Chapter 11
### Chapter 11: Capturing the Stomach of the Yan Wang—Hot Pot
...
On the other side, Cai Lian followed Shen Wei's instructions and discreetly made her way to the most famous fabric shop in Yan Jing, "Wang Feng Bu Hang," with half a bolt of shimmering silk.
After some haggling, she sold the half bolt for a thousand taels of silver.
Cai Lian tucked the silver note away, donned a white veil hat, and, as per Shen Wei's advice, took a few low-key turns around the streets before quietly returning to the Wang Fu.
Not long after, a portly middle-aged man in luxurious attire entered Wang Feng Bu Hang.
He was the steward of the Heng Wang Fu, and his tone was haughty: “Shopkeeper, bring out your finest fabrics!”
The shopkeeper, not daring to delay, respectfully ushered the steward into the VIP room and had the best fabrics fetched.
The steward's eyes immediately fell on that half bolt of shimmering silk.
Next month, the Yan Wang Fu was preparing for the Spring Banquet, and the Heng Wang was also on the guest list. The Heng Wang and the Yan Wang had always been at odds, and the Heng Wang had instructed his steward to buy the best materials to make garments that would overshadow the Yan Wang in grandeur.
The shimmering silk was smooth and glimmered faintly with silver, clearly suitable for the Heng Wang's attire, befitting his royal demeanor.
The steward pulled out the silver: “I want this bolt—though, why is it only half a bolt?”
The shopkeeper, being shrewd, chuckled and explained, “This year, the production area for shimmering silk has suffered disasters; having even half a bolt is already quite fortunate.”
The steward didn’t think much of it.
He paid for the fabric and left.
...
Cai Lian, clutching the thousand taels of silver, entered the Wang Fu through the back door. As she walked, she suddenly spotted Zhang Yue, a maid from the flower house.
Zhang Yue was sneaking around, clutching a package and glancing furtively before stealthily leaving the Wang Fu.
Cai Lian frowned in secret. What was Zhang Yue up to?
Cai Lian was always bold yet meticulous, and she felt a sense of unease. Ever since Shen Wei moved to the Fang Fei Yuan, she had encountered Zhang Yue several times outside the courtyard.
Zhang Yue seemed to be lurking, as if spying on Fang Fei Yuan.
Thus, Cai Lian discreetly followed Zhang Yue and saw her enter a pharmacy in Yan Jing, where she lingered for quite a while before coming out.
After returning to Fang Fei Yuan, Cai Lian handed the thousand taels of silver to Shen Wei.
Shen Wei fondled the silver note with delight: “The radish and cabbage seedlings in the courtyard are ready for harvest. Cai Ping, go to the kitchen and ask for some fresh meat, chili peppers, and a copper pot. Tonight, I want to make hot pot in the courtyard.”
It had been a month since they started planting, and it was time for the first harvest.
Cai Ping was puzzled: “Hot pot? What’s that?”
Shen Wei smiled: “You’ll find out tonight.”
Though Cai Ping was confused, she diligently followed Shen Wei's list to fetch the ingredients from the kitchen.
Now that Shen Wei was favored, whatever ingredients she wanted would be provided without question.
That was the privilege of a favored concubine.
After Cai Ping left, Shen Wei took out the materials for making face masks and began leisurely preparing them. Cai Lian assisted her, and noticing Cai Lian's strange expression, Shen Wei asked, “Did you run into trouble selling the fabric?”
Cai Lian shook her head and, adhering to her cautious nature, truthfully told Shen Wei: “Mistress, I saw Zhang Yue at the back gate today. She was hiding something and sneaking off to a pharmacy in Yan Jing. I don’t know what she was up to.”
Shen Wei pondered for a moment, then pulled out a few taels of silver from her small treasury: “Cai Lian, we need some spices for the hot pot. Go back to the pharmacy and check on Zhang Yue’s reason for visiting.”
Always vigilant, Shen Wei had long sensed something odd about Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue was Shen Wei's “former colleague,” who had repeatedly advised Shen Wei against becoming a concubine, waiting to see her fail.
Shen Wei understood Zhang Yue's complex feelings, a classic case of “worrying for a sister’s suffering while fearing her success.”
Her own failure was indeed frightening, but the success of a colleague was even more distressing.
Shen Wei needed to be prepared.
“Don’t worry, Mistress, I’ll go right away.” Cai Lian clutched the silver and quickly left the Wang Fu to investigate.
As dusk approached, Cai Lian hurried back to Fang Fei Yuan.
At that moment, Shen Wei was directing everyone busily: the little eunuchs, Ji Xiang and De Shun, were responsible for tying up the hot pot stand. Cai Ping and Mama Rong were cutting meat, preparing vegetables, and getting the hot pot base ready.
Seeing Cai Lian return, Shen Wei called her into the room.
Cai Lian whispered, “Mistress, I asked the worker at the pharmacy. He said Zhang Yue brought a package of medicinal dregs for him to identify. Those dregs are the ingredients for a contraceptive soup.”
Only Cai Lian and Cai Ping, Shen Wei's trusted confidantes, knew that Shen Wei had been secretly taking the contraceptive soup.
After each use, the dregs were buried in a secluded corner.
Who would have thought that Zhang Yue had dug them up?
If the Yan Wang found out that a concubine was secretly taking contraceptive soup, it would surely lead to a bloody storm.
“Mistress, we must prepare in advance.” Cai Lian was deeply worried. Both she and Cai Ping had initially been reluctant to serve in Fang Fei Yuan.
But Shen Wei was generous and did not mistreat her servants, making her the most tolerant mistress in the entire Wang Fu.
Cai Lian had completely sided with Shen Wei, considering everything for her.
