Chapter 7 Dr. Yao: Delicious! Really delicious! You all should try it!
The three exchanged glances, then looked up at the lintel behind the woman, a hint of surprise appearing in their eyes: This was definitely the Yao family…
Isn't that girl standing in front of the door Dr. Yao's granddaughter who always hides from people? This girl, who rarely even leaves the courtyard, is now setting up a stove at the alley entrance and selling... food?
Suppressing their suspicions, the three of them went over to investigate.
Yao Ruyi sold out almost everything in half an hour. Seeing that there were hardly any customers left, she was happily about to pack up when she suddenly heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw three young students dressed in blue robes.
The three looked to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, and they seemed somewhat familiar, like the students who used to frequent the Yao family in the original owner's memories.
However, her memory was too hazy for Yao Ruyi to recognize who they were.
The tall, thin man with the more lively features was quite outgoing. He craned his neck to get closer to the earthenware jar, peering into the steaming liquid inside: "What is Miss Yao cooking..."
"These are chicken eggs simmered in tea broth. Would you gentlemen like to try some?" Yao Ruyi gathered her sleeves, pondered the original owner's personality, and gave a shy smile, her voice soft, "There are only six left in total."
The other student, the tallest and with a cool expression, was even more surprised to see Yao Ruyi answer so gracefully. After hesitating for a moment, he asked with concern, "Is Mr. Yao feeling much better? When I came to ask him this morning, Aunt Wu told me that he was able to get up."
As expected of Grandpa Yao's student, Yao Ruyi nodded and replied, "Grandpa's health has improved, and he can walk around now, but his mind is still not clear. I'm sorry to trouble you all."
The round-faced student in the far corner was only focused on the fragrant, dark brown braising liquid in the jar. He took a deep sniff and said with some surprise, "This... this tea-braised chicken was actually cooked by the young lady herself?"
How come Yao Xiaoniangzi has changed so much in just a few days? When they came to visit the other day, they clearly heard Aunt Wu, Yao's niece-in-law, angrily berating her as a useless bum.
Yao Ruyi had already prepared her explanation. With a bitter expression, she lowered her head and sighed softly, "Yes. My father is quite ill, and he needs money for daily necessities. We can't just sit around and do nothing. In the past, my father always doted on me and indulged me, which allowed me to enjoy a comfortable life at home. Now, I am useless and have nothing to repay him with. I don't know what else I can do. I learned how to make this tea-braised chicken by chance from a book. It looked simple, so I decided to try it out to supplement our household income."
These words left all three of them with a bitter taste in their mouths. After a long silence, the bright-eyed student quickly said, "There are six left? I'll take them all. How much?"
"Three coins each. The best red-skinned raw chicken in the market costs one coin each. Tea-braised chicken needs to be braised with spices and tea leaves. Add in the cost of coal, and I don't really make much money. I just want to make a small profit and sell more to build up a good reputation. If you gentlemen enjoy the food, please remember to spread the word for me."
Yao Ruyi said this hoping they wouldn't complain about the price, since most braised eggs sold outside cost only two coins each, and some even sold them for three coins for two. Her price of three coins per egg was indeed higher than outside, but Yao Ruyi considered that her costs were not low. She had bought this batch of eggs temporarily from a general store at market price, and if she sold them for two coins, there would be no profit. So she had no choice but to set the price at three coins per egg for now.
Based on her observations over the past few days, one copper coin in this world had the purchasing power of about 2-3 yuan in later times. As long as it wasn't a year of chicken plague, it could buy two live chickens. However, the currency and price system at this time was chaotic and fragile. Fluctuations in the purity of copper coins and the price of gold and silver would affect the value of copper coins, so Yao Ruyi could only make this conversion for now.
She had already decided that when she had some free time, she would approach a few chicken farmers to negotiate long-term egg supply prices, hoping that this would help reduce costs.
Moreover, the broth made from these spices can be recycled. The longer the broth is simmered, the more mellow it becomes. In the end, the cost per egg is negligible, and it's not as serious as she claims.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing her say that, the bright-eyed student became anxious: "Oh dear, you...you...you should sell it for a higher price!"
Yao Ruyi was stunned: "...Huh?"
"I don't know what to say to you! You truly are worthy of being Dr. Yao's granddaughter; how can you be so honest in business? Look around, where are we?"
