"Chapter 35."
"'Medicinal cuisine, that's great!'"
"Startled by Boss Chén's sudden exclamation, Yú Yíng collected her thoughts and said, 'Boss Chén, your business caters to ordinary patrons. Wouldn't medicinal cuisine be a bit out of place?'"
"After his initial excitement, Boss Chén considered her words and seemed to realize something."
"This medicinal cuisine is a specialty of large restaurants, intended for the wealthy and noble families. Most patrons at Wú's Eatery come for a filling meal; medicinal cuisine might indeed be inappropriate."
"A look of disappointment crossed Boss Chén's face, but then he suggested, 'Since Madam Yú can make medicinal cuisine, why not try your luck at those big restaurants? Selling one or two recipes could ensure you never worry about food and clothing again?'"
"Yú Yíng chuckled softly and modestly said, 'The medicinal meals I prepare are not particularly delicious, more focused on nourishment. As an unremarkable woman, my recipes can't compare to those prescribed by renowned doctors. The choice for big restaurants is obvious.'"
"Boss Chén thought it over and agreed that it made sense."
"In this world, not everyone with talent can showcase their skills. Without the right patron, even the talented remain ordinary."
"Yú Yíng then pondered, recalling the herbal tea shops from future generations, and suggested, 'Even if I can't make medicinal meals, perhaps you could talk to the owner about setting up a tea stall outside the shop, open all day.'"
"Boss Chén laughed, 'There are plenty of tea stalls in the city. Besides, brewing and steeping tea is time-consuming, and the owner might not be interested in managing such a venture.'"
"He then thought that since Madam Yú knew herbs, she might also be familiar with various herbal tea recipes."
"Boss Chén weighed his thoughts and said, 'If the owner is not interested, maybe Madam Yú could consider it.'"
"Yú Yíng was surprised, 'Me?'"
"Boss Chén nodded and explained, 'Previously, we rented out space for a tea stall, hoping to attract customers. However, the tenant couldn't continue, and after several months with no new renters, the owner stopped leasing it.'"
"Continuing, Boss Chén praised her, 'Madam Yú, with your skills and knowledge of herbs, preparing drinks for cooling or warming the stomach should be easy. Why not rent it and run the tea stall yourself?'"
"Yú Yíng carefully considered Boss Chén's suggestion."
"But then she thought, even if she was willing, her hands were full with many tasks, almost single-handedly managing them all. She simply couldn't spare the time for a tea stall now."
"Considering this, Yú Yíng replied, 'I have many household chores to handle right now. It would be at least two months before I can consider it.'"
"Boss Chén showed a hint of disappointment, but said, 'There’s no rush. The owner won't be leasing it out immediately, and I believe he would agree whenever you decide to rent it.'"
"Yú Yíng thanked Boss Chén and then settled the day's account."
"As the weather hadn't been very hot these past days, the cold jelly she sold hadn’t all been sold, and the earnings were less than ten coins."
"But Boss Chén said it would get hotter the next day and advised her to prepare more."
"Yú Yíng had brought fruit seeds with her, which was convenient as she could prepare them right in the eatery's kitchen."
"The Xièlì fruit was in season for nine months, and she had been storing the seeds, so she didn't need to worry about the ingredients for now."
"After finishing making the cold jelly, it was almost time to head back home."
"Fú Ān and Fú Níng, as always, were waiting for their aunt at the entrance of the village."
"A villager seeing the siblings, jokingly asked, 'Waiting for your aunt again? Are you mistaking her for your mother?'"
"Upon hearing this, Fú Ān glared fiercely in response."
After everyone had left, Fu An whispered to his sister, "Sister, mother is mother, and auntie is auntie. If we start seeing auntie as our mother, it would deeply hurt her."
Fu An pursed his lips, thinking for a moment, then added, "Auntie is also one of our closest kin, just like mother, so we shouldn't confuse the two, understand?"
Fu An's memories of his mother were faint, but he still vividly remembered her embracing him and his sister, crying for a long time when she had to leave.
Their mother loved them dearly, so they must never forget her.
But their auntie was also very kind to them, just as important as their mother.
Fu Ning had no recollection of their mother, but still nodded in agreement with her brother's words.
