Chapter 10: Making Fire and Cooking

Zhuo Qiaoniang held the bronze mirror in one hand, while gently caressing her reflection in it with the other. After a moment, a crystal-clear tear joyfully flowed down from her eye socket, hanging at the edge of her cheek. Another tear spun in her eye, sparkling brightly, capable of reflecting the shadow of Leng Yi.

Zhuo Qiaoniang turned her face away, her cheek brushing against the fabric of her sleeve, as if she were wiping away the droplets of water that had splashed onto her face. When she turned back, the tears in her eyes had disappeared, though her eyelashes remained damp. She smiled at him and shook her head, indicating that she had not been crying. Then she lowered her head again and continued washing the clothes

Even cooking requires his wife to do it herself; this county magistrate is indeed quite pathetic, Leng Yi thought. "I will help you!"

The two old women quickly turned around and retreated like mice

Zhuo Qiaoniang poured the selected rice into a round iron pot, added an appropriate amount of clean water, and covered it with a lid. She then walked to the stove, squatted down, and began to light the fire beside the stove.

Just now, when reaching in to wash the clothes, Leng Yi already felt how cold the water was. No wonder Zhuo Qiaoniang's hands were red, swollen, and rough; she must have washed countless garments. He then muttered, "These maids and servants really can observe; they don't do any of this work. What are they here for? To be worshipped like Bodhisattvas?"

Zhuo Qiaoniang moved swiftly, and several pieces of clothing were quickly washed clean. However, Leng Yi had not finished even one. Zhuo Qiaoniang did not argue with him; she waited until he was done before taking the clothes and placing them on a large slab of blue stone beside the books. She then stood up to fetch water. Leng Yi hurriedly interjected, "Let me do it!"

Leng Yi picked up the clothes from the wooden basin again and began to scrub them.

Leng Yi fetched water, while Zhuo Qiao Niang washed the clothes. After cleaning the clothes thoroughly, she hung them on the nearby clothesline. Leng Yi also helped to hang the clothes, and after they finished, the two exchanged a smile and carried the wooden basin back.

How could he owe so much money? Just how much debt does this county magistrate have? Wasn't it said that officials in the Song Dynasty had the highest salaries? How did this magistrate end up like this? He is buried in debt, causing his wife to suffer so much in the winter by having to wash clothes herself

Perhaps it was because Leng Yi had lost his temper earlier, the maids and servants did not dare to approach, hiding far away to watch them. Leng Yi did not look at them either and entered the room with Zhuo Qiaoniang

No need, it will be quick

Since childhood, Leng Yi had never washed his own clothes; at home, his parents always used the washing machine. During his university years, he would take his clothes to the laundry to use the pay-per-use fully automatic washing machines. Sitting beside a wooden basin and washing by hand was something he had only seen in films and dramas, so he had no experience at all. Thus, he learned while watching Zhuo Qiaoniang's actions.

Zhuo Qiaoniang's eyes instantly brightened as she reached out with her rough, swollen hands, carefully taking it over. She examined it from every angle, her fingers gently stroking the pair of mandarin ducks, and slowly raised her gaze to look at Leng Yi

Suddenly, Leng Yi heard a faint sound of sobbing and the rustle of a book, which came from Zhuo Qiaoniang. A glance revealed that Zhuo Qiaoniang's eyes were sparkling, with tears occasionally falling into the washbasin.

Leng Yi coughed while laughing and said: "You still have a way! Why doesn't it listen to me?"

Leng Yi suddenly understood that these maids and servants were attendants assigned to officials by the court, essentially hired by the court to serve these officials. The expenses were borne by the court. This was a measure in the Song Dynasty to favor the gentry. However, the wages that should have been paid to these attendants had been embezzled by the county magistrate. These individuals were not true slaves, but rather equivalent to modern domestic service personnel, so without money, they naturally had to show their displeasure.

Leng Yi smiled and said, "This is a bit simple; when we have more money in the future, I will buy you something better."

Zhuo Qiaoniang wanted to say something else, but Leng Yi, with an air of authority, said, "Be obedient!" She then ceased to speak

Leng Yi still followed him into the kitchen opposite the main room

Leng Yi opened the brocade box, took out the hairpin, and carefully placed it back in her hair. He said gently, "Don't think too much; I have a way to clear the debts and ensure you live a good life."

Zhuo Qiaoniang, feeling somewhat flustered, wanted to take the water bucket from his hands but hesitated, remaining there as she rubbed her reddened hands on her coarse cloth dress. Seeing that Leng Yi had no intention of handing her the bucket, she squatted down, picked up the soap pod powder box next to the wooden basin, poured some into the basin, and then sat down on a nearby stone slab, beginning to wash on the washboard.

