Chapter 69

Zhou Daqing drove the carriage, taking the two women to Raozhou City. He didn’t think much of it, being simple and honest, and didn’t ask many questions. He just assumed that they had some business in the city and responsibly took them there.

The snow had stopped this morning, but there was still some accumulation on the road, so they couldn’t drive too fast.

Along the way, Madam Wen and Madam Gui didn’t talk much.

Madam Gui kept recalling the dream, trying to remember the clothes the little girl was wearing, the girl’s appearance, the woman who called her “Shuniang,” and the scene inside the courtyard after the gate opened. However, it was all too blurry to recall clearly.

Madam Gui felt very anxious, unsure if this trip would help her find her family. If the Zhu family was indeed her blood relatives, how would she face them after fifty years? Could she adapt? If they weren’t, how would her emotions change?

Madam Wen felt the same anxiety. She hoped her mother could find her family but worried that if the Zhu family wasn’t her blood relatives, her mother would be very disappointed and worried. She also feared that Madam Gui’s health might not withstand the stress.

After more than two hours, they arrived in Raozhou City. It was already past 7 AM, and the city gates were open. They told Zhou Daqing they needed to go to the Prefect’s mansion, and he took them there directly. They thanked him, and he left.

Madam Gui and Madam Wen went to the back gate of the Prefect’s mansion and knocked. The gatekeeper, an old woman, recognized Madam Wen.

Madam Wen said, “Please inform the Prefect that the people who cooked for the Old Madam yesterday have come again with some matters to discuss. If he is willing to see us, please ask him to come to the back gate. We just have a few words to say.”

The old woman nodded and asked them to wait while she went to inform the Prefect.

The Prefect had postponed his official duties for the past few days to stay by Old Madam Zhu’s side, worried that she might pass away at any moment. Having him by her side would lessen her regrets.

Hearing the old woman’s words, he was puzzled.

Madam Zhu said, “Go and see, husband. Maybe their family has some urgent matters to discuss with you. Mother had a good meal and slept more comfortably last night thanks to the young cook yesterday.”

Prefect Zhu nodded, “I was planning to go anyway. You stay with Mother, and I’ll be back soon.”

Prefect Zhu followed the old woman to the back gate and asked, “Did the young cook come with them?”

He was thinking that if the young cook had come, he would ask her to help prepare another meal for his mother.

The old woman replied, “No, Sir. It’s another woman and an elderly lady.”

Prefect Zhu was even more puzzled. He quickly arrived at the back courtyard and saw Madam Wen and Madam Gui standing at the door.

Seeing Madam Gui, Prefect Zhu didn’t immediately think of his elder sister.

However, Madam Gui felt a surge of emotion upon seeing Prefect Zhu. Her hands and feet trembled slightly. Although both of them were no longer young, with graying hair and wrinkles on their faces, she still felt a sense of familiarity with the person in front of her.

Prefect Zhu stepped forward and asked, “May I ask what brings you here? Is there something you need my help with?” He assumed they might be seeking his help with some personal matters. As long as it wasn’t against the law, he would certainly help if he could.

Madam Wen glanced at the old woman guarding the gate, and Prefect Zhu understood, waving the old woman away and inviting the two inside.

Once inside, Madam Wen took a deep breath and recounted what she had heard from the chubby cook about the Prefect’s elder sister being kidnapped as a child. She then looked at Madam Gui and said to the governor, “Sir, this is my mother. She was kidnapped as a child, sold to slavery, and bought by the Cheng family in the capital to be a maid for their eldest daughter. Later, she followed the eldest daughter to marry into the Wen family…”

She briefly explained Madam Gui’s background, mentioning that she was an illegitimate daughter of the Wen family and also explained the Wen and Pei families’ connections and her own identity.

The Prefect was a bit shocked. He hadn’t expected the woman in front of him to be the former empress. He knew that the capital had a change of emperor two years ago. The new emperor exiled the former crown prince’s lineage and even exiled the empress. At that time, he thought it was absurd—who exiles an empress and the royal children?

He hadn’t expected the woman in front of him to be the empress, who had been helping in the kitchen yesterday.

