Chapter 336

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Before her, a crowd of Taixue students' faces pressed close — some enthusiastic, some excited — and the baskets they held aloft, each filled with steamed buns of varying sizes and shapes.

Zhao Yu felt his heart give a start, yet he couldn't help but inwardly cry bitterly.

Steamed buns again!

To speak honestly, ever since last time at the Taixue he ate that spoiled "Night One Stuffing Heaven," for a good while afterward he avoided steamed buns like the plague; for this reason, lately his daily meals have been nothing but rice, or noodles, or flatbreads and such.

Himself was one thing; sometimes when he went to the Taigong to pay respects and was kept for a meal, with steamed buns placed before him, he still had to tilt his chin up, pretending not to see them, lest he recall that day's taste.

Yet now the students had offered their sincere hearts right to his face, and Zhao Yu naturally could not refuse.

He looked past each basket one by one.

First to catch his eye were the tofu steamed buns, quite large, very round and plump, the pleats pinched rather coarse, with a hint of soup-juice color occasionally seeping faintly from the pleat seams.

Tofu…

High noon, the weather hot — this tofu… wouldn't it spoil easily?

Harboring lingering fear, not daring to gamble big, Zhao Yu hurriedly shifted his gaze aside.

This next basket held mutton steamed buns, extremely plump in shape, the size of a grown man's fist; just by looking one could tell they must be heavy in the hand — the dough skin was not the thin sort, and the bottom very clearly showed a reddish, glossy color, soaked through by oil juices.

Clearly still several paces away, Zhao Yu had already smelled the wheat fragrance together with the mutton fragrance.

But… fragrant as it was, if mutton is done poorly, it's very easy to smell fragrant but eat gamy and rank.

Zhao Yu thought of last time when Grand Secretary Deng ate the duck-goose steamed bun, that look of wanting to vomit but not daring to.

He didn't dare reach out.

Next to that, were the suan pa cai steamed buns, round and round, the dough skin slightly yellow, the pleats at the closure quite pretty, like wheat ears, the surface with a glossy oil sheen.

Suan pa cai surely wouldn't spoil, right?

Zhao Yu picked up chopsticks, just about to pick one up, when he heard a student at the side call out: "Give His Majesty the chashao steamed bun to eat! Ah! Wang Chang, your arm's too short! Do you know how or not!"

"Exactly! Other fillings can be eaten elsewhere, this chashao steamed bun is only at this one shop, no other branch — hurry and let His Majesty taste the chashao steamed bun Song Xiaoniangzi made for us Taixue students!"

"Hurry! That Wu Lao Wu, you move that suan pa cai steamed bun aside, don't block Lao Wang!"

A whole group of people, right before the Son of Heaven, openly rigged it for the chashao steamed bun.

And that student, at one moment called "Lao Wang," at another shouted as "Wang Chang," having been yielded room by others, indeed hurriedly squeezed his basket forward a bit more and inserted himself: "Your Majesty, please just look at this grilled meat chashao steamed bun! Extremely delicious — so soft, so fragrant!"

Zhao Yu cast his gaze over.

A huge steamed bun, not very like the steamed buns he'd seen before, the outer skin whiter, looking extremely fluffy, the top prettily split into three petals like a flower, revealing the filling inside — roasted pieces of meat with fat and lean alternating, wrapped in thick sauce-color, half-congealed half-flowing; as he lifted it high, that meat fragrance carrying a hint of caramelized scorched edges rushed precisely toward his nose.

This group of students hadn't spoken wrongly; he indeed had not eaten this flavor elsewhere.

The world is vast; though it is his own world, there being things he hasn't seen or eaten is also perfectly normal.

Seeing so many people here jointly "recommending" it, Zhao Yu still wasn't in a hurry to eat, only asking first: "Last time I came, I ate your canteen steamed buns, Grand Secretary Deng admitted fault, saying he would improve — I wonder how the improvement has gone? Do you have any opinions?"

Unlike last time, this time hearing the Son of Heaven ask, every single student vied to speak up.

"Replying to Your Majesty, it's entirely thanks to Your Majesty opening our eyes as students; now the canteen rice and dishes have improved greatly!"

"If not for Your Majesty, we'd still be eating spoiled rice and spoiled dishes day after day!"

