Chapter 9 Turning Point

Chapter 9 Turning Point

Chapter Summary: "Master Zhou is a teacher at Qingchen Academy!"

Born into the mountains, for many years from her childhood until she left home, Pan Yue would go into the mountains at midnight to pick the freshest, most seasonal wild fruits, rush home before dawn, and clean, chop, mash, and cook them with her family...

The difference is that the stoves and pans of today are different from those here, and the heat, seasonings, and even kitchen utensils are also slightly different.

After Pan Yue adapted to the situation, she opened the oven and fried the buns three more times, finally achieving a satisfactory color and flavor. By the time the eight baskets of "tiger head buns" came out of the oven, which were perfect in color, aroma, and taste, the eastern sky was already beginning to lighten.

After seeing the Wu brothers off, she fell into a deep sleep amidst the rich and refreshing scent of wild fruits.

When she opened her eyes again, it was already afternoon. Remembering that Zhao Wan and the other woman hadn't eaten in a long time, she hurried downstairs, grabbed a few crookedly drawn tiger-head pancakes from the pot, and was planning to go up the mountain as soon as possible before Wu Da returned. Before she could even leave, hurried footsteps came from outside, accompanied by the creaking of a carrying pole and Wu Da's booming shouts.

"My wife!"

"Bang bang bang!"

"Open the door!"

Pan Yue paused in her action of picking up the steamed bun, and subconsciously turned her head away.

In the past, we would rest at dusk, but today... is it selling too well, or too poorly?

The creaking of the carrying pole reached the door. Without thinking twice, Pan Yue picked up a handkerchief, wiped her hands, and strode to the front door.

"Squeak!"

"Selling today..."

"Wife, get out of the way!"

Before Pan Yue could speak, Wu Da, carrying a shoulder pole, blocked the doorway and bowed obsequiously towards the steps below, saying, "Master Zhou, please come in!"

Pan Yue looked down and saw a man in a black scholar's cap standing under the slanting sunlight on the corridor. He had his hands behind his back and a graceful posture. At first glance, he looked like a schoolteacher who had stepped out of an ancient costume drama.

"Distinguished guests have arrived! My lady, quickly brew some tea!"

They were measuring each other up and down when, before they could even ask each other's names, Wu Da put one end of his carrying pole across her shoulder and hurriedly spoke.

Pan Yue stepped aside, and before she could reply, Wu Da had already staggered through the gate, put down the carrying pole and fan on his shoulder, grabbed a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, took two steps, and bowed obsequiously to the man who had stepped into the porch, saying, "Master Zhou, please come in! My wife's surname is Pan, and her nickname is Jinlian. The tiger-head pancake that won your favor, sir, was made by my wife!"

Upon hearing the words "Tiger Head Pancakes," Pan Yue entered the room, glancing up to confirm that the pancake baskets in the corner were empty. Relieved, she turned and bowed to the newcomer, saying, "Master Zhou!"

"Madam Pan!" Zhou Dao quickly raised his hand, took half a step forward, and bowed, saying, "This student Zhou Dao greets you!"

student?

Pan Yue raised her eyes to look him over, then glanced casually at Wu Da standing nearby. Unable to guess his identity or purpose, she said calmly, "Master Zhou, what brings you here today?"

"Master Zhou is a teacher at Qingchen Academy!"

Wu Da, as if afraid that she might be impolite, suddenly chuckled twice, picked up the dry towel he used to wipe his sweat and wiped the four-immortal table in the hall, then bowed and turned to Zhou Dao, saying, "My humble abode is simple and unadorned, I hope you will not mind, sir!"

"Qingchen Academy?"

Upon hearing the name "Qingchen Academy," Pan Yue's expression stiffened slightly, and her gaze towards Zhou Dao suddenly became more wary.

Fan Cheng is a student at Qingchen Academy. The teacher from the academy has come uninvited. Could it be that she knows that Fan Cheng has a relationship with her?

How did he find out?

"Exactly!"

Unaware of the turmoil in her heart, their eyes met, and Zhou Dao suddenly smiled, seemingly ignoring the obsequious Wu Da. He swiftly stepped forward, cupped his hands again, and said, "I apologize for disturbing you during the day, my lady!"

His elegant and refined demeanor did not suggest he was there to interrogate someone.

