Miao Chu

Chapter 304 Key
"Oh, there were a few boxes, but I thought they were in the way, so I had them put away." Master Chen, holding an oil lamp, took the lead and walked inside.

Upon entering the inner room, there were more than a dozen chests and boxes of various sizes, stacked up and placed from the wall outwards.

He randomly picked one, opened it, and found a brush washer, brush holder, brush rack, and other items inside. He opened another one and found various incense burners, porcelain boxes, and other containers. He finally found a vase, held up the lamp, looked around, and turned around just as Han Li, who had finished tidying up outside, followed him in.

Master Chen picked up one of the porcelain vases, held it up to his junior brother, and asked, "How about this one? It's not white porcelain, but celadon, and it looks quite plain."

Han Li stepped forward and took the porcelain bottle. He looked it over carefully and said, "It doesn't quite match—let me take another look. If you don't have white porcelain, black porcelain will do. Senior brother, please sit down. I'll do it myself."

"That's enough. Why are you suddenly getting so particular? Even arranging flowers requires attention to the vase!"

Despite his complaints, Master Chen refused to give way, rummaging through the chests for a while before getting up again and asking, "Where are those lotus flowers? Let me see what kind of vase they would be paired with—where did you get them? You're so concerned about them!"

Han Li didn't speak, he just smiled.

Under the dim yellow oil lamp, whether it was because Master Chen's old eyes were failing, he could see a hint of shyness on that face.

He already had a guess in his mind, and tentatively asked, "Could it be—from Suanzao Lane?"

Han Li shook his head.

But the smile on his lips, illuminated by the oil lamp, made it clear to Master Chen without him needing to rub his eyes.

The smile was actually quite subtle, but the meaning within was so clear that it was made obvious again and again, without any attempt to conceal it.

What a brat!
Master Chen couldn't help but curse inwardly, then stretched out his hand again and said, "Give it to me!"

"What to take?"

"Still playing dumb! Did you shamelessly beg for lotus flowers from Xiao Song? Let me see them—I'll pick out a nice vase for you, put it in your room, and let you look at them day and night until you're satisfied."

Han Li spread his hands and said, "No."

Master Chen refused to believe him, slapped his hand, and said, "Stop pretending to be stupid, hurry up!"

Han Li shook his head and said, "No, there really wasn't any. It was some lotus flowers that other guests gave us, and I saw that she only had bamboo tubes to hold them..."

He briefly recounted Xu Erlang's story.

Master Chen immediately became alert, looking distressed, and said, "Look at you! Others know to give lotus flowers, but what about you? Where are yours? There are so many people selling flowers and plants on the street outside. Even if Xiao Song didn't mention it, you should at least pay attention. Why do you need others to teach you?"

As he spoke, he stopped mentioning "that's enough," and just muttered to himself as he went to the back to rummage through drawers and cabinets. When he turned back, he asked, "Is it Pink Lotus?"

Han Li should be.

“Pink lotus leaves should be paired with white porcelain; black porcelain would be a bit lacking…” As Master Chen spoke, he disregarded his old bones and weaved in and out of the narrow passageways between the chests, opening one after another.

Han Li quickly pulled him out and said, "Senior brother, please sit down! I'll look for it slowly."

Master Chen didn't try to take it from him, but obediently stepped aside. He didn't suggest going outside, but instead brushed the dust off a box. Not daring to use his hands to support himself, he used a small wooden box as a stepping stone and sat down on it.

Once he was settled, he started picking and pointing at things from behind.

"Find a proper white porcelain piece, don't use one with mixed colors or a poorly applied glaze—how many lotus flowers did he send? Were the flowers big? Were the stems long?"

"Choose something that matches well, look at the flowers, tall or short, wide or narrow, you need to put some thought into it! Be generous, don't nitpick with a guest from out of town, don't spend so much time choosing and end up with a few mismatched pieces, making people look down on your taste!"

Seeing that Han Li had chosen a pair of bottles, he looked at them carefully and asked, "Just these two?"

"If you send too much, she'll complain."

Master Chen disliked his junior brother's stinginess, and knowing Song Miao's usual behavior, he could only sigh and say, "Never mind! Alas!"

Really!

I wish I could lend a hand and help by blowing on the wind and drumming up support!

He was getting very anxious!
The two left the storeroom one after the other and went into the study together.

Han Li fetched water and slowly wiped the two bottles clean, then carefully examined them under the light to see if there was anything wrong with them.

He was so open and honest. Master Chen, watching from the side, suddenly sighed and said, "If Master and Mistress could see you grow up, or if your sister-in-law could see you, she would be so happy..."

Han Li wrung out the wet cloth and gently wiped the water off the bottle. He turned to look at Master Chen and said with a smile, "Brother, please take a good look and be happy—otherwise, your sister-in-law will see you and say that you always have a sour face and that you don't smile happily when it's important."

"Where did I not smile joyfully!" Master Chen almost jumped up. "I've told her at least eight thousand times, if not ten thousand! On our wedding day, I was so excited that I twisted my ankle when I dismounted, and then my lower abdomen was jolted by a kick. It hurt quite a bit, which is why I was frowning. I was overjoyed!"

