapter Thirty-Three

It turned out that the Empress Dowager was also thoughtful. Having agreed to Gu Zao's request, she had also kept track of the situation. Knowing that the Minister of Personnel was also having a birthday banquet at the Grand Commandant's residence, she immediately sent someone from her side to convey her message. The Minister knew that although the Empress Dowager had returned power to the Emperor, she still held considerable influence. Moreover, seeing that the person she was trying to dismiss was merely a third-class scholar in the imperial examination who was waiting for a vacancy in the capital, he didn't take him seriously at all. Early this morning, he sent someone to find Hu Qing and gave him a stern reprimand. He said that Liu Sanbian from Chong'an had actually passed the imperial examination in the last special examination, but he was disqualified because his frivolous and vulgar poems reached the Emperor's ears. Now, Hu Qing, did you want to follow suit? Not only did you frequent brothels and write such vulgar poems, but you even dared to complain that your betrothed wife had big feet and forced her to twist her bindings. The situation was outrageous, and even the Empress Dowager was alarmed and personally inquired about the matter.

Last night, Hu Qing and a group of fellow scholars were enjoying themselves in Sweetwater Lane until the wee hours before he drunkenly returned to the land his father-in-law had rented for him. This morning, still half-asleep, he was suddenly berated by an official claiming to be sent by the Minister of Personnel. Although completely bewildered, he dared not offend the official who held him in such a position, so he simply lowered his head, repeatedly admitting his mistake and slipping him some money before finally seeing him off. Before he could even catch his breath, he immediately rushed to his father-in-law's house to confront him.

Poor Mrs. Hu, she couldn't understand how something as simple as binding her daughter's feet could have reached the ears of the Empress Dowager, even implicating her son-in-law and causing him to be reprimanded. She was terrified and dared not mention Xiu Niang's disappearance to her son-in-law, wishing she could send him away immediately. Hu Qing, though there to demand an explanation, also harbored the intention of extorting money. He simply complained and refused to leave. Finally, Gu Da, fearing the neighbors would hear, gave him some money to send Hu Qing away. Once Hu Qing was gone, the two were even more exhausted and had no energy left to run the shop. They immediately told the shop assistant to close the door, then slumped into chairs inside, sighing deeply, their hearts aching.

When Gu Da saw his daughter suddenly brought back by his niece, and learned that she had spent the previous few days at her house, a weight was lifted from his heart. Thinking of his brother's passing a few years earlier, and how he, as the eldest uncle, had barely paid any attention, he felt a pang of guilt. Seeing that his wife, who had caused the trouble, was not only ungrateful but also verbally abusive, and remembering that he was nearly fifty and only had this one daughter, while his wife, Hu, unable to bear a son, was forbidding him from taking a concubine to try and have a child—it seemed he was on the verge of having no male heir—new and old grievances surged into his heart, and he immediately erupted in anger.

Seeing Gu Daxiong's triumphant demeanor and Hu Shi's sheepish lowered head after being scolded, Gu Zao secretly found it amusing. Since the matter was resolved, he didn't want to stay any longer and bid farewell to Gu Daxiong and Hu Shi.

Xiu Niang grasped Gu Zao's hand, her face full of reluctance, wishing she could stay in her home forever. Madam Hu merely grunted a soft "hmm" through her nose, while Gu Da went to the counter and picked out a fine, thick, silver-red satin with a raised pattern. He stuffed it into Gu Zao's hand, ignoring Madam Hu's winks and smirks, and said with a smile, "Second Sister, tomorrow is the Winter Solstice, so we won't be able to make new clothes. This satin is quite good; take it and save it for the New Year to make a dress. Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice; have your Qingwu come to my house to pay respects to our ancestors."

Gu Zaoxin knew that such a fine, soft, and thick satin would cost no less than three or four strings of cash. Seeing Hu Shi's pained expression, he was initially reluctant to accept it. However, seeing the earnest look on Gu Da's face, he thought for a moment and then took it, smiling and saying, "Then thank you very much, Uncle and Aunt. As for the millet and sheep offerings for the ancestral worship tomorrow at the Winter Solstice, Aunt, you don't need to prepare them. I will make them myself and have Qingwu bring them over."

