Chapter 35: The Aroma of Steamed Buns

Chapter 35: The Aroma of Steamed Buns

Seeing Ji Geer successfully entered, his small figure engulfed by the towering archway of the Imperial Academy amidst the crowd, Shen Miao breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly shouldered her basket and looked around, ready to find a good spot to set up her stall.

Although Piyong Academy, a branch of the Imperial Academy, was located in the suburbs, the surroundings were not desolate.

The main road was wide, the packed yellow earth firm, and unless a fast horse galloped past, there was rarely any dust. Along both sides of the main road were planted crabapple and pear trees, now in full bloom, lush and verdant. Along the academy's walls, there were also several pavilions and shaded resting spots interspersed, with tall pine and cypress trees and rockeries, a gentle breeze blowing, creating a tranquil and refined ambiance.

But now, due to the Imperial Academy Entrance Exam, the front of Piyong Academy was filled with various carts and carriages drawn by oxen, horses, and donkeys, many servants holding the reins of animals waiting by the vehicles, some walking, some pushing carts like the Li family, and countless vendors like Shen Miao carrying their goods on shoulder poles. In short, the place was bustling with activity, the noise overwhelming.

The Garrison Soldiers, with their swords at their sides, patrolled among the crowd, the once peaceful scholarly atmosphere long gone.

Shen Miao looked around and finally found a good spot not far from the academy on the main road. It was under a tall crabapple tree, its branches thick and lush, providing shade from the sun. Facing the busy main road, diagonally behind was the crowded pavilion and shaded resting spot, where parents and relatives of the examinees were resting in droves.

She set her basket down, pulled out two small stools, and packed the individually wrapped buns into a woven basket. She then turned the basket upside down to serve as a table.

She and Xiang Jieer each sat on a stool under the tree, calling out intermittently.

"Freshly baked, auspiciously named buns! Buns with purple robes and golden belts! Delicious and auspicious! Soft and fragrant buns!"

She called out, and Xiang Jieer followed with her clear, youthful voice. The young voices, the older sister looking delicate and the younger one with her hair in two buns, as cute as a dumpling, attracted some onlookers.

Shen Miao took the opportunity to unwrap one, cut it into cubes with her kitchen knife, and called out again, "Try before you buy, no obligation, no loss in buying, miss this chance and it's gone!"

People quickly gathered around, seeing the attractive, golden and purple buns in the woven basket. Some tried them and were tempted, asking the price. Though a bit expensive, but...

A woman with her hair styled in a matronly bun, holding her son who was about to take the exam, glanced hesitantly at the young woman selling the buns.

"Eating this will surely make you sharp-minded and destined for high office!" The woman smiled, her eyes curving like the buns in her hands, her voice clear and pleasant, spouting auspicious words, "For good luck, wishing the young master success in the exam, eat well and do well, shall I wrap it for you?"

The words were too tempting, and the woman finally didn't hesitate, taking out money from her small cloth bag, and added, "Wrap two for me!"

Then she and her son stood in front of the stall and shared one. They took a bite and looked at each other in surprise—this bun was different! At first, it felt rough and simple, but after a few more chews, the wheat aroma filled their mouths, with a hint of sweetness, the hints of mulberry and roasted peanuts complementing each other, making them want to savor it more. Especially with the slightly browned wheat bran on the surface, it had a texture like the first ripe chestnuts of autumn.

The young mother immediately decided not to eat more, quickly stuffing the remaining auspicious bun into her son's exam basket, hurrying him to go in for the exam.

Of course, there were cautious ones who brought their own food, telling their children not to eat outside. But most who tried couldn't resist buying—after all, besides the good luck, the taste was the real reason to stay.

When Uncle Shen's donkey cart appeared in front of Shen Miao's stall, she was busy wrapping buns for customers. Looking up, she saw the high-and-mighty Aunt Ding and Uncle Shen, and Hai Geer, who had noticeably gained weight in just a few days.

