20 Crispy Lace Potstickers

Madam Yang was well aware that Wen Zhongxia and her sister-in-law set up their stall at the Imperial Academy very early each morning, so she specifically chose the evening to collect the rent.

She was currently quite amiable toward the two women, often sending her grandson to their stall to buy snacks to take home; the entire family had grown fond of their braised dishes.

She had previously assumed the young woman excelled only in flour-based foods like flatbreads and wontons, but after seeing this dish of blood duck, she realized she had underestimated her skill with meat dishes.

Every piece of duck was coated in fresh, flavorful duck blood, emitting an appetizing aroma; it was rich and savory without being greasy. One bite revealed meat that was incredibly tender, with no hint of stringiness.

After swallowing, a wave of fresh, spicy heat surged upward. Upon closer savoring, one could detect a faint, refreshing sweetness beneath the spice—it was perfectly suited for pairing with rice.

After two bites, Madam Yang suddenly pulled out a handkerchief to dab the corners of her eyes.

"Is it too spicy?" Wen Zhongxia asked softly.

Xu Xiu hurriedly poured her a cup of water.

"Ma'am, mine isn't spicy. You can have mine," Wen Mengdong said, offering his small, non-spicy portion of blood duck to her.

"Good child, you eat it yourself," Madam Yang said, patting the back of Wen Mengdong’s head, her eyes still slightly red. "It’s not the spice; the flavor just reminded me of my hometown."

She was originally a girl from the south who had come to the Eastern Capital with her merchant father, where she later married and settled down.

Her hometown was known for its love of spice, and in all her years in the capital, she had rarely tasted a dish that was so satisfyingly piquant.

Understanding that she was overcome by nostalgia, Wen Zhongxia said, "To be honest, Ma'am, this is indeed a southern dish. If you like it, why not stay and have a simple meal with us?"

Madam Yang quickly composed herself and waved her hand; she had come to collect rent, not to scrounge a meal.

Wen Zhongxia did not insist after offering twice, but instead filled a bowl to the brim with the blood duck for her to take home.

"Then thank you very much. I'll have Chuan bring the bowl back to you tomorrow," Madam Yang said, accepting it with slight hesitation.

Xu Xiu smiled and said, "It’s just a bowl, no need to return it."

Madam Yang returned home happily, adding the dish to their dinner table.

The blood duck was a deep, dark red, with specks of green and red chili clinging to the bits of duck blood, looking quite alluring. With such a presentation, no one had any objections to placing it in the center of the table.

"I heard this young Miss Wen is only seventeen or eighteen, yet her craftsmanship is so impressive," her daughter-in-law, Madam Huang, praised.

"That’s for sure. Miss Wen is very popular at the Imperial Academy; if you go even a little late, you won't get any," Lu Tianchuan said, looking as proud as if the accomplishment were his own.

Madam Yang added, "You should have seen it when she was stir-frying this dish—the spicy aroma filled the entire courtyard."

Unable to hold back any longer, Lu Tianchuan urged his grandfather, Lu Bo, "Grandfather, let’s eat."

Lu Bo had actually been itching to try it for a while but hadn't wanted to show it too obviously, fearing it might diminish his dignity as the head of the house.

He picked up his chopsticks and took the first bite. The duck skin was crispy and the meat tender; the layer of duck blood was thicker and more flavorful than mere soy sauce, truly combining freshness, fragrance, and spice.

He wondered how the young woman had thought to pour the duck blood over the meat—it was absolutely a masterstroke.

Aside from Madam Yang and her husband, whose palate had been influenced by her for years, the son, daughter-in-law, and grandson were soon gasping from the heat after a few bites, yet they were loath to put down their chopsticks.

With five people sharing such a small bowl, there were hardly enough pieces to go around, and it left them wanting more.

The son, Lu Cheng, used plain rice to temper the spice and suggested, "Mother, since you say this spicy blood duck is so much like home, why not hire this young Miss Wen to prepare a few dishes for your birthday banquet?"

"I agree," Lu Tianchuan said, raising his hand high.

Madam Yang immediately beamed: "My son is so thoughtful; he thinks just like his mother."

"Grandmother, if we invite Miss Wen to cook the banquet, we must not shortchange her on the payment just because she is our tenant," Lu Tianchuan warned.

"You rascal, though your grandmother loves money, I would never take advantage of others on important occasions," Madam Yang said with a smile, tapping her grandson’s head.

Lu Tianchuan took the opportunity to link his arm through hers, acting spoiled: "Hehe, I was just joking, don't be angry, Grandmother."

Madam Yang could never be angry with him and turned to her husband: "What do you think?"

Lu Bo was still savoring the flavor of the blood duck and replied, "I leave it to you, my lady."

...

That night.

The three of them sat cross-legged on the bed, surrounding a large box. None of them felt sleepy; instead, their eyes were bright.

After paying the rent, Wen Zhongxia decided it was time to take stock of the month's earnings.

As soon as Wen Mengdong heard they were counting money, he refused to go to sleep and insisted on joining in.

In this era, a string of cash generally equaled one thousand coins. They counted them one by one and threaded them onto straw ropes.

Every time she counted a large amount of copper coins, she couldn't help but inwardly grumble: Why weren't silver and paper currency more popular in this era?

Her hands were numb!

But seeing a thousand coins perfectly strung together, the joy would instantly wash away the fatigue, and she would continue counting with renewed vigor.

The three of them counted for a long time, their fingertips stained with a faint, copper-green hue.

