Yummy Yummy Yummy

The Winter Solstice was a major festival, second only to the New Year's Day, often referred to as the "Lesser Year." Many of its rituals mirrored those of New Year's Day—the emperor would offer sacrifices to heaven at the Circular Mound Altar in the southern suburbs, hold grand court assemblies to receive congratulations from officials and foreign envoys, and host lavish banquets. The common folk also exchanged gifts and greetings.

Now that she had been out of the palace for a long time, knew more people, and her business had grown, Shen Shaoguang could no longer celebrate the festival as simply as last year, when a few people just ate dumplings together—though dumplings were still a must. Shen Shaoguang prepared gifts in advance—for Princess Fuhui, the Shao family, major suppliers, and close neighbors, of course, the Lin residence was also included.

What to give? Mostly tea, wine, pastries, and some wild game and cured meats from Shen Ji. The gifts she received were similar—common items with a personal touch. For example, the grain shop added some imperial rice varieties, while the seafood shop included a few turtles and two baskets of large crabs.

Princess Fuhui was different. She returned Shen Shaoguang’s gesture with a box of cosmetics, all Imperial-made—facial cream in a white jade container, lip rouge in an ivory tube, and blue-black dye and fragrant powder in jeweled cases—a Tang Dynasty version of a luxury cosmetics gift set.

Inside the box was also a note.

"...Paint the lips red, powder the face fair, gaze with delight in the mirror's glare—why must a lover be there?"

"Why must a lover be there..." Shen Shaoguang chuckled. Truly a princess, a pioneer of women who dressed up for themselves.

The Shao family’s return gifts included fine silk and gauze from Suzhou, along with two bolts of patterned silk, likely brought back from their southern grain shipments. The colors of the silk were vibrant, perfect for young women—the Shao family’s thoughtfulness shone through in every detail.

The Lin family’s return gifts were the most elegant and valuable, but as for uniqueness... Shen Shaoguang suspected these were prepared by the steward.

She guessed right. When Steward Zhou received the Winter Solstice gifts from Shen Ji, he presented the gift list to Lin Yan that evening.

Steward Zhou smiled and asked, "What should our return gifts be, A Lang?" He was well aware of his master’s feelings, but since the two were not yet formally engaged, it wouldn’t be proper to reciprocate as in-laws. The Shen family had no elders, so official protocol didn’t apply, and treating them as mere merchants was out of the question...

"Prepare a high-quality gift in return," Lin Yan said.

Steward Zhou clasped his hands in acknowledgment and withdrew.

The Winter Solstice gifts were one thing, but Lin Yan was more preoccupied with what to give her for her housewarming.

Time flew, and soon the Winter Solstice arrived. Business at the tavern was slow during the festival, so Shen Shaoguang discussed with Shao Jie and decided to close all their shops for three days, giving everyone a break. She used this time to move to her new home.

Moving was simple for Shen Shaoguang—there were plenty of hands to help, and both the old and new residences were in the same ward. Besides, she didn’t have much to move—in modern times, two taxis would have sufficed without needing a moving company.

The tavern’s backyard was left to the manager Chen Xing, along with all the furniture, as he had a family and could make better use of it. The unmarried young workers—those assigned to the Chongxian Ward tavern and the newly purchased ones still in "training"—all moved to the new residence. With several side courtyards, they added some liveliness to the place.

With so many people at home, there needed to be someone in charge who could make decisions in her absence. The obvious choice was Princess Yu San—though her temper was foul, she was reliable. In fact, he had already been handling such duties; now it was just a matter of formalizing his role.A couple of days ago, Shen Shaoguang had asked Shao Jie to help hire a few burly guards. Counting the shop assistants and our Princess Yu San, who could wield a cleaver to chop ribs—and people—they wouldn’t fear even ten or eight thieves.

Shao Jie also gifted her several maids and servants. “Sweeping and cleaning the courtyard all require hands. Besides, when you go out, you should bring a couple of maids—that’s the proper decorum for a noble lady.”

Shen Shaoguang was amused. “Am I not proper now?”

Shao Jie wore a conflicted expression.

