Miao Chu

Chapter 369 Hold on
The man looked very familiar; he had previously staked out the gambling den across the street from Song's.

Song Miao hurriedly put down her bowl and chopsticks and went out to greet him, saying, "Master Dong is here! We were just having dinner at home when we were lucky enough to have some pig's tail and lamb legs. They were all gifts from others, and they gave us so much that we were worried we wouldn't be able to finish them. Come in and have a bite!"

As she spoke, she turned and called out, "Second Madam."

Before she could finish speaking, Cheng Erniang had already stood up and said with a smile, "I'll go get some clean bowls and chopsticks! Sir, please have a seat here!"

As they spoke, they began to make room for each other and move chairs around.

Xiao Lian, being very obedient, called out, "Mother, I'll go get it!"

As she spoke, she jogged to the backyard.

Seeing the commotion inside, Officer Dong became even more embarrassed and said, "I have other matters to attend to at the yamen, and I'm in a hurry to get back, so I won't come in."

Then he called Song Miao out the door.

He said, “I have news to tell you—we captured the steward of Master Wu’s household. Originally, alas… but today we received orders from above and had no choice but to release him. Although everyone is angry, there is really nothing we can do.”

"Inspector Xin has already taken a few men to secretly investigate the background of this manager, but there won't be any results for the time being—everyone asked me to come and give you a heads-up, so you can have a better understanding."

He sighed again as he said this.

Song Miao then said, “The officials have done their best. There’s nothing they can do about the pressure from above. It’s alright. My restaurant is not what it used to be. I’m sure they won’t dare to mess with me again after this. Please go back and tell the officers not to take it to heart.”

As she spoke, she invited him again, but seeing that Officer Dong refused to come in, she did not force him. She simply asked him to wait a moment and went to get a food box. She lined it with clean banana leaves and filled it with a box of cold pig tail salad, a small jar of pickled cucumbers, two bunches of banana buds, and a few handfuls of fruit.

Once everything was packed, she handed it over together, smiling as she said, "It's so late already, and you still have to go back to the yamen. I suppose there must be some important case to handle. I know that when there's a case, the yamen in the capital eats very late. I wonder who's on duty in the kitchen today, and whether they've prepared enough food. I'd appreciate it if you could help me take this back so everyone can have a meal!"

Seeing that the other party was still trying to push it away, Song Miao pointed to an ice basin behind her and said, "There's still a lot in there! This stuff has a bit of chewiness, and it's perfect for drinking with your alcohol!"

Officer Dong was a little embarrassed, but he accepted the drink anyway, saying only, "I'm not drinking, I'm on duty! I can't drink here!"

He added, "If there's any progress, even if I don't come myself, I'll definitely send someone to deliver a message to you!"

Song Miao thanked them, watched them walk away, and then returned to her room.

Dong, an official accustomed to his job, spoke loudly. Although he tried to lower his voice, the door wasn't actually closed, so how could the people inside not hear him?

Everyone at the table had already put down their chopsticks and stopped eating. When Song Miao returned, they immediately asked her questions.

Song Miao gave a few casual replies, but didn't say much more, only urging everyone to continue eating.

The guests and hosts chatted and laughed throughout the meal, enjoying themselves immensely.

The main course of this meal was actually roasted lamb leg, which was well-seasoned and had a great texture. The skin, in particular, was truly golden and crispy, roasted to a very dry and fragrant state. When you bite into it, it doesn't burst with oil; you only experience the aroma and crispiness of the skin.

The fat is in the middle layer. When you cut in with your teeth, after the tender and juicy meat, you bite into the firm and elastic shank meat inside, and then you encounter the tendon closest to the bone. The richness of the mutton fat, the aroma and chewiness of the outer skin, and the firmness and elasticity of the shank meat all complement each other in your mouth, making it absolutely dazzling.

With large chunks of meat and the rich, bouncy cold pig tail salad, there are naturally also vegetarian options.

The braised eggplant was a shade darker than ochre red, and it was incredibly soft. When you pressed your tongue against the roof of your mouth, the rich eggplant aroma would be released, with a salty and savory flavor and a hint of sourness.

The stir-fried mixed vegetables were made with a variety of vegetables specially reserved from the kitchen today. Song Miao took them and stir-fried them with a bang, using Sichuan peppercorn oil and carefully controlling the heat. The taste and variety were very rich and delicious.

There was also a small dish of refreshing side dishes—pickled cucumbers, each one only as thick as a little finger, so crisp and tender it was outrageous—we ate three servings and still couldn't get enough.

The cucumbers are so tender that they don't even have the crunchy texture when you bite into them; they just make a weak "crunch" sound. They're refreshing and crisp, with a base flavor that's six parts sour and four parts salty, and a hint of cucumber fragrance.

Because it's tender, the cucumber flavor isn't very strong, but thanks to the mustard seeds and the rice vinegar, it has a slightly sweet taste. The cucumber juice, soaked in sour, salty, sweet, and spicy flavors, bursts in your mouth with countless "crunch" sounds, making it incredibly refreshing.

Another dish that helps to cut through the richness of food is winter melon soup.

