Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 3 Deputy Magistrate Lin

It was nearing the end of spring, so day break would arrive earlier than the day before. In the east was the marble white color of the dawn sky. Not long after the morning drum rung, people started to exit out of their house. Those who had to attend morning imperial court, merchants who needed to open their shops, and people who were tasked with errands, all stood at the entrance of the Lane, waiting for the drum signal. 

Not far from Lane’s gate were a few food stalls. Their booths were emitting different aromas of ready foods, just waiting to do business from these early risers.

Zhao Ba’s wontons, Qiu Da’s basket of flat cakes, and Lu Sanniang’s fried noodles were all regular vendors, but today, there was a new face. It was a young girl with a rather remarkable appearance— large almond-eyes, snow-white skin, and tall in stature. If she were a little more fuller figured*, she could be confidently called a beauty.

In front of her was a charcoal stove with a flat skillet on it. There was a small bamboo stand next to the skillet, on it laid a couple rough white porcelain bowls, most likely containing oil, sauces, and other condiments.

The young girl brushed a layer of oil on the skillet with a brush, then scooped out some batter and poured it on the iron skillet. With the small scraper, she evenly spread out the batter into a thin layer, and then an egg was cracked on top as a second layer. The process was fluid as the savory crepe came into shape.

The crepe was then flipped over, sauce brushed on top and then sprinkled with chopped scallions and coriander. After she folded the crepe into a long strip, the girl cut the middle and folded it in half, finishing the savory crepe.

The young girl didn't touch the crepe with her hands, but shoved it into a bamboo paper packaging with a small tong. Paper was a precious item, for it to be used to pack crepes with, was a rather particular sight.

Someone soon came forward to ask the price. Ten wen coins. Although ten was not cheap, such a standard was worth the price.

The man unwrapped the packaging and took a bite. Hmm— the crepe was soft, different from the usual hard crepes. Perhaps because of the eggs, the inside was slightly crispy; complemented with the savory and spicy sauce and the fragrant scallion and coriander, it was a delectable breakfast.

Seeing the man was enjoying the crepe, other people also came to buy one for themselves. Some of the nobles sitting in their carriages also sent their servants over, and gradually a group of people crowded in front of her stall.

Hearing the noise outside, the capital city’s Deputy Magistrate, Lin Yan, lifted the curtain of his carriage window and caught a glimpse of the ‘commotion’ in the near distance. That style of dress and hairdo, those willow eyebrows and almond eyes, and that natural smiling face... wasn’t it that the palace maid who was dismissed two days ago?

‘Where once the swallows knew the mansions of the great[1],’ she seems quite lively flying around these small streets...

A black-clothed servant came to the window and asked quietly, "Since Master had missed breakfast today, should this servant go and buy some pastries?" In fact, this was an offhanded question; he knew that Master never liked such coarse and unsanitary street foods.

"...Fair enough," Lin Yan nodded as he let down the gauze curtain, "Buy some extras."

He wanted to buy extras too... The servant was momentarily stunned. He looked at his Master through the window screen, then turned to look at the girl selling crepes afar, and was struck with a sudden epiphany. He threw the horse reins in his hands to his companion, and briskly made his way towards the food stall.

Inside the carriage, Lin Yan massaged the bridge of his nose with his fingers. He hadn’t had a good night’s rest for the last few days so his eyes felt very sore.

The Emperor was going to the Circular Mound Altar[2] to pray for rain today. For His Majesty to be traveling outside was a matter of great significance. Although the imperial army was in charge of his safety, the planning and execution of the travel plans fell under the duty of the city’s government repository. Qin Xiang, the commander of the imperial army, was once the Emperor's personal guard, and he was quite arrogant. Just recalling this powerful official, Lin Yan felt his temples start to ache.

Lin Yan then began to contemplate the city’s public security. Prices in the capital city haven’t deviated much recently, a peck (decaliter) of rice grains had increased by about 10 wen coins. As long as the canals and rivers remain unimpeded and the grains in the Changping Granaries[3] adequate, there shouldn’t be any problems with food supply for the common people of the city. It's just because of the drought, the people's minds are a little unstable. There had been many rumors of ‘Unappeased River God’, ‘Heaven as forsaken us’, etc etc...

After the drums signaled and the Lane’s gate opened, the black-clothed servant finally came back with a few crepes in his hands. "Master, eat it while it's hot."

"Share it amongst yourselves." Lin Yan knocked on the wall of the carriage, prompting their departure.

