Chapter 342

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

The speaker was a man; as soon as his voice fell, a woman squeezed over from next door, lowering her voice to ask: "Could the two scholars help buy steamed buns? My daughter is marrying tomorrow, and she has always loved Song Ji's food. I originally came specially to buy some to take back to her, but who knew I'd get up this early—by now I can't even see the head of the queue—I'll pay twenty... no! Twenty-five wen, can you bring some out from the canteen for me?"

Wang Chang reacted faster; hearing this, his scalp went cold.

Twenty-five wen?

Finished an egg!

Right now, whether it was the canteen or Song Ji in Food Alley, both were places where one had to queue every day, and supply already couldn't meet demand. Suddenly so many outsiders appeared, all willing to pay such high prices—wouldn't Song Ji's food be even harder to buy in the future?

And the man who had just spoken, hearing this, said anxiously: "Hey! You, why are you raising the price!"

"Sorry, sorry, your son's first-birthday grab can be postponed, besides he's so young and lives in the Capital anyway, he probably won't get tired of it, there will be plenty of chances in the future! But my daughter is marrying far away, every bite less is one less, I'm anxious in my heart!"

"Then I'll also pay twenty-five wen—just don't raise it again, a steamed bun only costs a few wen!"

The two were still discussing here when Cheng Zijian felt something was wrong, and hurriedly said: "Sirs, please wait, we have urgent business to go out and can't help you—please find someone else!"

He was born with a face for asking directions; at this moment, while speaking, he kept bowing and saluting without stopping, making people look even easier to deal with.

The two immediately crowded closer by a few steps.

"Young man! Younger Brother! Help us out, buy them before you go out—I'll add five wen!"

"Yes, yes! I'll also add five wen; the two of us together add up to sixty wen. You Taixue students are so rich and noble, there really is gold in your books—you don't care about this much money, don't you want to earn it?!"

Just running an errand could earn sixty wen; let alone Cheng Zijian, who relied entirely on subsidies to live, even Wang Chang, whose family was fairly well-off, couldn't help but feel tempted.

But seeing such a scene in Food Alley, the two were even more anxious to go to Song Ji to report the news. They exchanged glances and said in unison: "We really have urgent business!"

"You find someone else; with this much money, surely someone will help—if it weren't for today, I would have run the trip for you! No need for this much errand fee!"

Almost as soon as the "le" character was finished, several students came out from behind.

Just as the people showed their heads, many people squeezed over from outside, each asking: "Brother, Younger Brother! Did you buy them? Did you buy them?"

"Mine? My three steamed buns!"

"I'm the Grilled Meat Chashao Bun! The one the Emperor named by roll call saying 'to nourish the scholars'!"

"I have eight here!"

"Mine is also Grilled Meat Chashao Bun, I have six!"

A group of people asked while making a gesture to eagerly receive them.

But the students who came out all had guilty expressions on their faces; they had no food boxes in their hands, nor did they carry baskets, sieves, or bundles—only small cloth bags each.

"Alas, we went late—everything is sold out; I'll return your money!"

"Not to mention steamed buns, even glutinous rice, Snow Steamed Cake, and even the food made by the canteen itself—nothing is left. None today, come early tomorrow!"

"Not only is there none, we were also caught by the Xuezheng, who gave us a scolding, saying we were buying low and selling high, making a profit from the middle, and disgracing the reputation of scholars!"

The students grumbled while counting out money to each person outside.

But the people crowding outside were anxious.

"Aiyo, what's this about making a profit? We just wanted to share in the glory! We only gave a few coins!"

"Exactly, exactly! These Xuezheng officials are really not straightforward in doing things!"

"We were going to pay for our own things; you students were kind enough to buy them for us!"

"Alas!"

"Officials are all like this!"

"Shameless—you have food to eat yourselves, eating until you're fat-headed and pig-brained, but won't let outsiders eat! What's wrong with students earning a few coins? What's wrong with us sharing a bit of the imperial dragon aura!"

