Chapter 93, The 93rd Inn: Osmanthus Sticky Rice Lotus Root
After Song Shi left, Yun Yin finally found Fu Wang, who was making a screen. She looked at the screen he had already finished, stopped what she was about to say, and asked instead, "You're already making a screen?"
Fu Wang put down what he was holding, nodded to Yun Yin and said, "Yes, didn't you want to use a screen to create a private space? I just happened to have nothing to do, so I'll help you make some."
He pointed to the finished screen and asked, "What do you think of this style of screen?"
Fu Wang pointed out that the screen was made up of four small screens pieced together, similar in style to the screens she had seen before, except that only the frame had not yet been covered with pictures.
Fu Wang put the screen away. "I originally planned to have Song Shi paint these pictures, but unfortunately he couldn't find the time. So I had to ask Lady Yinshuang to do it. Her painting skills are not bad either."
Yunyin looked at the screen he had made and considered the layout of the hall. "Let's use this screen. Two screens will be enough to block the view." After a moment of thought, she said, "Then could you please make four screens for me? I plan to put two on each side."
"Is this difficult to make?" Yunyin squatted down to examine it carefully. Fu Wang's woodworking skills were indeed very impressive. The four screens were assembled entirely with mortise and tenon joints, and they folded and opened very flexibly. The effect was almost the same as that of metal hinges.
Fu Wang smiled and said, "It's nothing. Screens made with mortise and tenon joints are not as durable as those made with metal. However, iron is too expensive. Fortunately, this kind of woodworking is not difficult for me. If it breaks, I will help you fix it. It won't take much trouble."
Yunyin smiled and said, "Thank you so much." This time, she didn't mention paying for the craftsmanship. It was his kind gesture, and she would accept it and then make more delicious food to reciprocate.
The two got along better and better, and the atmosphere became more and more harmonious. Seeing this, Cheng Yong felt relieved and said with a smile, "In that case, I'll pack my things and get ready to leave."
Yunyin knew Cheng Yong was leaving, but she didn't expect the separation to come so soon. She took a large bag from the kitchen and handed it to him, saying, "This is the fried rice I promised you before. Keep it for yourselves. I've written down the recipe. Take it back and show it to your cook. He'll know how to make it after he sees it."
Cheng Yong took the large bag and said with a smile, "Okay, thank you very much, Madam Yun. I'm sorry to have troubled you these past few days, but I haven't been of much help."
Yunyin shook her head and said, "No, Brother Cheng has helped me a lot. He even taught me how to register visitors' information and how to report any situations. I should be thanking you."
Fu Wang interrupted them as they exchanged pleasantries, saying, "Alright, it's not like we'll never see each other again, there's no need to be so polite." He looked at Cheng Yong and said, "When you pass by in the future, come over for a meal, and we'll meet again."
Yunyin and Cheng Yong looked at each other and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Cheng Yong's departure did not affect the inn. They were still busy every day. Yunyin continued to save money, planning to expand the inn again next year, while Fu Wang finished the screen and asked Yinshuang to help paint several flower and bird paintings.
Yinshuang might be a little rusty at painting other subjects, but she was very familiar with flowers and birds. The paintings on these screens were very artistic, and Yunyin liked them at first glance.
She arranged the screens, looked around, and felt something was missing, until Yinshuang said, "Madam, it would be better to place some potted plants in the corner."
Yunyin looked around and found the space to be too plain. She went to the flower arrangement area, picked out a few potted plants, and placed them around the room. It looked much more comfortable after all.
There aren't many flowers in winter, but there are still plum blossoms. The plum blossoms she used for these flower arrangements were found by Fu Wang. She didn't know where he found them. Every morning, Yunyin would receive a large bunch of them, which she would put in vases. Now, using them to decorate the inn is not a waste.
After the hall was set up, the passing merchants didn't stop, they just ate and left. But for those who wanted to listen to music, the arrangement made it more comfortable. Screens on both sides provided more privacy and made it easier to bring their female relatives. Soon, people came in droves to listen to Yinshuang play music.
Previously, most of the people who came to her restaurant were young students and their wives, but this time, quite a few mistresses from wealthy families came. Only then did Yunyin realize how much the people of Dazhao loved dancing and listening to music, and how outstanding Yinshuang's zither skills were, that they could attract such a group of people to such a remote place as hers.
Taking advantage of the large number of visitors, Yunyin launched her newly made Osmanthus Sticky Rice Lotus Root.
Yunyin used new rice, which was given to her by Linjiang Village some time ago. The rice smelled very fragrant. She didn't want to use it to make glutinous rice balls, but she remembered a snack. Since it was the season for lotus root, she prepared a dish of osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root.
