Chapter 8, Vegetarian Offerings and Worshiping the Bodhisattvas

Oh, madam wants something very sour!" Lian'er replied

The radish water was bright white, and with a few cuts from a square spoon, various shapes emerged. The remaining peels, arranged by the square spoon, could even be assembled into beautiful floral designs. Shen Yong watched, finding it somewhat entertaining; his wife was indeed quite skillful.

"She has gone to the lady's place," Lian'er replied

Lian'er listened, feeling somewhat puzzled, thinking to herself... ? ... The lady's tooth business? Still eating the sourest of the sour? However, she did not ask much more, and hurriedly ran to the street, finding the seller of plums, saying, "Ah, I want a basket of the sourest ones!"

Is that true?" Shen Yong raised his eyes, looking at her with a face full of disbelief

Shen Yong glanced at her and smiled, "You are quite filial, aren't you"

Oh, the young lady asked me to see... um, vomit... Although Lian'er is quite blunt, she still knows the importance of discretion. If it were to be said that Madam Shen was vomiting, the master need not worry, so she swallowed the words that were about to come out.

Lian'er nodded, thinking to herself, "Oh? The master knows about this?"

No way..." Shen Yong stroked his chin and muttered to himself, "Father is really impressive..."

Feeling bored, he noticed someone entering at the door. Shen Yong quickly picked up a book and then turned his head, only to see that it was his mother who had come in

In the past two days, Shen Yong has been fed by Fang Yishao, and he refuses to eat dishes made by anyone else. He just asked her, "Sigh, what are we having for lunch?"

Fang Yishao squatted in front of the table and looked at him, saying, "Alas, Mother wants to go, let us accompany her; not accompanying would be unfilial."

"Don't study for now, do you two have some free time later?" Mrs. Shen asked

Hehe. Mrs. Shen said with a smile, "Let's go pay our respects."

On this day, after having breakfast, Shen Yong yawned in the study, wanting to go out but unable to do so. In recent days, Old Master Fang's mood had been quite poor, seemingly due to the lack of any clues in the case. Shen Jie advised Shen Yong to be especially cautious these days, otherwise, the master would vent his frustrations on him. As a result, Shen Yong dared not go out, fearing he would be beaten and lose face.

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Shen Yong leaned over to take a look and asked, "What are you making? Is there no meat? Why does it smell so good?"

"I won't go out; encountering nuns is bad luck," Shen Yong muttered softly

Madam Shen smiled slightly and said, "Then will you two accompany me to Changle Temple in Dongshan?"

Madam Shen, however, misunderstood. She was taken aback when she just heard Fang Yishao wanted to eat plums, and upon hearing the word "sour," her heart raced—sour sons and spicy daughters! Oh dear, his wife is truly impressive! She quickly instructed Lian'er, "Hurry, hurry, go buy a basket and remember, it must be the sourest of the sour!"

Fang Yi nodded, and after sending Lian'er away, turned back to look at Shen Yong, "How is it?"

Lian'er blinked her eyes, feeling even more puzzled, but she hurriedly ran off, bypassing the courtyard, and bumped into Shen Yibo, who was heading back to the study.

Madam Shen observed this and smiled slightly, thinking to herself... Hmm, Yong'er is quite considerate, isn't he? It is a good thing for a man to be afraid of his wife, as it indicates that he cherishes her in his heart

Who says that vegetables like greens, radishes, and white tofu have no flavor? Fang Yishao said, "True vegetarian cuisine is capable of creating the taste of chicken, duck, fish, and meat."

Shen Yong curled his lips, and the other party signaled with a spoon—Don't go! I definitely won't go!

Shen Yong chuckled and shook his head, "My mother doesn't care about those things."

Alright, I will do it right away! Fang Yi replied with a smile.

Fang Yishao sat beside him, mumbling poetry under his breath while holding a carving knife to sculpt a radish

Shen Yong furrowed his brows and muttered, "Old disrespect!" as he reached out to pick up a plum and took a bite...

Fang Yishao said to her, "Alas, Lian'er, did you take the silver to buy some plums?"

Fang Yi said with a smile, "My dear, this is a good thing!"

