Chapter Seventy-Seven: Refugees

Chapter 77 Refugees

With war raging in the northwest, the imperial court was on edge. No one knew how long this conflict would last. The Jiang family had provided Jiang Sijie with guards and maids, sending her to Xuzhou to lie low until the situation calmed down.

Jiang Sijie recalled that, in the book, Xiao Xun had made his mark around this time. After his parents' deaths, he had taken to the battlefield, fueled by rage, slaying enemy commanders and achieving great military feats. By now, he must have returned home, but he was likely in the northwest again. She wondered how Lin Qiuran was doing and whether the child was well.

In this era, childbirth was a perilous gamble, akin to crossing the gates of hell. Children were also prone to early death, given the lack of vaccines and poor medical conditions. Raising a child to adulthood was no easy feat.

Moreover, on her journey south, Jiang Sijie had encountered many refugees and had even offered them silver. Fortunately, Xuzhou remained relatively peaceful. If Lin Qiuran needed money, she could offer some assistance.

By the time she reached Yu'an, it was already dusk. Jiang Sijie found an inn, had one of her maids settle in, and then, guided by memory, located the former Xiao Family Eatery. The jewelry shop next door was still there, just as she remembered, but the teahouse on the right was gone.

The Xiao Family Eatery had undergone a dramatic transformation; even its signboard was different. The three large characters "Gold Tripod Restaurant" glowed brightly under the lanterns, and Jiang Sijie felt a pang of hesitation about entering.

Shopkeeper Shi, sharp-eyed, came out to greet her: "Eating alone, miss? What would you like to eat?"

The gazes of passersby fell on Jiang Sijie, making her feel a little uncomfortable.

She followed Shopkeeper Shi inside and asked, "Was this place formerly the Xiao Family Eatery? Why has the name changed?"

She thought Shopkeeper Shi looked somewhat familiar but couldn't quite recall if she had seen him before.

Shopkeeper Shi smiled and said, "It is indeed the Xiao Family Eatery. Business picked up, so we changed the name. Since you're an old customer, we'll give you a complimentary vegetable dish. If you're alone, miss, please dine upstairs."

This was on Lin Qiuran's orders. With things being a bit unsettled lately, if a woman came to eat alone, she was to be seated upstairs to avoid inconvenience on the first floor.

It was rare for women to dine alone. Occasionally, one or two would come, and they never made a mess of the private rooms, making cleanup easier. So, the practice had continued.

Otherwise, with only men around, drinking and making raunchy jokes, it would be quite inconvenient.

Jiang Sijie nodded and went upstairs.

A customer at one table complained discontentedly: "When I asked to go upstairs, you made excuses and beat around the bush. How come she gets to go to the second floor as soon as she arrives? Are you playing favorites based on looks? There are so many empty tables upstairs, yet you won't let us go. Your restaurant has expanded, but your service isn't as considerate as before."

Another customer spoke up for the restaurant: "A young lady wouldn't feel comfortable eating with a bunch of guys. What's wrong with her going upstairs? Besides, there are plenty of tables on the first floor—isn't that enough for you? Three of you insisting on going upstairs—if you want a private room, just order a full table. With just a few dishes, you're being picky."

Shopkeeper Shi apologized with a smile: "Please don't be upset, sir. It's indeed inconvenient for a young lady to sit in the main hall, so we seated her upstairs. If your wife or daughter came to dine, we would do the same. If you find this table too small, you can move to the window side... I'll buy both tables a round of rice wine. Let's dine in harmony and prosper together."

As he fetched the wine, Shopkeeper Shi couldn't help but wipe sweat from his brow. There had been quite a few troublemakers lately.

Shopkeeper Shi sent Zhao Xing upstairs to take the order. He had lost some weight over the past six months but still hated making trips upstairs.

Shopkeeper Shi reminded him: "Don't forget to give her a complimentary vegetable dish."

The restaurant now had plenty of eggplants and cowpeas, stocked up for a while, along with various pickles, which were refreshing and great with rice.

