Chapter Twenty-One: Unraveling

  Cheng Er Lao Ye stepped down from Bianzhou, and by rights should have been promoted, but the Ministry of Officials had not sent any news for a long time. Although he asked many people to inquire, the information was all reassuring, this time it must be a promotion, but without seeing the official document, there was no bottom line. Not long after, finally, there was definite news that came, as the Taishou of Laiyangzhou.

  Although both are Cishi, Pingzhou is a lower state, while Laiyang is a middle state. It's like being promoted from the fourth rank to the fourth rank, and Laiyang is a rich and sufficient place with abundant people and peaceful order.

  But at the same time, the bad news is that someone else has also set their sights on this position.

  "We can't say there's no one who can speak for us," said Madame Cheng, "Your teacher Zhang Chun is at the Imperial Academy, isn't he? Ask him to come forward and recommend you."

  Zhang Chun was not an official, but a famous Confucian scholar, who opened an academy and established a school, with three thousand disciples, his reputation was magnificent.

  "Yes, I had this intention and have already written a letter to the teacher and sent it away. There will be news soon." said Mr. Cheng Er.

  "Teacher's father happens to be here and coincidentally it's just before the festival, go see him." said Mrs. Cheng.

  Second Master nodded.

  "That's natural, but the old man will never be a guest." He said with a frown, "It's really worrying."

  "Then go a few more times, it's not like you'll never see each other again." said Madame Cheng.

  "Alright, let's eat." said Cheng Erlaoye, kneeling down and picking up his chopsticks.

  Madam Cheng II did not move.

  "What's wrong with your meal?" asked Mr. Cheng.

  Madam Cheng glanced at the dishes on the table with a cold smile.

  "Some people don't want me to eat, why should I have to eat?" she said.

  What's going on? Cheng Erlaoye was bewildered.

  That troublesome kid has been sent away, but why does it still seem like there's no peace at home?

  In the Miao Miao Temple, the girl stacked up the clothes she had just washed and rinsed.

  "Daughter, the old man didn't send over any ingredients. What do you want to eat? I'll go into town later and he said he wants to eat Taiping mantou, so I made some for him and will bring it over, then buy back vegetables and meat." She asked as she worked.

  Jiang Nang raised her head.

  "Haven't been here for a few days?" she said, "It's a pity, the fruits and vegetables he chose are good."

  Pausing for a moment.

  "Isn't anyone else coming?" she asked.

  Ya Tou knew she spoke and thought slowly, so she waited a bit. Unexpectedly, the words that came out made her laugh involuntarily.

  The girl rarely smiles, but sometimes she says something that makes people laugh, and most importantly, she still doesn't smile, as if it's true.

  "I'm telling you, it's true." said Cheng Jiaoniang.

  The girl covered her mouth and smiled.

  "Yes, yes, I won't laugh," she said, her mouth still unable to close.

  Jiang Nang didn't understand what was so funny and ignored him.

  "The slave is clumsy and can't even choose good dishes." The maid said with a smile, then self-blamed.

  "It's not that I'm stupid," said Jingniang, "it's just that my heart is not in it."

  "Miss, I don't dare to be lazy." The maid was startled and hastily said, "They were all carefully selected."

  "It's not this," said Jingniang, and sighed again at this point.

  The girl didn't know what was going on and looked at her worriedly, not daring to speak again.

  A moment of quiet in the room.

  My hands and feet are now quite flexible, but speaking is still almost impossible, with a stiff tongue.

  No need to rush, no need to rush, it's not about saying a lot, but just say what needs to be said.

  "You, your heart doesn't want to eat, don't know how to eat, so you can't think of what kind to use or what flavor. This is being absent-minded, not that you're not paying attention to me." Cheng Jiaoniang said, raising her head to look at Yatou.

  The girl suddenly looked relieved, and her eyes turned slightly red.

  "Madam, I am Lu Dun, and I beg of you to enlighten me." She said, bowing her head to the ground.

  "That's also true, you're willing to listen to my advice." Cheng Jiuniang said, pursing her lips, "So, at this time, you'd better be careful, if people don't use their hearts, they only hear what they want to hear, that's called biased listening and believing."

  The girl looked at her and nodded seriously.

