Chapter 8 Noodle Soup "Who's making this soup? It smells so good!"
By noon, more people came to buy wine. The latest rose wine in Bianjing was sold out in half a day. Gu Tusu hurriedly went from his wine shop to the back room to prepare to move another vat of wine to the shop.
He strode open the curtain, turned around the corridor, and saw two unfamiliar tung oil-coated rosewood boxes on his family's wine delivery cart.
Although the box was old, the copper ring handles, latches, and flaps on both sides were intricately carved with pomegranates, grapes, and persimmons, clearly indicating that it was a woman's dowry chest.
Moreover, some of them looked familiar.
"Mother, where did this come from?" Gu Tusu wiped the sweat from his brow with the handkerchief hanging around his neck and shouted into the kitchen, "I need the cart urgently, can you unload these things first?"
Aunt Gu propped up the window in the kitchen, still holding a large ladle in her hand, and quickly leaned out to stop her, saying, "No! Just in time, you can take the things to the Shen family across the street. Their eldest daughter is back!"
Gu Tusu was taken aback: "Sister Shen?"
"That's right, I don't know why they suddenly came back. But it's good that they're back. Ji-ge'er and Xiang-jie'er are such young children, so pitiful... Hey? Hey, why are you running away!"
Gu Tusu threw away the wine grapes in his hand, turned around, pushed the cart, and ran away.
As soon as he stepped out the back door, he could see the Shen family's house, its beams reduced to charred wooden frames. He would often glance at it wistfully every day when he delivered wine.
As a child, he lived next door to the Shen family. His parents were busy brewing wine, so they often entrusted him to the Shen family. He ate two out of three meals a day at the Shen family's house, which was a soup noodle shop. Every day, the smoke from the cooking fire was rising and the food smelled delicious.
He and Sister Shen would often wait together by the door. If a clear, clanging sound came from the alley entrance, it was sure to be the peddler selling Zezhou candy passing by. Aunt Shen would then give him a few copper coins and ask him to take Sister Shen to get some candy.
Two small wooden sticks were each wrapped with a piece of sweet and sticky Zezhou malt, made from rice and malt. It was golden brown, sweet, and sticky, and no child could resist it. He and Sister Shen could sit under the willow tree at the entrance of the alley, enjoying the breeze and watching the bustling market, slowly eating all morning, until Aunt Shen called them back for lunch from the back door.
Now, Uncle and Aunt Shen have both passed away, and the once bustling soup noodle shop of the Shen family has become a desolate ruin.
Sometimes when the wind blows, the ashes from the Shen family's courtyard will swirl and fly up; sometimes when it rains, you can see a few clumps of wild grass sprouting from the pile of rubble; sometimes late at night, there are owls howling inside.
Apart from Shen Ji and his sister entering the courtyard in the rain the day before yesterday, the Shen family has been deserted for a long time.
But today, when he looked up, he saw smoke rising again from the burnt-out chimney. Suddenly, his eyes stung, and he could hardly move.
Until he heard a woman's gentle voice getting closer with the footsteps: "Ji-ge'er, lie down and rest for a while longer, I'll go to the Gu family to get my luggage."
Gu Tusu stared blankly as a slender woman walked out of the collapsed wooden door. This strong man, who could lift a hundred-pound wine vat with one hand, was now completely stunned, his eyes wide open, his body stiff, and his palms sweaty.
After Shen Miao turned around and finished giving her instructions, Xiang Jie'er ran to her side in a flash, grabbing her clothes and refusing to let go. She was only a young girl who had recently grown her hair out, and it was tied into two buns with red ribbons. Perhaps Ji Ge'er's skills in braiding hair were not very good, because the little girl's two buns were different sizes, loose and crooked, and her forehead hair was also messy. But she looked up with her little face, her eyebrows and eyes curved, and she was very cute.
Ever since waking up on her back and recognizing Shen Miao as her elder sister whom she hadn't seen for three years, Xiang Jie'er hugged her neck and cried bitterly, and then refused to leave her side for even a moment.
Shen Miao had no choice but to let her lead him.
Turning her head, she saw a very tall man standing in the alley. He had dark skin, thick eyebrows, and big eyes. He was about the same age as her, wearing a coarse cloth short jacket. Despite the slightly cool weather, his clothes were half-open. He looked like he had just done heavy work, and his forehead was covered in sweat.
Aunt Gu's eldest son died young, so this is Aunt Gu's second son, Gu Erlang. He and the original owner of this body seem to have grown up together as childhood friends. It is said that they almost got married back then, but then the hypocritical Rong Dalang interfered, and in the end, the childhood friend couldn't beat the newcomer.
Shen Miao rummaged through her memories, her gaze falling on the cart in his hand. She then gave a slight bow and a polite, distant smile: "Second Brother Gu, thank you so much for your trouble."
