Miao Chu

Chapter 138 Division of Property
Having only been there for half a day and strolled around two streets, he stumbled upon two cases in quick succession: one involving a humiliation and the other a murder.

Although there was an element of chance involved, and such events were beyond human control, Song Miao couldn't help but have some doubts about the competence of the officials in the prefecture.

She couldn't help but ask, "I wonder how manpower the local government has, and whether it can support our needs later?"

To dig a canal, what is needed is manpower and material resources, with logistics being the most crucial element, all of which fall under the jurisdiction of the local government.

Imagine, if no one is there, even if the materials are laid out, who will dig the soil and who will compact it?

If the materials are not available, even if the people are there, are they going to dig the ground with their bare hands and block it with their own bodies?

Even though I'm helping to take care of the meals, there's no skilled cook or rice available. Am I supposed to cook myself and eat it?
Han Li said, "It's alright, don't worry about the manpower of the yamen, I'll handle it."

He had never broken his promise before, and now that he had agreed, Song Miao felt relieved.

The two entered the restaurant one after the other.

The restaurant has eight doors, all of which are wide open. Because it is mealtime, the hall is already seven or eight-tenths full, with only a few empty tables scattered around.

When the shopkeeper saw customers arrive, he hurried over to greet them. He first glanced at Song and Han, then smiled and pointed to a table near the front door, saying, "Gentlemen, it's crowded and a bit chaotic inside. Why don't you sit here? Although it's near the door, it's a corner and much quieter than inside!"

The two naturally preferred a quiet place, so they chose that table.

A square table with four benches. Han Li first gave Song Miao her seat, and only after she sat down did they sit down next to each other.

The restaurant owner asked him to order again. He asked for the menu, glanced at it, and said he would order later.

After the shopkeeper left, he muttered, "Why don't we go to a more decent, respectable restaurant? Right now, I'm making myself look very stingy."

As he spoke, he handed over the menu.

Song Miao took it and looked at it. There were pictures and dish names on it, but the handwriting was simple and the dishes were not drawn well. She smiled and said, "It's because I see that you are always too generous to people, so I don't want you to spend money all the time. Besides, my small shop has its own unique features. It is common for small shops to have their own secret recipes. My family will also be a small shop in the future. I just hope that you won't find it too much, Mr. Han."

Han Li immediately said, "How can they be confused? Our restaurant is clearly unique, like a mustard seed containing Mount Sumeru..."

It was clearly a lie, but because he spoke with such conviction, Song Miao couldn't help but smile and said, "I'll order two dishes, and you order two dishes too, young master, how about that?"

He couldn't help but jokingly add, "Four dishes for two people, what kind of family is so extravagant?"

Han Li just smiled and, without replying, moved the stool slightly towards her.

The movement was just a symbolic gesture; once it was done, it felt like I felt better.

Song Miao glanced at the menu, pointed to two dishes for Han Li to see, and chose a spiced duck and goose and a cold lettuce salad.

There's a cold dish included, so although it's called two dishes, it can actually be considered one.

Han Li called the shopkeeper over and ordered the two dishes first. He then asked about the restaurant's specialties and ordered a roast chicken, a braised fish, and a soup. Knowing that Song Miaoping usually ate a lot of rice, he ordered white rice as her staple food in addition to steamed buns.

The small restaurant serves food in a chaotic and disorganized manner. They don't serve soup or cold dishes first, but instead serve the roast chicken.

Han Li then positioned the chicken leg facing Song Miao, inviting her to eat first before he began to eat himself.

When Song Miao saw the chicken served, she knew it was lacking because the skin wasn't oily or shiny. She took a bite and found that the chicken was indeed a bit dry and had a slightly fishy smell, though fortunately it wasn't too strong.

When he looked up, he saw that Han Li had just eaten a piece of chicken and raised his eyebrows, saying, "This chicken is a bit pitiful—if it could fall into the hands of stall owner Song, it would probably die a much more satisfying death."

