Chapter 68

Old Madam Zhu drank the entire bowl of red sugar yin rice porridge, taking one spoonful after another. Not only that, but she also ate two radish egg pancakes.

The radish egg pancakes were crispy on the outside and had a soft, fragrant texture inside with the shredded radish. The more she ate, the more delicious they became. They were even better than the radish egg pancakes made by others. She ate two of them, enjoying the sweet porridge with the pancakes, along with the fermented tofu and pickled vegetables. The fermented tofu was delicate and fragrant, and the pickled vegetables were crisp and tangy.

After finishing, Old Madam Zhu couldn’t help but say, “Wenying, I want some more porridge.”

She wanted a second bowl because the taste of the sweet porridge was simply too good.

Prefect Zhu immediately said, “Mother, please wait a moment. I’ll go to the kitchen and get you another bowl.”

Prefect Zhu went to the kitchen, where Xu Qinyu had already finished making the radish egg pancakes. The chubby cook was busy sending breakfast to the various courtyards.

Prefect Zhu couldn’t help but ask, “Young Lady Xu, is there any sweet porridge left? My mother wants another bowl. Your cooking skills are truly remarkable. My mother hasn’t eaten for several days, and I hope she can eat more now.”

It’s good if she can eat; even the doctor said that her body was already at its peak, and she should eat and drink whatever she wanted while she could.

Xu Qinyu smiled and said, “There’s plenty left. There’s enough for you and the elderly lady. She can have as many bowls as she wants.”

She served Prefect Zhu another bowl of red sugar yin rice porridge, who thanked her and took the food box back to his mother’s courtyard.

Old Madam Zhu drank the second bowl of red sugar yin rice porridge cleanly. When she was in good health, she would only eat one bowl of porridge and two pancakes for breakfast. Today, she ate an extra bowl and felt a bit full. She actually wanted to eat more because the porridge was so delicious.

She knew that she probably only had a few days left, and nothing tasted good to her anymore. Her son had invited many top chefs from Raozhou City, but it wasn’t that the chefs didn’t cook well; it was just that she found the food tasteless and didn’t want to swallow it. She thought that since she was already at the end of her life, it didn’t matter if she didn’t eat.

Now, having eaten such a breakfast, her appetite had improved a bit.

Just after she finished eating, the maid brought breakfast to the main courtyard.

Prefect Zhu usually didn’t eat with the children, so it was just him and Madam Zhu. They both took a sip of the porridge and were amazed. Prefect Zhu realized that Commander Liang wasn’t exaggerating; Young Lady Xu’s cooking skills were truly exceptional. They had never tasted a sweet porridge as good as this one. It was soft, sweet, but not overly sweet, with just the right amount of sweetness, making them want to drink more.

Even the seemingly ordinary radish egg pancakes were extraordinary, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a fragrant and soft texture. The accompanying pickled vegetables were also delicious.

They couldn’t help but have two bowls of porridge and two radish egg pancakes each.

With a larger appetite, Prefect Zhu ate four or five egg pancakes in one go and felt quite full. He rarely ate so much. Naturally, the other households in the backyard praised the breakfast as well. They were all curious about where their father or grandfather had found this new cook, whose culinary skills were truly remarkable.

In the kitchen, Xu Qinyu, Madam Wen, and Chef Zhou were eating, and the chubby cook also joined in. After everyone was full, there was still some red sugar yin rice porridge left in the pot, which the chubby cook finished. He felt a bit embarrassed and scratched his head, saying, “The breakfast made by the young lady is truly delicious.”

He was now completely convinced of Xu Qinyu’s culinary skills.

Next, they needed to prepare dinner for Old Madam Zhu.

It was just past 7 AM, and there were still three hours until dinner. Some ingredients needed to be prepared in advance. Chef Zhou and the chubby cook washed the breakfast utensils, while Xu Qinyu prepared the ingredients for the evening meal.

For dinner, she planned to make five dishes, each representing one of the five flavors of life: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty.

The salty and savory dish was “Xian Du Xian,” which required ham, so she had brought the ham with her. Ham was an essential ingredient for this dish.

