Chapter 50 The charcoal fire inside the crispy grilled fish pot slowly simmered...
“Since Madam Shen is literate and a woman who supports her household and conducts business outside, she should read more books on law when she has free time. That way, even if she encounters any injustice, she will have a clear understanding of the situation. Madam Shen, please don’t think I’m being presumptuous by saying this.”
After receiving a string of cash from Shen Miao, the lawyer Deng happily washed his face, combed his beard, changed into a dark blue silk robe, and went with Shen Miao to the yamen to report to the authorities. As they walked, they reached the Imperial Street near the Kaifeng Prefecture government office. The market was becoming increasingly congested, so the two had to talk as they squeezed past the various stalls.
Lawyer Deng, lifting the corner of his robe, tiptoed past a melon peddler carrying a load on a shoulder pole, and continued:
"As the saying goes, a gentleman is learned in literature and restrained by propriety, but how many of the people who deal with Madam Shen in the marketplace are gentlemen? Take today's matter for example. If Madam Shen had been able to read the law and understand the principles of criminal law, it would not have been delayed until now. Perhaps that kidnapper would have already been caught."
Indeed, if we hadn't reported to the authorities so late these past few days, the local militia might have been patrolling more closely, and with a bit of luck, we might have actually caught him and found Chen Chuan's house. Shen Miao took these words to heart and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your earnest teachings, sir. I will definitely find an opportunity to buy a few copies and study them carefully."
Lawyer Deng stroked his beard and chuckled, “If Madam Shen is interested, there’s no need to buy from elsewhere. I have them right here, handwritten copies with my own annotations. They could be the ‘Song Criminal Code’ or the ‘Great Song Law Commentary.’ Madam Shen, those two books will suffice. Here’s what we’ll do: Madam Shen and I are already acquainted, and I’m ashamed to earn so much money from you. But seeing such a studious woman like you makes me very happy, and I’m willing to take a loss. I’ll sell you these two handwritten books for just two strings of cash.”
Shen Miao: "..." I see.
And... this sales pitch sounds familiar, doesn't it? Isn't this the same tactic she used to fool Old Man Yang? How come Lawyer Deng has learned it? Could it be that while he was writing the contract, he was secretly listening to how she negotiated with Old Man Yang?
When they arrived at the yamen, Shen Miao was very glad that she had brought lawyer Deng with her. Ordinary people like her did not need to beat the drum to appeal their grievances. They only needed to hand over lawyer Deng's petition and wait for the yamen runners to summon them.
So Shen Miao stood beside the lion at the entrance of the yamen, watching with great interest as Lawyer Deng chatted and laughed with the clerks, soldiers, and constables on duty at the gate. Sometimes they would make plans to drink together, sometimes they would make plans to go to the perfume shop for a "salt bath," and sometimes they would say that they had obtained some good tobacco from the south and would immediately send a freelancer to fetch it and bring it to them to try.
She's really good at everything.
Moreover... Shen Miao had a vague sense of déjà vu, feeling that lawyers at this time were just like many professions in later generations. Even when they didn't need to ask for help, they still had to "burn incense" every day to maintain contact and good relations with clients, employers, and those "officials".
Indeed, this has always been the case.
About fifteen minutes later, a message came from inside, and Shen Miao and Lawyer Deng entered a side room next to the courtroom. As commoners, they weren't dealing with any urgent or important cases, so they naturally weren't qualified to see the Prefect of Kaifeng. As the two followed the bailiffs inside, they noticed the light dimming and the strong smell of ink.
Several minor clerks were dealing with a mountain of cases, either transcribing or relaying messages. They were so busy that their eyes were dull and they exuded a faint sense of death, like ancient cattle and horses. Many of them still had half a meat bun left uneaten beside them, which had already cooled and curdled with oil.
Upon hearing Deng explain his purpose, one of the clerks, whose hair was in a messy bun and who had a worn-out pen stuck in it, took a blank booklet without looking up and ordered Deng to write down clues about Chen Chuan's appearance, accent, clothing, etc., for Shen Miao. He also asked Shen Miao to leave her address and name, and that was it. He waved his hand impatiently and said, "Alright, we will come and inform you when we find any clues later."
Then the clerk, with his eyelids drooping, turned around and took a booklet labeled "Forward". He rummaged through a pile of messy documents and found a stamp. He breathed on it, stamped it heavily on Shen Miao, and then told Shen Miao to take the person to the orphanage.
