Chapter 214

Chapter 214: Herbal Cuisine House Opens

Grand Matron had begun urging them to have a child; from the moment she arrived, she was impatient. Tang Mo also felt their relationship should be made clearer; he thought, [What does it mean to lie together like this without a proper name for it?]

Though he asked with a calm face, he was nervous. There was something he had never told Xin An: in his previous life, when Tao Yi Ran had angered him half to death, he once fantasized about what would have happened if he had married Xin An instead.

Back then the two of them often matched wits and knew each other well; he thought that a petty fellow like him ought to marry a formidable wife like Xin An, the two joining forces shamelessly, and that such a life, when he imagined it, had its own zest, instead of being scolded all day for not being upright, dazzling, broad-minded, and magnanimous.

Now that the dream had come true, he had spent the past few months striving to show his best, and whenever he had time he went for martial training; he considered that both his physique and his looks were better than before, though he did not know whether this woman had taken a liking to him.

In any case, he liked this woman very much, in every respect.

Xin An did not avoid the question: “If I had no intention, would I have let you sleep in my bed?”

She added, gentle but frank: “But you know, our situation needs more time to adjust ourselves; are we not getting better little by little now?”

At that, Tang Mo felt secure. He thought, [She is right; not only do we share a pillow, we now sleep under the same quilt. If she had not accepted me, how could we be like this?]

He could not help voicing his hope: “When that day comes, let us hold the wedding ceremony anew.”

He explained with eagerness: “We will invite Father-in-law and Mother-in-law, and invite my Mother, and then our kin and friends; we will bow to Heaven and Earth properly. What do you think?”

For a moment Xin An did not answer. She thought, [If it truly came to that, by then Tang Mo would hold considerable say in the household.] She asked softly: “Would it be too ostentatious?”

He replied with conviction: “How is that ostentatious? It is reasonable and proper. I simply do not want to muddle through our whole lives in a fog.”

They had each once bowed in marriage with the wrong person, one with Tang Rong and one with Tao Yi Ran, and the thought of it sat ill with them both.

Xin An smiled as she offered a compromise: “We could even hold the rites right here in this courtyard; there is no need to mobilize a grand occasion.”

Tang Mo objected in half jest: “Sneaking around?”

He held that a wedding should be lively, with everyone knowing, and kin and friends witnessing; otherwise what Heaven and Earth were they bowing to? They were not some clandestine union without a matchmaker.

Although Xin An spoke modestly, she was happy and even expectant in her heart; she thought, [If you do not mind the ostentation and the trouble, I am willing.]

Tang Mo smiled in comfort, feeling that life, as it now unfolded, was very interesting indeed.

In the blink of an eye it was the rest day on the fifteenth day of the tenth month. Xin An’s Herbal Cuisine Tavern, Song of Soup Herbal Cuisine House, opened its doors. From the day before, the cooks at the Herbal Cuisine House had already begun preparations. Early in the morning, Fang Da and Qin Bai arrived at the shop in new clothes. One led people to inspect every private room one by one, and the other headed straight for the kitchen. The tonic herbs used by the Herbal Cuisine House were all of mid to high grade and not cheap; the quantities to be used were all personally controlled by Qin Bai.

The kitchen was large. On fifteen stoves, clay pots sat and simmered, each one stewing a different soup, the medicinal fragrance filling the air.

On the great hearth, a large iron pot supported steamers stacked several tiers high. Inside, porcelain soup cups with varied patterns were arranged neatly, each cradling a soup with its own effects.

The cooks were all busy at their stations, everything in good order.

To Xin An, the Herbal Cuisine House was not a major business, but it carried a different meaning. From now on, they would have a place to build connections and cultivate relationships. This was their territory.

At the appointed hour, guests arrived one after another. The first to come were merchant friends invited by Fang Da. As soon as they arrived, they came to pay respects to Xin An and Tang Mo. At such a moment, Tang Mo had to hold the ground for Xin An, giving ample face to Fang Da.

