With the well and cellar properly repaired, life became noticeably more convenient. Shu Rui could lower a bucket into the well, turn the pulley, and draw up clear, cool water—a refreshing relief. For drinking, the water still needed to sit in the cistern for a while, but for washing clothes or bathing, it could be used directly.
Shu Rui noticed that Yang Chunhua, without a well, had to rely entirely on buying water. She was pleased to see his well, and also came to inspect the newly repaired cellar.
“You’ve got a cellar now—very handy. In summer, it’s hard to keep things fresh overnight, but with this, even three to five days’ storage works fine,” she said.
Shu Rui and Yang Chunhua descended the ladder into the cellar beside the yard. Though not large, it was pleasantly cool, like stepping into a lush forest.
Shu Rui moved around inside, considering building larger racks for storing vegetables, melons, and other items—better organization would help preserve them longer.
Yet repairing the inn had left him short on funds. Fixing damaged furniture and other repairs still proceeded slowly, one by one.
Business at the dock was unpredictable. During the few days the well and cellar were being repaired, he had sold food once—just one large boat, not many customers—so sales were meager. Before, daily business at the academy had been steady, but suddenly, that income vanished.
Shu Rui realized he needed to find another location to sell meals. Waiting solely on the dock’s sporadic business wouldn’t allow him to save enough to finish repairing the inn.
Yang Chunhua, understanding his predicament, comforted him: “Don’t worry. Soon, the city will hold the Lotus Moon Festival—always lively every year. Young folks prepare carefully: they visit temples in the morning to pray, enjoy boat rides among the lotuses, and in the evening there are lanterns and fireworks. On those days, anything you sell will go well. Prepare your food in advance, and you’ll earn nicely.”
“Only a few days until June 6th,” she added. “I’ve already gotten fresh, bright fabrics from the cloth merchants. The young ladies and gentlemen will come to choose them—they’ll want to dress up beautifully for the festival.”
Shu Rui laughed: “No wonder your business’s been good while I was fixing the well. Hot weather makes everyone eager to buy cloth for the festival.”
He recalled that in his previous town, June 6 was celebrated as the Blessings Festival, not the Lotus Moon Festival—different regions, different customs—but the joy and activity of the festival were similar. Hearing Yang Chunhua describe it, he felt pleased; festivals were good times for small vendors, when people were willing to spend.
After chatting with her for a while, the sun rose higher. Around noon, Shu Rui and Lu Ling ate a simple meal, preparing for an afternoon nap. At that moment, a vendor selling pig’s feet called out in the street.
Shu Rui peeked from the back door and asked the price: twelve coins for four feet. Many people avoided them, finding the meat small and the feet smelly from constant contact with the ground. Shu Rui, however, thought they could be delicious if prepared properly. He bought them, cleaned them, wrapped them in coarse cloth with spices, stir-fried briefly to release the aroma, then slowly braised them on the stove.
Since he already had the braising liquid, he added a few lotus roots and a strip of kelp. He liked bamboo shoots, but had none stored at home, so he gave Lu Ling some coins to buy a few from the market. He also prepared four eggs.
With vegetables cleaned and cut, Shu Rui slowly braised the pig’s feet over low heat. The sun shone fiercely, making the courtyard drowsy; even the persimmon tree seemed to wilt under the heat. The streets were unusually quiet.
Shu Rui’s eyes grew tired; he rubbed his arms, planning to rest indoors.
“Do you need to watch the stove?” Lu Ling asked.
“No, you should go rest too,” Shu Rui replied. Lu Ling nodded and, feeling energetic, leapt onto the roof outside. A tall elm cast a cool shadow, and he perched there, watching the street below.
From above, Lu Ling saw a troupe performing acrobatics on Wenqiao Street. Despite the heat, a crowd had gathered, cheering and giving money. In a nearby alley, two young men discussed what gifts to bring for the festival, planning carefully for loved ones.
Hearing this, Lu Ling took out three coins—the remainder from the vegetables Shu Rui had given him—but after a moment, put them back in his pocket.
The aroma of braised pig’s feet drifted through the courtyard. Lu Ling quietly left the roof and entered the street below.
