39 Spicy Pork Rice Noodles
◎Why wouldn't she want to marry me?◎
"Tsk tsk, he's not going to survive, his face is purple——"
"My stomach is full of water, I'm almost suffocating. This delicate and tender girl, I wonder who's the wife of?"
"Have you reported it to the police? Send someone to collect the body quickly—"
At the edge of the Leaping Gold Pond, the man who had fallen into the water was dragged ashore by kindhearted people. Everyone gathered in a circle, talking and sighing.
Jiang Qinglan and her two sisters squeezed into the crowd and saw a girl curled up on the ground. She was soaked, her face was purple, and she was breathing very softly.
Seeing this, Jiang Qinglan's heart skipped a beat. He's choked on water! CPR is needed!
She quickly shouted, "Spread out! Spread out! Let the air flow!"
After saying that, he immediately knelt down, first loosened the girl's collar, then put his hands together and pressed hard on her chest.
After pressing thirty times, he would lift her chin and blow two breaths of air gently into her.
She learned CPR from a doctor during a school union activity that year.
The master's supervisor thought it was troublesome and sent her to fill the number. Unexpectedly, she really came in handy.
However, this resuscitation technique requires extremely heavy pressure to be effective.
Sometimes, she could even break the patient's ribs. Even with the strength of an eighteen-year-old girl, she was exhausted and panting after pressing dozens of times.
Her hands felt weak, and she looked up. Everyone around her looked surprised, whispering and pointing at her, as if she were performing some kind of witchcraft.
Only Wang Huiniang followed the instructions and dispersed the crowd.
At the critical moment of life and death, you can’t care about so many things.
She made a quick decision and called a tall young man in rough linen clothes, "You, come quickly and massage her chest and blow on it!"
"I—I—" The young man pointed his finger at the tip of his nose, hesitating, his face flushed, "There are differences between men and women, how can this be allowed?!"
There was also muffled laughter in the crowd.
"I'll give you two taels of silver. Do you want to do it? If not, I'll find someone else!"
Jiang Qinglan had sought this man out because he looked ragged and must be short of food and clothing. Two taels of silver, if lived frugally, would be enough for an average family to live on for a year.
"I'll do it, I'll do it--" After agreeing repeatedly, the young man knelt down and began to press his chest according to Jiang Qinglan's instructions.
But he just refused to blow.
Fortunately, the young man was very strong. After pressing the button twenty or thirty times, the drowning girl vomited water with a "wow".
Suddenly, she woke up slowly, looked at the people around her, and started to cry.
At this point, everyone began to look at Jiang Qinglan with new respect.
Some were amazed, some asked her the reason, and more people were concerned about the woman who fell into the water.
"Madam, where is your home? Tell us quickly so we can take you home."
The woman just shook her head, tears streaming down her face, refusing to utter a single word. She only glanced at her lifesavers a few times, without even saying a single "thank you."
When everyone saw her like this, they knew that it was not an accident, but she had committed suicide by drowning, and they all shook their heads.
The people around him were whispering and talking loudly. Jiang Qinglan felt a headache coming on from the noise.
She first took out two taels of silver and sent the young man away, then took the thin quilt that Wang Huiniang brought from the car and wrapped the soaked girl tightly.
Tuan Tuan had been looking with his head tilted. At this moment, he finally remembered and exclaimed, "Ah, you are not... the lady who bought the green plums?"
Just now, something urgent happened, and although Jiang Qinglan felt that she looked familiar, he couldn't recognize who she was. Now, after hearing Tuantuan's words, he also remembered.
Before, when they were living in Jianlong Temple, they carried winnowing baskets to sell candied fruit skewers.
In my first business venture, I had no experience and produced too many green plums. They were sour and I couldn't sell them. In the end, a pregnant woman bought them.
She still remembered that this person seemed to live in Tianshui Lane.
Later, she went to deliver goods again.
Even though we went in through the back door, it looked like the family was wealthy and powerful, with two red lanterns hanging in front of the door, which looked very impressive.
I just don't know how this lady ended up in this state.
