Chapter Seventy-Two: Return

Chapter 72 The Return

Sun Shi knew the Prefect outranked the County Magistrate. She also recalled that last year, when Lin Qiuran cooked at the post station, it was for him.

Seeing Lin Qiuran had just carried Tangyuan over and even spoken with Lord Zhao, Sun Shi eagerly asked, "What did Lord Zhao say?"

Lin Qiuran smiled and replied, "Mom, Lord Zhao said those dishes could be sold and become a specialty of Yu'an. He also praised Tangyuan and said we should send him to study and train in martial arts in the future. Mom, Lord Zhao even mentioned that the academies in Xuzhou and the capital are even better."

Sun Shi's eyes lit up, and she couldn't suppress her smile. "We must heed Lord Zhao's words."

Perhaps the family would produce a scholar or even an official someday.

Lin Qiuran chuckled. "Yes, but Tangyuan is still young. It's too early to talk about these things. Mom, please take Tangyuan back first. He must be hungry by now."

They had been out for a while today; it was time to head back.

Lin Qiuran had considered that if she suggested sending Tangyuan to Xuzhou for schooling in the future, Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi might find it too far. Yu'an had its own private schools and academies, and for such a young child, there was no need to send him elsewhere so early.

They hadn’t even entertained the idea of Tangyuan studying before.

Since Xiao Xun had never received an education, having been born and raised in Xiao Family Village, Sun Shi and Xiao Dashi likely lacked that awareness. But Zhao Jinshan was a high-ranking official, so Sun Shi would undoubtedly trust his words.

Sun Shi assented a few times and took Tangyuan from her. "I'll head back now."

Lin Qiuran packed up their meals, and Sun Shi and Lin Xia carried Tangyuan home.

After a busy morning, it was time for them to eat. Shopkeeper Shi was busy serving dishes and rice. "You know, our eatery has been graced by the Prefect himself."

Zhao Xing said, "Absolutely, it’s an honor to our ancestors. Miss Lin even spoke with Lord Zhao. Hey, I spoke too!"

Shopkeeper Shi added, "And I was the one serving the dishes."

As they ate, they chatted idly. Common folk found it novel to encounter officials, especially those from outside. They were different from ordinary people, yet they still had two eyes and a nose.

Lin Qiuran watched them laughing and talking, feeling lighthearted herself. "Alright, alright, let's eat quickly before the food gets cold."

After the meal, Zhao Xing and Lu Fan cleaned up. Shopkeeper Shi stayed behind; he needed to review last month’s accounts and sign a profit-sharing agreement with Lin Qiuran.

This should have been done yesterday, but workers had arrived. Shopkeeper Shi showed them the layout of the eatery’s second floor and the first floor, and they discussed adding wainscoting similar to the upstairs. The tables and chairs would remain, but the lights and other fixtures would be replaced. The ceiling and flooring would also be redone to match the second floor’s color scheme.

Moreover, the exterior needed to look more imposing, like a proper building. Shopkeeper Shi had been busy with these tasks all morning, spinning around like a top.

But starting this month, working on the eatery was also for his own benefit—the more profit the eatery made, the more money he would earn. Shopkeeper Shi was even more eager than Lin Qiuran for the neighboring space to be renovated and opened soon.

He urged Zhao Guangcai to hire help quickly; otherwise, once the neighboring space was ready, there would be no cooks, and Lin Qiuran and the other two wouldn’t be able to handle the workload. Thanks to Lin Qiuran, he and Zhao Guangcai had grown closer. They were around the same age and got along well, occasionally going out for drinks together.

Zhao Guangcai also wanted to find help quickly—once he did, he could get paid. But he needed to find the right people. Lin Qiuran wanted girls around fifteen or sixteen years of age, not too young, with honest temperaments, and preferably some cooking experience. This was somewhat difficult to find.

Finding male helpers wasn’t urgent, so Zhao Guangcai hadn’t focused on it. Lin Qiuran also wanted a younger boy, which was also challenging.

