“Sister, work later. You haven’t even eaten lunch. You’ll exhaust yourself. Today, someone from your family came again and gave Yin Qiu a big chest.”
Yin Qiu placed the food in front of Shen Yu, then carried in a large chest from outside.
The chest looked heavy; it must have been filled with many good things.
Yin Qiu had grown accustomed to the veiled women who often came to deliver items and letters to Shen Yu.
Even when she ran into them, Yin Qiu would greet them familiarly, and they, in turn, would trust her to pass things along when Shen Yu was busy.
“Sent from home?”
Shen Yu opened the chest and saw it filled with the hot pot base she had been longing for.
Each ceramic jar sealed the hot pot base tightly.
Opening one, a spicy aroma assailed her nose; on the bright red beef tallow floated a few fiery dried chili peppers.
This was genuinely good stuff—beef tallow hot pot base that could only be enjoyed in Qingfeng Village.
For this hot pot base, Shen Yu had spared no expense, having her father and grandfather spend heavily.
Starting from finding chili peppers, then making various seasonings, and searching the mountains for herbs to replace spices.
Then from cattle selection and breeding to rendering the tallow, by the time she had gathered all the ingredients for this hot pot base, Shen Yu had grown from a five-year-old child into an eighteen-year-old young woman.
For Shen Yu, this hot pot base was precious and hard-won.
It could be said to be one of the ultimate goals of her life.
“Sister, what is this? So fragrant! Is this medicine too?”
Yin Qiu caught the irresistible spicy aroma in the air and couldn’t help but lean in curiously.
“This is hot pot base. Perfect timing. Tomorrow, go buy some mutton and tofu. Make sure the butcher slices the mutton for you, as thinly as possible. Tomorrow, I’ll let you taste this hot pot base. By the way, have Cui Yuming and the others eaten?”
Shen Yu had been so focused on the Wen family’s young lady today that she almost forgot about Cui Yuming and her group, who were still serving their sentence in her camp.
“No, we all have to wait until you’ve eaten, Sister. If you don’t eat, we servants dare not eat.”
Yin Qiu shook her head.
Although Shen Yu always told others that Yin Qiu was her little apprentice, Yin Qiu was sensible and knew that her sister was taking care of her.
Precisely because her sister was so good to her, she couldn’t take advantage of that favor; she had to be clear and proper about her status and attitude.
At home, her sister was the undisputed master; all matters, big or small, were decided by her alone.
If her sister said east, Yin Qiu would never go west even half a step.
“There aren’t so many rules here. Eat when it’s time to eat.”
Shen Yu was about to scold Yin Qiu a bit, but then she remembered that the little girl had grown up under feudal thinking, and changing that was not easy.
“Let me be clear: from now on, whatever I eat, you all must eat too. Nothing worse than what I have, understand? Mu’en Hall isn’t short on food. Your sister has received a lot of reward silver from treating His Majesty. At least when it comes to food, we shouldn’t shortchange ourselves. We don’t need delicacies, but we must eat well, be full, and eat healthily. What I ate today, provide the same to Cui Yuming and the others, exactly as is. They can have more if it’s not enough, but no wasting.”
Yin Qiu listened to Shen Yu’s words, nodding seriously as she listened.
“Sister is too kind. They are prisoners; according to imperial law, they shouldn’t enjoy such good treatment.”
Yin Qiu looked at Shen Yu; although she was reminding her verbally, she was already admiring Shen Yu’s generous behavior with heart-eyed adoration.
‘Sister is sister, always kind-hearted and the best sister in the world!’
“Prisoners are people too, especially since they haven’t done anything wrong. They’re just innocent bystanders caught up in a disaster. Listen to me, go prepare. Also, buy more mutton tomorrow—I’ll teach you how to have hot pot.”
After saying this, Shen Yu picked up the flatbread and took a bite.
Only when she started eating could the others feel at ease to eat.
“Also, among those women from the Cui Clan of Yanghe, some are still recovering from serious injuries. They need to keep up with nutrition too, understand?”
“I understand, Sister.”
Yin Qiu nodded, then ran out.
Before long, Shen Yu heard a small commotion in the courtyard of Mu’en Hall.
The exclamations were filled with excitement, surprise, and disbelief.
“R-really? We get meat? We get flatbread?”
“I-I thought we’d be lucky just to get some rice porridge.”
[Daughter, it’s getting cold. The capital is not like the border; remember to dress warmly.]
[The knockout drug I gave you last time has been improved. Following the new formula will make it more stable. Before, your father would be knocked out in five seconds, but if the dose was too low, he’d still have some awareness while unconscious. Now, with this formula, he’ll be down in three seconds, and once unconscious, he’ll be completely unaware for at least two hours.]
[Also, that mold-based potent medicine of yours—I’ve improved the original formula a lot. This medicine is truly miraculous. Even though it’s extracted from moldy, unwanted things, it has a wide range of uses. If it can be further stabilized, I believe it can save even more people.]
[Daughter, even though you’re not in Qingfeng Village, the people near Qingfeng Village are still safe. I’ve stopped researching poisons recently and have taken over the clinic work you used to do. I feel like I’m slowly beginning to understand why you did this.]
[Daughter, you’re better than your mother. Your father and grandfather are both well, and Qingfeng Village is fine. Don’t worry.]
Looking at Su Lianyue’s letter to her, Shen Yu felt warmth in her heart.
