The Kingdom That Never Sleeps CH 053 Hearts Linked As One Part 1
In the 27th year of the Kaiping era, on the fourth day of the twelfth lunar month.
On both sides of Zhengyang Gate western street, all kinds of shops and buildings lined the street. As one walked west along the street, just when the shadow of the Grand Canal came into view from a distance, the four-story building of Shengjing's top restaurant, Qianli Tower, could be seen. About half a mile north of Qianli Tower stood a two-story restaurant.
This restaurant was originally named "Zhaohui Tower," taken from the saying, "The morning sun and evening clouds create infinite wonders." Unfortunately, just like its name, Zhaohui Tower had indeed seen better days, once renowned in Shengjing over a decade ago, but now it had long since fallen into decline.
Two months ago, someone took over Zhaohui Tower. Today, on this cold winter day, a group of lion dancers could be seen performing with gongs and drums in front of the building.
Zhengyangmen Street spans the east and west of Shengjing, making it the most bustling commercial street. The lively scene of the lion dance quickly attracted crowds of onlookers. Suddenly, a middle-aged man in a colorful opera robe emerged from behind the lion dancers, holding a large clay pot. With a light tap on the pot, a snow-white rabbit jumped out.
"Well done!"
The onlookers cheered in admiration.
Tang Shen and Shopkeeper Lu stood at a distance, watching from afar.
Shopkeeper Lu, with a wry smile, said, "Little boss, how did you come up with so many tricks? When other restaurants open, they usually just hire a lion dance team. But you've brought in magicians, monkey trainers, and acrobats."
Tang Shen countered, "Look at those people; don't they look entertained?"
Before Shopkeeper Lu could reply, Tang Huang immediately chimed in, "Entertained? Even I find it fascinating!"
Shopkeeper Lu sighed and said, "Of course it's fascinating. We've spent a lot of money, so it has to be."
After the lion dance and the performers finished their acts, Tang Shen stayed back while telling Shopkeeper Lu and Yao San, "You go ahead and cut the ribbon."
Shopkeeper Lu hesitated and asked, "Little boss, you're not going?"
Tang Shen cutting the ribbon and unveiling the sign wouldn't be a problem, especially since officials engaging in commerce weren't uncommon in this dynasty. But after some thought, he replied, "I'm going to go pick up Sir and Senior Brother. Tang Huang, you should go too."
Tang Huang happily nodded and joined Shopkeeper Lu and Yao San at the front of the restaurant. The three of them received the ribbon and the ceremonial ball from the "lion's" mouth and cut the ribbon together. Then, Tang Huang gently pulled the red ribbon on the sign, and with a light tug, the red cloth fell, revealing three elegant characters:
Xixia Tower.
The people of Shengjing were amazed to see that the owner of Xixia Tower was a pretty young lady. The earlier lion dance and magic tricks had already attracted many customers, and now they all flocked into Xixia Tower. Unlike Qianli Tower, which had four floors, Xixia Tower had only two floors, limiting the number of guests it could accommodate.
But even after the restaurant was full, the customers didn't leave. Instead, the waiter suggested, "Dear guests, would you like to wait a while in the tea lounge?"
A young scholar was surprised and asked, "Tea lounge?"
Waiter: "Yes, please follow me."
Once inside the tea lounge, everything became clear.
There were storytelling troupes, tea, and snacks, all prepared. The people of Shengjing had never seen a restaurant that spared no expense like this. The customers hadn't even ordered food yet, but they were already being served tea, snacks, and free storytelling.
The scholar, doubtful, asked, "Is this really free? You're not going to charge for the tea and snacks, are you?"
Waiter: "Of course not! Just relax and wait."
Free tea, free snacks, and storytelling—who wouldn't enjoy that? Before long, even the tea lounge of Xixia Tower was filled with waiting customers.
Tang Shen soon arrived with Fu Wei, personally leading him to a private room on the second floor.
The two of them ordered a hot pot and some dishes. By the time the beef, lamb, vegetables, and fruits were all served, Wang Zhen finally arrived.
Wang Zhen, still in his official robe, entered the room with a smile and said, "Sorry for being late."
Fu Wei, who often skipped work at the Hanlin Academy, spent his days at home, playing with birds and tending to flowers, living a leisurely life. Upon hearing this, he said to his youngest student, "Jing Ze, look at your senior brother. He made your teacher wait for half an hour, and now he thinks he can brush it off with a simple 'Sorry for being late'?"
