Cheng Jiao-niang picked three items at random from the snack box that Jin Ge’er had handed over, and the maid quickly took them and placed them carefully.
“Take these back,” Cheng Jiao-niang said, straightening up.
Jin Ge’er looked confused.
“Where should I take them back to?” he asked.
“Anywhere,” Cheng Jiao-niang replied.
Anywhere? Where is that?
Abbess Sun, who had been smiling and watching from the side, pulled the child over.
“You can send them to someone or keep them for yourself, just thank the lady for her kindness,” she said.
Jin Ge’er was surprised and exclaimed, “These must be very expensive, right?”
Because he often traveled back and forth between home and the temple, he was aware that these snacks were quite rare.
The snacks from this temple were both novel and delicious. Initially, they were bought for personal use by several wealthy families, but later they began to be given as gifts. As a result, they became well-known throughout the city and even spread beyond.
It was said that Zhang Chun’s father, Old Master Zhang, was the first to use them, but after this news spread, some people were skeptical.
“This was first sold by me,” a peddler said indignantly. “At first, I gave them away for free as I walked through the streets and alleys. Everyone praised them, and only then did people start scrambling to buy them.”
The offerings from this temple were limited to a maximum of three boxes per day, and two of those boxes were reserved as tributes. They could only be freely disposed of the following day after the tribute had been offered. No matter how many people came to burn incense and offer donations, the number of snacks remained unchanged. With fewer available and more demand, their value increased.
The snack shops came to discuss business, yet no matter how much money they promised, they were not even allowed inside and were prohibited from disturbing the sacred place.
The offerings in the hall were merely for worship, not meant to become mundane commodities. This was how the abbess of the temple explained it.
Only a place of such profound enlightenment and spiritual elegance could produce such fine snacks. Besides being delicious, they were said to ward off evil, bring good fortune, and have other miraculous effects. This only led to more admiration and demand.
Just now, the servant from the Cheng family couldn’t even get any by using Cheng Liu-niang’s name. How could he casually take so many for himself? And keep them?
“Go to the market and buy some writing materials: brush, ink, paper, and inkstone,” the maid said, taking out a piece of paper with Cheng Jiao-niang’s requests neatly written in small script.
Jin Ge’er sighed and carefully took the paper, still hesitating as he looked at the snacks.
“Just take them,” Abbess Sun said with a smile. “These things are nothing to the lady.”
They weren’t originally meant to be brought to the lady anyway, but she didn’t know why she had called Jin Ge’er back at that time. Perhaps it was because the servant mentioned the Cheng family’s name.
It was really laughable. Did the Cheng family think they were truly dependent on their offerings for a living?
The Infinite Lord of Heaven, how could she, Sun Miao-xian, be someone who couldn’t endure the simple and unadorned life?
Only then did Jin Ge’er bow and thank Cheng Jiao-niang.
“You need to make sure the shop gets exactly these items. If they try to substitute anything in there, it won’t do,” the maid instructed Jin Ge’er, holding him by the arm.
Jin Ge’er nodded and, clutching the box, ran off.
“If one shop doesn’t have them, go to several more,” the maid called out as she chased after him.
When Jin Ge’er opened the door, he was startled to see four or five people standing in front of it, dressed in distinguished attire and bearing an imposing demeanor.
The group was also whispering to each other, and Jin Ge’er’s sudden appearance startled them as well.
“Who are you?” Jin Ge’er asked immediately, becoming cautious and stepping back to block the door, keeping a wary eye on the visitors.
“May I ask if Lady Cheng is staying here?” Steward Cao asked with a friendly expression. “I am Steward Cao from the Zhou family, Lady Cheng’s maternal grandfather’s family in the capital.”
“I am from the Chen family in the capital. Here is my visiting card,” Fourth Master Chen said hurriedly, not wanting to be disrespectful, and handed over a card without providing more details about himself.
Jin Ge’er was somewhat at a loss.
“What do you want?” he asked, showing no intention of moving away from the door.
“We would like to ask Lady Cheng for a favor,” Steward Cao replied.
Favor? Which…lady?
“Let me check with her,” Jin Ge’er said, casting a doubtful glance at them again.
