Chapter 78 Mid-Autumn Festival Feast: Soup Made with West Lake Water Shield
As autumn arrives, the weather turns cool, and the wind outside the window rises and stops abruptly, sneaking in through some crack.
Lu Qiong, who was huddled in bed, was also awakened by the cold. She pulled at the blankets and kept shrinking deeper into the bed, but she was already wide awake.
The candles inside had long been extinguished, with only a sliver of light shining through the window. However, the days have been getting longer and longer lately, and it was probably almost dawn now.
She lingered in bed for a while before getting ready to get up.
He went through the main room to the kitchen, quickly cooked a bowl of porridge, and then went to Lu Xuan's room to wake her and Wei Pan.
Both of them were half asleep, especially Lu Xuan, who called out "Sister" and wanted to go back to sleep, but Lu Qiong put her hand, which had just been rinsing rice, into the rice jar, which immediately woke her up.
After having breakfast, they hurried to the shop in the dark.
There weren't many pedestrians on the road; most were hurrying along with their heads down. The majority were vendors pushing carts, who greeted customers with smiles and quickly packed up their stalls.
Lu Qiong arrived at the shop first and took out the pickled duck egg yolks, arranging them one by one in a bamboo basket.
I washed a bamboo sieve with large holes, placed a basin underneath it, cracked the duck eggs onto the sieve, and the egg whites fell into the basin.
Egg whites are not needed for making egg yolk mooncakes, so they can be thrown away as a waste. They can also be used to flavor porridge or soup.
Lu Xuan also joined them, placing her hands on the table and craning her neck forward: "Sister, are these salted cucumbers?"
After separating the salted egg yolks, there is still a white film on the surface that needs to be washed off, otherwise it will have a fishy smell.
Lu Qiong brought a basin of water, put in an egg yolk, and gently rubbed off the white coating with her other hand: "It's about right. The taste will be similar once it's cooked."
At this moment, Sister Yang and the others arrived one after another, so Lu Xuan decided not to stay here and get in the way, and followed Wei Pan to the backyard to prepare other ingredients.
Before leaving, he didn't forget to say goodbye to Lu Qiong: "Sister, I'm going to the backyard to wash lotus seeds!"
Lu Qiong hummed in response, but when she looked up, she could only see the hem of her skirt, and couldn't help but chuckle.
Once the streets and alleys become lively, the shops will have finished making their mooncakes, and everyone will have some free time to entertain customers.
In previous years, customers who bought mooncakes from the shop still remember them fondly. Even though other shops on the street sell similar mooncakes, they still think Lu Ji's are the most authentic.
This is because the brand name was well-established in the past, which is why diners thought Lu Kee's food was better.
Today's mooncakes have four fillings: mixed nuts, red bean paste, lotus seed paste, and salted egg yolk. At first, the red bean paste ones sold the most, but by noon, more people were asking about the salted egg yolk ones.
Lu Qiong also cut three or four salted egg yolks for tasting, which were almost snatched up in the blink of an eye.
After staying in the lobby for a while, her legs got tired, and the porridge she had for breakfast wasn't filling enough, so she thought of going to the kitchen to find something to eat.
The moment the thought crossed my mind, I realized a shadow had fallen over me.
Looking up, I saw Xie Xun, whom I hadn't seen for months. His complexion was a bit darker than before, but his eyes remained resolute, as if nothing could shake his resolve.
Lu Qiong was momentarily lost in thought, but only for a moment, and quickly returned to normal.
"How has Xie Lang been lately?"
Xie Xun was used to her style and smiled at her, saying, "Everything is fine."
For some reason, Lu Qiong felt a little uncomfortable. In the past, she could have made up some excuses to deal with it.
Fortunately, Xie Xun quickly explained his purpose. It turned out that his mother had eaten mooncakes last year and still missed them. She urged him to buy some early in the morning, saying that she wanted to buy more and several portions of each kind of filling.
Lu Qiong was both amused and exasperated after hearing this. She really didn't know that Zhao liked her mooncakes, even though they had met several times before. Perhaps the Xie family was just so reserved...
