Chapter 59: The Marvelous Kitchen Chapter 59: Sensible

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

With so many Guan Cha at home needing to take turns on duty day and night, Han Li was naturally among them.

If it were only a day or two it would be fine, but after a long time, no one could endure it.

Song Miao originally thought she might help make some snacks.

But upon further thought, snacks were hard to resist eating, and besides, it wasn't very convenient to eat while on duty.

After much consideration, she thought she could make a refreshing drink instead.

Drinking plain tea alone was too bland and made one hungry easily; since that Han Li was from Guanzhong, his food preferences probably leaned toward the Yan Prefecture Pass region.

Coincidentally, she now saw these oats and hulless barley, which were very suitable for making a Guanzhong drink called Sweet Embryo.

Oats are also called yamai, and hulless barley at this time has another name, called Hulless Barley.

Hulless barley is neutral in nature and sweet in taste, benefiting the spleen and boosting Qi, while oats nourish the liver and brighten the eyes; both are good things.

Using this as a base, just add some tea leaves, and it can refresh one's spirit for half a day.

Song Miao stepped forward and asked the price.

The price was quite suitable, especially the oats, which were originally one of the horse feeds and very cheap.

With this cost, she could make a large batch at once and add a sweet drink to the breakfast stall.

She simply bought a big bag and carried it home.

Just as she entered Suanzao Alley this time, thunder rumbled in the sky, followed by a downpour.

Without an umbrella on hand, Song Miao had no choice but to hold the bag of grain on her head; as she carried it, she suddenly thought of the scene of playing outside with her mother when she was young.

Back then they had originally gone to the lotus pond behind the mountain to look for lotus roots; the mother and daughter stepped into the pond and got mud all over themselves, dirty as can be, and finally only dug up a few broken lotus roots, yet still thought it fun, treating them like treasures and overjoyed.

But on the way home they encountered a downpour, so the two turned back and picked huge lotus leaves, placing them on their heads to shield from the rain.

Her mother teased herself as a mud monkey, and called her a little mud monkey, also saying that the heavens suddenly sent this rain especially to help wash the mud off their bodies.

The past was like a dream, vivid before her eyes; even just recalling it was still very happy.

Her mother liked eating lotus roots, especially fried lotus root meat balls, vinegar-dressed lotus tips, and also lotus root sandwiches and pork rib lotus soup.

It was a pity that it was not yet the season for eating lotus roots; otherwise, when she missed home, she could make them one by one.

Lotus root balls were oily, fragrant, fresh and sweet; vinegar-dressed lotus tips were crisp, refreshing and appetizing; lotus root sandwiches were crispy, fresh and fragrant; pork rib lotus soup was rich and thick—all could be offered to Heaven, Earth and Parents.

Thinking of past events, Song Miao's steps did not stop; seeing the Song Family Eatery just ahead, she was about to take out her key when she saw a woman with a child at the doorway, sheltering from the rain under the eaves.

Seeing Song Miao return, the woman hurriedly pulled her seated daughter to one side and said apologetically: "Excuse the disturbance, young lady; we'll leave once the rain lightens."

Hearing her accent, she seemed to be from the south; at this moment she was soaked all over, her head and face covered in rainwater, looking very disheveled, her clothes tattered, and even her shoes had holes at the toes.

The daughter beside her was only about four or five years old, small in stature, thin and scrawny, with particularly sparse hair; although being pulled by her mother, she was still very restrained, keeping her head down and not daring to speak.

Beside the woman's feet was a carrying pole, not like things brought into the city to sell, but rather like a bundle of soft belongings.

Song Miao then said: "It's nothing; you can shelter from the rain here as you like, no need to hurry away."

As she spoke, she put down the bag on her head, opened the door, then carried the bag inside again.

Living alone, and it being just nightfall, normally she might have thought it over more, but at this time there were Guan Cha at home, so she did not need to worry about safety.

Song Miao first entered the Miscellaneous Room and greeted the Patrol Soldier inside in a low voice, then came out to the Main Hall, picked up a bench, went out the door, intending to give it to the mother and daughter to sit.

But as soon as she stepped out the door, she saw the little girl standing at the doorway with both hands cupped, looking as if she wanted to knock but dared not.