Speaking of which, as one of the first guests, she, like Wang Huiniang, was Jiang Qinglan's benefactor...
With two "crackling" sounds, thunder exploded above my head.
Everyone looked up and saw dark clouds covering the sun and the city. It had been sunny for many days, but now it was about to rain heavily.
The people around him were also saved, and the onlookers started to make a lot of noise and dispersed.
Jiang Qinglan hesitated for a moment and looked at Wang Huiniang.
The two of them were in sync and worked together to pull the man up: "Let's go, get in the car first."
…
After getting on the carriage and being patiently persuaded, they learned that the girl's surname was Zhang and her name was Yue Niang. Jiang Qinglan then asked, "I remember your home was in Tianshui Lane?"
Zhang Yueniang was stunned at first, but when she heard these three words, she suddenly woke up: "No, no, no, I won't go. Not to Tianshui Lane."
Fear flashed in her eyes, and she emphasized again: "I would rather die than go."
Jiang Qinglan was surprised, but Wang Huiniang understood at first sight.
This woman was pretty, and when she was pregnant, she ordered servants around, but now, she didn't even dare to go home. This meant that she must be a concubine of a family in Tianshui Lane.
When the child was born, the eldest wife became jealous of her and, while the man of the house was not at home, tortured her and drove her out.
She was so upset that she jumped into the water.
"Then..." Wang Hui Niang pondered, "Where is your mother's home? Should we take you back?"
Zhang Yue Niang shook her head: "It's too far, I can't go back." Her eyes were full of sadness.
After hearing this, the two of them had nothing to say and could only temporarily take the person back to Jiangmi Lane.
Wang Huiniang took a set of her own clothes and asked Zhang Yueniang to change into them. There was an empty house in her yard, so she settled them there.
After washing and dressing herself, Zhang Yueniang's face looked even more gentle and beautiful, but she was still listless and spoke very little.
It was almost the end of the afternoon and it was raining heavily outside.
The raindrops dripped down the eaves like beads, making the street surface tinkle.
Jiang Qinglan looked at the continuous rain and temporarily gave up the idea of going back to the Xinghua Restaurant for the opening. He held up his umbrella and returned to his yard.
After busying herself in the kitchen for a while, she soon went to the next yard holding an umbrella and carrying a bamboo basket.
Seeing Zhang Yueniang still staring at the heavy rain outside the window in a daze, she said, "You must be hungry. Come and try this braised pork rice noodle."
After hearing this, Zhang Yueniang's eyes widened in surprise.
There was a small, yellow-brown clay pot on the table. When the lid was removed, hot, white steam billowed out.
The pot is filled with colorful things.
The soup base is covered with golden oil rings, like scattered gold foil - this is the soup stewed with a fat old hen.
The snow-white rice noodles, as slender as silver threads, unfurled in the boiling soup, the part exposed above the broth already coated in a layer of glistening oil.
The mung bean sprouts are picked out right after they are raw, but the leek segments are cooked purely in chicken soup, and they look crispy and green.
The pork slices were cut as thin as cicada wings, scalded to a slightly pink color, and curled up like the socket of a lamp.
A spoonful of bright red dogwood sauce gathered at the edge of the pot and was not stirred.
There is a spicy and fragrant smell in the air, probably because of the pepper.
Jiang Qinglan smiled and said, "I hear you have a southwestern accent, so you must like this, right?"
She had heard it in the carriage just now, and when she heard Zhang Yueniang say that her family's home was too far away, she concluded that she might be from the southwest.
This braised pork rice noodle is a specialty of Wenshan, Yunnan. At that time, Yunnan belonged to the Dali Kingdom, but people in the southwest generally loved rice noodles.
When Jiang Qinglan was studying for her master's degree, there was a ten-year-old restaurant near the north gate of the school where she often ate.
The soup base is delicious and the rice noodles are smooth, you will never get tired of eating it.
Especially on chilly days in autumn and winter, slurping a pot of rice noodles will warm your mouth and stomach, which is such a happy feeling.
