Chapter 1 Poem: Writing Plum Blossoms, Moonlight, Tea Brewing, Rainy Spring (One)

  "Have you heard that there's been something strange going on at Zi Yu Chuan Street recently?" asked Gui Zhen Auntie, who came to our house to buy Osmanthus cake from the pastry shop, in a low voice to my mother.

  "Gui Zhen sister, are you talking about the midwife's matter?" Mother heard this and slowed down her action of wrapping pastries in oil paper: "Is it true or false?"

  "Who knows!" Guizhen Auntie said mysteriously: "I heard that those who have seen the night witch, none of them returned alive."

  "Guizhen Auntie, since no one could come back alive, how did the news of this event spread?" I hastily chimed in.

  "Hmm," Aunt Gui Zhen looked a bit embarrassed at my question: "Well... people just say that..."

  "A little girl, what are you doing following me around and asking so many questions!" Mother waved her hand at me: "Look, it's getting dark, your two brothers are busy and can't leave, it's raining outside, put on a rain hat and cape and go to the Smoke and Rain Pavilion to deliver some pastries."

  "Mother, isn't it true about what happened with Nian Po?"

  "It's true or false, no one has ever seen it." Mother said impatiently: "Hurry up and take the food box away, the snack is just right for now!"

  I had no choice but to nod and carefully put the food in the lunchbox.

  It's said that the story of the old woman, I also heard from my neighbor's younger brother who grew up together with me, mention it in a mysterious tone. This thing, all the kids on Purple Jade Hairpin Street know about it. The legend goes like this: when you come out onto Purple Jade Hairpin Street at night, you can always see an old woman with white hair carrying a pole selling wine on the bluestone road, shouting: "Night wine, night wine, for those who are disappointed, get drunk and forget your worries! Night wine, night wine, if you don't get drunk tonight, when will you look back again...?"

  "If someone asks: 'Old lady, how much is your wine?'"

  The old woman would then smile mysteriously: "My wine is priceless; you can only exchange it for something of the utmost value to you."

  If others were to say: "It's just a cup of wine, how can it be worth that much?"

  The old woman replied: "A cup of wine, and a wish for you, whatever you ask will be granted, one hundred percent effective."

  If someone doesn't believe her, the old woman would fill a bowl and whoever drinks it will get what they've been thinking about day and night, but that person will never appear on Purple Jade Hairpin Street again.

  Xiao Sanzi asked me if I was afraid of walking on the road at night to deliver pastries, but I didn't quite believe it. I just smiled and said, "Worst comes to worst, I'll just stop selling wine."

  The lanterns had just been lit, and in this season of gentle rain, the Purple Jade Hairpin Street was filled with a misty drizzle that resembled peach blossoms. The lights from the Smoke and Rain Pavilion reflected off the wet flagstones, casting many flickering shadows. I wore a bamboo hat and a rain cape, hastily emerging from the pastry shop with a food box in hand, heading to the Smoke and Rain Pavilion to deliver today's ordered pastries.

  Yan Yu Ge is the largest brothel in the entire capital, occupying a considerable area on Zi Yu Chai Street. Our family lives on Zi Yu Chai Street, and my father runs a small pastry shop, which has recently hired several apprentices, relying on Yan Yu Ge's pastry orders to make a living.

  The gentle rain did not hinder the business of the Smoke and Rain Pavilion. Upon entering, one passes through the peach-red and willow-green flower hall, where the sounds of orioles and swallows can be heard, and enters the room of the courtesan, Ruan Ruan. Today's four-color pastries are laid out: there is the white with purple, elegant and refined taro cake; the sweet and fragrant red date sugar pastry that melts in the mouth and leaves a lingering scent; the richly aromatic and soft, sweet, and delicate assorted peach blossom cake; and the exquisite and intricate, golden crispy walnut pastry.

  "Braving the rain to come, this little heart of a shopkeeper is indeed hardworking." The Mandarin Duck girl smiled and handed me a piece of silver: "Take it and buy some sugar to eat."

  I thanked her profusely: "Thank you, Yuanyang Miss! If I hadn't come, I would have missed you!" I've been running back and forth between the pastry shop and the Smoke Rain Pavilion all year round. Lately, I've heard all sorts of clever talk, so when I saw how well Yuanyang treated me, I also learned to say some things that pleased her.

