Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 27 Breathing Problems

Shen Shaoguang continued to expand the variety of dishes on her menu.

Two days after buying the catfishes, she ran into the same fish seller. Shen Shaoguang hurried forward to talk to him.

The fish seller lived on the outskirts of the city. Since harvest season had concluded, he would occasionally go to a small ditch nearby to catch fish for leisure. If there were excess in his net, the fish would be kept in tanks and then sold in the city the next day.

Shen Shaoguang asked, "How many fish do you catch at every trawl?"

The man laughed, "It seems you are rather unfamiliar with this trade! How can there be a precise number? Sometimes there are a couple foot-long fish in the net, sometimes six or seven of ‘em. There are usually more palm-sized fishes in the net, but at times there will only be little, three centimeter fishlets." He also explained that the variety of fish mainly caught were silver carp, common carp, and crucian carp.

Shen Shaoguang laughed and asked, "So, I was lucky to have gotten those catfish?"

The fish seller uncle also laughed, "Lucky indeed! Not often do I chance upon catfish, they’re always so cunning. Moreover those two were quite large in size."

Shen Shaoguang negotiated with the fish seller, she asked him to send his excess catch directly to her shop going forward, regardless of the size. As long as the fish was alive or fresh, she was willing to buy it.

Without a need to wander all around the city to sell his fish in the future, the fish seller was naturally willing, and so he quickly agreed to her terms.

Due to the varying size and species of fish, the preparation and cooking method would also differ; the ever-changing base ingredient made it rather difficult to list onto the menu. 

Shen Shaoguang contemplated for a bit before roughly dividing the dish into two categories: ‘Extended Silver Jewel’ and ‘Bite-Size of Grace’, the former was for larger fish while the latter was for small catches. Regardless of the type or cooking style, the price was set according to the size, simple and crude.

Today Shen Shaoguang received three silver carp that were a or two foot long each, and some small crucian carp that ranged from three to six centimeters long. 

The small crucian carp were easy to handle, she just needed to pickle them in sweet fermented rice and make fried salted fish.

As for the silver carp, the most delicious part was its head— with its large size, the meat was bound to be tender and full of flavor. If it had been in her previous life, Shen Shaoguang would have added chopped chili peppers and steamed the fish in broth, and once it was done, it would be topped with boiling chili oil. Hot and numbing, savory and aromatic; it would have been so delicious. Now that there wasn't any chili available, the next best method was to add tofu and stew it slowly in an earthenware pot. As for the fish body… let’s make them into fish balls.

There weren't any secret techniques when stewing Fish Head Tofu Soup, but many people couldn’t recreate its rich and milky white broth, so its appearance would always be a bit lacking.

The trick to this milky soup was to fry the fish head first, until golden brown, then add hot water and allow it to boil over high heat.

The so-called ‘milky soup’ was just the result of fat emulsification. The boiling water would shake the fish and accelerate the decomposition of fat into micro drops which would stabilize with gelatin released from the fish bones. All of this would then mix with the water, the byproduct being the white broth. Without enough fat, or it was always simmered slowly in low heat, the soup base would not turn into a rich milky white.

Shen Shaoguang looked at the white liquid in front of her, and clicked her tongue twice. This was not a pot of soup, but a pot of high cholesterol!

Regardless, it was delicious! The most delicious thing in the world was nothing but cholesterol, and the worst thing to eat was healthy food, this fact had been proved through history.

Lane Guards Liu Jin and Wang Qing ordered a jug of wine paired with a side of fried Orchid Beans and moon carrot salad, and two servings of pig's trotters. After their meal, their whole mouths were stained with oil.

A’Yuan then served them a bowl of Fish Head Tofu Soup.

Although Liu Jin drank quite a bit, he was not very drunk. "We didn't order this."

Shen Shaoguang walked over and explained with a smile, "This is on the house. It is all due to your hard work that this humble shop can continue to do business." She was referring to the day the two scoundrels had been dragged away.

Liu Jin was of a rather short stature, with a triangular face and puffy eyes. Although he somewhat resembled an ant-demon, Liu Jin was the leader of Patrol Station in Chongxian Lane. His immediate laughter and reply demonstrated his astute personality. "Miss, you are too polite!"

Shen Shaoguang took out two empty bowls, ready to personally fill them with the milky soup.

Liu Jin panicked, he stood up to take the bowl, and said with a smile, "Please, allow me."

His companion, Wang Qing, also stood up soon after.

Shen Shaoguang served the soup for the two of them in the end, and asked with a smile, "Please try it and let me know what you think."

Liu Jin laughed, "What else can it be but delicious? If it’s ‘bad’, then the food served outside this store belongs in the ditch."

Both men then took a sip. Even though their tongues were numbed by the wine and fatty pig's trotters, they were still stimulated by the full and fresh flavor of the soup. "Wow! What a treat!"

Wang Qing lowered his head and vigorously chowed down, but Liu Jin was not in a hurry to eat. The latter smiled at Shen Shaoguang and said, "You don't need to worry too much, Miss. You have been blessed and safeguarded by auspicious clouds."

Shen Shaoguang smiled and raised her eyebrows. What could that mean?

Liu Jin naturally understood why she, the shop owner, would be so generous to give them food and personally serve them soup. Those two hoodlums were tried by the County Legality Jurist of Chang'an. As the leader of Patrol Station in Chongxian Lane, Liu Jin had a bit of prestige, so he was well aware how those two hoodlums were sentenced.

‘Never bite the feeding hand[1]’, thus Liu Jin informed her the truth, "The two of them have undergone flogging, and they will never dare to make trouble again."