In impoverished areas, some families might sell their daughters, but even in the poorest places, sons were treasured assets. Families would rather struggle than sell their sons. The exceptions were those from fallen families who sold themselves into servitude or children born into servitude, who remained in servitude. These were usually serving in wealthy households as attendants.

They also needed good character and couldn’t be too old. Finding suitable candidates wasn’t easy in such a short time.

It wasn’t until the sixth day of the month that Zhao Guangcai finally found suitable candidates.

On the morning of the sixth, he brought two girls and one boy to Lin Qiuran. All were around fifteen or sixteen years of age, not as thin and weak as Lin Dong and Lin Xia had been when they first arrived. They were fair-skinned and neat-looking. The boy was taller than Zhao Xing and had a decent appearance.

Lin Qiuran noticed their proper posture and composed demeanor, as if they had been trained in etiquette.

Lin Qiuran asked, "They weren’t sold by their families, were they?"

Zhao Guangcai nodded and explained, "These three are from Xuzhou. The two girls were sold when they were young. The boy’s ancestors were officials, but the family fell into disgrace and was registered as slaves. All three were formerly servants of Assistant Magistrate Qian’s household in Xuzhou. Assistant Magistrate Qian was exiled three thousand li for embezzlement, and the maids and servants, along with other valuables, were seized by the authorities. After interrogation and investigation, they were sent here."

Once people ended up in government hands, they wouldn’t be kept at the state’s expense. They were sold to brokers or wealthy families, with the proceeds going to the government.

Lin Qiuran frowned. This was the first time she had so clearly felt that those registered as slaves were treated like commodities. Lin Dong and Lin Xia felt more like distant relatives who had come to help with work.

Zhao Guangcai didn’t notice Lin Qiuran’s expression—he was used to such things—but the two girls did. They thought Lin Qiuran was unwilling to buy them and feared being sold elsewhere.

The Qian family had suddenly fallen into disgrace. Their former master had been arrested and taken to prison, and they had no idea where they were being taken. After a bumpy journey, separated from those they knew, they eventually ended up in Yu'an.

One of them couldn’t help speaking up, "I can cook, and I can work hard!"

Zhao Guangcai said, "Both girls were kitchen assistants in the Qian household. I heard the Qian family had separate main and side kitchens, and both know how to cook. This young man can also drive a carriage, though your family doesn’t have one now. But if you get one in the future, he’ll be useful."

Zhao Guangcai thought they were quite suitable but wasn’t sure what Lin Qiuran thought.

Lin Qiuran asked a few questions. She started with the young man, "Besides driving, what else can you do?"

The young man replied, "I can do any rough work—buying groceries, running errands, chopping wood, fetching water. I can even act as a punching bag and play with the young masters."

Lin Qiuran frowned again. She then asked the two girls, "What about you? Besides cooking, what else can you do?"

They answered in unison, "We can do anything. Even if we don’t know how, we can learn."

Lin Qiuran said, "The Xiao family is not a wealthy household. All I can promise is that you will be well-fed and not mistreated. If you have other aspirations, like serving in a larger household, we shouldn’t hold each other back."

Lin Qiuran knew her family wasn’t wealthy. She was buying them mainly for the eatery, not just for serving at home. Her place couldn’t compare to the Qian household. Perhaps the monthly stipend they received there was even higher than what Zhao Xing and the others earned at the eatery.

Lin Qiuran didn’t want those with lofty ambitions or those who acted arrogantly because they had worked in wealthy households. She also didn’t want those who, having learned rules in the Qian household, would try to teach her how to do things. Whether it was cooking or anything else, Lin Qiuran wanted obedient helpers.

Knowing how to cook was good, but she was afraid they might later say, "This isn’t how we did it before," and insist their old ways were better.

The two girls looked at Lin Qiuran with determination. "Whatever Miss Lin asks us to do, we will do."

Lin Qiuran smiled and nodded. "Brother Zhao, I’ll trouble you to make a trip to the government office."

