Chapter 25: 109

Chapter 109 – Green Riceballs

Mugwort juice was used to make green riceballs. However, as it was early February, the mugwort plants had only just sprouted, so they were still young and lacked fragrance and flavour.

Madam Chen was greatly troubled and she prodded Yutang’s forehead, chiding “You could have mentioned any other thing, except for the green riceballs. How can green riceballs taste good at this time of the year?”

Yu Tang smiled sheepishly.

She was just thinking that the mourning period for Grand Elder Pei was not over yet, so subconsciously, she blurted out the word “Green Riceballs”. She didn’t realize that there were so many things involved in making them. Madam Chen felt that the previous ones she made were not suitable and decided to make a fresh batch.

Alas, it was too late for regrets.

Yu Tang hugged her mother’s arm, saying coquettishly, “Mother, let me help you.”

“It’s better if you stay away!” Madam Chen examined the top-quality lotus seed rice that Old Aunty Chen had procured from the Wu family next door, all the while saying exasperatedly, “I don’t expect you to help with the cooking, but you should at least give some thought to it. Do you expect to eat red spinach in winter and have winter melon in the summer?”

Yu Tang didn’t dare to reply and meekly sat on the bamboo chair and watched on as her mother and Old Aunty Chen gathered the lotus seed rice.

“Master Wu’s family really knows how to enjoy life.” Old Aunty Chen looked at the grains of uniform-sized lotus seed rice in her hands and said, “Shall we wrap some mung bean filled ones?”

Green riceballs were usually made with lotus seed or red bean fillings.

Green glutinous rice balls, when bitten, revealing a red center of red bean filling or white center of lotus seed filling, both looked equally delicious.

Very few people would make ones with mung bean fillings as it wasn’t as visually attractive.

Madam Chen pondered for a moment and said to Yu Tang, “Aren’t you pretty capable? Go and find out what kind of filling Third Master Pei likes. If he likes mung bean stuffing, we’ll make some as well.”

Yu Tang acquiesced and got up, leaving the kitchen.

Old Aunty Chen replied, “Madam, aren’t you making things difficult for Miss? No matter what kind of filling Third Master Pei likes, we’ll just make a variety……”

Madam Chen immediately answered resolutely, without mercy, “The reason why she’s behaving like this is exactly because of our family’s indulgence of her actions. Third master Pei has shown us great kindness, not mention making a few green rice balls, even if he wanted me to personally make the Eight Treasure Duck, I’ll be more than happy to. However, how could she be so thoughtless with her words? Just a slip of tongue could spell disaster. What if the season is wrong and we’re unable to make it? What happens then?” Speaking of this, she got frustrated, adding “The mugwort isn’t ready yet, so it can’t taste as good as the ones during Qingming. Should we ought to send something else instead?”

Old Aunty Chen said placatingly, “Isn’t it because Miss loves to eat your hand-made green rice balls? She felt that your green rice balls were the most delicious, so she subconsciously mentioned it. Madam, you should stop blaming Miss, you’ve already scolded her all morning. Fortunately, Miss is filial and listened without uttering a word, if it were anyone else, they would have gotten angry and left. Besides, it’s not like she’s doing this to benefit herself.”

Madam Chen kept silent.

In YuTang’s previous life, almost no one knew what color clothes Third Master Pei liked to wear, what kind of carriage he preferred to ride in, or what kind of tea he favoured. As for inquiring about what he likes to eat …… that was even harder than asking her to pick a fight with Madam Lin!

But she also understood her mother’s feelings.

If the gifts sent to the Pei family were not to Pei Yan’s liking, the gift wouldn’t serve its purpose and may even create problems.

Sigh!

She didn’t know why she spontaneously blurted out the idea of sending green rice balls.

However, he is still in mourning, so mung bean stuffing should be okay, right?

