Chapter 44: Miao Chu Chapter 44: No Need

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

"Just eat! When there's real business you only know how to hide, but now you're putting on airs!"

Zhu Shi spat at him in annoyance and went to answer the door herself.

As soon as the door opened and she saw Song Miao outside, she was also quite surprised and called out, "It's Song Xiaoniangzi! You actually have free time to come over today?"

She also made way, saying, "Come in quickly, have a seat!"

Song Miao hurriedly declined, saying, "I still have matters to attend to, so I won't disturb you further."

Speaking, she lifted that bamboo basket and presented it to Zhu Shi, smiling, "Last time Auntie sent me many Lipu taro, truly good stuff. I used them to make some taro braised pork, and happened to bring two bowls over for Auntie to have a taste of my cooking skill."

"How can this do!" Zhu Shi hurriedly said politely, "No wonder the moment I opened the door just now I smelled a fragrance, and was wondering where it came from. Who would have thought it was actually your delicious cooking!"

While saying "how can this do," her hand had already reached into the bamboo basket to hold the bowls.

Song Miao hurriedly moved the bamboo basket aside a bit, saying, "It's very hot! Auntie just carry the basket and go."

She then asked, "Don't know if Uncle Sun is home today?"

"He's home, he's home." Zhu Shi turned her head and called into the house, "Old Sun!"

Before long, Sun Lizheng walked out wiping his mouth. Seeing the person, he also froze for a moment.

Song Miao had to greet him, then told the couple about last night's incident of a group of Qingjiao heads breaking into a house at night, and only then said, "Because such a big thing happened, and even a Taixue student who came to my house to return things was injured, and two others were also scraped. Last night was too late to act, but today I cannot not go report to the authorities."

"Before going, I thought I should still come say a word. First, you two have helped me a lot; you might not have avoided drawing their attention. Now knowing what those Qingjiao heads do, at least you can be on guard. Second, I also want to ask: if I go report to the authorities, is it proper or not?"

The so-called Lizheng before the yamen.

The Lizheng's status often requires dealing with the yamen. Besides helping manage household registry, corvée labor, and taxes, street and alley security is also something one can ask about.

Hearing Song Miao speak like this, Sun Lizheng's face changed color at once.

Zhu Shi at the side immediately shouted even more, "What dog's gall! Tired of living! Let your Uncle Sun go with you to the yamen to report—you're young, you don't know. Yama is easy to see, but little ghosts are hard to deal with. Those clerks are the most adept at judging people by their status. Seeing a young lady come to the door, they'll probably dismiss you with just a few sentences."

She then urged Sun Lizheng repeatedly.

Sun Lizheng frowned, but did not respond.

Seeing his reaction, Song Miao smiled and said, "No need! I'll go report first. If it's not proper, I'll come back and ask Uncle to help inquire. That way we don't both go at once and play all our cards, making it troublesome when we need room to maneuver later."

She spoke, made a bow, and was about to take her leave when she heard Sun Lizheng say, "You go to the Xunpu to report first. I'm afraid they may not be willing to pay attention—even if I go along, it won't be much better."

He then said, "Never mind. You go first. Whether it succeeds or not, come find me. I'll go talk to those patrol soldiers first, ask them to patrol Suanzao Alley a few more times day and night. Though it can't do much, it's better than nothing."

Song Miao originally only came to pay her respects. Who knew there would be such an unexpected delight? She hurriedly expressed her thanks.

After thanking, before taking leave, she pointed at that bamboo basket and said to Zhu Shi, "If there are only two or three people at home, you can skip cooking meat at noon—this dish is still hot now. Keep it warm in a pot. When you want to eat, use a wide-rimmed, half-deep bowl to invert over the dish, flip it over, and it's ready to eat."

This is a Guangnan dish. Zhu Shi, a Capital person, though she grew up surrounded by countless fat pigs, had truly never eaten it.

Hearing her describe it, Zhu Shi found it novel, and asked some details about how to "invert" and how to "flip," before letting the person leave.