The three of them cost thirty-five taels in total—ten taels for each girl and fifteen for the young man. According to Zhao Guangcai, maids from wealthy households like these, with their good looks, would usually cost more, but because the Qian family had fallen, their price was lower. The young man was more expensive because he could do more work and was worth the price.

The family’s accounts currently had sixty taels, with twenty taels already paid as a deposit for the renovation. This month’s expenses were recorded in the eatery’s accounts, and the money for buying the servants came from Lin Qiuran, who still had one hundred seventy taels left.

Lin Qiuran named the two girls Lin Chun and Lin Ying. Since they arrived in spring, the season of growth and birdsong, the names were fitting and pleasant.

She named the young man Lin Ming, evoking the harmony of spring and brightness. Upon arriving here, their former names could no longer be used, and Lin Qiuran didn’t ask what they were.

The three were somewhat happy but mostly cautious about their new environment. After Lin Qiuran took their deeds of sale, they stood in the courtyard, unsure what to do.

Sun Shi wasn’t at the shop, so Lin Qiuran waited for Xiao Dashi to arrive and take the three home, assigning them quarters in the front courtyard.

There were plenty of rooms at home, but the main room was out of the question. The side rooms were occupied—one by Lin Xia and the other, and one by the wet nurse—so they had to be arranged in the front courtyard. The front courtyard had three rooms, though one served as a front hall for meals and receiving guests.

There weren’t enough side rooms for four people. With two rooms left, Lin Chun and Lin Ying could share one, and Lin Ming could have the other.

Lin Qiuran actually intended for Lin Ming to mind the shop, but since the renovation wasn’t finished yet, he would stay at home for now.

Lin Qiuran said, "Father, this is Lin Ming, and the other two are Lin Chun and Lin Ying."

Xiao Dashi looked at Lin Ming, paused for a moment, then nodded and took the three back home.

Sun Shi was warm-hearted and quickly asked Lin Xia to heat up water. Since they had come from out-of-town and arrived at the Xiao family, it was best to let them clean up. She then got them bedding, though it was old. The three had good sense; after being assigned rooms, they tidied up on their own and settled in.

Tangyuan was sleeping, and the nanny was watching over him. Xiao Dashi checked on him and then came out.

Seeing Sun Shi sewing clothes in the room, he couldn’t help but grumble, "Buying a couple of maids would have been enough—why buy a male servant too? Having an outside man living at home is so inconvenient."

Sun Shi was surprised but didn't think much of it. "When you were back in the village for a few days, all the heavy work was done by Lin Dong and Lin Xia. They're just children! Having a male servant to handle errands and chores when needed is a good thing."

Besides, Xiao Xun wasn’t home, and Xiao Dashi was getting older—it was a necessary measure.

Having an outside man around might be inconvenient, but Xiao Dashi and Xiao Xun were also men. Lin Dong and Lin Xia hadn't said it was improper. Xiao Dashi’s tone seemed to imply his concern was because of Lin Qiuran.

Sun Shi looked down and said, "He’s staying in the front courtyard and won’t usually come to the back. What’s so inconvenient about that?"

She thought he seemed well-behaved and assumed Lin Qiuran would assign him tasks. Sun Shi thought it was a good idea—Tangyuan was a boy and shouldn’t always be looked after by maids. Having a male servant would be better; boys should have male influence.

Since Sun Shi had put it that way, what could Xiao Dashi say? He was just worried about outside gossip.

Xiao Dashi sighed and said, "The teahouse next door has also started renovations. The business is really expanding."

A few days ago, Lin Qiuran had asked him to find someone to make a mold for ingot-shaped pastries. She drew a design—round and plump, bulging in the middle, different from the shape of gold ingots.

They would use iron to make it, so they could pour the pastry mixture in, clamp the two halves together, and bake it over fire.

This way, the pastry would puff up nicely, and Lin Qiuran envisioned it looking just like a golden ingot. It hadn’t been made yet, but once it was ready, she would test it and discuss the business with Steward Xu. The county might even kick in some money for this venture, but they’d let her make some profit first.

