MFBOWSBTMT Chapter 26

On the morning of the fifth day of the fifth month,[mfn]The fifth day of the fifth lunar month, known as the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节), a traditional holiday where dragon boat races are held.[/mfn] the Qiao household had already lit their stove by yinshi[mfn]寅时 : 3-5 AM [/mfn]. Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu were bustling about. The two types of thirst-quenching drinks didn’t require much effort. They only needed to be stirred into cold water. What took time were the perilla drink and peach blossom drink, which had to be brewed batch by batch. They had borrowed two clay stoves from Zhou Shuifen the day before, and now all three stoves were fired up at once.

 

One barrel each of the unsweetened perilla drink and peach blossom drink were already prepared, but two barrels alone wouldn’t be enough to sell. Their household has a limited number of wooden barrels with only ten usable at most, and they still needed the other four types of drinks to make money, so they couldn’t prepare too much.

 

Fortunately, the three of them worked quickly. By maoshi[mfn]卯时: 5-7 AM[/mfn], they were pulling the cart toward Hexi Village. Hexi Village neighbored Xiahe Village, and it was only two li[mfn]里 : ~500 m[/mfn] from the village entrance. Their destination was the riverbank where the competition will be held, which was even closer. They arrived in no time.

 

Qiao Ruifeng had to rush back to Xiahe Village to join the others in rowing their boat here, so he didn’t linger and hurried back.

 

Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu set up their stall near the riverbank, under the shade of a tree. They arranged the drink barrels neatly, sealed the lids tightly, and placed the price signs in a conspicuous place. One of each type of bamboo tube was displayed at the front, while the rest were placed on the side of the cart.

 

The two nibbled on the steamed buns they had brought from home as they waited for customers. Today’s steamed buns were made from fine flour. They’re soft and fragrant. Qiao Suiman took small bites, as if reluctant to finish it.

 

The magistrate and wealthy merchants wouldn’t arrive this early. They watched the races from specially built pavilions, unlike the villagers and ordinary townsfolk who had to come early to secure a good spot.

 

Every year, many village teams participated in the competition, racing in batches. Aside from the lunch break, the races would last from sishi[mfn]巳时 : 9-11 AM[/mfn] until evening.

 

The sun climbed high, and people began arriving at the riverside in groups. To prevent collisions in the crowd, some yayi[mfn]衙役 – a yamen runner, a low-ranking officer in ancient Chinese local government[/mfn] had also come, setting up wooden planks a zhang[mfn]丈 : ~3.3 m[/mfn] away from the riverbank. In previous years, overexcited spectators had jumped into the river to grab at the boats, throwing everything into chaos. Since then, this rule had been established that spectators were not allowed near the shore.

 

Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu had chosen an excellent spot, three zhang to the right of the pavilion, a prime location for watching the races. Early arrivals naturally gravitated toward them.

 

Townsfolk soon arrived as well. The men dressed neatly with their hair tied up, and young women and ge’r adorned in colorful silk garments, accessories, and handkerchiefs, all dressed to impress.

 

Gradually, people began to notice Qiao Suiman’s stall. A scholar in a smoke-blue robe stepped forward and picked up a bamboo tube, examining it closely. “This is quite interesting,” he chuckled, showing it to his companion. “Look, even us spectators are carved into it. How amusing.”

 

“If you like it, kind customer, you might want to check out the others. We have three designs in total,” Qiao Suiman chimed in.

 

The scholar picked up the other two but still preferred the first one he’d seen. Noticing the sign, he asked, “You sell flavored drinks too? ‘Immortal Peach Drink’… that’s a lovely name. Paired with this bamboo tube, it’s quite novel.”

 

Delight flickered in Qiao Suiman’s eyes. “Would you like a tube, kind customer?”

 

“Twelve wen for the drink, that’s reasonable. How much for the bamboo tube?”

 

“Ten wen each, all three designs. Would you like the one you’re holding?”

 

“Sure, give me a tube of Immortal Peach Drink!”

 

“Right away, please wait a moment.”

 

Qiao Suiman swiftly lifted the bamboo tube’s lid, and scooped a ladle of peach drink, pouring it steadily into the tube until it was perfectly full. With a smile, he said, “It’s filled to the brim. You can take a few sips before sealing it.”

