Setting down the fish bones, Zhenzhen stirred the porridge evenly with a wooden spoon, then served portions for Qin Sishan and Magistrate Shen to taste. The fish meat had blended into the porridge, becoming barely discernible. At first glance, the porridge appeared pure and white as snow, with occasional faint yellow threads visible—upon closer inspection, these were thin shreds of ginger.
After tasting it, Qin Sishan offered no comment but invited Magistrate Shen to give his opinion. Initially reluctant to eat more, Magistrate Shen couldn’t resist changing his mind once he caught the aroma. Upon taking a bite, his eyes widened in surprise.
Apart from rice and Mandarin Fish, the porridge used only ginger and Sichuan pepper to remove any fishy taste and enhance freshness, along with a little salt. The natural sweetness of the Mandarin Fish, stewed with the porridge, created a soft, glutinous texture. Its delicate sweetness and umami were hidden behind a subtle saltiness, carried smoothly into the mouth by the semi-liquid porridge, rising and spreading at the back of the tongue. The comfort it brought to his taste buds nearly moved Magistrate Shen to tears. He nodded repeatedly at Zhenzhen, and between offering praise and taking another bite, he chose the latter.
"This method of threading coins is quite novel. How did you come up with it?" Qin Sishan asked.
Zhenzhen replied, "I once heard the teacher who taught me cooking mention it, saying a friend had once treated him this way. As for the specific steps, he didn’t elaborate. This was my first attempt—I improvised the seasoning and threading method myself, and I’m not sure if I did it correctly."
A faint smile appeared on Qin Sishan’s lips. "Not bad. For a first attempt, this shows solid foundational skills. Did you use an embroidery needle to thread the fish spine?"
Zhenzhen smiled. "Yes. But my needlework is far inferior to my senior sister Fengxian’s. She can thread the scales of an entire Reeves’ shad with a needle and thread, so that when the fish is served, lifting the thread removes all the scales."
Qin Sishan thought for a moment and asked, "Is this senior sister the Ling Fengxian who took the exam today?"
Zhenzhen confirmed it, and Qin Sishan looked around, searching for Fengxian.
Fengxian promptly stepped forward and bowed. Qin Sishan asked if her two dishes were ready, and Fengxian replied they had been prepared long ago. Following Qin Sishan’s gesture, she presented her creations.
First, Fengxian took a copper bowl from a wooden steamer, containing a steamed Silkie Chicken. She placed the chicken on a silver plate. Despite the long steaming process, the chicken’s shape and skin remained remarkably intact. With Qin Sishan’s nod of approval, Fengxian gently sliced the chicken with chopsticks. The thoroughly steamed, tender meat fell apart easily, revealing thin slices of rehmannia root hidden inside the chicken cavity.
Fengxian took a small portion of the chicken and offered it to Qin Sishan. After tasting it, Qin Sishan looked surprised. "It’s sweet. Did you use sugar?"
"Yes, malt sugar. This Silkie Chicken was steamed with sliced raw rehmannia root mixed with malt sugar placed inside the cavity," Fengxian said, lowering her head. "Malt sugar, made from grains, can nourish the spleen, boost energy, moisten the lungs, and relieve coughs. Raw rehmannia root clears heat and promotes fluid production, treating sore throats. Steaming the chicken this way can address fatigue, back pain, and coughing. I noticed, Madam Director, that you have been invigilating us for several days, tirelessly moving around and offering earnest guidance. When you sat down earlier, you pressed your waist with your knuckles, as if experiencing back pain, and occasionally coughed lightly, perhaps due to a sore throat from speaking more than usual. Unable to share your burdens, I took the liberty of preparing this Silkie Chicken with this recipe, hoping it might help alleviate your discomfort."
After speaking, she ladled some of the chicken broth from the copper bowl and presented it to Qin Sishan. "This broth concentrates the essence of the Silkie Chicken, rehmannia root, and malt sugar. Drinking it is more effective than eating the chicken alone."Qin Sishan accepted it, took a small sip without finishing it, but offered Fengxian a faint smile: "Thank you, you've been thoughtful."
Qin Sishan then instructed Fengxian to present the second dish. Fengxian promptly served it—a thick broth simmered in a pot.
The broth was exceptionally rich. As soon as the lid was lifted, the savory aroma, born from the harmonious blend of various ingredients, escaped like countless tiny, swimming dragons. They lingered in the hall, drifting to each person's nostrils. With a gentle flick of their tails, the enticing fragrance coiled its way into their noses. In that moment of awakening, the rich flavor quietly embedded itself deep within their memories.
"What is this broth made from? It resembles lamb but isn't quite lamb, resembles fish but isn't quite fish, yet it's richer than either lamb or fish soup." Magistrate Shen, after tasting it, was particularly curious. He examined the white, thick soup in his bowl closely, posing the question before Qin Sishan could.
Fengxian replied, "It's made from lamb bones and crucian carp. Fish and lamb together create 'freshness,' which is why the broth is especially delicious."
