Miao Chu

Chapter 126 Gourd
Seeing Wang Chang struggling so hard to eat a snail, Master Wei couldn't bear it any longer and said, "Wait a minute, don't choke—I've seen plenty of snails, I'll show you how to eat one."

But I couldn't help thinking to myself: This student is tall, but how come he's so useless? He probably only uses brute force and doesn't know how to use skill, which is why he can't suck it out—he even needs me, his teacher, to teach him how to eat meat!
As he spoke, he reached out and pinched a large snail.

He took out a section of the stuffed meat that was sticking out and began to tentatively suck and eat it.

As expected of the master, he was indeed much more skilled. He moved with great force and took all sorts of stances, trying various strengths, directions, and methods. He first sucked from the snail's head, then from the tail, then poked it hard with chopsticks, and even tried to drag it with a bamboo skewer. He had practically mastered all eighteen kinds of snail-eating techniques, but the piece of meat stuffed in the very middle remained completely unmoved.

The people at both tables were watching, initially expectant, but gradually their gazes became somewhat strange.

—You can't even get the meat from a snail shell, and you call yourself a gentleman? Is that even acceptable?

"Old Wei, if you can't do it, then move aside and let me try!"

But this was Master Cao standing to the side.

Other students also called out, "Mr. Cao, please wait! Let your disciples do it for you!"

After watching for a while, everyone was eager to try their hand at it. They were no longer willing to watch the show, and they started making noise and scrambling to get their own stuffed snails to try their skills.

Master Chen was already impatient and couldn't wait any longer. Seeing the soup dripping from the snails in his hand, he quickly took out a piece of stuffed meat with his chopsticks and hurriedly used his mouth to catch it.

He was a little stunned after the first bite.

It's too rich and flavorful.

The rich broth mixed with the minced meat, and the first thing you felt was the spiciness of the mint, but soon that coolness and spiciness were washed away by the rich aroma of the snail meat and pork, making it extremely delicious and a flavor he had never expected.

The minced meat is soft and slightly springy, and when you bite into it, the broth bursts out—that broth is the essence of the essence, ridiculously thick, very intense, yet not greasy at all.

The aroma of pork and the fresh, river-like flavor of snails complement each other perfectly. Paired with chopped shiitake mushrooms to cut through the richness and enhance the aroma, and mint to remove any fishy smell and add flavor, in addition to salt and soy sauce, there is also the indispensable Guangnan fermented bean curd and its juice. The perfect proportions, when combined, make up just like the full moon on the fifteenth of August, perfectly round.

Because this dish involves stuffing meat into the shell and cooking it with the shell on, the snail shell is like a series of semi-enclosed small pots, with "pots" inside the pots. The two layers of separation can lock in the fresh and delicious flavor, allowing the meat filling inside the shell to be repeatedly forced out by the heat, and then soaking back in itself.

The pork was minced extremely finely, becoming a paste, even a little soft and sticky. The snail meat was also very fine, but even in its finest form, it retained its own integrity, being much stronger and firmer than the soft bones of pork. When you tasted the snail meat that Song Miao had specially added later, the meat was slightly larger, still retaining its shape, and had a bit more elasticity, somewhat like the texture of scallops, but even more chewy.

In addition to its rich aroma, the pungent flavor of mint is not just an embellishment, but a consistent element throughout, making it very unique, and it also has a slightly spicy taste.

All these flavors are blended together, curled up in the tiny snail shell, held back for half a day, and then unfold all at once upon entering the mouth, as if they want to fill every inch of the mouth.

Both tables were so engrossed in sucking out the snail meat stuck in the middle that they barely had a chance to talk to each other before their mouths were completely full.

Some snails are more modest, and with one bite, diners suck out all the stuffed meat. Those who eat it are surprised, delighted, and proud, and can't wait to tell everyone in the room.

Some snails were stubborn, refusing to let go of their meat filling, leaving the teachers and students unable to suck it out even after eating for half a day. Yet, they were unwilling to give up, using every possible method to circumvent the snail shell, wishing they could smash it open with a hammer.

Two tables of people ate until dark, and a bunch of them wouldn't let go until they finished the stuffed snails.

Left with no other choice, Song Miao resorted to her trump card, taking out two heavy scissors and instructing everyone to cut around the shell again from the already cut-off end of the snail's tail, and then take out the meat to eat.

Because of the stuffed snails, everyone completely forgot what they were there for. Each table had a big bowl of them, and they ate until they were so full they could barely walk.

The teachers, seeing that they were running late, hurriedly urged them to go back first, lest they violate the school rules and be recorded by the headmaster.

A group of students reluctantly bid farewell to their teachers, thanked Song Miao and the others, and hurriedly left.

The gentlemen were left to wash their hands, burp, and straighten their hats and sleeves.

As for Master Chen, he was slowly eating the freshly cut fruit that had been served when he saw Song Miao approaching with a brush and ink, smiling at him. He immediately slapped his forehead, pretending to have just remembered, and said, "I almost forgot to properly inscribe the screen and central scroll for this restaurant..."

