Ever since hearing Zhenzhen mention that Teacher Gu rice could enhance the fragrance of cooked rice with Ten-Mile Fragrance, Wei Qingxun had been having Luming Pavilion use this method to cook rice. Recently, with Teacher Gu rice supplies running low, she ordered people to go to Huzhou to purchase more. When Zhenzhen learned of this, she said to her: “Teacher Gu rice has had low yields these past two years, and prices have been driven up too much. It may not be worth buying now. Actually, there are many rice varieties in the Jiangnan and Liangzhe regions with excellent quality and flavor. For example, Huizhou has Peach Blossom Rice, which is white with a reddish tint and makes particularly fragrant and soft cooked rice. Suzhou has Red Lotus Rice, with plumper grains that are also very fragrant when eaten. Kunshan has a fragrant rice that grows by the lakeside, with an aroma surpassing even Red Lotus Rice. Additionally, Zhenjiang has Gray Crane, Reed Flower White, Early Red Mang, and Late Red Mang varieties, while Lin’an has Early Champa and the late-ripening Lei Li Basin – all are premium japonica rice varieties. Why don’t we buy some of each to try? Our customers might prefer them even more.”

Wei Qingxun thought this was feasible. Zhenzhen continued: “Since we’re going to these places to buy rice anyway, we might as well also purchase some of their finest glutinous rice, such as Huizhou’s Cattle Lice Glutinous, Lin’an’s Golden Hairpin Glutinous, Kunshan’s Black Silk Glutinous, Buddha’s Hand Glutinous, and Maiden’s Glutinous, and Zhenjiang’s Sheep Fat, Tiger Spot, and Cypress Branch varieties… all excellent glutinous rice suitable for making food products and brewing wine.”

“Truly someone who has supervised imperial cuisine tastings. When discussing the world’s grains, you know them like counting treasures,” Wei Qingxun laughed. “Originally it was just cooking some rice and brewing some wine – we don’t need so many different varieties. But hearing you list these lovely names, I’ve become quite interested and want to see what makes these rice varieties so special.”

Zhenzhen then made a list, and Wei Qingxun dispatched several groups to purchase from these rice-producing regions, ultimately buying back dozens of varieties. Zhenzhen recalled the imperial agricultural field outside Lin’an’s Jiahui Gate, where the emperor performed ritual plowing to encourage agriculture and pray for abundant harvests. It was arranged in a bagua pattern with a circular mound in the center surrounded by eight plots, each divided into four horizontal fields. Each field grew different crops – soybeans, small beans, barley, wheat, rice, millet, glutinous rice, sorghum, and panic grass. When the crops were growing, viewed from above, they displayed various colors that were quite pleasing to the eye. So Zhenzhen drew a diagram of the bagua field, adapted it for silver plate designs, and had silversmiths create several large silver plates that could hold food. She then filled each horizontal field section with japonica rice or some mixed grains of different origins, shapes, and colors, and filled the taiji section with white and black glutinous rice. These were steamed in large steamers, and any customer ordering banquets for eight or more people at Luming Pavilion or Zhanle Pavilion would receive one such bagua rice plate, along with a bagua diagram showing the names of grains in each section.

This bagua rice’s distinctive appearance was very eye-catching. When customers learned that each section contained grains from different regions with different flavors, they became even more interested, often taking small portions from each section to taste and comment on. Zhenzhen also had the serving girls sell various rice varieties in small cloth bags labeled with their names beside the tavern. Thus, customers who had tasted the bagua rice would often buy some of their preferred varieties to take home.

The bagua rice, which allowed diners to taste thirty-four different grains at once, quickly became famous throughout Ningguo Prefecture and attracted many new customers to the tavern. Many customers whose banquets had fewer than eight people would voluntarily pay to purchase it anyway. Some were gourmets who enjoyed studying fine cuisine, while others owned farmland and sought good seed varieties for cultivation. Wei Qingxun priced the small bags of rice quite high, yet buyers came in steady streams, and many varieties quickly sold out, forcing Wei Qingxun to rapidly send people to restock.

