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Chapter 52

Because she had rushed back from Lingjin late the night before, Danmei was still fast asleep when she felt something scratching her face. Half-asleep, she thought it was a fly, waved it away, mumbled something, turned over, pulled the covers over her head, and tried to go back to sleep. Unexpectedly, she was slapped hard on the bottom. Because of the covers, it didn't hurt, but it startled her. She opened her eyes abruptly and saw Xu Jinrong sitting on the couch beside her, grinning at her.

"I'm so sleepy... It's all your fault... You won't let me sleep this early in the morning..."

Danmei covered her mouth with her hand, yawned, and then closed her eyes.

Xu Jinrong saw that she had just woken up and then lazily closed her eyes again, her eyebrows and eyes still full of languid and coquettish manner, which he found extremely pleasing to the eye. He couldn't help but feel an itch to pinch her cheek and then said with a smile, "You're getting lazier and lazier. Today is your birthday, and there are a whole room of servants outside lining up to kowtow and congratulate you, but you're just sleeping soundly."

Upon hearing his words, Danmei opened her eyes again, realizing that today was indeed the day before the Lantern Festival, her birthday.

Although Xu Jinrong had mentioned to her some time ago that he would celebrate her birthday, she had been busy traveling and having a great time with him these past few days, and had long forgotten about the birthday celebration. She thought she would just let him arrange it however he wanted. Before she knew it, the day had arrived, so she sat up and immediately noticed a newly tailored red dress placed beside her. The pattern looked like peonies and auspicious clouds, and it was extremely exquisite. Even she, who didn't usually pay much attention to the color of her clothes, was attracted to it and took a few more glances. She knew that he must have chosen it for her to wear today.

"Since you are the birthday celebrant, I will help you get dressed today."

Xu Jinrong smiled and said, and indeed took the clothes and dressed Danmei from the inside out, and it looked quite professional.

"Alright. Go see for yourself."

He gently patted her waist.

When Danmei saw her reflection in the mirror, although her face and hair were not yet combed, her whole being already radiated joy thanks to the new clothes. Feeling grateful for his thoughtfulness, she turned around and smiled to thank him.

"Today is your big day, so I'll let you do as you please. If you really want to thank me, then after today, you can serve me well in return."

Xu Jinrong leaned down and whispered teasingly in her ear. Seeing her delicate and adorable earlobe, he couldn't resist taking a small bite. Danmei took a breath, turned her head, and gave him a reproachful glare before he went to open the door. Xiqing and Miaoxia then came in to help her with her washing and grooming.

"The clothes that Madam is wearing are truly beautiful."

Xiqing praised as she combed her hair.

Although Miaoxia was a bit young, unlike Xiqing who stayed by Xu Jinrong's mother's side, she had seen some things before in the Prime Minister's residence. Seeing Xiqing's praise, she couldn't help but show off, "This is Yun brocade, even better than Shu brocade, and the color blending is very particular. Like the one Madam is wearing, it's a bright red with shades of water red and silver red. If it's dark blue, it should be paired with sunflower yellow and light green, and if it's purple-brown, it should be paired with lotus root and blue lotus. When I was with Madam in the Prime Minister's residence before, I heard the old lady mention that to weave this brocade, two skilled weavers, one for drawing the pattern and the other for weaving, had to work together, and they could only produce two inches a day. Look at this woven pattern, no wonder it takes so much effort."

After Miaoxia finished speaking, not only was Xiqing amazed, but even Danmei felt she had learned something new. That day, Xu Jinrong mentioned ordering some fabric for her, and when it was delivered, she found them all to be exquisite. She casually picked out a few and had the tailor in the manor take her measurements and have them made. When she wore the outfit Xu Jinrong had chosen for her that morning, she only thought it was elegant and dignified, never expecting it to be so extravagant.

After Danmei finished dressing and had breakfast with Xu Jinrong, she sat down in the main hall to wait for everyone in the mansion to offer their congratulations. The first to come and offer her congratulations was naturally Sister Hui.

Today, Sister Hui was also dressed in red, looking like a jade maiden beside Guanyin Bodhisattva. She knelt and kowtowed to Danmei with a beaming smile, saying, "Congratulations, Mother, on your long and healthy life." Danmei smiled and told her to get up. Xiqing, who was standing to the side, took a red envelope from a tray and handed it to her. Sister Hui accepted it with a smile, kowtowed again to express her gratitude, and then stood up.

