Ch 48: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

After the unexpected wedding banquet, Yu Jiuque was left with a sore back and aching muscles for three days.

Qin Xia, far from showing any signs of illness, was as energetic as ever. On the contrary, Yu Jiuque, who had accidentally gotten caught in a light drizzle the day before, started sneezing today.

Qin Xia, feeling deeply guilty, made several sweet drinks and soups to accompany the medicine for Yu Jiuque. Along with the large assortment of snacks from Ganyuan Zhai, these treats helped mask the taste of the medicine with a subtle sweetness.

As February drew to a close, Xing Yiming finally managed to gather enough people for the gathering he had been planning. This meal had to cater to everyone’s tastes and absolutely couldn’t embarrass Shopkeeper Xing.

Qin Xia pondered carefully and filled several sheets of paper with menu plans, lists of ingredients, and spices.

Meanwhile, Yu Jiuque was beside him, meticulously grinding ink, with a nearly finished new pair of cloth shoes in his sewing basket, only needing to be assembled.

On the day of the banquet, the private room had been thoroughly cleaned, with fresh, vibrant flowers placed in vases. The matching set of porcelain cups, plates, and bowls, decorated with patterns of swallows circling branches, gleamed in the spring sunlight, awaiting the guests.

Qin Xia, keeping track of time, entered the kitchen and began preparing the dishes that required the most time.

Xing Yiming had invited five other shopkeepers, making a total of six people. Qin Xia prepared eight hot dishes, a soup, a dessert, several cold appetizers, and fruit platters, including the large intestines and signature pork dish he had promised Xing Yiming.

Strictly speaking, ingredients like large intestines were not considered appropriate for formal banquets in Dayong, but Xing Yiming had specifically requested it. He mentioned that his guests were fellow food enthusiasts who didn’t care for such formalities—they didn’t need abalone or shark fin on the table, just good food.

To balance taste and presentation, Qin Xia immediately thought of a famous dish from Shandong cuisine: Nine-Turns Braised Large Intestine.

Nine-Turns Braised Large Intestine is renowned for its perfect blend of sweet, sour, salty, and fragrant flavors, elevating the humble large intestine to banquet-worthy status.

For this dish, Qin Xia had asked Butcher Gao to get him top-quality, pale-colored large intestines.

Large intestines require careful cleaning to remove any unpleasant odors. The first step is to rinse them in cold water to remove any foreign matter and surface slime. The second step is to rub them with starch to eliminate any residue, followed by a soak in vinegar to remove any lingering odor, then a final rinse in clean water and blanching in boiling water until they change color.

At this point, the intestines had lost the distinctive smell that some love and others hate, with the outer skin turning slightly yellow and the insides appearing clean and white.

But this was only the beginning.

Zhuang Xing brought in a large bunch of peeled green onions, revealing their crisp white stalks, and cut them to the same length as the large intestines, per Qin Xia’s instructions.

He then watched as Qin Xia inserted the onion stalks, one by one, into the large intestines.

“The intestines need to be stewed before being stir-fried. This step helps them keep their shape, making the presentation more appealing.”

Restaurant dishes differ from home cooking. At home, food is often thrown together in one pot and eaten immediately. Banquet dishes, however, need to not only taste good but also look impressive.

When he had nothing else to do, Qin Xia would carve radish flowers. Zheng Xinghua and Zhuang Xing tried to learn from him, though neither had yet managed to create anything noteworthy.

After placing the prepared large intestines into the pot along with the spices and covering it, Qin Xia moved on to the next dish—Dongpo Pork.

Chang Family’s Braised Pork was famous, and the managers, including Xing Yiming, had likely tasted it before. But when it came to classic pork dishes, Qin Xia’s first thought was Dongpo Pork.

A beautiful slab of pork belly lay quietly on the cutting board, firm to the touch, with a rich layer of fat.

Qin Xia inspected it carefully before cutting it into evenly sized square pieces. He then took several clean cotton strings and tied them around each piece, finishing with neat knots.

