Chapter 6
Xuzhou, formerly known as Pengcheng, had a stone wall that looked much darker than those in places south of the Yangtze River. The dampness of the south gradually faded as they traveled, with only the occasional cool autumn breeze bringing a slight dampness. The driver accompanied them into the city. It was midday, and the crowds in Xuzhou were not as crowded as those in Nanjing and Suzhou.
Li Rong lifted the curtain to gaze into Xuzhou. The pedestrians moved in an orderly fashion, less bustling than those south of the Yangtze River, yet more solemn, evoking a sense of Laozi preaching or Confucius observing the water. Like Jinling, the river flowed halfway around the city walls. The river, even wider than the waters south of the Yangtze River, was muddy and yellow, carrying the fishy smell of mud that blew straight toward him.
Su Si said goodbye to the driver and helped Li Rong carry his bag. "Where are we going now? Does the young master have any advice? I heard that prices in Xuzhou are cheaper than in Jiangnan, but I don't know if it's true."
Li Rong calmed down. The wind in Xuzhou seemed a bit stronger, blowing away the fatigue and dust from days of travel. "Let's book an inn and wash up first. Xuzhou cuisine is famous for Peng Zu. We can try it in the restaurant tonight. It will save you the trouble of sneaking in and queuing for a long time."
Su Si, carrying his bag, smiled and said, "Young Master, you understand me." He then went to find an inn with vacancies on the street. Li Rong closed the windows, untied his hairband, and added a ladle of hot water to the tub before undressing. The hot water softened his muscles, weakened by lying in the carriage for so long. He felt a rare sense of fatigue, and closed his eyes to rest in the mist.
He had indeed left Jiangnan far behind. He no longer felt that familiar dampness. The red maples of Suzhou and the cosmetics of Nanjing were only memories. Xuzhou wasn't considered northern, but it was heavily influenced by Shandong, its people simple and kind. He no longer heard the soft tones of the Wu dialect, and he was gradually beginning to break away from the peacefulness of his life.
Perhaps for Li Rong himself, it was a slow process of separation, or rather, a slow process of adaptation. In terms of wealth, Xuzhou certainly couldn't compare to the water towns of Jiangnan, but the people gathered in the city bore a striking resemblance to those depicted in the bamboo scrolls. He felt as if he could vaguely sense something hidden beneath. It was something Jiangnan couldn't offer him, something he couldn't fathom there.
Li Rong stood up and wiped his waist-length black hair, washing away all the dust. The adaptations his travels had brought him to so many places were far more intuitive than he had previously imagined. He wasn't afraid of such a forced break, even seeing it as a conflict between the past and the present. Even though he couldn't yet pinpoint the cause of this conflict, he remained resolute, following his father and his own thoughts as he continued through the journey of his coming-of-age years.
He lay on the couch fully clothed, his half-dried hair tied with an old headband to prevent it from being pulled. He closed his eyes, surrendering to the drowsiness that continued to come after his bath, and settled into a long, dreamless sleep. The clamor outside the window was blocked out, the only sound audible from the nearby academy reciting books, which accompanied his deep slumber. He could faintly smell the scent of ink on bamboo scrolls, as if he had returned to his youth, reciting books together, falling into a deep sleep.
Su Si had also forgotten their appointment to go to the restaurant. After washing up, he fell asleep on the couch. Even though he had spent most of the journey in the carriage, the fatigue brought on by the relentless travel still prevented him from getting up on time. When he woke up again, it was already dawn the next day. The sound of roosters crowing was clear in his ears. Only then did he remember the appointment last night and get up from the couch to put his clothes in order.
Li Rong awoke from a long sleep, a rare long sleep during his academic journey in Xuzhou. Su Si hadn't come to wake him the previous night, presumably exhausted from the journey and sleeping through the night like him. He settled into bed and opened the window, letting in the cool autumn breeze.
Su Si heard the noise and followed the shop assistant into Li Rong's room. As usual, he set out a simple meal for him to eat. "Did you call me last night, Master?" He was rarely embarrassed. He set the dishes and waited for his master to take a seat.
"I didn't wake up last night either. I was exhausted from days of sleep," Li Rong explained calmly. He had tasted Xuzhou's local cuisine, and it wasn't as light as the Jiangnan region's. Xuzhou food was more salty. He drank two more cups of tea to overcome the strong taste. Seeing Su Si enjoying his meal, he realized that Xuzhou's cuisine was indeed much more up-to-date than Jiangnan's.
With nothing to do today, Su Si stayed in Li Rong's room until noon, planning to go to the restaurant they hadn't visited the previous night with his son. Li Rong donned a green headband and took his servant out to the streets. Xuzhou City was far less crowded, but the hawking of vendors created a lively atmosphere comparable to that of Jiangnan.
In autumn, fish and crabs are fat. Fishermen sell the shrimps and crabs they catch with their nets immediately by the city gate or on the street next to their homes, or directly to restaurants. The fishy smell of the water spreads with the water droplets dripping to the ground. The fat shrimps and crabs fill the net bags, and the fishermen pick them out one by one and bargain continuously.
As for the food, Li Rong let Su Si go ahead and ask about the dishes and waiters, while his servant decided on the restaurant. This trip was the most tiring for him, as he had to leave home and the woman he loved, and Su Si himself hadn't made much progress. His father had previously mentioned that Su Si should manage the accounts, but that would have to wait until they returned to Luzhou.
