Chapter 293

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Song Miao

That night passed without a word, and everyone went to sleep early.

Early the next morning, as soon as Song Miao set up her stall, she felt that the queuing atmosphere in Food Alley was somewhat not right.

People kept coming to ask her how Song Ji would select dishes and make the menu.

A student asked: "Stall Owner Song, will you decide the dishes based on how many people nominated them? For comparison — if a dish is mentioned the most times, has the highest call among the dishes, will it definitely be selected into the menu?"

At this time Song Miao only thought Cheng Zijian Zheng was helping gather the students' suggestions, and did not think much of it, replying: "It still depends on what dish it is; some are hard to procure ingredients for, or take too long to make and cannot be kept long, they might not be selected — but if a dish is mentioned the most, it will certainly receive extra consideration."

As more people asked, and Da Zuo Ba let something slip, she only then learned that in just one day and one night, many things had already happened in the Taixue; it had not even gotten to Cheng Zijian's turn — someone had already posted the so-called "Song Restaurant Menu Order" early yesterday morning.

At this moment there were even people claiming credit to Song Miao, saying: "Stall Owner Song, thanks to me last night, it was discovered that people from the neighboring Nanlu Academy actually secretly came to post notices; if they were allowed to fish in troubled waters, this group wouldn't even have a dog hole to crawl through, how could they come out to buy food?!"

Another said: "We have already set a method; everyone who proposes a new dish or seconds an old one must sign their name; this way, no one can make trouble from within again! In two days at most, the collection will be complete, and then the dish name papers will be sent together to the Young Lady here! Thinking of it as 'presenting evidence in court'!"

Although she did not know the exact operation, seeing everyone so solemn about it, Song Miao could only offer thanks.

And the students, getting a definite answer from her, returned to their study rooms and began to rack their brains, show their skills, either contacting each other, forming alliances, or using counter-espionage tactics, cutting off the firewood from under the pot.

Among them, Cheng Zijian, because he had known Song Miao the longest and had the deepest friendship, was naturally the first to be targeted.

Recently, although the rain in the Capital had temporarily stopped, it was unknown whether heavy rain was occurring upstream, causing the river water inside and outside the city to keep rising; the Capital had to discharge floodwater several times.

Water affairs are state affairs; the livelihood of the world depends on water sources, naturally the top priority.

As students now, future ministers later, Taixue students cannot just bury themselves in books; so the teachers divided the students of each study room into batches and took them outside the city to inspect the river dikes, one by one, inspecting and studying.

This time Cheng Zijian's assigned teacher had very strict requirements, demanding all students assemble before daybreak and go out together.

He ran outside for a day, only feeling his waist sore and legs aching; by the time he returned to the academy, the sky was already half dark; for convenience, on the road he only sparingly ate two strips of dried meat and gnawed a few steamed cakes; truly exhausted and hungry, he put down his things, took a bowl, and headed toward the canteen complaining with his companions.

"My feet are about to walk off; I just hope that water recedes quickly! Day after day leaving so early and returning so late, I really can't take it — I'm starving!"

"Don't know if the canteen still has any food!"

"Sigh! Even if there is, it's leftover cold dishes! If we could return an hour or two earlier, maybe we could still queue for Song Ji's steamed buns……"

An acquaintance then said: "Zijian, heard your sister is helping at Song Ji? Then can you eat family meals? It's not far either; if you could freeload two meals a day……"

The moment this person spoke, everyone traveling with them looked at Cheng Zijian with envious eyes.

"Yeah, Zijian, how come we rarely see you go to Song Ji normally? Except for breakfast, occasionally getting some good dishes sent over, other times you mostly eat at the canteen with us — such a good opportunity, why not seize it?!"

Cheng Zijian hurriedly waved his hand, saying: "How could that be! My elder sister is doing odd jobs for Song Xiaoniangzi, and even brought her little niece to lodge there; it's already plenty troublesome to make an exception; adding me, what would that count as? There's no such unreasonable thing!"

He also said: "But when Song Xiaoniangzi's food shop reopens, we can occasionally go together for a feast — as long as we don't eat anything too expensive; I have to be frugal and save to subsidize; don't know why, but now even paper and brushes have gone up in price……"

Soon someone chimed in: "Don't even mention it! Not only paper and brushes, even ink has gone up in price!"

Everyone took the opportunity to discuss.

"Heard recently too much rain, firewood is hard to cut, many things simply can't be transported, almost everything has gone up in price……"

"Don't talk about those; last time I bought a pair of cloth shoes, the price went up five cash!"

