Chapter 6: Baona Clothing
The other two eunuchs at the table exchanged glances and smiled, thinking: "What a good day it is today; early in the morning, we encounter a big spender who wants to treat us! You, this fat sheep, should be careful; our Master Da's knife is quite sharp!"
"What is the method of sewing a Baona garment? I have not heard of it before, and I hope Master Da can provide some guidance!" Li Le feigned a humble and eager-to-learn demeanor. Just then, the boss brought the dishes to the table, and he continued to serve food to Master Da.
Certainly, these matters will not be explained to Li Le by the Zhang residence, but from the implications in the conversation, Li Le can infer them.
You... you can't remember where you have seen Li Le, no matter what you say at the Dazhang Mansion
Dazhangfu was taken aback, looking at Li Le, thinking to himself: "Do I know this person? Just now it seemed he smiled and nodded at me, was he greeting me? I can't recall where I have seen him! However, he is inviting me to dinner... One should not pass up a good deal, after all!"
"Exactly, let's call it an alligator! The Chief Steward is indeed well-informed, I cannot compare to you!" Da Zhangfu laughed and said, "The imperial chef stewed this fish, and the Emperor enjoyed it at the night banquet. He then thought of Lord Yu Wen and graciously bestowed a plate to him, asking me to deliver it while it was still hot. Here I am, having just finished my business after leaving the palace in the middle of the night!"
Li Le, however, remained indifferent, allowing Da Zhang to point here and there. He smiled and asked, "Master Da, have you just returned from the residence of Duke Xu? Speaking of which, I am somewhat related to the old man Yu Wen, but I haven't visited for quite some time. I wonder how he has been lately? Is his appetite still good?" His tone was casual, as if he were engaging in a friendly chat.
Li Le listened to a joke in the shop, feeling that even eunuchs could be named "Great Man." The surname Nian was also quite humorous, referring to someone as "Little Tatar." Is this not an insult to someone's face
Li Lexin thought: "After all this effort, that year’s steward is also working for a bastard prince! Alas, as a fellow bastard, that little prince's fate is much better than mine. Why couldn't I borrow his body instead? Otherwise, I could at least vie for the throne or something!"
Dazhangfu nodded and said: "It has indeed been a full hundred days. If we are to speak of blessings for the safety of children, it is the Bodhisattva in the Gongde Temple that is the most effective. Whenever our palace's empress gives birth to a prince or princess, they all go to thank the Bodhisattva. For instance, just a few days ago, Empress Jing sent someone to Gongde Temple to request a needle and thread to sew a hundred-fold garment!"
The Nadazhang Mansion has welcomed a small shop, and standing before the horse of the Chief Steward, I respectfully said: "In response to the Chief Steward's inquiry, I have just returned from the residence of Duke Xu. Last night, a vassal state to the south, whose name escapes me, presented a fish known as... what was it called again? It is the kind of fish with a mouth a yard wide, fangs over three feet long, and its entire body resembles that of a creature clad in iron armor. To be honest, I don't think it looks much like a fish at all"
Dazhangfu was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Now I understand! It’s you, Yuwen Muzhou! I remember now; you indeed owe me a meal. Let this one be on you! Boss, bring me eight cold dishes and eight hot dishes!"
Dazhangfu clapped his hands and laughed, saying: "You don't know how to make a hundred-fold garment? Hey, you really asked the right person. While others may not know, I am completely clear about it! Let me tell you..."
Dazhang Fudao: "I see, then this matter cannot be handled by a mere errand runner; it requires your personal attention, Chief Steward!"
Li Le, however, did not take it seriously; he merely thought: "Perhaps I am overreacting. After all, there are people with the surname Da. This surname is quite favorable, and the surname Da clearly implies a desire for prosperity"
Li Le pointed to his own nose and said: "I am Yu Wen Mu Zhou, we have met before, I still owe you a meal, have you forgotten?"
The steward shook his head and said: "That is not necessary. I am also going to the residence of Duke Xu. The little prince born to Princess Jing has reached his hundredth day, and the princess, being a devout Buddhist, wishes to make a hundred-piece garment for the little prince, so that he may be blessed by the deities from a young age and enjoy a lifetime of peace. I am going to the residence of Duke Xu to request the fabric for this purpose"
In fact, the practice of patchwork clothing is not something remarkable; it is merely a folk custom. The Buddha said: "Only through diligent cultivation can one achieve the right fruit." Therefore, those who believe in Buddhism often collect scraps of cloth from many households to sew together into a garment, as a demonstration of their austere practice, believing that such efforts will surely lead to the attainment of the right fruit
Li Le listened intently as the eunuch spoke of the residence of the Duke of Xu, which was none other than the home of Yu Wen Shu. He immediately set down his chopsticks, perked up his ears, and focused on eavesdropping
Lan Wen also replied softly, "Yes, and most of those with the surname Da are officials! In our Daxing City, there is a mix of Hu and Han people, and all kinds of surnames can be found. Those Hu people like to adopt Han surnames..." At this point, he suddenly fell silent, pretending to lower his head to drink porridge, but accidentally choked on it. He quickly remembered that his elder brother in front of him had the surname Yuwen!
Since this eunuch had just come out from the residence of Yu Wenshu, Li Le wanted to inquire about recent developments. He gestured to the shopkeeper and said, "Boss, serve a few more good dishes for Master Da, and put this meal on my account"
The boss's face turned pale, "What about your account? When did you settle it?" Yet, unable to say anything else, he nodded and bowed as he went to instruct the kitchen
He lowered his voice and asked Lan Wen: "Is there a surname 'Da' related to books?"
