Chang’an Small Restaurant Chapter 47 (Part 2)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 47.2 Moon Hung on the Tips of Willow Trees
People of this dynasty had a penchant for sweets, so most diners took a liking to Tangyuan, including Deputy Magistrate Lin.
The night curfews were lifted for the three days celebrating the Lantern Festival. The Lane Gates remained open, allowing the entire city to join in the festivities. ‘Lanterns illuminated every market, and music echoed in every corner[1].’ With such prolonged and widespread merriment, maintaining public security became a major concern.
During this time, various departments in the capital, including the Imperial Insignia Guards[2] and the city's governmental repository, collaborated to ensure that no major incidents occurred—such as a maid eloping with another man or cases of theft. While such matters were bound to arise, they were managed diligently.
As the Deputy Magistrate of the capital city, Lin Yan held significant responsibility in this endeavor. He had been on duty for two consecutive days and was finally granted a day of respite on the third. Originally, he had planned to stay home with his grandmother—Elder Madam Jiang, who was elderly, ailing, and faced difficulties with her waist and legs. She couldn't venture out in the winter, making it impossible for her to enjoy the lantern lights outside.
But Elder Madam insisted on sending him out. "Taking a stroll during the Lantern Festival wards off malevolent energies and bestows good health."
Lin Yan, touched by his grandmother's love, couldn't bring himself to refuse. With a smile, he agreed. He intended to take a short walk around the Lane and then return to keep his grandmother company.
To his surprise, there weren't as many lantern watchers in the Lane as he had anticipated. Perhaps, being the third day, many had grown weary of strolling the same area. They sought alternative forms of entertainment, like watching the Ta Ge Dance[3] at Anfu Gate or enjoying a Hundred Opera[4] performance at Chongren Lane.
Instead of being bustling with crowds, Lin Yan found a quiet joy in strolling through the relatively deserted Lane. As he stood on the street, he could see lanterns casting a warm glow on the trees. Scholars engaged in guessing Lantern Riddles[5], young ladies surrounded by their maids, and children scampered around with lanterns in hand. It was a fine moment, with beautiful scenery, a sense of prosperity, and an air of happiness.
Moving forward, Lin Yan arrived at Shen Indelible Tavern.
Looking up, he observed the lanterns adorning the entrance. They were simple drum-shaped lamps, but what caught his eye were the intricate but uncommon style of paper cutouts. They depicted wontons, Sharpened Mutton Jade, roasted chicken, skewered meats, and more.
A smile naturally spread across Lin Yan's face.
As he stepped inside, he overheard Miss Shen’s animated explanation, "These are called Beauty Beads. See how fair and tender the skin is? Doesn't it bear a resemblance to the complexion of a charming young lady?"
The elderly lady, who had brought her grandson along for a snack, chuckled and remarked, "What a delightful name!"
Shen Shaoguang's statement was in jest. If any poet were to consume this 'Beauty Bead' and compose a poem in its praise, it might lead to future generations comparing fair complexions to 'tangyuan' skin...now that would be a peculiar notion.
As the door chimed, Shen Shaoguang glanced up, offering a warm smile. "Sir Lin, a joyous Lantern Festival to you."
Miss Shen's seemingly mild demeanor, the lively atmosphere at the entrance, and the name 'Beauty Bead' exemplified how appearances can be deceiving. Fortunately, Lin Yan had grown accustomed to it, so he returned the smile and replied, "A joyful Lantern Festival to you too."
"Sir Lin, would you like to sample our latest glutinous rice balls? They're filled with sweet and fragrant sesame."
Lin Yan nodded in agreement. "Okay."
The glutinous rice balls were swiftly prepared and promptly brought to the table.
With a spoon, Lin Yan scooped one up and lightly bit into it. The taste was truly delightful—exceedingly delicious.
The grandmother and her grandson, seated further inside, finished their meal and made their way out. "Grandma, that man is also eating 'beauty’."
"It's not 'beauty,' it's 'Beauty Beads,'" the old woman corrected her grandson.
"What's 'beauty'?"
"The Miss who owns this shop is a 'beauty.'"
The boy nodded in comprehension. "Miss was delicious."
Shen Shaoguang, who was clearing away the dishes: "..."
Lin Yan, who had bitten half of a glutinous rice ball: "..."
Forget it. Children's words carry no harm, children's words carry no harm. Shen Shaoguang gathered the dishes and chopsticks and headed to the kitchen to clean up.
Lin Yan's gaze flicked towards Shen Shaoguang's retreating figure, it took him a moment to collect his expression. He then took the remaining half of the white-skinned, black-filled glutinous rice ball and savored its soft sweetness, relishing the texture as it melted in his mouth. A sip of the soup helped restore his composure. Indeed, these glutinous rice balls somewhat resembled her, as they both presented a stark contrast between their outer appearance and inner essence...
As Shen Shaoguang completed the dishwashing, she returned with a small box containing some rolled yuanxiao. Observing that Lin Yan had finished his bowl of tangyuan, she inquired, "It's been a while since Elder Madam visited. How is she faring? These are some uncooked glutinous rice balls with the same filling, though the preparation method is slightly different. Please take them back for Elder Madam to sample."
Lin Yan expressed his gratitude to Shen Shaoguang, and considered sharing about his findings of her father's books. However, he hesitated, finding the topic too delicate for the festive atmosphere of the New Year.
Shen Shaoguang inquired in a casual tone, "The Lane seems less crowded today. Most have gathered at Anfu Gate to watch the Ta Ge Dance. Why haven't you joined, Sir Lin?"