Song Miao couldn't help but laugh and say, "I chose the wrong shop."

Han Li replied, "I ordered the wrong dish and ruined this old chicken's life for nothing."

He added, "Normally I can't really tell the difference, but now that I'm used to Mr. Song's cooking, I just feel that this chicken doesn't taste right, but I don't know what the problem is."

Song Miao then said, "After this chicken was slaughtered, it must have been left for a while, and it wasn't marinated in time. After it was roasted, it was left for a while longer. When we came, we didn't bring charcoal, but used an open flame to roast it again. As a result, there was less juice in the meat, and it tasted dry. The sauce flavor couldn't be suppressed, and the fishy smell came out."

He added, “Actually, the most important thing is that the chicken is good; the cooking skills are secondary. When my restaurant opens, I will find a suitable craftsman and set up a stove in the backyard so that I can roast meat myself. Not only chicken and duck are delicious, but roast goose and roasted pigeons also have their own unique flavor.”

"I won't say anything about the pigeons, you'll know once you eat them. Let's start with the roast goose. I have a special sauce that marinates the meat thoroughly, making the skin extremely crispy. Choose the right goose, the meat won't be too thick, it will be plump and firm, and when you bite into it, it will be soft yet chewy, and the meat will be very juicy. You don't need to dip it in any other seasonings or plum sauce, the juice will flow out on its own when you tear it off."

"Then you can dip the meat in the marinade from the roasting—I'll give you a goose leg, young master. If you have any shame, hide it, grab it, skin and all, and tear it apart with your teeth. You'd be doing a disservice to that delicious leg if you didn't grimac and grin from ear to ear..."

As she spoke, though she was outside, her voice was low, but her eyes shone brightly.

Han Li listened attentively, and after listening, he couldn't help but ask, "Am I only entitled to one goose leg?"

Song Miao was taken aback, then smiled and said, "I'll save a whole one for you, young master!"

Since Han Li asked about the stove again, Song Miao briefly explained her requirements, adding, "The stove should ideally be tall enough so that something can be used to separate the food in the middle. If you're roasting small animals, you can use only one side, saving on charcoal and firewood. If you're roasting large animals, it can hold more..."

Neither of them adhered to the rule of not talking while eating. They chatted and laughed, and even if the food was ordinary, they could tolerate it and eat it while talking.

When the rest of the dishes arrived, although the taste wasn't great, the portions were quite large. Plus, the restaurant was very attentive and the service was excellent. Considering the price, we didn't even feel comfortable finding fault with them.

Seeing that they had almost finished eating, but there was still a lot of food left, Han Li said, "Don't force yourself if you can't eat anymore. There are serving chopsticks anyway, and it's all good whole meat. I'll ask the restaurant to bring a bamboo box to pack it up. I'll also order two new dishes to take back to Kong Fuyang later. He's been very tired these past two days, and I'm sure he's already up by now. It'll be perfect to cook him a breakfast or lunch."

Just as they were talking, and were about to call the shopkeeper, they heard someone at the door call out "Auntie" several times.

The shopkeeper had just seen the customer out when he heard this and sighed, saying, "Kid, you've come several times these past two days, and I really haven't seen the person you're talking about. Several groups of people came asking about him a few days ago, and there was even a notice posted outside offering such a large reward. If I knew where that person was, it would be a rare opportunity. Would I turn down money?"

He then advised, "You've just lost face and don't even know how you got lost. You're just a child, don't run around outside, or you might get kidnapped again—go home. If they're looking for you, the adults will be looking for you. What does it have to do with you, a child!"

The child paused for a moment, then thanked him.

After a while, his voice rang out again.

"Grandpa, Grandma, have you ever seen this person in this portrait? He's a child, quite fair-skinned, and he has a mole on his nose. He was wearing blue clothes when he left..."

The voice wasn't loud, but the questions were asked very earnestly.

The two elderly people, "Grandpa" and "Grandma," said they had never seen him before, and then advised him, "You're just a child, why are you running around asking about this? It might rain soon—hurry up and go home!"