As he spoke, he glanced at Xiao You beside him and gave her a subtle wink.

Xiao You, still munching on her food, immediately realized what was happening and quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief. She then said, "The food was so good tonight, and we ate so much that I'm afraid your writing will be full of the taste of meat, and your mind will be filled with the flavor of stuffed snails. Your writing will have that flavor, and the screens and hanging scrolls you create will probably make people feel full just by looking at them. If you have time tomorrow, why don't we come back and write some more tomorrow?"

"Even if you're busy tomorrow, we can reschedule for another day, the day after tomorrow, or the day after that! We'll ask the teacher to write on an empty stomach, and he'll write with perfect accuracy—it'll definitely make everyone hungry just by looking at it, so when the guests come, they'll order more dishes!"

He added, "Young lady, don't worry. Even if the teacher forgets for a moment, I will definitely remember this matter. I will remind him after class, and I will come with the teacher to help grind the ink and lay out the paper. I will carefully write a magnificent central scroll for this restaurant!"

Song Miao readily agreed, saying, "I haven't had anything else to do at home these past few days. If you two have some free time, I'll definitely welcome you with open arms."

Asking someone to write calligraphy, especially someone as talented and virtuous as Mr. Chen, was something Song Miao couldn't help but acknowledge, even though it was Mr. Chen who made the suggestion.

But under these circumstances, it's not easy to talk about money, not to mention that Song Miao simply can't afford his fee.

She then suggested, "If we're setting the date for tomorrow night, and you two don't mind, our shop can prepare a few side dishes in advance..."

Xiao You immediately grinned from ear to ear and replied, "How could I possibly accept that? We can leave at the beginning of the 5-7 PM tomorrow. After packing, we can get there in less than half an hour!"

While the three people in front were talking, the teachers who had just finished tidying up their appearance didn't pay much attention. But when they heard this, they all straightened their backs immediately, and even raised their hats a little higher.

One of them suddenly turned around and interjected, "When it comes to writing the central scroll, I'm afraid I can't compare to Master Chen, but my small characters are quite presentable—madam, would you like to hang a wooden sign for your restaurant?"

Song Miao was taken aback, then smiled and said, "If we could have that, it would be even better."

The other teachers were just a step too slow to open their mouths and missed out, and now they couldn't help but glare at the teacher with the wooden signboard.

The man squinted and chuckled.

Everyone racked their brains, and finally someone had an idea. They hurriedly asked, "I am skilled in painting, young lady. Your restaurant must have a menu, right? I think this place should be a gathering place for refined people. We can drink wine and compose poems here, how delightful that would be..."

Before Song Miao could answer, a scholar interrupted, "What do you mean by 'a place for refined people to gather'? Businessmen should welcome customers from all over the world, why distinguish between the vulgar and the refined?! You've only read a few books, how dare you call yourself refined?!" After saying this, the man hurriedly turned to Song Miao and said, "Young lady, I also have a skill in line drawing. It can be used on walls, or painted on wooden boards and hung on the wall. The paintings are suitable for all ages, regardless of whether they are commoners or learned scholars."

He paused, looking very considerate, and then said, "However, if I were to draw it based solely on what I have in my mind, it probably wouldn't be quite right. It would be best to try all the dishes first to know how to begin—when did your shop officially open? How about I put my food money here and come to try a couple of dishes every day..."

The room full of teachers immediately glared at him angrily.

Master Chen immediately said, "Alright, alright, Xiao Song is about to go on a long trip. Let's talk about everything when she gets back!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but curse inwardly: "Drinking two dishes every day? What a dream! When the others come back, if it happens in the future... then I'll also drink two dishes every day, no, at every meal!"

Master Chen, confident in his position, seemed to have everything under control, while the others in the room couldn't help but show expressions of disappointment.

Suddenly, a scholar said, "Oh dear, it seems that next month is Old Cao's birthday! Since Miss Song is free these days, why don't those of you who are free pool your money and give him a gift to celebrate?"

So everyone in the room was overjoyed, and everyone wanted to contribute.

At that moment, the leader pointed to the heads of the people and asked Song Miao about the price.

Song Miao said, "The city has been flooded lately. We went to the neighborhood today and saw that prices have skyrocketed. It's not worthwhile to hold a banquet now. Since it's next month's birthday, why don't we wait until next month?"

He added, “If you gentlemen are truly free tomorrow to come and help me with the menu and recipes, it would be an honor for my humble abode. Although I am not a wealthy man, I can still afford a simple meal. If you don’t mind, please come and sit here tomorrow evening. I will simply prepare a table of food. How about that?”

Who wouldn't be happy with this attitude?

But the group of elders, having already heard about the Song family's situation, were naturally embarrassed to invite such a poor young woman, whose house contained only a few tables and chairs, to host a dinner party.

After much back and forth, Master Chen finally said, "Stop arguing. Little Song can just have some noodles or rice noodles to settle things for a meal—I heard you have some soybean and lean pork noodles here, I'll take that!"

