Chapter 2, Honey-Glazed Lotus Root and Sour Green Beans

The rolling pin and the box were placed together on the stool, and Fang Yi scooped up her skirt and knelt down

It is said that on that day, Shen Yibo encountered a wandering Taoist priest who read Shen Yong's fortune. The priest calculated and stated that Shen Yong was destined to marry a girl with the surname Fang, who possessed exceptional talents. As soon as this girl entered the household, Shen Yong would surely turn over a new leaf, and from then on, he would rise to great heights, attaining boundless wealth and fame, bringing glory to his ancestors.

As he reached the kitchen door, Shen Yong sniffed and thought to himself... Why does it smell so good?

Shen Yong walked in and saw Fang Yishao in front of two plates of food, having eaten nearly half of it. One plate contained honey-glazed lotus root, and the other contained pickled green beans. Today was a wedding banquet, and he remembered that these two dishes were not on the menu.

After the sedan chair came to a stop, a series of formalities could not be overlooked. Shen Yong, indifferent to the commotion caused by the matchmakers and wedding attendants, finally saw the ceremony completed. It was now his turn to reach into the sedan chair to receive the bride. Shen Yong lifted the corners of his mouth and smiled

The matchmaker had no choice but to nod in agreement and instructed someone to set off seven firecrackers into the sky

That night, Shen Yibo saw the large bump on Shen Yong's head. Upon hearing that it was caused by the bride, he couldn't help but smile widely. What a fierce wife! A fierce wife brings great fortune to her husband!

Shen Yong held his breath as the young attendant approached and said, "Young Master... the ceremonial attire."

Shen Yong waited outside, but he neither heard anyone calling from inside nor heard any crying. He was puzzled and thought to himself, could this girl be mute? Or perhaps she has poor eyesight? Or could she just be a cat!

Having finished speaking, Fang Yishao stood up, brushed off her skirt, and pondered for a moment. Her father was only relatively clear-headed in the morning; after a drink at noon, he would immediately become as muddled as a deity, probably quite easy to deceive. With that thought, she happily sat down, preparing for marriage

As soon as a spoonful was taken, the curtain of the carriage door was gently lifted a little, and a hand reached in. ... Just as she was about to extend her hand, she saw that hand flip over ... . ... With the palm facing up, there was a small, gray mouse curled up in that palm, looking up pitifully.

Fang Yishao stood up, placed the rolling pin on the stool, and looked down to find a box under the stool... it was indeed his own belongings. He pulled it out and opened it, finding that there were no shortages of knives, spatulas, pots, and spoons. Fang Yishao smiled slightly, feeling relieved, and reached out to touch the box, murmuring to himself, "As long as you are here!"

The book boy was startled and covered his ears, watching as Shen Yong hid the mouse in his sleeve and strode out to greet his new bride. Shen Yong, feeling pleased, thought to himself that he wanted to see how this delicate little lady would react upon seeing the mouse. Just the thought of it brought him joy

The letter was written by Old Master Fang, recounting the details of this incident to Fang Yishao

Shen Yong could not be more frustrated, being forced to toast those prominent guests while he himself was not allowed to drink a single cup. His father, fearing he would get drunk and cause a scene, had him switch to water. After toasting all around, he ended up with a belly full of plain water. Shen Yong felt resentful; the bride, on the other hand, was in good spirits, having injured him, and was happily waiting in the room after the ceremony, while he was here suffering.

She struggled to get up, wanting to reach out and touch her head. Suddenly, with a "thud," she felt something hit her forehead, causing her to be momentarily dazed again. This time, however, she became alert. Looking down, she saw that she was holding a firewood stick in her hand, feeling somewhat bewildered.

"Are you hungry?" Fang Yishao asked, "Come and eat something."

Governor Shen walked in, his hands clasped behind his back, and reprimanded Shen Yong, "Fang Yao is one of the top talents and beauties; marrying her is your fortune. What is there to be dissatisfied about?"