Zhao Xing nodded and went upstairs, bringing Jiang Sijie the menu. She pretended to scan it, though she still didn't recognize some characters. She said, "Braised pork with shredded potatoes, and then Spicy Rabbit Dices... and also braised eggplant."

Zhao Xing said, "You've ordered quite a lot, miss. You might not finish it all by yourself."

Jiang Sijie: "It's fine. I have my people with me."

They just wouldn't be eating at the same table, but they would eat nonetheless.

Zhao Xing nodded: "Then the braised eggplant will be complimentary, as our manager said we'd give you a vegetable dish."

Zhao Xing asked again: "What about rice? Would you like rice, steamed buns, or dumplings?"

Jiang Sijie had assumed he meant boiled dumplings but learned they were large steamed dumplings: "What fillings do you have?"

Zhao Xing: "Right now, we have eggplant and squash fillings, both with meat. Three coppers each."

The restaurant's dumplings were sold according to the season. In spring, there were fillings like cabbage, wild greens, and chives. In summer, there were eggplant and cowpea. Now, in early autumn, they still sold eggplant and squash.

They were also available in winter. The restaurant had stocked up on dried radish and dried cowpea, which could be used for radish shred and dried cowpea fillings. If beef or donkey meat was available, they sold all-meat dumplings that day and nothing else.

Jiang Sijie: "Then one of each filling, a bowl of rice, and one fermented rice bun."

She wanted to try everything.

Zhao Xing nodded and went to place the order.

With no outsiders in the private room, Jiang Sijie relaxed a bit. She looked around at the decor and felt pleased. This restaurant was no worse than those in the capital. Lin Qiuran was probably still busy, so she decided not to disturb her yet and just eat first.

Soon, the food arrived.

First came the rice and braised pork. Jiang Sijie guessed it had been prepared earlier and kept warm, but it wasn't what you'd call pre-made.

She took a deep breath, pushed up her sleeves, and dug in. In the Jiang family, there were many rules, and even outside, she had to follow them. Finally, here was a place where she didn't have to worry about etiquette, and Jiang Sijie felt much more relaxed.

She tasted the braised pork—soft, tender, and delicious. When the other dishes arrived, she tried the Spicy Rabbit Dices, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and full of spicy flavor. Then the braised eggplant, with its crispy exterior, soft interior, and sweet-and-sour sauce.

The eggplant was delicious, no less so than the braised pork, and the price was reasonable. Simple dishes, yet beautifully presented.

The shredded potatoes served as a refreshing side to cut through the richness, and they also provided complimentary pickles, sweet and sour, which went great with the rice and braised pork.

Jiang Sijie felt that these dishes, with their smoky wok flavor and perfect timing, were far superior to the mostly steamed and boiled dishes the Jiang family cooks prepared, which focused more on appearance. Even restaurants in the capital served these dishes, but none were as delicious as here. In small Yu'an, there was such a fantastic restaurant.

By the time Jiang Sijie finished her meal and came downstairs, the first floor was still quite crowded.

She couldn't help but think, *It's really bustling—I just wonder how long this liveliness will last.*

Jiang Sijie waited in her carriage by the entrance until the restaurant closed for the night. She saw a group of people leaving the restaurant—shop assistants, heading in a different direction from the Xiao family.

A few others followed Sun Shi, dressed alike, likely maids of the Xiao family. Lin Qiuran had lost weight but looked even more beautiful than before. Her clothes were made of silk, and she no longer wore just a cloth headscarf.

Sun Shi was holding a child in her arms, resting on her shoulder, eyes heavy with sleep. Jiang Sijie couldn't help but smile. This must be Lin Qiuran's child.

Xiao Dashi was still watching the store and waved for them to get going. Sun Shi seemed worried, but Xiao Dashi said: "It's getting dark, you should head home. We have dogs, so don't worry."

The shop had two guard dogs, brought in April, to guard the place.

Sun Shi nodded, and they all headed back together.

Tangyuan was now over seven months old. Xu Niang was still breastfeeding him, but he could also eat some solid food.

Lin Qiuran was trying out foods one by one, starting with egg and shredded meat, then slowly introducing rice porridge and vegetables.