This dish requires honey, and honey in this era was mostly wild, so it was quite expensive. Naturally, this snack was also very pricey. If she hadn't seen this group of wealthy and powerful people, she probably would have only been able to sell it to the students of the county school.
Since Xia Yan left, Yunyin's pastry delivery business has decreased significantly. Even when she delivers pastries to the ladies, their demand for them has gradually decreased. Yunyin has been thinking of other ways to help them. Now that these people have come, she is determined to make sure they eat well and buy pastries from her in the future.
While Zheng Guilan greeted the guests outside, Yunyin entered the kitchen full of fighting spirit. The glutinous rice had been soaked early in the morning. She selected lotus roots of suitable thickness, washed them, peeled them, cut off the heads, and stuffed the soaked glutinous rice into them.
She didn't stuff in too much rice, stopping when it was about two-thirds full. The rice expands during steaming, and if too much is stuffed in, it will break the lotus root and make it look less appealing when it comes out of the pot.
After stuffing all the rice in, Yunyin put the previously cut-off head back on, sealed it with a bamboo skewer, and then put it into a boiling pot to cook the lotus root.
The utensils used for cooking lotus root should also be carefully considered. It is best to use a clay pot, as lotus root cooked in an iron pot is prone to turning black. Yunyin started cooking the lotus root and continued to prepare the sauce, while Fu Wang kept an eye on the heat.
Originally, the task of watching the fire was to be taken care of by Fang Tang and the others, but Fu Wang took over the job, just so he could spend more time with Yun Yin.
Yunyin had no idea what he was thinking. She had a lot on her mind. After preparing the sauce for the glutinous rice and lotus root, she went to steam water chestnut cake.
Song Xuan also liked this dessert very much, and the group of students also said it was delicious. Water chestnut cake can be eaten cold or fried, so she planned to make both ways this time so that the guests could enjoy it to their heart's content.
One plate of steamed water chestnut cake was served cold, while the other plate was lightly pan-fried in oil until golden brown on both sides, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, offering a different experience from the cold version.
After Yinshuang finished playing a song, the women started chatting. At this time, Yunyin served water chestnut cake, smiled at them, and then went back to the kitchen to make osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root.
Cooked glutinous rice lotus root is a cooked food. In order to avoid contamination with other flavors and for better hygiene and safety, Yunyin used a cutting board for cooked food to cut it, and even changed the knife. She always pays attention to these details, which is why no one has ever had diarrhea after eating it.
Because Yunyin used the juice from rinsing red yeast rice when cooking lotus root, the cooked lotus root had a tender pink color and looked very beautiful. After arranging the sliced lotus root on a plate, she continued to simmer the broth.
She ladled some of the broth from cooking the lotus root into the pot, added sugar, and simmered it over low heat until thick. Then she poured it over the lotus root, spread osmanthus honey evenly on top, and finally sprinkled some dried osmanthus flowers on top for garnish.
Knowing that Fu Wang also loved sweets, Yun Yin specially cut an extra plate and handed it to Fu Wang, who was still watching the fire, saying, "Come and eat the snacks I just made."
Fu Wang threw down the wooden stick in his hand, washed his hands, and took the plate of glutinous rice lotus root. Before even taking a bite, just smelling the fragrance of osmanthus and the sweetness of honey, he knew this snack was sure to be delicious.
Bright red lotus roots are stuffed with white glutinous rice, the red and white colors intermingling and the lotus roots still connected by threads. The sugar syrup drizzled on top blends in, making the lotus roots even more inseparable.
The final sprinkling of osmanthus flowers is the finishing touch, making the whole snack more refreshing and bringing joy to those who eat it.
Fu Wang picked up a piece of lotus root dipped in the sauce. The lotus root was soft, tender, and pink, and when paired with the even softer glutinous rice, it was a double treat. "This snack is suitable for all ages," he said. He then ate another piece. The sweetness of the honey was a light and refreshing sweetness, and when combined with the fragrance of osmanthus, it added a unique charm.
Yunyin shook her head and said, "There is glutinous rice in it. Although there isn't much, the elderly and children shouldn't eat too much, as it's easy for them to have indigestion."
Seeing that Yunyin had been busy and hadn't had a chance to try a piece herself, Fu Wang picked up another piece and held it to her lips. "You haven't even tried it yourself yet, why don't you give it a try?"
Yunyin saw the lotus root suddenly appear near her mouth, paused for a moment, and then opened her mouth to eat it. She liked the soft and sticky texture. It was different from the stickiness of glutinous rice balls and the simple powderiness of braised lotus root. There was also the sweetness of honey between the soft and sticky texture. She really liked it.
