The servant whispered to Shen Shaoguang, "That is our A Lang," then led her forward to report to Lin Yan about the female shopkeeper from Shen Ji bringing porridge for the Grand Madame.
Shen Shaoguang gave Lin Yan a slight curtsy.
Glancing at Shen Shaoguang and the food box in her hand, Lin Yan instructed the servant, "Take the porridge to the Grand Madame first. I have something to discuss with Shopkeeper Shen."
The servant looked surprised but quickly bowed in acknowledgment.
Shen Shaoguang raised a brow slightly, glanced at Lord Lin, and handed the food box to the servant with a smile. "Please inform the Grand Madame's attendants that the porridge is best enjoyed hot. If it cools and needs reheating, the flavor won't be quite the same."
The servant nodded and hurried off with the food box.
Shen Shaoguang stood there composedly, waiting for Lord Lin to speak, though inwardly puzzled. Had her scheme to help Miss Chu smear Huan Qi's reputation been uncovered? Was the Tang Dynasty's crime-solving rate really this high? More importantly, was this serious enough to involve the deputy mayor of Chang'an? She mentally reviewed the Tang Code—did it have any provisions about defamation?
Lin Yan did intend to question her about the matter. Back then, Minister Shen had stood firm before the emperor with unyielding integrity. Though Lin Yan hadn't witnessed it himself, Lord Li's accounts painted a vivid picture. As his beloved daughter, a young lady ought to uphold righteousness and avoid petty mischief.
But recalling the contents of that Romance, Lin Yan found himself hesitating, uncharacteristically at a loss for words.
Shen Shaoguang, however, had already made up her mind—without evidence, she would simply deny everything.
Lin Yan looked up at Shen Shaoguang. She wore a dark blue Shu brocade dress with subtle patterns, its collar trimmed with black fox fur. Her dignified bearing carried an air of authority.
Pursing his lips, Lin Yan decided against questioning her. If he was mistaken, it would embarrass the young lady; if not, given her cleverness—"wit enough to reject advice, words enough to gloss over faults"—he wouldn't get anywhere anyway. Besides, Huan Qi's flawed character deserved this lesson.
"This way, please," Lin Yan gestured.
Shen Shaoguang followed half a step behind him.
They walked slowly along the corridor.
The courtyard on either side was barren, withered plants and remnants of snow in the shade lending a wintry desolation. Occasionally, a servant or two would bow and step aside upon seeing Lin Yan.
Shen Shaoguang studied the carved floral railings she had once tried counting as a child but never could. If not for Lord Lin's presence, she might have reached out to touch those petals again.
"Do you find joy in the marketplace, young lady?"
Shen Shaoguang: "..." Asking the same question again—was this a follow-up survey on societal happiness?
A practiced smile surfaced. "Naturally. With the realm at peace and Chang'an prosperous and tranquil..." She recited the same "correct answer" as before.
Lin Yan turned to her, his expression unexpectedly solemn.
Shen Shaoguang's forced cheer faltered. After a pause, she admitted, "It's... tolerable. With hands and feet intact, food and drink available, I suppose one could call it contentment?"
This time, Lin Yan nodded and continued walking.
A flicker of irritation rose in Shen Shaoguang. Why obsess over whether a disgraced official's daughter, a commoner struggling to get by, was happy? For people like us, it's about survival—happiness, that lofty ideal, is beyond reach for now!"Lord Lin has inquired twice now. Could it be you're contemplating the debate between Zhuangzi and Huizi about the joy of fish on the Hao Bridge, wishing to verify it yourself?" Shen Shaoguang, likening herself to the fish, asked with a faint smile.
Lin Yan stopped walking and turned to look at her. Shen Shaoguang met his gaze with a composed smile.
Lin Yan pressed his lips together. "Young lady overinterprets. I merely—" He wanted to say "wish for your happiness and comfort," but it sounded too forward; to say "wish everyone happiness" would seem insincere. So he stopped speaking, turned, and continued walking ahead.
