Miao Chu

Chapter 73 Looking for trouble
When Han Li heard that a woman from Suanzao Lane was coming, and that her surname was Song, he immediately agreed, nodded, and said, "Wait a moment, I'll be there in a bit."

Inspector Xin, however, was only focused on one thing, arguing with Lord Zheng, and completely ignored the guards outside, nor did he listen to what they were saying.

He had been holding back his anger, and now that he had the chance, he let it out, shouting, "Master Zheng, don't go too far! The brothers are working day and night, we can't just feed them swill! Yesterday, we had an extra meal at night, but your cook was trying to save time, so he boiled cabbage in water and didn't even put in much oil. The ones who went early tasted okay, but the ones who went late were soggy and watery!"

"The food from the public kitchen wasn't particularly good before, how could it be any worse now?"

Mr. Zheng immediately retorted, "Who told you to make this at the last minute yesterday? It's so late at night, and you can't even buy groceries. What kind of fancy dishes could you possibly make? Today it's almost dinnertime, and there's no cook at all. I'm already being kind by cooking something for you!"

Inspector Xin sneered: "If it hadn't been arranged last night, that cook might have tipped them off and let them escape! You're using that as an excuse!"

Although these words are hurtful, they are not entirely unfounded.

Zheng Guanren immediately started shouting, cursing the troublemakers from the Left and Right Military Patrol Offices who usually caused trouble. No one else said anything, but they insisted on having extra food tonight, extra midnight snacks tomorrow, and an hour earlier the day after tomorrow, and so on.

The two sides were arguing, and Han Li's ears were sore from listening.

After a moment's thought, he stepped forward and said, "If all else fails, why don't you trouble Master Zheng to go out and find a cook to feed us for a meal or two?"

Zheng Guanren sneered, shrugged, and said, "The pot is about to catch fire, and you want to find a cook now? Where are you going to find one? Who is that capable? I don't have that ability!"

As she spoke, she glanced at Han Li and said, "You're that Han student who's on loan, right? You haven't even figured things out yet, and you're already in a hurry to take charge here? If you're so capable, find a competent cook and I'll let you manage the kitchen!"

He was just saying that out of anger.

However, Han Li nodded and said, "In that case, I'll go find someone—but how much will the hiring fee be?"

Enraged, Zheng laughed and said, "There's no such account in the yamen. If you can find someone to settle this meal, as long as the servants don't complain about how bad it is, I'll make sure to reimburse the wages of those arrested cooks..."

Han Li paused slightly, but did not answer, instead counting silently in his mind.

Sure enough, before he could even finish counting the first and second, and before he could even count the third, Inspector Xin shouted, "Taking out the government's share of money, it's like you did all that yourself! Everyone outside says that Master Zheng is generous, so why don't you show them how generous you are! You can't even handle your own affairs properly, and you don't even think of a solution! In the past, when the brothers went out on official business, whenever things didn't go well, didn't we always make up the difference ourselves?"

Provoked by Inspector Xin, and caught up in the conversation, Zheng Guanren also lost his temper and angrily said, "Apart from the money from the government, I'll add another string of cash myself. Is that enough?"

Even a head chef in a respectable restaurant these days only earns three to five strings of cash a month. For Master Zheng to pay so much out of his own pocket, the compensation he provides is undeniably generous.

But Inspector Xin still snorted and said, "Finding a cook is your job, you make it sound so easy. If we do it, who will do the work for us?"

After finding fault with him, he was about to leave when he turned around and saw Han Li already striding out with the guards. He exclaimed in surprise, "Zhengyan, where are you going?"

Han Li said, "Didn't we need to find a cook?"

"What nonsense! Where are you going to find someone? Half the courtyard is full of people waiting for you to take turns!" Inspector Xin almost jumped up in frustration.

But Han Li ignored him, simply cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I'll be right back."

Inspector Xin couldn't help but glare at Zheng, and was about to chase after him when the latter grabbed him and said, "If you arrest the cook, I'll only have two assistants left. The food will definitely be cooked, but the taste is another story. If you can promise your superiors not to cause trouble, I'll have them start cooking right now. Otherwise, we might as well all starve to death!"

"You can't even manage your own subordinates, yet you have the nerve to blame me?!"

Not to mention that Inspector Xin was being entangled by Official Zheng and couldn't leave, Han Li followed the guards out of the back office. As soon as he arrived at the back gatehouse, he saw a beautiful young girl sitting inside.

The young girl had a bamboo basket at her feet and was sitting on a small table, talking with her head tilted to the side. She was dressed in plain linen clothes, her feet slightly tucked in, one hand supporting herself on the small table, the other hanging down, looking completely at ease and natural—she was none other than Song, the stall owner of Song Family Eatery at the end of Suanzao Alley.

Han Li had been busy all day, listening to the constant noise around him and working hard on his desk. Although he was young and strong and did not feel tired, his mind was still tense. He came out this time to take a short break and clear his head.