"It's a pity that honey is hard to buy and expensive, otherwise I would have made this snack a long time ago."
Fu Wang: "It's not too late to do it now. I'll ask around and see if I can still buy honey."
Yunyin patted his arm, "Then I'll leave it to you."
The two secretly finished a plate of glutinous rice lotus root in the kitchen. When Feng Hai came in, he saw the plated osmanthus glutinous rice lotus root and asked, "Why didn't you have someone take it over?"
Yunyin coughed lightly, wiped her mouth, and brought over two plates of snacks. "I'll deliver them."
Fu Wang and Feng Hai exchanged a glance, and amidst his confusion, Fu Wang calmly walked out of the kitchen.
The main hall was still bustling. After listening to the music and eating the snacks, people moved to the private rooms to sit down. Yunyin also began to serve the dishes, and the first dish was this snack.
A woman dressed in a royal blue jacket and wearing a jade hairpin asked with a smile, "Seeing is believing, indeed. My son often mentions it, and seeing it today, I can confirm that your skills are truly superb."
Yunyin then realized that this person was Meng Shao's mother. Meng Shao was Xie Yan and Song Shi's classmate and loved her cooking. He would come to her restaurant for a meal every time he had a day off. Even when Xie Yan and Song Shi didn't come, he would come alone. He was a loyal customer of her restaurant.
Unexpectedly, his mother also came today. Yunyin stepped forward and bowed, saying, "It is all thanks to Young Master Meng for taking care of my business. Today, with Madam here, I hope you enjoy your meal."
Wu Min smiled and said, "I really liked the pastries you gave me before, and I still like them today. I also listened to Lady Yinshuang's music today, so it was definitely worth the trip."
Seeing that Madam Wu liked the pastries she made, Yunyin smiled and said, "I'm glad you like them, Madam. These are some new dishes I made. Please enjoy them."
She put down the osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice lotus root, bowed to everyone, and left the private room. Wu Min then called out to everyone, "Let's all try it together and see how good Yun Niangzi's cooking is."
Another round-faced, slightly plump woman covered her mouth and whispered, "How could Yun Niangzi's cooking not be good? My good-for-nothing son of mine is completely infatuated with Yun Niangzi. If he weren't only thinking about food, I would really think he had his eye on her."
Wu Min snorted and said, "What, does that mean you'll agree to let your son marry Lady Yun just because he likes her?"
The plump woman said, "Marriage is probably out of the question, but taking a concubine is not a problem."
Wu Min spat at her and said, "Come on, your son isn't good enough for Lady Yun."
The plump lady became furious upon hearing this, "How can you talk like that?"
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing, the others tried to calm them down, saying, "Alright, don't you know that Madam Wu is just a straightforward person? You should be used to it by now."
Another woman was quietly eating osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice lotus root when she suddenly said, "I think Madam Wu is right. Your son is really not good enough for Madam Yun."
The others all looked at the wife who rarely expressed her opinions. She pointed to the snacks on the table and said, "Try them. They're no worse than the food prepared by those famous chefs we've eaten at."
Wu Min and the plump lady stopped arguing and started eating the osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice lotus root. For a moment, the only sound in the private room was the sound of everyone enjoying the food, as if the argument just now was an illusion.
Unbeknownst to Yunyin on the other side, she was still diligently preparing other dishes. There were few vegetables available in winter, but there was no shortage of radishes and cabbages. She made light dishes such as Peony Swallow Dish and Braised Pork Belly with Bamboo Shoots for the ladies, and of course, her signature roast duck was also indispensable.
It's hard to catch fresh fish when the weather gets cold, but since she and Fu Wang and the others had removed the ice from the lake in the mountains, the fish she kept in the lake could still be caught, so she made an easy-to-digest fish soup.
The group of wealthy ladies ate to their hearts' content. When Wu Min saw Yun Yin, she greeted her, "Miss Yun, I heard that your shop also delivers pastries, is that right?"
Upon hearing this, Yunyin's eyes lit up. She hadn't even spoken to these people about this matter yet, but the guest had spoken first. She nodded and said, "That's right, what kind of snacks would Madam Wu like?"
Wu Min stroked her chin and said, "I like all the dishes we've eaten today. One of each, please. I also want the lotus flower pastry and mooncakes from your menu."
Although fewer people buy mooncakes after the Mid-Autumn Festival, quite a few people still come to buy them. They don't think of mooncakes as a pastry to eat during the Mid-Autumn Festival; they often buy them as gifts at other times. Yunyin asked Wu, "What flavor would you like, my lady?"
