Miao Chu

Chapter 128 You Are Invited
The group of teachers were making a fuss here. Song Miao had heard the commotion and came out to greet them, saying with a smile, "There will be food soon. Gentlemen, please sit for a while and have a drink."

They were already used to coming here, and without anyone leading them, everyone knew to go to the backyard to wash their hands.

After they came out one after another, they found their own seats and sat comfortably in their chairs. While wiping their hands and faces with the towels they brought, they drank warm but not hot perilla water while waiting for the dishes to be served. They felt that the dampness that had seeped into their bodies from the rain over the past few days was being expelled with the thin layer of sweat on their bodies.

If you just sit there drinking tea, your mouth will be free.

Students often complain about their teachers when they get together. Teachers, who teach and impart knowledge, have their own share of hardships and tears. When they get together, they inevitably complain about their students as well.

There's not much to say about good students; when they're with their colleagues, others will just think they're showing off. It's the bad students, on the other hand, who have a lot to complain about.

Knowing that the students you teach are even worse makes you feel less miserable and even provides some comfort.

In the middle of the afternoon, after spending the whole day arguing and bickering with a room full of students, everyone was naturally seething with anger and couldn't help but start comparing their misfortunes.

"The students these days are truly getting worse every year. I already thought the previous batch of students in the lower dormitory was no good, but this year's students are even more outrageous. Many key points in the classics have been explained ten or eight times, but they still make the same mistakes when tested next time. It's like their brains are filled with water!"

“Everyone keeps their eyes wide open during class, but when I ask them a question, some of them don’t remember a thing I just said. They’re just empty shells sitting in the dorm listening to the lecture, their souls have probably flown off somewhere else—how could such people be selected for the Imperial Academy!”

"Ha, you ask me? I'd like to ask you the same thing! Last time I was reviewing freshmen's papers, there was one that mentioned several Zhuangzi quotes that I'd never heard of before. I thought it was some kind of erudite person, but the writing style didn't seem like it either. But when I asked him about the source, he said that his surname was Zhuang and that he made up those quotes. Of course, it was just something Zhuangzi said!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Then another teacher said, "Your problem is one thing, but you're still a lower-level student. I gave you a problem to calculate the food supply for soldiers and horses, and one student in the inner dormitory actually calculated that a horse needs three shi of oats a day—more than a hundred jin of oats! I just want to pour it all into his mouth and see how many days it would take to finish it! I don't know how he got promoted to a higher-level dormitory!"

Someone said, "Come on, at least yours are just not very bright. I have some students who don't study much all day, but they think a lot. It's one thing for them to go out to eat, drink and have fun, but some of them secretly sneak off to Little Sweet Water Lane to spend the night. They know how to hide, and I haven't been able to catch them several times. I'm afraid something might happen to them. They may not be afraid of death, but I can't bear the responsibility!"

Seeing that the conversation was getting angrier and the atmosphere was getting increasingly sullen, the food was served, and everyone stopped talking. The resentment on their faces disappeared, and they smiled again, their wrinkles turning into chrysanthemum shapes. They were so busy picking up their chopsticks and bowls that they no longer had time to talk about the annoying student.

The first thing served was a pot of congee, plain white congee, with not much rice, cooked until just about to burst open, making the congee clear but not bland; it was more like rice soup than rice porridge.

It comes with several side dishes, including the usual pickled mustard tuber shreds, pickled bamboo shoot shreds, and braised pork, as well as a few pieces of split fermented bean curd, a plate of fried tofu skin with eggs (slightly spicy), and a plate of stir-fried yellow cabbage.

This time, both dishes were stir-fried with vegetable oil.

Considering that most of the teachers had poor teeth, Song Miao specially stir-fried the cabbage until it was soft.

This dish is naturally sweet, tenderly sweet. The purpose of the clear oil is to bring out that sweetness. No water is added, only a little salt, and it releases a lot of broth on its own, which is also sweet.

When you eat the tender stalks of the vegetable, a burst of sweet juice will burst on your tongue. The leaves are coated with a thin layer of clear oil, making them very tender. You can only taste the pure sweetness of the vegetable, without any greasiness or other off-flavors. Even after swallowing, your mouth and the back of your tongue will still feel clean and refreshing.

