Chapter 78: Five-spice melon seeds with cream, caramel, Sichuan peppercorns, and sea salt.
Go through Eryafang and cross a bridge.
The south wall of the Ministry of Rites Imperial Examination Hall is where the results of the Spring Examination are announced.
The next day, two apprentices volunteered to carry some snacks to sell at the place where the results were announced.
Since the store was closed today, Guizhier agreed.
There are also some considerations when preparing snacks and food.
Daliang has a vast territory, with differences between the north and the south.
Donglu is a pancake bigger than a face, which can fill you up by rolling it with yellow sauce and green onions; after crossing Chuhuai, the crispy pancakes are small and exquisite, like an upside-down crab shell, and become more delicate and delicious.
"Why not just take some five-spice melon seeds and sell them?" Guizhier clapped her hands. "They're light and easy to carry. If the results are delayed, we'll have something to chew on while we chat."
"Good idea!" the two apprentices cheered in unison.
Five-spice melon seeds have been around for a long time.
Mix peppercorns, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cumin, etc. in proportion, and then fry them until crispy. The melon seeds processed in this way will have a strong aroma and are very interesting to eat.
But as the owner of a braised food shop and an expert in using spices, Guizhier naturally will not be satisfied with common flavors.
"Let me look for it." Guizhier picked through the spice rack filled with bottles and jars. "Green peppercorns, mint, thyme..."
A little girl in coarse linen clothes sat on a low stool, using a sieve to filter out impurities and pick out plump, high-quality melon seeds.
Her black ponytail swayed slightly with her movements.
If he encountered shriveled or defective melon seeds, he would shake his head and push them aside.
The stronger little boys set up the stove and pots.
After Guizhi crushed the whole spices and put them into the pot, the boy waved a wooden spatula and kept turning the melon seeds to ensure that they were heated evenly.
As the frying progresses, the crisp sound of "crackling" breaks the silence.
The melon seeds are heated at the bottom of the pot, expanding slightly and lightly hitting the inner wall of the iron pot, forming a harmonious melody with the crackling sound of the charcoal fire and the friction of the wooden spatula.
When the surface of the melon seeds turns slightly yellow, the aroma has already overflowed from the kitchen.
"That's it. Let's fry a few more pots with different flavors." Guizhier sniffed, her eyes sparkling.
When the two apprentices carried melon seeds to the place where the results were announced, the outside of the Imperial Examination Hall was already surrounded by a crowd of people.
The crowd was endless, and candidates from all over the country were wearing long gowns and square scarves on their heads, squeezing in the crowd.
"Brother Wen Jing, don't worry. Brother Li has already taken a good position in the front."
The onlookers stood further out.
The old man stood on tiptoe, like a crane crane craning its neck in anticipation, his cloudy eyes filled with curiosity. The chubby child rode on his father's shoulders, looking around in amazement.
Women carrying vegetable baskets passed by here and were attracted by the hustle and bustle. Even if they were illiterate, they would squeeze into the crowd.
Everyone tries to find the best position to see the list first and witness the moment that determines the fate of countless people.
Wang Pu put down his crutches and sat down on the side of the road to rest.
Although he was born with a disease, it could not hide the scholarly elegance between his eyebrows and eyes.
"What kind of melon seeds are there?" He touched the apprentice's head and asked kindly.
"There are cream ones, caramel ones, peppercorn ones, sea salt ones..." the girl with the ponytail listed them crisply. "Twelve copper coins for one bamboo tube."
"It's so expensive, are you selling golden pumpkin seeds?"
The onlookers stared with wide eyes, shaking their heads and gasping in amazement. The small shop nearby sold sunflower seeds, charging only five or six copper coins a paper bag.
However, the tastes the little girl described were strange and I had never heard of them before.
High-quality sunflower seeds have shiny shells and are uniform in size.
Wang Pu was not stingy and took out twenty strings of copper coins to patronize the business. He prepared three flavors and prepared to let his fellow townsmen and friends who had worked hard to queue up to have a taste.
He picked up one pill with his slender fingers and brought it to his lips.
"Crack!" The melon seed shell cracked, revealing the kernel inside.
As the tip of my tongue curls, a refreshing salty taste, carried by the sea breeze, washes over my mouth. The melon seeds have a coarse yet captivating flavor, salty but not cloying, like the sea salt drying on an old fishing boat.
"Sir, how do these sunflower seeds taste?"
Ling Que'er spoke curiously. The girl was wearing a lotus-colored long dress with a fluttering ribbon around her waist and a pair of flower bells hanging at the end.
She moved lightly with lotus steps, and the bells rang out with clear sounds.
At first glance, you can tell that she is a playful and bold young lady from a wealthy family.
Ling Que'er's eldest brother also took part in this year's Spring Examination. She had little interest in studying and just accompanied her brother to wait for the results to be announced.
