The spring rain patters softly, and the flowers and plants in the courtyard, which have begun to sprout, grow even greener.
The young girl hurriedly emerged from the kitchen, holding a tray.
“Let me hold the umbrella for you,” Ban Qin said, quickly opening the umbrella and following behind.
The two hurriedly walked along the small path paved with gravel, ascending the steps.
Under the corridor, Ban Qin closed the umbrella and opened the door.
“Miss, I’m done,” the young girl said.
The young girl stepped inside, and Ban Qin lowered her head to close the door. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Cheng Jiao-niang inside the room had set down the book in her hands.
She stood frozen for a moment outside the door, then took a few steps away, standing under the corridor, gazing at the rain, lost in thought.
“Miss, how about this one?”
“It’s a bit overcooked.”
“Oh, yes, yes, I’ll remember. I’ll try again later.”
“This one turned out well.”
“Really? Thank you, Miss.”
“Why thank me? It’s all because you put in the effort yourself.”
In the room, a back-and-forth exchange of words could be heard, occasionally accompanied by the young girl’s soft giggles.
Ban Qin couldn’t help but turn back to look, her expression complex.
If it hadn’t been for what happened before, at this very moment, it should have been her laughing and talking casually with Miss.
But in this world, there are no “ifs.” It is what it is, so cherish what’s in front of you.
She took a deep breath, opened the other side of the door, and entered. She took the already washed and dried dresses, then lit some charcoal to put in the brazier, slowly ironing out the folds and smoothing them.
In the Zhang family courtyard, the maid put away the umbrella, and a few maids in the corridor greeted her with smiles.
“Su Xin, why did you come over today with the rain?” they asked, laughing.
“I came to see the Old Master,” the maid replied, smiling as she stepped toward the hall. After a moment, she turned back and reminded them, “Call me Ban Qin.”
The maids exchanged glances. Was the name Ban Qin really that nice? Why did two different maids have the same name?
Inside the hall, Old Master Zhang set down the book in his hand and looked at the maid, who was performing the customary bow.
“How rare, you still remember this old man,” he said, smiling.
The maid smiled as well.
“Old Master, you’re too kind,” she said, then reached out to push a thin book toward him. “Not only do I remember you, but Miss remembers you too.”
Old Master Zhang looked at the book with a smile.
It was a hand-made book, its edges slightly unevenly cut.
“Miss specifically wrote out the recipes for the snacks, so that you can have them with tea,” the maid said. “Miss said that since you don’t have much appetite, you should eat smaller meals more frequently, drink more tea, and less alcohol. These snacks were specially prepared by the Miss to help with your dizziness.”
Old Master Zhang laughed heartily.
“Go on, what do you want?” he asked.
The maid smiled as well.
“There’s a scholar who didn’t pass the exam this year. He has always admired the Old Master. Miss asked if she could request an annotated text of the classics from you,” she said.
Old Master Zhang, a bit curious, sat up straight.
“Is he from the Cheng family?” he asked.
The maid shook her head.
“Now that’s something rare. Your mistress would still have such a kind heart?” Old Master Zhang laughed.
“Old Master,” the maid said, a hint of protest in her voice, “my mistress has always been very kind.”
Old Master Zhang laughed heartily.
“Somebody,” he called.
The maid, kneeling at the door, quickly responded.
“Go and tell the Master to gift Su Xin a book,” Old Master Zhang said.
The maid acknowledged and quickly got up to follow.
“I’ll go with you. Although it’s a favor from Old Master, I still want to bow and thank the master,” the maid said with a smile.
Old Master Zhang nodded with a smile.
“Take this and give it to the master, asking him to pass it along to the kitchen,” he said.
The maid nodded and took the book from him.
Watching the maid bow and thank as she got up and left the corridor, Zhang Chun also stood up from his study.
“Master, this…” The maid, still holding the book handed to her by the maid, asked.
It was simple paper, unevenly cut, with no title on the cover, just seven or eight thin pages.