Previously, she had made a simpler version of “Xian Du Xian” using salted meat and winter bamboo shoots. “Xian Du Xian” is a dish from Huizhou cuisine, one of the eight major Chinese cuisines known for its salty and savory flavor. The required ingredients included ham, salted meat, fresh pork belly, winter bamboo shoots, tofu knots, and lettuce. She had ham and winter bamboo shoots but no tofu knots, so she asked Chef Zhou to buy some tofu skins, which she would tie into knots herself. Ideally, spring bamboo shoots would be used, but only winter bamboo shoots were available, and there was no lettuce.

The Great Sheng Dynasty already had lettuce, similar to grapes, which had been brought back through trade routes with other countries a few years ago. Since it had only been cultivated for a few years, it was relatively expensive. Lettuce was easy to grow, and depending on the planting time, it could be harvested in spring, summer, and autumn. However, it was almost the twelfth lunar month, so there was no lettuce available. This ingredient was still quite expensive, and since it was winter, it could be omitted because winter bamboo shoots were available.

“Xian Du Xian” must include bamboo shoots.

In addition to “Xian Du Xian,” she planned to make sour fish for the sour dish.

For the sweet dish, she chose candied taro.

The most representative bitter dish was bitter melon, but it seemed that it was unavailable here. So, for the bitter dish, she planned to use winter water celery stir-fried with dried tofu, which also had a slightly bitter taste.

For the spicy dish, Xu Qinyu planned to make Mapo tofu.

Besides these five dishes, there were other home-cooked dishes, and she also made a light soup dish for the elderly lady, “Shang Tang Bai Cai” (cabbage in superior broth).

“Shang Tang Bai Cai” required chicken broth, and she had already killed a chicken and started simmering the broth on the stove.

There were also a few other home-cooked dishes. Except for the absence of tofu knots, all the other ingredients were available, and the kitchen was well-stocked.

Chef Zhou went out to buy tofu skins.

Xu Qinyu was busy preparing the ingredients while Madam Wen and the chubby cook were cleaning the kitchen utensils.

The chubby cook, while working, couldn’t stop chatting with Madam Wen. He secretly told her, “Do you know about our Old Madam? She is also a pitiful person. She only has one son, the Prefect, who has achieved great success and earned her a noble title. But she has had a hard life because of her daughter. The Prefect had an elder sister who was kidnapped from their doorstep when he was one year old. Old Madam searched for many years but never found her, crying until she went blind. It’s said that our Prefect is so ambitious because he wants to find his sister.”

After becoming a scholar, Prefect Zhu asked many people to help him find his sister. But his sister was only five years old when she was kidnapped, and he was only one year old, so he had no memory of her. He only knew from his mother that his sister was very cute, with fair skin, a small mole behind her right ear, and a round red birthmark on her lower back. That was all he knew. He had been searching for almost thirty years and had encountered several women of similar ages, moles behind their ears and birthmarks on their lower backs, but none of them were his sister.

He was a Prefect, not a fool. After asking a few more questions, those people would become evasive. When he sent people to investigate, it was easy to find out the truth.

So now, with the Old Madam nearing the end of her life, Prefect Zhu had almost given up, thinking that after searching for thirty years, how could he find her in just a few days?

Hearing that the Old Madam had lost a daughter, Madam Wen felt a pang in her heart. She didn’t think too much about it; she just felt a bit empathetic because her own mother, Madam Gui, had been kidnapped and sold to slavery, then bought by the Wen family to be a maid.

But Madam Gui only remembered being kidnapped and couldn’t recall anything else. Madam Wen once thought about helping her mother find her family, but she had to give up without any clues.

Hearing the chubby cook’s words, Madam Wen didn’t think about her mother, as it seemed too coincidental.

The chubby cook continued, “The Prefect’s sister had a mole behind her right ear and a round red birthmark on her lower back. But there are many women with similar moles and birthmarks. The Prefect encountered several frauds who thought that being the sister of a successful scholar would mean a good life. But he exposed them all.”

Hearing this, Madam Wen was shocked and asked, “What did you say?”

The chubby cook repeated his words.

Madam Wen’s mind buzzed. She knew that Madam Gui had a small mole behind her right ear and a round red birthmark on her lower back.

Madam Gui herself was unaware of the birthmark on her lower back because she couldn’t see it. It was Madam Wen who had discovered it while bathing her and had mentioned it to her.

