14. Made Money

Wei Jinyun used bamboo tongs to pick up a piece of pastry from a woven bamboo bowl handcrafted by Mistress Wang, the artisan. She then poured a cup of mint tea from a ceramic pot and topped it with a single jasmine flower.

"It is merely a small roadside stand."

The student took the woven bowl and examined it closely. "You have prepared this so meticulously; it feels quite like a proper teahouse."

Bamboo bowls paired with floral pastries, porcelain cups steeped in clear tea. The fragrance of jasmine lingered around him, tempting him to taste it at once. Unlike Wei Jinyun’s sisters, who had devoured their samples in a hurry, he took only a small, delicate sip, elegant and refined.

The pastry was soft and pillowy upon entry, followed by the subtle, lingering sweetness of mung bean paste that melted slowly on his tongue—mildly sweet without being cloying, warm and aromatic.

"It is not actually sweet?"

The student paused, then tossed the remainder of the piece into his mouth. He had assumed that such exquisite presentation on a roadside stall meant the flavor would inevitably be lackluster. He had not expected this floral pastry, dubbed "Exquisite Snow," to boast a taste that lived up to its appearance.

After finishing the pastry, he immediately picked up the mint tea and took a deep draught. The cold well water, infused with the cooling scent of mint and jasmine, washed over his lips and tongue. He sighed in satisfaction, his body—weary from a day of listening to his teacher’s droning lectures—feeling instantly refreshed.

Wei Jinyun knew he was deeply satisfied. After all, describing it as "not sweet" while devouring the whole piece was the highest praise a pastry could receive.

"Marvelous!"

The student drained the tea, his eyes bright. "You have a wonderful talent, Mistress. Setting up a stall on the roadside is a waste of your skills... Please, give me three more to take home for my sister."

He then paid generously for the additional three pieces.

Wei Jinyun picked up three more, wrapped them in oil paper, and handed them over. "Would you care to leave a message, young master?" she asked with a smile.

She unhurriedly took a stack of square paper strips and a brush from her satchel and opened her portable inkstone.

"What do you mean by a message?" The student was intrigued. "You even carry a portable inkstone at your food stall? That is quite something."

This had been her first business deal with Zhang Renbai. The portable inkstone functioned like a natural ink reservoir, allowing her to dip her brush directly without having to grind the ink. Zhang Renbai had wanted to gift it to her, but she insisted on paying. A gift of such value, if seen by others, would be perceived quite differently from the small gifts of pastries she exchanged with neighbors. However, she could never win against Zhang Renbai; she eventually accepted some free paper, which her grandmother and sisters carefully cut into strips.

"It is for customers who have tasted the pastries to leave a note. Once finished, I hang them on the cart. Whether it is about the flavor of the pastries, their mood for the day, or their wishes for the future—anything will do."

Wei Jinyun prepared a large wooden board and hung it on the side of her cart. It was her best message board and a living signboard.

"How interesting."

Wu Sheng, who was standing nearby, laughed. "Brother Zhu, you are a man of great literary talent. Why not compose a few lines for this young lady's pastries?"

"Yes, indeed!"

Wu Sheng often brought his classmates to his mother’s pancake stall. Now, they were all crowded together, eating egg pancakes and watching the spectacle with keen interest.

"Very well, I shall write one."

The student immediately composed a poem. Amidst the chorus of praise from those behind him, Wei Jinyun used rice paste to affix it to the wooden board.

"It is no wonder you are Brother Zhu; your poetry is truly excellent." Another student behind him chimed in with admiration. "It makes my hands itch to write as well. Young lady, give me a piece too."

The one called "Brother Zhu" headed home with an egg pancake in his left hand and "Exquisite Snow" in his right, accompanied by a chorus of compliments.

"It is delicious. Brother Wu, why don't you have a piece?" A student finished his in one bite and praised, "It is very refreshing, and the tea is good, too—plus it’s free."

