Chapter 41: Golden Taro Filled the House: Soft and sticky skin with taro paste filling, sweet candied taro...
It was still dark at the beginning of the morning. The first whistles were the wafts of heat from Qian's Soup and Noodle Shop and the shouts of the porters at work. The roasting aroma of fruit wood soon seeped into the ducks and geese, and then the fragrance of rice gradually spread to the front of Tianqing Temple.
Wei Fuqiu fed the chickens some loofah and edamame, mixed in some rice bran, and muttered "one, two, three" to herself. She tapped the bowl lightly with a stick, and three chickens jumped out from the corner covered with a tarpaulin, clucking and pecking at the feed jar.
The chickens were getting uglier as they grew. Their feathers grew thicker, including on their heads, where the slanted feathers half-hid their eyes. Wang Qiulan had taken a closer look, but ultimately couldn't figure out the cause. She guessed it was some unknown wild pheasant the vendor had caught.
They were in charge of chasing away insects from the wall. The sisters had thought of giving them names, but they couldn't understand them. They only knew that "bang bang bang" meant it was time for dinner. Such greedy chickens ultimately only got the team name - one, two, three.
As for who is "one", it is the one who runs the fastest during meal time.
Wei Fuling started to hide in bed when the weather turned cold, and now she is still having a morning dream with Yuanbao.
As soon as Wei Jinyun opened the shop door, a vendor was waiting, delivering the ingredients she needed. Since she had just opened her shop and hadn't hired any employees yet, she couldn't afford to be constantly running around, so she sought out some vendors to work with.
These are farmers who grow their own vegetables at home and head out to the market at noon to sell them. They sell here and there, creating a fierce competition. Now, with shopkeepers taking orders for their produce, they have a steady flow of business, no longer having to worry about whether to sell today's produce tomorrow or cook it themselves.
The people she worked with were all people Wei Jinyun had met often when she bought groceries in the past. She would tell the shop what she needed the previous evening, and they would just deliver it the next day. The vegetables that were delivered to the shop door were still covered in morning dew, and Wei Jinyun had carefully checked them to ensure that they were all fresh.
The vendors settled their payments daily, leaving after clearing their purchases and returning at dusk to collect their baskets. Miss Wei from Yunlaixiang looked like an easy target, and she was quite cunning. Two days ago, taro vendor Old Zheng, taking advantage of her reputation for always patronizing his business, mixed old, day-old taro with fresh taro and sold it. After that, Miss Wei never did business with him again.
Even though he specifically told her, "I'll give her a cheaper price, and it won't be like this in the future," and so on, he still lost her as an old customer.
Only after the inspection was completed did the vendors move the vegetables into the yard, and the farmers selling milk also carried in buckets of milk they had squeezed early in the morning.
Most pastries require a little milk to enhance their flavor. Wei Jinyun had tried cheaper goat's milk, but even the best milk, whether boiled or masked with sugar, still had a strong mutton smell. Fortunately, adding milk, while more expensive, still yielded a profit, so she stopped trying to remove the mutton smell.
People in the Song Dynasty loved to eat sheep. Good sheep should be roasted or made into sheep soup. Don’t think about its milk, just eat the meat.
As soon as the ingredients were delivered, Wei Jinyun got busy making cakes. The summer jasmine cakes were off the shelves, and now it was time to start preparing autumn seasonal snacks.
Taro is gradually coming on the market. Big taro tastes starchy, and a few bites of it can make your neck feel like it's two miles long. Small taro is sticky and is most suitable for making sweet soup.
Wang Qiulan, wearing gloves, scraped the skin off the taro and dropped each one into a basin of clean water. She had to wear gloves to scrape so many taro, otherwise her hands would become red and itchy.
The large taro roots were all perfectly round. Wei Jinyun chopped them quickly, steamed them thoroughly, and crushed them with a stone pestle while mixing them with sugar. Without purple sweet potatoes to dye them a beautiful purple, she mixed some pomegranate juice with milk, creating a taro paste with a slightly powdery texture and a rich taro aroma.