Shen Wei stroked her chin, contemplating: “Let’s invite the Wang Ye over for hot pot tonight.”
Cai Lian asked, “What about the contraceptive soup?”
Shen Wei smiled: “I have my ways.”
For some reason, seeing Shen Wei's confident demeanor, Cai Lian suddenly felt reassured. It was as if there was nothing in this world that Shen Wei couldn’t handle.
Cai Lian stopped worrying and returned to the courtyard to help Cai Ping and Mama Rong prepare the hot pot ingredients.
...
As the moon rose above the willow branches, the Yan Wang, having finished his official duties, entered Shen Wei's Fang Fei Yuan with the eunuch Fu Gui and two personal guards.
The Yan Wang had not yet dined.
After a long day of labor, he just wanted to come to Shen Wei's side to relax. Only here did he feel at ease, carefree and untroubled.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, the Yan Wang caught a whiff of a rich aroma. The moonlight was bright, and two large lanterns hung from the beams of Fang Fei Yuan, illuminating the entire place.
Shen Wei and her maids and eunuchs were busy around a copper pot. The broth was bubbling, and the fragrance wafted through the air, filled with slices of meat and leafy greens.
The scent was something the Yan Wang had never encountered before!
It was simply mouthwatering.
“Wang Ye, you’re back!” Shen Wei's eyes lit up upon seeing him, and she put down her bowl and chopsticks to greet him.
Cai Lian, Cai Ping, and the others stood respectfully, flanking the sides.
The Yan Wang took Shen Wei's hand, curious: “What are we eating?”
Shen Wei smiled: “Hot pot!”
As she spoke, she led the Yan Wang to the table. Cai Lian and Cai Ping quickly tidied up the table, replacing it with fresh bowls and chopsticks along with the broth.
Having worked all day, the Yan Wang was already starving.
He curiously gazed at the bubbling copper pot, which was divided into two sections—one half contained a clear broth with tomatoes and radishes, while the other half was filled with vibrant red chili peppers, bubbling with spice.
The Yan Wang wasn’t fond of spicy food, and seeing the half pot of swirling chili made him frown.
Shen Wei took the initiative, using chopsticks to pick up a thin slice of pork and dipped it into the clear broth for a few seconds.
The red slice of meat quickly turned white, cooked to perfection.
Shen Wei then placed the cooked meat into a dipping sauce. Knowing the Yan Wang didn’t eat spicy food, she had specially prepared a yin-yang hot pot.
The dipping sauce for the Yan Wang was a mix of sesame, tahini, spices, scallions, and sesame oil. The cooked meat was rolled in the sauce, coated with its fragrant goodness.
“Wang Ye, give it a try.” Shen Wei brought the cooked meat to the Yan Wang's lips.
He tentatively took a bite, and his eyes instantly lit up: delicious!
“On a cool spring night, hot pot is just perfect.” Shen Wei smiled, “Wang Ye, eat more.”
The Yan Wang devoured five or six slices of pork, growing more fond of it with each bite.
The eunuchs and maids serving nearby could only watch, silently swallowing their saliva.
So fragrant...
So tempting.
The Yan Wang ate from the clear broth pot, while Shen Wei indulged in the spicy one.
She loved spicy food, the spicier, the better. Slices of pork belly, lamb, tripe, and meatballs were tossed into the red broth, cooked, and then fished out to be dipped in her special chili sauce, making it utterly irresistible.
Seeing her enjoy her meal, the Yan Wang's gaze fell on the vibrant red spicy pot, and he asked, “Is the meat in that spicy broth really good?”
Shen Wei nodded: “Of course, I love spicy food.”
The Yan Wang cautiously picked up a piece of meat from the spicy pot and took a bite, the heat instantly sending a jolt of pain through his tongue.
Too spicy!
Fu Gui, who was standing by, was startled and was about to step forward to stop the Yan Wang from eating. But he saw that Shen Wei was already prepared, handing over her homemade sour plum soup.
The icy sour plum soup quickly washed away the spiciness. The Yan Wang frowned repeatedly, no longer touching the half pot of spicy broth.
“Spicy food isn’t good for the stomach; eat less.” The Yan Wang advised Shen Wei.
Shen Wei brushed it off: “I love spicy food; I’m going to eat it.”
The Yan Wang chuckled helplessly. He liked Shen Wei's personality—innocent and lively, yet true to herself.
If it were any other concubine, hearing the Yan Wang advise her to “eat less spicy food,” she would never touch chili again.
But Shen Wei was different; she loved spicy food, and she would stick to it. That was her personality, unlike the other docile concubines in the Wang Fu.
“You can eat spicy food in moderation, but not too much. The imperial physician says you’re weak and have a deficient spleen and stomach,” the Yan Wang said, shaking his head with a smile, allowing Shen Wei her way.
Fu Gui watched in astonishment.
As expected of Mistress Shen, she actually made the Wang Ye compromise! Tsk tsk, it seems the dynamics in the Wang Fu are about to change.
Shen Wei rubbed her belly, seemingly feeling that she had eaten too much meat and was a bit overwhelmed. So she stood up, ran to the vegetable patch, and picked some of the growing cabbage and radish seedlings, asking Cai Ping to wash them clean.
“Wang Ye, try this; it’s from my own garden.” Shen Wei placed the washed vegetables into the clear broth pot.
The greens cooked quickly.
Having eaten quite a bit of meat earlier, the Yan Wang found the fresh cabbage leaves refreshing, instantly alleviating the heaviness of the meat.
However, looking at the few small leaves, he shook his head with a smile: “Wei Wei, your vegetables aren’t growing well—bring some of the greens I planted over here.”
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