Mo Sang – CH 205

Chapter 205. Pork Crackling

In Chaomi Alley, the pig had already been butchered.

The large pork bones, already stewed, were being used by Datou, who was carefully dissecting the meat from the bones in a large pot.

Mazha was hanging pieces of pork ribs, legs, and flanks, smeared with seasoning, one by one, in a makeshift thatched shed. Beneath the shed, Chuantiao was stirring a pile of herbs and fruitwood, trying to make it smoke but not burn.

This was the smoking technique they had learned on their way to Nanzhao County.

Hei Ma and Xiao Lu were wearing white jackets inside out, their heads and faces covered with white cloth, only their eyes showing. They were stirring vigorously in a large vat.

This was the method of making rice wine that they had learned in Ezhou.

People in Ezhou must have homemade rice wine for the New Year.

Hei Ma and Xiao Lu both especially loved their homemade rice wine, as did Mazha and the others. This homemade rice wine, approved by Da Chang a year ago, had become one of their essential New Year’s treats.

The yeast for brewing the rice wine was also brought back from Ezhou.

Da Chang was making steamed buns when he saw Li Sangrou come in. He pointed to the deboned meat that Datou was dissecting. “Tonight we will have deboned meat stewed with sauerkraut and a spinach and mung bean noodle dish. We finally managed to buy mung bean noodles from the Shao family in Dongqiao Town this year! We will also have fried pork crackling and radish buns, made with leavened dough.”

Li Sangrou breathed a sigh of relief.

She was prepared; if Da Chang was too busy to even cook dinner, she would still go to Zhang Mao’s house for dinner.

Thank goodness!

Li Sangrou took a bag of melon seeds from a row of bamboo baskets hanging under the eaves, sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, propped her feet up on the charcoal brazier, warmed herself by the fire, and ate melon seeds while waiting for dinner.

“Is Master Ma home?” a voice called from outside the courtyard gate.

“Looking for me!” Hei Ma leaped up and ran towards the gate, then darted back in the blink of an eye, pointing and shouting to Li Sangrou, “Boss! Boss! It is the princess! It is the princess!”

Li Sangrou looked at the lantern speechlessly.

Princess Ninghe had already followed them in, peeking through the second gate first, while Gu Fei peeked in from behind her shoulder.

This was their first time in Chaomi Alley, and they were incredibly curious.

“Please come in quickly.” Li Sangrou hurriedly stood up to greet them.

“Yes, yes, yes! Please come in, please come in!” Hei Ma spun around and dashed back, bowing and scraping as it ushered Princess Ninghe and Gu Fei inside.

“Why are you dressed like that? You almost scared me just now.” Princess Ninghe straightened up, adjusted her long robe, and stepped across the threshold, unable to resist laughing as she looked at Hei Ma charging towards her.

“That’s right, you rushed up just now; we did not even get a good look at you before you ran away. I thought you were a monster,” Gu Fei glanced at Hei Ma.

She was genuinely frightened.

“I am preparing for the New Year, brewing wine! It is the custom in Ezhou.”

“Please sit, please sit. Let our boss keep you company first; I will go and finish brewing the wine. This is important; Xiao Lu cannot do it alone. I have to do it myself.”

“Please sit down and have some tea first,” Hei Ma said as he quickly ran off to continue brewing his wine.

The princess was important, but preparing for the New Year was even more important!

Li Sangrou watched Hei Ma finish his polite greetings and ran off, then bowed and ushered Princess Ninghe and Gu Fei inside.

“Why are you here so early? Is something urgent? Have you had dinner?” Li Sangrou gestured for Princess Ninghe and Gu Fei to sit down, took a few candles from the windowsill, lit them, and placed them on the candlesticks beside her, instantly illuminating the corridor.

“I just found out you were back,” Princess Ninghe said, looking around carefully.

“This morning, a letter arrived from the Daxiangguo Temple saying that Abbot Yuande and my Second Brother had returned.