Pan Yue concealed the caution in her eyes, stepped behind the four-immortal table, gestured for the two to sit, then lowered her eyes and poured tea for them while casually saying, "Sir, your presence is an honor to my humble abode! May I ask what brings you here today?"

"To be honest, my wife, I came here specifically to make you steamed buns!"

Zhou Daozhi stood up, stroked his beard, pointed to the carrying pole and fan basket by the wall, and said, "My wife is very skillful, I admire her!"

"Baked flatbread?"

Pan Yue followed his gaze to the wall, and then saw Wu Da's beaming face on the other side of the four-immortal table. She subconsciously frowned and asked with a puzzled look, "Sir, do you want to buy steamed buns?"

You can buy steamed buns at the market, why bring them home?

"My lady does not know that while people in the world rejoice in spring, love spring, and celebrate spring, Qingchen Academy is different from the common people."

Seemingly noticing her confusion, Zhou Dao straightened his back even more, raised his head, smiled, and displayed a scholarly aloofness. With one hand behind his back and the other stroking the few sparse strands of goatee on his chin, he slowly looked around and said, "Every year on the day of the Beginning of Summer, the school holds a banquet to welcome summer, with the aim of 'bidding farewell to spring and welcoming summer'."

"A summer banquet?" Pan Yue was still puzzled.

Zhou Dao nodded slightly, looked around the room, and turned back to see the couple standing side by side at the table, their demeanor as different as heaven and earth. He couldn't help but click his tongue and shake his head, saying, "This year is even more different!"

"Please enlighten me, sir!"

Pan Yue seemed not to have noticed his expression just now, and raised her cup with both hands to offer him tea.

"Um."

Zhou Dao accepted the gift with both hands, took a small sip from his sleeve, and continued, "Madam, you may not know that in seven days it will be the birthday of Mr. Qingchen, the dean of my academy. The dean's wife has already instructed that this year's summer banquet should be a grand affair!"

"So that's how it is!"

Pan Yue's pupils flickered, confirming that his words meant exactly what she had thought. Her smile became even more sincere as she raised her cup and said, "Mr. Zhou, do you mean that my daughter's steamed buns have caught your eye and may have the honor of being served at Qingchen Academy?"

"The tea, fruit and snacks served in the college have always been supplied by Swallow Hall."

Zhou Dao did not respond, but slowly looked around the hall with a hesitant expression.

"Yanzitang has been in business in front of the county for decades. Whenever someone has an event, whether it's a school admission, a promotion, a wedding, or a funeral, they will order tea and fruit from him!"

Upon hearing him mention Yanzitang, Wu Da's smile froze instantly, the dry cloth in his hand clenched into a tight ball, and he turned his pleading eyes to Pan Yue, who stood calmly to the side, on the verge of tears.

Before Pan Yue could react, Zhou Dao seemed to glean some interest from his half-crying, half-laughing expression. With a faint smile on his lips, he rubbed his fingertips against the teacup and said, "To be honest, I went out today to order tea and fruit from Yanzitang!"

“In that case, it’s the two of us who are in the wrong!” Pan Yue remained calm, refilling his tea as she replied with a smile, “Mr. Lao, please take the Zishi Street route!”

Seeing that she remained calm and composed, Zhou Dao's eyes flashed with admiration. He picked up the steaming teacup, smiled, and nodded, saying, "It is indeed my fault! My lady does not know, but just now I had entered Yanzi Hall when I heard a commotion across the street and saw a large crowd. Out of curiosity, I went back out of the porch and crossed the street to ask. Only then did I learn that it was because my lady's tiger-head pancakes had won the favor of everyone in Yanggu County!"

"You flatter me, sir!"

"And what I never expected..."

Zhou Dao turned to look at the three-inch-tall Gu Shupi, whose face was full of wrinkles and whose expression was full of fear. He looked away as if he couldn't bear to look at him. Then he turned to Pan Yue and said, "You two are actually the elder brother and sister-in-law of Wu Song, the tiger-fighting hero and great benefactor of Yanggu County!"

Upon hearing the words "brother" and "sister-in-law," Pan Yue's expression stiffened, but she said nothing more. Instead, she changed the subject, saying, "I wonder how many guests will attend your academy's summer banquet? If most of the visitors are scholars and literati, it might be inappropriate to only paint tiger heads. In my humble opinion, it would be better to paint several different designs based on the quantity of pancakes, such as... books, official hats, writing materials, inkstones, and the like. What do you think, sir?"

