Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 101
Translated by Serena Love
Edited by Azure
Chapter 101 (1): Crumbed Bread In Mutton Soup
Regardless of whether Xie Xun would offer the recipes to the emperor, the Lin family was already planning to open a shop selling over-rice sauces, a bit similar to chain stores in later generations.
With a new job, Jiang Shuyao and Zhou-shi are busy again.
However, Zhou-shi was not as energetic as she used to be. She often started to lose her mind while kneading dough.
It was not like when she just had her emotional injury, but a deeper sense of melancholy.
Zhou-shi did not want to talk, so Jiang Shuyao would not deliberately ask. She just tried to use other things to attract her attention.
New recipes, new ingredients, new cooking methods... When she encountered these things, Zhou-shi will come out of her state of melancholy and concentrate on learning.
And for some reason, she always subconsciously wants to learn some hot and spicy recipes.
On this day, when Zhou-shi was making mutton bun in the third branch, a maid rushed in.
The maid was panting, and then she said something in Zhou-shi's ear. Before she finished speaking, the porcelain bowl on Zhou-shi's hand fell to the ground, making a harsh, crisp sound.
She lifted her skirt and rushed out without thinking.
Jiang Shuyao was taken aback and hurriedly stepped forward to ask the maid. "What did you tell her?"
The maid was also stunned and hurriedly explained. "This maidservant didn't say anything. The maidservant just said that Master Uncle had entered Chang’an, and now the Duke is entertaining him."
"Master Uncle?"
"General Zhou." The maid said, "The Eldest General Zhou came to Chang’an to report on his duties."
Before Jiang Shuyao in the third branch managed to clarify the situation, Zhou-shi arrived in the main courtyard.
She had been married in Chang’an for seven years and hadn’t run so happily in a long time.
Her delicate bun was crooked, and the collar of her dress was wrinkled.
She stood at the gate of the main courtyard, slowly moving.
The maids looked at her curiously. They saw Zhou-shi's look, which was different from the past, and secretly wondered if she would make big trouble today.
Zhou-shi straightened her bun, smoothed the folds, and looked down at her shadow on the ground for a while.
The shadow of a woman with a high-bun and nice dress was tall and beautiful. But she looked at the shadow and felt strange.
Suddenly, there was a rough and loud voice that was rarely heard in Chang’an. "Okay, don't need to send me! Duke Xie, take care!"
The people in the capital, even military generals, were usually handsome generals following Confucian standards. How could they be like this man, tall and mighty, full of beards, like a burly bear?
As he walked, the maidservants he passed by shrank away. He was just saying goodbye, but the palms of his hand, which are as big as a fan, are waving around like he was about to hit someone.
When Zhou-shi saw this scene, she couldn't hold back her laugh. She smiled, and tears were suddenly falling from her cheeks.
"Big brother," she called.
General Zhou paused and fixed his eyes on Zhou-shi, who was standing not far away.
His eyes became wider and wider, and he said in disbelief, "Little sister?"
After Zhou-shi married and entered Chang’an, her contact with her parents gradually diminished. Thousands of miles separate the capital and Mobei, and the letters went slowly. The Zhou family was not a cultural one, and it was difficult for them to write a letter, so they can only send her some Mobei earthenware. But the capital was prosperous, and the food and clothing were better than Mobei. There was no shortage of pots, so afterward, they didn't even send earthenware anymore.
Two years after Zhou-shi was married, the Zhou family had missed her greatly. General Zhou came to Chang’an to report on his duty and wanted to see her. He dragged all sorts of big and small things and was secretly mocked by the people in the capital. Zhou-shi was angry and annoyed, but suppressing her temper, she abruptly held back.
They were incompatible with the capital in terms of appearance and temperament. The Zhou family never cared about this before, but now their baby girl, Zhou-shi, married in the capital, so they had to think about it.
General Zhou asked the scouts who followed him to inquire about the news. Hearing that the ladies at the banquet ridiculed his little girl, he guessed that they had made her ashamed and angry.
General Zhou looked at the dusty carriage he dragged around and sighed silently. His younger sister should not want to see him.
Sure enough, the next few times he visited Duke Xie's mansion, Zhou-shi did not see him.
Now that a few years have passed, he learned the lessons from the last time. He came quietly then walked away quietly, but he didn't expect that the moment he stepped out of the threshold, he saw Zhou-shi, who he hadn't seen in seven years.
