Chapter 19 The Crab-Stuffed Orange Girl is also beautiful inside and out.
Zhao was sitting in a grand chair, scooping up a spoonful of crab-stuffed orange. The orange aroma mingled with the fresh crab meat as it entered her mouth. After tasting it, she said, "Song Niang's cooking skills are getting better and better. The crab meat is especially fresh today."
Huanzhu asked someone to take out the orange peel that had been eaten clean, and said with a smile, "This crab was bought early this morning. I saw Song Niang pick out the meat and put it into the orange peel, pour on the juice, wine and vinegar before steaming it. It has a sour taste and a fresh meaty aroma, filling the whole house."
Before she could say more, someone by the door said that the young master had returned home. Zhao hurriedly asked someone to open the window to air out the smell, and was helped by Huanzhu to lie half-reclined on the bed.
When Xie Xun came in, he saw this scene: his mother, who was nearly fifty, had a few more fine lines on her forehead, her face was rosy, but she looked somewhat tired.
I felt a pang of guilt; it must be because his affairs had caused my mother too much worry.
Zhao closed her eyes, not intending to pay any attention to Xie Xun. Huanzhu also stood on the side of her old lady, fanning herself with a palm leaf fan.
Xie Xun bowed and asked, "Is Mother feeling much better?"
Huanzhu sighed inwardly as the old lady gently tugged at her sleeve. How long would this mother and son keep arguing? But she could only go along with the old lady's wishes: "The old lady has been worrying too much lately, not drinking tea or eating, and has become very thin."
Xie Xun had just happened to see the maid carrying two empty crab-stuffed oranges, so he knew that Huanzhu's words were false. His mother never deprived herself of her appetite, and even if he really never came home again, he couldn't let his mother eat less.
But since he was in the wrong first, he could only admit the blame: "I have caused Mother worry. I will move back to the manor tonight..."
“No need,” Zhao opened her eyes, still looking listless. “Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. I will no longer interfere in your affairs. Whether you move back to the mansion or not is your own business.”
After saying that, she called for Zhu to help her up, saying that she had to go take care of her daughter-in-law, and then casually sent Xie Xun away.
Xie Xun originally wanted to tell his mother to stay on the bed and rest, but then he thought that his sister-in-law was pregnant and needed to be taken care of, so he took back what he wanted to say and remained where he was.
It wasn't until dinner that he saw his radiant mother. Fortunately, the night passed peacefully, and he was even able to chat with her for a few minutes.
The next morning, Zhao was summoned by Zhu to get up, and she asked about Xie Xun.
Huanzhu handed over a damp handkerchief to wipe the old lady's fingers: "Young master stayed at the manor last night and went out early this morning, without even having time for breakfast."
Zhao snorted: "Let him be, he's always causing trouble."
Huanzhu thought the old lady would be sad, but after breakfast she asked Madam Wang and Madam Li to come to the mansion as guests. Perhaps she had not given up and wanted to find a marriage for the young master.
Feeling truly helpless, she rested briefly before ordering someone to prepare some food to entertain the guests.
......
Lu Ji Food Shop has a strong fish flavor today.
Lu Qiong bought all the small fish and shrimp that Aunt He left behind and took them to the shop early in the morning.
There were still pastries steaming in the pot, and steam was coming out from the cracks. Yang Jie'er took firewood to the stove next door and asked, "Young lady, what do you plan to do with these fish?"
Lu Qiong scooped out the small fish, her hands still wet, and casually replied, "Coat them in batter and fry them in the pot."
The method is similar to that of making pickled fish, except that less alcohol is added. It's also commonly seen in night markets, so it's not unusual.
Sister Yang helped scrape the fish scales, and it took the two of them fifteen minutes to clean them. Lu Qiong sprinkled wine, a spoonful of salt, and scallion and ginger water into a basin, and after the small fish were fully marinated, she poured in the batter and stirred it evenly.
Pour oil into the pan, then fry the small fish coated in batter; the aroma immediately fills the air.
