A Hundred of Beautiful Lives - Chapter 014

Ji Yang was smiling, waiting for Shen Du to ask her what the dish was, but she didn’t expect him to have such a keen sense of taste and recognise that it was venison. 

“Today, the manor sent us some venison, and at noon we roasted it on the back mountain and ate it. Even Grandmother praised me for roasting it so well. I thought that since they sent venison, there must be a deer head, so I asked Yu Zhu’er to inquire about it. Does Liu Lang find it delicious?”

This Qiāng zhǔ stew was a favourite among the nomadic tribes of the northwest. It was not something one could eat casually—one had to wait until a deer was slaughtered to enjoy this delicacy. Pork was chopped into small pieces and simmered into a thick soup, then flavoured with scallion whites, ginger, orange peel, Sichuan pepper, vinegar, salt, and fermented black beans. The deer head meat was cut into pieces about two fingers wide and dipped in the meat soup, making it exceptionally savoury and delicious.

Truth be told, these are all ordinary dishes, not particularly luxurious, but Ji Yang went to great trouble to make them appear elaborate. There is another dish, yellowish-white in colour, fresh, sweet, and tender, resembling fish or crab.

“Where did the crab come from?” Shen Du picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.

“It’s not crab. This dish is called ‘crab imitation.’ It’s made by grinding fresh fish without bones and eggs into a paste, then adding coriander.” 

Ji Yang sighed. 

“But we people from the Central Plains don’t eat crab, while people from the south consider it a delicacy. I suppose Liu Lang has eaten crab before?”

Ji Yang looked at Shen Du with sparkling eyes, and Shen Du smiled, “It’s a bit early to eat crab at this time of year, so this dish called ‘imitation crab’ is a bit of a stretch.”

Ji Yang thought for a moment, “Then let’s call it ‘crab paste,’ but it’s not as catchy.”

As they were talking, Ji Yang said, “It’s a pity there’s no wine in the residence, otherwise…” Otherwise, it would be even more enjoyable. In the Forbidden Palace of Luoyang, wine flows like a river, yet who would have thought that such a vast marquis’s manor would have not a single drop of wine?

“It was I who issued the prohibition on wine. No wine may be brewed throughout Jizhou. Now that the common people can’t even afford to eat their fill, where would they find the extra grain to brew wine? Moreover, the northern barbarians have not been subdued. How can the soldiers fight without military rations?” Shen Du said.

Ji Yang was taken aback. 

She had never imagined such a reason, one she could never have conceived of. When she recalled the grain wasted in the palace wine ponds, she felt so ashamed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into, her ears turning crimson with embarrassment.

Who was Shen Du? As the respected Lord Shen of Ji Zhou, someone whom people naturally felt close to, how could he possibly embarrass someone to the point of making them feel awkward? Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken the time to return and dine with Ji Yang amidst his busy schedule.

“Earlier, I went to pay respects to Grandmother, and she praised the roast venison you made as the best under heaven. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to taste it myself.” Shen Du changed the subject.

Ji Yang perked up at this, “I’ll roast some for you next time.” 

Ji Yang served Shen Du his meal while chattering about the day’s trivial matters.

“Did you go to learn calligraphy from the Fifth Sister-in-law?” Shen Du repeated Ji Yang’s words.

Ji Yang nodded and said, “Among three people walking together, there must be one who can be my teacher. Fifth Sister-in-law’s small, regular script is excellent, so naturally I want to learn from her.”

“Is it just the small regular script that’s good?” Shen Du asked, with a trace of disdain, implying that Ji Yang’s standards exceeded her skill.

Ji Yang, however, was an honest person. “Her large characters are indeed not outstanding. Oh, right, Fifth Sister-in-law said the same thing. She wants to find calligraphy manuals to study, but she is struggling to find famous ones.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t have any famous calligraphy manuals either. I should have kept a few.” Ji Yang sighed regretfully.

Although Ji Yang had a generous dowry, she did not possess any such calligraphy manuals or famous paintings. Empress Su and her father, later posthumously titled Emperor You, were preoccupied with indulging in pleasure and had never taken an interest in calligraphy or painting. Moreover, Ji Yang was a naturally generous person. The collections from previous dynasties in the palace were useless if left to gather dust, so she waved her hand and gave them to her masters, who appreciated such things.