Upon hearing Gu Zao's words and seeing that Gu Da seemed about to speak again, Madam Hu quickly put on a smile and said, "That's good. I've heard that you opened a night stall at Zhouqiao, and business is booming. I imagine your skills must be quite good. It's good to bring some over. If it's convenient, the pickled radishes I got from you last time tasted quite good. Even your uncle said they were good. Ask Qingwu to bring some over as well. He'll have dinner here before he leaves."

Gu sighed, then turned and left. Gu Zao smiled and agreed, offering a few words of comfort to Xiu Niang before taking the cloth and heading home. Upon arriving home, she found Qingwu already there; the school was closed for three days as usual for the winter solstice. Gu Zao stopped him and asked a few questions about school. Qingwu answered well, saying he was keeping up with his studies, had even received a high grade in the last assessment, and that his teacher's wife treated him well. Seeing that he looked quite well, Gu Zao was very pleased.

Third Sister and Liu Zao saw the satin that Gu Zao had brought back and gathered around to look at and touch it. Gu Zao smiled and said, "This was given to you by my eldest uncle. I'll save it to make you a new outfit at the end of the year. It should be enough. But you'll have to make it yourself, Third Sister. My skills aren't good enough."

Although the third sister liked it, she shook her head and said, "I'll save it for you. You have fair skin, and this color will definitely look good on you."

Gu Zao shook her head and smiled, "I'm not young anymore, so I can't wear such a youthful color anymore. It's better for you."

Madam Fang also came over to take a closer look. She seemed to have never seen such good material before, and praised it a few times before sighing, "How come those two eldest members of your Gu family are so stingy today? It's rare to see them like this."

Gu Zao said, "Tomorrow is the Winter Solstice. My uncle invited Qingwu to his house to worship our ancestors. It wouldn't be right to take his things for nothing. I've already said that we'll make the millet and sheep offerings for the ancestral worship and have Qingwu take them over."

Upon hearing this, the smile that had been on Fang's face vanished instantly. She snorted and said, "So that's why it's so good. Turns out it's a deal where one hand gives and the other takes. You're just being nosy. If he wants Qingwu to come over, so be it. He hasn't given us a single grain of rice in all these years. Does letting Qingwu over for a meal make us poor? Why did you take on this responsibility yourself?"

Gu Zao just smiled and didn't mention the matter of sending Xiu Niang back to her home. She only gave the cloth to her third sister to take inside and put away properly before she smiled and said, "Mother, tomorrow is the winter solstice. We will also have a day off. My third sister and I will go out and buy some seasonal goods and have a proper meal together as a family."

Fang hummed in agreement. Seeing her sullen expression, Gu Zao wanted to ask her to go out shopping with him, but he was afraid that she would be reluctant to spend the money and would only gossip by his side. After thinking for a moment, he took the five silver ingots he had received yesterday and handed them to Fang, saying with a smile, "This is the money I earned from cooking yesterday. I'm giving it to you here. Please keep it safe."

Fang was dazzled by the silver, and took it with a smile, saying, "As expected of a wealthy family, your generosity is truly different. If you do more jobs like this in the future, you won't have to worry about money. I'll keep this money for you for now; it will all go towards your dowry in the future."

Seeing that she finally stopped mentioning what had just happened, Gu Zao called her third sister, Qingwu, and Liuzao together. The group happily went to the street and bought a leg of mutton, rice, flour, and other miscellaneous food and goods. Gu Zao thought that since it was the winter solstice and people had the custom of wearing new clothes, she hadn't thought about it because she was usually too busy. Besides, her third sister didn't have time to make them either. So she took the three of them to a clothing store and bought her a light red jacket for her third sister, a blue cotton-padded jacket for Qingwu, and a new red cotton-padded coat with small floral patterns for Liuzao. She also saw an ochre-red jacket with a dark pattern, which was quite nice in color and style and felt thick. Thinking that Fang Shi wore the same few old clothes all year round, she bought those as well. Then they returned home fully loaded with their purchases.

When Fang saw the new dress that Gu Zao had said was for her, although she scolded her for wasting money, she was actually happy. She took it and tried it on to see the size, finding it fit perfectly. Although she felt a little heartbroken that Liu Zao had also received a new dress, she refrained from mentioning it and carefully put her own away.

