Chapter 31: Is it true that steamed food is the best for the first release? ...
Wen Yu's heart was completely focused on this novel-style table. When she heard Song Linsheng's voice, she took a long time to react before answering in a daze.
"What?" Wen Yu raised her head, turned sideways to look at Song Linsheng, and followed his gaze.
It turned out to be Lord Jia who stepped out from behind a screen. The servants behind him filed in and walked towards the table in two columns.
Wen Yu watched the waiters carrying food boxes going back and forth around the table, placing dishes. He asked Song Linsheng, "Is this what you call 'eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, and four finishing dishes'?"
"Madam Wenyu, please wait a moment. Once all the dishes are ready, Linsheng will explain them to you one by one." Song Linsheng looked at Wenyu with a smile.
The two of them stopped talking. Wen Yu's eyes moved around, staring straight at Lord Jia's actions.
Lord Jia passed by the other tables and came towards the table where Wen Yu and Song Linsheng were sitting. His voice had already reached him before he even arrived.
"Sir Song!" Jia Ren bowed to Song Linsheng and Mu Tong, who was dressed as a priest, also stood up and exchanged greetings with Sir Jia.
"Would you please give the opening speech for the water banquet, Lord Song?" Jia Ren said politely to Song Linsheng. "Once Lord has given the order, I can arrange for everyone to take their seats."
Song Linsheng nodded, listening to Jia Ren's words. After understanding his meaning, he replied, "Master Jia, there's no need to be so modest. I believe that you and Mu Jing have been preparing for Linsheng's appointment for a long time. Just consider it as an invitation to the banquet today!"
"Let Lord Jia deliver the speech on behalf of Linsheng." Song Linsheng declined.
Lord Mu, standing by, chimed in, "Now that Lord Song has spoken, Lord Jia, please give your speech and begin the banquet! Don't keep the neighbors waiting too long."
After hearing Song Linsheng's words, Jia Ren wanted to persuade him again, but seeing Mu Tong agreeing with him, he stopped refusing. He saluted Song Linsheng again, then turned around and stood at the head of the main hall, saying:
"As the saying goes, on my birthday, I seek out the beauties of the Si River. The boundless scenery is new for a moment. On the third day of the third month of the twenty-sixth year of the Huining reign, we gather here to perform the three rituals of purification, water feast, and offering sacrifices to the gods..."
Wen Yu felt a little puzzled after hearing Lord Jia's opening remarks. She leaned over to Song Linsheng's ear and asked, "Lord Song said we're gathering here. How did you determine who will be attending the banquet?"
Wen Yu turned around and looked around. Although the main hall was large and spacious, it was definitely not large enough to accommodate everyone in Jiangyang Mansion.
Song Linsheng didn't know how to explain it. He just remembered that when he was young, every Double Third Day, Jiangyang Restaurant would send invitations to various families some time in advance, and the invited families would attend the banquet.
Those who do not have visiting cards can join the banquets held by other poetry halls or academies, or they can just invite a few good friends to have a banquet at home based on their own preferences.
Many years have passed now, and he has not been in Jiangyang for a long time, so he is not very clear about his current appearance.
He was choked for a moment. Although he was not very willing, he still planned to consult Lord Mu, who had been in office for more than a year.
Before he could speak, Mu Tong beside him had already slowly explained, "Nowadays, all major restaurants, teahouses, and poetry societies can hold banquets. They just need to hang up the invitation signs in advance, and the people in the city can go to the corresponding restaurants to collect their favorites."
"It's not a one-on-one invitation by the store, it's first come, first served, it all depends on your ability!"
After saying this, Mu Tong poured tea for Wen Yu and Song Linsheng.
Wen Yu nodded, and after thinking for a moment, she asked, "But Song Linsheng and I didn't get any wooden signs!" Wen Yu turned her head and looked at Song Linsheng questioningly.
"It goes without saying that Master Song is now the prefect of Jiangyang, and Madam Wen is his distinguished guest. Even if I had some respect, no one would dare to stop you!"
