Siheyuan: Walking the Path of Qin Huairu

Hu Yingzi has been eating really well these days. She has an egg every morning, meat for lunch and dinner, and cornmeal steamed bread at the worst. She wouldn't even dare to think of such a meal back home. Most importantly, she doesn't have to work in the fields. She just looks after the children and does housework every day. These tasks are a piece of cake for her and don't even count as work.

Life in this city is so blissful. But she couldn't help drooling when she smelled the aroma coming from the kitchen. How come the dishes made by the chef are so delicious with the same ingredients?

After the dishes were ready, Xu Huizhen asked Yingzi and Yushui to eat in the backyard, leaving a bowl of each dish for them. Han Qingqiu didn't want to join in the fun in the front, so he also ate in the backyard.

After everyone arrived, the dishes were served one after another. The four cold dishes were mixed kelp shreds, smoked Spanish mackerel, fried peanuts, and pickled cucumbers.

Hot dishes include braised turtle, spicy boiled pork slices, Kung Pao chicken, stir-fried sea cucumber with green onions, stir-fried conch with sauce, and home-cooked mackerel.

As for seafood, it is either steamed, boiled, or made into soup, and the main focus is on its original flavor.

Everyone stared at the dishes on the table, their eyes widened, simply because they were too sumptuous. Chen Xueru said, "Huizhen, you spent a lot of money today! This is such a great feast!"

Xu Huizhen said, "A few days ago, my relatives from my hometown came and brought me a lot of seafood. I couldn't finish it all by myself, so we should share this blessing. Everyone, please sit down. Cai Quanwu, please serve the wine."

Everyone greeted each other and sat down.

Xu Huizhen poured wine for everyone and said, "I grew up in a wine cellar, and Erguotou is really a good wine. Wu Yanqi once said in a poem: Since ancient times, talented people have been hated for thousands of years, but Erguotou is still sweet today."

Teacher Xu said: "That's right. Emperor Qianlong praised this wine highly after drinking it."

Xu Huizhen picked up the wine glass and said, "Everyone here today is an important figure in Daqianmen. Uncle Niu is highly respected, and Teacher Xu is a role model. Uncle Pianer is a man of noble character. And Manager Wei and Manager Chen are good at running the business. This glass of wine is to thank you all for always taking care of our tavern business. I'll drink it, you guys can do as you please." After saying that, she tilted her head back and drank the wine.

Everyone drank their glasses of wine, and then started eating. They all started praising each other and also praised Xu Huizhen.

He Yuzhu finished the last dish, stewed pork elbow, and brought it in. The pork elbow was shiny and oily, and the skinned pork elbow would sway with every step. It was obvious that He Yuzhu had put a lot of effort into this dish.

Everyone was eating with their mouths full of oil and a look of satisfaction on their faces.

Uncle Niu gave a thumbs up and said, "Uncle Niu, I also ate good food when I was young. Chef Xiao He is so young, but he cooks really authentic dishes, especially the braised turtle, which tastes amazing. With a few more years of experience, he will be a big name in the chef industry!"

Pian Ye also agreed: "There is also this spicy boiled fish, which has a soft and tender texture and a moderate spicy taste. Once you take a bite, you can't stop eating it."

Teacher Xu was not to be outdone and said: "This dish of stir-fried sea cucumber with scallions has a strong scallion aroma, thick meat, and is soft, glutinous and smooth when eaten. Master He's cooking skills are beyond reproach."

Cai Quanwu said slowly: "I should say, everything is good!" Cai Quanwu always says the last half of the three-and-a-half sentence.

He Yuzhu took a sip of wine and said proudly, "I have been practicing since I was a child. I first learned the craft from my father, and later learned Sichuan cuisine from my master. Of course, my cooking skills are not as good as my father's and my master's. Please give me more valuable suggestions."

Cai Quanwu praised his nephew at the right time: "Zhu Zi's cooking skills are inherited from his ancestors. His father is the inheritor of Tan's cuisine. If anyone has a banquet in the future, just tell him."

Xu Huizhen picked up the glass again and said, "I'll toast everyone again. I have something to ask of you. My mother's brother wants to buy a job. As long as the job is good, it doesn't matter if he spends more money. Everyone, please help me find out the news in this regard. After the matter is completed, I will treat everyone to a drink."

Everyone present said they would use their connections to get information.

In the backyard, Han Qingqiu, Hu Yingzi and He Yushui were also eating with gusto. The two girls were as happy as mice fallen into a rice jar.

Hu Yingzi asked: "Yushui, your brother is a chef, does your family eat delicious food every day?"

He Yushui rolled her eyes and said, "What good things are you thinking? With my brother's salary, we can't even have so many delicious foods during the Chinese New Year. But sometimes my brother cooks for others and brings me some leftovers. That way I won't starve."

Hu Yingzi looked at the rain with envy, and secretly decided in her heart that she would stay in the city no matter what. In the past, she was like a frog in a well, unable to see the outside world. Now that she has seen the wonderful world outside, she would be a fool to go back to the countryside.

The smell of fireworks in the world is the most soothing to the hearts of ordinary people. A table full of delicious food allows the friendship between neighbors to flow slowly between the clinking of glasses.

It really proves the saying: Life is short, but delicious food should not be missed.

After eating and drinking, everyone left, saying thank you. Only He Yuzhu and He Caiquan were left chatting.

Cai Quanwu asked: "Has the old man in your courtyard done anything weird recently?" He Yuzhu briefly described the current situation of the courtyard.

After He Daqing left, Yi Zhonghai was really depressed for a few days. One night, he went to the He family and sincerely apologized to He Yuzhu. He excused himself by saying that he intercepted He Daqing's letter because he was afraid that He Daqing's affairs would affect He Yuzhu and his sister. Apart from this incident, he did not do anything else to let He Yuzhu down. On the contrary, he has taken good care of them over the years. He hopes that the two families will put aside their past grudges and get along like ordinary neighbors. After all, they live in the same yard and will see each other sooner or later.

He Yuzhu also agreed. Before he left, his father had told him not to confront Yi Zhonghai head-on, as it would be easy to suffer losses.

The Jia family hasn't come to ask for money recently, but Jia Zhang is angry and occasionally mutters a few dirty words. He Yuzhu doesn't take it seriously and just treats it as a fart.

Overall, the courtyard is quite harmonious.

Cai Quanwu told him, "No matter what, you must be careful of Yi Zhonghai in the future. Your father beat him up, and it is impossible for him to not bear a grudge. If you are undecided about anything, come to me or consult your master."

He Yuzhu nodded and understood. He said, "I am renovating my house these days. This money is the compensation given by Yi Zhonghai. It would be a waste if I don't spend it. When the renovation is finished, I will invite my second uncle to have dinner."