Chapter 371

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Song Miao

The visitor's face was very familiar; he was originally one of those who had staked out the gambling den opposite Song Ji before.

Song Miao hurriedly set down her bowl and chopsticks, went out to welcome him, and said: "Officer Dong has come! The family is just eating; what a coincidence — today we have pig tails and a small lamb leg, all good things sent by others, given so much we were worried we couldn't finish them all, come in quick and help eat a bite!"

Speaking, she turned her head again to call "Er Niangzi".

Without needing her to finish speaking here, Cheng Erniang had already risen following her, smiling: "I'll go fetch clean bowls and chopsticks! Officer, you sit here!"

Speaking, she began making room and moving stools.

Xiao Lian was very obedient and perceptive, calling out: "Mother, I'll go fetch them!"

Speaking, she ran all the way to the back courtyard.

That Officer Dong Chai saw such bustle inside, yet his face grew even more embarrassed, only saying: "The yamen still has business; I'm anxious to return, so I won't come in."

He then ushered Song Miao out the door.

He said: "There's a message to report to you — we caught that Wu Yuanwai's household steward; originally, alas... unfortunately today we received an assignment from above, so we had to release the man; everyone is angry, but there's truly no way."

"Censor Xin has already taken a few men to quietly investigate this steward's background, but for the moment there won't be any results — the big guys sent me to give you a heads-up, so you can have peace of mind."

He sighed again as he spoke to this point.

Song Miao then said: "The officers have already done their utmost; pressure from above is also something that can't be helped — it's fine; my food shop is long not what it used to be; presumably after this move they won't dare easily come to pinch us again; please go back and tell the various Chai Yes not to take it to heart."

As she spoke, she invited him once more; seeing Officer Dong unwilling to enter, she didn't force it, only asked him to wait a moment, went herself to fetch a food box, lined it with clean banana leaves, packed a box of Liang Ban Zhu Wei, a small bottle of Ya Ru Huang Hung, and used a basket to pack two strings of sprout bananas and several handfuls of fruit.

When everything was packed, she handed it all over at once, smiling: "It's this late already, yet you still have to return to the yamen; presumably there's some important case — I know once a case is on, the Capital Prefecture Office eats very late, and I don't know who's on duty in the public kitchen today, whether the food is enough; trouble Officer Dong to help carry it back, to give everyone a meal!"

Seeing the other still wanted to decline, Song Miao pointed to an ice basin behind, saying: "There's plenty more inside! This stuff has a bit of chew; if you drink wine, it's perfectly suited as a wine accompaniment!"

Officer Dong was somewhat embarrassed, but in the end accepted, only saying: "Not drinking wine, on duty! Where would it be proper to drink wine!"

He added: "If there's any progress, even if I don't come myself, I'll definitely send someone to bring you word!"

Song Miao thanked him, watched him walk far away, then returned to the room.

Officer Dong was used to handling cases; his voice was loud; though he consciously lowered it, the door wasn't even closed — how could the people inside not hear?

A tableful of people had long set down their chopsticks, none eating, waiting for Song Miao to return, then hurriedly asking questions.

Song Miao casually answered a couple of sentences, not saying much, only urging everyone to continue eating.

Amidst the banquet, talking and laughing, host and guests enjoyed themselves fully.

The main dish of this meal was actually roasted lamb leg; seasoning and texture were both complete, especially that outer skin, truly golden yellow and crisp, roasted sufficiently dry and fragrant; biting down wouldn't burst oil, only skin fragrance and skin crispness.

The fat was in that middle layer; teeth cut in, after the fat glutinousness, would bite into the tight springy calf meat inside, then touch the tendon closest to the bone; thus the lamb fat's richness, the outer skin's fragrant toughness, the leg meat's tight spring, simultaneously interplayed in the mouth, simply flashing and shining.

With large piece meat, with rich springy Liang Ban Zhu Wei, naturally there were also vegetable dishes.

A dish of sauce eggplant, sauced to a shade slightly deeper than ochre red, extremely soft; press the tongue against the palate, the middle would squeeze out rich eggplant fragrance, salty-fresh with a touch of sour.

A dish of stir-fried mixed vegetables, using the many vegetables the kitchen specially kept today, all varieties present; Song Miao took them and stir-fried in a wok in one go, using Sichuan pepper oil, controlling the heat; texture and variety very rich, eating mouthfeel extremely good.

Another plate of refreshing small dish — Ya Ru Huang Hung pickled just right, each only pinky-finger thickness, crisp-tender to the point of making hair stand on end — three refills still not enough to eat.

Cucumber too tender; biting down even lacked the ability to go *crack-crunch*, only emitting weak, feeble "ka-ka" sounds; both refreshing and crisp; base flavor six parts sour, four parts salty, within carrying cucumber clear fragrance.

Also because tender, cucumber fragrance not too sufficient, but relying on mustard seeds to lift, and rice vinegar returning a touch of sweetness; cucumber juice soaked through with sour-salty-sweet-spicy burst in the mouth along with countless "ka-ka" sounds, cutting greasiness incomparably.

