Chapter 131 Exchanging glances upon entering the capital
The carriage rumbled along the road.
Lin Yao's trip to the capital was rushed, and after four days of travel, the group was all quite exhausted.
Today, after finally arriving at an inn in a small town, Lin Yao took a comfortable hot bath, feeling all her fatigue washed away by the warm steam.
After resting for a while on the soft bed, my stomach started rumbling in protest.
To save time these past few days, they rarely disembarked from their carriages unless absolutely necessary, and their meals consisted of instant noodles and dry rations brought from Lin'an. At the inn in the evenings, they would simply order some light dishes, eat, and then go straight to sleep.
Lin Yao smacked her lips; she still needed a proper meal.
Thinking this, Lin Yao got up, put on her coat, and went to the inn's kitchen.
In the kitchen, the cook was tidying up the stove when he saw Lin Yao come in, and he quickly stopped what he was doing.
Lin Yao explained her purpose.
The waiter invited the manager over. Seeing that she was well-dressed, spoke politely, and was generous, the manager readily agreed and pointed to the food shelf in the corner, saying, "Madam, please choose whatever you like!"
The first thing Lin Yao saw when she entered the kitchen was the mutton hanging from the beam.
The lamb, with its perfect balance of lean and fat, is ideal for making a clear lamb stew. Lamb is nourishing and warming, and the clear stewing method prevents it from being greasy, thus relieving fatigue.
She also picked out a few white radishes, a handful of ginger, a few cloves of garlic, and found a small handful of dried Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds.
With her sleeves rolled up, Lin Yao began processing the mutton.
She cut the mutton into fist-sized pieces along the grain, so that it would retain the juices during stewing without being undercooked due to the large pieces.
Place the chopped mutton into an earthenware basin, add enough cold water, and soak for half an hour to remove the blood. This will minimize the mutton's gamey smell.
She changed the water twice until the water in the basin became clear and no blood seeped out from the surface of the mutton.
She then added half a pot of cold water to the large iron pot, put in the soaked mutton pieces, added a few slices of ginger and two scallions, and turned on the heat to blanch them.
When the water boils, a layer of grayish-brown foam gradually rises to the surface. She gently skims off the foam with a slotted spoon, then cooks the mutton pieces for a few more minutes before taking them out and rinsing them with warm water.
The casserole on the stove had already been washed clean. Lin Yao put the blanched mutton pieces into the casserole, added boiling water to cover the mutton, then added flattened ginger, a whole head of garlic, and a small handful of peppercorns and fennel seeds wrapped in gauze and tied tightly, which she put into the casserole as a spice bag.
She didn't add too many spices, so as not to mask the natural flavor of the lamb.
Fine white steam gradually rose from the gaps in the casserole lid, carrying the fresh aroma of mutton into the kitchen, attracting the attention of the cook next door who was cleaning up, who kept peeking over to look in this direction.
She stood by the stove, occasionally lifting the lid to check, and was very satisfied to see that the soup was always bubbling gently.
The essence of stewing lies in slow cooking. Only by simmering over low heat for a long time can the umami flavor of the mutton be fully infused into the soup, and the meat will become tender and fall off the bone.
After simmering for an hour, Lin Yao put the peeled and diced white radish into the casserole.
White radish absorbs flavors, which can both neutralize the greasiness of mutton and impart a delicious meaty aroma to itself.
After simmering for about half an hour, Lin Yao estimated that it was almost done. Just as she was about to lift the lid, she heard familiar footsteps coming from the kitchen door. Looking up, she saw Xu Zhiheng.
A few fine snowflakes fell on his shoulders, and he carried two exquisite food boxes in his hands, clearly having just returned from outside.
"It seems I've come back just in time." Xu Zhiheng's nose twitched when he saw the casserole on the stove. He quickly walked over, placed the food box on the side table, and reached out to help her lift the casserole.
Lin Yao smiled and stepped aside, saying, "It's not ready yet." She then added a little salt to the casserole for seasoning and sprinkled a small handful of chopped green onions.
She didn't add too many seasonings, relying only on salt to bring out the natural flavors of the mutton and radish, which resulted in a clear, fresh, and mellow soup.
Lifting the lid, white steam rises upwards, the vibrant green of scallions adorns the milky white soup, the radish chunks are crystal clear, and the mutton chunks are tender and plump—it's mouthwatering just to look at it.
As the two men carrying the soup entered the inn's lobby, Lin's father and the others were already sitting at the table waiting.
Xu Zhiheng set out the soup bowls, turned around to get the food box from the table, and opened it with a smile: "I just went to town for a stroll and heard that the signature dishes of these restaurants are very famous, so I bought some back."
The aroma was even stronger once the food box was opened.
He would enthusiastically introduce each dish he brought out, his intention to curry favor with his future father-in-law and brother-in-law was self-evident.
"This is roasted pork skin, freshly roasted, the heat is perfectly controlled, it's fatty but not greasy."
"This is braised rabbit, a local specialty. It's marinated with Sichuan peppercorns and fennel, and the more you chew, the more fragrant it becomes."
"And this crystal sashimi is the signature dish of Zhang Ji in the south of the city. It's a jelly made by simmering fish meat and broth, and it's the best way to cut through the greasiness."
As the last dish was placed on the table, he looked up to invite everyone to start eating, but his gaze first met Lin Yao's eyes.
She had a faint smile on her lips as she looked at him with great interest.
