Chapter 284

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

That night, Song Miao slept dreamlessly.

Because Liu Hanlin had rescheduled the cooking for the next day, she handed the Food Alley stall over to Cheng Erniang and, for once, slept in.

It was a very good sleep; she woke once near the end of the Ugly hour, still half-asleep and just coming to, when she heard Cheng Erniang washing up carefully. Fortunately, her brain still half-remembered she didn't need to work the stall today. She squinted, lifted the bed curtain, groped out to check the water clock, estimated the hour was still early, and snuggled back down.

Gradually, people came and went in the courtyard, drawing water and washing vegetables, with soft voices and the sounds of work—familiar and reassuring—and Song Miao slept more soundly than ever.

When she woke again, it was barely dawn; seeing it was only the start of the Chen hour, she went back to sleep for another nap.

Three sleeps in one night. Though she couldn't sleep straight through, each time she woke she felt wonderfully refreshed.

Since the hour was still early, her movements getting up were unhurried. When she washed and combed, seeing the clear water in the copper basin, she unconsciously thought of the conversation in the front hall yesterday—water and mud—and paused, then looked down again.

The water surface was like a mirror, reflecting her face clearly—eyebrows and eyes slightly curved, she was smiling at herself.

Once she understood the other person's thoughts, she gradually realized she herself had a few thoughts too. Those thoughts were faint, but they could put one in a different mood, as if the sky were a little bluer, the grass a little greener, and even the water tasted a little sweeter when drinking.

She looked at the water, thought for a moment, then slowly finished tidying up.

When she came out to the front hall, Zhang Siniang was already there, tidying things. Seeing Song Miao, she greeted her first, then asked somewhat awkwardly: "Young Lady, am I dressed too flashily?"

Song Miao looked her up and down.

Zhang Siniang wore a blue-and-white outfit, cut to fit well, with bound sleeves and wrapped legs. The cloth bundle on her head was rose-pink, embroidered with small flowers of several colors, very bright. She carried a small cloth bundle on her back, also embroidered with a few small flowers.

She praised: "Very good—very pretty! What's flashy about that?"

"I see everyone else is very plain, and today is my first time cooking outside. I'm afraid the colors are too eye-catching..."

"Bright colors have their beauty, and plain colors have theirs. Er Niangzi is very busy these days; when she has free time later, I'm sure she'll get clothes too. Don't mind others—just wear what you like. Our food shop doesn't need to be so particular right now."

Song Miao finished speaking, stepped back, carefully looked at Zhang Siniang's outfit, and smiled: "Indeed pretty. Who chose your headwrap? It makes your face look bright!"

Zhang Siniang blushed at the words, fidgeted and touched the cloth on her head, saying: "Sanlang chose it. He said I look good wearing it. I thought he was just saying sweet things to coax me, but now Young Lady says the same—he really does have some taste!"

She added: "I see many proper shops and big shops in the Capital have their waitstaff and workers wear the same clothes when they start work. Young Lady, when our food shop opens later, should we do the same?"

Song Miao smiled and replied: "I had the same thought. I mentioned it to Er Niangzi last time, but we have to wait until we're past this busy period. Then we'll pick a day and go to the Embroidery Workshop together to choose clothes everyone likes. If you know a good Embroidery Workshop or embroiderer, or have seen a style you like, tell Er Niangzi for her consideration."

While they were speaking, the carriage sent by Liu Hanlin's house had already arrived at the door.

The two packed up the cooking utensils and such, counted them once, got on the carriage, first went to the meat and vegetable stalls to make purchases, then headed toward Xinzheng Gate.

After leaving the city and traveling another five or six li, the carriage finally stopped before a courtyard.

A steward soon came out to meet them. Seeing Song Miao and Zhang Siniang, he hurriedly called several servants to help move things, and flattered: "Sir gave instructions early, saying Miss Song's cooking is superb, and told us to prepare well so as not to hinder the Young Lady's display. If there's anything, just tell us."

Song Miao naturally thanked him and was modest a few words, then followed them inside.

The courtyard was backed by mountains and beside water. The mountain was a low hill, the water was Bian River water. Because there had been frequent rainstorms in the Capital recently, even plants in the garden had drowned. It looked withered, the Bian River water murky and yellow—pitiful.

Song Miao's heart gave a thump as she asked: "I asked before, because there's water in the garden—I don't know where the water is used?"

The steward hurriedly said: "Young Lady, rest assured. It's spring water drawn down from the mountain. This spring water is very sweet. This time we borrowed this garden precisely to fetch water for brewing tea. Otherwise, this place has no flowers or scenery, and it's far away—we wouldn't have come specially."

After arriving, they naturally first went to see the patron.

As soon as Song Miao entered, Chen Fuzi, Cao Fuzi, and two unfamiliar faces stood before a table, appreciating a piece of calligraphy. Beside them was the fat old man Liu Hanlin.

