Chang’an Small Restaurant

Chapter 82.2 Consuming Crabs Together

True to his word, Shao Jie contacted several crab merchants to secure a steady supply, and both branches commenced their crab-themed extravaganza.

Naturally, the poem wall outside the store was updated to reflect the new theme.

A’Yuan was painting the wall back to white. As she painted, she remarked regretfully to Shen Shaoguang, who was contemplating the new composition beside her, "Miss, you put so much effort into that painting. It’s only been a few days, and now it's being erased. What a pity..."

The advertisement outside the tavern always followed the new dishes on the menu. What A’Yuan was erasing now was a freehand style painting of a perch, its tail flipping gracefully, embodying a sense of freedom and ease. The inscription complemented the painting’s artistic conception: "Why Jiangnan When There’s Homeland Perch (思莼鲈何必江南)."

A’Yuan only thought that the fish was vividly painted, and she had no particular feelings about "When There’s Homeland Perch." In fact, she was more concerned about the roasted lamb leg from the previous advertisement. "It's the lamb leg I had to paint over last time. It's been several days, and I still dream about it," A’Yuan said, swallowing her saliva.

The lamb leg had been exquisitely depicted, garnished with vibrant colors. Shen Shaoguang had even meticulously painted the glistening reflection of oil dripping from the lamb leg. The accompanying slogan was equally delightful—"Sizzle," meant to evoke the sound of hot oil. A customer had joked that the mural seemed to come with both ‘sound and smell.’

Shen Shaoguang smiled reassuringly, "It's alright, even without lamb, we have crabs now. Just dream about them slowly."

A’Yuan, though reluctant to part with the old, was excited about the new ones.

Lin Yan had been occupied for several days, and when he finally returned to Shen Indelible, the tavern's "crab showdown" was already in full swing.

As he approached, Lin Yan noticed the enormous crab depicted on the poem wall outside and couldn't help but laugh. A’Ji's painting truly embodied the "freehand style" this time.

The wall featured an extraordinarily large crab, tinged with yellow and red hues. Half of its shell was opened, revealing the sumptuous roe and meat within. This, however, was not entirely unexpected, given the equally grand and colorful chrysanthemum fish and lamb leg murals that had preceded it.

Unlike the previous murals, this one included a figure standing next to the crab. The figure was merely outlined with ink lines, and their height did not even reach the crab's legs. Clad in a futou and a robe sketched with a single stroke, the person had a very prominent beard and two dots for eyes, conveying a look of astonishment. The inscription beside them read, "What a Crab!"

Li Bai once wrote, "The snowflakes on Yan Hill are as large as bed mats." Here, A’Ji had whimsically depicted "a crab as big as a house." Lin Yan walked into Shen Indelible with a smile, amused by the artistic exaggeration.

The lunch guests had already dispersed. A’Yuan was busy counting the "votes," while Shen Shaoguang, seated nearby, sipped tea with a smile.

Seeing Lin Yan enter, Shen Shaoguang greeted him warmly, "Sir Lin—"

Lin Yan nodded in response, but his mind drifted to the memory of her calling him "Sir Yan" that day. He wondered when he might hear her address him so familiarly again.

A’Yuan reported, "There are still more votes for the Wine-Pickled Crabs steamed with water. Over the past few days, the total sales of the smoked Wine-Pickled Crabs with wine and cassia bark have been behind by 30 tickets."

Lin Yan, smiling, inquired, "Is this the famous 'Crab Showdown'?"

Shen Shaoguang, with a touch of flattery, responded, "Indeed, Sir Lin. With just a brief mention, it's quite the feat for you to be able to discern it's pertaining to the 'Crab Showdown'."

False rhetorics and flowery speech! Seeing her smile, Lin Yan felt a sudden impulse...

Shen Shaoguang inquired with a playful grin, "Sir, would you care for some crabs as well? Would you prefer our signature Wine-Pickled Crabs or those cooked from live ones?"

Lin Yan, returning the smile, replied, "I’ll have the live ones."

Shen Shaoguang added, "Sir, you have a discerning palate! For such fresh ingredients, steaming them alive is truly the highest form of respect—it preserves their flavor best. Pickling is primarily a method for convenience, as crabs are challenging to store and transport."

