Wu Pingzhi was his good friend. He came to the house for lunch, and in the afternoon the two of them would discuss their studies. When it was about time, they would go together to Denggao Tower.
They were all scholars, so Lu Yang did not stay to keep them company.
Xie Yan was especially free only during the morning and stuck close to Lu Yang the entire time.
Lu Yang could do nothing about him and had to tell him to let go. “I will hold your arm instead. You are taller than I am. If you hook onto me like that, you are practically lifting me off the ground.”
Xie Yan even tried to hunch over and walk like a short little person, but Lu Yang would not allow it.
“You are a year older now. Walk properly, like an adult.”
Xie Yan still remembered Lu Yang saying he did not like him being too tall.
Lu Yang had long forgotten. “Who told my top scholar to grow only upward and not outward?”
Xie Yan let him hold his arm, but complained that Lu Yang was not holding tightly enough. After laughing for a bit, he squeezed closer again.
They were so clingy that the blazing sun overhead could have melted them.
Lu Yang needed to buy more ingredients. Some elaborate dishes took too long to prepare, so he bought two from the restaurant instead—braised beef tower and sauced pork knuckle.
Life at home had improved; they no longer craved meat the way they used to, and rarely thought about eating pork knuckle. In previous years, whenever there was a banquet, there was always a knuckle on the table. Out of habit, he bought two.
They had eaten beef tower before. The last time, when they went to Minfu Road, they had ordered it and happened to run into Hong Chu, so they packed some to bring home. It had sat a bit too long and did not taste as good as when freshly served. He bought another portion.
Lu Yang also bought fresh fish, planning to make a steamed fish dish—symbolizing a carp leaping through the dragon gate.
He picked up seasonal vegetables as well: green beans, pumpkin, eggplant, and wild rice stems. Seeing someone selling chickens and ducks, he bought one of each. The chicken would be braised; the duck would be stewed into soup.
They had placed an order with the butcher in advance and simply picked it up today. He had saved pig’s head meat and pig ears for them. Lu Yang also bought two jin of pig’s blood, three jin of pork, two jin of ribs, and three leg bones. They would eat well today, and even the three dogs would get a good meal.
On the way home, he replenished some seasonings and bought two blocks of tofu. Once home, they began preparing everything.
Li Feng slaughtered and plucked the chicken and duck. Lu Liu cleaned the fish. Shun Ge helped pick and wash the vegetables. By the time Lu Yang finished washing his hands, two plates of prepared ingredients were already ready.
Xie Yan lit the fire while Lu Yang took charge of the wok. Both stoves were in use—on one side, the large bones were being blanched; on the other, dishes were stir-fried. Rice was cooking at the fathers’ place. They also took the three leg bones over to simmer, later to be stored in jars for broth. At noon the dogs would eat some meat and vegetables with them; in the evening they would gnaw on bones and drink soup.
As the two fathers worked, their eyelids kept twitching.
Lu Liu said to Lu Yang, “They must be thinking, ‘Even the dogs eat better than we do!’ When I first married Da Feng and saw him preparing ritual meals for his fathers, I was muttering to myself too.”
Lu Yang, busy cooking and not turning around, laughed. “Then let them help make the dogs’ food in the future. After doing it a few times, they will get used to it and understand that we are living well now. They will be more willing to spend on daily food and drink!”
Lu Liu chuckled. “I will tell them later!”
With three people preparing, everything was done quickly.
As noon approached, Lu Liu could not sit still and carried a few plates of ingredients home to cook.
Before long, Wu Pingzhi arrived just as they were plating the dishes.
Xie Yan had said beforehand that no gifts were necessary. When Wu Pingzhi arrived with one anyway, Xie Yan was displeased.
But once Wu Pingzhi opened the box and showed him the ten pairs of mandarin duck clasps inside, he grinned so widely that his eyes narrowed to slits.
Wu Pingzhi truly did not know what to make of him.
With him there, there were exactly ten people eating. The two families pushed their tables together, filling them completely.
They were all family, so only Li Feng drank wine. Wu Pingzhi accompanied him with two cups. The others drank tea.
The two little ones were still too young to eat these dishes; as usual, they were placated with rice paste.
Birthday wishes had already been offered in the morning, so at the meal they simply chatted about everyday matters.
Since Xie Yan married, the house had often been this lively.
Back when they were in the county seat, Lu Yang would host banquets. At that time, in the shop, even two tables were not enough.
