Chapter 45: Braised Pig Head

Chapter 45: Braised Pig Head

The specially made clay pot, unused for a long time, was finally used today.

Shen Miao began making the marinade last night and put the meat in to braise before going to bed. She hadn’t checked on it yet this morning and wasn’t sure how it turned out.

At dawn, Shen Miao got up early to open the shop and welcome customers.

A few regulars were already waiting at the door. When she moved the door panels aside, they greeted her cheerfully and went inside to pick a table and sit down. The instant noodles craze had finally passed. Although they were still the hottest-selling item in the shop, the initial frenzy had died down. Shen Miao wasn’t disappointed, as she could now return to running her business at a more leisurely pace, just like before.

After removing the door panels one by one and leaning them against the corner of the wall, Shen Miao looked out and saw that the entire street was already bustling with activity, lively and noisy.

She pushed the small cart to the door and stacked up the small steamers. The cart was already equipped with a red clay stove, and the charcoal inside was burning hot. Soon, the aroma of xiaolongbao wafted out, with steam seeping through the lid and drifting into the street with the breeze.

Without the need to fry instant noodles with oil and a flame, Shen Miao started selling her signature breakfast item, xiaolongbao, again. Xiang Jieer also returned to her "morning shift" after many days. She loved "working," and as the weather got hotter, she no longer needed to be called. She would get up, dress, wash, and brush her teeth with a small toothbrush and tooth powder. Shen Miao had specially gotten her a child’s toothbrush, bought from a camel merchant. It was made of softer horsehair bristles and, although much more expensive than regular toothbrushes, was much more comfortable for Xiang Jieer to use, as it didn’t irritate her gums like the coarser brushes did.

After getting ready, Xiang Jieer climbed eagerly onto a high stool with a giant egg pancake that Shen Miao had specially made for her and started calling out to customers.

After eating his egg pancake, Shen Ji came over to help his sister with the accounts and wrapping the oil paper packages. Now that there was someone to handle the chores of fetching water and chopping firewood, he was more at ease and didn’t have to rush around doing miscellaneous tasks. Especially since Piyong Academy had released the results, he had taken a day off last night, not reading a single page and going to bed early. He woke up feeling refreshed and energized. Even Xiang Jieer said, "Brother’s smile is ear to ear."

Shen Ji dismissed her comment as nonsense, but the joy in his heart was like waves washing over him.

There was no helping it. Yesterday, he had suddenly received the good news, and his emotions were a mix of excitement and complexity. He had to restrain himself from showing too much pride in front of others. Now, after a day had passed, all the distractions had faded away, leaving only pure happiness.

Shen Miao returned to the shop and noticed that among the early morning noodle eaters were Old Bai and Dr. Yao. She smiled and asked, "The usual?"

Old Bai nodded, "Two more bowls of zhajiangmian."

Dr. Yao, however, thought for a moment and changed his order, "Today, I’ll have the lamb noodles."

He had tried all the noodle dishes on the menu and liked the steamed noodles the most. After eating them several days in a row, he decided to try something new today since he had just received his salary. Shen Miao’s noodles were all excellent, so the lamb noodles were sure to be delicious. However, the variety at her shop was limited, and even if he ordered everything on the menu, he would have tried it all in a few days.

"As usual, I’ll have another portion to take away later," Dr. Yao said, handing over his bowl. Nowadays, whenever he went out to eat noodles, he made it a habit to bring an extra bowl so he could take a portion home for Ruyi.

Shen Miao smiled and took the bowl. Some of the other customers ordered lamb soup with xiaolongbao, while others wanted ge da tang. Shen Miao asked Ji Geer to bring in two steamers of buns while she hurried to the kitchen, "Alright, coming right up. Please have a seat, everyone."

The lamb soup and ge da tang were already prepared. Shen Miao served them first and then started making the zhajiangmian and lamb noodles.

Since the soup base and fried sauce were also ready, these two dishes were quickly prepared and served.