Knowing that the old lady liked the mooncakes she made, she even took out the large mooncakes she had specially made, which were filled with five kinds of nuts and were as big as four or five mooncakes.
"This is a new mooncake I made. It's best for the whole family to share." Lu Qiong took out two large sheets of oil paper to wrap the mooncake.
Xie Xun nodded, as they would come in handy tonight when the manor was hosting a moon-viewing party: "Is there any left?"
Lu Qiong paused. She had originally made four or five large mooncakes, thinking that fifty coins each would deter many people. But to her surprise, she sold several in one go, leaving only this one in front of her.
Xie Xun noticed her unease and apologized first, even smiling at her: "I was abrupt."
Lu Qiong suddenly spoke up: "I can still make it today, I'll deliver it to you tonight."
She knew that the Xie family was holding a banquet tonight, and He Mu had even sent someone to invite her. At the time, she was too busy with her shop to leave and declined, but now... after saying those words, she regretted it.
Besides, she always dislikes trouble, but there's no reason to take back what she's said.
Xie Xun seemed to be taken aback by Lu Qiong's words, but Lu Qiong was preoccupied and didn't notice. He quickly composed himself and nodded in agreement: "Alright, as Madam Lu would say."
Only after he left did Lu Qiong finally relax completely.
Turning around, she saw several heads peeking out from the kitchen. Lu Xuan was clinging to the door frame, looking a little guilty when she saw her looking over. Afu then put her arm around her shoulder, and even Wei Pan's gaze became unfocused.
Yang Jie'er, on the other hand, was more composed. She smiled at Lu Qiong and said, "Qiong Jie'er must be hungry from being so busy. I just roasted some sweet potatoes by the stove, and they're still warm."
I also chopped up a few sweet potatoes and peeled chestnuts to make soup together, and added sugar to make it even sweeter.
Seeing that the main hall didn't need many staff for the time being, Lu Qiong told everyone to take a break and have a roasted sweet potato.
The kitchen was filled with the aroma of food, and the stewed sweet potatoes were especially sweet. Lu Qiong was afraid she wouldn't be able to finish them, so she shared them with Lu Xuan.
When you break open a sweet potato, steam rushes out, the outer skin is baked until crisp and slightly bitter, while the inside is soft and sweet, like it's been dipped in honey.
After finishing the sweet potato, Lu Xuan ladled out a bowl of sweet potato and chestnut soup and gulped it down the side of the bowl until only a little soup and a few pieces of sweet potato remained.
She licked her lips and kept praising Yang Jie'er: "Yang Jie'er's soup is so delicious! It's so sweet, even sweeter than honey!"
Sister Yang was clever and resourceful, always able to come up with new dishes, which even Lu Qiong found inferior.
When she first arrived, she thought she could use her modern knowledge to make a name for herself in ancient times. But she later realized that as an ordinary person, she could hardly even enter or leave the city, let alone make a living in Bianjing.
Fortunately, all her hardships have come to an end, and she has now settled down in Bianjing.
Yang Jie'er loves to hear people praise her skills, but she is mostly grateful. If it weren't for Qiong Jie'er, she wouldn't be who she is today.
Thinking of this, Sister Yang went to bring over all the soup and first served Lu Qiong a small bowl: "Sister Qiong hasn't had a chance to drink a sip of water today. It's cold now, so drinking this bowl of soup will warm you up."
Seeing that she was about to go to the stove to work, Lu Qiong took her hand and smiled, "Don't bother, come and sit down for a while."
With her mouth full of sweet potato, Afu continued, "Sister Yang didn't rest at all this morning. She made lotus seed paste and kneaded dough. She made a lot of mooncakes today."
Not to mention, I also have to find time to make soup for everyone.
Ah Yao immediately got up, fetched a few bowls, and served Yang Jie'er a bowl of soup.
Sister Yang quickly accepted the soup and told Ah Yao to drink it while it was still hot.
Because they had gotten up earlier than usual today, Lu Qiong told everyone to go back and rest at noon and come back at 3 PM.
