Chapter 30 Scallion and Pork Rolls Today's lunch will be some delicious pork rolls...
They stood with their backs to the alley entrance, each with something to do. Some had a needle and thread basket on their laps, doing embroidery; others had a small winnowing basket and were shelling peanuts; still others had an old loofah bag with a wooden basin at their feet, and were washing bottles and jars from their homes.
Aunt Li, who loved to gossip, was naturally among them.
Although Shen Miao was carrying heavy loads, she walked lightly and silently approached. They were so engrossed in their work and talking animatedly that they didn't even notice her. So Shen Miao stood behind them, not far away, behind a messy pile of junk, and listened quietly for a while.
One of them said, "Why hasn't the Xie family come these past few days?"
One person replied, "I'm afraid that Manager Zheng just didn't fancy Miss Shen!"
Another remarked, "Although they are slaves, they are servants of the Xie family! Their monthly salary is probably more than what we earn from hard work in business. Even marrying Sister Shen is a step up for them, so it's understandable that they look down on us. Although Sister Shen is pitiful, she has been married before and is no longer a virgin."
Another person said, "Not necessarily, I'd guess so. I heard her ex-husband is impotent."
Another question: "No, that's not right. I heard that it was because Sister Shen couldn't have children that she asked her mother-in-law to divorce her?"
"Divorcing a wife after three years without a child? Isn't that a bit too hasty? No, no, I heard from Old Gu's wife earlier that her ex-husband had that kind of fetish with his mother, and Sister Shen couldn't bear it, so she..." Another doubt was raised.
Some people who heard this felt nauseous: "I've heard this before, it's unbelievable, please stop talking about it."
Some people sighed for her: "No matter what, Miss Shen's looks are outstanding. Not to mention our alley, there's no one as beautiful as her for miles around. Alas, it's a pity that she was divorced by her husband's family, and now she's also accused of being unable to have children. No matter how beautiful she is, no one dares to pursue her. Alas, what a miserable life. Every member of the Shen family has a miserable life."
Xiangjie looked up at her older sister, puzzled. She saw her sister even chuckle slightly. Xiangjie tilted her head and went back to licking the lollipop her sister had made for her. Since her sister wasn't angry, she decided to ignore it. Xiangjie's little head was filled with thoughts of her sister, nothing but food.
This candy was made for my sister before she set up her stall. She melted the rock sugar over a low flame, then sprinkled some roasted walnuts and crushed peanuts on top. After turning off the heat, she stuck a bamboo skewer in and wrapped it around the candy until it became a round, stick-shaped ball.
The candy is mixed with fragrant and crunchy nut pieces, it's so delicious!
Xiangjie was engrossed in eating sweets, and Shenmiao listened with interest until she heard Aunt Li, who was embroidering a handkerchief, bite off a thread and say sourly about Jige: "That Sister Shen went to such lengths to curry favor with Steward Zheng, and it wasn't all for nothing. Yesterday, Gou'er came back and said that her brother Jige is memorizing rhymes and learning to write poetry, and he has a lot more exquisite writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. I'm afraid Sister Shen got them from the Xie family!"
Ji-ge'er isn't out at his stall today; he's staying home to study.
The earthen kiln at Shen Miao's house was dry, making baking red bean buns much faster. The kiln was well-sealed, and the temperature was stable, so he no longer needed to watch the fire. Moreover, there was only half a month left until the summer exams in May, so Ji Ge'er had to concentrate.
She left him at home, where he could read alone and have some peace and quiet.
Following the key points Xie Jiuge had previously drawn, Shen Miao assigned Jige a lot of homework: practice calligraphy for fifty pages every day, write a short essay on the topic of the Four Books, memorize the Primer of Phonology, compose two more poems on phonology, and write three essays praising the emperor... cough, no, I mean policy essays.
The Song Dynasty here didn't actually have the book "Primer of Phonology and Rhyme," but Shen Miao had memorized it! She recited it to Ji Ge'er and had him write it down word by word, then she memorized it herself.
Although her family had been cooks for three generations in her previous life, they were not uncultured cooks! Her maternal grandfather was not only good at calligraphy, but also skilled at painting flowers, birds and landscapes, and his house was filled with classical books.
Her parents had known each other since childhood, and their families lived only half a street apart. So sometimes when she got tired of learning to cook at her grandfather's house, she would sneak over to her maternal grandfather's courtyard to sit for a while. The courtyard was warm and sunny, and her grandfather would slowly air out his books, read books, and brew tea on the platform. She would listen to her grandfather read, drink tea, and doze off in his arms.