Once the person left and the door closed, Zhu Shi's smile faded. She said to her husband, "If you want to do a favor, you can just go with Song Xiaoniangzi to the yamen. Now you're even spending your own favors to find patrol soldiers, and still letting her go report alone. Really meaningless."

"What do you know!" This time it was Sun Lizheng's turn to glare. "If I go report, isn't that letting Liao Qingjiao and them see and hate me?"

"This bunch of madmen, they even dare break into homes at night. I have a family. Where would I dare go provoke them?"

"Besides, that Song Xiaoniangzi is truly pitiable. She's a good person, and in the end I can't bear it. Using some of my own favors is also peace of mind."

"Moreover, these several trips, we've eaten quite a lot of her food. What's in this basket? Smells so fragrant!"

Zhu Shi slapped away her husband's reaching hand, scolding, "What do you care what it is? It's not for you to eat! You first make that fan-sha taro to compensate me, then talk about the rest!"

Not to mention this side where Song Miao got up early to buy ingredients, cook, and greet Sun Lizheng's family. On the other side, in the food alley between Taixue and Nan Lu Academy, in front of the stall Song Miao usually runs, a not-short line had already formed very early.

However, compared to the past few days, today's crowd was visibly much fewer.

Especially after the time Song Stall Owner usually sets up stall passed and she still hadn't come, the people waiting became even fewer. Instead, many squeezed at the alley entrance, stretching their necks waiting.

After queuing foolishly for half a day, someone finally said, "Afraid she's really not coming—that rumor might be true?"

"True or false, we've already waited until this hour. Doesn't hurt to wait a bit more. Who knows, you might just leave and Song Xiaoniangzi arrives right after!" Someone still held hope.

"Don't be foolish. Just disperse. Last night it spread throughout Taixue. They all say Song Xiaoniangzi is going to the yamen to report today—her house was forcibly entered by a gang of rascals yesterday. Fortunately someone helped drive them away."

"I heard that too. Seems it was our Nan Lu classmates who helped drive them away!"

"I heard the same. Only those Taixue students are shameless. They claimed our credit for themselves and are publicizing it outside!"

"Broad daylight, who dares trespass into a home?"

"A bunch of ruffians. Last time when Song Xiaoniangzi was still keeping vigil at the mourning hall, this group came to smash things up. This time they heard her business is good here and she's popular, afraid we'd catch them at fault."

"I heard Song Xiaoniangzi previously hired people to copy the 'Wei Xing Tong.' The deed to her house had issues from the start. Probably she wants to find some legal backing. Those copyists even got to eat delicious pig trotter rice. Damn good luck! When will it be my turn to copy once!"

Someone suggested, "When does the Law School open again? Why not tell Song Xiaoniangzi, bring the deeds, and we all ask a Law School teacher to take a look? Might be able to help!"

"You're stupid!" Someone beside him scolded. "The Law School is next to Taixue. The teachers there are more familiar with those Taixue students. You eagerly crowd forward, and in the end who knows who'll claim the favor!"

"I have a maternal uncle who's a Lawsuit Master. Don't know if he can be of use."

"Might not be of use, but at least can help take a look. Let's go back and ask around who knows someone useful."

At that moment someone said, "I have a clan uncle in the Court of Judicial Review, though he's only a Clerk..."

"A Clerk is good too! After all, he's in the Court of Judicial Review. Familiar with criminal statutes and judgments. Next time you get the chance, hurry and tell Song Xiaoniangzi. Don't need your clan uncle to do anything else, just help look at the deeds, ask about the case. She might accept this favor too. Is your clan uncle easy to talk to?"

"That's the logic! If we can keep that house, once the food shop opens, we can sneak out the back door every day to eat good food. Want glutinous rice, buy glutinous rice. Want shaomai, buy shaomai. Maybe even get to eat that pig trotter rice. At that time, what do those Taixue people matter!"

For a moment, everyone looked at each other, all hehe laughing. Without needing anyone to say more, each already imagined the future scene in their minds, like mice who stole oil, shifty-eyed, chattering away.

