The weather was damp and cold. On a terrace at the northern foot of Mount Tai, Zhu Chuo carried his pack over to Wang Xianzhi beside the fire, carefully took out several very small birds' eggs, and handed them to him.
Wang Xianzhi was astonished. "There are birds' eggs in the North in winter?"
"No idea. Anyway, they found them in the Pine Forest while cutting timber. Even if there are any, I reckon they're very rare. I paid twenty new coins for these." Zhu Chuo spoke briskly, then turned and left. Before long, he returned carrying a squirrel, sat down, and began skinning it with a knife.
Wang Guannu said nothing more. First he fetched a jar of water and carefully washed the dirt off the little eggs. Once they were clean, he gingerly placed them in the iron pot. Seeing that Zhu A Ming had already begun removing the entrails, he turned and took a handful of clean rice straw from his own pack, tucked it beneath the pot with the utmost care, then hastily weighed it down with two split logs that had been resting beside the fire.
Just then, Zhu Xu rode in from outside. Seeing this, he did not forget to call out a reminder. "Make sure it boils! Wash the blood off your hands! Keep disease from entering through your mouths!"
Neither Wang Xianzhi nor Zhu Chuo looked up. They merely answered.
Zhu Xu rode all the way to a place that looked like a temple before dismounting. Inside, Fu Jian had clearly heard his voice and came out to meet him. They went in together, arm in arm.
Both had transferred from Huan Wen's Staff, and their duties naturally brought them into contact. They got along very well.
"Di Jiantou and Big-Voiced Zhu