Chapter 38: Tea and Pastries
Pear Moon hurriedly followed Miaotong into the Warm Pavilion to kowtow.
Miss Ning smiled and said, “We’ve eaten so many sweets from Madam Tan and Miss Tan, so we should let them taste our family’s skills too. Xiao Yue, go with the Tan family’s sisters to the kitchen and make a few of the pastries we usually eat in the mansion. Make several trays of pretty ones, so at least we won’t be laughed at.”
Pear Moon quickly agreed and was about to follow the Tan family’s maidservant out.
Madam Tan promptly stopped her, smiling as she said, “The kitchen might be greasy and dirty, and I’m afraid it’ll stain the little miss’s clothes. Let her do it here instead—I’d also like to learn a thing or two.”
Someone had already gone to the kitchen to fetch brand-new porcelain basins and bamboo chopsticks. Pear Moon then went to the ingredients she had brought and selected flour, rice flour, honey, cow’s milk, jujube paste, Chinese yam, powdered sugar, and other items.
In front of them, she set up a table outside the Warm Pavilion and made several types of commonly eaten pastries.
Outside, the Tan family’s elderly servant set up a charcoal stove under the corridor to boil water for tea and brought out a stack of brand-new steamers.
Pear Moon had recently been learning knife skills from Aunt Cao, carving radish flowers day and night, and now it came in handy.
Everyday pastries were usually molded, but sensing Miss Ning’s intention to genuinely showcase her skills, she deliberately used a small silver knife to carve patterns.
For the jujube paste and Chinese yam cake, she carved double-layered peach blossoms; for the lotus root starch and osmanthus sugar cake, she carved red lotus flowers with yellow stamens; and for the poria cocos and cow’s milk cake, she carved hexagonal snowflakes. In less than half a day, the pastries were steamed and served. Not only were they sweet, soft, and delicious, but their appearance was also exquisitely crafted.
Tan Leyao had eaten Pear Moon’s Dongting Spring Dumplings before and knew she was young yet skilled.
But this was Madam Tan’s first time seeing such craftsmanship, and she was utterly captivated.
The pastries weren’t just steaming hot when taken out of the steamer—the arrangement on the plates was also carefully considered.
Five large four-inch jadeite lotus leaf plates were arranged with fresh flowers and candies, surrounded by twelve light pink and sweet white small tea plates, each holding a different type of dried or fresh preserved fruit, forming a clustered plum blossom pattern.
But that wasn’t all. Pear Moon hurried to the tea stove, picked up a small gold-inlaid silver pot, and paired it with three small Ji-red glazed teacups. She brewed three cups of strong kumquat honey tea, placed them on a gold-lacquered tea tray, and set it beside the pastries.
This table of tea and pastries was a feast for the eyes. Not only were the Tan family’s sisters-in-law amazed, but even Miss Ning secretly marveled.
She thought to herself, “This little thing Xiao Yue actually hides such skills—she’s even more capable than her godmother.”
Madam Tan was overjoyed. She pulled Pear Moon close and pinched her cheeks twice.
Pear Moon felt that Madam Tan’s palms were covered in thin calluses, much like her own hands, unlike those of an official’s wife.
“This servant is young, and these skills were taught by the mansion’s cooks. I’m afraid they might not suit Madam Tan and Miss Tan’s tastes. For the sake of our young miss, please don’t laugh at this servant.”
Hearing her clever words, Madam Tan was even more delighted and quickly laughed, “Look how clever this child is—she’s even teasing us! How could such flower-like creations not suit our tastes? I’m so fond of them that I can’t bear to touch a single one—even the slightest touch might ruin their beauty!”
Miss Tan had also never seen such an elaborate display. Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she smiled and said, “In our northern lands, we’ve never even seen such things, let alone eaten them. Sister Ning, please don’t laugh at us—even the embroidery patterns I’ve been sewing since childhood aren’t as vibrant as these!”
Madam Tan held Pear Moon close, unsure how to praise her further, and sighed to Miss Ning, “Young Miss, you truly are blessed to have such a clever girl in your household. She has such a neat and pretty little face, and her hands are so skillful!”
Pear Moon listened as they showered her with praise, secretly worried that Miaotong and Miaoyun might feel jealous.
Seeing them both smiling at Miss Ning, she finally felt somewhat at ease.
Because Pear Moon had performed well, Miss Ning had originally been pleased, but upon hearing these words, her heart stirred.