Seeing Song Miao, Chen and Cao didn't even look at the calligraphy; they all left the table and came over.

One said: "Xiao Song is here!"

One said: "Finally here! If it weren't for Old Liu saying he hired you as Head Cook, I wouldn't have bothered coming. Is there fatty char siu to eat today?"

Liu Hanlin, blocked at the very back and short-legged so he walked slower, saw things were amiss and hurried up. Nodding to Song Miao, hearing their words, he laughed and scolded: "That mouth of yours! Old Cao, instead of seeing the worthy and aspiring to be like them, you're getting greedy! That's enough!"

He added: "I know you like that black char siu. I like it too! I told Miss Song long ago!"

Song Miao smiled and greeted everyone, then asked about dietary restrictions one by one.

This time, among the few unfamiliar faces, some had restrictions: some couldn't eat Sichuan pepper, some didn't eat chicken, duck, goose, or other beaked poultry, and some didn't eat cilantro or leeks.

After Song Miao finished asking around and noted them down, Liu Hanlin pointed outside the window and said: "There are still two fishing over there..."

He walked to the window and called through it: "Gentlemen, without the fate of Jiang Taigong, don't get Jiang Taigong's illness—stop fishing. You have no dietary restrictions, right?"

Before his voice faded, the two fishing turned around at the same time and glared at him angrily.

"What are you shouting about! The fish are going to run away!"

"That one just now was about to bite! I felt a little movement in my hand. Your unnecessary shouting scared it away again!"

"Exactly! I saw the fish circle just now! It's all your fault!"

The two complained for a while, until they saw Song Miao coming forward and realized she was a young lady, then they shut up.

One of them just said he had no restrictions. The other had a cloth wrapped on his head, revealing a few sparse white hairs, and a sparse white beard—clearly an old man. He replied: "Young Lady, just cook as you see fit. Old man has no restrictions—let alone restrictions, I hardly have any teeth left."

Since everyone's preferences and restrictions differed, after asking everything clearly, quite a few items in the original menu could no longer be used.

Song Miao simply adjusted on the spot. She asked Liu Hanlin, who had no opinion at all, and even pointed to an old man fishing outside, whispering: "Make it as soft as possible. I just learned that Old Soup lost two more teeth the other day!"

The menu was set, and the serving time agreed upon. The steward personally saw them to the kitchen and called two servants to help wash vegetables and do odd jobs.

Song Miao gave the servants their instructions, then called Zhang Siniang to help. She had just put the rice on to cook when someone came in excitedly, one hand on a crutch, the other carrying a bucket, calling: "Where is Miss Song?"

Song Miao turned to look and saw the old man who had "hardly any teeth left" standing in the kitchen.

She hurried forward to greet him.

Old Soup was very proud, holding up the bucket in his hand, saying: "Young Lady, look what Old Man caught!"

He asked again: "Can this fish be cooked for noon?"

Song Miao looked down and saw a fish swimming in the bucket—a double-spine carp, longer than her own arm, at least two jin.

—He had actually caught a fish!

Song Miao smiled and said, "Old Sir, your fishing skill is truly formidable! It's possible, it's possible, only lately the Bian River water is muddy, the Yellow River water is turbid, these fish most likely have a strong fishy-muddy taste. I'll do my best to use some methods to suppress it, but I can't guarantee I can suppress it all. At that time, I'll have to ask you to just make do and eat it."

That Old Tang, hearing himself praised for his fishing skill, only felt the hot sweat from his journey all gone, his whole body refreshed. He hurriedly said, "No matter, no matter! You just cook it! Fishy or not — Old Man's caught fish, who dares call it fishy!"

He held his head high with a stooped back, leaning on his cane, walking duk-duk-duk away.

Once Old Tang left, Zhang Siniang crowded over, worried, "Young Lady, what to do? Recently the rain is heavy, the river fish have such a muddy taste, the stall sells less of them, and at the table there are those who don't eat spicy. What can we use to suppress the fishy smell? Add more ginger?"

Song Miao said, "Adding ginger probably won't suppress it either. Can't use xun guan mustard seeds. Let's try deep-frying it first then braising with soy sauce, see if it works."

She added, "Fortunately it's double-spine carp, few bones. Otherwise, once the bones are removed, the fish scales wouldn't stay intact."

In the kitchen, Song Miao together with Zhang Siniang, bringing along two servants, were prepping dishes. In the front water pavilion, a group of old men had appreciated calligraphy and painting for a while, fished for a while. After all, they were old in years, all somewhat tired. Slowly they all sat down to drink tea and talk.

A group of toothless, stoop-backed, dim-eyed, balding men — when sleeping they even have to keep their beards in a pouch for protection. If one isn't careful and presses on them, losing a few more strands, upon waking in the morning and seeing them, their hearts would ache with sharp twinges.

