Perhaps due to the season or the groundwork laid by the recent East Market Hot Pot Festival, all branches of Shen Ji were selling hot pot exceptionally well.
Seizing the opportunity, Shen Shaoguang decided to follow the autumn crab month’s example and launched a "Hot Pot Month," with the slogan "Eat it daily, never the same." A separate hot pot menu was created, listing over thirty varieties.
While it was true that Shen Ji offered a wide selection of hot pot bases, there was also an element of gimmickry.
Previously, Shen Ji had seven or eight types of bases—classics like the Milky Soup Hot Pot and Clear Broth Hot Pot, the seafood-focused Seafood Hot Pot and Fish Head and Bone Hot Pot, and vegetarian options like Mushroom Hot Pot and Goji Berry, Red Date, and Longan Hot Pot. This winter, the hot pot family expanded even further.
One major category was the nourishing hot pots. The Tang people placed great emphasis on health, with many dabbling in herbal medicine and alchemy. Even ordinary folks enjoyed dishes like black rice or astragalus porridge.
Black rice, also known as "blue essence rice," was made by crushing and extracting juice from the leaves of the southern bamboo, soaking japonica rice in it, and then steaming it—a process that required "nine soakings, nine steamings, and nine sunnings." The resulting grains were dark, compact, and could be boiled or soaked, making them a semi-convenient food. Shen Shaoguang had tried it a few times and found the taste rather unremarkable—but medicinal cuisine wasn’t about flavor. Hadn’t even the great poet Du Fu written, "Is there no blue essence rice to restore my youthful glow?"
Shen Shaoguang consulted a physician to devise over a dozen seasonal medicinal recipes suitable for the masses. One even included southern bamboo, believed to strengthen tendons, boost energy, and preserve vitality—ideal for winter nourishment. Initially worried that the dark broth might put people off, she was surprised to find it well-received.
One patron even composed a poem: "Milky soup with goji, fair as jade; small cauldron of blue essence, red as cinnabar"—making it sound like a beauty product advertisement.
Beyond these medicinal hot pots, as a time traveler from an era where chili peppers dominated hot pot culture, Shen Shaoguang couldn’t rest until she developed a spicy base.
After five or six attempts with Yu San, they finally perfected a flavorful spicy broth.
They fried Sichuan peppercorns, scallions, and ginger in sesame and chicken oil, added spices like pepper, cardamom, and cinnamon, briefly fried them, then stirred in a generous amount of Zanthoxylum piperitum paste, along with fermented bean paste, sweet rice wine, and sugar. The rising steam carried an intensely aromatic, nose-tingling spiciness.
A young waiter stepped into the kitchen and immediately sneezed, hastily retreating. Meanwhile, Shen Shaoguang and Yu San, fully equipped with masks sewn by A Yuan, simmered the fried base with water, strained it through a fine sieve, and added piping-hot Sichuan peppercorn oil—resulting in something reminiscent of later Sichuan-style spicy hot pot.
Spiciness was a truly magical sensation. Whether it stimulated the mouth or nasal membranes, it inevitably made the mouth water.
The heat of Zanthoxylum piperitum differed from chili peppers—less aggressive but with its own fragrance, and excellent at neutralizing gaminess, making it perfect for lamb, fish, and shrimp.
Thanks to the new hot pot menu, the staff at Shen Ji’s flagship store routinely sampled hot pots for lunch. The spicy broth was a hit—some adored it, while others scrambled for cold water to rinse their mouths.Shen Shaoguang, having endured the torment of "devil's spiciness," found this level of heat quite manageable and rather enjoyable. Surprisingly, the usually finicky Princess Yu San turned out to be someone who could handle spicy food. Rarely did she hear him utter a word of praise, yet this time his evaluation was a full sentence: "It's quite good." Shen Shaoguang was nearly moved to tears. A Yuan, as always, belonged to the "everything the young mistress makes is delicious" camp. Though she also complained about the spiciness, she ate quite a bit—only to make several trips to the restroom that afternoon.