“Go give it to the Madam. Let her pass it along to the kitchen,” Zhang Chun said, not bothering to take a look at it.
The Madam had maids who could read, so there was no worry about teaching the cooks how to prepare the dishes.
The maid nodded and withdrew.
The harsh winter faded away, and the rainy capital city had a unique charm.
Although it was raining, the flow of people, carriages, and horses through the city gates did not lessen, with the hustle and bustle of those entering and leaving the city.
Because of the rain, Han Yuanchao and the others didn’t ride horses but hired two carriages—one for three people to share, and one for their servants. Their horses followed behind, carrying various local specialties bought in the capital.
Compared to their initial triumphant arrival, the three of them now appeared somewhat dejected.
“It’s fine, it’s fine. We’ll come back in three years,” Han Yuanchao said with a smile, comforting the other two.
“Yes, yes,” one companion laughed, lifting the carriage curtain, standing up to look behind him, “Let’s take one last look at the city gates.”
Everyone else laughed, about to speak when suddenly the companion let out a surprised sound.
“Yuanchao, someone’s here to see you off,” he said, extending his hand to point behind them.
The maid jumped off the carriage, too hurried to open her umbrella, and was breathing a little heavily.
“Young Master Han, you actually are leaving in this weather. I almost missed you,” she said.
Han Yuanchao was quite surprised, and somewhat unsure whether to be happy or not.
In any case, although they had only met briefly in the past few days, they were familiar faces in the capital.
“How could I let you come all this way to see me off?” he said with a smile, bowing slightly.
“I came specifically to give you a parting gift,” the maid replied, taking a book out from her bosom.
Han Yuanchao, somewhat puzzled, reached out to take it.
The Analects.
It was not an uncommon book, but rather than being printed from woodblocks, it was a handwritten copy, with small, neat characters—rigid and orderly.
Han Yuanchao’s gaze fell to the bottom corner of the cover.
Jiang-zhou, Zi Ran.
This is!
Han Yuanchao’s expression changed dramatically as he looked at the maid in disbelief.
The maid smiled at him and bowed.
“Miss wishes you peace and safety,” she said.
Without waiting for Han Yuanchao to speak, she turned and got back into the carriage.
Han Yuanchao snapped back to reality and called out several times, but still couldn’t stop the carriage from leaving. He stood there, dazed, holding the book in his hand. Only when raindrops began to fall on it did he quickly come to his senses and hurriedly wipe it off with concern.
His two companions gathered around, looking at the book in his hand in disbelief.
“Is this written by Master Jiang-zhou himself?”
“This… only Minister Chen could have gotten this, right?”
“No, no, she said it was from Miss.”
“I knew it! She must have been preparing to catch a son-in-law under the exam list!”
“Didn’t pass, so no catching anymore?”
“Yuanchao, you should really think carefully about your marriage when you return.”
The two laughed incessantly, while Han Yuanchao snapped back to his senses and shook his head with a smile.
“Stop talking nonsense,” he said. “It’s just a matter of acting when one sees righteousness.”
“Yuanchao, although you didn’t pass the exam this time, you’ve certainly gained a lot,” one of his companions said, with a complex expression, while patting Han Yuanchao’s shoulder.
The possible favor of Minister Chen, the gift of a handwritten Analects by Master Jiang-zhou, oh, and also some shares in a certain restaurant.
“Just because you stepped up and said a few words for that cook, you’ve had such good luck. If I had known, I would’ve stepped forward first!” his companions laughed.
“Truly, good people get good rewards. We won’t dare to laugh at you for being so righteous and foolish anymore!” another one added with a smile.
Han Yuanchao also smiled, though with some confusion. He couldn’t help but look toward the city gates, but the maid’s carriage and horses had long since disappeared.
Was it really just because of that moment of righteousness?
Was it true that good deeds are rewarded?
The maid jumped off the carriage and rushed into the courtyard.
“Ban Qin,” Jin Ge’er said, holding the umbrella for her.
