Chapter 50: Crispy Grilled Fish

"Since Ms. Shen is literate, a woman who stands on her own, and conducts business, it would be beneficial for her to read more legal books in her spare time. This way, even if she encounters any injustices, she would have a solid understanding. I hope Ms. Shen doesn't mind me speaking so frankly, as an old man."

After receiving a string of cash from Shen Miao, Lawyer Deng happily washed his face, combed his beard, and changed into a dark blue gauze robe. He then accompanied Shen Miao to the government office to report the case. As they walked along Imperial Street near the Kaifeng Prefecture, the market became increasingly crowded, forcing them to navigate through various small stalls while chatting.

Lawyer Deng lifted the hem of his robe and tiptoed past a melon vendor, continuing:

"As the saying goes, a gentleman is well-versed in literature and restrained by etiquette. But how many of the people Ms. Shen deals with in the marketplace are truly gentlemen? Take today's matter for example. If Ms. Shen had known the legal statutes, she wouldn't have delayed reporting until now. Perhaps the kidnapper would have already been caught."

Indeed, if they hadn't delayed reporting for a few days, the Garrison Troops might have been patrolling more diligently, and with a bit of luck, they might have caught the kidnapper, potentially leading them to Chen Chuan's family. Shen Miao took these words to heart and nodded, "Thank you for your earnest advice, sir. I will definitely find an opportunity to buy a few books and study them carefully."

Lawyer Deng stroked his beard and chuckled, "If Ms. Shen is truly interested, there's no need to buy from elsewhere. I have some here, personally transcribed by me, with my annotations. Books like 'The Song Penal Code' or 'The Great Song Legal Commentary' are sufficient for Ms. Shen. Since we are acquainted, I am somewhat embarrassed to charge you too much. Seeing such a studious woman like Ms. Shen brings me great joy, and I am willing to take a loss. Just two strings of cash, and these two hand-copied books are yours."

Shen Miao: "..." So that's how it is.

And... this sales pitch sounds somewhat familiar. Isn't this the same tactic she used to haggle with Old Man Yang? Did Lawyer Deng secretly eavesdrop on her bargaining with Old Man Yang while he was writing contracts?

Upon arriving at the government office, Shen Miao was glad she had brought Lawyer Deng along. Commoners like her didn't need to beat the drum to report a case; they just needed to submit Lawyer Deng's written complaint and wait for the bailiffs to summon them.

So Shen Miao stood by the lion statue at the government gate, watching with interest as Lawyer Deng chatted and laughed with the gatekeepers, Garrison Troops, and constables. They made plans to drink together, visit the perfume baths, and even promised to send someone to fetch some fine southern tobacco for them to try.

Truly a master of social connections.

And... Shen Miao felt a sense of déjà vu, as if the lawyer's behavior was strikingly similar to many professions in later times. Even when not in need of favors, one must constantly "burn incense" to maintain relationships with clients, stakeholders, and those in positions of authority.

Indeed, this has been the way since ancient times.

After about half an hour, they were called in. Shen Miao and Lawyer Deng entered a side room of the court. As ordinary citizens with no urgent or major case, they naturally had no right to see the Prefect of Kaifeng. As they followed the bailiff inside, the light dimmed, and a strong smell of ink filled the air.

Several clerks were busy handling piles of official documents, either copying or verifying information, their eyes dull and their bodies exuding the faint aura of ancient overworked laborers. Some had half-eaten meat buns by their side, already cold and greasy.

After Lawyer Deng explained their purpose, one clerk with a messy bun and a bald brush stuck in it took a blank ledger and instructed Lawyer Deng to write down Chen Chuan's appearance, accent, clothing, and other clues. He also had Shen Miao leave her address and name, then waved them off impatiently, "Alright, we'll inform you if we find any leads."

The clerk then lazily took a ledger marked "Transfer," fished out a seal from under a pile of messy documents, breathed on it, and stamped Shen Miao's papers, instructing her to take Chen Chuan to the Orphanage.