After Sister Hui offered her congratulations, it was the wet nurse's turn. She was also dressed in new clothes today. Kneeling down, her flattering words flowed like the Yangtze River, making everyone behind her laugh. Even Xu Jinrong smiled slightly. If Danmei hadn't interrupted her while she was swallowing, she probably would have continued endlessly without repeating herself. She also received a red envelope as a reward, which she happily accepted.

After the wet nurse, it was the turn of the maids who served Miao Chun and others who knelt down to offer their congratulations. This time, it was Sister Hui who volunteered to distribute red envelopes, which the maids happily accepted and thanked her for. Next came the cooks and other servants in the mansion, all of whom received red envelopes. Finally, the male servants outside the mansion, led by Chen Rui, knelt down to offer their congratulations and also distributed red envelopes. For a moment, the whole mansion was filled with joy.

After the celebration, Danmei sat there, noticing that besides the joy on everyone's faces, there was something strange about them, as if they were exchanging glances. She couldn't help but look at Xu Jinrong sitting to the side, and saw that he also seemed to have a mysterious air about him, as if she were an outsider. She was extremely puzzled and was about to ask when Xu Jinrong stood up and said with a smile, "Let me accompany you back to your courtyard to rest. The wives of officials will come to congratulate you on your birthday in the afternoon, and there will be a birthday banquet in the evening. You'll be quite busy."

A few days ago, Xu Jinrong posted the invitation, and Danmei initially disagreed, feeling that such a grand celebration was unnecessary. However, he insisted, saying that it was her first birthday since their marriage, and a large celebration was necessary to show his sincerity. Danmei couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she went along with him. Now, reminded by him, she realized that it made sense; once the guests arrived, they would be spinning like tops, so she decided to rest early. She got up and went back to the courtyard with him, and everyone in the hall dispersed, even Xiqing and Miaoxia didn't come along.

The two returned to their room upstairs. As soon as they closed the door, Xu Jinrong took Danmei's hand and led her to a chair, pressing her shoulders down to sit.

Danmei looked on in confusion, only to see him actually take two steps back and stand directly opposite her, bowing slightly and saying, "My lady is seventeen or eighteen years old, just like a beautiful plum blossom on a branch. Today, an old ox is nibbling on plum blossoms, wishing you a happy year after year."

Danmei's eyes widened. Seeing that he was still standing there with a straight face after he finished reading, she realized what he meant and couldn't hold back anymore. She didn't care about her image and burst out laughing, groaning and laughing so hard that she leaned on the armrest of the chair.

"What are you laughing at, my wife? I'm just wishing you a happy birthday."

A smile flickered in Xu Jinrong's eyes, but his expression remained tense. He then extended his hand to Danmei, his palm outstretched in front of her.

Danmei barely managed to suppress her laughter and asked, "What are you doing reaching out your hand?"

"I'm waiting for your red envelope." Xu Jinrong said in a serious tone, "The people outside just wished you a happy birthday, didn't they all give you red envelopes as a reward? I even recited a poem for you, so you should give me two."

Danmei's smile, which had just faded, resurfaced, this time so much that her stomach ached. She pointed at Xu Jinrong with one finger, unable to speak. Just as she was feeling unwell, he grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms.

"You're so stingy, you won't even give me a red envelope. I'll have to settle it with a kiss, but luckily I won't mind."

Danmei only heard him hum, and before she could react, her mouth was sealed shut. She struggled a few times, and after being held and tormented for a long time, her mouth was finally released. Her hands were already hanging around his neck, and she was panting heavily.

Xu Jinrong had only made up a few words on a whim, partly to congratulate her on her birthday and partly to make her laugh. Now, looking down, he saw her eyes brimming with light, her cheeks flushed, her eyebrows alluring, her eyes conveying affection, and her cherry lips still glistening with the moisture left from their kiss, making her incredibly alluring. Remembering her warm and sweet fragrance, he felt a sudden urge to lift her up and carry her to the bed.

