As night fell, Willow Leaf anxiously waited by the wall for Ji Cheng’s return. Upon seeing her, Willow Leaf hurried over, noticing Ji Cheng’s sweat-dampened bangs clinging to her forehead. “Young Miss, what happened?” she asked urgently.
Still shaken, Ji Cheng merely shook her head. “Don’t ask.”
Even as she lay in bed later, Ji Cheng could scarcely believe her encounter with the Second Young Master of the Shen family atop the Deyue Pavilion, a place where meeting anyone seemed impossible.
Ji Cheng sighed, turning over. If only she hadn’t been so honest with Hong’er earlier, simply expressing sympathy for his longing for his mother would have sufficed. Why did she have to discuss pleasing others with a child? Now, Shen Che likely saw her as overly talkative, possibly even scheming.
Ji Cheng hoped Shen Che wasn’t one to gossip and resolved to avoid him at all costs in the future, lest he remember her existence.
As April 24th drew near, preparations for the garden, screens, and unique flowerpots were complete. While there was no shortage of flower varieties, truly exceptional blooms were scarce. Adequate for an ordinary flower banquet, perhaps, but hardly sufficient for the grand “Hundred Flower Banquet” meant to outshine Fourth Miss Wang’s “Peony Banquet”.
Not only was the short-tempered Shen Cui anxious, but even Shen Yuan’s worry manifested in a small pimple at the corner of her mouth. The young ladies gathered in the waterside pavilion, awaiting news from Shen Qian.
As Shen Qian emerged from the flower garden, still catching her breath, Shen Yuan urgently inquired, “Fourth Sister, any news from Second Brother?”
Shen Qian stamped her foot in frustration. “I spoke to him last time, and he only promised to try his best. Since then, I haven’t seen hide or hair of him. Today, I had to interrogate his servant Tong Yue to learn that he’s been bewitched by some vixen outside and hasn’t even returned home. Yet he’s somehow kept Mother completely in the dark about it.”
Disappointed, Shen Yuan and Shen Cui leaned back heavily. Shen Yuan said dejectedly, “Well, I suppose this will have to do. We must thank Cheng Mei for finding those rare camellias. Even though our camellia season has passed, having these few to showcase isn’t too shabby.”
At Shen Yuan’s words, Shen Qian, Su Yun, and Shen Cui all turned to look at Ji Cheng, who smiled bashfully. “It’s nothing. As you know, my family is in trade, so we have connections with all sorts of people. When it comes to information, these folks are often more well-informed than many others. I simply asked them to inquire about flower growers with rare specimens. It’s no great feat.”
Ji Cheng’s modesty endeared her further to Shen Yuan and Shen Qian. “Fifth Sister’s influence played a part too,” Ji Cheng added. “If I had gone to request these family heirlooms, they might not have agreed. It took the Shen family’s prestige to secure them.”
This thoughtful comment even accounted for Shen Cui’s pride.
“Sister Cheng is so capable. I feel useless in comparison,” Su Yun said, somewhat downcast.
Shen Qian quickly consoled her, “You’ve only just arrived from the south, unfamiliar with the capital. Of course, you couldn’t locate flowers in strangers’ homes. But Sister Yun, your garden arrangements are uniquely beautiful. Many of our flower hills were designed by you, and even the Old Madam praised them.”
Su Yun’s face brightened at this. “Really? I’m so glad I could help.”
That afternoon, Ji Cheng accompanied Shen Yuan to learn culinary arts from Cook Liu as usual. As they walked side by side, Ji Cheng spoke up, “Sister Yuan, yesterday my family’s shopkeeper mentioned a household on Cloud Pond Mountain on the outskirts of the capital. They have several pots of five-colored chrysanthemums that are currently blooming.”
“How is that possible? Chrysanthemums don’t bloom until September,” Shen Yuan exclaimed in surprise.