Glutinous rice flour is mixed with polished rice and oil, kneaded into a dough, and steamed for a moment to create a soft, glutinous cake. Wei Fuling, finally out of bed, watched Wei Jinyun pulling the cakes, commenting that it was like pulling noodles like Uncle Qian, except that in Uncle Qian's hands, the dough was stretched into thin noodles, while her sister's became a string of super soft cakes.
Wei Jinyun cut the dough into small pieces, rolled a piece into a ball in his palm, and used his thumb to press a small indentation into the dough, making sure the skin was thin but strong enough to hold the filling. He scooped a spoonful of taro paste into the dough, and slowly twisted it with his fingers until the dough shrunk into a round ball. He then rolled it in a layer of cooked glutinous rice flour to prevent it from sticking, and sprinkled it with crushed osmanthus flowers.
Small taro simmers in a clay pot, simmered with alkali and sugar until it becomes a beautiful red. Then, using the same technique as egg yolk pastry, we make egg yolk taro pastry. It's crispy and crumbly, yet has a rich taro aroma.
The taro is sold in three different ways for one, earning it the name "Golden Taro Full House." If you're dining in, a portion costs 28 yuan and comes with a pot of tea, a stack of fried watermelon seeds, and a basket of shrimp crackers. If you order a la carte, it's still 8 yuan.
The weather is clear and cool in autumn, and people in Pingjiang Prefecture like to go out for a stroll. Just after noon, Yunlaixiang has guests coming to visit one after another.
Wei Fuling moved a stool and sat in front of the cart, scooping up sweet candied taro while handing out bowls of hot red date and ginger tea to the guests who came in. The tea was only one cent a bowl, and if you bought some snacks, the tea was free.
Many people who had bought fried chicken at Zhaoji Cooked Food came over to buy a bowl while waiting for the freshly fried chicken to be served. The sound of coins jingling as they were dropped into the jar beside Wei Fuling, she counted the money with a smile, feeling happy, and started to shout.
"Hot red date ginger tea for one penny a bowl!"
"Sweet dessert, Golden Taro Mantang is crispy, sweet, soft and sticky!"
A passerby was curious and asked, "Little baby, are your snacks crispy or soft? How can they be sticky?"
Wei Fuling replied readily, "All of them!"
The butterfly straw wind chimes hanging at the door of the shop rang softly, and a big man walked in.
The man was about seven feet tall, with broad shoulders and a thick back. His round face was mostly covered by a beard, leaving only the bridge of his nose and small eyes exposed. His beard was as dense as autumn grass, with each strand sticking out.
He wore a brown shorts with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular arms. He looked like a porter. He held an oil-paper bag firmly in his hand, which had been stained darkly by grease. It didn't take much to tell him it was Zhao Ji's fried chicken.
"I want a portion of the golden taro full house that the little kid mentioned!"
The big man spoke in a loud voice. He chose a small table by the window and sat down. He put the oil paper package on the table and tore it open with a "click". The golden fried chicken nuggets were revealed, still slightly steaming.
He turned around and saw Wei Fuqiu holding the shrimp chips. Her eyes widened as big as copper bells and she was startled. "Ouch!"
The big man tilted his head to look at the door, and gradually realized that it was the twins. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Oh, that scared him!
When Wei Jinyun arrived, carrying a golden taro, the large man was eating fried chicken. He grabbed a chicken leg, tilted his head back, and took a big bite. The skin crackled as he bit through, and the aroma of oil filled the air. In the blink of an eye, the crispy fried chicken was reduced to a pitiful bone.
The large man finished his fried chicken and saw Wei Jinyun arrive with a room full of golden taro. The snow-white dumplings, coated in a layer of fine flour like jade beads, the tender red taro soaked in osmanthus flakes, and the pastry sprinkled with sesame seeds, were exquisite. He couldn't help but stop and wipe his greasy hands with the cloth hanging from his shoulder.
