Chapter 51 — Beef Bone Soup
Cao Yunzhao had a very close relationship with him and had known him for many years. In his memory, Bai Rongjiu didn’t care much about anything. The antique collectibles they handled were often exchanged after a bit of playing with them. If Cao Yunzhao liked something and asked Bai Rongjiu for it, he could always get it—this was the first time he hadn’t.
The more this happened, the more curious Young Master Cao became. He glanced at the young man behind Bai Rongjiu. Aside from his striking appearance, there didn’t seem to be anything particularly special about him.
Bai Rongjiu accompanied his esteemed guest to see Huang Mingyou because Cao Yunzhao was carrying a letter that he wanted to personally hand over to Mr. Huang.
Upon seeing Huang Mingyou, Cao Yunzhao stepped forward to greet him: “Good day, sir. It’s been two years—how has your health been? I brought some Liaoshen sea cucumbers; I’ll send them to the small kitchen later to make your favorite millet sea cucumber porridge.”
Huang Mingyou had once taught the young masters of both the Cao and Bai families before joining Bai Rongjiu later, so Cao Yunzhao still respectfully called him “sir.” Seeing his former student, Huang Mingyou’s face lit up with a smile: “I appreciate you remembering me, but the chefs here aren’t as good as Quande Zhai’s. I’m afraid they can’t make it taste the same.”
Cao Yunzhao smiled: “I thought the same. I specially brought Quande Zhai’s head chef with me. You haven’t had his dishes in a long time, sir, so at noon he’ll show off a bit and make some dishes you like.”
Huang Mingyou was pleasantly surprised, nodding repeatedly.
Bai Rongjiu, standing nearby, said: “Guang Ting (Cao Yunzhao’s nickname) put a lot of thought into this trip. Chai Xuehe was also specially invited from Beiping by him.”
“Oh?” Huang Mingyou looked at his student with satisfaction. “Guang Ting is thoughtful.”
Cao Yunzhao politely said: “Not at all, sir, as long as you like it.”
Bai Rongjiu continued: “Guang Ting also said on the way that he misses the time when he used to play chess with you while studying.”
Cao Yunzhao: “…”
Huang Mingyou immediately showed interest: “Guang Ting, what a coincidence. I still have a half-finished game from last night. Since you mentioned it, I can’t resist. Come with me and finish that game!”
Cao Yunzhao’s smile twisted slightly but he forced it to remain, glancing at Bai Rongjiu as if signaling, but Bai Rongjiu didn’t notice.
Cao Yunzhao started pulling him along: “Bai Rongjiu, you should come too. You play better than me—sit by as a referee.”
Huang Mingyou waved him off, refusing: “No, he plays unorthodox moves, doesn’t follow the chess rules. Guang Ting, let’s go play.”
Young Master Cao followed his teacher with a sour face.
Xie Jing watched silently on the side. Once everyone had gone, he couldn’t help but follow their backs with his gaze, only to turn around and get caught by Bai Rongjiu, feeling suddenly uneasy.
Bai Rongjiu frowned: “You want to go play chess too?”
Xie Jing shook his head vigorously. He didn’t want to.
Rarely going out in winter, Bai Rongjiu took a short walk in the garden. With no one else around, he strolled alongside Xie Jing, enjoying the snowy scenery.
On the roadside, a cluster of trees bore red fruits. The small, bean-sized fruits were bright red with a dusting of snow. A long-tailed tit flew over and landed on a thin branch, shaking off snow.
Xie Jing picked two of the freshest branches, intending to bring them back. When he leaned forward, Bai Rongjiu reached out to shield the low branches and reminded him: “Bend down.”
Xie Jing, agile, crouched and handed him the red fruits: “Sir, these are the prettiest. We can place them in the study.”
Bai Rongjiu smiled and nodded, then adjusted a strand of hair that the branch had lifted and casually asked: “Why were you staring at the guest just now, like you knew him?”