She started with small amounts to avoid allergies, and if there were no issues, she gradually increased the portions. She asked Wan Niang about feeding—Wan Niang mainly fed steamed egg and such, not very meticulously. Lin Qiuran consulted a doctor and learned as she went.

For adults, these foods weren't particularly rare, but every time Tangyuan took a bite, his eyes would go wide, and he would eat everything clean.

With him eating solid food, he needed less milk, and after meals, he wasn't as keen on nursing. He would even stare hungrily when adults were eating.

Xu Niang went home every evening to feed her own child, and Lin Qiuran let it slide. As long as Tangyuan was taken care of, it was fine.

Xu Niang was a mother too. If not for the money, she wouldn't have left her own child to work elsewhere. And with the war ongoing, giving a child proper care was better than just feeding them steamed egg and rice porridge.

By the time Lin Qiuran and the others arrived home, Xu Niang had already returned. She took Tangyuan and said, "You're back. Is Tangyuan tired?"

Tangyuan wasn't tired, but a bit sleepy.

Now that the days weren’t hot and he could eat solid food, Tangyuan loved going to the restaurant. With a room to stay in, Lin Qiuran could easily prepare some snacks, and he could also play with Ying Jieer, so he was reluctant to go home.

Lin Qiuran smiled, "He’s sleepy today—he fell asleep on the way back. You take Tangyuan to bed first."

Mrs. Xu nodded and carried Tangyuan into the room.

The newly hired Liu Niang and Yunniang had already heated water and delivered it to each room. Having servants at home indeed made things easier and more convenient. Lin Qiuran paid them monthly: Lin Dong and Lin Xia got one tael each, while Liu Niang and Yunniang got half a tael each, all paid from the household funds.

The family was growing, and though the servants slept together, with nearly ten people—not counting Tangyuan—space was getting tight.

But Lin Qiuran wasn't planning to move to a new house. Tangyuan was already over seven months old, and time was flying by. By the time he turned three or four, it would be time for his education. Lin Qiuran didn't think much of the academies in Yu’an—either Xuzhou or the capital would be better for his future studies. Getting another place in Yu’an now would likely mean leaving it vacant later.

The front courtyard was still spacious enough. Once Mrs. Xu stopped nursing, Tangyuan, at one or two years old, could sleep with her or Sun Shi. When he got older, he could even sleep in the study. There was a good chance they would move by then, so it was better to save up for a bigger place.

The spice business hadn’t been doing well these past few months, and Wufangzhai’s business was just average. The eatery was doing okay, though. Lin Qiuran had over seven hundred taels from the family and another six hundred eighty from the spice trade.

The household earned a fair amount, but setting up the house and hiring help had cost a pretty penny. Lin Qiuran had also bought some gold and silver jewelry, which was another significant expense.

Xu Yuanhang mentioned that the spice business had been slow these days, with a lot of stock piling up.

It was likely due to the war—nothing anyone could do. Lin Qiuran hoped the conflict would end soon.

Xu Yuanhang returned to Yu’an once a month to see Tangyuan, bring Lin Qiuran things, stay a few days, and then leave again.

He knew Xiao Xun had been away for quite some time, but he also understood Lin Qiuran’s temperament. Some things, even if mentioned, she wouldn’t agree to, so he never said anything. He simply asked Steward Xu to keep an eye on the Xiao family and help directly if needed.

Xu Yuanhang really loved Tangyuan, seeing Lin Qiuran’s likeness in the child’s laughter and play.

*

The night was deep, occasionally punctuated by the chirping of autumn cicadas and the sound of falling leaves. It was almost September, and Xiao Xun had been away for over four months.

The next day was sunny, and Jiang Sijie came to the restaurant again. She sent her maid to pass along a message, asking to see Lin Qiuran: "Just say it’s Jiang Sijie, who visited last year."

There weren’t many customers that day. After finishing her meal, Jiang Sijie waited around on the second floor. Past noon, Lin Qiuran finally came up.

When the door opened, Jiang Sijie popped up. "Mrs. Lin, do you remember me? I visited last year and spoke with you at the teahouse."

Perhaps it was the same location, but the teahouse had turned into a restaurant.

