Miao Chu

Chapter 86 Embroidery Worker
Little Lu was caught off guard and felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this. He said, "It's all thanks to everyone's kindness. No matter how heavy it is, I can carry it back. If I have the chance to return to the capital again in the future, I will still carry it back in the same way!"

Before the person asking the question could respond, another person chimed in, "Little Lu, this is so heavy, and the road ahead is long. Let me carry your bundle for a bit—aren't those dried meat and biscuits a bit heavy on your shoulders?"

Xiao Lu snapped out of his daze and hurriedly tucked the bundle Song Miao had given him into his pocket, asking warily, "What are you doing? What are you doing? If you want to help, you might as well carry this bamboo basket for me!"

As he spoke, he handed over the bamboo box containing books and clothes.

It was just a pretense, but the other party actually took it.

Xiao Lu was startled and tried to snatch it back, but it was too late. He hurriedly said, "This is heavy, are you really going to take it?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than other people came forward to help him unload his pack, saying, "You can carry it yourself once we're out of the city!"

For a moment, Xiao Lu felt that he had been judging others by his own petty standards.

But before that feeling of being moved could even begin, someone suddenly pointed to a braised meat stall ahead and exclaimed, "This meat smells so good!"

The man then asked, "How about we buy some braised meat for Xiao Lu to eat on the road?"

Everyone nodded.

Unable to refuse, Xiao Lu could only say, "I can't take any more! I can't take any more! This meat won't keep for long!"

"You'll eat it in a minute, why put it in there!"

As everyone was talking, someone went to the braised meat shop and bought some back, forcibly stuffing the lotus leaf-wrapped braised meat into Xiao Lu's hand.

After stuffing the baggage in, the man stared at the bundle on his shoulder and said, "It does seem like you can't carry any more."

Some people with ill intentions suggested, "Why don't we move them around?"

"Good! Good! Replacing this braised meat with the dried meat from before will give us a different flavor without adding any weight!"

Everyone agreed and stared at the bundle.

After taking a long detour, they ended up back where they started. Little Lu knew perfectly well what was going on. He muttered a few curses under his breath and said resentfully, "I knew you guys were all hopeless!"

As he spoke, he laughed, unloaded the bundle, opened it, and saw that it contained many small oil paper packets neatly arranged inside.

Each small package had a note attached, which read "Five-spice," "Sichuan pepper," "Evodia rutaecarpa and mustard seeds," "Original flavor," and so on. Only one package was particularly large, with a note on it that read, "All flavors are available for sharing."

He couldn't help but curse, "See? See! Even Miss Song knows you guys are shameless!"

As he spoke, he pulled out the packet again.

Someone reached out and took it, quickly opening the oil paper package.

The sun was already high in the sky, and the thin slices of dried pork looked exceptionally translucent in the sunlight, with particularly beautiful marbling, making it clear at a glance that the meat was genuine and of high quality.

Xiao Lu also picked up a piece.

This dish is seasoned only with salt, soy sauce, a little sugar, and other seasonings, without any other spices.

The meat was dry with a firm texture. It had a slightly salty taste when you first tasted it. Because it was cut into large slices along the grain, the meat would come off easily when you bit into it with your teeth.

The pork slices are dried and then steamed, so they are dry but not hard, very chewy, yet not so sharp as to pierce your teeth.

After several rounds of sun-drying and air-drying, the flavor of the meat is naturally compressed to the maximum extent.

The meat smells good at first bite, but it's just a regular aroma. As you chew, the flavor emerges, the meaty taste and aroma becoming increasingly rich, both dry and fragrant. The saliva secreted by straining your cheeks gradually blurs the texture of the meat in your mouth, making the meaty aroma even more intense.

It's savory and slightly sweet, with a hint of sweetness that comes afterward, both of which enhance the richness of the meat flavor.

It tastes better and better the more you eat!
After chewing a piece of pork jerky for a while and swallowing it, Xiao Lu felt that all six of his teeth were clean.

He wasn't the only one; a group of people each got a slice or two and wrestled with the pork jerky as they walked, not even having time to talk.

Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Lu Zhong examined his teeth.

After walking this far, his teeth, being young, had rested well and were ready to re-enter the mortal world and fight again!
He couldn't resist secretly reaching out his hand, wanting to take another piece from the person holding the pork jerky package, but the other person had already noticed and suddenly shouted, "Lu Zhong, what are you doing!"

As he shouted, he covered the meat with his hand.

As a result, everyone around condemned it.

The man said, "Lu Zhong, you still have a big bundle of dried pork slices, how can you take such a small bag from us!"

The other one said, "Little Lu, if you eat so much dried meat, how will you have room for the braised meat we bought later!"

