Chapter 61: Carp Baked with Noodles, the Yanjin Way

Strumming the strings amidst the pine breeze is a joy to the ears.
An ode of carefree ease, a single tune to greet a kindred spirit.
The zither, first of the four scholarly arts, is the instrument of a gentleman.
It is a mandatory subject in academies and classical schools, a skill every scholar must master.
The ancients revered elegant music, favoring tranquility and ethereal charm over boisterous and complex melodies.
As the saying goes, a gentleman cultivates his virtue through the zither; it banishes depravity and rectifies the human heart.
Those who can play the guqin are naturally endowed with the aura of a modest and refined gentleman.
Ye Wuji stood up with a helpless sigh and sat down beside the table.
The moment his hands rested upon the strings, his gaze grew intensely focused and composed.
As he gently plucked the strings, the sound flowed as clear as a mountain spring and as resonant as the whispering wind through the valleys.
Dong Ruoshi rose gracefully, her eyes shining with anticipation as she picked up her jade flute and began to play softly.
The melodious notes of the flute intertwined with the zither music, creating a heavenly sound that intoxicated every scholar present.
Though it was their first time playing together, the performance flowed as smoothly as a drifting cloud and a moving stream.
The entire academy was suffused with poetic and picturesque charm.
In this fleeting moment, time seemed to stand still, leaving only the cascading flow of music.
When the tune came to an end, a lingering reluctance showed on everyone's faces.
Dong Ruoshi's eyes grew hazy, and she murmured with a infatuated expression, "The zither reflects the person, and the tune reveals the heart. I think I already understand Master Wuji's intentions..."
The scholars' gazes all fell upon Ye Wuji. *Damn, he truly deserves to be the foremost talent of Jinling. His zither-playing skills are only a tiny fraction shy of Dong Ruoshi's.*
What they did not know, however, was that Ye Wuji only ever acted like a slacker in front of his father.
In his leisure time, he had never neglected the Six Arts of a gentleman.
Whenever he sought out wine and merrymaking, he never stayed in Jinling, traveling instead to Yangzhou, a city known for higher consumption and superior quality.
Yangzhou was the universally acknowledged gathering place for the most renowned courtesans of the Great Qian Dynasty.
Simply having money was not enough; if one could not master the Four Arts of the gentleman, one could not even dream of courting these courtesans.
He could also tell that Dong Ruoshi had romantic feelings for him.
To take such a kindred spirit and accomplished courtesan into his household would indeed be a delightful affair.
However...
Ye Wuji felt somewhat conflicted. He just wondered how his dear son would react if he ever found out...
Time slipped away in the blink of an eye.

Wang Xingzhai arrived at the Bianyi Fang restaurant.
Walking by his side was an elderly man of similar age.
Ye Xiu personally guided them to the private dining room on the third floor: The Charm of Nanyuan.
Upon entering the private room, the elder looked around in detail; the interior layout was exquisitely arranged.
Aside from the scholarly atmosphere, the placement of flowers and greenery made it feel more like a garden brimming with springtime vitality.
The elder was thoroughly pleased with such a refined chamber.
Along the way, Wang Xingzhai had already shared information about Ye Xiu with him.
While meditating at the Linggu Temple, the elder had also frequently heard Abbot Yan mention the names Ye Xiu and Ye Wuji.
"You'an, as I walked upstairs, I noticed that the private rooms here are named after classical Ci poetry titles," the elder guessed boldly. "I suppose the interior decor and style of each room must be entirely different as well?"
"You have guessed correctly, sir," Ye Xiu bowed slightly. "The decorations are all tailored to match the distinctive characteristics of the respective poetry titles."
"Many restaurants use literature merely as a facade to peddle dog meat under a sheep's head," a look of gratification appeared in the elder's eyes. "If every restaurant owner were like you, why would we ever worry about the decline of our Great Qian literary scene?"
"You'an," seeing that Ye Xiu did not even inquire about his companion's identity, Wang Xingzhai grew even happier. "Let us have the dishes served first, and I will introduce him to you afterward."
"Everything is already prepared. Please wait a moment, gentlemen." Ye Xiu brewed a pot of tea and headed down to the kitchen.
Soon, six cold appetizers were arranged on the table.
Unlike before, these were served in delicate little blue-and-white porcelain dishes.
Each dish came in two portions, placed in sequential order before the two men.
Additionally, tea sets for cleansing the palate were provided.
The elder marveled at the sight, noting it was his first time encountering such a presentation method.
"This truly surprises me," Wang Xingzhai said with considerable wonder. "The lad is certainly thoughtful."
Looking closer at the six dishes, they were: oil-drenched chicken wings, crystal-clear pressed pork aspic, lily bulbs with vegetable hearts, jellyfish with charred cucumber, aged vinegar spinach with peanuts, and drunken shrimp in fermented bean curd.
Not only was the plating exquisite, but once served, a cool freshness carried the natural aroma of the ingredients.
Especially the pungent fragrance of vinegar stimulated the appetite all the more.
After taking a single bite, the elder slowly closed his eyes in pure enjoyment.
The flavors were savory and fresh, rich with five-spice notes, yet they never lost the inherent taste of the raw ingredients.
Furthermore, the contents of each cold dish amounted to no more than two bites—though small, the portions were precisely measured.
As the cold dishes were nearly finished, the door to the private room opened.