"Mother is mother, and auntie is auntie. No matter who auntie is, I like her," she thought.
When Yu Ying returned, they both ran towards the ox cart together.
After Yu Ying got off the cart, she led them back home, one child by her side.
Once home, Yu Ying drank some water and then began preparing the evening meal.
With a cooking pot available, Yu Ying didn't have to wait for the rice to be done before she could start cooking other dishes.
While the rice was cooking, she began stewing fish, adding a bit of ginger and perilla to remove any fishy smell.
After the fish was stewed, she started to render lard.
The menu included stewed fish, taro stewed with pork, stir-fried green vegetables with crispy pork, and a cauliflower soup with egg whites.
Since He Da, the eldest of the He family, was working for the gentry and not at home, only Uncle He, Aunt He, their daughter-in-law, and grandson were present. The amount of dishes prepared was ample for them.
Bringing the dishes into the house, Yu Ying asked Fu Wei, "Do you mind having dinner with Uncle He and his family today?"
Fu Wei responded with a faint smile, "No problem at all."
Yu Ying quietly sighed in relief, "That's good to hear."
After setting down the dishes, she glanced at the subtle smile on Fu Wei's face, feeling somewhat worried at heart.
Since the visit from the government official the day before, Fu Wei seemed somewhat different than usual.
His face bore more smiles, and he appeared more enigmatic and profound than before.
She went out to bring in the prepared meals one by one. Seeing that Uncle He and his family hadn't arrived yet, she asked Fu An and Fu Ning to call them.
Soon after, Fu An arrived pulling Uncle He, and Fu Ning arrived tugging Aunt He, while He's daughter-in-law Sun also entered the courtyard with her son.
As Uncle He entered the yard, he said to Luo, "Why invite us over for a meal without any special occasion?"
Hearing his voice, Yu Ying peeked out from the kitchen and said with a smile, "Can't we invite Uncle He over for a meal without a special reason?"
She then instructed Fu An, "Please invite Uncle He and Aunt He into the house to sit down. We can start the meal as soon as the soup is ready."
Being led by Fu An into the house, Uncle He felt a bit helpless, "I can walk by myself, no need to hold my hand."
Uncle He had been inside the main house before and had spoken with Fu Wei, so he wasn't particularly curious upon seeing him.
However, Aunt He and the daughter-in-law had not met Fu Wei before, so they couldn't help but be curious about this mistakenly embraced second son of the Fu family.
Upon entering the room, their gaze inevitably fell on the man sitting on the bamboo bed.
Aunt He and Sun were taken aback when they saw the man's appearance.
Fu Wei, composed, nodded slightly to the newcomers, "Uncle He, Aunt He."
Uncle He nodded in acknowledgment, while Aunt He, slower to react, managed an "Eh" after a moment.
Aunt He had expected to see a decadent, sickly man, but was surprised to find that apart from his disability, Fu Wei appeared remarkably graceful and handsome.
His black hair was meticulously groomed, and his clothes were clean and tidy, resembling a refined gentleman.
Aunt He and Sun began to understand why the son of the Wuling Prefecture's governor, who had been mistakenly embraced, harbored such resentment towards Fu Wei.
In both appearance and demeanor, the two men were incomparable, as different as night and day.
Perhaps standing next to Fu Wei, the governor's son would feel utterly inferior, which could explain his resentment.
Soon, everyone's attention was drawn to the dishes on the bamboo table – fish, meat, vegetables – a feast rarely enjoyed at once in Lingshui Village.
"Has the Fu family come into a fortune?" they wondered.
As they pondered, Yu Ying brought in the soup, saying, "Don't just stand there, please sit down."
Everyone took their seats, and with the dishes served, they hesitated on how to begin.
Yu Ying encouraged, "Please don't be shy, help yourselves."
Leading by example, she picked a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and placed it in Luo's bowl, then also prepared some boneless fish for Fu Ning.
Seeing her start, everyone else began to serve themselves as well.
After observing that everyone had nearly finished eating, Yu Ying spoke up, "Uncle He, Aunt He, Fu Wei and I would like to discuss something with you. Do you have some free time?"