Song Miao squatted down and asked softly: "What's wrong?"

The little girl still did not dare to look up or speak, only held her hands higher, raised them before Song Miao, then turned to look at her mother.

The woman beside her said: "Silly child, you say it yourself."

The little girl sniffled and hesitated for a while, then raised her hand again and said to Song Miao: "For you."

Song Miao was stunned and reached out both hands to receive it, only to find she had accepted half a cupped handful of oats.

"It fell on the ground just now; I picked it up." The little girl pointed to the ground, then squatted down again, carefully searching on the ground.

Song Miao looked back and saw that indeed the mouth of the cloth bag containing the oats behind the door was somewhat loose.

Presumably it had not been tied tightly enough, and being carried on her head all the way, the opening had already come undone; but she had not noticed, and when she put it down, she accidentally spilled a small handful of grain.

At this moment the little girl felt around on the ground for a while, then picked up another ten or so oats, holding them up like treasures to return to Song Miao, as if she had mustered great courage, she said softly: "This oat, people can also chew and eat it; I picked it up on the road and ate it."

As she spoke, she actually swallowed a mouthful of saliva, looking at the oats in her hand, appearing very reluctant, but in the end she still gave them away.

The woman heard these words and saw her daughter's reaction, feeling very embarrassed, and hurriedly called out: "Xiao Lian!"

The little girl shrank her shoulders, gave a timid smile, and ran back.

Her face was very thin, almost without color, her lips very dry, looking as if she had not been full for a long time, but her movements were very well-behaved, both probing and cautious.

Song Miao's heart was as if gently bumped by a small animal.

So sensible, it made one feel pity in the heart.

She thanked her, put the oats back into the original cloth bag, and then took the bench out.

The woman pulled her daughter and thanked her without stopping, then sat down.

Seeing the mother and daughter both soaked, Song Miao took out a clean cloth to wipe their hair and clothes for them.

The woman thanked her without stopping, but pushed the cloth back, saying: "No need, we mother and daughter are dirty; don't soil such good cloth."

She also said: "I have some, I brought some too."

As she spoke, she took out some coarse cloth from the carrying pole.

The coarse cloth was already torn into shreds, but washed very clean.

She endured the embarrassment, first wiping her daughter's head and face, then wiping the water off her clothes, and only then wiping herself; she finished quickly, then thanked Song Miao again, and finally asked, "Young Lady, is this the Taixue? I knocked for half a day, but for some reason no one inside answered."

Song Miao immediately realized that this mother and daughter had most likely taken a wrong turn, and replied, "This is Nanlu Academy; the rear gate is usually locked and cannot be entered or exited through. The Taixue is one street away; you need to go out through this alley..."

She pointed out the way to them, and asked one more question: "Are you here looking for someone?"

The woman nodded and said, "We've come to seek refuge with relatives."

Having spoken, she appeared extremely ashamed, as if unwilling to say another word.

Song Miao did not ask further, went back and fetched two bamboo tubes of rice-washing water, and also brought out a small plate of fried wraps for them to eat and drink.

The mother and daughter sat until the rain stopped; then the woman took a cloth from her carrying pole, wiped the bench dry, moved it to the doorway for Song Miao, called her thanks through the door, and only then shouldered her pole and took her leave.

Only after the two had walked far away did Song Miao close the door.

Those two bamboo tubes were also left on the bench; the rice-washing water inside had been drunk down to the last drop, but the fried wraps had been eaten with great restraint, hardly touched at all.

Song Miao couldn't help but sigh, and only then put everything away.

Seeing her close the door, the patrol soldier on duty in the miscellaneous room came out and said, "Song Xiaoniangzi, dinner has been left for you in the back, still hot."

Song Miao thanked him and was just about to go to the back courtyard when she heard someone cough twice inside the miscellaneous room; the patrol soldier's hand went first to his nose, then to his chin, and finally he coughed once himself before asking, "Song Xiaoniangzi, tomorrow... will you still cook tomorrow?"

After he spoke, he seemed to find it embarrassing himself, and hurriedly added, "Actually, what's made outside doesn't compare to what you make — not by a long shot!"

Song Miao smiled and said, "I originally wanted to add a couple of dishes, and I didn't want to keep eating Qin Official's food for nothing; I just feared he'd think I wasn't giving him face and would be displeased."

