Chang’an Small Restaurant Chapter 108 (Part 2)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 108.2 Barbecue at Zhongnan Mountain
Shen Shaoguang napped for a good while before waking up, sipping some light tea to shake off the lingering drowsiness. After taking a leisurely stroll around her own courtyard with A'Yuan, she stepped outside, followed closely by Zhou Kui and another chamberlain.
Not far from the villa lay a small village with about a dozen households, their fenced yards filled with green vegetables and clucking chickens. Shen Shaoguang knocked on a wooden gate and purchased some fresh produce and eggs from an elderly woman, which Zhou Kui and the others carried.
Leaving the village, they followed a winding path up the mountain. After a short distance, they came across a crystal-clear stream, its water so clear that the stones beneath sparkled in the sunlight. Where the flow met some obstacles, white splashes erupted playfully.
Crouching down, Shen Shaoguang dipped her fingers into the cool water, then looked up to admire the majestic mountains surrounding her. Nearby, the leaves of the trees were beginning to turn red, creating a picturesque scene that brought to mind that appetizing figure.
This spot was indeed ideal for a feast—just a short distance away lay a natural stone platform, perfectly suited for setting up the grill.
Shen Shaoguang instructed Zhou Kui and the others to return for the necessary equipment. “Don’t forget to grab a few flat cakes and a pot for soup,” she added.
She reasoned that if they failed to catch anything, they could always whip up a simple egg drop soup with fresh vegetables, paired with the crispy flat cakes, which would still make for a delightful meal.
Zhou Kui chuckled, “Mistress has thought this through. Flat cakes stuffed with grilled meat, along with vegetable soup—sounds wonderful!”
Shen Shaoguang smiled and nodded in agreement.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Shen Shaoguang sat cross-legged on the stone platform, sipping tea and taking in the beautiful scenery when Lin Yan and his party returned.
Upon seeing Zhou Chang carrying a sizable creature—uncertain whether it was sheep or deer—along with several other chamberlains bearing rabbits and wild pheasants, Shen Shaoguang breathed a sigh of relief, thankful she had kept her mouth shut this time.
With just a handful of people, there certainly wasn’t enough to justify all that meat. They set to work, cleaning and preparing the sheep, skewering chunks for roasting while putting a wild pheasant into a pot to make soup.
Lin Yan then suggested, “Cut a section from the lamb's rib.”
Liu Chang laughed and turned to Shen Shaoguang. “Master plans to make us roasted lamb ribs. His previous attempt earned much praise from his teacher and all the young sirs in the academy!”
Shen Shaoguang turned to look at Lin Yan: "..."
Lin Yan glanced at her, a playful smile on his lips, and slightly raised his hand.
She quickly stepped forward to help, rolling up her sleeves and added with exaggerated enthusiasm, “My lord is truly a man of both literary and martial prowess! Omnipotent—grace in court, conquer the kitchen, compose fine works, and catch gazelle…”
Lin Yan shot her a mock glare, bemused by her duplicit flattery.
Shen Shaoguang watched intently as he began his work.
Using a knife, he pierced the lamb ribs with several holes. After rinsing, he generously rubbed the meat with a blend of pepper, salt, and cornel dogwood sauce, ensuring the surface was coated thoroughly.
Watching Lin Yan's long fingers massage the lamb, Shen Shaoguang felt a sudden warmth spread across her cheeks.
Lin Yan, however, remained oblivious to her flustered state, focusing instead on placing the seasoned lamb ribs on the grill to roast.
Nearby, Zhou Kui, who had learned a few grilling techniques from Yu San, had already produced the first batch of skewered meat and brought them over to her.
Shen Shaoguang shook her head with a smile. “I want to wait for the lamb ribs your Master is grilling.”
Laughter erupted among the group.
Being close servants, they didn't stand on ceremony; A'Yuan, A'Qing, Liu Chang, and Zhou Kui began digging in, savoring the feast.
Meanwhile, Shen Shaoguang and Lin Yan stood by the grill, engaging in quiet conversation as they tended to the roasting meat.