Later, more people came in for soup. Madam Ning, the matchmaker, would come every few days without fail to have lamb soup. She praised Shen Miao’s lamb soup endlessly, always coming up with new compliments. Her eloquence as a matchmaker was truly impressive, and Shen Miao almost felt like she was floating on air. Especially when Niu Dachui’s Hengshan lamb shop occasionally ran out of stock, and Shen Miao had to use Yanchi lamb instead, Madam Ning could immediately tell the difference, proving herself to be a true connoisseur of lamb.

The kitchen was filled with steam, creating a misty scene.

After the busy breakfast period, Aunt Nian arrived on time with Youyu for work. The two of them had set out from home before dawn, walking from the outer city to the inner city, a commute that took nearly an hour and a half. Shen Miao had wanted to give Youyu a few extra coins each day so Aunt Nian could take the earliest bus with her, saving them from such a tiring journey. However, Aunt Nian shook her head and said, "I deliberately make her walk."

Aunt Nian sighed, "The bus stops along the way to pick up passengers, going around in circles. If we accidentally miss it, she might not remember the way and could easily get lost. If she were to encounter kidnappers, it would be a disaster. Madam Shen, I know you mean well, but... this is our fate." She lowered her head and wiped her tears with a handkerchief, "I’m an old woman who gave birth late in life. I don’t know how many more times I can take her on this journey. While I’m still here, I want to walk her through it over and over again. One day, she’ll remember this route, and even if I fall ill or pass away, she’ll be able to walk it alone without getting lost."

Shen Miao felt a pang of sadness and quickly said, "Don’t say such things. Youyu can’t lose her mother. You must take good care of yourself."

Aunt Nian wiped her tears and smiled honestly, "Yes, I’m just preparing for the worst. I still want to save up for a small room for Youyu, even if it’s just a tiny one in a tenement in the southern part of the city. As long as she can live on her own and take care of herself without relying on her brother and sister-in-law, I’ll be at peace. If I can see that day, I’d be willing to close my eyes right then and there."

"Don’t say such unlucky things. Spit it out quickly."

Aunt Nian smiled and let Youyu into the shop, then bid farewell to go to work. As she was leaving, Shen Miao quickly packed two bags of egg pancakes for her and handed her a jar of red date soup, "We made too much today. It would be a waste to leave it here. Take it and eat it."

Aunt Nian was taken aback and tried to refuse twice, but Shen Miao’s insistence was too strong, and she ended up with an armful of food. She could only thank Shen Miao repeatedly.

Shen Miao sighed as she watched Aunt Nian tuck the egg pancakes into her arms and hurry away without eating them.

Once, Nian Auntie didn’t come to pick up Youyu that night, so Shen Miao let Youyu squeeze in with Xiang Jieer for the night. Later, from Youyu’s stuttering and vague description, she learned that Nian Auntie had also found a job, sewing and washing costumes for performers or women in the entertainment quarters behind Pearl Curtain Alley.

That day, she didn’t come because she had fainted from hunger, lying in the back alley of the entertainment quarter where all sorts of people passed by, but no one paid her any attention. A thief even stole the money she had earned that day. She lay on the ground all night, and the next day, the madam saw her and thought she was a corpse, cursing the bad luck. She called two Garrison Troops to throw her onto a cart, intending to dump her in the mass graves outside the city walls.

However, when they threw her onto the cart, her head hit the wooden board hard, which woke her up.

After waking up, she didn’t go to treat her injuries but stumbled to Shen’s shop instead. Seeing Youyu with a rosy complexion, pouring water into the vat, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Shen Miao took this opportunity to ask her in detail, and Nian Auntie, somewhat embarrassed, said that she earned about seventy or eighty coins a day by mending and washing clothes for others. For these seventy or eighty coins, she couldn’t even afford to eat lunch, eating half a dry cake at home in the morning that was so dry it could choke a person, and then having a bowl of coarse rice porridge at night. The rest of the time, when she was hungry, she only drank cold water to fill her stomach, getting by day by day like this. Half of the money she earned each day went to support her family, and the other half was secretly saved for Youyu, as a “house fund” for her.

“Madam Shen, please don’t tell anyone about this. My husband, son, and daughter-in-law don’t know about this,” Nian Auntie said nervously, “They don’t know I’m saving money for Youyu. I lied to them, saying that the expenses in the inner city are too high, and I can only earn thirty or forty coins a day.”

