Zheng Qian followed the sound and saw a young boy standing in the shadows, slouched as if his bones were too heavy to hold him upright, looking utterly lazy.
It was her fifth younger brother, Zheng Run.
Everyone else also saw him and respectfully greeted, "Fifth Young Master."
Zheng Qian called out to him: "Have you had dinner? Want some to fill your stomach?"
A boy of fourteen or fifteen had a bottomless appetite; even after eating, he'd still be hungry.
Zheng Run peeked at the table.
Seeing that Zheng Qian's dinner included crispy roast duck, braised fish, roasted beef, ham and fresh bamboo soup, and five other dishes—nine dishes and a soup—he was shocked: "Why is your dinner better than mine?"
Zheng Qian: "I paid for it. Gave an extra one or two taels of silver today."
Zheng Run was even more astonished.
Big sister has this much money?
Oh, right—last time she earned twenty thousand taels from Zhai Yu Xuan, so she's flush with cash.
Giving an extra tael each day adds up to thirty taels a month. Fifth Young Master's own monthly allowance was only five taels, and he had to study and socialize outside. He was instantly filled with envy and admiration.
"You're being wasteful! You can't even finish all this in one meal!" Zheng Run complained.
Then he waited, hoping his big sister would invite him every day to mooch meals.
Zheng Qian: "I'm not eating it all myself. I just touch each dish with my chopsticks, then give it to my wet nurse and maids."
At first, Dai Mama had objected to adding extra dishes.
But Zheng Qian argued that the more they ate, the more prosperity would come, and wealth brings good luck. Dai Mama reluctantly agreed with her twisted logic.
Each meal, Zheng Qian would symbolically move the chopsticks in each dish, then portion out the food in batches, or split half for them.
If they couldn't finish, she would share it with the senior maids and the smaller ones. Nothing went to waste.
Everyone ate well and heartily, and worked diligently and carefully.
Word spread, and many outside maids were envious.
Now, there was one more person envious.
Fifth Young Master watched the servants eat better than him, almost in tears.
"All right, sit down and eat." Zheng Qian smiled.
The maids arranged bowls and chopsticks.
Zheng Qian first stirred each dish with her chopsticks, then began dividing the food.
"I love crispy roast duck—don't touch it!" Fifth Young Master guarded his favorite food.
Zheng Qian: "If you want to finish a whole bowl, I'll have to hit you if you can't."
Fifth Young Master: "Annoying!"
Zheng Qian lightly tapped the forehead of the slightly rebellious boy, then continued portioning the food.
Dai Mama and the other three were four people; Zheng Qian and Zheng Run made two. So for each dish, she gave away two-thirds.
Zheng Run felt so heartbroken he almost cried, but was too embarrassed to admit it. After all, a young master this proud wouldn't fuss over a bite of food.
Once divided, everyone sat down to eat.
Zheng Run had already eaten once, yet his appetite remained. He was growing, and never paid attention to hunger at mealtimes. Not long after finishing, his stomach was empty again.
During the meal, no one spoke.
Zheng Run noticed that when big sister ate, her maids and mother also ate alongside her, unlike other households where servants waited for the master to finish.
Big sister had become very unusual.
Zheng Run didn't ask. As a rebellious teenager, he hated rules, and found her unusual behavior quite pleasing.
After eating half-full, he asked: "Why are we eating in the back garden?"
"I made a mosquito coil to test its effectiveness," Zheng Qian said, pointing to the side.
Zheng Run followed her finger.
A small iron cone supported a strangely coiled object that was burning.
He leaned in to smell: "It doesn't smell good at all, it's weird. What do you mean 'smell it'? Aren't other incenses for smelling? Why doesn't it smell?"
The boy's endless "whys" made Zheng Qian laugh.
She explained: "This incense isn't for smelling. 'Wen' (蚊) refers to mosquitoes. Mosquito coils are incense to kill insects. Sit for a while—don't you feel the mosquitoes around you?"
Zheng Run was stunned.
They were in Fu Yu Pavilion, near the pond, low-lying and damp all year.
This small garden gate led to the back garden. Zheng Run often sneaked out this way to play. Today, his classmates were holding a banquet at Bai Hua Lou, and the family would never allow him to go, so he had planned to sneak out.
Unexpectedly, he saw his big sister.
Curious about what she was doing and attracted by her sumptuous meal, he forgot all about the external merrymaking.
Bai Hua Lou had beautiful girls and good wine, but the food was nothing like this.
For a boy his age, the food mattered more.
He recalled that last year, sneaking out from here, he had run into his cruel second sister and big sister's fiancé, Wen Zhao, secretly meeting in the back garden. He hid nearby to avoid being caught.
Returning, he had been covered in mosquito bites.
Not just at night—even in the daytime, in midsummer, the mosquitoes in Fu Yu Pavilion were swarming.
But now…
Now, sitting in Fu Yu Pavilion, eating and drinking leisurely, not a single mosquito came near.
Incredible.
"This works that well?" Zheng Run was amazed. "Then next time, when we write poems in the countryside at night, we can enjoy the moon without worrying about mosquitoes."
Zheng Qian chuckled: "You can write poems?"
Zheng Run blushed awkwardly: "I don't. They do. I just drink."
Zheng Qian laughed again.
Zheng Run rubbed his nose: "I don't like ink anyway. Father insists I study. I'd rather practice martial arts."
Zheng Qian: "You could ask Father."
Zheng Run didn't want to mention it, focusing on the mosquito coil: "Big sister, you have to give me one!"
It was as if it was the first time he had called her "big sister."
Zheng Qian, however, remained unmoved. She shook her head: "I plan to sell it to a certain mysterious rich man for a big sum. When he produces them in large quantities at his shop, you can buy one then."
Zheng Run's eyes brightened.
"Still selling to Zhai Yu Xuan?" he asked.
Zheng Qian shook her head: "Zhai Yu Xuan isn't an incense shop."
Although not sold to Zhai Yu Xuan, it was sold to Prince Ancheng, whose businesses spanned the empire. Besides jewelry shops, he had many incense shops.
Zheng Run: "How much can it sell for?"
"I'm selling him the method. He'll produce and sell them, so probably twenty thousand taels," Zheng Qian said.
In this way, she could quickly gather the bride price money from the Wen family. She wasn't selling mosquito coils—she was selling the patent.
Zheng Run: "Big sister, I'll come to your house for dinner every day from now on."
The maids couldn't help laughing.
Zheng Run was a bit embarrassed, but didn't care. Eating was important.
Big sister had too much delicious food. And she had money.
"Okay. But I have one condition," Zheng Qian said with a smile.
"What condition?"