Shen Shaoguang was in the kitchen making "San Bu Nian" (Three Non-Stick) for A Yuan.
She whisked egg yolks with sugarcane syrup and starch until smooth, then heated a wok over high flame with lard. The egg yolk mixture was poured in and continuously stirred while more lard was drizzled in stages to achieve the desired "non-stick" texture. In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the lard and egg mixture melded into one, transforming from a pale yellow to a beautiful golden hue—ready to be served.
The result was a fragrant, soft, tender, and sweet semi-liquid with just a hint of chewiness—utterly delicious and perfectly aligned with Mr. Cai Lan’s theory that the most delectable foods in the world were invariably high in cholesterol.
From the first time Shen Shaoguang made it, A Yuan had fallen in love with this dish. Whenever there were leftover egg yolks, she would eagerly suggest, "Young Mistress, how about frying some 'San Bu Nian'?"
Considering her figure, Shen Shaoguang only agreed two or three times out of ten, so each time A Yuan got to eat it, she was overjoyed.
Yu San refused to touch such sweet, mushy "children's food," and A Chang didn’t have the heart to compete with A Yuan, merely sampling a bite out of politeness. Thus, the lion’s share always went to A Yuan—though today, she was willing to share a little with the calico cat, Ming Nu.
Shen Shaoguang reminded her, "Don’t feed it too much—it won’t digest well. Besides, it can’t even taste sweetness."
A Yuan widened her eyes. "How does Young Mistress know it can’t taste sweetness?"
The question caught Shen Shaoguang off guard. Instinctively, she glanced at Lord Lin, who was seated nearby. On her first visit to the Lin residence, she had even debated the "You are not the fish" paradox with him. Thinking of how stern he had been back then compared to now...
A Yuan was still waiting for her to explain the "I am not the cat" dilemma. With no clever retort, Shen Shaoguang cut to the chase: "This 'San Bu Nian' doesn’t taste good once it cools."
A Yuan hurriedly carried the plate back to the kitchen.
The cat sat primly on the counter, nibbling at the two bites of egg A Yuan had spared for it.
Glancing between the cat and Lord Lin, Shen Shaoguang shook her head and turned to tally the midday accounts.
Lord Lin had arrived early today, catching the tail end of lunch. He looked somewhat travel-worn, likely having skipped the official canteen. When Shen Shaoguang asked, it turned out to be true, so she served him a proper meal—four dishes, a soup, and fragrant rice.
One of the dishes was "Fu Rong Ji Pian" (Hibiscus Chicken Slices), made by blending egg whites and minced chicken into a paste, then gently frying it in warm oil. The leftover yolks had caught A Yuan’s eye, leading to the "San Bu Nian."
Having finished its egg, the cat now stared intently at the tip of Shen Shaoguang’s brush. After a moment, it dipped a tiny paw into the ink, mimicking its owner, and attempted to stamp it onto the ledger.
Shen Shaoguang quickly grabbed the little paw. Ming Nu first met her gaze fearlessly, then nonchalantly withdrew its paw and began grooming itself—a perfect display of shamelessness.
Resigned, Shen Shaoguang wiped the cat’s paw clean, cradled it, and proceeded to pamper it—stroking its face, head, scratching under its chin, and running her hand down its back until it purred contentedly, eyes half-lidded.
Lin Yan watched her coax the cat as he ate, his lips curling into a smile as if recalling something, though he lowered his eyes slightly in faint embarrassment.
Shen Shaoguang, however, remembered something important. Setting the cat down, she approached Lord Lin.
He looked up at her with a smile.
"Lately, there have been some absurd rumors circulating in the city," she said, recounting phrases like "When the toad is lazy, the world rebels" and "Bing Xu scorches, Ding Hai suffers," among others. "People are afraid next year will truly bring hardship. The rice merchants say some are already hoarding grain."Lin Yan nodded with a serious expression.
Shen Shaoguang knew the capital likely had officials specifically tasked with monitoring public sentiment, but she still felt compelled to offer a reminder. In times without war or famine, having a peaceful meal was a rare blessing, and she hoped such days would last as long as possible.
Having fulfilled her duty as a good citizen, Shen Shaoguang prepared to take her leave. A couple of days ago, on her way back from the Lin residence, she had been momentarily dazzled by Lord Lin's striking appearance. Though she had stubbornly deflected with jokes and banter, she had actually been quite shaken. But by morning, with the sun rising and her rationality restored, she shamelessly backtracked—even feeling relieved she had managed to evade the situation. Had she gone along with it, or worse, been so entranced as to hold his hand... Thank goodness she hadn't!
To demonstrate her repentance and newfound clarity, Shen Shaoguang didn’t even glance at Lord Lin’s slender, delicate hands when the thought of "holding hands" crossed her mind. In fact, today, Shopkeeper Shen kept her gaze strictly above Lord Lin’s neckline, maintaining an air of solemn dignity.
"What does the young lady think of this matter?"
Shen Shaoguang paused and straightened in her seat. She was someone who clearly distinguished serious matters from trivial ones, so she replied earnestly, "These Prophetic Utterances can be auspicious or ominous. But whether good or bad, most prophecies concerning the fate of the nation and its people are not naturally arising from the populace—they are deliberately manufactured. Their purpose may be to build momentum for oneself, claiming alignment with destiny and heavenly mandate, or to sow chaos and unrest, creating opportunities in the confusion. Judging by the nature of these current Prophetic Utterances, it’s likely the latter. As for the former—"
Shen Shaoguang smiled faintly. During major festivals, the sudden appearances of "white phoenixes" and "unicorns" as auspicious omens were far more common and representative than slogans like "The Great Chu Rises, Chen Sheng Becomes King."
