Chapter 63

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

Song Miao looked up, and whoosh whoosh whoosh, several burly men came running straight at her.

Although she did not know their purpose, it was broad daylight, and there were guards following behind them, so she was not afraid; she simply pushed her stall to a wide spot by the roadside, stopped, and waited for them to come over.

Before long, seven or eight burly men ran up to her one after another.

The one standing at the very front asked, "Are you the supplier of the glutinous rice and shumai at the Zhuque Gate Patrol Station yesterday?"

Song Miao nodded in affirmation, then asked about their background.

The moment she nodded, the whole group across from her looked like they let out a breath of relief.

Someone immediately replied, "We are patrol soldiers. Yesterday at the Zhuque Gate Patrol Station we ate your glutinous rice and shumai. Today we were reassigned to another post for duty, but we kept thinking of that taste. We asked around and came specially to find you!"

Another said, "Are you really yesterday's supplier? Don't get it wrong — first let us have a look."

The ones paying are the masters.

Song Miao complied readily, immediately opening the steamer basket holding the shumai for everyone to see.

The moment the steamer lid was lifted, the fragrance of scallion meat shumai surged straight out.

The whole bunch of patrol soldiers kept swallowing their saliva.

"It's this flavor!"

"That's it, that's it!!"

Someone was so excited his voice trembled.

"How come it smells even more fragrant than yesterday's!"

"Nonsense, yesterday by the time we got them in hand they were already cold."

A crowd of people talked all at once.

"How much to buy back?"

The crowd asked about the quantity again.

Song Miao tallied each item: the glutinous rice still had half a pot left, the shumai had a bit more than one basket, and the two drinks added up to only forty-odd portions.

A man who looked like the leader on the other side heard this and grew anxious, hurriedly saying, "Take it all! We'll take it all!"

Speaking, he waved his hand to the left and right, shouting, "What are you standing there for, hurry up!"

In a moment the people surrounding them on both sides made way, and a small cart actually came over, stacked with several bamboo baskets and bamboo hampers.

Someone actually brought a cart and bamboo baskets just to buy breakfast!

And at the side a few more people gathered in front of Song Miao, urging, "Young Lady, settle the bill quick, we're in a hurry to leave!"

Song Miao first counted the shumai and drinks.

She had just finished counting when someone took lotus leaves to pack the shumai and drinks, and others followed suit ladling the glutinous rice.

Five or six people worked at once, and sure enough they cleaned out a whole cart of breakfast in no time.

Soon everything was packed up properly. Song Miao gave the total, and thinking of the IOU the patrol station had issued yesterday, she asked, "Gentlemen officers, will you write me a note, or...?"

The patrol soldier who seemed to be the leader said, "What note, I'll pay you right now!"

Saying this, he indeed took down the satchel from his back, counted out the cash string by string, paid the full amount, and then further asked Song Miao whether this "Song Ji" had a shop, where the shop was located, and where she set up her stall each day.

Learning that Song Miao lived in Sanzao County Alley, had been setting up at the patrol station these past few days, and would afterwards go to the Taixue Gate, every single patrol soldier looked utterly disappointed.

"Too far!"

"Can't make it in time."

Someone advised her, "What good business is there with students? They're stingy and don't eat many varieties — you, the stall owner, might as well move to Cao Gate. We're on duty at Cao Gate every day. If you only make these things, you won't even need to go out to sell; our two squads of brothers will clean you out!"

Song Miao smiled and thanked them first, then specially reminded them to eat the shumai while hot, to be careful on the way back, and try not to spill the meat juice inside; if the shape was ruined, it would not only look bad but also hurt the texture.

After those patrol soldiers left with the cart, Song Miao put away the money, looked at the empty steamer pot and steamer baskets, then looked up at the road ahead, and for a good long while still felt a bit dazed.

— It's sold out just like that?

Originally it was agreed she would go set up at the patrol station, but now it's all sold out, how can she still set up a stall?

She thought for a moment, but in the end a promised matter cannot go without an explanation. She looked left and right, saw a fresh fruit shop ahead with a patch of empty ground beside it, pushed her cart over, bought some fresh fruit, negotiated with the shopkeeper to leave the cart there for a couple of hours, then picked up the fruit and continued on her way.

Meanwhile, at the Zhuque Gate Patrol Station, the patrol officers who had reported for duty early were busy on one hand, yet absent-minded on the other.

From time to time someone would ask.

"Has she come?"

"How come she still hasn't come?"

Then someone else would answer tirelessly.

"Someone's watching; if she comes we'll naturally know!"

"Rest assured, you'll definitely get to eat!"

"You lot all ate your fill yesterday, so of course you're at ease. Just leave me one meat one, the rest are all vegetarian — I didn't even get to taste the flavor properly. I've been waiting to eat my fill today, and it's been this long with no sign of her, how can I be at ease?"