Su Si chatted for a long time with the locals from Xuzhou who were passing by, and then took Li Rong to a restaurant at the end of a deep alley on the neighboring street. He negotiated a price with the fisherman at the stall, paid the money, picked up two fat crabs and walked in.
"I heard from the locals that this is a long-established restaurant that's been passed down for two generations, and they even let customers bring in ingredients for fresh cooking. When autumn arrives in Xuzhou, there's nothing better than having the restaurant steam a plump crab yourself," Su Si asked for a private room upstairs. "Besides, the young master likes quiet, and this place is far less crowded than the restaurants on Chang Street."
He brought his freshly bought crabs into the kitchen and, along with Li Rong, ordered some local specialties. Li Rong always let him do what he wanted in such matters. "I've heard about Peng Zu's pheasant soup while listening to you, Master. Today's a chance to try it," Su Si said, having the waiter bring two pots of tea in advance. "Xuzhou cuisine seems to have a spicy flavor, stronger than Luzhou. I wonder if you and I will be able to get used to it soon?"
Li Rong smiled. "A quick taste shouldn't be a problem, but they don't serve desserts, so you'll have to wait in line again." He and Su Si waited for the food to be served. As Su Si had said, the restaurant wasn't crowded, but the waiter's calls to attract customers could be heard from downstairs. Furthermore, there were faint sounds of debates. As the food was being served, they had no choice but to stop and listen to the arguments.
A steaming bowl of pheasant soup sat in the center of the table, next to a drunken crab drizzled with cold wine. The waiter had already removed the shells, and the rich crab roe sat on the plate, its delicious aroma permeating the private room with a tantalizing aroma. The restaurant also served several plates of local wild vegetables, along with a complimentary pancake in a bowl. "Enjoy your meal, sir—" The waiter filled their hot tea and hurried out of the room to the kitchen.
Now, separated by a screen, they were alone in the room. Li Rong, who had always treated Su Si like a brother, watched him with a smile as he began to carve the crab. He first took up his chopsticks and sampled the wild vegetables of Xuzhou. As Su Si had mentioned, Xuzhou cuisine was indeed rich in flavor. A faint red rose on his face, and he coughed repeatedly. He didn't care to drink slowly, and only drank half a bowl of tea before the spicy taste subsided.
He scooped up a spoonful of pheasant soup and tasted it. The tender, tender meat, mingled with the sweet and sour plums, diluted the spicy flavor of the seasoning. They were only halfway through their meal when they were both drenched in sweat. Su Si seemed even less accustomed to the uniquely spicy flavor of Xuzhou than he was. He only chose the drunken crab and crab roe, barely taking two or three bites of the pheasant soup.
Li Rong was more accustomed to the crab roe, so he only tasted it before offering it all to Su Si. The first batch of autumn crabs from Linjiang were indeed plump, significantly larger than the river crabs from Jiangnan and other regions. The freshness spread across the tongue, and paired with cold wine, it was a delightful treat. The two pots of hot tea were finished first, leaving only a few of the overly spicy dishes untouched. Su Si felt somewhat unsatisfied, sipping his tea and lamenting that he hadn't been able to enjoy more. He would have bought two more crabs earlier.
"I'll let you queue up for dim sum later, won't I? Just buy more." He found it rather amusing, and finished off the nearly empty pheasant soup. The warm broth warmed his stomach, completely satisfying his appetite. He relaxed his focus and listened to the sounds outside the wing. The waiter's calls to attract customers continued, as did the faint voices of judgment he had just heard. Li Rong asked Su Si to go to the store to settle the bill, while he straightened his clothes and headed out to follow the sounds.
The sound of a sutra debate emanated from the hall downstairs. In a corner, several men dressed as scholars discussed the art of government over a meal. Li Rong couldn't help but feel that it sounded a bit broad and empty, like the spiciness of food: a moderate amount, like soup, can warm the body, but too much can cause discomfort and must be diluted with tea to diffuse the flavor. Adding spice without considering the original flavor certainly wouldn't be considered a truly delicious dish, but there were also some insightful people who pointed out some of his doubts, and he felt a sense of enlightenment as he stood there.
He could not help but concentrate on understanding the truth that he had never understood before. Seeing that a group of shopkeepers had paid their bills and were about to leave, he did not care about etiquette and hurried forward to bow and kowtow. "I have just listened to you brothers discussing scriptures and the Way, and I have a feeling of sudden enlightenment. I came here to study, and I hope you will forgive my lack of etiquette. I would like to ask which great scholar you followed in your discussion of the Zhou Ming Reform[1]."
The students who were drinking and discussing Dao paused, then pushed the loudest one out of the way and replied, "I am a humble person. It is a honor to be able to help others in their Dao journeys, even though we have met by chance. However, we are dull and have no master. I heard that discussion from a teacher who lectures west of Linyi. However, he lives in seclusion at the foot of the mountain. I only know his address, and I don't know if he accepts disciples."
Li Rong thanked him softly and even asked the store to give the students some bacon to take home. However, they did not exchange names with each other. The man gave him a gift and told him in detail where the great scholar was. Then he said goodbye to Li Rong and left with his companions.
[1] The poem says: Although Zhou is an old country, its destiny is new.
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