Chapter 121

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

The steward had actually been keeping in mind Xiang Yuan's instructions from just now; when he first entered the side hall, he still went out to check the situation outside from time to time.

But by the time breakfast was served — chenpi mung bean drink, pork rib clear soup, glutinous rice rich in texture, both sticky and fragrant, plus shaomai and so on, laid out full to the brim — the whole table of people ate without even bothering to speak.

Xiang Yuan, this host, had climbed up before daybreak; the Xiang family steward and the rest of the workers had risen even earlier.

This steward had barely slept last night, busy for half the day, his belly long empty; faced with this table, how could he endure? Seeing those outside still talking, with no other movement for the moment, he hurriedly seized the time to eat quickly.

He was eating with gusto, still savoring how that green onion mutton filling could be made so fragrant, already immersed in it, oblivious to where he was, when suddenly he heard a violent fit of coughing outside; his heart jumped in alarm, he hastily put down his chopsticks, swallowed the shaomai in his mouth, and stood up with a whoosh.

Rushing out of the side hall, this steward did not approach immediately, but stood at the doorway observing the situation at the banquet.

At the table, Xiang Yuan coughed for a good while, tears coming out; only after much difficulty did he catch his breath; hearing Zhu Butcher's concern, he hurriedly shook his head and said: "Nothing, ate too fast, choked, fine now."

He shook his head left and right, shaking with great sincerity; once finished shaking, he could not care about anything else, wiped his eyes with his sleeve, lifted his chopsticks and went to pick up his favorite garlic chives.

Slow to speak, fast to act!

That chopstick of garlic chives had not yet reached his mouth when suddenly a person flashed out from the side hall direction, hurried a few steps forward, and called out: "Master! It's Yin Hour; if we don't leave now, I'm afraid the hour won't be enough!"

Xiang Yuan's hand instantly stiffened, his facial expression even more frozen; he looked up and sure enough it was his own trusted steward.

Only then did he wake up to the fact that he had just shaken his head vigorously; he hurriedly said: "Not urgent, not urgent! Brother Zhu treated us to such rare delicious food; today I must enjoy it properly, and this half-hour doesn't matter; we've already eaten half, the dishes come fast, at most another teacup's time……"

How truly sincere this speech was, he himself knew best — he practically wanted to vomit blood to prove it!

But that trusted steward was completely unaware; not only unaware, hearing the words and seeing the state, two kinds of admiration had already arisen in his heart.

The first was admiration for his master's strong willpower.

Zhu Family's treat was truly sincere; the food prepared for stewards like them to help with made his head swim; one could imagine the flavor of the breakfast at the main table.

Especially looking now, that plate of garlic chives on the table, tender and fresh, emerald green, standing at this not-far-not-near distance, he could already smell the cold-tossed fragrance — precisely his master's favorite taste.

Yet he could actually hold back from eating, and instead gave himself a secret signal at this moment! Truly a doer of great deeds, the most important thing is to be ruthless to oneself!

The second was admiration for his master's eloquence and acting.

That face so anxious, so real; the words so urgent, so flattering and praising, giving the Zhu family full face, yet showing he truly, genuinely, did not want to leave a single bit!

I get a mouthful to eat, eating practically wishing I could throw away my brain, yet the master can reach this level; no wonder he can do big business and be the master, while I can only be a runner!

Amidst admiration, the steward could not help but generate a fighting spirit, unwilling to appear too incompetent; he roused his spirit and said loudly: "Master, this morning you specially instructed, latest by Yin Hour we must set off; it's been raining all along the road; if we're later, we'll have to rush on the road; one careless mistake — cargo overturned, people fallen, mules and horses injured — what then?"

"Moreover it's the rainy season, travel is slow to begin with; if we can't make the lodging point, how do we arrange this whole entourage?"

"'Here a teacup, there a teacup, where so much tea for you to teacup' — that was what you yourself said personally before!"

Xiang Yuan had long known this steward of his had some ability; in daily business negotiations he had often helped kick that final step; but he never expected this ability used on himself would actually leave him momentarily not knowing how to react.

And that Zhu Butcher, hearing this, took it as true; he hurriedly said: "Xiang Xiong, why didn't you say so earlier; if you'd said early, I couldn't have forced you to stay! Ah, look at me doing bad with good intentions!"

Zhu Butcher spoke while rising, already looking like he was seeing them off.

As for that steward to the side, he had even come forward, holding the back of the armchair, looking like he was helping pull out the chair, urging him to quickly rise and come out.