The maid smiled and took a few steps into the corridor, only to see Ban Qin open the door, holding a basin of water and a cloth, clearly having just finished tidying up the room.
“Sister,” Ban Qin greeted her with a bow.
“Has Miss gone out?” the maid asked, peering inside.
“Yes, she went with…” Ban Qin started, but was unsure how to address the other maid, who also went by the name Ban Qin.
“She went with Ban Qin to the shop,” Jin Ge’er intervened, explaining.
Although they were both named Ban Qin, surely the other Ban Qin would understand which one he meant.
The thought flitted through Jin Ge’er’s mind, and he felt a little dizzy.
“I’ll go too,” the maid said, immediately turning and heading out. “The carriage renter, come back!”
Watching the maid leave, a hint of envy flashed in Ban Qin’s eyes.
Two Ban Qins, both working for Miss, and here she was…
She lowered her head, looking at the cloth in her hand, and took a deep breath.
I am working too!
“Jin Ge’er, could you help me heat up some more charcoal?” she said with a smile as she looked up. “I want to iron Miss’s bedding so it doesn’t get damp.”
The lonely tavern outside the city, standing in the rain, looked even more desolate.
In the empty hall, low tables and cushions were moved aside, and Xu Maoxiu and the others sat facing Cheng Jiao-niang.
“Is this the plaque to be added to the door?” Xu Maoxiu said, taking the calligraphy scroll that Cheng Jiao-niang had pushed over.
Cheng Jiao-niang nodded.
Xu Maoxiu unrolled it, revealing a square piece of paper with the two characters Tai Ping written on it.
“I didn’t write it well the other day, but after practicing for a few more days, it’s ready to be shown,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
“Great calligraphy, great calligraphy,” Xu Maoxiu praised.
Fan Jianglin and the other brothers also leaned over to take a look. Though they couldn’t read it, they all nodded in agreement, praising it.
“Also, please call the cook,” Cheng Jiao-niang said.
At the back, Xu Bangchui immediately shouted loudly,
“Li Dashao!”
Fan Jianglin shot him a glare.
“What are you shouting for? Keep your voice down, you’ll scare the girl,” he said in a low voice.
Xu Bangchui chuckled and turned to look at Cheng Jiao-niang.
Cheng Jiao-niang curved her lips into a smile in response.
“Huh?” Xu Bangchui said, his eyes widening as if he had noticed something. “Sister, your smile is better than before!”
Better than before?
What does that mean?
Everyone couldn’t help but look over.
Cheng Jiao-niang seemed somewhat surprised and confused, but then she smiled again.
Her face, which had originally been expressionless and porcelain-like, softened instantly. The corners of her mouth and cheeks formed a beautiful curve.
“Miss, you can smile!” a maid cried out, her eyes glistening with tears. “Miss, you’re getting better!”
The girl, who was usually quiet and expressionless, had always been understood by Xu Maoxiu and the others to be ill. They were puzzled, however, that while she seemed to be able to revive others, she couldn’t do anything about her own ailments.
“That’s wonderful, Sister, get well soon,” they all said with smiles.
“Yes, I’ll get better,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, smiling again. “It’s getting better and better.”
In the back courtyard, Li Dashao put his hand over his chest and swallowed.
“Master is calling for you, go on, what are you waiting for?” the old manager said.
“Is the master going to dismiss me?” Li Dashao said with a bitter expression. “You see, the business has never been good…”
“The business isn’t doing well because there’s no customer base. Back when we had Druken Phoenix Pavilion…” The old manager shook his head.
Li Dashao also shook his head, interrupting the old manager.
“Here you go again, always bringing up Druken Phoenix Pavilion,” he said, then suddenly became cheerful again. “He probably won’t dismiss me. If anyone’s getting dismissed, it should be you first!”
With that, he happily adjusted his clothes and went ahead.
“What nonsense!” the old manager snorted, shaking his head. “Back at Drunken Phoenix Pavilion, they dismissed you first before they dismissed me!”
