Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lin Ze took Shu Pingshan as his teacher.

Shu Pingshan had placed first in the previous imperial examination, yet resigned his post and returned home to teach.

His ancestors had also been officials, and the family possessed considerable property.

Teacher Shu required Lin Ze to move into his residence.

Madam Lin told Lin Ze to take me along to attend him.

So he did.

He did not treat me as a bedchamber maid, only as an ordinary servant.

Teacher Shu was displeased that his student had brought a maid. But after fixing me with one sharp look, he said nothing more.

I quietly tended to both men.

Before long, Teacher Shu’s gaze became much gentler whenever it fell on me.

Granny Shi was right. Who could dislike a girl as well behaved as I was?

The Shu residence had no servants. There were only the three of us in the entire estate.

It seemed smaller than the Lin residence, but was by no means small.

The two men gave me money and left me free to manage everything as I saw fit.

Before long, I had raised a flock of hens—the kind that did not make trouble and did nothing but lay eggs.

I also planted all sorts of vegetables: scallions, chives, cabbages…

Before transmigrating, I had worked in a major city, but I had grown up in the countryside.

I possessed a mysterious and undying passion for raising livestock and growing vegetables.

Teacher Shu required only two meals a day. He said a person should not indulge the appetites of the mouth and stomach.

Lin Ze obeyed.

I obeyed even more diligently and put great care into preparing those two meals.

I already knew how to cook, and I had spent five years beside Granny Shi.

Breakfast was simple, usually eggs, steamed buns, porridge, and pickled vegetables.

Dinner was my chance to run wild. I cycled through northeastern dishes, Shandong cuisine, Yunnan cuisine, Sichuan cuisine, Beijing cuisine… I could go an entire month without repeating myself.

I used little oil and salt, yet everything tasted delicious. I made a point of gathering naturally flavorful ingredients and using them as seasonings.

Teacher Shu showed his approval at every meal.

I served in silence and rarely spoke.

He was very satisfied with me.

One day, my hands itched to cook something different, and I made hot-and-sour shredded potatoes.

After satisfying my own craving, I ventured to serve the dish to them.

Teacher Shu did not tolerate spicy food well, yet his eyes lit up after the first bite.

He could not help praising me. “I heard you spent five years without leaving the kitchen. Truly, one who devotes herself wholly to a single craft is bound to achieve mastery. Your cooking is exquisite. You can turn the plainest ingredients into delicacies.”

Hearing his teacher praise me seemed to make Lin Ze proud. His face brightened, and he smiled at me.

It was the first kindness he had shown me.

I hurriedly smiled back.

Ever since learning I was his bedchamber maid, he had made his displeasure clear.

He refused to look directly at me.

He spoke to me as little as possible.

His face remained cold.

But I never grew impatient or irritable, and I showed neither embarrassment nor anger.

Whatever he did, it was like punching cotton.

There was no satisfaction in it.

As his emotions faded and reason returned, Lin Ze’s anger ebbed away.

He realized that I was hardly to blame because the two pretty maids had not been chosen.

On the contrary, choosing me had reassured Cui Wan’er.

Before, she frequently sent people to watch Lin Ze. Once I was appointed, she withdrew every one of them.

For Lin Ze, that was a rare taste of freedom.

At night, he reviewed his lessons.

When we first arrived at the Shu residence, he refused to let me wait on him while he studied.

After his resentment faded, he allowed me to sit behind him.

I grew bored just sitting there, so I picked up a storybook.

He glanced at it but said nothing.

That gave me the courage to read as much as I pleased.

I did not neglect my work.

Every so often, I refilled his tea, ground more ink, or added oil to his lamp.

I was in an excellent mood. With a handsome young man keeping me company, even a simple storybook gained a special atmosphere.

A beauty in red sleeves adding fragrance to a scholar’s study—only in reverse.

One day, I got my hands on a new storybook. The plot was rather wild.

I became so absorbed that I forgot the handsome young man in the room.

When I finally remembered him, an elegant face was looming directly before mine.

I nearly leaped out of my skin.

Then, to my delight, I discovered just how handsome Lin Ze was up close. His skin was fair and tender.

I could not resist reaching out and pinching his cheek.

The pinch stunned him.

Only then did I remember who he was. I released him and fled the room at once.

I left the storybook behind.