Braised tofu skin with eggs is fresh, fragrant, and slightly spicy. The tofu skin is soaked thoroughly in cold water and lightly blanched beforehand to remove the beany taste. After squeezing out the water, it is stir-fried with oil and a little minced garlic until fragrant. Then it is pushed to one side to fry the eggs. Only then is boiling water added to make a thick soup.

This dish is boiled over high heat until both ingredients are extremely soft, while the fried egg pieces are slightly chewy. Both have their own rich flavors: the dried bean curd is sweet and bean-scented, and the fried egg is caramelized and fragrant. Both have many air pockets, which absorb the broth very well, making the broth very thick. With the addition of dogwood, it has a slightly spicy and fresh flavor. It would be a waste not to serve this dish with rice.

Sure enough, a short while later, Song Miao brought up a small pot of rice and said, "Although we are having meat buns today, I noticed that Masters Xiao and Wang don't like noodles, so I prepared some rice and two side dishes to go with it."

Xiao and Wang, holding their bowls and chopsticks, were so moved that tears almost streamed down their faces along with their drool.

The scholars, who had just tasted the braised eggs with tofu skin, couldn't help but exclaim, "Young lady, I also love rice!"

"Although I'm from the North, I've never been biased towards either rice or noodles. I love everything made in your shop!"

While the crowd was still shouting, Cheng Erniang brought over several stacks of steamers.

"I've also made steamed buns today, both meat and vegetarian, and there's still rice on the stove," Song Miao smiled. "Please feel free to try them all and see which one you like."

As soon as the steamer lid was lifted, all the complaints on the table drifted away with the white steam, disappearing into who-knows-where.

The small bamboo steamer contains tiny steamed buns, each only the size of an egg, without pleats, plump and round on the surface. When you pinch one, you'll find that the bun skin underneath is soaked with oil.

"These are pleated steamed buns. The meat ones have carrot and mutton filling, soaked in red oil broth; the sauerkraut and pork filling has brownish-yellow oil broth; the vegetarian ones have tofu filling, soaked in vegetarian yellow oil broth; and there's also a mushroom and cabbage filling..."

As Song Miao spoke, she pointed and introduced the items to everyone.

The teacher, who had been trying to prove that he treated rice and noodles "equally," stopped mentioning rice and quickly picked up a meat bun filled with carrots and mutton.

Cut carrots into thin strips and mix them with ground lamb, along with a little scallion.

The carrots were first stir-fried in oil, and their sweetness and red color first melted into the oil, and then melted into the half-cooked and half-raw meat filling. With the flavor of scallions, each bite was bursting with meat juice, making the filling incredibly delicious. Cheng Zijian, a southerner, was so impressed by the taste that he stomped his feet. Han Li, after tasting one, wanted to close the box and refused to let anyone else have it. You can imagine how delicious it was.

The teacher ate only one, and then stopped saying he "loves to eat everything." He frantically reached his chopsticks into the steamer, picking up meat buns one by one.

After listening to Song Miao's introduction, everyone at the table started eating according to their own preferences. Soon, the only sounds were the whooshing of breaths as people tried to quickly put the steamed buns into their mouths.

The sauerkraut and pork steamed buns are tangy and fragrant, with sauerkraut being the soul of the dish. The sauerkraut is first stir-fried until dry, then stir-fried again with plenty of oil, and then stir-fried with minced pork and chopped dogwood. It absorbs the meat juice and oil, and is full of meat and oil aroma.

With such filling, the steamed bun looks shiny and oily. One bite and you'll find it tangy, spicy, and appetizing.

As for the two vegetarian steamed buns, the cabbage filling with shiitake mushrooms and cabbage was crisp and refreshing, and still retained a beautiful emerald green color. The shiitake mushrooms were soft, chewy, and thick. There were no other unnecessary seasonings, so it tasted oily but not greasy, natural, and delicious.

The most special thing was the tofu steamed bun.