Those days seem unforgettable, even after two lifetimes.
The books I memorized and the principles I learned with my grandfather have not faded away; they are still etched in my mind.
Now, just as her grandfather had recited "The Primer of Rhymes" to her, she recited it to Ji Ge'er as well, explaining, "This was compiled by a learned old gentleman in Nanjing. I think it's very good for learning the tones, parallelism, and rhyme schemes of classical Chinese poetry."
Ji Ge'er was immediately captivated by the story, so he copied it down and memorized it every day.
It has to be said, the "sea of questions" approach has always been the fastest way to improve exam scores, and Ji-ge'er's studies these past few days have shown remarkable progress, even Shen Miao could see. She even went to Old Man Yang's place and got a few damp wooden boards for free. The boards were coated with waterproof paint, so the ink stains could be washed off with water. She could use them for Ji-ge'er to practice calligraphy, which would also save some paper.
So these past few days, Ji-ge'er has been studying day and night, his mind completely absorbed in his books and exercises. He's been somewhat dazed during the day, and at night he's even reciting the rhyming formulas in his dreams: "Clouds against rain... snow against wind... evening glow against clear sky..."
Therefore, these women can gossip about her all they want, but they can't talk about Ji-ge who is studying so hard.
Then Shen Miao suddenly spoke up from behind them: "Hello, aunties, are you all here?"
The sound was so startling, it was like seeing a ghost in broad daylight, that the women who had been gossiping behind her nearly dropped what they were holding. By the time they looked up in a panic, Shen Miao had already composed herself.
Before they could speak, Chen Miao pointed at them pitifully, saying, "You can talk about me all you want, but you can't talk about Ji-ge like this. Do you know that in life, you can probably please everyone in many ways, but you can't please everyone in terms of knowledge! If you could acquire knowledge simply by using the best writing materials, everyone would be a scholar. Aunt Li, you belittled Ji-ge before he didn't study, and now that he's studying diligently, you still want to criticize him, don't you? Putting everything else aside, I just want to ask you one question: have we, the three of us siblings, eaten your rice or worn your clothes? Why do you treat us, siblings who have lost our parents and depend on each other, like this?"
Aunt Li's face flushed red and then turned pale after being confronted with Shen Miao's blunt question; she was truly feeling guilty.
Shen Miao didn't feign anger. Instead, her eyes reddened as she spoke, and she pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the tears from her eyes. Her trembling finger pointed at them: "Aunties, how cruel you are! You're trying to force us to our deaths! If you ever say such things again, I'll find a rope and hang myself in front of your door! From now on, we'll meet every day and night and catch up!"
"What...what are you talking about?!"
"Big sister, don't be angry. This is all hearsay. The aunties are just saying it."
"Yes, yes, actually none of that is what we said."
"Oh dear, my pot is still cooking on the stove, I'm going home now..."
"Me too, my baby seems to have woken up, I should go too!"
As soon as they finished speaking, they scattered like birds and beasts. Aunt Li also made an excuse to slip away. Shen Miao slowly straightened up, tucked her handkerchief into the corner of her eye, hummed softly through her nose, and raised her head: "Xiang-jie, let's go."
Just as she reached her doorstep, put down her carrying pole, and prepared to open it, she saw Gu Tusu standing in front of the Gu family's gate, seemingly having been listening for quite some time. Shen Miao turned her head and saw him, but didn't think much of it, simply nodding slightly as a greeting.
Unexpectedly, Gu Tusu lowered his head and suddenly said, "Big sister, you have changed a lot compared to before."
Chen Miao paused, then turned around.
“In the past, if they often gossiped about you, you would always be so ashamed that you would cry and go home…”
"Second Brother Gu." Shen Miao interrupted his reminiscences, letting out a somewhat helpless sigh.
She had no fear of being exposed as not being Sister Shen. She raised her head, this was the first time since returning to Bianjing that she had looked directly at Gu Tusu for such a long time. Only the two of them were left in the alley, but Shen Miao still lowered her voice, "Do you know that people are never the same? The crybaby Sister Shen will grow up too. What Sister Shen, who was pampered and unaware of the wickedness of people's hearts, has experienced in the three years since she married into Jinling, is something only I know."
Although she is no longer Sister Shen, only she can truly know her.
