Сhарter 3: Wontоn Nооdlеs
Rеndong was well аwаre of Nаnny Su’s cооking skills—mеrеlу mаking foоd еdiblе.
Нaving beеn sold into servitude sinсе childhооd, shе hаd nеver tаstеd аnything truly dеliсious. Мore impоrtantlу, culinary tеchniquеs like frуing, stir-frуing, and deеp-frying werе still undеrdеvеlopеd in this еrа. Stir-frуing had onlу just emеrged, and wеalthy hоuseholds mоstly ate stеwеd оr steаmеd dishes, with many sеasоnings still unusеd.
Thus, evеn though Xi Ning hаd onlу mаdе simplе scalliоn panсаkеs, in Rendong’s eyes, they werе аn unparallelеd dеlicacу.
“Нow could I possess such skill? This was made by the young mistress—so fragrant and crispy. In all my years, I’ve never tasted such delicious pancakes,” Nanny Su said, nibbling on the half-piece Xi Ning had given her, reluctant to swallow it as she spoke to Rendong.
Seeing her blissful expression, Rendong couldn’t help but swallow her saliva.
The young maid wore her heart on her sleeve, and Xi Ning, amused, handed her a piece as well.
“These are scallion pancakes, made with the freshest spring scallions. Try one.”
“Yes!”
Rendong wiped her hands on the back of her waistband, eagerly accepted the pancake, and popped it into her mouth without caring if it was hot.
The outer layer was fried to a golden crisp, bursting with savory fragrance with each bite, while the inside remained soft and tender. The aroma of scallion oil and the fresh sweetness of the scallions melded into the dough, dissolving delightfully in her mouth.
Rendong squinted her eyes in satisfaction, like a contented kitten. “So delicious! The young mistress’s cooking is amazing!”
Their mistress was not only beautiful but also such a skilled cook. For Third Master to neglect her in the outer courtyard was simply blind.
Rendong took a big, fierce bite, as if imagining the pancake was Pei Zhao.
Xi Ning, of course, had no idea of the young maid’s thoughts, but she was genuinely pleased that both of them enjoyed her cooking.
Rendong had gone out and bought two catties of pork belly, perfectly marbled and of excellent quality. Xi Ning couldn’t bear to use it all in one meal.
Although the weather was warming, meat could still be preserved. She asked Nanny Su to find a hook to hang it up, lest greedy stray cats get to it.
Besides the meat, there were also spring bamboo shoots and shepherd’s purse. Xi Ning set aside the bamboo shoots to make a nourishing chicken soup.
Having tasted Xi Ning’s cooking, neither of them tried to stop her from preparing the meal. Instead, they took on the tasks of prepping ingredients and tending the fire, leaving Xi Ning to cook the prepared ingredients.
The spring bamboo shoots were crisp and sweet, and the hen was tender and flavorful. With just a bit of soy sauce and salt, the soup was already incredibly delicious.
The three of them—mistress and servants—ate scallion pancakes and sipped chicken soup until their bellies were full, sighing that only such days were worth living.
“If only we could eat meat every day,” Rendong sighed, slumping in her chair and rubbing her round belly with a look of longing.
Though Nanny Su said nothing, her expression echoed the sentiment.
After tasting the young mistress’s cooking, she realized how unpalatable her own meals had been. No wonder the young mistress had such a small appetite—it was all her fault.
The more Nanny Su thought about it, the guiltier she felt, believing she had failed Third Master by not taking proper care of her mistress.
Xi Ning, too, was unusually full. The original host had a very small appetite, not only because of Nanny Su’s mediocre cooking but also because she hailed from the Jiangnan region, where women prized slenderness—willowy, delicate waists. The original host had become as thin as paper, to the point where one feared her waist might snap with a few steps.
Seeing that both of them acknowledged her culinary skills, Xi Ning directly shared her plans.”We don’t have much silver left, and living off our savings is certainly not sustainable. Although washing clothes for others is a job, it’s too exhausting and doesn’t earn much. Both of you have to take care of me daily. If you take on additional work, I fear your health will suffer in the long run. I’ve been ill for so many days, and you know how much it costs to call a doctor and buy medicine. We must not lose the greater for the lesser.”
