Chapter 313

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

After Qi Biaotou finished speaking, as if afraid Song Miao would worry, he added another sentence: "In a moment I'll arrange for someone to return to the escort bureau and tell the boss; he has wide connections, so he should be able to find out something."

He then asked about the situation at the Capital Prefecture Office.

Song Miao had not yet spoken when the junior escort accompanying her interrupted: "Biaotou, you don't know, those officials inside the Capital Prefecture Office are all very familiar with Song Xiaoniangzi; as soon as we spoke, they all scrambled to help—I think we don't need our escort bureau; she can find people herself to get things done! It makes me look like someone who takes money but does no work!"

"That's not true," Song Miao hurriedly said, "Although the government office can help inquire, food shops have people coming and going daily, and we still need the escort bureau's help; otherwise, who could rest easy?"

She added: "Besides, if the escort bureau can also get some news, two sources confirming each other, two legs walking, it would be even better! I trouble Biaotou and the escort masters to work hard these few days!"

Qi Biaotou laughed: "Not to mention taking money for work, even for the usual steamed buns, roasted pigeons, roasted meat, and various dried meats, we will put in great effort!"

After running back and forth for so long, it was already past noon; there was still no definite news, and they had to wait for a reply, so the three returned to the food shop first.

As soon as they entered, everyone inside had already returned; seeing Song Miao, they all came to welcome her.

A group of people, all talking at once, looked like survivors of a disaster.

"Young Lady, fortunately we had the escort masters protecting us—we ran into several troublemakers on the road!"

"I and Da Bing had just left the main street when several ruffians rushed up, wanting to seize our steamer baskets; at that early hour, there were few passersby nearby, and the patrol soldiers couldn't be summoned; if not for the escort masters holding them down, even a cart of food might not have been saved!"

"On our end, we were lucky to leave early and the cart moved slowly; at the corner of Yangtou Lane, for some reason, suddenly many stones appeared, and we almost hit them!"

Song Miao hurriedly asked if anyone was hurt anywhere; except for when delivering early food, a short-term hire auntie was too nervous, always watching for movement around, but ignored what was near, accidentally stepped into empty space and sprained her foot; the rest were all unharmed.

"Is it serious? Did you see a doctor? Since you're injured, why not go home and rest for a few days, and come back when your legs and feet are better?"

The auntie blushed and said: "Just a sprain, I already applied medicine oil, only a little pain remains; I think it will heal in two days—how can such a small injury require going home to rest? The food shop is busy right now!"

Song Miao went to look at her injury; seeing it was indeed nothing unusual, she finally relaxed a little, then turned and said: "Er Niangzi, when you have time later, call two people and hire an escort master to accompany Lu Shenzi to see a doctor—beneath the skin and flesh, who knows what's inside."

She added: "If the injury is serious inside and the doctor says it's not good to move and needs rest, then go home and rest first; it doesn't matter to lose these few days."

Lu Shenzi insisted: "Really nothing! Boss, rest assured, if I can't come, I will definitely say so! If worse comes to worst, I'll swap shifts with someone else, so no one covers my shift for nothing!"

After asking about the injuries of the helpers in the food shop, Song Miao then asked about those who had been ordered today to go help notify various places: "What did Shen Niangzi, Liu Saozi, Shentu Hu and the others say?"

"Many households said they understood and would handle it; they told the young lady not to worry about them, just take care of her own shop!"

Cheng Erniang said: "The Shen family fishery said they would invite their three friends and four companions, old relatives and neighbors, to their home or shop when they have time; Shen's Old Lady also said she is now old and hopes someone comes to cause trouble; if they rub against her, she'll cling on and bite them to death, not letting go; she doesn't know which blind person could help pay for funeral clothes! She's not afraid of people coming, only afraid no one comes!"

The room had been somewhat tense, but everyone was immediately drawn into laughter.

Naturally it was nonsense, but Shen's Old Lady's words showed such an eager posture that hearing it made everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

Zhang Siniang then said: "Shentu Hu also said his family doesn't have much else, just many sharp knives; moreover, he recently brought two clansmen from the countryside, so there are more hands; he said cutting off someone's livelihood is like killing their parents; he wants to see who dares to come to the door in broad daylight, and see whose knife is fast and hands are rough!"

She added: "He also said that after this matter is settled, when the young lady's food shop opens for business, he will bring a meat stall to congratulate together—he has already selected a big fat pig at a farmer's home outside Yangzhou Gate, fattened for a month or so, just waiting for a good day to arrive, then he will send it to be roasted!"

Standing beside her was an escort who had gone along; at this moment he said to the person beside him: "Xiao Liu, don't laugh! I think that butcher today really has something about him! A body full of sinewy muscle; when he exerts force, the meat on his arms jumps; if they really fight, even trained fighters might not win—when you train until the meat on your arms can jump, then come laugh!"