Xie Jing hummed and looked down at the red fruits: “I don’t know him, I just wanted to see what the person you’ve been waiting for all morning looked like.”
Bai Rongjiu: “Now that you’ve seen him, what do you think?”
Xie Jing, guessing his thoughts, cautiously said: “Just okay? Not as good as you, sir.”
Bai Rongjiu lightly brushed snow off his shoulder: “You don’t know how capable he is. After some time in the provincial capital, you’ll understand.”
Bai Rongjiu rarely went out in winter. After a short walk admiring the snow, he returned. Xie Jing followed behind.
He was sensitive to Bai Rongjiu’s mood. Earlier, when Bai Rongjiu said that, he could feel he was genuinely pleased.
Xie Jing looked up at his back, eyes slightly curved in a smile. This Bai Rongjiu was someone he hadn’t seen before. Even this distinguished person once had a competitive streak—he verbally praised Cao Yunzhao’s skill but if he had gone along, he probably would have been hit on the forehead.
In the east courtyard, Cao Yunzhao indeed had some skill. He managed to drag out time without playing chess and instead discussed official matters with Mr. Huang.
When Xie Jing accompanied Bai Rongjiu inside, Cao Yunzhao was acting as a persuader, trying to convince Mr. Huang to take a position at a university in Beiping.
Cao Yunzhao: “Sir, Principal Cai also asked me. The new-style school has just started; its departments are incomplete and they’re short-staffed.”
Huang Mingyou held a letter he had already opened. His old friend had been pleading in the letter for Huang Mingyou to come to Beiping. This had been going on for over half a year. The friend wrote repeatedly, inviting him to lecture, but Huang Mingyou refused, sending books and students instead, without leaving the northern region.
He repeated the same refusal now, smiling: “Tell him I have more important things here.”
Cao Yunzhao touched his nose and laughed: “Principal Cai expected this. He asked me to bring a second letter.”
Huang Mingyou opened it and laughed. A theater ticket was enclosed with three large characters: “Empty City Stratagem.”
Failing with the “pleading army” strategy, the friend tried another approach, knowing Huang Mingyou liked theater. The ticket was meant to tug at his heart, showing that the “Empty City Stratagem” had begun and seeking aid.
The ticket did tempt him. Qinghe was pleasant, with kind locals and ample books from Bai Rongjiu, but theaters were few, and famous actors seldom visited—watching a play was difficult.
Bai Rongjiu, entering at that moment, heard this and suggested: “Shall I have Zhang Huwei take you to Beiping for a while?”
Huang Mingyou shook his head: “No. I came here to help you; I can’t leave for such a trivial matter.”
Cao Yunzhao played mediator, sighing enviously: “Bai Rongjiu, I’m truly jealous. With money and machines at home, and now even the teacher helping you, I wonder when I’ll ever have such fortune.”
Bai Rongjiu smiled slightly, ignoring his chatter, then asked about Beiping University. Cao Yunzhao, an idle person with no official post, knew the situation there and explained briefly.
Huang Mingyou asked: “Will you send the Second Young Master to university?”
Bai Rongjiu shook his head: “He has other plans. After the new year, he’ll go with me to the provincial capital. I remember someone who failed studying abroad last year, named Du, diligent and clever. Let him try the exams; it might be a path forward.”
Huang Mingyou: “I remember him. He has a good foundation, shouldn’t be a problem.”
Bai Rongjiu sipped tea and instructed: “Also, donate ten thousand silver to a famous Beiping school in my name. Tell them I’m busy, but want to show goodwill.”
Before Huang Mingyou could speak, Cao Yunzhao bowed to the old professor, smiling at Bai Rongjiu: “Good, I’ll thank Principal Cai on your behalf. This really solves an urgent matter. Money is needed everywhere, and he also holds a government post, juggling both.”
Xie Jing placed a tray of hawthorn fruits and crisp candies. Bai Rongjiu handed him two of the reddest fruits. Xie Jing accepted them, quietly nibbling behind.
