Yummy Yummy Yummy

Shen Shaoguang continued her journey of expanding the variety of dishes on her menu.

Not two days after buying the catfish, she happened to run into the same fish seller again. Shen Shaoguang quickly approached him to strike up a conversation.

The fish seller lived on the outskirts of the city. Now that the busy autumn harvest was over, he had some free time and occasionally went to small streams to cast his net. If he caught a lot, he would keep them in a tank and bring them into the city the next morning to sell.

Shen Shaoguang asked, "How much do you usually catch each time?"

The man laughed, "Young lady, that’s an amateur’s question! How can I say for sure? Sometimes I get two or three big fish over a foot long, sometimes six or seven. The palm-sized ones are a bit more common, but there are also times when I only catch tiny fingerlings." He added that most of his catches were silver carp, carp, and crucian carp.

Shen Shaoguang smiled and asked, "So, was I lucky to get those two big catfish the other day?"

The fish seller chuckled, "You really were. Catfish aren’t caught often—they’re cunning creatures, especially ones that big."

Shen Shaoguang proposed that he deliver his catch directly to her shop from then on, regardless of size, as long as the fish were fresh and lively.

Not having to hawk his wares around town, the fish seller was more than happy to agree.

Since the size and type of fish varied each time, the cooking methods naturally differed too. It wouldn’t make sense to list them all on the menu, so after some thought, Shen Shaoguang simply divided them into two broad categories: "Silver Jade Rulers" for the larger fish and "Brocade-Mouthed Delicacies" for the smaller ones. The pricing was straightforward—based on size, not species or preparation.

Today, Shen Shaoguang received three silver carp, each about a foot or two long, along with some small crucian carp barely an inch or two in length.

The small crucian carp were easy—she’d pickle them into Fermented Fish as usual.

As for the silver carp, the best part was the head—large and tender. In her previous life, she would have steamed it with chopped chili peppers and drizzled it with Sichuan peppercorn oil for a spicy, fragrant delight. But since chili peppers weren’t available now, she’d have to stew it with tofu in a clay pot instead. The rest of the fish would be made into fish balls.

There was no great secret to stewing silver carp head with tofu, but many people failed to achieve the rich, milky-white broth, which made the dish look less appealing.

The trick to the Milk Soup lay in frying the fish first, then adding water and bringing it to a vigorous boil.

The so-called "milk" effect was simply the result of emulsified fat. A rolling boil helped the fat particles emulsify and fully integrate with the water, creating an oil-in-water emulsion. Without enough fat, or if simmered gently over low heat like Agate Meat, that rich, creamy white color would never develop.

Shen Shaoguang looked at the pot of thick, milky-white broth before her and clicked her tongue. This wasn’t just soup—it was a pot of pure fat.

But there was no denying it tasted delicious! The most delectable things in the world were always high in cholesterol, while the least appetizing were—healthy dishes. That saying certainly held true.

The ward constables Liu Jin and Wang Qing had ordered a jug of wine, a plate of fried Orchid Beans, a cold celery salad, and two large pig trotters, eating until their lips glistened with grease.

A Yuan brought them a bowl of fish head and tofu.

Though Liu Jin had drunk quite a bit, he wasn’t completely drunk yet. "We didn’t order this?"

Shen Shaoguang walked over with a smile. "This is a complimentary dish from our shop. Thanks to your usual care, we’ve been able to run our business in peace." She was referring to the day they had taken the troublemakers away.Liu Jin was a short man with a somewhat irregular triangular face and bulging eyes, resembling an ant that had gained sentience at first glance. Yet as the head of the Chongxian Ward's patrol station, he exuded a shrewdness. He laughed heartily, "Young mistress, you're too kind!"

Shen Shaoguang took two empty bowls and personally ladled fish soup for the two men.

Liu Jin, however, seemed flustered and stood up to receive the bowl, chuckling, "I can serve myself."

His companion, Wang Qing, belatedly rose to his feet as well.

Shen Shaoguang insisted on serving them the soup, smiling, "Gentlemen, please taste it and see if it's to your liking?"

Liu Jin laughed first, "If this isn't good enough to eat, then everything sold on the streets should be thrown into the gutters."

Both men took a sip. Despite their tongues still heavy from the wine and rich pork trotters earlier, the soup's rich, savory flavor jolted their senses. "Excellent! Truly excellent!"

Wang Qing buried his head in the bowl, eating voraciously, while Liu Jin took his time. He grinned at Shen Shaoguang, "Young mistress, you needn't worry too much. You're a blessed one, with auspicious clouds shielding you."

Shen Shaoguang raised an eyebrow, amused. What did that mean?