The kitchen had three stoves. Qin Xia occupied two, while Zheng Xinghua used the third to prepare a dish of twice-cooked pork ordered by a customer in the main hall.

Amidst the rich aroma of the dishes, Zhuang Xing moved about, assisting both sides. He couldn’t help but feel puzzled when he noticed that not only Zheng Xinghua but even Qin Xia, while preparing the main dishes, didn’t mind him being present.

In the past, when Zhuang Xing worked in the Liu family’s large kitchen, the head chef guarded his skills as if against thieves. Not to mention the kitchen hands, even those favored by the chef were not allowed to enter the room when he was making his signature dishes. It was said that the head chef had a locked box containing his secret spices, which even his own son had never opened.

The reason for this was that a chef’s skills were their lifeline. If someone learned the head chef’s signature dish, it might not be long before the chef would be packing up and leaving.

In Zhuang Xing’s eyes, although Qin Xia was young, his culinary skills were undoubtedly on par with those of the Liu family’s head chef. While Qin Ji Restaurant was small, none of the dishes were ones Zhuang Xing had ever heard of before. Logically, the more unique the dishes, the more Qin Xia should have kept his core skills hidden. Yet, Qin Xia openly showed everything—from the ingredients he used to the cooking techniques—without any reservations.

Zhuang Xing found it hard to believe that any chef would be so open-hearted. He suspected that the owner must still be keeping something hidden, just in a more subtle way, which would be more in line with human nature.

“Zhuang Xing, fetch a clay pot, line it with bamboo mats, and place some scallions and ginger inside. Use fragrant scallions, and cut the ginger into large slices.”

While Zhuang Xing was lost in thought, Qin Xia had already finished frying the pieces of pork belly. The meat sizzled and crackled, turning a perfect golden brown that looked so tempting you could almost imagine how delicious it would taste even now.

Setting up an iron pot, Qin Xia grabbed a handful of sugar and began caramelizing it. As the rock sugar slowly melted in the hot oil, forming tiny bubbles, Qin Xia poured in a measured amount of water. This would be the key to giving the Dongpo Pork its rich color.

“The clay pot is ready,” Zhuang Xing announced.

Hearing this, Qin Xia carried the plate of pork belly over and carefully placed the pieces onto the bamboo mats in the pot, with the scallions and ginger underneath. He added soy sauce, the caramelized sugar, a cup of Shaoxing wine, and enough water to cover the pork before closing the lid. He then instructed Zhuang Xing, “Watch the heat. Once it starts boiling, remove a few logs and let it simmer on low heat. Call me in three quarters of an hour.”

Zhuang Xing nodded repeatedly.

With these two major dishes taken care of, the rest became relatively simpler. Qin Xia planned to prepare a dish of “Eight Treasures Pen Cai,” “Suo Yi Shrimp Balls,” and “Fragrant Roasted Lamb Leg.” Additionally, there were a few vegetarian dishes that would need to be cooked once the guests arrived.

By the fourth quarter of the afternoon, the private room at Qin Family Eatery was filled with distinguished guests.

Xing Yiming, as the host, sat in the main seat, with five others at the table. Leading them was an older man, clearly the senior among them, dressed in luxurious silk clothing.

Qin Xia had already been introduced to him by Xing Yiming during the greetings. This elderly man, surnamed Sang, ran a silk and satin business in the city.

“Boss Sang also has another identity—he is the elder brother-in-law of Master Song from the Song family.”

Additionally, Xing Yiming had privately whispered a reminder to Qin Xia.

Qin Xia immediately recalled the “Song family gossip” that Wei Cao had shared.

He paused for a moment, then tentatively asked, “Is he the brother of the late Madam Song?”

Xing Yiming wasn’t surprised that Qin Xia knew about the affairs of the Song family. He nodded and replied, “Yes, exactly. The Sang family was very wealthy in the past, even more so than the Song family. When Madam Song married Master Song, people said it was a marriage beneath her station.”

However, over time, the Sang family declined while the Song family rose to prominence, eventually becoming the wealthiest family in Qinan County.

