Life of Country Folks in the City during the Song Dynasty

Chapter 10

Luo San Niang entered the kitchen, met with Jiang Shi, and after exchanging greetings, she hurriedly explained, "I am not feeling well today and cannot eat. Xiao Cui felt sorry for me, so she asked Sixth Sister to make me a bowl of soup. I really did not know about the matter of cutting off the cheek and throwing away the sheep's head. I hope Madam can understand."

Jiang didn't even look at her, but simply said, "The other day when I visited the Empress in the palace, I heard an interesting story. His Majesty was still dealing with state affairs late at night, and was hungry. He wanted to eat a bowl of mutton head skewers, but he refrained from asking for them, saying that if the palace were to casually ask for them, it would be seen as a common practice outside. So he preferred to endure his hunger for a while. If His Majesty is like this now, it's surprising that someone in our household is so tactless. If word gets out and someone reports this, it won't be a small matter."

As soon as she finished speaking, Luo San Niang's expression changed drastically, and she immediately knelt down and said, "Madam is right to teach me a lesson. I will never dare to order mutton head skewers again."

Sixth Sister-in-law never expected that her casual toss would involve the current emperor. She had no chance to stand firm and knelt down as well.

Jiang then glanced at Luo San Niang, smiled, and helped her up, saying gently, "It's not that you're not allowed to eat. I know you're a good person, but our matriarch is kind, and the servants are spoiled and have lost their manners, which is why there's no peace in the house. Starting tomorrow, we'll re-establish all the old rules, and then everything will be peaceful again."

Luo San Niang nodded repeatedly in agreement. Then Jiang Shi glanced at the people in the kitchen and said coldly, "Listen up, all of you. Let bygones be bygones. If anyone is disrespectful again from tomorrow onwards, don't blame me for being ruthless."

Everyone was startled, but Jiang looked at Fang and said with a smile, "Keep working hard, and your wages will be raised next month."

Overjoyed, Fang knelt down and kowtowed repeatedly in gratitude.

Seeing the envious looks in the eyes of the servants, and glancing at Luo San Niang who stood there with a pale face, Jiang felt that the depression in her heart had subsided considerably in recent days. Only then did she take Bi'er's hand and leave with satisfaction.

Once her figure disappeared, Luo San Niang cursed inwardly, turned her head and glared fiercely at Sixth Sister-in-law, who was still kneeling on the ground, snorted and left.

Fang was in a great mood after winning a great victory in today's battle. When she returned home, she couldn't help but boast about it, praising Jiang for her demeanor, saying that she was no different from the Queen Mother of the West.

Gu Zao was a little worried and advised, "Mother, you should quit this job tomorrow. There are many tricks and intrigues in this family. If you continue to get entangled like this, you may cause trouble sooner or later."

Fang was in high spirits and wouldn't listen to anything else. She shook her head and said, "That lady praised me today and promised to raise my wages. I've done nothing wrong, so what trouble could possibly come my way?"

Gu Zao tried to persuade her with a lot of words, but seeing that she was completely unmoved, he had no choice but to sigh and let her be for the time being. He was just thinking about his own money and how he could get the business up and running as soon as possible, and then ask Fang to quit her job and come to help. That would make things easier.

While Fang was feeling smug, the sixth sister-in-law grew angrier and angrier, and couldn't sleep all night. The next day, she came to work with a bruise on her eyelids. Seeing Fang's radiant face, she felt a surge of anger. She frowned and came up with a plan.

Sixth Sister-in-law's Revenge

Meanwhile, Sixth Sister-in-law came up with a plan and immediately went into the kitchen to get busy. When the time came, a senior maidservant from the old lady's household, named Huixin, came to the kitchen to collect the food. Sixth Sister-in-law approached her with a smile and said, "Sister, why did you come to collect it yourself today? Send a maidservant to tell her, and I will certainly deliver it."

Hui Xin glanced at her, a half-smile on her face, and said, "I heard that you made quite a fuss here yesterday. You're quite famous now, so how could I dare to trouble you?"

