Xia Niangniang - Chapter 6

Chapter 6.

The three entered the marketplace. The blind concubine doesn't know which way to go, stumbling forwards in his joy and excitement and scaring Xiao Bao out of his wits.

"Master, there are many horse carriages on this road, be careful!"

"Don't worry; I can hear the horse hooves as they draw near."

The blind concubine walks along the storefronts sniffing here and smelling there, as lively as a puppy.

"Crab meat buns!"

"San Xian noodles!"

"Bai wei soup!"

"Ice peaches!"

His footsteps are light and quick, almost as if he will float into the sky. His pale face blushes red, his cheeks tender and delicate.

The emperor trails behind the blind concubine, silently watching him as he makes a big fuss, as energetic as a child. His pale face is very beautiful.

He looks completely different than when he was in the palace.

Why couldn't he have met him earlier?

He has suffered so much.

The emperor sighs.

Fortunately, he has met him at last.

The blind concubine turns around, "Xiao Bao, do they have the foods written on the list?"

Xiao Bao replies, "Yes yes, once we pass it, I will buy it right after."

The blind concubine nods, "That's good." Then warns, "Don't miss any item."

Xiao Bao smiles, "Don't worry, master."

The three circle the market. As noon approaches, the blind concubine says, "I'm a little hungry."

Xiao Bao stares, "You were running and yelling all over the place. It would be strange if you did not feel hungry."

The emperor says, "Let's find a place to eat."

The blind concubine hurriedly says, "I know somewhere called the Bamboo Pavilion that I've been to many times before in the past. Their foods are fresh but I do not know if this place still exists."

Xiao Bao says, "Let me make some inquiries."

After a while he returns, "Master, they are still open. It is just a little ways in front."

The blind concubine is happy, "Good. Let us go there."

They reach the doors of the Bamboo Pavilion. The front of the shop was not small, the decorations having an imposing style. Customers walk in and out of the bustling restaurant. The emperor was just about to step inside when the blind concubine suddenly quietly cries, "Ah…"

The emperor pauses in mid-step, "What is it?"

The blind concubine quietly says, "We don't have money."

The emperor is curious, "Doesn't Xiao Bao have money in his pocket?"

"We must not use that money! "The blind concubine shakes his head like a rattle drum, "that is the money the palace uses on errands for the king. You'll be punished if you use it and at worst, you'll lose your head!"

The emperor feigns surprise, "It is that serious?"

"Mm." the blind concubine nods, "Do you dare to use the emperor's money?"

The emperor thinks, "…no."

The blind concubine lowers his head at a lost.

The emperor shakes his fan and feigns nonchalance, "I'll treat you to lunch."

"Huh?" the blind concubine raises his head, "No, that is too courteous of you."

The emperor smiles, "If you cannot accept it, you can treat me next time."

The blind concubine thinks hard for a moment, "Alright."

Xiao Bao leads the blind concubine into the restaurant by his hand, up the stairs, and sits down at a table facing the street. Immediately serving boys come to fill their tea, their faces full of smiles, "What would these customers like to try?"

The blind concubine says, "Crisp fried shrimp balls, Xi Hu vinegar fish, Ru Yi Rolls, Cashew Pear and White Fish Jade Soup."

The serving boy is astonished, "This customer, you certainly know how to choose. These are our store's best dishes. No one but a familiar customer could name these dishes."

The blind concubine smiles, "I used to come here often in the past and I knew everyone in the store. The Bamboo Pavilion only had one floor then and business was so good that the entire place was full. You would have to move the tables and chairs outside."

"Isn't that right?" the serving boy says, "Three years ago our store renovated. Now it's bigger than before. I was hired at that time to help, no wonder why I have not seen you before."

In the while it took to drink half a cup of tea, the dishes were carried out onto the table, fragrance spreading all around.

The blind concubine says, "You must eat more. It's delicious."

Xiao Bao says, "Master should eat more. Who knows when will be the next time you leave the palace."

The blind concubine pauses, then sighs, "Yes, there might not even be a next time."

His hand holding his chopsticks fall down.

The emperor rushes to reassure him," Do not be so pessimistic. Maybe you'll have another opportunity soon."

Hearing this, the blind concubine laughs, "You say that as if it's true. You are not the emperor, how would you know?"

The emperor sputters, and then embarrassingly says, "I don't know."

Xiao Bao laughs to himself and places shrimp balls into the blind concubine's bowl.

The blind concubine picks up one. The shrimp balls are fried to a golden yellow color. As he bites down, he can taste a mouthful of shrimp flavor, tender and crisp, delicious.

The blind concubine is happy, "So good, the flavor hasn't changed at all!"

Then continues, "You eat too, don't just worry about putting food in my bowl."

The emperor says, "You eat more. Look at you. You're barely skin and bones."

Xiao Bao adds, "Even Yu Li has more meat on him."

The blind concubine has his mouth full of shrimp ball and mumbles unintelligibly, "That's not true."

After a while, the Xi Hu vinegar fish is carried onto the table. The emperor picks up a piece of fish belly, picks out the bones and puts it in the blind concubine's bowl.

The blind concubine tries a bite. That sour flavored and sweet scented fish was tender and juicy, melting as he held it in his mouth.

Cheerfully, he takes small bite after small bite, looking adorably sweet.

The blind concubine asks Xiao Bao, "Xiao Bao, have you eaten?"

Xiao Bao answers, "Yes."

The blind concubine asks the emperor, "Have you eaten too?"

The emperor answers, "Yes."

The blind concubine relaxes, "That is good."

After eating the rest of the dishes, they leave the restaurant.

The afternoon sun is soft and warm like leaves brushing against the face. The blind concubine's face is full of smiles, "I almost forget the taste. I didn't think that after all these years, the taste would still be so familiar."

Xiao Bao says, " The things you enjoy are not as easy to forget."

The blind concubine contemplates this, "Yes."

Then asks, "What else is on the list? Let us go buy them."

Xiao Bao agrees.

They return to the bustling street. The blind concubine walks on the uneven ground, but he feels at peace. Here are the smells he is familiar with, the familiar clamor and hustle and bustle of people, the laughter of running children. All of this calms his heart.

The emperor suddenly snaps his fan together, "I see where they sell candied hawthorn!"

"Really?" the blind concubine grasps his sleeve. "Where is it?"

"At the street corner," the emperor takes out his money, "I'll buy it for you."

"No need, no need, " the blind concubine says, "I can buy it myself, " and takes out several copper coins from his sleeve.

Xiao Bao moves forward to lead him and they arrive at the candied hawthorn stand. The blind concubine hands the coins over, "I'll take three."

The man in the bamboo hat takes down three sticks and hands it to the blind concubine.

The blind concubine hands a stick to Xiao Bao, takes one for himself, then asks Xiao Bao, "Where's the guard?"

The emperor says, "I'm here."

The blind concubine hands over the last stick, and smiles, "This is for you."

The emperor is surprised, "For me?"

"Mm."

The emperor stares, "No one has ever given me candied hawthorn. You are the first."

"Huh, no one?"

He resolutely replies, "No one."

When the blind concubine hears this, there is an expression of sympathy on his face.

How sad, having no one who will buy him candied hawthorn.

He can't help but tiptoe to pat the emperor's head, "Don't be sad."

Xiao Bao watches anxiously and hurriedly reminds, "Your ladyship, he doesn't feel sad."

The emperor says, "No no, I am sad. You must comfort me."

The blind concubine crinkles his brows, "What is the matter with you two?"

What strange people.

He shakes his head and walks ahead with his candied hawthorn.