The waiters walked in carrying steaming hot dishes.
Ye Xiu followed closely behind, introducing the meal to the two men: "The first dish is stewed carp with crisp noodles, prepared in the Yanjin style."
Gazing at the colorful, aromatic, and flavorful carp with crisp noodles, a flicker of astonishment crossed the eyes of Wang Xingzhai and the elder.
They never imagined that such top-tier culinary skills were hidden within this modest restaurant.
A sweet-and-sour reddish-brown sauce was poured over the fish pieces, while the side was covered with a layer of hair-thin strands.
Just by looking and smelling, their appetites were instantly awakened. The elder could not help asking, "You'an, what is the story behind this? Are those fine threads on top made of noodles?"
Ye Xiu smiled and replied, "These are fried dragon-whisker noodles, meant to be eaten by dipping them into the sweet-and-sour sauce."
Scarcely had his voice faded when the elder impatiently picked up some dragon-whisker noodles, dipped them in the sauce, and carefully placed them into his mouth.
The next second, an expression of dazzled amazement flashed across his face, as he never expected noodles to taste so extraordinary.
After cleansing his palate with water, he picked up a piece of fish—precisely sized for a single bite—and his face registered even greater shock.
Unlike the aged vinegar spinach, the sauce for the carp with crisp noodles combined sour, sweet, and savory notes, offering yet another distinct and delightful experience upon the palate.
Wang Xingzhai had also finished the food on his plate cleanly as the waiter brought in the second dish.
This...
Wang Xingzhai and the elder exchanged glances, both feeling that the second dish somehow lowered the overall prestige of the banquet.
However, it redeemed itself by being served in an exquisite blue-and-white porcelain bowl; setting the ingredients aside, the presentation looked quite expensive.
Ye Xiu smiled in introduction, "This second dish is the renowned salted vegetable simmered with tofu."
Wang Xingzhai paused, bewildered. "Isn't this just preserved mustard greens stewed with tofu? How can it possibly be considered renowned?"
"Often, the most ordinary ingredients yield the ultimate flavors," Ye Xiu explained earnestly to the two men. "Five years ago when I went to the capital, I accidentally tasted this dish at a peasant family's home. At the time, there was a popular saying: 'Once you've eaten salted vegetable and tofu, even the meals of dukes and marquises cannot compare...' Therefore, this dish is not merely about the ingredients; it embodies the livelihood of the common people."
"Splendidly said!" The elder straightened his lapel and adopted a serious demeanor. "The people regard food as their heaven, yet the high and mighty nobles spend their days in idleness and merrymaking, long forgetting the hardships of the common folk. This dish is served well; it serves as a wake-up call to the world!"
At that moment, Wang Xingzhai and the elder finally looked at the salted vegetable and tofu before them with genuine respect.
The broth was as clear as crystal, containing two strips of salted vegetable and two small pieces of tofu, topped with just three or four wolfberries. Though unpretentious in appearance, a careful sniff revealed an irresistible savory aroma.
Scooping up some broth with a spoon and holding it in his mouth, the elder found it smooth, delicate, and supremely delicious.
The two men looked at each other and, amidst their lingering astonishment, finished every last drop.
Ye Xiu smiled with confidence and signaled the waiters to bring out the third dish: Silver Sprouts Inlaid!
Having learned from their previous encounter, Wang Xingzhai and the elder immediately braced themselves. "Stir-fried bean sprouts are the ultimate test of culinary heat control. There must be another profound story behind this dish of yours, right?"