"I was saying my nephew has an exam at the academy; I wanted to buy a few to take back to him to absorb some Taixue literary talent. But I ran into this group who don't do proper business and meddle in other people's affairs! Jinx!"

Poor several Xuezheng, originally wanting to protect the name of Taixue and the reputation of scholars, were instead scolded bloody by a group of outsiders.

And the two who had just been crowding around Cheng Zijian and Wang Chang also had bad expressions on their faces.

Wang Chang, seeing this, proposed to the man who wanted to buy buns for his son's first-birthday grab: "Really not possible, Older Brother, just buy a few steamed buns casually; how can a child tell the difference?"

"No! No! I want the Taixue Number One Scholar Bun. Buying a few casually from outside, ones not praised by the Emperor—how can that be an auspicious omen?"

The woman buying buns for her married daughter also mustered her spirit to propose: "Really not possible; if you won't discuss with those scholars, let me see—ask which road the Emperor took yesterday, help pick a leaf from a tree, or some flowers or grass, for your son's first-birthday grab? It's still something from Taixue, able to absorb a bit of literary aura!"

This was not a difficult matter.

But the man immediately shook his head and said: "Sister, what joke are you saying! Things on the ground—which child would grab flowers or grass? If it's a good bun, smelling the fragrance, they'll surely grab it; not only grab, but bite!"

He paused, then said: "Besides, if they really grabbed flowers or grass, even if they're Taixue's flowers and grass, from then on always looking at flowers east and grass west, not doing proper business—what then?"

The woman quickly drew inferences and asked: "But if they grab a bun, from then on always tightly eating buns, not doing proper business—what then?"

The man was stunned at once; obviously he hadn't expected such a statement, and his brain couldn't turn around for a moment.

The two were speaking here, their voices not small; someone nearby had already heard.

Suddenly an Extra interjected: "This isn't perfect—let your son be able to eat the Emperor's buns in the future; isn't that meaning eating the Court's salary, wanting to become an official!"

As soon as these words came out, the man's eyes lit up; he called out to those around: "Who among you bought Taixue buns? Can you let me have one! Just one!! My son's first-birthday grab here is really urgent!! I'm willing to pay fifty wen! Fifty wen per bun!"

Immediately someone grumbled: "Those who bought have already gone back; those gathered here—which one isn't someone who didn't buy!"

Another kind-hearted person pointed to the long queue ahead and said: "This line is Song Ji's queue; Taixue buns are bought from her family. If you're anxious, you can also queue here; but those buns haven't stayed in Tai Xue Li, and no one knows if they have effect!"

"Probably yes! His Majesty praised 'Taixue Buns'; aren't hers 'buns for Taixue'? Otherwise you wait until tomorrow?"

"That won't do!" The man said anxiously.

He was about to step forward, but someone ahead turned around and said: "What are you queuing for! Don't you see that sign ahead?"

Everyone looked in the direction that person pointed; sure enough, in the distance a person had a sign standing beside him; he walked forward a few steps, dragging the sign forward with him.

The man went on: "Starting from where the sign is set up, even if you line up further back, you won't be able to buy anything at all—even if the Emperor hadn't praised this bun, Song Ji's breakfast has never been enough to go around! And you're still standing here asking 'do you know or not'!"

Food Alley was already very crowded in the morning, and now a large group who had heard the news suddenly arrived, blocking it completely.

Cheng Zijian squeezed his way out, and when he reached Song Ji's stall cart, he saw that the one selling was Big Pancake with a short-term hired woman, so he called out to him and asked: "His Majesty praised Miss Song's buns yesterday as good, so surely the news will spread today, doesn't she know? Should we go report it? Tell the food shops to prepare?"

Big Pancake wiped his forehead with a handkerchief, then hurriedly washed his hands, and only then continued serving the glutinous rice. Finding a moment of leisure amidst the busyness, he glanced at Cheng Zijian and replied: "Young Master Cheng! The young lady has already received the news; the food shop prepared early, gathered many ingredients, and even those who were supposed to rest today have been called back to wait!"

