The main story is complete. I'll open a separate book for the extras, which will be free to read.
[Coming soon: A Day in the Life of a Beijing Office Worker. Add it to your library!]
Set in an imaginary Song dynasty, a gentle, slow-paced story featuring a few distinctive Song-style dishes.
A little teaser:
As a noblewoman in the capital, Cheng Qing had a problem none of the other noblewomen had: she blushed whenever she felt embarrassed.
One day she met the male lead. Because he was handsome, young ladies kept flirting with him. But he was hopelessly clueless, and could shut them down with a single sentence.
Cheng Qing: Another day of feeling embarrassed on behalf of a young lady. (Blushing)
The clueless male lead: Why does this woman keep blushing? She's making it way too obvious that she likes me.
The everyday-life version: As a noblewoman in the capital, Cheng Qing is very fond of Bianliang.
Bianliang has more public bathhouses than anywhere else in the country.
Bianliang has the grandest lantern festival in the country.
Bianliang has more street-food stalls than anywhere else in the country.
In Bianliang, flower sellers ride white horses as they sell their flowers.
But...
Bianliang is full of noblewomen.
Its noblewomen are the most talented and accomplished in the country.
And every one of them is looking for a good husband.
Cheng Qing's take: I'll enjoy my own life. You can all go find your husbands!
The literary version: The seasons pass, each different from the last.
Qing'er looks up and sees the orchid that heralds the new year tucked beside Lian'er's temple.
Note: Some of the customs are based on research in two Song dynasty texts, Dongjing Meng Hua Lu and Meng Liang Lu. Here I pay tribute to their authors, Meng Yuanlao and Wu Zimu. Please forgive any mistakes.
Coming-soon story:
A Zhou is an escort at the Cang'er Escort Agency. After transporting goods to a deranged island lord, an overbearing bandit, and an old man who pretended to be emperor for his own amusement, A Zhou thought nothing could surprise her anymore.
Then she worked up the courage to tell her employer, Shen Shuhuai, "I like you." Shen Shuhuai looked puzzled. "Haven't we been together for a long time?" A Zhou burst out, "Since when?"
"That day, when the weather was lovely. You were on the second floor, drying your freshly washed hair. I came through the escort agency's door and told you, 'Let's be together.' You tilted your head and smiled at me. Didn't that mean you'd said yes?"
A Zhou thought back to that day. She'd gotten water in her ears while washing her hair and couldn't hear a thing over the ringing, so all she could do was smile vaguely at Shen Shuhuai.
The autumn wind brought a chill. Shen Shuhuai took her hand. "It's not too late to start now."
Theme: The heroine treats the strong with dignity and compassionately looks after the weak, showing her self-respect and self-worth
I found that almost all the women in this book are courageous and knowledgeable. For example, the ladies in charge of the house take care of the housework, the young girls take the initiative and be brave when they like people, and the servants and maids are also eloquent, which is really good.
Seeing this, my scalp suddenly went numb, and I remembered the word "Nanke" in a book written by Wang Jue a long time ago. It turns out that the peace and beauty that once existed have long passed.
What's going on hahahaha
I was surprised when I saw it at the end. Why did I feel that Cheng Qing was a little bit better?
It took me three days to read it intermittently. I really liked it. I haven't seen such plain and touching writing among a bunch of industrial saccharine for a long time. The characters are also very likable. Whether it is the male and female protagonists, Jiawen, Da Niangzi, Ruiwen, or Achan, they are all lively and free in the article, and the rhythm of the last few shots is also particularly good. I am very glad that I chose this book from the random recommendation at the end of the chapter. I am grateful for meeting you. I wish the author and his wife all the best and happiness.
How much do you like it, so that you can give up the life of an official lady and go into business for the lover you have known for less than a year, and live far away from your relatives and hometown to live in the south of the Yangtze River... The first part is really good, but the endings of the last two couples feel a little bit broken.
It's over. I don't know why I feel so warm that I want to cry. Thank you for meeting such an ordinary and healing text.
I don't know why I cried
In fact, I don't quite understand Feng Ye's attitude towards his wife...
I like it very much. When I watched it for the first time, I wanted to watch them fall in love. When I read it for the second time, I realized that this is a novel that makes people feel at peace. I also like the author's description of the Song Dynasty. I want to read "Tokyo Dreams" when I have time. Thank you for the author's recommendation!