Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 6 The Delivered Summer Rice Cakes

Summer had begun. Only after the strike of the evening bells did Lin Yan come back from the city government office. His grandmother was waiting for him at the dinner table.

After washing his hands and face, and changing into his at-home clothes, Lin Yan went to his grandmother's courtyard.

"Elder brother, you’re back!" Elder Madam Jiang smiled happily.

Lin Yan smiled back. "I told you not to wait for me, it’s not healthy to postpone your meals."

"How can I not wait? Father and mother are no longer here, it’s not fun to eat alone." Elder Madam Jiang pouted then smiled.

Lin Yan's eyes were slender, with the ends slanting slightly upwards. However, because his eyes weren’t completely slanted and more like a slope, he had a set of model red phoenix eyes[1]. When he was not smiling, Lin Yan looked a bit difficult to approach. At this time, his eyes were curved, which instantly softened his visuals. "What did you do at home today?"

"I sewed a sachet with A’Chang since it's Lixia today."

"Oh, is that so?" Lin Yan served his grandmother a bowl of vegetables in egg drop soup.

Because they were the only two eating at the table, they dropped the usual table etiquettes and didn’t separate the side dishes. Instead, the grandmother and grandson picked from the same plates just like what was usually done during modern times.

"I know you’re always so busy running around!" Elder Madam Jiang moved two plates of cakes towards Lin Yan. "This is the jujube cake steamed from our own kitchen, while the others were gifts. There’s one or two of each. Try it and let me know which you like better."

In actuality, Lin Yan already knew it was Lixia. After the imperial court session concluded, the Emperor had already bestowed him a box of festive cakes. Once he returned to the city’s government repository, the public kitchen also served cakes during lunch. Now that he arrived back home, there were another two plates of cakes in front of him. Facing his grandmother’s earnest eyes, Lin Yan smiled and picked up a piece.

"Our jujube cake this year is quite well-made. Mmm, just a little heavy on the buttermilk." Not only was there an excess of buttermilk, the cake was also loaded with sugar. His grandmother was getting older and her tastes had dulled. In order to cater to the Elder Madam’s taste, the kitchen had made most of her food more bold in flavor.

Lin Yan took a sip of his tea without much change in expression. After suppressing the overly sweet and greasy aftertaste, he picked up a round white cake. Without any hesitation, he bit down only to find the glutinous rice skin quite chewy. Inside was a delicate bean paste filling, similar to the rouge cake served in the imperial palace, but not as sweet; it was an unexpected treat. "Who sent this one?"

The maid standing behind the Elder Madam replied, "Guangming Nunnery, the one by our back door."

The Elder Madam laughed, "Senior Buddhist Nun Ciming serves excellent shí jǐn wontons, I didn't expect their cakes to also be so well made."

No one corrected Elder Madam Jiang that the current master of Guangming Nunnery was Senior Buddhist Nun Yuanjue. Senior Buddhist Nun Ciming belonged to Jingxin Nunnery, which was located in the Hedong[2], and had passed away twenty years ago. Just as no one told her that the person in front of her was her grandson and not her elder brother.

Elder Madam Jiang’s thoughts quickly shifted to the crucian carp in milky broth made by Senior Buddhist Nun Ciming. "The soup was savory and milky white. Topped with thinly minced green onion, it had a heartwarming taste."

"When there’s fresh crucian carp, we can have them make it again for you." Lin Yan put some shredded bamboo shoots on his grandma’s plate.

Once they finished their meal, Lin Yan continued to chat with his grandmother for a while before leaving.

When he reached his study room, Housekeeper Zhou handed over the list charting the various families who presented gifts today as well as the list of items that they had given in return. Although it was tradition to give Lixia festival cakes, no one would only just send cakes; it’s always given along with a long tally of expensive items.

As an experienced senior, Housekeeper Zhou had an accurate sense of propriety when it came to managing incoming gifts and its reciprocity. So Lin Yan only causally flipped through pages before handing it back.

Housekeeper Zhou then said with a smile, "A temple and a nunnery also sent cakes. An appropriate amount of basket money was given in return." Their master neither worshiped Buddhism nor believed in Daoism. For the monks that visit their Residence, just following the standard customs of the capital would suffice.

Lin Yan nodded nonchalantly. "Do as deemed fit."

As a close subordinate, Housekeeper Zhou offhandedly added, "Master, it’s about time to consider marrying a wife. A lady of the house is necessary in attending to these household matters, feelings will follow suit."