"Excellent!"

Zhou Dao's eyes lit up, and he abruptly put down his teacup, leaning forward to say, "To be honest, my lady, just now in front of the county, although I had the sudden idea to go back to Zishi Street with Wu Da, I was worried that replacing the pastries from Yanzitang with your tiger-head pancakes might displease you and make you think I was acting on my own. But now that I see how careful and thoughtful you are... I was right about you!"

"Mr. Zhou, you flatter me!"

Pan Yue quickly got up to serve tea.

After each offering a cup of wine, Pan Yue thought for a moment and then asked, "I'm afraid I might ask Mr. Zhou if Mr. Qingchen has any unusual hobbies? Does he usually prefer salty or bland food?"

"My lady, do you not know Mr. Qingchen?"

A hint of displeasure flashed in Zhou Dao's eyes. He suddenly raised his voice and puffed out his chest, saying, "Although Mr. Qingchen's reputation for poetry cannot compare to that of the Eight Great Masters, you do not know the calligraphy masters Zhou Yue and Zhou Qingchen, who are known throughout the court and the public?"

Is it common knowledge, both in and out of government?

Recalling the solution to Zhao Wan and the other person's current predicament that had been looming in her mind, Pan Yue's eyes lit up, and her expression became even more respectful.

"My daughter is ignorant and has never heard of Mr. Qingchen's esteemed name! May I ask, Mr. Zhou, did Mr. Qingchen ever hold an official position?"

"snort!"

Zhou Dao gave a light snort, crossed his arms in front of his chest, glanced at the two people at the table, and slowly said, "Sir, you first served as the Judge of the Three Gates, and later became the Chief of the Guest House, and once held the rank of fifth grade!"

"A fifth-rank official?"

Pan Yue paused, her brows furrowing unconsciously.

Although she had not studied the official ranks of the Northern Song Dynasty, she thought that a fifth-rank official position was really incomparable to that of the Deputy Chief of the Privy Council.

She gently set down her teacup, inwardly mocking her own wishful thinking about befriending a high-ranking official, only to have one unexpectedly come knocking on her door. What a stroke of luck! Zhou Dao, seemingly sensing a hint of disdain in her barely audible sigh, raised his head defiantly, saying sharply, "Though my official rank is not high, my disciples are scattered throughout the court and the countryside. Does Madam not know this?! Furthermore…!"

Zhou Dao snorted coldly and said, "Sir, your elder brother, Zhou Qi, also known as Vice Minister Zhou, holds the official positions of Vice Minister of Rites and Deputy Privy Councilor. He is also a fellow student of Li Yanei, the arrogant young master who runs rampant in the county! Does Madam know this?"

Li Yanei's adoptive father's fellow disciple?!

Pan Yue suddenly raised her head.

It came to me without any effort!

With her eyes crinkling, she raised her cup to Zhou Dao and said, "This year is your birthday, sir. I wonder if Vice Minister Zhou will be there?"

"Your Excellency is very busy with official duties!"

Zhou Dao's expression stiffened slightly. He pressed his fist to his lips, coughed lightly, turned his face away, and said in a muffled voice, "The Master has three thousand disciples. Although the Vice Minister cannot attend in person, there are quite a few scions of prominent families present!"

"So that's how it is!"

Pan Yueqing's eyes sparkled with thought as she slowly spoke, "I am truly honored and humbled to receive such high regard from Mr. Zhou... I have a favor to ask, and I wonder if you could help me?"

"What is it, my wife? Please speak freely!"

“My daughter is thinking,” Pan Yue said thoughtfully, “that we might be able to obtain your permission, Madam, to organize a pancake tasting event before the Summer Banquet? This would not only avoid making things difficult for Mr. Zhou by acting on his own initiative, but also allow us to adjust the variety and flavor of the pancakes served at the Summer Banquet. What do you think, sir?”

"My wife is so thoughtful!"

Zhou Dao's eyes lit up, and he suddenly stood up, cupping his hands in greeting to the two of them, saying, "In that case, let me ask Madam before I come to bother you again!"

Pan Yue and her companion quickly stood up and saw them off at the door, saying, "Take care, sir!"