That Xiao Liu was precisely the junior escort who went out with Song Miao today.

He really couldn't accept it and immediately said: "Your words look down on people, don't they? After this matter is settled, after Song's shopkeeper's food shop opens, I will also come to congratulate; I don't have a fat pig, but I'll buy some fruit, fat fish, and red eggs! At that time I'll ask one question; if that butcher agrees, we'll find a place outside the gate to have a match!"

Just then Qi Biaotou entered, shouted a cheer, and said: "Good! Our escort-running brothers should have such spirit! When the time comes I'll come too, to mediate and judge for you!"

He then turned to Song Miao: "Song Xiaoniangzi, when the time comes I will also send a congratulatory gift to your door; if there really is a big pig, whether roasted, boiled, or steamed, as long as it's your cooking, any way is fine—can I get a piece of meat?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the people around all shouted.

"Biaotou! Not like this! Usually every time you say we're brothers; how at such a critical moment do you only hurry to get benefits for yourself and forget us other brothers? We don't get any meat to eat??"

"Such a great match, we should come watch once!"

"I can also mediate and judge! How can we trouble Biaotou!"

Qi Biaotou laughed and scolded: "When I get the chance to go up, you can all climb along the vine; now one or two of you say this; it's obvious you just want to freeload; if Song Xiaoniangzi hears this, where will she still be willing to agree!"

"The food shop opening, naturally the more people the better—if you can spare time, come to the door to help try the taste, liven things up; I'd be happy and couldn't ask for more; how could I not agree?"

"Hey! Hey! Everyone listen, this is what Song Xiaoniangzi said herself: 'happy and couldn't ask for more'—someday we will all come to the door to get a welcome meal!"

After saying a few lively words, everyone returned to their posts; some seized time to rest, preparing to take turns standing watch at night; some followed Qi Biaotou's orders, some returned to the escort bureau to send inquiries, some went out to recruit people; others slipped away, so that when guests came to the door, they wouldn't be seen.

Soon, more than ten escorts had all dispersed.

Because they had been delayed at the patrol post for a long time, and then went to the Capital Prefecture Office again; now returning to the food shop, the hour was already very late.

Not long after, Da Bing came to ask about dinner arrangements.

"We returned late today, so the time is a bit rushed; I just discussed with Siniang, planning to each make two dishes, boil a pot of rice, and have the young lady and aunties make a large steamer basket of pan-fried cakes and steamed buns; that should be about enough!"

Last night at midnight they were asked for help; all the escorts were eager, not a single word of refusal; they immediately followed to Sanzao County Alley; they didn't get a full night's sleep; as soon as they arrived, they started working.

Today they got up before dawn and went out together; hearing Zhang Siniang and the others say that when delivering early food and cargo, the accompanying escorts also voluntarily helped carry things.

Xu Niangzi's price was not high; she gave a discount and charged for two fewer people; Song Miao accepted her favor, and likewise accepted the favor of all these escorts; hearing Da Bing's plan, she said: "Tonight is the first proper meal; let me cook; you and Siniang help out first; you can cook tomorrow, how about that?"

Da Bing immediately agreed and let out a long sigh of relief: "I just told Zhang Siniang that the time was too urgent; as soon as we started, it had been a long time since we cooked a big pot meal; thirty people at once; I was very afraid of ruining it! Now that the young lady leads, it's better than anything!"

He then asked about the specific dishes.

Song Miao went to the back kitchen and took a look around.

No vegetables were bought in the afternoon, but there were many miscellaneous things: lotus root, cucumber, mustard greens, etc., plus leftover scraps from making steamed buns.

Vegetables were not lacking; then go look at the meat.

Seeing things hung with rice straw in the copper basin, Song Miao looked through them and was quite surprised: "Why are there so many pork kidneys?"

Zhang Siniang quickly answered beside her: "They were collected by Shentu Hu; besides pork kidneys, there is also pork neck meat; he said someone had ordered them for this morning, but they didn't come until late afternoon; when someone went to ask, they said they didn't want them; for a moment no customer could be found to buy them; just then we passed by, so he bought them at cost price and asked to send them back to the young lady!"

Song Miao lifted the lotus leaf beside the pork kidneys; sure enough, underneath were several large slices of pork neck meat, and a very beautiful rack of ribs.

"I thought today there were more than ten escort masters; they run in and out with us; it's very hard work; and it's their first day arriving; plus today we got cheap pork kidneys; so I bought some good ribs back..."

Song Miao praised her: "You thought it through well; but even without the escort masters coming, we ourselves should eat well—everyone has been busy lately!"