Seeing Song Miao now, the girl's expression was vivid and her posture was leisurely. Although he couldn't hear what she was saying, for some reason, perhaps her emotions were contagious, and he felt much more relaxed.

When he reached the gatehouse, Han Li's steps became lighter, and he called out through the open door, "Shopkeeper Song."

Hearing the voice, Song Miao turned around and saw Han Li. She stood up with a smile and called out, "Young Master Han." She then pointed to the bamboo basket on the ground and said, "I made a lot of these sweet fermented rice cakes the other day. I was just waiting for them to ferment. I originally planned to sell half of them and give the other half to the officials to drink during their evening shifts, partly to refresh themselves and partly to soothe their throats. But who knew things would turn out this way? Everyone rushed back to the yamen in the blink of an eye and didn't even get to taste them."

"Thanks to your protection, my daughter has been safe until now. I have nothing else to offer, so I can only use this cheap sweet potato cake as a token of my gratitude!"

Her words were so open and honest that it was hard to refuse.

Even the two guards watching the commotion couldn't help but nod in agreement, wishing they could step forward and help Han Li carry the bamboo basket inside in a grand manner.

People came to express their gratitude, bringing local gifts and homemade food. Even when listening to storybooks or plays, hearing such stories was something to look forward to.

Now that this is happening right before their eyes, and they are from the same government office, how could they not feel a sense of shared honor between officials and common people?
I just regret that I wasn't the one who was transferred to that sour jujube alley last night, otherwise this drink called sweet embryo would have been fragrant even if it wasn't sweet!

Han Li thanked her and returned the greeting. Just as he was about to speak, he saw that Song Miao had already picked up the bamboo basket.

He hurriedly stepped forward to take it, but on his first attempt, he couldn't catch it. Looking down again, he saw that Miss Song was looking at him and silently saying a few words.

Han Li half-guessed and half-observed, thinking that the question was directed at Sun Lizheng. However, he couldn't say much in front of the two guards. Only after receiving the bamboo basket did he say, "Since you're here, Mr. Song, why don't you come in and sit for a while?"

Song Miao only asked, "Can an ordinary person like me enter the back office?"

Han Li said, "It's alright if we don't go to the government office."

As he spoke, he greeted the two guards and then led the way forward.

Song Miao followed behind, not forgetting to turn back and thank the two patrolmen.

After walking a few steps, seeing that no one was around, she went up to him and told him about the affairs of the village head Sun's family and the fact that Zhu had come to see him.

Han Li said, "I'll go ask him. If he can clear his hands of his duties, then have him hand over the responsibilities and go home. If not, I'll arrange for someone else to go back and deliver the message."

Song Miao hurriedly said, "I came here to deliver a message. Just let me take a message back first."

"Don't rush off." Seeing the second gate ahead, Han Li suddenly stopped, turned around and asked her, "I wonder if stall owner Song can cook communal meals?"

"Although I've never cooked for a large family before, I have helped prepare meals for two or three hundred people. If there are only one or two hundred diners, I should be able to handle two or three people washing and chopping vegetables and tending the fire." Although Song Miao didn't know exactly what the matter was, she didn't hold back at all when Han Li asked.

"The taste isn't anything special, it's just passable," she added.

Han Li did not mention that the cook had leaked the information. He only said that the Left and Right Army Patrol Offices were working late into the night and needed to add an extra dinner. However, due to the last-minute rush, the cooks were all busy with their own things, leaving only the pastry chef and two assistants.

"The current job is paying around one and a half strings of cash. If you have the time and are willing to take on this job, I think the brothers in the courtyard would prefer Master Song's skills."

Cooking a meal takes at most half a day, and to get paid like this is truly a wonderful job.

Song Miao first confirmed that Han Li would immediately arrange for someone to talk to Sun Lizheng before agreeing, and then asked, "I wonder if there's anything I should pay attention to? How many dishes are usually served, and how are they prepared?"

“They’re all brothers from the Left and Right Military Patrol Detachments, so there’s not much to worry about. There are 113 people in total tonight, and time is tight. Just do what you’re used to doing.” After Han Li finished speaking, he added a special reminder: “The kitchen manager’s surname is Zheng, and he’ll probably make things difficult for you. We might not even need the other two helpers. I’ll call two or three more people over to help you later.”

Song Miao smiled and said, "I'll go check out the kitchen first. If it's not enough, I'll come back and ask for more people."

As the two were talking, they arrived at the second gate.

The round trip didn't take long; before they even went inside, a shouting match erupted from within.

"I have a bunch of criminals to interrogate, I don't have time to waste with you. Get out of my way, figure it out yourself!"

Song Miao recognized the voice and looked closely, only to see Inspector Xin pulling and tugging at someone.

At this moment, Han Li stepped forward and said, "Master Zheng, I have found a chef. Just pay him the wages as previously agreed."

