Chapter 5: Honey-Preserved Cherries
Was it really a maid’s place to send someone to keep an eye on the master’s whereabouts?
Pear Moon wanted to curl her lip but managed to hold back.
Jade Ink said nothing, calmly instructing, “The Young Master doesn’t want anything too sweet.”
Pear Moon took out the food box and filled it with a large bowl of jade-green fresh shrimp porridge, a plate of three-delicacy vegetarian shaomai, a plate of crystal-fresh meat buns, and a bowl of small wontons with dried shrimp and seaweed.
The small wontons were Jade Ink’s usual favorite—a case of borrowing flowers to offer to Buddha.
Looking at the food box, Jade Ink couldn’t help but smile faintly. She took out a handkerchief bundle: “The Young Master said that stewing longan soup early this morning tired the little one out. He told me to give you a string of coins to buy yourself some treats.”
What luck—another string of large coins, worth eight or nine mace of silver.
Pear Moon almost regretted it. If she had known, she would have given Autumn Abundance another hundred or two to buy more fruit.
“Thank you, sister! Thank you, Young Master!”
Only after taking the handkerchief bundle did she realize something was off—it felt heavy, more than just a string of copper coins.
Jade Ink smiled and unfolded the handkerchief, revealing a pair of exquisitely crafted gold hairpins shaped like cordyceps and dragonflies.
“I wore these before and always meant to have them altered but never got around to it. You can wear them for fun.”
With these light words, Jade Ink raised her hand and helped her put them on.
Pear Moon wore her hair in double buns, tied only with pink ribbons, with two strands of red tassels hanging by her temples.
The tassels were made for her by Autumn Abundance at the beginning of the year, who couldn’t bear to see her without them.
Against her glossy black hair and the red tassels, the shimmering gold dragonfly hairpins looked both playful and charming.
“These are too precious,” Pear Moon exclaimed, flustered and at a loss.
Made of pure gold with solid stems, they must have used at least five mace of gold!
Jade Ink smiled without a word, her soft, fragrant fingertips gently touching Pear Moon’s cheek before picking up the food box to leave.
“Let me carry it for you, sister. It looks heavy.”
Pear Moon hesitated for a moment before hurriedly catching up.
At this point, of course, she had to cling tightly to Jade Ink’s coattails, especially in front of those two.
Sure enough, Angelica Orchid and Fragrant Grass were both grinding their teeth, their expressions sour enough to last fifteen people half a month.
“No need, you attend to your own duties.”
Jade Ink waved her off but deliberately paused when passing Angelica Orchid.
“If it’s my duty but I push it onto a lowly maid, what kind of behavior is that? Was I raised in this household just to bully children? In my opinion, from now on, everyone should handle their own duties. If one person can’t manage, two can do it together. Stop using lowly maids as an excuse.”
These words, though indirect, were clearly aimed at Angelica Orchid and Fragrant Grass.
Their faces flushed red, but they had no way to refute them.
Pear Moon watched Jade Ink’s retreating figure with gratitude, almost mesmerized.
The food box was heavy, yet she carried it with one hand, her shoulders steady and her posture unwavering, walking with the grace of a willow swaying in the breeze—elegant and utterly beautiful.
This, too, was the result of meticulous training from a young age.
Angelica Orchid, seething with anger, cursed “seductress” and “fox spirit” under her breath before dragging Fragrant Grass away.
The two whispered all the way about where the Young Master might be going.
At noon, when the small kitchen prepared lunch, the aunts and matrons chatted privately. It was then that Pear Moon learned the Young Master had indeed gone out and wasn’t at home having tea with the Mistress.
The Emperor, out of consideration for the Duke of Ningguo’s son having guarded the border for three years, had granted him a month’s leave.
The Young Master had nothing to do today, so he went outside the mansion to visit his father and grandfather’s old servants, as well as his own wet nurse.
Everyone praised the Young Master’s filial piety and benevolence as they worked and chatted.
The Young Master didn’t return for lunch, so Shen Shi ate alone.
Eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, two soups, and four kinds of pastries—all were exquisite and carefully prepared delicacies.
Yet when the dishes were cleared away, not a single one had been touched.
The master suddenly stopped eating, leaving the cooks trembling with anxiety. It was only after the head cook went out to inquire that she returned with the reassurance that all was well.
The Young Master had intended to take Shen Shi with him when he went out, but upon reaching the entrance of the Tranquil Study, he spotted two third-rank maids peeking around, clearly acting as spies.
Having just returned to the mansion, his wife had already sent maids to keep an eye on him. The Young Master was already displeased, and this only fueled his anger further.
In a fit of pique, he left on his own without even informing Shen Shi.
In truth, the two young maids had been sent by Angelica Orchid, and Shen Shi was completely unaware of it. When she heard that her husband had left without a word, showing no regard for her, she found it hard to swallow her pride.
