Yunlai Tavern was the largest inn in Chongxian Ward, accommodating over a hundred guests. It was luxuriously furnished and featured singing courtesans. Though it couldn’t compare to the famous establishments in the East and West Markets, it was still quite impressive.

Yunlai Tavern had always done good business, but lately, the proprietor had been feeling somewhat vexed. Recently, customers have been bringing in outside food to accompany their drinks.

The tavern had never actually forbidden outside food. Occasionally, when customers hunted geese or deer and were unsatisfied with their home cooking, they would bring the meat to the tavern for preparation, which the establishment always cheerfully accepted.

Of course, there were also customers with particular tastes who sometimes brought in coarse snacks like fried tofu or pickled fish paste bought from street vendors. The tavern staff would simply smile and even provide plates—if that’s what customers preferred, what could they do?

But lately, customers had been frequently bringing in small white porcelain dishes containing either two pieces of reddish, trembling meat or meatballs the size of a child’s fist. Customers would call out, “Bring a soup spoon!” The meatballs were so tender they couldn’t be picked up with chopsticks and needed to be scooped with a spoon.

This wasn’t just one or two customers, so the tavern naturally took notice. What was embarrassing was that while customers often left the tavern’s dishes unfinished, these small porcelain dishes were always cleaned completely, with even the sauce being poured over rice.

How had it come to this?

The proprietor inquired and learned they were bought from Shen’s Food Shop in the ward. He knew of Shen’s—the owner was a beautiful young lady who made excellent pastries and jade-tip buns.

During the recent festival, the proprietor had even ordered gift boxes of flower cakes from there. Those pastries were truly exquisite, with some varieties not even available at specialized pastry shops in the East and West Markets.

But how had they started selling meat dishes?

At that time, food shops and taverns were typically separate. Food shops specialized in flatbreads, steamed buns, rice cakes, noodles, and various grain-based foods, with many only serving breakfast. Taverns usually opened around noon, selling wine, dishes, and post-drinking meals, but didn’t focus on pastries.

The Yunlai proprietor was quite displeased with this food shop’s transgression into meat dishes, especially since customers were bringing them to “shame” his tavern. But he couldn’t get angry at customers, and as for Shen’s shop with its young female owner… well, he’d just send someone to buy some samples to try.

Indeed! The Yunlai proprietor had to admit they were excellent. He’d never seen pork prepared so well—rich and tender without being greasy, beautiful in presentation, and completely worthy of formal banquets.

He had the tavern’s cooks try to replicate it, but without someone revealing the techniques, they couldn’t figure out certain crucial details. Their versions always lacked something.

Shen Shaoguang, unaware she’d violated industry taboos and drawn attention, was teaching A’yuan how to cut meat for Lion’s Head meatballs.

Making Lion’s Head meatballs required precise meat ratios—either 50-50 fat to lean, or 40-60, or 60-40. Master Wang Zengqi suggested 70-30 fat to lean, while Master Liang Shiqiu believed “70% lean and 30% fat” was most suitable. Shen Shaoguang took the middle road, agreeing with the great gourmand Yuan Mei that “half fat, half lean” was better.

The cutting technique was even more crucial. First, remove the tendons, then carefully dice the meat, followed by light chopping—the key being “more cutting, less chopping.” Neither chunks too large nor meat ground too fine would work.

A’yuan cut the meat well, with strength and patience, but most importantly—she was interested. Given time, she might become a good cook herself.

After the cutting, the remaining steps had to be done by Shen Shaoguang. With starch-dusted hands, she formed large meatballs—no starch in the meat itself, or the texture would be gummy—then fried them to set their shape, before steaming them for two hours.

Made this way, the Lion’s Head meatballs became as tender as tofu.

As the weather cooled, and because their shop was too small for dine-in customers, Shen Shaoguang mainly sold these time-consuming, steaming hot braised dishes—also because these were famous dishes from the future, proven over centuries, making them easier to establish a reputation.