She seemed to remember that Wang Zengqi had written about a kind of "Cuan Rou Rice Noodles" in his essay.
"Cuan" and "chuan" have similar pronunciations. However, Wang Zengqi said that "Cuan Rou Rice Noodles" contains minced meat, while the "chuan Rou Rice Noodles" she ate contained pork tenderloin slices.
So, these two should be different, right?
Now, the ones she makes are based on the ones made by the rice noodle shop outside the school.
It’s not authentic because it doesn’t have condiments like chili oil, but it’s okay as long as it has the flavor.
Seeing Zhang Yueniang nod, she handed over a pair of chopsticks:
"There's enough pepper and dogwood paste in this. You caught a cold after falling into the water, so you need to eat something to relieve the cold."
Zhang Yue Niang stared at it blankly, seeming a little surprised.
For this pot of steaming rice noodles, for her kindness.
Jiang Qinglan knew what she was thinking. That day, outside Jianlong Temple, the two of them had also met by chance. She recounted the incident and concluded:
"At that time, I was in dire straits. My parents were gone, and I was living in a temple with my little sister. Thanks to you buying green plums, I was able to start my business. Now, I've managed to pull through."
"As for people, when you die, you have nothing. Only when you are alive can you have a future."
Zhang Yueniang ate rice noodles while listening silently. Suddenly, she sniffed and tears streamed down her face.
After finishing a bowl of rice noodles, she stood up, knelt down, and kowtowed to Jiang Qinglan:
"My dear, thank you for saving my life. I was so confused that I did something stupid. Now that I have this life, I will live well as you said."
Jiang Qinglan helped her up and looked at the rain outside the window, feeling relieved.
Times are tough, especially for women, so help however you can.
——
There was a hole in the sky and it rained heavily the whole afternoon, with crackling and tinkling sounds.
It was not until night that the rain gradually subsided, and the sound of the drops hitting the banana leaves in Qingxinyuan was very pleasant.
Mrs. Xie took a sip of the matcha taro milk and felt very comfortable. She sighed in the most straightforward way: "It tastes so good——"
Looking at the raindrops that were like lines on the eaves, she said thankfully, "It's a good thing I sent someone there early, so I could buy it."
Since the Ghost Festival, Xie Linchuan has never appeared in the Xinghua Restaurant again and only sent people to buy food.
He smiled and said, "Mrs. Jiang is really good at cooking, and Grandma knows how to eat. From now on, you two will have fun together."
His tone made it clear that he treated Jiang Qinglan as a family member.
Upon hearing this, Madam Xie put down her matcha drink, thought for a moment, and then said, "Have you made all the arrangements for her?"
"Exactly."
Mrs. Xie nodded, but did not ask any further questions.
The first thing is, what should we do with Princess Baoqing?
Then there were his parents. His father was so cautious that he even had to control Cuju. How could he be willing to marry Jiang Yuan's daughter as his daughter-in-law?
Furthermore, she was now a merchant woman, and she was divorced. How could she possibly cross the line between these two?
These things seem important, but Mrs. Xie doesn't care.
After considering for a long time, she finally suggested:
"When it comes to matters between men and women, it's all about mutual consent. Grandmother, let me ask you a question. Now that you're in love, is Madam Jiang willing?"
"Why wouldn't she want to?"
Xie Linchuan smiled, his face full of energy.
"Is it because I'm not good-looking? Is the power of my Dongping Palace not enough for her? Is there not enough money for her to spend? Is there not enough silk, satin, rouge and powder for her to use?"
"She's married to me, so she can do whatever she wants. Why would she bother trying to make a living in the market?"
Xie Linchuan became more and more excited as he spoke, and he wished he could ask a matchmaker tonight and get married the next day.
As he spoke, he thought of the jewelry he hadn't even looked at yet. He stood up and left in a flash.
Seeing this, Xia Yin came in and comforted him: "Old Ancestor, if you drink this matcha again, I'm afraid you won't be able to sleep at night."
Madam Xie smiled and said, "How could I not be able to sleep?"
She deliberately took a big gulp: "Isn't there milk in this? Milk is the best for sleeping."