Zhou-shi was already homesick, and now she faced a relative whom she hadn't seen in years.
"Brother, are you leaving?" Zhou-shi asked.
General Zhou scratched his head, not knowing how to answer. When he opened his mouth, he was full of Northland accents. "I'm not in a hurry. We will leave tomorrow."
Duke Xie came out from behind him and was a little surprised to see Zhou-shi, but he had always been kind-hearted, so he said. "You, brother and sister, haven't seen each other for a long time. Don't run away, General Zhou. It's better to sit in the house for a while. Brother and sister should catch up and talk about the old days."
Zhou-shi's eldest brother naturally wanted to talk to his younger sister, but he was afraid that his younger sister was unwilling. He couldn't openly refuse, so he said. "No need..."
Zhou-shi stopped his words first. "Brother. You stay, just sit for half an hour."
Duke Xie refrained from interrupting the brother and sister, granting them the privacy of the hall.
Brother Zhou settled into the guest chair. The chair was exquisitely crafted, made of yellow rosewood, its carvings intricate and majestic—but it was small. With his martial artist's frame, sitting on such a chair made him feel awkward and cramped.
He glanced up at Zhou-shi, sitting across from him, a look of subtle relief in his eyes.
His little sister was no longer the girl he had known. She had transformed. Poised and dignified, she now resembled a young lady of the capital, with none of the fierceness she once carried. There was no trace of that wild, untamed girl from before.
"Brother, how has our family been all these years?" Zhou-shi asked.
Brother Zhou sighed in relief upon hearing the question. At least it was something he could answer. A smile tugged at his lips as he spoke.
"Everything’s good, everything’s good. Time flies, doesn’t it? I’ll be a grandfather soon. But your sixth brother—that troublesome boy—still hasn’t gotten married. He’s nearly twenty-five and still hasn’t figured things out. To avoid Mother’s nagging, he even went off to live in a border town. You know, it’s the time when the horses and sheep are fattened, and the barbarians won’t be coming around. His excuse of defending the family and country is pretty convincing, though." He gave a rueful shake of his head, tapping his forehead.
"Right, right. The sixth asked me to bring you a dagger. He said he snatched it from the second prince of the barbarians the year before. Can you believe it? I kicked him away with a single strike. I told him, 'Our younger sister is now the second lady of the Xie Mansion. Gifts should be something like pearls, hairpins, gems—not daggers!' Honestly, what was he thinking, that kid…"
Seeing Zhou-shi's expression was wrong, his voice became smaller and smaller, and before the last word reached his throat, he swallowed hard.
He didn't know what he said that caused Zhou-shi's displeasure, and he rubbed his big palm on his leg. "Little sister... Don't be angry. The sixth said that the next time the barbarian comes again, he would hit their palace, grab all the gems and everything, and give them all to you." At this point, he felt that this act of robbing people and sending things to his sister sounded like a bandit. He felt really inappropriate. He raised his head and looked at his right for fear of letting Zhou-shi down.
Zhou-shi's head dropped lower as if she couldn't catch her breath. After a while, he held his breath and said softly, "Have you eaten, big brother? Are you hungry?"
The topic changed suddenly, and Brother Zhou was taken aback. He answered honestly. "Not yet, I'm about to eat with my brothers when I go back."
Zhou-shi nodded, pulled his palms with her fingers, ignoring his words "when I go back," and said, "I have been learning cooking these days. I just made something, and it's still hot. If you don't dislike it, I'll bring it to you to taste it. It looked good."
Zhou-shi's eldest brother smiled. "Little sister, now you speak really nicely." After finishing speaking, he took Zhou-shi's words, "All right. Eldest brother has lived for so long and hasn't eaten your cooking. If I go back and tell them about the matter, they would definitely not believe it." According to Zhou-shi's fierce temperament, she had no hope of learning any cooking skills.
Zhou-shi nodded with a smile, got up, and walked out of the room.
He didn't have to wait long until she came back, followed by a maid holding a tray.
After Zhou-shi took a big bowl from the plate, the maid saluted and withdrew.
Brother Zhou looked at the large bowl in front of him, staring in surprise, "Well, why does Xie Mansion have such a big bowl?"
Zhou-shi couldn't help but laugh. "This was bought by my third sister-in-law. My third younger brother has a lot of appetites."
Zhou-shi's eldest brother nodded dumbfounded and sighed secretly that the noble family was not as delicate and fancy as he thought.