Then they all came over, some pulling on his sleeves, others tugging at his hands, trying to keep him from getting close.

"You live so close to Miss Song, you can eat whenever you want, but I'm hundreds of miles away!!" Lu Zhong roared. "Since you gave it to me, why are you trying to take it back?!"

A group of people were making a ruckus, grabbing and scrambling. Although the pork jerky was delicious, as Lu Zhong said, they were all in the capital. Even if they were craving it, it was just a matter of talking to Song Miao a few more words or walking a few more steps.

However, now everyone was fighting and scrambling, shouting and cursing, with laughter and noise all around. No one cared about parting anymore, and they finally left through the Vermilion Bird Gate.

Sending you thousands of miles, you have to say goodbye in the end.

Na Luzhong slung all his luggage back on his back, bid farewell to everyone, and after walking thirty or forty steps, he suddenly turned back and asked, "If I really can come back next year, will you still invite Miss Song to the farewell banquet you mentioned earlier?"

Everyone laughed and cursed.

***
After delivering the pork jerky and dried biscuits, Song Miao turned back to the food alley and pushed her stall cart home.

But as soon as she reached Suanzaowei, she saw a man standing outside her door, looking bored and with a very familiar face—it was Qin Zong.

Qin Zong was kicking a pebble when he saw Song Miao. He quickly pulled his foot back, came forward, and called out, "Shopkeeper Song! You're finally back!"

Song Miao said, "How strange, it's actually Young Master Qin who has come to visit today. I wonder what brings you here?"

Qin Zong laughed and said, "There are plenty of people who want to come to my door looking for a young lady, I'm just the first one!"

He said, "I've come to deliver a message to Inspector Xin, and I also have my own business—do you still have that sweet fermented rice with tea that you made last time?"

As he spoke, he swallowed hard.

Song Miao said, "We still have sweet fermented rice. As for tea, we can brew it fresh. Would you like some, Lord Qin?"

"It's not just me!" Qin Zong hurriedly said, "Last time, everyone in the courtyard got your sweet fermented tea, and they all said it was delicious and refreshing. They haven't had any for the past two nights, and everyone's been craving it. I sent someone out to buy some, but it's still not enough." He then asked, "How much do you have? Name your price, and I'll take it all. I'll get people to carry it with me!"

He had a very forthright and generous demeanor.

Door-to-door sales, self-pickup and self-carrying – where else can you find such an easy business?

Song Miao readily agreed and praised, "With the help of Officer Qin, the Left and Right Military Inspectors are very considerate and attentive in every way, even managing their food and drink so meticulously. The inspectors and officers above and below are overjoyed. Other government offices would truly envy them."

Upon receiving this compliment, Qin Zong couldn't stop smiling.

Everyone who puts in the effort and spends the money wants a compliment.

He followed Song Miao into the house and helped carry out the bucket of fermented sweet rice, which was almost fully fermented. He then took out a piece of silver from his pocket.

Song Miao replied, "Official Qin, have you forgotten? You still have some silver deposited with me!"

As she spoke, she went to the backyard and found the account book. Sure enough, it recorded in detail how much Qin Zong had deposited, spent, and had left on a certain day.

Qin Zong then said, "I had forgotten. You're so stupid. Why don't you just pretend it never happened?"

Song Miao said seriously, "I'm dealing with a big client like Mr. Qin, and I'm looking to do long-term business with him. This is no joke."

He then recorded the transaction and showed him the remaining money.

Qin Zong placed the silver coin on the table and said, "In the future, I may often have someone buy this sweet fermented rice or other foods. You can keep it for now."

Song Miao didn't refuse. She thanked them, took the steelyard to weigh it, and since the quality was so good, she didn't need to do much to distinguish it. She just recorded the weight in her notebook.

After making a note of it, Qin Zong was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, he said, "There is another matter. Inspector Xin asked me to come and ask. He said that the day before yesterday, when you helped cook that meal, everyone in the yamen was thinking about it. So, the official Zheng came to ask you for your address and name, wanting to invite you back to the yamen to be the official cook."

"We didn't ask you before, and no one has told you, for fear that Master Zheng would come looking for us and cause a disturbance—what do you think? Are you willing to come or not?"

Song Miao thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "I'd better not. It's not easy to cook big pot dishes, and the government office is far from home. I'm not familiar with this place, so I might not be able to do it well."

Her words were all excuses, but Qin Zong didn't press for details. He simply said, "Fine, that Master Zheng is very annoying. He always looks down on people. Just ignore him and let him worry about it! It's just a pity that everyone was looking forward to your arrival so they could have a good meal!"

