Chapter 126 Jiangnan Water Towns
The carriage traveled south, crossed the Yangtze River, and the scenery suddenly changed.
No longer are the yellow sandstorms, withered vines and old trees of the north; instead, there is a warm and humid wind, white walls and black tiles, small bridges and flowing water, and the soft, melodious cries of vendors in Wu dialect.
We've arrived in Jiangnan.
Wow—! Water! So much water!
Four-year-old Tuantuan leaned against the window of the awning boat, looking at the emerald green river below, excitedly waving her little gold brick. "Mommy! Why are all the roads here made of water?"
Jiang Mianmian slumped on the soft cushions in the cabin, waving a newly bought round fan in her hand, her posture as lazy as a royal concubine cat.
"This is what a water town is like."
She pointed to the willows drooping along the bank, "Son, our mission here is very important. We have to eat all the fish, shrimp, crabs, and lotus roots here!"
[Slurp...]
[I can already smell it! The air is filled with the aroma of sweet and sour pork ribs and squirrel-shaped mandarin fish!]
[Chen Jin, tell the boatman to row faster! We need to get to the most famous 'Lou Wai Lou' restaurant!]
Shen Jin sat at the bow of the boat, dressed in a blue robe, holding a scroll in his hand, exuding the refined elegance of a scholar from Jiangnan. Hearing her thoughts, he shook his head helplessly and instructed the boatman:
"Boatman, to the best restaurant."
"Alright! Squat up, sir!"
The awning boats glided across the water, passing under ancient stone bridges.
Both sides of the river were bustling markets. There were girls selling flowers, old men selling water chestnuts, and scholars reciting poems.
"Oh my, this lady is truly as beautiful as an angel..."
On the shore, a self-proclaimed romantic and talented man saw Jiang Mianmian in the boat, his eyes lit up, and he was about to recite a poem to strike up a conversation.
Suddenly, a half-eaten water chestnut pit flew over with a "whoosh" and landed precisely in his open mouth.
"Ugh!" The talented man nearly choked to death.
"Who? Who attacked me?"
Inside the cabin, Xiao Tuantuan clapped her hands, looking at Shen Jin with an innocent expression:
"Dad, that uncle is so noisy, he's disturbing Mom from looking at the menu."
Shen Jin patted his son's head and calmly praised him: "Good aim. But next time use grape skins, water chestnut seeds are too hard, they can be fatal."
Talented Scholar: ...
Are this family devils?
...
Half an hour later, in the private room of the largest restaurant in Linjiang.
The view from here is expansive, directly facing the misty, rain-shrouded lake—a truly magnificent sight. But for Jiang Mianmian, the view from the table was a million times better than anything outside.
"Serve the food!"
With a shout from the waiter, one exquisite dish after another, famous Jiangnan dishes, were served up like a flowing stream.
Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish!
The fish was fried to a golden brown and crispy perfection, its head held high and tail curled upwards, drizzled with a sweet and sour, bright red sauce—it looked incredibly appetizing. Jiang Mianmian picked up a piece with her chopsticks; the fish was crispy, sweet and sour, and the flesh was tender and fresh.
Mmm! This is the taste! This is authentic Suzhou cuisine!
Dongpo pork!
The meat is reddish-brown and square, rich yet not greasy. Jiang Mianmian takes a bite, and the skin is springy, the fat melts in her mouth, the lean meat is tender, and the rich aroma of wine and meat explodes in her mouth.
[So delicious I could cry! This is packed with collagen! It's the biggest obstacle on my weight loss journey!]
Longjing Shrimp!
Light and elegant, the aroma of tea blends perfectly with the freshness of shrimp.
【Braised eel in hot oil!】
Hot oil is poured over it, and with a sizzling sound, the aroma of pepper is instantly released.
Jiang Mianmian ate without even lifting her head, her chopsticks flashing in the air.
"Chen Jin! You eat too! Don't just peel shrimp for me!"
With her mouth full, she mumbled, "This meat is absolutely amazing! You should have a piece too!"
Shen Jin watched her wolf down her food as if she hadn't eaten for three days, his eyes full of amusement.
He wasn't very hungry, or rather, just watching her eat made him feel full.
"I don't like sweets."