At that moment, a rich, savory aroma filled the air, bringing him back to his senses as his gaze shifted to the bowl before him.
The bowl was heaped with tender, shredded buns, warm and pillowy, accompanied by finely minced mutton of a reddish-brown hue, and translucent vermicelli that glistened as it entangled the bun and meat in a delicate weave. At the center, fresh green chives and parsley added vibrant color, while the soup itself was clear, rich, and inviting, with a sheen of light oil floating on top, releasing an irresistible fragrance.
He inhaled deeply, the tip of his nose twitching in uncertainty. "Is this mutton?" he asked, his voice tinged with doubt. The scent carried the unmistakable freshness of mutton, rich and satisfying, yet without the usual pungency that often accompanies it. Instead, the aroma was layered, with a gentle spiciness that teased the senses.
Zhou-shi pushed the small dish containing pickled garlic and chili sauce in front of him and explained, "This is mutton soup. But I have torn up the bun in advance, so it's more convenient to eat. My sister-in-law said the diners could tear the buns by themselves, and after breaking it into the size of soybean grains, the soup was served to the diners. Otherwise, we could also do the practical method; the steamed bun and the soup are served in two bowls, and the steamed buns are torn into the soup bit by bit."
At this time, Brother Zhou finally realized that his little sister seemed to really calm down and learn cooking skills. Anyway, from the perspective of the appearance and fragrance, this bowl of soup should not be too bad.
He raised his head and glanced at Zhou-shi, who held her face and looked at him expectantly.
The soft and mellow soup was surrounded by mist. After he blew away the mist, the fresh and mellow aroma was amazing, making people feel refreshed and lazy because of the warm steam.
He picked up the spoon expectantly and scooped up a spoonful of mutton soup. The finely chopped buns are pliable. It was small but not scattered. After soaking up the soup, they are soggy but not melted and still fragrant. The crystal clear vermicelli hung on the side of the spoon. It was swaying, soft and smooth to the point of breaking, dripping lamb soup. With such a large spoonful of soup, it's hard not to make a slurping sound.
As soon as he ate the warm lamb soup soaked in steamed buns, Brother Zhou was shocked by the rich and mellow soup. The savory flavor of lamb was extremely strong. It was scurrying around in the steamed buns and vermicelli. The thick layer of lamb soup instantly opened people's appetite.
The clear soup was a delightful revelation, brimming with flavor. The lamb was cooked to perfection, so tender that it seemed to melt in the mouth. As he chewed on the generous, succulent chunks, the fat was rich but not overwhelming, and the distinct, hearty layer of mutton lingered on the surface. When swallowed, the savory essence of the mutton soup clung to his lips and cheeks, its warmth and depth reverberating long after. The soft, steamed bun had absorbed the soup, becoming tender and soaked through, while the vermicelli maintained its satisfying chewiness. The soup itself was broad in flavor—spicy, fresh, and salty, each spoonful offering a satisfying depth and a lingering aftertaste.
The warmth and freshness of the dish seemed to pull him in, making him reluctant to rush through it. Instead, he took his time, savoring each bite of the fragrant mutton soup.
The essence of the lamb, along with the marrow from the bones, had all been carefully infused into the broth, a process that demanded patience. The freshly slaughtered lamb was simmered slowly with a blend of spices, each element contributing to the thickened, rich soup, ready only when the bones had softened to perfection.
Brother Zhou slurped the vermicelli and soup again and again. It was hard for him to pay attention to elegance.
"You still have this pickled garlic. Just eat it." Zhou-shi's discomfort and depression suddenly disappeared when she saw him eating happily. No wonder that Jiang Shuyao likes to watch people eat meals that she cooks. Especially those who are close to her. Watching him eat freely, she felt very happy.
Brother Zhou felt that the way he was eating was not good, but he couldn't stop. He nodded embarrassedly and put chopsticks into the mouth.
The pickled garlic was crisp, sweet, and spicy. It diluted the mutton taste in the mouth at once, and it was a good way to remove the fishiness and greasiness. With a piece of pickled garlic, Brother Zhou thought he could have another bowl of mutton soup.
Later, when the mutton soup and vermicelli were thoroughly finished, the steamed bun had soaked for a long time, and it became thicker like porridge when stirred with a spoon. It was piled up in the bottom of the bowl.
A large bowl of mutton soup was soaked in steamed buns. After eating it, his stomach was warm, a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his limbs were stretched.
Brother Zhou held his belly and sighed comfortably.