"After all, I personally invited you, my lord and my lady!"
Mu Tong responded loudly and joked with Wen Yu.
Wen Yu's serious yet playful words made him laugh repeatedly, and his shoulders began to shake.
These words, when heard by Song Linsheng, held a profound meaning. He couldn't help but recall the little fish lantern Xiyan had brought back from the mansion after sending his brother Ayuan off. Xiyan had clearly said that Lord Mu had specifically instructed him to bring it back for Madam Wenyu to enjoy...
Mu Jingli's behavior today, including presenting her with a hairpin and showing her the way, was remarkable. He claimed to be the prefect of Jiangyang, but he treated Madam Wenyu with even greater courtesy than he did his superior...
Song Linsheng drooped his eyelashes slightly, hiding the expression in his eyes...
"Fellow villagers and neighbors, today we are cleaning up our dirt, praying for blessings, offering sacrifices to the gods and welcoming the spring. May officials and citizens enjoy this together!"
"Everyone, please don't be restrained and have fun!"
As Lord Jia finished speaking, the servant who was serving the dishes was almost done, and everyone at the table raised their glasses to congratulate him and cheered.
Various dishes were placed on the table like a stream of water. The waiter gently placed the specially made bowls and cups into the running water in the center. With a little force, the bowls and cups moved with the water, swaying gently and slowly passing downstream.
Wen Yu sat in the middle of the square table, so when the dishes were first served, they were some distance away from her. Wen Yu could only lean over the table, leaning forward to look at the bowls, hoping that they would be served to her soon.
"This Jiangyang water banquet emphasizes eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, and four finishing dishes..." Song Linsheng counted the number of bowls and dishes, and seeing that the dishes were almost complete, he began to explain them one by one to Wen Yu.
"That's right! It's exactly the eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, and four finishing dishes. Lord Song has a good eye." Mu Tong continued, "This is my first time organizing a water banquet, and it was Lord Jia who talked to me for quite a while and taught me how to choose the dishes!"
Song Linsheng paused when he heard this, and waited until Mu Tong finished speaking before he was ready to speak.
But Mu Jingli was a kind-hearted person. After he finished speaking, he started talking about the dishes.
"These eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, and four finishing dishes refer to eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, and four soups."
Wen Yu turned to look at Lord Mu and listened with great interest, nodding uncontrollably as he listened.
Song Linsheng's breath was stuck in his throat, neither rising nor falling, choking uncomfortably. He lifted the teacup in front of him, intending to lower it, but just as he brought it to his lips, he remembered that this was the tea poured by Mu Jing. He didn't know who he was angry with, so he placed the teacup on the table, paused for a moment, and then raised his hand to push it away.
But the voice of Mu Guoling continued to come from the side, and he couldn't hide away.
"These eight cold and eight hot dishes cover a wide range of flavors, from sweet to sour and bitter to spicy and salty. Among them, the most Jiangyang specialties are pickled fresh mandarin fish, frog, lotus crab, and river shrimp and tofu soup..."
Once Lord Mu starts talking, it's hard to stop. Wen Yu tilted her head to listen. When she first met Lord Mu, she thought he was tall and straight like a tree, but she didn't expect him to be such a chatterbox.
But Wen Yu was so engrossed in listening that she just waited for the delicious food to be brought to her, so she didn't feel bored.
"There are also various kinds of sashimi..." Mu Tong continued.
Sashimi? Wen Yu sat up as soon as she heard the word "sashimi". She hadn't tried the other dishes yet and didn't know their taste, but she knew the taste of this sashimi after having it at Song Linsheng's house.
Wen Yu stretched his neck to see where the sashimi had been passed to.
This "Qu Shui Liu Shang" (a kind of wine-drinking game) is indeed elegant, but it's also quite practical when people sit on either side of a stream and drink, enjoying the leisurely mood. But then, applying this to a water feast, Wen Yu thought, wouldn't those people starve to death? No, no, it's elegant, but not practical.
Wen Yu was concentrating on looking at the bowls of food, but suddenly she heard a ding sound, which drew her attention back.