Shen Shaoguang laughed. “Never mind, don’t say it!”

A Yuan was rather dismissive of the new maids, much like an eldest child in a family welcoming a second baby.

Shen Shaoguang quickly soothed her. “You’re different from the others.”

A Yuan narrowed her eyes and grinned, her expression eerily similar to Shen Shaoguang’s when she’d pulled off a clever scheme. After all, wasn’t this very sense of being “different” what people longed for?

Since the place had already been thoroughly cleaned earlier, the new home was nearly settled in less than half a day. As for finer details—like placing a pot of narcissus on the small table by the corner, hanging a landscape scroll on the right wall, or adding a screen beside the couch—those could be slowly added and accumulated over time, until the home developed its own unique character.

At noon, the entire household—masters, servants, managers, and waitstaff alike—gathered in the new residence to eat Large Crescent Wontons, which later generations would call dumplings.

The filling was personally prepared by Shen Shaoguang herself: tender, fatty lamb mixed with minced ginger, salt, sugar, Clear Soy Sauce, yellow wine, and sesame oil, all stirred in one direction. As she stirred, she gradually added a broth infused with Sichuan pepper and ginger—the so-called “water-beaten lamb filling” method. This ensured the filling would be juicy and tender, bursting with flavor at the first bite.

Many of the new servants had never seen Shen Shaoguang cook before. Now, tasting these fragrant lamb-and-scallion wontons, they realized the young mistress was truly skilled in the kitchen. In truth, as she mixed the filling and wrapped the dumplings, Shen Shaoguang felt a little dazed—it had been so long since she’d last stepped into a kitchen.

Since it was a holiday, Shen Shaoguang didn’t restrict the young lads, letting them go out to play—so long as they didn’t wander alone, didn’t cause trouble, and returned before the wards closed.

The assistants cheered—the young mistress had just given them holiday bonuses, and they were eager to go out and enjoy themselves.

A Yuan and the maids tidied up their belongings before gathering to play Leaf Cards. Shen Shaoguang chuckled to herself. She’d initially worried A Yuan might not fit in—like parents fretting over children’s squabbles, only to turn around and find them already playing together.

The maids invited Shen Shaoguang to join, but she shook her head. “If I win too much, I’m afraid you’ll cry.”

The maids laughed, but A Yuan knew it was true—the young mistress was an expert at cards. During the New Year, she’d won so much that Yu Sanlang’s face had turned sour.

Holding a cup of Hawthorn Fruit Drink, Shen Shaoguang stood at the entrance of the main hall, lifting the thick curtain to glance at the sky. She murmured, half to herself, half to the maids inside, “Seems like it’ll be a ‘wet winter, dry New Year.’”

“What did you say, young mistress?” A Yuan asked.

“I said it’s going to snow.” The sky outside had turned gray, though the morning had been sunny.

At this hour, the grand banquet at the palace probably wasn’t over yet. She wondered if Lord Lin had drunk too much.

When Lin Yan returned, snow pellets had indeed begun to fall, rustling softly against the ground. Sitting in the carriage, leaning against the wall, his cheeks and eyes were slightly flushed. Some said that in the capital, an official could afford to be illiterate—but never a poor drinker. And indeed…Lin Yan rubbed his temples with his fingertips. A Qi had mentioned moving these past two days—he wondered if she had settled in yet. He had been so busy lately that he hadn’t had time to visit her, but at least the winter solstice holiday had arrived...

As the carriage turned the corner in the neighborhood, Lin Yan lifted the curtain. The entrance of what was now the Shen residence had been swept clean, with servants coming and going. It seemed she had already moved in. A Qi was truly efficient. Lin Yan recalled the first time he saw her—carrying a bundle on her back, her hair tied in a simple bun, exuding an air of brisk competence as she cheerfully "deceived" a few yamen runners.

When he questioned her, how had she replied? "I left the palace due to illness." Her seemingly obedient smile carried a hint of sly pride, even defiance, as if to say, "What, are you going to drag me back to the palace?"

Lin Yan chuckled silently in the carriage.