He pointed backwards with a look of exasperation at the golden lintel of the Imperial College, which was half-hidden in the night.
"Do you know how much our canteen sells for a steamed egg custard that's so diluted with water that you can barely taste the egg? Ten coins! A boiled chicken egg, four coins. A vegetarian soup dumpling with a sprinkle of salt and scallions costs twenty-five coins, and it's terribly unpalatable."
Yao Ruyi suddenly realized why her fifty tea eggs had sold so well today! The three of them had come out too late. When the bell rang earlier, she had called out a few times, and many students and their servants had gathered around, drawn by the aroma. After inquiring about the price and finding it quite delicious, many people bought four or five at a time and left. Taking advantage of this wave of people, her forty-odd tea eggs were sold out in no time.
It turns out I was selling it too cheaply.
But... isn't the Imperial College's dining hall a bit too expensive? In later generations, many school canteens have more affordable prices than outside, but here it's all the opposite.
It's probably because of a lack of supervision and the fact that the students at the Imperial College were all from relatively good backgrounds.
The bright-eyed student saw that Yao Ruyi had listened to his words and then remained silent, seemingly lost in thought. He exchanged a helpless glance with his two friends beside him.
At first, I thought that because Dr. Yao suddenly fell seriously ill, this young lady Yao had lost her support and had finally come to her senses. But I didn't expect her to still act so cluelessly and unreliably.
Indeed, it's easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one's nature; how can a person grow up overnight?
The three of them looked at Yao Ruyi, and their expressions softened.
Apart from the newcomer Meng Boyuan, they had all actually received favors from Dr. Yao.
Although those studying at the Imperial Academy were mostly sons of officials, there were still some from impoverished families. Not everyone in the court could wear purple robes; some students were sons of minor officials, and others were sons of military generals stationed far away on the frontier. It was extremely difficult for their families to support themselves in Bianjing and at the Imperial Academy. In the past, Dr. Yao often invited students from poor families to his home, not only devoting himself to tutoring them but also providing assistance to those who were temporarily short of money or food. The Yao family's poverty was related to this.
In stark contrast to Zhu Binghu's strictness in dealing with students, Dr. Yao, though seemingly strict, was actually the one who loved his students the most.
A story circulated widely within the Imperial Academy. Years ago, Dr. Yao had a poor student named Jiang Huai whom he had taught for several years when he was an instructor at the county school in his hometown of Tanzhou. After passing the imperial examination, Jiang Huai waited for several years for a position in the Ministry of Revenue, but was met with rejection everywhere, only told to wait. Upon hearing of his plight, Dr. Yao swallowed his pride and wrote a letter that very night to the official in the Ministry of Revenue—an official who had passed the same examination and was somewhat influential.
Dr. Yao was a Doctor of Classical Studies, erudite and with exquisite writing skills, yet his letter recommending a student was written in simple and earnest language: "Jiang Huai is a man of solid learning, diligent and studious, and upright in character; he is truly a promising talent. I humbly request that Your Excellency take the time to examine him in person. If you find him unsuitable for important tasks, I also hope that Your Excellency will not hesitate to point out his shortcomings so that he may know how to improve, and not let this young man waste his time waiting in the capital."
Yao Qizhao bowed deeply in gratitude.
Upon receiving the letter, the official in charge of the Ministry of Revenue was deeply moved. He summoned the man for advice and, after observing his character and appearance, actually recommended him for a post as Assistant Prefect in Yunzhou. After the official appointment was approved, he left the letter with him, saying, "You have a very good teacher. Do not forget his kindness in the future, and strive to be a good official who serves the country and the people."
Before leaving, Jiang Huai made a special trip to bid farewell to Dr. Yao, kowtowing repeatedly before leading his donkey alone to his new post.
Three years ago, the Liao Kingdom was almost destroyed by the Jin Kingdom, and the balance of power among the Liao, Jin and Song Kingdoms was broken. If the Jin Kingdom were to annex the Liao Kingdom, their strength would increase greatly, and they would surely destroy the Song Kingdom next! At this time, the Emperor could not care about the past grievances between the Liao and Song Kingdoms and had no choice but to send troops to "resist the Jin and aid the Liao Kingdom".
The flames of war broke out one after another in the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.
The battle lasted for two years. In the winter of the second year, the situation was unfavorable. Just as the heavy troops garrisoning Yunzhou were transferred to support the front lines, countless Jurchen cavalry appeared outside the city and besieged it.
