Chapter 49 This naming skill... is... astonishing...

Su Shi dressed and washed himself as quickly as possible, his movements more than twice as efficient as usual. He then grabbed Fusu's hand and rushed towards the dining hall.

"Zhao Xiaolang, hurry up!"

He urged those behind him, "Such delicious food will definitely be gone soon! We can't slow down, let's run!"

They also overlooked the fact that Fusu's lips couldn't stop curving upwards.

The two's hurried run alerted some unsuspecting passersby. When they arrived at their destination, they were both panting heavily.

Su Shi wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, grabbed Fusu's hand, and immediately went to the dining hall window to ask, "Do you have that new dish that's on the menu today? We'd like one for each of us."

"What new dishes? There are no new dishes today."

She laid out and pushed several breakfast items in front of her, saying, "These are the things for breakfast today. See what you two want to eat."

Su Shi glanced at it quickly and fell silent.

Undeterred, he gestured again: "You mean the savory one, the one with rice and meat flavor? Don't you have it?"

The person at the window looked at him as if they had heard something unbelievable.

Su Shi was completely deflated: "Alright."

In the end, Fusu ordered a lot of food and pushed Su Shi to his seat. Su Shi hadn't given up yet, and along the way he tried to inspect his fellow students' plates. But unfortunately, none of them contained the food he was looking for.

"What's the name of that dish?!" Su Shi wailed, grabbing Fusu's arm and shaking it incessantly. "Where did you get this from, Zhao Xiaolang?! Why didn't you even ask what it was called?!"

Of course I made it myself.

As for the name, you'd be completely clueless even if I told you, right?

Because it's called Yangzhou Fried Rice.

The name gives no clue as to the ingredients or preparation method, and its connection to Yangzhou is equally puzzling. However, what surprised Fusu even more was that no one in the Song Dynasty seemed to have figured out how to make fried rice—truly strange. Didn't they know that...?

Is it delicious?

It wasn't until he actually put it into practice that Fusu understood.

He first asked for a bowl of leftover rice, which drew stares from everyone in the canteen kitchen: Leftover rice? Are you alright?

Fusu scratched his head: "Is there a problem?"

"Uh, but young man, won't rice go bad if it's left overnight? Especially with the hot weather lately... or is it that you want spoiled rice?"

"Oh dear!" Fusu slapped his forehead.

I forgot we don't have refrigerators anymore.

Therefore, no one would intentionally use dried rice to stir-fry dishes.

He repeated his request: "Then I'll have a bowl of rice that's been steamed dry. Stir-fry it in a pan, add scrambled eggs and chopped green onions. What other vegetables the kitchen has prepared today? Cut them into small pieces and add them in as well."

The kitchen staff initially followed the instructions with some skepticism, but the moment the scallions were added, everyone was drawn to the aroma of oil, scallions, eggs, and rice, and gathered around the pot.

"This material looks so colorful, it's really beautiful."

"Is it delicious? Is it delicious?"

Amidst the sizzling heat of the wok, the cook first served half a bowl to Fusu (which later became a prop to whet Su Shi's appetite), then gave a spoonful to everyone else who had gathered around. Ignoring the scalding heat, everyone shoved the spoonful in, immediately letting out gasps of surprise.

Some people put down their spoons and exclaimed, "Delicious!"

"Why didn't anyone think of this approach before?"

This is actually because Song Dynasty cuisine emphasized the "true flavor of food" and did not deliberately pursue complex and multi-layered tastes. But fried rice is different. You can taste the aroma of rice, meat, scallions, and soy sauce in a single grain of rice. One bite is like eating several dishes at once, and the flavors don't mix or smell out of place at all. Who wouldn't like that?

The head chef immediately looked at Xiao Fusu, scratching his head and pleading, "Young Master Zhao, um, on the day His Majesty arrives..."

"Wouldn't this be just right to serve him?" Fusu helped him complete the sentence: "It can also be served as a regular dish for the students in the future."