The couple looked puzzled upon hearing this.
Uncle He nodded, "Of course, we have time."
Aunt He asked her daughter-in-law to help clean up the dishes. Once the room was tidied, everyone else discreetly left, and Luo took Fu Ning outside as well.
Now, only Uncle He, Aunt He, Yu Ying, and Fu Wei remained, seated opposite each other.
After a moment of silence, Yu Ying and Fu Wei exchanged glances, then she addressed Uncle He and Aunt He, "Fu Wei and I have decided to go to the quarry in a few days to bring back his elder brother and sister-in-law."
Yu Ying’s words took the He couple by surprise.
They were stunned for a moment before realizing what she had said, and their faces simultaneously showed shock.
Uncle He, doubting his ears, looked at Fu Wei’s wife and asked tentatively, "Did you just say you want to bring back your elder brother and sister-in-law from the quarry?"
Yu Ying nodded and continued, "The quarry is a dangerous place, especially for a woman like me. So, I was hoping Uncle He and Aunt He could accompany me. It would also be an opportunity for you to visit your own son."
"But, but it costs over seven taels of silver to redeem two people for three years…" Aunt He couldn't believe Yu Ying could come up with so much money all at once.
Yu Ying explained, "I previously went into the mountains to gather herbs and found a rare one, which I sold for over eight taels of silver. That should be enough."
Aunt He, astonished, covered her slightly open mouth with her hand, at a loss for words.
Uncle He was equally amazed. He had heard from villagers who sold herbs to the medical hall that such herbs were not worth much.
He had thought that Fu Wei's new wife, who went to the mountains daily to gather herbs, was merely earning enough to get by. But now, in just over a month, she was talking about redeeming Fu Da and his wife from the quarry, which was astonishing!
After a brief pause, allowing them to recover from the shock, Fu Wei, with a calm expression and measured voice, added, "In addition to accompanying her to the quarry, Liu Niang also thought of asking you to join her in herb gathering during your spare time from farming. She will share the profits with you according to the earnings."
Hearing this, Uncle He and Aunt He turned their gaze towards Yu Ying.
"Yú Yíng nodded and said, 'I won't hide it from Uncle Hé and Auntie Hé. A few days ago, I signed a contract to deliver five hundred kilograms of medicinal herbs in October. But I can't manage it alone, so I was thinking of asking Uncle Hé, Auntie Hé, and Hé family's eldest son to join me in this business.'"
"'Five hundred kilograms?' Auntie Hé's voice trembled slightly, then she couldn't help but ask, 'How much money would that be?'"
"Yú Yíng honestly replied, 'The lowest price is twenty-one coins per kilogram.'"
"The Hé couple did the math and their eyes widened in shock."
"Twenty-one coins per kilogram, for five hundred kilograms, that’s ten thousand and five hundred coins!"
"This amount was unimaginable for their family."
"Even if they wanted to save that much money, they didn’t know how long it would take to accumulate such an amount."
"After his initial surprise, Uncle Hé gradually calmed down."
"He looked at them both, and after a moment of silence, he asked, 'You’re telling us this so openly, aren’t you worried I might reveal this to others?'"
"Fú Wēi smiled calmly and said, 'Even if it's announced now, no one would believe it. And even if they do and become envious, what of it? They can't snatch this business from us. Besides...'"
"He paused briefly, his expression gradually turning sincere: 'As for Uncle and Auntie Hé, their integrity is something my cousin and I deeply trust.'"
"Hearing this, Yú Yíng turned to look at him."
"She didn't believe what Fú Wēi had said."
"Under the table, Fú Wēi suddenly took hold of her hand. Yú Yíng was startled at first but then understood his intention."
"Turning back to Uncle and Auntie Hé, she smiled, 'I trust in Uncle and Auntie Hé's character as well.'"
"She trusted them, but Fú Wēi might not necessarily do so."
"She sensed that ever since the officials had visited, Fú Wēi had changed. He had become more profound and adept at concealing his emotions."
"Now, he resembled a politician, using pleasant and sincere words to win over the hearts of the people."
"He was destined for higher positions, and now his reaching out to Uncle and Auntie Hé was just an early display of his true nature."
