Chapter 1814 - The Dong Family Shop

Though mealtime hadn't yet arrived, quite a few customers had already gathered at the entrance. Judging from their dress, nearly half were "eating Australian rice"—owing to matters of taste, local citizens of any standing rarely patronized the establishment. Instead, many laborers from the lower classes came to sample the novelty.

At the shop entrance, beneath an extended awning, stood a large stove. Dong Xiang sweated profusely as he spread pancakes on the iron griddle. These pancakes were indistinguishable from the assorted grain pancakes of later eras—also fashioned from various grain flours mixed into batter and griddled. But the Dong Family Shop's batter came in two varieties: one was pure mixed grains, the other included wheat flour, costing somewhat more.

As for the fillings wrapped inside—since giant scallions didn't grow locally, cucumber served as the basic option. But the variety of other fillings was rich: vegetables, pickles, crispy crackers, fried dough sticks, plus braised and sliced meats and organ meats. Take your pick at any price point. Large portions, cheap prices—the very definition of "poor man's delight."

Li Ziyu hadn't even entered the shop when Dong Xiang, busy at the griddle, called out enthusiastically: "Hey! Officer Li, it's been ages! Please come in—I'll grill yours as soon as I finish this one!"

The shop's back door opened onto Nanjianzi Alley, which fell within Li Ziyu's patrol territory. The Dong mother and daughter were also on the Political Security Bureau's "special register," so they had received Li Ziyu's "attention" from the start.

As a patrol officer, Li Ziyu spent over ten hours daily on the street. When hungry, buying a pancake cost little yet proved filling. He had become a regular customer, and through this commerce, had grown quite familiar with the family.

"Please don't—this New Life emphasizes order above all. I'd better queue up at the back, ha." Noticing the murderous glares from those waiting in line, Li Ziyu hastily waved off Dong Xiang's offer to jump the queue. Never mind discipline—quite a few in line were genuine "old Australian hands." He, a newly-minted "Australian hand," had best know his place.

"Right, right—then please sit inside first. I'll bring yours over when I serve it." Dong Xiang smiled apologetically while calling toward the interior: "Orchid! Get Officer Li a bowl of congee first!"

Li Ziyu lifted the bamboo curtain and stepped inside—the whole body felt suddenly cool and refreshed. About a dozen small tables occupied the space. Against one wall, a cabinet counter wiped sparkling clean displayed seven or eight large porcelain jars draped with gauze—filled with various drinking accompaniments: boiled sprouted beans, dressed bean sprouts, Australian pickles, boiled razor clams... Behind the counter sat wine jars and congee barrels. Wine vessels, bowls, and chopsticks gleamed spotlessly. The entire effect was crisp and hygienic.

Since it wasn't yet mealtime, not a single customer sat inside. The woman minding the counter was in her early twenties—Dong Xiang's wife Orchid. Seeing Li Ziyu enter, she hurried over to attend him, guiding him to a table with a smile: "Officer Li, it's been ages since you've graced our humble shop! I hear you've been promoted?"

Li Ziyu affected modesty: "What promotion? I've merely been transferred to the municipal bureau."

"That's not a promotion?" Orchid returned with a bowl of cool tea. "Our young miss speaks of you often. She said you suddenly stopped coming to our shop—and wondered whether we'd been negligent somehow and given offense..."

"Not at all, not at all. I was transferred to the municipal bureau, so this isn't my patrol area anymore. Naturally I couldn't come as often." Li Ziyu hurried to explain, anxious that anyone overhearing might misunderstand. The bureau maintained very strict oversight of relationships between patrol officers and the merchants and residents of their beats.

"That relieves me. Let me go fetch our young miss—she mentions you often. Officer Li, have a few sips first to quench your thirst. I'll bring your congee shortly." Before she'd finished speaking, she had already headed inside.

Li Ziyu took a sip of cool tea—to his Cantonese palate, this herbal tea was brewed quite wrong: wrong ingredients, wrong flavor, wrong steeping time. But reflecting that Dong Mingdang had personally brewed it made drinking it rather pleasant nonetheless.

Before long, a young woman of sixteen or seventeen with a light, graceful figure emerged from within, pushing aside the curtain. She wore a blue-bottomed cocoon-silk pleated skirt and an ink-green sleeveless jacket with a short-sleeved over-blouse. Her hair was adorned with a kingfisher-feather gold hairpin—both simple and dignified. Her expression was thoroughly self-possessed. With a sweet smile, she approached Li Ziyu and offered a curtsey: "Blessings to Officer Li."

Though young, her bearing was calm, her speech practiced. Her presence commanded the room before a word was spoken. Li Ziyu sprang up, about to salute—then suddenly remembered he wore civilian clothes and hastily said: "I don't deserve such courtesy. My respects."

"Officer Li is too kind." Dong Mingdang smiled slightly. "Please sit."

Once both were seated and initial pleasantries exchanged, Dong Mingdang said: "A few days ago, thanks to Officer Li for driving off those ruffians and beggars. Otherwise, this servant's shop probably couldn't have operated. I wished to thank Officer Li properly when you came, but you've been absent so long. I wondered whether we'd been remiss somewhere and given you cause for anger..."

As Dong Mingdang spoke, her dimpled smile and luminous glances nearly made Li Ziyu lose his composure.

