Su Qinghe said, “He has fought on the battlefield for many years and has long grown tired of all the fighting and killing. Now he only wants to stay here in Qinghe Village, live a peaceful life with me for a while, be an ordinary couple, and experience the warmth and flavor of everyday life.”
Head Constable Zhao listened, utterly confused and taken aback.
So that was how it was!
“Rest assured, Madam Su!” Head Constable Zhao immediately pledged his loyalty, thumping his chest so hard it boomed. “From now on in Qinghe Town, you two are like my revered ancestors! If anyone is foolish enough to offend or upset you, I’ll be the first to make them pay!”
Su Qinghe nodded in satisfaction. “Very well, be on your way quickly, lest others find out about this.”
“Right away! Right away! I’ll be out of your sight at once!”
Head Constable Zhao was as relieved as a prisoner granted amnesty, scrambling up from the ground on hands and knees.
Just as he was about to leave, he leaned closer again, wearing a fawning expression. “Madam Su, if you ever run into any trouble with your shop in the future, just send me word. Matters of business taxes, or troublemakers and ruffians — I’ll take care of everything for you!”
“Understood. Go now,” Su Qinghe said hurriedly, catching sight of the curtain inside the house twitching from the corner of her eye.
Head Constable Zhao was sharp enough to read the situation. Seeing this, he immediately clutched his arm and scurried away faster than a frightened rabbit.
By the time Xiao Hanyuan came out holding the empty box, Head Constable Zhao was long gone from the courtyard gate, leaving only a scattering of footprints behind.
“Where is he?” Xiao Hanyuan asked, glancing around, his tone calm and unreadable.
“Gone,” Su Qinghe brushed the dust off her hands, looking completely relaxed. “Said he still had matters to attend to at the yamen and had to report back promptly.”
Xiao Hanyuan walked over to her, his gaze settling on her face as if trying to figure out something.
“Why was he so arrogant yesterday, yet so deferential today?”
Only yesterday he had been threatening to fight and arrest them, yet today he knelt down and offered them money.
The shift was far too sudden; it didn’t make sense.
Su Qinghe had already prepared her explanation. She sighed, then leaned close to Xiao Hanyuan’s ear with a mysterious look.
“Darling, there’s something you don’t know. This Head Constable Zhao… he has plenty of dirty secrets.”
“Oh?”
“I wrote a formal complaint letter last night, listing eighteen counts of things he’s done over the years in town — taking bribes, demanding money and goods from people, abusing his power!” Su Qinghe said earnestly. “I just threatened him, saying I’d already sent the letter to the county magistrate. If he didn’t come to apologize and make amends, he’d lose his official position for good!”
Xiao Hanyuan raised an eyebrow. “How did you learn of all these misdeeds of his?”
“Oh, come on — who in this whole village and town doesn’t know? That broken leg of Li Ergou’s, that swollen face of the Wang family’s… weren’t those all consequences of his actions? I just took all those stories people talk about and added a few details, made it all sound very convincing and well-substantiated.”
Su Qinghe’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “People like him, who have guilty consciences, are the easiest to scare. The moment they hear someone’s investigating them, they fold immediately. Just like that — rushing over to pay me off to keep quiet!”
The doubt in Xiao Hanyuan’s eyes slowly faded.
That explanation did hold up.
A cowardly, greedy man like Head Constable Zhao feared nothing more than losing his official status and privileges.
Xiao Hanyuan lifted his hand and gently ruffled the top of her hair. “Next time something like this happens, let me handle it.”
Su Qinghe felt a sudden warmth on her head, and her heart began to race uncontrollably again.
“Oh, come now — why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut!” She quickly ducked away from his hand, trying to hide her fluster. “Let’s get moving, or the market will be closing soon! Today’s the big debut of our Nine-Turned Pig Intestines!”
The two of them pushed their wooden cart all the way into town.
When they reached the market, Su Qinghe set up their stall with practiced ease.
She lit the fire until it burned bright, then set the large iron cauldron over the flames.
The pig intestines, which had been thoroughly cleaned and prepared, were cut into small sections and dropped into the bubbling hot oil.
Sizzle —
A distinct aroma instantly wafted through the air.
Even though Su Qinghe had cleaned them extremely well, intestines were still internal organs. That faint, distinctive scent mixed with the rich smell of oil — for anyone who had never tasted it before, it was quite overwhelming.
Passersby around them covered their noses one after another.
“Goodness me! What is Madam Su selling today? What’s that strange smell?”