The total was twenty strings and two hundred thirty coins—even higher than she had initially estimated.

"So much money," Wen Mengdong kept giggling.

Xu Xiu couldn't hide her smile either: "All our early mornings and late nights have been worth it."

They should no longer have to worry about the precarious, hand-to-mouth existence they once led.

"Let’s keep working hard and strive to save enough to open a proper eatery soon."

Wen Zhongxia had inquired slightly; the rent for shops in the great Eastern Capital was truly not cheap. A shop in a prosperous area could cost dozens or even hundreds of strings of cash a month, and even those in the outer city cost around a dozen.

They still had a long way to go.

"In the future, we must look for opportunities to see if we can send things to Binzhou," Wen Zhongxia said, arranging the strings of cash in the box.

"There are so few people traveling to Lingnan, and you have to find someone reliable; it’s really hard to come by," Xu Xiu sighed.

Although the Great Song had a postal system, it was primarily for the imperial court to relay messages. Ordinary people mostly had to entrust travelers to carry items, and losing things along the way was all too common.

"There will be chances," Wen Zhongxia said. "If all else fails, once the business is stable, we can go ourselves. Perhaps we can start a food business there too."

She looked at Xu Xiu: "Sister-in-law, I'm sorry. If it weren't for being dragged down by me, you wouldn't have to be separated from my big brother."

"What are you saying? We are family; there is no need for such talk," Xu Xiu chided. "The eldest sister-in-law is like a mother; it is my duty to look after you. Besides, your brother wouldn't want me following him to suffer in that desolate place."

"Sister-in-law, may I ask you a question?"

"How mysterious. Go ahead and ask."

Wen Zhongxia pursed her lips: "If my brother remains demoted and cannot return, have you ever thought about finding another path?"

This wasn't just because of her modern mindset; the Great Song actually had laws regarding this—if a husband was exiled for a crime and the wife was left destitute and alone, she could legitimately file for divorce.

"As long as he is alive, I will never leave him," Xu Xiu said softly, her delicate face flickering in the swaying lamplight. "You don't even know how I met your brother, do you?"

Wen Zhongxia shook her head. In the original owner's memories, she only recalled her brother suddenly writing home to say he had fallen for a young lady and wished to marry. Their father had no bias regarding family status, so the marriage proceeded quickly.

Xu Xiu reminisced, a faint smile appearing on her face.

Wen Jichun was a military officer who was posted to her hometown that year.

Xu Xiu was just the young daughter of an ordinary family. They were not wealthy, but the family was content.

That day, she and her mother were on the street when a local bully took a fancy to her. Not only did he taunt her in public, but he also demanded to take her as a concubine by force.

Fortunately, Wen Jichun happened to be passing by and intervened.

The bully was a coward who feared the strong, and he didn't dare say a word in front of a military officer.

Fearing the bully might cause trouble later, Wen Jichun kindly escorted them home.

From that day on, the seeds of love were sown.

"Oh..." Wen Zhongxia intentionally drew out the sound and bumped her sister-in-law's shoulder. "So there was a 'hero saves the beauty' drama—how romantic."

Xu Xiu's face turned completely red: "You girl, you aren't even married yet, what nonsense are you spouting?"

"Oh, you're shy," Wen Zhongxia teased.

"Stop it," Xu Xiu said, blushing as she reached out to pinch her soft cheek.

Wen Zhongxia quickly begged for mercy: "Good sister-in-law, I won't say it anymore."

"So... tasty..."

The two paused and turned to look. Wen Mengdong had grown tired from counting money and had fallen asleep sitting up at some point—no wonder he had been quiet for so long.

His little head bobbed like a chick pecking at rice, and he kept muttering in his sleep.

Wen Zhongxia and Xu Xiu laughed simultaneously; the little one was dreaming of food—he was truly a little glutton.

"Enough playing. Let’s put the money away. We have to keep working hard tomorrow!"

"Work hard to earn money!"

...

"Guest, the usual?"

Wen Zhongxia was now accustomed to her VIP customer, who always appeared before classes were dismissed.

She had begun to suspect that he might not be the student she thought he was.

In the vast Imperial Academy, aside from the teachers, there must be many other positions, though she didn't know what he did.

Hang Yao did not answer, but pointed to her workbench and asked, "Are these wontons or dumplings? Why are the ends left open?"

"These are potstickers. I plan to fry a few for myself."

Hang Yao gave a faint "Oh," but his eyes remained fixed on them, as if he were quite curious.

Seeing this, Wen Zhongxia smiled: "Would you like to try some?"

Hang Yao was reserved for a moment before replying, "If it is not too much trouble, then I will have a serving of potstickers."

"It's no trouble. Please, take a seat."

The potstickers were already wrapped, waiting to be fried.

She arranged the potstickers side-by-side in a circle in a flat-bottomed pan, letting them sizzle over a low heat before pouring in water and covering them to steam for a while.

Because the potstickers were open-ended, they cooked quickly. When the water was nearly gone, she poured in a little starch water, which created a beautiful, crispy "ice flower" crust on the bottom.

Just before taking them off the heat, she sprinkled on a pinch of green scallions and black sesame seeds. The crust had formed perfectly. She took a plate, inverted it over the pan, and flipped the pan over.

There, the entire batch of potstickers was perfectly transferred onto the plate.

The golden, crispy bottom paired with the delicate, hollowed-out "ice flower" lace was perfection.