Miao Chu

Chapter 342 Audience
Song Miao hurriedly stepped forward to receive the imperial decree.

The eunuch was very amiable and reminded her, "If young lady has nothing urgent, please come with me—the carriage is already waiting outside the alley!"

While Song Miao went to wash her hands and tidy up, Cheng Erniang, Zhang Siniang, and the others couldn't help but quietly gather around and whisper their suggestions.

"My lady, my lady—would you like to change into some new clothes?"

"Yes! Yes! Why don't we talk to that angel and see if she can wait for us? We need to get ready—we're going to the palace to see the Empress Dowager!"

"Alas! If I had known this would happen, I would have made a few bright clothes to choose from earlier—I should have spoken to that Madam Shen, she would surely have a way!"

Do you have any cosmetics or face powder at home?

Cheng Erniang hurriedly replied, "Yes! Yes, it is, but it hasn't been used for a long time, so I don't know if the texture or color has changed!"

Xu Erlang, who had been standing aside, wanting to help and show off but was worried about where to start, perked up his ears when he heard the conversation. Overjoyed, he quickly stepped forward and pulled out the cloth bag he had kept hidden away for a long time, saying, "Miss Song! I happen to have some newly bought rouge and face powder here!"

Last night, he heard the shopkeeper describe where the rouge and face powder came from, how it was made, what ingredients were used, and how amazing its color and fragrance were. He really wanted to learn all of this, but he regretted that he was bad at speaking and couldn't remember the words when they came to his lips.

Oh dear! Was it rouge from Xingzhou or Xinzhou?

Before he could figure it out, Song Miao smiled and waved her hand to thank him, saying, "There's no need for such trouble."

She had already washed her hands, and now she untied the cloth and headband around her waist, hanging up what needed to be hung up and putting away what needed to be put away. Once everything was in place, she said, "I am a cook who makes food and runs a restaurant, so I should enter the palace as a cook. Besides, it has only been less than a year since my family had a funeral. Although people in the capital don't usually pay much attention to such things, if I enter the palace now without using rouge and powder or wearing bright clothes, the Empress Dowager will certainly not blame me!"

Those who rely on their hands and mouths for a living are less likely to be particular about many things.

Although it is customary to observe three years of mourning, most ordinary people wear hemp for three days to make up for the year, and a month of hanging rope is enough. After a hundred days, there are no more taboos about clothing and appearance. Therefore, when they saw the angel coming, all the women were only thinking about how to dress more properly and carefully, and did not think about anything else for a while.

Upon hearing Song Miao's explanation, everyone realized what was happening.

After saying that, Song Miao turned to Xu Erlang and said, "I don't need it here, Young Master Xu, please put it away quickly—thank you very much!"

Before Xu Erlang's smile could truly unfold, it froze. Holding the cloth bag in his hand, upon hearing these words, he felt that the rouge, face powder, and comb in his hand were all too hot to handle, and he simply couldn't give them away.

He could only sigh and dejectedly put it away.

In no time at all, Song Miao had made all the arrangements.

Because once she entered the palace, she couldn't be sure when she would be able to return. She said to Cheng Erniang, "I'll leave the restaurant to you for now. If the queue outside keeps going and we can keep up with the current purchases until noon, you can see how things go and make an estimate. Although everyone has to work hard, we also need to take turns resting. Business will continue for more than just one day."

Such a good opportunity should naturally be prepared in advance and seized, but one cannot think of making all the money—there is no end to making money.

Cheng Erniang said, "I understand, don't worry, madam. Judging from the current situation, I'm afraid there will be more and more people. I will definitely keep an eye on everyone's condition and make sure no one is exhausted!"

Song Miao nodded and said, "I just checked the prices, and the best-selling item is the roasted pork and char siu steamed bun. The filling for this is much more complicated than the others, and we may not be able to keep up with the demand. You should think about how to handle this. It's best not to be perfunctory. Most of the customers are here because His Majesty praised the steamed bun."