However, who is Li Le? He is a figure forged in the modern business battlefield, always having a second plan when the first one fails! He then shifted the topic and said: "Master Da, you are well-read and knowledgeable. I would like to ask which temple in Daxing City has the most effective deities? To be honest, I have recently had a son, and I fear he may not grow up well, so I wish to pay my respects to the Bodhisattva and seek blessings from all the gods and spirits!"
Li Le cursed inwardly: "This dead eunuch is not foolish; his intelligence is not as low as I thought!" He had just heard the governor mention something about vassal states and something about fish, and the conversation was filled with confusion, leading him to believe he could easily deceive him and extract some information. However, in this face-to-face conversation, he realized that this person was merely pretending to be confused while fully aware of the situation.
The annual manager smiled faintly and thought to himself, "This foolish boy is being too exaggerated in his speech!" He said, "Is it an alligator?"
The thoughts of Consort Jing are quite active; she wishes to take advantage of her favored status to quickly find some support for her son within the court. She is not the Empress, and the young prince is not the legitimate heir. The competition among the concubines in the palace is extremely fierce, and she is not the only one who has given birth to a prince. It is not uncommon for concubines to resort to extreme measures to ensure their own sons are favored by the Emperor, even to the detriment of other princes. To ensure the young prince grows up safely, it is essential to have power within the palace as well as talent in the court.
The chief steward let out a sound and said, "His Majesty holds Lord Yu Wen in high regard!"
The influence of the Concubine Jing in the palace is considerable; the chief steward was her trusted confidant. However, her power in the court was limited. She planned to use the excuse of making a hundred-piece garment for the young prince to cultivate relationships with some prominent officials of the court. She instructed the chief steward to request some old clothes for children from the ministers, which would be pieced together to create the hundred-piece garment. This would subtly bridge the gap between the young prince and the ministers. In the event of any upheaval in the palace, the ministers, recalling their past connections, would be more inclined to speak on behalf of the young prince.
In essence, this is a tactic employed by the palace concubines to win over the ministers on behalf of their sons. Therefore, when the Dazhang residence heard that Chief Steward Nian was seeking Yu Wenshu regarding this matter, he expressed his inability to assist, stating that he lacked the necessary standing and was not worthy of offering his services to the young prince in courting a significant figure like Duke Xu.
After entering the folk customs, parents often ask relatives and friends for their children's old clothes, cut them into pieces, and then reassemble them into a new garment, known as a "Baina clothing." This is worn by their children to symbolize that through early cultivation, they will be blessed by deities when they grow up. As for the children of royal families wearing Baina clothing, it represents the idea of embracing all rivers.
Dazhangfu had just finished his errands with Yuwen Shu when Li Le inquired about matters in the residence. He was unwilling to respond, as it pertained to him, but if asked about other matters, he had no qualms. The eunuchs are notoriously loquacious, often pretending to know everything while refusing to share information. If they are aware of something unrelated to them, they will insist on telling you even if you do not ask. They are always the creators and disseminators of rumors.
A group of five eunuchs was shouting, while simultaneously restraining their waists and dismounting from their steeds. Among them, one person looked towards the restaurant and laughed, saying: "So it is the Da Zhang Mansion! Young Da, why are you out on the streets instead of serving the Emperor in the palace?" The eunuch, referred to as Chief Steward Nian, clearly held a higher status than the individual in the shop, as he addressed the latter as 'Young Da' with a casual tone.
It is of no concern to him, and when it comes to discussing the affairs of the court, he speaks without restraint. While working in the palace, he naturally brings up the matter of the ladies of the court making hundred-fold garments for children. To speak of recent events, only Consort Jing has given birth to a little prince in the palace. Consort Jing is quite beautiful and enjoys the favor of Emperor Yang Guang. With the addition of the little prince, her status has further risen.
Dazhangfu smiled and said: "Who says otherwise? Which minister in the court can compare to Duke Xu? By the way, where are you headed, Grand Commander? If there are any tasks, why not let me handle them for you, so you won't have to toil in this cold weather"
Li Le laughed and said, "It will soon be a hundred days; when the time comes, I will host a hundred-day banquet, and Master Da must certainly honor us with your presence!" It is generally considered impolite to discuss offspring with a eunuch, but it seems that the Da family does not mind.
The steward nodded, bid farewell to the Dazhang residence, and continued on his way to the Xuguo Gongfu, while the Dazhang residence returned to the inn to eat and drink.
Do not be fooled by Da Zhangfu's penchant for small gains; he is quite cunning. While he may indulge in free food and drink, extracting any information from him is as difficult as ascending to the heavens. He is unaware of Li Le's background, so it is unlikely that he would share details of a recently completed task with outsiders.
Dazhangfu chuckled and said, "I don't know how your appetite is; why not wait until you see the Duke next time and ask him yourself!"
Li Le approached, cupped his fist in salute, and with a cheerful smile said, "Isn't this Lord Da? I recognized you just now, but since it has been so long since we last met, I didn't dare to come forward hastily. You must forgive me; I will treat you to this meal as a form of apology!" As he spoke, he did not regard himself as an outsider, casually pulled over a chair, and sat down beside Lord Da.
Half of the meal had not been finished when a large group of people rushed in from outside the restaurant, led by Li Le's subordinates, with Ma Siyuan at the forefront
Oh, you have also recently had a son? How old is he now? The interest of Da Zhangfu was piqued, as Emperor Yang of Sui, Yang Guang, has also recently welcomed a prince, born to Concubine Jing