Chapter 63: Madam Shen
Pear Moon bought half a catty of white sugar cakes from the cooked food shop, gave two pieces to Autumn Abundance, and handed the rest to the young servant.
The servant was starving, so he accepted with a gloomy expression and unceremoniously stuffed them into his mouth.
His name was Chang Xi, only fourteen years old this year. His master’s family was surnamed Tang, and the master held an official position in the Censorate.
Judging by Chang Xi’s attire, it was clear that his master, Tang, was also a poor official.
Seeing him wolf down the food, Pear Moon couldn’t help but offer a few words of advice.
“If your master isn’t particularly well-off, you should advise him not to buy pepper. Four taels and five mace per catty is too expensive. What if the price drops tomorrow? Wouldn’t that be a waste of silver?”
Chang Xi swallowed the cake, widened his eyes, and asked, “How could the price of pepper drop? In the past, it couldn’t be sold for three or five mace per catty, but now even four taels and five mace can’t buy it. Everyone says it’s still going to rise!”
This boy had grown up in vain, unable to grasp reason. Pear Moon found it both amusing and exasperating.
“Shame on you for being a servant in an official’s household! What kind of talk is this? Pepper isn’t made of gold or silver—how could it only rise and never fall? Just like how grain is cheap in a bountiful year and expensive in a famine year, if there’s too much pepper and no one buys it, the price will naturally drop.”
“You little brat, talking nonsense! The price of pepper rises day by day. Buying it and keeping it at home earns money, so why wouldn’t everyone buy it? Of course, people buy as much as they can—even a hundred thousand catties wouldn’t be enough!”
Chang Xi shouted with a flushed face, angry at Pear Moon’s sarcastic remarks.
Remembering the fifty catties they had sold earlier, he stomped his feet in regret.
“Those fifty catties of ours, if we had kept them until now, would be worth two hundred taels—enough to buy ten bolts of white satin. You got a bargain back then, and now you’re here spouting sarcasm! My master deeply regrets it. Not only did he tear his wife’s new satin jacket, but he also called her a wasteful, promiscuous woman and slapped her twice in the face. The couple fought like a blazing kiln!”
As he spoke, Chang Xi kept close to the line, afraid someone might cut in front.
Truly, good advice is wasted on those destined to perish!
Pear Moon had initially felt uneasy, but now she couldn’t be bothered to argue with him.
After Autumn Abundance bought the pepper, Pear Moon helped carry it all the way back to the mansion.
Autumn Abundance went to Brocade Prosperity Hall to find Hong Rong, while Pear Moon returned to Phoenix Ripple Courtyard first.
Granny Fan was anxiously looking for her and pulled her along as soon as she saw her.
“Xiao Yue, where have you been playing? You’re only coming back now. The mistress and her mother, Madam Shen, are returning to the courtyard for lunch. Hurry up and help me cook! If she doesn’t enjoy this meal, I’m afraid I’ll be done for!”
The dowry servants in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard feared Madam Shen more than Shen Shi herself.
This was because the contracts of the dowry servants were all held in Madam Shen’s hands.
Shen Shi could only beat, punish, or send servants to the manor farms. When she threatened to sell them off, it was merely a bluff.
Pear Moon only learned of this now and was quite surprised.
For daughters of noble families, the more lavish the dowry, the better.
Take the young ladies of Ningguo Mansion, for example. As soon as they turned one year old, preparations for their dowries began.
Selecting wood for furniture, weaving silks and satins, and gathering various copper and tin utensils—not to mention gold, jade, pearls, and jewelry.
By the time they reached ten years old, the maids and matrons in the young ladies’ courtyards would be carefully selected to serve as dowry attendants upon marriage.
According to the old customs of Ningguo Mansion, when a young lady married and brought dowry attendants, their entire families would follow, and the contracts would be held by the young lady herself.
In the eyes of the masters, maids and matrons were like property. Without the contracts in hand, the people did not belong to them.
It made no sense to send dowry attendants away while their contracts remained with the natal family.
Madam Shen’s approach was merely lending servants to her daughter for use, with the Shen family able to reclaim them at any time.
“The Shen family hails from the south, so the congee must be light, the dishes savory and fresh, and the meat finely prepared—only then will Madam Ning be willing to eat! Madam has brought Second Miss Shen and Third Miss Shen along, so we’ll also need two delicate pastries. And one more thing—since it’s hot today, the food should be refreshing, not greasy or served piping hot!”
Pear Moon tied on her apron and entered the Small Stove Room, with Granny Fan following her all the way, chattering incessantly.