The prefect of Yunzhou fled in terror, absconding with his wealth. Jiang Huai, as the assistant prefect, had no choice but to personally lead the people of Yunzhou in a desperate defense of the besieged city. When they ran out of ammunition and food, he mobilized even the elderly, women, and children, using spatulas, carrying poles, benches, and hoes as weapons. Thus, the battered Yunzhou finally held out until General Yue's reinforcements arrived. However, the night before the siege of Yunzhou was lifted, Jiang Huai died suddenly from exhaustion on the city walls. Before his death, unaware of the impending arrival of reinforcements, he left his last words to those around him: "Defend to the death, do not surrender." [Note]
His belongings consisted of nothing more than two sets of patched-up official robes, a few taels of silver, and a letter from Dr. Yao pleading with the Ministry of Revenue to recommend him on his behalf.
When the news reached Bianjing, officials and commoners alike wept.
Fortunately, the final battle was won, and the Jurchens were driven back to the north of the Gobi Desert. Although the Liao Dynasty was saved, it was severely weakened. It ceded six prefectures to the Jurchens and six other prefectures, including Chengzhou, Yizhou, and Jinzhou in Zhongjing Road, to the Song Dynasty. It also had to pay the Song Dynasty an annual tribute of 100,000 taels of silver. In recent years, the border has finally become stable again.
Lin Weiming and Cheng Shujun both deeply sympathized with Jiang Huai's story. Both of them came from ordinary families and were frequent visitors to the Yao family in the past.
Especially Cheng Shujun.
His father was a military officer who, many years ago, had followed General Xi in suppressing the Qiang rebellion in Qin Prefecture. Cheng's father fought bravely, and even when surrounded, he fought to the death. In the end, despite being hit by several arrows, he still stood upright, leaning on his sword. After the victory, General Xi personally wrote a memorial on his behalf, posthumously granting him the honorary title of General Yunhui and pleading with the Emperor to allow his son, Cheng Shujun, to remain at the Imperial Academy to study.
Upon hearing of Cheng's father's deeds, the emperor bestowed upon Cheng's orphan a small house in the alley of the Imperial College. Cheng's wife was also able to open a tailor shop in the alley to make a living. However, the orphan and widow had to support a scholar, and the pension from the court and the income from the tailor shop were still barely enough to make ends meet.
Perhaps knowing his mother's hard work in earning money, Cheng Shujun studied diligently and was very frugal. When his pen wore down, he would place it over an oil lamp to singe off the bristles before continuing to write. He kept his youthful thoughts well hidden and never told anyone about such things. But Dr. Yao noticed something in his handwriting. After giving him detailed annotations and returning his papers, several new purple bamboo wolf-hair chicken-claw brushes were found inside, with the inscription "Knowing your ambition is not small, you will soar to great heights."
Lin Weiming benefited from the influence of his genius uncle—his uncle Lin Wen'an, who was famous in Beijing, was one of Dr. Yao's first students. Perhaps because of this, Lin Weiming's father also sent him to Dr. Yao's house, hoping to get guidance from this extraordinary teacher.
He often went to Yao's house to audit classes. Even though he was mediocre and had an impatient nature, Dr. Yao would only scold him for not studying hard enough and for writing carelessly. He would never say anything like Meng Boyuan's father, "Look at you, how your uncle was back then."
Instead, he would say to him with a serious face: "Life depends on diligence. What can you gain without striving? There is no such thing as a book read in vain. The only problem is that you have lofty ambitions but lack the drive to make progress. You hate yourself but indulge in comfort. Youth is fleeting and learning is difficult. You must study! Don't procrastinate. Don't think there's plenty of time in the future. Today is the time to study!"
A single sentence jolted Lin Weiming awake, and from then on, he actually "tried" to study seriously. However, he lacked perseverance. Every time he slacked off and wasted a few days, he would suddenly rise from the dead, berate himself for his depravity, and start studying diligently again. After studying diligently for two days, he would get tired and slack off again. This cycle repeated itself, and to this day, his knowledge of the Four Books and Six Arts in the study is mediocre. He is neither as good as Cheng Shujun, who is at the top of the class, nor as good as Meng Boyuan, who is always at the bottom.
Alas, he often thought that perhaps it was useless for someone as mediocre as him to struggle, so he should give up on trying to serve the country and just seek a comfortable life, as long as he was healthy and happy, even if he lived a mediocre life.