As soon as Lu Ji opened, it attracted passersby who drooled with envy.
"What delicious food are you making, young lady?"
Lu Qiong served the diner a bowl of fragrant three-delicacy noodles. The noodles were smooth and coiled in the bowl. She smiled and said, "I just fried some small fish as a side dish. If you would like some, you can add five coins."
All meat dishes in the shop cost an extra five coins, as clearly stated on the wooden sign at the entrance, making it easy for both new and regular customers to understand at a glance.
The round-faced diner, seeing the golden-brown fried fish looking so appetizing, immediately nodded and added five more copper coins to his order.
Lu Qiong smiled and accepted the gift. She took a plate with a folded waist, filled it with four or five small fried fish, and thoughtfully placed it on the guest's table: "Please enjoy your meal, sir!"
Fried fish doesn't require particularly sophisticated culinary skills, yet diners enjoy it immensely. The crispy texture paired with the smooth dough creates a unique flavor, and at the end, they even drink the sauce infused with the taste of fried fish and let out a satisfied burp.
Lu Xuan didn't eat much for breakfast, just two vegetarian steamed buns. Now she was craving something, so she cooked herself a bowl of soup noodles and squatted by the back door to eat it with fried fish.
Now, the aroma not only wafted into the front alley but also overflowed into the back alley, attracting even more people to Lu Ji Food Shop to join the fun.
Lu Qiong was busy brewing tea. When a customer accidentally spilled some on the table, she took out a coarse cloth from her waist, wiped it clean, and served fresh tea.
The young man who sells fish across the street also came over and ordered a bowl of cold noodles and a serving of fried fish.
This led others to laugh at him: "Ah Feng, aren't you a fishmonger? Why are you here eating other people's fried fish?"
Ah Feng's shop was empty, and he had to look back every now and then: "The aroma of fish has spread all over the street. I haven't eaten much breakfast yet, but this smell is making my mouth water."
Others agreed: "The soup noodles at Manager Lu's place are really delicious, and the freshly fried fish today is also very fragrant."
Before noon, all the fried fish had sold out.
Lu Qiong pulled out her money tube to count the coins. After deducting the hundred coins she spent on the fish, she still had a little over three hundred left. Adding the pastries she sold, she had five or six hundred coins in total. She counted the piles of coins, her eyes crinkling with laughter. It was just a pity that she might not be able to buy any more fish tomorrow, otherwise she could have earned even more money.
......
Unlike the Imperial Academy, Yingtian Academy was founded by an individual, not by the government. Attending the academy required not only talent but also a certain fee. Later records show that famous people washed their faces with cold water and ate leftover porridge.
While other academies are located in scenic mountain areas, Yingtian Academy is situated in the heart of the city. You can see the academy's gate just across Longjin Bridge. The architecture is grand and magnificent.
Lu Qiong lifted her skirt, stepped up the stairs, and spoke with her page. Someone came to greet her and treated her well: "The headmaster is out today. If you have anything to discuss, young lady, you can talk to the headmaster."
If the headmaster is the principal, then the headmaster is equivalent to the vice-principal and can also oversee all matters of the academy.
The two passed through the screen wall and circled around from the library to the east side room. This area was the dormitory where teachers and students studied and lived. The courtyard was full of ginkgo trees. At present, the students were all listening to lectures in the lecture hall, leaving only the headmaster sitting at the stone table making tea.
Upon seeing the person arrive, the headmaster stood up and bowed. Lu Qiong returned the bow and then heard the headmaster say that someone had already mentioned her: "Young Master Shen mentioned you to me and even brought a lot of pastries to the academy. They tasted sweet and refreshing, similar to those for the poetry gathering next month."
As soon as he finished speaking, he added, "It's just that there are too few varieties of pastries. If they are all the same, it will be too boring. Even the students of the academy will get tired of them. For example, Guanghan cake is a common item. During daily and monthly exams, many people give it to each other."