Sixth Sister-in-law's face flushed red, and she slapped herself, saying, "It's all because of my mouth. If I don't slap it for three days, it will smell bad. The old lady is like a bodhisattva. It's already a huge honor for me to eat a couple of bites of my cooking."

Huixin seemed not to hear, picked up the food box and turned to leave. The sixth sister-in-law hurriedly tugged at her sleeve and said with a smile, "Sister, could you take me with you to pay my respects to the old lady? It's been a while since I've done so, I've been missing it."

Huixin glanced at her, smiled faintly, and said nothing more before heading towards the main house on the north side. The sixth sister-in-law hurriedly followed behind on tiptoe. When she reached the curtain, she dared not go in, but stood outside with her hands tucked in. After a long while, the curtain was suddenly lifted, and another maid, Lanxin, peeked out and called her in.

Sixth Sister-in-law perked up, quickly straightened her hair, lowered her head and went inside. Without looking, she knelt down in the center, saying, "May the Old Madam be in good health." Only after she finished speaking did she slightly raise her eyes to look over. It turned out that the Old Madam had already finished eating and was sitting on the edge of the low kang, holding a teacup and looking at her.

Sixth Sister-in-law dared not look closely any further, and lowered her head again, not even daring to breathe loudly. Only then did she hear the old lady laugh and say, "Sixth Sister-in-law, it's kind of you to know my taste. Today's braised shrimp and jade porridge are soft and fragrant, and the fragrant rice is also quite good. I ate a few more bites."

Hearing the praise, Sixth Sister-in-law's heart blossomed with joy. She raised her eyes and smiled, saying, "It's a blessing I've accumulated over three lifetimes that the Old Madam can eat my cooking. Yesterday, I was blinded by greed and didn't know what I was saying. I didn't sleep a wink all night, afraid of the Old Madam's wrath. That's why I came with Sister Huixin to apologize to the Old Madam."

Seeing that her face was sallow and her eyes were dark, the old lady thought she looked rather haggard and said with a smile, "It's just a trivial matter. It's good that you know about it. There's no need to be so afraid."

The sixth sister-in-law kowtowed, and when she raised her head, tears were already welling up in her eyes. She crawled over to the old lady, wiped her eyes with the corner of her clothes, and said with a smile, "The old lady is kind, which is truly my blessing. I have something to say, but I don't know if I should say it."

Huixin, who was over there, had long disliked her and snorted, "Sixth Sister-in-law, you came all this way, I'm afraid this is what you want to say to the Old Madam. Since the Old Madam has allowed you to come in, just say it."

Sixth Sister-in-law glanced at the old lady again, and seeing the smile on her face, she said with a wronged expression, "Old Madam, your birthday is just around the corner, and I've been thinking about how to make some good new dishes all day long. So I've been a bit absent-minded in the kitchen. I don't know where I offended that new helper, Granny Fang. She doesn't like me and makes fun of me every day. She says that my cooking is just fancy tricks, and that her second sister's pickled radishes are much better than mine. It sounds like she wants to get rid of me and let her second sister come. I was so angry that I fought with her yesterday. I don't know how many times I was punched in the chest. When I came over this morning, both of her hands were still shaking."

The old lady put down her teacup, snorted, and said, "What's the point of keeping such a wicked servant around? Get him out of here!"

Seeing that the old lady had fallen into her trap, the sixth sister-in-law was secretly delighted, but said on the surface, "Old lady is kind. Your birthday is just around the corner, and I've been thinking about whether we should hire another chef. Firstly, it would be easier to do things if we had enough people. Secondly, I think a new chef can always bring some new and clever dishes, which can add to the splendor of your birthday banquet. If I were to cook alone, I would inevitably end up cooking the same few dishes over and over again. Even if the old lady doesn't say anything, I would feel very ashamed."

The old lady nodded and smiled, saying, "It's kind of you to be so devoted to your master. It does sound like a good idea, but good chefs are in high demand in Tokyo these days, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to find one in a while."