No sooner had Song Miao's words fallen than a person practically leapt out from the miscellaneous room.

"I was just embarrassed to trouble Song Xiaoniangzi; how could I be displeased! I couldn't be more pleased!"

It was precisely Qin Zong.

As he spoke, he reached for the purse at his waist and said, "Cooking takes time and money; I'll provide a subsidy..."

Song Miao hurriedly stepped back, about to refuse, but Xin Feng came out from the miscellaneous room and said, "If you pay, how can Song Xiaoniangzi accept? No need for you to give; when the time comes we'll tally by headcount, and the yamen will settle the accounts together."

He also said to Song Miao, "Young Lady, don't decline either; if you don't take the money, we'd be too embarrassed to eat, and if word gets out, we'd be accused of corruption."

The two men beside them hurriedly chimed in, "It's the yamen's money; what's there to be embarrassed about accepting?"

Since it was put that way, Song Miao agreed.

The matter was thus settled: she would make two side dishes for everyone daily as circumstances allowed, whether meat or vegetables; if something came up, she would just give advance notice.

Now that this was settled, she had originally promised Han Li to share meals for these few days as thanks, but now that the thanks would be accounted for by the yamen, it was a bit hard to justify.

However, she had intended to repay him later anyway, so for now she could only see how things went later.

After eating dinner, Song Miao took out the oats and hulless barley.

The grain in the grain shop had already been sun-dried in advance; she simply washed it and soaked it in water, and was just preparing tomorrow's stall ingredients when she heard someone knocking at the door.

By now the sky was dark; the officers all used the rear gate, so no one should be coming to the front gate. She found it strange, thinking it might be that mother and daughter returning, when she heard the knocker say, "Song Xiaoniangzi, it's me, your Auntie Zhu."

Song Miao was stunned, opened the door, and sure enough it was Zhu Shi.

Zhu Shi held an oil-paper umbrella and carried a large bundle on her back, smiling broadly.

Song Miao hurriedly ushered her in and asked, "So late at night, how did Auntie come? Is it still raining outside?"

Zhu Shi said, "On and off, heavy then light; it's nothing."

She also smiled and said, "Old Sun said you had a thief here, and you're alone in the house — you'd probably be scared — so he had me bring bedding to keep you company for a few nights."

Her voice was habitually strong and resonant; this shout was even more full of vigor, clear inside and out.

Song Miao was stunned for a moment, immediately understood, and smiled, "With Auntie's kind intentions, I gladly accept!"

As she spoke, she closed the door.

When she turned around, she saw Zhu Shi smiling beside her: "I'm sleeping with you tonight."

Zhu Shi finished speaking and quietly took her hand: "Your Uncle Sun received instructions saying there are officials here handling a case, quite a few people, all men; it's inconvenient for a woman alone, so he sent me to keep you company for a while."

Song Miao's heart warmed; she linked arms with the other woman and softly said "Many thanks," then led her to the back courtyard, opened her own room door, and helped spread the bedding.

Seeing Zhu Shi's hair was soaking wet, and her skirt hem and shoes were also wet, she hurriedly fetched a cloth to wipe her, and asked if she was cold, what she wanted to drink.

Zhu Shi said, "You don't need to mind me, just go about your business."

Saying this, she shooed her out, and busied herself tidying up without further mention.

Song Miao didn't dawdle either; she turned to go back to the front hall, but heard an "Ah-choo!" — it was Zhu Shi sneezing inside.

The weather had just turned warm, but mornings and evenings were still cool; getting drenched in rain, catching a chill was the biggest worry.

Actually, it would be best to drink some ginger sugar water, sweat it out; but drinking too much water before bed at night would easily cause nighttime urination.

Song Miao was just thinking this when she saw someone open the back courtyard gate and come in carrying a lantern from outside.

What a coincidence — it was Sun Lizheng.

She hurried forward to welcome him, thanked him, and pointed to her own room: "Auntie has already arrived; many thanks for Uncle Sun's such care for me."

Sun Lizheng laughed, "Where would I think of being so thorough? It was Young Master Han who instructed me at noon."

He also said, "Truly a scholar — just so thoughtful."