“Looks like pig innards? Can that even be eaten? That’s what you feed dogs, isn’t it?”
That snail noodle dish she sold yesterday was already stinky enough, but today’s is even worse! She’s really committed to this whole ‘stinky food’ thing, isn’t she?”
Xiao Hanyuan stood beside the cauldron, holding a spatula, his expression also rather uneasy.
He had agreed to try her food, yes — but this smell… it really did test his limits.
“Darling, don’t just stand there! Add the sugar, get the color right!” Su Qinghe directed confidently from the side. “The whole point of Nine-Turned Intestines is that it balances five flavors perfectly: sour, sweet, fragrant, spicy, and salty. And you have to cook it just right!”
Xiao Hanyuan held his breath, and following her instructions, added brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, cardamom, and cinnamon, one after another.
As the seasonings went in, the strange smell gradually faded, replaced by a rich, deep, caramelized aroma.
The intestines tumbled and rolled in the pot, slowly turning a glossy, inviting reddish-brown, glistening with oil — looking so delicious it made people’s mouths water.
“Ready to serve!” Su Qinghe called out.
Xiao Hanyuan swiftly ladled the intestines onto a plate.
He sprinkled a handful of bright green scallions over the top. The dish looked absolutely stunning.
“Here we go, darling — you’re the first one to try this new creation!”
Su Qinghe picked up a piece with her chopsticks, blew on it to cool it down, and held it out to Xiao Hanyuan’s mouth.
The onlookers all craned their necks, eager to see whether this cold, stoic young man would actually take a bite.
Xiao Hanyuan looked at the glossy piece of intestine. Remembering his promise from the night before, he steeled himself, opened his mouth, and took a bite.
The moment the flavors hit his tongue, his eyes widened slightly.
First came the crispness of the outer layer, followed by the rich, creamy richness of the fat bursting through — and then an explosion of sweet, sour, savory, spicy, and salty tastes all at once.
The intestines had been prepared perfectly; there was no unpleasant aftertaste at all. Instead, the more he chewed, the more flavorful it became, with a springy, chewy texture that was utterly addictive.
“Well?” Su Qinghe looked at him, full of anticipation.
Xiao Hanyuan swallowed the food, his Adam’s apple bobbing. A look of obvious enjoyment, almost longing for more, appeared on his usually impassive face.
“Delicious,” he said honestly. He even reached out with his chopsticks and took another piece.
“Truly wonderful.”
When the crowd saw that even the famously unimpressed and cold Xiao Hanyuan said it was delicious, they could hold back no longer.
“Is that true? Give me a serving, let me try it!”
“I’ll have one too! That color looks really appetizing!”
“If Madam Su makes it, it’s guaranteed to be good! I want one as well!”
Before long, a long line had formed in front of their stall.
Su Qinghe collected money from customers, smiling so broadly her cheeks hurt.
This was another resounding success!
They worked busily all morning, and sold every last piece of intestine. Even the savory sauce left in the pot was soaked up and eaten by customers with steamed bread.
The rich aroma of the Nine-Turned Intestines still lingered in the air. The long queue had finally dwindled away, yet Su Qinghe showed no sign of packing up.
She wiped the grease off her hands, then waved to the man standing behind her like a silent guardian.
“Darling, bring out our signature specialty — the real star of the show.”
Xiao Hanyuan glanced at her, then bent down and dragged a large, heavy object out from beneath their cart.
It was a round iron plate, polished until it shone, attached underneath to a small stove also made of sheet iron. Xiao Hanyuan had crafted this griddle himself, working through the previous night — perfect for making savory pancakes.
Next, he carried over two large wooden barrels, almost as tall as a man. He lifted the lid from the first, and the deep, rich aroma of black tea wafted out immediately. The second barrel held creamy white milk, still steaming hot.
The customers who had been about to leave stopped in their tracks and gathered around again.
“Madam Su! What are you up to now?”
“That big iron plate looks a bit scary — almost like a shield!”
Su Qinghe hung up a new wooden sign neatly, with two lines of large characters written on it:
Signature Savory Pancake Roll — 7 coins each.
Secret Recipe Creamy Milk Tea — 5 coins per bowl.
“Good people, neighbors, and friends!” Su Qinghe cleared her throat, beaming brightly. “The intestines I sold earlier were just a tasty appetizer. This here is what we’re really serving today! A savory pancake roll paired with warm milk tea — it’s so good even immortals would trade their powers for it!”
Just as she finished speaking, a cold snort suddenly came from the crowd.