He urged everyone to leave quickly, but before leaving, he secretly slipped something into Song Miao's hand and whispered, "I'm old and have no children or grandchildren. I don't need to spend much of my salary. Use this to buy a couple of side dishes!"

Having said that, he flicked his short robe, went out the door, and quickly went under Xiao You's umbrella outside.

There were people around, so he couldn't wade in the water, but he still walked away with measured steps, exuding a powerful and cheerful air.

When Song Miao took the item, she looked down and saw that it was a gourd the size of a thumb.

The gourd lay in my hand, small yet heavy, a pure gold color, which glowed with a warm red hue under the dim yellow oil lamplight.

It is pure gold.

Song Miao was caught in a dilemma: she couldn't accept the money, nor could she return it. After thinking for a while, she decided to put it away for now and wait for Han Li to return before asking him about it.

***
At this very moment, Cai Xiu was also holding a crimson gold gourd in her hand.

In a private garden in the east of the city, he sat at a table surrounded by people, all of whom were offering him toasts.

"Young Master Cai truly lives up to his reputation as a talented scholar from the Imperial Academy; such exquisite verses are truly breathtaking!"

“Master Cui, it is rather vulgar of you to use the gold gourd as a weapon; it is not worthy of Brother Cai’s fine poetry and verses!”

Upon hearing this, Master Cui hurriedly said, "Today was truly rushed. I never expected that we could invite Young Master Cai Xiu to this literary gathering. Had I known this, I would have prepared more elegant and valuable items as prizes..."

Cai Xiu smiled and said, "I just happened to have some free time and heard that talented people have gathered here. It's just a game, and I rely entirely on everyone's support..."

He clinked glasses with several of the wealthiest and most influential gentry and students. When he saw someone getting close, he pretended to be unable to hold his liquor and called out to that person, "Brother Tang, help me up."

The person who was stopped was flattered and helped him to a nearby private room for guests to rest, and even called a servant to bring tea and water.

Cai Xiu took a few sips of tea and started chatting with Tang Shuai, asking him where he studied, what books he was reading, how well he wrote, who his teacher was, and who his classmates were.

He spoke with great kindness and even gave some pointers on how Mr. Tang Shuai had a certain temperament and how to get along with him. He also gave advice on how to address the topic of certain types of articles and how to use classical allusions.

Tang Shuai was deeply moved, feeling incredibly grateful, and thanked him profusely.

Cai Xiu waved her hand and smiled, "We are the same age and students. I was quite impressed by your poetry and prose when I met you a few times before. It is rare to meet you today, and we should have a good chat, but unfortunately... alas, I am tied up with troubles and cannot stay long. I have to leave in a while."

After saying that, he sighed again, looking very annoyed.

Tang Shuai couldn't help but ask what was bothering him.

Cai Xiu said, “I am currently on temporary assignment in the Kyoto government office. These days I have been busy organizing affairs for the sergeant. Although I have made some progress, it is all just paperwork and documents, which is of no practical use. I want to resign from this temporary assignment and go to do something real, but my superiors are unwilling to let me go. They say, ‘You should go back to study. It’s better for you to stay here. Unless you find a better place, I will never let you leave.’ — Can you believe how troublesome that is?”

Tang Shuai sighed, "With Brother Cai's talent, the sergeant certainly won't release him!"

"I'm thinking of finding a place to go out and study, or to arrange a temporary transfer back to my hometown. But I can't find a suitable place to go right now—I'm afraid I'll end up in a government office where I sit at my desk all day, unable to learn anything or do anything!"

Tang Shuaiyuan was already somewhat hesitant, but upon hearing this, he seemed to have made up his mind and said, "Brother Cai, my second uncle has just been appointed as the supervisor of the outer capital's water management office. Yesterday at dinner, I heard him say that the repairs to the Liuta River are progressing very slowly and are unusable, causing the water in the capital to be too deep, disturbing the people and wasting money. Councilor Li is already planning to send more people over there."

"Besides officials, we also need to borrow students—I heard that a transfer order has already been issued to the Imperial Academy, and the name of that student, Han Li, has been specifically mentioned. If Brother Cai is willing, I will mention it to my second uncle when I get home. With Brother Cai's talent, the Imperial Water Conservancy Bureau would be overjoyed to have you join! However, this trip will be arduous, and I'm afraid it might be a burden to you..."

Cai Xiu was stunned, and this time she was genuinely surprised. She exclaimed, "Han Li agreed? He really wants to go?? He's been working in the Kyoto government office for so long... and the higher-ups are actually letting him go?"

　Many thanks to Qingmei Shou for the snail-flavored sachet from Master Chen and the good luck charm for me :)

　　P.S.: He's been sniffing around all day!
　　Thank you Ann_AC from the bookstore for gifting me a writing tool, and thank you to ZuoZuoYouYou and Miss Ultraman for each of the small gifts you sent me =3=
　　(End of this chapter)