This is a truly clear soup, made with only scallions and winter melon, yet luxuriously seasoned with a touch of pepper.

The soup didn't even contain dried shrimp or a single piece of meat; it was completely clear. But in contrast to its clarity, there was a subtle sweetness from the winter melon.

In autumn, the thick-skinned winter melon has a particularly strong flavor. When cooked at this time, it becomes translucent, like pieces of beautiful jade, appearing and disappearing in the soup.

The old winter melon, especially the very center ring, has a distinct grassy aroma. Because only a tiny bit of oil was added to the soup, it leaves your mouth feeling clean and refreshed.

The five people at the table finished their food completely. The students and martial arts learners, who were big eaters, were naturally very happy, and even Xiao Lian, who was growing, ate more rice twice, cleaning up every last grain of rice at the bottom of her bowl.

After finishing the meal, Cheng Zijian rushed to collect the dishes and chopsticks and carried them to the back to wash them with great effort.

Xiao Lian was anxious and quickly followed, calling out, "Uncle! I'm the one who always picks up the bowls and chopsticks!"

Wang Chang, who always offered to help out whenever he came before, didn't go this time but stayed behind.

He was about to speak when he turned and saw Liang Yan. His eyes darted around, and he said to him, "Liang Yan, I'm so full I can't walk anymore—could you get me a glass of water?"

Liang Yan immediately agreed, stood up, took the teapot from the table, and walked to the backyard.

Wang Chang glanced back and saw the man heading towards the second gate before letting out a sigh of relief. He then turned back and asked, "Miss Song, I heard what the official said earlier! Which official from the capital prefectural government ordered that the steward to be released? What exactly happened?"

He added, "There are two children with me, so I can't ask them anything properly. I'm so anxious!"

Knowing that this time she couldn't let things slide, Song Miao simply explained the situation, adding, "I knew beforehand that Master Wu had powerful backers, but who knew that after we caught the person who broke into my house that night, it would implicate him and end up in such an ugly mess."

"However, the Empress Dowager has just bestowed a house upon me, and the steamed buns in the restaurant have become famous. No matter how arrogant Master Wu is, he probably won't dare to act recklessly for a while. You can rest assured, young master."

Wang Chang hissed in alarm and stamped his foot, saying, "He dares to break into people's homes at night, how can we feel at ease!"

He added, “When evil people do things, who can guess what they’re thinking? There’s no way to guard against them. If someone comes again in the middle of the night, and there’s only you, Cheng Er Niangzi, and Xiao Lian in the restaurant, and they capture you all, even if you try to find a way the next day, you’ll still suffer the same loss!”

"Young Lady Song, why don't you invite those bodyguards back to help keep watch for a few more days?"

Song Miao nodded, thanked him for the reminder, and said, "I had been planning on that too; I'll go ask someone for help in a bit." Wang Chang quickly asked, "Is there anything we can do to help?"

Song Miao immediately shook her head and said, "I have already asked someone to help me and entrusted the matter to an official from the Censorate. I think he knows how to do it—Young Master Wang, please rest assured!"

If she previously set up a stall at the Imperial Academy to protect herself by leveraging the students' influence, the situation has now changed drastically.

It was just a somewhat imposing rich man and an arrogant and domineering young man, so the student was naturally not afraid—but now it involved Prince Lu.

The current emperor has no heir, but the Prince of Lu has more children than can be counted on two hands, and his grandchildren are even more numerous, growing like gourds, with countless offspring on a single vine.

Even the officials were afraid that the Prince of Lu might actually have a chance to ascend to the throne, so they dared not speak out. What could the students do?

Knowing the danger was immense and that things were not the same as before, Song Miao didn't want to drag everyone else down with her.

Wang Chang opened and closed his lips, but ultimately said nothing more, only saying, "Alright then—if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know!"

Song Miao readily agreed.

When evening came, the two groups said their goodbyes. She then took the food boxes and baskets and gave them to each person to take back. She then pointed to the cold pig tail and said, "It's best to eat it tonight. Don't leave it. Although it's autumn, this is a cold dish. Even if it's left for two hours, let alone overnight, it's easy to get an upset stomach if you eat it."

Then, speaking of banana sprouts—"I saw someone selling them on the road. They tasted very good. The vendor said they were already very ripe and yellow, and would spoil in at most two days. We have to eat them quickly!"

Liang Yan boarded the carriage, while Cheng Zijian and Wang Chang, one carrying a food box and the other a bamboo basket, hurriedly returned to the Imperial Academy before it got completely dark.

As soon as the guests left, Cheng Erniang hurriedly said, "Madam, I'll sleep in the front hall tonight—so I can know sooner if anything happens and take precautions!"

Song Miao shook her head and said, "If there are only the three of us in the house, even if you know, you won't be able to report it in time. We shouldn't bother two people. Let's go find Madam Xu and see if she can arrange a few bodyguards to watch over the house for us."

"Sigh, there's always someone who steals for a thousand years, but never someone who can guard against thieves for a thousand years! Hiring someone is expensive too..."