"Little sister, you are really good. Back then, when you said you wanted to learn martial arts, we, elder brothers, thought you were playing around, but when you finish your studies, you can beat up all the little bastards in Mobei. Now you say you learn cooking, I thought you were just making a soup, but I didn't expect to make a fairyland lamb soup."
Zhou-shi shook her head and chuckled, "How is it my skill? It is just a craft I learned from my younger sister-in-law."
Zhou-shi's eldest brother only then realized that something seems off. He scratched his head and muttered inexplicably, "Sister-in-law? No, that's not right... Isn't the most important thing in this capital are the rules? Is it still popular for high-class ladies to cook?"
"How come, the capital is still the same." Zhou-shi lowered her head and said softly, "It's just me that has changed from beginning to end."
Brother Zhou is a rough man, and he didn't notice Zhou-shi's emotional sadness. He patted his thigh and said, "I'll just say it." He was eating happily and let go of the confusion. He smacked his lips and exclaimed, "This lamb soup with steamed buns is really delicious. I felt warm after eating them. They were not at all like our lambs in Mobei. The lady in our house made mutton too but it was nothing like this, and the ones on the street are even worse. When I ate mutton in Mobei, I wanted to vomit when I eat it. I didn't expect when I come to the capital, and I ate the best lamb I ever eat."
He picked some chili sauce with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth, "And this thing, it's this smell. It's numbing and hot, and when it is served with hot soup, the whole body is warmed up. I feel more vigorous than drinking wine." He put down his chopsticks. "Little sister, what kind of sauce is this? Or else give a bottle for eldest brother to bring back, so that the winter will not be so difficult and I have to think about wine all day--"
He stopped abruptly and looked at Zhou-shi at a loss.
Zhou-shi's tears kept falling down. The tears hit the tabletop and suddenly shattered.
A rough and accustomed big man with big cheeks squeezed his voice subconsciously and cautiously leaned over, "Little, little sister, what's the matter?"
After seven years, he coaxed her when she was crying. It was no different from when she was a little girl.
Zhou-shi randomly wiped her eyes with his cuff, "It's nothing."
Big Brother Zhou seemed to understand her words, nothing would mean something. He quickly said, "It's your brother's fault. What did your brother do wrong? I’ll fix it. Don’t cry, or Mother will beat me again if she sees it." He wasn’t sure how many times he had said this before, but once the words left his mouth, he suddenly remembered they were in the capital now.
He placed his big fan-like palm on the top of Zhou-shi's head and rubbed it twice stiffly. It was so gentle as if it wasn't a handful of scars and thick calluses.
When his hand brushed against the cold pearl hairpin and the neatly arranged high bun, Big Brother Zhou suddenly realized that they were no longer in the past, and that the capital city had changed everything. He sighed, "You're a mother now, yet you're still crying."
Zhou-shi also felt embarrassed and wiped her eyes again.
"Big brother, don't talk nonsense. I didn't cry." When she heard the word "Mobei," her tears couldn't be suppressed and flowed out. Now that she calmed down, she started to feel ashamed again.
She forced herself to look like nothing happened and wanted to hide it in a hurry.
Brother Zhou took his hand back and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he sighed softly, "My seventh sister must have been wronged a lot over the years."
In a place like Chang’an, he is always scared every time he comes.
He couldn’t run horses at will, couldn’t go to battle to kill enemies, can't practice martial arts shirtless, couldn’t laugh and shout...
He originally just said this sentence casually, but he didn't expect Zhou-shi, who had just covered her tears, suddenly jumped into his arms.
Brother Zhou was stunned. His arms froze in a daze, not knowing what to do.
He looked down at the person in his arms, just like the little girl who was crying with her brothers when she got married seven years ago.
It was just that when this little girl was crying, her voice could make people's ears hurt for several days.
Today Zhou-shi just buried her head and made no noise. Only after seeing her violently shaking shoulders did he know that she was crying.
Who knows how many hard nights and how many tears it takes to learn to cry without making a sound.
Brother Zhou put down his stiff arms and then gently hugged her, gently patted her back.
No matter whose mother or wife she is, she will always be the jewel held in the hands of the Zhou family.
Zhou-shi hadn't cried openly for a long time, but she stopped after a while.
Zhou-shi's eldest brother dared to speak only after seeing her stop. His sword eyebrows were inverted. He slapped his hand on the table, and the porcelain cups on the table rattled, "Who made you angry! Was it that guy, Second Xie!"
