Yummy Yummy Yummy

Yang Jing smiled at Shao Jie, “This is the tavern I was talking about!”

Shao Jie chuckled in surprise, “Here?”

Yang Jing raised an eyebrow, “What? Looking down on a small tavern? Even Li Xiang has praised the food here.”

Shao Jie laughed, “How could I dare look down on it? The Flower Cakes in our shop have been selling better lately, all thanks to the young lady from Shen Ji.”

Yang Jing also smiled, “I believe that. Shen Ji’s Flower Cakes are excellent too.” His tone was full of pride.

Shao Jie laughed inwardly—this Yang Jing was still as naive as ever. Fortunately, Li Xiang was a virtuous and magnanimous man, or else his future might have been difficult. Shao Jie then recalled how Yang Jing had mentioned writing a poem on the tavern’s outer wall, which happened to be seen by Li Xiang, who was there incognito for a drink. That led to Yang Jing being summoned to the prime minister’s residence. And this tavern was none other than Shen Ji. So, in a way, Shen Ji was a lucky place for both of them.

Now, the “Poetry Wall” had been replaced with a poem titled Ode to Vinegar Fish by someone named Zhou Zhi. Yang Jing critiqued it at length while Shao Jie could only listen.

Near the Poetry Wall, under the shaded eaves of the tavern’s entrance, several sitting mats were laid out. Three or four people lounged there—one sipping tea, one reading a book, and the other two playing chess. What was this? Shao Jie was curious.

As soon as Shao Jie and Yang Jing entered, they saw the bustling scene inside the small tavern. Not a single dining table was empty—some patrons drank alone, others in pairs, and some even gathered in boisterous groups, clinking cups and shouting over drinks. Young Lady Shen and her plump maidservant were both busy attending to them.

Shen Shaoguang looked up and spotted them, “Young Master Shao, Young Master Yang—” So the young master of the Flower Cake shop and the poetry-loving scholar were friends?

Both men greeted her with smiles, “Young Lady.”

Though one was a generous patron who had given her a hundred taels of silver and the other was practically the shop’s part-time marketing director, Shen Shaoguang could only offer them an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a while, gentlemen.”

Yang Jing, already familiar with the routine, went straight to the counter and picked up a waiting token. “No problem, we can wait.”

Shen Shaoguang brought them two bowls of Iced Milk Drink. “There are fans and newly published Romances from the East Market bookshop on the sitting mats outside. It’s quite cool in the shade—please rest there for now.”

Only then did Shao Jie realize that the people outside were all waiting for seats. Last time he visited, there hadn’t been any mats. It seemed Shen Ji’s business was thriving more than ever.

Shen Shaoguang herself didn’t understand why business was booming in such sweltering heat—perhaps the heat made people crave stronger flavors, driving them to taverns and restaurants?

After a while, Shao Jie and Yang Jing finally got a table. Yang Jing, considering himself a regular and being the carefree type who believed money was meant to be spent, ordered many of the shop’s signature dishes to treat his friend. He also asked for a pot of the finest Amber Wine. Shao Jie, not one to fuss over such things, let him have his way.

Shao Jie took a bite of the Agate Meat but found it unsatisfying, so he popped the whole piece into his mouth. After finishing it, he grinned. “Mmm, so rich and tender! It really whets the appetite. I’ve never seen pork cooked so deliciously and beautifully. What’s this dish called?”

Yang Jing told him the name.

“Agate Meat—what a fitting name. It really does resemble agate,” Shao Jie praised.

Yang Jing laughed. “You’re right. That’s another specialty here. Many of the dish names are both elegant and amusing—just hearing them sparks the imagination.”Pointing to the tofu soup beside him, he said, "This is called Reed Soup. It's made with eggs and minced shrimp, finely shredded—doesn't it resemble frost-covered reeds? There's another tofu dish, smooth as cream and clear as a mirror, named Soft Jade Soup, which is also quite fitting."

Shao Jie nodded, feeling that the names of his own Flower Cakes should be revamped. Osmanthus and date paste cake... too plain.

The two arrived late and finished eating late. Gradually, the shop passed its peak hours, and Shen Shaoguang sighed in relief, sipping some light tea before coming over to greet them.