Gathered together, they naturally reminisced about the past. First boasting about themselves, then boasting about others, finally sighing with emotion. Circling round and round, the talk turned again to how each generation is worse than the last — how they themselves were back in the day, and how their descendants are now.

Usually when the talk reached the front, Chen Fuzi would always speak incessantly. But once it reached the end, he would generally just shut his mouth, only quietly listening to everyone complain.

After all, although he had no offspring, he had a martial brother, raised like a son since childhood, who was actually quite accomplished.

As long as he brought up his martial brother, ten out of ten others would have nothing more to say, a real mood-killer.

But today, while eating the fruit and snacks on the table, he gradually felt something wasn't quite right.

Cao Du, who usually followed everyone in complaining nonstop, for some reason this time was extraordinarily quiet. He only lowered his head drinking tea, eating things, hardly uttering a word.

Knowing Cao Du had only one son born in his old age, obtained when nearly forty, always doted on dedicatedly, he nudged the other with his elbow and asked quietly, "Lao Cao, how has your Ling An been recently?"

Cao Du only gave a bitter smile, shook his head, not a word spoken.

A table full of acquaintances, everyone knowing each other's situations. Those who noticed Cao Du was off were not just Chen Fuzi alone. Soon someone else followed up asking, "Lao Cao, haven't heard news of Ling An for quite some days. His last transfer — was it to Chan Prefecture? How is he now?"

Cao Du shook his head, saying, "I'm this old now. Good or bad, sons and grandsons have their own fortune. Where would I still be able to control it."

He lightly brushed past with another sentence, asking, "Old Tang, last time I heard you're returning to your hometown this year. For real?"

"Fallen leaves return to roots. Should return to hometown. Wait another two months for the weather to cool a bit, then set off..."

Everyone talking and talking, suddenly gradually one after another all stopped their mouths.

"What smell?"

"Like fish paste..."

"Stinky-fragrant, stinky-fragrant — is that young lady making fish paste to eat today? I can't chew it!"

"Seems not right. There's also meat fragrance, burnt fragrance, burnt fragrance! How come there's even sweet taste!"

"How come I smell soy sauce fragrance?"

"I seem to also smell braised fragrance — fragrant enough to really drill into my nose!"

Everyone discussing while unable to help but one after another look toward the main gate.

Sure enough, not long after, two servants each carrying two dishes came up to serve.

First up was a warm mixed vegetable dish, a plate of black char siu.

The char siu flavor goes without saying. Once served, Liu Hanlin had just asked for a round, and the whole table's chopsticks stretched toward the meat. In a few moves, the plate was empty.

Cao and Chen, both used to eating at Song's Small Restaurant, immediately tasted the difference.

That char siu compared to previous days was a bit fattier, roasted a bit more fragrant. Biting down, there was an exceptionally distinct caramelized burnt fragrance. The lean meat was also tender and bursting with juice. Both fat and lean melted in the mouth, not greasy at all. After eating, neither stuck to teeth nor pasted the mouth.

"Today's black char siu seems a bit softer, the meat juice even more ample!"

"Right! Right! Even more fragrant!"

Following the black char siu served up was also a plate of mixed vegetables, a small pot of mustard salted bone soup.

Earlier everyone was only busy dividing the char siu. Once the char siu was eaten up — rice didn't even have time to be paired, they swallowed it whole into their throats on an empty mouth. It was simply not enough. While having servants hurry back to ask if there was more, they could only ladle soup, pick vegetables.

The mixed vegetables weren't cold-tossed, but warm-tossed. Inside were spinach shreds, Chinese cabbage shreds, carrot shreds, shiitake shreds, egg skin shreds, mung bean vermicelli shreds.

Among them, spinach and Chinese cabbage were both shredded, blanched, and wrung dry. Egg skin pan-fried very thin, sufficiently fragrant, likewise cut into fine shreds. Carrot shreds and shiitake shreds were separately stir-fried, using sesame oil, stir-fried until carrots were soft-soft, and a tiny bit of xun guan added to enhance flavor — just a hint of token spiciness. The sauce had soy sauce, a bit of fragrant vinegar, seasoned oil, sprinkled with crushed white sesame.

Picking up a chopstickful into the mouth, spinach was tender, Chinese cabbage was soft-sweet, shiitake shreds and carrot shreds one fragrant one sweet, both carrying a faint-faint-faint spiciness. Mung bean vermicelli slippery-soft, egg shreds fresh-fragrant. Every ingredient was thoroughly tossed with sauce flavor. Salty-fresh, sour-fragrant, plus the vegetables' own sweet taste. Texture and flavor rich to the point of simply brilliant purples and reds blooming throughout the mouth. Both fragrant and refreshing.