“Eldest sister, you don’t plan to set up a stall at the entrance of the Biyong Academy, do you?”
Is she not afraid of embarrassing Jie Ge?
Shen Miao nodded honestly and said,
“Yes.”
She was sending Jie Ge out of town for the exam and didn’t plan to make the round trip, so she couldn’t set up her stall on Jinliang Bridge today.
However, Shen Miao was not one to sit idle; the thought of having a day off and not earning money made it hard for her to sleep.
So, yesterday, she had used the kiln in the courtyard to bake a hundred mulberry peanut soft European-style breads in advance.
She planned to sell these fresh breads at the entrance of the Imperial Academy while Jie Ge was taking the exam.
To save costs, Shen Miao used a whole wheat, low-fat, and sugar-free recipe, under the guise of promoting healthy eating among the people of Bianjing.
She, Jie Ge, and Xiang Jie had eaten this bread for breakfast as well.
Even after being left overnight, the bread, when slightly warmed in the kiln in the morning, became very soft.
The roasted peanut crumbs, with their rich nutty flavor, provided some fat, preventing the bread from being too dry.
Mulberries, which were almost out of season and sold very cheaply by the fruit vendors, were bought in bulk by her.
She chopped the fresh mulberries, mixing their juice into the dough to add a light purple hue and a refreshing sweet and sour flavor, enhancing the texture and layers of the bread.
Moreover, making this bread did not require the dough to be kneaded until a gluten membrane formed, nor did it require any special shaping techniques.
The flour was only sifted five or six times, deliberately retaining some granular texture in the coarse flour to make the bread less monotonous.
Instead of letting the dough rise in a warm place, she used an overnight fermentation method, which made the old dough with residual bran so soft that it almost melted in the mouth.
Although the cost was low and the production simple, Shen Miao planned to sell each bread for twelve coins.
Firstly, the entrance of the Imperial Academy would undoubtedly be bustling today.
Families that could afford two hundred coins for their children’s education were, if not wealthy, at least well-off and not worried about food and drink.
If the bread was too cheap, they might not even consider it.
Secondly, she had deliberately dyed the European-style bread purple with mulberries and sprinkled a whole circle of peanut crumbs in the middle.
When baked, the bread had a purple hue with golden accents, and she named it “Purple Robe and Golden Belt” steamed bun.
Purple Robe and Golden Belt was a symbol of high official status, and selling it during the exam was very auspicious and meaningful.
Thirdly, her craftsmanship was worth twelve coins.
She had baked the bread until late last night!
Of course, she did not plan to elaborate on these points.
She could tell that Aunt Li had more to say, but even in the modern era, Shen Miao would not feel ashamed.
If Jie Ge felt embarrassed because of this, he would not be her brother.
So, she just responded and bid farewell to the Li family of three.
Turning back, she instructed the little dog standing in the courtyard with three chickens on its back,
“Guard the house well, we’re leaving now!”
The dog had grown quite a bit and barked loudly in the courtyard, its tail wagging so fast it almost became a propeller.
Shen Miao then looked at Leiting, reaching out to pat him:
“You also have to work hard to keep an eye on them.”
Leiting did not wag his tail but tilted his big head to look at her, then lowered his eyes, stretched out his front paws, and lay on the ground to stretch.
It seemed to say, “Is this even worth mentioning?”
Shen Miao smiled.
Leiting had been with the family for quite some time now.
Although he still refused to enter the courtyard and stubbornly waited for Aunt Wu at the entrance, his attitude towards the Shen family had changed completely from when he first arrived.
He now allowed Shen Miao, Jie Ge, and Xiang Jie to pet him.
After Shen Miao returned from setting up her stall at the morning market, she would take him for a walk, and then again after dinner.
Having owned a dog in her previous life, she knew that such a large dog required a lot of exercise.
However, unless she deliberately took him out, Leiting was almost unwilling to move.
Even when walking, he would not go far from Yangliu Dong Alley.
It seemed as if he had an internal measuring stick for distance; once he crossed the bridge, he would insist on turning back, urging Shen Miao to return.
At first, Xiang Jie was afraid of him, but after testing by pinching his ears and pulling his whiskers and seeing no reaction from Leiting, who just drooped his eyelids, the child became bold enough to lie her whole plump body on Leiting’s back, hugging his thick neck and singing the nursery rhyme:
“Begging for a little dog, a good one, my dog is big but silly. It doesn’t bite thieves, it only bites chickens.”
After singing, she would lean over to Leiting’s ear and carefully instruct:
“You must not bite our chickens, especially Rongrong.”
One time, when Shen Miao was preparing to take him for a walk and untied the rope, the little dog in the courtyard suddenly started fighting with the white rooster, causing a commotion.
She quickly rushed back to break up the fight.
Meanwhile, Xiang Jie, who was usually restrained by Shen Miao from going to the well, seized the opportunity and ran towards the well at the end of the alley to play and make trouble.
Thanks to Leiting, he followed her without being told, watching Xiang Jie as she lay by the well, trying to grab the rope of the water bucket.
He bit her trouser leg and dragged her back, not allowing her to get too close to the well.
Until he successfully brought the pouting and unsuccessful Xiang Jie back.
This was just like Jifeng.
Shen Miao’s feelings towards him became very complex.
She knew he was not the same, yet she still missed him.
After giving the instructions, Shen Miao also stood on her tiptoes to look into the doghouse in the courtyard—the newly built brick and tile doghouse, with a arched doorway in front of which were placed food and water bowls, both filled to the brim.