Hearing this half-finished sentence, Shen Shaoguang teased inwardly, Hah, such intimate and dense words—if I were any more self-absorbed, I might think you harbor feelings for me...
She understood his meaning and appreciated his kindness. Likely, after hearing about her father's circumstances, Lord Lin had felt some sympathy and wanted to ensure that the descendant of Minister Shen was faring well.
Shen Shaoguang turned to Lin Yan and said with a somewhat roguish smile, "As a nobleman, Lord Lin must have never suffered frostbitten hands and feet."
"When I was in the palace quarters, the charcoal was insufficient. Come deep winter, my hands and feet would swell and fester. If it stayed cold, it wouldn’t be so bad—just cracked skin and some pain. But the worst was suddenly nearing a brazier—oh, the unbearable itch!" So, such sudden concern was better kept to a minimum.
Lin Yan tilted his head slightly. Shen Shaoguang raised a brow and smiled. Lin Yan pursed his lips and averted his gaze.
When it came to drafting policy proposals or even court debates, Lin Yan could argue with reason and evidence. But faced with such a sharp-tongued young lady, he found himself at a loss for words and chose silence, quietly acting as her guide.
The two walked in silence, yet the atmosphere eased. Shen Shaoguang glanced at her "former home," then at Lord Lin’s figure ahead to her right, regretting her earlier bluntness. Discussing emotional matters with a near-stranger... I must be overworked and stressed. A New Year's break will do me good!
They arrived at Grand Madam Jiang’s courtyard in quietude.
At the sight of Shen Shaoguang, Grand Madam Jiang’s eyes brightened. "Is this the proprietress of Shen’s Shop?" Today, the grand madam was clear-minded, not confusing the shop with some tavern from decades past or distant regions.
Accustomed to such eager looks from gourmands, Shen Shaoguang stepped forward calmly and curtsied. "Greetings, Grand Madam."
"Young lady carries herself with such grace and elegance," Grand Madam Jiang praised.
Shen Shaoguang smiled faintly. "You flatter me, Grand Madam."
Grand Madam Jiang beamed at her. "Though I’m old and my appetite wanes, whenever they bring food from your shop, I eat more. This time, you’ve gone to the trouble of delivering congee personally—thank you, young lady."
"It brings me joy to know Grand Madam enjoys it."
Thus began an exchange between chef and connoisseur, discussing culinary arts.
From Shen’s Shop’s signature dishes to dietary taboos, from eating in harmony with nature to festive cuisine, their lively conversation flowed effortlessly. Grand Madam Jiang smiled radiantly, clearly delighted, while Shen Shaoguang responded with gentle smiles and occasional wit.
Lin Yan watched and listened from the side. Rarely had he seen his grandmother so spirited in conversation, nor had he witnessed Young Lady Shen so demure and considerate. Compared to her sharp-tongued self moments ago in the corridor, he wondered: Could the problem lie with me? Shen Shaoguang explained to Grand Madam Jiang and the maidservants how to make walnut paste and gave them a detailed guide on cooking eight-treasure porridge, lest the old lady craved it again someday and the kitchen was left scrambling.
"If the taste isn't right, it's probably because the order of adding the grains and fruits was incorrect."
"First, add the beans like red beans and black beans, along with harder-to-cook grains like barley and foxnut seeds. Let them simmer for nearly half an hour before adding common rice and millet. After another hour of cooking, put in the red dates..."
The maidservants listened attentively, memorizing every detail to relay to the cooks later.
"...Add sugar only when the porridge is thick and almost ready to serve. Other ingredients like pine nuts and hazelnuts should be added separately when eating, so that what should be soft is soft, and what should be crispy remains crispy. The essence of mixing various grains lies in 'harmony in diversity.' If everything is thrown in together and boiled into mush, it becomes 'uniformity without harmony.'" Coming from a food critique background, Shen Shaoguang couldn't help but summarize with a theoretical touch.
