In the early summer, the modest and nearly unadorned carriage of the Xie family slowly came to a halt in front of the Feng family’s residence.
The Feng family’s gatekeeper hurried forward to take the reins.
Zhou Da lifted the carriage curtain, and Mama Xi jumped down first, then reached out to steadily assist Lady Xi in descending.
Lady Xi was on good terms with the Feng family’s matron and had come early to lend a hand.
Today, she still wore her hair in a neat high bun, adorned with only a few small pearl flowers.
She was dressed in a wide-sleeved robe with intertwined branches embroidered in gold and silver, cinched at the waist with a broad brocade belt.
Her pleated skirt, though voluminous, was also free of excessive embellishments.
Since she was here to assist and not as the host, Lady Xi kept a low profile, not wanting to overshadow anyone.
Mama Xi supported her arm as they entered the courtyard gate, greeted by the gatekeeper’s eager welcome.
The Feng family was of distinguished lineage, their ancestors being the Changle Feng clan who established the Northern Yan.
From the Eastern Jin to the early Tang dynasty, spanning over five hundred years, the Changle Feng clan had produced ‘four emperors, four empresses, and five prime ministers.’
But like the Xie family, during the Huang Chao Rebellion, the Feng family suffered greatly, with much of their land and clan members swallowed up or slaughtered, especially…
By the current dynasty, the late emperor, on his deathbed, issued an edict to “not suppress land annexation” and expanded the imperial examination quotas, once again redistributing the pie from the hands of the aristocratic families.
Now, they faced a predicament similar to the Xie family.
Dr. Feng, named Feng Yuan, was well-versed in Confucian classics and currently held the highest official position in the Feng family.
However, he had spent half his life in the lowly position of a lecturer at the Imperial Academy.
But Feng Yuan, who cherished a simple life, was a bookworm and found the quiet of this humble post quite to his liking.
However, three years ago, his second son, Feng Erlang, was implicated in a palace coup.
He was first demoted to Tanzhou, and then, under the insistence of Prime Minister Li Gang, he was secretly ordered to be executed by the late emperor in September of the same year.
After that, Dr. Feng abandoned all thoughts of his family’s future and devoted himself entirely to writing, never again entertaining any ambitions.
Perhaps it was for the best, sparing him further troubles.
Lady Xi walked into the courtyard, the winding path shaded by increasingly dense greenery.
Dr. Feng loved bamboo, and the Feng residence was almost hidden within a bamboo grove.
The doors and windows in the courtyard were all of plain wood, unpainted, and even the stone steps were moss-covered, deliberately left untouched to preserve a natural aesthetic.
Lady Xi could appreciate this elegance, but others might not—
“My goodness! I almost fell and ruined myself!” Lady Wang, walking ahead, struggled with her skirt and nearly slipped.
If not for the quick reflexes of her servant who caught her, she would have fallen flat on her face!
After steadying herself, Lady Wang, feeling embarrassed, wiped her sweat with a handkerchief and angrily scolded the servant who had been guiding her:
“Why are you all so lazy! Not doing your job properly! Such thick moss and you didn’t even clear it!”
Lady Wang’s husband, Wang Yong, was an extraordinary man.
He was from Ling County in Jingdong Road (Shandong), a border area between the Liao and Song dynasties, often plagued by military conflicts.
In his youth, he had fled famine, wandered, and even begged on the streets.
After arriving in Bianjing, he made a living by copying books and selling calligraphy, living in abject poverty.
But he soon passed the imperial examination and now serves as the Prefect of Kaifeng.
Lady Wang was his devoted wife, having accompanied him from Ling County through their wanderings.
The couple shared a deep bond, and Wang Yong, to this day, had not taken a single concubine, choosing to remain faithful to his wife.
At this moment, the Feng family servant, scolded and wronged, dared not argue with the guest and could only stand there, head bowed, enduring the tirade.
Lady Xi quickly stepped forward, smiling and greeting:
“What a coincidence, meeting Lady Wang here. You’ve come early today.”
Lady Wang turned her head and, seeing it was Lady Xi, her angry expression softened somewhat.
She reached out to support her, speaking in a thick northern accent:
“Take it slow, the ground here is slippery, be careful not to fall.”
Lady Wang, once a peasant woman, didn’t understand the subtleties of noblewomen and couldn’t comprehend the “elegance” of deliberately leaving moss on the steps.