"Heard my Uncle say it's because Jiangnan's canal transport is not smooth — our side has rising water, but the south instead has many places in drought; several river sections have cut off flow; they had to recruit corvée labor; when reaching the dry water section, they have to switch to shoulder-pole carrying and change boats……"

"Which Uncle of yours? The one at the Transport Commission?"

"Yes, he's almost worried to death!"

"What do you mean? I don't understand; does this mean the original boats for transporting goods are no longer used? Still need people to carry on shoulder-poles?? That troublesome?"

"No water, boats can't pass, what can you do? Only send them to the point and return."

"Can't you tow them past with ropes?"

"Not just one or two boats, many boats a day! Most are still shallow-draft boats; that water is dried up to not a bit left; afraid before they're even dragged into the water, the bottom planks would wear through; still tow them past! What beautiful dream are you having!"

While speaking, they happened to encounter a group of people coming from the front.

Everyone hurriedly put aside the great matters of state and people's livelihood, and started caring about their own bellies.

"Hey, are you coming back from the canteen? Is there still any food inside?"

The newcomers hurriedly said: "Hurry up, don't delay; the canteen is about to close up!"

The few people were scared into bolting, rushing before the canteen closed its doors, snatching out some food; indeed it was leftover cold dishes, they barely made do eating, then sighed and returned together to the study room.

Cheng Zijian fell in the middle of the line, but as soon as he entered the door, he discovered everyone in the room "swish" lifted their heads at once, looking toward him.

Then came continuous greetings one after another.

"Zijian! Just back! Have you eaten?"

"I bought extra steamed buns; knowing today it was your turn to inspect the dikes, I specially saved two for you — Song Ji's mushroom Chinese cabbage steamed buns and sour pickled vegetable pork steamed buns — both still warm, want a bite?"

"Zijian, I have mutton soup! Drink my mutton soup!"

"I have fruit — eat my fruit!"

Everyone was full of enthusiasm.

The short walk back to his seat, Cheng Zijian practically felt like crossing mountains and ridges, walking for a lifetime so long; barely sat down, and in a moment, steamed buns, fruit, soup, pastries, all sorts, were all placed on his table.

He had never enjoyed such treatment, hurriedly thanked them, and said he couldn't finish it all, asking everyone to take some back.

Just as he was politely declining, the one who brought mutton soup beside him chuckled and said: "Zijian, don't be polite, eat — but after all we're from the same study room, different from others; the dishes our study room wrote, can you help put in a few good words, ask Song Xiaoniangzi to take a couple more looks?"

"Right! Right, I wrote chestnut braised chicken; this dish is very good, it absolutely must not be dropped!"

"Zijian, I wrote……"

"Zijian……"

Cheng Zijian only felt that in the past month the times he heard the two words "Zijian" were not as many as this one night; in an instant, he actually had the illusion of one person attaining the Dao, chickens and dogs ascending to heaven.

However, how could he dare agree; he could only keep pleading, saying he was just a messenger, had no influence at all; if others found out, his brains would be scolded out, and so on.

But no one took it seriously.

Someone brought their own ink, someone sent fine paper, someone even gave a new brush, and there were those who sent baozi, and those who gave copied books...

Seeing so many fine things, Cheng Zijian, though he refused them flatly, had to admit that for a moment, he was shamefully tempted.

Apart from Cheng Zijian and Wang Chang, those copyists who were said to be closer to Song Xiaoniangzi, nearly every one of them was surrounded and questioned, and there were also those who originally didn't care what new dishes Song Ji had, as long as they could eat them, or thought saving some silver on dining hall meals was quite good, who were similarly being courted again and again.

"Brother, you don't care what you eat anyway—why not write me some sauced eggplant? This dish is rarely made by anyone, I really want to eat it!"

"Ignore him, write my lotus root boxes! Lotus root is in season now—what kind of friendship do we two have!"

"Heh, what old thing are you? He and I are the ones with long-standing friendship! Peng Xiong, do you still remember last time we hadn't finished our assignments, and the master made us copy books as punishment, copying one until midnight?"

"What a mess, who hasn't copied books before! Peng Xiong, if you write sauced eggplant, when Song Ji Food Shop opens and selects this dish, I guarantee I'll treat you to a meal!"

"Just one meal, too stingy! If it were me..."

When Cheng Zijian got those many sheets of paper filled with dish names the next day, thinking of what had happened these past two days, he truly felt as if he had experienced the turmoil of the court in advance.

He was not the only one with such feelings.

Now that the dust had settled, everyone instead found the leisure to look back on the whole matter.

"No wonder the gentlemen always like to form cliques... if Song Ji could make every dish my favorite, I'd form a clique too!" someone sighed.

Many more around said nothing, but felt the same in their hearts.

And Song Miao, having closed her stall and returned to the food shop, for a time had no leisure to care how the Imperial Academy Students were bustling about designing menus for Song Ji.