"Ahem!" Lin's father cleared his throat, reached out and picked up a spoon to scoop a bowl of mutton soup, breaking the subtle atmosphere without making a sound. "The journey must have been tiring, don't just stand there, try the soup that A-Yao made."
Xu Zhiheng immediately followed up, "Yes, drink some soup to warm up first! Ayao's soup smells so good." As he spoke, he picked up Lin's father's bowl and ladled a full bowl for him.
Wang Xiaoyu chuckled to herself while biting her spoon, but Su Niang nudged her gently with her elbow. She then lowered her head, pursed her lips, scooped up a spoonful of mutton soup, and took a sip. The hot soup was so comforting that she couldn't help but sigh.
My master's skills are as good as ever.
Su Niang nodded and picked up a piece of roasted pork skin with her chopsticks: "The meat that Young Master Xu bought is also delicious, it goes perfectly with mutton soup."
As Lin's father sipped his soup, he glanced at Xu Zhiheng and saw him serving Lin Yao crystal sashimi and stuffing a piece of radish into his mouth.
After a short rest overnight, the group packed up and set off again at the crack of dawn the next day.
For the next three days, they traveled day and night, and finally, on the afternoon of the fourth day, they could see the outline of the capital in the distance.
As the carriage drew closer to the city gate, Lin Yao lifted the curtain and couldn't help but sigh, "This is truly an ancient capital."
The city gate alone was far more imposing than any of the prefectural city gates she had seen along the way, with layers of dark blue bricks stacked up to form a city wall several meters high.
The city gates were bustling with carriages and horses, including wealthy merchants dressed in fine silks and satins, knights-errant carrying swords, and farmers carrying shoulder poles—a scene of great prosperity.
"This is the capital city!" Wang Xiaoyu also peeked out and couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
The carriages lined up with the crowd to wait for their identities to be verified. When it was their turn, the soldiers guarding the city were about to conduct their routine questioning when they saw Xu Zhiheng and immediately bowed and said, "Young Master Xu, you've finally returned!"
Xu Zhiheng nodded gently: "Thank you for your help."
The soldier smiled and waved his hand, "Young master, you're too kind! The general and his wife send people to inquire about you several times a day, eagerly awaiting your return!" As he spoke, he pointed to a spot not far away, "Look, the people the lady sent have just arrived!"
Lin Yao looked in the direction he pointed and saw Jin Yu running breathlessly, his figure a bit rounder than before, shouting from afar, "My lord! You're finally back!"
He ran to the carriage, first bowed to Xu Zhiheng, then exchanged a few pleasantries with Lin Yao and her entourage. He then took the several packets of dried meat handed to him by Su Niang and excitedly rushed back to the mansion to report the news.
They came and went in a hurry, like a whirlwind.
Once inside the city, Lin Yao was overwhelmed by the sights. The crowds of people were shoulder to shoulder, and all sorts of acrobatics and hawking cries filled the air. Her eyes could hardly take it all in. It wasn't until Xu Zhiheng suggested finding an inn to settle down that she reluctantly turned her gaze away.
The excitement came to an abrupt end when the innkeeper announced the room rate.
The inn Xu Zhiheng chose was about the same size as the inn next to Baiweilou in Lin'an Prefecture. It wasn't top-notch, but it was clean and tidy. However, the price quoted by the innkeeper was twice that of an inn of the same standard in Lin'an Prefecture!
Lin Yao felt a pang of heartache as she handed over the money.
When she entered the city, she was envious of the restaurants along the street and was even planning to take over a restaurant in the capital.
But once the inn's prices were revealed, she became much more sober.
Even accommodations are so expensive in the capital, let alone shop rents and food costs. With her current savings, opening a restaurant in the capital is simply a pipe dream.
Xu Zhiheng saw through her thoughts and walked over to ask, "Do you feel that prices in the capital are too high?"
Lin Yao nodded: "I was just thinking about opening a restaurant here."
Xu Zhiheng gently ruffled her hair and said softly, "No rush, let's settle in first. Although prices are high in the capital, there are also many opportunities. We can make plans later once we're more familiar with the city."
Lin Yao nodded, her disappointment gradually fading away. There were more important things to do now.
After tidying up her belongings, Lin Yao collapsed onto the soft bed, her eyelids growing heavier and heavier.
I slept exceptionally well that night.
Half an hour later, Lin Yao slowly woke up, got up and stretched, feeling refreshed and all her previous fatigue gone.
Recalling the bustling scene she had seen when she entered the city, she became interested again. She got out of bed, tidied her clothes and hair, and couldn't wait to take a stroll in the street.
As soon as the door opened, Lin Yao was startled by Xu Zhiheng standing outside.
Lin Yao patted her chest: "Didn't you go home? Why are you still here?"
Xu Zhiheng stuck to him like a leech: "Just let me know you're safe when you get home. I missed you, so I came back."
Lin Yao raised an eyebrow: "Then why didn't you knock on the door while you were standing here? If I were sleeping soundly, I might have made you wait for a long time."
Xu Zhiheng didn't seem to care: "Anyway, there's no rush. I'll just wait at the door until you wake up on your own." As he spoke, he proudly handed the oil paper package in his hand to Lin Yao, "Look, this is the most popular osmanthus cake in the capital, and it's still warm."
Seeing the silly smile on his face, Lin Yao couldn't help but reach out and pinch his cheek: "Silly."
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The author's note: The recipe for clear mutton stew comes from Baidu.
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