Yu Tang snuck around the courtyard and poked her head just outside the kitchen, thinking that her mother’s anger should have subsided by now. She entered the kitchen with a cheerful smile and said, “Mother, many flowers are blooming in our courtyard now! This shows how good our family’s green rice balls will be! See what other varieties of fillings you can make. Isn’t it said to be auspicious to send pastries with four or eight varieties? We can have four or eight different fillings!”

Madam Chen didn’t even bother to reply her and instructed Old Aunty Chen, “From tomorrow onwards, let Miss come to the kitchen to help out.”

Yu Tang panicked, and said while running away, “Mother, I haven’t finished writing the 10,000 characters that Father punished me with. I’ll come back once I’ve finished.”

Madam Chen looked at her daughter’s back and thought of all the mischief she stirred up since she was little and couldn’t help but purse her lips in a smile. Madam Chen did exactly as what Yu Tang suggested, and made green rice balls with four different fillings of lotus seeds, red beans, mung beans and sesame seeds. She then asked Yu Bo to deliver it to the Pei’s residence.

PeiYan was extremely busy these two days, constantly receiving and entertaining guests, and fourth master Song still had the nerve to find him for a chat. He asked, “How can doing business with others be as good as the two of us working together? If you really don’t want to be in charge, you can also invite a third partner to work with. I’ll manage the business with the other party, and you can sit back, relax and wait for your share of the profits. What do you think?”

Ultimately, he wanted him as the guarantor.

He couldn’t help but be reminded of the Yu family.

Especially Lady Yu.

Even when he was tempted to act on behalf of their family, she still managed to keep her wits about her and knew exactly what her family could and couldn’t handle.

With time, the Yu family will certainly prosper.

Pei Yan dismissed fourth master Song’s request, saying “These days, the auction attendees are arriving one after another and settling into my residence. It’s not like you don’t know them, so why don’t you discuss with them individually? Why do I have to be involved? People may think that I have an ulterior motive!”

Fourth master Song knew that this little cousin of his was highly capable and anything he set his mind to do, he would certainly accomplish it and make it a success. Therefore, he refused to be persuaded otherwise, saying “Of course, we know each other, but I have never done business with them, so I’m a little apprehensive. On account of us being close relatives, why don’t you help me out?”

The two were still locked in a stalemate when the Yu family’s green riceballs were delivered.

Pei Yan took this opportunity to escape to his study and felt a little curious about the green riceballs that were sent. When he opened it, he found some with mung bean fillings, and his heart warmed.

Only the Yu family, only Lady Yu remember he was still in mourning.

Although she prioritised efficacy and benefit maximisation, she did so in a way that was not offensive. That was a skill as well.

He ate a green riceball.

The taste was average.

Nevertheless, he called Pei Man over and asked, “What is Lady Yu doing these days?”

Pei Man was somewhat blindsided by this question.

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He was the main head steward of the Pei family. Every day, there were countless matters he had to manage, not to mention, Lady Yu was just a young girl. If he were to keep an eye on the Yu Family, shouldn’t he be observing the actions of Master Yu instead?

However, it was negligence on his part for his inability to answer his master’s question.

“I’ll have someone enquire.” Pei Man immediately responded.

As it wasn’t a pressing concern for Pei Yan, he just nodded and ate another green rice ball. He asked Pei Man, “How many boxes of green rice balls did the Yu family send over? You can send the rest to Grand Madam,” he thought for a moment before adding, “Send some to the eldest and the second eldest branches as well.”

Pei Man assented and retreated.

PeiYan sat in a rocking chair reading a book idly.

Hu Xing, Yu Wen and Yu Yuan arrived in the city covered in dust.

“We’ve troubled you for the past two days,” Yu Wen sincerely invited Hu Xing to his home, “I’ve already asked Ah Cam to inform my family in advance to prepare wine and food, please come over and have a drink or two.”

These few days, Hu Xing went to see the mountain forest along with Yu Wen and Yu Yuan and his legs ached from all the walking. He did not refuse, saying “Okay! Then excuse my intrusion!”

“What are you saying?” The three of them made polite talk as they made their way to Qingzhu Lane.