Tang Shen thought to himself that it hadn't even been twenty minutes since they entered Xixia Tower. But aloud, he said, "Senior Brother is busy with his duties, so it’s understandable that he was delayed."
Wang Zhen took a seat, poured himself a cup of tea, and casually remarked, "Half an hour?" As he said this, his gaze casually swept over Fu Wei.
Fu Wei, feeling guilty, raised his voice, "Yes, half an hour. Zi Feng, have you figured out how to compensate your teacher and your junior brother for this half-hour delay?"
Wang Zhen: "How about I treat you to this meal?"
Tang Shen quickly said, "Senior Brother, today I invited both you and Sir. How could I let you pay?"
But Fu Wei pressed Tang Shen down, saying, "Ai, you don’t understand. Do you know what position your Senior Brother holds?"
Tang Shen was puzzled, "Minister of Revenue?"
Fu Wei laughed heartily, pointed his chopsticks at Wang Zhen, and said, "Your senior brother is the most financially powerful official in the world!"
This was too much information, and Tang Shen kept his thoughts to himself, saying nothing.
The dishes were all served, but the water in the hot pot hadn't yet boiled. After drinking too much tea, Fu Wei excused himself to relieve himself, leaving Tang Shen and Wang Zhen alone in the private room.
"Don't listen to our teacher's nonsense."
Tang Shen looked up to see Wang Zhen holding the lid of his teacup, gently skimming off the tea's surface.
Wang Zhen: "Junior Brother has some properties in Gusu…"
Tang Shen: "Senior Brother?" Why bring this up now?
Wang Zhen smiled and said, "I also have some properties in Jinling."
Tang Shen: "..."
Are you trying to explain that your wealth doesn't come from corruption, but from legitimate sources?
Not long after, Fu Wei returned, and the water in the copper pot began to boil. Fu Wei picked up a thin slice of lamb, gently swirled it in the boiling water until it changed color, then dipped it in the sauce dish and took a bite. "Tender and flavorful, truly exquisite! The ancients used rabbit meat for this dish, but who would have thought lamb would be even more delicious!"
Tang Shen smiled and said, "Sir, please try the beef as well." As he spoke, he swirled a slice of beef in the pot and placed it in Fu Wei's bowl.
Fu Wei winked at him, "This beef, did you get it from the Liao people?"
Tang Shen coughed twice.
Wang Zhen was busy swirling beef in the pot, then moved on to lamb. He watched as Tang Shen continued serving meat to Fu Wei, while his own bowl remained pitifully empty. The Minister of Revenue self-deprecatingly muttered, "Am I just a lonely old man?" Just as he finished speaking, Tang Shen placed a piece of lamb in his bowl.
Wang Zhen paused, then looked up.
Tang Shen smiled sweetly and said, "I used the serving chopsticks, Senior Brother. Don’t worry, they’re perfectly clean.” No trace of my saliva.
Wang Zhen's lips curled into a faint smile.
The three of them—teacher and students—enjoyed a steaming pot of boxiagong. Wang Zhen had to go to the yamen in the afternoon, so he left first. Tang Shen and Fu Wei continued eating for another half hour. Fu Wei, very satisfied, was about to leave when he heard the storyteller at the tea lounge recounting a story, so he stayed for another half hour before leaving.
In the evening, Yao Shan, Wang Xiao, Mei Shengze, and other colleagues and friends of Tang Shen also came to the Xixia Tower.
Mei Shengze took a bite of the lamb hotpot and was so impressed that he composed a poem on the spot: “The misty haze subtly veils, transforming into awe as it enters the mouth.”
After these scholars and officials left, Tang Shen called in Shopkeeper Lu: “Do you know how to advertise our Xixia Tower starting tomorrow?”
Shopkeeper Lu was initially surprised: “Advertise?”
Before Tang Shen could speak, Tang Huang said, “I know about it. ‘Advertise widely’ is for advertising. My brother told me.”
Tang Shen laughed and scolded, “Just you know? Why are you still here instead of going home?”
Tang Huang replied, “It’s the grand opening of Xixia Tower. I’m waiting until it closes before going back. You haven’t gone home either.”
Tang Shen ignored her and continued to ask Shopkeeper Lu.
Shopkeeper Lu pondered for a moment and said, “In Shengjing, we’re the only restaurant specializing in boxiagong. We’ve moved the Gusu model here, and it seems the people of Shengjing like it very much.”