"I will pass," Wu Sheng waved his hand. "That costs as much as two of my mother's egg pancakes."

"I will treat you, then." The man hooked his arm around Wu Sheng’s shoulder and turned to Mistress Qian nearby. "Auntie Qian, add an extra egg to my order later, please."

Auntie Qian agreed, beaming from ear to ear.

Wu Sheng received a piece of pastry, sniffed it first, then took a slow bite. His eyebrows arched; the soft texture and the ethereal floral scent conquered him instantly. He rarely ate snacks, but when Wei Jinyun handed him the brush, he shyly wrote: *Today I ate a very delicious jasmine pastry.* His classmates nearby laughed until their faces turned sideways.

"Give me a piece!"

"Two to take home. Can I drink the tea here now?"

"A bowl of tea, please, to go with my egg pancake."

"Buy the pastry first! You are always trying to take advantage—it’s unscholarly!"

"..."

There were not only students at the entrance of the prefectural academy; passersby, seeing the commotion, were also curious enough to buy some to take home.

Wei Jinyun had not prepared much. The final ten pieces were bought in bulk by a woman dressed in red.

"My second brother loves sweets. My apologies to you all," she said, giving an apologetic smile to the remaining students in line, her phoenix eyes crinkling.

"Ah, let's disperse." One student walked away a few steps before pacing back. "Will you be here tomorrow, young lady?"

"Naturally."

Wei Jinyun agreed. She finished tidying up the last few teacups and slowly began to push her cart.

Wei Jinyun had only prepared sixty pieces of pastry today; she did not want to overproduce. Good things are precious for their refinement and the way they leave people longing for more.

She set up her stall at the academy entrance for two reasons. The first was to supplement her household income. After deducting costs, she had made over two hundred coins today. The weight of the coins in her satchel gave her a feeling of immense wealth.

The second, and most important, was to build a reputation. She wanted everyone passing by to recognize her, love her pastries, and know the name "Yun Lai Xiang." That was the name she had chosen for her future shop.

Wei Jinyun hummed a tune as she left the academy. As the twilight deepened, raindrops began to fall on the back of her hand. Summer was always rainy, and soon the pitter-patter intensified. She unfolded the rain cover on her cart, carefully placed the message board underneath for protection, and slowed her pace.

Passing a bridge, she saw small vendors hurriedly packing their wares and running home with their shoulder poles. The wind picked up, and Wei Jinyun saw a peddler of trinkets running past with his baskets, the small windmills on his back spinning rapidly.

Intrigued, she reached out to stop him and bought two. The peddler wiped the rain from his face, laughing and crying as he made his final sale of the day.

Wei Jinyun stuck the windmills onto her cart. As the wind blew past her, the two bamboo windmills creaked and spun.

Wei Jinyun watched the two little windmills and smiled. Her sisters would surely love them. She wondered what they were doing at home. She hoped they weren't out running around with Master Meng again, getting soaked to the bone.

As she reached the middle of the bridge, a rhythmic sound of horse hooves approached, slow and steady. She looked up and saw several riders in matching red martial attire, wearing bamboo hats and straw rain capes, their long swords at their sides.

The man in the lead had a tall, upright posture. He sat firmly on his horse, his face obscured by the shadows of the rain and mist. Although Wei Jinyun’s cart was exquisite, it took up space on the narrow bridge. She instinctively pulled the cart to the side and said respectfully, "Please, my lords, go ahead."

Lu Lan’s gaze lingered for a moment on the banner of the small cart, where the two windmills were spinning briskly. He said nothing, merely nodding in acknowledgment.

He then tapped his horse’s flank and passed calmly through the path Wei Jinyun had cleared. The patrolling guards behind him followed suit, quickly disappearing to the other side of the bridge and merging into the curtain of rain.

By the time Wei Jinyun reached the vicinity of her shop, the rain had gradually ceased.

"Sister is back!"

The two sisters saw her cart and came running faster than the wind she had bought, splashing mud onto the hems of their skirts.