After exchanging a few words, Qin Zong saw two attendants emerge from the half-sealed house across the street. He quickly called for them to move the bucket of sweet fermented rice away and then took his leave.

Song Miao escorted the man to the door and was about to say goodbye when she caught a glimpse of a piece of cloth on the table in the corner. Suddenly reminded of something, she stopped Qin Zong and, without asking about the case, only inquired about what had happened at the door that night.

“I parked my cart at the door, and somehow, the next day there was a piece of cloth on it.”

As she spoke, she took out the fabric she had hidden away, which was covered in black holes from being burned, and showed it to Qin Zong.

Qin Zong held the fabric and looked at it for a while, thinking and thinking, and then suddenly realized, pointing to the wooden window and saying, "That day, a few people tried to climb in through the window. They must have stepped on your cart and their clothes got torn somewhere, which is why they ended up here."

He added, "It's alright, we've caught them. What's the big deal about this tattered cloth? Just throw it away."

Hearing Qin Zong's casual reply, Song Miao wanted to mention that there were others in Guangji Temple who also had clothes with the same hot holes, but she felt it was too far-fetched. Given the other party's behavior and personality, he might not take it to heart, so she let it go.

But after the person left, she thought about it over and over again, and still felt that it shouldn't have been done that way.

Since it was still early, Song Miao was going to do some shopping anyway. After leaving the house, she decided not to go to the vegetable and meat shops first, but instead went to a nearby shop to buy some fruit and went straight to Guangji Temple.

The woman had introduced herself earlier, saying that she was called Second Sister and that she and her daughter lived in a house in the outer courtyard behind the back gate. Song Miao followed her instructions and went inside through the back gate.

The temple wasn't very popular, but quite a few people stayed there.

Early in the morning, Song Miao asked people along the way as she walked in. In just one or two miles, she heard at least three or four arguments.

Some people cursed someone for secretly having an affair with their wife, while others cursed someone for stealing their cooking oil and firewood.

There are rumors that so-and-so stole clothes, shoes, and socks.

Others have said that someone bought only two seats for their family, but insisted on having three people in the room, taking up other people's beds. Their luggage also took up a lot of space, leaving no room for others to put it. In the morning, they would go to the toilet and occupy the stall, forcing others to hold it in.

The last two families, in the midst of their cursing, had already rolled up their sleeves and were about to fight.

When the people around saw this, none of them tried to pull him away; they simply dispersed at a distance, as if they were afraid of getting involved.

Song Miao had long known that many small temples had few guests and little incense offerings, so they liked to rent out the monks' quarters and guesthouses to earn some money from donations. These places were often a mixed bag, but she was still quite surprised to see someone attack her so suddenly.

Fearing that a fire at the city gate would affect innocent bystanders, she dared not linger. She listened to the entire argument, and as soon as the fight broke out, she left immediately.

After many twists and turns, she finally arrived at the guesthouse where the second aunt was staying.

The door was wide open, and there was no one inside. The layout and furnishings inside were very simple. There was a large communal bed for six people against the wall, with a table in the middle.

At this moment, a garment was spread out on the table, with many black holes burned into the hem, and it had been half-patched up.

There were some buckets and basins in the corner, and one of the basins even contained two washing sticks, which looked very familiar.

Song Miao felt she hadn't come to the wrong place, but there was no one in the house, so she didn't dare to go in. She had no choice but to step back a few steps and turn around to walk out. But then she saw a small courtyard diagonally opposite the inn, with many clothes drying in it and people talking inside.

She went over and saw, sure enough, a small figure squatting on the ground among the heavy clothes, diligently shaking out the freshly washed clothes one by one, then holding them up and handing them out.

However, the figure was excessively short; even when standing on tiptoe, it was still quite short—it was Xiao Lian.

Hearing the commotion, Xiao Lian turned around and saw Song Miao. Her eyes on her thin face lit up instantly, and she quickly turned back and called out, "Mother! Mother!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was very urgent.

Cheng Erniang asked, "What's wrong?"

Song Miao approached with a smile and called out, "Second Mistress."

Hearing the noise, Cheng Erniang hurriedly came out. Seeing Song Miao, she quickly put the clothes she was carrying back into the large basin on the ground and said, "Young lady, what brings you here? It's such a mess here! Is something the matter? Let's talk outside! Let's talk outside!"

Song Miao then said, "No rush, finish hanging up the clothes first."

She went over to lend a hand, but as soon as she got closer, she saw one of the clothes that was already hanging out to dry and couldn't help but exclaim "Eh!"

The garment was made of coarse cloth, but the hem was embroidered with a very beautiful bamboo branch, with even the veins on the leaves clearly visible, demonstrating the exquisite craftsmanship.

(End of this chapter)