Han Li smiled, changed the subject, and asked about the porcelain in his home.

After the two had been talking for a while, Han Li noticed that it was getting late and urged Master Chen to go and rest.

The latter glanced at the water clock and said, "It's nothing! I'm an old man now, I need more sleep!"

He then asked, "You said you changed your mind last time—what's your new mind now?"

He made his point clear, saying, "I'll be released from prison next year. If you want to become a censor, I'll take care of this old man and arrange several ways out for you. If you really end up in prison and it's the dead of winter, even if I can't get you a thick quilt, I'll still put several layers of straw on you."

"If you have any other ideas, I'll take advantage of my remaining mobility to see what I can do for you, so you won't end up penniless and unable to gather people to help you even if you become an official, leaving you to do everything yourself."

Han Li laughed and said, "I'm not a three-year-old child. I can't rely on my family for everything. I've already gathered some people myself. If it's not enough, I'll come to my senior brother for help."

Upon hearing this, Master Chen felt an urge to immediately go to his master's and mistress's graves to burn three sticks of incense as a gesture of respect.

"You fool! You've finally figured it out!" He breathed a sigh of relief, then couldn't help but shake his head. "But you're still foolish—why not use the family you have? You're just making trouble for yourself!"

"Why is it that the path to officialdom is always smoother for scions of aristocratic families than for those from humble backgrounds? When prominent families are sent to remote areas, they all bring experienced advisors and capable retainers with them. No matter what they do, they already have experienced people who have done it before... Are the people you gather capable? Even if they are, are they willing to go with you?"

Han Li then said, "I haven't asked yet. It's not too late to ask when the time comes—if all else fails, I can come back to my senior brother."

"By then, it will be too late! In this last-minute rush, where am I supposed to find someone for you?" Master Chen said angrily, his beard bristling.

Only those who have actually served as officials know how difficult it is to assemble a reliable team.

The person you like may not like you back, or even if they do like you, you have to consider many things, such as where they will be sent, how long they will be sent, whether there is a future for them if they stay with you, and if there is no future for them, whether there is a way to make money.

Those who lack ability may be honest but unreliable, while those who are capable often have selfish motives. It's not that they can't have selfish motives, but that they can't let those selfish motives interfere with official business—these two types are already considered good. More often, however, they lack ability, are dishonest, and are entirely selfish.

However, if there is no one else available, such people, while not necessarily talented, can still be considered manpower, which is better than having none at all.

“I know you’ve gotten to know a few people in Huazhou this time. But Huazhou is Huazhou, and being sent out is being sent out. Although dredging the river is difficult, it’s not the same as being an official. You should think it over carefully.”

Master Chen thought for a moment and then decided to reveal the truth: "His Majesty has mentioned to me several times in private that he wants you to first serve as a proper official close to the people. Although being a censor is good, it is ultimately not a stable position and lacks confidence. However, I have been unable to persuade you and dare not answer." "I think he means that he wants to use you for a long time and is unwilling to use you only as a weapon. He is afraid that being too rigid will lead to breakage."

Han Li replied, "Don't worry, senior brother, I have my own plans. If we really can't raise enough money, you can ride a mule along and help me out, how about that?"

"You heartless bastard! I'm not even worthy of riding a horse anymore???" Master Chen couldn't help but shout.

But he didn't try to persuade him any further.

Well, the younger generation always requires some worry.

Compared to constantly cursing and making people anxious, worrying about one day having to carry a food box to the prison to deliver food, or whether to go with someone of my age if I am demoted to places like Hezhou, Leizhou, or Qiongzhou—none of these things matter at the moment.

Having confirmed Han Li's plans, he was in high spirits and couldn't help but ask with a smile, "I used to advise you until my lips were sore, saying that to be a censor, you had to learn from the cawing of a crow. How come you suddenly understand now?"

"I used to think it was simple, but after actually doing it from start to finish, I realized how difficult it is to do things."

"Simply scolding people is not enough. Firstly, one's words carry little weight and are entirely dependent on others. Although they may be formidable, their effectiveness is uncertain. Secondly, after meeting Song Tan, who is in charge of the river management and kitchen affairs in Huazhou, I truly realized how important it is to establish one's words—I feel it is far more important than establishing virtue or merit."

As Han Li spoke, he couldn't help but show his admiration.

“Senior brother, I used to only scold people and things. In fact, if someone else did some things, they might not have done any better. It’s not for any other reason, but because I was unwilling and unable to put my heart into it.”

"I certainly didn't make a mistake in my criticism, but if criticizing it doesn't improve the situation, I might as well change it myself first!"

“No matter how big or small the matter, you can make a statement. Once you've made a statement, even if you're not serious, you'll still be able to do it, right? If you don't know how to do it and don't care, you might only get two or three points. But if you give someone an example and ask them to follow it exactly, even if they do it in a way that's perfect, they'll still get four or five points. Isn't that more useful than me scolding people?”