After leaving, Shen Miao thought about going back to pick up Chen Chuan, but Deng the lawyer smiled meaningfully and said, "What I just told you is just the usual procedure, but if you are willing to spend money, you can just go and do it."
Shen Miao blinked, weighed the amount of money she had brought with her, and finally decided to go straight to the orphanage with Lawyer Deng.
As usual, Deng, the lawyer, filled out and wrote. He first wrote a page in a long and fluent manner, and then asked Shen Miao to take out the letter of divorce and all the money he had with him. He took out about three strings of cash, and then went out to buy a bag of good tobacco and two jars of good wine. He carried them in and in less than a quarter of an hour, he took out a supplementary book with the ink still wet and stamped with a large seal.
Shen Miao was also greatly surprised, and even after receiving the supplementary registration book, she couldn't believe it: "This is it?"
Lawyer Deng smiled and returned the letter of divorce: "That's fine then. Go back. If this child can't find his family in the future, he will always be a member of the Shen family. Do you feel that this was a bit careless? Actually, there's nothing strange about it. Madam Shen will know when she reads the law that the laws in the book are actually dead, but people are alive. If we are too rigid in our adherence to the rules, many things in this world cannot be accomplished. Above the law, there is still human sentiment. If we only care about the law and ignore human sentiment, there will be injustices. But if we only care about human sentiment and ignore the law, the world will be in chaos. That's why there are lawyers in this world."
He raised his chin slightly and puffed out his chest with a touch of pride: "The law is indeed merciless, but we lawyers must carefully weigh the options within the strict legal framework, taking into account human feelings. This is the very essence of a lawyer's duty."
So, the seemingly shrewd and opportunistic lawyer Deng was actually an idealist? Shen Miao gave him a thumbs up and tentatively asked, "As expected of lawyer Deng, such a noble character! Then... can we waive the fee for you to write this today?"
Hiring a lawyer was really expensive at this time. Just having Lawyer Deng accompany me on one trip already cost one guan, and he also helped me fill out two documents, which cost another one hundred guan each.
“No way.” Lawyer Deng immediately snapped out of his unrealistic ideals and ambitions, his eyes widening. “Not a single penny less.”
***
Having accomplished the most important task of the day, though it was quite expensive, Shen Miao felt a weight lifted from her shoulders, finally able to easily go and buy other things. Walking along Imperial Street towards Yongkang Ward, near Jinliang Bridge, she first ordered three grass carp from a familiar fish shop. While waiting for the shopkeeper to help her gut and clean the fish, Shen Miao was pleasantly surprised to see that familiar tabby cat with its large, tattooed arms, leading its little orange tabby!
Two cats were squatting by the fish stall. The tabby cat was licking its paws, while the orange cat was stepping on its tail with its front paws and lazily yawning.
Shen Miao took the opportunity to squat down and pet it. The tabby cat actually recognized her. It squinted its eyes as she scratched it, and purred in its throat. Then, its old habit kicked in again. It unconsciously raised its butt and meowed in a low voice, eagerly inviting Shen Miao to pat its bottom.
Shenmiao... Shenmiao complied, patting the cat's butt loudly.
Once the fish was cooked, Shen Miao picked up the straw rope, shook off the blood, waved goodbye to the two cats, and then ordered the pottery kiln and the large pottery plate she needed. She agreed on the size and quantity, and also arranged a time with the potter to deliver the samples. Then she continued on her way to Old Man Yang's house.
When we arrived at his home, among his stockpiled unsold goods was indeed an elm wood wheelchair, covered in dust. When it was pulled out, the dust was so thick it was choking, but after wiping it clean and oiling the axles, it looked brand new again.
Since it's been sitting unsold for a long time, Shen Miao didn't hold back and brandished her cleaver: "Eighty coins is too expensive! My cart only costs two hundred coins. If you ask me, you'll just let it sit there and let insects and ants eat it away. Why not clear out the stock and sell it to me? At least you'll make some money, right? If it weren't for this chance encounter, I wouldn't have bought this thing! If you don't sell it, who knows when you'll be able to sell it next time, right? By the way, nail two thick wooden blocks to the outside of these wheels. That way, when you want to stop, you can put the blocks against the wheels and brake."
In the end, he got it for forty coins.