Although they would be resting tomorrow, they still had to set up their stall today. Gu Zao and the others were busy when they suddenly noticed a man peeking out from the courtyard gate. He was wearing a somewhat worn-out straight-collared jacket and his shoes were covered in mud.

Gu Zao was about to ask him a question when she saw a hint of joy on the man's face as he called out to Liu Zao, "Zaozi!"

Since she could remember, this was the first time Liu Zao had received a new set of clothes, a thick winter coat at that. She was filled with gratitude and joy, and only thought about doing more work to repay Gu Zao. She was working with her head down when she heard someone calling her. She looked up, paused for a moment, and then stood there and called out softly, "Father."

Liu Zao had been here for almost three months, and this was the first time Gu Zao had seen her family. Seeing that Liu Zao's father had come, Gu Zao was about to invite him in to talk when he gave Gu Zao an awkward smile. Instead of coming in, he beckoned Liu Zao to leave. After she went in, he pulled her aside and said a few words to her. Liu Zao then went into the house. When she came out, she was carrying a package. Gu Zao immediately recognized it as the handkerchief she used to keep her wages.

Liu Zao handed the package she was carrying to her father. The man weighed it in his hand, and seeing Gu Zao looking at him, he gave her a fawning smile before turning around and leaving in a hurry.

No sooner had Liu Zao's father left than Fang Shi rushed over and grabbed Liu Zao to ask why. It turned out that her father said the family was short of money to buy things for the winter solstice tomorrow, and since there was a carriage going through the village, he went into town to collect Liu Zao's wages from the previous few months.

Upon hearing this, Fang curled her lip and scolded, "What kind of father is he? He came all this way, and all he knows is to ask for money. I thought he was going to take you back for the festival."

Seeing Liu Zao standing there with her head down and her eyes reddening, Gu Zao quickly pulled her over. Her third sister, Qingwu, also came over to comfort her. Only then did Liu Zao smile slightly, wipe her eyes, and go back to work.

Because tomorrow is the Winter Solstice, the Emperor will travel along the Imperial Street through the South Gate tonight to hold a grand sacrificial ceremony to Heaven at midnight at the suburban altar. Therefore, along the dozens of miles the Emperor will travel tonight, temporary tents for his rest and viewing platforms for high-ranking officials and nobles are everywhere. From afar, the entire Imperial Street appears to be a riot of color. The Zhouqiao Night Market is located near the Vermilion Bird Gate on the Imperial Street, so tonight it is more than twice as lively as usual, with crowds of people everywhere. Even with Gu Zao's family and Qingwu present, they are still incredibly busy, with people constantly eating noodles and buying pickled radishes. Despite the freezing weather, Gu Zao, warmed by the steam from the large pot, has a sweat on his back.

Gu Zao was busy when she glanced up and noticed someone standing not far from her stall, neither leaving nor coming in to eat noodles. She didn't think much of it and was looking down when she suddenly realized the person's eyes looked familiar. When she looked up again, she was stunned.

The man was clearly Yang Erye from the Grand Commandant's mansion. He was still wearing a sky-blue brocade robe, with a gold-buckled openwork jade pendant hanging at his waist. His face was completely bald, and his thick beard was gone, revealing a sharp jawline. He looked to be no more than twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Compared to before, he was much more handsome and dashing.

Yang Hao was delighted to see that Gu Zao had finally recognized him and smiled at her. Gu Zao, however, had already lowered her head and was only focused on her work. Yang Hao felt awkward and hesitated before going in. Fang Shi had already noticed him and greeted him with a beaming smile: "Sir, come in and have a bowl of noodles. My noodles are famous around here. Everyone who has tried them says they are excellent. Even the pickled radishes are crisper than those from other places."

Yang Hao was worried that he couldn't take his feet in, but when Fang invited him in, he went in immediately. Just then, someone in the corner finished eating and got up, so he squeezed in and sat down.