The servant stared blankly at the shaking carriage window curtain, then turned to look at the girl who was still busy at her stall. Could he have misunderstood?

By the time the wave of early risers left, the sun had completely made its way to the sky. Not long after, the second wave of people, who didn’t have to attend any early activities, also came to have their breakfast. Once the last bunch of people were attended to, Shen Shaoguang closed her stall, as did most other breakfast vendors.

Shen Shaoguang had decided to cater her crepes towards the mid-high tier class. This was a high-end community, most of the residents here have sizable disposable incomes. Her crepes included an egg and also an adequate amount of toppings. Even if it was more expensive than a flat cake, there were still people who were willing to purchase her product. Although the paper packaging cut into her profits, it was hygienic; in case some were picky about potential messes, or just afraid of staining their hands. Afterall it would be quite disgraceful for the sauce or crumbs to fall and stain their clothing. Moreover, the paper packaging also made eating more convenient; walking or riding on horse, even just holding it with one hand, in motion or stilled, there was no hassle taking a clean bite of her crepe.

After testing the waters today, Shen Shaoguang felt quite satisfied with her decision.

Weighing her purse, she made a rough estimate– after excluding the production cost, today’s profit totaled to about eighty or ninety wen coins. This meant she could earn more than two thousand coins in a month. The monthly salary of a jinshi[4] promoted Editing Clerk[5] totaled to only about ten thousand wen, so for an orphan girl like her, two thousand should be more than enough. However, with this type of income, it would be a distant dream to buy a house in Chang'an. Alas she could only keep improving.

Shen Shaoguang dragged her stall back to the nunnery where she was staying, only to bump into Jing Ci, who was waiting at her door.

Jing Ci narrowed her monolids eyes from Shen Shaoguang to the small stove and shelf on her stall cart, and asked with an insincere smile on her face, "Lady Shen, you’ve been busy all morning huh?"

Shen Shaoguang curved her eyes and smiled back, "Yes, I went out for some fresh air."

Went out for fresh air? She clearly went out to perform the work of merchants! There was a sarcastic smile on Jing Ci's lips. In all fairness, Jing Ci had no objection to the merchants, she especially welcomed the wealthy members who came to offer incense. Merchants were also human beings, but her tolerance did not extend to the small vendors stalls on the street. Jing Ci felt that what Shen Shaoguang had done had simply disgraced the status of their nunnery! Completely unforgivable!

Shen Shaoguang dragged the cart past her, while Jing Ci turned around and flew to Jing Qing's room like a moth.

"It’s completely indecent for Miss Shen to run a food cart on the street. Senior Sister, please report this to the abbot and have her kicked out."

Jing Qing coughed slightly in embarrassment, "You may have forgotten, but she paid rent..."

"What of it? Just give it back to her." As the nun in charge of receiving the donors, Jing Ci had a sizable amount of personal savings, so she didn’t think anything of Shen Shaoguang's measly amount of rent.

"That is easier said than done," Jing Qing persuaded earnestly, "If the public finds out that we don't keep our promises, it will inevitably affect the reputation of our nunnery."

Hearing Jing Qing mention the word ‘reputation’, Jing Ci finally sobered up. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Fine, we’ll let her live here for three months."

Jing Qing recalled when Benefactor Shen brought her crepes to the abbot two days ago.

As her Master munched on the crepes, Benefactor Shen was busy explaining something about ‘If wealth was worth pursuing, I’d go after it even if it meant working as a lowly official[6].’ 

How did her Master reply to those words? – "Miss has truly practiced the words of the philosopher, how admirable!"

Listen, selling crepes at a stall is practicing the words of Confucius! Master really has no integrity when it comes to delicious food-related-matters. What three-month limit? According to this situation, their Master may as well agree to let Miss Shen open a restaurant at the nunnery!

But these words cannot be said to the other disciples, she had to save some of her Master’s face.

Jing Ci was still endlessly chattering, "How could a noble lady show herself in public and personally make a living? Perhaps she’s a fake noble?"

If Shen Shaoguang was here, she would definitely snort disdainfully at her. Not to mention noble ladies, even the Emperor made a living on the streets! Go and educate yourself on The Last Emperor, biopic of Pu Yi [7], will you?

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**Note from Pure the translator: During the Tang Dynasty, women were expected to be full figured and curvy. That was their definition of a pretty woman, which is why the description in this chapter said that our MC would be a well known beauty if she had a fuller figure.