Smacking her lips, she felt like something was missing. "Where's the braised pig's trotter I asked you to buy from the Xinghua Restaurant yesterday?"
Xia Yin had no choice but to hold up the oil-paper bag and said, "Grandfather, it's late at night. The braised pig's trotters are too greasy and they've been steamed before. You can't eat too much."
"I know! I know!" Old Madam Xie nodded like a chick pecking at rice, but she grabbed the pig's trotter and chewed it with big mouthfuls.
A bite of meat on the left and a sip of matcha milk on the right, it’s never too much.
She spat the bones onto the table and thought: Xia Yin and the others secretly bought some delicious food, so I should return the favor.
Then he ordered, "Tell the maids in the yard to stay away from Sanlang to avoid him getting hurt by mistake."
He is a reckless person. When he is unhappy, he will cause those around him to get hurt.
Xia Yin was a little puzzled: "I saw that the prince was in a good mood just now."
Madam Xie smiled and shook her head: "It will be bad soon."
——
After the heavy rain, the hot summer weather of the past few days finally dissipated a lot.
In the early morning and evening, the river breeze blows slowly, and it feels so cold that it prompts people to put on more clothes.
It's true, after all, it's almost Mid-Autumn Festival, so it should be cold. But this year the weather is abnormal, and there's a drought in the south.
After being rescued, Zhang Yueniang was depressed for several days. Finally, she cheered up and went to the Xinghua Restaurant to sell drinks.
She had a letter of release from the mistress of the Tianshui Lane household, so she was considered a good family girl. Jiang Qinglan paid her two taels of silver a month as an employee, and agreed to a commission based on the sales of her drinks.
What is unexpected is that Zhang Yue Niang, who looks inconspicuous, actually has a talent in cooking.
For example, Jiang Qinglan initially decided on three daily drinks: Matcha Taro Milk, Matcha Frappuccino, and Matcha Coconut. After a few days of cooking, Zhang Yueniang unexpectedly invented her own Matcha Crispy Ice Jasmine Ball.
The jasmine flowers are frozen in small ice cubes, blooming as brightly as everlasting flowers, which is very beautiful.
These crunchy balls are made with chicory root powder, brown sugar, and milk. Biting through the crispy outer layer reveals the rich, fragrant milk inside. The sweetness is slightly bitter, the bitterness tinged with sweetness, akin to a modern chocolate-filled ball.
This drink is both beautiful and interesting, and surprisingly sells better than Jiang Qinglan's modern recipes. In the evening, there are even long lines in the drink area.
Yang Song would come every day to buy a couple of drinks, sometimes in person, sometimes by sending the old doorman, Tian Er, to run errands.
He also specifically instructed to add more sugar.
Girls love sweet things. How could Jiang Qinglan not know who he bought it for? He just smiled and said nothing.
Zhang Yue Niang became more and more courageous and was not afraid of trouble. She even came up with various ingredients, which looked like coconut flakes, red beans, milk caps and the like in later generations.
Several combinations can create countless drinks.
If Jiang Qinglan had not observed her for a long time without finding anything, he would have even thought that she was a time-traveling woman.
Zhang Yue Niang later explained that when she was in her hometown, her father invited a master to help her practice her cooking skills.
Jiang Qinglan didn't understand why, but Wang Huiniang knew that this was a daughter specially trained to be a concubine.
In today's world, some minor officials would offer their concubines' daughters as concubines in order to please their superiors.
These daughters were taught to serve others from a young age. Not only were they proficient in poetry, songs, calligraphy, and painting, they were also expected to master one or two crafts. Some had a basic understanding of medicine, some were skilled in cooking, and some were skilled in massage...
Jiang Qinglan sighed deeply after hearing this. No wonder Zhang Yueniang had said her home was too far away and she couldn't go back.
She had a miserable life experience and excellent cooking skills, so Jiang Qinglan thought about training her to become a partner.
When the time is right, Zhang Yue Niang will take charge of the kitchen, Wang Hui Niang will be in charge of the front desk, and he will just sit firmly in the central military camp.