Gu Tusu then came to his senses and quickly shook his head: "Don't be so polite, let me carry it in with you."
Shen Miao thanked them again. The two boxes were heavy and large, and although she could move them, it was a bit strenuous. She had spent extra money to hire drivers and porters to help her along the way.
The Shen family courtyard was in a mess, and the cart couldn't be pushed in. Fortunately, Gu Tusu was used to heavy work, and in a few moments, he carried the two large boxes into the kitchen for Shen Miao.
Gu Tusu stood there catching his breath, wiping his sweat. Shen Miao had already scooped a bowl of hot water from the earthenware jar on the stove and brought it to him to drink: "Second Brother Gu, have some water. I haven't tidied up here yet, I apologize for the delay."
“No need to bother,” Gu Tusu looked around. Shen Miao seemed to have found a few benches that were still barely stable. She used bricks to prop up the bench legs, pieced them together against the wall, and laid out a straw mat on them so that Shen Ji, who was still sick, could lie down temporarily.
Upon seeing him arrive, Ji Ge'er struggled to get up and greet him, but Gu Tusu quickly stepped forward and pressed him down. He then said to Shen Miao with a guilty expression, "The two of them just returned, and my mother asked them to come and stay at our house. However, Ji Ge'er was stubborn and refused. My mother had no choice but to bring bedding and clean the room thoroughly... But the child still fell ill after being caught in the rain."
"How can you and Auntie blame yourself? The blame lies with me for not bringing them with me. The fact that these two children haven't frozen or starved to death here is all thanks to Auntie and Second Brother Gu's care. I am deeply grateful; Second Brother, you should accept my bow." Shen Miao stepped forward and bowed deeply. Each family has its own affairs; it's already very kind of them to lend a hand like this.
Gu Tusu hurriedly dodged, his words tumbling out in knots, waving his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no."
Just then, the hot water in the earthenware pot boiled, and the steam almost pushed the lid off. Shen Miao quickly went over and pulled out some firewood. Gu Tusu knew that Shen Miao hadn't settled down yet and still had a lot of things to do, so he prepared to take his leave: "You bought firewood? I'm afraid this isn't enough. You can pack it up first, and I'll bring you another load when the shop is less busy. I'll be going now."
Shen Miao didn't refuse or stand on ceremony, and agreed with a smile. After all, the three of them had only bought a bundle of firewood and some daily necessities for emergencies when they returned from Zhao Taicheng's house. With two children, they couldn't carry too much. She carried a bundle of firewood in her left hand, a bag of flour in her right, and a scallion she had bargained off with the vendor under her elbow. The large iron pot was carried on her back with a hemp rope. Xiang Jie helped her carry a stack of bowls and chopsticks, and Ji Ge'er insisted on helping as well, carrying a newly bought wooden bucket and a basket of eggs.
All three returned panting.
After seeing Gu Tusu off, she began to make noodle soup. She planned to make a lot today and send some to the Gu family later as a way of expressing her gratitude.
She had already checked the stoves in the kitchen. There were four stoves, and two of them were still usable. After cleaning them up a bit, she went to the communal well in the alley to fetch water and boiled some plain water for drinking.
Shen Miao poured out the boiled water and boiled another pot of water to cook the dumpling soup.
Dumpling soup can be made into a vegetarian version with vegetables or a meat version with meat. However, for Ji Ge'er, who is currently weak from illness, a light, vegetarian version with eggs, spinach, mushrooms, and yam is more suitable.
There was still a yam, a bunch of spinach, and half a bag of shiitake mushrooms in Shenmiao's box. She hadn't finished the oil, salt, and other seasonings on the way. She had just bought eggs and flour, so everything was ready.
The key to good dumpling soup lies in the dumplings themselves. A good dumpling soup should have a thick, smooth broth that isn't powdery, and the dumplings should be chewy and springy. Chen Miao added an appropriate amount of water to the flour while stirring until it formed dumplings. She then quickly cracked two eggs and beat them into an egg mixture. She soaked the shiitake mushrooms in hot water for a while, then took them out and diced them. She also chopped the spinach.
Heat oil in a wok, sauté chopped scallions until fragrant, then stir-fry shiitake mushrooms and spinach until they release their juices. Remove the spinach, then add water to boil the shiitake mushroom soup base. Slowly add the dumplings, while Chen Miao stirs with a spoon and squats down to remove firewood, turning the fire to a simmer.
The aroma of the dumpling soup gradually intensified, and the soup began to gurgle and boil, soon filling the messy kitchen. Slowly, the steaming vapor, carrying an irresistible fragrance, drifted out of the Shen family's house and lingered in the narrow alleyways.