They had been chatting about recent events. When Shen Shaoguang approached, Shao Jie smiled and said, "Every time I visit Shen Ji, I gain some inspiration. I only regret not living in the neighborhood like Zhuzhi, so I could come more often."

Shen Shaoguang teased, "Young Master Shao, don’t let our chef Yu Sanlang hear that, or he’d be heartbroken. The reason you visit our humble shop isn’t the taste of the food..."

Shao Jie laughed. "The taste is excellent too, but the young lady’s management methods are even more ingenious."

Shen Shaoguang smiled. "In the end, the former is substance, the latter is style."

Though not overly familiar, Shao Jie knew this young lady wasn’t the type to be overly "earnest." He chuckled and asked, "How so?"

"If one focuses only on style, they might gain fleeting fame but ultimately struggle to endure. If one focuses only on substance, it’s a bit too plain and likely hard to expand."

Shao Jie clapped his hands. "Well said, young lady!"

His family’s cake workshop had grown large, passed down through generations—was it solely because of their cake-making skills? The craftsmanship was indeed good, but it was also tied to his grandfather’s past when he used the profits to buy the title of an honorary official. Though the title was nominal, as an anecdote, it spread far and wide. Who wouldn’t want to try the Flower Cakes made by an honorary official? Meanwhile, those workshops from his grandfather’s era that only focused on plain craftsmanship—or couldn’t even manage that—had long faded into obscurity.

Even Yang Jing remarked, "The young lady’s words align well with the principle that 'words without refinement will not travel far,' and also with what Lord Han of our time called 'literature to convey truth'..."

Seeing his friend gearing up for a lengthy discourse, Shao Jie made a pained expression, wiping his face. "Zhuzhi, Zhuzhi, spare me."

Yang Jing laughed and had to cut short his sermon.

Shen Shaoguang grinned—a real-life depiction of the daily dynamic between a slacker and his scholarly best friend.

But Shao Jie then turned serious. "To be honest, with the quality of this tavern’s dishes and your talent, such a small shop feels like a waste. Have you ever considered opening a larger tavern in the East or West Market?"

Who wouldn’t want to open a luxury restaurant in the CBD? But... Shen Shaoguang smiled. "Though I’m greedy and hungry, I can only eat one bite at a time."

Shao Jie understood her meaning—it wasn’t that she lacked ambition, but circumstances didn’t yet allow it. The young lady was both clever and prudent. Who knew? One day, she might truly become one of Chang’an’s notable wealthy merchants.

After chatting for a while longer and seeing that they had drunk enough, Shen Shaoguang asked, "Shall I bring you a bowl of Sweet and Fragrant Eight Treasure Rice, gentlemen?"

Naturally, neither had any objections.

Eight Treasure Rice was a common dessert at banquets in later generations. When Shen Shaoguang was a child attending feasts, even if she was already full, she’d still take a couple more bites of this dish.Steaming Eight-Treasure Rice isn't complicated. First, grease the bottom of a bowl with oil, then arrange pre-boiled lotus seeds, gingko nuts, longans, raisins, and other dried fruits at the base. Next, add glutinous rice that's been boiled until 80% cooked—this initial boiling before steaming ensures the rice becomes extra sticky and soft. On top of the rice, spread a layer of sweet red bean paste mixed with lard and sugar, then cover it with another layer of glutinous rice until the bowl is filled evenly. Finally, steam it in a bamboo basket.

Once steamed, keep it warm in the steamer. When ready to serve, invert the bowl onto a large plate and drizzle it with a layer of Cheese Drink—later generations often use syrup or various fruit jams like blueberry or strawberry. In any case, it's fragrant and sweet.

Shen Shaoguang brought out the Eight-Treasure Rice and began serving portions onto small plates for Shao and Yang, but the two gentlemen insisted on serving themselves and urged her not to stand on ceremony.

Just as Shen Shaoguang was about to leave, she overheard a group of intoxicated patrons at the neighboring table discussing the weather and current affairs.