Tang Shen reminded him, “Not only that, but the market in Shengjing is much larger than in Gusu!”
As Shopkeeper Lu was about to speak, Tang Huang, after some thought, suddenly said, “Guests and scholars gather here in droves.”
Tang Shen and Shopkeeper Lu turned their heads to look at the thirteen-year-old girl.
Tang Huang was startled by their gaze and said cautiously, “I just remembered that this restaurant was originally called Zhaohui Tower. Accountant Lin taught me this passage: ‘Morning light fades to dusk, and the weather changes infinitely... Guests and scholars gather here.’ Today, the top scholars are all dining at Xixia Tower. Isn’t that exactly guests and scholars? Um, did I say something wrong?”
Shopkeeper Lu suddenly understood: “I see now, little boss. I’ll go and take care of it tomorrow.”
Tang Shen nodded and glanced at Tang Huang helplessly: “Let's go home!”
The siblings went home together.
The next day, news spread from somewhere that the newly opened Xixia Tower on the western street of Zhengyang Gate was the most popular place among scholars in Shengjing. Instantly, scholars flocked to Xixia Tower. Even ordinary citizens who wanted to experience scholarly ambiance loved to go to Xixia Tower.
Shopkeeper Lu had the poem written by the top scholar Mei Shengze framed and hung in the center of the restaurant. Tang Shen even sent Mei Shengze a pot of wine as thanks.
Currently it was during the cold winter season, so business at Xixia Tower was booming and the restaurant quickly gained a reputation throughout Shengjing.
At the end of the twelfth lunar month, approaching the New Year, it was the turn of Yao Shan and Tang Shen to be on duty.
They had been on duty for two months now and were handling the emperor’s daily records with ease. As close aides to the emperor, they occasionally attracted Zhao Fu’s attention.
On this day, during the deep winter, snow began to fall from the sky. Zhao Fu had been handling state affairs in the Chui Gong Hall but went to the inner palace when a concubine reported illness. Tang Shen and Yao Shan waited quietly at the palace gate. After an hour, Zhao Fu came through the inner palace gate.
Ji Fu, bent over, carefully held an umbrella to shield Zhao Fu from the falling snow.
When Zhao Fu came out of the inner palace, he saw that snow had accumulated on Tang Shen’s and Yao Shan’s heads. Zhao Fu was surprised and then said, “Have you been waiting here all this time?”
Tang Shen and Yao Shan said yes.
Zhao Fu jokingly pointed at Tang Shen’s hair and said to Ji Fu, “Look, Yao qing is fine; he’s over forty and has white hair already. But Tang qing, who used to have black hair, now looks like an old man.” Saying this, Zhao Fu had two eunuchs come up to hold umbrellas for Yao Shan and Tang Shen. (TN: qing=term used by the emperor for his subjects)
Tang Shen looked up and quietly glanced at Zhao Fu.
Back in the Chui Gong Hall, Zhao Fu had Tang Shen and Yao Shan change their clothes first.
When they returned, Zhao Fu took a red brush and wrote comments on a memorial, then slowly set down his pen. He looked up from the imperial seat and spoke in a gentle, elegant voice: “Wen Ji, how long have you been by my side?”
Wen Ji was Yao Shan’s courtesy name. Zhao Fu’s sudden address made Yao Shan feel honored and he immediately stood up, saying, “I have served as the Chamberlain for two months.”
Zhao Fu seemed to remember: “Yes, two months. Jing Ze and Wen Ji came together, so it’s been two months for both?”
Tang Shen stood up and performed a respectful bow: “Yes.”
Zhao Fu smiled: “Wen Ji is from Shengjing and has seen such heavy snow before. Jing Ze, you seem to be from Jiangnan?”
Tang Shen’s fingers tightened, and he replied calmly: “I am from Gusu.”
“Has Gusu ever had such heavy snow?”
Tang Shen: “It’s rare in other years, but I have seen such heavy snow during the southern snow disaster a few years ago.”
Hearing this, Zhao Fu showed a reminiscent expression: “The southern snow disaster a few years ago… Ah, it was that year. Jing Ze was still young then.”
“I was thirteen that year.”
Zhao Fu asked a few more questions but then stopped asking Tang Shen and turned to inquire about Yao Shan’s experiences on the battlefield in the border regions. Yao Shan had abandoned his pen for military service twenty years ago and had fought on the battlefield. Zhao Fu had always paid special attention to Yao Shan because he was one of the few martial generals among the scholars.