A Yuan’s experience prompted Shen Shaoguang to add a note to the menu: "This spicy hot pot base, while flavorful, may irritate the stomach. Gentle diners, choose with caution."
Unexpectedly, many customers seemed to have a case of "rebellious teen syndrome," as this warning appeared to function like an advertisement. Since the shop said so, they simply had to try it... and soon, burly men were seen with teary eyes.
Shen Ji was nothing if not considerate. The servers brought fragrant rice porridge, not to alleviate the discomfort but to "protect and soothe the stomach."
Beyond these innovations with the hot pot base, Shen Ji also introduced pre-cooked options like lamb spine hot pot, pickled cabbage with pork hot pot, chicken hot pot, and pigeon hot pot—all tender, falling-off-the-bone, and steaming hot, perfect for dipping or eating as-is. Stews were already popular in autumn and winter, so these hearty hot pots won over more conservative diners.
To align with the thirty-day "eat something new every day" campaign, each branch displayed a comic titled Hot Pots Compete for Supremacy on their Poetry Wall—clearly inspired by the crosstalk skit The Five Senses Vie for Credit .
Several anthropomorphized hot pots gathered together.
One "refined-looking" hot pot in scholar’s robes declared, "My broth is clear and flavorful."
A long-bearded hot pot in Daoist robes proclaimed, "Eating me promotes longevity."
A plump, smiling hot pot chimed in, "But our stews have tender meat and soft bones."
A sultry hot pot in a pomegranate-red skirt sneered, "Once you’ve tasted my spicy pot, you’ll never look at them again!"
Though clearly just pots, their beards, eyebrows, and lively expressions were something Tang Dynasty folks had never seen in advertising. Everyone who saw it burst into laughter.
The East Market branch, in particular, had an especially long and wide Poetry Wall. Shen Shaoguang had put considerable effort into painting it, and it paid off—many who saw the comic came in asking for "the longevity-boosting one!" or "that spicy pot that makes others irrelevant."
Whenever Shen Shaoguang overheard such requests, she couldn’t help but feel smug.
The East Market tavern had been open for a shorter time, with a large and diverse clientele, so she often kept an eye on this location.
Here, she ran into a few familiar faces—like the Imperial Guard captain who had once paid twenty taels for her sour plum drink recipe. He came in with a few other burly men. Though all were in plain clothes, their posture and gait gave away their military background.
Shen Shaoguang stepped forward to greet him. The captain paused, recognizing her, then realized the "Shen Ji" name meant the once-street-vending young woman now ran a proper tavern in the East Market.
The leader of the guards glanced at Shen Shaoguang, then at the captain.
The captain murmured, "This is the young lady who sold us the Smoked Plum Drink."
The leader smiled. "That drink got us through the worst of summer these past two years."
The captain introduced, "This is General Wu."
Shen Shaoguang quickly curtsied and exchanged pleasantries. Given their history, Shen Ji treated them to a few complimentary dishes, fostering goodwill.
She also encountered Chancellor Li Yue.It was a rest day, with the sun shining brightly. The usual mealtime had already passed when the old lord strolled in with two servants in tow.
Shen Shaoguang had been speaking with the shop manager behind the counter. Lifting her gaze and spotting him, she quickly stepped forward with a smile. "Greetings, my lord."
Li Yue recalled how he had once lamented his old age, prompting this young lady to address him as "young master." He couldn't help but chuckle. "Even without seeing the Shen Ji signboard, one could guess this was the young lady from Shen Ji in Chongxian District just by looking at the paintings on the walls outside."
Shen Shaoguang promptly clapped her hands. "My lord's insight is truly sharp."
Li Yue pointed at her playfully and laughed.
Instead of choosing a private booth, Li Yue settled at a high table by the railing on the second floor. Shen Shaoguang personally attended to him, serving him a fruit drink and recommending the ginseng and astragalus hot pot for its health benefits.
Li Yue nodded. "Very well."
The hot pot ingredients were also all chosen based on Shen Shaoguang's recommendations. It seemed he was the kind of prime minister who could listen to others' opinions in court.