The filling and dough are unusual. Marinating, baking, kneading, etc., all take time and are the most laborious to make. Unlike other fillings, which can be prepared in a short time by simply preparing the ingredients, this filling is not like other fillings.

But the emperor had tried all kinds of steamed buns yesterday, and in the end he specifically chose the roasted pork and char siu steamed bun to say those words. When the people outside heard this, they would definitely want "the steamed bun that His Majesty praised". Since that was not available, they had no choice but to just take a few other kinds of steamed buns.

Without further ado, Cheng Erniang agreed and immediately wrote it down.

After giving all the instructions, Song Miao exited through the second gate, greeted the eunuchs, and then walked out of the alley together.

Outside the door, seeing the arrival of angels, there were clearly several long queues, but each one was as quiet as a chicken. No one dared to speak, and everyone held their breath to look and listen to the movements inside. Everyone wished that an old turtle would appear in the Chinese zodiac at this moment, so that they could quickly change their zodiac sign and grow a long neck to peek inside and see what was going on.

As soon as the angel gave his decree, a commotion broke out in the crowd. There were gasps, buzzing sounds, and hushed conversations.

"Why would the Empress Dowager issue an edict? What does she want with these young ladies from the restaurant?"

"Don't you know? If you don't know, why are you queuing up?"

"Huh? I saw a really long line here, and when I asked, they said they were buying steamed buns. I thought they were some kind of amazing steamed buns, so everyone lined up. I wasn't in a hurry this morning, and I was just about to have breakfast, so I joined the line too!"

—But he's just a genuine passerby who loves joining in the fun and queuing.

However, a kind person nearby had already given a detailed account of the Emperor's descent and the steamed buns from the Imperial Academy the previous day.

"...It was because the Emperor enjoyed those steamed buns yesterday that he specially brought some back to the palace to present to the Empress Dowager—judging from this, the Empress Dowager probably enjoyed them too, and perhaps she sent someone to the palace to reward her!"

"Why can't it be that the food is bad, and they summon him to the palace to give him a scolding?"

"Hey! What's wrong with your brain? If the food wasn't good, would the eunuch be speaking so politely?"

"Exactly! If it's not good, why call it into the palace? To call it in and scold it would be to lose face in front of the Emperor! Even a mother would think twice before doing this, let alone someone who isn't even her own mother!"

Although the group was there to benefit from the emperor's golden words, it didn't stop them from discussing the Zhao family's affairs while queuing up.

"It must be really delicious. If it's not delicious, how could His Majesty have the nerve to offer it as a tribute!"

"Oh dear, so I guess I just stumbled upon a lucky break—I ended up in line for the steamed buns that even the Emperor and Empress Dowager thought were delicious?"

Impatient shouts and curses erupted from the crowd.

"Stop making a racket! All we can hear are your frogs croaking—how are the people in front supposed to hear what's going on inside?"

Amidst the curious gazes of countless people, Song Miao was escorted out of the shop by a group of hired men and women, and walked out of the alley with the eunuch.

"This is the cook who makes steamed buns? It turns out to be a young woman! She's quite pretty!"

You can feed soldiers for a thousand days, but only use them for a single moment.

Immediately, the students queuing up nearby chimed in, "The steamed buns made by Miss Song are just as beautiful!"

"Hey? Young man, you've eaten here?"

"Of course, they are all students of the Imperial Academy! We came with them—they eat every day! They are the 'scholars' raised by the Emperor!" So, under the admiring gazes of the crowd, the scholars quickly raised their heads and straightened their chests, fearing that their posture would be poor or their line would be incorrect, thus disgracing the Imperial Academy.

Soon, those at the front of the line had already bought Song Ji's steamed buns.

Everyone received their steamed buns, and some immediately set aside to eat them—a gesture of immediate praise.

Some people, not caring if they get in other people's way, couldn't help but eat as they walked—and keep praising what they were eating.

Once the person who bought the steamed buns went out, they were met with a constant stream of questions along the way.