At that time, she could come up with ideas to replicate the model of the Xinghua Restaurant and open a few more branches.
The future (of money) is bright!
…
A few days after the Mid-Autumn Festival, it was drizzling outside, but in the kitchen of the Xinghua Restaurant, there was a small fire burning.
Jiang Qinglan and Zhang Yueniang were making stewed chicken with white pepper pork tripe.
Now that summer has turned into autumn and the weather is getting cooler, it is easier to catch a cold. White pepper is warm in nature and has the effect of dispelling cold.
Moreover, compared to chili peppers, or even cornel and ginger, which were the main sources of spicy flavors at this time, white pepper has a milder taste. Therefore, it is suitable for both men and women, young and old.
Chicken soup is a classic warming tonic, naturally delicious. The pork belly is tender yet still chewy, and its unique aroma gives the soup a rich, yet not monotonous, flavor.
They each took a small bowl and filled it with a spoonful of soup. The soup was milky white with yellow oil circles floating all over it.
After taking a bite, Jiang Qinglan thought: The chicken is fresh, the pork belly is rich, and the pepper is spicy. The aftertaste is endless, but...
She was still thinking when she heard Zhang Yueniang say, "Madam, I think we should add some Sichuan peppercorns and wolfberries. But, we need to use less."
Jiang Qinglan smiled and said, "Not bad!"
Cooking really requires talent. She herself has some skills, but she relies more on the wisdom of modern people.
And Zhang Yue Niang is indeed talented.
The Sichuan peppercorns provide a numb flavor, adding a layer of spiciness to the white peppercorns. The wolfberries are sweet, but not as overpowering as the red dates.
The beauty of this is the subtle numbness and sweetness.
Moreover, the dark red Sichuan peppercorns and bright red wolfberries can embellish the milky white and bright yellow soup.
After adding Sichuan peppercorns and wolfberries, the flavor was indeed even more delicious. Jiang Qinglan thought to himself: The soups sold at noon and evening are ready. At noon, a few people can have a full meal.
Since arriving here, Jiang Qinglan has followed the local customs and, like everyone else, has a simple lunch, consisting of just pancakes, leftovers, and the like.
Today, for this meal of pork belly and chicken, she specially steamed a pot of pumpkin rice.
In the restaurant industry, people typically eat earlier or later than others to avoid peak dining times. Jiang Qinglan has always been one of those early eaters. Her philosophy is: if you don't eat enough, you won't have energy, and if you don't have energy, you won't be able to serve your customers well.
It was almost the end of the Si hour, and Wang Huiniang had not yet returned from her outing. It was raining outside, so the three of them ate at lunchtime at the small kitchen table.
Jiang Qinglan first handed a big chicken leg to Tuantuan.
The latter held the chicken bone with his chubby little hands, took a bite, dipped it in the special cornus officinalis and soybean paste in the small dish, and his mouth was full of oil.
Jiang Qinglan just smiled as he looked at her, then held the iron spoon steadily and scooped a full bowl into the blue and white porcelain bowl.
The thin strips of pork belly were sticking out, and there was also a huge chicken leg, which had been stewed to a pulp, with only a little bit of skin left clinging to the bone.
She pushed the bowl in front of Zhang Yueniang and said, "Eat more."
Zhang Yueniang was born with a cherry mouth and willow-shaped eyebrows, and had a kind of beautiful girl's beauty, but she was too delicate.
Hearing this, she widened her almond-shaped eyes slightly and raised her thin eyebrows: "Madam, I..."
These days, Jiang Qinglan already knew most of Zhang Yueniang's life experience.
She gave birth to a baby boy for the family in Sweetwater Lane, but the child was born dead. Moreover, he was covered with strange red spots from forehead to chin, which frightened the midwife so much that she even overturned the basin.
The eldest wife acted decisively and, while the male master was away, she drove the woman out on the pretext of giving birth to a demon. This was how Zhang Yueniang committed suicide by jumping into the golden pond.
Jiang Qinglan knew immediately that the so-called strange-shaped red spot was just a red birthmark, commonly known as the "crane kiss mark".