As he spoke, he shouted loudly again: "Uncles, aunts, and ladies, if you want to buy Song Ji's buns—my family's buns also supply the Imperial Academy, and the Emperor praised our roasted meat chashao bun! If you can't make it in line here, you might as well go buy at the food shop—at the end of Sanzao County Alley!"

Big Pancake was young, but he had a big head, and after eating good food for over half a year, he had become much sturdier, with plenty of energy. Many people squeezed along the road heard him, but since he looked like a young apprentice at first glance, they found it hard to believe.

Seeing this, the short-term hired Liao Niangzi immediately called out: "If you don't believe it, you can ask the other stall owners..."

Those who came to join the excitement didn't trust stall owners at all, assuming they were merchants protecting merchants, and might not be telling the truth, but they all grabbed the students nearby to ask.

"Is Song Ji really supplying buns to the Imperial Academy?"

"No lie?"

"The Emperor praised this family's bun?"

The crowd was still asking when a familiar student from the Imperial Academy who had come out from behind urgently called out: "Big Pancake, did Miss Song prepare more buns today? Then why did you put up the sign so quickly?"

Big Pancake hurriedly called out: "Who knew there would be so many people in Food Alley today, and even if there were more, this cart couldn't hold them all! Scholars, if you can make it, you can certainly go to the food shop; it's early now, surely they're open for business!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of students began to lead the way squeezing out.

The Emperor came at noon yesterday.

As soon as the imperial carriage arrived, the imperial guards surrounded and protected the Imperial Academy.

After the imperial carriage left, the gate closure wasn't lifted for a while; students without permits were not allowed to enter or exit, until this morning when it was finally opened.

But the students couldn't enter or exit—didn't the teachers, xuezhengs, guards, and miscellaneous workers need to go home? Didn't they need to buy supplies?

Or delivery men, porters, every one of them had a mouth.

Moreover, although the Emperor traveled lightly, it was still the imperial carriage; such a grand display, with commoners along the way watching him enter the Imperial Academy, then watching a group come out to see him off, then watching them run toward Yu Jie—who wouldn't know what was happening? They had already started inquiring.

Thus, on the previous night, the reputation of the Imperial Academy buns, the so-called "To nourish the scholars, only then can I be without guilt," had already spread slightly around the vicinity of the Imperial Academy.

By this morning, those who had received the news couldn't help but come to see the excitement—this Imperial Academy bun that made the Emperor say "only then can I be without guilt," what exactly was its flavor?

Some men wanted to borrow the Emperor's golden words, some women came by chance, and others had things brought for them, and so on, all sorts of people.

Suddenly so much demand appeared; everyone was waiting at the door before daybreak, spending money to ask Imperial Academy students to buy many buns, snacks, and other things out.

When the other students got up at the usual time and went to the canteen, thinking they could eat Song Ji buns bought from outside as before, who knew that after arriving, they stared with wide eyes—the canteen had been completely emptied!

Even the unappetizing steamed cakes and cold noodles made by the public kitchen, and the flour and other things that few people asked for before, were all sold out—what was there to eat!!

After everyone hurriedly came out to the back alley and saw such a scene, and saw Song Ji's "sold out" sign already hung up, they were sighing and lamenting; hearing such news, calculating that there was still time, they all ran out.

If they hadn't run, it would have been fine, but once they ran and made such a display, how could those new customers who had just arrived not know that what Big Pancake and Liao Niangzi said was true?

Some stayed behind to ask a few more questions, while others didn't ask at all and just followed the Imperial Academy students running—no matter where they ran, following scholars would surely not result in a loss—didn't the Emperor even need to support them!

Not long after, as students came out of the Imperial Academy one by one, hungry and looking for breakfast, hearing the news, six out of ten wanted to run to Song Ji; the remaining few who were too lazy to run stayed here to buy some other food casually—at this time, they were inevitably stopped and questioned by those newly arrived people, naturally asking about the relationship between the so-called "Song Ji Food Shop" and the Imperial Academy buns.

