Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 69.1 Groundswell of Rumors

Yang Jing smiled at Shao Jie and remarked, "It's this tavern!"

Shao Jie couldn't help but laugh. "This place?"

Yang Jing raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you underestimating small taverns? Even Chancellor Li himself has commended the food here."

Shao Jie chuckled. "How could I dare to underestimate this place? The reason our floral cakes have been increasingly popular lately is all thanks to Miss from Shen Indelible."

Yang Jing chuckled. "I have no doubt about it! Shen Indelible's floral cakes are indeed exceptional." His tone carried a hint of pride, as if he personally contributed to their success.

Shao Jie laughed along, inwardly noting how Zhu Zhi still managed to maintain an air of foolishness. Thankfully, Grand Chancellor Li was a man of great virtue and magnanimity. Otherwise, Zhu Zhi might have faced more challenges in his future career. Shao Jie couldn't help but marvel at the unexpected turn of events — the poem he had written on the exterior wall of a tavern had caught the eye of Grand Chancellor Li, who then invited him to the Grand Chancellor's Residence. Little did he know at the time that the tavern in question was actually Shen Indelible. It seemed that Shen Indelible was a place of good fortune for both of them.

Now, the "Poetry Wall" had been replaced with a new poem titled "Ode to Fish in Vinegar Gravy," authored by someone named Zhou Zhi. While Yang Jing shared his assessment of the poem, Shao Jie simply listened.

Near the Poetry Wall, several long wooden chairs sat beneath the shade of the veranda at the tavern's entrance. Four individuals occupied them, each fanning themselves while engaged in different activities. One enjoyed a cup of tea, another immersed himself in a book, while the remaining two focused on a game of xiangqi chess. Shao Jie couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity.

As soon as Shao and Yang stepped inside, they were greeted by a lively scene in the small tavern. Every table seemed occupied, with some patrons dining alone, others accompanied by a friend, and some engaged in communal meals, drinking, and gambling in larger groups. Miss Shen and her chubby maid were bustling about, attending to the guests.

Upon spotting the newcomers, Shen Shaoguang lifted her head and quickly recognized them. "Sir Shao, Sir Yang—" Despite one being the young owner of the floral cake shop and the other a scholar who loved to write poetry; they were actually friends?

Both of them smiled and greeted Shen Shaoguang. "Miss."

Although one of them was a financial backer who had contributed over a hundred taels of silver, and the other was their establishment’s part-time creative advertising director, Shen Shaoguang could only smile apologetically at them. "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you two to wait for a while."

Yang Jing retrieved a waiting ticket from the cabinet with familiarity. "It's no trouble, we can wait."

Shen Shaoguang brought two bowls of chilled buttermilk to the two of them, "There are fans and newly released chuánqís from the bookstore from East Market, outside, by the long chairs. It is quite cool in the shade, so please feel free to take a rest there, Sirs."

Only then did Shao Jie realize that the people seated on the chairs outside were actually all waiting for a table. There were no such long chairs last time he came here. It seemed that Shen Indelible's business was getting better and better.

Shen Shaoguang couldn't comprehend why business was booming on such a scorching day. Was it because the intense heat turned the taste buds null, prompting people to seek out stronger flavors at restaurants?

After a short while, Shao Jie and Yang Jing finally got seats. Yang Jing considered himself a regular customer and had an unrestrained ‘the dispersion of a thousand gold will reunite[1]’ temperament, so he ordered many of the store's signature dishes to entertain his friend. He also did not forget to accompany the meal with a jug of good quality amber wine. Shao Jie, not one to dictate, let his friend make the entire selection.

Shao Jie took a bite of the Cornelian Meat but found it ungratifying to take small bites. So he stuffed the whole piece into his mouth and said with a smile after swallowing, "Mmm, it's so rich, velvety, and juicy! My appetite is now completely stimulated. I've never seen anyone who can cook swine meat so deliciously and beautifully. What is this dish called?"

Yang Jing promptly provided the name.

"Cornelian Meat, what a befitting name! It does look a bit like cornelian." Shao Jie praised.

Yang Jing smiled and remarked, "This is just one of the many distinctive aspects of this place. The names of the dishes here are elegant and intriguing. Just hearing them evokes so many associations."