Shen Shaoguang speculated that due to his reserved nature, Lin Yan might prefer staying at home and avoiding outdoor activities. Alternatively, he could be dedicated to his work, possibly even considered a 'corporate slave'. Given his role as the deputy magistrate of the capital city, it's likely that on such a festive day, he couldn't afford to remain idle and might even face the possibility of working overtime. This might just be one of his infrequent days off, and after finally securing some free time, he probably prefers to avoid bustling crowds.
"The lanterns in the Lane are quite exquisite," Lin Yan remarked with a smile.
Shen Shaoguang nodded and then inquired with a smile, "Sir, may I ask why you let me go at Anfu Gate that day? At that time, I was already preparing to be sent to Luoyang."
Shen Shaoguang had initially assumed he might have been avoiding trouble and complications. However, as they interacted more, especially after overhearing the conversation between Grand Chancellor Li and Deputy Magistrate Lin last time, she gleaned that he had taken similar principled stances as her current lifetime’s father, even in his previous modest official position. Such actions indicated that he did not possess a timid or evasive nature.
Of course, he fared more fortunate, or perhaps it was simply because he held a lowly position that he didn't incur the wrath of the Emperor or find himself in mortal peril.
In any case, her earlier speculation had proven to be unfounded. When Anfu Gate was brought up just now, Shen Shaoguang couldn't resist asking.
Lin Yan lightly replied, "It is the wise decision of His Majesty to allow the palace maids to leave the palace. It aims to lessen potential resentment within the harem. Given your resourcefulness, there's no reason for me to obstruct your path."
Upon a short moment of reflection, Shen Shaoguang smiled at him and remarked, "Thank you, Sir Lin, for aligning with the will of the heavens and embracing the wishes of the people. Your benevolence and tolerance are truly admirable."
These words of gratitude contained sincerity within hypocrisy and hypocrisy within sincerity—akin to the spring breeze caressing the robes of legendary masters in fantasy tales. Lin Yan laughed, he couldn't help but wonder whether this eloquence was an inherent trait or something she acquired during her time in the palace.
Since the matter of Anfu Gate was mentioned, Lin Yan continued, "While cleaning in preparation for the New Year, my servants found some of your father's book collection in the house. I will have them delivered to you in the near future."
Shen Shaoguang raised her eyes in surprise and nodded to express her thanks, but her lively expression turned somber.
Lin Yan wanted to offer some words of comfort. However, they were not particularly close, and the pain of losing a relative couldn't be assuaged with a few casual remarks. Recognizing the inappropriateness of counseling or diverging from the topic, he chose to accompany her in silence.
When Yu San, A’Yuan, and A’Chang returned, they pushed aside the door curtain revealing this sight. In the soft glow of the lamp, a serious yet striking man sat facing a graceful, charming lady.
Today, their Miss had playfully recited, ‘As the moon hung on the tips of willow trees, we rendezvoused in the twilight[6]’. Yu San glanced at Lin Yan again. Seems he is also a poser.
"Miss, that lantern tower was several tens of meters high and definitely had hundreds of lights..." A’Yuan reported excitedly.
Shen Shaoguang turned around and asked with a smile, "Really? I heard that there is a light wheel that can spin, did you happen to witness it?"
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Footnotes:
[1] ‘Lanterns illuminated every market, and music echoed in every corner[1]’ - Guess who's poem we are quoting again? Yep, Bai Juyi! This verse is from his poem <正月十五日夜月>, which roughly translates to <The night of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month> aka 'The first night of the Lantern Festival'. This poem expresses the joyful scene on the fifteenth night of the first lunar month in concise and clear language, showing people's evening entertainment and yearning for a better life. There's no official translations unfortunately, but just to give you a feel of how amazing the Lantern Festival is, this is a good video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFQKWYGZNlE
[2] Imperial Insignia Guards 金吾卫- During the Tang dynasty there were a total number of sixteen units in the "inner garrisons" (shiliu wei 十六衛). The Imperial insignia guards were a part of this. They were in charge of not only civilians' safety but also the safety of the imperial family. The staff of the inner garrisons had official rank 2 to 5, and their posts were hereditary, which means that sons, grandsons or younger brothers automatically succeeded into vacancies. Sometimes they are just referred to as the Jin Wu Guards, which can be seen from the recent film 'Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty'.
[3] Ta Ge Dance (踏歌) - "Ta Ge" is a traditional Chinese dance. This ancient dance form originated from the folk. It had emerged in the Han Dynasty more than 2,000 years ago, and became even more popular in the Tang Dynasty.
[4] Hundred Opera (百戏) Hundred Opera is a general term for the folk performing arts of the Han nationality in ancient China. The term 'Hundred Opera' originated in the Han Dynasty. This is modern opera since the actual thing is lost in history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tycDz8qbRE
[5] Lantern Riddles (灯迷) - are riddles written on lanterns, slips of paper attached to lanterns. Anyone can guess the answer to the riddles – if it doesn’t befuddle them. The lantern riddles often contain messages of wisdom and good fortune, they are a fun way of practicing language and problem-solving skills. Hints are provided to indicate whether the answer is a person, place, thing or idiom.
[6] ‘As the moon hung on the tips of willow trees, We rendezvoused in the twilight’ (月上柳梢頭，人約黃昏後) - This verse is from a poem titles <Lantern Festival Eve Tune> written by Ouyang Xiu. You can read the fully translated version here - https://www.fgsihb.org/dictionary/search-result/00217/?__locale=en
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Food:
Yuanxiao (元宵) - these are very similar to tangyuan, they are both glutinous rice balls, just the process of making them are different. Tangyuan are rolled by hand, while yuanxiao are rolled layer by layer with a flat weaved tray.