“If sister-in-law likes Xiao Yue so much, if she were my maid, I wouldn’t even report to Mother—I’d just send her over to serve sister-in-law. Xiao Yue is a coarse maid assigned to my sister-in-law from our mansion. I specifically borrowed her because I saw her pastry skills were excellent.”
Pear Moon couldn’t help feeling both joy and worry. Such was the fate of a servant—unable to control their own destiny, passed around like gifts among their masters.
Madam Tan naturally couldn’t take someone else’s favorite, so she tactfully inquired after Madam Ning’s well-being instead.
Miss Ning didn’t wish to speak much about her sister-in-law and replied vaguely, “My sister-in-law should have come to visit, but she has always been frail and sickly. In the month since my brother returned to the mansion, she hasn’t been well for more than a few days. Even my mother often worries about her.”
The Tan ladies hadn’t invited Miss Ning today just for pastries.
They had recently arrived in the capital from another province and knew little about the many rules of official gatherings. They simply wanted to seek guidance from high-ranking ladies.
In the capital, the Tan family only knew two households: one was Eunuch Lu of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and the other was Ningguo Mansion.
Eunuch Lu had no family, so they couldn’t pay him a visit.
Thus, the Tan family had no choice but to send lavish gifts to Ningguo Mansion, hoping to pay respects to Heir Ning’s wife.
On the day of the Spring Day Banquet, Tan Leyao had harbored this intention, which was why she was so eager to meet Shen Shi.
Who would have thought Shen Shi would put on such airs, refusing even to see them?
Fortunately, Miss Ning was willing to condescend; otherwise, the Tan ladies would truly have been at a loss.
Miss Ning was the legitimate eldest daughter. Madam Ning had taught her since childhood to become the mistress of a noble household.
By age ten, she was already attending official gatherings, accompanying her mother in social engagements.
She could even send out invitations herself, gathering a group of noble young ladies for entertainment.
“If you have any questions, sister and sister-in-law, feel free to ask me. Though I am young, I grew up in the capital. From royal palace banquets to small gatherings of official families, I’ve seen quite a few.”
Madam Tan clapped her hands and laughed, “What Miss Ning says is so thorough, I hardly know what to add! This is exactly why we’re here! I came to the capital from the north for no other reason than for my sister. Her brother only knows that promotion is a joyous occasion—how could he understand the difficulties we ladies face!”
At this point, everyone understood the implication.
General Tan had specifically brought his sister to the capital to arrange a good marriage for her.
To secure a good match for his sister, he needed the ladies to network and socialize.
But the capital’s etiquette and rules were intricate; even the slightest detail regarding tea or snacks couldn’t be overlooked.
If they didn’t understand the customs and hosted guests recklessly, they might be laughed at by frivolous families.
Tan Leyao blushed, turning her back to sit facing inward, refusing to speak to her sister-in-law.
Miss Ning, also a young lady of the inner chambers, quickly covered her mouth and chuckled discreetly.
Madam Tan then asked Miss Ning in detail about how capital ladies hosted small gatherings: how to send invitations, how to prepare refreshments and tea, how to arrange banquets, and what to eat and play during the feasts.
Miss Ning held nothing back, explaining everything she knew in detail.
Pear Moon stood nearby, pouring tea and serving water, silently committing everything to memory.
These etiquettes for large and small banquets would be essential knowledge when she went to the Main Kitchen in the future.
Tan Leyao listened with fascination but couldn’t help sighing softly and lowering her head.
The Tan family had no relatives or friends in the capital. Aside from the ladies of the Ning family, who would invite them?
Even if they hosted a tea party at home, whom could they invite?
In the capital’s high-society ladies’ gatherings, outsiders from other provinces would find it difficult to join without an introduction.
Since things had reached this point, Miss Ning took full responsibility with a smile and said, “Sister, don’t sigh, and sister-in-law, don’t worry. In a few days, I’ll be hosting a tea gathering at my residence, inviting noble young ladies from the capital. Sister, you just come along. We’re all girls—strangers at first meeting, but familiar by the second. Once you become close with these young ladies, whenever any of their families hold a banquet, they’ll surely send an invitation to the Tan family.”
Tan Leyao and Madam Tan were naturally delighted to hear this idea.
While they were chatting warmly in the Warm Pavilion, Pear Moon went to the corridor to tend to the tea stove.
The Tan residence was not deep, and soon the sound of horse hooves could be heard from outside, along with the voices of several men.
A maidservant hurried through the Drooping Flower Gate to report, “Prince Ning has arrived! The master is accompanying him in the main hall for tea!”