  "Thank you, mistress, for the teaching. I understand what it means to be diligent now." She bowed again and stood up straight, "As for the ingredients that haven't been carefully selected by someone with a discerning mind, mistress please think about what you'd like to eat, and I'll make sure to prepare it diligently."

  Jiang Yao looked at her again pursing her lips, this time with a slight curve of the corners of her mouth, obviously smiling.

  "Anything done with heart is delicious," she said.

  The girl got up with a smile.

  "Just you wait and see," she said with a smile as she turned around and walked out.

  Sun Guan had been sitting in the house for a good half day, and two apprentice boys who came to deliver food exchanged a glance outside the door.

  "What's wrong with Master? He's been sighing ever since he came back from the mountain, as if he has some worries." They said in a low voice, "Could it be that there isn't enough silver to spend on repairs?"

  Another apprentice nodded.

  "It cost more money to furnish that room than it did to build the house." she said in a low voice.

  "How can an idiot use such a good thing?" At first, he was shocked and almost shouted out loud, "It seems that we won't be able to change into new Taoist robes."

  She said with a sigh.

  No wonder Master didn't mention anything about clothes.

  The door of the house opened at this time, and the host walked out, but then stopped and retreated back.

  "Master, what's wrong with you?" The two apprentices followed in and asked straightforwardly.

  "I'm thinking of a big thing related to our Taoist temple, but I don't know if it can be done." Sun Guanzhu said with a worried brow.

  "What's wrong? Tell us and we'll think about it together." The apprentices said, kneeling down in front of her, without even bothering to serve the meal.

  Sun Guan hesitated for a moment.

  "I think we have a good chance of making a name for ourselves," she said.

  The Taoist temple became famous, which was a good thing, and the two disciples were very happy.

  "Master, what's going on?" they asked hastily.

  Sun Guan was hesitant.

  "Vegetarian food." she said.

  The two apprentices exchanged a glance.

  Vegetarian food is famous, and it's not unusual. There is a ready-made example in Jiangzhou City, which is the Wanning Temple in the west of the city.

  A famous chef who had grown tired of worldly life came to the temple, and after entering the Buddhist priesthood, he devoted himself to spiritual practice. Whether or not his Buddhist studies were meticulous, his culinary skills soared. At first, it was the monks in the temple who praised him, then the pilgrims followed suit, and gradually his reputation grew. Now people waiting for a meal of vegetarian food have to queue up, which shows how renowned he is.

  Eating vegetarian food is free, but few people will eat for nothing. The donation box naturally needs to add a few more, the key is to make a name and attract popularity, with a strong atmosphere, the reputation will be even greater, so on and so forth, the Wan Ning Temple has been famous for its prosperity and flourishing incense.

  This kind of chef who has seen through the world's vanity is hard to come by and as rare as a chance encounter at the Wan Ning Temple.

  "Our vegetarian meal?" The two disciples smiled wryly, "Master, today we barely had a bit more oil and water, who would dare to eat."

  "Our nature is not good enough." Sun Guanzhu said, looking out the door, "So, we have to learn."

  Study?

  "With whom?" the apprentice asked.

  "Miss Half Cabbage." said Sun Guan Zhu.

  "Is the meal made by Miss Half Cabbage really that good?" the apprentices asked.

  Sun Guan's master smiled.

  "Do you think that old man really came over to rest his legs after climbing the mountain?" she said, "It's because of the half-vegetable girl bringing a plate of fruit and a bowl of vegetables."

  The disciples were amazed.

  "But they're moving to the mountains soon, can't still go and take other people's fruit and dishes." Sun Guanzhu sighed.

  "Why must Master worry, go ask Half Cinnamon Sister if she can teach us." a disciple said.

  "Is this okay?" Sun Guanzhu hesitated, and she had been entangled with this for half a day.

  "How can it be not okay? Half-chin sister is a kind-hearted person, she will definitely agree." The apprentice said.

  Ban Jin is a kind-hearted person, but the key point is that she's not in charge.

  Sun Guan remained silent.

  "I don't dare..." she murmured.

  The apprentices were shocked.

  "Master, why are you afraid? Half Cinnamon is very easy to talk to. What's there to fear in asking whether it can be done or not?" they asked in puzzlement.

  "I'm afraid, what if she gets unhappy, Da Xuan Miao Guan will also change its name..." Sun Guanzhu muttered.