Gu Zao watched him come in and sit down. Because of the candlelight, her mother didn't recognize the bearded man. She only thought he was dressed beautifully and was eagerly wiping the table for him, introducing various noodles and flattering him incessantly. Gu Zao felt a slight annoyance, but she couldn't very well send him away. When he said he wanted pork kidney and bamboo shoot noodles, she took a piece of pork kidney that had been cut open and had the white membrane and tendons removed beforehand. She scored the back with a knife, blanched it briefly in boiling water, drained it, and stir-fried it in a small oil pan with chopped green onions, cilantro, garlic slices, peppers, ginger, soy sauce, and vinegar. She then poured it into the bamboo shoot soup noodle bowl that had been placed to the side and took it over.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Gu Zao placed the steaming bowl of pork kidney and bamboo shoot noodles in front of Yang Hao, then turned around to continue serving other customers. Yang Hao ate his noodles slowly, thinking that he should find a moment to tell her what he had been thinking about all night. However, he saw that several people around him had come and gone, and there wasn't even a drop of broth left in his bowl, yet Gu Zao hadn't come near him, nor did he have the courage to go and call her. He also noticed that her mother was constantly glancing at him, probably annoyed that he was taking up space and getting in the way of business. If it weren't for his well-dressed appearance, she probably would have chased him away. Knowing there was no chance tonight, she reluctantly took out some money and placed it on the table. Just as she was about to leave, she saw a young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes walk up to Gu Zao and say, "Second sister, you weren't here last night. When I came to help, your mother said that the door in your house was really crooked and couldn't be closed properly. In a couple of days, when I have some free time, I'll go and fix it for you. I used to be a carpenter."

Gu Zao glanced sideways at Fang Shi, knowing she was reluctant to spend the money on the carpenter's repairs, which was why she deliberately brought it up in front of Liu Hu—she just wanted to get the work done for free. Fang Shi, seeing Gu Zao looking at her, seemed to be reproachful, and turned away with a stern face, remaining silent. Gu Zao sighed inwardly, then looked at Liu Hu and smiled, "Your family is always so busy, where would you find the time to repair the door? I asked Madam Shen next door, and she said there are carpenters and bamboo craftsmen at the entrance of the market every morning, soliciting work. It's convenient to go there and call someone to fix it yourself."

Just as Liu Hu was about to speak again, he heard his mother calling out to him. He hesitated for a moment, then asked quickly in a low voice, "Second sister, the whole city market will be open tomorrow. I wonder where your family is going to go?"

Liu Hu originally wanted to ask you, but he eventually changed his mind and said "your family," though his face was already a little red.

Gu Zao paused slightly, then smiled and said, "Xiangguo Temple will be very lively tomorrow. My third sister and the others are all clamoring to go. If we have some free time, we should go there."

Liu Hu's face lit up with joy as he said, "What a coincidence! My sister also said she was going to Xiangguo Temple. We happen to have a mule cart at home, so let's go together tomorrow. I'll have my sister come and get you after lunch."

Before Gu Zao could reply, Liu Hu had already turned and left quickly. She couldn't help but shake her head slightly as she watched his retreating figure. Yang Hao, who had witnessed the entire scene, felt even more stifled, staring blankly at Gu Zao. Seeing him standing there watching her, Gu Zao, fearing it would arouse suspicion from Fang Shi and her third sister, gave him a slight nod, indicating it was time to urge the customers on. Helpless, Yang Hao left her stall, having no interest in going anywhere else, and went straight back to the Grand Commandant's mansion. As soon as he entered his courtyard, he saw the servant boy who had previously inquired about Gu Erjie's whereabouts. Because his mother had squatted three times while working in the fields to give birth to him, hence the nickname "Three Squats," the boy approached with a grin, flattering her: "Second Master, girls always love to look pretty. You shaved your beard today after listening to me, so things must be going smoothly, right?"

Yang Hao didn't speak, just gave a faint "hmm" and went to his study, leaving San Gu standing there, trying to figure out what his master's "hmm" meant. He thought for a long time, only scratching his head. He thought that Gu Erjie was just a young widow, and although she was pretty, he didn't know what had gotten into his master, that he was so interested. He'd only said a word, and he'd actually gone to the best barbershop in the capital and shaved off his full beard, which he'd had for years. Everyone in the mansion was secretly speculating. But judging from his expression just now, it seemed things hadn't gone smoothly. Afraid of being reprimanded, he shrank back and slipped out.