“Who did you learn this from, my lord? You even know to massage the meat for flavor first?”
“I read it in a travelog. It’s said that the Persians roast this way.”
Shen Shaoguang joked, “In books, there’s grain in endless store; In books, there’s wealth behind each door[1]; In books, there’s scent of meat galore…” She couldn’t help but laugh at the end.
Lin Yan chuckled as well. “Hmm, what else?”
Shen Shaoguang’s old habits resurfaced as she took Lin Yan's hand and wrote on his palm—“Countenances(颜),” “Akin to(如),” “Jade(玉).”
Lin Yan grasped her hand in return, tilted his head to look at her for a moment, his gaze soft. "Mm, you speak the truth."
Shen Shaoguang curved her eyes and smiled.
“Shouldn’t we sprinkle some cumin now?” She asked.
The lamb sizzled, releasing a rich aroma. Lin Yan sprinkled cumin powder on the meat and flipped it over.
…
Shen Shaoguang wasn’t going to sit idly by and wait with an empty stomach; our Sir Lin's roasted lamb ribs were indeed excellent. The outside was perfectly charred while the inside remained tender. A bite released some savory juices, enhanced by a unique pine fragrance. While waiting, Shen Shaoguang had collected some pine cones in the woods and placed them with the coals. Just as Mr. Liang had said, they added a delightful flavor.
Even though they were already full, A'Yuan and the others "reluctantly" each snatched a rib to gnaw on.
After enjoying the roasted lamb sandwiched in flat cake, sipping the wild pheasant and vegetable soup, and watching Liu Chang practice swordplay while the chamberlains engaged in a round of wrestling, it was time to head back.
The chamberlains and maids walked ahead, while Lin Yan held Shen Shaoguang's hand, leisurely strolling behind.
Shen Shaoguang confessed to Lin Yan, "I didn't expect you to be so skilled at hunting, my lord."
Lin Yan nodded, "Mn."
"I was worried you wouldn't catch anything during the day," she continued.
"Mn."
"But the key is that you can also roast the meat, and you do it so deliciously... How are you so amazing, my lord?" Shen Shaoguang pressed on.
Lin Yan couldn't help but laugh.
Shen Shaoguang felt a wave of relief wash over her. However, she had truly let her guard down too soon, for she couldn't escape the ‘punishment’ that evening.
"My lord, I really can't anymore..."
Lin Yan nibbled at her earlobe, teasingly replying, "You often say one thing but mean another."
"This time it's for real, my lord..."
Lin Yan just smiled.
"Is there something strange about this lamb? It shouldn’t have the same properties as venison[2]."
…
"Lin Yan! I’m genuinely upset now!"
…
"My lord, I swear I'll behave from now on..."\
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TL: (≧∇≦)
Lin Yan: ᕙ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)ᕗ
Shen Shaoguang: ૮(˶ ╥﹏╥) ა
—
Footnotes:
[1] In books, there’s wealth behind each door (书中自有黄金屋) - this verse comes from a Song Dynasty poem known as《劝学诗》or《劝学文》. It’s actually half of a verse, the full line is 书中自有黄金屋，书中自有颜如玉, which translates to “In books, there are golden houses; in books, there are jade-like beauties.” I chose to change ‘golden houses’ to ‘wealth behind each door’ because they had to rhyme. The reason why I wanted show ur the full verse if because of our MC writing out ‘Countenances(颜),” “Akin to(如),” “Jade(玉)’. Basically the meaning of this poem is that through knowledge one can achieve anything. It’s often used to encourage the pursuit of knowledge, suggesting that education is the key to achieving both material and personal rewards.
Source: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/%E5%8B%B8%E5%AD%B8%E8%A9%A9
[2] Same properties as venison - In Chinese tradition, venison is eaten by couples seeking to conceive children and by elderly persons with declining Kidney Qi. It is considered to be "pure Yang” because of its strong Yang tonification attributes. To put it in simple terms, the ancient Chinese thought deer meat boosts libido.