Shu Rui slept nearly half an hour. Stretching and yawning, he felt groggy, then washed his face to wake up. Lifting the lid of the pot, a savory smell greeted him.
He tested the pig’s feet with chopsticks; they were tender. He added the prepared vegetables to the pot, braising them a bit longer to absorb flavor. Though he considered buying wine to accompany the meal, he decided against it for now.
It was then that he realized Lu Ling was still asleep—how could this boy sleep so soundly?
Before he could wake him, a knock sounded at the door. Shu Rui opened it to find Foreman Liu.
“Is Young Master Lu here?”
Shu Rui called inside but received no answer; he guessed Lu Ling had gone out. He welcomed Liu in through the back, offering tea.
“I heard Young Master Lu wanted to borrow some tools for repairs,” Liu said, presenting a package of hammers, chisels, and other implements. Shu Rui examined the tools, impressed by Liu’s regard for Lu Ling.
He accepted them with thanks.
“Since Lu isn’t here, I won’t wait. I imagine you’ll be busy selling meals at the dock,” Liu said. He had known from before that Shu Rui had been selling food while the repair crew worked.
Previously, the agreed price for repair work didn’t include meals, but some of Liu’s men had bought a meal after smelling the aroma, praising its flavor.
Entering the door now, Liu noticed the same delicious smell.
Shu Rui laughed: “It’s not about business—dock sales are unpredictable. Take a seat while I pack some food for you.” He prepared a half-plate of braised vegetables and a pig’s foot in a food box for Liu.
Liu protested, feeling embarrassed, but Shu Rui insisted: “It’s just a little something while idle. The meat is leftover from the butcher, not expensive, just for a taste. You brought tools specially for Lu Ling—this is my thanks.”
Reluctantly, Liu accepted, carrying the food home, where his wife would appreciate it—usually she wouldn’t buy such things herself, waiting for him to return from the countryside.
Bringing it back home, she would be overjoyed.
“Since business at the dock isn’t steady, and your skills are good, if you’re brave and willing to put in effort, you could try selling food on Qiugui Street in the northern part of the city. That area has workshops, martial arts schools, brothels, and theaters—plenty of people.”
Qiugui Street was always bustling, the busiest street in the north part of town.
Shu Rui usually worked around the south and east districts; Chaoxi Prefecture was large, and exploring the entire city was no small task. If he hadn’t heard from Zhang Shenpo about the workshops in the north, he would never have ventured there and wouldn’t know what the streets were like. Hearing that the area was full of densely packed establishments, he realized there would likely be a steady demand for meals.
Shu Rui asked, “Why must one be brave to do business there?”
Yang Chunhua explained, “Qiugui Street is lively, but narrow. Vendors crowd the roads, carts and carriages have trouble passing. The city officials there are strict—if they catch you, the fines are high, and days of work can be wasted.”
Shu Rui’s brow twitched at that—indeed, it required courage.
After a few more words, Foreman Liu departed.
Not long after, Lu Ling returned, carrying a plump winter melon.
“Someone was looking for you,” he said.
Lu Ling placed the melon in the well to soak. “Foreman Liu brought tools?”
Shu Rui confirmed and handed them over, also explaining Qiugui Street.
“I’ll go take a look. If it seems promising, when dock business is slow, we can sell there,” Shu Rui said.
Lu Ling agreed, and since it was still early, they headed north together.
As Liu had said, the street was crowded, with people gathered around the many shops and establishments. Even in the late afternoon, the noise of vendors calling out continued, rivaling the morning markets in the south.
Restaurants were few and expensive. A plate of stir-fried vegetables cost twelve to thirteen coins, compared to eight or nine in the south. Noodles were similarly pricier by a few coins.
Shu Rui observed the street. Though narrow, he saw no city officials patrolling. Unsure of the situation, he spent two coins asking around. Locals explained that the officials made irregular rounds, catching vendors by surprise. Without fixed schedules, vendors couldn’t reliably avoid them.
High prices were expected—many customers, plus periodic fines kept restaurant owners confident.
Lu Ling said, “We’ll handle it; the city officials won’t catch us.”
Shu Rui thought: he might be quick, but what if the food got lost in a chase?