Based on which rice varieties sold out and feedback from tavern servers about customer opinions, Zhenzhen compiled a list of the most popular varieties and their purchasing locations, which she gave to Zhao Ai. She told him: “The dike project is progressing smoothly, and the wasteland within the dikes has been mostly allocated. The next step is letting landowners and tenant farmers choose seeds for cultivation. These varieties are ones that Luming Pavilion and Zhanle Pavilion customers are willing to pay for – they’re of excellent quality and could be recommended for widespread cultivation by farmers. If grown well with sufficient yields, they might even be sold to other regions.”

Zhao Ai showed slight pleasure: “I’m actually handling seed selection matters right now. Many tenant farmers who claimed wasteland for cultivation don’t even have money to buy rice seeds. I’ve decided to have the government purchase rice seeds and lend them for planting, with repayment after the crops mature. I’m currently considering where to make purchases, and it seems we think alike – your list comes at just the right time.”

Zhenzhen smiled: “I’m glad you can use it. I was worried you had already decided and my effort would be unnecessary.”

“Your opinions about food are always very reasonable. As long as you’re willing to tell me, I’m always willing to listen,” Zhao Ai’s tone was light but seemed very sincere. After a moment, he brought up another topic: “Oh, there’s another matter where I must ask for your help. Ningguo Prefecture is located south of the Yangtze River, and since ancient times, every household’s staple food has been rice. But after the Southern Migration, large numbers of northerners moved south. These northern migrants primarily eat wheat-based foods, while southerners grow little wheat. Not only in Ningguo Prefecture, but throughout Jiangnan and Liangzhe, flour supply cannot meet demand, so wheat prices have soared. His Majesty has always advocated that farmers plant rice in the fifth month, harvest in the tenth month, then plow the fields again to plant secondary wheat, with the wheat maturing and being harvested in the fourth month of the following year, after which they can continue planting rice. This way, with rice and wheat crops twice a year, secondary wheat production greatly increases, stabilizing wheat prices while preventing land from lying idle for several months. However, southerners value rice and slight secondary wheat. Ningguo Prefecture farmers are the same – most would rather plant double-crop rice than secondary wheat. But whether early or late rice, neither can survive winter, so from a land utilization perspective, it’s not as good as the rice-wheat rotation. Could you lead the tavern chefs in making more delicious wheat-based foods for more people to taste and accept, so farmers realize the benefits of growing wheat and voluntarily plant it?”

Zhenzhen pondered briefly, then told Zhao Ai: “Let me think about it. I should be able to try.”

Zhenzhen decided to approach this matter in a more attention-grabbing way. She convinced Wei Qingxun to let her set up a temporary circular outdoor kitchen in the courtyard where the flower-pinning gatherings were held, every seven days. She would make wheat-based foods and pastries there, allowing customers and passersby to watch, and posted a notice at the courtyard entrance publicly recruiting skilled wheat-food makers to challenge her. Challengers would compete with Zhenzhen in the courtyard kitchen, each making one wheat-based dish while being watched by spectators. When finished, both dishes would be sold simultaneously at the tavern entrance in equal quantities, with each customer limited to one purchase. Whoever sold out first would win. If a challenger won, Zhenzhen would immediately have ten strings of cash presented as a reward and negotiate a price with them for transferring the recipe and preparation method, licensing Luming Pavilion and Zhanle Pavilion to prepare and sell it thereafter.

Zhenzhen had already learned to make various wheat-based foods at the Royal Kitchen. Now, besides staple foods like Imperial Academy steamed buns and smooth noodles, she often chose items rarely seen by locals: sugar hazelnuts, sugar crisps, boiled sand balls, snowflake crisps… Each time she made something different, with dazzling techniques and exquisite pastry shapes that made spectators instantly appetite. Once displayed, they were quickly snapped up. People often volunteered to challenge her, but few could defeat Zhenzhen. Gradually, these courtyard kitchen challenges became another major event at Luming Pavilion after the flower-pinning gatherings. On appointed days, people would come early to queue for viewing, and skilled wheat-food makers throughout Ningguo Prefecture, whether professional chefs or ordinary housewives, were eager to try their luck at winning the substantial prize money or defeating Zhenzhen to achieve fame overnight. Zhenzhen also found several small storefronts in the city to open wheat-food shops under Luming Pavilion’s banner. After each challenge, the winning wheat-food item would be sold at these shops the next day. Through word-of-mouth from spectators who had watched the challenges, wheat-food sales were quite good. People who had watched Zhenzhen make wheat-based foods often wanted to try imitating her at home. When they succeeded, their interest in wheat-based foods greatly increased, and they bought more and more flour.