Jiang Sijie said, "I forgot to congratulate you—the place has gotten bigger."

Lin Qiuran nodded. They had met last October when the shop had just opened. "It’s been a while. How have you been, Miss Jiang?"

Jiang Sijie felt she was doing alright, cherished by her family and living comfortably. "I’m fine. How about you? The baby must be born by now—is it a boy or a girl?"

Lin Qiuran replied, "It’s a boy. What brings you here, Miss Jiang?"

Jiang Sijie signaled her maid to close the door. Her expression turned serious. "Things have been unstable lately. I came from the capital to Xuzhou to avoid the turmoil. The capital is chaotic, and now with the war in the northwest, refugees are moving south. I saw them when I left the capital, and it’s been some time—I don’t know how far they’ve come now. I stopped by to warn you to be careful."

Lin Qiuran was surprised for a moment, then nodded firmly. "Yes, thank you."

*Watch out...*

Refugees heading south would be desperate for food and clothing. Even a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone people.

Lin Qiuran glanced at her own clothes. Since the family had money, she no longer dressed as plainly as before. When people are well-fed, they want more things.

She decided to change into simpler clothes when she returned home. She also looked at Jiang Sijie, who was adorned with hairpins and wore luxurious silk garments.

Lin Qiuran said, "When are you returning to Xuzhou? Yu’an is relatively peaceful for now, but you should change into simpler clothes and wear less jewelry. Always have guards with you when you go out, and keep them nearby."

Shopkeeper Shi had mentioned that lately, there had been troublemakers in the shop who caused disturbances under the influence of alcohol. Fortunately, Lu Fan and Lin Ming—one tall and the other strong—had handled the situations without any real trouble.

Jiang Sijie, a young woman on her own, worried Lin Qiuran.

Jiang Sijie looked at herself and nodded. "I forgot about that. I’ll buy some clothes and change later."

Lin Qiuran said, "I’m a local. If you need any help, just let me know."

Though Lin Qiuran wasn't sure why Jiang Sijie had visited twice, she could distinguish between good intentions and bad. The warning was kindly meant, and with many people around, she felt they could hold their own.

Jiang Sijie smiled. "Okay."

She didn’t mention Xiao Xun. In Lin Qiuran’s eyes, she and Xiao Xun didn’t know each other—which was true. What she knew was the Xiao Xun from the books, but this wasn’t a book anymore.

Now that Jiang Sijie had met caring family members, busy passersby, and real refugees, she could no longer treat this world as a story or its people as mere characters.

If she had brought up Xiao Xun, Lin Qiuran might have started overthinking.

Jiang Sijie decided to stay in Yu’an a few more days—after all, the food in Xuzhou wouldn’t be as delicious.

Lin Qiuran walked her downstairs. Jiang Sijie added, "If you need any help, just ask."

Seeing that Lin Qiuran didn’t seem to be hurting for money—with a large eatery doing good business—she didn’t say more.

After seeing Jiang Sijie off, Lin Qiuran returned to eat. No one asked about Jiang Sijie’s purpose—everyone had their own business.

After the meal, Lin Qiuran said, "Grain prices have risen. You should lay in supplies too."

Back home, the autumn harvest was underway. Some of the harvested grain was sent to the eatery, some to the Xiao family, and some stored in their old house. Over five thousand *jin* of grain provided a security blanket.

If refugees really reached Yu’an, Lin Qiuran planned to hand out porridge. After all, the eatery earned its money from the people, and during wartime, life was tough for regular people. Helping out where possible was good.

As the saying goes, "When poor, look after yourself; when prosperous, help everyone else." Lin Qiuran hoped Tangyuan would grow up to be such a person.

Shopkeeper Shi said, "Yes, all the grain shops are jacking up prices—none of them are holding back."

Usually, rice and flour cost six or seven *wen* per *jin*, but now it was eleven or twelve *wen*. In a few days, it might reach fifteen *wen*.

The eatery hadn’t raised meal prices yet, but the distillery had increased alcohol prices. Salt and sugar hadn’t changed but were hard to find. If this continued, the business might lose money.