After receiving confirmation and explanation from one student after another, soon, one small group after another of students had many people scattered behind them, just like a flock of wild geese flying south, sometimes lining up in a "one" character, sometimes in a "person" character, sometimes in some unknown character when changing lead geese, messily flying toward Sanzao County Alley.

At the end of Sanzao County Alley, inside Song Ji Food Shop, when steaming the third pot of buns, the short-term hires had already become anxious.

"Why not just make this many for now? No one is coming anyway; the young lady said before that buns are best when steamed fresh, shouldn't we stop for a while and not rush to wrap them?"

"That's right! The roasted meat chashao has already been roasted three batches... why not wait a bit first?"

They were still talking here when they heard a thumping sound from outside.

In a moment, several heads wearing square head coverings poked in from outside.

"This is Song Ji, right?"

"Is Stall Owner Song here?"

"Big Pancake said today buns at the food shop are open for sale!"

The person guarding the front hall saw this and immediately replied: "Yes! What would the guest like? Today there are plenty of buns!"

Soon, Song Miao, who had received the news, hurried out from the back courtyard; while taking buns and collecting money, she inquired with those students about the situation, nothing more than whether there were many people in Food Alley today, and whether they had seen the Emperor yesterday.

"We saw him! And saw him eating the buns supplied by the young lady—the Emperor even praised them!!"

Several people eagerly competed to reenact yesterday's scene.

They hadn't finished reenacting here when the guests who had followed behind already hesitantly came in through the door to ask, nothing more than three questions: Is this "Song Ji" that supplies buns to the Imperial Academy? Is there that "roasted meat chashao bun" praised by the Emperor? Apart from the chashao bun, what other buns are the most delicious?

After finally dealing with this flock of wild geese, a new flock of "wild geese" had already arrived behind.

Song Miao hurriedly had someone open all eight door panels at the front door.

From this moment on, customers began to arrive in groups inside the food shop.

A large steamer basket of buns was carried out, and in almost a moment they were sold out—among them, the roasted meat chashao bun was the most popular.

The people wrapping buns behind no longer had time to say anything like "should we stop for a while," but looked at the stove roasting chashao, wishing they could dig earth and mix cement right now to build another five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten roasting stoves on the spot—could you stop coming just for the chashao buns? I can't roast fast enough, save my life, wow!

Xu Niangzi finished her handover and was originally preparing to return to the Wuguan, but seeing how busy it was here, she couldn't help but roll up her sleeves and pitch in herself, helping to maintain order in the queue behind—the queue had already formed four lines, winding and twisting, endlessly extending, even extending to the middle of Sanzao County Alley, causing neighbors on both sides to come out and watch the excitement.

Among those in line were students, but more were the crowd who had followed along, wanting to buy Imperial Academy buns, half-believing and half-doubting.

"Is it really the Imperial Academy bun? No lie?"

"It's quite expensive; why is a bun so expensive!"

"If it's truly praised by the Emperor, then expensive is expensive, just afraid it's not!"

The line was noisy and clamorous.

Just at this moment, a commotion arose at the back of the line.

"Make way! Idlers stand aside!"

"Make way! An envoy from the palace!! Make way!!"

A troop of patrol soldiers hurriedly entered the alley, dividing the crowd to both sides, clearing a path in the middle.

Soon, several riders on horseback galloped in, heading toward the end of Sanzao County Alley.

"Is it an angel??"

"It's an angel! Look at that clothing!"

"What are they here for??"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, several riders reined in their horses right in front of the Song Family Eatery's door.

After dismounting, a eunuch asked toward the inside of the door: "Is this the Song Ji Food Shop? Is there a Song Xiaoniangzi here?"

Everyone saw a young lady come out the door, returning a salute in acknowledgment.

That eunuch spread a yellow silk in his hand, saying: "The Empress Dowager has issued an edict, summoning the Song Clan to enter the palace for an audience!"