After nailing the wooden blocks, Old Man Yang wiped the sweat from his brow and said, "Madam Chen is still as good at bargaining as ever."
He finally learned and put into practice the bargaining skills that Lady Shen had previously used, but Lady Shen always had other excuses every time she came, so he was still confused and bewildered.
This chair was originally ordered a few years ago, but the owner didn't want it after it was finished. He only received a deposit, so he lost a lot of money. Fortunately, he still managed to sell it today. Although he sold it at a low price, at least he made back the cost of the wood.
Old Man Yang actually comforted himself, following Shen Miao's words.
Shen Miao happily pushed the wheelchair back home with the fish in hand. Ji Ge'er was teaching Xiang Jie'er to recognize a few simple characters, and Chen Chuan was listening in beside him. His face was still a little pale, and his eyebrows would twitch from time to time, probably because his legs were still hurting. Shen Miao pushed the wheelchair over and rubbed his buzz cut: "Come and try."
Chen Chuan and Xiang Jie'er looked up at the same time. Chen Chuan was fine, just a little curious, but Xiang Jie'er put down her pen and exclaimed in surprise, "Wow! This is amazing! It's a chair that can run while sitting!"
She circled the chair twice, then patted it impatiently and said excitedly, "Chen Chuan, come sit down, I'll push you."
Shen Miao went back into the house to get a blanket, folded it into a square and placed it on the chair, then lifted Chen Chuan onto it. Xiang Jie immediately transformed into a coachman again, shouting "Giddy up!" and pushing Chen Chuan around the yard. The wind blew their hair, and even Zhui Feng from the chicken coop jumped out and barked behind the wheelchair.
"Slow down!" Shen Miao called out to Xiang Jie'er, who was laughing particularly loudly.
Xiang Jie'er said "Ai" and slowed down.
Chen Chuan gripped the handrail tightly with both hands, feeling both scared and excited. He didn't notice that a smile had appeared on his face for the first time. When Xiang Jie'er started running again, the wind blew in his face once more, and it seemed to penetrate his battered little body, making him feel incredibly cool.
Shen Miao looked at him for a long time, then looked up at Ji Ge'er. Before she could speak, Ji Ge'er had already knowingly packed up his paper and pen: "Sister, go ahead and do your work. I'll watch the two of them play. Nothing will happen."
She immediately smiled, thankfully there was still a reliable person in the family.
Shen Miao then went into the kitchen to prepare the evening's feast. She first lit the fire in the stove before processing the fish.
The fish had already been scaled and gutted when it was bought. Shen Miao even asked the shop owner to help her cut open the back of the fish. So the fish was cut open from the back, and then the head was chopped in half to remove the internal organs. She didn't want the other internal organs and gave them to the tabby cat and its little cat brother. She only kept the fish bladder.
After Shenmiao retrieved the fish, all she needed to do was remove the fish teeth and use a loofah to brush away the black membrane and blood clinging to the bones inside the fish's belly—removing these few parts was enough to eliminate most of the fishy smell.
After rinsing the fish clean, she made several shallow cuts on its body. She was especially careful when making these cuts, making sure not to cut the back or tail, otherwise the fish would easily break apart when heated and wouldn't be able to hold its shape. After making the cuts, she trimmed the fins and also trimmed the tail—trimming the tail didn't really serve any purpose, it was just for aesthetics.
After processing, add more scallions, ginger, garlic, wine, salt, and Shaoxing wine, rub it in evenly, and marinate for a while.
While waiting, start cutting white cabbage, loofah, lettuce, celery, bean curd sheets, frying eggs, picking bean sprouts, and preparing ingredients such as Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, fermented black beans, soybean paste, soy sauce, and star anise.
After preparing all the dishes, Shen Miao wiped her hands and got ready to go to the Gu family.
She mentioned it to Aunt Gu when she left early in the morning, but Aunt Gu kept waving her hand and saying, "Oh, no need." Now that it was getting late, she was going to go and tell them again, asking them to come over around dusk.
When she got to the courtyard, she found that Ji-ge'er, Xiang-jie'er, and Chen-chuan were all gone. She went into the alley and found them. Ji-ge'er was carrying Chen-chuan on his back and slowly put him down to sit on the side of the alley. Xiang-jie'er had somehow found two strips of cloth and a rope. She threaded the cloth strips through Lei-ting's chest and back and used the rope to tie the wheelchair to Lei-ting, making a simple chest strap so that Lei-ting could pull her along.