Xin An, grateful that these people were giving face, exchanged pleasantries, then said with a smile: “Today, all of you are our Herbal Cuisine House’s Honored Guests. There is no need to be overly formal; please make yourselves comfortable.”

Fang Da was about to lead people to the private rooms when, after only a few steps, Tang Yong entered with a group. He exclaimed with easy laughter: “This décor is interesting.”

They greeted him with warmth: “Second Uncle has come.”

Tang Yong cheerfully introduced his friends to the pair. There were relatives from his wife’s family, two traders, and two officials of low rank. After everyone exchanged courtesies, Tang Yong led his companions over to join conversation with the friends invited by Fang Da.

With just a few sentences, these people were already talking business. Those who could come to this place today were, by nature of it, a notch more reliable than others, and their guard toward one another dropped. In no time the talk grew very congenial. If nothing unexpected happened, some of them would become business partners after today.

Having come early to help, Yan Shi Mao and Lin Yao looked over the Herbal Cuisine House carefully. Yan Shi Mao observed with a touch of rueful humor: “This is better than that half-dead teahouse we opened. It seems we are not merchant folk at all. Second Sister-in-law’s move is extraordinary.”

There was real capital here, and real show of face. Thinking of their shabby teahouse, he could only think, [Vexing.]

Lin Yao teased with a grin: “You only said you were opening a restaurant, not that you were opening such an interesting Herbal Cuisine House. Next time you want to open something, call me along to join the fun.”

Xin An nodded with a smile: “This Herbal Cuisine House was opened to while away idle hours. When there is something even more interesting, I will certainly call Sister Lin.”

Soon Grand Matron and Madam Wang arrived. Grand Matron looked much improved in color and entered smiling. At a glance she took a liking to the ornament by the door and asked with curiosity: “How is this made? The water keeps flowing like that?”

Fang Da stepped up to explain. Grand Matron, smiling, walked around the screen, and her eyes fell upon a small wild mountain scene, with scattered rocks and running water, all wreathed in a faint herbal fragrance. She praised with pleasure: “Very good, how interesting.”

Xin An said with warmth: “Grandmother, if you like it, please come often.”

Grand Matron nodded, eyes crinkling. Madam Wang also lifted her gaze to take a look around: “I don’t often go to restaurants in the capital, but this is the first time I have seen this sort of décor. Only, with such a scenic installation placed in the main hall, does it not mean several fewer tables?”

Xin An answered with an easy smile: “Mother need not worry for me; there is more beyond.”

She led them to the rear garden and said: “Please look, Mother; there are several private rooms in the back courtyard as well.”

Madam Wang understood at once: “It is more dignified than setting tables in the main hall.”

And also more profitable.

Grand Matron took to it immediately, especially liking the flowers and plants in the courtyard. She asked with interest: “Is this patch peonies? The rootstock is thick and strong. If they bloom, they will certainly be fine.”

Xin An told the story of how the peonies and roses had been acquired: “We happened upon a bargain. Planted here, they serve as part of the scenery.”

Grand Matron nodded with a smile, and went on to look at the décor of the private rooms. Just then, the servers at the entrance grew excited.

One reported with bright eyes: “Young Madam, the Heir Apparent Consort from Prince Cheng’s manor and the young madam from the Han Grand Secretary’s residence have arrived.”

Another added in quick succession: “Madam Liao from Commander Liao’s household has arrived, and Marchioness Yong Shuang has arrived…”

As the guests entered, the Herbal Cuisine House grew lively at once. Xin An and Madam Wang went out together to welcome them. Not only had the invited ladies of the households come, they had also brought sons or daughters with them. Upon entering, they all praised the main hall’s scenic arrangement and declared the Herbal Cuisine House delightful.

While smiling and inviting people in, Xin An tallied the numbers in her mind and felt a little anxious; she thought, [There are too many people.]