Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Supporting Him

Jiang He forced himself to say: “I saw the prince take a wife…”

Huo Zheng said in a low voice: “It was only a temporary measure, keep quiet.”

Jiang He answered at once: “This subordinate will keep this matter secret.” He could tell the prince did not want it spread, so he promised right away.

Huo Zheng’s face showed no change, he said: “You may go.”

Jiang He replied: “Yes.” He leaped onto the roof as he had come and soon vanished into the dark.

About an hour later, Chun Zhi came back carrying freshly washed clothes. She hung them in the yard. A little sweat dotted her clear, pretty face; she lifted a sleeve to wipe it. When she turned her head, she saw Huo Zheng pushing his wheelchair out.

Chun Zhi asked him: “You must be bored staying inside all the time. How about I take you out for a walk?”

Huo Zheng answered calmly: “No need.” He was only staying here to heal for a short while, and he would leave soon. It was better not to meet the neighbors too much.

Seeing he truly did not want to go out, Chun Zhi dropped the idea.

That afternoon she soaked the beans, went out for a bit, and came back with a pair of crutches.

She said: “A wheelchair is hard to use outside. I saw these crutches at Carpenter Sun’s and they looked decent, so I bought them for you,” then held them in front of Huo Qi: “Try them?”

Huo Zheng looked at her half-old blue cloth dress. She had not a single silver hairpin in her hair, only a cheap silk flower. He had been here several days and had seen her wear new clothes and a little rouge only yesterday at the wedding; the rest of the time she wore older things. She was clearly thrifty. Yet when it came to spending money on him, she was generous.

Thinking of this, he studied Chun Zhi with narrowed eyes: [Is she really planning to keep me like a live-in son-in-law?]

Chun Zhi shifted under his gaze and asked: “Why are you looking at me like that?”

She had been thinking of how, during the bowing to heaven and earth yesterday, Huo Qi forced himself to walk even though it tugged at his wounds, and later, when Ji Ru Zhen and Lu Jing Yun came to make trouble, he helped settle them down. Chun Zhi had always been the kind of person who repays kindness many times over. Since Huo Qi said not to bother with empty thanks last night, the moment she saw these crutches today, she bought them. Words were hollow; spending silver was real.

Huo Zheng did not speak. He took the crutches, weighed them in his hands, and found them neither too light nor too heavy, just right. The wood had no splinters and the workmanship was good. He set the crutches against the ground and took a few steps. It was indeed more comfortable than forcing himself to stand and walk.

Seeing they suited him, Chun Zhi felt the money had been well spent and a small smile showed on her face.

Huo Zheng glanced at her, then asked all of a sudden: “When you supported him before, did you spend silver this freely?”

“Ah?” Chun Zhi didn’t react for a moment.

Huo Zheng looked straight at her and asked again: “Is this how you used to support Lu Jing Yun?”

Yesterday, the top scholar and the top scholar’s wife had caused such a scene that Huo Zheng remembered Lu Jing Yun’s name.

A hint of awkwardness crossed Chun Zhi’s face, and she said: “Why are you asking this?”

Huo Zheng stayed silent.

Chun Zhi smiled a little and said: “If I have to compare, raising you costs much less than raising Lu Jing Yun.”

Lu Jing Yun was a scholar. Back when he studied at the academy, the yearly fee alone was over ten taels; ink, brushes, paper, and inkstones also cost a lot. He had to buy books and keep up with his classmates. After he went to the capital, every sort of expense doubled. Over the years, almost all the silver Chun Zhi earned selling tofu was spent on Lu Jing Yun. Now that she no longer had to support him, her purse was finally looser.

“Is that so?” The corner of Huo Zheng’s mouth curled into a cold arc. He, the dignified Prince Chang’an, in Chun Zhi’s eyes was worth less than Lu Jing Yun. [Outrageous.]

Chun Zhi suddenly sensed the man before her seemed unhappy. He had been fine a moment ago. Was it because she said supporting him cost less than supporting Lu Jing Yun? But she had supported Lu Jing Yun for ten years and had supported him only a few days. How could that be compared?

Huo Zheng set the new crutches in the corner, sat back in the wheelchair, and pushed himself toward the room.

“Huo Qi,” Chun Zhi called after him, “we’re about to eat lunch. Why go back inside?”

He did not turn his head.

Chun Zhi said: “I’m making Dongpo Pork and lean pork soup for lunch.”

[This girl’s cooking really smells good…] Huo Zheng’s hands on the wheels slowed without him noticing.

Seeing this, Chun Zhi could not help but smile and say: “Come help me feed the fire.”

Huo Zheng turned his wheelchair halfway and looked back at her, speaking a bit stiffly: “Aren’t you afraid I’ll burn your house down today?”

Chun Zhi said: “I’ll be right there watching. It won’t burn.” As she spoke, she lit the stove in a few quick moves. All Huo Qi had to do was watch the flame at the side and add some firewood.

She could have done it alone, of course, but Huo Qi had nothing to do while healing. Rather than let him sit and stew, it was better to give him small tasks. Back when she was with Lu Jing Yun, Chun Zhi had not been willing to let him do rough work. She always thought he was going to become the top scholar. The top scholar’s hands should write poems and paint, play the zither and pluck flowers, and should not be stained by common chores. Thinking this way, it was not wrong when Lu Jing Yun called her the household maidservant, because from the start she had put herself in the place that should toil and endure. Now, with Huo Qi, it was different. Even tiny chores should be shared, so she would not raise a second Lu Jing Yun.

Huo Zheng did not know what Chun Zhi was thinking. He watched her work in an orderly way. She poured oil into the pot and set in the slab of pork belly, skin and all, to pan-fry. Then she blanched it, added ginger slices, scallion segments, and a splash of cooking wine.

“Huo Qi, add more firewood,” Chun Zhi said: “It needs to come to a boil on high heat to taste good.”

Huo Zheng tossed in two sticks. The fire leaped up at once.

After boiling for a long while, Chun Zhi lifted the pork belly out and cut it into large squares. She scored a crosshatch on the skin, wrapped each piece in bamboo leaves, then put them back in the pot. She added half a bowl of yellow wine, enough water, cinnamon and star anise, soy sauce, and salt, covered the lid, and simmered for about an hour. When the sauce reduced, she flipped the pieces so the skin faced up. A plate of fatty-but-not-greasy, melt-in-the-mouth Dongpo Pork was ready.

Using the same method as last time, Chun Zhi made a lean pork soup and stir-fried a dish of greens. The two of them ate with two meat dishes and one vegetable. The food suited Huo Zheng’s taste so well that his bit of displeasure vanished as if by magic.

After the meal, Chun Zhi went to the small workshop in front to soak beans and told Huo Zheng to wash the bowls and chopsticks.

Huo Zheng raised an eyebrow and asked: “You want me to wash them?”

Chun Zhi said: “What, are your hands too precious to wash dishes?”

Huo Zheng thought: [Of course a prince’s hands are precious.] He had grown up without anyone daring to make him wash dishes.

Seeing he said nothing, Chun Zhi added: “If you won’t wash, you can help me grind the soybeans.”

Huo Zheng pushed his wheelchair to the water jar and washed the dishes. [Letting the dignified Prince Chang’an grind soybeans… aren’t you afraid the tofu people eat will shorten their lives?]