As Cheng Erniang spoke, she rolled up her sleeves, tried to move her arms, and sighed, "If I had known, I would have learned martial arts too. If something like this had happened and a thief had broken in, I would have had a better chance of winning the fight if I knew how to use a stick or a club!"

While Cheng Erniang was reminiscing, Wang Chang, who had returned to the Imperial Academy with a food box of cold pig tail salad, almost immediately gathered a lot of his classmates and fellow students and shared the same sentiments with them.

He appeared very calm and restrained in front of Song Miao, but once he returned to his own territory, he started talking non-stop.

He meticulously repeated everything he had heard at Song's place that day, emphasizing the harrowing incident of Song's place being forcibly broken into in the middle of the night, and mentioning the pitiful young woman. Wang Chang finally sighed, "Young Lady Song told me not to worry, and that she had reported the matter to the officials of the Censorate... Tell me, how can anyone not worry!"

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone in the room started talking.

Someone immediately replied, "I'm not only worried about Miss Song, I'm also worried about my glutinous rice and shumai!"

"We were supposed to go eat there once the restaurant opened, and I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully, nothing unexpected will go wrong?"

"How could she not?! Not only is she beautiful, but she also has such excellent skills. She's the easiest target for those filthy and despicable people!"

“When I used to go out with my uncle to collect folk songs, I heard that the more skilled and capable someone was, the more likely they were to be targeted, either by trickery or robbery, or forced into becoming a concubine!”

"Exactly! I happened to see a young woman drown herself in Fu County—I heard she was an exceptionally talented winemaker, but the owner of the restaurant took a liking to her winemaking skills, tricked her into marriage, and only found out after her child was born that he already had a wife and children back home, and she was just a concubine!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but slam his fist on the table: "What do you think happened? That shameless woman not only lied to people, but tricked them into having children, and then didn't even pay them their wages. She made them work all day long, expecting them to do the work and take care of the family at the same time—her family had no money or power, and it was difficult to win a lawsuit. She couldn't bear the torment, so she threw herself into the river!"

"No way! With such a big business deal like Miss Song's, and her name already known to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, would Prince Lu really be that audacious?"

"If he weren't bold, how could he dare to ask the Kyoto Prefectural Government to release the people at this time?"

"You're incredibly naive. You dare to go to the capital's government office today, but tomorrow you won't dare to go to a small eatery?"

"It's precisely because of Miss Song's excellent cooking skills that this restaurant has become famous, and they're even more determined to take advantage of it—how is that any different from snatching a treasure trove?"

"Yes, if Lady Song were really kidnapped, he is, after all, a prince. Would the Emperor really go after his uncle for the sake of an ordinary commoner? Even if he did, it would be too late..."

"Pah, pah, pah! What nonsense are you spouting?! What are you talking about?!"

The group of people got angrier and angrier as they talked.

It is said that the Imperial Academy was a "censorate without officials".

The students were conflicted; they always wanted to become censors, yet sometimes they looked down on them.

"One says it's Shezhe, another says it's a member of the royal family, so I knew it must be Prince Lu—why is this guy so persistent? Wasn't he the one who robbed someone's house before?"

"Not only are they seizing other people's houses, but they're also seizing their land! Have you forgotten the Jingdong Road land case that caused such a stir two years ago?"

"And the street! Their house is blocking the pedestrian walkway, and they won't change it even after we've yelled at them!"

"What's the use of reporting this to the censors? Everyone knows about these things, but they don't care!"

Finally, someone spoke up to say something fair: "It's not that they don't care at all, it's just that they submitted memorials, but the Emperor kept them quiet... I heard that when the cases of land and house robbery came out, many people in the Censorate submitted memorials impeaching the Emperor, but..."

"If the emperor doesn't issue the memorial, then they'll just keep writing more! Isn't that the purpose of their salaries—writing memorials? If it doesn't work out today, they'll submit it tomorrow! If it doesn't work out tomorrow, they'll submit it the day after! Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow—how many tomorrows are there?"

"That makes sense. I don't believe they'll eat today and then not eat tomorrow."

"Exactly! If submitting a memorial to impeach him doesn't work, then he should request to remain in the court! If that doesn't work, can't he join the entourage?! If that still doesn't work, can't he at least pretend to run into a pillar?! This is something that will go down in history! If you give me that chance, I'll run into a pillar right here and now for His Majesty to see!!"

At this point, the man suddenly realized something and hurriedly said to his classmates, "If I ever really enter the Censorate and I end up hitting my head against a pillar, you all have to be there and make sure you pull me back!"

"But we are no longer imperial censors, so what can we do?"

　Thank you so much, Mori Syaoran, for giving me this one-in-a-hundred-years-treasure sword! It's such an expensive sword, I'll have to be careful with it!

　　Thank you to Yellow Scorpio Palace for giving me a wellspring of inspiration, to book friend 20250321160216798 for the six amulets, and to Pig's Foot Flower and Qingmei Slender for the immortal herbs they each gave me =3=
　　谢谢书友20221107230750228、嗷呜一口不带喘、Anna云公主、书友20260310085453981、书友20221003110351095、书友20260316185502629、靓女007七位亲送我的平安符各一枚：）

　　(End of this chapter)