He carefully picked up the taro-filled glutinous rice cake. It was warm to the touch, but with a little pressure, the glutinous rice skin sank slightly, leaving a slightly sticky and chewy texture. His teeth gently bit through the thin skin, which was so soft that he could pull it out an inch or two. The taro paste inside was dense and soft, and the sweetness of the taro mixed with the fragrance of milk melted on his tongue.
"Hmm? This white dumpling is so sticky!"
He smacked his lips. The salty aroma of the fried chicken still lingered in his throat, now contrasted with the sweetness, creating an indescribable sense of peace. He quickly chewed it all in one gulp.
After eating this sweet thing, I seem to want to eat the fried chicken on the side.
Wei Jinyun smiled and replied, "Enjoy your meal, big brother."
After the big man finished eating a chicken wing, his hands were covered in oil. He then went to eat the egg yolk and taro pastry. He didn't hesitate and just grabbed it and put it in his mouth.
The crispness was completely different from the softness just now. His eyes lit up and he said vaguely, "This snack is good, sweet and relieves the greasiness."
As he said this, he stuffed the whole piece into his mouth, and did not forget to pick up another piece of fried chicken with his left hand. There was a "crunching" sound in his mouth, and he ate a bowl of sweet taro with his right hand.
The shop's customers, previously chatting, were now drawn to his way of eating. The scholar sitting across from him by the window put down his teacup and stared intently at the oil-paper package. The woman in a skirt nudged the child beside her, who swallowed, his eyes fixed on her.
"Another stack of golden taro to fill the room!"
The big man finished a plate of snacks in a few bites, pushed the empty plate forward, and shouted even louder, "This sweet and salty combination is really wonderful."
He was a porter, doing all sorts of hard labor. He didn't have many hobbies, except for eating good food. He earned a few dozen coins a day, and when he got off work in the evening, he'd go out to buy food. He didn't buy individual meals; for example, mutton noodles always came with sesame cakes, and pan-fried steamed buns always came with a bowl of tofu pudding. As for minced chicken, duck skewers, and chopped pork skin... weren't those just side dishes? Could they really be considered regular meals?
With this kind of diet, he couldn't save much throughout the year; it all went to food. His father grabbed his ear and urged him to save, and he perfunctorily agreed, only to find himself craving the fried chicken from Zhao Ji Delicatessen. What kind of ingredients were in that chicken? He couldn't stop craving it after two days, and even when he was carrying goods, he'd make a point of buying fried chicken after work.
It must be a combination of two sauces!
Now he has found a new way to enjoy it: a sweet and salty combination. The snacks in this shop are delicious, and if they are paired with something salty or roasted, it will be even better.
The scholar sitting across from him couldn't help but say to his companion, "How about... we get some fried chicken too? I'm starving."
This big man was like a walking sign in Wei Jinyun's shop. During the afternoon, many people brought fried chicken from next door to her shop to eat. Of course, this was also due to her sister's hard work in promoting the food.
This is the commercial agglomeration effect. The sweetness in Wei Jinyun's shop complements the saltiness in Zhao Xiangping's shop. She understood this when she started teaching Zhao Xiangping how to make fried chicken.
She could make fried chicken, but the taste would definitely not match Zhao Xiangping's years of personal experience in preparing cooked food. Besides, making fried chicken would simply steal Zhao Xiangping's business; her braised duck wasn't bad either, so it was just diverting her business.
Let someone who is familiar with cooked food do it, and then drive both businesses forward, which will be a win-win cooperation.
Wei Jinyun sat in front of the counter, typing away on an abacus as he kept track of the past two days' accounts.
Business was decent at the shop, but with autumn just around the corner and the Mid-Autumn Festival and Double Ninth Festival behind them, her two younger sisters would be starting school, and she needed to set aside some money for their tuition. She couldn't let them constantly help with customer service, so she had to hire waiters, dishwashers, and pastry chefs...
Money, money, money, that’s all she knows about money.