After hearing this, Shen Miao assured her that she would never tell anyone else, but she didn’t say anything more.

From then on, when she made breakfast for her family, she not only made a portion for Youyu but also made an extra portion for Nian Auntie, enough for two meals. This way, Nian Auntie could eat half in the morning and have the rest at noon. Things like egg pancakes, though not as tasty when cold, wouldn’t become hard and were nutritious and oily enough to fill one up. The jujube soup was sweet, which could help raise blood sugar, replenish energy, and prevent fainting from weakness again.

Youyu, carrying a patched cloth bag, came in with a silly smile. As soon as she entered, she clumsily rolled up her sleeves, ready to start working. She was already familiar with the layout of Shen’s house and had developed her own routine: first, wash the dishes, because customers could suddenly appear at any moment, and the dishes were the most urgent; after washing the dishes, she would chop firewood and stack it piece by piece; then, she would carry a shoulder pole to fetch water from the water room, making four or five trips back and forth, which would take up most of the morning. At noon, when there were fewer people, she could cuddle with Thunder and take a nap on the back porch.

In the afternoon, she would accompany Xiang Jieer to mess around with the neighbors, playing as the “mountain king” in the alleyway until her back was soaked with sweat. In the afternoon, she would fetch water twice more, and then wait for the night market to open, when things would get really busy. At that time, she would stand steadfastly by the stove like a rock, tirelessly tending the fire for Shen Miao, or washing dishes in between.

Tending the fire, washing dishes, tending the fire, washing dishes.

When it got dark and the shop was empty, her mother would come to fetch her.

And throughout the day, Youyu’s happiest time was during meals. Every meal was so fragrant and filling. Now, besides her mother, her favorite people were Madam Shen, Xiang Jieer, and Thunder. Ji Geer didn’t talk much and sometimes even tugged at Xiang Jieer’s ears, which was scary. And that yellow puppy always liked to trail after the chickens and lick their droppings, which was smelly.

Shen Miao didn’t know that in Youyu’s simple mind, she had already taken in every detail of the Shen household. Seeing Youyu arrive, she casually grabbed a clean cloth from the kitchen and wiped off the fine layer of yellow dust on Youyu’s face from the long walk.

Then, she called her to eat the egg pancake: “Eat first, then wash the dishes. There’s no rush.”

She pushed her to sit on the porch to eat without further ado. The cool morning breeze of early summer blew through her, refreshing her heart, and Youyu’s feet dangled as she ate. Suddenly, she caught a whiff of an irresistible braised aroma wafting from the kitchen, filling her nostrils with a rich, lingering scent. In fact, she had already smelled it earlier, but between wiping her face and being pushed out the door, her mind hadn’t had time to process it before she was already sitting on the porch.

Curious, she stood up and ran to take a look.

In the corner, there was a large clay pot brimming with braised pig’s head, large chunks of pork belly, and pig’s trotters... all slowly braised by Shen Miao overnight with a very low flame. The shiny brown braising liquid enveloped these ingredients and various spices, and even without lifting the lid, the aroma had already wafted from the kitchen to the front of the shop.

At this time, the morning market had just ended, and it was an awkward time between early and late morning. The shop should have been quiet, but the aroma of the braised ingredients wafted out to the street, making many passersby halt in their tracks and follow the scent to ask:

“Madam, this braised meat smells amazing! What do you have? How much is it? It’s so fragrant, I can’t resist. Cut me a slice to try while it’s still hot!”

Shen Miao had just set up a table by the wall near the counter and placed the clay pot on it when someone came to buy.

The term “braised meat” refers to meat cooked for a long time, which is what the braising shop was offering at this time. Braised meat was not uncommon in the Song Dynasty, and many shops in Bianjing with signs advertising “braised meat” were doing brisk business. When Shen Miao bought the pig’s head, she also inquired about the market and tasted some made by others, getting a rough idea before starting to sell her own.

This thousand-year-old traditional method involved braising shelled eggs with large chunks of lamb, venison, pork, chicken, duck, and even badger meat, resulting in a flavor somewhat similar to spicy and numbing. They would crush Sichuan peppercorns, prickly ash, ginger, and dogwood and mix them into the braising liquid, giving the aroma a heavy, spicy kick that was almost choking.