Qin Xia couldn’t help but feel that Qinan County was indeed too small; almost everyone seemed to have some connection to the Song family. It also became clear to him that although Master Song heavily favored his concubines, he had yet to officially promote any of them, likely because of the Sang family’s influence.

This small insight was soon cast aside as Qin Xia focused on the task at hand. The head of the Sang family, Sang Chenghua, seemed a bit haughty, likely looking down on a small establishment like Qin Family Eatery. Qin Xia couldn’t help but wonder how Xing Yiming had managed to persuade him to come. However, since Sang Chenghua was already there, Qin Xia was determined to ensure he felt the visit was worthwhile.

Sang Chenghua did indeed look down on Qin Family Eatery. While he enjoyed seeking out and indulging in fine food, unlike Xing Yiming, he never considered street food stalls or small eateries worth his time. He preferred dining at the two most famous restaurants in town—Chang Yue Lou and Baiwei Xuan.

Chang Yue Lou was renowned for its jar braised pork, while Baiwei Xuan excelled in a dish known as baiwei duck. However, Chang Yue Lou had recently been embroiled in scandal, and Baiwei Xuan’s head chef was distracted by the recent death of his wife, leaving his top apprentice temporarily in charge. Although most people couldn’t tell the difference, Sang Chenghua knew the flavor wasn’t the same. An apprentice, after all, still had a way to go before matching the master’s skills.

It was at this time that Xing Yiming sent him an invitation to dine at Qin Family Eatery, a newly opened establishment on Helin Street. Sang Chenghua was initially puzzled by the invitation—he had never even heard of Qin Family Eatery.

To his surprise, it was his son, the most promising member of the Sang family, currently studying at the county school, who provided an answer. “Qin Family Eatery is near our school. For thirty wen, you can get a good, hot meal there. Even the teachers, who usually disdain the cafeteria food, often go there together for a treat.”

However, Sang Chenghua’s son, much like his father, was used to luxury and had never bothered to try a place where a “set meal” cost just thirty wen. He also disliked the cafeteria food, but his solution was to have the Sang family servants deliver his meals by carriage every day at noon. Whether Qin Family Eatery was good or not, he couldn’t say.

When Sang Chenghua heard that the food was so cheap, he immediately considered returning Xing Yiming’s invitation. But then he reconsidered—he knew how discerning Xing Yiming’s palate was. If Xing Yiming was willing to boldly include the restaurant’s name on the invitation, it must mean he wasn’t afraid of it being looked down upon.

After some hesitation, Sang Chenghua decided to accept the invitation. It had been a while since he had gathered with the other business owners, and it would be good to catch up.

Sitting in Qin Family Eatery’s private room, Sang Chenghua found that his initial bias began to fade slightly. Of course, no matter how well Qin Family Eatery’s private room was decorated, it couldn’t compare to the grandeur of Chang Yue Lou or Baiwei Xuan. Those restaurants were adorned with intricate carvings and paintings, and even their dining utensils were made of pure silver. Only the wealthiest few in Qinan County could afford to dine there, where a meal could easily cost over a hundred liang.

Yet, Qin Family Eatery was not as ordinary as he had imagined. While Chang Yue Lou and Baiwei Xuan might be considered golden and jade-like, Qin Family Eatery could be seen as a charming and elegant gem, modest but outstanding in its way.

As he examined the carefully selected tableware and the thoughtfully arranged spring flowers in the vase, Sang Chenghua decided he would see just what kind of delicacies had made Xing Yiming eager to gather them here.

Before the main dishes, the cold appetizers were served—two meat dishes and two vegetarian dishes, each bringing a refreshing air to the table. Among them, two plates stood out the most.

One of the dishes was a cold salad made from garlic scapes. None of the guests had ever seen or tasted such a dish before, not only because they had never tried garlic scapes prepared this way but also because the scapes were arranged in the shape of a blooming flower, with goji berries adorning the tips.

Another dish was spicy and sour chicken feet. The chicken feet had been meticulously deboned, with red and green chili peppers scattered around them. Before even picking up their chopsticks, the guests could already smell the tantalizingly sour and spicy aroma.

