Chapter 20, The 20th Inn: Minced Fish Sashimi
Yunyin cooks very quickly. By the time the steamed pork and ribs were done, her sauerkraut fish was also ready. She handed it to Fu Wang and said, "You eat first, I won't serve you anymore."
Fu Wang glanced at the growing crowd and quickly said, "Miss Yun, you go ahead and do your work, don't bother me."
He picked up his chopsticks and first took a bite of the steamed pork that had been tempting him.
When Yunyin finished her work and looked at Fu Wang again, he had already eaten all the steamed pork and steamed spare ribs, but there was still some sauerkraut fish left.
Yunyin served him a pot of tea and asked, "Young Master Fu, why did you leave the city today?"
Fu Wang put down his chopsticks and said, "Today is Qingming Festival. I was thinking of coming out to pay respects to my family, and I just happened to think that you should be cooking today, so I came over for a meal."
"These past two days have been the Cold Food Festival, and I haven't been able to eat a decent meal. Now that I finally have a chance to cook, I naturally wanted to try Yun Niangzi's cooking. I didn't expect Yun Niangzi to make a new dish, which is quite different from the pickled fish. The pork is fatty but not greasy, and with the mugwort leaves, it's even more refreshing. Paired with steamed meat powder, the texture is soft and tender. It's really delicious."
Fu Wang looked at the sauerkraut fish on the table and sighed deeply.
Yunyin sat down at his table and said, "Why are you sighing, Young Master Fu? Didn't you really like today's new dishes?"
"The thought that I would not be able to eat Yun Niangzi's cooking for a long time made me feel sad."
Yunyin paused for a moment and said, "Young Master Fu is leaving?"
Fu Wang nodded and said, "Yes, my brother has already written that he will arrive in Long'an County in a couple of days. We will then set off for the Western Regions."
Yunyin also felt a little lost, thinking that another customer was leaving for an extended period, and she felt an indescribable regret. However, when she thought about his promise to help her bring some seeds, a sense of anticipation rose in her heart, and she smiled and said, "Then I wish you a safe and smooth journey, Mr. Fu."
Fu Wang smiled and said, "Then thank you for your blessing, Lady Yun."
He looked at the small food stall in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "I heard that Lady Yun wants to build an inn?"
Yunyin paused slightly as she stood up, and asked in surprise, "Where did you hear that, Young Master Fu?"
Fu Wang glanced at Zhang Lin and said, "I only overheard Brother Zhang mentioning it once. I was thinking that Lady Yun wanted to build an inn, which would cost a lot. I don't have anything else I can do to help, but I happen to know a lot of caravans and can introduce you to some clients."
"Miss Yun, don't you want to sell more mushroom sauce? I happen to know some merchant caravans that travel all year round, and there are still a few of them staying in Long'an County. If Miss Yun is interested, I can introduce you to them."
Yunyin did want to sell more mushroom sauce, but she didn't have that many mushrooms to use right now, and fresh mushrooms weren't in season yet. However, her customers still needed it, so she smiled and said, "Thank you very much, Mr. Fu."
Fu Wang shook his head and said, "It's nothing. I'm just helping to make the connection. You'll have to handle the rest yourself. I wonder when Miss Yun will have time? I can help introduce you."
Yunyin thought for a moment and said, "Young Master Fu will be leaving Long'an County in a couple of days. In that case, I will go with you to Long'an County tomorrow."
Fu Wang nodded and said, "In that case, I will come to pick you up tomorrow."
Yunyin shook her head and said, "No need for such trouble. Just tell me the address, Mr. Fu, and I'll come find you."
Just as the two were discussing their meeting time for the next day, the sound of clattering hooves came from afar, accompanied by shouts from passersby, drawing their attention.
Yunyin was also drawn by the sound. She looked up and saw a familiar figure in the distance. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Song Shi?"
Song Shi also spotted Yunyin's food stall and called out to his classmate, "This is it! Hurry up and get off your horse, I'm starving!"
He dismounted first, tied his horse up, and said loudly to Yunyin, "Miss Yun, I've brought some friends to patronize your business. Your food stall is really hard to find; we searched for ages before we finally spotted it."
Yunyin brought out another table and gestured for him to sit down, saying, "Young Master Song, what brings you here today?"
"I was thinking of coming here for a spring outing during the Qingming Festival. I remembered you mentioned that you opened a restaurant on the main road, so I wanted to try your cooking. But it took me ages to find it. I thought I had taken the wrong road."
Song Shi gestured for his friends to sit down, then looked around and said, "Miss Yun, your place is too simple. We can only eat outside. It's fine for us, but it won't be convenient when female guests come over."
Yunyin placed a pot of tea on the table and asked, "What female guest?"
Song Shi smiled broadly and said, "I've called out Madam Luo, and my sister Song Xuan too. They're in the back; they'll be here in a bit."
Yunyin raised an eyebrow and said, "The guests will leave after they finish eating; they won't stay indefinitely."
Song Shi shook his head and said, "Never mind, I'll go take a look around. I remember there's a stream nearby. If the scenery is nice, we can play the 'Floating Wine Cups' game."
He led his men to inspect the surroundings, and before leaving, he said to Yunyin, "Miss Yun, it took me a lot of effort to get Miss Luo out. Bring out your best dishes so I can properly entertain Miss Luo."
Upon hearing this, a handsome young man standing next to Song Shi patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't we deserve your hospitality?"
Another chubby boy winked and said, "You're not as important as Lady Luo. Even if you become his brother-in-law in the future, it will be you trying to please him, not the other way around."