Therefore, even the esteemed Princess Anle was powerless in this matter.

Throughout the meal, Ji Yang chattered on, while Shen Du only occasionally responded with a few words.

At dinner, Ji Yang ate slowly as usual. Shen Du, who had no patience to watch her in the morning, now observed her closely and noticed something different.

Ji Yang chewed slowly and ate two bowls of rice, which was rare for a young lady of noble birth.

“Eating until you are seven parts full and three parts hungry is the way to maintain good health,” Shen Du kindly reminded Ji Yang.

“That’s why I only ate until I was seven parts full,” Ji Yang replied, rinsing her mouth with the tea brewed by the young servant. Boiling tea leaves made this tea. At the time, people did not place much emphasis on tea, but southerners tended to drink it more frequently, while northerners did not like it as much. 

Ji Yang had always preferred southern cuisine, so she had also learned to drink tea, though she still found it bitter and astringent. She mostly used it to cleanse her palate, for it left her mouth feeling fresh.

Shen Du was somewhat impressed by Ji Yang’s appetite when he heard that she had only eaten until she was seven-tenths full. Still, watching her eat was truly a sight to behold. Not only was she a feast for the eyes, but the satisfaction she showed while eating made one mistake her meal for a heavenly pastry made by the maidens of the Moon Palace rather than a simple flatbread.

After the meal, though the sky had darkened, it was not yet time to sleep.

At this moment, Ji Yang kept glancing at Shen Du, then glancing away again. Every time Shen Du opened his mouth to say something, she turned her head away like a startled deer, afraid he might say he was leaving.

Fortunately, Shen Du did not say anything to spoil the mood. “Let’s take a walk in the garden to aid digestion.”

Ji Yang was overjoyed as if she had been granted a pardon, her face glowing with joy as if she had found a treasure worth a hundred thousand coins. “Yes! The flowers in the garden are in full bloom. It would be delightful to admire them by lamplight.”

No sooner had Shen Du said one sentence than Ji Yang had already imagined herself walking through the garden at night, admiring the flowers by lamplight.

It was already autumn in the eighth month, and the evening breeze was cool. The northern region was naturally colder, so Lu Zhu brought out a peacock feather cloak for Ji Yang, but she didn’t accept it. 

“It’s not that cold!” 

Besides, if it was cold, there was always the natural fireplace. Ji Yang glanced at Shen Du and silently blamed Yù Suì’er for being ‘nosy.’

“How can it not be cold? Be careful not to catch a cold.” Lu Zhu’er was afraid Ji Yang would fall ill, and there were no imperial physicians here.

If she couldn’t be adequately treated, it would be troublesome.

Yù Suì’er hurriedly stopped Lu Zhu’er. She was the one who pleased Ji Yang the most, as she understood Ji Yang’s thoughts best. Yù Suì’er winked at Ji Yang from behind Shen Du, making Ji Yang feel both shy and amused.

A man’s strides are naturally longer than a woman’s. After only a few steps, a distance grew. Ji Yang had to jog to catch up, and after doing so several times, even the usually good-natured Princess Anle couldn’t help but get annoyed.

Ji Yang stopped walking and refused to move.

Shen Du’s mind was not on the walk, but on the affairs of Bingzhou.

The provisional governor of Bingzhou, Wang Ke, had only recently left, and his sons were already fighting among themselves. Shen Du had just gotten married, but Wang Ke’s successor, his eldest son Wang Cheng, did not come. He only sent his chief secretary Xu Chong. 

Interestingly, Wang Ke’s seventh son, Wang Zhen, who was born to his second wife, came to congratulate him in person. The two factions ignored each other. Wang Cheng was scholarly and refined, while Wang Zhen was fond of martial arts and had always been favoured by Wang Ke.

However, Shen Du believed that the ultimate victor in Bingzhou would likely be Wang Ke’s younger brother, Wang Chen.

Wang Chen was fearless and skilled in archery, as well as proficient in horseback combat. He was Wang Ke’s most formidable general, and half of the credit for Bingzhou’s ability to contain the Murong tribe’s southward advance likely belonged to him.