The chicken feet quickly garnered praise from everyone at the table, even from Sang Chenghua, who nodded in approval.

“The bones are cleanly removed, and the flavor has thoroughly permeated the meat, with no trace of any off-putting odor,” he remarked.

The unique tanginess also sparked a round of speculation among the seasoned foodies at the table as they tried to guess what ingredients had been used, concluding that it certainly wasn’t just rice vinegar.

Before they could finish their guesses, the hot dishes began to arrive one by one.

Zhuoba Kuai (Eight Pieces Scalded) was a dish whose name gave little clue about its contents, but it was actually made from chicken. The dish used only the wings and legs, which were first deep-fried and then braised in sauce and wine.

All the guests were locals from Pingyuan Prefecture, where the cuisine tends to be on the salty side. Knowing this, Qin Xia had made the dishes for the restaurant with more salt and soy sauce than he would use for his personal meals, and the guests indeed found the flavors to their liking.

Miyi Suo Yi Shrimp Balls was a famous dish from the southern regions, also known as Suo yi Shrimp Balls, said to have originated from a restaurant in Shaoxing. Essentially, the dish involved blending shrimp meat with eggs, forming them into balls, and frying them, with a dipping sauce served on the side.

The dish got its name, “Miyi” or “straw raincoat,” because of the technique used to wrap the shrimp balls in a delicate layer of egg, and because the finished shrimp balls needed to maintain a round shape when served—the rounder, the better.

This dish, with its crispy exterior and tender shrimp inside, was a delight. Qin Xia added a small twist by offering not only the traditional dipping sauce but also a small plate of sweet honey and fruit sauce.

After these two meat dishes came a few lighter dishes like three-flavor egg custard and stir-fried Suxi vegetables, which left the guests thoroughly satisfied.

One of the merchants couldn’t help but raise his glass and say, “Who would have thought that such a top-quality restaurant could be hidden in the city? When it comes to food, we really can’t compete with Shopkeeper Xing’s discerning taste.”

Seeing this, the others followed suit, raising their glasses and downing a toast.

Xing Yiming glanced at the plates on the table, already starting to wonder where the dish he had been eagerly awaiting was—the dachang (large intestine). He was just about to ask the young waiter named Xiaochuan when Qin Xia entered, personally carrying the much-anticipated dish.

On a pristine porcelain plate were pieces of dachang cut into segments resembling finger rings, garnished with radish carved into petals, with a sauce glistening under the lights.

The guests couldn’t wait to dig in.

As soon as he tasted the first bite, Xing Yiming couldn’t hide his delight. He was a connoisseur who enjoyed all kinds of food, including all parts of the animal, whether it was something as common as the intestines or even more peculiar items like pig’s brains.

Over the years, he had tried dachang prepared in various ways—stir-fried, with caramelized sugar, crispy—but the dish that Qin Xia presented was unlike anything he had ever tasted.

It was difficult to describe the flavor with just one word because the taste unfolded in layers, each bite revealing a different nuance.

Although he didn’t know why the dish was named Jiuzhuan Dachang (Nine-Turn Large Intestine), its flavor certainly seemed to take several delightful “turns” on the palate.

Following this was the “Dongpo Pork,” which also earned endless praise.

“I haven’t seen such beautifully braised pork in a long time,” remarked Sang Chenghua as he stroked his short beard, watching the waiter spoon the meat onto plates.

The meat was a bright, glossy red like agate, with skin that was translucent and jelly-like, and underneath, the layers of fat and lean meat alternated. The meat was so tender it could be eaten with a spoon.

“Waiter, why is this dish called ‘Dongpo Pork’? Is there a story behind it?”

This question was no challenge for Xiaochuan, who had already memorized the origins and unique ingredients of every dish on the menu before welcoming the guests to the table.

So, as the guests listened, Xiaochuan vividly recounted the tale of “Dongpo Jushi” (Su Dongpo), a famous scholar and gastronome from a previous dynasty.

