Chapter 77

The two of them went to the restaurant. Today, the three waitresses also came over and didn’t leave, cleaning the restaurant again.

The three women were initially very happy to see Xu Qinyu and wanted to greet her, but when they saw the man beside her, they couldn’t help but feel a bit reserved. They recognized Pei Weixuan, knowing he was the husband of their boss, who had been away with the trade caravan for over a year. Seeing him suddenly now felt a bit unfamiliar.

Xu Qinyu jumped off the donkey cart. After Pei Weixuan and the women moved the kitchen utensils from the cart to the back kitchen, Xu Qinyu saw that her fourth brother wanted to help chop the firewood in the backyard. She quickly grabbed his sleeve and said, “Fourth Brother, don’t worry about this. You’ve been traveling for a year and must be very tired. Go back and rest. We can handle things here with the sisters and the others. There’s not much work to do. Ma Liu will come by later to help me send the letters back. Once that’s done, I’ll head back too.”

When she arrived, she had already put the two letters in her pocket, and Cheng Ge’er ran to the inn to bring Ma Liu directly to the restaurant.

Seeing that he couldn’t help much at the restaurant and that Xu Feng and the others were there, Pei Weixuan nodded and returned to Osmanthus Alley.

Xu Qinyu and the others cleaned the remaining shrimp, crabs, eels, and snails.

Since it wasn’t convenient for Ma Liu to carry soups and broths on his way back to the capital, she initially planned to make all the river delicacies into salt and pepper flavors. But thinking that Cheng Ge’er would use the donkey cart to send Ma Liu, she changed the flavors. The shrimp were made into salt and pepper shrimp, the crabs into spicy crabs, the eels were simply cooked, and the snails into spicy snails, all to be sent directly to the boat later.

Just as she finished, Ma Liu arrived, his stomach growling at the smell from the restaurant.

Xu Qinyu gave him a few custard buns to fill his stomach. As soon as he tasted the custard buns, Ma Liu couldn’t even speak, exclaiming how delicious they were while eating.

Xu Qinyu also served him some brown sugar rice porridge.

Ma Liu had a big appetite. Each custard bun was only the size of a fist, and he ate twenty of them, along with three bowls of brown sugar rice porridge, filling his stomach until it was round. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he said, “Sister Xu, your food is really too delicious.”

He couldn’t help but eat more.

Xu Qinyu laughed and said, “I made a lot today, so feel free to eat as much as you want. Besides the custard buns, there are also milk buns, salt and pepper shrimp, cooked eel, spicy crabs, spicy snails, and jerky. Eat them quickly, as the weather is getting warmer, and they won’t last more than two days. The jerky can last an extra day, but it’s best to eat it soon.” With about thirty soldiers, they could finish all the food in a day.

She then took out the two letters and handed them to Ma Liu, saying, “I need to trouble you to run another errand to the capital.”

“Sister Xu, don’t say such formal things.” Ma Liu took the letters. “I’m happy to run as many errands as you need.”

Ma Liu didn’t waste any time. He and Cheng Ge’er loaded the food onto the donkey cart and headed to the canal.

At the canal, the soldiers were eagerly waiting on the boat. Seeing Ma Liu, they didn’t need him to say anything and automatically got off the boat to help move the food.

Last year, they had tasted the food Ma Liu brought back from Young Lady Xu, but it was too little, and each person only had a few bites. Now, seeing Ma Liu and Cheng Ge’er with the donkey cart full of large wooden basins and iron pots, they couldn’t help but cheer. They quickly moved all the food from the donkey cart to the boat and put it into their cooking utensils. They even helped clean the utensils in the canal before returning them to Cheng Ge’er.

Cheng Ge’er then drove the donkey cart back to the restaurant.

Even though the utensils had been washed, Madam Yuan and the others cleaned and sterilized them again.

The kitchen utensils at the restaurant are cleaned and sterilized every day, and the rest of the place is kept spotless.