After leaving, Shen Miao thought about going back to fetch Chen Chuan, but Lawyer Deng smiled meaningfully, "What I told you earlier was the usual procedure. But if you're willing to spend some money, we can expedite the process."

Shen Miao blinked, weighed the money she had brought, and finally decided to go straight to the Orphanage with Lawyer Deng.

After filling out more forms, Lawyer Deng first wrote a full page, then had Shen Miao take out her divorce papers and the money she had, totaling about three strings of cash. He then went out to buy a bag of fine tobacco and two jars of good wine. After about fifteen minutes, he returned with a freshly stamped and inked household registration document.

Shen Miao was amazed, holding the document in disbelief, "Is it really done?"

Lawyer Deng returned her divorce papers with a smile, "Of course it's done. Let's go back. If this child can't find his family in the future, he will forever be a member of the Shen family. Do you feel that this process was too casual? Actually, it's not strange at all. Once Ms. Shen reads the legal books, she will understand that the laws in the books are rigid, but people are flexible. If one rigidly adheres to the rules, many things in the world would be impossible to accomplish. Above the law, there is human sentiment. If one only cares about the law and not human sentiment, it will lead to unjust cases. But if one only cares about human sentiment and not the law, the world would fall into chaos. This is why the profession of lawyers exists."

He slightly raised his chin and puffed out his chest with pride, "The law is inherently rigid, but we lawyers must navigate the strict legal framework, weigh the circumstances, and balance human sentiment. This is the essence of our profession."

So the shrewd and crafty Lawyer Deng is actually an idealist? Shen Miao gave him a thumbs up and tentatively asked, "As expected of Lawyer Deng, such noble character! Then... could the fee for today's services be waived?"

Hiring a lawyer at this time was really expensive. Just accompanying her for a trip already cost one string of cash, and he had also helped fill out two documents, each costing another hundred coins.

"No," Lawyer Deng immediately snapped out of his lofty ideals, his eyes widening, "Not a single coin less."

***

Having taken care of the most important matter of the day, although it was costly, Shen Miao felt a weight lifted off her shoulders and could now relax and go shopping. Walking along Imperial Street towards Yongkang Lane, near Jinliang Bridge, she first went to a familiar fish shop to order three grass carp. While waiting for the shopkeeper to clean and prepare the fish, Shen Miao was pleasantly surprised to see the familiar tabby cat with the orange arm, leading a little orange kitten!

The two cats sat by the fish stall, the tabby licking its paw while the orange kitten lazily yawned, stepping on its tail with its front paw.

Shen Miao took the opportunity to squat down and pet them. The tabby cat actually recognized her, squinting its eyes and purring as she scratched it. Then, as if by habit, it raised its rear end, meowing softly, eagerly inviting Shen Miao to pat its bottom.

Shen Miao... Shen Miao obliged, giving the cat's bottom a loud slap.

Once the fish was ready, Shen Miao took the straw rope, shook off the bloody water, waved goodbye to the two cats, and then headed to the pottery kiln to order the clay stove and large clay plate she needed. After specifying the size and quantity, she arranged a date with the potter to deliver a sample. She then headed over to Old Man Yang's house.

At his home, among the unsold stock, there was indeed an elm wood wheelchair, covered in dust. When pulled out, the dust was so thick it made you cough, but after cleaning and oiling the axles, it looked as good as new.

Since it had been unsold for a long time, Shen Miao didn't hesitate to drive a hard bargain: "Eighty wen is too expensive! My cart only cost two hundred wen. If you ask me, leaving it here will just let it rot from bugs and ants. Why not get rid of it and sell it to me, at least you'll get some income, right? If it weren't for a lucky break, I wouldn't even be buying this thing! If you don't sell it now, who knows when it will sell next, right? Also, nail two thick wooden blocks on the outside of the wheels, so when you want to stop, you can press the blocks against the wheels to brake."

She finally got it for forty wen.

After nailing the wooden blocks, Old Man Yang wiped the sweat off his brow and said, "Shen Miao, you're still such a sharp bargainer."