Danmei noticed his gaze suddenly darken as he looked at her. Having been husband and wife for some time, she naturally knew what he was thinking. Startled, she patted his chest forcefully to stop him, saying, "What are you doing in broad daylight! Put me down!" Seeing that he seemed not to hear her and his hand had already slipped under her skirt, she quickly grabbed it and scolded, "Didn't you just say that the officials' wives would be coming after noon? It's almost noon now, and you're still acting like this. Do you really want to embarrass me later?"

Xu Jinrong's hand had already reached inside, pinching the smooth, shapely buttocks, before he smiled and said, "Tell them to wait a bit, so what's the big deal..." As he spoke, his other hand had already pulled down the curtain and hung it down.

Alas! To leave so many guests waiting in vain on the occasion of his wife's birthday, while he himself is all lovey-dovey on the pillow during the day, like two jade pendants intertwined on a branch, is something that only Xu Jinrong, the third master of the Xu family, could be considered the most romantic man in history.

Chapter 53

By the time the spring waves in the red silk tent had subsided, it was already past noon. Poor Danmei's carefully done makeup that morning was completely ruined. Her hair was disheveled and her hairpins were lying on the ground. Fortunately, although her clothes were also lying on the ground in a ball, they could be picked up and there were no visible wrinkles.

Danmei sat back down in front of the mirror and saw her disheveled appearance, still feeling the effects of her spring passion. There had been a knock at the door earlier, so it must have been a maid calling for dinner or a guest arriving early to invite her. Seeing no one answer, the maid had retreated. She didn't dare ask Xiqing to help her comb her hair, and hurriedly tried to fix herself in front of the mirror, but couldn't recreate the look from earlier. Just as she was getting anxious, she suddenly noticed Xu Jinrong behind her, still smiling at her reflection in the mirror. She glared at him fiercely and complained, "Look what you've done!"

Xu Jinrong smiled and went to open the door. He immediately saw Xiqing and a little maid standing guard in the corridor leading up the stairs. He thought to himself that she was indeed a person of principle, so he waved for her to come in.

Seeing Xiqing combing her hair while discussing the evening banquet without any unusual expression, Danmei, knowing Xiqing's usual composed demeanor, didn't think much of it. Soon after, she finished dressing and had lunch with Xu Jinrong, who then said he had to leave. Danmei didn't mind, because shortly after, a maid came to report that Madam Zhao had arrived. She hurried to the flower hall in the side courtyard to greet her, and one after another, ladies from various households arrived with their invitations. Before dusk, everyone had arrived. The large flower hall was filled with laughter, fragrant clothes, and elegant figures. The ladies were all adorned with gold hairpins, jade pendants, and shimmering silks, dazzling the eyes. Even their accompanying maids were dressed in bright red and green, clearly determined to make a good impression.

Because Xu Jinrong was the local official, the ladies had long heard that Madam Xu was the daughter of a high-ranking official. Today was also an invitation to her birthday banquet, so naturally, the conversation inevitably turned to Danmei. First, one lady with sharp eyes recognized the brocade fabric of Danmei's dress and praised it highly. The other ladies naturally joined in the discussion, and then someone else, somehow knowing about the flower farmers vying to send flowers to the prefect's residence, also brought it up to flatter her:

"I've heard that Madam is not only renowned for her talent, but also a master of flower cultivation. Her refined taste and leisurely pursuits make a boorish person like me feel ashamed. No wonder Lord Xu values her so highly. I heard that some time ago, Lord Xu even went so far as to gather all the peonies and peonies from the flower growers in the city for Madam's sake. Such dedication truly makes me envious. If the man in my household had even half of that kind of affection for me, I would be laughing in my dreams."

Danmei looked over and saw that it was the military advisor's wife. Knowing that she was just flattering her, she smiled and exchanged a few polite words. Unexpectedly, this aroused the interest of the other ladies, who all asked questions. Seeing that her words had become the focus of everyone's attention, the military advisor's wife was pleased and told them again about how Prefect Xu had bought all the peonies in the city for his wife, which made everyone envious.

At first, when the topic of the brocade came up, the murmurs of admiration from the ladies were somewhat mixed with genuine interest. Because in a wealthy region like Huai-Chu, local officials were quite wealthy, and while the brocade was expensive and luxurious, some of the officials' wives had worn it before; their earlier gestures were merely for show. But now, hearing this, seven or eight out of ten of those murmurs were genuine.