Everyone in the kitchen beamed with joy: "That's wonderful!"

"Thank you very much, Zhao Xiaolang!"

Some wanted to bow to him, but Fusu, with his sharp eyes, stopped them.

He could understand the mindset of the people in the imperial kitchen. They had been under immense pressure from the food committee lately, and then suddenly they were tasked with welcoming the emperor. They had finally come up with a stunning yet unpretentious dish, seeing a glimmer of hope. With a bit of luck, they might even receive a reward from the emperor.

They had no choice but to thank Zhao Xiaolang. Even those who were initially unhappy that Fan Chunren had sent a three-year-old to fool them had completely lost their temper and were now filled with utter admiration.

Fusu, fearing their gratitude would go on and on, quickly said, "The vegetables in the fried rice can be changed, and you can also add sauce for seasoning. Why don't you try making more and see who can make the most delicious fried rice, the one most suitable to be presented to the Emperor?"

One sentence ignited the fighting spirit of the kitchen staff, who immediately began rummaging through the available ingredients. Judging by their posture, they seemed eager to chop up the wooden boxes containing the seasonings and throw them into the pot to stir-fry over high heat.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Fusu quietly slipped out. He only greeted the head of the kitchen before the two of them left the room together. The outer room was much more airy than the kitchen, bringing Fusu a long-lost coolness. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Actually, there's another dish I'd like to try."

The head of the kitchen, surnamed Bai, was a very accommodating man. He immediately became very excited and promised, "Young Master Zhao, just tell me what dish you want to make? Whether it's delicacies from the mountains or seafood, I'll buy it for you!"

This is a golden opportunity to show off in front of the officials! It's worth it no matter how much money it costs, even if he pays out of his own pocket!

Fusu was both amused and exasperated: "No! That's not it!"

He told Chef Bai the necessary ingredients, who looked completely bewildered: "This? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

White cabbage? Broth? Minced meat?

What kind of tricks can they come up with? Can they really be presented to the emperor?

But the fried rice boosted Fusu's credibility to an unprecedented level. He prepared the ingredients as quickly as possible, eagerly awaiting Fusu's next visit. Meanwhile, the other kitchen staff also used their unique skills to create their own satisfactory fried rice, waiting for Fusu's feedback.

As soon as Fusu entered the kitchen, he sneezed.

"Achoo!"

He rubbed his nose, then stared wide-eyed incredulously: "No way? You guys sprinkled dogwood and Sichuan peppercorns into the fried rice?"

No wonder the air in the kitchen was so pungent!

"Can't...can't we add it...?"

"It's possible." But having eaten fried rice for decades, he'd only ever seen it seasoned with a spoonful of Lao Gan Ma chili sauce or fermented black bean sauce. Adding the whole peppercorn directly was something he'd never seen before. Indeed, those unconstrained by conventional thinking are far more creative.

Fusu scooped up a mouthful of this strange fried rice, smacked his lips, and found the taste surprisingly good. The distinct grains of rice were infused with a Sichuan peppercorn flavor, not overpowering, just enough to create a ripple of stimulation on the taste buds. He didn't know how others would feel, but Su Shi, a man from Sichuan, would certainly have loved it.

When Su Shi was mentioned, he recalled how the man had been itching to eat just one bite of fried rice, and couldn't help but smile knowingly.

"It tastes great. Could you please copy down the ingredients for me?"

Consider it compensation for the prank.

"sure!"

Fusu then tried all the other people's ingredients: tofu, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, chicken, radish... everything imaginable and unexpected could be found here. He had never eaten such a complex fried rice in his previous life.

It must be said that the recipes left by our ancestors are quite valuable for reference. The recipe that Fusu finally settled on was still the same old ingredients for fried rice: eggs, scallions, and diced meat. The similar texture of these ingredients can preserve the harmonious unity of chewiness and the richness of flavor layers to the greatest extent.

