Xue Li listened to Jiang Xiyu’s sharp tongue and eloquent flow of words, standing beside her with a look of pure admiration. She hadn’t expected that by bringing this girl home, she had picked up a treasure of a bargainer.
The corner of the Shopkeeper’s mouth twitched slightly.
Seeing the opening, Xue Li took over. “The Shopkeeper’s words actually remind me of several porcelain shops I saw at the Zhouqiao Night Market yesterday. They also had these silver-banded cups on sale, and they were priced at only one string and two hundred coins.”
Jiang Xiyu gave a light huff. “Exactly. I even saw a Shopkeeper say that if one bought more, perhaps the price could be lowered by another twenty coins.”
“This…” The Shopkeeper pinched his beard, his expression momentarily hesitant.
Jiang Xiyu took the opportunity to step closer, her speaking pace neither fast nor slow, as if merely making casual conversation. “The two of us came here first thing in the morning, and we aren’t your average buyers. Since we are purchasing for a shop, we will inevitably have more dealings with the Shopkeeper in the future. If the Shopkeeper can make an honest deal today, we will naturally return as patrons.”
The Shopkeeper’s eyes darted back and forth. After some deliberation, he finally let out a sigh and spread his hands. “Fine, since you two ladies are so straightforward, I won’t beat around the bush. One string and five hundred coins—I cannot go any lower.”
Xue Li smiled faintly. “The Shopkeeper knows we are buying more than one set. If one set costs one string and five hundred, then for three sets…”
“How about this? One string and three hundred coins per set. We’ll take three sets, and we’ll also buy several more sets of spoons and chopsticks. Would the Shopkeeper be willing?” Jiang Xiyu cut in. The two of them played “good cop” and “bad cop” with such perfect harmony it was as if they had practiced it for years.
A look of struggle flashed across the Shopkeeper’s face. After a long silence, he slapped the counter, gritted his teeth, and sighed helplessly. “Since you two ladies are dealing in good faith, I won’t drag it out either. We shall go with that price!”
Xue Li breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. She then heard Jiang Xiyu whisper beside her, “Serves him right for asking for the moon; this price is finally somewhat fair.” Xue Li couldn’t help but cover her mouth to hide a smile.
The Shopkeeper heard none of it. He was busy calling over an assistant to fetch the porcelain and wrap it carefully. He then ordered the assistant to safely deliver the three sets of Ru ware peacock-patterned cups, fifteen comb-patterned soup spoons, and fifteen pairs of plum-blossom wooden chopsticks to the Xue Residence.
Before they left, Shopkeeper Zhou did not forget to cup his hands and smile at them. “If you ladies need more porcelain in the future, just come find me. I’ll be sure to give you a good deal.”
Jiang Xiyu gave him a frank smile, but the moment she turned around, she clicked her tongue and complained to Xue Li, “A ‘good deal,’ he says. We spent so much breath just for those few coins on the spoons and chopsticks. Getting any benefit out of him really isn’t easy.”
Xue Li couldn’t help but laugh, letting out a soft sigh. “Still, it can be considered a fair price.” Having said that, she suddenly remembered something and looked at Jiang Xiyu with joy. “The way you bargained with Shopkeeper Zhou just now really made me see you in a new light. I didn’t know you were such a master at haggling.”
Jiang Xiyu looked triumphant but feigned a calm demeanor. “We’ve only known each other for two days; there are many things you don’t know yet. Just wait for the surprises to come slowly.”
By the time they returned home, it was already noon. The daylight was warm, and the old locust tree in the courtyard cast a mottled shadow. A breeze blew through the hall, gently lifting the bamboo sunshades.
The two moved the porcelain, which the shop assistant had left at the door, into the courtyard. Before they had organized it for long, they felt their stomachs were empty and they were famished.
“Xiyu, is there anything you want to eat?” Xue Li set the camphor wood box on the ground and let out a soft breath. “For our first meal together as partners, we must have something to bring good luck.”