Just as Aunt Wu had said, Thunder, a muscular and powerful dog, was very excited to pull the cart. Usually steady, it was now running around like crazy, pulling Xiangjie from one end to the other. Xiangjie sat on it, bouncing and swaying, laughing and waving her arms and legs.
Sometimes Lei Ting would pull the wheelchair so hard it almost flew off the ground, and when they turned, one of the wheels would tilt and lift off the ground, which terrified Shen Miao. Xiang Jie, on the other hand, wasn't afraid at all. Her happy laughter could lift the roof, and she even tried to persuade Ji Ge'er and Chen Chuan to give it a try.
Ji Ge rolled his eyes to the sky, pointed at Chen Chuan's leg, and sternly rejected this outrageous request.
But this "new toy" quickly attracted many other children in the alley to watch. Liu Douhua from the tofu shop wanted to sit for a while, and Shenmiao heard Xiang Jie'er coldly hugging her little arms and saying, "Sit for a while, pay one coin."
Liu Douhua stamped her foot: "Why do we still need to pay?"
“This is for Leiting. It’s tired from pulling the cart.” Xiang’er said matter-of-factly. “Leiting only pulls the cart three times, so there are only three spots. I don’t want to tire Leiting out. Who wants to sit? First come, first served! My sister is busy so I can come out and fool around. There might not be another chance after this one.”
Oh, so you know you're just fooling around.
Upon hearing this, Zeng, the charcoal seller's son, became anxious and immediately raised his hand: "I want to sit! I'll be first!" After saying that, he really did shout as he ran home to ask for money: "Grandma, Grandma, give me a coin! Quickly, give me a coin!"
Ji Ge'er and Chen Chuan, who were sitting by the alley watching, were speechless.
Shen Miao: "..."
Such a masterful use of scarcity marketing! Could it be that Sister Xiang is a self-taught business genius?
Well, it's good to let Thunder move around a bit. It's only been taken for walks once in the morning and once in the evening these days, and sometimes when Shenmiao is busy, it's only taken for walks once a day. It's gotten quite fat.
Shen Miao shook her head and went to the Gu family's house. She chatted with Aunt Gu in the courtyard for a while, and helped her split and wind two balls of yarn. She repeatedly told her family to come over for dinner in the evening before she took her leave.
Xiang Jie'er's "dog-pulled wheelchair" business was coming to an end. She returned the wheelchair to Chen Chuan, pocketed the three coins, took the strip of cloth off Lei Ting, hugged Lei Ting's head and said with a smile, "Lei Ting, this is what you earned. Come on, I'll take you to buy a big bone to eat."
Thunder seemed to understand, its almond-shaped eyes glistening as it looked at the person, and it even wagged its tail.
Shen Miao was about to take Chen Chuan to Zhao Taicheng's house for a follow-up visit, so she simply took the whole bunch of children to the street. First, she pushed the wheelchair to Zhao Taicheng's house to change the dressing. The old doctor looked at it, nodded, and said that the swelling was not too bad, so she should continue to let it rest like this.
He even praised Chen Chuan, saying, "This child has a good foundation and is resilient; he'll recover quickly."
The whole family breathed a sigh of relief; this was wonderful!
Shen Miao hadn't slept well all night, and had even secretly gotten up twice to check on Chen Chuan—perhaps the old doctor's medicine had a calming effect, because the child wasn't awake when she went in this time. While she was checking on him, her mind was filled with worry: what if it got infected? What if it grew crookedly? What if it wouldn't heal?
Fortunately, none of the things I was worried about happened today.
Shen Miao later asked Chen Chuan in detail whether he could eat fish. The old doctor thought for a moment and said that he usually did not allow others to eat fish, but this child was too thin and weak, and had been starving. His internal organs were weaker than those of ordinary people. Eating some fish would be good for him. Fish maw and meat are nourishing and easy to digest, which would be very beneficial to him.
Having received confirmation, Shen Miao led her three children and a dog back with lighter steps. Xiang Jie was thinking about getting a big bone for Lei Ting, so she made a detour to Zheng Tu's meat stall and bought a big bone that still had some meat on it.