Zhuo Qiaoniang said: "We cannot blame them; they are not our family's servants. We have also withheld their wages for several months, so it is no wonder they are not working. It is fine; there is not much work anyway, and I can manage it by myself."

Zhuo Qiaoniang immediately felt at ease. She placed the rice-washing basin on the stove, squatted down, and took a glance at the firewood in the stove, which was packed full. She pulled out a few pieces, then took a thick bamboo tube used for blowing air from under the stove, inserted it into the stove, and blew a couple of times. With a loud bang, it finally caught fire.

Leng Yi then set down the water bucket, squatted beside the wooden basin, and reached in to grab the clothes: "I will help you!"

Leng Yi could also understand that the county magistrate had accumulated a significant debt for the inn's room and board. The wages of these attendants had to be disbursed through the magistrate, so it was unreasonable to think they would not be misappropriated. What remained unclear was what he had used the attendants' wages for. It is important to note that the treatment of officials during the Song Dynasty was arguably the highest among all dynasties. A three-year term as a clear governor would yield one hundred thousand taels of silver, which is what is referred to when discussing officials of the Song Dynasty. It is impossible for them to be in such dire financial straits!

No, no! Zhuo Qiaoniang suddenly thought of something, quickly took off the hairpin from her head, placed it in the brocade box, and said: "We owe so much money, it is better to return this hairpin to hetushu.com. It is more important to use the money to pay off our debts!"

Leng Yi smiled and said, "What’s the matter? Why are you crying again? Women really are made of water!"

Zhuo Qiaoniang placed the wooden basin properly, glanced at the several packages on the ground, and then looked at Leng Yi with a questioning gaze

Zhuo Qiaoniang saw him with a sullen face and did not dare to compete with him any longer, lowering her head to wash instead

Zhuo Qiaoniang smiled, got up to open the window at the back of the kitchen, and then opened the door. Soon, the thick smoke from the kitchen rushed out of the house

As Deng Zhuoqiao returned to the kitchen after washing the rice, she saw thick smoke billowing in the room and could not find Leng Yi anywhere. Feeling a bit flustered, she was choked by the smoke and, coughing, called out in a trembling voice: "My lord"

"Stop!" Zhuo Qiaoniang hurriedly blocked him, looking up at the back door. The two old women were still murmuring about something over there. She quickly snatched the clothes from Leng Yi's hands, her face flushed, and said: "My lord, you have worked hard all the way, please go back and rest!"

I am not tired. " Leng Yi looked up at the two women at the back door, snorted coldly, and shouted towards them, "If you want to watch, come over here and watch, don't stand there sneaking around!"

After understanding this issue, Leng Yi's anger subsided somewhat. However, he still felt resentment towards the indifference of these servants. He was contemplating that he had sworn before the county magistrate to take good care of his family. He must fulfill this promise and earn money as soon as possible to buy a few maidservants for Zhuo Qiaoniang, so that she would not have to endure such hardship.

Zhuo Qiaoniang squatted in front of the stove, chopping a pine tree stump used for kindling with a hatchet. Leng Yi naturally had no experience cooking on a stove, as his family used an electric rice cooker. However, he thought it was simple; it was just about lighting it and getting it to burn. Without saying a word, he snatched the hatchet and began chopping.

Then I heard the voice of Leng Yi in front of the stove: "Cough, cough, this fire just won't ignite, it keeps billowing thick smoke, what's going on! Cough, cough..."

Leng Yi said: "It can be tidied up now"

Leng Yi filled another bucket of water and poured it into the wooden basin. Zhuo Qiaoniang said, "The water is enough, my lord"

Leng Yi walked over, opened the brocade box, took out the silver hairpin adorned with the mandarin ducks playing in the water design, and handed it to Zhuo Qiaoniang, asking, "Do you like it?"

Zhuo Qiaoniang busily picked up all the packages from the ground, placed them on the table, opened them, took out the clothes, and put them back in the wardrobe. When she opened the second package, she paused for a moment. She saw the brocade box that Leng Yi had placed inside the package.

Having tidied up her belongings, Zhuo Qiaoniang noticed that the sun had already set and said, "I will go prepare dinner"

Zhuo Qiaoniang smiled and did not argue with him, but got up to go outside and wash the rice

He handed it to you. Leng Yi took the hairpin and placed it in her hair bun, then picked up the bronze mirror from the table and set it in front of her

Zhuo Qiaoniang let out a chuckle, raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and spoke with a choked voice: "My lord... this is the first time... you have bought something for me..."

Leng Yi asked, "What is wrong with you? Why are you crying?"