Chapter 170: A Game of Chess

Before Gu Huaizhi came, he had already prepared himself for being made things difficult by Old Jiang.

Except for being turned away at first, Old Jiang unexpectedly agreed to his request easily.

Gu Huaizhi didn’t think that it was the gift he presented to suit Old Jiang’s tastes that made him relent.

This painting of The Nine Elders and the Duan inkstone were merely excuses for Old Jiang to allow him entry into the Jiang residence.

He raised his eyes to look at Su Wan.

Su Wan blinked at him. What she had said about finding another teacher and not seeking help from the old man Jiang was only half true.

Old Jiang is stubborn. Although he had already forgiven Gu Huaizhi in his heart, he still had a bit of pride left.

Gu Huaizhi wanted to ask him to teach Gu Jingyun and Gu Baozhu, but he was afraid Old Jiang would make things difficult for him.

So Su Wan took the opportunity to suggest that Xie Wuya teach Gu Jingyun. Since Old Jiang didn’t know Gu Jingyun’s true identity, he would surely believe her.

Old Jiang highly values talent, and Gu Jingyun’s outstanding performance at Xihe Academy must have reached his ears.

If Old Jiang sincerely wanted to mend the teacher-student relationship with Gu Huaizhi, this would be a perfect opportunity for both of them.

With her words spoken first, how could Old Jiang continue to make things difficult for Gu Huaizhi?

Gu Huaizhi waved to the two of them, saying, “Come quickly and pay your respects to your teacher.”

Gu Jingyun and Gu Baozhu knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

Su Wan handed them tea.

Gu Jingyun and Gu Baozhu took the tea cups and respectfully offered them to Old Jiang.

Old Jiang accepted the tea and took a sip.

Uncle Jiang then handed over the writing tools, which had been prepared in advance, to Gu Jingyun and Gu Baozhu.

Thus, the apprenticeship was considered formalized.

Old Jiang, still holding a grudge over Su Wan’s previous remark, grumbled, “Didn’t you say you were going to have Xie Wuya teach them? Why did you let them become my disciples without stopping it?”

Su Wan, calm and composed, replied, “The six arts of a gentleman include ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. You can teach them calligraphy and mathematics, Young Master Xie can teach ritual and music, and we can ask General Zhao to instruct them in archery and horsemanship. There’s no conflict at all.”

Old Jiang was left speechless, realizing he had been outmaneuvered!

“Come with me, I have something to say to you.”

Old Jiang got up and headed to the study.

Gu Huaizhi followed him.

Uncle Jiang then said, “Mrs. Gu, would you like to take a walk in the back courtyard?”

“No need, take me to the kitchen. I’ll prepare lunch for Old Jiang.”

As soon as Old Jiang mentioned her cooking skills upon meeting her, it was clear he wanted her to cook.

“This old servant will take you.” Uncle Jiang, after settling Gu Jingyun and Gu Baozhu, led Su Wan to the kitchen.

The kitchen staff were busy preparing the ingredients for lunch.

Uncle Jiang called over the kitchen steward, an elderly woman. “Mrs. Gu is a special guest of the old master and will personally cook lunch for him. You are to assist her.”

He then turned to Su Wan and said, “If you need anything, just let the steward know.”

“Alright.” Su Wan spoke to the kitchen steward, “Does the kitchen have glutinous rice, duck, lotus root, and spare ribs?”

“Yes, yes, yes! The glutinous rice has been soaking since yesterday afternoon, so it’s been about four or five hours now.” The steward quickly led Su Wan into the kitchen, bringing out the ingredients she requested. She then asked, “Do you need anything else?”

“No, that’ll be all. I’ll fetch the rest myself later.” Su Wan checked the location of the seasonings and began preparing the ingredients.

She planned to make glutinous rice duck, lotus root and spare rib soup, and stir-fried vegetables.

Old Jiang had a weak stomach and spleen, so duck meat, which is easy to digest and helps nourish the stomach and replenish fluids, was ideal. Glutinous rice also has the benefits of stimulating the appetite, strengthening the spleen, and warming the liver.

Su Wan carefully cleaned the duck, ensuring the skin remained intact. She deboned the duck from head to leg, setting the bones aside for later use.

She boiled eggs and peeled them, then diced mushrooms, pork, and bamboo shoots, and stir-fried them with lotus seeds in hot oil, releasing an enticing aroma.

Su Wan added salt, mixed everything well, and set the mixture aside to cool in a bowl. Once cooled, she combined it with glutinous rice and peanuts, stuffed it into the duck’s belly, and steamed it over high heat.