 

The scholar nodded and did as suggested. The drink was smooth, bursting with the fragrance of peaches, and upon closer taste, he could even chew on bits of fresh peach flesh!

 

His eyes lit up. He loved fruit drinks, and this Immortal Peach Drink was absolutely to his taste!

 

The scholar praised it repeatedly, noticing his companion still staring at the carvings on the bamboo tube. “Lu-xiong[mfn]兄 – literally “elder brother,” but used here as a respectful term for a male peer, implying camaraderie or slight seniority[/mfn],” he said, “you’ve been staring for so long. Which design do you fancy?”

 

This man was also surnamed Lu. Qiao Suiman felt oddly sensitive to that surname now, wondering when his brother and that… that Lu Dongqing would arrive.

 

“They’re all good,” Scholar Lu replied with a faint smile. But the craftsmanship… it felt all too familiar. He glanced at Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu, wanting to ask but restraining himself. Inquiring about the origins of their goods wasn’t proper.

 

“I’ll take this one with the zongzi[mfn]粽子 : a traditional Chinese rice dish made of glutinous rice stuffed with a range of fillings and wrapped in bamboo leaves, traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival[/mfn] carving. My child will like it too,” Scholar Lu said, shaking the bamboo tube with the zongzi design. “As for the drink, I’ll have the Perilla Drink.”

 

Their first sale was two transactions at once! Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu were thrilled. They had agreed earlier that Qin Yu would handle the two-wen drinks and the twelve-wen Perilla Drink, while Qiao Suiman would manage the Peach Blossom Drink, Green Plum Drink, and Immortal Peach Drink.

 

Qin Yu filled another tube to the brim. Scholar Lu took a sip and widened his eyes slightly. The perilla’s aroma was laced with the sweetness of peaches. “There’s even peach flesh in here. Surprisingly harmonious. Not bad at all.”

 

That something-something harmonious, Qiao Suiman didn’t quite understand what it meant, but judging from his tone, it probably meant the drink tasted good.

 

Only well-off families could afford to educate their sons. These two scholars had likely seen much of the world. Since they approved, Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu exchanged a glance, their confidence growing.

 

“In that case, give me another tube of Immortal Peach Drink and one of Green Plum Drink, in the other two designs. Seal them and I’ll take them with me,” Scholar Lu added.

 

“Of course! Please wait a moment.” Qiao Suiman could hardly contain his joy. Four drinks sold in one go, that’s nearly a mace of silver! How could he not be happy? Qin Yu unscrewed the lids for him, and the two quickly filled the bamboo tubes.

 

Scholar Lu pulled out a mace of silver from his pocket. Thankfully, he brought money today.

 

Seeing this, Qiao Suiman wore an expression of “just as expected.” What scholar would carry around long strings of copper coins? Most only brought twenty or thirty wen along with some loose silver.

 

Luckily, he and Qin Yu brought a string of a hundred copper coins in case they needed to make change. He quickly calculated, taking the coins Scholar Lu had given earlier and counting out twelve more from their own stash, thirty-four wen in total.

 

Accepting the mace of silver from Scholar Lu, Qiao Suiman handed over the thirty-four coins while Qin Yu passed him the two drinks. And just like that, their first sale was complete.

 

Bamboo tubes used by farmers usually have straw straps so they could be tied to the waist while traveling, and Lu Dongqing’s designs were no different.

 

However, Scholar Lu didn’t strap them on. Three tubes would be too heavy and, more importantly, looked rather ridiculous hanging side by side. So he simply held them in his hand.

 

“They’re good, aren’t they?” the blue-robed scholar teased. His friend bought two extra tubes. There’s no need to ask, they were surely for his wife and child.

 

“Mm,” Scholar Lu nodded. His child was sick, and his wife couldn’t come out with him. Of course he’d bring back something novel for them.

 

After the two left, a few women and fulang approached. After asking the prices, they only bought two tubes each of the two-wen Perilla Drink and Peach Blossom Drink.

 

Even four copper coins were profit. As long as it was money, Qiao Suiman wasn’t picky. He was all smiles.

 

Suddenly, a commotion rose from the crowd. Someone pointed at a dragon boat rowing vigorously toward them from afar. “Which village is that from?”

 

“They must have come from downstream. Incredible! Paddling against the current and still that fast!”

 

“Yeah, they’ll be tough competition for our village.”

