W Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Soup Dumplings

In Ling Xing’s opinion, Shen Hui had studied before, had a good memory, and was also smart.

If he really concentrated on studying and preparing for the imperial examinations, he might really make a name for himself.

However, Ling Xing found it a little strange why Shen Hui would have this idea, as he hadn’t seen any indication of this intention before.

“Why does Erlang suddenly want to participate in the imperial examinations?”

“It’s not sudden either.”

Shen Hui quietly kicked away a stone at his feet, to prevent Ling Xing from tripping.

“It’s just that I feel that having an official title would reduce the land tax for the family’s fields, and I could also get money and rations every month. If the family does some business, we wouldn’t have to worry about anything.”

Listening to what Shen Hui said, Ling Xing agreed that there were indeed benefits to having an official title.

After thinking for a while, he asked, “Erlang, do you like or really want to study for the imperial examinations? If you like it yourself, if you really want it, then go do it. Whether you succeed or not, at least you won’t have any regrets.”

He wholeheartedly supported Ling Yue to continue studying for the imperial examinations because Ling Xing knew that Ling Yue genuinely liked to study and wanted to obtain an official title.

In ancient times, the conditions for ordinary people to study were even more difficult.

Few succeeded at once; most experienced several failures and still couldn’t advance further.

Some were always just children scholars, some were scholars. Provincial graduates were even rarer; after all, a provincial graduate could already be a small local official.

Without inner support, a person would collapse under repeated blows.

If there was a liking for it, at least studying itself would be a happy and relaxing thing. It could also somewhat soothe the self-doubt produced after repeated failures.

This was the first time Shen Hui had been asked whether he liked something.

Did he like it?

He recalled going to the family school early every day when he was young, and quietly reading in the empty schoolroom.

That time was the most peaceful time in Shen Hui’s memory.

He didn’t know if this counted as liking it, but he was sure that he didn’t dislike studying.

Listening to Ling Xing’s footsteps, Shen Hui looked ahead, not daring to really say the real reason why he had the idea of taking the imperial examinations.

…

The method of making soup dumplings was more complicated than making steamed buns.

The dough didn’t need to be leavened with old dough, but in order to make the dough more elastic and able to wrap the soup so that it wouldn’t leak, a certain proportion of starch needed to be added to the flour.

Potatoes were cheaper than sweet potatoes and corn, and ten pounds of potatoes could make about one pound of potato starch.

The method of making potato starch was relatively simple. Just cut the potatoes into pieces, grind them, and filter the potato juice.

Then wrap the potato residue in a cloth, pour in clear water, and knead it repeatedly until no more starch could be kneaded out.

After the water containing starch was precipitated, pour away the water above, and the bottom was potato starch.

When pouring the water for the first time, the starch was still reddish, and it needed to be precipitated several times with more water.

The potato starch would become whiter and whiter.

Finally, take it out and put it on a dustpan to dry in the sun.

Shen Hui and Ling Xing borrowed a large millstone from Xie Qingya’s house to grind the potatoes into a slurry.

Shen Hui mainly did the heavy work because he was faster.

Xie Qingya helped on the side, and listened to Ling Xing talking about Ling Yue’s return and those things in the yamen related to the county magistrate. Ling Xing didn’t go into detail.

“Don’t you think that even the heavens are helping you? In the process of finding your younger brother, you couldn’t have found him without one step less. Good people really get rewarded.”

Ling Xing smiled and said, “I’m thinking of going to the bookstore tomorrow to tell the shopkeeper not to keep an eye out for me anymore.”

“I’m going to help Seven-lang deliver the transcript tomorrow, let’s go together.”

“Okay.”

When the potato starch was precipitating, Ling Xing began to prepare the pig skin jelly.

The reason why the soup dumplings had soup was because of this pig skin jelly.

Boil the pig skin with ginger slices once, and after it’s cooked, take it out and use a knife to scrape off all the fat.

The hair on the skin also needed to be completely removed. After cleaning, put it back into the water, add ginger slices to remove the fishy smell, and boil it again.