Sixth Sister-in-law then smiled and said, "Didn't that old woman Fang say that her second sister is also a top cook in Yangzhou, and her skills are even better than mine? I was thinking, why don't we have that old woman Fang's second sister come over and have her cook a competition with me, and then have the old lady taste it and give her her opinion? If she is indeed better than me, then let her be the head chef of this kitchen, and I'm willing to be her assistant. Together, we can make the old lady's birthday banquet a feast of gold and jade."

The old lady sighed, "You are a loyal and righteous person, and you are devoted to your master. But from what you just said, that old woman Fang is indeed quite hateful."

Sixth Sister-in-law then kowtowed and said, "That's right. That's why I have a selfish reason, and I've dared to speak it out, begging the old lady for her permission. If my skills are truly inferior to Second Sister's, then I will naturally give up my position as her mother wishes. But if she's just a braggart, then I want that old woman Fang to apologize to me. Yesterday she spat in my face and hit me dozens of times, but I didn't touch her. I just wanted her to slap herself back. As the saying goes, 'Even Buddha fights for a stick of incense, and people fight for a breath.' I beg the old lady to grant me this wish."

The old lady smiled and said, "That's not unreasonable at all, and there's nothing to be ashamed of." Then she turned to Huixin and said, "Go and find Yuanniang and ask her to make the arrangements. We've got nothing else to do anyway, so let's do it today."

Huixin responded and went to find Jiang Shi. Only then did Sixth Sister-in-law stand up, thanking her profusely, and happily withdrew.

Meanwhile, Gu Zao was at home. She had cooked several new jars of food that morning and had been busy until now. Only then did she have a moment to eat lunch with her third sister, Liu Zao. She hadn't eaten much when she noticed a man in a blue robe and a small hat at the gate of her courtyard. He looked like a servant from some household. She didn't pay him any mind and was about to reach for the food in her bowl when she heard the servant shout, "Is this the home of Granny Fang?"

Gu Zao hurriedly put down her chopsticks and came out to respond.

The servant glanced at her before saying, "I was sent by the wife of the Grand Commandant. She said she wanted the second sister of Granny Fang's family to come to the mansion."

Gu Zao was taken aback and said, "I am Second Sister. Do you know anything about this, young man?"

The servant was pleased with Gu Zao's beautiful appearance and lowered his voice, saying, "I heard your mother got into some trouble and is about to be slapped. You'd better come with me to see."

Gu Zao was shocked and forgot to eat. She gave a few instructions to her third sister and Liu Zao, then followed the servant out of the alley. She saw a small blue cloth carriage parked at the alley entrance. It was said that the madam had asked her to ride in it. Without thinking much, she got in. The servant then drove the carriage towards the Grand Commandant's mansion. When they reached the northeast corner of the side gate, Gu Zao got out of the carriage and walked with the servant for a while. When they reached a screen wall, the servant stopped. It turned out that they had reached the entrance to the inner courtyard. He could not go in. There was already a young maid who looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, about the same age as Gu Zao, waiting there. She was wearing a chrysanthemum-patterned jacket and a plain velvet embroidered skirt. She was very pretty.

Gu Zao thanked the servant, and seeing the girl looking at him, he nodded and smiled at her slightly.

The girl seemed startled, but without saying a word, she turned and went into the hanging flower gate, and Gu Zao followed her.

On her way here, she had wanted to ask the servant about the details of Fang's case, but the servant knew nothing except about the slap. Fearing that Fang had really gotten into serious trouble, and that she wouldn't be able to handle the situation, she quickened her pace to catch up with this girl, who seemed to have some experience, and asked, "Sister, my mother is a rough woman. I don't know how many times I've told her to keep An Sheng at home, but she won't listen. I don't know what she's done today that made the manor send me here?"

That girl was Huixin, who served the old lady. She was usually aloof, but when she saw Gu Zao, she realized that although Gu Zao looked anxious, she was actually outstanding and not at all like her mother, who was lazy and unruly. She felt a bit of goodwill towards her. In addition, she had some disdain for the sixth sister-in-law's character, so she briefly mentioned what happened at noon.

