Chapter 5, Contentment in Acceptance
Daqiao was momentarily speechless, standing there for a long time without saying a word. Sun Shao's words deeply saddened her; there is no greater sorrow than the death of the heart. It seems that after this illness, Sun Shao has thoroughly recognized his situation. For him, serving in an official capacity has become utterly impossible, so he has simply decided to let it all go. The thought of Sun Shao, with his exceptional martial skills, being forced to live out his days idly in the mansion made Daqiao reflect on her own circumstances, and a wave of shared sorrow surged within her, causing her nose to tingle and tears to well up.
"Perhaps it would be better not to go tomorrow," Daqiao suddenly said. The Zhou family is hosting a banquet tomorrow because Zhou Xun is about to inherit a title and lead troops, while Sun Shao, who is a year older than Zhou Xun, can only stay at home in silence. The two have always been in a subtle competition, neither willing to yield to the other. In this situation, Daqiao feels it is too cruel for Sun Shao.
Sun Shaoting stopped in his tracks, slightly lowering his head. After a moment of contemplation, he turned his head and smiled faintly: "Mother, even if I do not stray far from the kitchen, I cannot become a gentleman, so there is no need to worry about those matters." Having said that, he quickly walked out the door
What the lady is concerned about is that I see the young master has been ill this time, perhaps he has gained some perspective. From his performance today, he no longer seems as impatient as before. Experiencing such an occasion is also beneficial; even if it ends unhappily, after all, we are still relatives, and it should not lead to irreparable consequences
"Young Master?" As Sun Shao entered the kitchen, a plump middle-aged woman approached him with an exaggerated smile, saying, "Why have you come to this filthy place in person? Oh, Miss Yue, why don't you persuade the Young Master? If there is anything, just let the young lady inform us, there is no need for the Young Master to come personally."
This child has suffered. Qiao Ying's eyes also turned red
Aunt Qin's expression suddenly froze; although she was still smiling, there was not a trace of joy in her eyes. Qiao Yue's words were tantamount to delivering a resounding slap to her face, as it implied that the young master had to go to the kitchen to fetch food for the lady, which essentially suggested that she, as the head of the kitchen, had failed in her duties
"Aman, what are you doing in the kitchen?" Daqiao stopped him, his tone somewhat displeased: "A gentleman should keep his distance from the kitchen; it would be a laughingstock if this got out."
The bridge moon, who had been following Sun Shao, approached with a smile and said apologetically: "Oh dear, Aunt Qin, you have misunderstood me, Xiao Yue. The young master came here not because I brought him, but because the lady has a poor appetite. The young master said he wanted to find some delicious food to offer to the lady."
Sun Shao's mood was not as dark as Da Qiao had worried. Over the past ten days, he had already come to understand the problems he faced. As the son of Sun Ce, it was only natural for Sun Quan to suppress him. Once Sun Quan secured his position, it would be best to grant him some wealth and allow him to live as a comfortable nobleman. This was undoubtedly the best solution. This outcome was unacceptable to the original Sun Shao, but for someone like him, who had become accustomed to the feuds of powerful families and the bloody imperial power struggles, it was a rather favorable result. He had no intention of making a name for himself in this chaotic world, so it was better to live as a carefree lord. He believed that as long as he remained compliant, Sun Quan would not be so ruthless as to drive him to his end.
"Oh, so it seems that my wife truly cannot bear it any longer." Aunt Qin took a step back, bent her plump waist like a water bucket, and bowed to Sun Shaoxing, saying, "Young Master, this old servant is incompetent, please punish me, Young Master."
The two individuals engaged in casual conversation, discussing the situations they might encounter tomorrow. The thought of having to return the invitation to Zhou Xun made them feel a bit of a headache. The financial resources of the Sun residence and the Zhou residence were vastly different, and returning the invitation to Zhou Xun was not an easy task for the Sun family
He had kept these questions buried in his heart, and today he personally went to the kitchen, deciding to gain a close-up understanding of the culinary culture of this world.
Caught in a dilemma, although she felt somewhat saddened by her sister Xiao Qiao's past behavior, they were after all bound by blood. Moreover, Xiao Qiao had been widowed for the past two years, experiencing her own hardships, and had undergone many changes. The relationship between the two sisters had just begun to improve, yet now they were to be separated again. Zhou Xun was to lead troops, and as a family member, her sister Xiao Qiao would certainly remain in Jianye as a hostage. Sun Shao could not lead troops, and Sun Quan would not allow Sun Shao to approach the centers of power. The opportunities for the sisters to meet in the future would indeed be few. If they did not meet this time, who knew when they would see each other again in the future?
The first step at present is to address the issue of food
Isn't this... not very good?" Qiao Ying hesitated a bit and gently advised, "The Zhou family has moved to Jianye, and it is rare for you sisters to meet. If you don't go to see each other, I'm afraid..."
Although he feels some envy and admiration towards Zhou Xun, this envy is indeed quite limited. The reason he said that to Daqiao was actually to express that being a serious gentleman is too exhausting and ultimately futile. It is better to be an ordinary person, enjoying good food and engaging in enjoyable activities, and that is all there is to it. Why must one strive for great achievements? Do not be deceived by Zhou Xun's current success; the battlefield is perilous, and who can guarantee a safe ending? Wasn't Zhou Yu, his father, formidable? Yet he also passed away at a young age. There are no records of Zhou Yu's son achieving anything significant in history, and it is unlikely he could surpass his father. Of course, history does not mention much about Sun Ce's son either, so why should one go against the natural order? The sage said well, 'Food and sex are inherent desires.' He himself does not have grand aspirations; enjoying delicious food, appreciating beautiful literature, and marrying a few lovely women is sufficient for this life.
Da Qiao pondered back and forth, feeling that Qiao Ying's words were reasonable. Even if Sun Shao did not hold an official position, he would inevitably have to interact with others in the future; such situations were bound to arise.
Sun Shao stepped out of the backyard and walked briskly towards the kitchen. The kitchen is located in the southern part of the eastern courtyard, separated from the residential yard. In the northern part of the eastern courtyard stands a tall corner tower, beneath which are the quarters for the servants and guards of the residence. Between the eastern and western courtyards lies a long alley, flanked by high earthen walls, and looking up, the azure sky resembles a narrow jade belt
Over the past ten days, Sun Shao has gained some understanding of the dietary practices during the Han Dynasty. The alcoholic beverages of this period were mostly low-alcohol brews, quite similar to the yellow wine and rice wine of later generations. He had no particular thoughts on this aspect. In terms of health preservation, low-alcohol beverages are more suitable than distilled high-alcohol ones. However, he had significant thoughts regarding food. Although the staple food consumed during these days was also rice, the method of preparation was quite different from that of later generations. This rice was steamed, similar to the steaming of buns and dumplings. While it was indeed cooked, it was very dry. As for the vegetables, they were even more peculiar. The way vegetables were consumed in this era was very similar to the hot pot of later generations, but it was a cold version of hot pot. Aside from soups and boiled vegetables that were prepared in the kitchen beforehand, there were raw vegetables, cured meats, and fish slices, which were dipped in sauces for consumption. Eating this occasionally felt fresh, but having it every day became somewhat tiresome. Most importantly, he had not seen a single stir-fried dish from beginning to end.
However, this is too much for A Man. Although A Xun and the others have better family upbringing, they are still young. A Xun is the most composed among them, but just now he spoke with sarcasm. What about A Yin and A Yu? I am worried that it will end in an unhappy manner.