"That's nothing. If you ask me, what I truly envy is that Lord Xu only has eyes for his wife. I heard that a few days ago, a family sent over their top courtesan, saying she was to serve Lord Xu, but she didn't even get to see him before being carried back in a sedan chair the next morning. That's what it means to truly cherish your wife. Just now, someone said they would laugh out loud even in their dreams. If my wife treated me like that, I would gladly give my life for her."

Everyone looked over and saw that it was Madam Zhao from the Prefectural Magistrate's residence speaking with a smile. For a moment, the whole room fell silent. After a while, someone started to nod and admire, and this time everyone's face showed envy.

"Only Madam deserves to be so cherished by Lord Xu. I just don't know which family gave her away; they are so tactless. It's truly laughable."

The soldier's wife, who had spoken first, covered her mouth and giggled.

Women generally enjoy gossiping. It's quite common for subordinates to send maids or concubines to their superiors; it's a way of currying favor. But this remark reminded everyone that the family had miscalculated, not only failing to please the prefect but also offending his wife. They couldn't help but feel schadenfreude, and the conversation quickly turned to asking each other which family had sent the maids.

Seeing that the Lady of the Capital had been sitting silently with her head down, but when someone leaned over to ask her something, she could only force a smile and shake her head, pretending not to know, Danmei found it somewhat amusing. Not wanting to embarrass her too much, she changed the subject, talking about the Lantern Festival that would last for five days starting tomorrow. Seeing that she had changed the subject, everyone naturally followed suit, sharing their experiences at the Lantern Festival. The Lady of the Military Advisor was particularly amusing; her remark, "Everyone who is alive goes to see the Lantern Festival," caused all the ladies in the room to burst into laughter, creating a lively atmosphere.

Seeing that everyone had finally changed the subject, Madam Duzhi breathed a sigh of relief. Although it was the cold of January, a fine layer of sweat had broken out on her back. She was both annoyed and resentful. She was annoyed that her husband's flattery had backfired, almost causing her to lose face in public. She resentful that Qiaoqiao had been taken in by her husband since his return, and their intimate relationship these past few days had been quite an eyesore. Now, spurred on by this, she hardened her heart and immediately began to plan how to get rid of her in a few days. After making up her mind, she couldn't help but look up at Madam Xu, who was seated in the main seat. She saw that Madam Xu was beautiful and radiant, smiling and chatting. She thought of how Magistrate Xu had rejected others for her sake. Her husband had originally been a diligent scholar, and she had been his only companion in his youth. She never expected that he would act this way after he passed the imperial examination. She felt a pang of sadness for a moment and finally let out a long sigh.

As dusk fell, Xiqing came over with a smile and invited the ladies to take their seats, announcing that the banquet was about to begin.

The Huai Chu prefectural government office occupies a large area with many halls, so the birthday banquet was held separately for male and female guests in the warm halls on the east and west sides.

At this time, more refined government officials and noble families established four departments and six bureaus to manage accounts, kitchens, tea and wine, tableware, fruits, honey, fried vegetables, oil, candles, incense, and medicine, etc. In the past, if such matters occurred in the capital, Steward Xu would handle them. However, here, the arrangements were not yet complete, and Jiang Rui was in charge. Fortunately, Huaichu was a wealthy region, and like in the capital, it had a dedicated catering service for grand banquets. Knowing that the banquet was for the newly arrived prefect, and that the host was not concerned about money but only about luxury, the catering manager dared not neglect it and naturally did his best to prepare the banquet in an extremely luxurious manner. First, there was an embroidered high-tiered fruit platter, which was merely for display. Then there were ten boxes of gold-threaded incense and medicine, for their invigorating aroma. Then came the carved honey-fried dishes, the fragrant salty and sour dishes, the ten-flavor preserved meats, the seasonal fruits, and the delicate twisted fruits. After several rounds, all the dishes were cleared away, and the family banquet had only just begun. There were ten dishes in ten cups, two dishes in each cup, for a total of twenty dishes, with a few side dishes in between. In particular, the two dishes served by the chef to encourage drinking, the shark sashimi and the shrimp and orange sashimi, were said to be new dishes created by the imperial chefs in the capital and had just become popular. Naturally, everyone had to reach out with their chopsticks to taste them and praise them. The banquet ended with everyone enjoying themselves, and laughter filled the air. By the time the banquet ended, it was already early 9 PM, and the drinking had lasted for nearly two hours. Just as the ladies were about to get up and leave their seats, they saw the head maid with thick eyebrows and big eyes, who was by the side of the prefect's wife, appear with several maids behind her. They were carrying a tray with a red silk lining, on which were red envelopes. Upon closer inspection, it seemed that they had been handed out when they came. They didn't know what this meant, so they looked at each other and then looked at Danmei, who was sitting in the middle.

