“Oh my god…this meat…” Cui Qi scratched his head, thinking for a long time but still couldn’t think of a way to describe it.
“I, Chen Yunqiao, have dined at every restaurant in Chang’an. But today I dare say that nowhere in the entire city can make this braised pork. I heard that Brother Lu has been researching this dish for a long time, and now that he has tried it, it is a masterpiece. As long as it is served at your restaurant, it will surely become a sensation in Chang’an in just a few days.”
"This dish will appear in my tavern around the time of Lunar New Year's Eve."
"That's great. I'll bring the Imperial Guards to support you. I guarantee this dish will become a sensation throughout Chang'an within a day."
"Then I wish you, Magistrate, a prosperous business and abundant wealth."
Outside the window, snow was falling heavily. Inside, rising steam, along with the laughter and shouts of several people, gradually merged into a hazy mist.
...................
The first snowfall in Chang'an was heavy. So heavy that the streets were filled with people shoveling snow the next day.
Lu Xuan, yawning, got up early to shovel snow. The group had been drinking until the wee hours of the morning before finally breaking up, looking quite unsteady. Although Lu Xuan was in better physical condition and sobered up faster, he couldn't withstand the effects of lack of sleep.
"Master, isn't shoveling snow something that should be left to the servants? Why are you shoveling snow yourself?" The old man was a little confused. However, Lu Xuan had his own set of theories.
"I may not sweep other things, but I still have to sweep the snow in front of my own house."
As he spoke, Lu Xuan picked up a broom and swept a path to both sides of his front door. Just then, the door across the street opened, and a girl of about thirteen or fourteen years old came out carrying a broom. She also began sweeping the snow in front of her own door.
Last night's snowfall was quite heavy, a good ten centimeters deep. The little girl was having some trouble shoveling it. Lu Xuan was also a bit puzzled. The courtyard opposite Lu Xuan's house had never been inhabited before. He wondered when someone had started living there.
Seeing that the little girl was having a hard time sweeping, Lu Xuan stepped forward and helped her sweep.
"So young, and already out shoveling snow. Where are your parents?"
"Huh??" The little girl was taken aback.
"No, no, this isn't my home. I'm Miss's maid. This is Miss's home. Young master, you don't need to help me, I can manage on my own."
Lu Xuan suddenly realized. Even after being here for so long, he still wasn't used to some of the commonplace phenomena of the Tang Dynasty. For example, a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl might not be a princess from some wealthy family, but simply a servant in another.
The little girl waved her hands repeatedly, saying no. But Lu Xuan still stepped forward without hesitation and cleared a path for her.
"Go back quickly. It's cold today, and you're not dressed warmly enough. Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Ah... I'm fine. Young master, thank you, you're such a kind person..." Lu Xuan, who had unintentionally received a "good person card," smiled and shook his head. Then, picking up his broom, he continued to sweep the surrounding snow, creating a narrow path for pedestrians on the street.
Back in the courtyard, the servants had almost finished cleaning. Large piles of snowflakes were stacked under the trees. Several servants had already set up ladders and begun clearing the snow from the rooftops. In modern times, this would be a pointless and dangerous act. But in ancient times, it was necessary. Accumulated snow could collapse houses, causing far greater damage.
The houses in Lu Xuan's courtyard were certainly not sturdy enough to collapse under this amount of snow. However, the servants were used to this kind of work. He simply gave them a casual instruction to be careful, and then let them go.
However, that simple remark of "Be careful!" moved the servants to tears. In this era, no master would care about the safety of his servants.
After giving a few instructions, Lu Xuan went inside. Xiao Si had already prepared breakfast.
Steamed buns filled with chives and eggs, paired with a slightly thick millet porridge, make for a perfect combination to sober up and warm the stomach.
He gestured for Xiao Si and the old man to sit down and eat together. They were the only two people in the entire courtyard who could sit and eat with Lu Xuan.
"Old man, we have a new neighbor across the street. After you finish eating, pick out some snacks as a gift and go visit him."
"Okay!" The old man readily agreed, and the three of them lowered their heads and continued eating their breakfast.
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Chapter Forty-Eight: Return Gift
"Miss, Miss, I saw the young master across the street while I was shoveling snow today. He was such a nice guy, he even helped me shovel snow."
"Nonsense, if it were the young master, why would he sweep the snow himself?"
“I’m not making this up. I heard someone in the yard calling him ‘master.’”
"Really? If they're the hosts, why would they come out to shovel snow themselves?"
"I don't know either. But I think I heard him say something like, 'You have to sweep the snow in front of your own house.'"
"Sweep the snow in front of your own door? This young master is a scholar?"
"I don't know. I only spoke to him for a few minutes. He cleared the roads around our house. So when Miss goes out later, she won't have to walk in the snow."
"Then we must thank them properly. Please get some snacks and take them over later. We just moved in, so consider it a small gift."
"Okay. I'll go right away."
"Let's eat first, then we'll go."
"No need, I'm not hungry," the little girl said, skipping off to get some snacks.
Just as he was leaving, he ran into the old man.
The little girl had only taken a few steps when she ran back.
"Miss, miss. Look, this is a gift from the young master across the street." The little girl said as she ran in carrying a box. She almost tripped and fell.
As soon as the little girl stepped outside, she saw the old man who was about to knock on the door. She simply took the things the old man was offering.
"Wu'er, how many times have I told you? Don't be so flustered."
"Yes, Miss. Quickly, see what good things are inside?" The girl named Wu'er placed the box in her mistress's hands and urged her to open it.
Pressed relentlessly, the young lady had no choice but to open the box. Inside was a box of oddly shaped pastries.
"Oh...it's a dessert. But that's strange, I've never seen this kind of dessert before."
The young lady also found it somewhat novel. It's normal for new neighbors to exchange snacks. However, she had never seen these snacks from across the street before.