(T/N: Aside from his literary achievements, Su Dongpo was also a renowned gastronome. He had a deep appreciation for food and is credited with the creation of several famous Chinese dishes. The most well-known of these is Dongpo Pork, a braised pork belly dish that is still popular in Chinese cuisine today.

The story goes that while Su Dongpo was serving as an official in Hangzhou, he oversaw the dredging of the West Lake, a project that significantly improved the local environment and earned him the affection of the local people. In gratitude, they presented him with a large amount of pork and wine. Su Dongpo, known for his culinary skills, cooked the pork slowly in the wine, creating the dish that would later be named after him. Dongpo Pork is characterized by its rich, tender texture and fragrant aroma, achieved by braising the pork belly slowly with wine, soy sauce, and other seasonings.)

Everyone laughed and smiled after hearing the story.

One of the merchants at the table, a man surnamed Xiao, remarked, “The young owner of this restaurant seems not only skilled but also knowledgeable. He even knows such interesting historical anecdotes.”

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a reward for Xiaochuan.

“Young man, this is for you. If you ever stop working as a waiter, I think you’d make a fine storyteller at a teahouse.”

This Merchant Xiao spent most of the year traveling with his trading caravan, and it was only by chance that Xing Yiming managed to catch him before he set off again after the New Year.

Once one person gave a tip, the others followed suit, and Xiaochuan walked away with his pockets full after repeatedly thanking the guests.

As the door opened and closed, Merchant Xiao sniffed the air.

“Well, it seems I’ve caught a whiff of mutton!” exclaimed Merchant Xiao, Xiao Shou, who had traveled the trade routes of the northwest twice.

People often asked why, being a head shopkeeper counting money comfortably in his store, he preferred to venture out and eat dust. Xiao Shou would always reply, “The strong liquor and mutton of the northwest can only be truly enjoyed there!”

Even after returning to Qinan County, he still had a penchant for mutton and would often seek it out. However, the local mutton dishes seemed too modest for his taste, consisting mostly of mutton soup, mixed mutton offal, or braised sheep’s head, lacking the bold flavors of the northwest that allowed for hearty bites of meat.

Xiao Shou never imagined that he would find an entire leg of lamb at Qin Family Eatery.

The leg of lamb was scored with crosshatches, generously seasoned with aromatic spices that had been brought over from the Western Regions long ago, and it came with a small knife with a carved handle, meant for slicing the meat.

When Xiao Shou saw that small knife, he chuckled, recognizing it as merchandise from his own shop.

He thought to himself, “This meal has been so satisfying; perhaps I should pick out a few more beautiful items, along with some other trinkets I’ve acquired from Western merchants, and send them to Boss Qin as a gesture of goodwill. That way, when I come to dine again, I might receive special treatment, just like Xing Yiming.”

Everyone knew that Xiao Shou was an expert in mutton, so he took the responsibility of slicing the meat. After cleaning his hands, he cut into the lamb leg, revealing a perfectly roasted exterior and juicy, tender meat inside.

Xiao Shou ate with his head down, repeatedly exclaiming, “Authentic!”

This roast lamb leg reminded him of a similar dish he had tasted once in the northwest, a flavor that had haunted him for a long time after returning home.

The only regret was that the lamb here was not as fat and tender as the ones from the vast grasslands of the northwest. After all, how could the sheep raised in Qinan County compare to those from the northwest prairies? Other than that, the taste was remarkably close.

Besides the roast lamb leg, another dish, Shangtang Zhugansi (boiled dried tofu in superior broth), a specialty of Yangzhou cuisine, made Shopkeeper Zhu, whose wife hailed from Yangzhou, exclaim, “Authentic!”

By the end of the meal, both the hosts and the guests were thoroughly pleased.

The meal didn’t feature any particularly expensive ingredients; if anything, the most costly item might have been the lamb leg. But when Xing Yiming paid the bill, he was grinning from ear to ear.

There was plenty of food, enough that the six of them ate every last bit and left feeling completely satisfied—almost needing to be rolled out of the restaurant!

Even Sang Chenghua, who usually looked down on small eateries like this one, had to admit that Qin Family Eatery had its charms.