Hai Geer, sleepy-eyed and puffy-faced, as if just dragged out of bed, his round body wrapped in a festive red satin robe with cranes soaring into the clouds, looked like an overproofed dough.

They lived in the outer city, much closer to Piyong Academy than Shen Miao, yet arrived late. They hurriedly got off the cart to rush in, not even greeting Shen Miao until they had sent Hai Geer into the academy gate, then turned back. Aunt Ding glanced down at the significantly reduced buns in Shen Miao's basket and reluctantly said, "Two."

Shen Miao looked up, not at Aunt Ding, but smiled at Uncle Shen, "Uncle, two for twenty-four copper coins."

Aunt Ding frowned, "We’re family, and you’re charging me?"

"Even brothers keep accounts clear, niece earning some hard-earned money isn't easy, Auntie not helping but taking advantage of the younger generation? Uncle, you judge! You know, my parents entrusted us three to you before they left, I know I can't always trouble you, but look at how our house burned down, these days to repair the house, I've used up all my dowry savings, now we're almost out of food, you see..."

"Stop, stop." Aunt Ding, seeing the surrounding people's eyes on them, quickly interrupted Shen Miao's sob story, took out twenty-four copper coins from her sleeve, and slapped them on the table in front of Shen Miao, "Take it!"

Shen Miao regretfully wrapped two buns and handed them over. Aunt Ding was too shrewd, the sob story hadn't even started before she saw through it. Otherwise, with Uncle Shen's face-saving nature, in front of so many people, she could have easily gotten a few strings of cash from his waist.

Aunt Ding took the two still warm buns, quickly pulled Uncle Shen away, and said with a forced smile, "Let's go rest over there and wait for Hai Geer, so we don't delay niece's business."

Shen Miao still smiled, waving, "Safe travels."

Not long after, Uncle Shen actually came back, looking at Shen Miao with a very surprised expression, wiping the bread crumbs from the corner of his mouth, "Da Jieer, did you really make all these buns yourself?"

Shen Miao replied matter-of-factly, "Naturally."

Uncle Shen widened his eyes again, "Where on earth did you pick up this skill? In Jinling? Don’t think I’m unaware, your father only wanted you to live a life of leisure, but he didn’t teach you any family skills!"

"That’s right, in Jinling," Shen Miao replied without a hint of guilt, smiling, "Why the shock, Uncle? Of course, my father didn’t teach me. Even he couldn’t whip up these pancakes and buns. You won’t find anyone else in Bianjing who can pull this off. Of course, I figured it all out on my own."

Recalling the taste of the pancakes, Uncle Shen had to concede that Shen Miao was spot on. But he was still in a bit of a daze, looking Shen Miao up and down, murmuring, "I never imagined you’d be the most talented in our Shen family."

In the old days, our grandfather started with just a basket of pancakes and slowly built up a considerable fortune. But Uncle Shen was too wrapped up in his scholarly pursuits to learn the family craft, so this family skill was passed down to his younger brother, Shen the Second.

Though Shen the Second was skilled at making pancakes, he stuck to the old ways and didn’t innovate, unlike their grandfather who excelled in everything from pancakes to soup buns and steamed buns.

The real tragedy was that Shen the Second died on the streets before he could pass on his craft.

With her slender frame and soft features, Shen Miao stood beneath the blooming crabapple tree. If not for the gleaming kitchen knife at her waist, she’d look like a vision of beauty.

Uncle Shen gazed at her, a touch of melancholy in his eyes. Out of all the family’s children and grandchildren, only Shen Da Jieer, a divorced woman, had such talent, becoming the most like their grandfather.

What a cruel twist of fate.

With a sigh, Uncle Shen bought six more pancakes for his niece, three for him and three for Ding. Both he and Ding had robust appetites, and the pancakes were indeed excellent. The mulberry flavor was unusual, starting off a bit bland with a hint of sourness, but then the rich flavors kicked in. The key was that the pancakes were baked to perfection, leaving Ding craving more but too shy to return for seconds.