Song Shi blushed from their words. He glared at them and said, "Xie Yan, Lin Hui, shut your mouths and come with me to find a good place. Besides, I'm not treating you today. I brought some good wine, do you still want to drink?"
Yunyin watched as Song Shi and his friends ran noisily toward the stream. She exchanged a glance with Fu Wang and couldn't help but chuckle. She sighed and said, "Young people are so lively. I suddenly feel old."
Looking at the beautiful woman before him, Fu Wang asked curiously, "How old is Lady Yun?"
Yunyin smiled shyly and said, "I'm already twenty."
Fu Wang shook his head and said, "She's only twenty, three years younger than me. I think Lady Yun is just like Chaoyang, very lively and lovely."
"Really?" Yunyin was somewhat incredulous upon hearing Fu Wang's praise. She had always felt like the setting sun, lacking vitality, and that she would have to live to fulfill her father's last wish.
Unexpectedly, after only a few days in Dazhao, I have changed completely in the eyes of others.
Seeing Yunyin's disbelieving look, Fu Wang quickly said, "When I first met you, I saw that you were skilled in martial arts and had a stall on the official road. I thought you had some ulterior motive."
"After eating with you several times, seeing the happy and joyful look on your face while you were cooking, I realized that I had misunderstood you back then."
He smiled sheepishly and said, "You really are just a young lady with some cooking skills. I felt warmth and security in your cooking. Not only is your food delicious, but you are also cheerful and lively. I feel as if I see the rising sun in you, which is very warm."
Yunyin didn't expect her question to elicit so much praise from him. She blushed and said, "Young Master Fu is really good at praising people. Even if you praise me like this, I will not give you a free meal."
Fu Wang smiled and shook his head, saying, "I don't need Lady Yun to pay for the meal. It's my good fortune to be able to eat your cooking."
Just then, someone called her to pay the bill. Yunyin quickly got up and busied herself, while Fu Wang looked away, sipping his tea and enjoying this rare moment of peace.
After seeing all the guests off, Yunyin told Zhang Lin to go and rest, while she prepared lunch for Song Shi.
Steamed pork and ribs can be steamed in a pot, and pickled fish and salt and pepper shrimp are also quick to make. Thinking of the fresh sea bass in the tank, she decided to make a famous dish, so that it wouldn't be in vain that Song Shi specially brought people to support her.
Thinking about how Song Shi had just given her fruit, including oranges, she wondered where he got them from, especially at this time of year. He was so generous; she wanted him to try her cooking, so his trip wouldn't be in vain.
It's a pity that Fu Wang doesn't eat raw fish, otherwise we could have let him try it too.
Without hesitation, she started by making the "golden shreds" in the "golden shreds and jade slices" dish. Actually, this dish is best enjoyed in August or September when the perch are plump and delicious. The ancient recipe for golden shreds records that it was made with oranges and chestnuts, but later it was simplified to use oranges instead.
According to ancient methods, orange peel and ginger should be chopped and mashed together with plum flesh. Then, rice should be mashed into a paste, and salt and garlic should be added and mashed together. If chestnuts are available, they should be mashed and added as well.
Nowadays, Yunyin only has oranges, so they can only use the later simplified version: mash the orange pulp into a paste, add fine salt and mix well, and the golden minced meat sauce in the Golden Minced Meat Sauce is ready.
As for the fish sashimi, Yunyin plans to prepare all the other dishes first, and then slice the fish last, so that the fish sashimi will be fresher and more delicious.
Yunyin started preparing the other dishes, and by the time Luo Man and Song Xuan's carriage arrived, she had already finished most of the dishes.
Song Shi also walked over from the other side of the river, smelling the aroma, and said, "It smells so good, my stomach is already rumbling. Yun Niangzi, please put the dishes in the food box, and I'll have Shou'er come and get them."
He beckoned to Luo Man, who had just arrived, and said, "Madam Luo, come with me. Let's eat by the river and enjoy the scenery."
Luo Man smiled helplessly at Yun Yin and said, "I'm really sorry to have troubled you. I originally wanted to come alone, but I didn't expect that Young Master Song would also come. He brought his female relatives and wanted me to accompany them. I thought that I had received a lot of help from him in the past, so I agreed to come with him."
Upon hearing her words, Yunyin shook her head and said, "Not at all. Sister Aman came to see me especially, and Mr. Song also patronized my business. I'm more than happy to welcome them."
She glanced at the shy young woman standing behind Luo Man, smiled, and said, "You two go with Young Master Song. I should start serving the dishes now."
After she finished speaking, she quickly made a cut behind the fish's head, put it in water to let the blood flow out, which would make the flesh whiter. Then she removed the fish bones and skin, and cut the remaining fish meat into translucent thin slices, rolled them into flower shapes, and placed them on a porcelain plate. As for the purple fragrant herb mentioned in the ancient recipe, Yunyin had not yet found it, but she could use mint leaves as a substitute. It's just that perilla is not in season yet, otherwise adding perilla would make it even more flavorful.
Yunyin chopped the mint leaves she had picked in the mountains into small pieces, along with the remaining orange peel, and sprinkled them in the center of the arranged fish slices, like flower stamens. Thus, a famous fish dish was ready. Of course, this differed somewhat from the ancient recipe for "Golden Minced Fish Slices," but even so, the taste was still quite good.
Yunyin placed the sashimi into the food box and reminded Shou'er, "This dish should be eaten fresh, remember to remind Song Langjun."
Shou'er took the food box and quickly replied, "I understand, thank you, madam."
Yunyin packed the other dishes into the food box and continued to make dessert. This was also a famous dessert, but it was very complicated to make. Fortunately, she had plenty of time and didn't need to rush.
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