After Cheng Ge’er left, Ma Liu and the soldiers gathered around the food, unable to resist saying, “It smells so good! What kind of food is this?”

Ma Liu described each dish to the soldiers, making their mouths water. They had never heard of or tasted such food before.

“Ma Liu, stop talking and let’s eat!”

After having breakfast, Ma Liu distributed the food to his colleagues.

Although Young Lady Xu made a lot of food this time, many of them had big appetites, and they had been craving Young Lady Xu’s cooking for a long time. They finished all the breakfast dishes in one meal, even though breakfast wasn’t usually suitable for spicy dishes. They ate everything clean, leaving only some jerky. Ma Liu divided the jerky among everyone, saying, “This jerky can last three or four days, but you should eat it quickly. Young Lady Xu said that in this warm weather, no food can be kept for long.”

Even though the food wouldn’t last, Ma Liu couldn’t help but want to save some. He didn’t plan to take it back for his mother and wife but wanted to bring it to Young Lady Xu’s parents and brother to let them know not to worry about her. Young Lady Xu was really amazing.

The others couldn’t resist the delicious food and finished the jerky that day.

Traveling by water from the border town to the capital took six or seven days. Ma Liu kept the jerky in a ventilated place, but by the fourth evening, he noticed it had started to smell sour. He had no choice but to eat it himself. The taste was still good, though slightly sour.

Young Lady Xu’s food was delicious but not a magical elixir. When it spoiled, it still caused stomach issues. So, after eating the jerky, Ma Liu had stomach trouble in the middle of the night and had to run to the latrine twice. The next day, he had diarrhea all day before it stopped. He had to give up the idea of bringing food to Young Lady Xu’s family.

If Xu Qinyu knew, she would be amused. These cooked foods couldn’t be kept for long. In the cold winter months, they could last a few days, but the taste would change. She never planned to send cooked food to her family. She intended to save two hundred bottles of wine and some ham for next spring, which could be cooked in various ways and sent to her family in the capital. She never expected Ma Liu to keep the jerky for several days in the warm weather.

Even though the jerky was cooked very dry, it still contained some moisture and had no preservatives. As long as it was meat, it couldn’t be kept for long.

Ma Liu returned to the capital feeling frustrated and naturally went to the Marquis of Dechang’s residence first.

The Marquis of Dechang’s residence was the same as before. Third Miss Xu Qinhui had broken her leg and ruined her face, so she hadn’t socialized much in the past year. During the dysentery outbreak, she was shocked to learn that Yuanbao Town hadn’t been massacred by the soldiers sent by Empress Dowager Fu, and her second sister and other relatives had survived. The shock made her ill, so she had been recovering at home for nearly a year.

The scar on her face had faded to a very light white mark, barely noticeable unless one looked closely. With some makeup, it was completely invisible. Her leg had healed, but she still walked with a slight limp, which was also hard to notice unless one paid close attention. The doctor said that with another two years of care, she should fully recover.

However, she still had some regrets, wondering if it was worth it to distance herself from the new emperor and Empress Dowager Fu. It might have been better to enter the palace and help the new emperor and Empress Dowager Fu eliminate King Shu. But she had no idea how King Shu had managed to rebel and reach the capital, and she feared that the mad Empress Dowager Fu would kill her if she found out.

Regardless, it was too late for regrets now. She could no longer enter the palace to become a concubine for the new emperor, so she thought about King Shu instead.

There were still eight years until King Shu ascended the throne. She had eight years to mend the relationship between her second sister and King Shu. If she could improve their relationship and get closer to her second sister, she might still become a concubine for King Shu when he returned to the capital as emperor. Even if her second sister was still alive then, she wouldn’t need to worry, as an emperor’s harem could never have just one woman.

So, the urgent task was to contact King Shu and write him a letter explaining that it wasn’t her idea for her second sister to marry in her place and blaming their grandmother. She was already sixteen, and there were still eight years until King Shu’s ascension. She had eight years to work on this.

In eight years, she believed she could persuade King Shu.

