Lost in thought, Lu Zigang realized they had been wandering through the alleys for quite some time. The capital had always had the saying “East for wealth, West for nobility, South for poverty, North for lowliness.” The eastern part of the imperial city was generally inhabited by merchants, their wealth reaching the sky. Officials, for convenience in responding to imperial summons, generally gathered in the western city area. “South for poverty” referred to the area from outside the Front Gate to Tianqiao all the way to Yongding Gate, where people from all walks of life and common folk gathered. From the Bell and Drum Towers north to Desheng Gate was where the families of palace maids and eunuchs lived – these people were often looked down upon, hence the term “North for lowliness.” Lu Zigang knew they were now in the western city area. Everything in sight consisted of high officials’ mansions, with deep courtyards and grand residences everywhere. Even the occasional wine houses looked extremely upscale – they probably couldn’t even afford to tip the waiters.
Xia Zelan briefly introduced herself, so Lu Zigang at least knew her surname, but it wouldn’t be proper to ask too detailed about her given name. In ancient times, the “asking for names” step only occurred during the formal betrothal process of the Three Letters and Six Rites. For him, a chance-met stranger, to have her invite him for a meal was already improper according to etiquette.
Fortunately, the Ming Dynasty’s restrictions on women were quite strict, but this only applied to young ladies and wives of wealthy families. Common folk’s women also had to show their faces in public to make a living. So Lu Zigang and Xia Zelan walked almost side by side along the way without attracting much attention. After Xia Zelan’s initial shyness faded, she began introducing the capital’s scenery along the route, knowing that this young jade carving master had only recently arrived in the capital.
Having someone as a tour guide was exactly what Lu Zigang wanted, but as he listened, he began to feel something was off.
“Oh my, that Tianfu House’s sauced pork knuckle is too greasy and very salty – it definitely won’t suit us southerners’ taste.”
“This sugar-fired pastry shop is quite good, but it’s better to eat there in the morning. Eating there at night is a bit too casual.”
“Hongfeng Tower’s roasted duck is delicious, but you have to make reservations a day in advance. We definitely can’t make it today.”
“Taide Fu’s mutton hotpot is also decent, but it has a very heavy gamey smell – I’m afraid you won’t be able to adapt to it.”
As Lu Zigang walked and listened to Xia Zelan’s chattering commentary on the restaurants they passed, he finally understood – this was definitely professional rivalry!
As Xia Zelan spoke, she was also thinking to herself. She occasionally stole glances at the young jade carving master’s handsome profile, suddenly remembering the gossip she had heard at Eunuch Li’s place. It was said that this newly arrived Suzhou jade carving master, although already over twenty years old, had no family accompanying him.
No family meant he hadn’t married, right?
Xia Zelan wanted to habitually touch the jade piece around her neck through her clothes, but her hand found nothing, and she realized she had already given the jade material to the person before her to carve. Touching the purse at her waist, Xia Zelan gritted her teeth and smiled: “Brother Lu, to show my sincerity, let me invite you to eat at my home!”
Lu Zigang was pleasantly surprised and hardly knew how they walked the rest of the way, until he stood outside a thriving small restaurant and looked around.
Uh… if he remembered correctly, five hundred years later, this place should be occupied by a KFC…
Xia Zelan had come to the capital with her parents ten years ago. At that time, her family’s circumstances were quite good, and her parents had opened a small restaurant near the Front Gate, specializing in Suzhou and Huaiyang cuisine. Because of their authentic skills and delicious, affordable dishes, they gained some reputation. Unfortunately, good times didn’t last long. Xia’s father died early from overwork and accumulated illness, and her mother also passed away from excessive grief, leaving only Xia Zelan alone.
Xia Zelan should have followed her parents’ dying wishes, escorted their coffins back home and stayed in Suzhou, but because relatives had grown distant and she was unwilling to be arranged into a blind marriage under their meddling, she returned to the capital after burying her parents. Unable to manage a restaurant alone, she rented out the storefront and was recruited into the Imperial Food Service as a kitchen maid due to her excellent culinary skills. With both parents dead and no one to arrange her marriage, living alone was wonderfully free and easy.
Of course, those well-meaning neighborhood aunties often came to chat and introduce potential matches. Xia Zelan always politely declined – after all, being alone in the capital without relatives or friends, what good families could those busybody women introduce her to? Better to have none than to settle for less. Even if she never married for life, there was nothing wrong with that – this was a resolution Xia Zelan had made long ago.
However, now this resolution was wavering slightly.
Xia Zelan led Lu Zigang into her rented-out small restaurant with a composed expression. Since it was almost dinner time, the customer flow had increased, and their arrival didn’t attract much attention.
Lu Zigang followed her as she expertly passed through the main hall, around the back kitchen, and then entered a narrow small courtyard. This small courtyard was already filled with many drying vegetables – strung mountain mushrooms, radish strips, and stacks of Chinese cabbage, plus strings of golden corn hanging from the eaves, all creating a warm and homey atmosphere.
Seeing Lu Zigang’s gaze lingering on the corn, Xia Zelan quickly explained: “This is corn, imported from overseas. It’s said to keep well, and many people who make their living at sea like to eat it. It’s easy to grow with high yield, and it’s become very popular in the capital recently. I’ve been researching new corn dishes in my spare time.”