Back at the inn, Shu Rui rummaged through supplies and devised a plan. The next morning, he bought ingredients, preparing to test the market on Qiugui Street.
The previous day’s braised dishes had been delicious. Some were eaten or shared, but one pot of braising liquid remained—perfectly infused with spices and meat flavor. Today, he would use it to braise pig’s head and feet until tender, slice them with sauce, and serve over rice—a taste fit for the gods.
He also steamed a large pot of cured pork and beans with rice and fried rice with pickled beans and eggs. A winter melon was peeled and sliced for a cold salad. These meals were ready, though no soups or watery dishes were included yet.
The food was packed into two specially made buckets. Large, open-mouthed, and divided into compartments, each could hold two different dishes. Shu Rui had commissioned a carpenter to make these quickly, designed for selling on Qiugui Street. Unlike the dock, they couldn’t lug heavy tubs; here, they could carry less and, if chased, run swiftly.
By noon, Shu Rui and Lu Ling loaded the food onto a donkey cart and headed north. Outside Qiugui Street, they left the donkey at a small stable.
“Selling food on Qiugui Street? What are you selling?” the stable boy asked.
Shu Rui stayed cautious and said nothing.
The boy laughed, undisturbed. “Looks like it’s your first time. Several carts are already parked here—donkeys and mules waiting to sell on the street.”
“Arrive any later, and you might run into the city officials.”
Shu Rui asked why. The boy explained that the officials, acting as both public and private profiteers, patrolled at intervals, fining vendors. They couldn’t patrol constantly, but when they did, their reach was extensive. The balance was delicate: too strict, and vendors suffered unfairly; too lax, and chaos ensued. Patrols typically came around midday, when the street was busiest.
Shu Rui listened closely—the boy’s explanation was far more insightful than the idle talk from yesterday.
The boy then asked what they were selling. Shu Rui opened the lid: “Simple meals, affordable prices.”
The aroma made the boy salivate. He asked prices. Shu Rui replied: braised meat with rice, fifteen coins with a scoop of pickled winter melon; smoked meat and egg rice, thirteen coins; egg rice, ten coins—each served with winter melon.
The prices were reasonable. The boy immediately bought a portion of braised meat and called over coworkers in the stable to see if they wanted some. A couple who already had lunch were tempted by the aroma and asked Shu Rui to sell them two scoops of meat.
It took nearly a quarter of an hour to navigate out of the stable. Fortunately, the boy kindly pointed out a narrow alley just wide enough for one person to pass, leading them straight to the largest martial arts school on the street, Master Zhang’s Martial Hall.
Shu Rui peeked around and saw no city officials. He signaled Lu Ling—stealthy as thieves.
“Five-spice, tea-infused chicken! Only one coin each, a bargain!”
“Dumplings! Meat and vegetable fillings, steaming hot!”
“Fragrant oil cakes, crispy peppered meat—”
Shu Rui saw the bustling scene: vendors shouting, customers pouring in.
Customers arrived quickly. “One portion of braised meat, please!”
“Don’t push! I want egg rice, can I mix in smoked meat? Looks delicious!”
Shu Rui called out: “Those with your own bowls get priority! No bowl? Add two coins. Mixing? Pay the average price!”
Some ran back for bowls, while Lu Ling, momentarily daydreaming at the martial hall, was nudged into action by Shu Rui. They each scooped food efficiently.
Martial artists from the hall took advantage of proximity, calling others out to eat. Craftsmen from the opposite workshops crowded in, tempted by the affordable meals, while smaller actors from a nearby troupe couldn’t get through.
Shu Rui’s hands moved frantically; he barely had time to count coins accurately, quickly stashing them in the cash box.
Amid the crowd, a bold martial artist tried to grab at Lu Ling, but Lu Ling pinned him against the wall.
The man was exhilarated, praising him: “Brother, incredible skills! You could sell food here with such talent!”
Shu Rui rolled his eyes, clutching the cash box: “Big brother, you scared me—thought you were stealing. Just say you intended to, fine.”
Lu Ling released him and returned to scooping food.
Unexpectedly, the man said: “Give me my money first.”
Shu Rui’s brows twitched, and he could not help glancing at Lu Ling. He blinked—was this kid about to go work for someone else?
