After the Lantern Festival, perhaps it was Shen Shaoguang’s imagination, but it seemed the entire city had entered exam season. The East Market branch, neighboring Chongren Ward where scholars gathered, was filled daily with customers discussing the upcoming Ministry of Rites examination and the subsequent Ministry of Personnel selection.

The second edition of the poetry collection featuring the Emperor’s poem had been displayed, and as Shen Shaoguang and Shao Jie had anticipated, it was “selling” exceptionally well. After all, there weren’t many “Kong Yijis” among scholars; most used proper channels, either contributing poems or meeting the spending requirement. Looking at the account books, Shen Shaoguang noticed many last-minute purchases of small dishes or pastries – calculating the totals, it was all for this poetry collection, reminding her of past experiences gathering shopping coupons during Singles’ Day sales in her previous life.

Shen’s establishment seized the opportunity to launch various examination-themed banquets: the “Listed on the Golden Board” feast, the “Step-by-Step Promotion” feast, the “Spring Success” feast… The dish names were both auspicious and elegant: “First Rank Tofu,” “Gold and Jade Abundance,” “Legacy of Literature,” “Purple Robe Soup,” “Imperial Favor Roll,” “Literary Virtue Cake” – each deliberately appealing to scholars’ sensibilities.

Moreover, Shen launched pre-orders for “Tail-Burning Feasts.” These were banquets held when scholars passed examinations or officials received promotions. Legend had it that when carp leaped over the Dragon Gate, they needed heavenly fire to burn their tails to succeed. “Burning the Tail” symbolized these successful candidates celebrating their transformation, like the carp passing through the Dragon Gate.

For scholars, while composing poems at Qu River and inscribing names at Wild Goose Pagoda were official honors and group activities, the “Tail-Burning Feast” was a personal celebration where they were the absolute protagonists. Thus, these feasts held extreme importance in scholars’ hearts.

Shen’s early promotion of “Tail-Burning Feast” reservations carried wishes for customers’ success. With minimal deposits required that could be refunded later, many booked two tables just for good fortune.

As the examinations drew closer, scholars’ pressure mounted, and the tavern grew more boisterous. Some were confident, others anxious, some melancholic, some appearing nearly mad. Some dreamed fantastically, some couldn’t drink, some drank recklessly to intoxication, while others cried, sang, and composed poetry while drunk…

Given everyone’s mental state, the East Market branch specifically strengthened security, adding several strong-built workers, though they weren’t needed – Shen Shaoguang was a rather laid-back tavern owner. What’s wrong with crying and singing? With such pressure, shouldn’t people be allowed to vent? As long as there was no violence or destruction, it was fine.

For these crying scholars, the manager would typically lead servers to bring sobering soup and warm towels. Thus, Manager Qin earned quite a good reputation among scholars. One scholar even wrote him a poem: “The path ahead holds many trials, tears soak my robes complete, grateful for your kindness shown, with cloth and sour soup to treat, if fortune smiles at Wild Goose Tower, I’ll return thanks to give, dear Qin to meet.”

The warm-hearted Manager Qin responded: “Young scholar, don’t overthink it. Travel light into battle, and you might perform better.” He casually recycled the advice the young mistress had given him when he first became manager of the East Market tavern.

The scholar stood up swayingly, arm around Manager Qin’s shoulders, “Travel light into battle… Manager Qin speaks true wisdom!”

Manager Qin hurried to steady him, “Careful, young scholar, careful…”

These scholars usually carried themselves with great pride; Manager Qin had never been so close with them before and was quite anxious initially. Later he grew accustomed to it – scholars were people too!

Standing on the second floor, Shen Shaoguang sighed lightly, shaking her head. Seeing her contemplative expression, Lin Yan smiled gently.

Shen Shaoguang felt that someone like him, blessed with both luck and ability, becoming a jinshi before twenty, the successful Number Three Scholar, couldn’t understand the anxiety and helplessness we common folk felt in examinations. Brother, you lack some life experience.

Seeing her increasingly pensive expression, Lin Yan smiled more, “Aji, your expression suggests you’ve experienced such hardships yourself.”

“I-” Shen Shaoguang closed her mouth sheepishly. Hadn’t she also spent over a decade studying and taking exams? From elementary to middle school entrance exams, high school entrance exams, college entrance exams – since sixth grade, every year teachers would say, “This is the year that determines your fate,” about as often as they’d say, “You’re the most difficult class I’ve ever taught…”

Shen Shaoguang wasn’t the most diligent student, but being thin-skinned, she couldn’t bear to perform too poorly. So she maintained grades at a level that irritated teachers – any higher would make her a top student requiring no attention, and any lower would make her one of many requiring too much attention. Thus, Shen Shaoguang became the type who was frequently pushed to do better…

Ah, just thinking about it brought tears.

Shen Shaoguang glanced sideways at Lin Yan again. If he were in the modern world, he’d probably be that campus heartthrob with good grades and looks who also played basketball. Whenever he’d be on the court, there’d always be girls holding his clothes and water bottles in the stands. He’d solve fewer practice problems than her but still score higher… Thinking of her own failing fifty-meter sprint times and test scores that always had someone ahead, Shen Shaoguang felt extremely indignant. Why? Why?

“What’s wrong?” Lin Yan held back his laughter.

Shen Shaoguang “pinched” his waist hard with her eyes – there was tender flesh there, it would hurt.

Lin Yan coughed lightly, warning her half-smiling, half-scolding: “Aji, we’re in public…”

Shen Shaoguang: “…” Deputy Mayor Lin, could you be more innocent-minded?

Among the scholars, besides those with pre-examination syndrome, there were also composed ones, like two scholars from Suzhou. One was only in his twenties, extremely handsome, and though dressed simply, carried himself with dignity. If properly dressed up, he could pass for a noble’s son and people would believe it. His friend was around thirty, not talkative, appearing somewhat straightforward – it was unclear how two such different scholars became friends.