Wu Min knew that Yunyin had a wide variety of mooncake flavors, so she waved her hand and said, "One of each, please."
The plump woman who had just been arguing with her came out of the private room, snorted at the two of them, and swaggered away with her entourage. Yunyin watched the departing guests, scratched her head, and said, "Was it because we didn't treat her well? Why is this lady so angry?"
Wu Min waved her hand and said, "Don't pay any attention to her. She's just bickering with me. We often do this. I hope you'll forgive her, Lady Yun."
Yunyin withdrew her gaze from the woman and shook her head with a smile at Wu Min: "Not at all, we will deliver the pastries to you first thing tomorrow morning."
Seeing this, several of the other ladies also placed orders for pastries with Yunyin. Holding a bag of deposits, she couldn't hide her smile. After seeing the ladies off, she took out the money she had just received and counted it again.
Seeing her like this, Fu Wang shook his head and said, "Laugh if you want to, no one will see."
Yunyin finally burst into laughter, excitedly exclaiming as she listened to the clinking of silver coins in the box, "I'm rich! I'm rich!"
This is just a deposit, and it's already ten strings of cash. It's true that it's easier to make money off the rich.
Fu Wang patted her head and said, "Well, congratulations."
Yunyin was taken aback by his sudden action. Her smile froze, and she lowered her head, blushing. She clutched the box of money to her chest, coughed lightly, and said, "I'll go put the money away."
Without even glancing at Fu Wang, she quickly ran back to her room. When no one was watching, she rubbed her face vigorously and leaned against the door to calm herself down.
Fu Wang's hand was still in mid-air. Watching the person who had disappeared before his eyes, he withdrew his hand and gently stroked the person, feeling the warmth still lingering on his fingertips, and murmured, "So soft."
Yunyin put the money away, took the box out and put it back on the counter. Looking around and seeing that Fu Wang wasn't there, she breathed a sigh of relief, held her head high, and went back to the kitchen to prepare the pastries she would make tomorrow.
As she sold her pastries to the women, Yunyin's pastry business grew again, and she saved up a lot of money. She thought that as long as spring came, she could expand the inn again and build a house for herself. Just thinking about it made her feel energetic.
With more money in her hands, she needed to put the previously agreed-upon plan of hiring someone to fetch ice back on the agenda. She found Fu Wang, who was still doing various small woodworking projects, and asked, "You said you would introduce me to someone who can fetch ice, when is that time?"
Fu Wang stopped what he was doing, brushed the sawdust off his clothes, and said, "I'll have him come to you tomorrow." Remembering that Yunyin had said she wanted someone to raise fish and shrimp, he added, "I've found you a fisherwoman. She's always lived on a boat and knows a lot about fish and shrimp. If you need her, I'll have her come over next spring."
Yunyin was surprised to receive news after not finding a suitable person for so long. She pressed for details, "Could you tell me about her?"
“I heard about her from my brother. Her name is Jiang Xiaoyu. She has been making a living on the Mianjiang River. Recently, she has been looking for work. When my brother heard about it, he wrote to ask me about it.”
"Although she has never raised fish, she has always been on fishing boats. She knows more about fish than most of us, if not a lot."
Fu Wang looked apologetically at Yun Yin and said, "It's hard to find someone who knows how to raise fish. All I know are servants in wealthy households. Jiang Niangzi is the one I know who is most suitable for your place."
Yunyin sensed his apology and waved her hand, saying, "Why are you apologizing to me? This was a difficult thing to begin with. It's already good enough that you were able to help me find a suitable one."
Besides, even if Jiang Xiaoyu doesn't know that much, it's okay. She still has a book on animal husbandry. Before, when no one knew how, she still managed to raise them according to the book. Although she may not have raised them very well, she didn't ruin them either.
If all else fails, the two of them can discuss it when the others arrive and find a more suitable method. She's still looking forward to a bumper harvest of shrimp and crabs next year.
I've already arranged with Fu Wang for her to come over in the spring, and that will put this matter to rest. As for the ice collector, he'll come tomorrow.
The person Fu Wang contacted was very punctual and arrived early the next morning. This person was named Liu Quanbao. He had previously been in charge of obtaining ice for the Long'an County government. However, this year the county magistrate was gone and the new magistrate had not yet taken office. The government needed less ice than usual, so he had some free time. When he heard that Fu Wang wanted to stockpile ice, he packed his things and came over.