Lin Yan hummed in reply, then lowered his head to read his book.

Housekeeper Zhou was baffled by his master’s response. Was his advice heeded or was that a random reply?

…

Shen Shaoguang also consumed a whole day’s worth of cakes. Many devotees came to the nunnery to burn incense and make offerings; these offerings will naturally be shared amongst the nuns in the nunnery. The glutinous rice cakes that were sent out and most reciprocated with another gift. Some were monetary gifts, while other times, a different cake was given back in return. Thus there were a variety of cakes available in the nunnery.

From the best and most meticulous cakes, Jing Qing filled up two plates and personally sent them to Shen Shaoguang and expressed her gratitude with a smile, "Thank you Benefactor Shen for your guidance during the past two days. Our cakes this year were well received and won a lot of face for the nunnery. The Imperial Duke Lu’s Madam and Deputy Minister Ye‘s Madam personally praised it, saying the cakes were almost as exquisite as the ones served during the royal banquet in the palace." What she didn’t mention was that the basket money they received was also much more generous than the previous years.

During the Chinese New Year and other important holidays, temples and nunneries often deliver food to different households. This was used to maintain relationships, but also for them to receive donations. How could a decent household allow the monks or nuns to go back with empty baskets? Normally people would give some in return in their basket, which was why it was known as ‘basket money’. It could also be regarded as the monasteries’ alternative source of income by customary convention.

Shen Shaoguang naturally told Jing Qing not to be so polite.

"Benefactor Shen has allowed me to enjoy so many different foods in the past, so now it is my turn to offer you some refreshments. Here are some of the offerings our nunnery has received as well as the cakes we made, benefactor please try them."

Shen Shaoguang smiled, "Then I'll taste them and see which one is the best. I’ll then replicate it slavishly and enjoy it later."

Jing Qing smiled back. "I'm not boasting, but in my opinion, our cake is the most outstanding."

Shen Shaoguang laughed out loud. She was aware that Jing Qing was grateful for her help. Jing Qing was a nun who hadn't fully comprehended Buddhist doctrine, she also wasn’t the brightest, but she was considerate and sincere. All the nuns in the nunnery believed in her.

Shen Shaoguang used remaining peony brine to make tea, and enjoyed the cakes with Jing Qing.

"Master Jing Qing, did you deliver all the cakes personally?"

"That wouldn’t be possible. I only delivered to the few households in this Lane, and a couple households I am acquainted with outside. The rest were delivered by my seniors and juniors."

Shen Shaoguang nodded.

Perhaps Jing Qing was in a rather cheerful mood today, so she decided to disclose the city’s current hot gossip.

"Imperial Duke Lu family is growing increasingly richer. If we hadn’t been acquainted, they might not have allowed me inside today. The imperial palace’s Consort Shu must be really favored."

Shen Shaoguang nodded. Consort Shu was indeed favored.

"I wonder how stunning Consort Shu is?" Jing Qing said in a low voice, "The Madam of Imperial Duke Lu is indeed awe-inspiring, but her countenance is a bit lackluster. Though the Second Young Lady is quite the beauty."

The most taboo act while gossiping with people was to not contribute, so Shen Shaoguang informed, "The current Madam of Imperial Duke Lu is his second wife, Consort Shu was the daughter of his former wife. Though I am not quite aware of their Second Young Lady."

Jing Qing quickly understood and lamented, "They don’t look very alike, it’s hard to tell if they are related. However, they get along very well." She sighed and continued, "Madam of Imperial Duke Lu is really high-minded and virtuous!"

Shen Shaoguang agreed and echoed, "Truly high-minded and virtuous."

"The Second Young Lady is not only pretty, she’s also showing growing enthusiasm towards buddhism. When she heard we were located in Chongxian Lane and not too far from the Imperial Duke's Residence, she said she would come and stay for a few days to worship Buddha and pray for blessings." 

Shen Shaoguang continued to play sycophant. "What a devoted young lady."

Not long after, Shen Shaoguang became neighbors with said ‘devoted young lady’.

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Footnotes:

[1] red phoenix eyes 丹凤眼 -  are a pair of eyes whose outer corners incline upwards

Here's a video showing some people with red phoenix eyes.

https://weibo.com/2814466363/L7XQm5h4r?type=repost 

[2] Hedong 河东; 河東 - was a historical region in the Qin and Han dynasties of ancient China, located to the east of the Yellow River in Shanxi (around present-day Yuncheng).