The manager promoted to them, “Our humble establishment can arrange ‘Tail-Burning Feasts’ for the young scholars.”

This young scholar raised an eyebrow and smiled: “Oh? If I truly succeed, I’ll certainly trouble your establishment.” His speech was in the refined Luoxia accent.

Shen Shaoguang, having developed her observational skills in the imperial palace, was most familiar with such courtesy. Among scholars hearing about the Tail-Burning Feast, such composure was rare.

Thinking he might be the cold type like Young Master Lin, unexpectedly he took the initiative to greet her, “May I ask who this young lady is?”

The manager introduced her: “This is our establishment’s owner.”

This scholar showed surprise and smiled, “The young ladies of the capital are truly talented, quite different from those in our remote areas. To be the owner of such an establishment at such a young age, truly puts us men to shame.”

How could he be so eloquent? Shen Shaoguang was somewhat surprised. But who doesn’t like hearing compliments? She led these two scholars upstairs to sit and presented them with menus.

After some casual conversation, learning they were scholars from Suzhou, Shen Shaoguang thought southerners must find it difficult to adapt to northern winters, especially this year’s winter being particularly cold and long. Even by the Lantern Festival, there had been a heavy snowfall that hadn’t fully melted yet.

However, as a “Chang’an native” who had been there since transmigrating, Shen Shaoguang still defended the capital: “It’s not usually this cold. I remember last year at this time the winter jasmine was already blooming.”

It wasn’t just the winter jasmine that was late this season, but also the spring platters. Last year at this time, spring platters were already trending, while this year hot pot still held the spotlight – of course, this might have something to do with the Emperor’s visit serving as an advertisement.

The young scholar who introduced himself as Ji smiled and said, “I’ve heard fellow candidates speak of your establishment’s excellent small pot for cooking meat, called ‘hot pot,’ most suitable for eating in this season.”

“Indeed, this is perfect weather for hot pot,” Shen Shaoguang smiled and introduced, “Our most popular options among customers are the milk soup pot and clear soup pot. The milk soup is rich and white as cow’s milk, while the clear soup is transparent like water, but both are very flavorful for cooking fish, meat, and vegetables. We also have versions with medicinal herbs…”

After a brief introduction, she especially recommended today’s lamb spine hot pot, having smelled its wonderful aroma in the kitchen earlier. However, she felt the recommendation might be futile – someone like him probably wouldn’t grab a lamb vertebra and bite into it with his mouth wide open, and being Southerners, they might not be accustomed to such food.

Unexpectedly, this Scholar Ji nodded, “Let’s have the lamb spine pot then.”

Shen Shaoguang smiled and nodded, then asked the quiet scholar: “And what would you like, sir?”

“The same as Scholar Ji.”

Shen Shaoguang then asked about their preferences for wine and tea, and they casually ordered Xinfeng wine and milk drink.

Shen Shaoguang smiled and nodded to them, “Please wait a moment, gentlemen.”

Before long, the pot arrived, and Shen Shaoguang helped set up the pot and accompaniments like tofu, glass noodles, Chinese cabbage, and mushrooms, smiling as she said, “Finally, adding some wheat noodles to eat while warm completes a proper lamb spine hot pot meal.”

Scholar Ji smiled and nodded, and Shen Shaoguang went about her business.

When Shen Shaoguang came up to the second floor once, Scholar Ji was elegantly sucking marrow from a lamb vertebra. It was her first time seeing someone eat bone marrow so gracefully, and her thoughts wandered – she needed to have her Young Master Lin try this lamb spine pot sometime, imagining those lips with their perfect cupid’s bow sucking on the bone… Shen Shaoguang smiled mischievously.

After a while, Scholar Ji’s friend indeed called for noodles. Shen’s noodles were all hand-pulled by the cook from large pieces of dough on the spot, available thick or thin, with various shapes like chive leaf, flower petal, or bracelet shapes. It was somewhat of a performance-style cooking that often drew applause.

When Shen Shaoguang went to the kitchen, she asked, “Were the gentlemen satisfied with our noodles?”

The cook answered honestly, “There was no applause.”

Shen Shaoguang smiled consolingly: “They might be focused on serious matters, how can everyone applaud? If we have six or seven out of ten people truly satisfied, that’s already remarkable.”

Leaving the kitchen, Yuan told Shen Shaoguang, “I think everyone likes the young mistress, ten out of ten.”

Shen Shaoguang patted her, “Oh, stop it! Think about Madam Lu, think about the Yunlai Tavern, think about those villains who wanted to cut my throat – still think it’s ten out of ten…”

“Then at least nine out of ten.”

Shen Shaoguang: “…”

You can’t reason with fans, and besides, Shen Shaoguang didn’t want to reason with her fans, “Alright, nine out of ten, nine out of ten. What shall we eat tonight? Today’s lamb spine was really good, but we won’t have time to stew any for tonight. How about lamb soup with flatbread? We can add some prickly ash sauce and pepper powder when eating…”

Scholar Ji and his friend came down from the second floor, nodding slightly to Shen Shaoguang, who returned the gesture, “Safe journey, gentlemen.”

Watching them leave, Shen Shaoguang went upstairs. While the server was cleaning up, looking at the soup at the bottom of the noodle bowl, something struck her. She opened the small jars of vinegar and prickly ash sauce on the table – the vinegar was almost empty, and quite a bit of the prickly ash sauce was gone. These were two Suzhou natives who could handle sour and spicy flavors…

Author’s Note:

① Referenced names from Kong Family cuisine.

② Referenced from Baidu Encyclopedia.

The Jinling and Luoxia accent was the refined speech of that time.