Republic of China, 1928: Starting from a Wonton Shop

Li Chunsheng wanted to take his leave, after all, this was the backyard of Guanghelou Restaurant, and no ordinary people came and went. It would be against the rules for him, a restaurant owner, to stay here for too long. However, looking at Mr. Mei's sincere eyes and listening to the howling wind outside, he hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Then I will trouble you, sir."

Mr. Mei ate very slowly. Unlike the laborers outside, he didn't gulp down the braised pork in large mouthfuls, but savored its flavor.

"Boss Li, the brilliance of your braised pork lies in the perfect balance." Mr. Mei put down his chopsticks and gently wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. "A little too much and it's greasy, a little too little and it's dry; a little too sweet and it's vulgar, a little too spicy and it's spicier. The principles of cooking are actually the same as those of opera; it's all about moderation and just the right amount."

"You flatter me, sir," Li Chunsheng said modestly. "My skills are nothing more than trivial tricks on the stove. How can they be compared to your national art? I just think that whether it's listening to opera or eating, what we ultimately want is that feeling of comfort in our hearts."

"Well said, that's exactly what I'm looking for." Mr. Mei paused for a moment, then laughed.

Just as the two were chatting casually, a series of slightly hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the curtain, followed by Feng Liu's voice: "Master, the person has arrived."

Upon hearing this, Mei Lanfang immediately stood up and hurried to the door to greet him, saying, "Please come in!"

Seeing this, Li Chunsheng knew that important guests had arrived and it would be inappropriate for him to remain seated. He quickly stood up and stepped aside, intending to take his leave after the two guests entered.

The cotton door curtain was lifted high by Feng Liu.

The first to enter was a middle-aged man, around fifty years old, wearing a black suit and a mink coat. He was slightly overweight, with a prosperous-looking face, and wore gold-rimmed glasses. His every move exuded composure.

Following closely behind was a tall foreigner.

The man had a high nose bridge, deep-set eyes, and his silver hair was neatly combed. He wore a gray woolen overcoat and a plaid scarf around his neck.

"Second Brother, Mr. Situ, with such heavy snow, why did you two have to make this trip in person?" Mei Lanfang quickly stepped forward, grasped the hand of the man in the suit, and spoke with great affection.

The man called Second Brother patted Mei Lanfang's hand and said with a smile, "Wanhua, today is your year-end closing performance. Mr. Situ and I have to come and support you! Besides, Mr. Situ has some new ideas about that matter, and we need to discuss them properly."

"Mei, it's been a long time." The foreigner smiled and extended his hand. "The last time I heard you perform was half a year ago. I've been looking forward to tonight's performance of 'The Phoenix Returns to Its Nest' for a long time."

Mei Lanfang led the two to chairs and personally poured them tea.

Li Chunsheng stood in the corner, originally intending to remain invisible, but when he heard Mei Lanfang address the two men, and combined with their appearance and demeanor, he immediately thought of two people!

Could the one Mr. Mei referred to as his second brother be Feng Gengguang?

This man was a giant in the financial world of the Republic of China, the president of the Bank of China, and the chairman of Xinhua Bank! More importantly, he was Mei Lanfang's most important supporter and patron throughout his life, and could even be considered the leader of the Mei Lanfang faction. Throughout Mei Lanfang's artistic career, Feng Gengguang played a crucial role in both financial support and the arrangement of his repertoire.

Mei Lanfang called the foreigner with the high nose and deep-set eyes "Mr. Situ".

There was only one foreigner in Beiping in 1928 who could speak fluent Beijing dialect and was so familiar with Mei Lanfang and Feng Gengguang!

That was John Leighton Stuart, the founder of Yenching University and later the U.S. Ambassador to China!

Li Chunsheng rubbed his eyes. Although he was a time traveler, the impact of seeing these important figures, who only existed in history textbooks and yellowed old photos, appearing alive less than three meters away from him was still terrifying.

Feng Gengguang, Stuart.

Why did these two come together on the eve of the Lunar New Year, the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month?

Li Chunsheng's mind worked incredibly fast.

In 1928, the Northern Expedition had just been victorious, and the capital had been established in Nanjing. Although the situation in Beiping was temporarily stable, undercurrents were surging. For Mei Lanfang, this time was a crucial turning point.

If he remembers correctly, Mei Lanfang's tour of the United States began to be planned in these years and finally took place in 1930.

John Leighton Stuart, as the president of Yenching University, was committed to the exchange between Chinese and Western cultures. He was one of the key figures in Mei Lanfang's visit to the United States, connecting him with various resources for his performances there. Yenching University even awarded Mei Lanfang an honorary doctorate.

"These two must be here to discuss this matter," Li Chunsheng thought to himself.

Just then, Feng Gengguang suddenly sniffed and his gaze fell on the two food boxes on the table that hadn't been put away yet, as well as the bowl of braised pork that Mei Lanfang had only eaten a little of.

"Oh? Wanhua, this smells amazing!" Feng Gengguang, a gourmet with discerning tastes, sniffed the air, his eyes lighting up. "This sweet caramel aroma, mixed with the rich flavor of meat fat, doesn't seem like Dongxinglou's cooking!"

He was a little unsure.

Mei Lanfang smiled and pointed to Li Chunsheng in the corner: "Second Brother, you have a good nose. This is Li Chunsheng, the young owner of Li's Restaurant outside Qianmen. I haven't had much of an appetite these past few days, and I've been relying on his braised pork and wontons."

"Oh?"

Feng Gengguang and Stuart Leighton both turned their gazes toward the corner.

Seeing that he couldn't avoid it, Li Chunsheng had no choice but to bite the bullet and step forward to greet them: "Greetings, Mr. Feng and Mr. Situ. I am Li Chunsheng, and I greet you two distinguished guests."

Feng Gengguang looked Li Chunsheng up and down. He saw that although the young man was wearing an ordinary cotton long gown, it was clean and tidy, with no grease on the cuffs or collar. He also looked energetic, unlike the timid and hesitant typical street vendors. He nodded and said, "You look quite capable. I know Wan Hua is a picky eater. If you can catch his eye, your skills must be exceptional."

"Mr. Feng, this braised pork looks incredibly tempting," Stuart said, his Chinese carrying a refined, scholarly air. "I've eaten plenty of braised pork in all my years in China, but this one, with its perfect color, aroma, and flavor, is truly rare. Mei, would you mind if I tried some?"

"Please make yourself at home, Mr. Situ." Mei Lanfang smiled and gestured to Feng Liu to add bowls and chopsticks.

Feng Liu quickly brought over two clean bowls and chopsticks.

Without any hesitation, Stuart picked up a piece of braised pork and examined it carefully.

"Beautiful," Stuart exclaimed, then put the food in his mouth.

"Wow! Wonderful!" Stuart couldn't help but exclaim in English, then switched back to Chinese and exclaimed, "Amazing! Absolutely amazing! The skin is so soft and tender, the fat melts in your mouth, yet the lean meat still retains its chewiness. Most importantly, the balance of sweetness and spiciness is simply divine!"