“My little shop is really lucky; just a couple of days apart, and I have more of your masterpieces.”
This was the first time someone had said they were lucky because of him, and Xie Qi couldn’t help but smile.
“Come on, I’ll help you, Yan Shu! You hold that side, let’s go!”
“Ah, wait, we haven’t settled the payment yet?” Xie Qi stammered.
“Two hundred and ten wen in total; just give me two hundred wen.” Shen Miao winked mischievously,
“I’ll waive ten wen as a fee for Jiu Geer’s brushwork.”
Xie Qi chuckled at her, nodding seriously,
“Alright, from now on, as long as Shen Niangzi needs brushwork, I will only charge ten wen.”
That sounds great!
In the future, she wouldn’t have to spend money on writing Spring Festival couplets.
Shen Miao, having gained a bargain, naturally had to act cute, wrapping her arm around his.
“It’s a deal! Jiu Ge’er is a gentleman; once a promise is made, it can’t be taken back, so you can’t fool me.”
May had already entered early summer, and Xie Qi had changed into a thin shirt.
Therefore, when Shen Miao’s hand rested in the crook of his arm, the warmth from her palm seemed to penetrate through his clothing, skin, and bones in an instant, quickly bringing a tingling warmth that struck his heart.
Aside from the Xi family and the Eleventh Lady, he rarely interacted with other women.
One reason was that he had been betrothed since childhood; even though he hadn’t seen his cousin from the Cui family much, he felt he shouldn’t flirt with other women.
The other reason was that he had to work harder than others in his studies and martial arts to avoid being affected by misfortune.
With only twelve hours in a day, he had exhausted all his energy dealing with endless unexpected events, leaving him no time for romance and fearing it would bring trouble to others.
But at this moment, all the reasons and etiquette he had once upheld crumbled easily.
Yan Shu was small, and it was somewhat strenuous for him to support the tall Jiu Geer, but Shen Miao only helped him over the threshold and then let go.
The Xie family’s chestnut-red carriage had been parked beside the shop all along, and the familiar coachman, Zhou Da, was already waiting at the door.
As soon as he saw Xie Qi come out, he hurried over to assist him, saying,
“Take it slow, Jiu Ge’er.”
Xie Qi limped slightly as Zhou Da helped him into the carriage, but he couldn’t help but look back as he boarded.
Shen Miao was still standing at the door, and when she saw him turn back, she smiled and waved.
The market was bustling with people, and it was inconvenient to speak much through the crowd, so he could only nod as a farewell.
The curtain of the carriage lifted and then fell again, and Yan Shu also climbed aboard.
As the carriage swayed, the sound of hooves gradually faded.
He sat inside, but it felt as if the touch of a woman’s fingers still lingered on his arm.
It wasn’t very soft, but warm, like a faint flame on a winter night.
He lowered his head to stroke his arm, slowly curling his fingers.
There was nothing in his palm, but only he knew that the flame that existed in his heart had been gently grasped in his hand.
Just past dusk, at the Xie residence in Xichong Drum Lane.
The courtyard was already draped in a heavy night veil, the outlines of pavilions and towers faintly visible in the twilight.
The surrounding walls enclosed the area, with winding paths leading to secluded spots.
In the main courtyard where the Xie family’s main house was located, the evening breeze rustled through the tall bamboo, casting graceful shadows on the bluestone path, creating a scene of exquisite beauty.
Yet, in this ancient and elegant courtyard, the sound of slurping noodles echoed.
The aroma spread throughout the yard.
The slurping sounds of noodles were interspersed with the rich scent of spices.
Tonight, the five members of the Xie family, along with their servants, were all enjoying the novelty of the “fried instant soup pancakes” they had bought from outside.
The sounds of slurping broke the serene tranquility of the Xie household.
Especially the Eleventh Lady, who was utterly captivated by these soup pancakes.
After finishing, she murmured, “I’ve never had such wonderful soup in my life.”
Xie Father returned home late from court, still in his official robes, drawn in by the enticing aroma wafting through the yard.
He was now intently watching Zheng Neizhi explain how to prepare the soup pancakes, rolling up his sleeves and eagerly getting involved.
However, Qixi was lost in thought about the convenience and portability of these soup pancakes.
Since the establishment of the Song Dynasty, they had either fought or purchased back the sixteen prefectures of Yan and Yun from the Liao people.
The Qixi family had guarded these territories for generations alongside other military governors.
Among them, the Qixi family protected Youzhou, Shunzhou, and Tanzhou, which bordered the Liao people.
Her father had been dispatched last year to quell the rebellion of the Xiqiang in Qinzhou (Gansu) despite his old age.
Currently, the Song Dynasty was striving to negotiate with the Liao and Jin, ensuring that the interior of the country remained peaceful and prosperous.
However, in the border provinces, there were occasional skirmishes involving burning, killing, and looting among the three nations.
The Liao and Jin continued to fight, which meant that the soldiers stationed at the borders of the Song Dynasty could not afford to be negligent.
They had to endure the harsh cold, the sorrow of being away from home, and daily guard duty at the watchtowers.