Ah Fei and I went to the Daxiangguo Temple and had lunch there too. After lunch, I talked with my Second Brother for quite a while.

Back at the palace, they said Qing-Feng had come several times, so I asked Qian-Shan to ask him what was wrong. Qian-Shan came back and said you were back, so Ah Fei and I rushed over.

We have not had dinner yet. Have you eaten? I could smell the aroma of meat outside the courtyard. What are you making?”

Princess Ninghe sniffed again. This time, she smelled a strong aroma of fruitwood smoke.

“Why not go back first? It is quite late. We can talk again tomorrow,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“What are you having for dinner? It smells delicious.” Princess Ninghe gave a vague “hmm,” craning her neck to look towards the kitchen. “Everyone’s busy, huh? What’s for dinner? So busy?”

“Pork crackling buns and braised pork belly with sauerkraut,” Li Sangrou said, looking at Princess Ninghe with a hint of helplessness.

“What’s pork crackling?” Gu Fei asked.

“Pork fat, after rendering the oil, what’s left is pork crackling. ” It is in that flat bamboo basket,” Li Sangrou explained.

Gu Fei stood up, walked to the bamboo basket, examined it carefully, and then took a step back in disgust.

“Is it good?” Princess Ninghe followed her to look.

“Of course, it is good! The best part is the pork crackling!” Hei Ma replied, turning his head.

“I know braised pork belly; it is delicious,” Princess Ninghe said, turning back to Li Sangrou and praising it again.

“If you do not mind the mess, stay and try the pork crackling buns and have a bowl of braised pork belly with sauerkraut.” Li Sangrou looked helpless and had no choice but to invite them.

“Alright!”

Before Li Sangrou could finish speaking, Princess Ninghe eagerly agreed.

“Are you really going to eat here…” Gu Fei looked at the boneless meat in the iron basin in front of Datou, who placed it on the ground.

“Why not go back first?” Princess Ninghe quickly replied.

“I was just saying.” Gu Fei glanced sideways at Princess Ninghe, snorted, turned around, and sat back down to wait for dinner.

Princess Ninghe did not move. She stood to the side, watching Da Chang quickly wrap the buns, put them in the steamer, then moved over to peek at the large vat of steamed glutinous rice that Hei Ma and Xiao Lu were vigorously stirring. Then she bent down to watch Chuantiao tending the pile of smoke before turning back to look at Mazha tending the stove.

Gu Fei sat down, but only for a moment before standing up again. Together with Princess Ninghe, they looked around, and after a while, Gu Fei simply squatted down next to Mazha, picked up a stick, and started stuffing it into the stove.

Li Sangrou picked up the melon seeds again, glancing at Gu Fei, who was squatting next to Mazha, seemingly trying to take over the cooking duties, and Princess Ninghe, who was squatting with Chuantiao, discussing the pile of smoke.

Princess Ninghe and Gu Fei each ate two large steamed buns with fried pork cracklings and drank a bowl of pork and pickled cabbage soup, thoroughly satisfied.

Back in the palace, Princess Ninghe suddenly remembered that she had forgotten to mention that important matter!

After being annoyed with Gu Fei for a while, they both waved their hands: “Never mind, we will talk about it tomorrow!”

……………………

The next morning, Princess Ninghe and Gu Fei went to Shunfeng Shop, but Li Sangrou was not there. They then went to Chaomi Alley, only to find out that she had gone out early that morning. Princess Ninghe and Gu Fei had no choice but to leave, disappointed.

Li Sangrou first went to the Nanshui Gate Rice Shop that morning, then visited several other rice shops, large and small. By the time she returned to Shunfeng Shop, it was already afternoon.

Just as she turned the corner, Manager Zuo, clutching his jacket, rushed out of the shop to greet her.

“Boss, you are finally back!

That nobleman who delivered the goods yesterday is here again. He’s been here for about fifteen minutes, and I was so worried…”

Upon hearing it was Qing-Feng, Li Sangrou quickened her pace.