"Last year's drought was so severe that the Stone Auspicious Beasts in the moat were exposed. I heard the Emperor went to the Circular Mound Altar to pray for rain and made a grand vow—only then did the rain finally come. But who would've thought this year would bring no shortage of rain, only unbearable heat? I reckon..." The speaker shook his head with a smirk.

"These strange weather omens—who knows what the future holds?" another sighed with a melancholic air.

A third chimed in, "Haven't you heard? The toads in Toad Gulch northwest of the city have stopped croaking. There's even a children's rhyme going around: 'When toads grow lazy, the world turns crazy...'"

"They say during the late years of the previous emperor..."

Yang Jing stood up abruptly, only to be pulled back by Shao Jie. Meanwhile, Shen Shaoguang had already stepped forward with a smile. "Our restaurant serves an excellent Eight-Treasure Rice. Would you gentlemen care to try some?"

The melancholic one chuckled. "Ah, yes, we ought to eat something. Today, we've imposed on Ba Lang. Next month, when I return from Bianzhou, I'll host a return banquet right here." He then squinted his drunken eyes at Shen Shaoguang and added, "Young lady, your cooking is superb."

Shen Shaoguang thanked him with a smile.

The group did indeed order a bowl of Eight-Treasure Rice, but their tongues were too numbed by alcohol to taste anything properly. After a few haphazard bites, they staggered out of their seats.

Standing at the door, Shen Shaoguang saw them off with a smile. When she returned, she heard Yang Jing fuming, "The Emperor's mandate comes from Heaven—what does it have to do with toads? What nonsense! If you hadn't stopped me, I would've set them straight."

Shao Jie replied, "What's the point of arguing with drunkards? Even if you win, they'll still spout the same nonsense. Not everyone has the gift of insight or intellect."

Shen Shaoguang couldn't help but chuckle—Young Master Shao certainly had a sharp tongue when it came to sarcasm.

Noticing her amusement, Shao Jie adopted a serious tone. "I've heard that during the Kaiyuan era, there were even worse weather phenomena—vast fertile lands turned to dust, the earth cracked open. But what happened? It still gave way to a golden age of peace and prosperity." It was impressive how this usually book-averse gentleman managed to cite historical facts.

Shen Shaoguang nodded and shared her own thoughts. "I suspect there's a mastermind behind these rumors. Think about the 'fish belly scrolls' or 'fox cries by torchlight'—such schemes are nothing new in history..." She had no qualms about attributing the worst intentions to rumor-mongers.

Both Yang Jing and Shao Jie's expressions darkened as they pondered this. After a long silence, Yang Jing stood and bowed solemnly to Shen Shaoguang. "Young lady, your insight is far beyond ours. I must report this to Lord Li and have it thoroughly investigated."

Shen Shaoguang quickly sidestepped the gesture and returned the courtesy with equal politeness.Upon hearing this, the two men set aside their tea, settled the bill, and left. Shen Shaoguang saw them out.

Standing at the door, Shao Jie smiled at Shen Shaoguang and said, "I haven't yet thanked you, Young Lady. Ever since I learned your method of selling Flower Cakes, business at my humble shop has improved greatly. When my elder brothers managed the cake shop, they never achieved such results. Because of this, I've gained quite a bit of face before my grandfather, uncles, and brothers."

Shen Shaoguang congratulated him with a smile, then put on a serious expression and said, "This is mainly due to your good judgment. 'A thousand-li horse is common, but a discerning judge is rare.'"

Shao Jie burst into laughter—he had never met such a cheerful yet mischievous young lady before. "Exactly, exactly!"

Even Yang Jing, who was usually full of concern for the nation and its people, couldn't help but laugh at their banter.

Lin Yan, having finished his duties at the yamen and discussed matters with Bai Fuyin and Military Advisor Zhao in charge of public sentiment, rode back in his carriage. As he passed by Shen Ji, he instinctively glanced over and immediately spotted Shen Xiao Niangzi grinning and squinting with laughter. Beside her were two men, one of whom was the young master from the Flower Cake shop in the East Market he had seen before, also laughing heartily.

Lin Yan frowned slightly, though a hint of a smile tugged at his lips. What could they be talking about that was so amusing?

Author's Note: ① Referenced Liang Shiqiu's "Eight-Treasure Rice" and online recipes.