Lin Yan was thoroughly amused by her explanation, and Shen Shaoguang, her eyes narrowing in amusement, joined in the laughter.

Yu San, who was cleaning the crabs in the kitchen, rolled his eyes. Who had been extolling the virtues of pickled crabs recently? Who claimed that the pickled crabs enjoyed by Emperor Yang of the previous dynasty were so grand they were adorned with gold dragons and phoenixes, dubbed "Golden Dragon and Phoenix Crabs"? Who extolled the pickled crabs from Cangzhou, Guangling, and Jiangling as the three finest tribute crabs, each renowned for its distinct qualities—Cangzhou’s rich roe, Guangling’s freshness, and Jiangling’s exceptional tenderness? …Ha! Miss truly had a talent for rhetoric!

Every time Lin Yan visited, Shen Shaoguang would set aside her tasks and join him.

Though it was enjoyable to sit and savor a beauty, one still needed to say something to evoke a laugh.

Shen Shaoguang, ever the raconteur, regaled Lin Yan with a joke: "Once, there was a monk who, when the autumn wind blew and the crabs were scurrying about, decided to indulge in crabs just like everyone else."

Even at the mere mention of the tale’s start, Lin Yan’s lips began to curl in amusement.

Shen Shaoguang pursed her lips in mock disapproval. Your sense of humor needs some work, you know?

Lin Yan stifled a laugh and urged her to continue, "Please, go on."

Readjusting herself, Shen Shaoguang resumed the tale. "The crabs in the pot kept scratching at the walls, causing quite a disturbance. The monk's young disciple, feeling unsettled, began chanting Buddhist scriptures. Seeing this, the monk thought he should join in and chanted, 'All is well, all is well. It’ll be fine once cooked, it’ll be fine once cooked...'"

Lin Yan looked at her with a smile, clearly amused.

Shen Shaoguang, however, was beginning to suspect that Deputy Magistrate Lin lacked a true sense of humor. He probably was the type to reacted to operas with a “good!” and to crosstalk with a confused “huh?”. Nevertheless, she forgave him, for his beauty was undeniable.

As Lin Yan was about to respond, the waiter arrived with the steamed crabs, accompanied by a saucer of ginger and vinegar, as well as a jug of wine.

Shen Shaoguang smiled warmly and said, "Crabs are incomplete without wine. Please, Sir, enjoy a little."

Lin Yan returned her smile and nodded in agreement.

With practiced precision, Shen Shaoguang heated the wine for him. She began by gently pouring hot water over the wine vessel, meticulously timing the process. After touching the pot’s wall to gauge the temperature, she carefully removed the wine jar, giving it a slight shake to ensure an even temperature throughout. She then wiped the bottom of the pot with a cloth towel before pouring a cup of wine for Lin Yan.

Observing her graceful movements, Lin Yan couldn't help but recall the scene from last year when he and Chancellor Li had enjoyed a drink here. Little did they know how the situation would evolve into what it was now.

Lin Yan washed his hands in the basin provided by the waiter, then carefully selected a crab. He opened its shell with deliberation, methodically extracting the meat and roe, placing them into a small dish.

Ming Nu, with a look of solemnity, settled beside the food table, taking his position with an air of quiet anticipation.

Shen Shaoguang enjoyed Ming Nu's haughty demeanor as she playfully broke off two crab legs and extracted the meat to feed the cat. She reasoned gently, "Don’t indulge too much in this, Ming Nu. It’s cold by nature and can upset your stomach. Remember, Princess Imperial’s cat fell ill because of such indulgence. It’s a cautionary tale for us."

Lin Yan, observing her tender interaction with the cat, continued to meticulously peel his crab. He arranged the crab meat into a dish, drizzled it with ginger vinegar using a small spoon, and then nudged the plate towards Shen Shaoguang. "Enjoy it while it’s still warm." 

Shen Shaoguang, accepting the plate with a smile, savored the delicate flavors of the crab. As Lin Yan continued to peel his own crab, he inquired casually, "A’Ji, did Princess Imperial say anything to you?"

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The author has something to say: The tale of the monk eating crabs is a joke I was told during my childhood.