Madam Wen revealed her identity to lay the groundwork for what she was about to say, making it clear that she wasn’t seeking to claim kinship with the Prefect’s family out of vanity. She had once been an empress and wouldn’t covet such small benefits. She also wanted to give the Prefect a heads-up. If her mother was indeed his elder sister, he should make plans, as this matter couldn’t be disclosed publicly and had to be kept secret.

Seeing the Prefect’s shocked expression, Madam Wen continued, “I know that the Prefect’s kidnapped elder sister had a small mole behind her right ear and a red birthmark on her lower back. My mother has both of these, and she is about fifty-four or fifty-five years old, which seems too coincidental. That’s why we came to talk to you.”

The Prefect was both shocked and confused upon hearing this.

Yesterday, he had thought Madam Wen resembled his mother, but he dismissed it because of the age difference. Now, hearing Madam Wen’s words, if the elderly woman in front of him was indeed his elder sister, it would be normal for her daughter to resemble his mother. But could the elderly woman in front of him really be his elder sister?

He couldn’t judge based on these two points alone. It seemed too coincidental, and after so many disappointments, he feared that the elderly woman in front of him wasn’t his sister, which would disappoint his mother.

Madam Gui, her voice trembling, asked, “Sir, do you remember what the courtyard gate looked like when you were young? My childhood memories are very vague, but I remember the gate was wooden, old and broken, with cracks in the upper left corner and a hole.”

As soon as she said this, Prefect Zhu’s expression changed. He had lived in that house for over ten years and naturally remembered that the wooden gate had cracks and a hole.

What Madam Gui said next brought tears to Prefect Zhu’s eyes. He heard her say, “Because it was so long ago, I can’t remember anything else, not even my own name. But last night, I dreamed of a woman calling from behind that broken wooden gate, calling a little girl of about four or five years old named Shuniang, telling her to come inside for dinner.”

Prefect Zhu’s mind buzzed, and he wanted to say something but couldn’t make a sound.

Prefect Zhu and his mother never mentioned the wooden gate at home and the elder sister’s name to outsiders, fearing someone might impersonate a relative. Being able to mention the elder sister’s name naturally explained everything. Moreover, the elderly woman in front of him even described the appearance of the wooden gate at home, leaving no doubt.

Seeing the Prefect’s reaction, Madam Wen and Madam Gui understood.

Madam Gui also shed tears.

Prefect Zhu choked up for a long time before finally calling out, “Elder Sister.”

Madam Gui covered her mouth and cried. It had been fifty years, but there was indeed a bit of fortune. Although fifty years had passed, her mother was still alive, and they could still meet, leaving no regrets. If it weren’t for the opportunity brought by Yuniang, she might have missed her relatives forever.

Madam Wen also wiped her tears.

Even though they knew the elderly woman in front of them was most likely the elder sister, Prefect Zhu still needed to know what the birthmark on her lower back looked like.

The shapes of birthmarks are different. In the past, they had exposed several women pretending to be the elder sister because their birthmarks were different. As long as the birthmark on the elderly woman in front of them matched, he could take her to see his mother.

Prefect Zhu wiped his tears and explained the birthmark to the two women. Madam Gui smiled through her tears, “Of course.”

Prefect Zhu led them back to the main courtyard. He didn’t dare disturb his mother, so he invited the two women to a side room. Then, he went to his mother’s room to call Madam Zhu.

He took Madam Zhu to the side room and explained the situation to her.

Madam Zhu was a bit shocked; it was indeed too coincidental. But all the other information matched. Even without seeing the birthmark, she knew the elderly woman in front of her should be the daughter her mother-in-law had lost. It was also a blessing from Heaven, allowing her mother-in-law to fulfill her wish before passing.

After Prefect Zhu left, Madam Gui removed her clothes, revealing the birthmark on her lower back.

Madam Zhu had never heard her husband describe the specific appearance of the elder sister’s birthmark. She just needed to see it and draw it. She drew the shape and size of the birthmark on Madam Gui’s lower back and showed it to Prefect Zhu.

Prefect Zhu looked at it and cried again, saying in a trembling voice, “Heaven has eyes, Heaven has eyes. Thank you, God.” This allowed his mother to resolve her greatest regret before passing.

Madam Zhu breathed a sigh of relief.

After Madam Gui put her clothes back on, Prefect Zhu knocked and entered. When the two met, he couldn’t hold back any longer and knelt in front of Madam Gui, crying and calling her “Elder Sister.”