"Now the canteen has changed the Gong Chu, the flavor is much better — especially since they've also gone outside to purchase many steamed buns back, those steamed buns truly taste good!"

"If they could also procure some good vegetables and good meat from Song Ji, that would be even better — if not, it's fine too; now it's already very good days, all thanks to Your Majesty caring for us Taixue students!"

"Your Majesty, quickly taste this steamed bun — this is a Song Ji steamed bun; if eaten just out of the steamer, it's most delicious!"

Though Zhao Yu didn't know what Song Ji or not Song Ji was, hearing these many words, his heart felt ease and comfort; he took the bowl and chopsticks, and picked up a chashao steamed bun.

Before he'd even had a chance to eat, a group of people seeing he'd finally chosen the chashao steamed bun, grew anxious again; this one shoved the suan pa cai steamed bun closer, that one cheered for the tofu steamed bun, yet another begged the Son of Heaven to give the mutton steamed bun a chance.

Everyone earnest, all the students' sincere admiration for the Emperor; Zhao Yu really could only pick up a few more and place them in another large bowl before him.

Indeed, he'd left the palace before dawn, busy inspecting the dikes in between, then questioning and handling matters, only eating a little to pad his stomach before departure; Zhao Yu, a grown man, was long since hungry.

He first had rice laid out and dishes portioned, also called everyone to dine together, then tentatively took a bite of the grilled meat chashao steamed bun.

Before the steamed bun entered his mouth, Zhao Yu's two eyebrows unconsciously knitted slightly; once he tasted the flavor, the right one surprisingly arched up, and his head lifted along with it.

The Son of Heaven dining here, a canteen student originally shouldn't stare directly, but who could hold back; all secretly used peripheral glances to peek, and seeing him lift his head, each and every one couldn't help but lift their heads too.

The room clearly held many people, yet no one spoke, quiet as could be, only waiting for the Son of Heaven to speak.

And Zhao Yu did not open his mouth.

He originally only planned to taste one bite, but after tasting one bite, then another, then another, and yet another, he finished all three petals of the grilled meat chashao steamed bun in the bowl, still unsatisfied, and reached out with chopsticks again, picking half of each suan pa cai, mutton, and tofu steamed bun from the large bowl into his own small bowl.

When a person's belly is hungry, they originally find everything delicious; moreover, what Zhao Yu faced was a whole table of Song Ji steamed buns — the Emperor is also human!

The chashao steamed bun goes without saying, the dough skin extremely soft and fluffy, the meat filling's salty-sweet seasoned too well, the meat's flavor even better, fat and lean even, still carrying the fragrance of caramelized roasting; the mutton steamed bun rich and fresh to the full, meat juice and oil fat given amply enough, and also with shreds of carrot thoroughly sweet.

The suan pa cai steamed bun surprisingly carried spice, both sour and fresh, inside a little minced pork, truly excessively appetizing; as for the tofu steamed bun, simply incredible, the inner filling both tender and smooth, also slightly spicy, in the middle even a bit of minced shiitake, a bit of pork mince…

Meat steamed buns full of meat and fragrance, vegetarian steamed buns also extremely worth eating!

Before Zhao Yu sat a bowl of meat soup presented by the Taixue Gong Chu, inside meat piled full to the brim, but he strove to use the spoon to push aside the meat and ladle pure broth to pair with the steamed buns — even while pairing, he somewhat felt that if this soup could be a bit clearer it would be better — only thus could it better set off the mouthful of steamed bun's wheat fragrance, meat fragrance, filling fragrance…

He here had nearly eaten his way through all the steamed buns, while outside only then did people come running in huffing and puffing.

At the head was the Imperial Academy Grand Secretary, behind him leading several Xuezheng, Masters Chen and Cao.

Grand Secretary Deng saw the Son of Heaven sitting properly in the center, with a crowd of palace attendants and imperial guards surrounding protectively, students encircling, bowls placed before him, and countless steamed buns, rice and dishes, chopsticks pinched in hand, mouth still chewing chew chew, still in the act of eating.

His heart extremely apprehensive, leading a whole retinue, he hurried forward to greet and salute, then begged offense: "Your Subject has been discourteous, not knowing Your Majesty would grace us with your presence, failed to welcome you from afar!"