But his eyes were completely attracted by the novel flavor of melon seeds.
"Try it." Wang Pu stretched out his hand naturally.
The sunlight cast a thin layer of light on his palms, his fingers were thin and white, and his nails were round and smooth.
The golden melon seeds in his palm became more and more eye-catching.
Ling Que'er was stunned, tilted her head unconsciously, and opened her lips slightly, as if she couldn't understand these three words.
Wang Pu also looked confused when he saw that she didn't answer.
In the North, if a passerby stares at you and asks, "Is it delicious?", it means they want to try it.
Regardless of whether you know them or not, you should generously share some food with them.
Is there no such custom in Jiangnan?
Did the girl find him too offensive?
Wang Pu hesitated for a moment, and the hand he extended was not so confident.
"Thank you, sir."
Before Wang Pu could change his mind, Ling Que'er reached out and took it.
Her eyes curved into crescents and she knelt down happily and bowed.
There was another "crunch" sound, and Lingqueer tasted cream-flavored melon seeds.
The frying method of this melon seeds is relatively complicated.
First boil the milk, wait for the fat in the milk to float up, collect it, then mix it evenly with an appropriate amount of sugar and stir-fry together.
The melon seeds are wrapped in a rich milky aroma, and are mellow and slightly sweet.
When chewing, you can almost smell the sweetness, the softness of milk and the crispness of melon seeds blending together.
Ling Que'er opened her eyes wide and couldn't wait to take out the banknotes.
"One bamboo tube for each flavor." The rich girl is very wealthy.
Wang Pu couldn't help but smile.
Driven by the two, the sales of multi-flavored melon seeds gradually opened up, and many people repurchased them.
From the time the sun rose to the time it set, there was no sign that the Spring Examination results would be announced. The gates of the Imperial Examination Hall were locked, and only soldiers in black armor were stationed there to prevent the masses from causing trouble.
"The fat boy who caused trouble in the young lady's shop yesterday was the son of the Dali Temple official who was beaten by us." Li Mi, a student from Yang'an, has a good memory.
"In my opinion, he is definitely up to something," another scholar continued.
"I should have punched that little fat boy a few more times."
With no hope of the list being published, students from the Northern Territory were too lazy to push forward.
They all retreated to the periphery to chat and relieve their anxiety by eating melon seeds.
"Fighting is bad." The bean sprout boy muttered to himself.
He was afraid of the northern scholars who dared to start a fight, but when he saw that everyone was standing up for Miss Gui, he felt relieved and his heart was very conflicted.
The melon seeds were sold out one after another, and the two apprentices returned happily to Guiji Braised Food Shop with their shoulder poles and empty baskets and the money they had earned.
The shop door was half-open, and clusters of deep purple flower spikes hung down, forming a natural curtain.
The shop sign hangs steadily, which makes people feel at ease.
"Girl, we're back!" The girl with the ponytail rushed into the house and told about what she had seen today. "Sure enough, there were no big papers on the wall," she said. "But no one wanted to leave."
No one dared to rebel under the spears of the black-armored soldiers, only the buzzing whispers of mosquitoes and flies continued.
The voices of criticism are whispering, and the voices of prayer are suppressed and uneasy.
"Draging it on like this is not a good idea." Gui Zhi'er said sharply, "The best time for the government to rectify the corruption and restore its reputation is only twelve hours."
If public opinion cannot be resolved quickly, the situation will only get worse.
The girl with ponytail seemed to understand but not quite.
When I looked up, I saw that the young lady was dressed very differently from usual.
Guizhier was wearing a dark nightgown with a double-breasted waist and tight sleeves, which outlined her slender yet strong waist.
The hooded cloak covers his head, and his sharp eyes are quite heroic.
"I made you some rice with minced fish, minced meat and egg yolk." Gui Zhier instructed as she hid her weapons on her body, "I'm going out tonight."
She took a long, narrow boning knife from the chopping board, and the blade flashed a cold light.
"If you haven't returned by noon tomorrow, go to the Chunhe Jingming Inn and find the owner."
The two apprentices nodded in agreement, thanked the young lady, and went back to their room with their food bowls.
"Hey, this isn't for you two to eat!" Gui Zhi'er didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Haven't you always wanted to go to the fruit and vegetable shop in the West Market to play with the kitten?"
"Remember to come back before dark."
"Thank you, young lady!" The two apprentices' eyes suddenly lit up, all their fatigue disappeared, and they ran out excitedly with cat food in their hands.
The bluestone pavement in the streets and alleys made a clattering sound as they walked under their feet.
A few napping sparrows under the eaves were startled and flew away.
"What are you going to do, young lady?" The bean sprout boy ran out of breath.
"Maybe he was helping someone kill a pig." The girl thought for a moment.
"When my second uncle butchers pigs in the village, he wears dark clothes and carries a sharp knife."
"Oh." The boy was convinced.
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