Madam Gui also cried and couldn’t speak, pulling him up.

Madam Wen and Madam Zhu felt heartbroken.

After they both cried, Madam Zhu wiped her eyes and smiled, “This is a good thing. Let’s go to Mother now.”

After Madam Zhu finished speaking, she hesitated and asked, “Husband, should we tell the children about the identities of the elder sister and niece?”

“No need,” Prefect Zhu replied, his voice still a bit hoarse. He waved his hand and said, “This matter must not be disclosed to outsiders. After Mother meets the elder sister, I’ll explain it to her. She will surely understand.”

If this news were to spread, and the two in the capital found out that he was the brother of the empress’s family, he wouldn’t be able to keep his position as governor. He wasn’t just thinking about himself but also about the elder sister’s family. If those two found out that the empress had a brother who was a governor, especially the governor of the southwest with some military power, the new emperor and the empress dowager would likely try to eliminate the fourth prince and the elder sister’s family.

So this matter had to be kept absolutely secret. Besides Madam Zhu, he didn’t plan to tell anyone, including his own children and grandchildren, fearing they might accidentally reveal it. He trusted Madam Zhu’s character, which is why he confided in her.

Madam Zhu nodded, fully understanding the situation.

They went to Old Madam Zhu’s room next door.

Old Madam Zhu was still asleep. Madam Gui carefully approached her, looking at her emaciated face and body, and couldn’t help but shed tears.

Even though she couldn’t remember many things from her childhood, the scene in her dream of the woman gently calling her “Shuniang” and telling her to come inside for dinner was still vivid in her mind.

“Mother,” Madam Gui called softly.

No, at this moment, she should be called Mrs. Zhu. (*)

T/N: this will be confusing because they have the same pinyin, so I’ll translate the Prefect’s wife as Madam Zhu, and Madam Gui will become Mrs. Zhu.

After calling out, Mrs. Zhu didn’t expect the Old Madam to respond, but to her surprise, her fingers moved, and she mumbled, “Is my Shuniang back?”

“Mother,” Mrs. Zhu couldn’t help but cry out.

The Old Madam woke up completely. Although she couldn’t see, she heard the word “mother” clearly. She murmured, “Could it be that I have already passed away?” She thought she must have died to hear Shuniang calling her.

Mrs. Zhu stepped forward and held the Old Madam’s hand, tears dripping onto the back of her hand. “Mother, I am Shuniang. I am back, mother.”

“Shuniang? Is it really Shuniang who has come back?” The elderly lady was so shocked that she struggled to sit up.

Prefect Zhu stepped forward to help the Old Madam sit up, letting her lean against a large soft pillow. He then carefully explained the whole story to her, recounting everything Mrs. Zhu had experienced in her life, including the story of Empress Wen.

“So it is, so it is. My Shuniang has finally been found. I am sorry, Shuniang. I should apologize to you.” The Old Madam struggled to get out of bed. If she had been more careful, Shuniang wouldn’t have been lost and wouldn’t have suffered so much.

The Old Madam struggled to get out of bed, and the others tried to stop her, causing a commotion. After a while, she finally calmed down, holding Mrs. Zhu’s hand tightly. She didn’t say anything; she just held Mrs. Zhu’s hand and kept calling her Shuniang. Tears streamed from her blind eyes as she called out.

Mrs. Zhu responded each time, not minding at all.

Prefect Zhu watched his elder sister and mother, then turned to signal Madam Zhu and Madam Wen to go to the side room, leaving the space for the mother and daughter.

In the side room, the three of them discussed what to do next.

The Old Madam had few days left, and Prefect Zhu wanted his elder sister to stay at the Prefect’s mansion, close to their mother. But when the children and grandchildren at home ask, it’s hard to find a reason. Although they don’t stay with the Old Madam, they come to pay their respects every day. When they ask, he can’t say that his elder sister is a servant invited to accompany the Old Madam.

For a moment, Prefect Zhu didn’t know how to handle it.

None of them had eaten breakfast, so they went to have breakfast first.

Breakfast was also brought to the Old Madam, but she couldn’t eat it, just like the past few days. Even though she had found her daughter, she still couldn’t eat.