On this day, Zhenzhen decided to publicly make a capital delicacy called Jade-Filled Lung, while her challenger appeared to be an outsider – a thin scholar in his forties who seemed to have traveled to this place. Originally just coming to watch the excitement, seeing no one stepping forward to challenge and noticing the prepared ingredients included what he needed, he spoke up saying he could make some Oil Grippers, “Please instruct me, Madam Song.”

The two prepared their ingredients and began working busily in the temporary kitchen. Zhenzhen’s Jade-Filled Lung was made by mixing flour with oil cake, sesame, pine nuts, walnuts, and fennel, rolling it out and forming it into a long roll, then steaming it in a steamer and cutting it into pieces for eating. The nuts mixed into the hot steamed roll created a sweet fragrance and were beneficial to health, so this pastry had always been beloved by nobles in the capital. The scholar’s Oil Grippers were a type of oil cake. The dough preparation was nothing special, but the filling he chose was pickled dried preserved vegetables with fatty pork belly. He slightly soaked and cleaned the preserved vegetables, chopped them finely, diced the pork belly, mixed them together with seasonings, wrapped them into cakes, and pan-fried them until cooked. The shape was unremarkable, and no special aroma emerged when cooked, but when he and Zhenzhen, following custom, cut their finished pastries into small pieces for the surrounding crowd to taste first, many people showed strong interest in these Oil Grippers, repeatedly asking if they could have another piece.

Zhenzhen also took a piece of Oil Gripper to taste. Upon chewing, rich fat flavors filled her mouth. The preserved vegetables that had absorbed the oil had a salty, fragrant taste that complemented the meat perfectly, harmonizing seamlessly and becoming more fragrant with each bite. It was a very homely flavor, like something made by an old grandmother to accompany rice. While eating, this uncomplicated small pastry and the warmth it conveyed to her palm together would quickly make one feel the small comfort that homely winter days could bring.

When both wheat-based foods were sent to the tavern entrance for sale, the Oil Grippers indeed had a slight advantage, selling out while the Jade-Filled Lung still had two portions left. Zhenzhen admitted defeat wholeheartedly and asked the scholar about the fee for allowing Luming Pavilion to make these Oil Grippers. The scholar laughed: “This is my family’s everyday food. Both ingredients and preparation are nothing special, and I don’t make a living from cooking. If you want to make it, just do so – no need to pay me. During this visit to Ningguo Prefecture, I’ve also heard about some of Madam Song’s deeds. If I’m not mistaken, Madam Song’s main purpose in this endeavor is not profit, but rather to guide local residents to value secondary wheat through public wheat-food demonstrations, promoting secondary wheat cultivation. If so, the wheat-based foods you demonstrate might be made even simpler in ingredients and preparation, making them easier for residents to imitate. This would be more beneficial for spreading the practice, even passing it down to future generations.”

Zhao Ai knew about Zhenzhen’s activities that day. After handling official business, he strolled to Luming Pavilion to watch. By then the spectators had dispersed, but Zhenzhen was still conversing with the scholar in the courtyard. Seeing Zhenzhen chatting with the man with such radiant joy and smiles, Zhao Ai immediately felt somewhat displeased. He coughed once and slowly walked toward them. Zhenzhen turned her head and saw him, smiling as she invited him over to meet the scholar: “This is Mr. Zeng Zhijin.”

Hearing Zhao Ai’s identity, Zeng Zhijin immediately bowed deeply in salute. Zhao Ai returned the courtesy gracefully, though his expression remained indifferent. Zeng Zhijin soon took his leave. Zhenzhen saw him to the door, not forgetting to repeatedly invite him: “Mr. Zeng, you must come to tomorrow’s banquet at Luming Pavilion!”