Among the high-born ladies of the capital, she always felt out of place.
Lady Wang knew in her heart that they only put up with her to curry favor with her husband, the newly risen star in the emperor’s court.
In the Song dynasty, the Prefect of Kaifeng was not only a position of great power but also an extremely sensitive and crucial one, reserved only for the emperor’s most trusted confidants.
If not for the fact that the current emperor’s sons were all too young, by tradition, the Prefect of Kaifeng would be held by the prince who would inherit the throne the current emperor had served as Prefect of Kaifeng before he was officially named crown prince.
Knowing this, she cared little for the various noble ladies, except for Lady Xi.
Because Lady Xi, like her, never initiated poetry recitals at gatherings, nor did she deliberately embarrass her or speak in veiled insults.
But unlike her, Lady Xi would still play along and reluctantly recite a few verses at gatherings.
Lady Wang was straightforward and unapologetic: “I can’t do it.”
Then she would focus on eating.
She had gone hungry in the past and had no other hobbies but eating.
Previously, her attitude had been the subject of ridicule and veiled mockery from these noble ladies, but she didn’t take it to heart.
When Wang Yong found out, he angrily impeached their husbands and sons, even personally going to the palace to complain.
After that, the ladies behaved themselves and never dared to provoke her again.
Lady Xi knew that Lady Wang, though seemingly crude, was actually straightforward and not ill-intentioned.
She smiled and took her arm: “The Feng family appreciates elegance, Lady Wang. You know they greatly admire the ‘Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove’ and have always had such tastes. Last time, I even heard Lady Feng say that Dr. Feng has recently taken to eating roasted moss.”
This time, Lady Wang didn’t show disdain but nodded:
“I’ve eaten it during the famine! It’s not tasty, only eaten when starving!”
She paused, then added sharply,
“That Feng Yuan has never gone hungry, he’s just full and bored, you know?”
“I wouldn’t dare say that,” Lady Xi suppressed a laugh, and the two chatted and laughed as they walked into the courtyard.
The Feng family servant breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly followed, bowing and scraping.
Originally, Lady Feng had planned to host a “floating wine cup” banquet in the bamboo grove, but such banquets were no longer considered elegant, as every family used the same setup.
Later, Lady Xi introduced her to Lady Shen, and after some discussion, the banquet was changed.
Now, it was simply arranged in a waterside pavilion, with gauze curtains on all sides, a gentle breeze, and a cool, comfortable atmosphere.
Across from the pavilion, a stage was set up, featuring a popular opera troupe from Bianjing, performing the play “Prime Minister Wang Divorces His Wife,” which had been running to full houses in the capital.
This play was originally a storybook, later bought by the opera troupe and adapted into a play, which then became famous throughout the city.
Even Lady Eleven had insisted on watching it twice, returning in tears.
Lady Xi hadn’t heard it before, so today she would have the pleasure.
Before Lady Xi and Lady Wang reached the pavilion, Lady Feng came forward with her daughters, exchanging pleasantries and asking why Ninth Brother and Lady Eleven hadn’t come.
Lady Xi answered each question, thinking of her children, and shook her head helplessly:
“Ninth Brother has returned to the academy to catch up on his studies. He’s fallen behind
and didn’t dare to take more leave. Lady Eleven ate too much instant soup cake and broke out in pimples on her forehead, so she’s hiding in embarrassment.”
Lady Seven, standing beside her mother, saw that neither Lady Eleven nor Ninth Brother had come, and her hopeful expression instantly fell, feeling that today would be utterly dull.
They sat down, exchanged a few words, and Lady Feng excused herself to greet more guests.
Lady Xi and Lady Wang sat drinking tea and chatting.
After a few sentences, Lady Wang uncontrollably let out several burps, prompting Lady Xi to ask curiously: “Lady Wang, are you feeling unwell?”
Lady Wang didn’t dare to admit she had deliberately eaten two pork elbows before coming, so she awkwardly smiled and explained softly:
“I had a late breakfast, so I’m still full.”
Lady Xi, concerned, said: “I have digestive medicine and some common remedies in my carriage. Shall I fetch them for you?”
Lady Wang waved her hand dismissively and whispered to Lady Xi:
“Anyway, the banquet the Feng family is hosting today won’t have much good food.” Coming here full was a wise decision.