"What flavor did you buy? Do you have the roasted pork and char siu steamed buns?"

"Is it tasty?"

"How many did you buy?"

Song Ji's steamed buns have always been tested and proven, with an impeccable taste and texture. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been ordered by so many academies and government offices in such a short time. Not to mention the added gimmick of the emperor's personal praise and the empress dowager's summons, making them even more mysterious.

When asked, eight out of ten people either praised or lavishly praised the food, while others gave a few perfunctory replies and hurried back with the steamed buns and lotus leaf wraps they had bought. Seeing this, not only the students in the queue but also ordinary customers showed expressions of regret, hoping to catch the person and make them eat the food on the spot to get a response.

But some people originally just wanted to join in the fun, buy a few to try, or have it as a proper breakfast and be done with it. But halfway there, they couldn't help but turn back and rejoin the queue, ending up at the very end.

These long queues originally only reached the middle of the alley, but as they stretched on, they grew longer and longer until the people who arrived later could only reach the alley entrance.

The more people bought it, the more acquaintances they encountered on the street would ask about it. With their answers, Song Ji's reputation became inextricably linked with Taixue Steamed Buns, spreading like wildfire throughout the streets and alleys of the capital.

Seeing this, everyone in the restaurant knew that although they had bought a lot of ingredients today, they wouldn't last until noon.

Cheng Erniang hurriedly arranged for people to go and replenish some meat and vegetables while it was still early. She also made an order with Butcher Shen for fresh meat to make roasted meat in the afternoon—the stove had been running non-stop since morning, but even so, they often couldn't roast enough meat.

On this day, the line of people buying steamed buns in Suanzao Lane never got shorter, and at its peak, it even stretched onto the main road.

Cheng Erniang was afraid of causing trouble, so she wanted to ask someone to find the patrolmen. However, Xu Niangzi said that even if the patrolmen came, they couldn't keep an eye on things forever, so she simply sent someone back to the escort agency to call some bodyguards to maintain order.

Everyone was experienced, and in the end, they managed to save space by having the people in line form an inverted "bow" shape, and by calculating and setting a limit on the number of people who could not join the queue beyond a certain position. This way, they were able to save space and not affect the flow of people on the main road.

When Song Ji's business was booming, Song Miao couldn't keep an eye on things, but fortunately she bought several times the amount of ingredients in the morning and everything else was arranged. As long as Cheng Erniang followed her rules, there was no fear of any trouble. Moreover, after a few months, she had become capable of handling things on her own.

She sat in the carriage, glancing at the scenery outside the carriage several times along the way, and finally entered the Imperial Street and the palace gate, following the eunuch through the many palace gates.

After the eunuch checked the nameplate three times, he finally took Song Miao outside Ciming Palace.

After waiting only a few moments, a palace maid came out and led Song Miao inside.

Upon entering, one should naturally greet the guests.

After Song Miao bowed and greeted them, she heard someone opposite her say, "Quickly, no need for formalities!"

She raised her head slightly and glanced around. Sure enough, she saw an old woman opposite her. She was well-maintained and had a good complexion. She was wearing a dragon and phoenix crown and pearl hairpins, and a long skirt. It was obvious that she was the Empress Dowager.

Soon, palace servants came up to check on the seats and served tea.

Song Miao couldn't look up, and could only glance at people out of the corner of her eye. The person opposite her, however, scrutinized her intently.

Empress Dowager Yang showed no sign of embarrassment. On the contrary, she had already heard many stories about this young lady Song from Xin Feng before she even met her, and she had a very good impression of her. At this moment, Song Miao's name was still on the book in the hands of her trusted palace maid, which was to remind her.

Having been behind the curtain for so long, she had become accustomed to looking at the faces of strangers, regardless of gender, first.

When Empress Dowager Yang judged a person, she didn't just look at their appearance, but also their temperament and demeanor.

It is said that one's appearance reflects one's heart. While this statement is not entirely accurate, it does have some basis in fact.