Upon seeing Yao Xiaoniangzi, memories of the past were stirred within him, along with Dr. Yao's past encouragement. Lin Weiming was still unwilling to give up, and once again secretly vowed in his heart: "Tomorrow I will definitely study diligently, like those who study by the light of fireflies and snow, or steal light through a hole in the wall, until the sky darkens and the sun and moon lose their light! From today onwards, for three consecutive months, I will never again peek at the new novels published in the bookstore in the hall! If I break this vow... then... then I will be punished by being unable to defecate in the latrine from now on!"
After making the oath, he felt a little guilty and didn't trust himself.
Lin Weiming thought for a moment, then added a condition: "Just once is fine..."
Cheng Shujun was unaware that Lin Weiming's mind had wandered far away. His eyes passed over Yao Xiaoniangzi and looked at the half-closed door of the Yao family, feeling extremely uncomfortable.
While Dr. Yao was confined to the clinic due to a stroke, Cheng Shujun and Meng Lin visited him daily. After the old gentleman moved back to his own residence to recuperate, they couldn't freely enter or leave because of his unmarried wife, Miss Yao, residing in the inner quarters. So, they would only greet him from outside the door each day. Even a simple word from Aunt Wu, the niece-in-law who cared for the old gentleman, such as "He's getting better; he ate half a bowl more porridge today," felt like the clouds had parted and the moon was shining brightly.
Unexpectedly, I saw Miss Yao selling braised chicken with tea in front of her door today.
A chicken egg costs three coins. What she earns in a day is probably less than the price of a pen or inkstone for the sons of high-ranking officials and nobles in the Imperial Academy's Class A and Class B dormitories.
Come to think of it, she used to be the daughter of an official's family.
Cheng Shujun was not good with words and didn't know how to comfort the woman. He lowered his eyes and slowly clenched his fists. Lin Weiming, on the other hand, suddenly seemed to come back to life and anxiously said to Yao Ruyi, "Tomorrow, you sell them for five coins each. Remember, don't sell them for three coins."
As the group remained silent, Yao Ruyi carefully scooped out the tea eggs, wrapped them in oiled paper, and said gently, "Today's three coins are worth five today. If you charge such exorbitant prices, how will anyone buy from you in the future? The canteen's prices are high, so I'm just following suit. What difference is there between that and them? My grandfather always says that a gentleman loves money but earns it honestly. Others may slander him, but I cannot tarnish his reputation." She looked up at the three kind students and smiled, "It's alright. Thank you for coming and for caring so much about my grandfather... Eighteen coins will do."
Lin Weiming had no choice but to take out his money, wanting to give more, but Yao Ruyi pushed it back.
“My lord, there’s no need to pity me.” She still had that same smile, her eyes crinkling and her dimples deep. “No one’s money comes from thin air. I am grateful for your kindness and generosity, but I cannot accept it. This is not because of pride, but because I am able-bodied and my family is not penniless. If I were to covet the charity of others, how could I support myself? Although I am a woman, I should do my best to earn money to support my father rather than expecting something for nothing. Thank you all.”
The three looked at each other, ultimately unable to persuade her otherwise.
After Yao Ruyi finished speaking, she carefully put the eighteen copper coins into her small satchel, curtsied to them, and prepared to bend down to move the things again. Cheng Shujun finally found an opportunity and hurriedly rolled up his sleeves and stepped forward: "Let me do it. Mr. Yao has taken care of me many times, and I have nothing to repay him with. Let me help you move them in."
"Me too, me too."
"Give it to me. Give it to me."
The other two also rushed to carry the stove and move the stools.
But it was getting late, and they couldn't stay any longer. After all, one of the accusations against the Yao family was that "men of outsiders frequently entered and left the house." Everyone knew that Madam Yao was wronged, and that Dr. Yao's demotion was also unjust. However, the Deng family had previously bribed many idle scoundrels to spread rumors, and rumors always travel far and wide. If they spoke up for the Yao family, they would be accused of "speaking up for the Yao family like this, so that man of outsiders who had an affair with Madam Yao must be you, right?"
Unable to win the argument, they could only avoid suspicion.
He helped her carry the food into the courtyard, exchanged greetings, and then immediately took the warm chicken and said goodbye.
The Yao family's doors were closed again.