Danmei smiled without saying a word, only nodding at Xiqing.

Xiqing then greeted everyone with a smile and said in a clear voice, "My lady said that it is already a great honor for all of you ladies to be here to enjoy yourselves. She would never dare to accept any more congratulatory gifts. Therefore, when she sent out the invitations, she noted on them that it was just to have some fun, and it just so happened to be her birthday, so she used that as an excuse to gather all of you ladies together. She would never accept any gifts. But the ladies have sent money as gifts, and I will now return them to you all on behalf of my lady."

As soon as she finished speaking, a buzzing sound arose all around. The ladies were all astonished, not expecting that the words on the invitation had actually come true.

A few days ago, the Prefect's wife celebrated her birthday and sent out invitations widely, stating that gifts were not accepted. While the ladies who received the invitations were all proud, they also knew they would inevitably have to spend money. Since the invitations stated that gifts were not accepted, the implication was that they should be converted into cash gifts. Although they secretly grumbled, they were afraid their gifts would be outshone by others, so they all went to great lengths to find out how much others were giving. In the end, someone took the lead and they all went to the top money exchange in Huai Chu to exchange their money for silver notes, put them in red envelopes, wrote their family name in the corner, and handed them to Xiqing, the head maidservant of Danmei, when they came today.

Although the ladies felt a pang of regret, this was common practice in officialdom. What cat wouldn't crave meat? Even on their own or their husbands' birthdays, they would seize the opportunity to curry favor with their subordinates. Therefore, they gritted their teeth and let it pass. Unexpectedly, after the banquet, seeing this scene unfold at the prefect's residence, they realized it wasn't just empty talk; the gift truly couldn't be refused. Madam Zhao, being the highest-ranking among the ladies, quickly understood and hastily declined to accept the gift from Danmei, saying, "What are you saying? It's just a small token of our appreciation. Who has ever heard of taking back a gift after it's been given? Wouldn't that be a slap in our face?"

Danmei stood up, took the red envelope from Xiqing's hand, and personally handed it back to the maid beside her, saying with a smile, "Madam Zhao, you flatter me. Everyone gathered together to celebrate my birthday, and this is already the most heartfelt gesture. I did accept some monetary gifts, and what I returned was just a small amount."

Hearing Danmei's words, Madam Zhao fell silent. Some of the remaining people had gritted their teeth and were determined to bleed a lot, but when they heard that some of their money had been returned, even if it was a small amount, it was still better than nothing. They were overjoyed and naturally did not object anymore. Besides, since everyone was doing the same, they didn't want to lose face, so they all took their money back.

Seeing that everyone had received their gifts, Danmei breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the evening was finally over. She had actually deliberately said the opposite of what she meant. Refusing all the gifts would have been somewhat disrespectful, so after receiving the money, someone immediately went to the bank to exchange it for new banknotes. For every hundred taels given, ninety-nine taels were returned. This way, no one was indebted, and no one felt humiliated—a win-win situation was best.

After the banquet for the female guests concluded and the gifts were returned, Danmei was about to invite the ladies to sit in the flower hall for a while to have some tea and digest their food when suddenly the sound of firecrackers and fireworks erupted outside. Everyone rushed to the door to watch, where Miaoxia ran over with a beaming smile and said, "My lord invites you, Madam, and all the ladies to the back garden to admire the lanterns. There's a special event called the Lantern Festival Lanterns. My lord specially commissioned the most skilled craftsmen in the city to make them, and he instructed the maids to keep it a secret from you until now, to give you a surprise."

After Miaoxia finished speaking, everyone looked on with envy and turned to look at Danmei.