Mrs. Zhu coaxed the Old Madam into eating a few bites, but she soon refused to eat and fell asleep again, holding Mrs. Zhu’s hand tightly. Mrs. Zhu had to stay with her.

Madam Wen was worried about her mother and Yuniang at home. Yuniang’s restaurant was open today, and she had probably asked Mrs. Meng for help, but she still wanted to return and help Yuniang.

The Old Madam drifted in and out of sleep, constantly calling for Shuniang. Every time she woke up, she told the Prefect that she had a dream about finding Shuniang. When she realized it wasn’t a dream, she cried again.

By dinner time, the Old Madam was more awake and knew she had truly found her daughter. However, she still couldn’t eat much, not because she didn’t want to, but because she couldn’t.

Mrs. Zhu felt that the Old Madam couldn’t continue not eating. Even though the doctor said she had a few days left, she still needed to eat.

Mrs. Zhu thought that if the Old Madam could eat, her health might improve, and she could live a bit longer, allowing Mrs. Zhu to fulfill her filial duties.

So Mrs. Zhu thought that since the Old Madam was willing to eat Yuniang’s food, but Yuniang couldn’t neglect her business to come to Raozhou City to cook for the Old Madam, and given their family’s identity, it wasn’t suitable for others to know they were related to the Prefect’s family, it would be better to take the Old Madam to Yuanbao Town. There, she could eat Yuniang’s food.

They could say that the Old Madam could only eat Yuniang’s food, so they were taking her to Yuanbao Town to recuperate. Maybe eating comfortably would help her health improve.

Mrs. Zhu discussed this with Prefect Zhu and Madam Zhu.

Prefect Zhu thought it was a good idea. Given the Old Madam’s condition, everything should be according to her wishes.

In the evening, Prefect Zhu asked the Old Madam, and she was willing, even saying they should leave immediately.

Leaving immediately wasn’t possible, so Prefect Zhu called the doctor to ask if the Old Madam could travel by carriage to another place to recuperate, explaining that she could only eat the food made by a young cook in Yuanbao Town.

The old doctor said, “Going to Yuanbao Town is fine. Travel slowly, and make sure the carriage is well-padded. If the elderly lady can eat more, she might live a bit longer.”

Since the doctor said it was okay, Prefect Zhu asked Madam Zhu to help pack. He would accompany the Old Madam for a few days.

Naturally, this had to be explained to the children and grandchildren. Prefect Zhu told them that the Old Madam could only eat the food made by Young Lady Xu, so they were taking her to Yuanbao Town to recuperate.

The children and grandchildren thought inviting the young cook to the Prefect’s mansion would be better.

Prefect Zhu sternly told them that the young cook had her own restaurant, and it was already kind of her to come yesterday. They couldn’t use the Prefect’s authority to force her to come. He gave the children and grandchildren a lesson, and they obediently admitted their mistake.

…

Yuanbao Town.

After finishing her work at the restaurant, Xu Qinyu returned home. It was already very dark, as it got dark quickly in winter. Cheng Ge’er sent her back.

When Xu Qinyu returned home, she immediately started washing up. Ning Jie’er knew roughly when she would be back and had already prepared hot water for her. Xu Qinyu thanked Ning Jie’er and went to her room to wash up, as she smelled like the kitchen.

At the beginning of winter, she had set up a copper pot for hot pot. She had ordered several copper pots, with charcoal burning inside and a ring around the outside for cooking clear broth to dip various lamb meats and other foods.

First, she dipped lamb tail fat, which added a rich flavor to the broth. Then, she started dipping various lamb meats. The hot pot required a standard sesame paste sauce, which she made herself. Along with her homemade fermented tofu, she mixed clear water and other seasonings with sesame oil and finally topped it with chopped cilantro and scallions, creating a fragrant and delicious sesame paste sauce.

The sesame paste sauce was incredibly aromatic, with a scent that could be smelled from afar.

Lamb tail fat had a strong gamey taste, but after dipping it in the sesame paste, the gamey flavor was reduced, making it rich, satisfying, and very fragrant.

After the lamb tail fat, she dipped various lamb meats and black tripe. The lamb meat was tender and delicate, needing only a few seconds in the pot before being ready to eat. Dipped in the sesame paste, it was incredibly flavorful and irresistible.