 

Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu followed their gazes. On the river several zhang wide, a slim dragon boat was cutting across the river like a leaf on water, gliding forward with every few strokes.

 

The rowers chanted in unison: “One! Two! One! Two!”

 

As they drew nearer, the shouts grew louder. Ten rowers moved in perfect sync, the helmsman steering from the back, and the drummer at the front beating the drum rhythmically. The thump-thump-thump reverberated in their chests, stirring excitement in the crowd. Cheers erupted.

 

“Well done!”

 

“So energetic!”

 

“Faster!”

 

The dragon boat drew closer, and Qiao Suiman immediately spotted two familiar figures.

 

“Da-ge!” he called loudly, standing on tiptoe and waving his arms. Qin Yu waved beside him.

 

Qiao Ruifeng saw them and raised his head in acknowledgment while rowing. Lu Dongqing, hearing Qiao Suiman’s voice, looked over too.

 

When Qiao Suiman saw his brother looking over, he put down his hand and quietly turned his gaze to look at Lu Dongqing, but he didn’t expect that he also looked over, and now their eyes met.

 

Qiao Suiman caught the faint smile in Lu Dongqing’s eyes and suddenly felt a little embarrassed, a pink flush blooming across his cheeks.

 

Did he shout too loudly?

 

“Little ge’r, which village are you from?” someone asked curiously, seeing their exchange.

 

“Xiahe Village. And you, uncle?” Qin Yu replied.

 

“My home’s just beyond the woods,” the man said, meaning he was from Hexi Village. Qin Yu remembered something and smiled as he asked tentatively, “I heard someone offended Master He recently?”

 

“Ah, that matter! It’s that Lin family in our village. Tsk, tsk. Not a decent livelihood among them, yet they dared to embarrass themselves in front of Miss Bai. His leg was broken and lies in bed all day now,” the uncle shook his head. “The man’s ruined.”

 

Truthfully, even if his legs weren’t broken, he’d still be useless. He’s lazy and addicted to gambling. What future could he have? The uncle was about to continue when an auntie beside him gave him a light smack and a meaningful look. He promptly shut his mouth.

 

Why bring up such things? If outsiders heard, they would think all the men in Hexi Village were like that. How would their sons ever find wives then? The auntie thought to herself.

 

Speaking of outsiders, she suddenly remembered something worth sharing. It wasn’t a matter that needed hiding, so she raised her brows and said, “You wouldn’t know this, but that married-off daughter of the Lin family is truly vicious. Her nephew’s leg was broken, and guess what she did?” She clapped her hands, her expression full of disdain.

 

Earlier, when Master He was mentioned, a small crowd had already gathered to listen to the gossip. Now, with the auntie pausing right at the good part, wasn’t that just teasing them? Someone urged, “What happened? Hurry and tell us!”

 

Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu exchanged glances. Could they be talking about…

 

“She went back to her husband’s village and actually tricked a ge’r into believing her nephew was a promising young man, offering five taels of silver as bride price!”

 

As the auntie spoke, she stretched out her hand wide, her five fingers waving dramatically back and forth. “The family knew exactly what kind of person her nephew was, so they immediately told her to scram!”

 

She animatedly reenacted the entire scene, as if she’d been there herself. Everyone was completely engrossed.

 

“That Lin woman had the nerve to show up and beat people, even tried to snatch the ge’r! The older brother was left bleeding from the head, and the poor ge’r was so frightened he passed out and didn’t wake up for several days!”

 

When she finished, the auntie crossed her arms and waited expectantly for the crowd’s reaction. Sure enough, as soon as her voice fell, someone burst out cursing, “What a shameless wretch! That’s marriage fraud!”

 

“Heavens! No wonder they’re all from the same family. Not a single decent one among them!”

 

“What happened after? What did that Lin woman do?”

 

“The family that was deceived was very strong-willed. They stormed her husband’s house and made a scene. I heard they knocked out two of that Lin man’s teeth. Then, to settle the matter, the Lin woman got a proper beating from her own husband!”

 

“Serves her right!”

 

“She deserved it! What kind of person does that?”

 

Qiao Suiman and Qin Yu, who had listened to the whole thing: “……”

 

Since when did any of that happen?!

 

What five taels of silver? What fainting from fright? What getting teeth knocked out?!

 

 

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