Some shops even added mustard, which made people cry and left them unable to handle it. This was the “extra spicy” of the Song Dynasty, loved by those who could handle it but avoided by those who couldn’t, who would cover their noses and flee when passing by a braised meat shop.

Shen Miao’s braised meat method was quite different from the norm. Her braised dishes were learned from a Chaozhou braised goose master in her previous life, to whom she had formally kowtowed as a disciple. Chaozhou braised dishes were known for their rich and fragrant flavors, with a braising base made from over a dozen spices like cinnamon, bay leaves, star anise, and fennel, the exact proportions of which were a closely guarded secret.

To start, she had to caramelize sugar, then fry and stir-fry the spices, paying close attention to the heat to avoid bitterness.

She then added water, scallions, ginger, garlic, and the secret spice mix to the braising liquid. Once the liquid boiled, she added the meats in order of their cooking times, blanching them first. The resulting braised dishes were fragrant, rich, savory, and slightly sweet, with almost no detectable spiciness.

In this era, chicken was more expensive than pork, so she first tried the lowest-cost option, pork, and today was the first batch.

Her choice of pork to test the braising liquid was deliberate, as the older the braising liquid, the better. When making Chaozhou braised goose, a few pieces of pork belly were added first to enrich the flavor.

If this unique, non-spicy flavor was well-received by customers, her shop could not only sell affordable braised pig’s head but also Chaozhou-style braised goose in the future.

After marinating a whole pig's head, hang it up in the kitchen to dry. When you want to eat it, cut it into thick slices, drizzle a spoonful of the marinade over it, and serve it with garlic sauce or plum sauce for dipping. The skin is chewy yet tender, the meat tender and rich, with the aroma of the marinade permeating through the texture. Savoring a plate of this slowly feels like living a heavenly life.

Surprisingly, today's marinated pig head meat was quite popular. As soon as it was displayed, curious customers came in to purchase it.

Shen Miao set the price for marinated pig head meat at thirty-five wen per jin, marinated eggs at three wen each, and marinated pig trotters at a higher price of forty-five wen per jin. These prices are slightly higher than those for marinated meat elsewhere, but not outrageously so. Customers, drawn in by the aroma, bought a jin here and half a jin there, and in no time, the marinated meat in the pot was almost sold out, leaving only a few small pieces of pork belly with skin, which had been marinated until the fat was as soft as tofu. Shen Miao simply scooped them out, deciding to slice them for lunch to add some meat to their noodles.

After that, it indeed became idle. Shen Miao counted half a string of coins and sent Ji Geer to lead Youyu to Butcher Zheng's place to buy more pork and bring it back. She was eager, ready to marinate another batch to cope with the evening dining rush. Unexpectedly, more customers arrived at the shop.

Business is booming today. Shen Miao washed her hands and came out, smiling as she asked, "What can I get for you two ladies today?"

The two women who entered were about forty years old, both dressed in plain, fine cloth jackets, their hair tied simply in a bun, adorned only with a silver hairpin, and no other adornments. But Shen Miao, seeing their delicate and fair complexions and demeanor, felt that they must be from wealthy families, though they had deliberately dressed inconspicuously for their outing.

"Let's have a bowl of plain soup noodles," one of them glanced at the menu on the wall and smiled slightly.

The other, taller and with a straight back, had already turned to admire the two pieces of calligraphy and painting on the wall. She observed quietly for a while, noticed the instant noodle tutorial on the other side, and walked over to look at it for a long time. Finally, she chuckled for some reason.

Shen Miao nodded and returned to the kitchen to prepare the noodles, not hearing the tall woman's laughter.

Nor did she hear the tall woman beckoning the other to come forward: "Ah Xi, come and look..."

Xi Ma had also surveyed the shop. Such a clean and tidy small shop in the market was quite rare. She walked on the immaculately clean floor tiles and hurried forward to support the tall lady's hand: "Madam?"

Xi couldn't resist whispering to her maid, who had been with her for over twenty years: "If Mr. Fan Li knew that his most promising disciple had applied his talent for calligraphy and painting to this, he would probably rise from his grave in anger."