"Chapter 35."
"'Medicinal cuisine, that's great!'"
"Startled by Boss Chén's sudden exclamation, Yú Yíng collected her thoughts and said, 'Boss Chén, your business caters to ordinary patrons. Wouldn't medicinal cuisine be a bit out of place?'"
"After his initial excitement, Boss Chén considered her words and seemed to realize something."
"This medicinal cuisine is a specialty of large restaurants, intended for the wealthy and noble families. Most patrons at Wú's Eatery come for a filling meal; medicinal cuisine might indeed be inappropriate."
"A look of disappointment crossed Boss Chén's face, but then he suggested, 'Since Madam Yú can make medicinal cuisine, why not try your luck at those big restaurants? Selling one or two recipes could ensure you never worry about food and clothing again?'"
"Yú Yíng chuckled softly and modestly said, 'The medicinal meals I prepare are not particularly delicious, more focused on nourishment. As an unremarkable woman, my recipes can't compare to those prescribed by renowned doctors. The choice for big restaurants is obvious.'"
"Boss Chén thought it over and agreed that it made sense."
"In this world, not everyone with talent can showcase their skills. Without the right patron, even the talented remain ordinary."
"Yú Yíng then pondered, recalling the herbal tea shops from future generations, and suggested, 'Even if I can't make medicinal meals, perhaps you could talk to the owner about setting up a tea stall outside the shop, open all day.'"
"Boss Chén laughed, 'There are plenty of tea stalls in the city. Besides, brewing and steeping tea is time-consuming, and the owner might not be interested in managing such a venture.'"
"He then thought that since Madam Yú knew herbs, she might also be familiar with various herbal tea recipes."
"Boss Chén weighed his thoughts and said, 'If the owner is not interested, maybe Madam Yú could consider it.'"
"Yú Yíng was surprised, 'Me?'"
"Boss Chén nodded and explained, 'Previously, we rented out space for a tea stall, hoping to attract customers. However, the tenant couldn't continue, and after several months with no new renters, the owner stopped leasing it.'"
"Continuing, Boss Chén praised her, 'Madam Yú, with your skills and knowledge of herbs, preparing drinks for cooling or warming the stomach should be easy. Why not rent it and run the tea stall yourself?'"
"Yú Yíng carefully considered Boss Chén's suggestion."
"But then she thought, even if she was willing, her hands were full with many tasks, almost single-handedly managing them all. She simply couldn't spare the time for a tea stall now."
"Considering this, Yú Yíng replied, 'I have many household chores to handle right now. It would be at least two months before I can consider it.'"
"Boss Chén showed a hint of disappointment, but said, 'There’s no rush. The owner won't be leasing it out immediately, and I believe he would agree whenever you decide to rent it.'"
"Yú Yíng thanked Boss Chén and then settled the day's account."
"As the weather hadn't been very hot these past days, the cold jelly she sold hadn’t all been sold, and the earnings were less than ten coins."
"But Boss Chén said it would get hotter the next day and advised her to prepare more."
"Yú Yíng had brought fruit seeds with her, which was convenient as she could prepare them right in the eatery's kitchen."
"The Xièlì fruit was in season for nine months, and she had been storing the seeds, so she didn't need to worry about the ingredients for now."
"After finishing making the cold jelly, it was almost time to head back home."
"Fú Ān and Fú Níng, as always, were waiting for their aunt at the entrance of the village."
"A villager seeing the siblings, jokingly asked, 'Waiting for your aunt again? Are you mistaking her for your mother?'"
"Upon hearing this, Fú Ān glared fiercely in response."
After everyone had left, Fu An whispered to his sister, "Sister, mother is mother, and auntie is auntie. If we start seeing auntie as our mother, it would deeply hurt her."
Fu An pursed his lips, thinking for a moment, then added, "Auntie is also one of our closest kin, just like mother, so we shouldn't confuse the two, understand?"
Fu An's memories of his mother were faint, but he still vividly remembered her embracing him and his sister, crying for a long time when she had to leave.
Their mother loved them dearly, so they must never forget her.
But their auntie was also very kind to them, just as important as their mother.
Fu Ning had no recollection of their mother, but still nodded in agreement with her brother's words.