“Indeed, I found it strange too. But the shopkeeper seemed quite certain. I told him to buy them regardless of the cost, but he said the family isn’t ordinary—they’re the household of Academician Du, who retired five years ago. Academician Du refuses to part with them, and the shopkeeper is at a loss. Sister Yuan, I thought perhaps someone acquainted with Academician Du might have a chance to negotiate.”
Ji Cheng lowered her eyes slightly. “I’m sorry, Sister Yuan. I wish I could be of more help.”
“Nonsense, you’ve already been of immense help. Academician Du, you say? As it happens, my father has some old collegial ties with him. I’ll go handle this right away. Tell Cook Liu I have a business this afternoon.” With that, Shen Yuan hurried off. It was already April 21st; there was no time to waste.
Ji Cheng hadn’t expected Shen Yuan to be so impulsive. She could only shake her head with a smile as she made her way alone to Cook Liu’s kitchen.
Cook Liu’s kitchen was spacious. Apart from the wall lined with stoves, the other walls were flanked by neat rows of cabinets filled with an array of jars and bottles. These contained various seasonings and dried ingredients Cook Liu had collected over years of travels, as well as her homemade condiments.
Like its owner, the kitchen was impeccably clean and orderly. Ji Cheng thought that if she ever became a household mistress, she’d want her kitchen to be just like this. However, she doubted she could find a cook as skilled as Cook Liu. In Ji Cheng’s opinion, Cook Liu had long wished to leave the Shen household, but given the family’s influence, she couldn’t depart until Shen Yuan married.
If it were the Ji family, Cook Liu wouldn’t have given them a second thought before leaving. Talented individuals often had strong personalities.
“Aunt Liu,” Ji Cheng called respectfully, then retrieved her apron from the cabinet by the door. The apron, mandated by Cook Liu, was a reverse-style garment that covered the neck and arms completely, with tightly bound cuffs to prevent sleeves from dipping into bowls. She then donned a cap to contain all her hair, preventing any strands from falling into the food.
“The Third Young Lady isn’t here?” Cook Liu inquired.
“Third Sister had an urgent matter to attend to,” Ji Cheng replied.
Cook Liu snorted. What urgent matter? Shen Yuan simply didn’t take learning culinary skills seriously. Initially, when the Zhongyi Marquis household had repeatedly invited her to join them, Cook Liu had hoped to further enhance her reputation through the marquis’s household and believed Shen Yuan was genuinely eager to learn. Only after joining did she discover that the Third Young Lady’s interest in cooking was merely to appease her future in-laws, with no real passion for culinary arts. Moreover, the original kitchen staff had united against her, making it difficult for Cook Liu to gain favor with the masters. Not one to ingratiate herself, Cook Liu found the situation increasingly stifling.
Ji Cheng’s presence had been like a warm current in Cook Liu’s heart.
So, this afternoon, Cook Liu deviated from the usual lesson plan. She piled a variety of ingredients before Ji Cheng, instructing her to cook freely, while she went to supervise the kitchen maids in organizing utensils.
Ji Cheng thought to herself that Aunt Liu was being rather irresponsible. After all, she had always taken her culinary lessons seriously, respecting those with genuine skill.
However, Ji Cheng had a commendable quality: regardless of how Cook Liu treated her, she would never disappoint herself. Since she had free time anyway, she took a deep breath, cleared her mind, and carefully examined the ingredients before her. They were common vegetables and meats, but she had a particular fondness for beef. Upon confirming it was beef brisket, she decided to make a braised dish.
Braised beef was a common dish, but it posed no challenge for Ji Cheng. She brought down Cook Liu’s spice jars, carefully sniffing their contents. Recently, she had noticed a strange dried spice in one of Aunt Liu’s jars, rarely used in cooking. Somehow, its aroma seemed to complement beef perfectly. She had been waiting for a chance to experiment with it, and now seemed like the perfect opportunity.
As Ji Cheng simmered the beef in an earthenware pot, her hands became idle. She couldn’t resist playing with a piece of beef on the bone, contemplating how to cook it. She toyed with the idea of using the grill, which would result in tender meat.