That burly martial fellow swung an arm thick as if it had been clamped by iron tongs and leaned close to Lu Ling. “Our martial hall earns silver by skill alone. A young brother with moves as good as yours—everything’s easy to talk about.”
Shu Rui did nothing, quietly listening on the side, curious to see how Lu Ling would answer. Suddenly, a hoarse shout tore through the air—
“The Street Office is here! Run!”
The moment the words fell, chaos erupted. The vendors who had just been calling out to sell food all bolted in the opposite direction in an instant.
Some darted straight into nearby shops; others simply dropped their basins and buckets and ran. In short, whoever could run did, whoever could hide did. In the blink of an eye, the entire street was a mess.
“Stop! Don’t run! I’ve got my eye on you—stand still and behave and we’ll go easy on you! Keep running and you’ll suffer for it!”
Several officers wearing black gauze caps, dressed in official uniforms, sabers at their waists, pushed forward against the fleeing crowd.
It was Shu Rui’s first time seeing such a scene. Even though he had long prepared himself mentally—knowing that one day he might become a target of the constables himself—having always been a law-abiding commoner, he still felt genuinely afraid.
Flustered, he hurriedly put the lid on the food buckets. “Lu Ling, quick—let’s hurry and—”
“Just find somewhere to hide. I’ll take the buckets and go. Don’t be afraid. They insist on catching people red-handed.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Ling pulled the carrying pole off his shoulder and stuffed it into Shu Rui’s arms. He grabbed the two food buckets, flashed a few times, and in a rush of wind across the face, vanished without a trace.
Not only the customers gathered there, even Shu Rui—who was used to seeing Lu Ling in action—froze for a moment. He thought to himself that it was a good thing this kid hadn’t gone down the wrong path. If he had become a thief, whose property would be safe?
“How dare you do business here! Today I’ll teach you—”
The officers, seeing people still clustered there, forced their way forward aggressively.
A shout rang out—only to land on empty air. All they saw was a crowd standing around, some holding bowls of food, others holding empty bowls. The vendors themselves were nowhere to be seen. Their minds went blank. “What are you people doing here?!”
No one bothered to answer. They turned their heads away as if it were bad luck and left. People on the street were fed up with the Street Office—always driving away vendors right at mealtime, leaving everyone with nothing to buy.
If the Street Office were truly maintaining order, that would be one thing. But they abused their authority for personal gain. When driving vendors off, they overturned stalls, smashed goods, fined people at will, and even beat them. Where was the conduct of officials? They were nothing but bullies.
Try reporting them to the magistrate, and they still had excuses ready.
Once, people from the martial hall could not stand by while they beat an elderly woman and got into a fight with them. They went to the magistrate’s office, and in the end it was the martial hall who had to pay compensation. How could anyone not feel chilled to the bone?
They were all small folk struggling to make a living, guilty of no great crimes. Why should they suffer such oppression?
Seeing everyone else disperse, Shu Rui steadied himself and walked away as if nothing had happened—only to be stopped by an officer calling out, “Why are you picking up a carrying pole?”
Shu Rui’s heart lurched, but his face stayed blank. “Is it not allowed to carry a pole on this street?”
“It’s not forbidden—but why are you holding only a pole?”
Shu Rui blinked. “I was coming from up ahead when suddenly there was chaos. I got kicked several times and hadn’t even recovered when someone shoved a pole into my arms.
“Officer, if you like, you can confiscate it. Holding onto something that doesn’t belong to me makes me feel uneasy, like I’m a thief.”
The officer frowned but did not take the pole Shu Rui offered so earnestly.
Catch the thief with the stolen goods—what was a lone pole worth? If they took it back to the Street Office, they’d just be laughed at for being desperate to extort fines.
He looked Shu Rui up and down, then snapped, “In the future, don’t wander the streets at this hour. You obstruct official duties.”
With that, the group left, hands resting on their sabers.
Only when they were far away did Shu Rui lift his head and let out a long breath. They said fortune lay in danger—but this was far too thrilling and frightening.
He slipped out through a side alley, planning to wait for Lu Ling at the place where they kept the donkey cart. Unexpectedly, Lu Ling had already arrived there ahead of him.