Shen Miao had all the details of Shen Dajie's memories in her mind. She deeply understood her cowardice and regret. She said softly, "For the past three years, I've been away from my parents and brothers. I have to face another unfamiliar 'home' alone. The moment I open my eyes, I have to deal with my mother-in-law's endless torment: washing clothes until the third watch of the night before I can sleep; getting up before dawn to fetch water and cut grass; and spinning and embroidering all day to supplement the family income... Second Brother Gu, you must know that a woman who is loved by her parents in her youth, and who meets a good man after marriage, and never suffers any hardship in her life, can retain her innocence. But how many such people are there in the entire Song Dynasty? Of course, I am not so lucky. Moreover, my family is destroyed, and I have severed ties with my husband's family. Now I have nothing. If you say such things, doesn't it seem... that you are being too harsh on me?"
Gu Tusu was choked by Shen Miao's sudden remark, his face turning crimson, and he didn't know what to say.
That's not what I meant...
Shen Miao shook his head.
"If one dwells on the past, how can one move forward? Whether it's good fortune or misfortune, I should accept the trials that fate brings, and I firmly believe that no one is unlucky forever. I really like a play, and there's a line that goes, 'My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens.' Although this saying is a bit cliché, I believe that one day, I will be able to live a good life with my own hands."
Shen Miao looked at him intently as he finished speaking, word by word:
"Second Brother Gu, ever since I came back, you've been so kind to me. I'm very grateful to you, thank you and Aunt Gu and Uncle Gu for taking care of Ji-ge and Xiang-jie, and thank you for still caring for that young Sister Shen. I think you should understand now that I'm no longer the Sister Shen you remember. So... Second Brother Gu, look to the future. I sincerely hope that you will find a virtuous wife you love and live a happy and healthy life... As for me, I will naturally try my best to live well."
"Second Brother Gu, please don't worry about me anymore."
After saying this, she bowed deeply and, without waiting for his reply, led Xiang Jie'er into the room.
She had thought about talking things out with Gu Tusu a while ago, but she didn't expect this opportunity to come so suddenly. But it's good this way. Gu Tusu isn't a bad person, but she doesn't want to keep being so cautious anymore. This way, she won't feel indebted to the Gu family when she faces them in the future.
Gu Tusu stood there with his head down for a long while, before he seemed to regain his breath. He slowly leaned against the rough courtyard wall and slowly raised his head. At this moment, the sky above the alley was azure, with thick clouds hanging in large patches on the horizon. He felt as if he had returned to that day three years ago. He seemed to see the narrow alley decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, with red ribbons strung across the street. Musicians crowded at the entrance of the Shen family's house. Looking around, it was indeed a scene of great celebration.
The Shen family's dowry chests filled the small courtyard, and the newly made four-bearer wedding sedan chair was already parked at the alley entrance. According to custom, the bride's feet cannot touch the ground before she leaves the house. However, Sister Shen had no brothers, and Brother Ji was still too young.
It was him, after their horoscopes were matched, who, as her sworn brother, carried her to the bridal sedan chair.
The eldest sister, dressed in green robes and holding a round fan, perched on his back like a nimble swallow.
A slender arm wrapped around his neck, and Gu Tusu's eyes welled up with tears; he could barely stand. To this day, he still remembered that day. Because that day was both the closest and the furthest he had ever been from his eldest sister.
Joyful music filled the air, and auspicious words from relatives, friends, and the matchmaker echoed in his ears. The short distance of a few dozen feet felt like a heavy weight under his feet, and he walked slower and slower. When he reached the bridal sedan chair, he was reluctant to let go. It was only after the matchmaker urged him repeatedly that he gritted his teeth and squatted down.
The eldest sister got into the sedan chair, her face hidden behind a round fan adorned with mandarin ducks playing in the water, and uttered her last two words to him in a clear, crisp voice:
"Second Brother Gu, thank you very much."
Gu Tusu stood up, his head bowed the whole time. He simply reached out and straightened the jewelry on her green wedding dress.
“Ah Miao…” His voice was hoarse and trembling. In the Song Dynasty, a woman’s given name was not something that her parents or husband would casually mention; usually, others would address her by her birth order. But he couldn’t help himself and uttered the name he had called out hundreds of times in his heart for the first and last time, “If the Rong family treats you badly, write to me and I will definitely stand up for you.”
Before the eldest daughter could even speak, the matchmaker angrily shoved her aside, "Pah! Pah! Pah! Young Master Gu, on such an auspicious day, how can you say such unlucky things? Perfect timing, the auspicious hour has arrived, lift the sedan chair—"
He was shoved aside like a wooden statue, even stumbling a step, staring blankly at his hands. He thought to himself, "I've let go, and with me, I've let go of my sister for life."
