Shen Shaoguang held her neck straight, chin slightly tucked, her face fixed in a reserved smile—what they called maintaining dignity even in disgrace, spreading her wings even if they were stripped bare of feathers.
The guest-prefect, momentarily intimidated by her demeanor, hesitated before finally leading her to meet the Abbot.
The Abbot, in her fifties or sixties, had a round, kindly face. "Shen—could you be a lady of the Luoyang Shen clan?"
Shen Shaoguang smiled ruefully and replied softly, "I shame my ancestors. Best not to mention it."
That confirmed it. The Abbot nodded. "No wonder your bearing is so refined."
Praising someone's bearing, among the respectable people of this dynasty, was roughly equivalent to a five-star review on Taobao in later times—a casual courtesy. Shen Shaoguang smiled and accepted the compliment.
The Abbot was indeed easygoing. When it came to Shen Shaoguang's request for lodging, she agreed without hesitation.
Though the Abbot didn't mind, Shen Shaoguang insisted on paying the nunnery three months' rent at the standard rate for temporary lodgers. "Your kindness in taking me in is appreciated, but I cannot disregard propriety."
The Abbot smiled. "Since the young lady insists on keeping things fair, so be it."
Shen Shaoguang felt a little embarrassed. This was hardly fairness—it was more like petty caution. The Abbot had kindly offered shelter, yet she was guarding against the possibility of the offer being rescinded... But "renting" felt far more secure than "borrowing."
As it happened, there were no other lodgers or visiting nuns at the nunnery at the time—perhaps also due to the influence of "Shen" and "refined bearing." Shen Shaoguang was allotted two spacious and well-lit main rooms.
To express her gratitude, Shen Shaoguang personally prepared a bowl of multicolored Broad Noodles for the Abbot.
Truthfully, these noodles weren't particularly remarkable—just labor-intensive.
She pounded malva greens and perilla leaves to extract their juices, then mixed yellow rice flour and sesame powder separately with wheat flour to achieve five colors. Each type had to be cooked in a separate pot of boiling water to prevent the broth from becoming murky and dulling the vibrant hues.
The noodles were all about presentation; the flavor came from the broth. She simmered mountain mushrooms to create a rich, meat-like aroma, as their amino acids lent a savory depth. Only such a robust broth could harmonize the distinct flavors of the five-colored noodles.
By the time Shen Shaoguang delivered the dish, the Abbot had already eaten her evening meal. But the noodles were so visually appealing that she couldn't resist.
"Malva greens, perilla, yellow rice... ah, the sesame is the most fragrant..." The Abbot had an exceptionally discerning palate.
Watching her finish the entire bowl, the Abbot's personal disciple Jingqing pursed her lips. Just this morning, the Abbot had vowed to practice moderation for health's sake—her words truly couldn't be trusted! Still, those noodles... they did smell delicious and looked lovely. Who knew this benefactor Shen had such culinary skills?
The bowl of noodles sparked the Abbot's enthusiasm for conversation. The elderly woman recounted all the noodles she'd tasted in her travels. "In the northwest, lamb broth Broad Noodles, loaded with pepper until your temples sweat, are the best. In Hangzhou, green shepherd's purse noodles pair perfectly with clear, golden chicken broth. In Hebei, soy-braised noodles are best served with sparrow meat sauce, garnished with cucumber shreds and coriander. Here in Chang'an, cold noodles are most refreshing with shrimp roe or mandarin fish..."
Shen Shaoguang listened with a smile. Who knew the Abbot had traveled so widely? How wonderful! More importantly, the old woman ate meat... Did that mean she wouldn't have to abstain from it while staying here?
To keep the Abbot entertained, Shen Shaoguang played along with her culinary musings.
"Your words ring true, Reverend. Whether food is delicious depends on the season, the place, and the person."Shen Shaoguang's cooking skills were only third-rate at best, but her ability to critique food was her forte. With a smile, she remarked, "Eating cold noodles in the twelfth month may be delightful, but it lacks a certain refreshing satisfaction—this is a matter of seasonal appropriateness. In Hangzhou, eating broad noodles with mutton and pepper is overly heavy, while in the northwest, having green shepherd's purse soup noodles is too bland—this is a matter of regional differences. When scholars and officials eat cold noodles, pairing them with mandarin fish feels refreshing, but common folk would likely find pork braise, especially three-layered pork belly, more fragrant and flavorful—this is a matter of personal preference."
With just a few words, she elevated the discussion to a theoretical level.