However, no matter how nice the thoughts, seeing Song Stall Owner not come for a long time, everyone naturally knew the reporting to authorities was real. Today there would be no more glutinous rice or shaomai to eat. They couldn't help but sigh, bought a few things at random in the food alley to make do, and went back.

However, even more people, since learning last night that Song Xiaoniangzi wouldn't set up stall today, couldn't be bothered to go out—especially those Taixue students who only have two days until the public examination. They truly rise at the cock's crow and seize every crack to study. They just make do in the canteen.

Taixue students are the most numerous to begin with. With this, the food alley became emptier by not just three to five parts compared to usual.

Originally beside Song Miao's stall was a man selling chicken shredded noodles; he saw that by this time in the past he had already sold seven or eight parts full, yet today he had sold less than half, and moreover fewer and fewer students were coming out, so he worried in his heart and couldn't help but sigh.

The chicken shredded noodle stall owner turned his head to look at the bun seller on the right and asked, "Duan Pozi, how is your business today?"

That Duan Pozi was selling hit or miss; hearing him ask, she didn't hurry to answer, only lifted the steamer basket lid in front of her, made a "look" sound, and said, "See for yourself!"

The chicken shredded noodle stall owner looked over, saw that more than half had been sold, and said, "Better than me! I have so many noodles left, and there's soup too, still don't know what to do."

He sighed again: "Strange! Ever since that Song Ji selling glutinous rice came, her business is good, mine isn't bad either, and even sold more than the past two years; how come today she didn't come, logically business should be even better, yet instead it won't sell!"

Duan Pozi said: "You're so young and your eyes still can't see clearly, yet you come ask me an old one?"

She said again: "You can't count for yourself—how many more students have come out these past days than before? In the past those who didn't come out to eat now, for her mouthful of glutinous rice and shaomai, also come out to queue; since they can't buy hers, they all come out, so naturally they buy ours!"

"But counting the days, it's just these two days that those Taixue students have the public examination; they may not have the leisure to come out again. I reckon tomorrow we may have to make less; otherwise business won't be good, and we'd have to go out to the streets and alleys to hawk around, tiring this old body to death..."

She said and said, and also got annoyed, cursing: "Don't know which rascals; I wish those things at Song Xiaoniangzi's home would be resolved quickly, otherwise today she doesn't come, tomorrow she doesn't come, how are we supposed to do business!"

The chicken shredded noodle stall owner said: "I originally thought you sell flatbreads, she sells shaomai and glutinous rice, there's bound to be some competition, and you wouldn't like her coming—speaking of it, those few things at Song Ji don't look difficult; her business is so good, aren't you jealous? Why don't you learn to make them?"

Duan Pozi glanced at him and said: "You youngster, so uninteresting, why don't you learn?"

"I only sell my noodles; I can't learn that!"

"I sell my own flatbreads; I'm this old already, can't learn those things."

After speaking, Duan Pozi turned her head and ignored the other person again.

Seeing Song Xiaoniangzi's stall with a long queue every day, if one said they weren't jealous, how could that be possible.

She had secretly asked someone to help buy that glutinous rice and shaomai before; indeed delicious, she went back and learned to make them too.

Too troublesome!

The mung bean paste needs steaming and boiling every day, the things inside need frying and marinating—she bought ready-made ones back, but the taste was far worse.

The most troublesome is that sauce inside; don't know how it's mixed; surely there's a secret recipe; she tried several times, but couldn't figure it out.

Without that sauce, glutinous rice is just ordinary glutinous rice; anyone who has eaten Song Ji's can tell the difference with one bite.

If only selling ordinary glutinous rice, better to sell her flatbreads and buns; she's been vending here for many years and has some reputation; she can't compare with Song Xiaoniangzi, but making a living is no problem.

As for shaomai, it uses all good meat and good scallions, and the method is also troublesome; if she wants to sell it too, she'd have to add another helper—how much more cost would that be?

