Chapter 033: Fragrant Lotus Dumplings

The sunlight was gentle, the morning mist light and airy, warmth suffused the air, and the breeze carried the fragrance of flowers.

The flower garden in the Snow Bamboo grounds was lively, with the cherry trees shedding petals incessantly. The ground was carpeted in soft pink and white, and when a strong wind passed, petals were swept up into swirling dances, creating a scene of exquisite beauty.

“What are you all doing here?” Lan Shui approached the group, noticing that Xue Ze and Lianzi had stepped aside while Ji Lin was still up in the tree picking flowers. He asked, “Are you the ringleader again? Last time you went to Snow Peak searching for flowers, I hadn’t yet punished you, and now you seem restless once more?”

Ji Lin shook his head repeatedly, waving the cloth bag in his hand, “I’m not ruining these flowers, I’m gathering them for our junior sister to use as ingredients!”

With that, Ji Lin tossed the bag to Lan Shui, who caught it and opened it for a look. Inside were whole white and pink cherry blossoms, lovely, fresh, and subtly fragrant.

“What are you going to do with these? Are you trying to imitate Bai Yu the Spirit Maiden’s pastries? That seems a bit inappropriate!”

Xue Ze smiled gracefully, “You worry too much, senior brother. We’re only using them for decoration, not to offend our senior sister. The real ingredients are fragrant lotus from the secret Lotus Pond, honey peach preserves, glutinous rice flour, and so on. Why not stay and try them, offer your advice?”

“Yes, senior brother!” Lianzi urged Lan Shui, “Even second senior brother is joining us—why don’t you? We’re making fragrant lotus dumplings: thin-skinned, translucent, with a flavorful filling. Just imagining them makes my mouth water!”

Lan Shui returned the bag, smiling, “It all sounds wonderful—you’ve put your hearts into this. But I have important matters to attend to. Let Ji Lin fill my place. Besides, you’re making these for the Spirit Maiden; whether I taste them or not doesn’t matter.”

Xue Ze nodded, and Lianzi did not press the matter. Just then, Ji Lin jumped down from the tree, curious, “Senior brother, what did the master ask you to do? Should I go with you?”

“Few know of this matter, and I don’t wish to make it public. There’s been a disturbance in the mortal world, and I’m going to help Mu Fan sort it out. Once the situation is clear, I’ll return; there’s no need for your help. While I’m gone, take good care of our junior sisters, and assist the master diligently!”

“Alright! I’ll wait for your return!”

Ji Lin finished speaking, Lan Shui nodded, glanced at Xue Ze, and turned to leave.

Once Lan Shui had gone, Ji Lin took the bag of flowers and placed it in the small cottage by the flower garden, where some cooking utensils were stored.

Though disciples of Tianshan did not need to eat grains like mortals, they knew there was pleasure in cooking and tasting food, and thus sometimes busied themselves in the kitchen during leisure.

“Junior sister, if you need anything, just tell me! I wouldn’t dare disobey our senior brother’s instructions!” Ji Lin laughed and sat down at the table.

“Excellent! The more hands, the better!” Xue Ze glanced at Lianzi, “Find something for our dear second senior brother to do!”

Lianzi fetched a wooden basin and poured water into it. “These petals need washing, don’t they? Second senior brother, why don’t you take care of that?”

“Yes, yes, no problem!” Ji Lin emptied the flowers into the basin, and at once the water’s surface was covered with blossoms. “Actually, there’s no need to wash them—the environment here is so pure, and the flowers never wither…”

“Better to wash them! When I was in the mortal world, my mother taught me all ingredients should be cleaned. If Bai Yu the Spirit Maiden has the same habit, not washing them would be disrespectful!” Xue Ze spoke as she prepared the peach preserves.

The peaches had been picked that morning, perfectly ripe and fragrant.

“We’re starting now, then? Good—senior sister will make the peach preserves, second senior brother will wash the cherry blossoms, and I’ll make the dumplings!”

“You’re quite capable! But tell me, how do we make dumplings? The outer decoration is simple, and the peach filling isn’t difficult, but how do we make the dumpling itself?” Ji Lin was perplexed.

Lianzi smiled at Xue Ze and answered proudly, “Anything senior sister doesn’t know, I do! After so many years living in Orchid Pavilion, I’ve mastered these skills!”

“Oh, so you were in Orchid Pavilion, while junior sister was on Kunlun Mountain. How did you meet, and how did the rescue happen?”

Lianzi fell into memories, speaking slowly, “Years ago, officials sought to take over Orchid Pavilion for their own purposes. But the Pavilion Mistress was proud and followed only the Pavilion’s rules. Those seeking information had to enter and barter. One day, someone entered and argued with the Mistress, set fire to the courtyard, and stole several books. The Mistress did her best to extinguish the flames and calm the disaster, but could not retrieve what was lost.”