Madam Wen’s heart was pounding. She asked the chubby cook, “How old is the Prefect’s elder sister approximately?”

The chubby cook replied, “She would be almost fifty-five this year.”

Madam Wen’s hands were trembling. Although her mother couldn’t remember her exact age, she was around fifty-four or fifty-five years old. Could it really be such a coincidence? The age, the mole behind the ear, and the birthmark on the lower back all matched. And when she came to the Prefect’s mansion, could the reason the Prefect kept looking at her because of her appearance?

In fact, her appearance didn’t resemble Madam Gui’s when she was young, nor did she look like Old Master Wen. Could it be that she resembled Old Madam Zhu?

Madam Wen couldn’t stop thinking about it. She wasn’t seeking vanity; her mother’s background had always been a regret in her heart. If there was a possibility, she hoped to help her mother find her family.

Well, she thought, let’s get to work first and ask about it later.

Even though she was anxious, Madam Wen didn’t dare to speak to the Prefect recklessly.

Although everything matched, the chubby cook had mentioned that there had been women who matched before but were not the Prefect’s elder sister.

Today, Yuniang was here to cook for Old Madam Zhu, and she couldn’t delay Yuniang. Her actions were related to Yuniang, and she couldn’t let the Prefect think that Yuniang was seeking vanity and rushing to claim kinship.

After cleaning the kitchen and utensils, Xu Qinyu had almost finished preparing the ingredients. The chicken broth on the stove was still simmering over low heat and didn’t need attention.

A maid came to invite the two of them to rest in the guest room.

Xu Qinyu didn’t refuse, as she had woken up too early and was still a bit tired. It wasn’t time to prepare dinner yet, so she could rest for over an hour.

Xu Qinyu went to the guest room and slept for over an hour, while Madam Wen couldn’t sleep, constantly thinking about how to talk to the Prefect about this matter.

When it was time to prepare dinner, a maid came to call them, and Xu Qinyu woke up.

In fact, Prefect Zhu and Madam Zhu had come to the kitchen, but upon learning that the cook was resting in the guest room, they didn’t disturb her.

Dinner was also for more than twenty people, and Xu Qinyu found it quite easy to prepare, just like the red sugar yin rice porridge, cooking it in a large pot. She started with the dishes that required more time and wouldn’t be affected by sitting for a while.

Naturally, these were “Xian Du Xian” and sour fish.

The kitchen had plenty of utensils, and Xu Qinyu could handle two or three pots at a time.

The ingredients for “Xian Du Xian” were already prepared. The cured ham had been soaked, and she started by adding ginger, scallions, and Shaoxing wine to a pot of cold water to blanch the fresh pork belly.

After blanching, she cut the pork belly into thick slices, and did the same with the cured ham, placing them in a clay pot to simmer over low heat for half an hour. She cut the winter bamboo shoots into pieces and blanched them, then added them along with the tofu knots to the pot with the meat slices. There was no need to add salt, as the salted meat and ham provided enough saltiness. No other seasonings were needed either, as the dish highlighted the salty flavors of the ham and salted meat, combined with the freshness of the other ingredients. After adding the bamboo shoots and tofu knots, she continued to simmer over low heat for another half hour, finally sprinkling some chopped scallions before serving.

The entire Prefect’s mansion was filled with the savory aroma.

Various delicious smells spread, and everyone in the different courtyards eagerly looked towards the kitchen, anticipating the evening meal. Although they didn’t eat as many delicacies as the wealthy gentry and merchants, they never lacked food and drink. They occasionally dined at the city’s restaurants, but no dish had ever made them look forward to a meal like this.

Finally, the dinner was ready, and the maids and servants delivered it to the various rooms.

Xu Qinyu instructed the maid to start serving Old Madam Zhu with the sour fish, followed by candied taro, winter water celery stir-fried with dried tofu, Mapo tofu, and finally “Xian Du Xian.” After tasting these five dishes, the Old Madam could eat any of the other dishes as she pleased.

These represent the five flavors of life, and Xu Qinyu wants Old Madam Zhu to feel at ease, reflecting on her life and experiencing the sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty moments. She hoped the elderly lady would leave without any regrets.