The next day, I expected Lin Ze to berate me.

Instead, he behaved as though nothing had happened.

Reassured, I continued reading my storybook.

Halfway through, I had to suppress a laugh.

I looked up to check Lin Ze’s tea, lamp, and ink.

None needed attention.

I picked up the book again.

The author was too funny. I tried desperately to contain myself, but failed and had to cover my mouth with one hand.

“Is it that amusing?” Lin Ze turned and asked.

I laughed a few times, then rose and apologized. “Young Master, forgive me. I disturbed you.”

“I asked whether it was amusing.”

“Oh. Yes.”

“Tell me.”

“A childhood sweetheart changed his affections, so the girl pulled up every tree in his family’s courtyard.”

The image made me laugh again.

A delicate young lady with Lu Zhishen’s strength and recklessness—the contrast was too much.

“Another man changes his affections?”

Lin Ze picked up the book I had left behind the previous night. “This one is also about a childhood sweetheart who changes his affections.”

“Yes. Faithless men are fashionable lately.”

“Women change their affections just as often. Why do the books always blame men?”

Only then did I realize that he had actually read my storybook—and thought about it.

That would not do. He was preparing for the imperial examinations. His attention could not be led astray.

“It’s only meant as entertainment, Young Master. You mustn’t mistake stories for real life.”

“Do all women enjoy storybooks?”

“More or less.”

“Because they’re entertaining?”

“Not only that.”

“What else?”

“They’re healing. When a woman has been betrayed, she naturally feels terrible. But after she reads a few books where men repent, she can imagine herself in the heroine’s place and feel a little better.”

We had begun a genuine conversation.

Storybooks were marvelous things. Even the lofty Young Master Lin had been drawn in and could talk with me for a while.

We were enjoying ourselves, but I did not forget to warn him. “Young Master, Teacher Shu cannot learn about this. He’ll punish you for neglecting your proper studies.”

“Very well.”

The next day after breakfast, Teacher Shu took Lin Ze to pay respects at a mountain temple. They said they would eat outside and not return until evening.

The moment they left, I was beside myself with delight.

The old cat was away!

I hurriedly cut the chives I had grown, picked them clean, washed them, and left them to dry. Then I beat eggs for the filling and kneaded dough for dumplings.

I had been craving them half to death.

Because Teacher Shu was extremely strict about food, scallions, garlic, chives, and other strong-smelling vegetables were not allowed at the table.

I had not tasted them in ages.

By noon, a large platter of dumplings was ready.

I lifted one to my mouth, and its fragrance bloomed across my tongue.

I was savoring my meal when the kitchen door flew open.

“I’m starving. Is there anything to eat?”

Teacher Shu entered, followed by Lin Ze.

Lin Ze caught me in the act of putting a dumpling into my mouth.

I swallowed in a panic and nearly choked.

Both men smelled the delicious aroma and looked at the platter.

I snatched up the lid and covered it tightly, then bowed to them.

“I’ll cook some noodles. They’ll be ready very soon.”

Lin Ze walked over, lifted the lid, and picked up a dumpling. Copying me, he put it straight into his mouth. “No need. We’ll eat what you’re eating.”

His expression changed after one bite.

He immediately reached for a second.

Before putting it in his mouth, he remembered Teacher Shu and held the platter out to him. “Teacher, try one. They’re delicious.”

I tried to stop him but was too late.

Teacher Shu picked one up and put it into his mouth.

Then the two men ate one after another, demolishing in moments the fruits of my entire morning’s labor.

When they finished, both demanded an explanation: why had such a delicacy never appeared on their table?

I rubbed my hands together. “Because the filling is made with chives.”

Lin Ze stared and fell silent.

Teacher Shu also froze.

He finally understood why I had eaten them in secret.

After a long pause, he said, “We may eat them occasionally.”

Lin Ze’s eyes shone. “From now on, whenever you eat chives, you must include us.”

One mouthful of chives had brought out the child in him.

Teacher Shu did not object.

I had no choice but to agree.

Perhaps the food softened their hearts, or perhaps there was some other reason.

Lin Ze suggested that I dine with them, and Teacher Shu agreed without hesitation.

Teacher Shu was twenty-five and Lin Ze eighteen, yet both possessed an innocent heart.

They were kind by nature.

