Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 69.2 Groundswell of Rumors

Shao Jie then shifted to a serious tone. "Honestly, with the quality of food at this tavern and your skills, Miss, it feels like a waste to confine yourself to such a small space. Have you ever considered opening a larger establishment in the East or West Market?"

Who wouldn’t dream of having a high-end restaurant in the bustling district? But... Shen Shaoguang replied with a smile, "No matter how hungry or gluttonous, I can only take one bite at a time."

Shao Jie grasped her implication. It wasn't a lack of ambition, but rather a prudent approach. This Miss was intelligent and careful, and more than likely, will be able to become a prominent figure among the merchants in Chang'an City.

The trio continued their conversation, and as they neared the end of their drinks, Shen Shaoguang offered, "Would you two like a bowl of sweet Eight-Treasure Rice?"

Naturally, the two men did not disagree.

Eight-Treasure Rice was a ubiquitous dessert served at the conclusion of banquets in later generations. In Shen Shaoguang’s youth, attending banquets meant obligatorily indulging in a few spoonfuls of Eight-Treasure Rice, regardless of how satiated she might already be.

The process of making Eight-Treasure Rice is relatively straightforward. First, coat the bottom of small earthenware bowls with a thin layer of oil. Then, arrange cooked lotus seeds, maidenhair tree nuts, longan, raisins, and other dried fruits at the bottom of the greased bowls. Next, add glutinous rice that has been cooked to about 80% done—each ingredient is precooked before assembly, ensuring the final product has soft, sticky, and glutinous rice. After layering the ingredients, generously spread a mixture of sweetened bean paste, lard, and sugar over the cooked rice. Finally, cover the sweetened bean paste layer with more glutinous rice. Once the bowls are filled to the brim, place them in a bamboo steamer and steam until cooked.

After steaming, the Eight-Treasure Rice was stored in a food drawer until an order was placed. When serving, a bowl would be inverted onto a platter, then topped with a layer of buttermilk. In later generations, it was often topped with rock sugar syrup, although other options like blueberry jam or strawberry jam were available. Regardless of the topping, the end result was a fragrant and sweet dish.

Shen Shaoguang brought a bowl of Eight-Treasure Rice and, with a large ladle, divided it into two smaller bowls. Shao and Yang quickly interjected, insisting they would serve themselves and telling her not to be so courteous.

Shen Shaoguang was about to leave when she overheard a few drunken individuals at a nearby table discussing the weather and current political events.

"Last year, during the drought, even the auspicious animal statues in the moats were exposed," one of them remarked. "I heard that the Emperor himself went to the Circular Mound Altar to offer sacrifices and pray for rain, making a grand promise. And lo and behold, it finally rained. But who would have imagined that this year, instead of a lack of rain, we'd be plagued by such intense heat. In my opinion..." The speaker trailed off, shaking his head with flattened lips.

"The weather seems to be foretelling ominous events, and it's difficult to predict what the future holds," another man sighed, a tinge of melancholy in his voice.

A third person chimed in, "Did you hear? The toads in Frog Gully, northwest of the city, have stopped croaking altogether. There's a nursery rhyme circulating on the streets: 'lazy are toads, rebellion’s instow'..."

"I heard that during the last few years of the previous emperor's reign..."

Yang Jing was about to rise, but Shao Jie held him back. Shen Shaoguang had already approached first and asked with a smile, "Our tavern is now recommending our new and delicious Eight-Treasure Rice. Would you gentlemen like to give it a try?"

The man, who had spoken with a tinge of melancholy, smiled and replied, "Might as well; we should indeed fill our stomachs. We’ve disturbed Eight today, so when I return from Bian Prefecture next month, I'll host a return banquet right here as well." He then squinted his drunken eyes and smiled at Shen Shaoguang, "Miss, the food you prepare here is truly appetizing."

Shen Shaoguang smiled and thanked him.

These people really ordered a small earthenware bowl of Eight-Treasure Rice, but the group's taste buds seemed numbed from their drinking, and they couldn't fully appreciate the taste of the Eight-Treasure Rice. They casually finished their share and left the table, wobbling and swaying as they departed.

Shen Shaoguang stood at the door, smiling as she saw the guests off. Upon returning, she heard Yang Jing's frustration. "The emperor's mandate has nothing to do with toads! It's absurd! If you hadn't stopped me, I would have given some theory to them, and set their minds straight!"

Shao Jie shrugged. "Why bother debating with drunkards? Even if you win, they'll keep talking. Knowledge and brains are not something that everyone has."

Shen Shaoguang broke out in laughter. Sir Shao is unexpectedly ferocious when it comes to mocking others.

