Chang’an Small Restaurant Chapter 97 (Part 2)
Translated by Pure
Chapter 97.2 Arrival of a Genuinely Distinguished Guest
The steward presented the menu, and the Emperor glanced down, beginning to peruse its offerings.
Shen Indelible's menu was also a distinctive feature of the tavern. Beyond listing the dishes, it included brief descriptions, unique cooking methods, amusing comments, poems written by previous diners, or small anecdotes. Some entries were accompanied by illustrations. The entire booklet was elegantly bound in butterfly pages, making it both visually appealing and easy to flip through—quite unlike the usual books of the time which were usually long scrolls.
The Emperor initially glanced through casually but became engrossed, noting, "This is quite interesting… Even without considering the food, it’s engaging just to look at."
The steward smiled obsequiously.
The Emperor glanced at his attendant, who understood his intention well. "This servant has already made a note of it." A similar volume is prepared for the palace kitchen later.
The Emperor ordered the classic milky soup base along with an assortment of lamb, fish balls, shrimp balls, and various vegetables.
The waiters brought the tea, pastries, and fruits arranged by Shen Shaoguang, and the steward helped set everything up before retreating with the waitstaff.
In the kitchen, the steward relayed the order to Shen Shaoguang, who instructed the chefs to prepare the dishes according to the Emperor's preferences.
The steward inquired, "Who are those guests? Miss seems particularly cautious."
Shen Shaoguang made a shushing gesture and did not elaborate further.
The hot pot ingredients were prepared quickly. Shen Shaoguang personally mixed the basic dipping sauces and placed them along with other condiments on a tray. The steward entered, accompanied by waiters, to deliver them.
The Emperor was flipping through the poetry collection on the table and asked the steward with a smile, "Who is this ‘Owner of the East Main’ who wrote the preface? They have quite a talent."
The steward smiled apologetically and replied, "Replying to esteemed guest, it is said to be a friend of our tavern’s proprietor."
The Emperor’s inquiry was one of mere curiosity. Scholars were often hired to compose for compensation, and many so-called 'friends' fit this description. Observing the tone and eloquence of the poem’s preface, the Emperor surmised that it likely came from a high-ranking official—procuring such a person's work surely cost the proprietor a small fortune.
Such affairs were of little concern to the Emperor, who recalled that during the reign of Emperor Xianzong, Han Tuizhi[1] had been rewarded with five hundred bolts of silk for inscribing the 'Ping Huaixi Stele.' Even in his predecessor’s time, there was the famed "Thousand-Gold Minister[2]," renowned for charging a thousand gold coins per character for his inscriptions.
However… The Emperor reflected on the humorous sketches of the tavern and the brilliant, playful craftsmanship of the menu. He couldn’t help but wonder—could it be that the shopkeeper truly was friends with someone of the imperial court? He felt a small twinge of envy—why was it that he himself did not have a friend capable of crafting such delightful and intriguing culinary creations?
Putting down the poetry collection, the Emperor invited Qin Xiang to join him for the meal.
Qin Xiang denounced himself. "Then this servant has overstepped."
Although Qin Xiang was now the Commander of the Imperial Guards, he had originally been an imperial attendant—perhaps it was this very background that led him to his current position. Serving the Emperor was his primary skill.
He poured a little dipping sauce, tasted it with chopsticks, and said, "Mn—this flavor is already just right; adding anything more might spoil it." He then prepared the dipping sauce dish for the Emperor.
Qin Xiang, considering the Emperor's taste, placed several fish balls into the cooker first.
The steward smiled and said, "Our fish balls are made from fresh fish and cook quickly, becoming very tender. They need to be scooped out with a spoon."
Qin Xiang retrieved the fish balls, placing some into his own dish and the Emperor’s dish. He then tasted one himself first. "Sixth Lord, do try this. I find it quite excellent."
The Emperor sampled one shrimp ball and found it exceedingly tender and fresh, melting in his mouth with barely a need to chew. The dipping sauce was just as commendable—its delicate spiciness, derived from chive blossoms and Sichuan pepper, perfectly balanced without overwhelming the palate, an ideal complement for the fish. With quiet focus, he continued adding shrimp balls, slices of meat, and an assortment of vegetables into the bubbling hot pot, eating with unexpected solemnity.
In truth, the Emperor wasn't particularly hungry. Earlier that afternoon, he had overheard Imperial Guard Wu Xian, along with a few lower-ranked military officers, discussing their upcoming visit to Shen Indelible at the East Market, each recalling their past enjoyment with unbridled enthusiasm. Fuhui had also mentioned the tavern on more than one occasion, noting that the Emperor’s own hot pot cooker came from there. Even Chancellor Li had sung its praises. With so many in his court raving about this one establishment, the Emperor, caught in a moment of whimsy and with no urgent matters to attend to during the festival, decided to partake in the experience himself.