Jiang Xiyu had just sat down at the round stone table to look over the ledgers. Hearing this, she looked up, blinked at her, and chuckled. “I think mutton buns would be quite good.”
Xue Li looked at her and couldn’t help laughing. “You stayed at my house for those few days and had mutton buns for every single meal. Aren’t you tired of them yet?”
Jiang Xiyu nodded as if it were a matter of course. “How can one get tired of something delicious?”
“Fine, I’ll go see if there’s enough mutton left at home.” Xue Li expressed her deep admiration and walked toward the kitchen, planning to make a bowl of hot soup as well to warm their stomachs.
As she turned into the kitchen, Jiang Xiyu went back to calculating the accounts. A moment later, a cry of surprise suddenly came from the kitchen. Immediately after, Xue Li rushed out. “Xiyu! We’ve been robbed!”
“Robbed?” Jiang Xiyu was stunned. She, a famous thief, was right here—what nameless petty crook dared to come to her door and steal?
It was practically a provocation!
Xue Li nodded solemnly. “I clearly remember there was a small half-catty of mutton left, sitting right on the wooden shelf in the southeast corner of the kitchen. When I looked just now, only the lotus leaf used to wrap the meat was left.”
Hearing this, Jiang Xiyu’s expression became slightly subtle. “…Were there also some chive leaves missing?”
Xue Li found it somewhat strange. She looked at her, narrowed her eyes suspiciously, and slowly nodded.
Jiang Xiyu rubbed the tip of her nose and gave a dry laugh. “It’s all my fault. Last night, because of the diarrhea from that croton powder, my stomach was empty in the middle of the night and I was literally woken up by hunger. I saw you were sleeping soundly and didn’t want to disturb your sweet dreams, so I made some mutton and chive pancakes myself. But! I originally intended to leave a few pieces for your breakfast today. Who knew that the mutton marinade would be so fragrant? Once I started eating, I just couldn’t stop…”
Xue Li couldn’t help but laugh.
She wasn’t angry at all. In fact, hearing the latter half, she seemed quite gratified and even a bit proud. “That mutton marinade is a secret recipe unique to the Xue family. It’s no wonder you ate it all.”
Recalling the delicious taste of the mutton and chive pancakes from last night, Jiang Xiyu was incredibly curious. “Dear Li, what kind of marinade did you actually use? Dried tangerine peel? Fennel? Or Sichuan peppercorns?”
Xue Li said nothing, just pursed her lips and smiled.
It was none of those.
In fact, she used a common modern method for marinating meat. In her past life as a food streamer, whenever she made meat dishes, she would use pineapple juice to marinate the meat. The bromelain in the pineapple could effectively break down proteins, making the meat more tender and adding a sweet-and-sour flavor.
During the Song Dynasty, pineapples had not yet been introduced. Fortunately, a few days ago while cleaning the storage room where her father kept medicinal materials, she found a jar of green plum dew among a pile of medicinal wine jars—this was exactly what modern people would call green plum enzyme!
Green plum enzyme also contains proteases. In this era where ingredients weren’t exactly comprehensive, it could serve as a great tool for marinating meat. Not to mention, the enzyme contains beneficial microorganisms that can inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria and extend the meat’s shelf life.
Jiang Xiyu was so intrigued by her mysterious silence that she simply reached out and grabbed Xue Li’s arm, swinging it back and forth like a swing, nearly throwing Xue Li five feet away.
“Stop, stop, stop!” Xue Li was swung until her head spun. “Do you still want to eat?”
Jiang Xiyu immediately let go and looked at her expectantly. “But the mutton is gone. What are we going to eat?”
Xue Li concentrated for a moment, and a flash of inspiration hit her. “I’ve got it!”
Inside the kitchen, thin curls of cooking smoke rose.
Xue Li pressed down the scallions and ginger on the chopping board, quickly slicing them into sections and dividing them into two piles. One pile was crushed to extract the juice and infused with boiling water, while the other was minced into fine bits for later use.