She kept nagging him, "Remember, since we’re buying so much, you should ask Da Jieer to cut us a deal. Don’t let her charge us too much. Really, how can Shen Da Jieer not spare even her relatives?"

But when he stood in front of Shen Da Jieer, Uncle Shen couldn’t bring himself to say such things. So he honestly counted out seventy-two coins from the money tied around his waist to buy the pancakes. Shen Miao took the money and tied the pancakes with hemp rope before handing them over.

Uncle Shen, holding the pancakes, was about to leave when he turned back after a few steps, lifting his eyelids to look at Shen Miao with a complex expression. Remembering Shen Miao's words about their dire financial situation, he gritted his teeth and took a string of copper coins from his waist, handing them to Shen Miao, coughing lightly, "This is my private savings. Take it for your needs."

Shen Miao took Uncle Shen's money without hesitation, fearing he might regret it.

"Thank you, Uncle! No wonder they say you’re a scholar, much more reasonable than Auntie... tsk tsk, Auntie’s heart... still not as good as yours." She said happily, glancing sideways at Uncle Shen’s thick, bulging waist.

"Enough! Stop looking! Uncle has no more money!"

Only then did Shen Miao retract her gaze. She thought, it’s fine, if she could get a little each time, it would add up.

Uncle Shen couldn’t help but advise, "You too, since you’re in such a tight spot, stop supporting Ji Geer’s studies. Let him learn your pancake-making skills so he can earn a living in the future. Why go through all this trouble? Even if he gets into Piyong Academy, there’s a huge sum of money to pay. How can you, a woman, afford it by making pancakes every day?"

Shen Miao cooperatively lowered her head, wiping tears with her sleeve, looking very sorrowful, "Uncle is right. It’s tough now, but I’m his elder sister. I already feel guilty for leaving them for three years, how can I do this to him? Even if I have to sell everything, I should support his studies. So, Uncle, please visit us often. We’re family, remember to bring some money for your poor niece and nephew."

"Do you know how much it costs to raise a scholar? At least ten strings of coins a year! Don’t say you can’t afford it! Uncle can’t afford it either! Don’t count on Uncle, Uncle has a big family to feed. Besides, the money is all in your Auntie’s hands. What is she? She’s a money-hoarding píxiū! Once the coins are in her pocket, there’s no way they’re coming out! It’s not easy for Uncle to give you this string of coins today! Ah, if you don’t listen to Uncle, your life will never get better." Uncle Shen shook his head, rolled up his robe, and finally left with the pancakes.

Shen Miao raised her head, no trace of tears on her face. She stuck out her tongue at Uncle Shen’s fat back, happily jingling the string of coins before stuffing it into her bosom and continuing to hawk her pancakes.

By noon, the European bread she brought was almost sold out, with only a few left.

She finally sat down contentedly to rest, whispering to Xiang Jieer, "After Ji Geer finishes his exam, we’ll go to Wang the Butcher’s stall to buy a pair of big pig trotters. Tomorrow, I’ll make you fruitwood roasted pig trotters! They’re so delicious!"

Xiang Jieer, sitting on a small stool, was still eating her giant European bread. She had watched Shen Miao’s smooth performance and remembered it well. She blinked, took another bite of the bread, then smiled happily, her eyes resembling Shen Miao’s, "Okay! I’ll listen to you, elder sister!"

After saying that, she continued to eat attentively. After a few bites of the bread, she picked up the bamboo water cup with a lid hanging diagonally on her body to drink tea—this bamboo cup was also bought at the market. The stall owner made it from old dragon bamboo, very sturdy. The bamboo tube was large and deep, sawed off and smoothed inside to be usable. The lid was separately attached, not completely sealed, but it didn’t leak while walking. Originally, the cup didn’t have a rope, but Shen Miao went to Old Man Yang’s house and asked him to drill two holes for free, one on each side. She twisted a rope and threaded it through, so it could be carried around.

