Xiaowan was also engrossed in studying cookery books, and compiled her food-craving satisfaction experiences into a very popular booklet named Suiyuan Recipe, just as the great sage of Qin Dynasty, Yuan Mei, once did before. Anyhow, Xiaowan was a girl of sincerity and conscientiousness. She did not only summarize her cooking theories, but also conduct in a very realistic manner. Whenever and wherever hearing about some new flavors, she was absolutely trailing to ask for advice. The "braised streaky pork like tiger lines", also called "fried& boiled pork", or little-known "dong pork" at present tables, are invented by her.
She was also skilled in making pastry. Early in Qinhuai District, she once used sesame, chow mien, saccharum granorum, pine nut, peach kernel, and sesame oil to prepare crispy sugar, which then was cut into diamonds with the spec of 5*3*1 cm. This type of desserts is externally yellow & internally crispy and sweet but not greasy, so people called them as "Dong Candy". At present, the famous desserts "Sausage-filled Dong Candy", "Dong Candy of Crispy Rolls" in Yangzhou, and "Dong Candy" provided at Shuiming Tower of Rugao, are all the local special flavors when receiving friends from every corner of the world.
Furthermore, both Dong Xiaowan and Mao Pijiang took great delight in sitting silently for enjoying fragrance. Xiaowan cherished most what Dongguan people regarded as nonesuch, that is, "Nv'er incense". She lit the fragrant incense with cotton gauze being separated with particular attention to the sapour and sentiment, quite like "petty bourgeoisie" nowadays who may unfold one piece of serviette, play some romantic classic music, and enjoy a bowl of bean curd jelly. This couple just lived in such an arrogant way, sitting in one corner of tranquil room, with yarn curtain lowered, and door half closed, enjoying plumes of refreshing fragrance in peace - it's indeed a charming life.
Pitifully, all good things must come to an end and disasters paid a visit. Mao Pijiang suffered from serious diseases for twice just all of a sudden. For the first time, stomach troubles caused hematochezia, so that he could not have water or rice. That frightened Dong Xiaowan to decoct medicinal herbs in midsummer, and took care of him for two whole months even without taking off her clothes to have a good sleep. And for the second time, he got cellulitis on his back, and could not lie on his back. Xiaowan embraced her husband one night after another, so as to enable him to fall asleep by leaning upon her. One hundred days later, Dong Xiaowan was almost reduced to skeleton. However, this considerate woman kept an elegant smile over her face all the time, without any complaining words or behaviors. There's no wonder that Mao Pijiang said satisfactorily that: "I enjoy all my easy and carefree life with Xiaowan for these nine years."
On the 2nd day of the first lunar month of the 8th year of Emperor Shunzhi's reign, Xiaowan passed away at only 28 years old in sorrowful Mao Pijiang's company. At the moment before she left this world, she still grasped her husband's hands tightly, affectionately and satisfactorily......
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