Try this again. "" A spoonful was handed over along with a plate, saying, "Stir-fried loofah with shiitake mushrooms and smoked tofu, the loofah is tender and smooth after removing the fibers, the shiitake mushrooms are rich in flavor after removing the stems, and the smoked tofu has a taste that rivals smoked meat."

"Pah!" Mrs. Shen quickly spat at him, "Children speak without restraint... You little brat, do you have no filter? Are you the one talking about the Bodhisattva?"

Fang Yi was taken aback for a moment, then nodded, "Is Mother going to the Chang Le Monastery to make a donation?"

Hmm... the young lady said she wants to eat plums. Lian'er scratched her head and asked, "Does the lady want them? Sour or sweet?"

Shen Yong and Fang Yishao widened their eyes and exchanged a glance, both astonished. After a moment of thought, Fang Yishao said, "Lian'er, go check if the lady feels nauseous or has the urge to vomit."

Indeed, Madam Shen said, "It is best to cook more in a large pot."

Madam

Shen Yong shrugged and asked, "Mother, what are we going to Changle Temple for?"

Um. Lian'er nodded, noting that the lady wanted something sour

Shen Yong curled his lips and said, "What’s so good about it? A younger brother who is so many years younger than me?"

"Are you making vegetarian dishes?" Fang Yishao said with a smile, "By the way, prepare a nourishing soup for mother to drink."

This is for the mother! Fang Yi said, "From today onwards, until the mother gives birth to the baby, I will prepare nourishing soup for her to drink every day. She is getting older and needs to eat better. This way, her health will improve, and the baby's health will also benefit, making the delivery easier."

Shen Yong is the sole heir of the Shen family for three generations, thus Madam Shen dotes on him greatly. Shen Yibo is a strict father, while Shen's mother embodies the qualities of a loving mother. Therefore, the phrase Shen Yibo most frequently utters each day is—"A loving mother often spoils her child"

Fang Yi placed down the carving knife, hurried over to assist Madam Shen in sitting down, and poured tea for her, saying, "Mother, have some tea."

"Don't believe it? Try it in a moment." Fang Yishao smiled somewhat proudly as he continued to wash the vegetables

"That deserves a beating." Madam Shen glared at him and said, "Don't talk nonsense, Master Jingyi from Chang Le Monastery is a living immortal."

Fang Yi arrived at the kitchen, first washed the clay pot, and then stewed a full pot of Chinese angelica, chestnuts, and black-boned chicken inside.

Shen Yibo listened for a while, and upon hearing the word "vomit," he asked, "Nausea and vomiting?"

Alright. Lian'er has just turned fifteen this year, and she is quite a spirited girl, carefree and boisterous. She dashed off to Madam Shen's room.

Shen Yong let out a sigh of relief and put down the book, while Madam Shen shook her head

Madam Shen was taken aback and jumped up to ask, "Sour?"

Hmm. Shen Yong nodded while eating, thinking to himself, "If I were to become a monk in the future, I would have to bring Fang Yishao along."

Those selling plums were also somewhat taken aback. You say it is not easy to find a basket of the sweetest ones, but it is equally difficult to find a basket of the sourest. After much effort, they finally managed to gather a large basket of green plums and helped Lian'er carry it back to the government office.

Hmm, let's see if there is any way to test it out! Fang Yishao said, calling over a servant.

Fang held his chin with both hands and thought for a moment, saying, "Sigh, do you think mother will go to pray, hoping that father will solve the case soon?"

Oh dear. Shen Yibo looked at Lian'er, who was rubbing her nose, and said, "Take it easy, where are you rushing off to?"

Shen Yong helplessly thought, when Fang Yishao was rushing at Ah Huang, he said the same thing, why is his treatment the same as Ah Huang's? Sitting down at the table nearby, Shen Yong saw Ah Huang wagging its tail at his feet. This dog used to be quite thin, but after Fang Yishao arrived, it had become plump all over in just a few days.

"Go ahead, young lady." Just as Lian'er was about to run off, Fang Yishao stopped her and said, "Wait a moment, go ask the madam if she wants something to eat. If she does, buy more. Remember to ask her if she prefers sweet or sour, and buy according to her preference."

Fang Yishao and Shen Yong exchanged a glance and both nodded, "There are some."