Leaning against the railing, Li Yue watched with amusement as two jesters performed below.
One of them complained about his poor poetry and essay writing, to which the other replied, "Erlang, have you ever heard of 'like cures like'?"
"I know that one. For example, if you injure your legs, you eat lamb or pork trotters to strengthen your bones."
"Exactly! Since you lack ink in your chest, you can replenish it the same way."
Erlang feigned shock. "But how can one drink ink?"
"Go to Shen Ji Tavern and have their southern candle hot pot! It's as dark as ink, fragrant and nourishing. Who knows? If you eat it every day, you might pass the imperial exams this year."
Li Yue burst into laughter, as did the diners downstairs. Some even teased the waiters, shouting, "If I really pass this year, I'll definitely come back here to fulfill my vow!"
After the New Year came the Ministry of Rites examinations, followed by the Ministry of Personnel's selection process. Scholars had gathered in the capital, many staying in the neighboring Chongren District. The rowdy ones were likely this year's candidates.
Such a timely and amusing performance was rare. Li Yue suspected that 80% of the jesters' lines had been written by that mischievous young lady.
Shen Shaoguang arrived with the waiters, bringing the hot pot and dishes, and personally helped light the stove.
"Young lady, your shop's performances are excellent. The last time I saw something this good was at His Majesty's summer solstice banquet last year."
Shen Shaoguang smiled, her eyes curving. "Our little shop is just fooling around. How could we compare to the palace?"
Seeing her insincere yet slightly proud, girlish expression, Li Yue laughed even harder.
After exchanging a few more words about the performance, Shen Shaoguang helped warm the wine before excusing herself.
Li Yue felt a twinge of melancholy, suddenly reminded of his own daughter who had passed away young. Had A-Chang grown up, she would have been older than this young lady and could have shared a drink with her aging father...
Shen Shaoguang was hesitant and somewhat embarrassed about when and how to reveal her background to Lord Li. He had been her father's close friend, and now that she was married to Lin Yan and moving in official circles in the capital, it would be inappropriate not to acknowledge him. Yet she had kept silent all this time...
When she next saw Lin Yan, she discussed it with him. Lin Yan smiled, stroked her head, and casually removed the hairpin from her bun, letting her dark tresses cascade down.
Shen Shaoguang put on a fierce expression. "That day when I was drunk—was it you who pulled my hair loose?"Lin Yan smiled. "Lord Li is a man of clarity and free spirit—how would he mind such a minor concealment? When you met him that day, he had just returned from the Shannan West Circuit and barely rested half a day before diving back into work. He’s overseeing the New Year’s grand court assembly. Let’s visit his home during the New Year instead. If you find it hard to bring up, I’ll speak for you."
Shen Shaoguang thought for a moment. "Never mind, I’ll tell him myself."
Lin Yan considered it, then nodded. "Very well."
He reached up to brush a strand of hair by her temple. A Qi’s hair was truly lovely—smooth as silk, like satin.
Leaning across the small table, Shen Shaoguang drew closer. "Hey, Lord Lin, you should come try our Vaccinium hot pot sometime."
Lin Yan chuckled. "What? Are you implying I lack literary talent?"
Shen Shaoguang rested her chin on the table, her expression teasing. "You only know the Vaccinium hot pot replenishes ink, but have you no idea of its other effects?"
Lin Yan’s ears grew warm. Medical texts stated that Vaccinium could "nourish the kidneys and essence"... His lips pressed together as he gazed at her rosy lips, so close before him.
"I meant you’ve been too busy lately—your complexion suffers. You ought to eat some to restore vitality and improve your appearance, my lord." Shen Shaoguang straightened, her smile knowing. "What exactly was the young lord thinking of?"
Author’s Note:
I’ve never actually tasted Zanthoxylum piperitum. The stir-frying process was referenced from online Sichuan-Chongqing hot pot preparations—take it as entertainment, not fact.
I’ve also never tried blue rice. The effects of Vaccinium (blueberry ash) are sourced from Baidu Encyclopedia.
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