Lu Xuan also secretly slipped a mooncake into her pocket, intending to eat it slowly when she got back. Lu Qiong noticed her little trick and would usually scold her, but since it was a festival today, she could be more lenient.
As dusk approached, the streets and alleys became even more lively. Young women dressed up meticulously, many wearing pear blossom-shaped hairpins, applying makeup, and even attaching floral decorations to their foreheads. The men also straightened their hair ornaments and hung new sachets at their waists.
Lu Xuan, holding up her skirt, excitedly weaved through the crowd, a book in her hand.
After crossing Longjin Bridge, she saw shops adorned with lanterns, and then she slowed her pace and walked forward with a smile.
As soon as she entered the shop, Lu Xuan could no longer contain herself. She raised the storybook in her hand and waved it at everyone: "Du Xianren has published a new storybook!"
Hearing the diners in the lobby talking about the new storybook, Lu Xuan disregarded everything else and rushed to the bookstore to buy it with her savings.
She didn't know what it was about yet, she just wanted to read it with everyone as soon as possible.
She moved a chair and sat in the middle of the kitchen. Wei Pan and Afu were the first to gather around. Lu Xuan cleared her throat and turned to the first page of the storybook.
"In the early years of the True Origin Era, there was a woman named Wan Niang..."
Unlike the previous book, this one tells the story of Wan Niang's rise to prominence in Bianjing, from a village girl to the manager of a grand restaurant.
However, Lu Xuan had only read about the part where Wan Niang first arrived in Bianjing and was unaware of what would happen next.
Lu Qiong was also in the kitchen. She remembered that she had to send mooncakes to the Xie family. The newly made mooncakes had been in the pot for a while, and they would be ready in another fifteen minutes.
Wan Niang also returned from Bianjing. Lu Xuan and the others were all on tenterhooks, fearing that Wan Niang's stepmother would discover that she had been hiding money.
Sister Yang also brought over a low stool, her handkerchief clenched tightly in her palm.
The firewood crackled and popped, and with only a small piece left, Lu Qiong calculated that the time was almost up. She lifted the lid of the pot, and only when the steam dissipated could she see the mooncakes.
The shop had plenty of staff, so she didn't have to worry about anything. She simply lined the food box with an oiled paper and carried it to the Xie residence.
Because she came every few days, everyone in the mansion knew her. When Lu Qiong came to visit, she brought a food box and led her directly to the courtyard.
Several round tables were set up in the center of the banquet hall, and all the seats were occupied. Lu Qiong looked at Xie Xun across the crowd.
Several young men were sitting next to Xie Xun, and their faces were flushed, perhaps from drinking.
The man in the indigo robe whispered to Xie Xun, who responded with a few words. Soon after, he left the others behind, got up, and walked towards Lu Qiong.
"These are freshly made mooncakes." Lu Qiong held the food box and lifted it slightly.
Xie Xun nodded, told the servant to take the food box, and instructed: "Put it in the kitchen first, and bring it out together with this morning's food after we finish moon-gazing."
The servant quickly brought out the empty food box for Lu Qiong. Seeing that everyone in the courtyard was busy talking, she didn't want to disturb them and also wanted to get back to the shop as soon as possible. After all, she was worried about being away for so long.
Lu Qiong looked up and smiled faintly, "Now that the food has been delivered, I'll head back first."
The moonlight fell and enveloped her, and Xie Xun felt as if the surrounding noise had faded away from them.
Seeing that Lu Qiong was confused, he quickly came to his senses, thought for a moment, and then led his men out of the courtyard.
Did you go back a few days ago?
Lu Qiong watched his toes as he walked, knowing he was referring to his recent trip back to Shangyuan Village. She wanted to nod, but a strange sense of irritation arose within her, though she didn't understand why.
It's all because the moonlight isn't round enough tonight.
Xie Xun stopped and turned to her. He saw that Lu Qiong was pursing her lips and not saying a word, which left him at a loss for what to do.
They were fine when we met just now, but in less than fifteen minutes, their emotions have changed so quickly.
It was clear that she was in a bad mood, and Xie Xun's heart sank as well.