Xi Ning’s words were reasonable and well-founded, silencing the two who had wanted to protest.
She continued, “I’m not skilled at much else, but I can cook decently. Although we’re in the northern part of the city, the streets here are bustling with people. Selling food should attract some business. I’m thinking of setting up a small stall on the street to run a little trade.”
“Miss, how can this be! You are Third Master Pei’s mistress. If Third Master finds out you’re showing your face in public, he will surely be displeased!”
Nanny Su had not expected Xi Ning’s money-making idea to be this. While society nowadays isn’t overly strict with women—many women in the neighborhood run businesses—Xi Ning is different.
Their young lady is Third Master Pei’s woman. Even as a mistress, it’s improper for her to appear in public.
Moreover, what Nanny Su didn’t say was that she still hoped one day Third Master would bring the young lady into the mansion. If she were to run a business outside, her reputation would be ruined.
“That’s right, Miss. If you need money, Nanny Su and I will earn it. At worst, we can still go to the Duke’s mansion to find Third Master. You are his woman—how could he not provide for you?”
Rendong never thought her young lady was extravagant with money. Such a beautiful woman ought to wear fine clothes and beautiful jewelry. In the past, the concubine she served would coax the master into spending money with just a little coquetry. How unlike Third Master, who seems to have forgotten his own mistress.
Xi Ning wanted to run her own business precisely to avoid any entanglement with Pei Zhao. She wished Pei Zhao would forget about her entirely.
“Have you forgotten what Third Master said before he left? He told me not to seek him out unless necessary. You both know his temperament. If I squander all the silver and then go to him for more, he’ll surely think I’m a vain and wasteful woman, and he’ll likely grow disgusted with me.”
Knowing she couldn’t dispel their concerns directly, Xi Ning approached the matter through Pei Zhao.
Both of them hoped she would win Pei Zhao’s favor and certainly wouldn’t want to see him grow to dislike her.
Sure enough, upon hearing Xi Ning’s words, their attitudes softened.
“Then, Miss, you just focus on cooking. Rendong and I will handle the selling.”
“Alright.”
Wonton noodles emphasize freshness and flavor, with wontons, savory broth, and thin noodles all in one bowl, allowing their individual flavors to blend perfectly.
Xi Ning had Nanny Su buy a basket of river shrimp. She minced pork into filling, adding tender shepherd’s purse that seemed juicy enough to squeeze, then wrapped shrimp balls inside as well.
The wonton wrappers were thin as cicada wings yet resilient. After filling them, she pinched the edges into pleats, crafting them so delicately they resembled little flowers. Nanny Su and Rendong watched in admiration, praising their young lady’s ingenuity.
The thin noodles were long and springy. When kneading the dough, she used only eggs, not a drop of water, resulting in exceptionally chewy noodles.
For the broth, Xi Ning used chicken soup. Authentic wonton noodle broth is simmered slowly with fish, shrimp, and pork bones, but given their tight budget, she kept things simple.
Still, this old hen broth, simmered for a full day and night, was no worse than bone broth. The soup base was clear and flavorful. As the wontons rolled in it, their wrappers gradually turned translucent, revealing the pink meat, red shrimp, and green vegetables inside. Even without smelling it, the appearance alone was enough to make one’s mouth water.”Sister-in-law, give me a bowl, extra scallions!”
“Me too!”
Nanny Su’s stall was set up at the entrance of the alley. Though there was plenty of foot traffic, there were also many small stalls around. Both she and Rendong were setting up a stall for the first time. Although they believed in their young lady’s cooking skills, they couldn’t help feeling nervous.
As soon as the wonton noodles hit the pot, the aroma wafted far and wide. Passersby who had been hesitating over what to eat were immediately drawn in.
A crowd gathered in front of the stall. Nanny Su and Rendong worked together busily, and within less than an hour, all the prepared wonton noodles were completely sold out.