Angelica Orchid seized the opportunity to stir trouble, claiming that the Young Master’s behavior was all due to Jade Ink’s seduction.
Shen Shi rose and went to the Old Madam’s courtyard. Though she said nothing to the elder, tears of grievance streamed down her face.
Having heard about the previous night’s incident, the Old Madam naturally could not defend Jade Ink. The elderly lady summoned Granny Zhao and gave instructions, emphasizing that the Tranquil Study was a side courtyard of the Phoenix Ripple Courtyard and that Jade Ink must obey the Young Mistress in all matters, never acting on her own. She also called Jade Ink over and ordered her to kneel and apologize to Shen Shi.
The Old Madam reasoned that the root of the young couple’s quarrel lay in the fact that her grandson had just returned to the capital, exhausted from the journey and unable to consummate the marriage. She took her granddaughter-in-law’s hand and playfully comforted her for a long while.
All the maids and grannies in the room chimed in with encouraging words, coaxing Shen Shi until her face flushed red, her tears turned to laughter, and she shyly led her attendants back to the Phoenix Ripple Courtyard.
Although she had received the Old Madam’s words, Shen Shi remained troubled.
Her true intention had been to have the Old Madam take charge and directly dismiss Jade Ink. Yet, no matter how much she hinted, the Old Madam skillfully evaded the topic, refusing to address it directly.
Shen Shi wished to be a virtuous wife and did not forbid her husband from taking concubines, but she would not allow Jade Ink to rise above her station.
Her husband’s chamber maids and concubines were to be chosen from her own dowry attendants. She would never accept anyone who was beautiful, clever, or had any prior affection with her husband.
A legitimate wife who could not control her concubines would inevitably be controlled by them—a principle Shen Shi understood all too well.
With her heart weighed down by these thoughts since early morning, how could she possibly eat lunch?
The table laden with delicacies was cleared away. Apart from some portions given to the first- and second-rank maids, the rest ended up in the kitchen.
The aunts and grannies were too busy gossiping to pay attention, leaving the leftovers to Pear Moon and the others.
The three young girls feasted heartily, filling their bellies until they were round.
The afternoon was free, allowing them to rest for a while, and they returned to their room together.
“That little minx has stumbled upon dog’s luck! She hasn’t even had two full meals, and already she’s putting on airs!”
Autumn Abundance glared at the small gold hairpin on Pear Moon’s head, gnashing her teeth in envy.
Huan Huan was also green with envy, wanting to touch it but not daring to, afraid she might damage it.
The two of them lay on the kang, burping contentedly, while Pear Moon remained busy, scooping cold water to wash fresh cherries.
Autumn Abundance was never one to shy away from trouble when shopping, meticulously selecting each cherry—large, deep red, and plump.
The glistening red cherries, resting on vibrant green lotus leaves, created a delightful contrast of red fragrance and green jade.
“The cherry seller thought we were young and wouldn’t let us pick, trying to cheat on the weight! Pah! He didn’t realize this lady came from Ningguo Mansion—what kind of scene haven’t I seen!”
Autumn Abundance grabbed cherries and lay on the kang eating them, spitting out the pits one by one.
Huan Huan rolled over, her face full of admiration as she told Pear Moon, “We got so many for just thirty coins. Autumn Abundance’s mouth was like a rapid-fire gun—the cherry seller couldn’t keep up and even threw in an extra handful.”
Pear Moon used chopsticks to poke out the cherry pits, thinking of Autumn Abundance’s unreasonable yet effective manner, and couldn’t stop laughing.
Making honey-preserved cherries only requires low heat. She directly used a small charcoal stove, first putting rock sugar in the clay pot, then adding cherries. Only when the juice was squeezed out and returned to the pot did she add three liang of honey.
The cherries rolled in the thick, sticky honey, and she stirred continuously with one hand after another until Pear Moon’s arms grew sore.
Only when the fruit flesh in the pot gleamed like amber, and the sweet, fresh fragrance filled the room, was it done.
Two small porcelain jars, scalded clean with boiling water, were filled to the brim with honey-preserved cherries.
A large bowl of cherry juice that had seeped out was poured into three small white cups.
Pear Moon drank her share—sour, sweet, refreshing, and appetizing.
The two foodies on the kang were snoring lightly and only opened their eyes after being called for a long time.
“So delicious!” Autumn Abundance gulped it down without even rubbing her eyes awake.
Once she fully woke up, she immediately grabbed a jar and hugged it: “There are two jars? Give me one!”
“No! I have a use for that jar!” This absolutely couldn’t be given up. Pear Moon went to snatch it back.
“Hey, hey, hey, don’t spill it!” Huan Huan hurriedly tried to mediate.
“What rare treasure are you fighting over?” The door was knocked loudly, and a girl giggled, “Is Xiao Yue in the room? Guess who’s here?”