Xiangjie was overjoyed. As soon as she got home, she washed the meat bones and handed them to Leiting to gnaw on. Zhuifeng tried to come over several times to share a bite, but Xiangjie shoved him away each time.
This kid is quite fair about separating public and private matters. He turned around and seriously lectured Zhuifeng, "You can't eat this if you didn't do any work, and you're not allowed to make a fuss. This is what Leiting worked hard to earn. When you grow up and can pull a cart, we'll naturally buy you meat bones. So you have to be good and stop smelling chicken butts all the time. Last time you licked my hand, and my hand was covered in your saliva, which made me stink for two days! It smelled like chicken poop!"
The wind is angry and is barking.
Sister Xiang also put her hands on her hips angrily: "Hey, you dare to talk back?"
So the man and the dog, despite not being able to communicate and transcending species, started arguing, and the argument escalated. Ji Ge couldn't stand it anymore, so he took Zhui Feng, who was still barking and turning back, and tied him up at the kitchen door. He went into the kitchen, washed his hands, cut a small piece of pork for Zhui Feng, and gave it to him to eat—his sister absolutely forbade dogs from entering the kitchen.
Ji Ge'er squatted there watching Zhui Feng quiet down and eat meat. He originally wanted to pat its head, but then he remembered what Xiang Jie'er had said about the chicken-dung smell, so he pinched the tip of its ear instead and said earnestly, "I haven't let you go hungry. You have everything Lei Ting has. Why do you keep eating that stuff? Don't eat it anymore."
Zhuifeng, with its tail between its legs, let out a soft whimper, its eyes darting around. It was well-fed and plump in the Shen family, so it wasn't hungry. Shen Miao had seen it several times and had immediately tried to stop it from eating by pinching its muzzle, but she couldn't. She simply assumed it was just a hobby.
Shen Miao was cooking seasonings in the kitchen when she heard Ji Ge'er nagging Zhui Feng under the window, telling him to be a clean little dog. She found it amusing but also suddenly remembered something. So she poked her head out of the kitchen window and whispered, "Ji Ge'er, ask Chen Chuan if he needs to use the outhouse. He has trouble using it and doesn't like to complain, so don't let him hold it in. You're still home these days, so please keep an eye on him."
Ji Ge'er agreed, and then went to fetch water to wash his hands.
Now Shen Miao can finally focus on making her signature dishes.
These past few days, it's gotten dark later and later, and she thought of summer in her future life. Back then, the streets were lined with night market stalls, the night breeze was gentle, and many small restaurants had set up tables and chairs outside, with colorful lights and little tents. Each table had either barbecue, grilled fish, or spicy crayfish, accompanied by smoothies, cola, and beer. You could smell the rich aroma from afar.
Furthermore, she discovered that in the Song Dynasty, there were no small stoves with deep plates on top, simmering with broth, used for grilling fish like in later generations. At that time, grilled fish was skewered on bamboo sticks and eaten with other grilled meats.
Today she planned to try making two pots to see if Aunt Gu's family, being genuine Song Dynasty people, would like it. If they thought it was good, she would buy a few more low tables and stools, set up two or three more tables in front of her shop, each with a small ceramic stove with charcoal on it. How pleasant it would be to eat grilled fish while enjoying the breeze and a few cups of refreshing cypress leaf wine brewed with well water!
Grass carp, perch, black carp, and Qingjiang fish can all be used to make grilled fish, but she had never seen the latter two here. Perch is expensive while grass carp is cheap.
Shen Miao then chose grass carp.
Chen Miao had already prepared the ingredients, so now she simply laid the previously chopped vegetables at the bottom of a deep, square ceramic dish.
She then began to fry the fish.
Wipe the fish dry and then add starch. The techniques for preparing starch in the Song Dynasty were already quite sophisticated. They would soak fern root powder or rice in water to allow it to absorb water and swell. Then, they would grind, filter, remove impurities, and finally allow the starch to settle.
For example, the famous "Chongyang Cake" in Bianjing was made with a lot of starch. Wealthy noble families would also use starch paste to wash clothes. They would make starch into a paste and use a brush to apply it to the clothes. This way, some delicate fabrics would not wrinkle so easily and would look crisp.
Since opening her shop, Shen Miao has been using ready-made starch bought from a general store. Although it is not as white and delicate as the starch of later generations, it is sufficient for her needs.