Zhao Yu set down the chopsticks in hand, saying: "It was also a whim of mine, not your fault!"

Seeing the Son of Heaven's expression rather strange, though not looking angry, yet not very happy either, his tone even carrying a hint of regretful meaning, Grand Secretary Deng truly couldn't get a read on the pulse.

He hurriedly added, "Your subject was negligent, but Your Majesty did not pursue the matter. Recently, the Taixue Gongchu and Canteen have been rectified several times. Every ten days, a Xuezheng is assigned to collect student suggestions, revise the menu, replace the Gongchu, and heed student voices by externally procuring steamed buns, glutinous rice, and other foods..."

Zhao Yu listened while nodding, saying, "That is exactly right. Deng Qing and the other senior ministers are the arms and bones of the Court, while the new Taixue students are the backbone of the Court. I have allocated silver year after year precisely so that young talents can study with peace of mind and not be troubled all day by the matter of filling their bellies at critical times. When they have learned their skills during their studies, they can then enter officialdom and serve the Court and the common people!"

After speaking, he wiped his hands clean with a handkerchief, then took a grilled meat chashao Steamed Bun from the basket in front, held it up and gestured with it, and said solemnly, "By nourishing scholars in this way, I can have a clear conscience!"

As soon as Zhao Yu finished speaking, all the Taixue students inside the canteen were truly excited, and the whole room resounded with shouts of "Long live the Emperor!"

Everyone wished they could hug their books right then, eating while shaking their heads and swaying their brains as they recited aloud for the Emperor to see—first, as a way to lay themselves bare, and second, to let the other party know how hard they had been studying—best of all, to have him remember their appearance and name!

Zhao Yu finished eating several Steamed Bun, then had a bowl of meat soup, ate to eighty percent full, comforted a group of students, but was not in a hurry to leave. He followed them to see the Qinshe and Xuezhai. When they arrived at the Xuezhai, he discovered that the two old men, Chen and Cao, were following behind. He hurried forward to greet them and asked about their Teaching Hall.

A moment later they went to the Teaching Hall. Since Taixue had just finished the monthly private examination, when the door opened, Zhao Yu saw essays and answers to the classics laid out on the desk.

He took two papers to look through for a while, then asked, "For this private examination, are there any outstanding essays?"

He then said to Chen Fuzi, "Today I inspected the river dike and met a Taixue student named Han Li. I do not know if there is his answer sheet or essay here?"

"This..." Chen Fuzi was stunned, couldn't help but exchange a glance with the man surnamed Cao beside him, then quickly turned back and said, "Replying to Your Majesty, Han Li has been seconded to the Du Shui Jian at this time and is not participating in the private examination or the dormitory examination. There is no answer sheet or essay of his here."

Zhao Yu was somewhat disappointed, but said no more. He looked through several student answer sheets, put them down, and then asked Chen Fuzi about the matter of the Fu and Feng couple restoring the nine channels of the Huang He back then.

Seeing the Emperor inquire seriously, with words that seemed to imply he intended to bring out the previous proposal scheme again for consideration, although Chen Fuzi knew the matter would certainly not be so easy, he was still extremely happy.

He almost immediately took out a document, presented it to Zhao Yu with both hands, and said, "This is a manuscript on restoring the nine channels of the Huang He drafted by my late master in his early years. I ask Your Majesty to take a look..."

That document was extremely thick with much content. Zhao Yu sat on the armchair and began to look through it.

The more solid and extensive the content, the slower and more difficult it was to read.

Fu Gui's document not only contained content, but also many place names, water names, and mountain names—perhaps because they were remote or unknown—that Zhao Yu had never heard of or seen before, and were hard to imagine.

Besides these, there was even content on how to improve sweep workers, carpenters, and such things.

This part of the content was much easier to read. Zhao Yu glanced over it briefly and saw that much of it was quite similar to what he had seen on the river dike today. He guessed that Han Li had improved upon it once following Fu Gui's method.

As he looked, he couldn't help but call out to Chen Fuzi and asked, "I want to take this manuscript back to the palace. Is there any impropriety?"

Chen Fuzi hurriedly shook his head to deny it.

Zhao Yu then summoned a Huangmen over. Just as he was about to hand over the document, he lifted it lightly and discovered that behind it was attached another volume. He opened it and saw that it contained more pictures than words and was quite thick.