Zhou-shi did not speak, but Big Brother Zhou knew the answer.
"I said that those little white-faced scholars don't have any good thing, not to mention the noble sons raised by a big family." In the beginning, the brothers of the Zhou family were reluctant to let Zhou-shi marry, but in her eyes, she only liked the Xie second master.
No extra complaints were said, but Big Brother Zhou's distress turned into anger towards Xie Lang.
He stood up and rolled his cuffs angrily, "See if I didn't peel the skin of that kid. I warned him nicely at the beginning, but now my seventh sister is wronged." Regardless of the reason, regardless of the matter, as long as Zhou-shi was crying, it's someone else's fault. It hasn't changed at all after so many years.
Zhou-shi hurriedly grabbed him and said helplessly, "Big Brother..."
"I knew you were going to stop me. Oh, why are you thinking of that kid? Isn't it just a better face, a better mind, and he is better at reading?" He didn't want to sit down anymore, "I have to beat him today. That's it."
Zhou-shi couldn't stop him, so she could only say, "If you beat him, what should I do?"
Brother Zhou was taken aback for a moment, "What do you mean what should you do?"
"Aren't I still living in the Xie family's house?"
He blurted out, "Of course you won't stay. Go back to your maiden family with your eldest brother!" He realized that Zhou-shi was not like an ordinary woman who could easily return to her family. Her family was far away in Mobei. Even if she comes and goes, it will take months.
He paused and rubbed his head anxiously, "How did he bully you?"
Zhou-shi was silent for a few breaths and finally spit out a word simply, "Concubine."
The anger that had just calmed down came back. His eyes widened in disbelief, "He dares?! I must break his leg today, no, no! You go, you follow me back to your family. Who would care to live with him? Our Zhou family's daughter can't suffer this grievance!"
He pulled Zhou-shi and walked out, but Zhou-shi slid away from his hand.
"Brother, it is against the rules."
Although he was so angry, he could barely suppress the fire, he stood still and listened to Zhou-shi's words.
"No one ever told him that if he married a daughter of the Zhou family, he can't take a concubine? Did anyone say that if he married me, he had to love me for the rest of his life?" Zhou-shi's eyes looked down, "Besides, how can it be so easy for me to go? I am a woman, the second lady of Duke Xie's mansion, and I have a seven-year-old daughter. After I married and entered Chang’an, no one will tolerate my waywardness."
The word "daughter" instantly calmed Zhou-shi's eldest brother. It was true—if Zhou-shi had no children, she could return to Mobei after a divorce. But now, she had a daughter. Once a woman was married, her greatest support often came from her maiden family. If Zhou-shi divorced Second Xie, his niece would face a difficult future, especially when it came time for her to marry.
He was a sturdy man, but Zhou-shi's words stomped him.
"What can I do then?" He squeezed his fist and gritted his teeth. "Or I'll beat him up."
Zhou-shi laughed helplessly, "Big brother, no need. You see, I am also living happily now. I can learn how to cook every day, cook something, practice martial arts, and get along with my daughter in my free time. I never see him, so save me the trouble."
Brother Zhou frowned and said nothing.
"It's just that I haven't seen my family for many years, and I always have some willful thoughts. I want to cry when I am wronged. After I cry, I'll be fine." She cheered up again, "I made a lot of sauce a few days ago. You bring it home and try it. There are also some bacon, sausages and other things. Take some back. After a while, the Lin family caravan will go north, and I will ask them to pass more."
She had so much to say, yet it felt like she could never say enough. "I’ve also come up with a few recipes myself. They might not be the most delicious, but they’re edible. I’ll have someone deliver them to you. Take them back and let the cooks give them a try. And please, drink less wine. Don’t try to fool me by saying it’s to warm yourself up. I’ll give you some chili sauce—mix it into your soup. That way, you can stay warm without relying on alcohol."
Brother Zhou said gruffly, "I see."
Zhou-shi escorted him out. After the brother and sister gradually walked away, Xie Lang walked out of the corner. He stood still and looked at the empty entrance and was silent for a long time.
[T/N: This soup is a specialty of Shaanxi cuisine and is a typical food eaten in the city of Xi'an. It is a hot stew of chopped-up steamed leavened flatbread, cooked in lamb broth and served with lamb meat, sometimes substituted with beef.]
If you enjoyed Serena’s work, buy her a ko-fi! 