They placed little importance on the distinction between master and servant and did not look down on me.

That made me bolder.

One should not speak while eating or talk in bed.

They observed the rule faithfully.

I could not. I needed to talk.

They spent their days studying things I knew nothing about, so I had no topics in common with them.

I talked about food instead.

Lin Ze was a picky eater and ate few vegetables.

Teacher Shu was practically an herbivore and hardly touched meat.

So I explained that a person needed meat, vegetables, and grain together to remain healthy.

I told Teacher Shu why eating meat mattered.

We had been here less than two months, and he had already suffered three bouts of cold-induced fever.

He had survived after drinking jar upon jar of medicine.

He was young and already this frail. Once he grew old, a slightly more serious illness might take his life.

Improving his immunity was imperative.

The immune system needed quality protein.

And quality protein came from meat, eggs, and milk.

I urged Teacher Shu to eat meat for his health. He did not object aloud, but his expression turned unpleasant.

I did not understand, so I looked at Lin Ze.

His face had gone cold. “Teacher Shu has been vegetarian since he was in the womb.”

“He has never eaten meat in his life.”

“But I’ve always cooked the vegetables with meat!” I cried.

Teacher Shu looked cold, but he was actually very tolerant.

I realized that to spare me extra work, he had never asked me to prepare separate dishes. He simply ate whatever Lin Ze ate, picking vegetables from around the meat.

A storm broke inside me.

He was the second person since my transmigration to treat me kindly.

I apologized to Teacher Shu with complete sincerity.

He waved a hand. “It is no matter. I can eat vegetables cooked beside meat.”

I was grateful, but even more concerned.

“Teacher Shu, the human body needs meat.”

“Without it, you’ll never become robust. Every passing illness will strike you.”

Teacher Shu frowned.

“But it doesn’t have to be meat. Tofu can provide many of the same nutrients.”

“Tofu?” His frown deepened.

“Teacher Shu dislikes its coarse texture and beany smell,” Lin Ze explained.

He paused. “Unless it were tofu like the kind Granny Shi makes at the Lin estate. That, he might be willing to eat.”

I immediately fixed Lin Ze with an ardent, encouraging stare.

Go on. Keep talking.

Lin Ze understood. I was trying to kill two birds with one stone.

I wanted to solve Teacher Shu’s nutritional deficiency and my own terrible loneliness.

All he had to do was transfer Granny Shi from the Lin estate.

He knew my intentions were good, and he saw my little scheme.

Lin Ze stared at me for a while, his gaze wavering between benevolence and the opposite.

After weighing the matter, he still asked Madam Lin to send Granny Shi over.

Madam Lin agreed immediately.

After I left, Granny Shi had been forced to tend fires and cook. Both the timing and quality of the meals had suffered considerably.

Madam Lin had been wondering how to reassign her.

One request from Lin Ze solved the problem.

Granny Shi was overjoyed. That very night, she packed her bundle, boarded a Lin family carriage, and came to the Shu residence.

We shared a room.

As Lin Ze’s bedchamber maid, I was technically supposed to live with him, with him in the inner room and me in the outer one so he could summon me whenever he needed.

But Lin Ze had disliked me.

When we arrived, I had taken the initiative and chosen a room next to his instead.

He nodded, approving my self-awareness.

Granny Shi looked disappointed to see us sleeping separately, but her joy at seeing me soon overwhelmed it.

I fetched water and helped her wash.

She stroked my face with tears in her eyes. “You’ve grown thin. Haven’t they been feeding you well?”

I wheedled, “No. Without you, I haven’t even had a decent roasted potato.”

Granny Shi immediately opened her bundle. Several potatoes came rolling out.

“Potatoes grown at the Lin estate are the best for roasting. Nothing sold outside can compare.”

“Exactly. I tried roasting them here a few times, but they never tasted right.”

“They must come from the Lin estate. Fortunately, I grabbed a handful before leaving and brought them to you.”

“They don’t only need to come from the Lin estate. They need you too, Granny, or they won’t taste right.”

Granny Shi’s face blossomed into a smile. “You only know how to flatter me.”

We laughed together.

The room contained two beds. Granny Shi slept on the inner one, while I took the outer one.

Before sleeping, I crawled beneath Granny Shi’s quilt and squeezed in beside her.

She did not mind. Instead, she told me all the news she had gathered.