Mom was Mom, always loving and caring for her unconditionally, no matter when or where.
As usual, the back of the letter contained the formula format that Su Lianyue and Shen Yu had developed together—their mother-daughter tacit understanding.
But this time, Shen Yu hadn’t only received Su Lianyue’s letter; there were two more.
[Yu’er, I’ve learned that the Imperial Court intends to open maritime trade, and this move is inevitable. Once the maritime ban is lifted, I can help you raise a fleet of sea merchants to go overseas and find the crops you’ve been longing for.]
[Everything is fine at home. I’ve been having some back pain recently, but your mother cured it. Don’t worry.]
Shen Qingtian’s letter to Shen Yu was very concise, and she couldn’t help but marvel that Grandpa was indeed Grandpa.
Shen Yu had only just learned about the court’s plan to open maritime trade, and she felt it was still far from certain.
But with Grandpa, it was almost a done deal.
Then she looked at the other letter; the crooked handwriting was unmistakably Shen Bashan’s.
[Yu’er, I’m not good at all! When are you coming back? Your mother uses me as a guinea pig every day. I can’t take it anymore. Ever since she made that knockout drug, I sleep eight times a day and don’t even get a chance to go out. Yu’er, I suspect that our visits to your uncle’s brothel without paying have been exposed. Your mother is taking her anger out on me.]
[If this keeps up, your father will die. It’s fine if I die, but who’ll pay for your brothel visits in the future?]
[Alright, although most of the time we don’t pay… but if Dad pays, your uncle is also a face-conscious person, so he wouldn’t accept it. Well, okay, he would accept it. But putting aside the facts…]
[Why don’t you come back for the New Year, Yu’er? It’s not that Dad is scared—why would a head of the household be scared? Dad just misses you. Your mother misses you too. Even though your grandfather doesn’t say it, he misses you too. He runs up to the mountaintop every day with his old pipe, and anyone can see him staring in the direction of the capital for an entire day.]
Looking at Shen Bashan’s crooked but heartfelt words, Shen Yu couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
This was very much in line with her father Shen Bashan’s unreliable nature.
Shen Yu looked at the letters before her.
The flickering lamplight cast a long shadow behind her.
Outside the window, a cold wind suddenly rose, and scattered snowflakes began to fall.
In the small courtyard of Mu’en Hall, the women of the Cui clan exclaimed joyfully, “It’s snowing!”
For them, under Shen Yu’s protection, the snowflakes falling from the sky were no longer the death warrants from the King of Hell.
Shen Yu held the letters, leaning by the window, listening quietly.
She was homesick, and then loneliness surged from all directions, engulfing her.
“I’ll go home for the New Year this year.”
Shen Yu carefully put away the letters and leaned back on the warm heated brick bed.
Her eyelids began to droop.
In her dream, she returned to Qingfeng Village, to the people she loved and who loved her.
In her dream, Qingfeng Village had no dangers; it was the perfect vision Shen Yu had always dreamed of.
In her dream… why were there half a pig and the female emperor?
“Minister Shen? My dear minister? Shen Yu!?”
“Ah!?”
Shen Yu sat up abruptly from the bed.
She had fallen asleep without realizing it last night.
When she woke again, it was nearly noon.
Outside, the weather was gloomy, and it was still snowing.
In her dream, Shen Yu had been startled awake by the female emperor’s voice.
She was somewhat relieved that it was just a dream.
“Minister Shen, the sun is already high in the sky. How can you still be in bed? As the administrator of Mu’en Hall, how can you be so lazy?”
“Not a dream?”
Shen Yu looked at the female emperor sitting by her bed, dressed in a modest ruqun.
She sat sideways on the bed, the seductive curve of her raised buttocks fully visible.
“Oh? Did Minister Shen dream of me? What did I seek you for in the dream?”
The female emperor looked at Shen Yu with interest.
Shen Yu was momentarily speechless.
‘She couldn’t very well tell the empress that in the dream, this old woman was quite annoying.’
“Your Majesty, I was unaware of your arrival. Please forgive me for not welcoming you properly—”
Realizing the situation, Shen Yu quickly rose to bow.
“Stop, stop, stop. I’m tired of hearing your formalities. I came to find you today to discuss important matters, but I waited here until this hour, and it’s almost meal time.”
“I am guilty.”
Shen Yu lowered her head.
Her clothes were somewhat disheveled.
The female emperor glanced at her from time to time, thoroughly enjoying the view.
“I’m not a petty person. I’ve been feeling some discomfort in my lower back recently. My dear minister, give me a massage first, and we’ll talk as you massage. Also, I’ve sent word to the palace to bring some food. Why don’t you join me for a simple meal?”
When the topic of massage came up, the female emperor’s eyes began to dart away.
“Your Majesty… may I prepare the lunch?”
“Oh? I did see your little assistant bought a lot of mutton. A pot of radish and mutton stew on a snowy day would indeed be fitting, but I doubt your cooking skills can compare to my imperial kitchen.”
“I am terrified, but I dare to give it a try.”
“Very well, I’ll follow your suggestion. Also, if you don’t mind, during the meal, we can massage—”
The female emperor deliberately emphasized her tone, hinting blatantly.
“I will prepare and then come to massage Your Majesty.”
“Agreed!”
Upon receiving Shen Yu’s affirmative response, the female emperor’s expression immediately brightened.
She wasn’t interested in the food; she was mainly after Shen Yu’s massage techniques.