Qing-Feng came out of the shop to greet her respectfully.

“Go on with your work,” Li Sangrou gestured to Manager Zuo.

“His Majesty sent me to check on things. If Boss is free, His Majesty has instructed me to invite you over for tea and a chat at Ming’an Palace,” Qing-Feng said with a slight bow as Manager Zuo went inside.

“Alright,” Li Sangrou replied with a smile. “Now?”

“Yes, His Majesty had already gone to Ming’an Palace before I arrived.”

“Shall we go now? Let’s hurry?” Li Sangrou quickly gestured towards Chenhui Gate.

“It’s the Boss’s thoughtfulness,” Qing-Feng smiled, bowed to let Li Sangrou pass, and the two hurried towards Chenhui Gate, one after the other.

……………………

At the entrance of the main hall of Ming’an Palace, Gu Jin sat on the veranda, a worn woolen blanket draped over his lap, bathed in sunlight, reading a book.

Qing-Feng walked along the veranda, and Li Sangrou crossed the courtyard, stopping at the bottom of the steps, kneeling on one knee.

“No need for formalities. I invited the Boss to meet here because there are too many rules in the palace.

Sit down. I do not like wine, but I love tea. I got a good tea cake this spring, and I’d like to enjoy it with the Boss today.” Gu Jin put down his book and gestured for Li Sangrou to sit.

Li Sangrou stood up, cupped her hands in a respectful salute, and sat down next to Gu Jin in the chair that had already been set out.

“That bundle is a letter from the Shizi to you,” Gu Jin said, pointing to a brocade bundle on the small table beside her.

“The Shizi said he did not know your whereabouts, only that you told him you were going back to Jianle City for the New Year, so he wrote the letter here and asked me to give it to you.”

“Thank you,” Li Sangrou said, bowing slightly with a smile.

“I do not deserve it,” Gu Jin said, then laughed. “I heard the Boss often says, ‘I do not deserve it’?”

“I really do not deserve it,” Li Sangrou said sincerely.

“You deserve it,” Gu Jin laughed. “Ah Yue and Ah Fei had breakfast with me today. Ah Yue asked me if I’d ever had fried pork crackling buns.”

Li Sangrou smiled.

“I’ve never actually tried it.

Ah Fei said that fried pork crackling buns are the best buns she’s ever eaten. She said, ‘Why does the palace not have something so delicious?’

Qing-Feng entered the palace after being castrated when he was nine. He helped me out this morning, saying that fried pork crackling buns really are the best buns.”

Gu Jin pointed to Qing-Feng, who was making tea beside her.

“Before my castration, the eunuch gave me a fried pork crackling bun. I only ate it once, and it was incredibly delicious.” Qing-Feng bowed and smiled in response.

“Did they use shredded radish or cabbage?” Li Sangrou asked with a smile.

“I could not tell; it was just delicious, incredibly fragrant,” Qing-Feng laughed.

“I think the shredded radish ones are better, but Hei Ma thinks cabbage goes best with fried pork cracklings.” Li Sangrou laughed.

“I told Ah Fei that the best thing is something the palace cannot make, and that she should come to you when she wants to eat it,” Gu Jin laughed.

“Ah Fei is much more cheerful than when I first met her,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“She’s a clever little girl, but her expression is always a bit awkward. She and Ah Yue have been bickering all the time since they were little.

When the Shizi first returned from his military training, he learned a proverb and applied it to the two of them, and he’s been using it ever since. He wrote to me the other day, mentioning them, and asked if I still had my dog-skin socks inside out¹.”

Li Sangrou chuckled.

“Of the three siblings in the western part of King Rui’s residence, Ah Fei is the most innocent.

Ah Kai is kind and gentle. When they were little, whenever Ah Yue and Ah Fei fought, he was always the busiest, trying to mediate between them.

I would tell him, ‘It’s alright, they will be fine in a bit.’