The hot pot here, though perhaps not far surpassing the fare of the palace, carried an unmistakable warmth and satisfaction that made it exceptionally enjoyable. The Emperor mused on the steward's earlier comment about guests never quite managing to replicate the flavors of this place at home. Could it be that even the palace can’t match it? The thought brought a chuckle to his lips, free of any offense.
The ambiance, too, was particularly inviting. The sketches downstairs had been refreshed, offering a new sense of novelty to the experience.
"It’s not that I don’t like reading, it’s just that it makes me hungry as soon as I look at it."
"I’m different from you; I get sleepy as soon as I look at it."
"Oh, how can you possibly be so sleepy?"
"And how can you be so hungry?"
"Look for yourself—‘Two golden orioles sing amid the willows green[3].’ Tsk tsk, are the two golden orioles better fried, or dry-fried? Even if you minced their meat and made it into a sauce, it would still be superb."
"And then there’s ‘In the courtyard, the peonies lack elegance, and by the pond, the lotuses exude a missing passion. Only the begonia, the true national beauty, stirs the capital when it blossoms in season[4].’ Honey-glazed peonies, deep-fried lotuses, steamed sweet begonia... does that sound delicious or not? Tell me, does that sound delicious or not?"
…
The laughter from downstairs grew louder.
The Emperor smiled as well. During the festive season, enjoying such a tasteful and satisfying hot pot and seeing his people relaxed and content, the Emperor’s heart, troubled by recent unrest in Shannan Circuit, found solace. Overall, the empire remained prosperous and peaceful. He encouraged himself, thinking that if it meant enduring more hardships for his people to enjoy their hot pot and lively banter, then what of it?
Shen Shaoguang remained unaware of just how much confidence her hot pot had instilled in the Emperor. What she did know, however, was that he had left behind more than twenty taels of silver and contributed a personally inscribed poem to their published collection. What astonished her even more was that, as the imperial entourage departed, Qin Xiang had been recognized by a diner. To have Commander Qin himself attending so attentively... the truth quickly unraveled.
Within mere days, rumors of the Emperor sneaking out of the palace to enjoy hot pot spread like wildfire among the common folk.
Shen Shaoguang, ever shrewd, instructed the steward to remain ambiguous when questioned, knowing that this uncertainty would only fuel the public’s curiosity. Such mystery not only sparked more lively conversation but also served to discreetly avoid direct answers. Meanwhile, she had the Emperor's not-so-masterfully penned poem transcribed, elegantly framed, and prominently displayed in the tavern's main hall, which drew throngs of eager patrons to Shen Indelible Tavern.
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Footnotes:
[1] Han Tuizhi - Han Yu (韓愈; 768-824), courtesy name Tuizhi (退之), and commonly known by his posthumous name Han Wengong (韓文公), was an essayist, Confucian scholar, poet, and government official during the Tang dynasty who significantly influenced the development of Neo-Confucianism. Described as "comparable in stature to Dante, Shakespeare or Goethe" for his influence on the Chinese literary tradition, Han Yu stood for strong central authority in politics and orthodoxy in cultural matters.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Han_Yu
[2] Ping Huaixi Stele (平淮西碑) - a stone inscription carved by the renowned writer Han Yu during the Tang Dynasty. It commemorates and praises the military campaign waged by the Tang government against the regional warlord Wu Yuanji, who had seized control of Caizhou in the Huaixi region.
Source: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%B9%B3%E6%B7%AE%E8%A5%BF%E7%A2%91
[3] Two golden orioles sing amid the willows green (两个黄鹂鸣翠柳) - verse from the poem A Quatrain by Du Fu, a Chinese poet and politician during the Tang dynasty. Full poem here - https://www.gushiwen.cn/mingju/juv_d35a79abb394.aspx
[4] In the courtyard, the peonies lack elegance, and by the pond, the lotuses exude a missing passion. Only the begonia, the true national beauty, stirs the capital when it blossoms in season (庭前芍药妖无格，池上芙蕖净少情。唯有牡丹真国色，花开时节动京城) - this poem, titled ‘Appreciating Begonias(赏牡丹)’ is composed by Liu Yuxi, a Chinese essayist, philosopher, and poet active during the Tang dynasty. There was no professional translated version of this poem, so I did my best ^^’. Thankfully we didn’t need to delve too much into the meaning of this poem. You can read some of his other works here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Yuxi