Fang nodded and said, "That would be great... Let's go!" As he spoke, he pulled Shen Yong up and ran towards the kitchen

Shen Yong felt disheartened, thinking to himself... This girl is so silly, completely oblivious to the subtleties of the situation

"Hiss..." Shen Yong rolled his eyes in disgust, "It's a toothache!"

Shen Yong wrinkled his nose and said, "Isn't Changle Monastery a nunnery? I won't go there."

Fang Yi smiled and said, "Five-spice sauce stir-fried cabbage, the sauce fragrant and rich, the cabbage coated in sauce tastes fresh, the stems are crisp and the leaves are sweet"

Kung Pao yam noodles with king oyster mushrooms, green vegetable vermicelli with tofu, steamed tofu skin with pickled mustard greens and spring bamboo shoots, stir-fried colorful beans with rice cakes, braised potatoes with fermented bamboo shoots, garlic seaweed with zucchini, and soup-braised radish with assorted mushrooms. Fang quickly stir-fried several dishes, ... lifted the pot and placed the food into the lunch box, exchanged a glance with Shen Yong, and both joined their hands together in prayer—Amitabha

When Fang Yishao saw that Li Zi had arrived, he asked Lian Er, "What did the lady say she wanted?"

Fang Yi, taken aback, asked, "Sigh, which Bodhisattva is worshipped at Changle An?"

How is it? Fang Yishao asked

Although a murder case is a significant matter, it is ultimately Shen Yibo's affair. Fang Yishao and Shen Yong will continue with their lives without needing to cook in the restaurant. Shen Yong will once again be holed up in the study memorizing his lessons.

Oh, returning to the old lady, I just encountered the master on the road. The master mentioned feeling nauseous and vomiting, and instructed the kitchen to prepare delicious food and drinks, advising against excessive movement

"Where are you going?" Shen Yong asked her to hold his hand and run, feeling puzzled

Shen Yong widened his eyes to look at his mother, "Mother, we have ancestral halls and Buddhist halls at home, with so many ancestors and Buddha statues, isn't that enough for you to worship? Do you still need to go to the nunnery to pray? Are the deities outside more effective than those at home?"

Fang Yishao regarded Shen Yong as a master; whenever there was something she did not understand, she would ask him. Shen Yong would answer what he could, and when he could not, he would quietly go and look it up in a book. Then, with an expression of nonchalance, he would explain it to her. After finishing, seeing Fang Yishao's look of admiration, Shen Yong felt quite pleased.

Shen Yong stood beside her, noticing her pair of large eyes blinking repeatedly, so he moved a little closer to her.

I will prepare some vegetarian dishes, let us eat together. Today we pay homage to the Bodhisattva, and we should be a bit more devout.

Shen Yong shook his head beside her, thinking that it was fortunate this talented woman had not married any gifted scholar; otherwise, that scholar would surely be driven to despair. The characters she wrote with her pen were less aesthetically pleasing than crabs crawling on the ground.

"Slow down, what happened?" Mrs. Shen asked her as she rushed over.

Thinking of this, I instinctively glanced at Fang Yishao running ahead... Fang Yishao is not fat, but there is still a bit of flesh on her body, wearing a yellow satin jacket, with a slim waist and a round bottom... Shen Yong shifted his gaze, feeling warm in his heart...! They haven't even shared a room, not even kissed, his wife is too fierce!

"Hmm, good girl." Mrs. Shen particularly enjoyed Fang Yishao's sweet words. Throughout her life, she had only heard Shen Yong call her 'mother' in a rough and gruff manner. It was the first time she had heard a young girl sweetly nestling beside her, calling her 'mother' with such endearment, making the old lady feel light and airy all day long

Upon hearing about vegetarianism, Shen Yong's face scrunched up, and he said, "How can one eat without meat... What is there to enjoy in vegetarian dishes? Isn't it just greens, radishes, and white tofu? There's no flavor."

Um... Shen Yong chewed on the tofu while staring at the plate of dishes that Fang Yi had brought to his eyes, and asked, "Aren't these all meatballs?"

Shen Yong looked quite appetizing, so he leaned over and asked, "Are we having chicken today?"

A little girl came running, named Lian'er

Shen Yong widened his eyes and after a long pause said, "No way... it's already 40."

Shen Yong held the plate and ate, nodding and humming, this tofu is absolutely amazing

Seeing the complex expression on his face, Fang reached out and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Go wait over there, you will be able to eat in a little while."

