Volume One: Flames on the Frontier Chapter Fifteen: The Victory Banquet

Deng'er pushed and blocked, saying, "This is woman's work. Brother, you should rest for a while." He Yu smiled, knowing he couldn't persuade her otherwise. With nothing else to do, he sat on a wooden stump and watched her busy about.

At that time, when people entertained guests, the dishes were simple and the cooking methods rather monotonous—roasting, steaming, or chopping ingredients to make soups or stews, seasoned mainly with sauces. Deng'er placed the cleaned carp and chopped pork into the steamer and heated them over a strong fire. Once cooked, she took them out, set them on plates, cut them into small pieces, and served them with saltwater or sauce.

He Yu had long before tasted food prepared this way; compared to later methods, it was much more primitive. This was still an agricultural society, with almost no environmental pollution, and all the ingredients were pure, natural, and healthy. Upon savoring them, he could taste a unique sweetness. Over time, he had grown fond of this original style of eating.

Since they had bought a large pig, there was more than enough pork, too much to finish at once, and they worried it might spoil. So Deng'er became generous, and the two of them dined heartily that noon. Deng'er was kind-hearted and always let He Yu eat more of the good things, taking little or none for herself. Just a few days before, she had secretly hidden the meat of two hens she had slaughtered, tucking it into He Yu's provisions.

But today, with no need to worry about running out of pork, Deng'er ate without restraint, grease covering her lips as she exclaimed at the deliciousness. As she gnawed a bone, she suddenly grew worried. "Brother Yu, for tomorrow's banquet, we only need about forty pounds of pork. What should we do with all the leftover meat?"

He Yu had already considered this. "First, let's indulge ourselves and eat as much as we like. If we still can't finish it, we can render the fat for oil and salt the lean meat to make preserved pork."

"But... but salt is expensive. If we continue to eat and drink like this, people will laugh at us," Deng'er replied hesitantly. Salt was essential to the human body, and since the Han Dynasty, it had been a state monopoly for most periods, a major source of national revenue, and a strategic resource.

(Northern China during the Eastern Jin was plagued by frequent wars, and the state monopoly system had all but collapsed. Privately sold salt was often even more expensive. In fact, sun-drying salt was not difficult and cost next to nothing compared to the price, but government monopoly kept prices high for generations, making salt unaffordable for many. The huge profit margins, and the fact that salt was indispensable, led to widespread illicit salt trading. Since the cost was so low, smugglers could sell private salt far below the official price and still make a fortune. The quality of contraband and official salt was nearly identical, but the price gap was huge, so people willingly bought from smugglers. Salt smuggling severely impacted state revenue and was always harshly suppressed by the government. In general, whether official or private, salt was far more expensive than in modern times, especially during periods of unrest, when hoarding and price gouging were common. There were even households that went months without tasting anything salty.)

He Yu hadn't considered the salt price, but then thought: since they had already bought the pig, why worry over the cost of salt? If things became difficult, brine from crude salt would still give flavor to their dishes, even if the taste was odd. With this explanation, Deng'er no longer fretted about the salt.

It was her first time organizing a banquet, and she took nothing lightly, considering and reconsidering every detail. Even at night, when she woke, she would add fuel to the stove.

He Yu realized that Deng'er now truly saw herself as mistress of their small household. Women are always attentive to home; she toiled away, but there was an unspoken sense of accomplishment and contentment within her.

After midday, neighbors began to arrive in twos and threes for the feast. He Yu stood at the door, greeting the guests, then led them into the west room, which had already been tidied. As they took their seats, Deng'er served tea, and He Yu accompanied them, exchanging talk of crops, livestock, and family matters.

As night fell, the guests were all present and the banquet began. At the time, meals were served individually, two people sharing a long table. Deng'er carried in the trays, setting out the dishes and fruits—carp, pork, oranges, red dates, and more. The spring wine had been warmed, and He Yu poured for each guest in turn. Glasses were raised as all together congratulated He Yu on his new position. Most of the guests were elders; He Yu dared not presume, so he respectfully stood aside and bowed deeply in return.

Ancient etiquette was elaborate, and He Yu had initially found it hard to adapt, but with time he slowly got used to it. In the past, every occasion had its appropriate ritual, strictly observed. Modern manners are much less formal, and without these rituals, conversations can become awkward. In this respect, the complexity or simplicity of etiquette in ancient and modern times has both advantages and drawbacks.

According to custom, each guest brought a congratulatory gift of several dozen or a hundred coins, expecting no more than a small piece of mutton and a cup of wine in return. Yet today, they found before them heaping plates of pork—such abundance was astonishing—and the wine jugs lined up in a row. Their appetites were instantly whetted, and without waiting for the host’s urging, they began to eat and drink with gusto.

Most of the guests were elders from neighboring families, who at first tried to maintain their dignity and ate with restraint. But after a few cups, as the wine took hold, all pretense was forgotten, and they ate and drank heartily.

Times were hard, and ordinary farming families lived in poverty, rarely able to eat their fill of meat even once in a lifetime. Such an opportunity could not be wasted. Some guests, even as they ate, thought, "Such a sumptuous table—if only we could take some home for the family to enjoy at leisure."