He then gestured to the tofu soup beside him and continued, "This is called Bulrush Soup. It contains shredded chicken and shrimp meat. Doesn't it remind you of hoar-frosted bulrushes? And there's another tofu dish, creamy and reflective like a mirror. That one's called Nephrite Soup, very aptly named as well."

Shao Jie nodded in agreement, contemplating the possibility of renaming the floral cakes in his shop. Osmanthus and Jujube Paste Cake... it's a bit too straightforward.

As they arrived late, they also finished their meal late. Eventually, the peak hour subsided, and the influx of new customers came to a halt. Shen Shaoguang sighed in relief, took a sip of her tea, and then approached them to extend her greetings.

The two were engrossed in their conversation about recent events, and when Shen Shaoguang approached, Shao Jie smiled and remarked, "Every time I visit Shen Indelible, I gain new revelation. It's a pity I don't reside in this Lane like Zhu Zhi, allowing me to frequent here more often."

Shen Shaoguang jokingly responded, "Sir Shao, let's hope Chef Yu San doesn't overhear those words. Otherwise, he might be disheartened to learn that your interest in this tavern isn't due to the taste of our food..."

Shao Jie chuckled, "There's hardly anything to critique about the food here. However, your business acumen and innovative ideas are truly unmatched, Miss."

Shen Shaoguang smiled back and replied, "When it comes down to it, the former remains tangible, while the latter is more abstract."

Though not well acquainted with her, Shao Jie sensed that this Miss wasn't always ‘honest’. With a smile, he inquired, "Your meaning is…?"

"If we only focus on abstract principles, we might gain temporary acclaim, but it won't endure in the long run. Conversely, solely dealing with practical matters may limit growth and expansion."

Impressed, Shao Jie applauded. "Well said, Miss!"

His family’s pastry shop had expanded immensely and had been passed down for generations. But could this success solely be attributed to their skill in making pastries? While their craftsmanship was indeed exceptional, it was also tied to his paternal grandfather's honorary title as an External Official of Pastries. Although this title was purely honorary, it became a widely known anecdote across the country. Travelers to the capital couldn't resist the temptation to taste a floral cake crafted by the External Official of Pastries. As for other pastry makers from his grandfather's era, both the honest and the less scrupulous, they had faded into obscurity long ago.

Even Yang Jing chimed in, "What Miss just said aligns well with the principle of 'words without educational value won't spread far,' and as the contemporary Official Han[2] once stressed, 'Morality Through Writing[3]'..."

Listening to his friend's unceasing torrent of remarks, Shao Jie feigned pain as he wiped his own face. "Zhu Zhi, Zhu Zhi, please, have mercy on me!"

Yang Jing laughed and stopped preaching.

Shen Shaoguang also joined in the laughter. This was the real life, everyday interaction between a struggling student and his high-achieving friend.

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Footnotes:

[1] The dispersion of a thousand gold will reunite(千金散尽还复来) - Is another reference to Li Bai’s <Bring in the Wine>. I really should keep a counter for every time the author quotes a line from <Bring in the Wine> haha. Basically, this verse reflects the idea of resilience and the cyclical nature of fortune. It suggests that even after losing great wealth, one may still regain it in the future. To put it simply, people with this temperament will splurge their hard earnings without much hesitation haha. 

The translation of this verse was from - https://culturelitandart.com/2020/06/10/%E5%B0%87%E9%80%B2%E9%85%92-%E6%9D%8E%E7%99%BD-and-its-english-translation/ 

[2] Official Han - Han Yu(韓愈), courtesy name Tuizhi (退之), and commonly known by his posthumous name Han Wengong (韓文公), was an essayist, Confucian scholar, poet, and government official during the Tang dynasty who significantly influenced the development of Neo-Confucianism. Described as "comparable in stature to Dante, Shakespeare or Goethe" for his influence on the Chinese literary tradition, Han Yu stood for strong central authority in politics and orthodoxy in cultural matters.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Yu 

[3] Morality Through Writing (文以贯道) - An idiom emphasizes the idea of integrating ethical principles and moral teachings into one's writing or literary creations. It suggests that literature should not only entertain but also impart valuable lessons and insights into life, morality, and human nature. This concept encourages writers to use their literary works as a means to convey and uphold moral values, contributing to the enrichment and edification of society.