Take it out when the water boils and cut the pig skin into strips.

If the pig skin jelly is made for eating, adding about three catties of water is the most suitable. The pig skin jelly made by Ling Xing was used to make soup dumplings, so five catties of water were added.

What was needed was the water part after it solidified.

Cut that part into small pieces and mix it with the minced meat. After being heated and steamed, it would turn into a fragrant soup.

In order to make the pig skin jelly taste better, he added an appropriate amount of star anise, bay leaves, and other spices when pouring water.

Put it on a bamboo grate and steam it, and pay attention to adding water at any time.

After about an hour, it could be taken out.

The spices inside needed to be clipped out with chopsticks, and after being left to cool naturally overnight to solidify, the pig skin jelly was ready.

Ling Xing prepared to make the dough tomorrow after the pig skin jelly and starch were ready. He went to the room to calculate the accounts. Because the spices, flour, and meat were relatively expensive, the cost of the soup dumplings was not low.

The palm-sized soup dumpling, half the size of a steamed bun, cost one wen each.

Fortunately, it was filled with meat, so it wouldn’t make the diners feel unworthy.

Including labor and charcoal, Ling Xing priced each soup dumpling at two wen.

The soup dumplings were not big, and if they were more expensive, they simply couldn’t be sold in the town.

The next day, Ling Xing got up early to mix the fillings, make the dough, and try making soup dumplings.

In order to remove the fishy smell and increase the flavor of the filling, spices and seasonings were indispensable.

The cost of soup dumplings increased accordingly because of these.

Shen Hui heard the movement in the kitchen and immediately got up to help with the fire.

Smoke billowed from the chimney, the candlelight in the kitchen was dim, and the crackling sound of firewood was very clear.

Ling Xing poured the chopped pig skin jelly into the meat filling according to the proportion and stirred it. He casually asked, “Did Erlang tell Dad and Mom about wanting to take the imperial examinations?”

The fire reflected Shen Hui’s face, flickering on and off.

“I’ll tell them today.”

Ling Xing said upon hearing this, “Okay, I will go to town with Qingya today, Erlang doesn’t have to go with me.”

It just so happened that Shen Hui could talk to his family about this matter.

He could feel that his parents didn’t actually want the family to have any relationship with the officialdom.

Shen Hui thought for a while, although he was worried and wanted to go, he finally nodded in agreement.

The skin of the soup dumplings was thin, and the steaming time was faster than steamed buns.

One steamer could produce ten soup dumplings, which was fine.

Shen Hui moved faster than Ling Xing, and before he could start, he had already put his hands on the steamer and carried it to the table.

At this time, steam was billowing, and Ling Xing was holding a cloth, watching in fear, “Are you burned?”

Shen Hui rubbed his fingertips, feeling nothing.

But he said, “A little.”

“Where is it burned? Let me see.”

Ling Xing stepped forward to check, and Shen Hui watched the person approaching. The faint fragrance was all between his breaths.

He found it a little strange. Ling Xing didn’t wash his hair today, so how could he still smell the faint fragrance?

A warm touch came from his wrist, his hand was lifted up, and Shen Hui felt a little itchy.

But he didn’t want to hide, he just wanted the person grabbing his wrist to use more force.

Ling Xing grabbed Shen Hui’s fingers and spread them out, checking his palms and fingertips.

It was burned red.

“It’s good that it’s not really burned.” Saying that, he let go of Shen Hui and went to get cold water to soak his hands in.

Shen Hui rubbed the wrist that had been grabbed with one hand, his eyes following Ling Xing in the still dim room.

“What are you dazing for? Put your hand in, and don’t directly carry the freshly steamed steamer with bare hands in the future.”

Ling Xing grabbed Shen Hui’s wrist and directly stuffed it into the cold water.

With a splash, the icy touch brought Shen Hui’s sanity back.

“I know, Ge’er-husband.”

While Shen Hui was soaking his hands, Ling Xing went to taste the soup dumplings.