Xi Ma smiled: "You can't blame Ninth Geer. Although he is good at painting, he doesn't like to paint much. If it weren't for Mr. Fan's accidental discovery of his talent, which was better than others who had practiced for years, and his insistence on taking him as a disciple, Ninth Geer wouldn't have wanted to learn. I still remember, Ninth Geer was still young then, often cooing to you, two out of three sentences were 'Mother, I don't want to go to the Fan family to learn painting, painting is really boring.'"

Xi also recalled, pointing to the last image in the "Instant Noodle Brewing Illustration," which depicted a playful woman holding a bowl of noodles, her smile lifting, her eyes curved, revealing two small canine teeth, painted vividly.

She sighed slightly: "It seems our disguise was entirely unnecessary."

Xi Ma, with clarity in her heart, gently gazed at Ninth Geer's painting and also smiled: "Since Mr. Fan passed away, Ninth Geer hasn't picked up a paintbrush for who knows how long, and those two pieces of calligraphy, not to mention revealing, are also the direction of his heart, the inclination of his will... However, this is the mind of a young man, passionate and pure, never hiding his likes and dislikes, like a rapid and complex melody, expressed in words and actions, it's only natural for Ninth Geer at this age."

Xi glanced at her: "You're always on his side!"

"Madam doesn't appear to be angry either," Xi Ma turned her head, covering her mouth with a smile, "It's Madam who is on Ninth Geer's side, what does it have to do with me? Otherwise, why would Madam specifically ask me to find some old clothes, wanting to quietly, inconspicuously take a look?"

"Not a match in social status, and a woman who has been married before, I should be angry at his bold thoughts. But... Third Geer is gone, my heart has changed." Xi looked far into the sky, today the sun that had been hiding for several days came out, scattering through the treetops, casting golden light on the ground, flickering before her eyes, she murmured, "What's the use of this social status? Aristocratic marriages, holding onto their nobility, would rather die than lower themselves, but if the heavens force you to bow, even if you break your neck, you have to bow."

The decline and even the fall of the aristocracy is inevitable, who knows what will happen to the Xie family in the future... Why is she still clinging to this? Moreover, even the Xi family, because of their military background, was once despised as a "humble family" before Xi's father was promoted to military governor.

This Shen lady's words pulled Third Geer out of the quagmire of alcohol, and also spoke to Xi's heart.

A person only has this one life.

Even if one strives for fame and power, it still depends on whether the emperor is willing to grant you such immense wealth. Even the centuries-old aristocracy has become fish on the chopping block, what's the point of social status? Just follow your heart. Now it seems, the great righteousness of the world, high official positions and generous salaries, bringing honor to the family, are all nonsense! These so-called "Five Surnames and Seven Clans" who still consider themselves noble are just fat sheep left by the previous emperor for the current emperor.

Unhappy today, slaughter one; happy tomorrow, slaughter another.

Moreover, marrying a woman from the common folk might have its benefits. Seeing the Xie family in such decline, the emperor might not be so ruthless.

The curtain rustled, and Shen Miao came out holding a square wooden tray with a steaming bowl on it. Xi also snapped out of her thoughts, pretending to be casual, and took a careful look at her.

This Shen lady has an oval face, a pair of warm peach blossom eyes, and skin that seems naturally whiter than others, flushed pink from the heat of the stove, her lips red without any makeup.

She came out with a smile on her face, indeed as depicted in Ninth Geer's painting, with two lively and adorable small canine teeth.

Because she works every day, she dresses very simply, in a green short jacket, with matching pants and skirt underneath, and a floral apron tied around her waist, yet it still couldn't hide her elegant and slender figure.

"Enjoy your meal. Since it's your first time here, I took the liberty to add a few slices of marinated meat for free, you can try it." The bowl was gently placed in front of her.

The wide-brimmed bamboo hat-shaped coarse pottery bowl, fired with wood, held a clear broth with thin, coiled noodles. Thin slices of braised meat were neatly laid on top, accompanied by bright green water spinach. The aroma of the noodles rose with the steam, filling the air.

The fragrance was captivating even before the first bite.

The scent was subtle yet lingering, not overpowering but deeply satisfying. The noodles were tender yet firm, and the broth was light and refreshing, smoothly soothing the throat.