As he spoke, when the official Zheng turned around, he pointed to Song Miao and said, "This is Miss Song. She has excellent cooking skills, which are known to all the students of the Imperial Academy. Even the patrolmen and soldiers of the Vermilion Bird Gate praise her highly."

While Zheng was arguing with Inspector Xin, Han Li returned without a word, calling her the "head chef." But upon closer inspection, he realized she was just a maid. Zheng was so angry he laughed and said, "Are you kidding me? What can such a petite woman do?"

When Inspector Xin saw Song Miao, his face, which had been oily all day, became even shinier. He first called out, "Young Lady Song," and then said to the official Zheng, "Tonight's meal is for Young Lady Song. Whether it tastes good or not, you don't need to worry about it. We, the Left and Right Military Inspectors, will take care of it!"

***
No matter how unwilling Mr. Zheng was, or how much he felt he had been tricked, he comforted himself by saying that he should just consider the money as being wasted and that he could just have some peace and quiet. However, he was still very unhappy about it.

However, since the case is currently being investigated, even if Prefect Zheng were to arrive, he would first have to appease his subordinates to finish the matter.

In particular, the Left and Right Military Patrol Units are always the ones who actually do the work at the forefront. They have foul mouths but strong backs. As someone in charge of logistics, he still has to avoid their sharp edge on the surface.

Although he didn't argue with Inspector Xin or Han Li, and only asked a few questions before taking Song Miao back to the kitchen, Zheng Guanren's dissatisfaction kept rising, almost turning into flames that spewed from his nose and mouth.

When they arrived at their destination, he kicked the door open, and the three people who were left inside all looked over.

Sure enough, a chef was kneading dough in the kitchen, while two assistants sat blankly to the side, seemingly lost in thought. Hearing the noise, they were startled and quickly stood up to greet him and bow.

After briefly introducing the two sides, Zheng Guanren said to Song Miao, "Young lady, why don't you take a look around here and see if you can do it—if not, you can still resign now."

After saying that, he called the pastry chef outside the door.

Song Miao smiled and thanked them, ignoring them. Seeing that the two workers were only about ten years old and looked much younger than herself, she knew that they were probably apprentices brought by a chef to do odd jobs. So she went up to greet them and asked one of them to introduce her.

The two were quite quick-witted; they immediately stood up and led Song Miao on a tour of the kitchen.

There were six large stoves, all the cooking utensils were ready, the firewood was burning, and the dough had risen. They were just waiting for news from outside before deciding what to do next.

"Dinner will be served in a little over half an hour. Will Madam Song have enough time?"

Song Miao smiled and shook her head, saying, "Let's see what dishes are available first."

When you get to the counter where the vegetables are placed, there are two tall rows of cabbage and bok choy, some common side dishes such as scallions, ginger and garlic, a large bucket of pork, including pork belly, pork shoulder, some front and hind leg meat, some spare ribs, half a mutton, and a block of tofu.

As for the seasonings, they were all common condiments, and there was also some leftover broth from the previous cook, the origin of which was unknown, so Song Miao dared not use it.

She looked around and felt that the variety of ingredients was sufficient, but time was tight, making it difficult to cook elaborate dishes and there wasn't enough time to make soup.

In that case, it's better to make a few quick and easy dishes, cook a big meal together, and most importantly, eat your fill, eat comfortably and cleanly. If you make it too fancy, firstly, you won't have enough time, and secondly, it might not be well received.

"Do you have any eggs?" she asked.

"Yes, it's in the jar."

One of the workers moved a ceramic jar next to them, and sure enough, it was full of eggs.

Song Miao breathed a sigh of relief and then asked, "Is there anything else?"

"At noon, Judge Qin had someone bring in a piece of beef, saying that the western camp outside the city had slaughtered a military ox to reward the soldiers, and some meat had been distributed to the kitchen to be cooked together."

As expected, he brought out the basin containing the beef.

It's a big one, a bit fat, and looks like it weighs three or four pounds.

She had just finished looking at the paper dishes when Master Zheng and the chef walked in.

"Miss Song, just do it yourself. If there's anything you need, discuss it with Chef Su. If you don't understand anything, feel free to ask him. Use whatever you need here, just don't go too far."

As he spoke, Zheng Guanren turned and walked away without stopping, as if afraid of being called back.

As soon as Master Zheng left, Chef Su didn't stand on ceremony and said directly, "Young lady, please make yourself at home. I only know how to make pastries, nothing else. You can use the rest of the ingredients as you like, but I need the mutton, pork ribs, pork shoulder, and front and hind leg meat. There won't be any left for you."

They picked out all the good meat and vegetables at once.

After selecting the items, he called to the two laborers, "Come over here and tend the fire."

Thank you so much to my cat, Egg, for the two little gifts! Mwah! =3=
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(End of this chapter)