Song Miao's appearance goes without saying. She is poised and dignified, neither arrogant nor humble, and has an innate friendly temperament. When she talks to or interacts with people, she gives people the feeling of "comfort".

Through Xin Feng's narration and Zhao Yu's supplement, Empress Dowager Yang already liked Song Miao very much, seeing her as intelligent, capable, and meticulous. Now, upon meeting her in person, she was even more pleased to see that in addition to her many abilities, she also possessed such a wonderful personality.

She said, "I have long heard of your deeds in Huazhou. You played a big role in both major cases. The food on the Huazhou river was also made so well thanks to the catering team you led. When the Imperial City Guard reported to His Majesty last time that the laborers from Huazhou had gone to Liutahe, they still remembered you!"

"Your Majesty flatters us. The case was entirely due to the concerted efforts of everyone in the capital's government office. Inspector Xin meticulously investigated and persevered. My daughter only obtained a few clues by chance. Ultimately, if it weren't for the Emperor's wisdom and the Empress Dowager's virtue, how could the government office have been able to work so diligently on the case?"

Although she spoke the usual flattering words, because of her special status—neither rich nor noble, but truly of humble origins—she was dressed in ordinary plain clothes, with only a wooden hairpin in her hair and no other adornments, which made her appear even more elegant. Her fluent and earnest replies made Empress Dowager Yang feel that her sincerity and credibility were even higher.

Empress Dowager Yang smiled and praised her a few more times, saying, "I know that your family has encountered one misfortune after another, and it is all thanks to your hard work and skills that you have managed to make a living. The Emperor said before that the world should know that no matter if you are male or female, young or old, as long as you have merit, the court will not treat you unfairly. It is a pity that the two cases you have here involve too many people. In order to protect you, I cannot give you too many open rewards. Today, I summoned you to the palace under a different pretext, which is not a big deal."

She paused, then asked, "You have made many contributions, which cannot be erased. Since His Majesty is not here today, I will take the lead—do you still owe money to others? I will also bestow some gold upon you to pay off your debts, how about that?"

Song Miao quickly thanked her, but shook her head and said, "Your Majesty's kindness is too great, but I cannot accept it."

Empress Dowager Yang was somewhat surprised and asked, "What kind of argument is this? What is unacceptable?"

Song Miao said, “Your Majesty’s act of bringing steamed buns for the Empress Dowager is an act of filial piety. My daughter earns her living with her skills. When she supplied steamed buns to the Imperial Academy, the transaction was completed. The Empress Dowager’s bestowal of gold and a house upon Inspector Xin was an act of selfless dedication to the country and the people. This is an inspiration to the world. But if you were to bestow gold upon my daughter today, just for a few steamed buns, and this were to spread among the people, everyone would think that one can gain wealth without working by currying favor and indulging in food and drink—which would not be a good thing for the country or the court.”

Empress Dowager Yang was known for her intelligence and wisdom. Although she was rejected by Song Miao, she was not offended. On the contrary, she admired her and said, "Young lady, you have such insight. I am ashamed to say that I was a bit rash!"

She added, "I originally wanted to ask when it would be convenient for you to come to the palace again, but after eating your golden sand buns and pickled ham-shaped steamed buns yesterday, I couldn't stop thinking about them when I woke up this morning, so I couldn't help but send someone to invite you—I heard that these two kinds of steamed buns taste even better when freshly made, so right now, I feel rather old..."

She paused for a moment after saying this.

Song Miao hurriedly replied, "If my daughter could make steamed buns for Your Highness and spread the word, I don't know how many benefits she would receive! That would already be a great reward! It would be far more appropriate and rare than a monetary reward!"

Empress Dowager Yang laughed and was about to speak when a eunuch hurriedly entered the hall, his face somewhat grim. He replied, "Your Majesty, His Majesty originally sent someone to say that he would come to have lunch with you at noon, but the Silver Terrace Bureau suddenly sent a memorial—something came up, and he can't come right now."

(End of this chapter)