  The young maid of the Mandarin Duck Princess, Luan'er, who was familiar with me again, smiled and said: "You're so young but so glib, Mei Cai, a little maid in her early teens, who taught you to be so oily and smooth-tongued?"

  "It's just that I'm here to see her off, and she'll learn a thing or two from listening. The Mandarin Duck girl looked out the window again, furrowed her delicate eyebrows, and said: "How come these days, Young Master Wei hasn't come?"

  I also know Wei Gongzi, although he is well-read and eloquent, he has a dark and robust complexion, with thick hands and feet, and looks rather dull. However, for some reason, from his forehead to the middle of his face, there is a large scar that runs diagonally down, with torn skin and flesh looking gruesome. He often wears a luxurious golden coat, and those who don't know him think he's just a rough and tumble outlaw.

  Due to his family's wealth, he was a big spender and an honored guest at the Smoke Rain Pavilion. Having failed in the imperial examination, he had no choice but to take over the family business, running a silk shop on Purple Jade Hairpin Street. Because of his love for opera, he often came to the pavilion to invite the singing actress, Yuanyang, to have tea and chat, lavishing her with generous tips. He was indeed a kind patron who won people's hearts, but compared to his reputation as a free-spender, his reputation for being hen-pecked was even greater.

  "Wei Gongzi's family is very strict, it's the most famous one. Last time I heard that his wife was going to use a hot iron to scald his ears because he stayed out too late with us, and make him drink wine as punishment!" said Luan'er.

  "This business, it's really not worth doing, yet we can't help but add to our karma. It's a pity that one cannot control their own fate, who doesn't want to have a home of their own?" sighed Yuanyang girl.

  I saw Yuanyang girl's face full of displeasure, just thinking about comforting her a few words in the manner of adults, when suddenly the door was pushed open with a loud noise, accompanied by a gust of wet air and the fragrance of apricot flowers. The coolness made me shiver, I turned my head to look, it was none other than that big and rough Wei Gongzi who had arrived. It seemed he hadn't brought an umbrella, but his face was covered in water stains, shining brightly under the candlelight. Water droplets were still dripping down to the floor, wetting a patch of the large red embroidered silk carpet.

  I was just about to pay my respects when, unexpectedly, Master Wei suddenly knelt down in front of me, his face full of shock and fear, repeatedly saying: "Save me, save me, Mei Cai, you must save me!"

  I was startled and hurriedly followed Ruan to support him, repeatedly saying: "Young master, what's wrong with you? You're showing such great courtesy, but Mei Cai is just a small servant girl, she can't accept it!"

  Who knew that Wei Gongzi's body was as heavy as a thousand catties, kneeling on the ground, and no matter how hard he tried to lift him up, he couldn't get up. He shouted in his mouth: "Mei Cai, you are a famous dragon god envoy, I want to ask you to go to the Dragon God Temple to pray for me, beg the Dragon God to have mercy on me, and save my life! If you can protect me, I will offer all my family's wealth, three sacrifices and five animals, and make a big offering!"

  The Dragon God Temple was built by the owner of the Smoke and Rain Pavilion a few years ago, and although it is small, it is very elegant. On Purple Jade Street, everyone praises the efficacy of the Dragon God, and the incense is flourishing. Because I often run errands for my family and also deliver offerings to the Dragon God Temple behind the Smoke and Rain Pavilion, people on the street jokingly call me the "Dragon God Envoy". From time to time, there are even people who think that I have some connection with the Dragon God, and when they encounter troubles, they ask me to pray for them, saying that it is more effective than ordinary people. I suppose Mr. Wei misunderstood the rumors, thinking that I was good at flattering the Dragon God, and that I had some extraordinary skills!

  "I hastily said: 'Sir, what you're saying is nonsense, it must be a misunderstanding. Mei Cai is just a little servant girl who runs errands, how could she have so many abilities? It's just that people think I'm more familiar with the Dragon God because we've met more often, and they come to ask me to pray for them. I couldn't refuse, so I had to make wishes on their behalf. The families who asked me said it was effective, probably because of the Dragon God's mercy, their sincerity made it work, how could I have anything to do with it? Sir, please get up and speak slowly! If Mr. Mo sees us, he'll scold me for sure!"