Madam Chen prepared the food and wine, and Hu Xing, Yu Wen and his nephew sat around the table, drinking and chatting about the Yu family’s mountain forest. “I don’t know who gave your daughter such an idea. It’s not impossible for sea buckthorn trees to be planted, just that it would be too costly. If you were to plant walnuts, the soil is too sandy and they would not be delicious. Why not try planting peanuts or something. However, the profit margin for selling peanuts is low. It’s hard for me to make a decision on this matter, you will have to make the final decision yourself.”

Yu Wen laughed sheepishly, feeling that it should be the Yu Tang’s opinion that mattered the most, and said to Yu Yuan, “Go inform your sister and see what your sister says.”

Yu Yuan left to find Yu Tang.

Yu Tang was awaiting the news, and upon hearing it, she couldn’t decide if she should laugh or cry.

In the end, her past life and the present one were still different.

She wasn’t idle during this period of time either, and had people inquire about the market price of fruit preserves and profit margins.

Indeed, the profit margin wasn’t big.

She said to Yu Yuan, “Inform father that I still need a little more time to think about this.”

At first, Yu Yuan was filled with enthusiasm, but at this time he also felt that they should take their time with this.

He spoke to Yu Wen, who was also not in a hurry to make a decision. He happily had a drink with Hu Xing and convinced him to accept the drinks, and at the end of it, he was very respectful to Yu Wen, saying “Master Yu”.

Yu Wen also drank a little too much and was unable to stand properly, so Yu Yuan had to send Hu Xing back.

When he accompanied Hu Xing home, he met Pei Man.

Pei Man was aware of what Hu Xing had gone to do, and thinking about what Pei Yan had asked him before, he couldn’t help but ask Yu Yuan, “Is the preliminary check of the mountain forest land going well?”

“Not going as well as we expected.” Previously Yu Yuan was still a little overconfident, like a newborn calf that was unafraid of tigers, but now that he knows more about the business world, he grew increasingly cautious. He chuckled and said, “If First Head Steward has any good ideas, you can share with me as well.”

“Sure!” Pei Man answered readily.

Yu Tang was discussing this with Yu Yuan. She asked “How about we plant peanuts? I know there is a kind of peanut pastry that is very delicious. I have some free time now, so I can ask Old Aunty Chen to make some and you all can try it!”

Besides, they had no other options.

Yu Yuan agreed.

Yu Tang took Old Aunty Chen and Shuang Tao back to the kitchen to make the peanut crisps.

Madam Chen watched on from the side and asked, “How many kilos of peanuts should we use for this?”

That’s right!

Yu Tang got a little frustrated and became increasingly eager to find out why Pei Yan made those fruit preserves in her former life. However, PeiYan should be busy with the auction right now, so she didn’t want to bother him.

Then what exactly should they plant in their family’s mountain forest land?

Yu Tang thought that the peanut crisps they made shouldn’t be wasted, so she sent a box to the Pei residence, and also sent some to her neighbors and friends, and the reminder was kept for Yu Yuan’s marriage.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the Third Month. Even though Yu Tang didn’t leave the house, she still learnt from Old Aunty Chen who went out to buy groceries that there were a growing number of unfamiliar faces in Lin’an. “They seem to be nobles from those big, prominent families. I heard that Master Wu rented out his other smaller residence in the east of the city. I wonder what’s happening here in Lin’an City?”

Yu Tang and Madam Chen acted as though they hadn’t heard.

However, Li Duan felt extremely uneasy.

Before the 17th day of the first lunar month, Lin Jue returned to Fujian with the Pine Creek fishing hidden painting.

He initially thought that the master Lin Jue found had repaired the small damaged section in the middle, but he only found out just a few days ago that Lin Jue had only asked the master to add a few additional lines to the damaged area in the middle as he was in a hurry.

Would the addition of those few brush strokes matter?

The Pei family seemed to be busy with something, but all the local noble families were all kept in the dark.

He vaguely had a bad premonition.

As if there was something important and significant even about to happen, but their family was being excluded by the Pei family.

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