Pork Lung Soup, Stir-fried Wild Vegetables with Eggs, and Cornbread…
Tang Wan recounted the details she had gathered to Tang Mu, and after a brief, hushed discussion, the siblings decided against confronting the Wu family. They returned to the village entrance to meet the uncle with the mule cart and headed straight back to Huai Rong County.
By then, the sun had dipped westward, and the spring breeze carried a slight chill.
Noticing her brother hanging his head listlessly, Tang Wan sought to comfort him by softly mentioning their evening meal. "Didn’t we buy a pork lung at noon? A-jie will stew it into soup for you when we get back."
As a growing teenager who hadn’t eaten for hours and had long gone without meat, the mere mention of "meat" instantly captured his attention.
Most people at the time ate only two meals a day, with laborers and soldiers being the exceptions who added a midday meal. Tang Wan herself felt hungry and began mentally planning dinner.
Their kitchen had little beyond coarse salt, a small jar of lard, and half an old ginger leftover from when Tang Mu brewed her ginger sugar water. Her eyes instinctively scanned the roadside.
Sure enough, she spotted several edible wild plants. Passing a mixed grove, she glimpsed patches of fresh green—likely wild onions—and promptly halted the cart to investigate.
Tang Mu followed, asking, "What are you looking for, A-jie?"
Kneeling for a closer look, Tang Wan noted the wild onions were still thin, though tender and vibrant. Seeing the city gate nearby and the road busy with farmers and soldiers, she deemed it safe and paid the cart driver to return ahead.
Turning to Tang Mu, she said, "Let’s gather some wild greens to go with the soup."
He agreed without hesitation.
Each armed with a stick to ward off snakes or insects, they fanned out and soon collected plenty of wild onions, along with half a basket of shepherd’s purse and wild chicory.
Tang Mu was no stranger to these greens. During lean years, he’d foraged with his father and sister, though he never enjoyed their bitter taste. Kind-hearted and uncomplaining, he gathered them diligently, knowing they could be lifesavers in hard times.
"These are quite young—they might not taste as bitter," he reassured Tang Wan.
Unaware of his reluctance, she smiled and nodded. "Yes, once we’re home, we’ll blanch them, chop them finely, and stir-fry them with eggs. It should be delicious."
"Stir-fried with eggs?" Tang Mu was puzzled—he’d never tried such a dish.
With dusk approaching and the city gates soon to close, the siblings bundled the greens with grass ropes and hurried home.
Back at the house, Tang Mu briskly drew well water and cleaned the vegetables by the well, while Tang Wan prepared the pork lung.
With limited means to remove the gaminess, she could only clean it as thoroughly as possible. Tang Wan took some plant ash from the stove and meticulously rubbed the pork lungs, then sliced them into even thin pieces. She scooped well water and repeatedly squeezed and rinsed them until not a trace of blood remained.
The cleaned pork lungs took on a pale hue. She tossed them into cold water with a small bundle of knotted wild onions and ginger slices. The flames in the stove licked the bottom of the pot, and soon wisps of steam rose from the edges, carrying a faint sweetish gaminess. When the water boiled, Tang Wan fished out the onion bundle and ginger slices, carefully skimming off the froth. She let the lung slices roll in the broth until the soup gradually turned milky white, then sprinkled in a pinch of salt and covered the pot. Unnoticed, a rich aroma had already filled the small courtyard.
Tang Mu added firewood under the stove, the flames illuminating his youthful face. His nose twitched slightly, and he swallowed softly.
Meanwhile, Tang Wan had finely chopped the wild greens that had been blanched and soaked in cold water several times in advance. The vibrant green minced greens piled in a coarse porcelain bowl exuded the scent of spring.
Estimating that the heat was about right, she lifted the lid. The milky broth bubbled and rolled, the lung slices tender and smooth, the meaty aroma enveloped in steam wafting toward her.
Tang Wan ladled two full bowls, sprinkling a handful of wild onion flowers. The green specks scattered over the milky soup looked quite appealing.
Tang Mu couldn't help but stand up.
"Take them to the table," Tang Wan instructed him.
The youth carefully held the soup bowls, enduring the heat as he walked as steadily as possible, afraid of spilling any. When he returned to the stove, suppressing his craving, Tang Wan had already poured the beaten egg mixture into the hot oil in the pan. With a sizzle, golden fluffy egg blossoms bloomed in the pan. She quickly added the minced wild greens, stir-frying rapidly over high heat, instantly releasing an indescribable fresh fragrance that made one's mouth water.
