The moment Su Shi picks up a chili pepper and asks what it is, I knew we were in for a treat. Wu Ming’s explanation that it’s a “secret chili pepper” is a smooth cover-up for the fact that chilies didn’t exist in Song China yet. The author cleverly uses this to show how modern ingredients give the ancient recipes an edge. It also sets up future tension—how long can Wu Ming keep hiding where his food comes from? The possibilities are exciting.
Tang Feng's idea to accuse Gu Yue of hooliganism if he doesn't agree to marry into the family is hilarious and also very indicative of the era's morals. It shows how seriously such charges were taken and how a determined mother could use them. It also makes me cringe and laugh at the same time. Definitely a memorable line.
2 I’m invested. I want to know if Chunxi can save her grandfather, if her mother really sells the properties, if the scumbag father gets his comeuppance. The opening does what a good opening should: it asks more questions than it answers. Who else betrays them in the first life? What happened to the exiled family? Does the boy survive? The story feels like a long, dangerous road ahead, and I want to walk it.