Holding the top of the thin skin with chopsticks, there was a slight watery feeling when lifted up.

Adding potato starch made the skin tough enough to lock in the soup and prevent it from breaking through the skin.

Ling Xing slightly poked a hole with chopsticks, and the pig skin jelly melted into water after being heated, merging with the meat filling. The soup flowed out, with a strong meaty aroma.

The soup flowed quickly and abundantly, and Ling Xing subconsciously stretched out the tip of his tongue to lick the soup, and then lightly sucked a mouthful of soup, his mouth full of salty fragrance.

Because the meat filling was added with seasonings and spices, the aroma of the meat was so strong after being heated at high temperature that the lips and teeth left a fragrant.

Ling Xing was very satisfied with the taste of the soup dumplings. The spices and seasonings were expensive, but there was a world of difference in taste with or without them.

If the soup dumplings were dipped in vinegar, they should be more fragrant.

He thought of reminding the diners of this way of eating when selling them later.

Because of the good taste of the soup dumplings, Ling Xing had more confidence in this business.

“Erlang, you eat the rest of this steamer. Leave two more steamers for eating at home, and I’ll take the other two away.”

Ling Xing put down the chopsticks, turned to look at Shen Hui, and said strangely, “Erlang, are you very hot? Why is your face red?”

Shen Hui’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and he only felt that the cold water in the basin was heating up.

With another splash of water, he took his hand out of the basin in a slightly flustered and nervous manner, his voice low and suppressed, “It’s nothing, I’m still a little sleepy, I’m going back to sleep.”

Shen Hui quickly drilled into the room like a gust of wind.

The water on his hands dripped all the way, leaving messy marks.

Ling Xing had to put the soup dumplings to be left at home in the wooden cabinet first, and put the other two steamers in ceramic plates respectively, and wrapped one of the plates with oil paper.

He took two ceramic plates of soup dumplings to Xie Qingya’s house, and gave Xie Qingya the plate that was not wrapped in oil paper.

“I made a new food, it tastes good after heating and dipping in vinegar.”

After saying that, he reminded Xie Qingya to be careful when eating, because there was a lot of juice inside, which would be quite hot.

Xie Qingya smiled and accepted it, “I’ll eat it when I come back, let’s go first.”

Without Shen Hui leading the way, Ling Xing didn’t dare to take the mountain path.

Especially now that the weather was getting hotter and hotter, not to mention that there were many snakes and insects, there would also be wild animals.

So he followed Xie Qingya and the two of them on the main road, their speed was not fast, and they walked easily.

Xie Qingya thought of the food made by Ling Xing and sincerely exclaimed, “Brother Xing, you are really amazing, you can always think of ways to make a living.”

“It’s okay, it’s all hard-earned money.”

Wasn’t it hard-earned money? They got up early every day and worked hard, but they couldn’t earn much after a day of work.

It was okay when the weather was good, but on cloudy and rainy days, the mountain roads were difficult to walk, the roads were muddy, and there were fewer diners.

But they still couldn’t fail to open.

Ling Xing glanced at the sky, today it was gloomy, and it was estimated that it would rain later.

It would be great if they could live in a house in town.

Unfortunately, he didn’t have much money in hand now, just enough for him to start the soup dumpling business.

Ling Yue still had to continue taking medicine, and the money was simply not enough to spend, so how could he have extra money to rent a house in the town?

He should just think about it.

Xie Qingya himself was making tofu to earn hard-earned money, so he could understand Ling Xing’s difficulty.

It made him feel uncomfortable to say these things, so he simply changed the subject.

“Let’s not talk about this, by the way, Brother Xing, do you know that Fang Xiuxia has returned to the village?”

Ling Xing really didn’t know.

“Why did she come back?”

There were no secrets in the village, especially since Xie Qingya was selling tofu, and many people went there to buy tofu and would say a few words.

Xie Qingya knew everything about the village.