That garlic chives before him, fresh and green, already at his mouth; the pungent qi of mustard wasabi, the grassy spicy fragrance of garlic chives rushed into his nose; he hadn't even gotten a single bite, and another menu of newly served dishes lay on the table; he had just looked, all were what he wanted to taste.

Xiang Yuan one hand gripped the table edge, one hand braced on the seat, buttocks exerted force, pressed down hard, held the armchair refusing to let go, and hurriedly signaled that steward with his eyes.

The latter how would he know his master had suddenly changed his mind; he thought his master disliked his performance not being realistic enough; he simply grabbed Xiang Yuan's arm and tried to drag him out, saying: "Master, let's go! Next time we'll come again! Still afraid Master Zhu won't invite us to eat next time?"

Seeing the scene about to become uncontrollable, Xiang Yuan after all had quick wits; he hurriedly said: "You stop! Stop! I just remembered! This morning I agreed with Xiao Dong to deliver a batch of goods outside South Gate; the time was set late, just right to finish eating, then rest a bit before going!"

Then he forcefully pried open the steward's hand, shooed him away, saying: "Go eat your breakfast; I have a plan in mind!"

The steward could not help but be bewildered — when was it agreed with Xiao Dong? Who is Xiao Dong? What goods? I've followed you from morning to night, how would I not know?

And that Xiang Yuan no longer paid attention; the man hadn't even left, yet he already couldn't help picking up his favorite dish and eating.

The raw-tossed garlic chives perfectly retained that wormwood's cool flavor; one bite down, the taste rushed straight to the nasal cavity, practically piercing the crown of the head.

Crisp, pungent, fresh; eating with a crunch-crunch; sesame oil and vinegar softened that cool bitterness, leaving only rich fragrance, sweetness, and faint bitterness; especially refreshing, especially appetizing.

Xiang Yuan ate fiercely.

Zhu Butcher also ate.

The two ate and ate, hearing the sounds beside them, both felt like a big grass-eating rabbit was sitting next to them snatching food; they looked up at each other and saw the other also a chopstick of grass into the mouth, chew chew chew, the green grass rapidly shrinking until disappearing completely.

One basin finished, fundamentally not enough, but no time to order another portion; the next dish had already come up.

This time it was char siu pastry; outer skin flaky and fragrant, inner filling salty-sweet intertwined.

Then a small small bowl of mountain pepper oil tossed plain noodles; numbing, spicy; using that mountain pepper oil's special pungent fragrance to set off the wheat fragrance.

Followed by a portion of pig blood chive soup; pepper powder given fully, pig blood tender and tight, even a bit "crisp"; chives sweet.

……

……

Until the finale, green bean cake was used; ice-cold cool.

Very refreshing pure green bean flavor; sweet very comfortably; carrying milky fragrance; not a bit of powdery feel; all a moist sensation; held on the tongue, like holding a small spoon of spring snow; warmed by mouth's heat, almost instantly melted, dispersed; only milky fragrance and green bean clear fragrance lingered long in the mouth.

Twelve or thirteen colors of food; each had its own eating pleasure; each had its own specialty.

Although each only a tiny bit, but the varieties truly many; especially Zhu and Xiang the two men had additional portions added in between; by the end, both ate to the point of barely able to move.

Even so, when putting down chopsticks and slowly sipping chrysanthemum tea to cleanse the palate, Xiang Yuan distinctly let out a big big burp, yet still couldn't help saying: "Actually could still eat a steamer of shrimp dumplings and those phoenix claws, a few more mouthfuls of raw-tossed garlic chives……"

Zhu Butcher didn't dare let him eat more.

If really stuffed to the throat, this person still has to travel; vomiting would be trouble.

The two sat and drank two more sips of tea; Xiang Yuan then said: "Older Brother, a few dishes, especially that garlic chives, I truly like; can you find that cook family to ask?"

Zhu Butcher agreed in one mouthful, but in his heart he was secretly puzzled: earlier anxious beyond belief, now instead having leisure to see the cook; is this ultimately urgent, or not urgent?

Soon, Song Miao entered the side hall.

Seeing the principal party, and one born with such appearance at that, not only was Xiang Yuan stunned, even Zhu Butcher, who had long known her name, was quite surprised.

But eating was most important after all, so Xiang Yuan hurriedly said: "Young Lady has good skill; I pride myself on having traveled far and wide, yet there are quite a few dishes I have never seen, but I do not know which cuisine they belong to, nor what principles they follow."

Song Miao replied: "Specifically, I also do not know; they are recipes left behind by my family."

She added: "As for principles, there is nothing particularly special either; like other cooks, it is also about seasonal cooking, and there is this serving order, which is best given some attention as well."