Seeing Shen Shaoguang laugh, Shao Jie spoke in a serious tone, "I've heard that the weather during the early years of the Kaiyuan Era[1] was even worse than this. Many fertile fields suffered from drought, and the earth even cracked open. But so what? Just like in the past, what followed was peace and prosperity." Despite his aversion to studying, Shao Jie unexpectedly recalled this historical fact.

Shen Shaoguang nodded and expressed her speculation, "I'm afraid there is a driving force behind this rumor. Think about the story ‘Secrets Within Fish, Night's Fox Calls[2],’ similar incidents have occurred in history..." Shen Shaoguang wasn't hesitant to entertain the notion of sinister intentions behind spreading such rumors.

Both Yang Jing and Shao Jie's expressions shifted. After a moment of contemplation, Yang Jing stood up and offered a solemn salute to Shen Shaoguang. "Miss, your deduction based on such a small clue surpasses our abilities. I will inform Grand Chancellor Li and ensure that this matter is thoroughly investigated."

Shen Shaoguang quickly stepped aside, not daring to accept while also returning the gesture.

With the weight of the conversation hanging over them, Yang Jing and Shao Jie lost their appetite for tea. They settled the bill and prepared to leave. Shen Shaoguang escorted them to the door, bidding them farewell.

Standing at the doorway, Shao Jie smiled warmly at Shen Shaoguang. "Thank you very much, Miss. Since I’ve started implementing your method of selling floral cakes, the business at our store has seen a significant improvement. My brothers, who previously managed the cake shop, never achieved such success. Thanks to you, I've gained considerable recognition from my paternal grandfather compared to my brothers and cousins."

Shen Shaoguang returned the smile and offered her congratulations. Then, with a feigned serious expression, she added, "Your success is primarily due to your keen insight, Sir. As the saying goes, 'A fine steed horse is a dime a dozen, but such is not the same with horse connoisseurs[3]'."

Shao Jie's laughter filled the air. He had never encountered such a candid and mischievous miss before. "Indeed, indeed!"

Even Yang Jing, who was currently full of concern for the country and the people, couldn't help but chuckle at their exchange.

After Lin Yan dismissed everyone from the government repository for the day, he discussed the matter with Magistrate Bai and Aide-De-Camp Zhao, who oversaw public sentiment, before riding back in his carriage. Passing by Shen Indelible's doors, he glanced out of habit and spotted Miss Shen laughing joyfully, her eyes forming crescents. Beside her stood the man from the floral cake shop in East Market whom he had encountered before, also chuckling in delight.

Lin Yan's brow furrowed slightly, but he couldn't help a small smile. What were they talking about, to be so jubilant?

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The author has something to say: I referenced Mr. Liang Shiqiu's "Eight Treasure Rice," as well as some recipes I found online.

Translator’s note: Please read footnote #2. There’ll be another reference to this story in chapter 71!

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Footnotes:

[1] Kaiyuan Era - During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong. Kaiyuan era(713–741) is usually viewed as one of the golden ages of Chinese history – a period of political stability, peace in society, and economic prosperity, in addition to advances in education, literature, music, painting, sculpture, and religion. 

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_Xuanzong_of_Tang#Kaiyuan_era_(713%E2%80%93741) 

[2] Secrets Within Fish, Night's Fox Calls (鱼腹藏书，野狐夜嚎) - It's an old story, based during the Qin Dynasty. It tells of Chen Sheng, Wu Guang and his fellow conscripts faced certain death if they failed to reach their designated destination. Stranded by heavy rain in Anhui, they concocted a rebellion to secure their survival. Leveraging superstition, Chen Sheng strategically placed a silk scroll stating 'King of Rising Chu' inside a fish, and pretended to be a fish seller, later cutting open the first in public and surprising every person there. Later that night, Wu Guang secretly entered a nearby temple, lit a fire, which appeared to flicker like phosphorescence from afar. Then, he imitated the howling of a fox, shouting "Long Live Great Chu, King of Rising Chu" leading people to believe that Chen Sheng's ascension as king was the will of heaven.

More info - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chen_Sheng 

[3] A fine steed horse are a dime a dozen, but such is not the same with horse connoisseurs (千里马常有，而伯乐不常有) - I took the liberty to change Bó Lè to horse connoisseurs just so it reads a little more smoothly. It’s roughly the same meaning; the term ‘Bó Lè’ originated from Sun Yang, it was his honorific name. He was a horse tamer in the Spring and Autumn period, and a famous judge of horses. Anyways, the phrase means that exceptional talents may be widespread, but those who can recognize and appreciate them are rare. It underscores the importance of having someone with the discernment and expertise to recognize and nurture talent.

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