All three of them lived in this alley, so none of them stayed in the dormitory-style rooms at the Imperial College. Lin Weiming casually took out some hot tea-braised chicken eggs from his pocket and shared them with them. They peeled the eggs and sighed as they walked slowly forward side by side: "Mr. Yao's family is too poor. It's heartbreaking to see a delicate young lady like Miss Yao forced to boil eggs to make a living."
Cheng Shujun held two eggs in his hand, remaining silent.
"The Yao family has really suffered a lot. If we have the chance in the future, we'll help them out as much as possible." Although Meng Boyuan hadn't been at the Imperial Academy for long and didn't have the same deep feelings for Dr. Yao as the two of them, he had heard about their family's misfortunes and sighed along with them.
But he was so hungry that he sighed and kept peeling the eggs, holding them up to examine them closely. "These eggs smell so good, but can I really eat them?" He was worried that eating them would give him diarrhea.
Lin Weiming peeled it, but didn't dare to take a bite.
No one had high hopes for Yao's cooking of chicken. After all, they had all heard that the Yao family's kitchen had exploded twice, with pots flying off, stoves destroyed, and thick smoke billowing out. The commotion was so bad that even the local soldiers had to carry water to put out the fire. They figured that Dr. Yao and Yao's cooking skills were probably no match for the three chefs in the dining hall who were always coming up with ingenious and innovative dishes.
But it smelled really good. Meng Boyuan couldn't resist and cautiously took a bite.
With just one bite, his eyes suddenly widened, and he pointed at the tea-braised chicken egg in his hand, which had a bit of oozing egg yolk, and cried out, "Good...good...good..."
"What's wrong with you? Did you bite your tongue?"
"Delicious! Really delicious! You all should try some!"
Seeing his greedy look, where his tongue was almost too long to straighten, Lin Weiming also took a bite with some skepticism.
The egg whites, soaked in the braising liquid, are tender and bouncy, braised to perfection—neither overcooked nor mushy—and infused with the rich, aromatic flavor of black tea. The yolks are even more delightful; with a single bite, the runny yolk bursts out unexpectedly, thickly flowing over the egg white, making you want to immediately open your mouth and suck it out.
Not only is it rich and mellow in flavor, but it is also fragrant and not greasy. At the end, there is a lingering sweetness in your mouth – that is the unique sweetness brought about by the tea leaves used in the braising process.
This doesn't look like the kind of skill that's been used to cook twice.
Meng Boyuan finished one in a few bites and was already eating the second. The more he ate, the more his eyes squinted with satisfaction: "This is the first time I've ever eaten a soft-boiled tea-braised chicken egg. It's so delicious, so delicious, it's making my head spin!"
"You're exaggerating too much!"
Although Lin Weiming disliked Meng Boyuan's unsophisticated manner, he himself ate with great relish.
It's great! Much better than what you get in the cafeteria!
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Note: This story is set in an alternate Song Dynasty, continuing the historical setting of the small noodle shop: During the reign of Emperor Taizu, the Song Dynasty had already redeemed the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, eliminating Zhao Guangyi's exceptionally incompetent rule. All current emperors are descendants of Emperor Taizu, and the Song Dynasty repeatedly quelled rebellions by the Dangxiang and Qiang peoples, preventing the Dangxiang from successfully establishing a state and thus eliminating the Western Xia. Without the Western Xia cutting off westward trade routes, the Song Dynasty was able to maintain both the maritime and land routes of the Silk Road, preserving its superior horse breeds and horse-breeding lands.
It is a prosperous Song Dynasty that seems to be a dream of Zhao Kuangyin after his death, without humiliation, and with the Song, Liao, and Jin dynasties standing in a tripartite balance of power.
The timeline of this article is that the Song and Jin dynasties were relatively strong, while the Liao dynasty was weakening due to internal strife.
The historical background introduced in this chapter serves to foreshadow later plot developments related to the male lead. It will be mentioned again later from the female lead's perspective, providing further clarification. While not the main focus of this story, I hope even those who haven't read "Little Noodle Shop" will enjoy it. [heart emoji]
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I carefully counted my remaining chapters and decided to update 3,000 words a day until I go to VIP chapters.
Otherwise, the draft editor will be speechless.
Like the noodle shop, V-brand stores are open at least Sundays and Saturdays, so don't worry! [Cat emoji]
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