Great Tang Idyll

After the autumn rain, there was an additional coolness in the air and finally, the Between the Water and Clouds Restaurant was able to live up to its name. Wild fish have not been washed by the water to this place here yet, and the local ones were nowhere to be seen. The people in the restaurant had to take some fishes out from the manor's pond and place them in the enclosed area in the center of the restaurant.

The surrounding tables on the first floor where people can fish from were all filled. These tables were the only ones that allowed people to fish for fish while eating, so the price was comparatively higher.

Not only were there more guests than usual, but everyone eating on the first and second floor had a tablet with them and the tablets had a number written on it.

When the number on a person's tablet was almost reached, a waiter would greet them, and the person would follow the waiter to a private room on the second floor to discuss with Housekeeper Zhang about buying popped rice. To be exact, it was popped rice coated in sugar and then cut into cubes to be eaten as a snack.

The people outside don't know how the discussion proceeded inside the room, and none of the businessmen would answer when others asked.

The waiter walked over with a smile, and stood respectfully on the side, "Sir, please ask away. As long as I know the answer, I'll tell you everything I know and not hold back any details from you."

"I heard that the rice used in the popped rice was originally reserved to be used as seeds? It was drenched in rain, is that true?" The fat businessman thought that when he enters the private room later, he had to negotiate the price properly, so he figured that he should prepare in advance. For example, he could say that their rice was drenched in rain before so the price should be lowered.

The waiter blinked his eyes a couple of times, coughed lightly and cleared his throat. Then he said, "Sir, you also know about this? Yes, yes, something like that did occur. You have no idea, man, that day, there were so many people. The sky was so dark that nothing could be seen and the rain was about to come down.

Everyone was in a hurry, especially the owners of the grain shops, who had their eyebrows raised anxiously. But, guess what? Once the lanterns were lit up, man, half of the sky was illuminated. The sickles were swung and the rice plants fell over one by one, but unfortunately, there was still not enough time. They were in the middle of harvesting, and KABOOM, the thunder struck. I wonder how many people were killed by the lightning.

Then, heavy raindrops that were the size of soybeans fell. Man, everywhere, the SHAaA SHAaa sound of rain pouring down could be heard. People had to watch the unharvested rice plants get smothered by the rain, and the grains flew everywhere, man..."

"Waiter, what are you talking about? When it was raining so heavily at night, how could you see grains flying while standing here? Let me ask you, are those rice moldy?"

Listening to the waiter boast, the thin businessman interrupted the waiter's words with dissatisfaction.

The waiter didn't feel flustered at all, and smiled. "Sir, what you have said is correct. I only heard this from others, I apologize for the confusion. You have asked whether it has become moldy or not? No, it did not. Please listen to me continue. I heard people say that the ten plus grain shop owners cried from being so worried and anxious, man, did they look pitiful.

Guess what? The Zhang manor collected the rice that was drenched in the rain, and they also sold them some new seeds. They were so touched; each of them were all saying that the manor was good. They cried even more loudly than they did before.

If others encountered this, it would be over for them, but the Zhang manor was unperturbed. They harvested the wet rice overnight, and then began to dehusk it. After dehusking it… they placed it inside something and then placed it into the fire and BOOM, loud noises were heard across the entire manor. Man, did that sound like thunder.

I went over there the next day in the afternoon, can you guess what I saw? There's no way you can guess. My eyes almost popped out of my sockets. Ahhh, it was so frightening. "

"How was it frightening?" The waiter gesticulated as he spoke and this attracted the attention of the two businessmen. When he was just about to talk about the most important part, he paused.

Clatter. A string of coins was thrown onto the table. The skinny businessman didn't say anything, and kept his eyes on the waiter.

"On that day, I saw boards spread out in the manor's yard, and the boards were covered with paper. Small hills of popped rice were piled on the paper, and the entire yard was filled with those fluffy white popped rice. On the side, there were people making syrup to stick the popped rice together "

The waiter changed his attitude and spoke out what the two people wanted to know as quickly as possible. At the same time, he picked up the string with twenty or so coins and placed it in his sleeve.

"Mmm, do you know what was used to pop the rice?" The fat businessman asked.

"I don't know." The waiter answered without thinking.

Clatter. Another string of copper coins were thrown on the table, but this time it was twice as much as the last time. The waiter had no idea those two people threaded all the coins onto the string; it was oddly heavy.

"I don't know. Don't take more out. Even if I knew, I can't tell you." The waiter decided to be direct with his words.

The two businessmen glanced at each other and the skinny man nodded. Then, the fat man said to the waiter, "Do you want to work at a better location?"