Xiao Dashi wasn't handling purchases anymore—Lu Fan and Zhao Xing took care of that. Depending on how business was next door, Lin Qiuran would give them raises.

She assigned Xiao Dashi odd jobs instead; she didn’t want him sitting around.

Sun Shi smiled and said, "Isn’t it good that the business is expanding?"

Xiao Dashi’s expression tightened for a moment, then turned complicated. He struggled for a while before saying, "It is good. The food and everything we use are all earned by Qiu Ran, and she arranges everything. But sometimes, I feel that a woman should know her limits."

Sun Shi was silent for a moment. "You can say that to me, but don’t say it to anyone else, and especially not to Qiu Ran."

Xiao Dashi got flustered, worried he’d misspoken.

Sun Shi said, "I don’t know what you’re thinking. Back when Xiao Xun wasn’t home and we had no money, all we wanted was to earn more, the more the better. Now that we have money, you think it’s enough and want Qiu Ran to focus on Tangyuan and have more children?"

Sun Shi had suffered under Xiao Dashi’s mother’s pressure and nagging about having children, but she simply couldn't get pregnant. Even if she had, the child would have suffered. After enduring it for so long, she finally couldn’t take it and made a stand.

Years ago, Xiao Dashi didn’t step in. He was honest but helpless against Bai Shi’s extremes, so he had to choose between them. Sun Shi reached her limit, and they split off from the family. He was no fool—he chose to go with Sun Shi.

Xiao Dashi said, "I’m doing this for the family. Qiu Ran is always busy with the shop. Look, Shopkeeper Shi and the others at the eatery are men, and Zhao Guangcai is also a man…"

They used to work at the eatery too, but now there was no need for Xiao Dashi to wait tables or for Sun Shi to cook. They didn’t even know how the eatery was doing. In short, Lin Qiuran was busy and often interacted with men.

Outsiders would surely gossip if they saw.

Sun Shi looked at Xiao Dashi quietly for a moment and said, "If you think like that, you’re pushing Qiu Ran away, shoving her out the door."

Xiao Dashi replied, "It’s not what I think—it’s what others think. Aren’t I doing this for the family? How is that pushing her away? I’m saying she should spend more time with Xiao Xun and Tangyuan—isn’t that good for the family?"

Sun Shi put down her sewing and said, "Then let’s not do it. Close the eatery, stop the business—for the family’s good. Taking care of two elderly and one child isn’t enough? She’s not allowed to go out and earn money but must stay home. Where’s the logic in that? What, did Qiu Ran owe the Xiao family in a past life? Was she sold for a few pieces of silver as bride price?"

Xiao Dashi said, "I’m not saying she shouldn’t work or earn money… I just mean she should show some restraint. Can’t she both take care of home and earn enough, like before when Qiu Ran cooked at home and we two went out to sell…"

They were old and weren't bothered about working in public.

Xiao Dashi just felt that with Xiao Xun’s salary and the spice business and pastries bringing in money, they could let Lin Dong and the others handle the work. Wouldn’t that be fine? And it would be less tiring.

Sun Shi smiled. "Then what about the business with Second Young Master Xu? Are we doing it or not?"

Xiao Dashi said, "Why wouldn’t we?"

Sun Shi gave him a look. "You’ve got it all figured out. Second Young Master Xu is unmarried—no need to avoid him for the sake of making money. But Shopkeeper Shi and the others, who are almost old enough to be Qiu Ran’s father, need to be avoided? You just want Qiu Ran to make money and stay home at the same time! Did someone say something to you? How can you be so backward-thinking!"

Xiao Dashi looked down sheepishly. "You don’t know what they’re saying in the village, what outsiders are saying."

When you have free time, you meet more people and hear more talk.

It’s been so long. Since Li Cuihua’s family made a fuss and ended up with nothing, the villagers had been saying the Xiao family was lucky and Lin Qiuran was kind. But later, they started saying things like, "But there are men at the eatery—that’s something. She even hires men to work."