The tofu is very soft, extremely soft. It contains pickled mustard tuber and pickled cowpea, and is stir-fried with lard, dogwood, and fermented black beans to create a spicy and fragrant flavor. It is then poured over the tofu cut into small pieces, topped with chopped green onions, and gently mixed.

These steamed buns are incredibly tender, soft, and fragrant. The tofu is especially flavorful, and the pickled mustard greens and pickled cowpeas are both sour and salty, with a spicy kick from the dogwood. It's a truly delicious and spicy treat.

The tender tofu crumbles as soon as it touches your lips, its skin already soaked in oil. Just looking at it makes your mouth water, and the taste is simply amazing.

The pleated steamed buns have a more fragrant crust at the sealed end, a richer and more flavorful filling, and are less likely to leak soup.

Small baskets full of steamed buns were brought out, and then small baskets empty were taken away.

As the group of scholars ate, they finally reached the point where they couldn't eat anymore. They had no choice but to stop eating, sighing with regret. Taking advantage of their age, no one held it against them, and they began to spout nonsense at each other.

"If I had been born twenty years later, I would have eaten three more baskets of these little steamed buns tonight!"

"You're only going to eat three more baskets? I could easily eat five!"

Song Miao listened and laughed. Seeing that it was almost time, she quickly wrapped seven or eight large steamed buns in dried lotus leaves, then wrapped them in a cloth and gave them to You Xuelu, asking him to take them back to Cheng Zijian as a midnight snack. Around twenty years old is the time when people eat a lot, and if they share them with their classmates and roommates, they will be gone.

The steam was being passed around, but a sharp-eyed teacher nearby noticed. He didn't ask openly, but instead, when no one was looking, he quietly pulled Song Miao aside and asked, "Young lady, do you have any steamed buns left? Can you take some with you?" Song Miao replied, "We originally made them for ourselves. Although we made a bit too much, these are pleated steamed buns, and they tend to leak. Although we can take some, they won't look as nice when we get back. Besides, steamed buns left overnight won't taste as good tomorrow, and they might even spoil—Sir, you probably can't eat any more tonight, right?"

The teacher let out a burp and said, "How could something this good be worse than what's served in the kitchen? Besides, my little granddaughter loves vegetarian buns. If I take this back to her, she'll be so happy."

As he spoke, he pulled a handful of money from his waist pouch and said, "If there's any left, give me a few as well."

When he returned to his seat with a small bundle, some acquaintances secretly asked him about it. One said, "My wife loves mutton buns," and another said, "My parents like sauerkraut buns."

So the word spread from one person to another, and when everyone returned, many people were secretly carrying a cloth bag in their hands. Only some who were too full to think clearly didn't notice for a moment.

That evening, many scholars were able to enjoy the pleated steamed buns from Song Family Restaurant.

The next day at noon, after finally finishing their work, the group of teachers gathered in the kitchen.

I ate so well the night before, and I was very satisfied this morning. But now, I can only stare at the thick-skinned, small-filled cold steamed buns and two or three spoonfuls of stew in front of me.

After a while, someone couldn't hold back any longer and shouted, "Once you've seen the ocean, you can't be satisfied with a river—even if it's short at noon and inconvenient to go out, you can't expect us to eat this, can you?"

"What's wrong? You've been eating like this for so long, and you can't stand it after only a few meals out?" said one of the teachers who hadn't yet had a chance to participate in the Song family gathering.

But he quickly sighed and said, "It was already bad, but it's gotten even worse lately. They don't even put in much filling."

"They say the city is flooded so badly that prices have skyrocketed, and the kitchen can't afford to buy enough ingredients..."

"Bullshit! It wasn't much better before it got wet, it's just that my skills were bad!"

Those who had eaten the Song family's steamed buns yesterday took three bites before finally tasting a bit of filling, and couldn't help but ask, "Could we ask the kitchen to buy the recipe for those steamed buns from that young lady Song last night, so they can make them like that in the future?"

"That's wishful thinking! Let me ask you, if we use the same pen and ink to write, and the writers all have five fingers, why is there a difference in quality between the written works?"