Liu Jin understood perfectly why the young tavern owner was serving them dishes and personally ladling soup. The two troublemakers had been tried by the Chang'an County judicial officer. As the head of the Chongxian Ward patrol station, Liu Jin held some sway with the judicial officer and thus knew the verdict for those ruffians.

Having eaten her food, he felt obliged to reciprocate. He told her honestly, "Those two were both sentenced to caning. They wouldn’t dare cause trouble again."

During her time in the palace, Shen Shaoguang had glimpsed the Tang legal code. Floggings under fifty strokes were called "chi," while sixty to a hundred strokes were termed "zhang." Their punishment was severe.

Shen Shaoguang nodded. "I suppose those ruffians targeted me because I'm a woman." She sighed. "It’s truly difficult for a woman to make her way in this world."

Perhaps it was the alcohol, or perhaps he couldn’t bear to see a beauty sigh, but more likely, he wanted to curry favor with someone. Liu Jin glanced around and, seeing no one nearby, lowered his voice. "Young mistress, be cautious. I heard it’s because your eatery sells wine and meat—and does so exceptionally well—stealing face from the big taverns." He then mysteriously dipped his finger in wine and wrote the character "Yun" (Cloud) on the table.

Shen Shaoguang had only been testing the waters with her paranoia, never expecting there to be actual foul play. Her little shop was leagues below Cloud Arriving Tavern—was it really worth their while?

When she pressed about the "auspicious clouds" shielding her, Liu Jin only chuckled. How could he say? The other day, it was Attendant Liu from Lord Lin’s household, the Vice Prefect of the Capital, who had sought him out. The judicial officer had sentenced those troublemakers so harshly, likely because of Attendant Liu’s influence. This young tavern owner was beautiful, and Attendant Liu was in the prime of his youth... Well...

Even a gatekeeper of a chancellor’s household held the rank of a seventh-grade official. Though Lord Lin wasn’t a chancellor, he was still a high-ranking official in crimson robes—and, crucially, he served in the capital’s administration. His personal attendant’s word carried weight, as even the judicial officer had deferred to him. Moreover, Lord Lin’s residence was in this very ward. It never hurt to stay on good terms with someone you’d see often.

Or perhaps Attendant Liu had acted on behalf of someone even more exalted... That would be extraordinary! Liu Jin squinted drunkenly at Shen Shaoguang. She was indeed a stunning beauty. Who knew what fortunes might await her? The capital was never short of remarkable people and tales.Seeing that he wouldn't elaborate, Shen Shaoguang let it go. Perhaps some customer was an undercover big shot—maybe even the current prime minister—who had been righteously indignant and rescued two helpless women like herself and A Yuan from distress?

The "helpless woman" A Yuan walked in carrying a bag of rice and flour in each hand. "Miss, come check the rice!"

Shen Shaoguang acknowledged her and politely urged Liu Jin and his companion to stay a while longer before heading to the kitchen.

That evening, as they soaked their feet together, Shen Shaoguang told A Yuan that the two troublemakers had been sent by another tavern to cause trouble.

Though brave enough to throw punches at individual ruffians, A Yuan grew timid upon hearing they were up against a major tavern. "What if they try something else?"

"If we're afraid of mole crickets chirping, should we stop farming?" Shen Shaoguang laughed. "We'll carry on as usual, just be more careful."

After hesitating, A Yuan voiced her thoughts, "Maybe we should scale back and not sell so much wine and meat?"

Shen Shaoguang explained, "If we followed their wishes, we'd only sell pancakes at the alley entrance. And even then, we'd probably still offend someone." She winked meaningfully at A Yuan.

A Yuan chuckled, knowing she was referring to Lu Sanniang.

"Living in this world means someone might resent you for breathing the air they want to breathe. But we can't stop breathing because of that, can we?"

A Yuan pondered this and agreed—not breathing would mean death, after all.

"Not only must we breathe, but we'll do it openly, boldly—with gusto!" Shen Shaoguang declared fiercely.

After a pause, A Yuan remarked, "I've heard that breathing with gusto is called 'asthma'..."

Gritting her teeth, Shen Shaoguang picked up a smelly sock to throw at her head, making A Yuan burst into laughter.

Shen Shaoguang laughed too, putting the sock down as she contemplated how to "breathe with gusto." Since selling wine and meat in their food stall was considered improper, perhaps they should expand, officially rename it, and operate as a proper tavern—after all, "rectifying names brings order."

Of course, Shen Shaoguang was prepared for opposition. If someone tried to strangle their business, they could always relocate, start fresh, and sell pancakes again—it wasn't like they hadn't done it before...

Author's Note: ①Cai Lan's quote—couldn't find the exact wording.

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Attendant Liu Chang: Don't even think it! That's my mistress, okay? The mistress!