The two walked out of the Xie residence in silence. They should have parted ways then, but Xie Xun offered to see her off.
"There are many people tonight, so be extra careful if you're walking alone."
Looking into his eyes, Lu Qiong couldn't bring herself to refuse, so she nodded and said, "Okay."
Once you reach the alley, it gets quiet late at night, and with everyone gathered on the street, it's even quieter for them to walk around.
Even on the street, the sight of a lone man and woman walking together made Lu Qiong feel uncomfortable. Moreover, she sensed that something was wrong with her, so she didn't notice that Xie Xun had slowed his pace considerably.
After walking for a short while, Lu Qiong suddenly remembered Jin Niang's words.
Although they hadn't seen each other for the past few months, Xie Xun had sent her quite a few things, all of which suited her taste.
But what does this mean? Does it mean he's always been generous to others, or something else...?
"Have you tried the lotus root starch from last time?"
Lu Qiong was startled by these words and turned her head to look, only to see a faint smile hidden at the corner of Xie Xun's mouth.
Just then, Xie Xun turned his head and their eyes met.
Lu Qiong carried the food box with both hands: "I have tasted it. The taste of lotus root is excellent, and the texture is even more delicate after it is ground into lotus root powder."
"I thought you would like other dishes from Hangzhou since you mentioned Luohan noodles in Hangzhou before," Xie Xun explained to her.
People in Bianjing (Kaifeng) mainly eat noodles, prefer strong flavors, and are good at using spices. In contrast, Hangzhou cuisine is light and sweet, mainly based on rice, and people eat pork more often than mutton.
When people from Hangzhou arrived in Bianjing at this time, they naturally felt quite uncomfortable.
Some people in Bianjing prefer milder flavors, and Xie Xun considers himself one of them. He can understand why Lu Qiong would like Hangzhou cuisine.
Lu Qiong was surprised; he himself had forgotten when he had eaten Luohan noodles, but he didn't expect him to remember.
The alley, which she usually walked through quickly, seemed unusually long today. Lu Qiong secretly observed Xie Xun and wondered if it was just her imagination, but she felt that he had slowed down his pace.
Xie Xun recalled the delicacies he had previously enjoyed in Hangzhou: "The soup made with water shield from West Lake was also extremely delicious..."
With a muffled thud, fireworks burst in the distant sky, but Lu Qiong couldn't hear what he was saying.
Seeing her slow reaction, Xie Xun asked in confusion, "Madam Lu?"
"Hmm? What did you just say, sir?" Lu Qiong looked up and saw him staring straight at her.
Xie Xun was taken aback at first, then realized that she was daydreaming. But he didn't feel it was impolite at all. Instead, he found it amusing and looked at her with a smile: "We were just talking about the water shield soup from West Lake. I wonder if my wife has ever tried it?"
He was so close that Lu Qiong could hardly breathe. She gripped the food box tightly and smiled, "Of course not. Water shield grows in the Jiangnan region, which I have never been to. If I have the chance, I would like to try it."
Bianjing has a dry climate, and the rivers freeze over in winter, making it impossible for water shield to grow. Only the warm climate and fertile soil of Jiangnan are suitable for it.
Nowadays, only royalty and nobility have the opportunity to taste the water shield transported from Jiangnan, but it still cannot compare to the local delicacy.
She had tasted it in her previous life, but unfortunately, so much time had passed that she had long forgotten its flavor.
Upon hearing that she wanted to go, Xie Xun said, "Next spring, I will go to Hangzhou with a caravan."
Um?
His seemingly casual words left Lu Qiong unsure of his meaning. Was he suggesting she bring him some water shield? But by the time they reached Bianjing, they'd all be dried...
Xie Xun continued to gaze at her, his eyes still gentle and warm. Even the streetlights paled in comparison to the starlight in his eyes, making one feel flustered.
Fireworks burst in the distance, and Lu Qiong's heart skipped a beat. She blinked and said, "Someone's setting off fireworks."
After saying that, he quickly walked forward.
Looking at her retreating figure, Xie Xun was stunned for a moment before laughing out loud and silently following behind.
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