They had dinner in the inn. Since Mu Zhongqing was in poor health and couldn’t eat anything too greasy, Lady Du ordered dumplings with pork and cabbage filling, extra cabbage, less pork, plus a plate of boiled peanuts, a plate of cold spinach, and a plate of stir-fried bacon with dried shoots.
Ever since her transmigration, Cai Wei’s appetite had intensified. She was never satisfied without meat in her meals. Such a light meal was not to her liking. After hastily eating a few bites, she was ready to explore the night market.
Seeing Cai Wei’s enthusiastic preparations, Lady Du and Mu Zhongqing couldn’t bear to refuse her. After dark, they let Zhang Bo drive the horse carriage and the whole family set off for the excursion.
As the New Year was approaching, it was peak time for shopping for the New Year’s goods. Every shop on the street, in an effort to attract business, had colorful lights hung up. Even the small stalls set along the roadside had a couple of red lanterns hanging up for the occasion. The line of stalls and shops stretched the length of the night market. Illuminated by thousands of lanterns, the entire night market was as bright as day and exceptionally bustling.
Some people who were busy working during the daytime were now out and about, leisurely wandering about the bustling market. Many stalls sold various items, most of which sold fireworks and firecrackers, couplets and lucky character posters. There were also stalls selling bits and bobs, cotton cloth, or pots and pans, cooking essentials. The market stalls filled the street from end to end, creating a lively scene.
Cai Wei and her siblings crowded at the carriage window, happily watching the night scene. Under the watchful care of their parents, Cai Wei felt like a real thirteen-year-old girl, lively and cheerful. She was interested in everything she saw. When she saw a stall selling roast duck pancakes, she insisted on going to eat.
Lady Du was worried that the food outside wouldn’t be clean and discouraged her a bit, but to her surprise, Mu Zhongqing stopped the horse carriage and said to Cai Wei, "Let’s go, Wei’er. Dad will take you to eat."
Upon hearing this, the younger kids also clamored to go. Lady Du pretended to be angry and shot her husband a glance, complaining, "It’s all your fault. As soon as you come back, you teach the children to create a disorder. Wait till you spoil them. What will you do then?"
When his wife scolded him, Mu Zhongqing wasn’t annoyed at all. He chuckled and said, "Our children are naturally good. No matter how much we spoil them, they won’t get spoiled."
Lady Du had no choice but to get off the carriage, and the whole family headed straight for the roast duck stall.
"Lady He’s Roast Duck, Lady He’s Roast Duck. Come on, everyone, try it. This is our Qing County He family’s secret dish. Even the current official ate it and couldn’t stop praising the special roast duck! You can taste the delicacy from hundreds of miles away without leaving your home. If you miss this opportunity, you may not have another chance. Come on, buy it—"
The vendor stood in front of the stall, energetically beckoning for business. At a nearby stall, a few men in robes were sipping drinks leisurely, tasting the roast duck.
Cai Wei walked over and saw that the roast duck was juicy and golden. The skin was golden yellow and crispy, the duck meat was sliced piece by piece and neatly arranged on the plate. A dish of finely cut spring onions, a dish of sweet flour sauce, a dish of thin lotus leaf cakes were lined up next to the roast duck. It looked very appetizing at first glance.
"Miss, want to eat roast duck? Five hundred copper for one; lotus leaf cake, sweet flour sauce, and spring onions are free."
The vendor saw that Cai Wei was neatly dressed, in a pink fine cotton cloth top without a patch, a clear sign that she was from a well-off family. He was sure that she could afford the price of 500 wen, so he tried his best to win her business.
"Five hundred copper?"
Passersby exclaimed in surprise: "So expensive, it’s almost a rip-off."
Cai Wei also thought it was a bit expensive. No wonder the only customers at the stall were those in robes, not a single one in short clothes. It turned out that not everyone could afford such a dish.