After all, she's a young lady from a great household. Every gesture is different from ordinary folk. Li Ziyu thought privately.

"Not at all, not at all. Cracking down on street hooligans and maintaining normal social order is the duty of us patrol officers. That day I happened to pass by and naturally couldn't stand idly by." Li Ziyu proudly deployed the doctrine he'd learned at the police bureau, feeling quite the chivalric hero.

Dong Mingdang covered her mouth and laughed, momentarily leaving Li Ziyu dazed.

"Great Song police are truly unlike the constables and runners of the former Ming. Each one is a righteous champion. For us common folk to live in peace, we depend entirely on Officer Li and his colleagues." Dong Mingdang's timely flattery struck precisely the right notes.

"Not at all, not at all. It's all thanks to the chiefs' excellent leadership." Li Ziyu knew that no matter the dynasty, keeping "imperial favor and constitutional virtue" on one's lips was never wrong. "I was merely a minor military household from Guangzhou Guard. Without the Elder Council's selection, I could never have become a police officer. All thanks to the chiefs' guidance and the Elder Council's enlightened policies."

Li Ziyu spoke truthfully. In the past, without the Australians' stringent policies and comprehensive governance, who knew what might have befallen the Dong mother and daughter? Whether seized by powerful lords or ensnared by scoundrels—by now they might already have been trafficked to some brothel. Just recently, several parties had harbored designs on the Dong mother and daughter. Only now, with the Australians' strict laws and universal intervention, did no one dare act rashly. That the Dong mother and daughter enjoyed their current circumstances—they truly owed gratitude to the Elder Council.

"Officer Li, this servant also recognizes that Great Song's governance is good. This servant and my mother were once forcibly abducted from Shandong. The suffering of being helpless and stranded far from home—this servant understands all too well. Whatever I can do to assist, I shall certainly try my utmost."

"Officer Li—this servant knows Great Song regulations forbid accepting gifts. This is some dried Lonicera flowers from my mother's hometown in Pingyi—I noticed some for sale in town and purchased a bit. Just a small token for Officer Li. It's nothing valuable—please do accept..." Before Li Ziyu could voice polite refusals, Dong Mingdang had pressed a paper bag into his hands. Li Ziyu was about to decline when a fragrance—musky yet orchid-like, seeming present yet not—drifted to his nostrils, momentarily clouding his reason. By the time he collected himself, Dong Mingdang had already smiled and retreated inside.

"Officer Li, just accept it! This trifle doesn't count as bribery!" Orchid laughed as she brought over a tray.

Upon the tray sat a bowl of thin congee—unlike the thick, sticky Cantonese variety, this was genuine "thin congee," mostly water with rice grains settled at the bottom. Being summer, some mung beans had been added. Drinking it was cool and refreshing—perfect paired with the heavily-flavored pancakes. Besides the thin congee, there were two small dishes of pickles.

Li Ziyu's face instantly flushed. Too awkward to speak, too awkward to leave immediately, he could only drink his congee first.

Holding two pancake wraps, Li Ziyu returned to the police bureau as the sun was setting. Today Dong Mingdang's gift had caught him rather off guard. What did it signify? A small packet of dried Lonicera flowers naturally wasn't worth much—even Shandong imports cost only a few coins.

Yet what set his heart racing was the paper bag itself: thick Australian paper, nothing special in itself. But printed upon it were several stalks of orchids and fragrant grasses, the brushwork delicate and feminine—seemingly from a woman's hand.

Could this have been personally painted by Miss Dong? Li Ziyu considered this possibility and felt his pulse quicken. Could Dong Mingdang harbor feelings for him?

A young miss from an official's family like the Dongs—even if merely a concubine's daughter—in former times Li Ziyu wouldn't have dared dream of such a match. Even if someday he inherited his uncle's military commission, he'd have been merely a minor officer whom nobody valued. Impossible to marry the daughter of a fourth-rank magistrate.

But now it was Great Song's realm. Her father had long since "cut himself off from the Elder Council and the people." She, Dong Mingdang—in the past, she'd have been "a criminal's family member," destined for the entertainment quarters as a slave. While he, Li Ziyu, was an upstanding official under the Elder Council's banner...

Even thinking this way, he still felt he "didn't deserve" Dong Mingdang. Suddenly dejected, his resentment toward the Great Ming deepened further still.

The bureau was largely empty save for some duty staff. Li Ziyu headed toward the study room. He knew that naturalized police officers transferred from Hainan mostly killed time there since they had no homes to return to in Guangzhou.

Because of the relaxed recruitment standards, many complete illiterates had joined the patrol force. Chief Pan had established the study room—essentially a simple library—stocking newspapers, books, plus blackboards and other teaching equipment, enabling officers to study professional knowledge and acquaint themselves with Elder Council policies and directives during off-hours.

When the study room first opened, hardly anyone came to study. But after a policy linking exam performance to evaluations was implemented, the study room became popular. Especially in the days before monthly exams—without arriving early to claim a spot, there was absolutely no space.

Since this month's exam had just concluded, not many people occupied the study room. Those buried in books were mostly officers needing retakes... While hesitating, a small figure in the corner caught Li Ziyu's attention—that Lingao-transferred female household registration officer sat there quietly reading.

(End of Chapter)