Grand Madam Jiang clapped her hands in admiration. "Young Lady Shen's culinary philosophy aligns with the sage's teachings, no wonder ordinary cooks can't compare!" She added, "While 'Eight-Treasure Porridge' is an apt name for this dish, 'Gentleman's Porridge' would be even more fitting—harmony in diversity, the way of a true gentleman."
Shen Shaoguang thought Grand Madam Jiang had a profound understanding of dish naming. Just as translation emphasizes "faithfulness, expressiveness, and elegance," naming dishes also requires these qualities. With a name like "Gentleman's Porridge," wouldn't those who eat it naturally feel a sense of noble integrity?
Watching his grandmother and Young Lady Shen discuss the way of a gentleman through food, reminiscent of Wei-Jin dynasty philosophical debates, Lin Yan couldn't help but smile helplessly at their lively conversation.
After chatting with Grand Madam Jiang for a while, Shen Shaoguang checked the time and stood to take her leave.
Grand Madam Jiang personally saw her to the door, saying warmly, "It's been a long time since I've had such a delightful conversation. If you find the time, Young Lady, do visit this old woman more often."
Shen Shaoguang nodded. "Please don't trouble yourself further, Grand Madam. I'll surely come to bother you again."
The grand madam instructed a maidservant to escort Shen Shaoguang out. The servant carried the food box, handing it to her only at the gate while thanking her again. Shen Shaoguang reciprocated the politeness.
After passing through the side gate, Shen Shaoguang glanced back once before slowly making her way back to the tavern.
Back at the shop, she opened the food box and found four small silver ingots inside a pouch—two shaped like peonies and two like little fish, all brand new. They were likely freshly minted New Year's lucky money, each weighing half a tael, totaling two taels.
Comparing these to the meal payments and tips Lord Lin usually gave, Shen Shaoguang mused that a grandmother was indeed a grandmother, and a grandson was just a grandson. How much more refined and considerate Grand Madam Jiang was!
When Shen Shaoguang left the palace, she had spent most of her savings, and the remaining portable silver ingots were all gone. Though she earned more now, none were as exquisitely crafted as these. She decided to save them as lucky money for A Yuan and others during the New Year.
At the Lin residence, Lin Yan stayed to chat with his grandmother.
Grand Madam Jiang had been lively earlier but now felt slightly weary. Still, with her grandson by her side, she was happy to talk.
Lin Yan adjusted the deerskin blanket over her lap, smiling as they exchanged casual conversation.
"These young ladies nowadays are truly remarkable. Like that young woman we met recently—what was her surname?—and this Shen Ji's young lady. Both are not only beautiful but also carry such grace."The maidservant beside her chuckled, "Grand Madam has forgotten again—she's from the Qin family, the fifth daughter of Qin Pushe." She glanced at Lin Yan nearby and quietly reminded the grand madam not to compare a common girl from the streets with a potential granddaughter-in-law candidate. "Though this Young Lady Shen is good, she cannot compare to the young lady from the Qin family."
Grand Madam Jiang nodded and sighed with a smile, "Status and family prestige can change in the blink of an eye—it's all rather meaningless. Yet when it comes to marriage, one cannot disregard them. Every family is like this, and no one ever realizes it."
Lin Yan, as if possessed, found himself explaining to his grandmother, "The proprietress of Shen's Shop is descended from the fallen Chen clan of Luoyang. It's just that her family has declined."
Grand Madam Jiang was surprised, and so were the maidservants—not only at Young Lady Shen's background but also at how their own A Lang knew about it.
Yet Grand Madam Jiang was reminded of the storms she had weathered in the past. Though age had dulled her memory, some things remained as indelible as carvings made by a knife, impossible to erase no matter how many years passed.
Author's Note:
Lord Lin: A Qi, forgive me! I'll be your personal heater every day from now on—please don't reject me!
Shaoguang: Hmph!
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