However, the other side dishes weren't without their merits. Fusu pondered, resting her chin on her hand: "How about we change the menu regularly? Or perhaps we could release 'seasonal limited editions'? Especially the latter, it's a killer weapon for trendy people; no matter how exotic the taste, there's no shortage of buyers."

Hmm, we've found the target audience for the peppercorn and chili-flavored fried rice.

"Um, um," Steward Bai interrupted Fusu's reverie with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation, "Young Master Zhao, that dish you mentioned before..."

"Ah, that." Fusu suddenly came to his senses: "Is everything ready? I'll go check."

Steward Bai led him to another place, where the side dishes had already been prepared according to his request. Fusu tasted a spoonful of the thick, dark broth and smacked his lips: "Did they add seafood to the chicken soup?"

It felt too savory. Since there was no MSG available, it must have been enhanced with something else.

Chef Bai scratched his head sheepishly, "You even noticed it. After all, it's meant to be presented to the Emperor, so it wouldn't be appropriate to be too obvious..."

He asked cautiously, "If it's not suitable, then... should we change it?"

No way, otherwise what would my dad eat?

"No need, no need. If we want to save costs by serving this dish in the dining hall in the future, we can just use chicken broth. The chicken can also be used to make other dishes, so we can make two dishes from one and maximize efficiency."

After Fusu finished speaking, he realized that he had really gone to great lengths for the sake of the dining hall.

Chef Bai rubbed his hands together expectantly: "I'll do whatever you say, Zhao Xiaolang."

Since they were using earthen stoves, Fusu could barely see the edge of the pot while standing on tiptoe, let alone cook it himself. Everything had to be done remotely by Chef Bai.

"Cook the cabbage, peel out the softest heart, and cut the edges into the shape of a lotus flower... well, you can call it a chrysanthemum if you want! Mix the minced chicken with water, pour it into the cooled broth, and then put it in a pot to warm it up for a while."

Under their watchful eyes, the broth, which was originally almost milky white, slowly became transparent, eventually becoming as clear as a pool of water.

Chef Bai stared blankly, completely mesmerized.

He stammered, "Young man, could it be that this... this is what we're supposed to show the Emperor?"

He even felt a little apprehensive: this was probably a recipe passed down through generations in the private kitchens of powerful and wealthy families. Was it really alright for Zhao Xiaolang to present it to the Imperial Academy? Wouldn't he get a beating from his family?

Fusu said, "This is nothing. You try ladling out the soup and pouring it over the bok choy."

Chef Bai quickly did as instructed.

At first, nothing happened, except for his quiet admiration: the clear, watery broth served in a white dish, with a single, unopened yellow chrysanthemum in the center. This was no longer just a dish; it was comparable to a scholar's painting. The presentation alone was enough to make a strong impression on the emperor.

But soon, a scene that shattered everyone's eyes appeared.

Amidst the rising steam and fragrant aroma, the cabbage, which had been budding, seemed to come alive, slowly unfurling its first petal. Then, as more and more hot soup was poured over it, layer after layer, it bloomed completely like a lotus flower.

As the last spoonful of broth was scooped out, the flower stamens fully bloomed, floating gracefully on the surface of the broth. Meanwhile, Chef Bai's mouth remained agape.

He had lost his ability to speak. As a chef, even if he had never eaten pork, he had seen pigs run. There were so many restaurants in Bianjing, how fierce was the competition of culinary skills? However, this dish alone was enough to become the signature dish of a famous restaurant, attracting wave after wave of scholars and literati who loved elegance, and more than enough to ensure the master's family's wealth for ten years.

"What's the name of this dish?"

Fusu's vanity was unprecedentedly satisfied, and he puffed out his chest and said triumphantly, "Boiled cabbage in clear broth!"

"..."

However, instead of receiving praise, he only got a regretful glance from Chef Bai: "The food is great in every way, and the young man is great in every way, but the only thing that's good is the naming... it's really not something to brag about!"

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Author's note: In theory, pouring soup is a skill, but here we'll just use it as a cheat code.

Fusu said he wanted flowers, and so flowers appeared.