A slight hint of jealousy
"What joyous occasion has befallen Master Pei? Why are you so happy?"
Pei Qingwu didn't try to hide anything from him and said frankly, "Oh, it's because my uncle and aunt who used to bully me got beaten up. I feel great."
Zhao Xu clapped his hands and laughed: "Master Pei is quite a straightforward person."
"Of course I'll be straightforward. Back then, they took advantage of me when I was just a child, stole my things, and mistreated me. I had no choice then, but now that I have them, I'll naturally get them back one by one."
She doesn't want to repay evil with kindness; she just wants to slap the villain across the face.
"I heard that my grandfather ruled that all the land and houses left by your parents should be returned to you?"
"That's right."
"That's great news! How about I treat Master Pei to a meal and drinks to celebrate?"
Now that he's quite familiar with Zhao Xu, Pei Qingwu wouldn't refuse a meal if it were just a simple invitation. Besides, Zhao Xu is wealthy and frequents nice places, so it wouldn't be bad to tag along for a good meal.
But when she came out today, everyone in the shop was worried. She had to go back and let them know she was safe.
Zhao Xu saw through her thoughts and said, "Why don't you go back to the shop first, sir? Such a happy occasion should be shared with the staff."
"Alright, then please wait a moment, Captain."
Pei Qingwu returned to Sushan Village first and briefly recounted the events of the courtroom to everyone, especially emphasizing the disheveled state of Pei Zhongli and his wife when they were being flogged.
Since Pei Qingwu had personally rescued them from the den of wolves, Qian Tao was the first to listen with great interest. Upon hearing that the two heartless bastards had almost been beaten to death, she immediately laughed and said, "Good, good, good! Heaven has opened its eyes and made them treat our master like that!"
“That’s right, Master, you really shouldn’t have stopped them. It would have been so much better if the yamen runners had beaten them to death on the spot!” Shen Wu Niang was also pleased.
Her grandfather's background was very similar to Pei Qingwu's. His father died early, and his mother remarried. Almost everything he left behind was swallowed up by his relatives. Later, when he made money selling tofu pudding, those shameless people still came to his door to beg for his money.
"Alright, today is a joyous occasion, so I should give back to our shop's customers. Qiantao, yesterday I made a batch of milk skin pastries and poria cocos cakes, which are both new products."
"What the boss means is..."
"Bring them all out, and say they're free! First come, first served, once they're all gone, that's it!" Pei Qingwu waved his hand arrogantly.
Shen Wuniang, who was in charge of the accounts, was startled and subconsciously said, "How can that be?" But after carefully calculating in her mind, she realized that with the daily income of Sushan Market, it would only take a blink of an eye to earn back those costs, so she said nothing more.
"Alright, let everyone share in the joy."
Pei Qingwu then mentioned Zhao Xu's invitation to dinner, saying he might be back a little late tonight. The others didn't say anything, but Gu Heng pressed for an answer: "Commander Zhao only said he was inviting you to dinner, didn't he say anything else?"
"Is it... just the master and the captain?"
Yin Lan smiled and tapped his forehead: "You, are you craving something and want to go with the master and bask in the glory of Commandant Zhao?"
"No, no..." Gu Heng stammered.
Pei Qingwu laughed and said, "Alright, it's just a meal. If I'm late in returning, Aheng can come and pick me up later."
"Okay, sure." Gu Heng nodded vigorously.
This time, Zhao Xu's banquet was not held at Taibai Tower, but at another well-known restaurant in Qinzhou, Shanfuzhai.
It is said that the owner of this restaurant, Ah Weng, was once a famous chef in Chang'an City. He cooked for countless high-ranking officials and nobles, and even served in the imperial palace, cooking for Her Majesty the Empress.
The Queen was a picky eater, but she had a particular fondness for his Red Sheep Trotters.
Because of the Empress's favor, he also attracted countless jealousies and schemes. In the end, feeling exhausted, he returned to his hometown of Qinzhou and opened Shanfuzhai.
With such a reputation, he quickly became sought after by high-ranking officials and nobles in Qinzhou.
The man is gone, but his name remains, especially his grandson, who is now the owner and head chef, and has diligently passed on his skills.