Song Miao turned around and saw a small child easily visible through the open door behind her.

The two old people left, but the child didn't. Instead, he held up the portrait in his hand and approached a passing vendor.

This time, however, they weren't so lucky.

Perhaps business was slow, or perhaps the vendor was impatient with his wares, or maybe he just had a bad temper, but before the boy could even ask, he impatiently shouted, "Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Don't block my path!"

As he spoke, he swayed the carrying pole at the front, bumping it into the child. The pole looked quite heavy, and the child quickly took a step back. Although he dodged it, the ground was wet, so he slipped, stumbled, and fell on his bottom.

The peddler, cursing and swearing about how unlucky he was, ran off as fast as he could.

The child slowly got up, covering his bottom with one hand and wiping his face with his sleeve with the other. He stood there blankly for a while, seemingly lost in thought. When a few more people came from the opposite direction, they were holding the paper and were about to go to meet them.

Song Miaoyuan already felt that the child's voice was somewhat familiar, and now, seeing his movements and figure, she felt even more familiar. She couldn't help but frown and called out through the door, "Liang Yan!"

The boy turned around abruptly, his face full of confusion. But when he saw Song Miao in the restaurant, his eyes widened immediately.

His expression was a mixture of joy and sorrow. Though he had the face of a child, he seemed to have experienced a great deal. He opened his mouth for a long time, wanting to call out, but he didn't. Instead, he ran over with the paper in his arms. When he got closer, he called out through the door, "Madam Song!"

Song Miao first invited him in, then turned to Han Li and said, "He's the kid I met at Aunt Zhu's father's house before. He helped me peel garlic for half a day."

Han Li nodded, got up, and moved the other bench aside.

When Liang Yan entered the room, he hesitated for a moment. He glanced at Song Miao, and only after she nodded did he sit down.

Song Miao saw that the child still had tear stains on his face, and his eyes were swollen and bloodshot. Looking down, she saw that his shoes were wet. Since she didn't know how his father took care of him, she just felt that the bodyguard might raise the child a little rough. After all, they weren't related by blood, and it was not appropriate for outsiders to interfere.

She thought about what had happened that day, then disregarded everything else and asked first, "Have you eaten lunch? Are you hungry?"

Liang Yan hesitated for a moment, first shaking his head, then nodding.

Song Miao then said, "There are just a lot of leftovers that we can't finish. They're clean. If you don't mind that they're leftovers, please help your sister have a bite."

As soon as she finished speaking, Han Li called the shopkeeper over and asked for another set of clean bowls and chopsticks, as well as two more steamed buns and some more rice.

This time, Liang Yan did not hesitate. He thanked Han Li first, and then thanked Song Miao. When he thanked Han Li, he was both earnest and embarrassed, but when he thanked Song Miao, he was more affectionate than embarrassed.

He took the bowl and chopsticks, and began to eat his rice.

Seeing that he only ate rice and not vegetables, Song Miao used serving chopsticks to help him pick up some meat and vegetables. He ate almost as much as she picked up, and it was clear that he had already eaten the amount of an adult's meal.

It's normal for a child to eat a lot, but Song Miao couldn't help but feel a little nervous that he could eat like this. She quickly said, "Eat slowly, don't rush, and don't force yourself if you can't finish."

Liang Yanquan ate all the leftover dishes, a bowl of rice, and two large steamed buns, leaving only a little soup unfinished.

After everyone had finished eating, Song Miao asked, "Where are your parents? Why did you come out alone?"

Her original intention was to call the adults over, but even if they didn't, she could send them back herself, since Huazhou didn't seem very safe.

But Liang Yan replied directly, "There are no adults in my family."

She added, "I lost my mother when I was a child. My father was a bodyguard, but he died while working as a bodyguard. Now he has been adopted by an uncle I know."

Previously, when he was at the Zhu family's house, they were just strangers who met by chance, so he might have been a little embarrassed to talk about it and didn't say much. But now, sitting at the table, he had no intention of hiding anything and just told them everything about his situation.