When she returned, Zhao Ai asked why she was so enthusiastic toward Zeng Zhijin. Zhenzhen explained the day’s events, then said: “Mr. Zeng comes from a scholarly family. His grandfather’s brother, Zeng Anzhi, was a jinshi degree holder during the Xining years. Lamenting that scholars of the time only enjoyed writing about flowers and trees while neglecting agricultural matters, he wrote a treatise on rice called ‘Grain Manual.’ Mr. Zeng Zhijin also dedicates himself to studying agricultural matters and is very knowledgeable about seed selection and cultivation. He’s currently writing a treatise on farming tools called ‘Agricultural Implements Manual.’ Qingxun has invited the rural gentry of Ningguo Prefecture who own large amounts of land to attend lunch at Luming Pavilion tomorrow. I’ve asked Mr. Zeng to join them and share some agricultural knowledge. You should come tomorrow too.”

Zhao Ai hesitated: “Tomorrow I have many official duties. I don’t know if I can make it…”

“You must come,” Zhenzhen told him. “Qingxun told the gentry that you would attend, and only then did they all agree to come.”

At the next day’s lunch banquet, with the gentry all gathered together, Wei Qingxun deliberately asked Zhao Ai about the dike construction progress. Zhao Ai introduced the project’s development, and Wei Qingxun continued: “I recently bought a large tract of land at Huimin Dike. That land originally had its own private dike, but it’s been in disrepair for years and now has gaps everywhere. I wonder if the public dike is being built sturdy enough – can we just wait quietly for the public dike to be completed, or must we still build private dikes for the land within the dikes?”

Zhao Ai said: “Although the public dike is sturdy, to be safe, you should still build another private dike for the private fields within the dikes. This way, if there’s a major flood and water overflows the public dike, there will still be a private dike inside to protect the fields. This double protection will ensure the land can yield good harvests regardless of drought or flood.”

Wei Qingxun laughed and said this made sense, immediately expressing her intention to build a private dike for her land. Zhao Ai also smiled and expressed that once she completed it, he would publicly commend her. The seated gentry immediately became restless, chiming in one after another, competing to express their willingness to build private dikes for their own lands. Zhenzhen then asked Wei Qingxun: “I see that the land the pavilion owner bought is near wasteland recently claimed by tenant farmers for cultivation. They certainly can’t afford to build private dikes. I wonder if the pavilion owner could help them by building this area as well?”

“What difficulty is there in that?” Wei Qingxun laughed, immediately having someone bring a map of Huimin Dike. She took up a brush and drew a line, also circling the wasteland area near her fields. “Let’s build along this route.”

Now the other gentry didn’t dare simply follow her lead. Although private dikes weren’t as tall or wide as public dikes and cost much less, including nearby wasteland would still require enormous expenses. So everyone either looked at each other speechlessly or stared at their noses and hearts, no longer speaking up.

Wei Qingxun deliberately pushed the map toward Squire Wang nearby, pointing as she said: “I originally wanted to extend this line a bit further, but looking at it, that area is close to Squire Wang’s property. With the squire’s capabilities, surely he doesn’t need a junior like me to manage affairs of neighboring land? If I build the private dike near the squire’s property, I fear people will say I’m young and don’t know better, deliberately showing off in front of the squire.”

Squire Wang had no choice but to smile awkwardly: “That wasteland is adjacent to my property – it’s fate. I should naturally build a private dike there as well.”

After speaking, he also took up a brush and circled the area he planned to build.

Seeing this, the other gentry, in front of Zhao Ai, couldn’t continue remaining silent. One by one they drew circles, claiming all the private dike construction for wasteland within the public dike.

Seeing this result, Zhao Ai was in excellent spirits. He smiled and raised his cup to thank everyone, introduced Zeng Zhijin to them, and while toasting, guided everyone to consult Zeng Zhijin about seed selection and choosing novel, useful farming tools. Everyone gradually opened their hearts, toasting each other and drinking heartily until the wine warmed their ears and host and guests were all satisfied.