Early in the morning, Shen Miao used this cup to fill a pot of sweet and sour plum soup for Xiang Jieer—the ingredients for the plum soup were prepared the night before. When she got up, she casually brewed it. Making plum soup at home is easy: take 15 grams each of black plum, dried hawthorn, dried tangerine peel, and licorice, wash them, soak in water for half an hour, then pour the water and ingredients into a clay pot and boil over high heat. Then turn to low heat and simmer, watching the water color deepen, add rock sugar to balance the sourness of the black plum, and simmer for a while longer, and it’s done.

Shen Miao brewed this soup mainly for Ji Geer.

Before the exam, the child was too nervous. Last night during dinner, he was still subconsciously reciting his lessons and burned his mouth several times with the soup.

In the morning, she made him drink a bowl first, and after drinking it, he indeed calmed down a lot—the plum soup is not only delicious, but it also has the effect of refreshing the mind and relieving thirst, taking away some of the anxiety Ji Geer felt facing the big exam with its cool and smooth texture.

As the resonant and lingering bell sounds echoed from the Piyong Academy, it seemed that another exam had concluded. There were five questions, and after each one, the bell would ring. The Garrison Troops outside rhythmically struck the ground with their long sticks, shouting repeatedly, "Silence! Silence!"

Since the students inside were their own children, the parents and family members waiting outside gradually quieted down, with some even speaking in hushed tones, afraid of disturbing the children within the high walls.

At this time, fewer people came to buy bread. Shen Miao observed Xiang Jieer leisurely enjoying her meal, and she also sat contentedly under the tree, eating a European-style roll for lunch. Afterward, she wrapped her arms around her knees and quietly admired the blooming crabapple and pear trees, their fragrance carried by the gentle breeze.

What a beautiful day it was. Ji Geer would surely succeed.

In the examination hall, Shen Ji set down his brush, smoothed out the paper filled with writing, and gently laid it aside to dry.

Although there were thin rattan partitions, each examination room was not soundproof. Shen Ji could even hear the rustling sound of others' brushes on paper as they answered questions. Therefore, when the sun reached its zenith, requests for hot water started to come in one after another.

It was said that in the past, the Piyong Academy only provided cold water during exams, which led to many students getting diarrhea from drinking it, and some even fell seriously ill, not only hindering their exams but also jeopardizing their health. This sparked widespread public outrage, and later the academy switched to providing hot water, but the examination fees also increased significantly.

Shen Ji had been focused on answering the exam questions all morning and now felt famished. He pulled out his large earthen bowl and took the chance to ask for a pot of hot water. Many things were prohibited in the examination hall, and food was also restricted. Items like stir-fried dishes and porridge were prohibited, for fear that someone might smuggle cheat sheets inside.

Thus, most people only brought dry flatbread, which had to be thoroughly broken apart by the Garrison Troops before entering.

But Sister's ingenuity knew no bounds. The fried flatbread was thin and flat, and even if it were broken, it could still be eaten in pieces. It cooked quickly when steamed and scalded, and it was fragrant, much better than eating dry flatbread.

When Shen Ji requested hot water, Hai Geer, seated diagonally across from him, glanced his way.

It was truly a karmic twist from past lives. Hai Geer's exam number was close to Shen Ji's, and their examination rooms were even diagonally opposite each other. When they sat down, they were momentarily stunned to see each other, but Shen Ji never looked up again after receiving the exam questions, leaving Hai Geer, who was particularly concerned about him, with a tense heart.

Back in Master Liu's private school, Hai Geer, though lazy and fond of gossip, had some cleverness in his studies, so he didn't perform too poorly. Several times during Master Liu's monthly exams, he even scored higher than Shen Ji, who had neglected his studies by sneaking out to copy books.

He had always secretly measured himself against Ji Geer, nursing a sense of superiority.

