Tangli Fried Snow

For several days in a row, she spent her mornings learning how to dress and her afternoons learning music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. In a daze, Shirley felt as if she had returned to her university life.

Learning with Mr. Jin Huan is a completely different experience from learning with a master in the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

The masters in the building emphasize technique, teaching the art of captivating hearts.

Master Jin Huan, however, fully embodied elegance and charm, and it was only today that Shirley understood that poetry, song, music, and dance were an integrated whole.

In the past, when I played the piano and sang, I only focused on my physical form, eyes, and posture; my attention was entirely on expressing myself. Technique and art were merely tools to complement me as a person.

Now she understands that in ancient times, music, poetry, dance, and song were all integrated, expressing lofty aspirations and the bonds of the soul.

She felt like she had been elevated.

To celebrate this historic moment, she was in high spirits today and played a piece called "Watching from the Wall" for Mr. Jin Huan.

The piece begins with a profound and evocative atmosphere, then bursts forth with emotion, culminating in a tender and poignant melody that reaches its emotional peak. This modern, novel, and unique melody and expressive style greatly impressed the gentleman, who insisted she copy the score. Shirley then added the lyrics as well; her delicate lips parted, and her ethereal voice seemed to float in from the heavens.

In an instant, lifelike shadows floated, light reflected on the palace, and I asked in confusion, what year is it tonight?

A light, graceful dance, with lanterns lit, where does one sleep in eternal rest, accompanied by the stars reflected in the sky?

Snow-covered, myriad lights and bell tolls, Buddha niches are sculpted, and the feasts and banquets are shrouded in dust.

The rosy cheeks have faded, and the cave paintings are nowhere to be seen. Their former brilliance has faded, and they are now only on the walls to be viewed after waking up.

The teacher was so captivated by the music that he immediately ended the lesson early and hurriedly left with the lyrics and music.

. . . .

Shirley was happy to be free and even asked her sister-in-law for leave, saying she wanted to go out for a walk.

Lin Wanjun hesitated for a long time before agreeing. They had been there for four or five days, and Xue Li had not left the house even once. She went to class obediently every day without uttering a single complaint.

She's been behaving so well, it's perfectly reasonable for her to go out for some fresh air.

She's not a criminal.

Lin Wanjun still couldn't help but keep reminding her, "Xueli, things haven't been peaceful lately. You can only wander around this street, don't go too far."

She then instructed Xiao Tao'er to go with her.

"Little Peach, come with your sister to buy some snacks and toys. Don't go too far, the furthest we'll go is to the teahouse on the street. I'll give you some copper coins, buy whatever you like."

The two girls were only a year or two apart, still quite young, and happily went out into the street with some coins in their hands.

This street is called Copper Lock Street. As the name suggests, it is shaped like an old-fashioned lock. It is surrounded by shops and has many pedestrians. I heard that there is a wealthy people's lane called Flower Lane not far to the west, so this place is very prosperous.

It's evening now, and the streets are bustling with people and vendors selling all sorts of goods. The buildings exude an elegant atmosphere, and the roads are paved with long flagstones so that they won't become muddy even if it rains.

The Song Dynasty had a highly developed handicraft industry. The craftsmanship of silk and porcelain reached an unprecedented level. The streets were filled with a dazzling array of goods, including ceramics, cloth, specialty pastries, fruits, cosmetics, jewelry, and toys. Many peddlers carried their wares on shoulder poles and sold them wherever they went.

I've heard that merchants in the Song Dynasty had a higher social status than those in other dynasties, and many wealthy and powerful merchants emerged from there.

Little Peach was preoccupied with looking at things, chattering excitedly like a little bird. Snow Pear, on the other hand, was carefully observing everyone. If someone was energetic and talkative, she would chat with them, asking about current house prices, rent, and the cost of hiring people or carriages.

The two walked and stopped frequently, pushing forward to examine everything they saw.

To avoid attracting Xiao Tao'er's attention, she would chat with people in a scattered and unrelated manner.

For example, this young man carrying a load on a shoulder pole looks to be in his twenties or thirties. He is thin and energetic, clearly someone who travels all over the country every day. He is eloquent and sells the widest variety of goods.

While casually haggling over the prices of some items, Sherry asked him, "Brother, where do you live? Do you often sell here? I don't have enough coins with me today. I'll bring enough money tomorrow to buy the most expensive rouge."

The young man had already glanced at the delicate beauty several times. Seeing her talking to him, he chuckled and said, "We peddlers go wherever we want to sell every day. I usually go to six or seven places regularly, and it usually takes me six or seven days to get back to Tongsuo Street. Tomorrow I'll go to Huaer Lane, and the day after tomorrow I'll go to Dayun Town."

"There are so many people here, and business is so good, why not rent a stall here? You wouldn't have to run around in the wind and sun every day, wouldn't it be great to have a fixed business?" Shirley asked.

He laughed and said, "The stall fee here is one tael of silver a month, enough for my family of four to eat and drink for several months. It's just a tent without a roof, so we can't stay here when it rains or in winter. The rent for these shops is thirty taels a year, which is unthinkable. I run around every day with my load and my own two feet, without paying rent. Although it's hard work, it's also comfortable."

"Are you a local? Houses here aren't cheap, are they?"

"My wife and I are from Xiaogezhuang. We rent a house near the city. It's a courtyard with two rooms and only costs five hundred coins a month."

"Then why not rent inside the city? It's too far to go back and forth outside the city."

"That's right. It's a ten-mile round trip, but renting a room in the city costs fifteen strings of cash, which is five hundred coins a day. How can we afford that?"

What kinds of things are used for washing clothes?

“There are bath beans and soapwort.” He picked up some powdery substances.

"What is this made of?" Sherry asked.

"This one is made from soap beans mixed with wood ash and baking soda, it costs ten coins. This one is made from pig pancreas and baking soda, it costs eleven coins. There is another one made from soapwort, it costs eight coins."

As expected, there's no soap yet. I can research it when I have time, buy some materials to keep on hand. To make soap, you need to make plant lye water from wood ash, clam shell powder, lard, and camellia oil, stir constantly until the water and oil are saponified, then put it in a mold and store it for two months before using.

You can try to do some of these yourself.

Sherry smiled and didn't buy those items; she and Xiao Tao bought some inexpensive things like hair ties, rouge, and face powder.

He then went to some fruit stalls and bought some sweet tangerines. He learned that renting a horse-drawn carriage for a day cost two hundred coins, and that the brokerage firm was three streets to the west, where a servant could be hired for only two taels of silver.

By spending a little money on some gadgets, you can extract a lot of useful information.

She gave everything to Xiao Tao'er, didn't keep any for herself, and brought the fruit she bought to her brother and sister-in-law.

Seeing the two of them return happily, Lin Wanjun visibly breathed a sigh of relief and praised her for buying good oranges: "Oranges are at their sweetest right now, with a fragrant aroma. They're refreshing to eat. You picked good ones too. I'll go buy some more later."