It was noon, and everyone in the alley was preparing lunch.
During the Song Dynasty, everyone, from commoners to royalty, began to eat three meals a day. However, the lunch for ordinary people was simpler; they would usually not cook any more dishes, but would simply reheat the leftovers from breakfast or eat some cakes or pastries.
The Gu family was the same. Aunt Gu and her son were eating millet porridge and flatbread with the leftovers from breakfast when they suddenly smelled an irresistible aroma wafting from the next wall.
"Who's making this soup? It smells so good!" Aunt Gu put down her chopsticks and sniffed the air. "It smells like mushroom soup, but it's quite different."
Gu Tusu folded the pancake in half and finished it in two bites. He wiped his mouth and said, "It must have been made by the eldest daughter of the Shen family. I just delivered the luggage over, and she was boiling water and soaking a pot of mushrooms."
"Her cooking skills are so good? I never knew that before." Aunt Gu was also very surprised, and then sighed with regret, "That's right. Old Shen used to dote on this eldest daughter the most. He wouldn't let her do any work. No one had ever seen her cook. Alas, I don't know what sins Old Shen's family committed. In just a few years, they have ended up with their family ruined and their lives destroyed."
This matter is heartbreaking to hear, especially since it has been three years and the case remains unresolved in the Kaifeng government office. No one knows who committed the offense, and no one dares to investigate. After all, below the emperor, only those in purple robes are the most powerful, and they must be influential figures with connections to the heavens! How can ordinary people like them afford to investigate such a matter?
Instead, it only adds to the sense of powerlessness and helplessness.
Gu Tusu slurped down the whole bowl of millet porridge: "Mother, I won't go to the shop to help out for a while. I'll wait for Father to come back and watch the shop. I'll go deliver some firewood to the Shen family, and I'll also pick some of the melons and vegetables you planted behind your house and take them to them."
“Alright, these three siblings have had a tough time. Go ahead and help them clean up. The Shen family's house is burned down like this. How can a woman manage to take care of these two teenagers alone?” Aunt Gu said, taking another sip of porridge. But she found it increasingly bland, while the aroma from outside the wall grew stronger. She herself was starting to feel hungry just smelling it.
So he put down his chopsticks and said, "No, it smells too good. I'll go and make some hot food too."
Meanwhile, at the Shen family home, Shen Miao had almost finished preparing what she considered a simple and convenient lunch. Xiang Jie'er had somehow slipped back to the stove, watching intently as Shen Miao poured in the egg mixture, added salt, sugar, ginger, and a little soy sauce, and then put the spinach she had just scooped back into the pot. After simmering for a while longer, it was ready to serve.
If you're skilled at making dumpling soup, it's quick and easy, perfect for a quick meal during a busy time like this.
Shen Miao ladled the dumpling soup from the pot into the earthenware jar she had brought all the way from Jinling, and Xiang Jie'er's throat was already making a "gulp" sound.
She took a spoonful of the dumpling soup to taste it and found it a little bland, so she added a little more salt. But the dumplings were still chewy, so overall it was still acceptable.
Xiangjie was already standing on tiptoe, her eyes gleaming with longing: "Sister, sister, let me have a taste too."
Shen Miao found it amusing, so she scooped a spoonful for her to try first, blew on it, and then held it to her lips. Xiang'er's eyes lit up after one bite: "Sister, it's delicious! It smells so good!"
She first served a bowl to Ji-ge and Xiang-jie, and then served herself more than half a bowl. There was still half a pot of untouched food left in the pot, which she left to keep warm on the stove, and then prepared to send it to the Gu family in a little while.
Since there were no tables or chairs, the three of them ate standing right next to the pot.
After receiving her first bowl, Xiangjie was so happy she almost jumped for joy. She was not even as tall as the stove, so she stood on tiptoe by the stove, puffed out her cheeks, and tried her best to cool it down. After only two or three blows, she couldn't wait to put spoonful after spoonful into her mouth. Sometimes she would jump when she burned herself, but she never stopped eating.
Even with herself so busy, she still finds time to squint and sigh.
"Sister, it's so delicious!"
Ji Ge'er's eating manners became much more refined, but he quickly finished the soup. The noodle soup with mushrooms was not only thick and smooth, but also had a meaty flavor. Each noodle was distinct. After drinking it, he felt warm all over. He even broke out in a sweat, and his drowsy head felt much better.
When did my sister's cooking become so good? Although Shen Ji still refused to call Shen Miao "elder sister" aloud, he subconsciously still addressed her that way in his heart. He felt a little strange, just like Aunt Gu.
But he quickly justified himself: his father was so good at making soup dumplings when he was alive, it's reasonable that his older sister has such talent in cooking.
He silently added another half bowl to the earthenware jar and continued to eat with his head down.
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