But in eight years, she would be twenty-four…

Seeing that she couldn’t enter the palace, her mother gave up on that idea and wanted to arrange a marriage for her. But both she and her father stopped it.

Xu Shuping also hoped his daughter could marry King Shu, but he couldn’t say it outright, so he blocked any marriage proposals for her.

Xu Qinhui knew that Ma Liu was helping her second sister send letters to the second branch of the family. She had Ping’er keep an eye out, and if Ma Liu came to the mansion, she would be informed so she could meet him and learn about her second sister and King Shu’s family’s situation in the border town.

One day, while lying on the couch, she saw Ping’er rush in, panting, “Miss, Ma Liu has come to deliver letters to the second branch’s master and madam.”

Xu Qinhui quickly sat up and instructed Ping’er, “Ping’er, go to my second uncle and aunt’s place. When you see Ma Liu come out, tell him I want to see him and have some questions for him.”

Ping’er nodded and hurried to the second branch’s courtyard gate.

Ma Liu handed the two letters to Madam Xue, sat down for some tea and fruit, and scratched his head as he told her about his embarrassing experience on the boat. Madam Xue couldn’t help but laugh.

Ma Liu wanted to reassure Madam Xue that there was no need to worry about Young Lady Xu. She was doing very well in the border town. Even though it was a poor place, he could see that Young Lady Xu loved cooking. It was both her livelihood and her passion.

After Ma Liu left, Madam Xue eagerly opened the letter from her daughter. Feeling the thickness of the envelope, she wondered what her daughter had written. Could it be a recipe for her brother? When she opened the envelope and saw the 2,300 taels of silver notes inside, she was stunned and quickly read her daughter’s letter. She then realized that her daughter was indeed making a lot of money.

After paying taxes, Yuniang’s restaurant still earned four to five thousand taels a year. Now, she planned to open a winery, which would earn even more.

Yuniang also told her not to send any more money, as she didn’t need it. She asked her to give the money to her uncle so he could save up quickly and expand his barbecue business. She also said she would send one to two thousand taels of silver notes every year for her to spend freely.

As Madam Xue read, she felt both proud and heartbroken. Her Yuniang was only seventeen. Other girls from noble families in the capital, around Yuniang’s age, were still living in luxury, attending banquets, watching plays, and enjoying flowers. But her Yuniang had already opened a restaurant and was busy every day. However, seeing how capable Yuniang was, Madam Xue felt less worried, though her heart ached for her daughter.

Wiping away her tears, Madam Xue put away the letter and the silver notes. She planned to discuss it with her husband when he returned. She wouldn’t spend the silver notes recklessly and save them for Yuniang. She decided to give the three hundred taels of silver to her brothers, so her older brother could quickly buy a shop and expand his business. This way, they could earn more, and she could share in the profits. Spending this silver would be enough.

Ma Liu left the second branch’s courtyard and saw a maid by the hanging flower gate.

The maid saw him and smiled, “Are you Officer Ma? My lady would like to invite you over.”

Ma Liu frowned, “Who is your lady?”

The Marquis of Dechang’s residence had no illegitimate daughters, only three legitimate daughters from three branches. The eldest daughter seemed to be married, but Young Lady Xu from the second branch was still in the border town, leaving only Xu Qinhui from the third branch, who had her cousin marry in her place.

Ma Liu’s face immediately fell, and he ignored Ping’er, turning to leave.

Ping’er called after him, “Hey, Officer Ma, wait.”

Ma Liu turned back with a cold laugh, “You mean the third miss who knew her fiancé was going to be exiled and had her cousin marry in her place?”

Ping’er’s face turned red, and she defended her lady, “Officer Ma, it’s not like that. It wasn’t my lady’s idea. It was our old madam who favored her and went to the palace to ask for it. My lady didn’t know and fell ill when she found out, feeling guilty towards the second miss.”

Nonsense, Ma Liu didn’t believe it at all. How could the old madam, a woman in her fifties or sixties, go to the palace and ask for it? Why would the new emperor agree and even issue an edict? It was obvious there was something fishy.