The next day was the Winter Solstice, and in the capital, it was customary to prepare certain foods on this day, such as brewing wine and making sauces. It was believed that these wines and sauces made on this day tasted particularly good and were easy to preserve. Although Gu Zao didn't believe this, she followed the custom and got up early to make a small jar of fermented oil and seal it away. This fermented oil was indeed a good ingredient for cooking. Gu Zao's former master had even recreated various dishes mentioned in *Dream of the Red Chamber*, including the fermented quail eaten by Grandmother Jia and the homemade fermented goose feet given to Baoyu by Aunt Xue—both dishes were soaked in fermented oil. The method was also developed by her master: star anise, cloves, dried tangerine peel, cinnamon, fennel seeds, and Chinese yam were stir-fried separately, wrapped in gauze, placed in a jar of yellow wine, and then seasoned with salt, sugar, and sesame oil. It was then sealed and stored for two to three months. Gu Zao had always enjoyed the flavor of dishes made with fermented bean curd oil, especially in the summer. Adding a little fermented bean curd oil to dishes that were already mild in flavor, such as fish slices and chicken breast, made them even more refreshing. You could also soak chicken, duck, or fish in fermented bean curd oil for a few days before using it. Now, since he neither brewed wine nor made sauces, he simply made a jar of fermented bean curd oil. Once it was ready, he might even be able to make fermented bean curd oil noodles to sell.

Today, for the ancestral worship, rice cake and mutton are essential dishes. Gu had started making the rice cake earlier, which has a nice name: Three-Layer Jade Belt Cake. It's an old Suzhou flavor. Actually, it's just pure glutinous rice flour, poured into a mold, layered with layers of flour, then a layer of lard, sugar frosting, red and green fruits, and peach kernels, and then covered with another layer of flour. It's then steamed and, after cooling, cut into wedges. The mutton is to be offered to the ancestors first, so it's best to boil it. The mutton leg is boiled in plain water until cooked through, with a little salt and alkali added. The alkali is to remove the greasiness. After the worship, it can be sliced and eaten with salt and pepper soy sauce.

At this time, there was also a custom of neighbors exchanging food on the Winter Solstice. So Gu Zao specially steamed a few extra layers of the three-layered jade belt cake to give away. Sure enough, after a while, Shen Niangzi from next door came over with a smile, carrying a plate of bean curd dumplings. She said it was a taste from her hometown and she had specially made it for Gu Zao to try. Gu Zao accepted it, thanked her, and gave her the cake she had steamed in return. Shen Niangzi picked up a piece, put it in her mouth, and said it was soft and delicious. She smiled and left. Several other friends also brought over some food. Gu Zao returned the favor to each of them. Seeing that it was almost noon, she cooked monkey ear mushrooms with shredded chicken, egg drop soup, and scallions. The family ate their fill of the food brought by their neighbors.

The third sister, Qingwu, and the others changed into new clothes early in the morning. They waited patiently until past noon, all eagerly anticipating Liu's younger sister's arrival in the courtyard. Sure enough, Liu's younger sister arrived shortly after. She was slightly younger than the third sister, about the same age as Liu Zao, and also had a loud voice. Gu Zao wasn't particularly interested in the Guanpu market, but she thought that the streets would be crowded today. Although the third sister was of marriageable age in this area, she still considered her a child, and the others even more so. Fearing they might be kidnapped or lost, she naturally wanted to go along as well.

Fang was initially in low spirits, saying she had been spinning and weaving at home during her free time, but Gu Zao dragged her along, fearing that if Liu Hu were also there, it would avoid any unnecessary awkwardness for Fang if she were caught in the middle. Sure enough, when they saw the Liu family's mule cart, they saw that Liu Hu himself was driving it.

When Liu Hu saw Gu Zao dragging Fang Shi over with a smile, a hint of disappointment flashed across his happy face. However, he quickly regained his composure and greeted them. The six or seven people, big and small, fat and thin, all got into Liu's mule cart and headed towards Daxiangguo Temple.

The Great Xiangguo Temple was located near Baokang Gate in the inner city, a bit past Zhouqiao Bridge. Along the way, one saw Dongjing residents everywhere dressed in new clothes, their faces beaming with joy. It wasn't just ordinary people; even the carriages of princes and nobles moved about tirelessly. Every now and then, one could see elegantly dressed ladies and noblewomen, accompanied by servants, stepping out of their homes to show off their wealth. As for those people on the streets, displaying their gambling winnings—clothes, fish, meat, tea, wine, and other valuables—hanging on long bamboo poles to the crowds, they were as numerous as hairs on a cow.