Once the fish was ready, the oil in the pan was heated. The pan must be hot at both the bottom and sides to fry the fish properly. After the bottom of the pan was hot, Chen Miao lifted it up and rotated it around the edges a few times until the bottom turned slightly white before adding a spoonful of oil to coat the pan.
Pour out the oil used to grease the pan, add a spoonful of cold oil, and wait until the oil is slightly warm before frying the fish tail until golden brown. If the fish tail is not fried first, it is easy to stick to the pan. Fry the fish tail until it is set and curls up, then you can slowly slide the upper part of the fish down.
Fry one side until golden brown, then pour the oil from the pan into a small bowl, flip the fish over, and pour the oil back in to fry the other side. This method results in a golden, crispy, and non-greasy fish with tender meat.
She placed the fried fish into a ceramic bowl lined with vegetables.
Leave the remaining oil from frying the fish in the pot. This oil is the most fragrant. Add fermented bean paste, Sichuan peppercorns, soy sauce, and other spices and stir-fry until it turns shiny and reddish and the aroma is released. Add two large spoonfuls of bone broth, and after it boils, you can pour this spicy and fragrant broth over the grilled fish.
Light a small stove, place the earthenware plate on the stove, and continue simmering over low heat; the aroma will then linger for a long time.
Gu Tusu carried a jar of freshly brewed plum wine and slowly followed his parents as they pushed open the half-closed door of the Shen family home. He was immediately greeted by the aroma of roasted fish filling the courtyard.
He looked up and saw the eldest sister, her sleeves rolled up, revealing half of her lean and strong arm, carrying a large ceramic plate as she walked out of the kitchen.
She walked naturally into the warm, yellowish light, her eyes crinkling as she smiled and greeted them: "Aunt Gu, Uncle Gu, Second Brother Gu, come on, everything's ready. I've made some new dishes, come and try them."
"Oh my, I smelled it as soon as I walked in, it smells so good! I haven't even eaten yet, and my mouth is already watering."
"Yes, sister, what are you making? Oh, why is there soup at the bottom of this fried fish? And so many vegetables in the soup? This is the first time I've ever eaten this before."
"It's not just the first time I've eaten it, I've never even seen it before."
"Thanks to you, we also had a great meal."
Aunt Gu and Father Gu had already stepped forward with smiles to exchange pleasantries and praise them.
Gu Tusu suddenly seemed a little dazed. He paused for a moment, then lowered his head slightly, gripped the handle of the wine jar tightly, and silently followed.
Under the lamplight, she smiled so gently, as if she were still unmarried.
It feels like another world has passed.
Gu Tusu, who had been feeling a mix of inexplicable melancholy and sadness, took a closer look—
In the Shen family's courtyard, two tables were pushed together. The charcoal stove on the table was burning brightly, and the charcoal inside was slowly simmering. The broth in the grilled fish pot was bubbling and steaming, and the aroma of the charred fish permeated every corner with the heat.
So Gu Tusu, who was inexplicably feeling melancholic, was enveloped by the rich aroma. He sat on a small stool with his long legs bent, looking at the large fish head in front of him, which was fried to a golden crisp, and suddenly forgot what he had been sad about just now.
The woman with the gentle smile under the lamp also flew away.
He swallowed hard, his mind filled with nothing but the fish in front of him.
Not only him, but Xiangjie'er had already picked up her chopsticks and bowl, sitting up straight. The children sat at their own table, each eating a different kind of grilled fish. She stared intently at the large bowl of fish covered with scallions, coriander, and fermented black beans, waiting for the elders to start eating so she could also pick up her chopsticks.
She was already salivating from the aroma.
At this moment, Ji Ge'er brought over four or five instant soup dumplings. Using clean chopsticks, he buried the dumplings under the fish, soaking them in the fragrant and rich broth, allowing them to absorb the broth and slowly cook them.
Shen Miao went into the kitchen one last time, fried a large spoonful of hot Sichuan peppercorn oil, and quickly ran out, pouring it hot over the pot of grilled fish in front of the Gu family. The grilled fish sizzled, and the aroma of Sichuan peppercorns instantly mingled with the fragrance of the fish.
Shen Miao nodded in satisfaction: "That's all done. Aunt Gu, Uncle Gu, and Second Brother Gu, don't just sit there, pick up your chopsticks and try this crispy roasted fish with Sichuan peppercorns. Does it suit your taste?"
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