Xiang Yuan then asked further about the order.

Song Miao had to say a few sentences: first eat light-flavored dishes, so the tongue does not become unable to taste freshness because it ate heavy-flavored things; furthermore, it is best to have salty before sweet, because eating sweet makes the tongue tip easily grow dull; also one must pay attention to spacing and pairing, try to stagger them, and not repeat types, and so on.

Because Xiang Yuan still asked in detail why sweet flavor would make the tongue grow dull, she said: "On a person's tongue tip and tongue root, there grow red dots, shaped like corn kernels, some call them 'taste pores', able to distinguish the five flavors."

"The tongue tip's taste pores are most sensitive, the tongue root's taste pores are most numerous; try with salt and sugar, and one can discover there is a difference in the time it takes to taste salty and sweet flavors..."

Song Miao's voice was originally pleasant to hear, and she spoke with great logic, neither slow nor fast, narrating gently; especially since she spoke of eating and drinking matters, it was very interesting, making people unknowingly listen into the content.

Thus a roomful of people, not only Xiang and Zhu, but also those guards and escort masters who had already finished breakfast and, hearing the sound, came out to see the situation, were all listening with relish here at this moment.

There were even people secretly sticking out their tongues at each other to look at those so-called "taste pores", only unfortunately there was no salt or sugar to try.

Once she finished answering, on the table and at the sides, all fell silent; everyone looked over, seeming to want to wait for her to continue speaking further.

Song Miao could only ask: "I wonder if the guest official has any further instructions?"

Xiang Yuan then came to his senses and asked: "I have always liked garlic chives, yet have never eaten your cold-tossed method; does the Young Lady have any secret recipe? How can it be passed on?"

Song Miao said: "If others asked, I might not tell; only because the guest official is Old Zhu's honored guest — he is upright, and his daughter Zhu Niangzi has helped me a great deal — since you asked, I will not hide it."

"This garlic chives has several knacks: one, choose small-leaf, cannot use round-leaf, many incisions, thin leaves, eating is more crisp and raw; two, air-dry sufficiently dry, the drier the more it lets the sauce flavor be full; three, first shake salt in..."

Song Miao said several points in one breath, extremely meticulous, practically hand-in-hand teaching.

Finished speaking, she added: "If the guest official can wait, I will write a recipe; later give it to the cook to follow."

"The Young Lady actually knows characters too?" Xiang Yuan almost blurted out.

Song Miao nodded and said: "I recognize a few large characters."

Soon someone brought brush and ink; she wrote with calligraphy, and quickly wrote out that recipe.

Song Miao's character structure and bearing were naturally contained; even the stall signboard she casually wrote back then could attract many Taixue students to pause and look a few more times in Food Alley; now presented before Xiang Yuan, its effect — to say it is killing a chicken with an ox knife might not be perfectly apt, but it is absolutely not excessive.

Xiang Yuan looked and looked again, then suddenly couldn't help saying: "I wonder what family members the Young Lady still has at home? Willing or not to be hired to an outer county household's kitchen to work?"

A stranger, only met once, background and origin unknown, yet wants to hire oneself to go to an outer county.

The Capital is already the world's foremost place of goodness; I am also a native Capital person born and raised here; ancestral property could still be seized by others; if not for Cheng Zijian and those students, and that Han Li helping, right now I might not even be able to recover it.

A lone woman, hired to go out, employer not surnamed Han, fundamentally don't know if reliable; if something truly happens, wouldn't it be calling heaven with no answer, calling earth with no response?

She shook her head and said: "Many thanks for the guest official's kind invitation; only my ancestral generations are all here, and there are many loose ends not yet properly settled, truly not the time."

Xiang Yuan was originally a merchant, extremely good at reading expressions; hearing this, he secretly regretted in his heart, knowing he had eaten too full, his brain hadn't turned well, the matter was done too abruptly; he hurriedly tried to remedy: "Young Lady rest assured, my family has some wealth, locally also quite famous..."

Speaking, he stated the salary.

Quite considerable.

But only considerable.

If a sky-high price were smashed down, smashing her so she could immediately repay debts and still have surplus, perhaps she might be moved; but this figure, truly not even worth thinking about more.

Song Miao had come these days, day and night hard labor, money earned each day more than the last, later only even more; moreover she has skill, has a food shop pending opening, right now also has reputation and regular customers; how could she be blinded by these mere trifles?

She smiled and shook her head, politely refused.

Xiang Yuan was very disappointed; originally still wanted to speak further; Zhu Butcher sensed something wrong and said: "Younger brother, are you in a hurry to leave or not?"