The maid brought the dishes one by one to Old Madam Zhu’s room, and Prefect Zhu and Madam Zhu joined her for dinner.

Usually, the Prefect’s family didn’t need the maid to serve the dishes, but this time, the maid repeated Xu Qinyu’s instructions.

Prefect Zhu smiled and said, “Let’s follow the young cook’s instructions and serve each dish to the Old Madam.”

Each dish delighted Old Madam Zhu, especially the final dish, “Xian Du Xian.” She trembled as she said, “This, this dish is the best, so savory and fragrant. Wenying, you should eat too…” Not only that, but the dish contained large pieces of meat. She could taste the cured meat, pork belly, and other types of meat that were also savory and fragrant but prepared differently from the first two. The meat was tender and easy to chew, and the bamboo shoots and tofu knots had absorbed the broth, making them fresh and flavorful.

After tasting the final dish, Old Madam Zhu suddenly understood the young cook’s intention. Starting with the sour dish, she experienced the five flavors of life: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty.

The young cook wanted her to taste the five flavors of life, hoping she would leave without regrets.

Tears slowly fell from Old Madam Zhu’s eyes, which could no longer see. She couldn’t leave without regrets, having never found her daughter.

Seeing his mother in tears, Prefect Zhu felt a pang of sorrow. He had also tasted the five dishes and understood the young cook’s thoughtfulness.

This young cook is indeed very thoughtful.

After crying, Old Madam Zhu didn’t say much more. It had been fifty years, and she was already at the point of having one foot in the grave. She had long since given up hope.

The dinner was delicious, and despite her emotions, Old Madam Zhu ate heartily.

Prefect Zhu and Madam Zhu felt the same.

The dishes that impressed them the most were “Xian Du Xian” and “Shang Tang Bai Cai.”

It was the first time they had tasted cabbage prepared this way. The soup was made with chicken broth, with all the chicken fat skimmed off, leaving a clear and bright broth. The soup was rich and flavorful, and the cabbage was tender and sweet. She ate quite a lot.

After dinner, Old Madam Zhu was very tired and fell asleep again.

Prefect Zhu personally went to the kitchen to thank the young cook and gave her fifty taels of silver as a reward.

Xu Qinyu accepted the thanks and planned to return to Yuanbao Town.

Before leaving the kitchen, Prefect Zhu couldn’t help but glance at Madam Wen again, but in the end, he didn’t ask anything. He just felt that Madam Wen’s appearance bore some resemblance to his mother when she was in her thirties. Over the years, he had seen a few people who looked like his mother, but they were not his sister. Moreover, Madam Wen was only in her thirties, which didn’t match his sister’s age.

As Prefect Zhu walked past Madam Wen, she opened her mouth to ask but couldn’t bring herself to speak. If it wasn’t true, she feared the Prefect would think they were seeking vanity. Yuniang still wanted to open a large restaurant in Raozhou City, and she didn’t want to affect the Prefect’s opinion of Yuniang.

Finally, Zhou Daqing drove the carriage to take the two of them back to Yuanbao Town.

On the way, Madam Wen didn’t speak, and Xu Qinyu noticed her distraction and couldn’t help but ask, “Mother, do you have something on your mind?”

There was no need to hide this matter. Madam Wen usually didn’t keep things from Yuniang and would discuss them with her.

She told Yuniang about what she had heard from the chubby cook in the Prefect’s mansion about the Prefect’s kidnapped elder sister. She added, “Actually, your grandmother was also kidnapped. You all know this, but your grandmother also has a small mole behind her right ear and a round red birthmark on her lower back. The age matches too, so I’m feeling uncertain.”

She was also afraid that if her mother wasn’t his sister, both her mother and Old Madam Zhu would be disappointed. Especially Old Madam Zhu, who was already in such a state—if given hope only to have it dashed, she feared the elderly lady wouldn’t be able to handle the shock and might pass away, which would create enmity.

Xu Qinyu, who had been in the courtyard handling ingredients and hadn’t heard the chubby cook’s words, felt her heart race upon hearing Madam Wen’s account. She thought for a moment and said, “Mother, let’s ask grandmother when we get back and see if she can remember anything. Did you ask the cook at the Prefect’s mansion about his old home? If grandmother can recall even a little, it might help determine if she is related to the Prefect.”