With Agate Meat and Lion’s Head meatballs, Shen Shaoguang considered whether to add clay pot chicken next and thought about curing ham when it got cooler. Then she could use the ham’s flavor to braise tofu and cabbage, steam duck and fish, or simply make honey-glazed ham and wine-preserved ham… mmm!

These tender, rich steamed and braised dishes weren’t just suitable for the weather, but perfect for elderly appetites—like Minister Li Yue of the Ministry of Rites, who lived in Yankang Ward.

In his sixties, Li Yue had been Minister of Rites for over a decade before being demoted to serve two terms as governor in Jiangnan. He returned last year to resume his position as minister and recently was promoted to Chancellor, becoming one of the four chancellors in the government.

Chancellor Li was the most refined among them. It was said he had once been radical in his younger years, offending many powerful figures, and rising and falling through official circles several times. Later, his temperament became peaceful and content, finding pleasure in nature, poetry, female musicians, wine, and food.

Yankang Ward was right next to Chongxian Ward, and because of their master’s preferences, Chancellor Li’s servants often searched for delicacies, eventually discovering Shen Shaoguang’s shop.

From jade-tip buns to various flower cakes to Agate Meat, and now the Lion’s Head meatballs, everything suited the old chancellor’s taste. Li’s servants frequently visited Chongxian Ward. Even when hosting guests, meat and meatballs from Shen’s Food Shop appeared on the table.

Chancellor Li specifically pointed them out, showing genuine appreciation: “Shouren, Anran, do try this Agate Meat.”

Prefecture Chief White, though only a few years younger than Li Yue and just one rank below, showed great respect to the chancellor. He tasted it and nodded with a smile, “The color of rouge agate, fragrant with every bite—what a fitting name! The chancellor’s private dishes are truly remarkable.”

Chancellor Li smiled, “It’s not from my private kitchen. Please try these Lion’s Head meatballs as well.”

Before even tasting, Chief White was already smiling, “What a mighty name!” Following Li Yue’s example, he scooped a piece with a soup spoon and put it in his mouth, his expression changing, “Such tenderness!”

Chancellor Li then asked Lin Yan, “How do you find it, Anran?”

Lin Yan smiled gently, “This humble official finds it excellent.”

“These are actually from a food shop in your ward. Haven’t you tried them, Anran?”

Lin Yan wiped his mouth with a handkerchief: “Indeed, I haven’t.” Such refinement… it seemed consistent with those soup-filled jade-tip buns.

Chief White smiled, “Chongxian Ward has many delicacies! The young men in our office all eat chicken egg pancakes from Chongxian for breakfast. I tried them once—quite tasty.”

Chancellor Li smiled at Lin Yan, teasing, “I can hardly imagine Anran eating pancakes.”

Lin Yan’s lips curved in a smile, not explain.

Chief White laughed, “Anran is different. In all our time working together, I’ve never seen him act hastily.”

Chancellor Li sighed slightly, “Anran’s bearing, like in those years—” He suddenly stopped, covering it by taking a sip of wine, then smiled, “Shall we have Taorui dance ‘Spring Warbler’s Song’ with Chunnu accompanying on pipa, to thank you both for saving their lives?”

Li Yue’s favored courtesans Taorui and Chunnu had been startled by horses while visiting Qujiang and were rescued by some prefecture officers. Today, Chancellor Li was hosting this banquet specifically to express his gratitude.

The two women came forward, first thanking the two prefecture officials for saving their lives—though they hadn’t been present—then began their song and dance.

With wine and entertainment, how could there be no poetry?

“Rouge-tinted cheeks and emerald brows, sandalwood-red lips like a dot, the color of rouge… Flower ornaments scattered on the ground, waist soft as silk, too delicate to move…”

Listening to his two senior officials’ verses, Lin Yan took a sip of wine and finished the Agate Meat on his small plate, wondering why the poem seemed to be describing this piece of meat.