This simple vegetarian noodle dish was surprisingly well-crafted.

Even Xi, used to lavish meals, was impressed by this humble bowl of noodles, quietly enjoying every bite. After finishing, she felt both satisfied and comforted. The braised meat was a delightful surprise—rich and glossy but not greasy. The marbled fat, amber from braising, melted in her mouth.

Xi's eyes sparkled!

This braised meat was unlike anything she'd ever tasted. It was perfectly balanced—not too salty, with a hint of sweetness. It was indeed a rare delicacy.

She knew Shen Miao was skilled in pastries, pancakes, and buns, but her noodles and braised meat were even better.

It was truly extraordinary.

Xi had to admit Shen Miao was exceptionally skilled, excelling at steaming, boiling, roasting, braising, and stir-frying, always innovating.

The shop itself was uniquely designed. The half-window counter, neatly laid floor tiles, the long table beneath the window, the green pine by the door, and the menu and illustrations on the walls...

Chef Fang seemed fit only to assist her.

When Shen Miao came to clear the table, Xi remembered Madame Feng's request to borrow a chef and felt inspired. She called out, "Madame Shen, wait. I have two things to discuss."

Xi glanced at the sky, noticing it was almost noon, with few customers around. She then added, "I hope I'm not interrupting. If it's inconvenient, we can arrange another time."

Shen Miao looked at the tall woman in confusion, "And you are?"

At this moment, the shorter woman standing beside her spoke up with a warm smile, "Madame Shen, our lady admires your skills, though this is the first time we've met. Do you remember the 450 honey bean puff pastries you once made?"

"Madame Xie! I didn't recognize you—my apologies!"

Shen Miao immediately felt a deep respect: this was a true patron of wealth!

"What brings you here today, Madame Xie?" Shen Miao tried to contain her excitement, though her eyes nearly sparkled with anticipation. Every time this lady visited, she earned a substantial sum, more effective than any prayer to the gods of wealth. She wondered what the occasion was this time.

Xi found Shen Miao's barely concealed excitement amusing and cleared her throat before getting to the point. "Yesterday, I sent Ninth Geer to discuss the workshop matter with you, but that child has no head for business. He completely forgot what you told him and only remembered the term 'firewall,' unable to explain anything clearly. That's why I'm here today. However, this matter will take some time, so we'll discuss it in detail later. There's also another matter..."

She paused, pointing to the empty bowl in front of her, and smiled, "Originally, I came only for the noodle workshop, but after tasting your cooking, I have another request."

"Please, go ahead," Shen Miao replied without hesitation.

"Dr. Feng from Piyong Academy has long been a close friend of our family. His mother, Madame Feng, will be celebrating her 70th birthday in a few days. Due to her poor health, they don't wish to make a grand celebration and are planning a small gathering with only close friends and family. However, their chef has fallen seriously ill and is still bedridden. They came to the Xie family the other day, hoping to borrow Chef Fang temporarily."

Xi explained the situation carefully, "Madame Shen, you've worked with Chef Fang before, so you know he's quite traditional and only familiar with the Xie family's usual dishes. We're worried that if he goes to the Feng family and is asked to prepare new dishes, he might embarrass himself. So... would you be available from the 18th to the 20th of this month? I'd like to invite you to assist in preparing the banquet at the Feng family. They've already agreed to compensate you with twenty taels of gold for the preparation time. If it's convenient for you, four taels of that would be your share as a token of gratitude."

Shen Miao was stunned, "Four taels? ...Gold?"

Gold? Real gold?

Do wealthy families really spend so much on a single meal? They use gold as currency?

Shen Miao felt dizzy, her mind racing to calculate how many strings of copper coins one tael of gold was worth, her fingers trembling slightly.

Xi noticed her expression and, seeing her standing there silently, hesitated, "Is it too little? It's my fault for not thinking this through properly. With your skills, four taels is indeed too little, especially since it would take up two days of your business. How about... ten taels?"

Shen Miao's eyes immediately hardened with determination, and she nodded vigorously at Xi.

"Madame Xie, no need to say more. I'll gladly bear this 'hardship.'"