Qinzhou was even more so; the Xiqiang had repeatedly ambushed Song envoys sent to open trade routes to the Western Regions, and the situation had yet to settle.
When Jiu Ge’er was born, she firmly rejected the names Xie Father had suggested, such as “Li,” “Zhu,” and “Xiang.”
She named him “Qi,” after the Qilian Mountains in Qinzhou.
Later, when Jiu Ge’er began his education, it was also her father, his maternal grandfather, who sent a letter to give him the nickname “Guanshan.”
Xie Qi, Xie Guanshan.
Although the Xie family had been a prominent family for a hundred years, they had fallen into decline; the Qixi family, though looked down upon by the literati, held high official positions and commanded significant military power at the borders.
The marriage between these two families was naturally one where one sought to rise among the gentry while the other sought to regain strength, complementing each other.
However, later on, Qixi discovered that her husband was not very promising and not particularly clever, and his future prospects were likely not bright.
As time passed, in the Xie family, Qixi’s prestige had long surpassed that of her husband.
Even when it came to naming their son, Xie Father complied with his wife’s wishes, nodding happily.
Today was no different; Zheng had not even waited for Xie Father to return before she had already eaten dinner.
It was all because of the soup pancakes that Jiu Ge’er had brought back, which had left her feeling unsettled for a long time.
Everyone looked at the soup pancakes, some finding them interesting, others delicious, but only she thought of her brothers and uncles who had guarded the country, as well as all the soldiers stationed at the borders.
Qixi was born in a military camp and understood the hardships at the borders.
Sometimes it wasn’t that there was no food, but rather that there wasn’t enough time and effort to prepare a good meal.
Many of them often ate flatbreads, and later on, when they fell ill, it was due to a lack of meat and vegetables, leading to symptoms like swollen tongues, blurred vision, and cracked skin.
Xie Qi had been pleased that Shen Niangzi’s food was loved by the whole family, but suddenly noticed his mother’s silence.
After a moment of thought, he understood and gently asked,
“Mother, do you think this instant soup pancake could be used as military rations for the soldiers at the border? While it can’t be used for marching or fighting, if the soldiers who guard the watchtowers and city walls day and night could have a bowl of this soup pancake, it would be a great benefit to the people and the country.”
Qixi nodded, saying, “That’s exactly what I was thinking. However, this matter is significant and cannot be rushed; it requires careful planning and consideration. Our family never engages in bullying the weak.”
“If we want to use this soup pancake as military supplies, we must first ask Shen Miao if she is willing. Secondly, we need to assess the cost of producing this soup pancake. How many days can it be stored in sunny weather? How many days in rainy weather?”
“Every aspect must be thoroughly tested. Once we have conclusions, your father can write a detailed report to the Qin court, but whether the court is willing to spend money on military supplies for the border is still uncertain.”
Xie Qi understood and nodded thoughtfully.
Indeed, if it were to be used as military supplies, how could Shen Miao manage to fry the pancakes all by herself?
And if the court wanted to buy her recipe, would that be fair to her?
“So… let’s not make this public for now, to avoid inadvertently causing trouble.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Xie Father suddenly exclaimed, “No, no!”
Qixi turned in surprise to look at her husband, and Xie Qi thought his father had some profound insight on the matter.
To their surprise, Xie Father was seriously preparing to make instant soup pancakes according to the instructions.
The Eleventh Lady had snuck over at some point and was playfully asking her father for an extra bowl.
Xie Father placed his hand on the porcelain plate used to cover the noodles and firmly rejected his daughter’s request, saying,
“Eleventh Lady, your father goes to the court every day, working hard. It’s rare for me to have a meal at home with such a trendy and interesting dish; how can you be thinking about your father’s soup pancakes?”
“Daddy, you’re the best! Just give me half, how about that?”
“No, no!” Xie Father shook his head again.
Qixi and Xie Qi exchanged glances:
So that’s what he meant by “no.”
Meanwhile, Shen Miao, who was unaware of all this happening quietly, welcomed the peak of business at her shop today.
The night market had opened, coinciding with dinner time, and customers were coming in droves, filling every table and chair in the shop.
She was busy under the warm yellow lights, attending to this customer and that one.
One moment, a square-faced, angry-eyed old man in a long gown entered, and the next, a group of students from the Guozijian came in together.
After that, a group of soldiers came in, followed by Aunt Li’s family and Aunt Gu, who also came in one after another to eat noodles.
Even the distant Zhou shopkeeper followed Ji Ge’er in, grinning as he poked his head in.
Moreover, aside from Aunt Gu, who firmly chose lamb noodles, everyone else specifically came to eat instant noodles!
Since Xie Qi left, Shen Miao had been frying instant noodles, and the batch she had just dried this afternoon couldn’t keep up with the selling speed; within half an hour, they were sold out.
The shop was filled with warm yellow light, crowded and noisy, and the aroma of the instant noodles wafted out into the street, enticing many people.
Those who couldn’t find a seat were clamoring to buy some to take home and prepare themselves.
Ji Ge’er and Xiang Jie were standing on stools, one handing out noodle pancakes while the other was wrapping them, like two little workers on an instant noodle production line.
In just one night, these instant noodles unexpectedly swept through Bianjing City.
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