Ping’er wasn’t lying. Everyone in the residence knew the old madam had gone to the palace to ask for the edict because she favored Xu Qinhui and had taken the blame. Outsiders didn’t know that Xu Qinhui herself had gone to the palace.

Xu Qinhui treated her maids well, never beating or scolding them, so Ping’er was very loyal and truly believed the old madam had asked for the edict.

Ping’er continued, “My lady is very worried about the second miss and has been trying to contact her. She even fell ill and went to a mountain temple to pray for her, but she broke her leg and injured her face. She hasn’t left the residence much in the past year.”

Ma Liu didn’t want to listen and turned to leave. He walked quickly, and Ping’er couldn’t keep up. She stomped her foot and went back to tell Xu Qinhui.

Xu Qinhui’s face remained calm, but she thought, “A lowly soldier dares to give me attitude.”

She cursed Ma Liu in her heart and felt frustrated. How could she get the letter to King Shu?

Forget it, she would let her father think of a way. If that didn’t work, she would have her father find someone to deliver the letter.

She didn’t dare send the letter secretly, fearing it would be intercepted by the empress dowager or the new emperor’s people, which would be disastrous.

No matter what, the letter had to be sent.

Otherwise, it had been almost two years, and she hadn’t said a word to King Shu.

…

Xu Qinyu had no idea about Xu Qinhui’s plans. After sending off Ma Liu that day, she returned to Osmanthus Alley. She found that the firewood in the courtyard had already been chopped.

Fourth Brother really can’t stay idle. If you asked him to lie down now, he definitely wouldn’t be able to. With the family growing, she thought about buying a bigger house.

Since Madam Wen, Ning Jie’er, and Fourth Brother were all present, Xu Qinyu said, “Mother, Fourth Brother, Ning Jie’er, the current courtyard is a bit small. Ning Jie’er is growing up, and Yuan Jie’er and Feng Ge’er are also getting bigger. In the future, Grandmother will definitely come back to live with us, so I want to buy a bigger house. It doesn’t need to be too big, just a two-entry house with five or six rooms, enough for our family. What do you think?”

Madam Wen smiled, “We’ll listen to Yuniang. Since we have time today, should I accompany you to look at houses?”

Xu Qinyu shook her head, “No need, Mother. You rest at home. I’ll go out with Fourth Brother.”

Since Fourth Brother couldn’t stay idle, he might as well go out with her to look at houses. She preferred the houses in Laixi Alley. There was a river in front of the alley where women washed clothes and children played by the water, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Moreover, Madam Wu lived in Laixi Alley. Shao Ge’er from the Xia family was older than Yuan Jie’er, and the children from both families could play together.

The current courtyard wasn’t for sale. After living there for almost two years, she had some attachment to it. Besides, they didn’t lack the few dozen taels of silver, so they might as well keep it for future use as a storage room.

After discussing it with Pei Weixuan, he also thought the houses in Laixi Alley were good.

The two of them went out, heading to Laixi Alley.

Laixi Alley wasn’t far, so Xu Qinyu didn’t take the donkey cart. The current courtyard was small, and it was difficult to store the donkey and cart. The backyard was also small, just a passageway, so Xu Qinyu wanted to buy a bigger house as soon as possible.

As they walked to the alley entrance, they encountered a donkey cart. It was Old Madam Luo and her son Luo Dagen from the end of Osmanthus Alley.

Old Madam Luo looked ashen, and Luo Dagen’s face was also pale, indicating something had happened. They didn’t even notice Xu Qinyu and Pei Weixuan passing by, looking anxious.

In the past, if Old Madam Luo saw Xu Qinyu and the Pei family in Osmanthus Alley, she would definitely roll her eyes.

Xu Qinyu raised an eyebrow, wondering what had happened to the Luo family. She remembered that two months ago, Luo Dagen brought home a girl in her twenties. She thought Luo Dagen had married a new wife, but the women in Osmanthus Alley said they hadn’t married yet. The girl had no parents or relatives, just herself, and somehow the Luo family had convinced her to move in.