Otherwise, sitting here all morning, wouldn’t she be starving?
Lady Xi, connecting the dots, saw through Lady Wang’s reason for coming full and couldn’t help but laugh, quickly covering her mouth with a handkerchief.
Meeting Lady Wang’s puzzled gaze, she hinted:
“Today is different from usual, Lady Wang. You’ll see when you taste it.”
Lady Wang, intrigued by Lady Xi’s words, looked around but saw nothing different, even the pavilion was arranged quite conventionally.
When the guests arrived, Shen Miao was already busy in the Feng family’s large kitchen.
The menu for today’s banquet had been previously agreed upon by the Feng family and Chef Fang.
When Lady Feng learned that the instant soup cake was Shen Miao’s creation, she boldly said:
“Lady Shen, your reputation precedes you, and you were recommended by Lady Xie. We trust your skills, so please proceed as you see fit.”
It was also Shen Miao’s suggestion not to be too rigid about the banquet’s formality.
Since it was the old lady’s birthday, making it too noisy and novel would overshadow her.
Instead, focusing on the dishes would be the best way to show respect.
Especially since Shen Miao’s menu today was entirely new.
The dishes were innovative, but the presentation was traditional, ensuring the focus remained on the host.
Lady Feng readily agreed.
However, when Shen Miao arrived today, there was a minor commotion.
When she and Chef Fang entered the Feng family’s kitchen, a dozen Feng family kitchen staff had already prepared the necessary ingredients.
Although the Feng family’s head chef was ill, there were still two or three elderly chefs in the kitchen.
Seeing that the newcomers were both under thirty, and one was even a woman, they, having served for many years, immediately showed disdain and spoke with arrogance.
The oldest among them squinted at Shen Miao and Chef Fang, saying sarcastically:
“Lady Shen, Chef Fang, please proceed. The ingredients prepared by the Feng family today are all precious, including two pounds of pepper. Be careful not to ruin them, as there’s no replacement.”
Chef Fang, hearing this, immediately showed anger and was about to argue, but Shen Miao, smiling, stopped him.
Her face was smiling, but her tone was cold:
“Chef Fang and I were personally invited by Lady Feng from the Xie family to take charge of the kitchen, not as your Feng family servants. Since you fear our inexperience might ruin your precious ingredients and doubt us, we’ll just leave and not earn this money! You can handle the banquet yourselves, how about that?”
With that, Shen Miao took Chef Fang’s hand and turned to leave.
The other kitchen staff, who had been watching with amusement, were shocked.
If Lady Feng found out, they would all be beaten and sent to the manor!
They quickly piled on smiles, pulling and dragging Shen Miao and Chef Fang back.
Shen Miao hadn’t intended to leave, but with such clueless people, a show of temper was necessary.
She needed their help for the banquet, and only by subduing them could she use them effectively.
So she pretended to be reluctant, crossed her arms, and scanned the kitchen staff, saying coldly:
“Let me advise you, next time, don’t speak out of turn without understanding the situation.”
One of the old chefs, still unconvinced, said to Shen Miao:
“Since you’re so confident, why not reveal which family you trained under? So we can be convinced.”
Shen Miao sneered, her gaze heavy on the old chef, and looked them up and down with a sarcastic expression:
“Why should I prove my lineage? Ridiculous! As the saying goes, those who can, do; those who can’t, stay silent. If you were so skilled, why didn’t Lady Feng rely on you instead of hiring us at great expense?”
“Instead of mocking others, why not reflect on your own lack of skill? At your age, haven’t you learned this yet?”
The two old chefs, scolded by Shen Miao, turned red.
Seeing her about to leave again, they were persuaded and dragged back by others, finally quieting down and not daring to speak further.
Chef Fang, listening beside her, was in awe, his eyes shining with admiration.
The Lady Shen he knew was gentle and generous, but when she scolded, she was so impressive!
“Enough, I hate hearing dogs bark endlessly. Time is short, if we delay serving the dishes, Chef Fang and I can just leave, but what about you? Think about it!”
Shen Miao picked up a knife from the thick chopping board and walked straight through the crowd to the counter.
Chef Fang, nose in the air, followed her proudly.
The dishes to be prepared today were based on Shen Miao’s menu, combining modern banquet dishes with current eating habits.