He had just learned and applied Shen Miao's bargaining skills, but every time she came, she had new tactics, and he always ended up confused.

Originally, the chair was custom-ordered a few years ago, but the customer canceled after it was finished. He had only received a small deposit, so he was out of pocket. Fortunately, he managed to sell it today, even if it was at a low price, at least he recovered the cost of the wood.

Old Man Yang actually comforted himself with Shen Miao's words.

Shen Miao happily wheeled the chair back home, fish in hand. Ji Geer was teaching Xiang Jieer some simple characters, with Chen Chuan listening in. His face was still pale, and his eyebrows twitched now and then, likely from the pain in his leg. Shen Miao pushed the wheelchair over and rubbed his cropped hair: "Come and try it."

Chen Chuan and Xiang Jieer both looked up. Chen Chuan was just curious, but Xiang Jieer tossed her pen aside and exclaimed, "Wow! It's a chair that moves while you sit!"

She circled the chair twice, gave it an eager pat, and said excitedly, "Chen Chuan, come sit, I'll push you."

Shen Miao fetched a blanket from the house, folded it into a square, and laid it on the chair before helping Chen Chuan onto it. Xiang Jieer immediately turned into a little coachman, shouting "Giddy up!" and started pushing Chen Chuan around the yard. The wind tousled their hair, and even Wind, the dog, dashed out of the chicken coop, barking and chasing the wheelchair.

"Slow down!" Shen Miao called out to Xiang Jieer, who was laughing loudly.

Xiang Jieer slowed down.

Chen Chuan clung to the armrests, a mix of fear and excitement on his face. He didn't notice that a smile had appeared on his face for the first time. As Xiang Jieer picked up speed, the wind rushed past his face, and his frail little body felt refreshed, as if the breeze had swept right through him.

Shen Miao watched them for a bit, then glanced over at Ji Geer. Before she could speak, Ji Geer had already started packing up the paper and brushes: "Sister, go ahead and do your work. I'll watch them play, nothing will happen."

She smiled, relieved that there was still someone reliable in the house.

Shen Miao then went into the kitchen to prepare the evening feast. She first lit the fire in the stove, then started preparing the fish.

The fish had already been scaled and gutted when she bought it, and she had asked the shopkeeper to split it open from the back. The fish was split open from the back, and the head was chopped in half to remove the guts. She didn't keep the other innards, giving them to the tabby cat and its little brother, only keeping the swim bladder.

After bringing it back, Shen Miao only needed to remove the fish teeth and scrub off the black membrane and blood near the bones with a loofah—removing these parts would eliminate most of the fishy smell.

After washing it clean, she made several shallow cuts on the fish, being especially careful not to cut the back or tail, as this would cause the fish to break apart when heated, ruining its shape. After making the cuts, she trimmed the fins and also the tail—trimming the tail wasn't necessary, but it looked better.

Once prepared, she added more scallions, ginger, garlic, salt, and yellow wine, rubbing it all over the fish to marinate for a while.

While the fish was marinating, she started cutting Chinese cabbage, loofah, lettuce, celery, tofu skin, fried eggs, and picking bean sprouts, also preparing ingredients like Sichuan pepper, cumin, fermented black beans, bean paste, soy sauce, and star anise.

After preparing the vegetables, Shen Miao wiped her hands and prepared to go to the Gu family.

When she left early in the morning, she had mentioned it to Aunt Gu, who had waved her hands saying, "Oh, no need." As the sky gradually darkened, she planned to go and tell them again, inviting them to come over around dusk.

But when she reached the yard, she found that Ji Geer, Xiang Jieer, and Chen Chuan were nowhere to be seen. She walked into the alley and saw them. Ji Geer was carrying Chen Chuan on his back, slowly placing him down to sit by the alley. Xiang Jieer had somehow found two strips of cloth and some rope, threading the cloth through Thunder's chest and back, then tying the wheelchair to Thunder with the rope, making a simple harness for Thunder to pull her around.