Lu Zigang was startled by her words, remembering that this crop, originally from Central America and a main food source for Native Americans, had only been introduced to China during the Jiajing era because Columbus discovered the American continent. But large-scale cultivation didn’t occur until the Qing Dynasty. Because corn’s growing season alternated with winter wheat, in the northern regions around the Yellow River basin, it could be rotated with winter wheat to achieve two harvests per year, becoming a main food source for the lower population. This was also one of the main reasons for China’s rapid population growth after the 18th century. So corn was called the sixth grain outside the traditional five grains, showing its importance.
Thinking of this, Lu Zigang couldn’t help saying: “Corn is very good when boiled or roasted directly, or stewed in soup, or ground into cornmeal, or the kernels can be stir-fried, or mixed with oil and flour to make corn pancakes – that tastes even better.”
“Ah?” Xia Zelan had invited Lu Zigang back to cook for him partly to show off this rare corn, but he actually seemed to know more about it than she did. After feeling deflated, Xia Zelan perked up again. After learning how to make corn pancakes, she selected two ears of corn and dove into the small kitchen in the courtyard. Lu Zigang didn’t go inside but stayed outside, helping her with what he could according to her instructions – carrying water, picking vegetables, and so on. Although Xia Zelan’s small kitchen was much smaller than the Imperial Jade Workshop supervisor’s kitchen, though small, it had everything. There were many jars and containers, obviously Xia Zelan’s private collection.
Lu Zigang had never known that cooking involved so many complicated procedures. Since modern kitchens had fully or semi-automatic machines, witnessing ancient culinary arts now felt incredibly magical. Even the amount of firewood added when cooking rice was particular. That graceful figure busy in the kitchen was like creating artwork – every movement was filled with irresistible charm that would be unforgettable for life.
The two set up a round table directly in the courtyard. When the sky darkened slightly, the round table was already laden with quite a rich spread of dishes.
Four steamed red river crabs, spicy aromatic five-spice spare ribs, golden crispy corn pancakes, sauce-brown stir-fried eel slices, and a casserole of clear-stewed crab powder lion’s head meatballs. The colors, aromas, and flavors were perfect, making one’s mouth water and fingers itch to start eating. After Lu Zigang helped set the bowls and chopsticks, he sat properly at the table enduring torment, only then remembering that due to pre-travel nervousness, he hadn’t eaten anything today.
Xia Zelan washed her hands and went inside to change out of her oil-stained clothes. When she came out, she had changed into a blue-green jacket and skirt, with a light brown wide-sleeved vest over it. Only the front was decorated with pink peach blossom trim, and the collar extended all the way to the hem, making her appear even more gracefully beautiful. Her skin, without a trace of makeup, was as lovely as peach blossoms and plums. Lu Zigang was momentarily stunned.
For that instant, Lu Zigang actually felt somewhat jealous of his past self.
Beautiful, gentle, straightforward, and an excellent cook… who wouldn’t want such a girlfriend! She truly could grace the main hall and manage the kitchen – perfect for home and family.
Xia Zelan also noticed the young jade carving master’s burning gaze. Her steps hesitated slightly, then she lowered her eyes and placed a small jar of wine from her arms onto the round table. When she raised her head again, she had recovered her usual smile, though her cheeks carried a slight blush. “This is a small jar of osmanthus wine I got from the Imperial Tea Office, perfect for eating crabs at this time. People in the capital don’t much like eating crabs – these are four male crabs left over from the restaurant in front. Right now is when their roe is richest, so you’re getting a bargain.”
Lu Zigang knew this was just Xia Zelan being polite. October river crabs were at their most expensive time of year. These four crabs looked bigger than an adult man’s fist – each one was more valuable than all the other dishes on the table combined. He didn’t say much, took the wine jar, and knocked off the clay seal at the mouth. A refreshing, rich wine fragrance quickly spread through the small courtyard.
The wine liquid poured into the white porcelain cups was amber colored. It tasted fresh and mellow, sweet and pure, carrying the fragrance of osmanthus flowers that left a lingering taste on the lips and teeth. Although all wine brewing was done by the Imperial Wine Bureau, the Imperial Tea Office managed imperial-gifted teas and wines. This small jar of osmanthus wine was something Xia Zelan had saved by chance. She didn’t much like alcohol, which was why it had been preserved until now. Seeing the young jade carving master’s undisguised expression of admiration and his rapid chopstick movements completely pleased Xia Zelan’s chef’s heart. Although this dinner seemed simple, the sesame oil, sweet sauce, fermented black beans, soy sauce, vinegar, and other seasonings she used were all her secret preparations, no worse than those made by the imperial Pickle and Sauce Office. The dishes she made were also not what one could eat on ordinary days. Take that plate of steamed crabs – she had been covering them with wine-dampened cloth for several days, letting the crabs clean out their internal impurities. She had planned to eat one each day for the next few days, but happened to encounter this troublemaker and had to prepare them all at once. The steamer was lined with lotus and perilla leaves, each crab’s navel was stuffed with a few peppercorns to remove the fishy smell, and she had added a few white chrysanthemum flowers to steam together. This plate of chrysanthemum crabs would cost three taels of silver at Hongfeng Tower.
“So expensive? Then I’ve really caused you to spend too much, young lady.”
Xia Zelan froze, then wanted to hide under the table, not expecting that she had unconsciously spoken her thoughts aloud. She quickly tried to remedy the situation: “Brother Lu, don’t mind it. You’re helping me carve that jade material, and I can’t afford to pay you, so I can only make this meal to express my gratitude.”