Song Miao then realized that Liang Yan was actually Xiang Yuan's adopted son.

“Last time, Xiang Lin tried to steal my things, and when I refused to give them to him, he snatched them away—and to make matters worse, he threw them away. I couldn't take it anymore, so I fought with him…”

As Liang Yan spoke, his eyes reddened, but he hastily wiped them with his sleeve and continued, "Because Uncle Xiang saw it, he beat him up on the spot, forced him to apologize to me, and said that when he went back this time he would raise me as his son, change my surname, invite all families to witness, and ask me to be included in the Xiang family genealogy."

“I said no, but Uncle Xiang said it’s not just about changing my surname. I can still get a share of the family property in the future. It was earned by my father. He told me to wait until after he passes away, and then I can change my surname back to Liang after I get my share of the money.”

“Xiang Lin caused a ruckus the whole time, so Uncle Xiang punished him by making him kneel and had someone watch over him. Actually, I knew he didn’t kneel, but the next day he said he had a limp and that it was my fault. He also started to fight and argue with me all the time.”

"He came to Huazhou this time and only stayed for a few days. He fought with me several times. Uncle Xiang was busy and didn't have time to deal with it. That day, I don't know why, we got into a fight at the gate and then he suddenly disappeared..."

Song Miao clearly heard Liang Yan's voice trembling.

"We've searched everywhere in the house, inside and outside the city, but we can't find him—Sister Song, I heard that many children have been abducted in the capital. Could Xiang Lin have been abducted too?"

"If he really gets abducted, wouldn't it be my fault?"

As he asked the question, his throat tightened, and his hands clenched into fists.

Song Miao quickly comforted him, saying, "The notice has already been posted outside. Your Uncle Xiang has taken out three hundred thousand coins to look for people, and the government is also helping to search. Everything will be alright."

Knowing that he had come out on his own without his family's knowledge, and seeing that it was about to rain outside, they advised him not to wander around outside, lest something happen and the Xiang family would be even more unable to spare any manpower.

Liang Yan readily agreed.

The Xie family's residence was neither too far nor too near, so Song Miao discussed with Han Li that he would stay here to order two more dishes for Kong Fuyang, while she would take Liang Yan back first.

After seeing them off for a while, seeing that they had reached the door, Song Miao gave them a few instructions, waved goodbye, and was about to turn around after they went inside when she heard someone behind her call out, "Is that Miss Song up ahead?"

When Song Miao turned around, she immediately recognized the other person as the steward of the Xiang family who had forcibly dragged Xiang Yuan away that day. She responded and greeted him.

The other party was quite surprised, but quickly added, "Master Xiang has an important banquet to attend to and needs to ask someone to do something for him. He is looking for a good chef, but he can't find a suitable one anywhere. He didn't expect to meet you, young lady. But I wonder if you have time to take on this task?"

Song Miao shook her head, saying that she already had a job and couldn't take on any more outside work, and politely declined.

The person in charge still wouldn't give up, saying, "It's just one meal, it won't take long. Young lady, you can think about it some more. We've hired Qian, the clerk from the yamen. He's very capable in the area. If you need anything, it'll be more effective to consult him than any other official!"

He was still speaking when a commotion and shouting came from inside the door.

Where did you go this morning??

"Young Master Xiang has disappeared, and you still have the mind to go out and have fun—tell me, did you conspire with some bad guys outside to deliberately kidnap Young Master Xiang so you could rob him and steal his gold and silver?"

"I wasn't playing around, I went out to find Xiang Lin!"

"Pah! You stole someone's father and their money, and now you're pretending to be a good person? Who are you trying to fool? If I were you, I wouldn't even dare to stay here."

Song Miao frowned as she listened.

The person in charge hurried forward, went inside, and chased the group of children away.

Suddenly, seven or eight children rushed out, one of whom crashed into Song Miao.

She smelled a faint scent of licorice.

(End of this chapter)