Thunder, the muscular and powerful dog, was as thrilled about pulling the cart as Auntie Wu had claimed. Usually steady, today he was frolicking, pulling Xiang Jieer from one end to the other. Xiang Jieer, sitting on the wheelchair, was bouncing and swaying, laughing heartily and waving her arms.

Sometimes Thunder pulled so hard that the wheelchair almost flew, with one wheel lifting off the ground when turning, scaring Shen Miao. But Xiang Jieer wasn't afraid at all, her joyful laughter could lift the roof, and she even tried to persuade Ji Geer and Chen Chuan to give it a try.

Ji Geer rolled his eyes, pointed at Chen Chuan's leg, and firmly rejected the outrageous request.

But this "new toy" quickly attracted the attention of many other children in the alley. Liu Douhua from the tofu shop wanted to take a ride, and Shen Miao heard Xiang Jieer from afar, holding her little arms and saying coldly, "One ride costs one penny."

Liu Douhua stomped her foot, "Why do I have to pay?"

"This is for Thunder; he's tired from pulling the cart," Xiang Jieer justified confidently. "Thunder only does three rides, so only three spots are available. I don't want to tire Thunder out. Who wants to ride? First in, first served! I can only come out to play when my sister is busy, so there might not be another chance after this."

Oh, she even knows she's messing around.

The Zeng family boy from the charcoal shop got anxious upon hearing this and immediately raised his hand, "I want to ride! I'm first!" He then ran home shouting for money, "Grandma, grandma, give me one penny! Hurry, give me one penny!"

Ji Geer and Chen Chuan, sitting by the alley watching: "..."

Shen Miao: "..."

What a clever use of scarcity marketing. Could Xiang Jieer be a natural-born business genius?

Well, it's good to let Thunder move around a bit. These days, he only gets walked once in the morning and once in the evening, and sometimes only once a day when Shen Miao is busy. He's even gotten a bit fat.

Shen Miao shook her head and went to the Gu family. She chatted with Aunt Gu in the yard for a bit, helped her wind two balls of thread, and repeatedly reminded them to come over for dinner in the evening. Then she said goodbye.

Xiang Jieer's "dog-pulled wheelchair" business was also coming to an end. She gave the wheelchair back to Chen Chuan, pocketed the three pennies, took the straps off Thunder, and hugged Thunder's head, smiling, "Thunder, this is what you earned. Come on, I'll take you to buy a big bone to eat."

Thunder seemed to understand, his almond eyes moist as he looked at her and wagged his tail.

Shen Miao happened to need to take Chen Chuan to Grand Physician Zhao's for a follow-up, so she took the group of children to the street. First, she pushed the wheelchair to Grand Physician Zhao's to change the dressing. The old doctor examined him, nodded, and said the swelling wasn't bad, so just keep resting like this.

He even praised Chen Chuan, "This child has a strong constitution, tough, and will heal quickly."

The whole family breathed a sigh of relief. That's great!

Shen Miao didn't sleep well last night and snuck out twice to check on Chen Chuan—maybe the medicine the old doctor prescribed had a calming effect; he didn't wake up when she went in. When she checked on him, she was full of worries: what if it gets infected? What if it heals crooked? What if it doesn't heal properly?

Fortunately, none of the worries came true today.

Shen Miao later carefully asked if Chen Chuan could eat fish. The old doctor thought for a moment and said, usually he wouldn't allow others to eat fish, but this child is too thin, starved to the point of weakness, his internal organs are colder and weaker than normal people's, eating some fish would be good; fish is nourishing and easy to digest, very beneficial for him.

With this confirmation, Shen Miao felt lighter as she led the three children and a dog back. Xiang Jieer was eager to buy a big bone for Thunder, so they detoured to Butcher Zheng's meat stall to buy a big bone with some meat still on it.

Xiang Jieer was overjoyed. As soon as they got home, she washed the bone and gave it to Thunder to gnaw on. Wind tried several times to sneak a bite but was pushed away by Xiang Jieer.

This child is quite fair, turning around and seriously scolding Wind, "You didn't do any work, so you can't have any, and don't make a fuss; this is what Thunder earned through hard work. When you grow up and can pull a cart, we'll buy you a bone too. So be good, don't always sniff around chicken butts. Last time you licked my hand, and my hand smelled like chicken poop for two days!"