“Cui Wan’er is very pleased with you. She says you truly are dutiful, and she did not judge you wrongly.”

Then she asked, “Do you know Teacher Shu’s history?”

“Young Master Lin said he placed first in the last imperial examination but had no wish to be an official, so he returned home to teach.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.”

“How are you still so lacking in sense? He is also your master. How could you not inquire more carefully?”

“Granny, if you know more, why don’t you tell me?”

Granny Shi looked satisfied. The old lady had been waiting for me to beg.

She was just like my own mother, who had loved being admired by me.

All mothers were the same.

Delighted, Granny Shi began her tale.

Shu Pingshan was not only a brilliant scholar, but as handsome as Pan An.

During his examination before the throne, every question and answer astonished the court.

The Fourth Princess, who had secretly come to watch, took a fancy to him and asked the emperor to bestow a marriage.

The emperor said Shu Pingshan was already in his twenties and might have a wife or concubines at home. She should ask him before deciding.

The Fourth Princess approached Shu Pingshan herself and explained her intentions.

Shu Pingshan fell ill often. Madam Shu feared that his frailty might invite some ill-intentioned woman to take advantage of him, so she had never given him a woman or arranged an engagement.

That made him a perfect match for the princess.

But Shu Pingshan did not like the Fourth Princess.

That alone need not have caused trouble. He could have offered an excuse and claimed he was already betrothed. The Fourth Princess would not have made things difficult.

But he refused to lie and bluntly told her he did not wish to become an imperial son-in-law.

That infuriated the Fourth Princess.

As the top-ranked scholar personally examined by the emperor, he would ordinarily have been appointed to the Hanlin Academy.

The Fourth Princess exerted a little influence, and Shu Pingshan was assigned to the bureau of prisons and punishments instead.

He was required not only to organize case records, but to participate in interrogations.

After witnessing only two, he fell ill.

“Why?”

“They used every torture imaginable during the interrogations,” Granny Shi said. “A person went in looking human and came out like a gourd drenched in blood, without a scrap of humanity left in him.”

Horrifying.

“Shu Pingshan was a delicate young scholar who had known nothing but books. How could he bear it? He developed a high fever that same day. After that he lived in terror by day and suffered nightmares every night.”

Within days, he could endure no more. He submitted a memorial asking for another post.

Those above him said every other position was filled. This was the only one available; if he was unwilling to do it, he could resign.

Someone offered him a warning. “If you have no powerful patron, leave now. The Fourth Princess will not let you live in peace.”

After consideration, Shu Pingshan resigned on grounds of ill health and returned home.

“Why didn’t he want to be her husband? Was the Fourth Princess ugly?”

“How could she be? The emperor has fourteen daughters, and the Fourth Princess is the most beautiful.”

“Then why refuse? In our dynasty, an imperial son-in-law may still hold office. It wouldn’t have damaged his prospects.”

Granny Shi rolled her eyes at me. “Naive child. Do you know the Fourth Princess took her first male favorite at thirteen? If Teacher Shu married her, he would have to serve her alongside four other men.”

“Oh. No, that wouldn’t do.”

“He would have no dignity as a man at all.”

Privately, I thought Shu Pingshan might also have found it unclean.

He was fastidious. His rooms were always fresh and neat.

They took very little work to clean.

After finishing her gossip about Shu Pingshan, Granny Shi asked, “How does Young Master Lin treat you?”

I thought for a moment. “Very well.”

“How well?”

“He doesn’t beat or scold me. He gives me money to manage as I see fit, and he allows me to dine with them.”

“Any considerate master would do the same for a trusted servant. Is there anything else?”

“He lets me read storybooks. When he reviews his lessons at night, I sit behind him and read.”

Granny Shi lost patience and asked directly, “Has he not asked you to attend him in bed?”

Only then did I understand what she truly cared about.

I said with a laugh, “No. He doesn’t want me.”

Granny Shi stared. “Aren’t you upset?”

“Not at all. Why would I be? There’s nothing better than being an ordinary maid.”

Granny Shi sighed and berated me for lacking ambition.

I let my eyelids droop and went to sleep.

Granny Shi was warm.

I slept wonderfully.

As I drifted into dreams, I was still thinking: generous, yet timid. So that was the kind of man Teacher Shu truly was.