At her subtle pause and mischievous smile, Lin Yan knew exactly what she was alluding to. He tried to keep a straight face but failed, chuckling instead.
Shen Shaoguang cleared her throat lightly. "If the nation is prosperous and the people at peace, with favorable weather and harvests, such ominous prophecies and rumors wouldn’t spread easily—like seeds planted in barren soil, they simply wouldn’t grow."
Remembering she was speaking to the Deputy Chief of the Capital, she quickly added, "Of course, the nation is currently prosperous and the people at peace. It’s just that the 'weather and harvests' haven’t been entirely favorable, which is why these ominous prophecies have taken root. With a little watering and fertilizing by those with ulterior motives, they’ve grown into what we see now."
Lin Yan took no offense and said softly, "Regardless, the unrest among the people and the spread of rumors are ultimately our failing."
Shen Shaoguang glanced at him. Not shifting blame, not covering up mistakes—Lord Lin was indeed a responsible official.
His attitude deserved greater respect. Shen Shaoguang spoke earnestly, "Last year’s drought was severe, but after the spring taxes were waived, the people in the capital region became much more settled." Qu Dàláng, who had delivered fish, had mentioned this very point.
"Later measures—reviewing prison cases, reducing imperial meals to simple fare, releasing palace maids—though opposite in intent to the ominous prophecies, used similar methods: a 'public opinion campaign' to calm the people’s hearts." Shen Shaoguang raised an eyebrow. "I wonder if there were similar rumors last year?"
Lin Yan nodded.
This further confirmed that the rumors were orchestrated by certain parties. "Actually, beyond this counter-campaign, I wonder if the court officials have considered publicly addressing the matter of 'prophecies,' explaining the various anomalies, rather than using one 'auspicious prophecy' to counter another 'ominous one.'"Lin Yan pondered for a moment, his expression growing increasingly solemn. "I would like to hear the details."
Shen Shaoguang, still carrying traces of her modern perspective, succinctly presented her viewpoint: using science to dispel superstitions, enhancing government credibility, and improving rumor-refuting mechanisms.
"The Master said: 'If the people can be made to follow, let them follow; if they cannot be made to follow, let them understand.' Only by making the people understand can they be freed from the troubles of these baseless rumors," Shen Shaoguang concluded, finding theoretical support for her argument.
Lin Yan gazed at Shen Shaoguang. Since the Han, Wei, and Jin dynasties, most Confucian scholars had adhered to the interpretation "the people can be made to follow but cannot be made to understand," believing that "the common people can use things daily without understanding them." They thought the masses only needed to obey orders without needing to comprehend their purpose. When Lin Yan first heard Master Mingcheng at the academy explain the alternative punctuation of this phrase, it had struck him profoundly. He never expected to hear it again from the lips of a young woman.
Shen Shaoguang, however, smiled faintly and sighed. "I may be somewhat idealistic. This isn't something that can be achieved in eight or ten years, or even within a single dynasty—" She pursed her lips and didn't continue. In her enthusiasm earlier, she had forgotten how arduous and prolonged the process of enlightening the people could be, and how the current social environment might not permit it.
After some thought, Lin Yan said earnestly, "If we don't act, there may never come a day when 'they understand.' We should simply do what we can. The rest will be left to those who come after us."
Shen Shaoguang was unexpectedly moved. To know worldly wisdom yet remain unworldly, to recognize difficulties yet not fear them—"Lord Lin truly embodies the Confucian ideal of engagement with society."
Only after speaking did Shen Shaoguang recall the inside joke between them about "Confucian disciples," along with his lingering remark: "If you don't try, how can you know it's impossible?"
Clearing her throat, Shen Shaoguang lowered her head, searching for a teacup to hide behind, but found none.
Lin Yan chuckled softly.
Fearing she might take offense, Lin Yan steered the conversation back to the rumors.
Discussing politics with a young woman—especially one he admired—was a novel experience for Lin Yan. A sense of pride swelled within him: This is my A Qi—intelligent, prudent, and steadfast, upholding great principles without being bogged down by trivialities, skilled in culinary arts and business management, capable of both light conversation and serious political discourse...
The calico cat Ming Nu sauntered over and curled up beside Shen Shaoguang's legs, not even sparing a glance at Lord Lin, its former owner who had only held it twice.
With their serious discussion concluded, Shen Shaoguang picked up the cat and began her routine of stroking its face, head, chin, and back. Ming Nu lay contentedly on her lap, graciously licking her hand.
Lin Yan had initially been pleased to see Young Lady Shen holding the cat that bore his mark, but now he felt a twinge of jealousy.
Sensing this, Shen Shaoguang couldn't resist teasing him: "Lord Lin doesn't seem to be very popular with Ming Nu, does he? It's only been a few days, and already it's forgotten you. I suppose it's because you're too busy with official duties to feed it often." She added a triumphant smile.
That smile... Lin Yan felt as if a cat's paw had lightly scratched his heart. "The young lady's cooking is delicious, and you treat it well. Naturally, Ming Nu favors you."
She had intended to provoke him, but instead, he seemed genuinely convinced?
Delighted, Shen Shaoguang narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Let me check—there's a serving of double-layer milk pudding. I'll bring it for Lord Lin as an extra treat."
Author's Note: ① From He Yan's "Collected Explanations of the Analects."
OpenNovel