“Granny Fan, you certainly know how to give orders, rattling off so many little details. We agreed from the start that this small stove would only be used for soups and refined congee, while the main banquet dishes were still to be prepared by you, Granny Fan. How come you’re confused today and asking me to make everything?”
Pear Moon was deliberately putting on airs to keep Granny Fan from shirking her responsibilities.
For five qian of silver a month, if she were to handle all the banquet dishes and it became the norm, wouldn’t that be letting others take advantage?
Granny Fan couldn’t help but blush. After fumbling in her sleeve for a while, she pulled out a string of cash.
“You little girl, Xiao Yue, you’ve learned to be sly too. When Granny asks you to make a couple of dishes, you start making excuses. If there weren’t any distinguished guests in the courtyard, who’d bother asking you to do this? Take this money to buy some snacks. Tonight, I’ll save two pig’s trotters for you—how about that?”
Pear Moon took the money and laughed. “I was just worried I wouldn’t do well and you’d get scolded. Who would dare take Granny’s money?”
Happily tucking the money away, she called Huan Huan over to help light the stove and get the fire going.
Although it was early summer and the food needed to be refreshing, a small banquet couldn’t be too vegetarian.
Pear Moon weighed her options and decided on Lamb Head Rolls, Spice-Stuffed Lung, and Stir-Fried Raw Meat for the meat dishes.
Spice-Stuffed Lung and Stir-Fried Raw Meat were just finely prepared side dishes, which Granny Fan had seen before.
But the Lamb Head Rolls were troublesome to make—not only requiring careful selection of ingredients but also demanding precise technique and heat control.
Only the two strips of cheek meat from the lamb’s head were used for the filling, and only the tender, leek-yellow core of the scallions was kept.
The lamb head meat was fried into small rolls over low heat with plain oil, then seasoned with salt, wine, and finely chopped scallion cores. The result was crisp, fragrant, and delicious—rich in aroma without a hint of greasiness.
Watching from the side, Granny Fan clasped her hands and murmured, “Amitabha.”
“Just this one dish uses two lambs and three jin of fine scallions! Isn’t that worth ten taels of silver?”
Pear Moon picked up a jadeite lotus leaf plate, carefully arranging the meat rolls with chopsticks, and turned to tease her.
“Granny Fan, you’re confused—didn’t you see we also ground one liang of pepper? That’s worth at least ten taels and four qian of silver!”
Hearing her joke about the pepper, Granny Fan raised her hand as if to hit her, laughing angrily. “You little troublemaker, can’t stand to see me make money, can you? If pepper rises to seven or eight taels per jin tomorrow, I won’t give you any reward money even if I have it to spare!”
Pepper rising to seven or eight taels per jin? She must be dreaming!
With these three main dishes, Granny Fan felt reassured and hastily stir-fried a few more to round out eight hot dishes.
Pear Moon freed up the stove and also prepared Dried Fish Congee and Clam and Dried Rice Soup as porridge options, along with Cold Noodles with Red Shredded Shrimp and Lotus Pod Fish Dumplings as pastries.
Pear Moon carried the food box to deliver the meal, and the lunch table in Phoenix Ripple Courtyard was laid out lavishly.
Zhi Qing and Xiafu went to the Side Hall to invite the Shen mother and daughters, but after half a day of urging, they still hadn’t come out.
Shen Shi had two younger sisters from the same mother, both of whom had come with Madam Shen today.
Second Miss Shen was seventeen and already betrothed, preparing to marry this year.
Third Miss Shen was fifteen and still in the process of arranging a marriage.
Both were rather plain in appearance, their figures and features paling in comparison to Shen Shi.
Third Miss Shen still had some charm about her, but Second Miss Shen was quiet and didn’t know how to dress up, giving off a somewhat dull impression.
At home, Madam Shen was most attentive to Shen Shi, most doting on her third daughter, while the second daughter was most neglected.
Just now in Brocade Prosperity Hall, Second Miss Shen met Miss Ning, and they happened to be the same age.
In terms of appearance, talent, and speech, Second Miss Shen had nothing to boast about, making anyone who saw her feel heartbroken.
She was to be married by the end of the year—how could her family feel at ease?
Shen Shi looked at her plainly dressed second sister, feeling extremely uneasy.
“Second Sister is about to marry and should have some fine attire. Dressing so plainly will not look proper in front of relatives.”
Madam Shen glanced sideways at Shen Shi, holding her youngest daughter as she sat, and coldly retorted.
“The daughters of the Shen family rely not on gold, jade, or wealth, but on integrity and virtue. The Shen women are known for their virtue; even if dressed in humble clothes, who would dare not respect them? If a Shen woman lacks virtue, even if adorned in gold, silver, and jewels, she would only bring shame upon the entire clan!”