"Mother is mother, and auntie is auntie. No matter who auntie is, I like her," she thought.
When Yu Ying returned, they both ran towards the ox cart together.
After Yu Ying got off the cart, she led them back home, one child by her side.
Once home, Yu Ying drank some water and then began preparing the evening meal.
With a cooking pot available, Yu Ying didn't have to wait for the rice to be done before she could start cooking other dishes.
While the rice was cooking, she began stewing fish, adding a bit of ginger and perilla to remove any fishy smell.
After the fish was stewed, she started to render lard.
The menu included stewed fish, taro stewed with pork, stir-fried green vegetables with crispy pork, and a cauliflower soup with egg whites.
Since He Da, the eldest of the He family, was working for the gentry and not at home, only Uncle He, Aunt He, their daughter-in-law, and grandson were present. The amount of dishes prepared was ample for them.
Bringing the dishes into the house, Yu Ying asked Fu Wei, "Do you mind having dinner with Uncle He and his family today?"
Fu Wei responded with a faint smile, "No problem at all."
Yu Ying quietly sighed in relief, "That's good to hear."
After setting down the dishes, she glanced at the subtle smile on Fu Wei's face, feeling somewhat worried at heart.
Since the visit from the government official the day before, Fu Wei seemed somewhat different than usual.
His face bore more smiles, and he appeared more enigmatic and profound than before.
She went out to bring in the prepared meals one by one. Seeing that Uncle He and his family hadn't arrived yet, she asked Fu An and Fu Ning to call them.
Soon after, Fu An arrived pulling Uncle He, and Fu Ning arrived tugging Aunt He, while He's daughter-in-law Sun also entered the courtyard with her son.
As Uncle He entered the yard, he said to Luo, "Why invite us over for a meal without any special occasion?"
Hearing his voice, Yu Ying peeked out from the kitchen and said with a smile, "Can't we invite Uncle He over for a meal without a special reason?"
She then instructed Fu An, "Please invite Uncle He and Aunt He into the house to sit down. We can start the meal as soon as the soup is ready."
Being led by Fu An into the house, Uncle He felt a bit helpless, "I can walk by myself, no need to hold my hand."
Uncle He had been inside the main house before and had spoken with Fu Wei, so he wasn't particularly curious upon seeing him.
However, Aunt He and the daughter-in-law had not met Fu Wei before, so they couldn't help but be curious about this mistakenly embraced second son of the Fu family.
Upon entering the room, their gaze inevitably fell on the man sitting on the bamboo bed.
Aunt He and Sun were taken aback when they saw the man's appearance.
Fu Wei, composed, nodded slightly to the newcomers, "Uncle He, Aunt He."
Uncle He nodded in acknowledgment, while Aunt He, slower to react, managed an "Eh" after a moment.
Aunt He had expected to see a decadent, sickly man, but was surprised to find that apart from his disability, Fu Wei appeared remarkably graceful and handsome.
His black hair was meticulously groomed, and his clothes were clean and tidy, resembling a refined gentleman.
Aunt He and Sun began to understand why the son of the Wuling Prefecture's governor, who had been mistakenly embraced, harbored such resentment towards Fu Wei.
In both appearance and demeanor, the two men were incomparable, as different as night and day.
Perhaps standing next to Fu Wei, the governor's son would feel utterly inferior, which could explain his resentment.
Soon, everyone's attention was drawn to the dishes on the bamboo table – fish, meat, vegetables – a feast rarely enjoyed at once in Lingshui Village.
"Has the Fu family come into a fortune?" they wondered.
As they pondered, Yu Ying brought in the soup, saying, "Don't just stand there, please sit down."
Everyone took their seats, and with the dishes served, they hesitated on how to begin.
Yu Ying encouraged, "Please don't be shy, help yourselves."
Leading by example, she picked a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and placed it in Luo's bowl, then also prepared some boneless fish for Fu Ning.
Seeing her start, everyone else began to serve themselves as well.
After observing that everyone had nearly finished eating, Yu Ying spoke up, "Uncle He, Aunt He, Fu Wei and I would like to discuss something with you. Do you have some free time?"