Eating Guanghan cake during an exam is probably equivalent to getting a perfect score by eating fried dough sticks and eggs?
Lu Qiong only thought about it in her heart, but she still wanted to try to persuade the head of the hall: "'Poetry and tea enhance the enjoyment'. From tea drinks to pastry styles, they must be inseparable from poetry. Good poems praise good tea, and good tea can also inspire good poems. I will also rethink the tea snacks that should be used for the poetry gathering. For example, lotus flower pastry can be used to write a poem related to lotus flowers. It just so happens that July is also summer, which is the season when lotus flowers are in full bloom."
The hall master smiled and said, "I didn't believe it when Mr. Shen praised you before, but after this conversation, I can see that you are a woman who is beautiful inside and out, with a clever mind and ingenuity. You are a rare woman."
Lu Qiong had prepared her words beforehand, and this was just a normal performance. She smiled and said, "If the headmaster is willing, I can give you more detailed feedback in the remaining half month."
The headmaster poured her a cup of tea: "Please think carefully about the tea and snacks for the poetry gathering, young lady."
Lu Qiong knew that the matter had been settled. Suppressing her joy, she took a sip of tea, which tasted very sweet.
After the deal was finalized, they visited the venue for the poetry gathering. There was a lotus pond nearby, which explained why the headmaster was so pleased when lotus-shaped pastries were mentioned. After accepting the two taels of deposit from the academy, Lu Qiong began to think about the pastries suitable for the poetry gathering.
Lu Qiong didn't linger at the academy for long; it was only noon, and the streets were still bustling with people.
The storyteller has changed his story; this time it's a story related to history. Apart from some differences in daily life, the Song Dynasty is not much different from other periods.
Returning along the same route, they found Jinniang still selling tofu east of the bridge.
Lu Qiong stepped forward and struck up a conversation: "Jinniang, this tofu looks really good, so white and tender."
Jinniang knew she was teasing her, and pretended to cut her a piece: "Since it looks so good, young lady, you should buy a piece."
Lu Qiong readily agreed, pointing to the tofu in the middle: "I'll take this piece, the more water the better, not firm tofu."
Jinniang makes two kinds of tofu every day: soft tofu and firm tofu. She only makes one block of soft tofu because fewer people eat it. It is soft and white and is usually used to make soups. It has a smooth texture and is also good to eat with sugar.
Firm tofu has less moisture and is more chewy, making it suitable for frying, deep-frying, and stuffing. Lu Qiong would only choose this type of tofu if it were stuffed. Compared to soft tofu, people in Bianjing also prefer firm tofu.
Jinniang packed the tofu for her and leaned closer, lowering her voice: "Didn't you say you met a troublemaking brother and sister at Zhouqiao Bridge?"
Lu Qiong leaned closer and asked, "What happened?"
Jinniang said that this morning, the young lady's brother had his leg broken. He was playing poker at the pawn shop and lost all his money. He even pawned the food shop left by his parents and is now penniless. He has also dragged the young lady down with him.
Lu Qiong sighed as she listened, thinking how harmful the pawnshop was.
In Shangyuan Village, one can often see gambling games like roulette, but the most popular game is Guanpu, which uses goods as bait. On special days, the imperial court would even comply with public opinion and allow people to play Guanpu. What a wonderful "official Guanpu".
Whenever this happened, Lu Qiong would tell Lu Xuan to stay at home and never get involved in gambling.
Lu Qiong went back and cut the tofu into small pieces for later use. She fried a few eggs in a pan, cut them into pieces, added them to the tofu, and cooked them into a milky white broth. The aroma became increasingly rich. Lu Xuan helped to put the prepared cabbage in and simmered it for a while.
Since the business was still closed in the afternoon, Lu Qiong had to start planning the refreshments for the poetry gathering. However, this was something that couldn't be rushed, and fortunately, there were still half a month left, enough time for her to think things through carefully.
A note from the author:
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①From Liu Yuxi's "Replying to Bai Juyi's Poem Sent While Leisurely Lying Down"
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