"Having come to Shanfuzhai, the red mutton trotters with a cane are naturally the first thing we must try. Master Pei, what else would you like to eat?"
As the son of the governor of Qin Prefecture, Zhao Xu was a distinguished guest and naturally received considerable respect. The innkeeper arranged the best private room for him, where he could sit by the window in a quiet and elegant setting.
"Hmm..." Pei Qingwu looked at the menu with a troubled expression.
The names of these dishes are all so literary; how could she possibly know what they are?
The waiter, quick to notice, stepped forward and introduced, "Madam, please allow me to say that our Shanfuzhai has several dishes that are ancestral secrets that you can't easily find elsewhere! Take this Shengpingzhi for example. It uses the tenderest tenderloin from the deer's spine, sliced thinly as paper, marinated with a secret sauce, skewered, and quickly roasted over a high flame. The outside is crispy and fragrant, while the inside is tender and juicy. It's best enjoyed with a little salt and pepper."
Pei Qingwu nodded. Although the name was elegant, it sounded like a kebab, which was rather down-to-earth.
Seeing her interest, the waiter became even more enthusiastic: "Then the lambskin flower strips are even more wonderful! They are not made of lambskin, but of extremely tender lamb meat cut into hair-thin strips, quickly stir-fried in boiling lamb fat until they are set instantly, and then stir-fried with freshly picked tender sprouts. They are crisp, fresh, melt in your mouth, and have no gamey smell at all."
Pei Qingwu frowned slightly upon hearing this.
That knife skill sounds complicated.
"And this clove-flavored sashimi is made by slicing fresh live fish into thin slices, chilling them in ice water, and then drizzling them with our special sauce, which contains the finest cloves, Sichuan peppercorns, vinegar, and soy sauce. The fish is cool and tender, with a perfect balance of sour, salty, and savory flavors, making it the most appetizing and refreshing dish."
"As for the Eight Immortals Plate..."
Just as the waiter was about to continue, Pei Qingwu felt a headache coming on from all those fancy names and quickly raised her hand to stop him: "That's enough, waiter, I'm tired of hearing all those names... I'll just order something practical, 'Shengping Zhi' sounds good, and 'Rulun Ji' too... What's that?"
She remembered that this dish was on the menu, and the name wasn't too mysterious.
The waiter immediately nodded: "Madam has a good eye. The 'milk-soaked chicken' is made from young roosters that have just started to croak. It is slowly soaked in milk until cooked, resulting in smooth skin and tender meat. It is extremely sweet and delicious. It is best eaten with a dipping sauce of ginger and vinegar or a spicy sauce."
“Okay, that’s the one.” Pei Qingwu made the decision.
Zhao Xu couldn't help but chuckle. This Master Pei was indeed straightforward, and even his ordering of dishes showed a decisive and efficient style.
He then said, "Then I'd like to order a camel soup, something light, which goes well with meat, and a pot of warm fermented rice wine, I want it warm."
The waiter nodded and quickly went to make the arrangements.
Before long, a stream of delicious dishes were served, and the aroma instantly filled the private room.
The Shengpingzhi skewers truly lived up to their reputation; the small venison skewers were grilled to a golden brown and glistening color, sizzling and bubbling, sprinkled with fine spice powder, and exuding an irresistible aroma.
The braised chicken is neatly chopped, its skin as pale as jade, and served on a white porcelain plate, accompanied by glistening green ginger paste and bright red Sichuan pepper sauce, looking refreshing.
Camel soup is a clear broth made by simmering camel hump meat, pigeon eggs, and mushrooms. The soup is clear and has a fragrant aroma.
The celadon wine pot contained warm, fragrant wine, its surface gleaming with a warm, emerald-green hue.
After all the dishes were served, it was the main dish that the waiter carefully brought out that truly caught Pei Qingwu's eye.
It is the legendary "Red Sheep with Branch and Hoof".
It was a heavy earthenware pot, containing a large piece of lamb leg with skin on, stewed until extremely tender. The meat had an incredibly tempting reddish-brown sheen, like a fine red date, with a thick, oily sauce coating every inch of its surface, shimmering with an amber glow in the light.