“So you were taken away at that time?”

“Yes. I heard the Empress of the Dai kingdom loved red lotus, so that person took a red lotus from the rear garden. The Mistress wanted to recover three lost volumes, but one fell into the Bitter River, one was scattered to the world, and one was used to feed the flames.”

“Used as kindling? Why burn that volume?”

“Perhaps in desperation—the thief knew escape was impossible and wished to destroy everything, burning the book and all possessions together. I was trapped inside, but thankfully senior sister appeared!”

Xue Ze nodded, “I was out for a stroll and saw the inn on fire, so I went in. I found nothing else, but did come away with a lotus seed.”

Ji Lin sighed, “Such good fortune—why don’t I ever encounter such things?”

“Senior brother, stop talking and look at how many flowers you’ve washed!” Lianzi teased him as she made the dumplings. “You’ll finish mixing the flour before you finish washing the petals!”

“So what? The flowers are added last, no rush. If you’re so capable, hurry senior sister along!”

Ji Lin laughed gleefully, as if he’d discovered a great secret. He now knew Lianzi’s weakness—a delight for someone as obstinate as he.

“My peach preserves are nearly done!” Xue Ze smiled, “The peaches are tender and fragrant, grinding them is quick. With a touch of seasoning and some mint, the filling is ready and can be set aside for use!”

Ji Lin was surprised, “That fast? But why add mint? Won’t its coolness overpower the sweet peach flavor, making it less of a dessert?”

“I think senior sister’s idea is right. Mint balances the sweetness without overpowering it,” Lianzi explained for Xue Ze. “If we don’t add it, the flavor will be uniformly sweet and fragrant throughout—the filling is the only surprise. The Spirit Maiden, a lover of fine food, might think we lack sincerity, focusing only on outer decoration. Wouldn’t that invite ridicule?”

Ji Lin nodded, “I see! Mint adds depth and contrast, giving a refreshing taste amidst the softness, stimulating the senses. Otherwise, only the eyes and tongue would be pleased—how dull. Junior sister is indeed thoughtful!”

“Not at all, you flatter me!” Xue Ze replied, as she placed the filling into bowls. The yellow powder with hints of green, its fragrance enhanced the sweetness, making one want to inhale deeply.

“Good, my flour is nearly ready!” Lianzi poured the ground powder into a bowl, added water, and mixed it into a thick dough. “Lotus seed and glutinous rice grind easily—the colors blend well, so the pastries should turn out beautifully!”

Ji Lin looked at the cherry blossoms in his hand, white and pink, and asked, “Why did you choose two colors of cherry blossoms? The dumplings are white—wouldn’t pink petals match best? What are the white ones for?”

“I don’t focus on decoration—that’s for senior sister to answer!”

Xue Ze smiled, took the blossoms from Ji Lin, and cast a spell to conjure a formed glutinous rice dumpling.

“Look, this is how our dumplings will appear. Though white, the skin is translucent, so the filling’s color shows through, tinting the exterior with pink and yellow. Placement of the blossoms affects the color harmony—white and pink together create a beautiful effect.”

“I see!”

“Junior sister is so meticulous, but it’s a pity someone won’t get to taste them!”

“How long will senior brother be gone?” Lianzi asked Ji Lin, then added, “These can be stored—if he returns early, he might still try them!”

“I don’t know! But they’re best fresh. He doesn’t like sweets anyway, so let’s focus on the Spirit Maiden instead.” Ji Lin imagined the Maiden’s reaction, then suddenly remembered something. “You’re making this for Bai Yu the Spirit Maiden—does that mean you’ll neglect the Velvet Maiden? Are you playing favorites?”

“How could we? Senior sister has already planned—no need to worry!”

Xue Ze nodded, “That senior sister seems harder to please, but thankfully I learned her preferences. I asked the master for a sword manual—she should like it.”

Ji Lin was surprised, “When did the master ever keep such books? Junior sister, are you deceiving me?”

“I…” Xue Ze couldn’t lie; her face reddened whenever she tried, especially among friends.

Lianzi quickly tugged Ji Lin, trying to redirect his attention. “The master recommended the book—wherever it came from, as long as it pleases her, that’s enough!”

“No, I must know the truth! Senior brother told me to watch over you, I can’t let you make mistakes. Only Snow Bamboo is familiar to you on Tianshan, and the master dislikes collecting sword manuals. The source of your book is suspicious!”

Xue Ze covered half her face, embarrassed, and whispered, “Senior brother, now you know—please, don’t… don’t spread it around!”

Ji Lin grinned mischievously and spoke gently, “Don’t worry, junior sister, my lips are sealed. Clearly, this book has a story—tell me all about it!”