Danmei suddenly realized that Xu Jinrong and the servants in the mansion had given her strange expressions during the birthday celebration that morning. It turned out that they had been secretly planning to hold a lantern festival specifically for her before the Lantern Festival. At first, she was surprised, but slowly a sweet feeling arose in her heart.

Danmei remained standing still, while the ladies, all smiles, surrounded her and led her to the back garden. After turning past a waterside pavilion, before they even arrived, they could already hear the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments. In the distance, they could see fragrant mist and moonlight, a golden and green expanse, all illuminated by lamplight in the night.

Everyone's spirits lifted, and they hurried over. Upon seeing the scene before them, even those who had lived in the capital for many years and were well-traveled couldn't help but secretly admire it. The entire garden was a sea of lights. The lanterns came in various shapes and sizes, including ball lanterns, sun and moon lanterns, mirror lanterns, phoenix lanterns, glass lanterns, and jade lanterns, as if stars from the sky had been turned into thousands of lamps, twinkling and shining everywhere. The most eye-catching of all was a huge plum tree in the center, its branches adorned with plum blossoms that seemed to glow. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that hundreds of plum blossoms were actually made of five-colored glass, inlaid with delicate candle stamens. Dozens of white jade lanterns hung from the branches, and plum blossom patterns were carved into the jade walls on all four sides. From a distance, it looked as if clouds shrouded the moon, and jewels surrounded the stars, making it seem like a celestial tree.

The ladies gathered under the tree, craning their necks to admire it, marveling at it. They all said they had seen countless lanterns, but this was the first time they had ever seen one so ingenious and made with such luxurious materials. It was truly an eye-opener. If the whole city were to judge the lanterns this year, they feared there would be none that could surpass this plum tree.

Although Huaichu City is not comparable to the capital, even though the time has not yet come, the city is already filled with the atmosphere of the Lantern Festival. Almost every household has hung lanterns at their door. Wealthy and powerful families spare no expense to compete with skilled craftsmen to make lanterns for them, so that they can set up a dazzling lantern festival in front of their mansions. They compete with each other to attract people to their homes to watch the lanterns. After the lantern festival, there will be a competition to select the best lantern of the year, which is also a major event in the local area.

The ladies around them chattered incessantly, but only Danmei knew that the lantern must have been made especially for her, as it subtly matched the character "Mei" in her name. Thinking that Xu Jinrong would have such feelings for her, she stood there gazing up at the plum lantern for a moment, her heart filled with a turbulent emotion.

As night deepened and the last guest departed, Danmei remained wide awake. Sitting in the pavilion with Xu Jinrong, she gazed at the still lush and brightly lit plum tree before her and smiled, saying, "Thank you for letting me see such beautiful lanterns a day earlier than others. I am very happy today. Tomorrow marks the start of the five-day Lantern Festival. Doesn't the government also need to make lanterns for the people to enjoy? They should move this one out. It's such a waste to leave it here for me to see alone."

Xu Jinrong chuckled and said, "Your name contains the character for 'plum blossom,' which is why I had this plum blossom lantern made. It was made just for you; how could I take it out for others to criticize? As long as you like it and it makes you smile, that's the most important thing."

Why are you so good to me?

Danmei leaned her head on his shoulder, remained silent for a moment, and then asked in a low voice.

“If I were this kind to others, you would probably cry. I can’t bear to see you cry, so I always try to be nicer to you.”

Xu Jinrong agreed, then put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her cheek, which made Danmei giggle. She playfully hit him and said, "Go ahead and be nice to others, and see if I cry!"

She threw her hand out, but he caught it and she couldn't pull it back. The two chuckled softly for a few more minutes, then looked up and saw that the full moon was already slightly setting in the west. They realized that it was already past midnight, so they went back to the small building together.

The author has something to say: This is a banquet menu from the Song Dynasty, from Zhang Jun's family feast during the reign of Emperor Gaozong, which can be considered the champion of "the most extravagant banquet in Chinese history." The banquet menu in this article is based on this. I'm posting the details here so that fellow food lovers can drool together.