Wind got mad and barked.

Xiang Jieer also got angry, hands on hips, "Hey, you dare to talk back?"

So a human and a dog, despite the language barrier, started arguing, and it got more heated. Ji Geer couldn't take it anymore, took the barking Wind away, and tied him by the kitchen door. He washed his hands in the kitchen, cut a small piece of pork, and brought it out for him to eat—his sister absolutely forbids dogs in the kitchen.

Ji Geer squatted there watching Wind quietly eat the meat, originally wanting to pat his head, but then remembered what Xiang Jieer said about the chicken poop smell, so he pinched the tip of his ear instead, earnestly saying, "You're not usually hungry; you get what Thunder gets. Why do you keep eating that stuff? Don't eat it anymore, okay?"

Wind tucked his tail, his eyes wandering, and whimpered. He's well-fed and shiny at the Shen household, naturally not because of hunger. Shen Miao has caught him several times, decisively grabbing his snout to stop him from eating, but still couldn't prevent it, just understanding it as a pure preference.

Shen Miao was starting to stir-fry in the kitchen when she heard Ji Geer under the window earnestly telling Wind to be a clean dog. She found it amusing and suddenly remembered something, so she leaned out of the kitchen window and softly instructed, "Ji Geer, ask Chen Chuan later if he needs to use the restroom. He's not comfortable and doesn't like to speak up; don't let him hold it in. You're still at home these days, so help keep an eye on him."

Ji Geer agreed, then went to fetch water to wash his hands.

Now Shen Miao could finally focus on her big dish.

These days, it's getting darker later and later, reminding her of the summers in later years, when the streets were lined with night market stalls, the warm night breeze blowing, many small restaurants setting up tables and chairs outside, colorful lanterns and small canopies, each table either with barbecue, grilled fish, or spicy crayfish, paired with shaved ice, cola, and beer, the rich aroma wafting from afar.

Moreover, she discovered that the Song Dynasty did not have the kind of small stoves with deep pans and bubbling soup bases for grilled fish that existed in later times. The grilled fish of this era was skewered on bamboo sticks and eaten alongside other grilled meats.

Today, she planned to try making two pots of it to see if Aunt Gu's family, being authentic Song Dynasty people, would enjoy it. If they liked it, she would buy a few more low tables and small stools to set up two or three more tables in front of her shop. Each table would have a small ceramic stove with charcoal, allowing them to enjoy grilled fish in the breeze, paired with cool cypress leaf wine chilled in well water. What a delightful experience that would be!

For the grilled fish, grass carp, perch, blackfish, or Qingjiang fish (a type of freshwater fish) could be used, but she hadn't seen the latter two here. Perch was expensive, while grass carp was cheap.

Shen Miao chose grass carp.

Earlier, Shen Miao had already prepared the ingredients. Now, she just needed to layer the pre-chopped vegetables at the bottom of a deep, square ceramic plate.

She then started frying the fish.

First, she dried the fish and coated it with starch. The Song Dynasty's starch-making techniques were already quite advanced. They would soak fern root powder or rice in water to allow it to absorb water and expand. Then, they would grind, filter, and remove impurities, finally settling to obtain starch.

For example, the famous "Chongyang Cake" in Bianjing (the capital of the Song Dynasty) was made with a lot of starch. Wealthy noble families even used starch paste to stiffen their clothes. They would make starch paste and brush it onto clothes, making delicate fabrics less prone to wrinkling and giving them a crisp appearance.

Since opening her shop, Shen Miao had been using pre-made starch from a local grocery store. Although it wasn't as white and fine as the starch from later times, it was sufficient for her needs.

Once the fish was ready, she began heating the oil in the pan. The pan had to be hot on both the bottom and the sides; otherwise, the fish wouldn't cook properly. Once the pan's bottom was hot, Shen Miao lifted and rotated it a few times until the bottom turned slightly white. Then, she added a spoonful of oil to coat the pan.