Finished speaking, he asked, "Can you manage to boil two pots of hot water at home? The rain was heavy earlier; several brothers couldn't find shelter and got soaked through."

Just as he spoke, two more people came in one after another from the back, and sure enough they looked like drowned rats.

Song Miao hurriedly said, "There's hot water on the stove; take it and use it first, I'll add more."

She went to the front to boil water, and while boiling, she also set up a small pot, smashed some ginger, and threw in a piece of dark sugar.

The patrol soldiers and runners have to take shifts; those guarding the first half of the night can naturally drink more ginger soup without issue, but those on the second half shouldn't drink much.

For things that induce sweating and dispel cold, ginger is naturally the best; since they can't drink much water, make something else.

Today it just so happened that North Branch sent a large bamboo tube of cow's milk; cow's milk can't be kept long, so since that's the case, might as well use it all together with the ginger juice to make ginger milk pudding.

Ginger milk pudding releases the exterior and disperses cold, promotes blood circulation and stops cough; it doesn't fill the stomach, and isn't all liquid — perfectly suited to her current needs; moreover the ingredients are simple, just ginger, cow's milk, and white sugar.

Since the ginger sugar water needs to simmer a while to release the ginger flavor, taking advantage of the spare time, Song Miao took out several large pieces of old ginger, peeled and minced them, wrapped them in gauze and wrung out concentrated ginger juice, divided it into small bowls, and added white sugar to the cow's milk.

Cow's milk scorches easily, and she had no time to stir constantly, so she put it into a narrow-spouted pot and steamed it over water; when it was thoroughly steamed, she opened the lid.

After waiting for the cow's milk temperature to drop slightly, she saw tiny bubbles at the edge through the pot's mouth, wrapped it in a cloth bundle and lifted it, raised it high, and poured it forcefully into those small bowls filled with concentrated ginger juice, covered them with bowl lids, and went to busy herself with other things.

After a little half a cup of tea time passed, the ginger sugar water was just finished boiling.

At this moment Zhu Shi had changed into clean clothes and shoes, came out and said: "What are you busy with? Let me help out!"

Song Miao saw that the Ginger Milk Pudding had set, so she held out a bowl to Zhu Shi, smiling and saying: "There's nothing urgent to busy with, I just made some Ginger Milk Curd, Auntie, taste it, it can ward off cold."

She said while lifting the bowl lid off the small bowl, then took a porcelain spoon over and casually placed it in the bowl.

Hearing that Song Miao had made food, Zhu Shi's face immediately broke into a smile; as she took the small bowl, her mouth was all but splitting into a grin, saying: "Let me drink it first, then I'll come help you!"

Speaking, without waiting for Song Miao to greet her, she herself walked over to a bench to the side, first loosened her neck, then loosened her shoulders left and right, finally shook her legs, then coughed twice, sat down properly, and still muttered under her breath, saying: "What Song Xiaoniangzi makes must be eaten properly, not carelessly."

Song Miao heard this and laughed outright, saying: "Where is there anything so mysterious? It's just a sweet snack after all!"

Zhu Shi was even happier: "I like sweet things best!"

Speaking, she was about to take the spoon to scoop some, when she suddenly cried "Ah."

The spoon did not sink to the bottom of the bowl, but lay very comfortably on top of the so-called Ginger Milk Curd, only slightly pressing a thin spoon bottom into it—this milk had actually solidified.

White porcelain bowl, white porcelain spoon, the Ginger Milk Curd was also milky white, like a piece of white jade of just the right size sleeping in the porcelain bowl, its surface as smooth as a copper mirror, not a single bubble or crack, extremely beautiful.

Zhu Shi had previously heard it was Ginger Milk Curd, and taking the name literally, thought it was ginger juice mixed into cow's milk and surely still something to drink; at this moment she was truly surprised, and couldn't help but lightly scoop a spoonful with the spoon.

Very fine and tender, almost as soon as the spoon touched it, it broke open.

Breaking open was not completely in a solid shape, but first formed a lump, then after a few breaths' time, slowly collapsed and melted away, its texture fine and tender, soft, and somewhere between solidified and half-solidified.

Just looking at it seemed very tender and smooth.

Such a tender and smooth bite was ruthlessly sent into her mouth by Zhu Shi.