They would be out all day, and the little dog and chicks should not go hungry.
The water bowl and food bowl in front of Leiting were also full.
After confirming that nothing had been overlooked, she locked the door and quickly walked with Xiang Jie and Jie Ge.
The carriage would not wait, and they could not afford to delay.
Li Cun watched their receding figures, hesitated again and again, but still couldn’t help but grumble to Li Taozi,
“Taking a long-distance carriage, what a luxury. That Shen eldest sister must have received quite a bit of money from the Xie family’s steward to dare to be so extravagant”.
“Why does she have such good fortune, managing to ingratiate herself with such a noble family?”
Li Taozi said helplessly,
“That’s her ability. You don’t know, I leave home carrying a pole before dawn every day. The houses in this alley are all dark, but only Shen’s house has lights on and even smoke coming out of the chimney”.
“What time is that? You were still fast asleep in bed at that time. She earns her money through hard work. Oh, stop grumbling and let’s go. Gou’er’s exam is the most important thing.”
Li Cun then hurriedly helped push the cart, accompanying them all the way to the inner city gate before stopping.
Shen Miao and her two siblings also quickly arrived at the place to take the carriage.
There were quite a few people taking carriages today, and the road was very congested.
Fortunately, Shen Miao and her siblings had left early.
By the time they arrived outside the tall and magnificent gate of the Imperial Academy, the timing was just right.
More and more people were arriving.
In no time, a long queue formed at the entrance of the academy.
The Imperial Academy was on lockdown today, with many soldiers in green robes and swords on duty.
The examinees had to go through two searches in the sheds at the entrance and could only enter carrying their own exam baskets.
Jie Ge’s face was taut as he squeezed into the crowd waiting to be verified.
Carried along by the crowd, he could no longer be accompanied by his sister and Xiang Jie.
He suddenly felt a bit anxious and couldn’t help but look back.
His sister was still standing there with Xiang Jie, watching him.
Seeing him looking back, his sister smiled, winked, and even stood on her tiptoes to wave at him.
“Brother Jie, don’t be nervous, just do your best,” he heard her say loudly.
“Take a deep breath. No matter how the exam goes, I’ll be here! I and Xiang Jie will wait for you outside. We won’t go anywhere! Just go in with an open mind and take the exam relaxedly!”
“Tonight, we’ll have chicken soup at home. I’ve already started stewing it before leaving——”
Xiang Jie also jumped up and shouted loudly,
“Brother! Success in every exam!”
Shen Jie was amused, and after another glance at his sister and Xiang Jie, his gaze gradually steadied.
He turned back and, step by step, followed the crowd forward.
As a mother, Aunt Li would urge her son, Li Gou’er, to strive for good results in his exams.
But his sister said that no matter how the exam went, she would wait for him outside and stew chicken soup for him.
He lowered his head and quickly wiped his slightly heated eyes with the back of his hand.
Afterward, as he moved forward to the shed by the gate, he was searched from head to toe by the soldiers with their scabbards.
His outer clothes were undone, his trousers were taken off, and even his undergarments were inspected.
Shen Jie’s face turned red.
After dressing again, he was ordered to open his exam basket.
His exam basket was a size larger than others, specially bought by his sister.
Inside the basket were only two writing brushes, a stack of white paper, an ink stick, and an inkstone.
There was also a wide-mouthed covered large pottery bowl and a pair of chopsticks.
The soldier ordered him to lift the lid and take a look, so he did.
Inside was a lump of fried dried soup noodles, two halves of a soft-boiled egg, a handful of chopped and dried vegetable bits, several slices of marinated pork, and at the bottom of the bowl, a large piece of dark brown, congealed meat sauce, along with a pile of chopped green onions and cilantro.
The rare and rich food surprised even the soldier.
He looked up at Shen Jie.
Shen Jie looked back at him, blinking innocently.
“Are you planning to cook soup noodles in there?” The soldier was puzzled, flipping the bowl and even breaking the fried dried noodles in half.
Indeed, there was nothing hidden inside.
He couldn’t help but remind,
“There’s no stove in there, nor any charcoal fire. Each person is only provided with a pot of hot water. These noodles will never cook”.
“You should have your family buy a couple of cakes before you go in! Otherwise, you’ll surely go hungry all day!”
“Thank you, sir, hot water will be enough,”
Shen Jie bowed deeply, thought for a moment, and added,
“My family runs a noodle shop on Yangliu Dong Alley at Jinliang Bridge. When you have time, sir, do come and try. My sister’s noodle-making skills are truly exceptional. You won’t regret it.”
His sister said that once the house was roofed with tiles, she would no longer rush to the morning market to set up a stall.
The family shop was about to open.
She had recently ordered many tables, chairs, benches, and countertops from Old Man Yang, as well as a kiln of coarse pottery bowls marked with the characters “Shen’s” in preparation.
Shen Jie had always wanted to support his sister, so he took the opportunity to promote the family business whenever he could.
Since this person wouldn’t listen to advice, let him be!
The soldier in charge of the search casually threw the lid back and waved Shen Jie in.
Watching the little boy’s retreating figure, he was also quite speechless.
You came here to take an exam and even brought snacks.
But after searching several more people, the soldier felt an itch in his heart.
He could still smell the spicy aroma from the boy’s exam basket.
How could the soup noodles be so fragrant before even being cooked?
What were they made of?
He had never tasted anything like it before and began to doubt and waver.
Could it really be as delicious as he said?
When he had a day off… maybe… he should give it a try?
Hehe well done little brother!