Gu Zao then realized that it was once again the trouble caused by her mother's boasting in front of others. Although she was somewhat annoyed, she could only suppress it and hurriedly followed Hui Xin to the kitchen. As soon as they entered, they saw a large group of people inside, making quite a scene. Before they could take a closer look, Fang Shi had already grabbed Gu Zao and said with a mournful face, "Second sister, you have to save face for me today, otherwise your parents' face will be torn off and trampled on."

Gu Zao glared at her fiercely. Fang Shi knew she was in the wrong, but she still wouldn't let go of her, staring at her expectantly.

Gu Zao then looked at the group of maids and servants in the kitchen, and then saw a woman in her thirties standing with her hands on her hips, coldly glancing at him with a look of disdain. She guessed that this must be the sixth sister-in-law that Hui Xin had mentioned earlier. Turning her gaze back, she saw that Fang Shi looked flustered, completely unlike the smug look she had when she returned home yesterday. Her heart softened, and she sighed, saying, "I will always try my best. How could I want you to slap yourself? If you lose face, then I lose face too."

Fang blushed and then awkwardly let go of his hand.

A moment later, Huixin, the head maid who had led her in earlier, came over. She looked at the dark crowd in the kitchen, frowned, and said, "You've all forgotten what Madam just reprimanded you yesterday. You all have nothing better to do than come and watch the show."

Huixin was a close confidante of the old lady, and everyone knew how formidable she was. One by one, they slipped away immediately, leaving only Gu Zao, Fang Shi, Sixth Sister-in-law, and two people who tended the fire.

Sixth Sister-in-law forced a smile and said, "Sister has arrived, but I wonder what arrangements the Old Madam and Madam have made?"

Huixin didn't even look at her, but simply said indifferently, "The old lady said that since this matter was caused by that sheep's head skewer, you should each make your own bowls. Once they are ready, I will put them in two basins and send them over without noting the names, so that the madam and the old lady can taste them and then judge their quality."

Upon hearing this, Sixth Sister-in-law immediately rushed to her usual small stove, took over it, and began quickly picking out ingredients.

Seeing that he could only compete with her today, Gu Zao sighed helplessly and went to the other stove next to him, tidying up his things while thinking about how to do it well.

Two bowls of soup, one red and one white

During her time in Tokyo, Gu Zao had already learned the names of chicken head skewers, goose head skewers, and sheep head skewers. They were simply soups made with the lean meat from the heads of chickens, geese, and sheep, seasoned with salt and other condiments. Having worked as a chef for many years, she knew that the key to good mutton soup was its freshness and freshness, without any gamey smell. It was best when simmered over low heat until it turned into a milky white broth. However, she didn't have time to slowly prepare it right now. After thinking for a moment and glancing at the vegetable supply in the kitchen, she had an idea.

Seeing that her sixth sister-in-law had already piled up a lot of things in front of her, but Gu Zao hadn't moved for a long time, Fang was very anxious. She didn't dare to urge her, so she just pulled the fire-starting girl over and sat down to start a fire herself.

Gu Zao had already decided what to do. First, he filled a pot halfway with water and waited for it to boil. Then, he took a sheep's head, split it open, and used a sharp knife to remove the lean meat, which he then finely sliced into thin pieces. Once the water boiled, he first poured in some wine, then added the meat. When the water turned blood-red and foam rose to the surface, he poured out all the water. After blanching the meat in this way, he grabbed a live crucian carp from a nearby tank, removed its scales and gills, and cleaned it. He heated oil in a pan, lightly fried the crucian carp, added shredded scallions and ginger to sauté, poured in wine, and when he could smell the aroma of the wine, he added water and the mutton. He scooped out the scallion and ginger slices, then took a few lamb leg bones, washed them, broke them into pieces, and threw them in. He then poured in some sake, and had Fang bring it to a boil over a high flame. He skimmed off the foam, then simmered it over a low flame. After half an hour, the soup in the pot had turned milky white. Before even lifting the lid, you could smell the rich, fresh aroma. Gu Zao then added salt, put the lamb and soup into a bowl, and sprinkled a few pieces of scallion on top. The crucian carp had already been simmered until only the skeleton remained.