"Sanzao County Alley is a bit far from here; I'm afraid it'll take some effort to get over."

But as time ticked by bit by bit, even the most composed patrol officers began to feel uneasy.

Someone suggested, "It shouldn't take this long, right? Why not send someone to check?"

Another said, "Could it be that stall owner went to set up at Taixue instead?"

A patrol officer immediately said, "That Song Xiaoniangzi originally agreed not to go to the Taixue Gate these two days; she shouldn't go back on her word."

It was precisely the one who had been in charge yesterday.

He simply stood up and said, "I'll go take a look!"

But before he had taken a few steps out, several people hurried up outside the door, carrying food boxes and bundles, and came in.

"They're here?!"

"Finally they're here!"

Everyone hurriedly crowded around them.

"I'm the one who ordered lamb shaomai!"

"I ordered a portion of pork shaomai and glutinous rice, plus chenpi mung bean drink!"

Everyone was anxious to get their own ordered items, and some couldn't wait for distribution and just reached in to grab things themselves.

But as the food boxes and bundles were opened one by one, the whole room let out disappointed sighs.

"I ordered shaomai, how did it turn into fried biscuits?"

"Aren't these the sweet meat buns that old man in the back alley sells? I'm sick of eating them, why buy this again!"

"Perfectly fine, why did you buy so much fruit?"

The few who had brought the things back all had ugly expressions on their faces.

Someone first pointed at the fruit and said, "This was sent over just now by that Song stall owner who sells glutinous rice and shaomai. She said it wasn't convenient to come in and disturb us, so she left the fruit and left."

Another said, "That Song stall owner said she was originally coming to set up stall here today. She sold some along the way, then ran into yesterday's patrol soldiers who stopped her halfway and bought up her entire stall in one go!"

As he spoke, he pointed at those usual breakfast items on the table and said, "Today there's no more glutinous rice or shaomai! Only these things to eat. If you don't eat them, you'll just have to go hungry!"

The whole room of hungry patrol officers, hearing the whole story, all became indignant.

"We kindly treated them to a meal yesterday, how can they still hold a grudge?!"

"Stealing someone else's breakfast, do patrol soldiers have any shame!"

Another person suddenly slapped his thigh and shouted, "I knew it! Why did someone specially run over yesterday afternoon to deliver me pastries and ask where that breakfast was bought from! I wasn't on guard and just blurted it out. Had I known, I..."

As he spoke, he suddenly felt something was wrong. He looked up and saw everyone in the room staring at him. His usual brothers, today every pair of eyes was fierce and vicious, glaring at him as if they wanted to eat him alive.

After delivering the fruit, she went to the butcher shop and vegetable stall to purchase good ingredients, and it was already past the Si hour.

On the way home, Song Miao specially bought a large bamboo tube of cow's milk — this morning that Auntie Zhu specially got up together with her and helped a lot. She couldn't be persuaded to leave. After helping, she shyly said she still wanted to eat that ginger milk pudding tonight.

And those patrol soldiers and yamen runners in the miscellaneous room who had just changed shifts, hearing the talking outside, also poked their heads out one by one, saying if there were extras made, they wanted to eat too.

A little sweet treat, not much effort to make, all can be satisfied!

After buying the cow's milk, she found a north-south goods shop and bought some wine yeast — this is for making that sweet starter. Additionally, she specially bought a small bottle of honey.

Yesterday she heard that Han Li mention his teacher, and also said that teacher really likes eating her taro braised pork and pig trotter rice.

Regardless of whether the other party was just being polite or it was true, this is a rare opportunity.

Although Han Li kindly wants to help resolve the fake document matter, this document is merely a pretext. Even if it is truly resolved, as long as Wu Yuanwai refuses to let it rest, there will still be endless future troubles.

Han Li is still a student, originally supposed to pursue scholarship. Right now he's also seconded to the Capital Prefecture Office. It's not good to trouble him with everything, to disturb him in every matter.

But the masters at the Taixue, who are also Han Li's teachers, one can imagine must have students all over the world, disciples throughout the Six Ministries.

She wants to try and see if she can use a dish or two to strike up a conversation with the other party.

Wu Yuanwai is in the dark, wealthy, with many subordinates. From start to finish he only put forth a name. All the dirty work is done by others.

Song Miao knows she is merely a debt-ridden orphan girl, and in the open. Every move is watched. To resist is not easy.

Fortunately there is still a Liao Qingjiao who is also in the open.

When Song Dalang's coffin was kept, Liao Qingjiao sent subordinates to the door to make trouble. A few days ago he again sent people to intrude into the Song residence at night.

Everything can happen once, not twice.