Yunyin chatted with him and agreed on a price. Then she went to nearby villages to recruit people. Soon, the group of ice pickers arrived. Liu Quanbao led them to Pingjiang to choose a good location and began selecting a spot to chisel ice.
The ice collectors were indeed experienced; they quickly chose a spot, and the group began breaking the ice.
Yunyin had been to see it once, and it was indeed very labor-intensive and arduous, so the wages for the people she hired were also high. She was responsible for the meals of this group of people, and Yunyin thought that making a rice bowl would be easier.
There were many of them, and they were doing physical labor, so a rice bowl with meat and vegetables would be perfect. Yunyin prepared a taro and chicken stew, and also cooked a radish and pork stew. She stir-fried the fatty pork to render out the excess oil, added soybean paste, poured in the radish, and simmered it for a while. Both the meat and the radish tasted delicious.
Besides these two dishes, she also stir-fried some bok choy. They were all cooked in a large pot, and even though they were cooked in a large pot, the group of people ate them clean, without even having to wash the bowls, and there wasn't a drop of oil left.
Those people ate Yunyin's food and received high wages, so they naturally worked very hard. In just a few days, the ice in Yunyin's ice cellar was full.
Yunyin also took advantage of this time to freeze a lot of clean ice, labeled it, and used it to make summer iced drinks in the future.
After Yunyin placed all the ice blocks and checked them to make sure everything was in order, she sealed the ice cellar and waited until the following summer to open it for use.
Having finally stocked up on ice and resolved a major issue, Yunyin was finally relieved. Although it had cost a lot of money, she wouldn't be short of ice next year. Summers in Jiannan Road were still quite hot, and she had used a lot of Luoman's ice this year, so she needed to replenish it for Luoman.
November passed by quietly, and before Yunyin knew it, her birthday arrived. Just when she had almost forgotten about it, Fu Wang asked her, "It's your birthday tomorrow, do you want to go out and have some fun?"
Yunyin: "Ah, is it already December 6th?"
Seeing that she had indeed forgotten, Fu Wang sighed, "Didn't you say yesterday that you would cook Laba porridge for Laba Festival in two days? You can remember Laba Festival, how come you don't remember your own birthday?"
Yunyin touched her nose and muttered softly, "It's normal that I don't remember my birthday because I haven't celebrated it in a long time."
Seeing that Fu Wang was still staring at her, Yunyin thought about how she had been stuck in the inn the whole time and hadn't been anywhere. The last time she went out to play was during the Dragon Boat Festival when she went to see the dragon boats with Luo Man and the others. Thinking of this, she nodded and said, "Okay, where should we go?"
Yunyin really didn't know where there was anything to do in Long'an County, so she looked at Fu Wang, hoping he would have some ideas.
Fu Wang: "Then come with me tomorrow, I'll show you around and give you some fun."
No matter how much Yunyin pressed, she couldn't find out where they were going. She could only sigh and ask Feng Hai and Zhang Lin for help with tomorrow's plans.
"Thank you for your hard work tomorrow. I'll bring you gifts when I get back."
Zhang Lin shook his head and said, "Miss Yun, just have fun. Don't worry about this place. There are so many of us here."
Feng Hai shared the same sentiment, and he looked at Fu Wang: "Take good care of Lady Yun."
Fu Wang lightly punched him, "I know."
When Zheng Guilan and Yinshuang learned that tomorrow was Yunyin's birthday, they discussed what gift to give her. They even dragged Fang He into the discussion with the children, thinking about what gifts they could give.
"Let's send some food," Fang He said after thinking for a moment. "I can make some simple food now, and I also know how to carve, so I can carve a birthday greeting picture for my master."
Fang Tang pursed her lips and said, "Your carving skills aren't very good either. Tomorrow is my wife's birthday. There's no time for you to slowly carve."
Fang He spread her hands and said, "Then what do you suggest we give?"
"Let's make some knotted nets," Fang Tang whispered, glancing furtively at Yin Shuang next door. "I heard that Lady Yin Shuang can make really beautiful knotted nets. Let's learn from her and then give them to Lady Yun."
The other girls asked, "Is it difficult to learn? I don't know how to make knots."
Fang Tang nodded and said, "I saw Lady Yinshuang do it once. It wasn't too difficult. Let's ask her."
The group of children all nodded in agreement, and Fang He had no choice but to go with them to find Lady Yinshuang.
Upon hearing the children's purpose, Yinshuang thought for a moment and then said, "Then I will teach you a simple knot for wish fulfillment."
The children followed Yinshuang to her room, and Zheng Guilan also went back to her room to take out a pair of shoes that she had almost finished making. She planned to finish them tonight and give them to Yunniangzi tomorrow.
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