In the spring of the first year of Jinghe, Deng Ying brought me home from the inner court.

I was full of energy and immediately started planning renovations as soon as we got to Deng Ying’s house.

I was born in the late 90s and was among the first generation of internet users. When I was young, I loved playing with room decoration in the QQ Show, dreaming of one day having my own house where I could decide the style, choose elements I liked, and participate in designing every detail. Unfortunately, before I could save enough money to buy a house, I arrived in Deng Ying’s Great Ming Dynasty. Though material civilization had gone back six hundred years, I wasn’t worried—I had Deng Ying, which was like having my construction team.

But well…

My excitement only lasted a day.

Sometimes, I have to admit that fortunes can change dramatically over time.

I had once confined Deng Ying to bed for over half a month, and now he was doing the same to me. I had to suppress my urge to go shopping for building materials and temporarily become a homebody.

According to Doctor Li who was treating me, my illness came from mental and physical exhaustion, and recovery was crucial—it couldn’t rely on medicine alone.

This Doctor Li was recommended by Yang Lun. He was an especially good person, very patient, though a bit chatty. Deng Ying originally didn’t talk much, but after spending time with him, he gradually became influenced.

“You need to take medicine, and follow dietary therapy too.”

“I’ll write it down.”

After speaking, Deng Ying went to get paper and brush, rolled up his sleeves, dipped the brush in ink, and looked at Doctor Li: “Please proceed, Doctor.”

Doctor Li smiled: “Sir, you cook as well? Why not wait for the young lady who used to serve your wife to return, and I can tell her instead?”

Deng Ying held the brush and smiled shyly, “That young lady is the manager of Qingbo House, not someone I can order around. In my household… I’m the only one doing the work, please tell me directly.”

Doctor Li smiled: “Alright then, listen carefully. Codonopsis pilosula and Solomon’s seal duck soup. Ah, this is an excellent dish, very beneficial for your wife’s lung condition. Remember, it must be an old duck. Remove the feathers and internal organs, clean it thoroughly, then simmer it with Solomon’s seal and codonopsis pilosula over a low flame.”

“Old duck, remove feathers… clean organs… Solomon’s seal, codonopsis… low flame…”

While Deng Ying was bent over taking notes, I sat on the bed hugging my knees, imagining the taste of the stewed duck.

That day it was drizzling outside, but because of some festival, there were many people coming and going beyond the walls, creating quite a lively atmosphere.

Deng Ying saw Doctor Li out, returned to the room to take off his old clothes, and stood in front of the wardrobe to change his robe.

“Are you going out?”

“Yes, I’ll see if I can buy a duck.”

“I want to go too.”

Deng Ying looked out the window and shook his head at me, “Be good, Wan-wan, don’t get out of bed.”

“Oh.”

I said, my face falling.

Deng Ying looked somewhat helpless, and had to walk over to me while tying his sash, “Besides duck, what else would you like to eat? I’ll buy it for you.”

“The grilled flatbread from the front of Yingtian Prefecture!”

“Too greasy. You’re taking medicine, you can’t eat too much of that.”

“Then the roast goose from behind Qingbo House.”

“We’re going to stew duck for you, as for goose…”

I interrupted him: “Then tell me what I can eat.”

I was looking at Deng Ying when I said this, and I don’t know if my expression wasn’t well-managed, but he hesitated, and his half-tied sash came loose.

Then we both deliberately cleared our throats and said in unison: “You haven’t fully recovered yet.”

This weird synchronization was deadly enough, but somehow the next line also mysteriously matched: “That’s not what I meant.”

What did we mean anyway?

At any rate, I watched him leave with a stiff neck, and when he returned carrying a duck, his neck was still stiff.

This person living with me in the Great Ming was much better at taking care of people than I was.

I had been recovering since I returned, and most of the time I couldn’t help much.

But whenever he rolled up his sleeves to do housework, he would call out to me from time to time.

“Wan-wan.”

“Yes?”

“What are you doing?”

“Sitting here eating sunflower seeds… what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, carry on eating.”

“Wan-wan.”

“What is it?”

“Are you thirsty from the seeds? Do you want some water?”

“You poured me a cup before you left, don’t you remember?”

“Oh, right. Well, drink it, and tell me when it’s empty.”

“Wan-wan.”

“What now?”

“What are you doing?”

“I…”

To stop him from constantly calling me, I finally shuffled over in my slippers to find him. I brought a small stool and sat beside him. Seeing me sit behind him, he smiled. I crossed my arms and said: “You’ve been wanting to call me over here for a while, haven’t you?”

Deng Ying turned back to continue his work, responding softly: “No.”

I rested my chin in my hands, watching those hands of his at work. The wounds on his wrists were from wearing shackles for a long time, and although he had been recovering for a month, they still hadn’t fully healed. I heard that Chen Hua had privately advised him to tell me about hiring one or two servants for the house. But Deng Ying refused, saying: “Wan-wan won’t buy slaves.”

“Why?”

Deng Ying shook his head, not explaining to him.

“Can you manage everything by yourself?”

“Mm.”

Deng Ying made an affirmative sound, “Though she eats quite a lot, I can manage.”

In my view, all people are born equal, without differences in status or rank.

Deng Ying knew how I thought, and I was really happy about that.

But what did he mean by saying I eat quite a lot?