The couple looked puzzled upon hearing this.
Uncle He nodded, "Of course, we have time."
Aunt He asked her daughter-in-law to help clean up the dishes. Once the room was tidied, everyone else discreetly left, and Luo took Fu Ning outside as well.
Now, only Uncle He, Aunt He, Yu Ying, and Fu Wei remained, seated opposite each other.
After a moment of silence, Yu Ying and Fu Wei exchanged glances, then she addressed Uncle He and Aunt He, "Fu Wei and I have decided to go to the quarry in a few days to bring back his elder brother and sister-in-law."
Yu Ying’s words took the He couple by surprise.
They were stunned for a moment before realizing what she had said, and their faces simultaneously showed shock.
Uncle He, doubting his ears, looked at Fu Wei’s wife and asked tentatively, "Did you just say you want to bring back your elder brother and sister-in-law from the quarry?"
Yu Ying nodded and continued, "The quarry is a dangerous place, especially for a woman like me. So, I was hoping Uncle He and Aunt He could accompany me. It would also be an opportunity for you to visit your own son."
"But, but it costs over seven taels of silver to redeem two people for three years…" Aunt He couldn't believe Yu Ying could come up with so much money all at once.
Yu Ying explained, "I previously went into the mountains to gather herbs and found a rare one, which I sold for over eight taels of silver. That should be enough."
Aunt He, astonished, covered her slightly open mouth with her hand, at a loss for words.
Uncle He was equally amazed. He had heard from villagers who sold herbs to the medical hall that such herbs were not worth much.
He had thought that Fu Wei's new wife, who went to the mountains daily to gather herbs, was merely earning enough to get by. But now, in just over a month, she was talking about redeeming Fu Da and his wife from the quarry, which was astonishing!
After a brief pause, allowing them to recover from the shock, Fu Wei, with a calm expression and measured voice, added, "In addition to accompanying her to the quarry, Liu Niang also thought of asking you to join her in herb gathering during your spare time from farming. She will share the profits with you according to the earnings."
Hearing this, Uncle He and Aunt He turned their gaze towards Yu Ying.
"Yú Yíng nodded and said, 'I won't hide it from Uncle Hé and Auntie Hé. A few days ago, I signed a contract to deliver five hundred kilograms of medicinal herbs in October. But I can't manage it alone, so I was thinking of asking Uncle Hé, Auntie Hé, and Hé family's eldest son to join me in this business.'"
"'Five hundred kilograms?' Auntie Hé's voice trembled slightly, then she couldn't help but ask, 'How much money would that be?'"
"Yú Yíng honestly replied, 'The lowest price is twenty-one coins per kilogram.'"
"The Hé couple did the math and their eyes widened in shock."
"Twenty-one coins per kilogram, for five hundred kilograms, that’s ten thousand and five hundred coins!"
"This amount was unimaginable for their family."
"Even if they wanted to save that much money, they didn’t know how long it would take to accumulate such an amount."
"After his initial surprise, Uncle Hé gradually calmed down."
"He looked at them both, and after a moment of silence, he asked, 'You’re telling us this so openly, aren’t you worried I might reveal this to others?'"
"Fú Wēi smiled calmly and said, 'Even if it's announced now, no one would believe it. And even if they do and become envious, what of it? They can't snatch this business from us. Besides...'"
"He paused briefly, his expression gradually turning sincere: 'As for Uncle and Auntie Hé, their integrity is something my cousin and I deeply trust.'"
"Hearing this, Yú Yíng turned to look at him."
"She didn't believe what Fú Wēi had said."
"Under the table, Fú Wēi suddenly took hold of her hand. Yú Yíng was startled at first but then understood his intention."
"Turning back to Uncle and Auntie Hé, she smiled, 'I trust in Uncle and Auntie Hé's character as well.'"
"She trusted them, but Fú Wēi might not necessarily do so."
"She sensed that ever since the officials had visited, Fú Wēi had changed. He had become more profound and adept at concealing his emotions."
"Now, he resembled a politician, using pleasant and sincere words to win over the hearts of the people."
"He was destined for higher positions, and now his reaching out to Uncle and Auntie Hé was just an early display of his true nature."