Xu Qinyu thought the girl was naive. Even in modern times, it was best not to live with the man’s family before marriage to avoid being looked down upon. This was ancient times, and she couldn’t understand what the girl was thinking. She had seen the girl several times. She was quite pretty, with a bit of charm and fox-like eyes, but she was kind and greeted everyone in Osmanthus Alley. Every time she saw Xu Qinyu, she would nod.

Xu Qinyu also heard from the people in Osmanthus Alley that they had warned the girl about the Luo family. They said Old Madam Luo used to beat and scold her daughter-in-law and granddaughter and even wanted to sell her granddaughter to a brothel. They said Luo Dagen occasionally hit his wife and advised the girl to run away. The Luo family just wanted a son without paying a bride price, so they tricked her into moving in. Once she got pregnant, she wouldn’t get any bride price.

But the girl, despite her sharp looks, was naive and told them, “Don’t worry, Aunties. Dagen and Mother-in-law treat me well and will definitely give me a bride price.”

Everyone in Osmanthus Alley thought the girl was really foolish. Seeing that they couldn’t persuade her, they gave up, thinking Luo Dagen would soon get the girl pregnant.

Now, seeing Old Madam Luo and Luo Dagen rushing back, Xu Qinyu instinctively felt it had something to do with the girl.

Sure enough, a few women chatting ahead saw Xu Qinyu and said, “Oh, Young Lady Xu, isn’t that your husband? Has he returned?”

Xu Qinyu and Pei Weixuan stopped. Xu Qinyu smiled, “Yes, Aunt Liu, my husband is back, so the restaurant is closed today.”

The women glanced at Pei Weixuan but didn’t dare to look directly at him. They felt that Young Lady Xu’s husband had become more solemn and steady, with an imposing presence. They had heard that Young Lady Xu’s husband went out to trade, earning only a few taels of silver a year, not as much as she earned in a month. The Pei family was really lucky to have such a good daughter-in-law.

A few of the women asked what the two were up to, and Xu Qinyu replied with a smile, “We’re going to Laixi Alley to look at houses. Our family is growing, and Yuan Jie’er and Feng Ge’er are getting bigger. Plus, with the donkey cart, it’s getting cramped. We want to buy a two-entry house in the front.”

The women agreed that it was time to buy a bigger house. Then, they leaned in and whispered, “Young Lady Xu, did you see Old Madam Luo and her son just now?”

“I saw them,” Xu Qinyu said, sensing something was up. “But they didn’t look too good. Did something happen?”

The woman chuckled and whispered to Xu Qinyu, “Remember how Luo Dagen tricked an orphan girl into coming back with him? They thought they could get her pregnant and avoid paying a bride price. Well, Old Madam Luo and Luo Dagen just went to the yamen to report that the orphan girl ran off with all their money.”

The women had found out because, around noon, Old Madam Luo had come out asking if anyone had seen her daughter-in-law. She said the girl had been missing since morning, even though she usually went to the river in front of Laixi Alley to wash clothes. No one had seen her, and Old Madam Luo muttered to herself as she went back. Shortly after, she rushed out again, pale and trembling, asking if anyone had seen the girl, saying she had run off with all their money.

It turned out that when Old Madam Luo went back, she found all the locks on the chests open. When she checked, all the money she had saved was gone, as well as the money her son and Old Man Luo had saved. It was clear that the orphan girl knew how to pick locks and had run off with all their money.

The women were stunned, listening to Old Madam Luo cry and curse, “Our forty taels of silver, all gone! That wretched girl, I knew there was something wrong with a girl who would move in with a man before marriage. Turns out she was a thief!”

That was all the money they had, including what Madam Lin had given them for over a year.

Old Madam Luo cursed and cried while Luo Dagen hitched the donkey cart, his face grim, and shouted, “Mother, hurry up and get on the cart. We need to report this to the yamen.”