“You do eat quite a lot.”

One day in late March, Yang Lun came specifically to tease me, accompanied by Chen Hua and Yun Qing.

Chen Hua went to help Deng Ying stew the duck, while Yun Qing stood to the side laughing.

Doctor Li was checking my pulse, and seeing my flushed face, he smiled and said: “Eating a lot is a good thing. After being sick for so many days, your vital energy is depleted. How can you recover without eating more?”

After finishing, he removed the pulse pillow and said to me: “Madam, do you eat pork lung?”

I quickly asked: “Which is easier to cook, pork lung or duck?”

Doctor Li said: “Duck is simpler to prepare.”

I hurriedly waved my hands, “Then please don’t tell him that.”

Yun Qing laughed: “If Master Deng can’t make it, I can come over and stew it for you.”

“You just take good care of my shop, and I’ll be grateful enough.”

Yang Lun said: “Yang Wan, since I came in, I’ve seen him doing everything, front and back, taking care of you. His injuries aren’t fully healed either—how can one patient take care of another? I say let your sister-in-law select some servants for you.”

I smiled: “Once I’m better, I’ll be good at everything, inside and out. Cooking and laundry will be no problem.”

“That won’t do.”

Yang Lun interrupted: “You’re my sister, I won’t allow you to cook and do laundry for him. What would that make me look like in front of him?”

He finished speaking and looked outside, “What is he doing…”

“Probably plucking the duck’s feathers outside.”

Doctor Li picked up his medicine box and said: “That’s right, the old duck’s feathers need to be plucked clean for the soup to be tasty.”

Yang Lun flexed his hands, “Duck feathers? Why is it taking so long?”

I picked up my medicine bowl and laughed, “Why don’t you go try plucking them yourself and find out?”

“I won’t pluck them.”

Though he said this, before long, he couldn’t help but roll up his sleeves and walk out.

I propped myself up and leaned on the windowsill to watch the two men in the courtyard.

Deng Ying looked somewhat startled at Yang Lun’s sudden appearance: “What are you doing here?”

Yang Lun said directly: “Yang Wan told me to help you pluck feathers.”

As he spoke, he squatted down.

“Eh… Zi Xi.”

Deng Ying tried to stop him, “A gentleman stay away from the kitchen.”

Yang Lun looked up: “This is for stewing soup for my sister, what gentleman or not gentleman?”

I leaned on the windowsill, feeling the warm breeze, smiling as I watched the scene in the courtyard.

Song Yun Qing draped a garment over my shoulders and said softly: “Sometimes, I think you’re amazing.”

“What?”

Song Yun Qing looked at Yang Lun and said: “The people around you, though there are differences in status, as long as you’re here, everyone can interact very naturally.”

I pulled the clothes tighter around my shoulders and looked at the two men with rolled-up sleeves in the courtyard.

One was a “criminal” who had escaped death, and the other was about to become the First Grand Secretary of the Ming court.

In history, they had parted tragically in the early spring of the first year, but now they were here in this warm little courtyard, creating chaos while plucking duck feathers.

This scene, in my eyes, truly had a magical realist quality, but I was also grateful that history had become “absurd” and interesting through my participation, full of the flavor of ordinary life. Just as Song Yun Qing said, though the people around me had differences in status and rank, and I could never completely break through this feudal concept, as long as I was present, everyone could interact very naturally.

“Wan-wan.”

Deng Ying started calling me again out of habit.

“Yes?”

“What are you doing?”

“Talking with Yun Qing.”

“Come call Zi Xi away.”

“What’s wrong with him?”

“He…”

“Isn’t this how you pluck feathers? What’s wrong with it?”

“No, Yang Zi Xi, would you please go sit down?”

That meal of duck soup ended up being quite chaotic. Yang Lun had some wine and started complaining unrestrainedly about the troublesome affairs at court in front of me, then went on to criticize Deng Ying for being a kept man. I ruthlessly countered him, arguing until he nearly threw his cup and left.

After finally seeing Yang Lun off, I sat with Deng Ying in the courtyard soaking our feet.

The medicinal foot bath was for dispelling cold, good for both our bodies. As long as it wasn’t raining, I would brew a basin before bed, and sit with him at the doorstep, soaking our feet while looking at the stars above. The Ming Dynasty sky was very high, and without industrial pollution, even in spring, you could see a sky full of stars.

I rested my head on Deng Ying’s shoulder, “When can we go buy lumber?”

Deng Ying raised his shoulder slightly to let me rest more comfortably, and said softly: “Why are you so eager to buy lumber?”

“Your Ming Dynasty craftsmanship is unparalleled, you can’t just cook for me all the time.”

Deng Ying laughed, “Are you tired of my cooking?”

“No.”

I lifted my head to look at the brilliant starry sky, “I’ve always wanted to have a home in the Ming Dynasty. A few small cabinets for my cosmetics and clothes, and I want a big bed—the current one is too small, I feel like I’m always kicking you at night.”

“You don’t kick me.”

“Still, I want one that’s a bit bigger.”

“Alright, I’ll make it for you.”

“Mm. I’ll design it.”

“Alright.”

“Hmm…”

I pointed to a space in the courtyard, “And I want to keep a cat, you can build it a cat climbing frame to put there.”

“What’s a cat climbing frame?”

“Well… I’ll draw one for you, see if you can understand it?”