"A-jie, this wild greens stir-fried with eggs smells amazing!" Tang Mu couldn't resist leaning closer, his eyes sparkling as he stared at this new dish he hadn't expected much from.
"It tastes even better!" Tang Wan scooped it into a new bowl, signaling Tang Mu to take it inside. She then cleaned the pan, added fresh water, and retrieved two corn cakes from the cloth-covered bamboo basket in the cool main room. After a moment's thought, she took one more and steamed them briefly on the bamboo sieve.
On the table in the main room, two bowls of pork lung soup sat opposite each other, accompanied by a plate of wild greens stir-fried with eggs and soft, chewy, sweet cakes. Though simple, they were thoroughly satisfied.
Tang Mu waited eagerly for Tang Wan to wash her hands and come over, his eyes fixed on her as she picked up her chopsticks. Tang Wan looked at him curiously, "Why aren't you eating?"
"I'm waiting to eat with A-jie."
Tang Wan smiled gently and said, "Go ahead and eat."
The youth responded and eagerly took a sip of the soup. The scalding hot broth slid down his throat, its freshness rushing to his head. Before he could savor it further, he hissed from the heat but couldn't bear to spit it out, merely opening his mouth to pant repeatedly.
Tang Wan couldn't help but chuckle, "Slow down, no one's competing with you."
Tang Mu smiled sheepishly and, having learned his lesson, took small sips this time. The soup's sweetness spread on his tongue, the lung slices were tender and smooth, and the wild onions' fragrance lingered faintly—it was more delicious than any dish he could remember.
Tang Wan, however, first took a bite of the wild greens stir-fried with eggs. The egg flavor was rich, and the bitterness of the wild greens had been completely drawn out through blanching and soaking in cold water, leaving only a mouthful of fresh sweetness.
"A-jie, this wild vegetable isn't bitter at all!" Tang Mu exclaimed after taking a bite, his eyes sparkling with delight. Suddenly inspired, he scooped a spoonful onto his flatbread, opened his mouth wide to take a big bite, and nodded repeatedly. "It tastes even better with the bread!"
Tang Wan couldn't help but smile when she saw bread crumbs sticking to his cheeks. Though Mu Ge'er usually carried himself with maturity, he revealed a childlike side when enjoying his favorite foods.
Her mind still lingered on the matters concerning the Wu family, but seeing her younger brother eating so happily, she decided not to bring it up again for the moment. "Eat more if you like it," she said with a smile. "I steamed an extra piece of bread."
"Mhm!"
After the satisfying meal left their stomachs full and round, Tang Wan paced around the courtyard for two ke (approximately 30 minutes) before heating water on the stove. Having transmigrated several days ago, this was the first time she found a moment to properly wash herself.
The Tang family had no dedicated bathing room—perhaps few households in all of Huai Rong County did. She washed using a wooden basin in her own room, which came with various inconveniences.
Inevitably, numerous ideas about improving their quality of life surfaced in her mind.
The Wu family affair needed resolution, but even if handled smoothly, the autumn harvest was still half a year away. Moreover, relying solely on farm yields might not bring substantial income; they would need additional sources to live comfortably.
Mulling over various plans, Tang Wan emerged while drying her hair and noticed Tang Mu had also washed up. The young boy sat at the table in the main hall, his face clouded with worry.
Understanding his concerns, Tang Wan said, "Don't overthink it. Let's stick to the plan—we'll go to the County government first thing tomorrow morning and request official intervention."
Tang Mu nodded but added, "I've heard that to have a case heard by the authorities, we need to submit a formal petition. But I don't know how to write one."
"Don't worry," Tang Wan replied thoughtfully. "We'll draft it together."
Unsure, Tang Mu asked, "What should it include?"
Back in Huaxia, Tang Wan had actually been involved in several contract and infringement lawsuits—all of which she won. Though the times were different, the general procedures should be similar. She outlined her approach.
Finding her reasoning sound, the siblings decided to collaborate. Tang Wan dictated while Tang Mu wielded the brush. Under the dim light of a single lamp, at the very table their grandfather once used to write family letters for others, they managed to compose a coherent and properly formatted petition.
Author's note:
[Flop-eared Bunny Head]