From then on, she married someone else.
A surge of emotion welled up in his chest, and joy returned. He jerked his head up to the beat of the drums, only to find the bright red curtain of the bridal sedan chair being lifted. Amidst the commotion, the eldest sister lowered her fan slightly, revealing smiling eyes, and softly called out to him:
"Second Brother Gu, I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."
The suona horn blared loudly, gongs and drums resounded, firecrackers were lit, and the eldest sister's voice seemed to shatter and dissipate in the wind. The sedan chair swayed and moved away, and those familiar, gentle eyes were obscured by the swaying curtain.
That impulse eventually dissipated in those eyes.
Yes, no matter what, he hopes she's doing well, and that she'll have a good life.
Unfortunately, in the end, nothing went as planned.
The Shen family is gone, and the eldest daughter returns alone. But the hand that was once parted is now parted forever. Who told him to be so humble, too afraid to compete with the elegant and scholarly Rong Dalang? If only he had been braver… if only he had confessed his feelings to her sooner… how wonderful that would have been…
Now... it's too late to regret it.
He tilted his head back, exhaled a breath of stale air, wiped his eyes with his hand, and without looking up again, turned around and closed his own door.
***
After finishing her story, Shen Miao felt relieved. She didn't want to let anyone down, but sometimes she couldn't go against her heart or get away with things half-heartedly. She believed that cooking and preparing meals couldn't be done carelessly, and that the same applied to daily life.
She swung her hand lightly into the kitchen, her hand resting on the knife handle. She habitually twirled the knife in a perfect flourish, and her heart calmed down.
I'm not going to think about it too much. I'll just make some delicious meat rolls for lunch today!
She started chopping the meat with a bang. Making meat rolls is very simple. After kneading the flour with water, let it rest for 15 minutes before using it. After chopping the meat, add salt, oil, soy sauce, and pre-ground homemade thirteen-spice powder. Add chopped green onions and mix well. Knead the dough and roll it out as thinly as possible, almost as thin as paper.
At this point, spread the minced meat evenly on top, roll up the dough layer by layer, cut it into sections, and steam it for a little over 15 minutes before eating.
Once cooked, the meat rolls are soft, fluffy, and fragrant with a mouthful of minced meat. They're even more delicious when dipped in sauce!
Besides the scallion and pork flavor, the meat rolls can also be made with preserved mustard greens and pork filling, braised pork filling, and spicy pork filling. Each filling is equally delicious, and in Shen Miao's heart, they are all delicacies that can make you dizzy with their aroma.
Sure enough, as soon as it was put into the steamer, Sister Xiang came over after smelling the aroma.
She was busy at home and didn't notice that while she was talking to Gu Tusu, someone had stopped at the alley entrance and overheard her entire eloquent speech about life's experiences.
In the bustling marketplace, Xie Qi carried a large rattan book box on his back, while Yan Shu was empty-handed beside him. Qiu Hao dutifully led a glossy, dark-furred Dezhou donkey, his other hand supporting the donkey's back which carried a straw mat and two boxes of books. The three of them and the donkey were turning to leave Yangliu East Alley and enter the lively market.
Yan Shu asked somewhat dejectedly, "Why didn't Ninth Brother call out to Madam Chen just now? Didn't we come here specifically to buy some egg yolk pastries to take to the academy as a gift for Dr. Yao?"
That day, Madam Shen gave Ninth Brother a box of egg yolk pastries. After Ninth Brother returned from the drenched chicken feast, he tasted them and nodded repeatedly, saying they were excellent. He couldn't bear to eat them himself, so he only kept two and sent the rest to Madam and the Grand Madam's courtyard.
As a servant boy, he was only allowed to taste half of it as a favor from Ninth Brother.
But that half-eaten one has kept him craving it until today.
Xie Qi did not answer; he was lost in thought for a while before finally smiling.
"My fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens?" What a fine phrase! I wonder which play it comes from? I've never heard of any of these various plays and acrobatics in Bianjing. Could it be a play from Jinling? I'd love to hear what kind of story it tells.
Qiuhao struggled to lead the stubborn donkey that was shuffling along, while Yanshu patted the donkey's rump and kept complaining under his breath: "Stupid donkey, you'd better listen to me! Hurry up! Qiuhao, if you give it a whip, it will behave... Ninth Brother, Madam has sent out all the carriages and horses to run errands and purchase supplies in order to prepare for the banquet. Now we have to walk all the way to the outer city. By the time we get to the academy, it will probably be dark."