Afterward, Zhao Ai asked Zhenzhen if she had persuaded Wei Qingxun to build the private dike. Zhenzhen said: “She first noticed that my public wheat-food demonstrations weren’t for profit and asked about my purpose. I said that after earning money to a certain amount, it no longer affects one’s life – it’s just numbers constantly increasing in account books. She’s already become Ningguo Prefecture’s wealthiest person. A little more or less money doesn’t really matter, but using some unusable money to do good deeds and benefit the people is virtuous behavior that will bring good fortune. Moreover, isn’t enabling more people to live stable and prosperous lives more meaningful than earning more unusable money for yourself? She thought this made sense, so I took the opportunity to suggest she build private dikes. However, setting up this banquet to have the gentry also contribute money for dike construction was her own idea.”

The following April, the Huimin Dike project was halfway complete, and considerable wasteland within the dikes had been reclaimed. Near the Grain Full solar term, Zhao Ai came to invite Zhenzhen to go together to Huimin Dike to see the wheat that had been planted last winter and was now ready for harvest.

The two each rode a horse, galloping along the completed dike toward the golden wheat fields. All along the way, pleasant breezes blew gently, willows swayed on the embankment, and heavy wheat ears within the dikes rose and fell in the wind, creating wheat waves that reflected the sun with a soft radiance.

They stopped beside a boundless wheat field. Zhao Ai pointed to the wheat field and told Zhenzhen: “The owner of this wheat field originally only wanted to plant double-crop rice and planned to be lazy in winter, sleeping through it. But after eating the wheat-based foods you made and seeing the spectacle of thousands competing to buy flour, he finally changed his mind. At the last moment, he found people to plow and plant wheat to survive the winter.”

“He was quite lucky,” Zhenzhen smiled. “From last year to this year, the weather has been favorable with timely rain and snow. The wheat ears have grown well – he’s sure to make a fortune.”

Zhao Ai also smiled: “I wonder if there are any double-eared wheat among these wheat ears. If one wheat stalk grows two ears, it would be considered auspicious, a symbol of harmonious times, abundant years, and peace throughout the land.”

“Shall we go into the field to look?” Zhenzhen suggested.

Zhao Ai smiled and nodded. So the two tied their horses to the willows on the embankment and descended the steps into the wheat field to search for double-eared wheat. After bending and searching carefully for a long time without finding any, Zhenzhen straightened up to wipe her sweat. Disappointed, she gazed wistfully into the distance when she heard Zhao Ai call out behind her: “There seems to be one over there!”

Zhenzhen turned to look and indeed saw what appeared to be two ears growing on a wheat stalk not far in front of Zhao Ai. She immediately broke into a smile and hurried over, but while moving, she suddenly felt she had stepped on something soft and slippery. Looking down, she was instantly terrified out of her wits: she had stepped on a snake that was now coiling upward and wrapping around her calf.

Hearing Zhenzhen’s scream, Zhao Ai quickly came over. Seeing the situation, without thinking, he reached out and forcibly pulled the snake off Zhenzhen’s calf. He had grabbed the snake’s middle section, and the snake struggled to coil around Zhao Ai’s right hand, instantly biting his forearm.

Zhao Ai pulled the snake off with his left hand and threw it in the field, then drew his sword with his right hand and slashed several times, cutting the snake into pieces. Seeing Zhenzhen’s face pale as death, he smiled reassuringly at her: “It’s from the field – probably just a water snake. Nothing to worry about.”

Zhenzhen came over to examine the snake carefully. Seeing its black back with white horizontal stripes, it didn’t look like a harmless water snake. She immediately became anxious and took Zhao Ai’s hand to examine the wound.

Zhao Ai still smiled and said it didn’t hurt, but soon after, Zhenzhen noticed his right hand seemed unable to move, and blood was gradually seeping from the wound. Zhenzhen looked anxiously at the deserted surroundings, feeling both worried and sad as two tears fell from her eyes.

“It’s fine, doesn’t hurt at all. My hand is just a bit numb…” Zhao Ai was still trying to comfort her.

Seeing they could only save themselves, Zhenzhen made a quick decision. She took out her handkerchief to tie tightly around his arm above the wound, slowing the poison’s progress through his bloodstream, then gripped his forearm with both hands, lowered her head to the wound, and began sucking out the poisoned blood.