When she was still living in the palace, Shen Shaoguang also read a little bit of Tang Code[2]. Corporal punishment of flagellation under fifty rods was called ‘caning’, and sixty to one hundred was known as ‘flogging’. Their penalty was not light.

Shen Shaoguang nodded. "Those scoundrels must have seen it as an opportunity as I am just a young woman." She shook her head and sighed, "It's indeed a difficult feat for a woman to stand in this world."

Perhaps he had drank a little too much, or maybe he couldn't bear to see a beauty in distress; it was hard to ignore. Of course, most importantly, was to do a certain someone a favor. Liu Jin made sure no one was nearby before lowering his voice to say, "Miss, please exercise vigilance. It’s said that it is because of your food establishment. Your eatery serves meat and alcohol that are so high in quality that it has affected the reputation of the larger taverns." Then, with a mysterious portrayal, Liu Jin dipped his finger in the wine cup and wrote the word ‘cloud’ on the table.

Shen Shaoguang was only casually speaking due to her paranoia of being targeted by another, but she really didn’t expect it to be true! There was a large discrepancy between her small eatery and Incoming Cloud Tavern, why would they go so far as to…

Shen Shaoguang wanted to inquire about the ‘auspicious cloud’, but Liu Jin only laughed. It wasn’t an easy matter to explain. The person who had notified him that day was Chamberlain Liu from the Capital City’s Deputy Magistrate Lin’s Residence. The Chang'an County Legality Jurist also sentenced the two hoodlums severely, presumably because he had laid out preparatory measures. This shopkeeper was a blossoming beauty, while Sir Liu was young and vigorous...

The Grand Chancellor’s gatekeeper was a seventh-ranked official. Although Deputy Magistrate Lin was not the Grand Chancellor, he was also a high-ranking official in a scarlet gown. More importantly, he was an official in the capital city. Could it be that his personal chamberlain didn’t consider the Legality Jurist as a superior official? 

The key point was that Lin Residence was in this Lane, so there was no harm in building a good rapport.

There was also a possibility that Chamberlain Liu was acting upon an order from above... then that would be disastrous! Liu Jin squinted his drunken eyes to look at Shen Shaoguang; she was indeed a charming beauty. Who knew what would happen in the future? There was never a shortage of strange people and unexpected surprises in Chang'an City!

Shen Shaoguang didn’t bother to chase for answers when she saw Liu Jin avoiding the question. Perhaps one of her diners was a hidden big shot, such as a Grand Chancellor, who was filled with indignation at the injustice, and saved A’Yuan and her, two weak damsels, from distress?

The ‘weak damsel’ A’Yuan walked in with a sack of rice in one hand and said, "Miss, please have a look at this rice!"

Shen Shaoguang responded and smilingly said a few more words to Liu Jin before heading back into the kitchen.

***

During the late evening, while soaking her feet back in her room at the nunnery, Shen Shaoguang informed A’Yuan that the two hoodlums were sent by another restaurant.

Although she was unafraid of the hoodlums, A’Yuan turned timid when she heard that they were facing a big tavern. "What if they make another move?"

"If you're afraid of crickets' cries, then would you quit being a farmer?" Shen Shaoguang said with a smile, "We still have to do what we have to do. Just act with more caution."

Ah Yuan hesitated for a moment, and finally spilt out her thoughts, "Why don't we make some altercations and limit our wine and meat options?"

Shen Shaoguang explained to her, "If we follow their wishes, then we would only be selling crepes by the Lane Gate. Though, even just selling crepes may rub others the wrong way." After speaking, she winked at A’Yuan meaningfully.

A’Yuan laughed. She understood Shen Shaoguang was referring to Lu Sanniang.

"In this world, there will always be some people who may feel that you are taking the breath they were about to breathe in. However, that doesn’t mean that we have to stop breathing because of it."

A’Yuan mulled over this idea. It made a lot of sense! If I can’t breathe, then wouldn’t I die?

"Not only do we have to breathe, but we also have to breathe openly! Big breaths! Quick and deep breaths!" Shen Shaoguang fiercely announced.

After a moment of silence, A’Yuan said, "I heard quick and deep breaths meant 'pneumothorax'..."

Shen Shaoguang gritted her teeth; she picked up a stinky sock, and wanted to hit her on the head. 

A’Yuan laughed.

Shen Shaoguang also laughed. She put down the sock, and thought about how to make ‘quick and deep breaths’. Since eateries that sold wine and meat were not in compliance with the customs, then she’ll expand the store, and officially change its name to a ‘tavern’. Then it'll be perfectly justifiable.

Of course, Shen Shaoguang had to make some preparations to ‘seize someone by the throat’. She’ll need to find another spot to set up a stall to sell crepes. It wouldn’t be too hard since she’s already done it before...

.

.

.

The author has something to say:

Chamberlain Liu Chang: Preposterous! Stop making blind assumptions! That's our future Madam! Madam okay!?

—

Footnotes:

[1] ‘Never bite the feeding hand - ‘吃人嘴软’ is the original words. It literally translates to 'the mouth shouldn’t cuss at the person who feeds it'. I found an English equivalent which is 'Never Bite The Hand That Feeds You'. They all mean to not be ungrateful.

[2] Tang Code - The Tang Code was a penal code that was established and used during the Tang dynasty in China. Supplemented by civil statutes and regulations, it became the basis for later dynastic codes not only in China but elsewhere in East Asia. The Code synthesized Legalist and Confucian interpretations of law.