Bingzhou served as a barrier between Jìzhōu and Liángzhōu and could also join forces with Yōuzhōu and Jìzhōu provinces to defend against the northern Xianbei tribes. If the internal strife in Bingzhou persisted for too long, Shen Du couldn’t help but furrow his brows slightly at the thought.

The Murong tribe of the Xianbei had recently defeated the Duan tribe. If they succeeded in uniting with the Yǔwén tribe, pacifying the north, and pushing south, Yōuzhōu and Jìzhōu would be in dire straits. 

Moreover, suppose the internal strife in Bingzhou spiralled out of control. In that case, the losers might seek refuge in Liangzhou or the Murong tribe’s state of Yān, which would be the last thing Shen Du wanted. Not to mention, Bingzhou has always been close to Liangzhou, and Shi Zun is Wang Ke’s brother-in-law, which means he is Wang Cheng’s uncle.

Shen Du was deep in thought when he suddenly felt his sleeve move. He turned his head and saw Ji Yang’s slender fingers tugging at his sleeve. Shen Du’s brows twitched, but seeing Ji Yang pouting without speaking, standing behind him with a look of grievance in her eyes.

Shen Du felt a bit impatient and sighed inwardly, though his expression remained calm.

Ji Yang saw Shen Du reach out his hand to her and was overjoyed. She quickly took two steps forward and placed her small, soft, white hand into Shen Du’s palm.

Shen Du’s hand was warm and dry, and the feeling of being held by him was so sweet to Ji Yang that it was far more comforting than any cloak.

Shen Du slowed his pace, and Ji Yang remained silent, allowing his thoughts to remain undisturbed. The two climbed the artificial hill ‘Diecui’, from where they could see the entire marquis’s manor garden, twinkling with scattered lights, quiet and profound. The half-moon in the sky was reflected in the mirror-like lake below, adding a touch of melancholy to the autumn air.

However, Ji Yang’s heart was filled with the vibrant beauty of spring flowers. Earlier, as they climbed the artificial hill, Shen Du had been very considerate, holding her elbow the entire way, which made Ji Yang feel deeply comforted.

Just as she was enjoying the moment, a faint, melancholic melody drifted from the northeast corner. It was sorrowful and lingering, as if a weaver woman were waiting for her husband who had gone off to war and had not returned for a long time. Then came the sad news, deepening the grief, as the wild geese flew north, alone and solitary.

Ji Yang was captivated by the music, and at the most emotional part, she could not help but shed tears.

She did not notice that Shen Du had already let go of her hand. When the music ended, Ji Yang turned her head and asked, “Who was playing the qin?”

“It must have been the Fifth Sister-in-law,” Shen Du replied.

Ji Yang could not help but admire, “It truly lingers in the air for three days.”

That evening, the two rested without further mention. Ji Yang had been worried that Shen Du might ravish her again, as she had been exhausted from the previous two days. Though her constitution was strong, she was still feeling some discomfort and lingering pain.

However, Shen Du’s mood was low tonight, and Ji Yang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The couple each covered themselves with a blanket, but Ji Yang was not pleased with this arrangement. She quietly and gently lifted her blanket, crawled into Shen Du’s blanket, and pressed her face against his back, feeling both at ease and warm.

When Shen Du turned around, Ji Yang boldly snuggled into his arms, as if only by clinging tightly to him could she express the joy in her heart.

The warmth inside the blanket released the subtle fragrance hidden in Ji Yang’s delicate, fair collarbone, wafting it to Shen Du’s nose. He reached out to pull her into his arms, his hand sliding down from her waist.

After all, Ji Yang had been a bride for two nights, and she was still startled. She tried to pull away, but Shen Du’s large hand held her firmly in place. Ji Yang kicked at Shen Du, but he skillfully caught her leg and hooked it around his waist.

Wasn’t this exactly what they called ‘asking for trouble’? The bed creaked for quite a while after that.

By dawn, Shen Du went to practise swordsmanship. Ji Yang was still sound asleep, let alone following him to learn swordsmanship.

[T/N: ‘Diecui’- “叠翠” is a poetic term that describes the rich, layered green of hills or forests seen from a distance. It gives the feeling of green peaks or trees overlapping like waves, full of colour and depth.]