Ah Kai would then blush and explain to me, ‘No, this time is different, this time they’re really angry.'”

“Is he better now? Or is he still like this?” Li Sangrou asked with a smile.

“He’s become much more sensible. I had him go provide relief in Lianghuai, and he’s very hardworking.” Gu Jin paused, then sighed helplessly, “He’s still too soft-hearted.”

“They say it is easier to change mountains and rivers than to change one’s nature,” Li Sangrou said with a smile.

“Yes, being soft-hearted and kind is not a bad thing. Ah Yun,” Gu Jin paused, then sighed, “is very much like his mother, always thinking too highly of himself.”

Li Sangrou lowered her eyes and sipped her tea.

“I heard that Shunfeng’s year-end bonus is very generous?” Gu Jin changed the subject.

“It’s not that the bonus is generous,” Li Sangrou became wary and smiled. “From the head manager to the stable boys and waiters, everyone at Shunfeng works year-round, even on New Year’s Eve, busy in the shop, unable to spend the holidays with their families. Their wages must be paid in full.

It’s not a bonus; it is the wages everyone deserves after a year of hard work.”

“It’s not much. Your Shunfeng’s wages are divided into two, one for the husband and one for the wife,” Gu Jin said slowly, looking at Li Sangrou.

“Shunfeng’s main branch in Jianle City does not have many women, but all four delivery stations in the east, west, south, and north are managed by women.

Seventy percent of the delivery stations across the country are managed by women.

After the war broke out, there was a shortage of riders, so we had no choice but to use women. By last month, there were nearly a hundred female riders, and horseshoe makers were also in dire need, as they had all been conscripted by the court. We had no choice but to use women.

Is this not a good arrangement?” Li Sangrou asked Gu Jin.

“This was not your original intention,” Gu Jin said bluntly.

“Yes.” After a moment of silence, Li Sangrou nodded. “Seven or eight out of ten of the women Shunfeng uses are women who have lost their husbands and have no choice but to work in the fields to support their families.

The remaining two or three tenths are almost all men who cannot support their families, either sick, disabled, or simply weak and stupid.

I am really not doing this for those two or three tenths of the men.”

Li Sangrou looked at Gu Jin. “The pay for a ride is good, but the work is extremely difficult. Each post station and delivery station involves the whole family, young and old, working together.

Take the post station, for example. The most important thing is to ensure the riders are well-fed and well-rested and to take good care of the horses.”

If the post station manager is a man, the cooking for the riders and all the cleaning and chores will definitely be done by his wife, along with the wives of the grooms, the shop assistants, and a whole group of wives.

The foreman’s wife helps her husband manage the post station’s kitchen, washing and cleaning the riders’ bedding and scrubbing everywhere; the groom’s wife helps her husband clean the stables and wash the horses; the clerk’s wife helps her husband wash mailbags and do odd jobs.

The husbands take all this for granted, and the wives all work tirelessly without complaint. These wives do not get paid.

But if the post station foreman is a woman, she has to pay someone to manage the kitchen; if the groom is a woman, she has to pay someone to help her.

The wives do not get paid for the same work. It should not be like this, should it not?” Li Sangrou asked softly, her voice low and gentle.

“In a family, we are all one family. The property and children belong to both husband and wife,” Gu Jin said slowly.

Li Sangrou looked at Gu Jin without speaking.

Gu Jin fell silent, slowly sipping his tea. He said gently, “The husband is the boss; your actions are useless.”

“Having a dowry makes a difference,” Li Sangrou said.

“With me, at least the wives who are obedient can slam their fists on the table a couple of times and shout a few words when they argue. And half of their husbands’ wages go to them!”

Li Sangrou’s voice held a hint of weariness mixed with determination.

Gu Jin looked at her, then smiled. “Now that you mention it, I will think about it.

Yes, indeed. Being able to slam the table a couple of times and shout a few times is at least very satisfying.”