The woman next to Gu Zao had prepared a dish of sheep brains, simmered with soy sauce, fermented rice, sugar, Sichuan peppercorns, and galangal. Once Gu Zao was ready, she had already ladled it into a bowl, savoring the enticing aroma and glancing smugly at Gu Zao. Gu Zao simply smiled faintly, remaining silent. The woman's cooking was undoubtedly excellent, but Gu Zao had inadvertently noticed her adding vinegar to the pot. Mutton is warming, and vinegar is also warming; they work best when paired with cooling foods. Cooking them together would not only weaken the mutton's medicinal properties but would also make the meat dry and tough, resulting in a coarse texture.

Seeing that the two were ready, Huixin stood up from the stool, glanced at their bowls—one a fresh, milky white, the other a rich, dark red—and said nothing. She simply removed the lids, put each bowl into a food box, and then called two maids at the door. Each maid carried one bowl, and they headed towards the old lady's room. Upon entering, she found it quite lively. Not only was Jiang Shi there, but Luo San Niang, her other concubines, and the girls born to those concubines were also present. It turned out that the old lady also enjoyed lively gatherings, and seeing that something different from usual was happening, she had called everyone over to join in the fun.

Seeing Huixin enter, Jiang, who had been waiting impatiently, laughed and said, "It's just a soup, why does it take so long? Let alone mutton, even tiger meat would take a whole pot to cook."

The old lady couldn't help but burst into laughter, and everyone else naturally joined in, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere in the large house.

Huixin washed her hands and personally brought out two bowls of soup, placing them on the low table beside the old lady's kang (heated brick bed). When she lifted the lids, a fragrant aroma immediately filled the room.

The old lady looked at the two bowls of soup in front of her, one red and one white, and smiled, "It smells quite good, and it looks rather appealing, but I wonder how it tastes."

Jiang laughed and said, "You'll know once you take a sip. If you ask me, after seeing so much greasy stuff every day, I much prefer this milky white one, with a few green scallion slices floating on top. It looks so refreshing."

The old lady nodded, took the small bowl of red soup handed to her by Huixin, took a sip, nodded slightly, took another sip of the white soup, her eyes lit up, and she took a few more sips, finishing the small bowl of milk soup in no time.

Seeing the satisfied look on her face, Madam Jiang couldn't resist taking a spoonful of the broth herself. After a couple of sips and a few slices of mutton, she smiled and said, "This broth is fragrant and delicious, and the meat is tender and delicate. It's hard to describe. This is the first time I've ever had mutton head skewers like this. I wonder what the red ones are like." As she spoke, she took a sip, chewed and swallowed, then shook her head: "Although it's also good, compared to this broth, it only tastes like sauce. You can't taste the mutton at all."

The old lady nodded, then suddenly noticed the drooling looks on everyone's faces. She chuckled and called Huixin and Lanxin to put the soup in small cups. She sent a bowl to each of them, and after eating it, they all praised it. In the end, everyone agreed that the white soup was the best.

Jiang then looked at Huixin and smiled, "You managed to keep quiet, but that soup was made by the second sister of the Gu family?"

Huixin said, "That's strange. There's no name in this soup, so how could you guess it so accurately, Madam?"

Jiang shook her head and said, "What's so strange about that? Sixth Sister-in-law's cooking is usually nine out of ten dishes that are red; this white broth definitely wasn't made by her."

Huixin then smiled and said, "Nothing can be hidden from Madam's eyes. This white soup was indeed made by the second sister of the Gu family."

The old lady sighed, "It turns out that Granny Fang wasn't just boasting all along; her daughter really does know how to cook."

Luo San Niang had been humiliated yesterday and dared not show it to Jiang Shi, but she had developed a grudge against Fang Shi. Seeing the old lady praising her, she couldn't help but laugh and say, "Even if she can cook, she must be just like that woman, a rough cook."

Huixin glanced at her and said indifferently, "Young mistress is wrong this time. Not only is Second Sister Gu clever, but she is also very beautiful when she stands up."

The old lady became interested upon hearing this and said with a smile, "We'll have to see about that. Go and call Second Sister Gu over."