"Yes, but I don't know, the housekeeper said that I will be promoted into a manager of some other location." The waiter stopped smiling at this time, and spoke seriously to the two people.

The skinny businessman looked at the waiter, and pondered, "Then you have to work hard. I heard that the Zhang Manor has been selling baby chicks recently. Do you know how many have not been sold yet?"

While talking about this, the waiter was smiling and waving his arms around. The two businessmen listened and sighed at the same time. They took out another string of coins and pushed it over to the waiter.

"There are probably more than 6,000 left that can be sold. The manor has to give them to the residents first and the surrounding manors too. If you want to buy them, you should hurry, otherwise other people will buy them all and there will be none left. I have a list right here. The two of you can have a look at it; it tells you the size and price of each poultry type."

When the waiter put the money away, he gave them the news that the two people wanted to hear the most, and then he took out a piece of paper from his robe.

The fat businessman took it, and then handed it to the skinny businessman. On it were the prices of the three poultry types of different ages, and gender. It even described what they should be fed with, which type would be cost-efficient and which type would allow them to grow quickly-- it was very detailed.

"Who do we go to to discuss this?" The skinny businessman folded the paper and put it away.

"When the number on your tablet is reached, you can just talk to Housekeeper Zhang. If you transport them back by yourself, perhaps the price can be lowered. If they are transported by the manor, then there would be an additional cost. "

After the waiter said this, he saw the expression in the two people's eyes and he immediately stepped out.

*

It became warmer at noon.

Eighty children who were tired from walking, found a place under a tree, squatted there and started eating. Although the bags that everyone was carrying were a bit heavy, there were plenty of items in the bag. There was water and meat, and some people even brought pre-washed fruits with them.

"Brother Yong'yao, have you arranged for someone to go there to add poison yet?" The person who gave the terrible idea and was referred to as Brother Xing'yi by Han Yong'yao, came over, holding half a leg of lamb in his hand, and whispered his question.

"Humph, humph. Don't worry, it's already arranged. Brother Xing'yi, have a taste of the lamb chops my family brought me." Han Yong'yao passed some of the smoked lamb chop pieces in his hand over to him.

"Good, it's good that you have arranged it already. Brother Yong'yao, you should also try my lamb leg. I brought three of them with me this time." Xing'yi exchanged the lamb leg with him.

The two people laughed sinisterly there.

Li Xun was also eating at this time. Beside him were some of the people who persisted through the grassland to the desert and now, to this place.

The things they brought with them were different from the items brought by those who joined for the first time. The item that they brought with them that was the most abundant was water. They didn't bring any whole roast chicken, lamb legs or lamb chops, let alone braised beef. Instead, they brought all kinds of fried noodles that had some hard jerky in them.

He grabbed a handful and stuffed it into his mouth, drank some water, chewed slowly, and then licked away any crumbs on his mouth and hand.

"Young Master Li, looking at the things they brought, it seems that they won't last for a few days. Are you really going to punish them by hitting them with planks?" A person asked softly after finishing chewing what was in his mouth.

Li Xun calmly looked at the people who were eating, and snorted coldly, "That was what was stated at the beginning. They came here willingly, and we told them in advance that the journey is long and far. How could they dare bring all that meat and bones, which take up so much space. Punish them. The trek is divided into ten sections. If they don't walk a section, then punish them with five hits. I will never let anyone who dares delay my important affairs off that easily."

The important affairs that Li Xun was talking about was to make a summary of the situation and then hand the report to his father so that his father would approve of a trip that was more dangerous, longer and farer away. As of now, he did not include the ideas of obtaining intelligence and counter-reconnaissance yet.

After Li Xun finished speaking, the other people didn't know what to say.

Li Xun thought for a while and said, "For those who really make it to the end, apart from the Jin'shi subject1, I will give them an opportunity to take the Imperial Exam2. Rewards and punishments are distinct from one another."

"Thank you Young Master Li." When they heard that the Emperor's nephew had given the people who came here a personal favor, they all thanked them.

"Young Master Li, the fried noodles we brought might not last until then. It's estimated that it will take half a month to get there. What will you eat then?" An excited person next to him suddenly thought about how there was a limit to how large the backpack can be since if it was too big, it would be impossible to carry. Once they run out of food, how will they replenish their supply? The grass have yellowed already and the wild vegetables could no longer be eaten.

Translator's Notes

1. Jin'shi

This is the highest and final degree in the Imperial Examination

2. In the original text, Li Xun talks about something called "xiang'gong 乡贡 （lit. Homelan tribute". This is a type of examinee that does not require to be part of a official school and can directly participate in the Imperial Examination