Though the mutton was gone, fortunately, there was still meat stored in the cellar. She specifically chose a piece of front-leg pork, thirty percent fat and seventy percent lean—perfect for making Braised Lion’s Head.
Xue Li rolled up her sleeves, revealing a pair of snow-white wrists, and took up a sharp kitchen knife to press down on the fresh front-leg meat. Strands of warm sunlight filtered through the lattice window. The silvery blade flashed at an angle, and as the “da-da” sound rang out, the pork was minced into pieces the size of pomegranate seeds. Xue Li then turned the back of the knife over, gathering the minced meat together unhurriedly, and the blade continued to dance against the wooden board until the meat was fine, soft, and as smooth as lard. Only then did she stop.
Next, she poured the minced meat and diced lotus root into a large coarse ceramic bowl. She mixed in yellow wine, soy sauce, and oyster sauce, and then cracked in a farm-raised chicken egg. The egg and the thirty percent fat were both key to ensuring the meat texture of the Lion’s Head was loose yet didn’t fall apart.
Having finished these preparations, the hot water in the celadon bowl had also cooled down. Xue Li added the infused scallion and ginger water in small batches while stirring, picking up chopsticks to whip the mixture with steady and rapid wrist strength. Once the meat paste became springy enough to hold the chopsticks upright, she lifted the entire mass of meat and slammed it heavily against the bottom of the basin, making the wooden table vibrate with a “vroom vroom” sound.
Jiang Xiyu had been sitting at the round stone table outside, nearly dozing off while checking the accounts. Hearing such a loud commotion, she thought a shelf had collapsed in the kitchen. Eyes bleary with sleep, she hurriedly poked her head through the window. “What happened?”
Xue Li looked at her dazed expression and explained with a smile, “Nothing happened. I’m just slamming the meat. Repeated slamming makes the meat more chewy, adding elasticity while keeping it firm.”
“Oh, I see.” Jiang Xiyu nodded, staring with interest at the mass of meat in her hands. “But if you use any more strength, I’m afraid you’ll crack the basin.”
Xue Li gave a light huff. “You’ll understand when you eat it later.”
After slamming the meat, it was time for shaping. She scooped a little lard to rub on her palms to prevent sticking, then took four ounces of meat dice into her palm. Her fingertips closed slightly, gently rounding the meatball. When closing her hand, the tiger’s mouth (the space between the thumb and index finger) had to retain some pressure, letting the surface of the meatball naturally crack with fine lines. In this way, once the meatballs were fried, they would be as beautiful as a budding flower.
Xue Li rounded the meatballs and placed a layer of damp lotus leaf at the bottom of a bamboo tray before lining the meatballs up inside. The clear fragrance of the lotus leaf seeped through slightly, intertwining with the rich aroma of the spices in the meatballs. Just standing there, she could already imagine how they would achieve a feast for the taste buds once they entered the pot.
The iron pot on the stove was already hot. Xue Li used her chopsticks to test the oil temperature. Once bubbles began to rise around the tips—what was commonly known as seventy percent heat—she slowly rolled the meatballs in along the edge of the pot. In an instant, the sound of the hot oil frying was like the first fall of spring rain, gentle and rustling.
Sizzle—
Golden oil bubbles rapidly expanded across the surface of the pot. The scorching oil enveloped the outer layer of the meatballs, instantly locking in the delicious juices. The shells of the meatballs gradually fried to a crisp, glowing with an amber sheen.
Xue Li used a spatula to flip the meatballs one by one, continuing to fry and color the other sides. The meatballs rolled up and down in the pot, gently bumping and rubbing against each other with a pleasant and enticing “sha-sha” sound. The “crispy on the outside and tender on the inside” quality was already clearly visible.
Before long, the fried Lion’s Heads were scooped up by Xue Li and stacked on a nearby oil-draining rack. The aroma billowed out, wafting straight into the nose.