Wen Yu lowered her head and saw a piece of crystal clear sashimi lying on the plate in front of her. She also saw Song Linsheng's hand and bamboo chopsticks that had not yet moved back.
It turned out that he was setting the table for Wenyu, but for some reason he made a noise. Some time ago, when Wenyu and Song Linsheng were having a meal together, he had taken the chopsticks and used the bowl very gently and carefully, without making any noise.
Wen Yu was a little puzzled, but he was well-educated and well-educated, so how could he possibly act so unbecomingly? Wen Yu simply assumed he was unaccustomed to using bamboo chopsticks from outside and didn't think much of it.
She lowered her head and sniffed the fresh, sweet aroma of the sashimi. The subtle sweetness penetrated her heart and spleen, and traveled throughout her six internal organs. Wen Yu nodded with satisfaction and turned her head to thank Song Linsheng: "Thank you, Master Song!"
Song Linsheng withdrew his hand and put down the bamboo chopsticks. He turned his eyes and glanced at Mu Jingli.
"No matter how good the food is, you have to try it first. Even if you describe it vividly, it's not as good as eating it."
"What do you think, Mu Jingli?" Song Linsheng regretted it as soon as he said it.
What is he...doing?
When he first met Mu Tong, he thought he was quite clever and considerate. He thought they would always consult each other when working together. Why was he here today, arguing with him...
Mu Tong was stunned, seemingly not expecting Prefect Song to ask such a question, but he quickly recovered and replied, "Master Song is absolutely right."
"This dish is exactly..." Mu Tong continued.
"Pickled fresh mandarin fish." Song Linsheng took over the conversation without asking Mu Jingli to continue. "The saying 'three mandarin fish, four shad, eight barbel, and nine crucian carp' refers to the best time to eat fish."
Song Linsheng felt a little happy for no reason. It was just a matter of saying a few words first. Who wouldn't do that?
"It's March now, and the mandarin fish are plump and perfect for making this pickled mandarin fish dish—"
Upon hearing this, Mu Tong took it as Song Linsheng's compliment for his work in selecting the dishes, so he clasped his hands together in greeting and replied with a smile, "Thank you for the compliment, Master Song."
Song Linsheng, uncharacteristically, didn't respond. He picked up his bamboo chopsticks and added some sashimi and scallions to Wen Yu's plate. He leaned slightly sideways, lowering his head, and whispered, "Although mandarin fish is warm in nature, pickled fish can be cold, so don't eat too much."
"Besides, mandarin fish has a firm texture and is rich in fat. Steaming is best, and pickling is a poor choice." Seeing Wen Yu savoring it carefully, Song Linsheng continued, "
"I'll ask the cook to make you steamed mandarin fish when I get home someday."
Wen Yu's cheeks were still stuffed with sashimi of mandarin fish. The aroma of green onions burst in her mouth and spread between her lips and teeth, making her very satisfied.
Wen Yu was even more delighted when she heard they would steam it later, nodding repeatedly at Song Linsheng. She continued chewing, perhaps feeling it was unsightly, and hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands.
Song Linsheng pulled out a brocade handkerchief from his bosom and handed it to Wen Yu, comforting her, "It's okay. Just enjoy your meal. Why bother with formalities?"
The two of them interacted with each other in a lively manner.
Mu Tong was left alone beside Wen Yu, his heart swirling like sand in the wind. He pondered over it all, but couldn't understand why the usually gentle and polite Lord Song would leave him alone like this. Was he dissatisfied with his dish selection?
But he had clearly discussed it with Lord Jia many times before deciding on this pickled mandarin fish dish. Lord Jia said that this way of eating it has been popular in previous years and all the villagers praised it!
Mu Tong was half-believing and half-doubting when the mandarin fish dish was passed to him. He picked up a piece of sashimi with his chopsticks, wrapped it with green onions, and put it into his mouth, chewing it carefully. The question in his mind kept lingering:
Is it true that steaming is best and pickling is second best?
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