“I hear Pang has been staying at a temple lately, praying for blessings?” asked a young lady in a pomegranate-colored silk gauze dress, her voice light and teasing.
Second Young Lady Pang, standing by the pavilion, smiled nervously. “Yes, that’s right.”
“Which temple might that be?” the girl pressed, a sweet yet pointed smile curling her lips.
All the noble ladies turned their attention to Pang.
“It’s Guangming Temple in Chongxian Ward,” Pang answered after a moment. “Their abbess, Venerable Yuanjue, is very learned in Buddhist doctrine.”
“Ah, Guangming Temple—” the girl in pomegranate smiled meaningfully, eyes glinting.
Beside her, a young lady dressed in jade-colored silk fanned herself with a round fan, eyebrows arched in curiosity. “This year’s summer cakes from Guangming Temple taste different—quite delicious. Could it be Pang’s recipe?”
Second Young Lady Pang instinctively glanced toward Shen Shaoguang at her stall. She wanted to deny it, but hesitated—rarely did she have a chance to shine in public.
“Does the Pang family have private recipes? They must be old ones from Jingzhou or Shu,” the pomegranate-dressed lady continued, her tone silk-soft but sharp. Mentioning Jingzhou and Shu was a thinly veiled jab at the Pang family’s shallow roots.
A ripple of laughter ran through the noble ladies.
A lady in an osmanthus-colored robe with gold embroidery, evidently the leader, playfully swatted the teasing girl’s hand. “Twelfth Sister, you’re at it again! Don’t take offense, Pang.”
Pang’s face turned pale. She bit her lip, torn between leaving or speaking up, but ultimately remained silent.
Shen Shaoguang, meanwhile, stirred the small stove with fire tongs, keeping the zongzi warm. She clicked her tongue inwardly—today, the usually domineering Pang appeared genuinely pitiful. Some people were better left unmingled.
The gold-embroidered lady called out, “We’ve rested enough. Let’s go look over there.”
A small maid advised cautiously, “There are many people there, Fifth Miss should be careful not to get jostled.”
The pomegranate-dressed girl waved off concern. “It’s fine. I see the Capital Prefecture’s people are there.” She winked at the leader, who gave a mock glare, and the group walked off along the main road.
Passing Shen Shaoguang’s stall, the jade-robed lady noticed the circle of ai wowo cakes on the bamboo rack. Puzzled, she glanced from Shen Shaoguang to Pang but kindly refrained from mentioning the earlier teasing. Pang, aware of the baked goods, felt her mood sour further.
Slowing her pace, the jade-robed lady leaned in to whisper to Pang, “You should know your place! Not everyone is suitable for you to associate with!” Then she hurried ahead.
Pang stopped, tears welling up. Her composure finally broke; she began to cry.
Shen Shaoguang, feeling awkward, lowered her head, pretending to doze.
Yet Pang approached, still nasal from crying. “Stop pretending! I know you heard everything.”
Shen Shaoguang chuckled lightly, rubbing her nose. “Would Young Lady Pang like a bowl of jasmine tea to quench your thirst?”
What she said was casual, yet Pang accepted the tea, surprising Shen Shaoguang.
The maid beside her whispered, “Fifth Miss and the others have gone far ahead…”
“They’ve already humiliated me; why should I chase after them?” Pang muttered.
Shen Shaoguang observed Pang’s youthful, pretty face, and sighed inwardly—she was still only sixteen or seventeen. Offering a small plate of ai wowo cakes, Shen Shaoguang returned to her dough, while Pang quietly ate, her maids exchanging knowing glances but remaining silent.
After finishing the cakes and tea, Pang’s mood improved slightly. “I’m leaving,” she said softly, hesitant to add “thank you.”
Shen Shaoguang hummed amusement to herself—such a young girl!
Though unaware of all the noble ladies’ identities, Shen Shaoguang surmised that the teasing related to the handsome young Assistant Capital Magistrate. Later, asking Abbess Yuanjue, she learned that he belonged to the prestigious Lin family of Hedong, a family with centuries of influence. Already a fourth-rank official at such a young age, he was destined for greatness. Shen Shaoguang shook her head—Pang’s girlish feelings would likely come to nothing.
As the Dragon Boat Festival progressed, Shen Shaoguang’s stall thrived. Ai wowo sold out, zongzi baskets emptied quickly, while jasmine tea lingered. Unbothered, she sipped her own tea slowly.
Gongs and drums thundered over the river as the races began. Shen Shaoguang could only glimpse the backs of heads and cranes her neck to watch. The Red Team—composed of the Crown Prince and princes’ generals—won the championship, as expected under unwritten rules of prestige.
With the crowds thinning post-race, Shen Shaoguang moved her stall under trees, steaming the remaining zongzi. Sitting on her folding stool, she counted earnings and dreamed of a modest future, perhaps owning property in the capital, or even a quiet estate among mountains and rivers.
The imperial procession departed, and Qujiang returned to the prefecture’s jurisdiction. Lin Yan, the Assistant Capital Magistrate, strolled slowly along the river, smiling faintly.
Knocking gently on her table, he startled Shen Shaoguang awake. “Would the young lord like some zongzi or jasmine tea?” she asked, smiling.
“I’ll have the jasmine tea,” Lin Yan replied. Shen Shaoguang refilled the stove, brewed fresh tea, and served him a bowl, pale yellow-green with floating jasmine petals.
Lin Yan sipped, then asked, “Is the young lady content among the common markets?”
Shen Shaoguang blinked, surprised by his sudden question. “With the world so peaceful and Chang’an so prosperous, I am naturally content,” she replied with a polite smile, flattering yet careful.
Lin Yan gave an ambiguous smile, drank slowly, and rose.
Shen Shaoguang smiled lightly. “Five coins for the tea, young lord.”
Lin Yan reached into his purse, laid five coins neatly on the table, and strolled away with a faint, composed smile.
Shen Shaoguang watched him disappear among the thinning crowd, a small sigh escaping her lips. She had secretly hoped for one last tip of the day.
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