Glancing at the hour, Zhang and Liu went about their tasks — those cooking cooked, those steaming buns steamed buns — and once things were ready, they came over to lend a hand.

Song Miao first counted heads, then checked the ingredients once more, and in her mind the pairings were already quietly set.

First up was the meat.

She cut a large piece of foreleg meat — first into big chunks, then into large dice — then called someone over to mince it into ground meat.

Pork neck cut into strips, ribs chopped into pieces nearly a palm's length; the former got salt and light soy sauce, plus malt sugar and various seasonings; the latter, besides those, had a touch of spices added for marinating.

— Since she'd kept hearing the escorts talk about that stove, today she simply used it to roast some meat, letting them eat their fill.

With the main meat done, she went to check the pork kidneys.

Pork kidneys are the rankest part of a pig; if handled poorly, they ruin the taste.

Shentu Hu had already gone through and removed the white membranes, but there were always spots missed, and right next to the membranes there's actually a nasty smell too; Song Miao, with Zhang Siniang and Dabing, carefully shaved them clean, washed and drained them, only then starting to swiftly score them in a crosshatch pattern.

Once the meat was all prepped, it was the vegetables' turn.

It wasn't yet autumn, so most lotus roots were still the crisp variety — especially these two in the food shop, looking long and plump; snapped open, sure enough, nine holes.

Crisp lotus root is no good for soup, and there was no time for soup anyway; Song Miao had it pulled aside, had someone wash and peel it, cut one portion into dice, minced another portion together with the earlier ground meat, seasoned it herself, and borrowing the pot of oil next door that had just fried crispy fried noodles and soybeans, used it to fry lotus root balls.

There were also mustard greens, celery, Sichuan pepper leaves, and the like — all washed clean, along with cucumber; what needed sectioning was sectioned, what needed tearing into pieces was torn.

Thirty-odd people — that already counts as large-pot dishes; if stir-fried, they release water too easily, and left sitting the flavor goes bad.

Best to toss them cold, with a refreshing sauce, plus a few other mixed vegetables; toss only what you'll eat.

Song Miao wielded the spatula, Zhang Siniang and Dabing assisting — both seasoned hands, movements deft; whatever was needed here appeared right there, without even asking, a single question and they knew exactly what heat to use.

The three bustled here, while outside Xu Erlang, just back from the escort agency, stood in the courtyard; seeing the several women washing vegetables and sorting dried meat inside the cloth curtain, he first pumped himself up, then stepped forward to ask: "Aunties, any coarse firewood here? I'm idle anyway, let me split some kindling for the kitchen? Or if there's anything heavy, call me to move it..."

A young fellow, thick brows and big eyes, with an honest-looking face — actually quite likable.

A long-term hired woman answered: "This little escort master! Such solid character — but this is our livelihood; if you do it all, what did the boss hire us for? Just go mind your own business!"

Xu Erlang had his heart set on splitting wood to show off; rebuffed, he couldn't help looking toward the back kitchen, and walked a few steps that way, asking: "Then can I go help Song Xiaoniangzi? That should be fine, right?"

This time, many in the back courtyard changed expression.

The nearest short-term hire hurried over, smiling broadly as she blocked him: "Little Escort Master, our kitchen's different from other places — it's all food inside, people going in and out stir up dust and dirt; you have to wash hands, change shoes, wrap your head, cover your face to enter. Better sit out front — the young lady just sent snacks out — all good stuff, I just heard them praising it, go taste!"

— Xu Erlang hadn't even made it through the door before he was shooed to the front.

Afraid the many burly escorts outside would be seen by arriving guests — scaring them, or making them think something happened at Song Ji — everyone out front had already gathered in the miscellaneous room; at this moment nearly all were eating snacks.

Common ones: sazi, hemp cakes, mung bean cakes; also crispy fried soybeans, five-spice broad beans, and so on; plus fresh seasonal fruit; portions not large but many varieties, spread across several long benches.

Xu Erlang had been a touch discouraged; seeing all this food, he perked right up.

Aiya! Smells so good!

Especially those mung bean cakes, crispy fried soybeans, and five-spice broad beans — definitely just fried, incredibly fragrant!

He couldn't resist stepping up, pinching a mung bean cake, and eating along.

Not long after eating out front, a short-term hire came out: "Food's ready, the boss invites all you escort masters to eat!"

A crowd surged into motion, splitting into two groups — one heading to the back for hot food, the other staying here to guard while waiting for food to be brought.

The hot-food group had barely sat down when dishes arrived one after another.

Just then, someone in the front hall called: "Song Xiaoniangzi, are you in? You have a guest!"

By the voice, vaguely familiar — a neighbor from Sanzao County Alley.