Today, Hai Geer had requested hot water early. Ding had prepared the renowned Liu family mutton flatbread from Bianjing for him, bringing five in one go. But before entering, the Garrison Troops had searched and broken them into a pile of mutton and crumbled flatbread, leaving it looking rather unappetizing, though the flavor stayed the same.

In fact, because it was broken, the fragrant mutton oil had soaked into the flatbread, making it even more delicious.

He would jot down a few lines and then take a bite, filling the area with the smell of mutton. Over time, the mutton cooled and became gamey, and some people, unable to bear the smell, stuffed their noses with waste paper and started eating the lunch their families had prepared early.

Only Shen Ji seemed unaffected by the smell, focusing intently and not speaking up for water until noon.

By this time, Hai Geer had already eaten his fill and had hoped to see Shen Ji's pitiful state of eating dry flatbread. Instead, he watched Shen Ji bend down and retrieve a large earthen bowl from the book basket on the floor, lifting the lid.

From a distance, Hai Geer couldn't make out what was inside, but his curiosity was piqued. He held his brush, not writing a single word, his eyes fixed unwaveringly.

If it weren't for the exam, he would have even stood up to take a closer look.

At this moment, the pot of hot water Shen Ji had requested was brought by the Garrison Troops. He took it and poured it into the bowl.

The boiling water cascaded in, instantly melting the braised meat sauce at the bottom. The rising steam unleashed the robust aroma of scallions and cilantro, and the fried flatbread absorbed the water, softening and blending into the savory sauce.

Hai Geer, entranced by the meaty aroma, closed his eyes. But the smell suddenly stopped, and he opened his eyes to see that Shen Ji had covered the bowl again.

He felt a bit disappointed, but after a short while, Shen Ji opened the lid again. This time, after steaming, the aroma was even more intense.

Hai Geer was astounded, watching as Shen Ji, in mere moments, conjured up a bowl of hot, fragrant soup flatbread, and then, as if nothing had happened, picked up his chopsticks and started eating with gusto.

In an instant, the cold, gamey smell of mutton in the examination hall was replaced by a rich, spicy, and savory aroma. The smell was indescribable—fragrant, fresh, and overwhelmingly delicious. Hai Geer sniffed and sniffed, feeling that the flavor was deep and perfectly balanced, with a hint of spiciness, and the warm aroma of noodles, meat, eggs, and vegetables... all blending seamlessly and irresistibly invading his nostrils, stirring his heart.

So fragrant, so fragrant, how could it be so fragrant! Hai Geer's neck involuntarily stretched out.

This caused many people to stop writing, their noses twitching as they tried to catch the source of the enticing aroma. If it weren't for the exam rules prohibiting movement, some would have already followed the scent.

While others didn't know where the aroma came from, Hai Geer, sitting diagonally across, was almost moved to tears by the tantalizing smell.

He looked down at the oil-paper package holding the crumbled, cooled lamb pie, now greasy and congealed, and instantly it lost its appeal.

***

Meanwhile, inside Biyong Academy, in the study hall marked with a red "A," Ning Yi was deep in a satisfying nap during the old Doctor's self-absorbed, endless lecture. He slept soundly until noon, only to be abruptly awakened by a nudge from his classmate Shang An, who interrupted his dream filled with delicious food.

"Ning Da, class is over, let's go."

Groggily, he looked up to see the lecturing Doctor had left, and most students were packing up. Only Shang An and Xie Qi remained, seemingly having just solved a policy discussion question. Shang An, while waking him up, also stood and stretched.

At Biyong Academy, only those who passed the Child Exam were admitted. After that, students were assessed every ten days, gradually divided into "Five Houses," ranked from A to E based on their performance. The top A House students were highly respected, as most future scholars, provincial graduates, and imperial scholars came from this group.

Students in the A House were taught Confucian classics by Doctors and assistant professors from the Imperial College and the Institute of Literary Strategy. Though Ning Yi often skipped classes and dozed off, treating his studies less seriously than Nanxun Gate's meat pies, he still barely stayed in the A House with Xie Qi and Shang An. Now, as students under the same Doctor and living in the same dormitory, the three had formed a close bond.