The abacus in her hand was an opening gift from Lu Lan. The ebony frame was polished to a smooth finish, without any burrs on the corners, and felt very good to the touch.
The beads clicked smoothly and crisply in her hands, locking precisely into place. Near the edge of the frame, the word "cloud" was faintly engraved, the strokes so elegant that it was almost invisible without careful observation.
Wei Jinyun's fingertips touched the word "cloud", and he vaguely remembered the look on the day when Lu Lan handed him the abacus.
He was still in such a hurry that he hadn't changed into his official uniform. Holding the abacus in his hand, he said a little uncomfortably, "I don't know what gift to give for the grand opening. After thinking about it, this... might be useful."
At that time, Wei Jinyun only felt that the gift was genuine. She took it with a smile and expressed her gratitude, but she did not notice the smile on Lu Lan's lips when he turned around.
The moonlight was charming, and Lord Lu was smiling on his horse as he returned to Changmen.
Lu Lan knew she would like it.
Every time he mentioned money in front of her, her clear eyes would reveal a clever greed. He had seen so many greedy people, but why did she look so lively and charming?
Thinking of her excited look while calculating with the account book after the shop opened, he felt that this abacus was perfect to accompany her to calculate accounts every day.
Another crisp sound of "crackling" brought Wei Jinyun back to his thoughts. He looked down at the neatly arranged beads on the abacus, a little dazed.
"Isn't it hot today, sister?"
Wei Fuqiu sat beside her, busy for a while, and then slowly ate a bowl of sweet taro.
Wei Jinyun was choked by the sudden interrogation. While he was hurriedly drinking his tea, he looked up and saw the familiar person in red.
Lu Lan said softly, "Drink slowly."
When he saw her, he choked even more violently, feeling dizzy and nauseous.
"Lu, Lord Lu?"
Wei Jinyun paused for a moment and then hurriedly stood up to greet him, "How come you have time to come at this hour?"
She welcomed him to the small table by the window, served him a pot of tea, and brought him watermelon seeds and shrimp chips.
“Just passing by.”
Lu Lan took a sip of tea. "We're heading into the canal tomorrow. We might have to stay there for half a month... Are you using the abacus well?"
"It's very handy."
Wei Jinyun was about to pick up a snack when he heard this. After a moment's hesitation, he finally spoke, "I heard the guests gossiping. They said there were remnants of water bandits on the canal. They were vicious and familiar with the waterways. They played hide-and-seek with the patrol officers and injured quite a few people..."
Shop owners like hers were always the most attentive and observant. When the customers started chatting, she would listen in. It could be gossip, a wedding, or even a few new puppies in the alleys of East Street. And not to mention the persistent pirates.
If we wipe out this most vicious Shui Jiao Gang, the canal and the Yangtze River will surely be peaceful for a while in the future.
Lu Lan was picking up some taro paste glutinous rice balls when she paused. When she raised her eyes, her expression had grown more serious, but she still spoke in a slower tone, "Well, it's a bit tricky."
He put the taro paste glutinous rice cake into his mouth and chewed it carefully. The sweetness of the taro paste mixed with the softness of the glutinous rice made his frown relax for a moment. "It's just an old opponent. I can handle it."
"real?"
Wei Jinyun stood by the table without moving.
"real."
He looked up at her, "New, very delicious."
Wei Jinyun said "Oh", smiled and went to greet other guests.
Lu Lan sat by the window, holding a teacup in her hand, but her eyes involuntarily fell on Wei Jinyun who was busy behind the counter.
She was wearing a lotus pink skirt today, with her hair in a neat bun. She was smiling as she packed taro paste glutinous rice balls for a regular customer, her eyes curved and her voice clear.
The shop is bustling with activity right now. The air is filled with the sweet aroma of taro paste, tea, and a hint of oily fragrance from fried chicken.
She really knows how to run a shop.
When he passed by Tianqing Temple before, he knew that it was a shop with a closed door and overgrown weeds. However, in just a few months, it had become very different.
