Chapter Eighteen: Knowing When to Stop and Being Free from Worries

  The carriage stopped in front of the Xuanmiao Temple, and the old servant and the young servant jumped down from the carriage. One went to support the old man in the carriage, while the other pulled down a bamboo basket from the carriage.

  "That old man with a hungry illness has come again." The little boy at the door saw him and ran in to shout.

  The old man burst out laughing and strode into the garden, twirling his mustache.

  "What's with the snacks in the watchtower?" The emerging Sun Guan was left bewildered.

  When did she also have inexplicable snacks at Miao Guan?

  There are many temples and Taoist temples that offer vegetarian meals, from the original intention of convenience for incense guests to eventually becoming famous by chance. Some vegetarian meals have a great reputation, and even if you have money, it's hard to get a seat, and they've become synonymous with temples.

  There are famous and elegant ones, such as Wanning Temple outside the city, and there are famous and simple ones, such as Putuo Temple in Fuzhou.

  However, those are all famous temples and Taoist temples with a strong incense and good reputation. Generally, small temples and small halls have difficulty feeding themselves, let alone providing vegetarian meals and snacks for outsiders.

  "Don't be modest, Fairy Maiden," the old man said with a smile. "I didn't come to eat for free this time. Here, I've brought my own ingredients. Would you ladies kindly trouble yourselves to cook them and cure my hunger? I'd be eternally grateful."

  Sun Guan was so busy making apologies and begging for forgiveness.

  What's orange and crab meat stew, she hadn't even heard of eating it, let alone cooking it. She wanted to take the trouble to cook a meal that could attract guests with its fragrance, but she couldn't bear the trouble either.

  "Master, last time it was Half Cinnamon Sister who did it." Little Tong said.

  The other Taoist nuns who were doing their homework also came out at this time, and when they saw the old man, they were very happy. After a few whispers, Sun Guan and the old man finally understood what was going on.

  "Is the benefactor actually living here?" The old man was very surprised. He stood up and said, "Please inform the immortal maiden. See if I can thank her in person."

  The half-vegetable in the kitchen stirring the noodles was somewhat surprised.

  "Which elder?" she asked in confusion, "Thank me?"

  "That's right, you forgot, on the mountain fainted, gave him sugar gourd. Also let pinch ears and so on." Dao girl said, with a few points of reverence looking at this little girl.

  What a good person, saving people's lives is not even on their mind.

  The girl was taken aback.

  "Oh, that one? The one who should be thanked isn't me." She smiled, "It's my wife."

  Who is that fool?

  The Taoist nun was taken aback for a moment, and in her heart, she felt even more grateful. This little girl is really good, so respectful of her master.

  "There's also the last time you made that orange crab meat thing, he ate it and liked it." The Daoist nun changed the subject and continued to say happily, while pushing over a bamboo basket behind her, "Look, he specially sent it to you, saying thanks for eating yours last time. This is his return gift."

  The girl put down the chopsticks in her hand, looked at the bamboo basket, and saw that it contained round and bright yellow oranges. There were also crabs tied up tightly, as well as a jar of wine.

  "Of course, this is not to repay the favor of saving my life, that old man didn't know that you were the one who made the crab meat with oranges, so this is just to thank you for the small meal last time, not for saving my life the time before." The Taoist nun said hurriedly.

  It's you, not your last upper classmate. Made Lao Tzu laugh.

  "Alright, I understand," she said, staring at the bamboo basket with a thoughtful expression.

  The girl wanted to eat crab meat with orange peel, but unfortunately the ingredients she bought from the mountain were not good, and the girl didn't like it so she didn't eat.

  Later, the wife didn't mention it again and I also forgot to go buy some more. Now they're delivered right to our doorstep...

  "Wait for me for a moment." The girl said.

  The Daoist nun didn't understand and watched as the young girl picked up the bamboo basket and went into the house.

  The mountains are getting cooler day by day, in order to avoid the cold, the original bamboo curtain has been removed and replaced with a paper sliding door.

  The Taoist nun watched as the maid opened the door and inside, in front of a screen, sat a woman who seemed to be reading.

  Even fools read books?

  The Taoist nun was about to take another look when the door was pulled up, blocking her line of sight.

  "Girl, look, should we take it or not?"

  The girl finished explaining the situation and asked respectfully.

  Jiang Nang had put down her book and was lost in thought for a moment, her eyes falling on the bamboo basket.

  "Let me see, how is it?" she said.