With lessons over, students started leaving the lecture hall in small groups. The dining hall kitchen had already prepared dinner. After packing his book box, Shang An saw Ning Yi still half-asleep and sluggish, while Xie Qi remained engrossed in the policy discussion, scroll in hand.

"Xie Jiu, let's go," Shang An said, stretching and slinging his book box over his shoulder. "The dining hall food is already like pig slop, and it'll be worse cold. After lunch, besides Ning Yi wanting to check out the new badger meat shop under the North Gate, didn’t we plan to hike with Meng San and watch the sunset? If we don’t go now, we’ll be too late."

Just thinking about the bland dining hall food made Shang An’s stomach ache. But if he didn’t force himself to eat a few bites, he’d be too hungry to sleep at night.

"Coming," Xie Qi finally put away his book.

Shang An felt a pang of pity seeing Xie Qi’s hard work. Xie Qi passed the Child Exam at eight or nine, earning the scholar exam qualification. He was the top student in Biyong Academy’s Child House and a prodigy who caused a sensation in Bianjing. He consistently ranked at the top of his class but, despite his talent, hadn’t passed the academy exam to earn the scholar title.

Shang An remembered how Xie Qi always faced mishaps during exams. He recalled one time when Xie Qi’s examination room collapsed… Sigh. Shang An shook his head, unsure how to feel more sorry for him.

Meanwhile, Ning Yi, struggling to keep his eyes open, perked up at the mention of food and whispered, "Xie Jiu, do you have any egg yolk pastries?"

Ning Yi was shocked to find the egg yolk pastries he’d found at Lanxin Bookstore, which he’d traveled to Yangliu East Alley for, had been bought by the Xie family! After being declined by the pastry seller, he returned to the academy feeling dejected. But when he opened his dormitory door, he was greeted by the aroma of egg yolk pastries.

Inside, Xie Qi and Shang An sat around a table with a large lacquered mother-of-pearl box. Inside the box were neatly arranged round, golden egg yolk pastries!

"Ning Da, you’re back. Xie Jiu’s family sent over some delicious pastries. Aren’t you the one who claims to travel the world and taste all its delicacies? These pastries are exceptionally unique—I bet even you, the food connoisseur of Bianjing, haven’t tried them! Come and have a taste!"

At that moment, Ning Yi was so stunned by the sight of the entire box of egg yolk pastries that even Shang An’s voice seemed distant, as if it had drifted away from his soul. He ended up devouring five of them in one go, finally easing the rollercoaster of emotions he had experienced from longing and disappointment to unexpected joy.

"The rest were given to the Doctors, there’s none left," Xie Qi smiled and shook his head. "But don’t worry, I’ll have Qiuhao bring some from home. The family chef has already mastered the recipe, having learned it directly from Madam Shen. He makes them just as well."

Ning Yi nodded eagerly, "Deal, it’s a deal!"

The three chatted and laughed, each accompanied by their bookboys. After a quick lunch, they accepted an invitation from classmates in other dormitories to pack up and prepare for a hike in the nearby mountains.

Only Ning Yi didn’t join them, eagerly heading out the back door alone to pursue his culinary adventure.

The Song people were always artistic. In this era of flourishing commerce and culture, young scholars loved to spend their days amidst nature. Xie Qi and his classmates were no exception. They planned to wander through the bamboo forests in the mountains, admiring the distant green peaks, the stones beneath the flowers, and the pavilions by the water. They would tap on bamboo stalks, singing and composing poetry as they walked.

However, as they stepped out of the academy gates, Xie Qi noticed the bustling crowd at the entrance and along the post road. It suddenly dawned on him—today was the academy’s annual Child Exam day. He instinctively thought of the Shen family boy who was coming to take the exam.

And then.

His gaze drifted further.

The branches were heavy with blossoms, like crimson clouds under the midday sun, their shadows swaying.

Beneath the tree stood a beauty.