The eldest pageboy, Qiuhao, finally reined in the disobedient donkey and scolded Yanshu, "You dare to talk back to Madam! If Zheng Neizhi finds out, you'll get a beating again."
Yan Shu pouted and snorted, "If I get beaten, it must be because you told on me."
Qiu Hao glanced at him sideways, ignored him, and dragged the donkey ahead of her.
Xie Qi paid no attention to the two pageboys' dispute. As he walked, he muttered to himself, "Whether it's good fortune or misfortune, we must accept the hardships that fate brings, and also firmly believe that no one will be unlucky forever... Madam Shen's words are so insightful."
Yan Shu then realized that his master hadn't listened to what he was saying at all. He puffed out his cheeks again and muttered to himself, "I don't know if anyone is unlucky their whole life, but isn't there already someone who's been unlucky for half their life?"
The three of them walked down the street until Jinliang Bridge was no longer visible. Xie Qi finally came to his senses and said to Yan Shu with a sudden realization, "Oh right, we haven't bought the egg yolk pastries yet..."
Yan Shu gritted his teeth in anger: "...It's too late to go back now!"
Xie Qi thought for a moment, then stopped a loafer who was squatting on the street, paid him a few coins, and ordered him to deliver a message to the Xie family. Upon hearing that it was the Xie family in Xizhonggu Lane, the loafer dared not play any tricks and nodded and bowed in agreement.
"Let Zheng Neizhi send someone to Madam Shen's house to buy some food and then deliver it to the academy. Even if we had gone there earlier, Madam Shen wouldn't have had time to prepare it." Xie Qi originally didn't want people to know that he had gone to such lengths for some food, but now he had no choice but to do so.
Yan Shu then beamed with joy and tugged at Xie Qi's sleeve, pleading, "That egg yolk pastry was truly delicious. I've been craving it ever since I ate it last time. Ninth Brother, please save one for me this time. I'm not greedy, one is enough."
"When have I ever shortchanged you on food? Hurry up and go. If you keep dawdling like this, how will you get back later?"
The three of them, master and servant, walked further and further away. After more than half an hour, the sound of carriages and horses could be heard at the entrance of Yangliu East Alley. Suddenly, the doors and windows of each household in the alley were opened a crack, and people peeked out.
Oh my, there's a brightly dressed middle-aged man standing at the Shen family's door. Isn't that Steward Zheng from the Xie family again? He's knocking on the Shen family's door again! Everyone perked up, and some couldn't resist opening the door to stare curiously.
Shen Miao opened the door and was taken aback when she saw Zheng Neizhi. She then noticed the neighbors' inquiring gazes and felt a little helpless: all her impassioned speech this morning had been for nothing, and now she was in a situation where she couldn't clear her name no matter what.
But Shen Miao still bowed respectfully and asked, "Zheng Neizhi, what brings you here? Is there anything important?"
Zheng Neizhi laughed heartily, “There are indeed two good things. First, our Ninth Brother specially sent me here to order another fifty egg yolk pastries, saying he wants to take them to the academy as gifts for the scholars. Second, my Madam ate Madam Shen’s egg yolk pastries a while ago and has been craving them ever since. However, the cook in our household tried several times but couldn’t make them. So, Madam simply sent me here to ask if we could buy Madam Shen’s pastry recipe, so we won’t have to go out to buy them so often in the future.”
It seemed that Xie Jiuge had given her a return gift, which he had then given to his elders, thus doing her a great favor. Shen Miao paused for a moment, then immediately put on a smiling face and cheerfully opened the courtyard gate.
The reason why Manager Wei was unwilling to buy her red bean bun recipe was because he was afraid that it would be easy to imitate. If his competitors figured it out, he would lose both his money and his business, and suffer a huge loss. But the Xie family is different. They don't do business, so they don't have this concern.
Her eyes lit up, and she eagerly invited Zheng Neizhi in: "So that's how it is. Please come in and discuss this matter in detail, Zheng Neizhi... Ji-ge! Ji-ge! Stop reading for now! Make some tea for your sister! Xiang-jie! Stop catching the chicken! You've almost made its feathers stand on end! Go to the kitchen and get some cookies that your sister just baked to serve our guests! Remember to wash your hands!"
The God of Wealth has delivered himself to our door again! Who cares about the rumors and gossip!
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