Not to mention, after tasting once, if she weren't also doing business herself, she'd want to queue every day to buy Song Ji's to eat!

Still that saying: without a diamond drill, why bother taking on that porcelain job?

Song Miao's food stall is booming; there are many like Duan Pozi who, after trying, know they can't do it and honestly shrink back; but there are always stubborn ones who insist on bumping into a wall—that's a later story, for now set it aside.

Speaking of inside Taixue, the canteen never expected that overnight, for no reason, they'd gained the students' favor; early in the morning, every wooden window for serving rice was surrounded so tightly not even water could leak through.

Compared to usual days, today there were at least three or four hundred more people.

Not long after, all the food was sold cleanly.

The few cooks didn't have time to knead dough to make flatbreads or buns; they hurriedly took big pots to cook dumpling soup, and those with fresh large pancakes first dealt with the people and then talked.

After finally finishing busy work, the few finally slumped down, all feeling strange.

"This scene, with no warning at all, just comes like that—scared a person to death!"

"In past years the public examination didn't have this many people!"

"The public examination is the day after tomorrow; the day hasn't arrived yet!"

"Is it that these past few days they changed the seasoning, making the mutton buns and pork buns taste good, so the students spread it ten to a hundred, a hundred to a thousand, all rushing to eat our craft?"

However, those who can come to Taixue to find food to eat are cooks; their cooking skills naturally aren't bad; usually the things they make taste just so; today so rushed, and it's big pots, even harder to control.

At the same time, at the tables and chairs in the canteen where students sit, many people facing the dumpling soup, pancakes, and buns in front of them ate with sighs and groans.

Most distressed were naturally those people who were used to eating Song Miao's glutinous rice and shaomai.

"Saying it's mutton buns, but there aren't several pieces of mutton inside!"

"You at least have meat buns; my pancake isn't even salted evenly, the outside is burnt, and the inside isn't cooked!"

"These ingredients, if given to Song Xiaoniangzi, who knows what delicious things she could make..."

"Wang Chang, how is your dumpling soup..."

Wang Chang pushed his dumpling soup to the opposite side: "You taste it; I can't eat it—usually at least it can be swallowed, but today how did it make this strange taste!"

He again said with a worried and bitter face: "Still don't know what to do for noon; yesterday we still had pig trotter rice to eat, today it becomes this treatment; indeed when heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a person, it must first starve his body and skin?"

Just as he was worrying, beside him was that busybody who yesterday watched them at the door eat pig trotter rice and sour white radish for half a day, now teasing them on the side.

"Yo! Why aren't you eating glutinous rice today?"

"Is there still pig trotter rice for noon?"

"Won't you have to eat at the canteen with us?"

"It tastes so bad; why not tell the Song stall owner?"

Everyone heard it and felt heartbroken; they could only chase the person away.

"Go! Go to the side!"

"Drink your dumpling soup!"

However, their heartbreak was only because they couldn't eat Song Xiaoniangzi's glutinous rice and shaomai.

Even more heartbroken was Cheng Zijian.

—Today Song Xiaoniangzi went to report to the officials and didn't set up her stall; glutinous rice and shaomai were both gone, but Brother Han here couldn't be neglected.

He could only buy some food from other stalls in Food Alley.

Just as he received the essay in his hand, Cheng Zijian hadn't had time to look at the annotations on it several times, when he heard the person opposite say: "Have you eaten breakfast?"

He subconsciously said: "I have eaten."

Extremely rare, Han Li pushed the food box back: "The public examination is the day after tomorrow; you eat more."

Cheng Zijian was still somewhat dazed; he opened the food box and saw that the mutton buns and red bean buns he bought in Food Alley were both untouched, only a duck goose bun had been taken.

Also the soy milk drink in the bamboo tube still had more than half left—though a few mouthfuls had been poured into a cup beside it.

And Na Han Li paused, then said again: "I spoke before, I also don't care for that kind of food and drink matter, you also need not send breakfast over every day."