Upon returning home, he washed up, changed clothes, and first went to see his grandmother. After exchanging a few words, he excused himself, saying he would return for dinner.

Grand Madam Jiang laughed. "It’s fine if you don’t come back for dinner. I might even eat more on my own."

Lin Yan lowered his eyes with a smile, bowed to his grandmother, and left.

Instead of riding, he walked to the Shen residence.

One servant at the gate took his horse while another led him inside.

Shen Shaoguang stood under the eaves to greet him, squinting at him. "You’ve had quite a bit to drink—your face is flushed."

"Couldn’t refuse," Lin Yan replied with a smile, then glanced at her Hu-style jacket. "You’re not wearing an outer coat. Go inside before you catch cold."

With a guest’s arrival, the maids had already cleared away the card game and served tea.

After warming up with tea, Shen Shaoguang asked Lin Yan about the grand court assembly, while he inquired about her move.

"You settled in quickly. I thought it would take you another couple of days."

Shen Shaoguang grinned. "I’m the type who can’t sleep if there’s meat in the pot. Better to move early and rest easy."

Lin Yan laughed.

Shen Shaoguang sighed inwardly as she studied his slightly flushed, charmingly disheveled appearance from the wine. Such a tempting piece of meat, and she’d been eyeing it for so long—when would she finally get a taste...?

Lin Yan drew a dagger-like short sword from his sleeve. "This is for you."

Shen Shaoguang widened her eyes, then smiled.

"It’s not a legendary blade like the Fish Intestine, but it’s sharp enough. I got it from a Hu merchant. Keep it for self-defense."

She examined the scabbard first—no gold or jade inlays, even a bit worn, but the leather was soft and tough. The pattern suggested crocodile skin? Drawing the short sword, she tested its weight. Whether real or imagined, a faint chill seemed to emanate from it.

She looked at Lin Yan, who smiled back at her.

Though he downplayed it, a glance was enough to tell this weapon was extraordinary. Then there was the deed to the villa lying in her dressing case, leaving her at a loss. Shen Shaoguang sighed helplessly. "Why give me this, my lord? I don’t know the first thing about martial arts."

"Better to have it and not need it."

Lin Yan paused, then added, "I’ve also heard placing it under your pillow wards off nightmares."

Shen Shaoguang: "..." What kind of reason was that?!

"There’s also a horse. I’ve already had it brought to your stable. Whether for riding or pulling a carriage, it’s lighter and steadier than the mule you usually use."

Shen Shaoguang suddenly recalled something she’d once heard: when giving gifts, one should either choose what the recipient likes or what the giver treasures—the former reflects attentiveness, the latter the giver’s heart. The villa at Zhongnan Mountain was the former; the prized steed and sword, the latter. Ah, our Lord Lin...After a moment, Shen Shaoguang deliberately said with a lighthearted smile, "They say, 'Rouge for beauties, swords for heroes.' Yet here you are, gifting me both a horse and a sword. Could it be you're drunk and mistook me for a hero?"

"My A Qi has always been a hero," Lin Yan murmured, the corners of his slightly reddened eyes lifting as his lips curved upward. "A hero among beauties."

Taking in his flushed, peach-blossom complexion, Shen Shaoguang swallowed hard and raised an eyebrow teasingly. "Then—does that make you, my lord, the beauty among heroes?"

Lin Yan frowned.

Shen Shaoguang burst into laughter.

Lin Yan shot her a glare but soon chuckled as well.

"Honestly, no gift you give could compare to—" Shen Shaoguang's gaze swept over his face and figure before she coughed lightly and lowered her head to sip her hawthorn Fruit Drink.

This time, Lin Yan truly didn’t know whether to be annoyed or amused. After a pause, he finally laughed. "You—"

Author's Note:

Shen Shaoguang: I think what I like is more reliable than what you like!

Lin Yan's gaze lingered on her face as he smiled suggestively: Oh, really?

Shen Shaoguang: ...I meant objects, objects! Can’t your thoughts stay pure for once?

Lin Yan, who had just been subtly hinted at to "offer himself": ...