The Capital entered autumn, and the temperature cooled down.
Perhaps to retaliate against the scorching sun of the fierce summer, the posted notice from the Observatory said, for the next half month, rain would be frequent.
Zhao Douan was awakened by the pitter-patter of the autumn rain.
Lazily washing up and dressing, he pushed open the door and walked through the new residence’s imposing courtyard along the corridor.
Zhao Douan’s pupils reflected the wet paving stones of blue bricks, the bamboo swayed unsteadily beaten by the fine rain.
Strings of crystal droplets, sticky and rolling down from the eaves of the black tiled roof above his head.
"Auntie, little sister, what are we having for breakfast this morning?"
Zhao Douan stepped into the dining room, and only then did the sleepiness on his face gradually fade.
So-called spring drowsiness, autumn lethargy, summer naps, the unawake days of winter… In both his past life and this one, one of the universal truths he concluded, was that rainy days are best suited for sleeping.
Inside the dining hall, which was much more lavish than the old one.
You Jinhua rose up, smilingly took a white towel in hand, and personally lifted the lids from each dish and soup bowl.
Due to the cold weather, the amount of fabric consumed by the stepmother’s skirts increased sharply, yet it still appeared to be slightly tight.
Her belly was conspicuously shown, and she had also gained a roundness all over.
Presumably, with living conditions improving, she had put on autumnal fat. Even her cheeks were rosy red, and at this moment she was smiling and saying,
"Eldest son, come quickly and taste, Auntie supervised the cook, following your recipe to redo the ’drunken crab.’ Let’s see if it meets your taste this time."
Beside her,
Wrapped casually in a homely tunic, a beautiful young girl with her hair carelessly tied up behind her head sat on a round stool.
White wrists bound with a colorful cord, her two feet gently massaging the back of a small white, short-legged, broad-faced dog with big round eyes — a Pekingese.
Yes, Zhao Pan had gotten a dog.
The Zhao family originally also had several guard dogs, but they were all fierce big dogs, taken care of by the gatekeeper’s house servants.
As the Zhao family’s status rose day by day, even if the mother and daughter were from a humble background, they inevitably got pulled along, integrating into the upper-class life of the Capital.
The wealthy young ladies of the Capital recently took to raising small Pekingese.
Someone gifted Zhao Douan one, but he was too lazy to walk the dog, so he simply gave it to Zhao Pan, leaving it to warm her feet in the winter.
At that moment, she shyly and cunningly quickly tucked her delicately arched feet back under her skirt, turned around, and said with a smile,
"Big brother always comes up with new delicacies, so impressive."
Eating crabs in autumn is part of the official customs in the Great Yu Dynasty.
A few days ago, relying on his memory, Zhao Douan wrote a recipe for drunken crabs and had the mansion’s cook give it a try.
Unfortunately, the first attempt was not quite satisfactory; today’s was an improved version.
"Hmm, since Auntie personally oversaw it, it must be much better than last time."
Zhao Douan joked casually.
Once he sat down and received the crab, which was larger than his hand, fetched from a soup pot, the family of three silently savored the crabs.
"Mmm! It is indeed much improved."
As the crab roe entered his mouth, Zhao Douan nodded in praise.
Although due to the lack of seasonings, it couldn’t compare to the flavor he was familiar with, the superior quality of ingredients made up for the taste.
You Jinhua’s willow-leaf-like brows and eyes curved up with her smile.
She didn’t care much about food herself; as long as her stepson and daughter found it delicious, she also felt good.
Upon hearing, she said,
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"Unfortunately, the cook is from the Capital. I’ve heard that when it comes to preparing crabs, the best cooks are those from Huai River, where the green crabs are also a specialty. Speaking of enjoying crabs, it’s said that Prince Huaian proclaims himself number one, with no one else claiming second place."
Zhao Pan nibbled on the crab delicately, occasionally puffing her tiny mouth, with her little finger proudly raised.
Showcasing imitation of the refined manners of a well-bred young lady.
She blinked with curiosity and asked,
"Prince Huaian? That ’gourmet prince’? Daughter has heard that the Commandery Princess who recently arrived in the city is the precious daughter of Prince Huaian’s Royal Mansion. Does big brother know about this?"
Zhao Douan’s demeanor remained calm as he disassembled a crab claw, replying indifferently,
"This is indeed true."
With his status, he was naturally aware of the Commandery Princess’s arrival.
As far as he knew, the Commandery Princess claimed to be observing the Buddhist Taoist debates.
Upon entering the city, she went straight to the Imperial Palace, where the Empress personally received this "cousin."
In the following days, the Commandery Princess did not idle either; she began to visit one by one the significant figures in the Capital.
Li Yanfu, Yuann Li, Dong Xuan... not even the Heavenly Master Mansion and the Divine Dragon Temple were missed.
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She made sure to mingle with everyone equally.
Afterward, she even used Han porridge as an entry point, claiming admiration for the elegance of people in the Capital, and inserted herself into the city’s literary circle.
Attending an autumn literary meeting, she dazzled everyone present.
In no time, she had become a figure who stirred up the winds and clouds in the city.
But so far, Zhao Douan had not met her; however, he had looked over information about Prince Huaian’s family several times.
"Graceful in socializing."
This was his assessment after coldly observing the Commandery Princess for several days.
Or to put it in livelier terms, she was quite the "social butterfly."
"I heard that the Commandery Princess is a great talent, her poetry and literary skill have even Han Banshan heaving sighs of admiration,"
Zhao Pan said daintily, pinching a crab leg,
"Has she not visited big brother?"
Zhao Douan chuckled, saying,
"I’m just a fourth-rank military officer, a significant official outside, but in the Capital, I hardly count for anything. How would such an eminent Royal Family princess come to visit me?"
Zhao Pan humphed, her expression one of dissatisfaction,
"Big brother is not just any military officer, I heard that the Huai River route is the territory of the Prime Minister’s faction in the court. I think that Prince Huaian and that ’Li Party’ must be in cahoots, deliberately snubbing big brother."
You Jinhua suddenly became anxious, her eyes filled with worry,
"Eldest son, is it truly so? Then please do not provoke that Commandery Princess, after all, her surname is Xu."
Zhao Douan couldn’t help but smile, flicked the young girl’s forehead, and scolded jokingly,
"What’s this, little girl analyzing imperial court affairs now? How about that? Want to be big brother’s strategist? Then let’s see how your recent studies and homework are doing?"