It is said that the people should not confront the officials. Although Master Fang is immensely wealthy, he cannot disregard the face of the governor. He intended to discuss this matter with his daughter. However, upon hearing that she was to marry that scoundrel Shen Yong, Fang Yao immediately threatened to take her own life. Master Fang was deeply pained and, feeling helpless, had no choice but to send his daughter out of the city to seek refuge at her aunt's house while he remained in the residence to find a solution.

Shen Yong took it over, changed it, and muttered softly, "Alright, aren't you a talented woman? I'll scare you to death!"

Shen Yong felt a bit dizzy, wasn't that the cup of wine exchanged?

Shen Yibo, the governor of Dongxiang Mansion, is known for his integrity and is highly respected both locally and in the court. Unfortunately, his family has faced misfortune; in his later years, Governor Shen had a son, but he turned out to be the disappointing Shen Yong.

Fang Yishao counted and found that the total amount of silver was not just five hundred taels, but nearly eight hundred taels. Finally, he opened the letter, put down the fire stick, and reached out to touch his own head

Shen Yong felt somewhat intimidated by Shen Yibo, not daring to retort, yet still harboring resentment in his heart. He turned his face away and said, "I have never seen it, how would anyone know if it is good or not"

The young man was dressed entirely in black, with his hair casually tied up. He had a decent appearance, with handsome brows and bright eyes, but there was a hint of rebelliousness about him, and his gaze was somewhat fierce. He frowned and said, "What to accept? If he wants to marry, let him marry on his own."

The sedan chair has finally arrived at the door, and it is time for the groom to welcome the bride.

Fang Yishao was momentarily taken aback, then raised an eyebrow—no wonder it was called a little bully, trying to scare people with a mouse upon first meeting! Fang Yishao shook her head; she had encountered wolves, tigers, and leopards in the deep mountains and forests, so how could she be afraid of a little mouse? After thinking this, she reached out and picked up the little mouse, which squeaked. Fang Yishao then felt in the pocket of her inner garment and took out a small piece of lotus cake for it to nibble on, placing it on the ground.

"Go out properly to welcome the bride. From now on, you are not allowed to act recklessly, do you hear me?!" After Shen Yibo shouted, he waved his hand and turned to leave.

Cough cough... Shen Yong pounded his chest, choking, choking.

Shen Yong felt his stomach rumble, and the green beans were exceptional. He couldn't wait to taste a piece of the honey-glazed lotus root, and his eyes widened in surprise. As soon as he was served a small cup of wine, it was said, "Honey-glazed lotus root should be paired with a little wine"

It turns out that in this East Alley Mansion, there are two particularly famous individuals. One is the talented woman Fang Yao, who is the beloved daughter of Old Master Fang. The other is the little bully Shen Yong, the only son of the governor Shen Yibo

Shen Yong is seventeen years old this year, lacking in skills and constantly causing trouble, engaging in bullying, gambling, and fighting, with no vice he does not indulge in. Yet, such a person is actually going to marry Fang Yao

Looking around, Fang Yishao realized that he was in a sedan chair, the jarring sensation indicating that it was in motion. Outside, the suona was playing the tune "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix." He was dressed in a bright red wedding gown, with a red veil beside him. There was a large bump on the back of his head, caused by someone hitting him, and a small bump on his forehead, which he had hit himself. Fang Yishao instinctively glanced at the firewood stick in his hand and immediately understood the situation, anger rising from within. "You old scoundrel, I helped you out of pity, and you actually plotted against me, even putting me in a bridal sedan chair. Where am I being married off to?! It better not be some bandit den!"

Shen Yong drank wine, finished the remaining honey-glazed lotus root, and began to eat his meal with pickled green beans, wishing he could eat the plate as well

Shen Yong remained silent, letting out a cold laugh

Fang Yao is knowledgeable, reasonable, and exceptionally talented, being the apple of Old Master Fang's eye. She is skilled in medicine and understands astrology, widely recognized as a talented woman. Each year, countless suitors come to the Fang family seeking her hand in marriage, but Old Master Fang has rejected them all, for he believes that his daughter should marry someone extraordinary among men.