The Abbot clapped her hands and laughed heartily, "Marvelous! No one could have put it more clearly. What we've discussed today is enough to write a 'Classic of Noodles.'"
Shen Shaoguang played along, "A culinary classic can only be written by someone like the Abbot, who has traveled far and wide and tasted all manner of flavors. If you were to write the 'Classic of Noodles,' I would gladly grind ink and prepare paper for you."
She then added another flattering remark, "Master Lu has already written the 'Classic of Tea.' If the Abbot were to compose the 'Classic of Noodles,' it would truly be a boon for all gourmands."
Hearing Shen Shaoguang compare her to Lu Yu, the Abbot laughed even more joyfully. This child really knew how to speak. The Abbot had only casually mentioned the "Classic of Noodles" earlier, but now, egged on, she genuinely felt a worldly urge to write it. Why not give it a try? Otherwise, all those mountains and rivers she'd traversed and delicacies she'd tasted would go to waste.
Jingqing smiled, half-resigned and half-indulgent. Her master had no other indulgences except for good food. But as the master often said, none of her disciples had this particular "enlightened root." Now, she had finally met a kindred spirit...
Not long after Shen Shaoguang returned, Jingqing arrived with the receptionist nun Jing Ci, whose eyebrows arched like the character "eight." Each carried a pot of flowers—one peony and one jasmine, both in full bloom.
Jingqing smiled, "Our master asked us to bring you these two pots of flowers to add some fragrance."
Shen Shaoguang understood this was a return gift for the bowl of noodles and quickly expressed her gratitude. After exchanging a few polite words, she saw the two nuns off.
"Sister, even if this Lady Shen is descended from the fallen Shen clan of Luoyang, she must be a withered branch of the family, reduced to dire straits. Why does the Abbot treat her with such courtesy?" Jing Ci observed how spartan Shen Shaoguang's room was, without even a servant, proving her genuine poverty.
Unwilling to say their master was simply a glutton and that this bond was forged over a bowl of noodles, Jingqing could only attribute it to the master's compassion.
Jing Ci shook her head dismissively. Having a prestigious surname really did have its advantages.
Now settled in the Luminous Nunnery in Chongxian Ward, Shen Shaoguang began laying out her grand plan for entering the food business.
The first step was thorough market research. She had previously glanced around, but now that she was serious, a "glance" wouldn't suffice.
The nuns in the nunnery rose at the first beat of the morning drum for their dawn prayers. Though Shen Shaoguang didn't participate, she also woke early. After a quick wash and tidy-up, she tucked a few coins into her sleeve and headed out.
It was still early, and the streets were nearly empty. Only two or three food stalls had opened. From afar, she could see the glow of the sesame flatbread oven and smell the aroma of toasted sesame.
The flatbread seller was a young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes. It was unclear how early he'd risen, but he had already baked two batches of bread, stacked in bamboo baskets and covered with thin quilts.
Noticing Shen Shaoguang's unfamiliar face and the unusual hour for a young woman to buy bread, he couldn't help but give her a few extra glances.
Shen Shaoguang raised an eyebrow.
The young man's ears turned slightly red. He hastily wiped his hands on his apron and handed her a flatbread from the basket.Shen Shaoguang took a bite while it was still hot—the crust was crispy, the inside soft, seasoned with pepper and salt, and quite delicious. Selling such a flatbread for just three coins really only earned a meager profit.
Not far away, another vendor was selling Broad Noodles, with water already boiling in preparation.
Further ahead, there was a slightly larger eatery. Shen Shaoguang stepped inside and saw about twenty dining tables. A menu hung above the counter, listing items like steamed mutton cakes, Gulouzi , sweet date and fragrant rice porridge, and Mutton Soup Cake.
Only two customers were in the shop. Shen Shaoguang chose a table at the very edge and ordered a bowl of mutton soup. She broke the Sesame Flatbread she had bought earlier into small pieces and soaked them in the soup to eat.
The soup contained only three or five slices of mutton, but the broth was rich in flavor. Those who liked it would call it fragrant, while those who didn’t might find it too gamey. A bowl like this cost ten coins.
After finishing the soup, she wandered through several small streets before arriving at the neighborhood gate. There, she waited until the gate opened, officially lifting the curfew. She lingered a while longer until the sun was high in the sky before finally returning to the nunnery.
The next two days followed a similar routine, though she chose different foods to sample.
Once her survey was complete, she finally made up her mind. She then gathered utensils, purchased ingredients, and nearly exhausted her savings—but in the end, she managed to open her business, albeit barely.
Author’s Note: Suobing is roughly equivalent to noodles.
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