“She came back yesterday evening. Your house is at the foot of the mountain, so it’s normal not to know if you didn’t go to the village.”

Xie Qingya knew that Ling Xing didn’t understand, so he gave him the reason with great enthusiasm.

“After Fang Xiuxia came back, the Fang family was in chaos. Aunt Liu lives next to the Fang family. She came to buy tofu and said that she heard with her own ears that Fang Xiuxia was divorced. Zhao Ping and Zhao Fan separated, and Old Lady Zhao took the courtyard she now lives in and wanted to live with the eldest son’s family.”

Ling Xing was a little surprised. He hadn’t paid attention to the Zhao family’s affairs since he left the county office that day.

He did hear Zhao Fan say that he wanted to separate the family at that time, but he didn’t expect them to really separate the family.

“Isn’t Old Lady Zhao still there? How was it divided?”

Xie Qingya said, “Aunt Liu heard that they were fighting in the yamen for some recipe. Zhao Fan said that they were all a family, so he also had a share. Zhao Ping didn’t want to give it to Zhao Fan, so he asked Old Lady Zhao to separate the family. Then Old Lady Zhao agreed.”

Ling Xing was stunned. He didn’t expect that there was still something about the recipe he gave here.

Thinking of what happened in the yamen before, Ling Xing guessed that Zhao Fan didn’t really want the steamed bun recipe.

He originally wanted to separate the family, and it just so happened that Zhao Ping wanted to monopolize the recipe.

He only needed to grasp Zhao Ping’s psychology and stimulate him, and he could make him take the initiative to propose it.

“I don’t quite understand. Zhao Fan is the shopkeeper of the grain shop, and he has money and some rights. But why does Old Lady Zhao listen to Zhao Ping so much?”

Logically speaking, even if they separated the family, wouldn’t it be better to follow Zhao Fan?

Xie Qingya sighed, shaking his head helplessly, “Why else? The fortune teller said that Zhao Fan was harmful to his relatives. He was born that year, and Old Lady Zhao almost died of dystocia. When he was five years old, his father got drunk and froze to death on the street. It would be strange if Old Lady Zhao liked him.”

These were not secrets in Xiao Liucun, everyone understood.

Ling Xing only felt that feudal superstition was terrible.

However, the people and things of the Zhao family had nothing to do with him anyway.

He would just listen to it.

When the two of them went to the town, they happened to see Xu Qi at the gate of the city.

Xu Qi greeted, “Brother Ling, Erlang didn’t come with you today? Who is this?”

“No.” Ling Xing introduced each other to Xu Qi and Xie Qingya, “This is Brother Xie, my good friend. This is Brother Xu Qi, Erlang’s good friend.”

Xu Qi and Xie Qingya nodded in greeting, but did not have much conversation.

Xu Qi had already known that Ling Yue had been found.

He was also happy for Ling Xing, but Ling Yue was injured before, and his household registration was also a problem. Xu Qi felt that he couldn’t help much, so he didn’t bother him.

Now that the matter was resolved, he also had something to ask for, so he said to Ling Xing, “Please tell Erlang, I want to buy the trauma powder he made, and ask him to make more.”

“Okay, Brother Xu Qi, I’ll tell him when I get back.”

When they arrived at the bookstore, Xie Qingya first handed over the copy.

After Xie Qingya got the new book to be copied and the previous settlement, Ling Xing handed the ceramic plate wrapped in oil paper to the shopkeeper, and told the shopkeeper how to eat the soup dumplings after heating them.

“My younger brother has been found, thank you shopkeeper for your help in paying attention before. There is no need to look for him anymore.”

After eating the food sent by Ling Xing last time, the shopkeeper had high expectations for this soup dumpling.

He didn’t decline and accepted it with a smile.

“It’s good to find someone, I’ll accept the things shamelessly. Brother Ling, please wait a moment, I’ll get you a portrait of your younger brother. I will take back the portraits from other bookstores when I go to the county to report next time.”

Ling Xing said embarrassedly, “Sorry to trouble you, shopkeeper.”