Lin Qiuran remembered Xiao Xun saying the war wouldn’t reach Yu’an, but with refugees, it was hard to avoid being affected.

Lin Qiuran said, "Let’s get what we can now. We’ll see if it’s not enough later."

With twenty *mu* of land, the family had enough grain for a year or two, but with so many customers at the eatery, it would eventually use it up.

Lin Qiuran was worried when Steward Xu happened to come by.

Steward Xu asked, "Are you running low on grain lately? The second young master stocked up a while ago and is now looking to sell. If you need any, Madam Lin, he’ll give it to you at cost."

Xu Yuanhang had gotten the news early. Before the refugees moved south, when locals were unaware of the imperial conscription, buying grain from the countryside was easy. Whether old or new grain, it could be bought for six or seven *wen*. Selling now was guaranteed money.

Grain was essential for survival. If people ran short, they’d have to buy—even at double the price from Xu Yuanhang—what they’d once sold for six or seven *wen*.

Lin Qiuran paused for a moment. Steward Xu said, "The second young master is in partnership with Lin Qiuran; he wouldn't profit off her."

Lin Qiuran smiled. "I know, but we’ve already stockpiled some grain, which should suffice for now. Thank the second young master for his help."

After seeing Steward Xu off, she looked at the pastries, fruits, and toys he had brought, feeling complicated.

She could clearly sense that Xu Yuanhang was a businessman—he'd pursue any money-making opportunity.

Lin Qiuran stood there thinking for a while. She didn’t want to buy grain from Xu Yuanhang, save money, and then criticize him. Nor did she want to lecture about principles to Steward Xu or be generous with someone else's money. Besides, with all grain shops raising prices, if only one kept prices low, what would others think?

She decided to check other restaurants. If they raised their meal prices, she would follow suit slightly; otherwise, it could cause problems.

Lin Qiuran also asked Xiao Dashi to have someone strengthen the doors and windows at home and the restaurant. Even after these preparations, she still looked worried. She then sent Lin Ming to investigate whether any refugees from elsewhere had arrived in Yu’an.

Lin Ming went to inquire but found none for the time being.

By the second day of the ninth month, Jiang Sijie, well-fed and ready to return to Xuzhou, found the northern city gate closed. The guard commander said there were many refugees outside the city.

These people had traveled south, their faces dirty and clothes ragged, their shoes worn out and hair disheveled. Some had tidied up but were emaciated. Though early autumn wasn’t cold, their thin clothes provided little protection from the cold, and they huddled together.

The court wouldn’t allow refugees to stay in one place, forcing them to move on after they arrived to prevent riots.

But even if they moved elsewhere, they had nowhere to settle. Those with money could find a place to stay, but those without had spent all their savings along the way and now hid beneath the city walls, looking bewildered and helpless.

These were just the refugees who had come to Yu’an. With the gates temporarily closed, Jiang Sijie couldn’t return to Xuzhou and had to go back to the inn.

Jiang Sijie also asked her maid to inform Lin Qiuran that there were hundreds of refugees—a mass of people under the city walls.

Shopkeeper Shi was worried. Sooner or later, they would come to Yu’an. Who knew how long they had gone hungry? The Golden Tripod Restaurant had a visible storefront; he feared the refugees might storm in and loot recklessly.

Lin Qiuran was also concerned. She told Sun Shi not to take Tangyuan out these days. If Madam Xu wanted to return home, she should do so during the day and avoid going out after dark.

But before the refugees arrived, Xu Yuanhang came. He had detoured from a neighboring county and came straight to the Golden Tripod Restaurant. "It’s chaotic lately. You shouldn't stay in Yu’an. Let me take you and Tangyuan away to avoid trouble."

Lin Qiuran fell silent for a moment, then looked up at Xu Yuanhang. "There are many people in my family; I can’t leave. Second Young Master, could you get Tangyuan and my parents to safety?"

She was indeed worried about Tangyuan, but with Lin Dong and the others here, and the Golden Tripod Restaurant to manage, she couldn’t leave.

Xu Yuanhang looked at Lin Qiuran for a while, then nodded. "Alright."