Similarly cutting greasiness was a winter melon soup.

This was true clear soup; ingredients only scallion and winter melon, yet very extravagantly paired with a tiny bit of pepper.

In the soup not even shrimp skin was added, not a shred of meat; clear thoroughly, but corresponding to "clear" was winter melon's faint "sweet".

Autumn thick-skinned winter melon, winter melon flavor especially sufficient; at this time cooked already semi-transparent, like lovely pieces of jade, faintly visible in the soup water.

Old winter melon, taking only the middle ring; eating it has a very clear grass leaf aroma; because the soup only had extremely few oil specks, eating it, the whole mouth would be brought clean and refreshing by it.

Five people at the table, ate rice and dishes cleanly; the students and martial arts children who can eat properly need not be said; Xiao Lian, growing, also added two more bowls of rice, scraping clean even the last grain at the bowl bottom.

After eating, Cheng Zijian scrambled to collect bowls and chopsticks, carried them to the back, washing with heavy breaths.

Xiao Lian saw and grew anxious, hurriedly followed up, calling: "Uncle! It's always me who collects bowls and chopsticks!"

Wang Chang, who every previous time actively stayed to help, this time did not follow, but specially stayed behind.

He originally wanted to speak; turning his head and seeing Liang Yan, his eyeballs rolled, and he said to him: "Little Liang Yan, I ate too full, can't walk the path — you help me pour a cup of water, okay?"

Liang Yan immediately agreed, stood up, took the teapot on the table and walked to the back courtyard.

Wang Chang looked back, saw the person head toward the second gate, then let out a breath of relief, turned back and asked: "Song Xiaoniangzi, the officer's words just now, I heard them all! Which official of the Capital Prefecture Office ordered that steward released? What exactly is the situation??"

He added: "With two children present, I couldn't ask properly; my heart was anxious to death!"

Song Miao knew this time she couldn't gloss over, so she simply told the matter, and added: "I long knew that Wu Yuanwai had a powerful figure behind him; who knew that after catching those who night-intruded my home that time, it actually dragged him out, and in the end stirred up such an ugly mess."

"But the Empress Dowager just bestowed a residence on me, the food shop's steamed buns have gained fame; no matter how rampant Wu Yuanwai, most likely for the moment he won't dare act recklessly; Young Master just rest assured."

Wang Chang anxiously hissed, stamped his foot: "He even dares night-intrude a civilian residence; how can one rest assured!"

He added: "Evil people do things; who can guess what they think? Impossible to guard against; if someone comes again in the middle of the night, the food shop has only you and Cheng Erniangzi, plus a Xiao Lian; if they capture all of you, even if the next day we think of a way, it's still a loss!"

"Song Xiaoniangzi, do you want to invite those escort guards back again, to help guard for a few days first?"

Song Miao nodded, thanked him for the reminder, and said: "I originally also had this plan; in a moment I'll go invite people."

Wang Chang hurriedly asked again: "Then what can we help with?"

Song Miao immediately shook her head, saying: "I've already entrusted someone to help, handed the matter to an official of the Censorate; presumably he knows how to proceed — Young Master Wang, rest assured!"

If saying she previously went to Taixue to set up a stall was to borrow Taixue students' momentum for self-protection, the situation's development now has long differed from before.

Merely a somewhat imposing Yuanwai, an arrogant foot-dragger; students naturally wouldn't fear — but now it involves Lu Wang.

The current Emperor has no heirs; Lu Wang's children are more than two palms can count; grandchildren even more, branching and spreading leaves, like a long gourd, on one vine who knows how many have grown.

Even officials fear that Lu Wang might truly have a chance to ascend, and dare not speak out fully — how could students?

Knowing full well the danger is immense, utterly unlike before, Song Miao did not want to drag everyone into it.

Wang Chang's lips opened and closed again, but in the end he said nothing more, only managing: "Then alright — if there's anything I can help with, you must come tell me!"

Song Miao agreed readily.

When evening came and the two groups parted ways, she again took out food boxes and baskets for each to carry back, and specially pointed out the Liang Ban Zhu Wei, saying: "Best to eat it tonight, cannot keep it — although autumn has entered, this is a cold dish, let alone overnight, even leaving it for two more hours makes it easy to upset the stomach."

And about those sprouted bananas — "I saw someone selling them on the road, the taste was very good, the stall owner said they were already very ripe and yellow, at most they can keep two days before spoiling, this also must be eaten quickly!"

Presently Liang Yan boarded the carriage, Cheng Zijian and Wang Chang each carrying a food box, one holding the bamboo basket, taking advantage of the sky not yet fully dark, hurried back to the Taixue.

Once the guests left, Cheng Erniang immediately said: "Young Lady, today I'll sleep in the front hall — if there's any movement, I'll know earlier and can be prepared!"

Song Miao shook her head: "If there are only the three of us in the house, even if you know, you won't be able to send word in time — one trouble shouldn't burden two masters, better go find Xu Niangzi and see if she can arrange a few escort guards to watch the house."

"Ai, since ancient times there are only thousand-year thieves, no thousand-year thief-catchers! Hiring people is expensive too..."