In modern times, when he was a little older, he could go to the dermatology department for surgery. But now, he was falsely accused of being a monster, and his mother suffered as well.
After hearing this, she felt a chill in her heart. She became more alert to the ignorance and horror of this feudal society, and felt more sympathy for Zhang Yueniang.
At this moment, she explained: "First, you fell into the water the other day and caught a cold. You should eat more warming foods."
"Secondly, I see you haven't been eating enough these days. This pig's stomach nourishes the stomach and spleen. Once your appetite is stimulated, eat more and keep your body healthy, which is the most important thing."
Zhang Yueniang had a slender waist, barely longer than a palm, likely the result of a strict diet and a tight waistline from childhood. As the saying goes, "The King of Chu loves thin waists, and many in the palace starve to death."
Zhang Yueniang was silent for a moment, then tears welled up in her eyes. She lowered her eyes, and pearl-like tears dripped into the soup bowl.
Jiang Qinglan sighed inwardly.
How could she not understand? Just like when Wang Huiniang recruited her to work as a cook at Jianlong Temple and Zhang Yueniang bought her rock sugar green plum strings, she was also touched.
It is easy to add icing on the cake, but difficult to provide timely assistance!
But it was not appropriate to cry at this moment. She smiled gently at him and nodded towards Tuantuan.
Fortunately, the little foodie was so busy that he had no time to care about anything else.
She picked all the pumpkin out of the rice and put it in another bowl.
Then, they scooped some pork belly and chicken from the broth and poured it all over the snow-white rice. Finally, they poured in the cornelian soybean paste, mixing it all together until the rice, vegetables, and meat were a vibrant yellow and red.
The white rice was dipped in sauce, covered with strips of pork belly, which were then pressed down by chunks of chicken. On top were a few tiny, bright red wolfberries.
It's done! She then began to eat her rice.
The first sips of the dish are greeted by the spicy aroma of white pepper and the spiciness of dogwood sauce. Next, the delicious pork belly strips, their long stewing leaving behind a rich, savory flavor. A few shredded chicken follow, offering a surprisingly chewy texture. The rice, smothered in a touch of broth, is fragrant and slightly sweet.
They tasted every flavor of the food and were very satisfied.
At the end, she did not forget to pick a piece of pumpkin and ate it sweetly as a dessert.
Seeing this, Zhang Yue Niang sniffed, held back her tears, and forced a smile at Jiang Qinglan.
After the three of them finished eating, the rain seemed to have subsided. Zhang Yue Niang cleaned up the dishes and went to the green onion field to pick green onions.
Tuantuan ate until his belly was full and he was too lazy to move. He just lay down on a small bamboo chair and watched the roosters and hens in the backyard foraging in the fence.
Jiang Qinglan calculated the time, scooped rice and soup for Wang Huiniang, and steamed them in the pot.
She lifted the lid of the pot, and white steam instantly rose up, covering her face.
Amidst the vast expanse of white, one could hear the sound of hearty laughter spreading from the front hall, getting closer and louder. It was just like the description of Wang Xifeng in "Dream of the Red Chamber": "Even before her red lips opened, her laughter was heard."
Wang Huiniang walked in like the wind, waved away the mist in front of her, and said with a smile: "Sister, I came back from outside and met a guest who asked for you."
Seeing that she was indeed full of youthful rosy cheeks, Jiang Qinglan felt like teasing her and said with a smile, "You are smiling like that, is there something good going on?"
The two of them, one a long-time widow and the other a divorced woman, had been together for a long time, and when no one else was around, they were like college dorm sisters, loving to make up some appropriate jokes.
Wang Huiniang spat, "Bah! I saw that he spoke in elegant language, behaved in a refined manner, and was very handsome. I felt that he was just like you and was very happy for you!"
Polite? Handsome? She'd go see him.
Jiang Qinglan smiled without saying a word, without even taking off her armband or apron, and went straight to the front hall.
【Author’s words】
There were no pumpkins in the Song Dynasty, this is a private setting.
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