"It has nothing to do with the recipe, it only has to do with the person!"

"What should we do then?"

After swallowing their steamed buns for a long time, someone finally said, "Old Peng, you and Supervisor Cen are the same age and very familiar with each other—could you talk to him about whether our kitchen can go to the Song family's eatery every day to get some steamed buns to sell?"

“That’s a good idea! Even if all of us pool our money to buy, the quantity is still small, and we don’t necessarily eat steamed buns every day. Once the floodwaters recede, Miss Song will have to set up her stall and take on banquets, so it might not be convenient for her to cook. Even if she’s easy to talk to, I’d feel awkward. But if it’s a larger quantity, it’ll be easier to negotiate!”

Old Peng hesitated for a moment and said, "My words don't carry much weight. I'm afraid it would be better if a few more people went together to say it..."

"I'll go with you!"

"I am coming too!"

Soon, a swarm of people will want to join in the fun.

Another person added, "We can tell Mr. Chen that if Supervisor Cen can't make the decision, we should ask Chancellor Deng. He'll have to step in!"

"Why don't we ask that Miss Song today and see how many steamed buns she needs to collect each day before she'll agree to make them?"

"It would be best to discuss the glutinous rice and shumai as well, to see if they can be made."

***
Meanwhile, a group of teachers, eager to introduce the Song family's steamed buns to the Imperial Academy as soon as possible, huddled together, munching on the unpalatable steamed buns from the kitchen, each offering their own ideas.

Meanwhile, Han Li sped all the way and finally returned to the capital in the afternoon.

He did not return to the Imperial Academy, nor did he go to the capital's government office. Instead, he went directly to the residence of Li Zhai, the Vice Chancellor.

By this time, the news that Liudaohe needed to transfer more manpower was no secret.

Even the soup was used to give as a gift, which shows how widespread it was.

As a Vice Chancellor, Li Zhai already held a high position and wielded great power. Now, he was in charge of overseeing the reconstruction of the Liudao River, making him even more sought-after. His residence was crowded with carriages, horses, and people.

Some people were waiting at the gatehouse, some were waiting outside the gate, and some were even waiting in the carriage. They were not really there to ask for an audience—they knew perfectly well that the councilor would not grant them an audience; they were just showing their desire to be seen.

People were waiting everywhere. Although the Li family's gatekeeper pretended to be patient, he was actually quite impatient, but he didn't show it.

Therefore, when he saw a young man of humble origins arrive, his first reaction was to accept the visiting card and send him away immediately.

But seeing that the other party was extraordinary in appearance and manners, the doorman became alert and quickly glanced at the signature on the visiting card.

Upon seeing the name "Han Li," his heart tightened. He thought of the news coming from the mansion and the fate of Prime Minister Cao that day. Not daring to be presumptuous, he hurriedly invited Han Li inside to sit and wait, while he rushed in to report.

Before long, he came out and politely led the way.

"Young Master Han, my master invites you!"

Seeing that the new young people could enter the door almost without waiting, the people who had been waiting outside for half a day, or even coming every day for seven or eight days, or even more than ten days, could no longer sit still and began to make a fuss.

"Who is that? A nephew of a politician? What can he do to get in so easily?"

"It is said that his surname is Han, but I have never heard of any of Li Canzheng's nephews or nieces with the surname Han, so he should not be a junior member of the family."

"Then what gives him the right?"

Some people couldn't help but go to the gatekeeper to ask him questions, but they returned dejectedly shortly afterward.

"It's Han Li..."

"Ah, it's Han the Fighting Chicken!"

The group scattered like birds and beasts.

　To answer the questions from our readers: For stuffed snails, you first brush the shell and then cut off the tail, removing two or three rings. This is done while brushing the shell; otherwise, you can't pry out the snail meat and innards, and they'll get stuck inside. Perhaps you didn't notice because I wrote this in two separate chapters. Later, Xiao Miao used scissors to cut the snail shells for the students, cutting from the already cut opening inwards, essentially cutting open the largest ring of the snail's belly shell. I hope this explanation is clear.

　　(End of this chapter)