Next, she sliced the lotus root and blanched the spare ribs for the soup.

The kitchen maid stood by, watching as Su Wan added water to the frying pan, followed by the ribs, half a piece of ginger, and some scallions. She brought the mixture to a boil, skimmed off the scum, and then switched to low heat to simmer it for about fifteen minutes. Afterward, she transferred the lotus root, ribs, and broth into a clay pot to continue simmering the soup.

“How long do you simmer in the clay pot?” the kitchen maid asked, frowning, as clay pots don’t cook as quickly as iron ones.

“Two quarters of an hour,” Su Wan noticed the maid’s confusion and explained, “You can’t use an iron pot to cook lotus root; it would turn the broth black.”

The kitchen maid gave an embarrassed smile.

The fresh aroma of lotus root and spare ribs slowly filled the kitchen, and the maid couldn’t help but take a deep breath. The savory fragrance was so enticing it made her mouth water.

Su Wan kept track of the time, then lifted the lid and stirred the soup with a spoon, making the fragrance even more intense. She took a small bowl, filled it halfway, and offered it to the maid. “Try it.”

The maid swallowed in anticipation, took the bowl, and sipped the broth. It was exceptionally fresh, and when she bit into the lotus root, it was fragrant, soft, and glutinous.

Her eyes lit up immediately, and she mumbled, “Delicious! The old master will definitely love it!”

Su Wan smiled and fished out all the ingredients, leaving only the lotus root and spare ribs in the broth. After adding a little salt, the soup was ready.

Meanwhile, the glutinous rice duck was also done.

The moment Su Wan lifted the lid, the rich aroma, which had been brewing for over an hour, burst forth and filled the entire kitchen.

At that moment, Old Jiang and Gu Huaizhi happened to come by and were instantly hit by the intense fragrance.

Old Jiang abandoned Gu Huaizhi and hurried into the kitchen, rushing to Su Wan’s side, his eyes practically glued to the glutinous rice duck. “What did you make?” he asked eagerly.

“Glutinous rice duck,” Su Wan replied as she brushed a layer of honey on the duck while it was still hot. She heated the oil until it reached 70% heat, then placed the duck into the pan, frying it to a tea-yellow color.

The oil sizzled loudly in the pan, and the rich aroma became even more overpowering, like a hook tugging at the hunger in Old Jiang’s belly. He grabbed a pair of chopsticks, raising them in anticipation, ready to snatch a piece the moment it came out of the pan.

Su Wan scooped the duck out, drained the oil, brushed a layer of sesame oil over it, and plated it. Before she could even set the dish on the table, a pair of chopsticks darted in and quickly withdrew. Looking up, Su Wan saw Old Jiang with his mouth clamped shut, his face contorting from the heat as it gradually twisted in discomfort.

Su Wan was speechless.

“You can enjoy it all by yourself, we won’t compete with you,” she said, placing the dish on the table and drying her freshly washed hands. “We’ll head back now. Tomorrow, we’ll bring Jingyun and Baozhu over again.”

Old Jiang waved his hand, signaling Su Wan to stop talking and leave quickly.

As soon as Su Wan and Gu Huaizhi walked out, he opened his mouth, exhaling rapidly to cool the heat.

Peeking in through the window, Su Wan saw that although he wanted to spit it out, he couldn’t bear to waste it. He gulped it down and quickly grabbed a cup of water, drinking it in one go, which made her chuckle.

“Having an elder at home is like having a treasure—how true the ancient saying is,” she mused with a smile.

Gu Huaizhi took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the fine sweat off her forehead. “Are you tired?”

“I’m alright,” Su Wan replied, not asking what he had discussed with Old Jiang.

The group boarded the carriage and returned to the residence.

As soon as they stepped out of the carriage, they spotted a green-covered, black-curtained carriage parked at the entrance.

The doorman hurried forward and said, “Young Master, Young Lady, the Eldest Princess and Young Master Xie have arrived.”

Su Wan was startled. “They’ve already arrived?”

She quickly hurried into the residence.

Inside the front hall, the Eldest Princess and Xie Wuya were seated, while Mother Gu sat uneasily, unsure of how to converse with such esteemed guests.

When Su Wan entered, her mother-in-law looked as if she’d been granted a great reprieve. She quickly approached and said, “Wanwan, you’re back. These honored guests are here to see you.”

Xie Wuya stood up gracefully and bowed to Su Wan, directly stating his purpose, “Cousin, I’ve come today to challenge you to a game of chess.”