With a few small pieces of beef left, Ji Cheng tried various methods. Finally, she used an unusual flat-bottomed iron pan to fry the bone-in beef on both sides. Due to misjudging the timing, she removed it from the pan while the inside still had traces of blood. Surprisingly, the beef was exceptionally tender, though it lacked appropriate seasoning.
Ji Cheng experimented with everything from zhu yu to pepper, trying all of Cook Liu’s seasonings. Finally, she discovered an imported black pepper with a unique flavor.
Throughout the afternoon, Ji Cheng prepared several sauces: mushroom-flavored, spicy, black pepper, and even cumin-flavored.
But her most impressive feat was maintaining her cleanliness throughout all this cooking. Only a light sheen of sweat on her forehead, easily dabbed away with a handkerchief, betrayed her efforts.
“Are you at war with beef or something?” Cook Liu remarked upon entering and seeing that the prepared ten jin of beef had been completely used up.
“Aunt, please try some,” Ji Cheng offered excitedly, handing chopsticks to Cook Liu.
Cook Liu sampled a piece of bone-in beef. “Not bad. It’s appropriately tender, and the natural beef flavor is prominent. A splash of wine to remove the gaminess would perfect it.”
“Yes, Aunt,” Ji Cheng agreed with a smile.
“What’s simmering in the pot?” Cook Liu inquired.
“Also beef stew, but it’s not quite ready,” Ji Cheng replied.
Cook Liu lifted the lid of the earthenware pot to reveal a vibrant red mixture. Surprisingly, it was stewed with tomatoes, a relatively new ingredient in China. It was an unusual combination. Cook Liu frowned as she tasted the broth, finding it unexpectedly flavorful.
Inwardly, Cook Liu felt a twinge of regret. This young Miss Ji was indeed talented. Beyond the keen eye and sensitive palate required of a cook, the ability to innovate was an even rarer skill.
But despite her appreciation for talent, Cook Liu knew that Ji Cheng could never inherit her culinary legacy. What a waste of her natural gifts.
“I’ve tasted this beef. The flavor is good, but the cut of meat isn’t ideal. It’s not the most tender part of the cow,” Cook Liu commented.
Ji Cheng nodded, aware of her shortcomings.
“However, your sauce preparation is commendable. You’re bold in your ideas and execution,” Cook Liu praised without reservation.
Ji Cheng’s eyes curved with joy at the compliment. Cook Liu was known for her seriousness, and earning even a word of praise from her was no small feat.
“Young Lady, if you’re interested, you can come half an hour early in the future. I’ll teach you how to identify ingredients,” Cook Liu offered.
While culinary skills weren’t essential for Ji Cheng, she believed in the adage that knowledge never burdens its bearer. Since she had free time anyway, learning wouldn’t hurt.
The next day, Ji Cheng had expected to hear good news from Shen Yuan but instead found her looking worried. “Sister Yuan, what’s wrong? Did Academician Du refuse to part with his flowers?” she asked.
“Academician Du loves his flowers like his life. He retired and retreated to the mountains just to nurture them. The ‘Five Dragon Cluster’ took him ten years to cultivate. He refuses to lend them out, saying they won’t survive away from Cloud Pond Mountain,” Shen Yuan replied with a hint of complaint. “Even with my father’s close relationship with him, he wouldn’t budge an inch.”
“Did the person you sent ask why the Five Dragon Cluster can’t leave Cloud Pond Mountain?” Ji Cheng inquired. “I’m thinking it could be because the mountain mist benefits them, or perhaps because Cloud Pond Mountain’s high altitude makes the climate cooler than ours. Chrysanthemums are autumn flowers that prefer cold to heat. Moving them down to our location might indeed be fatal for them. Why don’t you send someone to ask again? Perhaps we could borrow them for just one day and return them overnight. Would that work?” Ji Cheng suggested.
“We can only try,” Shen Yuan replied, feeling helpless.