  The girl hurriedly pushed over a bamboo basket and arranged the oranges, crabs, and wine one by one.

  Jiangniang picked them up one by one for examination.

  "This one is good, this one is also good." She said, putting the selected orange crab on the other side, finally picking up the wine, smelling it, and immediately pouring it aside.

  "Has this wine choked the young lady?" The maid asked anxiously, kneeling upright.

  "No, it smells too bad." said Cheng Jiaoniang, "Is it also wine?"

  The old man picked up a small wine jug and carefully poured it into the bottom of a bowl, then lifted it up and drank slowly.

  "Old fellow." A little boy on the side blinked his eyes curiously and asked, "Is this medicine very bitter?"

  "Medicine?" The old man glared.

  "That old fellow is eating so carefully..." said Little Tong.

  The old man burst out laughing.

  "Kid, this is fine wine, I just can't bear to part with it." He said with a smile.

  "Third Master, you gave her so much, and this is all the crab meat we brought back from the Three Lees' house." The young servant complained on the side, "Do we have to use wine to make a dish of orange peel and crab meat?"

  "Good wine is naturally paired with good food," said the old man. "Delicious dishes must be paired with fine wine, lacking one or the other, even good wine isn't enjoyable."

  Just as they were talking, the Daoist nun hurried back with a bamboo basket on her back.

  "Isn't it there?" The little boy asked hurriedly.

  "The Daoist nun nodded and said."

  Where? Why can't I see?

  "Half Aunt said that the old man was polite, she was washing her hands to cook crab meat for the old man as a gift, and would personally bring it over to him." Dao Gu said.

  The old man was overjoyed and clapped his hands, saying "Good!"

  "There's just one thing," said the Taoist nun, handing over the bamboo basket. "The wine is no good and needs to be replaced with new wine in order to bring out its flavor."

  "Is the wine not good?" The old man was taken aback.

  "What's wrong with this? This is the best wine we have. If this isn't good, then there's no good wine in the world." The young servant immediately said with a look of discontent.

  The Taoist nun was intimidated.

  "I don't understand it either," she said hastily. "It was Ban Jin who said that, saying this wine is no good and should be replaced with new brew to bring out the flavor."

  It's saying that this dish needs new wine to pair with, it's not saying that the wine is bad, but rather it's not suitable for this dish.

  The old man nodded in understanding.

  It's so particular, you can see the delicacy of food, indeed a person who can make delicious dishes.

  "Alright, alright," said the old man, urging the young servant, "Quickly go and fetch some new wine."

  In the midst of steaming hot air, a newly cooked crab roe dish was carefully placed in front of Cheng Jiaoniang by Yatou.

  "Girl, try this one and see how it is?" The maid said with a few parts of delight.

  Jiang Niang picked up her chopsticks, picked up a little, dipped in salt and vinegar and took a bite.

  "This wine is just a new taste," she said, shaking her head and putting down her chopsticks.

  Still not good enough? The girl was somewhat disappointed.

  "It's probably because the wine in the mountain village is too bad, I'll go to the city to get some good ones." she said.

  Jiang Nang smiled and shook her head, pointing outside with her hand.

  "I think even the best wine is just so-so," she said.

  "What's so special about that old man? He looks ordinary, is he serving the best wine?" Yatou asked in puzzlement.

  "First, no worries about food, then fine dining. To be able to eat for the sake of eating, not afraid to carefully select ingredients and personally go to the door, is this something an ordinary person can do?" said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  The girl nodded and murmured in agreement.

  Yes, in the past, being able to grab a bowl of rice in the kitchen was already a happy thing. I never thought about what tasted good or bad, let alone learning from my wife that there were so many varieties.

  "That girl is also carefree now." She said with a smile.

  Jiangniang's face was wooden, leaning against the window frame, staring out at the door without saying a word.

  Must have been a delicate and extravagant person in the past, otherwise why would there be such refined taste, but not necessarily a carefree person.

  In the hazy distant memory, there seemed to be blurry figures overlapping each other, wanting to get closer to see clearly, but both eyes were sore and aching, with a heart-wrenching bitterness.

  She already knew she wasn't Cheng Jiaoniang, who was she? And how could this be?

  Jiang Yao closed her eyes.

  "You go see that old man, he's also a refined and interesting person, you'll get along." she said.

  The girl unexpectedly heard a somewhat desolate tone from her mother's usual wooden voice, so she didn't dare ask more and just responded with a "yes".