She was considering adding a few varieties to the steamed buns.

Recently firewood prices had risen too sharply, and many other materials were rising along with them, so char siu roasted meat buns couldn't be made as much.

Also, all bun varieties at Song Ji could be delivered; for now it was fine, but when the food shop opened, the advantages of dining in wouldn't show.

After all, steamed buns are staple food; if a few varieties could be made famous, but customers could only eat them by coming to the shop themselves, it might perhaps serve as a gimmick to attract diners.

Such varieties could be priced a little higher, materials and preparation must be more refined, and flavor needless to say, must be outstanding.

Just as she was thinking this, she heard someone call "Song Xiaoniangzi"; she looked up, and it was Shen A'po and a girl with her face covered by cloth walking in.

Song Miao seemed to sense something, hurriedly rose to welcome them, first greeted Shen A'po, then looked at the girl and asked: "Who is this?"

Before Shen A'po could speak, the girl untied the cloth in front of her face, stepped forward a few paces, knelt on the ground, and said: "My surname is Shen, given name a single Xing character; at home they call me Xingniang; I suppose my aunt has already spoken of it yesterday—all thanks to Young Lady for saving me back then..."

As she spoke, she was about to kowtow.

Even with Shen A'po's previous experience, Song Miao still couldn't stop her; pulling wouldn't budge her, dragging wouldn't move her, so she had to endure several loud kowtows from her, and only after she finished did she manage to help her up.

When they were farther away before, Song Miao had vaguely smelled a mixed odor; now, as she drew near and helped her stand, she found that the mixed odor seemed to come from Shen Xingniang's body.

It was the taste of long-term medicine, almost seeping into the body, and a stronger incense scent on her clothing, and another indescribable taste, like a watery smell from being kept covered for a long time, faintly fishy, several kinds mixed together, somewhat jumbled.

But looking at Shen Xingniang's clothing and adornment, they were quite clean; her face was thin, her hair somewhat sparse, but the whole person was tidied up neatly.

Song Miao was about to ask the two to sit down when Shen Xingniang showed some embarrassment on her face and asked: "I'd like to ask Young Lady where the toilet is?"

Song Miao led them toward the back courtyard.

Shen Xingniang went in for a while, then came out.

When she returned to the front hall, Song Miao poured tea for her, and the two exchanged a few simple words.

Shen Xingniang took out a bundle and placed it on the table; after opening it, she first spread it flat, and said to Song Miao: "This is embroidery I made; I want to give it to Young Lady—it can be used as a screen."

Song Miao lowered her head to look; the first one was Pomegranate Blossoms in Bloom, with red flowers in full bloom, bright in color, and also ripe pomegranates, equally red, bursting open to reveal pomegranate seeds inside, a lively scene.

Besides flowers, there were birds; birds pecking at pomegranates, and beside them some other scenery—if Shen Xingniang hadn't said so, at a glance it was completely a fine painting, not a single thread end visible, not even a trace of stitches; whether flowers or birds, they leapt upon the silk, truly lifelike.

Shen Xingniang said: "I have no other talent, just know how to handle needle and thread; right now I lack energy and can't make anything good, so I can only alter old ones; I've heard Young Lady's food shop will open next month, and by then I may not remain in Jingcheng, so I'll first send a few embroidery patterns as congratulations."

Song Miao carefully looked at this Pomegranate Blossoms in Bloom embroidery; she didn't hurry to accept it, nor did she refuse, but said: "I also have a few words I'd like to ask Shen Niangzi; if it's convenient, Young Lady please answer; if inconvenient, feel free to ignore it."

Shen Xingniang said: "What inconvenience could there be here? Young Lady, just say it."

Song Miao thought for a moment, then asked: "I only want to ask, among Shen Niangzi's elders, is there one surnamed Yang who is an embroidered lady?"

Shen Xingniang was stunned upon hearing this, thought again and again, but shook her head and said: "I don't know about distant relatives; among close relatives and elders, there really isn't one surnamed Yang..."

Ever since Song Miao learned the name "Shen Xingniang," and just now saw the embroidery pattern, she had been full of anticipation; but hearing this reply, her heart turned gray, yet she still did not give up.

She opened her mouth to ask another question, but Shen Xingniang's face became embarrassed again, and she said: "Young Lady, please wait a moment; I... I'll go to the toilet."

Saying this, she didn't wait for anyone to lead her, but hurriedly went to the back courtyard herself.

From entering the room until now, not even a teacup's time had passed, yet this Shen Xingniang had already gone to the toilet when she first came; now she clearly hadn't drunk a drop of tea, just sat and said a few words, and then, embarrassed, ran off to the toilet again...