"What about forty?" Fang Yishao said, "There are still sixty living."

Shen Yibo stamped his foot and said, "Quick, have the kitchen prepare delicious food and drinks, don't let her move around too much, be careful!" After saying this, he turned around and ran off to report the good news to Madam Shen

After the old lady went out, Shen Yong leaned on the table and sighed, "Alas, if I can't go out, then I might as well go to the nunnery if I do."

Shen Yong looked up at the sky and said, "Isn't it just going to worship the Bodhisattva? Look at how many Bodhisattvas we have in our home altar: Manjushri, Guanyin, Samantabhadra, Ksitigarbha, Taishang Laojun, and the Tathagata Buddha. They are all in place, so why go worship more?"

"Then why did she travel such a long distance to Chang Le Temple, and even bring vegetarian food?" Fang Yishao was puzzled

"Is it the Guanyin of Sending Children?" Shen Yong replied casually

"Emerald jade pouch rolls the gluten." Fang handed over another plate.

With a smile, he said, "Isn't it rare to see such things? The jade green is just tender vegetable leaves tied together, and the silk pouch is filled with oil tofu inside winter melon balls. The gluten is wrapped around eggplant, and several types of meatballs are rolled in flour batter... then tossed into the hot oil... The flavor surpasses that of meatballs by several times"

Well... you have a point. Shen Yong was also somewhat puzzled, stating that the incense offerings at both the Iron Buddha Temple in the west of the city and the Maitreya Hall in the south were far more prosperous than those at the Changle Monastery

Lian'er divided the plums into two portions, sending half a basket to Fang Yishao and half a basket to Madam Shen

"That is so," Fang Yishao said as he began to wash the vegetables.

Thinking for a moment, Madam Shen stood up and said to Fang Yishao, "Yishao, could you help me prepare two vegetarian dishes?"

Shen Yong leaned in a little closer. As Fang Yi raised her eyes to look at him, she noticed that Shen Yong was also staring at her, and with a puzzled expression, she asked, "What are you doing?"

Lian'er touched her head and then went back to Fang Yishao to respond.

Shen Yong frowned, while Fang Yishao squinted her eyes and shot him a sideways glance. Shen Yong sighed and rubbed his forehead, thinking to himself that it was better to let it go; a good man does not quarrel with women, and since both were women, it was best not to provoke them.

Fang Yishao is a girl who naturally knows that the old lady went to the nunnery to pray, but she is unwilling to disclose the reason. It is certain that there is some hidden truth, so she says, "Mother, when are you going? My husband and I will accompany you shortly."

Shen Yong wore a mournful expression, at the age of forty or fifty still having children, how laughable it is to say that, truly unthinkable. His father usually exudes an air of authority, yet unexpectedly behaves so irresponsibly, and still has the audacity to criticize him.

It is quite easy to learn to use a spoon, sitting by the desk reading, but I recognize too few characters and my handwriting is also unattractive

"Mother, what brings you here?" Shen Yong asked Madam Shen. Generally, when he was studying, his father would not allow his mother to come.

After waiting for a while, Shen Yong began to feel that something was amiss... As Fang Yishao continued to stir-fry, the aroma was still wafting through the air. The strangest thing was that the entire room was filled with the scent of meat and fish. Was it that the stew of chicken was mixing its flavors with everything else?

When a ladle of hot oil was poured into the pot, seeing Shen Yong come over, I didn't think much of it and just urged him to move away, saying, "Stay back, the hot oil will splatter on you in a moment."

"Why not go?" Mrs. Shen was puzzled

Shen Yong's eyes nearly popped out, and after a long pause, he finally asked, "Then... where is my father?"

Madam Shen pinched her cheek and nodded in satisfaction. This girl is good in every way, but the best thing is that she always has a smiling face, always so cheerful, never seen her troubled. In this way, anyone who looks at her feels happy. No wonder Yong'er hasn't even gone to the Fragrant Pavilion recently; it seems he has settled down.

Shen Yong picked up a chopstick full of cabbage and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing on the curled leaves, and he truly tasted the fragrant flavor of meat, looking at Fang Yigou in astonishment, "How can this be..."

Oh no! Fang Yi was startled and jumped up, asking, "Could it be that mother is in labor?"