Huixin gave a crisp reply, then turned and lifted the curtain to go out.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Sixth Sister-in-law sat with her legs crossed, listening to the flattery of the old women over there, while coldly glancing at Fang Shi and Gu Zao. She thought that the white soup looked bland and tasteless, how could it compare to her own big ingredients? She was confident in her heart, and thinking that she would see Fang Shi slap her in the face later, a smile appeared on her face.

Gu Zao ignored the sixth sister-in-law and saw that Fang Shi was restless again, so he didn't pay any attention to her. He thought that it would be best if he won today, and he would immediately make Fang Shi quit her job and go back with him. Even if he really lost, it would not be a bad thing to let her suffer a little so that she would learn her lesson.

Just then, she saw Huixin reappear at the kitchen door. Sixth Sister-in-law moved quickly, rushing over like a whirlwind, bowing and scraping as she asked, "Is the result out?"

Huixin glanced at her, smiled slightly, and then looked at Gu Zao and said, "The old lady wants you to go over there."

Fang's expression changed drastically. She pulled Gu Zao aside and whispered, "Second sister, that person's soup looks good, all red and oily. Yours, on the other hand, looks tasteless, all white. Could it be that you've been judged to have lost and are going to be lectured? Don't be stubborn. I'm thick-skinned. Even if I shave my face as agreed, it won't hurt."

Gu Zao smiled wryly, gently patted her hand, and followed Hui Xin out without saying anything. As they walked, Hui Xin saw that Gu Zao's expression was normal and that she hadn't asked her anything. Hui Xin couldn't help but feel even more admiration for her.

When they arrived at the warm pavilion where the old lady was, Huixin personally lifted the curtain for her before leading her inside.

Gu Zao immediately spotted a group of women. Apart from the old woman leaning to one side and a middle-aged woman standing on the other, the rest were all dressed in brightly colored clothes. He then noticed the two bowls of mutton head skewers on the small table next to the old woman. The red bowl still had the soup, but the milky white one was almost empty. Gu Zao understood what was going on and smiled slightly, bowing to the old woman.

"Are you the second sister of that old woman Fang's family?" Jiang asked with a smile.

Gu Zao responded, and the old lady nodded and smiled, "He does look quite energetic. Your parents didn't praise him for nothing. This mutton head skewers taste really good. Tell me how it's made?"

Gu Zao said, "The key to mutton soup is its delicious flavor. It should be simmered over low heat for two hours, but I was in a bit of a rush today, so I added crucian carp and a few lamb leg bones to cook together. I used the freshness of the fish and the marrow flavor from the bones. Apart from sake and salt, I didn't add any other seasonings. It's just a trick, so don't take it too seriously."

Madam Jiang shook her head and sighed, "Your idea is quite clever. Fish and mutton have always been considered delicacies, but we in our household have been making thick soups and spices every day. It turns out we've been wasting our resources."

Gu Zao glanced at the red soup of the sixth sister-in-law and smiled slightly, saying, "The sixth sister-in-law in the mansion is indeed a great chef, and her mutton is cooked to perfection. Today, I just happened to have a lucky break. It was the first time that the old lady and the madam had tasted my soup, so it just so happened to suit their tastes. I only know how to cook simple country dishes, how can I compare to the sixth sister-in-law's skills?"

The old lady nodded and said, "It's rare that you cook so well and are also so reasonable. Sixth Sister-in-law said earlier that if she couldn't beat you today, she would volunteer to be the second chef. Would you like to come to my house to cook? Your wages will certainly not be shortchanged."

Gu Zao hurriedly said, "I am very grateful for the old lady's appreciation, but I know that my skills are really not up to the standards of a grand hall, and I am not qualified to be the head chef of your household. Sixth Sister-in-law was just saying it on a whim. She has served the old lady for many years and must already be to the old lady's liking. If we change people now, I'm afraid it will be disadvantageous."

As soon as Gu Zao finished speaking, a young woman dressed in a seductive manner looked at him and said with a sneer, "The old lady's appreciation is an honor for you, but you're acting all coy and pretentious, which is really unbearable to look at."