The pictures were almost all of various vessels, river engineering tools, and installations on the riverway, with very fine details—from what materials were needed, how to prepare them, what shape to prepare them into, how to finally assemble them, how to maintain them, what situations might arise when damaged, and how to repair them—all very clear.

The most special thing was that the style of the pictures inside was different from what was usually seen, but rather more true and more real.

He carefully compared them for a while and discovered that page numbers were marked beside the pictures inside. When he turned the document to the corresponding page numbers, sure enough, it was exactly the content mentioning the installations and tools on the pictures.

Zhao Yu couldn't help but flip through it again and again. Seeing that the handwriting was different, he couldn't help but wave the volume in his hand and ask, "Is this also Fu Lao's document?"

"Oh! That is Zheng Yan..."

Chen Fuzi had not finished his sentence when he heard footsteps outside. He turned back and saw that a Huangmen official had brought Han Li, who was hurrying back, inside.

After Han Li performed the ritual, Chen Fuzi hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, the late master's documents and all manuscripts were originally organized by my junior disciples..."

Hearing this, Zhao Yu had the person come closer, asked a few more questions, and finally praised, "I see that the Du Shui Jian also used pictures to record things in the past, but compared to your drawings here, it is still somewhat inferior. Such a method can be spread abroad..."

Han Li, however, said, "Your Majesty flatters me. This student dare not claim credit—this method of drawing was inspired by a Young Lady, and I learned it from her instruction."

"This student went to Hua Prefecture. Knowing that opening the river required the most manpower and time was tight, I happened to meet a Young Lady named Song Xiaoniangzi—this person pushed a cart to set up a stall selling breakfast in the Taixue Back Alley..."

He summed it up in a few sentences: how the two of them met, how they came together by fortunate coincidence, invited the other to help cook in a large pot at the Capital Prefecture Office, and thereby discovered the other's talent for command.

"When they arrived in Hua Prefecture, although she had just arrived, within a few short days, without any helper, she herself recruited over two hundred kitchen workers and arranged the meals on the riverway in good order. She also set about fifty rules in the kitchen. I do not know why, but almost everyone could recite them."

"This student inquired carefully and observed closely, only then learning that she simply drew diagrams, using pictures as an aid, so people could memorize and recite by looking at them, remembering them faster."

After finishing speaking of Hua Prefecture, he spoke of the suspect portraits on the recently drawn Sea Capture Document.

When all was said, Han Li said, "This student followed that Young Lady Song's method, asked her to spare time to instruct me, and only then newly drew the picture album in Your Majesty's hand."

"So, when you previously submitted a memorial requesting merit, the matter mentioned in the memorial..." Zhao Yu paused, "along with teaching the drawing method, and also today's Steamed Bun—are all these the deeds of that Young Lady Song?"

Receiving Han Li's affirmation, besides being surprised, he also found it very interesting, and said, "I ate that Steamed Bun today. Inside was one kind of tofu and one kind of grilled meat chashao, and the taste was very good. Does the canteen still have any left? If so, I will also buy some Song Ji Taixue Steamed Bun back to the palace for the Empress Dowager to taste—she has mentioned the Young Lady's name and deeds several times!"

"I'm afraid the mealtime has already passed, and there may not be any left," Chen Fuzi said.

Hearing Chen Fuzi say this, Old Cao also hurriedly echoed, saying, "They must have been sold out long ago. How about another day..."

At this time there were not many people in the room, but Deng Jijiu hurriedly interjected, "I'm afraid there still are. I will send someone to ask."

He said this, personally went out the door. After a long while, he returned excitedly carrying a food box.

"What a coincidence! Today that Song Ji sent extra new dishes and new Steamed Bun to the Xuezhong for trial dishes—just right to ask the Empress Dowager to sample them!"

Cao Fuzi turned back and saw the food box in his hand, and also saw not far outside the door that the miscellaneous servant he had previously assigned to wait for Song Ji's side dishes was standing there, tiptoeing, looking over anxiously—with empty hands.

Isn't it??? You said you were going to the canteen, what are you doing running over here?

Where did these trial dishes come from??

?? Thank you to Qing Huan for sending my surging spring of literary thoughts, and to Nalan Weiyu for giving me a Peace Talisman:)