Cao Yunzhao’s gaze drifted twice toward him. The boy was quite pleasant to look at. Watching him eat the fruits, his eyes followed the small hands, the slightly open lips, and the tiny crunching sounds—he couldn’t tell whether the red of the fruit or the boy’s lips was more striking.
Bai Rongjiu spoke, and Cao Yunzhao could hear every word but didn’t understand at first. When the boy called his name, he realized: “Ah? Oh, right.”
Bai Rongjiu leaned back slightly, gesturing for the boy to come closer and lowered his voice: “Cao Yunzhao, he doesn’t like hawthorn. Get some other fruits from the small kitchen.”
Xie Jing took them to go. Cao Yunzhao, reluctant to let him leave, called: “Hey, I can eat, give me one to try.”
Xie Jing, puzzled, handed it over.
Cao Yunzhao took a bite, but it was so sour his saliva ran; he couldn’t even bite through the flesh and sulkily returned it: “My teeth aren’t good. Forget it, I won’t eat. Is it not sour?”
Xie Jing shook his head; he found it sweet.
Bai Rongjiu called him again, and Xie Jing left. The thick curtain fell with a soft sound as his footsteps faded.
Cao Yunzhao shamelessly asked: “Bai Rongjiu, can’t you lend him to me? Just two days; I’ll return him immediately after the charity performance.”
Bai Rongjiu: “He can’t perform or sing. Are you sure two days is enough?”
Cao Yunzhao smiled: “Then lend me a bit longer. Honestly, after years of theater and seeing countless people, this little Xie is a real talent. Leaving him with you is wasteful. Let me have him; I’ll give you a hundred acres of tea garden, or that mountain you liked before?”
Bai Rongjiu set down his tea, his face cold: “Haven’t you had enough of trying to profit from me?”
Cao Yunzhao, unfazed, said righteously: “Not at all, I’m here to pay respects to the God of Wealth.”
In the small kitchen, Xie Jing carefully selected fruits, unaware of the near dispute in the flower hall.
At lunch, he brought hot yellow wine once, then did not enter again.
The small kitchen chefs were frustrated. They couldn’t touch the lunch; Cao Yunzhao’s master chef prepared it all. Though skilled, their pride was hurt.
Xie Jing helped briefly but was politely sent back. The master had his own apprentice, leaving nothing for the kitchen staff to worry about.
The kitchen staff sat Xie Jing down angrily: “Don’t mind him, little Xie. I haven’t returned to the provincial capital in two years. Everyone knew my name ‘Zhang Yi Dao!’” Master Zhang was a knife master, but he couldn’t touch the cutting board—frustrating.
Another whispered: “I saw they brought seasoning packets. I sniffed them—they had at least five or six spices.”
“No, I smelled too. There’s also osmanthus and dried tangerine peel…”
Xie Jing took a bowl of rice and vegetables, listening and eating heartily. He was growing and everything tasted delicious.
Soon, someone requested Master Zhang make bone soup. He proudly picked up the cleaver and beef bones.
Quande Zhai’s master chef tried to intervene, but Master Zhang stopped him: “Do you know who this is for? Step aside! You don’t know how much salt or cooking wine to use. Don’t get in my way!”
His authority was so strong the other dared not interfere.
Master Zhang chopped the bones vigorously, and after significant effort made a rich bone soup, serving it to Xie Jing with delight. He watched him sip, asking: “How’s the salt?”
Xie Jing nodded: “Good.”
Master Zhang beamed with pride. He had spent six months perfecting this soup, knowing exactly how little Xie liked it.
Author’s Note:
Praying to the God of Wealth:
Young Master Cao: “Oh God of Wealth, please give some disaster relief grain!”
He received grain.
Young Master Cao: “Oh God of Wealth, please give money to build a school!”
He received ten thousand silver.
Young Master Cao: “God of Wealth, please give me the little Xie by your side…”
Bai · God of Wealth · Jiu kicked him and drove him out.