Master Chen couldn't help but say, "I know you did a good job dredging the river this time, and I also know that Xiao Song made great efforts and was very useful, but I never expected her to be so capable—what kind of methods did she use?"

Han Li had only mentioned it briefly before, but now he recounted many of the affairs of the Huazhou kitchen. He then went to his room, took out a wooden box, and showed it to Master Chen two documents written by Song Miao.

He then said, “When I was in Tanzhou with my master and mistress, we also crossed the river. The method was not much different from this time. But this time, very few laborers deserted, and there was little dissatisfaction among the workers. Even the students who did the work, as well as the officials, patrolmen, and the local militia dispatched by the prefecture, had almost no complaints…”

Master Chen looked at the two documents back and forth, and finally looked up at Han Li, sighing, "What kind of luck do you have!"

Han Li just smiled and urged Master Chen to go to sleep.

"It's still early! I'll go to sleep later!"

Seeing that the old man was pretending to be stupid and refusing to move, Han Li was about to persuade him again when he suddenly remembered something and asked, "I brought back some soup today and had someone keep it warm in the kitchen. Has Senior Brother had any?"

"Ah... I drank it, I drank it! It's such a good soup! How can it be so fragrant! The ham flavor isn't overpowering at all; the saltiness is actually masked by the rich ham flavor! The chicken flavor is mellow but not heavy! And what's that thing in there? It looks like vermicelli, but it doesn't really taste like it. Take a sip of the soup, and the taste is just..."

As Master Chen spoke, he couldn't help but swallow hard, lamenting, "It's a pity there's too little! Not enough to drink!"

Han Li said, "There are two cups. I'll give half of mine to my senior brother—but it's too late, so don't drink too much, or we'll have to get up in the middle of the night again..."

As he spoke, he stopped calling for anyone and simply lit the lamp himself to go to the kitchen.

Master Chen hurriedly said, "No need, no need to share anymore. There wasn't much to begin with. You drink, you drink! It's getting late, I should get some rest!"

As he spoke, he stood up as if to walk out.

Han Li then pressed the man down, saying, "Senior brother, it's alright. I know you haven't been to Song's small restaurant for the past two days because of the quarterly exams. Luckily, they have this soup today. It's okay if I only have a few sips. Once I'm done with all this, I'll have more time to come over. There's nothing good to eat here..."

As he spoke, Master Chen heard the phrase "It doesn't matter if I drink a little less," and couldn't help but touch his nose, cough, and say, "Really, not much!"

As he spoke, Master Chen rang a bell.

“I heard you brought back some soup. When I saw the food box was from Song Ji, I knew it was good stuff. There were two bowls inside, one for each person. But... I didn’t notice and finished one bowl.”

"...Knowing that you always come home very late, and you need to get up in the middle of the night to drink soup before bed! Since it's still early here, I thought I'd help you drink some, so I took a clean spoon and scooped a spoonful from your bowl..."

As he spoke, his eyes darted away: "Who would have thought that spoonful was so big—it's been so long since I've had any of Miss Song's cooking!"

As they were talking, a servant, having heard the commotion, brought in the soup.

Han Li opened the lid and took a look.

Sure enough, what started as a small cup became a small bowl, and they didn't even dare keep the original cup, so they specially changed to a different teacup to hold it.

Master Chen chuckled, looking quite embarrassed, and placed a small bunch of keys on the table in front of him: "Here you go, take it, your senior brother is making it up to you."

Han Li recognized the key; it was the one he had used before. He sighed and said, "Senior Brother!"

He added, "Put it away quickly! If I really want something, I'll ask you for it myself. In thirty or forty years, when you can no longer manage it, I'll put it away for you!"

"Thirty or forty years to go? Do you think I'm some kind of monster?!" Master Chen scoffed. Seeing Han Li's resolute attitude, he finally put the key away. "I'll give it to you later!"

***
Although Han Li had been traveling to several places and had hardly rested from morning till night, he didn't feel tired at all. He felt lazy and didn't want to sleep, so he went to the backyard to slowly brush the horse's mane.

On the same day, Wang Sanlang of Song Family Restaurant was also busy traveling.

He drove the cart and took Dr. Lin and his party to their destination—which turned out to be a large warehouse.

The old doctor took the young doctor to look at the medicinal herbs. Wang Sanlang was not in a hurry to leave. He wanted to see the person off to the end, so that he could finish what he started.

After quite a while, the group finally came out after examining the medicine. They were a little embarrassed to see Wang Sanlang still waiting.

Dr. Lin sighed, "You! Everyone says it's the same whether we call a car or not!"

“No one else can drive as steadily as I can!” Wang Sanlang grinned.

"It's firmly in place!"

"Extremely stable!"

"This is the first time I've ever ridden in such a smooth car!"

Not only Dr. Lin, but all the other disciples also chimed in, eager to confirm.

At the intersection not far away, several people were hiding to the side, staring at the house.

"Why don't you come out?"

"I've never seen this house delivered before!"

"Go, go and see if Old Sun is ready."

(End of this chapter)