"Whether or not you are a good match, you are sufficient!" Shen Yibo said sternly, "Which girl do you think you deserve to be matched with?!"

Leaving the lobby, Shen Yong first went to the restroom to relieve himself of the excess water. After that, he intended to head to the kitchen to prepare some food, so that he could think carefully about a strategy to deal with the bride after having a full meal

Fang Yi watched him from the side, thinking to himself—he's quite well-behaved, so why do people say he is not good?

The Taoist priest's few words not only earned him several dozen taels of reward but also revived the heart of Governor Shen. This talented young lady with the surname Fang must be none other than Miss Fang Yao from the Fang family. Upon realizing this, Shen Yibo immediately sent someone to propose marriage, even directly delivering the betrothal gifts, demonstrating his determination to marry Fang Yao.

Fang Yi bowed three times to the box and said, "Father, are you not worried that I have no parents and will not be able to marry in the future? You can rest assured this time, your daughter is dressed in a bright red gown, sitting in a grand sedan chair, marrying the son of the governor in a splendid manner. The dowry is this precious set you left for me, and I have also received a bride price of eight hundred taels of silver. You can now rest in peace, and hurry to find a good family to be reborn into!"

With a smile, give it a wink.

Feeling a bit dazed, I suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of my head, and the chaotic sounds of some unknown instrument playing by my ear were so loud that they made me anxious

Before Shen Yong could figure out what was happening, he was struck on the forehead by a firewood stick that flew out at high speed

Young master, please change your clothes, the sound of the suona can already be heard

As he pondered, Fang Yishao suddenly recalled something, opened the curtain of the carriage, and called out to the left and right, "Is there anyone there?"

"Where did this come from?" Shen Yong sat down, took the chopsticks that Fang Yi handed him, reached out to pick up a piece of green bean and stuffed it into his mouth, chewed for a moment, and was taken aback.

Do not meddle! Shen Yong ran to the back of the kitchen, flipped over the stone slab on the ground, and soon caught a small mouse

Fang used a ladle to serve him a bowl of rice and said, "Sour pickled green beans go best with rice"

Shen Yong rubbed the swollen bump on his forehead, looking at Fang Yishao with a face full of shock. The bride's veil covered half of her face... It was hard to tell if she was unattractive, nor could one say she was particularly beautiful; her eyes, however, were quite large.

Inside the governor's office, a young man was chasing after a young man while holding a red wedding garment, "You need to go out to greet the bride!"

People at the door exchanged glances, and the matchmaker was somewhat puzzled as to why the bride was carrying a firewood stick on her wedding day. Curiously, she reached out to lift the curtain of the sedan chair. Suddenly, a small gray mouse darted out with a "squeak".

At the end of the letter, Old Master Fang also told Fang Yishao that the eight hundred taels of silver in her arms were obtained from selling all the betrothal gifts, and that the Fang family would not take a single cent, but would give it all to Fang Yishao, only asking her to marry on their behalf

Hmm. Uh? Really? Shen Yong nodded honestly, chewing as he looked at Fang Yi with a hint of surprise in his eyes

"Let's go!" Fang Yishao pulled him with force and said, "What are you standing there for?!" After saying this, he dragged the bewildered Shen Yong into the house

... ...

Shen Yong's mouth twitched slightly; the way he called "my lord" was not at all delicate, resembling the way one would call for Ah Huang. Looking down, he indeed saw Ah Huang gnawing on a bone beside him, wagging its tail in response.

Fang Yishao found it somewhat amusing; just how bad could Shen Yong be? Why does everyone in the city dislike him?