As the steam rises, a rich, complex aroma wafts out, the mellow, fatty fragrance of the mutton itself, blended with the flavors produced by long-term simmering of various spices such as star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, along with the aromas of soy sauce and wine, and a hint of unique sweetness, perhaps from the use of red dates or honey, piercing straight into one's nose and whetting the appetite.
"Please look, madam," the waiter said with a hint of pride. "This is our family's heirloom Red Lamb Leg." He continued, "It uses the fattest part of the lamb's hind leg. It's marinated in a secret sauce for a day, then simmered over a low flame for a full four hours. Look at the color—a bright red like a jewel. It all comes down to the cooking time and the skillful use of the sauce. This meat..."
As he spoke, the waiter lightly touched the edge of the mutton with a specially made long-handled silver spoon.
A miraculous scene unfolded: the seemingly intact mutton trembled slightly like ripples on water, and the meat fibers at the edges instantly separated from the main body, indicating that the meat was so tender that it didn't need to be cut at all.
"This meat melts in your mouth, rich but not greasy, the lean meat is tender and fluffy, and the tendons are soft, sticky and chewy. Legend has it that when Her Majesty the Empress tasted it, she praised it as 'tender as a spring breeze caressing willow branches, and its color is like a rosy sunset reflecting on a scepter,' hence the name." The waiter respectfully stepped aside: "Madam, sir, please enjoy your meal."
The mutton looked so tempting, and Pei Qingwu wanted to eat it right away. After politely declining Zhao Xuqian's offer, she picked up her chopsticks and reached for it.
Zhao Xu smiled as he watched her enthusiastic expression and raised his glass as well: "Master Pei, a joyous occasion deserves fine wine, please!"
Without any effort, the shredded meat obediently separates and is put into your mouth on its own.
The moment it enters your mouth, the incredibly tender lamb melts away like the first snow under the warm sun. Your teeth are almost superfluous; with just a gentle touch of your tongue, the rich and soft meat fibers completely separate and dissolve, leaving only a mouthful of mellow, fatty flavor.
The sauce wasn't just a thick, greasy layer on the surface; after a long simmering process, it had deeply penetrated every inch of the meat's texture, creating distinct yet harmonious layers.
The leather part is another stunning feature.
Soft and sticky, rich in collagen, the tendons and membranes are stewed until they become almost transparent gelatinous, melting in your mouth and sliding down your throat along with the tender lean meat, leaving only a rich meaty aroma.
While he was still savoring the moment, Zhao Xu handed him a wine glass at the opportune moment: "How was it? This Shanfuzhai didn't disappoint Master Pei, did it?"
Pei Qingwu's eyes shone even brighter, and he readily raised his own wine glass to lightly clink it with hers: "Of course not!"
As the two ate and chatted, Zhao Xu asked curiously, "Master Pei, why did you decide to open a pastry shop?"
“It’s a skill, it would be such a waste to let it go to waste,” Pei Qingwu said. “Besides, the money earned from running a pastry shop is your own, isn’t that better than living off someone else?”
"Yes, yes, what Master Pei says is true." Zhao Xu smiled and took a sip of wine. "This can also be considered a farewell party for me."
"What's wrong?" Pei Qingwu immediately became nervous, thinking of Zhao Xu's profession.
"Oh, it's nothing serious. The Tibetans have been very restless lately, provoking us repeatedly. The military governor has ordered us to be on martial law. From now on, we'll all be staying in the army."
Pei Qingwu asked thoughtfully, "Then, is it dangerous?"
"Where in the army is there no danger? We can only be as careful as possible, and if... we can only leave it to fate."
As they chatted and drank, quite some time passed without them realizing it. Pei Qingwu, somewhat drunk, saw Zhao Xudu's reflection and chuckled, "Hey, Commandant Zhao, how come there are two of you now?"
Zhao Xu chuckled: "Master Pei is drunk. I'll take you home now."
Before the words were finished, the door to the private room was pushed open.
Gu Heng stood at the door, clasped his hands, and said, "No need to trouble Commander Zhao, I've come to take my master home myself."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