Lu Lan was biting into a taro pastry when Wei Fuqiu came to his table, holding a plate of shrimp chips. "Master Lu, I'll give you another plate of shrimp chips."
He took it and just said thank you when he heard Wei Fuqiu move closer and lower her voice, "Lord Lu, you don't have to keep using the excuse of 'just passing by'."
Lu Lan had just swallowed a mouthful of tea when she choked when she heard the words.
The tea today is choking.
Wei Fuqiu didn't stop, her eyes sparkling as she asked directly, "Lord Lu, how is my sister?"
Before Lu Lan could reply, Wei Fuling came over, holding Yuanbao in her arms. "Master Lu, my sister is so kind. She's capable, makes delicious snacks, and looks like a fairy from a painting!"
Wei Fuqiu immediately responded, "My sister is a fairy from heaven. You can't do anything that would make a fairy unhappy."
The two little girls chatted with each other, like two little birds protecting their nest.
Lu Lan looked at their serious expressions, then glanced at Wei Jinyun, who was surrounded by customers behind the counter. She picked up a piece of shrimp cracker and stuffed it into her mouth. "Your sister... is really good."
The shrimp crackers were crispy, with a hint of saltiness, and the taro paste was sweet, somewhat like the indescribable feeling in Lu Lan's heart at the moment.
Yuanbao jumped from Wei Fuling's arms and sat on the low bamboo chair across from Lu Lan, his green eyes meeting his. It meowed, and Lu Lan put down the teacup and fed it a small loach.
By the time the guests around Wei Jinyun had left, Yuanbao had already fallen asleep in Lu Lan's arms.
The wind chimes rang, and it was Zhang Renbai who came in with a smell of alcohol.
His hair was like weeds from sleeping, with a few strands hanging in front of his eyes. His long gown was wrinkled and the collar was askew, obviously he had left the house without tidying himself up.
He immediately saw Lu Lan standing by the window. Their eyes met. Zhang Renbai dodged her gaze, looking a bit embarrassed, without saying hello.
He pulled out the small bamboo chair opposite Lu Lan and sat down, kicking away the loofah sleeping underneath. He leaned over the table and called out in a muffled voice, "Miss Wei, I want a plate of Golden Taro."
As soon as Wei Jinyun brought the dim sum to him, he didn't even move his chopsticks, but instead stared at the dim sum in a daze, his chin resting on his hand. His fingers unconsciously drew circles on the table, his eyes empty, as if his soul had been taken away.
Zhang Renbai suddenly grabbed a taro paste glutinous rice ball and stuffed it into his mouth, swallowing it without chewing it twice.
"It's Zhang Renbai."
Someone noticed him and whispered, "How did it become like this..."
The two guests at the round table were drinking tea. When they caught a glimpse of Zhang Renbai's appearance, they lowered their voices and gathered around the man to whisper together.
"Look at how distraught he is. He must not have recovered yet."
The tall, thin man covered his mouth with his fan and glanced in Zhang Renbai's direction. "I heard that on the day of the college entrance examination, he kept holding his stomach in the examination room, and went to the bathroom halfway through the exam. He was so exhausted that he couldn't even stand up the whole day, and he didn't even finish the paper."
The other man tutted twice, took a sip from his teacup, and lowered his voice even more. "That's right. A few days ago, Shopkeeper Zhang was so anxious that he was jumping up and down, thinking that some unkind person had drugged him, so he rushed him to the clinic. The doctor took a look and said it was a minor poison. He has been suffering for half a month."
"Who gave me the drugs?"
The tall, thin man also clicked his tongue and quickly explained, "No one drugged him. It was only later that word got out that his mother, Mrs. Xu, was so worried sick, she was looking forward to him passing the imperial examination. She got some talismans from some charlatan, burned them into powder, and mixed them into his food. Coincidentally, that charlatan was arrested by Lord Lu just two days ago."