“Keep an eye on the door and don’t let them in,” came the voice of the servant from behind the door, who seemed to be advising someone.
This boy is quite strict about guarding the place, Steward Cao thought to himself as he looked up at the door and saw the characters “Tai Ping” written on it.
The name is rather good; this temple has some character.
Fourth Master Chen was somewhat impatient, wishing he could just barge in. If they had gone straight to the Cheng family, he could have entered without issue. But coming here, a female temple with unmarried young women, he couldn’t just force his way in.
“Someone is asking to see the lady?”
Abbess Sun and the maid, who were standing in the courtyard, were both very surprised by Jin Ge’er’s words. It was the first time someone had specifically come to see the lady, and for a “favor.”
“Who are they?” Abbess Sun asked hurriedly.
“One says they are from the lady’s maternal family, and the other only says they are from the Chen family. I don’t know who they are,” Jin Ge’er said, handing over the visiting card.
Maternal family? The Zhou family, the lady’s maternal side!
Abbess Sun’s face brightened with joy, and without asking further, she took the card and went into the room.
The maid and Jin Ge’er hurried to follow.
“Zhou family?” Cheng Jiao-niang looked up from her book when she heard Abbess Sun’s words.
“Yes, yes. It’s someone from your maternal family…” Abbess Sun began to explain.
Before she could finish, Cheng Jiao-niang lowered her gaze again.
“I don’t know them,” she said, closing her book. “I’m going to sleep. I won’t see them.”
Abbess Sun stood there, stunned.
Does she really not recognize them, or does she simply not want to?
The Zhou family… have they offended her too?
“Miss, there’s another person who isn’t from the Zhou family,” Jin Ge’er said.
Abbess Sun then realized that the visiting card in her hand wasn’t from the Zhou family and quickly handed it over.
“Chen Ming Xing of Prefecture Qu.”
“I don’t know them,” Cheng Jiao-niang said without even looking at the card.
Outside the door, Steward Cao and Fourth Master Chen were somewhat stunned.
Steward Cao, in addition to being surprised, looked somewhat bewildered.
“You’re just there as companions, so don’t make an appearance. It’s best to tell her Chen family’s name, otherwise, they probably won’t even get to see her,” Young Master Qin said.
He had been somewhat dismissive of that advice at the time, but now it seemed that the lady really wasn’t giving any consideration to the Zhou family.
Don’t know them? Ban Qin had said that when she only recognized Old Madam Zhou, just hearing the surname Zhou made her happy. No matter how foolish she was, when someone mentioned Old Madam Zhou was coming, she would immediately come to her senses. She didn’t know how to calll her parents, but the first thing she learned was “grandmother”.
It seemed that it’s not that she didn’t know them but that she knew them too well.
He gave a wry smile and looked at the maid in front of the door.
Where did such deep resentment come from?
“Please introduce us again. Say that Minister Chen from the capital has come to seek medical treatment for his father,” he said.
“Seek medical treatment?” The maid was surprised. Did she hear that right? They came all the way from the capital to seek medical treatment here?
Is this a joke?
Fourth Master Chen then remembered something and took out an envelope.
“This is a letter from my father. The lady might understand after reading it,” he said.
Seeing this, Steward Cao also recalled something and took out a thin booklet from his bosom.
“And this as well. If the lady doesn’t understand, perhaps this will help,” he said.
Why all these explanations of understanding or not understanding… Can the lady really understand?
The maid, suspicious, took the things and shut the door with a bang.
Being turned away twice at the door was a first for both Steward Cao and Fourth Master Chen.
“Young ladies are naturally hard to see when we show up unannounced like this. It’s only reasonable to visit her family first,” Fourth Master Chen said in a low voice, with a hint of frustration.
Steward Cao gave a wry smile. He couldn’t tell him that it’s because they mentioned their name.
“Fourth Master, the lady has been ill since childhood and has been living away from home. Her family doesn’t know she’s treating people now. If you tell them about this, the Cheng family might think you’re crazy or talking nonsense, leading to unnecessary delays and trouble,” he said seriously. “That would be even worse. Just wait a moment; this time we should be able to get in.”
