Chapter 50 If you want to thank me, then write some good poetry…
Chef Bai advised as tactfully as possible, "Young Master Zhao, why don't you reconsider?"
"After all, it's for the officials to eat."
What's wrong with feeding the officials?
Boiled cabbage in clear broth is a dish served at state banquets, isn't that just right?
It took Fusu a moment to realize what was going on: "You mean, the name of this dish I chose doesn't sound good?"
Chef Bai nodded sadly.
Fusu was struck dumb: "What about fried rice? Isn't that too tacky?"
Chef Bai was startled again and exclaimed, "What? You really intend to order fried rice and serve it directly to the official's bowl?!"
"What's wrong? Is there a problem... What about the broken gold rice? Okay, I understand, that won't work either."
"Broken gold" is like the eggs in fried rice, just like calling cabbage "white jade"—it's a form of self-comfort from the lower classes. Surely the emperor had seen what broken gold looked like? It would have been better to use a more refined term.
Fusu covered his face in sorrow: "Pragmatists just don't understand the refined and reserved style of you Song people. I'm really sorry."
He said dejectedly, "I understand, I'll talk to someone about it."
Fusu packed some food samples into food containers and went to find Fan Chunren. This was someone who knew about his recipe development and was a native of the Song Dynasty. Perhaps he could ask Fan Chunren for help with the elegant names he couldn't come up with himself?
When they arrived at the place Fan Chunren frequented, they were told that he was not there.
"It seems Brother Fan went to see Dr. Mei?"
Dr. Mei? Mei Yaochen?
Fusu's eyes lit up suddenly, and he bowed and thanked him, saying, "Thank you for telling me, Senior Brother!"
Mei Yaochen was a great poet of the Northern Song Dynasty. Naming two mere dishes would certainly be a piece of cake for him.
Fusu, carrying a rather heavy food box, staggered to the door of Mei Yaochen's office. He had intended to catch his breath before pushing the door open, as that would be more polite. But what did he hear at the door?
"Your new piece is quite interesting. It's fresh and open, unlike your usual style. What's been going on lately?"
Fan Chunren's smiling voice rang out: "Perhaps... I've been spending more time with my two young friends lately?"
"Those two brats, humph!"
"Before I even mentioned their names, you seemed to already know who they were. I imagine those two must have left a deep impression on you, right?"
It seems to be related to me?
Fusu's heart skipped a beat.
He had expected Mei Yaochen to criticize him. But the latter didn't say anything like "You should associate less with them," but instead began to critique Fan Chunren's article word by word. He provided insightful yet simple commentary, occasionally interjecting with explanations of the imperial examination system. Fan Chunren listened attentively, occasionally agreeing and raising his own questions.
As the two exchanged questions and answers, Fusu listened intently, for Mei Yaochen's poetry and prose were among the best of his time, and his explanations brought a sense of sudden enlightenment. After the article was finished, Fusu remained immersed in his own thoughts for a while, slowly organizing his ideas.
He was hesitating whether to take advantage of the lull and push the door open when he heard a haughty snort from inside: "Have you rested enough? If you are, come in!"
Fusu scratched his head awkwardly: What? Did I get caught eavesdropping from the very beginning?
He carried the food box with his head down and staggered into Mei Yaochen's study. Before he could even perform the student's greeting, Mei Yaochen suddenly said, "Are you also here to ask this old man for his critique of your poetry?"
"!!!"
Fusu denied it three times: "No! There isn't!"
He was afraid that Mei Yaochen would say something like, "Then recite one right here," thus blocking his way out: "Besides, Mr. Mei, you know, I can't write serious poems. I can only write doggerel!"
Mei Yaochen frowned: "If you can't calculate it, then who knows how many people in the Song Dynasty can... Never mind, since you didn't come to me to have your poems read, then what brings you here?"
Is he going to receive something new as a gift?
"Uh, that..."
Fusu was only halfway through his sentence when his eyes unconsciously darted towards Fan Chunren. The implication was clear: I came here for his sake.
Mei Yaochen's face suddenly turned ashen.
Fan Chunren turned his face away, seemingly trying to suppress a laugh.
"Alright, alright." In the end, it was the kind senior brother who came to the rescue: "If you could really write poems as easily as doggerel, Mr. Mei wouldn't have asked about your new work as soon as we met. By the way, why did you bring such a big food box? Did you decide on the dishes for the Emperor and come to discuss them with me?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" Fusu quickly changed the subject: "The dishes have been discussed with the kitchen, but we still need a catchy name. I would like to ask you, my senior brother, and Mr. Mei, to help me come up with some ideas."
As he spoke, he took the sample out of the food box. Fan Chunren said, "Let me help you," and helped as well. When the fried rice was taken out, he paused for a moment, sniffed, and said, "It smells so good."
"Right, right?" Fusu grinned happily, then carefully lifted the soup bowl of boiled cabbage, took out a spoonful of clear soup and fed it to Fan Chunren: "Senior brother, try this one too!"
"And Mr. Mei, you should try some too!"
Almost simultaneously, the two of them squinted at the sight of the clear broth. Looking closer, they realized the broth wasn't milky or gelatinous at all; instead, it was as clear as spring water. They couldn't help but ask, "What is this?"
Upon hearing the name of the dish, they both showed a speechless expression.
Mei Yaochen bluntly said, "No wonder you made a special trip to find your senior brother."
Fusu's large eyes seemed to be shining: "So, Mr. Mei, do you have any good ideas?"