That was all they could do for now.

Two hours later, Zhou Daqing brought them back to Yuanbao Town. It was already dark, and the city gates would soon close.

Xu Qinyu found an inn for Zhou Daqing to stay in for the night and return to Yuanbao Town the next day.

Back home, Xu Qinyu first went to find Cheng Ge’er to ask about the restaurant.

Madam Wen went to find Madam Gui and told her about the Old Madam at the Prefect’s mansion, who also had a kidnapped daughter. She asked Madam Gui if she could remember anything from her childhood.

Madam Gui felt a pang in her heart. Although she had never met Old Madam Zhu, she could imagine how an old lady in her twilight years would miss her daughter. Just thinking about it made her feel very sad.

“Mother, please try to remember.”

Madam Gui thought carefully, “I was about four or five years old when I was kidnapped. I vaguely remember an old courtyard gate. The gate was wooden, with a hole and some cracks.”

She didn’t know why, but she could still vaguely remember such a broken wooden gate. Could it be that she often played at the gate? She couldn’t remember anything else.

Madam Wen didn’t know what to do after hearing this. She had only heard about this from the chubby cook and doubted the Prefect would tell everyone about the old wooden gate at his home.

Madam Wen chatted with Madam Gui for a while longer. Seeing that she couldn’t remember anything else, she told her to rest early.

Xu Qinyu soon returned from the Wen family’s third house. Nothing had happened at the restaurant. Cheng Ge’er said that after posting the notice, the customers were very understanding. They only asked if the restaurant would be open the next day. Cheng Ge’er assured them it would be, and the customers left satisfied.

When Xu Qinyu returned, Madam Wen told her what had happened. Xu Qinyu thought for a moment and said, “Mother, let’s do this. Tomorrow, when Chef Zhou returns, let him take you and Grandmother to the Prefect’s mansion. When you get there, don’t see Old Madam Zhu right away. Ask the Prefect if he remembers what the old courtyard gate looked like. If it matches what Grandmother described, she might really be his sister. If the information doesn’t match, there’s no need to disturb the Old Madam.”

If Grandmother was related to the Zhu family, Prefect Zhu, being the highest official in Raozhou City, might face repercussions from the new emperor and Empress Dowager Fu in the capital. They might not only remove him from office but also harm them.

Madam Wen understood this point. If her mother was indeed related to the Prefect, this matter must not be spread. After discussing it, they went to wash up and sleep.

That night, Madam Gui had a dream. In the dream, she vaguely remembered the broken wooden gate. The upper left corner of the gate was cracked, and there was a hole. Even the cracks were clear in the dream. In front of the gate, a four or five-year-old girl was squatting and playing with stones.

The girl’s appearance was blurry. After a while, a gentle female voice came from behind the gate, “Shuniang, come inside for dinner.”

The little girl responded cheerfully, stood up, pushed open the gate, and walked into the courtyard. But in the dream, she couldn’t clearly see the inside of the courtyard or the figure of the gentle woman. Everything was blurry, except for the broken wooden gate and the voice calling “Shuniang.”

At this point in the dream, Madam Gui suddenly opened her eyes, gasping for breath.

In the latter half of the night, Madam Gui couldn’t sleep. As soon as she heard movement outside at dawn, she got up and went out to see Yuniang and her daughter. She shared her dream about a woman gently calling her “Shuniang.”

Xu Qinyu and Madam Wen exchanged a glance.

Madam Wen had already planned to take Madam Gui to Raozhou City today, so she explained the situation to Madam Gui.

Madam Gui nodded, “Alright, it’s time to make the trip.”

This way, whether they were relatives or not, there would be no regrets.

Xu Qinyu went to find Zhou Daqing and told him that her mother-in-law and grandmother needed to go to Raozhou City for some matters. He asked if he could take them there today.

Zhou Daqing was more than willing to help.

Although it was early, it would be time for breakfast by the time they reached Raozhou City. Xu Qinyu told Madam Wen and Madam Gui to set off immediately. Ning Jie’er would look after the two children at home, and Tao Jie’er would come over later, so they did not need to worry.