Resplendent – Chapter 461

Chapter 461: Early Crabs, Entertaining Guests

Lady Jun lifted her black eyes, which were strikingly similar to Gu Ye’s, and asked worriedly, “Good Bao’er, you should discuss this with your master before making a decision.”

She feared her daughter might reveal her sect’s secret techniques and violate their strictest rules. Although she felt compassion for women everywhere, she had to prioritize her daughter’s position and reputation.

Gu Ye smiled and said, “It’s fine. My master has always been open-minded. We’ve already discussed this, and he agrees.” Lady Jun and Shangguan Fei couldn’t help but praise the Sage Apothecary for his benevolence.

Lady Jun kept Shangguan Fei at the manor for lunch, with Gu Ye accompanying her and the three young girls in the household. When Lady Jun was ill, Shangguan Fei visited her several times. Her personality didn’t mesh well with the three young girls, especially the one called Miao, who was sharp and often treated others like fools.

However, she genuinely liked Gu Ye’s straightforward character. Natural and unpretentious, carrying a hint of the Chu family’s boldness and ease, she also possessed the poise of the Duke of Zhen’s lineage.

Lady Jun was surprised to see that lunch included Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, their roe rich and fragrant, the crab fat plump and luscious. Normally, such high-quality crabs from Yangcheng Lake wouldn’t arrive in the capital for at least another two weeks. She wondered how the kitchen’s purchaser had managed to obtain such premium crabs.

Seeing her daughter and Fei enjoying the meal so much, she called over the kitchen’s purchaser to take a look. Granny Li, responsible for kitchen procurement, had come with Lady Jun as part of her dowry.

When the Chu family fell, they returned her servitude contract to avoid repercussions and gave her some silver, restoring her freedom. After the Chu family was rehabilitated, many loyal servants voluntarily returned to serve under the Duke of Zhen, including Granny Li and her family.

Seeing the mistress examining the goods, Granny Li hurriedly smiled and said, “Madam, I dare not take credit.  These hairy crabs and some fruits that even I have never seen were personally brought this morning by the manager of Qingfeng Pavilion along with his staff. Just the hairy crabs alone filled three large baskets!”

Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, famously known as ‘golden-clawed crabs,’ are large and fat, with green shells and white bellies, golden claws with yellow hairs, and meat that is rich, creamy, and exceptionally delicious. Typically, these hairy crabs are sent as tributes to the imperial palace or given as rewards to meritorious officials. Before the palace even made a move, Qingfeng had already sent them over.

Moreover, female crabs appear in September and males in October. All three baskets were filled with female crabs, making them even rarer and more precious! At this time of year, it was nearly impossible to buy Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs even with money. It was unclear from which source Qingfeng Pavilion had procured them.

“The manager of Qingfeng Pavilion said their master has a breeding farm at Yangcheng Lake. From now on, all the hairy crabs for our residence will be supplied by them. Their early crabs arrive more than half a month ahead of the usual season. Normally it’s to compete in the market, but now they’re prioritizing our household!”

Granny Li realized that Qingfeng Pavilion had gone to such lengths purely to honor their young mistress. Unexpectedly, the young lady her ladyship had been thinking of for thirteen years turned out to be a little lucky star!

“This… wouldn’t this be too extravagant?” Lady Jun looked at her daughter, who was eating with such delight. She wanted to remind her that crabs were cold in nature and should be eaten sparingly, yet she felt a bit reluctant to restrain her.

Gu Ye lifted her head, swallowed the crab roe in her mouth, and smiled with dimples: “Mother, compared to their master’s life, what’s a few crabs? Besides, didn’t you hear? These are all raised by Qingfeng Pavilion themselves. No money spent! Mother, your body is weak, don’t eat too much. Yue Yuan, pour the red date warm tea that Aunt Yan made for mother. Crab with warm tea is the perfect match!”

“Miss, although it’s warm tea, crabs are still cold in nature, so you should have less,” Yue Yuan said, holding the tea pot and pouring a cup for everyone.

This warm tea recipe was specially gathered by the master because he knew Gu Ye loved crabs. After Aunt Yan’s adjustments, the ginger flavor was subtle, yet it could dispel cold and dampness. Usually, her lady drank it like sweet tea.

Shangguan Fei didn’t have any particular fondness for hairy crabs; her appetite had clearly come from her father. She was happy as long as there was meat. The Dongpo Pork, Crispy Bone Roast Chicken, and Sweet and Sour Ribs delivered from the Mingzhu Pavilion’s small kitchen perfectly suited her taste.

Shangguan Fei wasn’t one to be pretentious; she made no effort to hide her preferences and ate with great relish. Her eyes darted around as she said to Lady Jun, “Aunt, where did your chef come from? Their skills are even better than Qingfeng’s!”

“Oh, those dishes were made by the cook that your sister Ye’er brought from Yan City. Our Bao’er is so picky. She’ll barely touch anything, but only dishes made by this cook get her to eat more than a few bites. Look at her, she’s practically skin and bones, and still so picky!” Lady Jun complained with her mouth, but her eyes shone with indulgent affection.

Gu Ye looked up, holding a crab roe bun and eating with great delight, her mouth slightly stained with the crab roe juice. She said with a grin, “Mother, you’re exaggerating so much. It’s not like I’m lacking conditions. Why would I force myself to endure? Back when I didn’t have such conditions, even plain coarse grain cakes tasted pretty good!”

Ding Fang who was eating the crab meat her maid had peeled for her nodded in agreement: “Back home, just being full was already a blessing. Many times, we drank soup so thin you could see your reflection in it, and we’d be hungry again in no time. Before coming to the capital, I don’t think I ever truly ate my fill…”

“Poor child, eat more!” Gu Ye served her a piece of sweet and sour rib. 

The tragic memories of the former host had gradually faded from her mind. The only lingering memory of hunger was from when she had just arrived in this body. Later, when she was healthier, she would hunt wild chickens and rabbits to improve her meals. 

After being adopted by her grandfather, she never went hungry again. Her meals consisted of fine rice and flour, and she often got meat, a hundred times better than what the villagers ate.

Of course, Lady Jun had no idea! Thinking of the hard days her daughter had endured, tears began streaming down her face uncontrollably. 

Her daughter was right. The Duke’s Manor had all the resources it needed. If her daughter was a little picky with food, what did it matter?! They could easily afford it

“Mother, what’s wrong again? Is the food so delicious that it moved you to tears?” Gu Ye took out a handkerchief, wiped her mother’s tears, and attentively peeled a hairy crab for her by hand.

Shangguan Fei joined in playfully, “It’s so delicious! It’s so good I almost cried! Sister Ye, can we make a deal? Can I send a cook over to learn a few dishes from your cook?”

“No one else, but Sister Fei has been doted on by my mother like her own daughter for many years. If I didn’t agree, mother would surely grab my ear and force me to say yes! Tomorrow, you can send the cook over, and she’ll teach her all the dishes you like. But remember, the master can only show the way. Practice depends on the student. How much your cook learns will depend on her own talent!” Gu Ye bit into a fragrant rib and winked at Shangguan Fei.

Shangguan Fei laughed: “I’ll send over the most talented cook from my manor. If she doesn’t learn, she won’t be allowed back!”