Cheng Erniang spoke, yet rolled up her sleeves, tried moving her arms, and sighed: "If only I'd known earlier I should have learned martial arts, encountering such a thing, if real thieves entered, being able to wield a stick or club, the chances of winning a fight would be greater!"

While Cheng Erniang lamented here, Wang Chang, carrying a food box of Liang Ban Zhu Wei back to the Taixue, almost immediately gathered quite a few classmates and dorm-mates, and similarly lamented with them.

In front of Song Miao he behaved very calmly and restrained, but once back on his own turf, he started spitting saliva everywhere.

He recited once more with carved beams and painted rafters what he heard today at Song Ji, heavily emphasizing the peril of Song Ji being forcibly invaded at midnight, and spoke of a pitiable young lady; finally Wang Chang sighed: "Song Xiaoniangzi said not to worry, and said she'd reported the matter to the officials of the Censorate... you tell me, how can this not make one worry!"

The moment these words came out, the whole roomful of people all had something to say.

Someone immediately replied: "I not only worry for Song Xiaoniangzi, I worry for my glutinous rice and shaomai!"

"Originally said once the food shop opens we can go eat there, I've been looking forward to it, nothing bad will happen, right??"

"How could it not?! She has beautiful looks not to mention such skill, easiest for those filthy dirty people to scheme against!"

"I once followed my uncle out collecting folk songs, heard that the more skill and ability one has, the easier to be targeted, either cheated or robbed, forced to become a concubine!"

"Exactly! In Fu Xian I once encountered a young lady who threw herself in the river — heard she was originally an outstanding wine lady, the wine shop owner took a fancy to her brewing skill, tricked her into marriage, after a son was born only then discovered he already had wife and children back home, here she was merely an outside concubine!"

This person spoke, couldn't help slamming the table: "You know what, that shameless one not only cheated her, cheated her into bearing a child, afterwards didn't even give wages, made her work all day, both do chores and manage the household — her family had no money or power, lawsuits hard to fight, couldn't endure the grinding, so went to drown herself!"

"No way! Song Xiaoniangzi has such a big business, even the Empress Dowager and Emperor know her name, Lu Wang wouldn't be that bold, right??"

"If he weren't bold, how would he dare tell the Capital Prefecture Office to release someone at this hour?"

"You're too naive, today he dares go to the Capital Prefecture Office, tomorrow won't he dare go to a food shop??"

"Precisely because Song Xiaoniangzi's skill is good, this food shop made a big name, afterwards they're even less willing to let go — how is this different from snatching a treasure bowl home?"

"Right, if Song Xiaoniangzi is truly abducted, he's still a Prince, would the Emperor really trouble his own uncle for a commoner? Even if he did, it'd be too late by the time he arrived..."

"Peh peh peh, what too late, you're speaking ghost words!"

A group of people spoke more and more angrily.

All say the Taixue is the "official-less Censorate".

Students are very contradictory, always wanting to be Censors, yet sometimes looking down on Censors.

"One mention of Shiyi, another of imperial relative, I knew the one behind it must be Lu Wang — how does this person linger like a vengeful ghost?? Wasn't it said the one who seized a house before was also him?"

"Not only seizing houses, seizing fields too! The Jingdong Lu land case that caused an uproar the year before last, you forgot?"

"Even streets! His family occupied the pedestrian street, scolded but wouldn't change!"

"What use reporting to the Censorate — every single thing, everyone knows, they don't care about any of it!"

With difficulty someone spoke a fair word: "It's not that they don't care at all, just that they submitted memorials, the Emperor kept them without issuing... heard when that land case and house seizure case came out, the Censorate had many people submit memorials impeaching, only the Son of Heaven..."

"The Son of Heaven keeps them without issuing, then just keep writing memorials! They draw that salary, isn't it for writing memorials?? Today submitted no good, then submit again tomorrow! Tomorrow no good, the day after submit again, tomorrow and tomorrow, how many tomorrows??"

"That's the principle, I don't believe they eat today and won't eat tomorrow??"

"Right, submitting impeachment memorials doesn't work, then request to stay in pairs! Still no good, can't they join ranks?! Still no good, can't they pretend to ram a pillar?? This is a chance to leave a name in history, give me this chance and I'll ram a pillar right before His Majesty!!"

This person spoke to here, suddenly realized, hurriedly told the classmates: "If I truly enter the Censorate in the future, truly ram a pillar, you watching from the side, must absolutely pull me back!"

"But we're not Censors now, what can we do?"

?? Many thanks to Mao Li Xiao Lang for giving me a Hundred-in-One Treasure Sword, such an expensive sword I must use carefully!

? Thanks to Yellow Scorpion Palace for giving me Two Eyes Literary Spring, book friend for giving me six Peace Talismans, Zhu Jiao Zhang Shang De Hua and Qing Mei Shou for giving me one immortal herb each =3=

? Thank you book friends, Ao Wu Yikou Bu Dai Breath, Anna Yun Princess, book friend, book friend, book friend, Jingnv 007 seven dear friends for giving me one Peace Talisman each:)