After drinking for a while, an old man with white hair stood up, swaying, and raised his cup. "Since the young master has set a feast today, we must offer song and dance to liven the occasion!" The company cheered, and some like-minded guests joined in, tumbling into the dance.

The white-haired elder was quite the scholar. He clapped his hands and sang:

A man should strive for strength,
No need for many companions.
The hawk soars across the sky,
While sparrows flock by the river.

Everyone danced and echoed the song, their voices shaking the rafters. He Yu was aware of the ancient tradition of composing songs at banquets—Han Gaozu, returning home in triumph, sang the "Song of the Great Wind," a classic passed down the ages.

He did not know the music or dance of old, but seeing the guests so enthusiastic, and the lyrics so bold and vigorous, he felt inspired. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and tapped a bowl, creating a rhythmic accompaniment.

When the song and dance ended, all returned to their seats. One of He Yu’s peers, dressed as a village scholar, lifted his cup and, with mock erudition, half-jokingly proclaimed, "Yu of Jiangdong is a man of talent and valor. We deeply admire him. Surely he must also excel in song and dance. Will you not honor us with a melody from the South, that we might be dazzled and the northern lands illuminated?"

Another round of cheers erupted. He Yu was startled, his face flushing red as he waved his hands, indicating that he was not skilled in song or dance. But the guests, emboldened by wine, refused to let him decline.

He Yu thought to himself, "There's no escaping this—I’ll have to embarrass myself. My voice isn’t bad, but I only know modern songs. Singing one of those in this ancient setting would seem out of place."

Then inspiration struck. "The Eastern Jin is not far from the Three Kingdoms—why not sing 'River All Red,' with lyrics by Yang Shen of the Ming Dynasty and performed in our time by Yang Hongji? It suits the occasion perfectly."

After a moment's thought, He Yu stood, bowed to all around, apologized for his lack of skill, then tapped out a rhythm and, using his hometown dialect, began to sing:

The mighty Yangtze rolls eastward,
Its waves have washed away all heroes.
Right and wrong, triumph and defeat,
Turn to nothing in the end.
The green hills remain,
How many sunsets have they seen?
Old fishermen and woodcutters on the river’s shore,
Are used to autumn moon and spring breeze.
A jug of cloudy wine brings happy meetings.
How many affairs, past and present,
Are all turned to idle talk and laughter?

When the song ended, the guests were in awe. The village scholar exclaimed, "Such tragic grandeur, it stirs the soul! Jiangdong is known not only for its literary brilliance, but also for its heroic, passionate songs!"

According to custom, women could not attend the feast. Deng'er peered from behind a bamboo screen, watching the lively scene. Seeing Brother Yu so poised and eloquent, she thought even Zhou Yu of the Three Kingdoms was nothing compared to him. She was lost in her thoughts, her face flushed, her heart pounding.

The drinking and feasting lasted till midnight, and as the guests grew tipsy, they prepared to take their leave. He Yu was a hearty drinker and never refused a cup, but fortunately the wine was homemade rice wine; if it had been the strong liquor of later ages, he would have passed out long ago. Even so, by now he felt the effects of the wine. Seeing the guests ready to go, he did not insist they stay. With a clap of his hands, Deng'er emerged from behind the screen, carrying a tray with several strings of copper coins.

He Yu bowed with clasped fists. "I am a stranger here, and have only managed thanks to the help of my good neighbors. Today’s humble feast is my way of saying thanks. Your gifts are truly unnecessary—your presence is honor enough!"

The guests protested, but He Yu would not let them refuse. He personally returned each string of coins to them.

They had eaten and drunk for half the night, and not a cent was taken. The neighbors demurred out of politeness, but inwardly they were delighted, and their esteem for He Yu rose greatly.

After a few more words of courtesy, the guests, sated and happy, departed.

Deng'er, tray in hand, pouted. "Brother Yu, we already accepted the gifts—why return them? The food and drink were all for nothing!"

He Yu burst out laughing. "Little Deng'er, are you feeling the loss?" He feigned drunken boldness, scooped her into his arms, sat her on his knee, and kissed her on the lips.

Deng'er was caught off guard, falling right into his embrace. She stamped her foot in mock annoyance, "Silly brother, you’re drunk!" But as she spoke, she smiled sweetly, broke free from his arms, and her cheeks flushed scarlet.

It is not the wine that intoxicates, but the feeling itself; not the flowers that bewitch, but the heart that is moved. Embracing such beauty and tasting her sweetness, He Yu felt a happiness and delight beyond words.

The night was deep and the table a mess. Suddenly, He Yu remembered Deng'er had been working all day and hadn’t eaten dinner yet. He urged her to eat.

Deng'er continued clearing the dishes, calling out, "Brother, you rest first. Once I’ve finished cleaning up, I’ll eat."

He Yu thought, after all these hours, the food and wine must be cold and would need reheating. He quietly slipped into the kitchen, planning to show off a little by warming up some dishes for her. Suddenly, inspiration struck. The local cooking was rudimentary, nothing like the refined dishes of later times. Why not prepare a few dishes in the modern style, just for Deng'er? She would surely love it.

Without further ado, he washed his hands and set to cooking.

Since most of the ingredients were already cooked, it wasn’t difficult. Before long, he had made braised carp, braised pork, pork rib soup, and scrambled eggs with chives.

"Brother, brother, where are you?"