To provide more information, he also explained the general steps of making the two dishes. Fan Chunren was naturally astonished: "Doesn't that mean that after the white cabbage is drizzled with clear broth, it looks like a lotus flower blooming in water?"
"Yes, actually it tastes great just by cutting it into small pieces and soaking it in the soup." After all, the main feature of this dish is the contrast between visual minimalism and extreme complexity of taste: "But since it's for the imperial family, I came up with an extra twist."
"How about we call it 'Fragrance Floating on Pure Water'?"
Fan Chunren shook his head after speaking: "This is not a good name."
Hmm? Isn't it good?
Fusu, on the other hand, thought it was great: upon hearing that he was going to a restaurant, he saw dishes he dared not ask about or order. But the Song people were very fond of this kind of thing.
Mei Yaochen stroked his beard in agreement: "Intention without scope leads to a lack of grandeur."
He pondered for a moment: "How about calling it... 'Jade Cup Receiving Dew'?"
"As expected of Master Mei! 'Cheng Lu' is taken from the ancient story of the Cheng Lu Terrace in the Wu Zuo Palace of Emperor Wu of Han. The white cabbage is cultivated into the shape of a lotus flower, and it can receive clear water and dew, just like the shape of a jade cup. At the same time, it also subtly reflects the idea of our Imperial Academy being bathed in the grace of the emperor."
Fusu's lips twitched as he listened: I'm truly impressed by you Song people.
"What about the fried rice?"
This one isn't difficult at all; it uses only a few ingredients, and there's no lotus imagery unique to boiled cabbage that needs to be emphasized. Fan Chunren immediately recited: "Golden Thread Snow, Five Auspicious Delicacies Stew, Jade Fragrance..."
Fusu quickly interrupted the spellcasting: "Just the last one! I like it so much!"
He was afraid that Fan Chunren would be dissatisfied and come up with another version praising the emperor. He was already going to put on a good performance with the emperor, and with this inexplicable praising scene, he was genuinely afraid that he would burst out laughing.
Fan Chunren licked his lips, seemingly wanting more. But since the recipe was provided by Fusu, he had the final say. And so, the two dishes were decided.
Fusu then asked, "By the way, when will the Emperor arrive? Is there any news yet?"
Fan Chunren: "The Emperor only said he would come, but the date is still undecided."
Fusu muttered under his breath, "Shouldn't we wait until our vegetables have sprouted some seedlings before coming?"
Fan Chunren unconsciously glanced at Xiao Fusu.
He also remembered that when the chief priest told him about the emperor, he said that his memorials received imperial approval the day after they reached the emperor's ears.
Given the priorities of the imperial court and the emperor in handling state affairs, this is almost impossible. Someone must have spoken to the emperor beforehand.
And this person was the one they all thought of without prior agreement—
Zhao Xiaolang, who dares to make a guarantee.
Or rather, it was the royal family power behind him.
After hearing Zhao Xiaolang's mutterings today, Fan Chunren felt a pang of pity: the way Xiaolang spoke made it seem as if he wanted the Emperor to come whenever he wanted.
He immediately laughed at the idea and shook his head.
How could that be?
"The name of the dish is decided then, thank you Mr. Mei and Senior Brother Fan." Fu Su packed up the empty food box, preparing to leave: "Then I'll..."
"Wait a minute," Mei Yaochen said.
Fusu: "?"
"Is there anything else, Mr. Mei?"
"A verbal thank you is not enough. If you are truly grateful to me, why not write a poem to commemorate your cooking?"
Fusu was shocked: "...Ah?"
What's so special about cooking experiences that you could write a poem about? And why repay gratitude with a poem? Was the sugar painting not sweet enough? In the end, why are you so obsessed with my writing poetry?
Perhaps his expression was too obvious, his thoughts written all over his face, because Mei Yaochen snorted again: "Isn't it because I see you as a promising talent!"
Sigh, I should have known better than to make that impulsive decision and try to show off.
Fusu wasn't dissatisfied with Mei Yaochen's high regard for him; on the contrary, he was genuinely grateful. However, as someone who had lived two lives, to pretend to be a child prodigy while disguised as a child was truly shameless.
Fan Chunren came to the rescue again: "If you can't write poetry, how about writing essays?"
"Write an article!"
Fusu answered instantly.
He's incredibly good at writing. He can write anything, no matter the subject matter, with clear and complete content, and at least 800 words. He could do it with his eyes closed.
Mei Yaochen reluctantly agreed, since writing was the only way to pass the imperial examinations. He repeatedly emphasized, "After you finish writing, you must show it to me."
"Mmm!"
On his way back to his dormitory, Fusu made a special trip to the vegetable fields cultivated by the Imperial College. Some areas had been fertilized with farmyard manure, which didn't smell very pleasant. He had no choice but to stand on the edge of the garden, holding his nose, and look out. In some places, he could already see the first hints of green shoots emerging.
He returned to his dormitory, pulled out a letter from his drawer that read, "Son, when can I come to your Imperial College?", and replied on the back, "Father, you can come whenever you want now. The vegetable seedlings I planted are already sprouting!"
Well, Fusu shamelessly referred to the patch of vegetable seedlings he had plowed and loosened the soil as the land he had planted.
However, Fusu didn't mention the two new dishes at all. Even the preparation of the ingredients was done by the kitchen staff of the Imperial Academy's dining hall, without going through the hands of the Imperial Kitchen.
That way, on the day of the event, we'll see two people who are completely amazed by the new dishes, hehe.
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Author's Note: Chapter 50! From now on, updates will be before midnight. [Upright-eared rabbit head][Downward-eared rabbit head]
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