People have brought trouble to one's own head. Even a rabbit has two front teeth. If you don't bite back once, what if pinching soft persimmons becomes a habit later?

How to deal with a Tingjiao head boss?

Song Miao feels she can first make an effort to see if she can make him unable to remain this head boss.

These past few days she has already found opportunities to inquire all around. Asked neighbors, asked students, asked the village head. Yesterday she also asked Censor Xin, and also those many patrol soldiers.

There is not just one Tingjiao Hang. To take over the Tingjiao business in this Zhuque Gate area is not such a simple matter.

For a Tingjiao Hang to come forward to bid, they must first meet the government's conditions. From shop scale, qualifications, manpower, tools, etc., everything must be met before they have bidding qualifications. The lowest price wins. Once won, the government allocates a portion of money to them. Another portion, however, is collected from the common people within the jurisdiction.

The Tingjiao Hang managed by Liao Qingjiao previously was only responsible for a very small area. In the past year, he suddenly won more and more bids, and the area he manages has grown larger and larger. At the same time, the portion collected from the common people does not follow the originally set price, but has risen again and again.

It's just that his subordinates, the Tingjiao heads, all sell hard labor. The men are also fierce and brutal. The neighbors dare to be angry but dare not speak.

Others fear offending people and inviting disaster, so naturally they dare not speak. Song Miao, however, can speak — she has already offended them to death anyway. A few more stabs don't matter.

She must first investigate the price set in the bidding documents that day, see how much the price difference is, then see whether Liao Qingjiao's current subordinates still meet the bidding qualifications.

If they don't meet qualifications, if the price difference is huge — the former is uncertain, the latter is certain — Liao Qingjiao did such things on the first day for so long, then don't blame her for doing the fifteenth.

Bidding requires public notice. By rights, the government should post notices at the disputed place to inform the common people, then file with the relevant office. If someone questions it, it should be provided for verification.

But which department, which bureau is this relevant office? If I want to verify, who can I ask? Will the other party be willing to cooperate?

These questions, others might feel there's no way to start, extremely troublesome. But for the masters in the Taixue, perhaps it's just a matter of asking a few sentences?

Even if unwilling to help, it doesn't matter. Sending a dish or two over, just as filial respect to the old master. This bit of silver, Song Miao still has.

What would a master over seventy like to eat?

Han Li said his teeth are bad, and also said he praised several meat and vegetable dishes that don't require teeth.

Song Miao plans to wait for that Han Li to return, ask him, see what the old master likes. If he can accept sweet meat, she wants to make him a honey-glazed char siu.

This is a classic small dish. Old people and children all like to eat it. Using pork neck, cooked a bit longer, tender and juicy, sweet with a hint of salt, flavor absolutely superb. Most importantly, even without many teeth it can be completely chewed.

Just thinking about how to get to know that master, make the other party accept her goodwill. Originally it was just some food, nothing much. No matter how much she asked the other party for help, thinking and thinking, she had already walked to the end of Sanzao County Alley.

However, looking up, the usually spacious alley now had a carriage parked, and several horses. Moreover, right at her own doorway, two people were sitting.

Those two, one big, one small.

The big one was only about ten years old, the small one only a few years old. At this moment hearing movement, both looked over. Two pairs of eyes shining bright.

"Song Stall Owner!"

This is that He Qi.

"Song Sister... Stall Owner!" This voice was extremely childish; called halfway, it still turned a bend in the middle, looking incomparably happy.

This is that Zhu Jie'er.

Zhu Jie'er finished greeting, and also not waiting for others, she herself just strode with two short little legs to welcome over, circling around Song Miao chattering and clamoring.

"I brought Sister an extremely big, extremely big shrimp, and also brought Sister a flower!"

"I come to push the cart for Sister, Sister quickly come look at this shrimp!"

Song Miao where would dare let go, the cart also did not dare push, only could stop steps.

Zhu Jie'er early anxiously handed up the large bamboo tube in her hand.

Song Miao bent down and lowered her head to look; inside the bamboo tube there was only one shrimp, fully the length of Zhu Jie'er's palm, indeed could count as large, outer shell color green, quite hard in texture.

In a moment that He Qi hurriedly three steps combined into two steps caught up, and also pulled that Zhu Jie'er away, saying: "What's the rush, this shrimp won't run away."

And also said: "Just now how was it taught? You must first ask Sister if noon is busy or not!"

Zhu Jie'er "oh" a sound, blinked eyes to look at Song Miao, in a small soft voice asked: "Sister, is noon busy or not?"

The little one just finished asking, the big one that immediately also following with eyes looked at Song Miao, smiling with two eyes, asked: "Song Stall Owner, is noon busy? We here have quite a few shrimp, just fished out from the pond!"