That steward was just acting before, but now truly anxious; hurried forward and said: "Sir, truly won't make it in time! If we don't depart now, we'll have to wait until tomorrow!"

Xiang Yuan turned to look at the water clock, also startled; hurriedly called people to pack and prepare to depart, and said to Song Miao: "Young Lady consider a bit more; salary negotiable; I will enter the Capital again after a while, then come pay respects!"

Saying a few farewells to Zhu Butcher, hurried out the door.

Zhu Butcher lagged two steps; seeing the man left, he said to Song Miao: "Girl, this man treats friends nothing to criticize, also has great wealth; only his mouth and eyes are flowery, you don't mind him!"

Then gave her money to settle the account.

Song Miao had not thought that much; hearing this, she blanked a moment, hurriedly gave thanks.

She took the money, saw the quantity not quite right, and stopped Zhu Butcher: "Zhu Yuanzai, this money is too much!"

Zhu Butcher first praised: "Young Lady's skill, truly peerless! When I next have a banquet, I will definitely call you to cook!"

Then said: "Not much; specially for adding to the pot; just now your words, praised my daughter, praised me, gave me face!"

Speaking, the smile on his face couldn't stop; sticking out a fat belly, three steps a bounce, mouth humming an off-key tune, both hurried and slow walking out, still waving and calling: "Xiang Xiong, I'll see you off!"

Hastily arriving at the courtyard, Xiang Yuan looked around left and right, saw everything more or less ready; suddenly woke to a matter, found a servant to ask: "Where did the two little ones go?"

That servant hurriedly said: "Young Master early entered the mule cart; because didn't see Young Master, went back to the room to look."

Xiang Yuan's brow instantly furrowed; hurriedly went toward the Right Wing Room.

He quickly reached a room door; not yet entered, heard inside child's noisy voice and smashing sounds.

"I just want to sleep, I just won't get up; you have the ability call my father here!"

"Why is he Eldest Young Master? Clearly I am the Eldest Young Master, I am Father's son!"

Xiang Yuan with a black face, kicked the door open; not yet stepped in, opened mouth and shouted: "Xiang Lin, you dare say another sentence!"

While speaking, looked left and right in that room.

Because hand didn't find a suitable stick, he felt his body, pulled out a whip, snapped it once, rushed forward.

That child called Xiang Lin heard the sound, truly frightened a jump; hurriedly cried: "Father! Father! I was wrong! I spoke nonsense!"

Speaking, rolling to tumble off the bed.

Only he wore no shoes or socks, body still covered by quilt; already too late; Xiang Yuan in a few steps forward, pinned the person, a flip, toward that buttock and thigh, whipped several times!

Xiang Yuan himself felt he used not two parts of force, but Xiang Lin early screamed in high voice, crying father shouting mother, wailing without end.

He disciplined son always able to lay down ruthless hand; at this moment despised the other for having no backbone; if only just now he hadn't so quickly called father and admitted fault, he could have thought higher of him; but behind his back such vicious words, turning head again completely no persistence, truly disappointing.

——If you don't beat him again, he'll really go to heaven!

This time, Xiang Yuan raised high the whip in his hand, but had just struck once when a figure suddenly pounced over from the side, lying directly on top of his son.

He hurriedly stopped his hand, saying: "Liang Yan, what are you doing?"

If Song Miao were here, she would be able to recognize that the one blocking Xiang Yuan's son Xiang Lin was precisely the new little friend Xiao Lian met today in the kitchen.

That Liang Yan turned his head and said: "Uncle Xiang, he didn't say anything wrong either; I originally don't have the surname Xiang, so I shouldn't be called Young Master; if you beat him injured, we still have to ride in a carriage later, and it would be bad if he fell ill; better to remember it and beat him again when we get home."

Once home, with the two elders present, there's no way to beat him at all.

Xiang Yuan had a belly full of fire, but looking at Liang Yan, he couldn't vent his anger no matter what, especially seeing that face, its expression anxious at this moment, faintly overlapping with a face of years of panic and anxiety.

He anxiously said: "Why shouldn't you be called Young Master? Back then, if your father hadn't blocked those two knives for me, and carried me down the mountain, how could I have lived to today?"

He also said: "I long ago acknowledged you as my son; is there someone gossiping behind my back again?! This time when we return, I'll change your surname to Xiang, hold a Flowing Water Banquet, and announce to all that my Xiang Family has gained a Young Master!"

That Liang Yan hadn't spoken yet, but Xiang Lin pinned underneath was already kicking legs and waving hands desperately, shouting: "I won't allow him to have the surname Xiang! I won't let him share my surname!"