Black tripe, which is a lamb tripe, also needs only a few seconds in the pot. It was crisp and tender, and when coated with sesame paste, it left a ring of sauce around the mouth, combining the fragrance of the paste with the crispness of the tripe for an unforgettable taste.

There was also hand-cut lamb leg, which needed a few more seconds in the pot. The thick lamb leg meat, coated with sesame paste, was juicy and rich.

Hand-cut lamb shoulder had a mix of fat and lean meat.

Vegetables included cabbage, radish, bean sprouts, winter bamboo shoots, tofu, and lotus root.

When the hot pot first came out, the waiters and Cheng Ge’er at the restaurant ate it for several days in a row, saying it was so fragrant it made them dizzy.

Even the restaurant’s customers ate it for several days in a row.

After winter began, the hot pot became the most popular dish, with almost every table ordering it. Few people ordered other dishes, except for some customers who, after eating it for several days, switched to other stir-fried or stewed dishes for a change, only to return to the hot pot after a couple of days.

Xu Qinyu actually wanted to make a spicy hot pot. But for a spicy hot pot, beef tallow was essential for the base.

Typically, hot pots had a spicy beef tallow base paired with other flavors like tomato, bone broth, pork tripe and chicken, mushroom, and so on.

However, there were no tomatoes here, and mushrooms weren’t suitable for serving to customers. A simple bone broth hot pot would lack the full hot pot experience.

When she could buy beef and beef tallow in the future, she could make a spicy beef tallow hot pot for her family.

After washing up, Xu Qinyu noticed that Madam Wen and Madam Gui hadn’t returned yet. She realized that Madam Gui must be related to the Zhu family and had stayed there after recognizing her relatives. The future arrangements would depend on what they decided.

The next afternoon, Old Madam Zhu and her party arrived in Yuanbao Town.

The journey was slow, taking three and a half hours. Prefect Zhu and Madam Zhu came along. They first settled the Old Madam at the Pei family home. Initially, they planned to buy a small house on West Street or East Street, but the Old Madam insisted on living in Osmanthus Alley. Eventually, they bought a courtyard similar in size to the Pei family’s home in Osmanthus Alley, had it cleaned thoroughly, and quickly prepared everything needed for living.

Originally, Madam Wen wanted the Old Madam to stay at their home, but there were many jars and containers belonging to Yuniang, and she was worried it might be too crowded for her. Moreover, having the Old Madam stay elsewhere would dispel any suspicions. Otherwise, how could the elderly lady be in Yuanbao Town for recuperation but stay at the Pei family home?

So, after discussing it, they decided to buy a courtyard nearby. It wasn’t far, just a few dozen steps away, and Mrs. Zhu would stay there as well.

In less than two hours, the Old Madam was settled in the new courtyard.

For dinner, Madam Wen brought over a hot pot of lamb from the restaurant.

Madam Wen went to the restaurant, and Xu Qinyu wasn’t too busy at that time because preparing the hot pot was simple. She didn’t have to worry about the ingredients, as Cheng Ge’er and Xu Feng took care of washing and cutting the vegetables and preparing the dishes. She only needed to cook the broth and prepare the sesame paste sauce. The weather had gotten colder than it was at the beginning of winter, so more customers were coming for the hot pot. Almost everyone at the restaurant was there for the lamb hot pot.

Seeing Madam Wen, Xu Qinyu felt relieved. They went to the storage room to talk, and upon learning that her grandmother was indeed Old Madam Zhu’s lost daughter, Xu Qinyu was happy for both of them. She couldn’t help but curse the human traffickers in her heart, as they were despicable in any era.

In the evening, Prefect Zhu and Madam Zhu also stayed there, accompanying the Old Madam for a few days.

Xu Qinyu had Cheng Ge’er and Xu Feng carry the hot pot and ingredients to Osmanthus Alley.

So, on their first night in Yuanbao Town, Prefect Zhu and the Old Madam had a lamb hot pot for dinner.

This dinner was held at the Old Madam’s courtyard, and Ning Jie’er brought Feng Ge’er and Yuan Jie’er along.

This matter wasn’t kept from Ning Jie’er. When she saw the Old Madam, she obediently called her great-grandmother. Although the Old Madam couldn’t see, she still touched Ning Jie’er’s hand and said a few kind words.