"Not entirely, not entirely," Magistrate Shen shook his head. "I've had broths made from fish and lamb before, but none were as fragrant as yours. You must have a secret recipe."
Fengxian smiled gently. "It's not a particularly complicated secret. First, simmer lamb bones over low heat to make a rich broth. After removing the bones, add crucian carp that has been wrapped in paper, roasted, scaled, and sliced, along with aged tangerine peel, ginger, and scallion whites. Simmer it all together into a broth."
"Why wrap the crucian carp in paper before roasting?" Qin Sishan asked impassively.
Fengxian explained, "This method makes the meat fragrant and the bones tender, resulting in a broth that is thick, white, and more mellow in flavor."
Qin Sishan pressed further, "Does this broth have medicinal properties?"
"Yes, it can treat poor appetite due to spleen and stomach qi deficiency." Fengxian glanced at Magistrate Shen before lowering her head to answer. "Today, I happened to overhear Magistrate Shen mentioning to Madam Director about his stomach issues, so I recalled this recipe and prepared it accordingly. I'm not certain if it truly has an appetite-stimulating effect."
"It does, it does," Magistrate Shen quickly responded, pointing to the bowl before him. "Look, while you were speaking, I've already had a second serving brought for me."
Fengxian smiled softly, lowered her gaze, and curtsied in gratitude to Magistrate Shen.
Qin Sishan did not comment on the taste of the broth but asked Fengxian, "Have you studied medicine?"
Fengxian replied, "I haven't formally studied it. I was just worried that being completely ignorant of medical principles might lead to violating food taboos and harming others unknowingly, so I read some medical texts on my own."
Qin Sishan nodded. "You are a thoughtful person." She then said no more, merely gesturing for Fengxian to step back.
Qin Sishan continued inspecting the dishes prepared by the other young women. She showed little favor to those who had chosen precious ingredients like abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish maw. These young women often heavily seasoned their dishes and employed complex techniques in hopes of achieving rich flavors and showcasing their intricate skills. Unfortunately, they overdid it. After tasting several such dishes, Qin Sishan could no longer contain herself and delivered a cold sneer: "To think that nobles all love abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish maw is like imagining that The Emperor uses only golden vessels for every meal—it's the view of a frog at the bottom of a well. If one's culinary skills are truly exceptional and can inspire admiration, choosing such ingredients is understandable. But if one chooses them and fails to execute them well, it only reveals a beggarly demeanor."
After coldly criticizing several young women in succession, her gaze fell upon Xing Junman. She asked if she was ready.
Xing Junman cheerfully affirmed and calmly presented the dishes she had prepared one by one. To everyone's astonishment, within the limited time, she had used two main ingredients—quail and pufferfish—to create four dishes: Flower-Steamed Quail, Quail Crystal Slices, Pufferfish Sashimi, and Sauce-Roasted "Xishi's Breast."Braised Quail with Osmanthus Sauce is made by blanching quail, then boiling it in clear water with various spices, soy sauce, salt, wine, and osmanthus honey, simmering until the sauce reduces. It is rich in savory aroma, with a distinct fragrance of osmanthus.
Quail Crystal Jelly is prepared by boiling quail until tender, removing the meat, then stewing pork skin into a thick broth. The quail meat is mixed into the strained broth, which solidifies into a jelly before being sliced and arranged on a plate. The meat is tender and fresh, appearing crystal clear and translucent.
Pufferfish Sashimi is freshly sliced raw fish. Xing Junman placed thin slices of fish on an ice plate, arranging them into a swirling wave pattern. On one side of the ice plate stood an ice sculpture resembling rolling mountain ranges, with delicate white fish bones forming jade-like trees and branches extending from the peaks.
The "Xishi's Milk" was white, soft, and gelatinous, resembling fat or brain matter. Magistrate Shen initially did not know what it was and asked Xing Junman, who blushed and refused to explain clearly, only calling it "pufferfish milt." Magistrate Shen remained puzzled until a eunuch observing nearby whispered in his ear, explaining that it was pufferfish testicles. Only then did he understand. Eagerly, he picked up a piece to taste. Upon entering his mouth, he first noticed a sweet and savory flavor, with a thin, crispy layer on the roasted surface that melted instantly. The smooth and tender "Xishi's Milk" then filled his mouth, richer and more fragrant than milk, finer and more delicate than tofu—a sensation of luxurious richness and aromatic delight that was truly indescribable.
Magistrate Shen praised it endlessly. Xing Junman smiled in acknowledgment, her eyes gleaming with pride. Noticing that Qin Sishan had been watching these dishes without touching her chopsticks, Magistrate Shen invited her to taste them. Qin Sishan ignored him, her cold gaze fixed on Xing Junman as she asked, "How many dishes did I previously request you to prepare?"
Xing Junman was taken aback but quickly replied, "Two."
"So you do remember it was two," Qin Sishan sneered. "I thought perhaps you had forgotten to bring your ears to the examination today."
(To be continued)
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