Um... the firecrackers were set off before leaving, the remaining ones will be set off only after entering the residence

Fang Yi said with a smile, "Your esteemed father-in-law also loves to eat this the most"

At this moment, the sound of firecrackers erupted... They were all double shots, causing a buzzing in people's ears

Damn it! At that moment, a reprimand came from outside the courtyard

... ...

The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss. Shen Yong lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked inside... Suddenly, he heard a sound of "whoosh"... A flash of yellow light appeared before his eyes

"Young Master, this is not appropriate!" The book boy said anxiously. Shen Yong shot him a glare and said, "Stop your nagging. If you dare to speak out of turn, I will cut off your ear to drink with!"

She wanted to reach out and tug at her clothes; upon touching, she found her chest felt heavy. She reached in and pulled out a large ingot of silver, along with a stack of banknotes and a letter.

The little mouse hugged the lotus cake and began to nibble on it, raising its eyes to glance at Fang Yishao

Shen Yong stood at the door in a red outfit, wearing an expression of displeasure

Fang Yishao had already quietly peered through the gap in the sedan curtain and thought to himself... Hmm? Is this Shen Yong? Quite a handsome and talented individual, how could he be looked down upon to such an extent?

Shen Yibo has always been known for his integrity. His family possesses wealth, yet they do not indulge in extravagance. The cooking is done in turns by the servants, resulting in a varying standard of dishes. Today, however, for the celebratory feast, they have invited a master chef, but he must have left long ago, right? ... Yet, in the kitchen, a rich aroma is still wafting ... ? ... What is this smell, sweet and sour?

Fang Yi turned her head to see someone entering, looked up for a moment, and smiled, "My lord"

Fang Yao covered half of her face and asked, "Do you have firecrackers? Hurry up and set off a few in the sky!"

... ...

... ...

As soon as Shen Yong entered, he saw a red figure—Fang Yishao was sitting at a small table, holding a small wine cup in one hand, with a pot of wine beside him, on which was a large character for double happiness...

Fang Yishao, carrying a box, leisurely stepped out of the sedan door. She looked up and down at Shen Yong and found that this future husband was quite good, so she reached out and grabbed his hand, saying, "Sigh, let's go!"

"Young Master... what do you want to do?" The book boy, feeling anxious, saw Shen Yong running away and quickly chased after him

The letter was quite long. Although Fang Yishao did not recognize many characters, he managed to read it with some effort and understood the general situation. Fang Yishao scratched his head and frowned slightly, pondering how to put it. If Fang Yao were truly a talented woman, marrying a small bully would indeed be a bit of a waste. ... But he was different; he was just a cook who could barely recognize a few characters, and he also had some skills. He thought he would first go and see what that small bully was like. If he was too disappointing, he could always find a way to escape.

"No!" said Fang with a spoon, "You must let go now, let go of seven, and they must be double-shot! Otherwise, this relationship cannot continue!"

Fang Yishao is quite an open-minded person and is also quite righteous. Although Old Fang is not very reliable in his actions, she admires scholars, especially talented women, which is not easy. After thinking this through, she put away the silver, tidied her clothes, and said, "Alright, I will help you this time, talented woman." After saying this, she reached for the red veil beside her, placed it on her head, gently lifted it, and looked outside through the gap in the sedan chair's curtain. She saw that the pedestrians on the street were curiously standing on tiptoe to look, both men and women, without exception, each face filled with sympathy.

Seeing Shen Yong enjoying his food, Fang Yi scooped closer with a smile and asked, "Is it delicious? I made it."

A matchmaker hurried over and said, "Oh dear, bride, you must not lift the veil yourself, it is considered inauspicious!"

But what method could he come up with? While he was in distress, a wandering Taoist suddenly came to seek an audience, claiming to be able to resolve his calamity. The Taoist then told him that at the hour of Si today, he should go out with his eyes closed and walk straight ahead; the first girl he bumped into would be his savior, and he should have her marry in his stead

Ah! The matchmaker let out a cry of horror.