Finding a restaurant that could make everyone happy was the best possible outcome for Xing Yiming.

Although the Xing family seemed to be solely in the pastry business, their reach was far more extensive than it appeared. These bosses often gathered to discuss the most profitable ventures, making this a circle not easily entered.

Qin Xia was well aware that Xing Yiming was giving him an opportunity. If he could maintain good relationships with these big bosses, the information they might casually let slip could be enough for him to prosper.

However, Xing Yiming lacked for nothing, so the best way to express his gratitude would be through food.

…

March 3rd, Shangsi Festival.

On this day, schools across the city held drinking parties and poetry gatherings, while the common people wore fragrant herbs, bathed in herbal water, and ate shepherd’s purse boiled with eggs.

Qin Xia also had Zheng Xinghua and Zhuang Xing boil a large pot of eggs with all the right ingredients, including jujubes and ginger slices. They then set up the cauldron in front of the restaurant, offering the eggs for sale. Anyone who dined in the restaurant could receive a free bowl.

Although eating shepherd’s purse with boiled eggs was a tradition, some families were too lazy to make it, so they would bring their bowls out to buy a serving.

In the area around Helin Street, this dish was rarely sold in previous years, but with Qin Family Eatery in the neighborhood this year, more nearby residents began to take the easy way out, and the large pot of eggs quickly diminished by half.

In addition to the shepherd’s purse with eggs, Qin Xia also made a batch of delicate pink peach blossom pastries, priced for the season at ten wen per pair. Although they could be finished in just a few bites, their charming appearance ensured that they sold quite well.

In the afternoon, Qin Xia was quietly discussing with Yu Jiuque whether they should go to the city’s bathhouse that evening.

A bathhouse, the ancient version of a “spa,” commonly known as a bathhouse, had become popular since the previous dynasty. It was said that the capital had as many as “three thousand bathhouses” at its peak, which was quite remarkable.

Many households didn’t have bathtubs, or they feared the cold in winter, so they would regularly visit bathhouses.

Like in modern times, bathhouses had various pools where one could soak in fragrant or medicinal waters, steam in a sauna, or get a scrub.

Since arriving in Dayong, Qin Xia had not visited a bathhouse, as the Qin family had their own bathtub. However, with Shangsi approaching and hearing that a local bathhouse used real hot spring water, he was somewhat tempted.

While Qin Xia was tempted, Yu Jiuque was not keen on the idea at all. The thought of being in a bathhouse, naked among strangers, made his face burn with embarrassment.

Qin Xia quietly coaxed him, “The place we’re going has private rooms. You can go in and out fully dressed, and no one will see anything. The hot springs are good for your health, warming and invigorating the body.”

Despite Qin Xia’s reassurances, Yu Jiuque remained apprehensive, hesitating until Xiaochuan led a middle-aged man into the restaurant. Judging by his attire, he seemed to be a steward from a wealthy family in the city.

Hurriedly closing the ledger he hadn’t been paying attention to, Yu Jiuque stood up to greet the guest, and Qin Xia also straightened up.

When they learned that the man was from the household of Sang Chenghua, Qin Xia promptly invited him to the vacant private room in the backyard, serving him tea and snacks as he personally attended to him.

At the same time, Qin Xia couldn’t help but wonder if Boss Sang was planning to host a banquet at his establishment.

The steward, surnamed Xin, sipped some tea before explaining the reason for his visit.

It turned out that Sang Chenghua’s mother’s sister, Lady Cen, was coming to visit in three days.

“Though it’s a family visit, it’s also an opportunity for the Sang family’s fourth young lady to meet a prospective suitor,” he explained.

Qin Xia quickly pieced together the relationships and surmised that the fourth young lady was likely being considered for marriage to a cousin from her maternal aunt’s family.

Though these family affairs had little to do with him as a chef, he already had a good idea of why the steward had come to see him.

Sure enough, Steward Xin continued, “On that day, the family will host a banquet, and we would like to request your presence, Boss Qin, to oversee the preparations.”