Zhao Ai immediately tried to pull his hand away, but Zhenzhen held on with all her strength, not allowing him to withdraw it. She persisted in sucking the wound’s blood from dark to bright red before releasing him, turning to spit the remaining blood in her mouth onto the ground.

After Zhenzhen’s breathing steadied, she went to help Zhao Ai, wanting to take him back to mount the horses and reach populated areas. But the snake’s poison seemed very potent. After walking only a few steps, Zhao Ai’s legs weakened and he fell in the wheat field. His heart raced as he clutched his chest and panted for a while, then suddenly began vomiting. After vomiting until bile came up, he smiled weakly and said he felt better, struggled to walk about ten feet, but still felt dizzy and his knees buckled, causing him to fall to the ground again. This time he gave up trying to move forward and simply lay back in the wheat field.

Although Zhenzhen spat out the poisoned blood after each suck, some poison inevitably remained in her mouth. She now also felt dizzy and nauseous with weak limbs, so she too collapsed beside Zhao Ai.

“If it weren’t for trying to save me, you wouldn’t have been bitten by the snake,” Zhenzhen said sadly, looking up at a wisp of cloud on the horizon. “It seems I’m an unlucky person who brought misfortune to your elder brother and now has implicated you too.”

“How can you blame yourself? I was the one who wanted to bring you to see the wheat field,” Zhao Ai smiled lightly. “You don’t blame me but instead blame yourself – what kind of logic is that?”

After they were both silent for a moment, Zhao Ai said: “There’s a question I’ve always wanted to ask you, but I didn’t dare. Now I fear if I don’t ask, I’ll never have another chance…”

Zhenzhen then said: “Ask whatever you want to ask.”

Zhao Ai asked: “What do you like about elder brother?”

Zhenzhen thought for a moment and said: “He’s like sunlight. Being with him, I always feel warm no matter what.”

“What about Lin Hong?” Zhao Ai pressed.

“He’s moonlight. A pool of autumn water and a round moon, untainted by dust. Looking at him then, I felt inner peace,” Zhenzhen answered seriously.

Zhao Ai tried to look completely unconcerned: “What about me? What kind of light am I?”

“You… are a kind of dancing light,” Zhenzhen considered carefully and answered slowly.

Zhao Ai blinked: “Starlight?”

Zhenzhen smiled: “You’re a glowing firefly.”

“They are the light of sun and moon, illuminating the earth, while I’m just a firefly?” Zhao Ai couldn’t help but be surprised, then laughed self-deprecatingly. “Well, well, being a firefly, circling around you never leaving, with only faint glimmering light lit for you alone – that’s not bad either. This way, even if you’re in endless dark night, you can still see a firefly’s light dancing.”

Zhenzhen curved her lips slightly, wanting to show him a smile, but her heart ached faintly at this moment. Remembering everything he had silently done for her before, she felt only guilt toward him.

“Moreover, the sun and moon are too far from you, but I’m very close to you,” Zhao Ai continued. “So close that if you reach out, you can hold me in your palm… though you don’t want to.”

Zhenzhen turned her head away to avoid letting him see her tearful eyes.

Zhao Ai smiled wistfully and brought up past events: “When Lin Hong refused to marry you, I wanted to step forward to protect you, but I hadn’t thought of what to say… In that moment of hesitation, elder brother beat me to it… Actually, why think so much? I should have just stepped out, pulled you onto my horse, given Lin Hong a cold, proud look, and ridden away… In losing to elder brother initially, I lost by just half a move…”

Seeing Zhenzhen remain silent, he sighed and looked at the light clouds on the horizon and golden radiance all around, savoring this good time with her beside him. Finally deciding to risk everything, he tried to control his increasingly numb tongue and said to Zhenzhen: “Since I probably won’t live to see tomorrow anyway, I might as well speak my heart: in this beautiful scene, I only want to be a worldly farmer who would knock down the sun with a staff and embrace you with both arms into our room.”

After saying this, he felt completely relieved. His initial dizziness gradually faded, and now he felt somewhat drowsy. He closed his eyes peacefully in the warm sunlight, temporarily not thinking about what expression Zhenzhen might have at this moment.