At the beginning of Summer, Lin Yan didn’t return from the office until the evening bell. His grandmother had been waiting to have dinner with him.
After washing up and changing into casual clothes, Lin Yan went to his grandmother’s courtyard.
“Elder Brother, you’re back!” Madam Jiang’s face lit up with joy.
Lin Yan smiled, “I told you not to wait for me – you shouldn’t go hungry.”
“How could I not wait? With Father and Mother gone, eating alone is so dull.” Madam Jiang first pouted, then smiled again.
Lin Yan had long, narrow eyes that slanted slightly upward at the corners, but with an unusually straight middle section – an atypical phoenix eye shape that could seem unapproachable when not smiling. Now as his eyes curved in a smile, his whole face softened. “What did you do at home today?”
“I made sachets with Ah Chang – it’s the Beginning of Summer today.”
“Oh, is it?” Lin Yan ladled a bowl of vegetable and egg drop soup for his grandmother.
Since only grandmother and grandson were eating, rather than serving food separately, they gathered around one large table as in modern times, to make it livelier.
“I knew you’d be too busy to remember!” Madam Jiang moved over two plates of cakes. “These are our homemade red date cakes, and these are from others – I picked one or two of each kind, try them and see which tastes better?”
Today at court, the Emperor had bestowed seasonal cakes and pastries. At the Capital Prefecture office, lunch had included cakes, and now at home two more plates of cakes sat before him. Meeting his grandmother’s eager gaze, Lin Yan smiled and picked up a piece.
“Our date cakes are very good this year, though there’s a bit too much milk.” Not just milk – there was too much sugar too. His grandmother’s taste had dulled with age, so the kitchen made everything stronger to suit her palate.
Lin Yan discreetly sipped some tea to wash down the overly sweet pastry, then picked up a white round one. Taking a bite, he found the glutinous rice wrapper had good chewiness, with fine bean paste filling – somewhat like the palace’s rouge cakes, but not as sweet. It was surprisingly good. “Which household sent these?”
The maidservant behind Madam Jiang answered, “From Guangming Temple next door.”
Madam Jiang smiled too, “Their Master Ciming makes good assorted wontons – I didn’t expect their cakes would be good too.”
No one corrected Madam Jiang that Guangming Temple’s abbess was Master Yuanjue, not Master Ciming who was from Hedong’s Jingxin Temple and had passed away twenty years ago – just as no one told her that before her was her grandson, not the elder brother she believed him to be.
Madam Jiang continued talking about Master Ciming’s milk-soup carp, “The soup was rich, milky white, with floating bits of tender scallion – so delicious.”
“Next time when we have fresh carp, we’ll have them make soup too.” Lin Yan put some shredded bamboo shoots on his grandmother’s small plate.
After dinner and chatting with his grandmother for a while, Lin Yan withdrew.
In his study, Manager Zhou presented the day’s gift lists and return gift lists. Though nominally for summer cakes, who would send just cakes? Each list was quite long.
Manager Zhou was experienced in handling gifts and returning gifts. Lin Yan only briefly looked through them before handing them back.
Manager Zhou added with a smile, “Two temples also sent cakes, and we gave the customary basket money.” Since the master neither revered Buddha nor believed in Taoism, they simply followed the capital’s general customs regarding visiting clergy.
Lin Yan nodded indifferently, “Handle it as you see fit.”
Manager Zhou, presuming on his closeness, added with a smile, “Young Master should take a wife. Having a mistress handle social obligations would be more proper.”
Lin Yan gave a noncommittal “mm” and lowered his head to read.
Manager Zhou was confused by his master’s response – was that agreement or just acknowledgment?
Shen Shaoguang also ate cakes all day. The temple received many worshippers bringing offerings, which naturally went to the nuns afterward. Some sent cakes out and received basket money and summer cakes in return, resulting in quite a collection of various cakes and pastries at the temple.
Jing Qing picked out two plates of the finest ones and personally brought them to Shen Shaoguang, smiling, “Thanks to Benefactor Shen’s guidance these past days, we made excellent summer cakes that brought many faces to our temple. The Duke of Lu’s wife and Secretary Ye’s wife personally praised them, saying they matched the quality of palace banquet pastries.” She didn’t mention that the basket money was more generous than in previous years.
During festivals, temples sending food to households served two purposes: maintaining relationships and soliciting donations. No proper household would let them return with empty baskets – they would put some valuables in the baskets, called “basket money,” which was an accepted way for temples to earn money.
Shen Shaoguang naturally told her not to be so polite.
“We’ve eaten so many good things from Benefactor Shen, today I’ve kept the best offerings for you to try ours.”
Shen Shaoguang smiled, “Then I’ll taste them to see which are excellent, and perhaps copy the recipes later.”
Jing Qing laughed, “Not to boast, but in my opinion, none are better than ours.”
Shen Shaoguang smiled even more. She knew Jing Qing was grateful for her help. This nun might not have great insight into Buddhist teachings or be particularly clever, but she was honest and sincere, earning the trust of all the temple’s nuns.
Shen Shaoguang brewed tea with her remaining preserved peony flowers, and they drank tea and ate pastries together.
“Did Master Jing Qing deliver these cakes personally?”
“How could I deliver them all? I only went to several households in this ward and some familiar ones outside. The rest were delivered by other sisters.”
Shen Shaoguang nodded.
Perhaps because she was particularly happy today, Jing Qing went on to share gossip about the capital’s wealthy households.
“The Duke of Lu’s household is increasingly grand – if we hadn’t had previous contact, we probably couldn’t even enter their gate now. It shows that Concubine Su truly is favored in the palace.”
Shen Shaoguang nodded – Concubine Su was indeed favored.
“I wonder what kind of beauty Concubine Su is?” Jing Qing said softly, “Though the Duke’s wife is imposing, her looks aren’t particularly remarkable. However, their Second Miss is a beauty.”
When chatting about gossip, the worst thing is to only listen and not contribute, so Shen Shaoguang shared her knowledge: “The current Duchess of Lu is the second wife. Concubine Su was left by the first wife, but I’m not sure which wife this Second Miss came from.”
Jing Qing acted as if suddenly understanding, then added, “Judging by their looks, they don’t seem to be birth mother and daughter, but they’re very close in their interactions.” She sighed, “The Duchess is truly virtuous and refined!”
Shen Shaoguang agreed with her: “Truly virtuous and refined.”
“Not only has Second Miss grown more beautiful, but she’s also become more devoted to Buddhist affairs. Hearing that we’re in Chongxian Ward, not far from the Duke’s mansion, she said she wanted to stay a few days to worship Buddha and pray for blessings.”
Shen Shaoguang continued the polite conversation: “She’s a devout young lady.”
Within a few days, Shen Shaoguang became neighbors with this devout young lady.