If the doctor at the clinic had not said that he did not know the reason why Zhang Renbai suddenly fainted, and saw that his face was pale and looked like he had been poisoned, and had not repeatedly asked about Zhang's father and Xu's condition so that he could prescribe the right medicine, Xu would definitely not have told them about the talisman.
He nodded in Lu Lan's direction and continued, "I heard that the talisman was fake. The con man mixed it with cinnabar to make him feel better. During Lord Lu's trial, the con man insisted that cinnabar could calm the mind. But who knew that Master Zhang's stomach couldn't handle it, and he ended up with diarrhea... I think they must have added some other medicine. Why haven't I heard that cinnabar can cause diarrhea?"
The man who asked the question shook his head after hearing this explanation. "Zhang Renbai is really pitiful. He studied so hard for so long, but in the end, he failed because of his mother's stupid behavior. Speaking of which, we should thank Lord Lu. Otherwise, who knows how many more families would have been fooled by that liar."
As they were talking, they glanced at Zhang Renbai who was lying on the table. Seeing that he was motionless and seemed not to have heard, they exchanged glances, picked up their teacups and changed the subject.
But those few whispers, after going around in circles twice, finally fell into the ears of Zhang Renbai who was standing next to them.
Things shouldn't be like this.
Zhang Renbai raised his head and stared at the busy Wei Jinyun. Wasn't it true that after he passed the imperial examination, he would go and ask his parents to marry her?
Why is this happening.
Why was he the one who made a fool of himself, while Lu Lan was the one who got the glory by catching the charlatan who sold talismans?
Does Lu Lan have to behave so well in front of her?
"Son."
Xu soon followed in. Her temples were a little disheveled, and her eyes were red. She immediately spotted her son lying on the table. She quickly walked over and reached out to pull him, "Renbai, come home with me."
Zhang Renbai kept his head down and didn't move. Xu didn't try to pull him. She squatted down and cried, "Mother knows I was wrong, I really know... I was confused and believed the liar's lies. I caused you to suffer and missed the college entrance examination..."
She wiped her tears and reached out to wrap the uneaten egg yolk and taro pastry on the table in oil paper. "You like this snack. Mom will take it back and heat it up for you. Let's go home and eat it slowly."
"mother."
Zhang Renbai finally raised his head, his voice was very hoarse, and his eyes were red and swollen.
"No more, no more."
Xu quickly interrupted him, her hand stroking his matted hair, her movements gentle and urgent. "From now on, I will never ask for those things again. Talismans and spells are all lies! Next time...next time when you take the test, I will be right here, watching you, without saying a word, without even offering you a sip of water. I will just watch you quietly and never cause any more trouble. Okay?"
Next time, she definitely won’t do that again.
Her son will definitely win.
If her son liked Wei Jinyun, then let him like her. If he liked to eat her snacks, then he could eat them. Next time he won, she would help her son get her.
As Xu spoke, she pulled her son up and half-supported him toward the door. Zhang Renbai followed like a puppet on a string. When he passed Lu Lan, he suddenly looked up and stared at him.
"Why is this donor's look so terrifying?"
Just as Xu was pulling Zhang Renbai to the door, a young monk was about to enter the shop and they nearly bumped into him. He quickly stepped aside, clasped his hands together in greeting, and muttered something under his breath.
The young monk looked no more than fourteen or fifteen, yet he exuded a dignified air. His robe was made of fine white cotton, with a green silk sash tied around his waist.
Seeing Wei Jinyun, he clasped his hands together again and said, "Greetings, benefactor. I am from Bao'en Temple and have come here on the orders of the abbot to order some refreshments. The temple is holding a ritual, and they need some simple, elegant, and sweet refreshments for the pilgrims."
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Author's comments: Jinyun: Abacus is pretty good. [Glasses]
Little Sparrow and Little Butterfly: My sister is a fairy! [Rainbow fart]
Lord Lu: My excuse is obvious. [Pathetic]
It has the texture of taro snow meringue and taro egg yolk pastry, and the taro melts in your mouth.
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