Today, both Third Sister and Qingwu brought their own pocket money when they went out for a stroll. Even Liuzao had received an advance on her next month's wages from Gu Zao. Looking at these people eager to try their luck with the copper coins in their hands, Gu Zao couldn't help but shake his head.

Because of the crowds and horses on the street, the mule cart took an extra fifteen minutes to reach Xiangguo Temple. Liu Hu went to find a place to park the cart, while Gu Zao led the third sister and the others inside first. Around the gate, stalls sold various birds, cats, and dogs. The third sister and the others were immediately captivated and refused to leave. Gu Zao was also very interested, looking at each stall. The third sister, however, took a liking to a small black dog, a mixed breed, but its big, watery eyes and chubby cheeks made it very cute. The seller offered five coins for it. Seeing that Gu Zao was just smiling and didn't object, the third sister took three copper coins that the peddler had prepared beforehand and rolled them in the earthenware basin, tossing them three times. Each time, the result was heads or tails; she didn't get the dog, but she had already lost fifteen coins to the vendor. Seeing that her third sister was still reluctant to let go, Gu Zao told her to throw another round. If she lost again, she would give up. This time, all three coins landed on tails, forming "pure" (meaning "all black and white"), and she won. The third sister happily hugged the puppy and petted it incessantly. She didn't care about Fang Shi's nagging about spending fifteen coins to buy this dark-skinned little mongrel. She was only thinking about what to name the puppy.

Upon entering through the second and third gates, a vast open space was filled with a continuous array of colorful tents, displaying hair ornaments, jewelry, clothing, flowers, headbands, boots, shoes, and other trinkets. The loud calls of the vendors mingled with the music emanating from the theaters between the tents, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere. Even Gu Zao was overwhelmed by the sights and couldn't resist buying a small, exquisite bronze mirror decorated with grape and leaf patterns. It was polished to a gleaming shine, reflecting images clearly. Seeing that there were also vendors selling writing brushes and ink, she urged Qingwu to buy some as well. However, Qingwu adopted the demeanor of a Confucian scholar, saying that throwing money into a clay pot was nothing but a cunning and opportunistic game, which he disdained. He insisted on spending several hundred coins to buy the items, much to Fang Shi's dismay. His third sister, Liu Zao, and the young Liu Xiaomei also mocked him, but Qingwu remained unmoved. Gu Zao saw his precocious and pedantic appearance and was secretly delighted. She pointed at him and laughed.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Gu Zao was laughing at Qingwu's sullen and pretentious manner when suddenly her smile froze. In the bustling Daxiang Temple, she saw that Master Yang was standing no more than ten steps away from her, looking at her. Because of his height, he was even more eye-catching.

When Yang Hao saw that Gu Zao had finally noticed him, even though her smiling face had suddenly turned icy cold, he still walked towards her.

Seeing that this person was truly like a piece of chewing gum that couldn't be shaken off, Gu Zao glanced at her own family members beside her. They were all attracted by a juggling stall on the side. Noticing that there were fewer people in the corner by the old jujube tree near the wall, she thought for a moment and went there. When she stopped and turned around, Yang Hao had already followed and stopped as well.

"I really do have some kind of fate with Master Yang. I just saw him last night, and I didn't expect to run into him again today." Gu Zao looked at his face, which was still covered with a faint stubble after shaving, and said indifferently.

Yang Hao seemed not to understand the meaning behind her words. He actually grinned at her and nodded, saying, "There is indeed some connection between us."

Gu Zaoxin thought to himself that this man was quite shameless, so he didn't say anything more and looked him straight in the eye, asking, "Second Master, what is the purpose of your repeated visits to me?"

Yang Hao, who had been so composed just moments before, felt his face flush slightly upon hearing Gu Zao's question. After a moment's hesitation, he looked up at Gu Zao and slowly said, "Since hearing your words that night, I've been thinking about it repeatedly these past few nights. I went to see you last night intending to talk to you, but I couldn't find the time. I overheard you telling that person you might be here today, so I rushed over early this morning to wait for you. Although what I did that night was from the heart and I had no intention of being disrespectful or disrespectful, it was certainly not the behavior of a gentleman. I apologize for any offense I may have caused you."