After coating the pan, she poured out the oil and added a fresh spoonful of cool oil. When the oil was warm enough, she started frying the tail of the fish until it turned golden. Frying the tail first prevented it from sticking to the pan. Once the tail was firm and slightly curled, she gently slid the upper part of the fish into the pan.

After frying one side until golden, she poured the oil from the pan into a small bowl, flipped the fish, and returned the oil to fry the other side. This method produced a golden, crispy fish that wasn't greasy and had tender meat.

She placed the fried fish on the vegetable-lined ceramic plate.

Using the remaining oil from frying the fish, which was the most fragrant, she stir-fried bean paste, Sichuan peppercorns, soy sauce, and other spices until they became shiny and red, releasing a rich aroma. Next, she added two large spoonfuls of bone broth. Once it came to a boil, she poured the spicy, fragrant soup base over the grilled fish.

She lit the small charcoal stove and placed the ceramic plate on it to simmer slowly over low heat, allowing the aroma to linger.

Gu Tusu, carrying a jar of freshly brewed plum wine, trailed behind his parents as they pushed open the slightly ajar door of the Shen household. He was instantly hit by the overwhelming aroma of grilled fish filling the courtyard.

Looking up, he saw Da Jieer, with her sleeves rolled up, revealing half of her lean and strong arms, carrying a large ceramic plate as she walked out of the kitchen.

She stepped naturally into the warm, golden lantern light, smiling as she greeted them, "Aunt Gu, Uncle Gu, Second Brother Gu, come quickly! Everything's ready. I've made a new dish for you to try."

"Ah, we could smell it as soon as we entered! It's so fragrant! I'm already salivating before even tasting it."

"Indeed, Da Jieer, what have you made? Oh, this fried fish has soup underneath? And there are so many vegetables in the soup? This is truly the first time I've had something like this."

"Not just the first time eating it, but the first time seeing it too."

"Thanks to you, we're in for a treat."

Aunt Gu and Uncle Gu had already stepped forward, smiling and praising her.

Gu Tusu, however, felt a sudden sense of disorientation. He paused for a moment, then slightly lowered his head, tightened his grip on the jar's handle, and silently followed.

Under the lantern light, she seemed as gentle and warm as she had been before her marriage.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

Gu Tusu, originally filled with an indescribable sense of melancholy, felt a pang of sadness. But as he approached and took a closer look—

In the Shen family's small courtyard, two tables had been pushed together. The charcoal stoves on the tables were burning brightly, slowly simmering. The soup in the grilled fish pot bubbled and steamed, filling every corner with the aroma of the fish.

Thus, Gu Tusu, who had been inexplicably melancholic, was enveloped by this comforting aroma. Sitting on a small stool with his long legs bent, he gazed at the large fish head in front of him, its skin golden and crispy, and suddenly forgot what he had been sad about just moments ago.

The image of the gentle, smiling woman under the lantern light vanished.

He swallowed his saliva quietly, his mind completely focused on the fish in front of him.

Not only him, but Xiang Jieer had already picked up her chopsticks and held her bowl, sitting upright. The children sat at their own table, eating different flavors of grilled fish. She stared intently at the large basin of fish topped with scallions, coriander, and fermented black beans, waiting for the elders to start before she would dig in.

She was already salivating from the aroma.

At this moment, Ji Geer brought four or five pieces of instant flatbread and used clean chopsticks to bury them under the fish, soaking them in the rich and spicy broth to let them absorb the flavors and slowly cook.

Shen Miao made one last trip to the kitchen, frying a large spoonful of hot green Sichuan pepper oil (known for its unique citrusy and numbing flavor), and quickly ran out to pour it over the grilled fish in front of the Gu family. The fish sizzled as the aroma of Sichuan pepper instantly mingled with the rich scent of the fish.

Shen Miao nodded with satisfaction: "Alright, everything's ready. Aunt Gu, Uncle Gu, and Brother Gu, don't just sit there, start eating! Try this green Sichuan pepper crispy grilled fish, and see how you like it!"