Shen Jin wiped the corner of her mouth and said, "Eat more."
"Then I won't be polite!"
Little Tuantuan next to her wasn't idle either.
Although the boy is only four years old, he has an amazing appetite. He was holding a huge lion's head in one hand and scooping up vegetable soup with a spoon in the other, his face glistening with oil as he ate.
"Mom! This meatball is bigger than my fist!"
Tuantuan held up the lion's head and gestured, "Can I flatten it with one punch?"
"cannot."
Jiang Mianmian sternly stopped her, "Food is for eating, not for fighting. If you dare to waste food, I'll confiscate your gold brick."
Tuantuan immediately cowered and obediently lowered her head to gnaw on the meat.
Just as the family of three was enjoying their meal, a loud conversation suddenly broke out in the next private room.
"In my opinion, although Jiangnan is beautiful, it is ultimately not as prosperous as the capital. I have heard that the Regent has retired, and now the court is entirely ruled by the young emperor..."
"Shh! Watch your words! Although the Regent has stepped down, his influence remains. And I've heard that the Protectorate Lady is a 'female demon,' what if she hears this..."
"Haha! What female demon? She's just a woman! I bet it's all just talk!"
Jiang Mianmian paused in her act of gnawing on the pig's trotter.
[Oh? You can even hear your own gossip while having a meal?]
[They say I'm a virtuous woman? They say I'm bragging?]
She put down the pig's trotter and narrowed her eyes dangerously.
This meal suddenly doesn't taste so good.
Shen Jin's expression also turned cold.
He was about to get up to "deal with" the noise from next door when Jiang Mianmian stopped him.
"Don't move."
Jiang Mianmian wiped her hands and gave a kind smile. "This is a small matter, Your Highness doesn't need to get involved. Let Tuantuan handle it."
"Tuantuan?" Shen Jin glanced at his son, who was eating happily.
"son!"
Jiang Mianmian tapped the table. "The uncle next door is talking badly about your mother, and he even said that the food we cook isn't good. What do you think we should do?"
Upon hearing this, Tuantuan swallowed the meat in her mouth, and her big eyes instantly turned fierce.
"Dare to speak ill of your mother?"
He jumped off the chair and pulled out the ancestral gold brick from the cloth bag behind him.
"I'll go and 'reason' with them!"
Carrying the gold brick, Tuantuan walked out of the private room with an air of indifference.
Shen Jin: ...
Does this even need reasoning? Isn't this a form of "physical exorcism"?
A moment later.
A series of muffled thuds came from the next private room; it was the sound of gold bricks hitting the table.
Immediately following was the scream of the group of scholars:
"Oh my! Where did this child come from?"
"Stop smashing! Stop smashing! The table is broken!"
"This gold... is it real? My head is spinning..."
"I have money! I have money! Don't slap me!"
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Tuantuan returned with her head held high, carrying the gold brick in one hand and a stack of silver notes in the other.
"Mom! It's all done!"
Tuantuan slapped the banknotes in front of Jiang Mianmian, "They said the food was so delicious that they cried with emotion. This is their... compensation for emotional distress."
Jiang Mianmian skillfully took the silver notes, counted them, and nodded in satisfaction:
"Hmm, five hundred taels. It seems they are indeed very moved."
Well done!
[This is the advantage of raising a son! Not only can he provide for you in old age, but he can also protect you from online trolls!]
Shen Jin looked at the two money-grubbers, one big and one small, and sighed helplessly.
This water town in Jiangnan is likely to be thrown into chaos by this mother and daughter.
but……
Seeing Jiang Mianmian's happy expression as she counted the money, Shen Jin thought, "Let her be."
As long as she's happy, he'd fill the West Lake back up even if it drained.
"Are you full?"
Shen Jin asked, "Have you eaten? I'll take you for a boat trip on the lake. I've heard the scenery along the Qinhuai River is especially beautiful at night."
"Let's go!"
Jiang Mianmian put away the money, picked up her son, and said, "Next stop, Qinhuai River! I want to listen to some music!"
The family of three walked out of the restaurant, leaving behind a table full of empty plates, and a room next door filled with bruised and battered scholars who were questioning the meaning of life.
This is a day in the "nuclear peace" of the Jiangnan water towns.
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