There were even worse comments, like suggesting Tangyuan wasn’t really Xiao family’s child—otherwise, why didn’t Lin Qiuran get rid of the baby and remarry?

If he wasn’t Xiao Xun’s, then she really would have remarried.

Sun Shi was furious when she heard. She said, "When I have time, I’ll give those gossips a piece of my mind! How can you believe what they say? They’re just jealous of our family’s success, you fool. When we have more money, we can send Tangyuan to study in the prefectural city or even the capital—he could become a high-ranking official."

Lin Qiuran always acted with propriety, and Sun Shi was furious on her behalf. She said, "There’s also Wan Niang at the restaurant, and her husband hasn’t said anything. You’re listening to others’ nonsense here! You should do something else and visit Xiao Family Village less often!"

Sun Shi said, "You mustn't say these things to Xiao Xun. Qiu Ran hasn't looked down on us two old folks, yet you’re finding fault with her."

Those busybodies in the village will say anything about anyone. The better the Xiao family’s life, the more jealous they become.

Sun Shi truly regarded Lin Qiuran as a daughter and didn’t want to hear such talk. Besides, the Xiao family was already a burden, and Xiao Xun wasn’t home—what more did they want?

Xiao Dashi said, "Look at you—I didn’t say Qiu Ran was bad. I’m just worried about outsiders’ gossip."

Sun Shi straightened up. "What’s their gossip worth? Can it send Tangyuan to a great academy? You old fool, they’d be happy if you moved back to Xiao Family Village. Besides, haven’t people always gossiped about us?"

They said Xiao Xun was picked up, an ungrateful ingrate, that she and Xiao Dashi were unfilial—there was no end to it. If they’d listened, they’d still be working like draft animals back in the old home.

Xiao Dashi scratched his head. "You’re right."

Sun Shi said, "Xiao Xun isn’t home. If you’re worried, you should help out more with pickups and drop-offs. If you’re afraid Shopkeeper Shi and the others have dishonest intentions, then work more and keep an eye on things. What’s the use of saying all this?"

Talking like that would only push Lin Qiuran further away.

Sun Shi sighed. "You’re just stirring up trouble for no reason."

Xiao Dashi smiled awkwardly. Sun Shi had a point. Outsiders’ words weren’t worth much, and who wouldn’t envy the Xiao family?

Xiao Dashi smacked his forehead and went off to take the three to the shop.

Lin Qiuran asked Lin Ming to follow Shopkeeper Shi and help with waiting tables. With four people upfront now, it occurred to her they didn’t need to hire additional staff.

She didn’t assign tasks to Lin Chun and Lin Ying yet—the kitchen couldn’t fit so many people. When she had time, she’d assess their cooking skills and decide how to train them.

With more people at home, Lin Qiuran prepared two extra dishes for dinner so there would be enough food. Shopkeeper Shi pushed two tables together to accommodate everyone.

Lin Chun and Lin Ying had never seen anything like this—they’d never eaten with their masters before. The three stood to the side, not daring to move. Lin Qiuran said, "Sit down and eat. We’ve been busy all day at the shop—we don't stand on formalities here."

They nodded and found a corner to sit, still unaccustomed to the Xiao family and hesitant to serve themselves.

Everyone had worked hard and was hungry; no one had time to notice whether the three were eating or not, and no one felt like talking.

Halfway through the meal, there was a knock at the door. They had already closed for the night, and customers who saw the closed door wouldn't normally come in.

Lin Qiuran glanced outside and saw a figure in the darkness. Zhao Xing stood up and said, "I'll see who it is."

Zhao Xing opened the door to find a very tall man. He said, "Sorry sir, we're closed. If you'd like to eat, please come back tomorrow."

Shopkeeper Shi also turned to look and stood up as well. "Hey now, you silly kid, this is Mrs. Lin's husband."

Zhao Xing immediately said, "Oh! No wonder Tangyuan looks so much like him—so you're Tangyuan's father! I'm Zhao Xing, the new helper."

Xiao Xun smiled and said, "It's alright."

He looked at Lin Qiuran and said, "I'm back."