The first round consisted of eight dishes of "fruit for viewing"—"Eight Fruits in an Embroidered High-Class Arrangement": citron, mandarin orange, pomegranate, orange, goose pear, milk pear, hawthorn, and flowering papaya. Citron is also called fragrant citron, and hawthorn resembles papaya but is slightly larger, yellow in color and astringent in taste. Viewing the fruit was for visual appeal, not for actual consumption. Qian Yi of the Northern Song Dynasty, in his *Southern New Book, Ren Collection*, stated that the practice of viewing dishes originated from Tang Dynasty imperial banquets, called "viewing food," and became widely popular in the Song Dynasty.

The second round of 12 kinds of dried fruits, "Le Xian Dried Fruit Bag": lychee, longan, lotus seed, torreya nut, hazelnut, pine nut, ginkgo, pear flesh, jujube rings, lotus seed flesh, crabapple fritters, and steamed jujube.

The third round consists of 10 boxes of "Lujin Xiangyao" (a type of herbal medicine): Brain Flower, Licorice Flower, Cinnamon Balls, Costus Root and Clove, Brain Tea, Gentian Root, Amomum Flower, Cinnamon Flower, Atractylodes Rhizome and Ginseng, and Olive Flower. This is an air freshener.

The fourth round of 12 "carved and honey-preserved" items include: carved plum balls, red jujubes, carved bamboo shoots, honey winter melon fish, carved red flower balls, large pieces of papaya, carved kumquats, green plum lotus leaves, carved ginger, honey bamboo shoot flowers, carved oranges, and square papaya flowers, all of which are candied fruits.

The fifth round consists of 12 "fragrant, salty, and sour" dishes: fragrant papaya, pepper plum, fragrant vine flower, fragrant cherry, perilla and galangal, fragrant daylily, fragrant grape, licorice flower, ginger plum, plum meat cake, water-red ginger, and mixed plum cake. This round of "salty and sour" dishes is to neutralize the sweetness of the previous round of "honey-fried" dishes.

The sixth round features "Ten Kinds of Dried Meat": long strips of dried meat, dried pork strips, Yunmeng piglets, dried shrimp, dried meat, milk curd, xuanzha (a type of dried meat), Jinshan salted black beans, pork with wine and vinegar, and minced meat. "Tingzi" refers to long strips of dried meat, "Yunmeng piglets" are dried and steamed pork strips, and "xuanzha" is minced dried meat. Cai Tao, the second son of the notorious Northern Song Dynasty minister Cai Jing, recorded in his *Iron Mountain Miscellany* that before Qian Chu, the King of Wuyue, surrendered to the Song Dynasty, Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, ordered the imperial chefs to prepare several southern dishes to appease him. The imperial chefs then created "xuanzha," which became Zhang Jun's favorite. Jinshan salted black beans are fermented black beans used to dip dried meat. This round all belong to the category of dried meat strips.

The seventh round features "Eight Plates of Dangling Hands": pickled bees, grapes, lotus seeds, olives, kumquats, fresh coconuts, small olives, and tangerines. These are fresh small fruits, unlike the "Eight Fruits of Embroidery" which mainly consists of large fruits.

After a short rest, the banquet resumed.

The first round consists of eight dishes of "seasonal fruits": spring lotus root, pear cakes, sugarcane, milk pear cakes, persimmons, oranges, tangerines, and raw lotus root slices.

The second round features 12 seasonal fruits: kumquat, bayberry, new kudzu, honey mushroom, crisp orange, elm tangerine, new coconut, yam bean, lotus root, sugarcane jujube, new tangerine, and pear blossom.

The third round featured the 12-item "Carved Honey Dessert" that was served at the "First Seat" restaurant.

The fourth round involves returning to the "first seat" with 12 "fragrant, salty, and sour" dishes.

The fifth round features 12 varieties of "Longchan Fruits": Lychee Dew Cake, Lychee and Polygonum Flower, Lychee Good Husband, Longchan Peach Strips, Crispy Walnut, Longchan Jujube Rings, Longchan Pear Flesh, Fragrant Lotus, Fragrant Grapes, Longchan Pine Nuts, Sugar-Frosted Jade Bees, and White Longchan Peach Strips. "Lychee and Polygonum Flower" is lychee flesh coated with maltose. This round of "Longchan" consists of dried and fresh fruits coated with sugar frosting, still classified as candied fruit.

The sixth round featured the "Ten Flavors of Preserved Meat" that were first served.

"Zai Zuo" served another 66 large dishes.