His life had changed tremendously since his marriage.
In the blink of an eye, he had grown two years older.
When Lu Yang married him, he had resisted studying. He could not remember when he began to resolve to earn a degree.
That year he had been a xiucai, and even now he was still a xiucai. Everything seemed unchanged, yet he knew he was no longer the same.
In two more months, all his efforts and hopes would yield results.
Xie Yan poured tea and toasted his mother.
She had a gentle disposition. These past years of depending on one another had not been easy.
In earlier years, when he had not yet stood on his own, he had made her suffer alongside him. That had been his unfilial failing.
He also poured tea for Wu Pingzhi.
He had once been too ignorant, missing many opportunities and letting many people down. Fortunately, he had recovered what he could.
Then he poured tea for Lu Yang.
Along the way, he had seen clearly all the hardships Lu Yang had endured.
The further they went, the broader the world became—and the smaller they seemed. They were in the same boat and had to go farther together.
After making a full round of toasts, he was so full of water that he was practically bloated.
Lu Yang patted his stomach, hearing the sloshing, and told him to rest a while before eating.
Lu Yang spoke with Wu Pingzhi about going to the provincial capital. “I am thinking of accompanying him for the exams and taking the opportunity to broaden my horizons. The prefectural city is already this prosperous—I wonder what the provincial capital is like.”
He said he wanted to see more of the world. Xie Yan could not outright forbid him, though he worried aloud that it would be tiring.
“The two places are close. If you want to go, there will be many chances later. Let it pass this time. During the examinations there will be many candidates; the roads will be crowded, and the city crowded too. You will not see much.”
Lu Yang was determined and had his reasons ready.
People said there were river bandits along the canal, that travel by water was unsafe. During the examination period, bandits would not dare cause trouble. It would be safer to travel then. If he went out on his own and encountered someone reckless, what would he do?
Such talk was inauspicious, and Xie Yan scolded him lightly before asking Wu Pingzhi about the journey.
Traveling by water along the riverbanks to the provincial capital would take three to five days.
It was not far at all; it depended only on the weather and whether they encountered any incidents.
Wu Pingzhi said, “When we go to the provincial capital, we have a place to stay. My father purchased a house there. It is rather small, but enough for a few of us.”
Traveling by boat would be less jarring than by land. After Lu Yang discussed the details further with Wu Pingzhi, the matter was settled. Only Xie Yan remained muttering under his breath.
After everyone had eaten their fill and the water in Xie Yan’s stomach had settled, he grew hungry again, served himself a bowl of rice, and ate slowly.
Li Feng asked, “Do you want me to escort you?”
Wu Pingzhi said it was unnecessary. “During the examination season, the roads are quite peaceful. Along the canal, between the prefectural city and the provincial capital, it is also very safe. I have not heard of river bandits causing trouble.”
Xie Yan also felt it was unnecessary. If Lu Yang accompanied him to the provincial capital, they would be gone for more than twenty days. The household would rely on Li Feng during that time. If Li Feng left, there would be no pillar at home—and with two small children, how would they manage?
Eating was simple; cleaning up was not. After finishing his meal, Xie Yan offered to help tidy up, but Lu Yang urged him back to the room to study.
The examination date was near; there was no need for him to handle such trivial chores.
With many people in the house, Li Feng fetched several more buckets of water. The three families brought their basins, squatted in front of them, and rinsed the dishes one by one. Before long, everything was clean.
In the afternoon, Li Feng stayed home, carrying a slop bucket to clear the drainage channels in front of the house.
Living in the city, cleaning the drainage channels was troublesome. If they clogged, water could not drain, and foul water would accumulate, making life unbearable.
By the end of the sixth month, even fewer households remained in the alley—especially in the shared rentals, which were more than half empty.
Since they lived in the same alley and the drainage channels were connected, Li Feng cleaned them all at once.
After helping wash the dishes, Lu Liu wiped his hands and came over with a large palm-leaf fan. As Li Feng worked, he fanned him.
When they reached the door of He Fulang’s house, He Fulang felt embarrassed and said he would handle it himself. Lu Liu told him not to move. “It is fine. We are cleaning the whole stretch. One more makes no difference.”
He Fulang tugged at his clothes, at a loss for words.
He went back inside and brought out a few salted duck eggs for Lu Liu, asking, “Whose birthday is it in your family? I heard it was very lively.”
