Chapter 31: The Upright Judge Wins the People’s Trust, Pingqiao Tofu Brings Fame to Hexia

On the first floor, the innkeeper shouted loudly, "The Pingqiao Tofu is here!" The guests, however, were unaware that today, Boss Song had introduced a new dish featuring tofu. After a few rounds of drinks, they looked at the blue bowls on the table, which showed no signs of steam.

"What is this dish? The tofu is cut very finely," exclaimed some guests from the third floor. "Indeed it is," one of the guests said as he scooped a spoonful and put it in his mouth. Curious eyes were fixed on him, but as he swallowed, he hesitated, caught in an awkward expression that left everyone puzzled.

"Everyone, please do not drink it immediately; it has been soaked in lard and is very hot," Boss Song said as he came upstairs. Only then did the guests realize what had happened, as that poor fellow had just taken a scalding mouthful.

Mr. Wu gazed at the new dish before him—the Pingqiao Tofu. To make Pingqiao Tofu, the ingredients required include 300 grams of fresh tofu, 50 grams of soaked sea cucumber, 25 grams of dried shrimp, 50 grams of cooked chicken breast, 25 grams of mushrooms, 25 grams of dried scallops, 200 grams of chicken broth, 15 grams of green onion, 10 grams of ginger, 20 grams of Shaoxing wine, 10 grams of salt, 3 grams of monosodium glutamate, 25 grams of starch, 15 grams of sesame oil, 15 grams of garlic chives, and 100 grams of broth.

To prepare it, first, the whole block of tofu is placed in a pot of cold water and brought to a slight boil to remove the bean smell. After being taken out, it is sliced into tongue-like shapes and placed in hot chicken broth. This process is repeated twice. The chicken breast, mushrooms, and sea cucumber are all cut into pieces the same size as the tofu.

The dried shrimp are cleaned and soaked in warm water. The dried scallops are cleaned and the tough sinews removed, then placed in a bowl with green onion, ginger, Shaoxing wine, and water, and steamed until cooked. In a hot wok, oil is heated, and the ingredients, broth, and scallop juice are added. Once boiling, the tofu is added along with salt, Shaoxing wine, and monosodium glutamate. After boiling again, starch is used to thicken the mixture, sesame oil is drizzled in, and the dish is served in a bowl garnished with chopped garlic chives.

Once the tofu is made, it appears as white as pure jade, delicate as congealed fat, and has a tender texture. A bowl of top-quality Pingqiao Tofu, although not steaming, is extremely hot to the mouth, and its shape, color, and flavor are unique, providing a sensation that is neither greasy nor dull, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

At that moment, the esteemed guests on the second and third floors scooped a spoonful of Pingqiao Tofu. The white tofu in the spoon was as thin as wings, with a layer of golden sesame oil giving off an inviting aroma, and green garlic leaves sprinkled over the tofu.

"Wow, it's smooth and silky in the mouth, white as pure jade, delicate as congealed fat, and has a tender texture," commented a recognized Huaiyang cuisine taster.

At this moment, every guest on the third floor scooped a mouthful of tofu, and they began to blow on the tofu in their spoons, instantly filling the entire floor with the fragrance of sesame oil.

"Wow, this is delicious!" one exclaimed. Another, without saying much, directly scooped another spoonful and nodded in appreciation after savoring it...

On the second page, a government official named Lord Huo observed as a man was brought in by the officers. This man had an oily face and was nervously looking around the hall. Upon seeing the official seated high above, he dropped to his knees with a thud.

"I am Qian Er from the Quyi Street in Hexia Town," he said, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

"Bold Qian Er, the boatman accused you of being untrustworthy. Is this true?" The sound of the gavel echoed like thunder.

"My lord, I swear I did not," Qian Er insisted, his eyes darting nervously.

"It seems you won't shed tears until you see the coffin. Bring in the witnesses!"

A woman entered from outside the hall and knelt below. Upon seeing her, Qian Er realized the gravity of the situation: "I am Qin Cuihua, the common woman."

"Qin Cuihua, please tell this official everything you know in detail in this hall."

"Yes, my lord. Qian Er made a deal with Li Zhenjiang while I happened to be fishing nearby. I heard their conversation clearly. Qian Er sent him to the Quyi Street to collect silver but only gave him ten taels when they had clearly agreed on twenty. Li Zhenjiang returned to the boat angry, but fortunately, he met this young master."

Listening to Qin Cuihua's account, Lord Huo was filled with righteous indignation. He angrily threw down a bamboo stick: "The unscrupulous merchant Qian Er has bullied the local merchants and tarnished the reputation of Shan County’s businessmen. I order him to return the owed silver. According to the laws of the Ming Dynasty, he shall receive twenty strokes of the cane!"

Upon hearing this, Qian Er panicked: "My lord, please spare me! I will make up the silver right away; I beg you to waive the punishment." He then pulled out ten taels of silver to hand to Li Zhenjiang.

"Waive the punishment? Qian Er, do you think you are in charge of the laws of the Ming Dynasty? What a joke! Officers, carry out the law immediately!" Lord Huo's expression turned grim.

A wide long bench was set up in the hall, and Qian Er was forced down on it. The sounds of the cane cracking echoed, interspersed with Qian Er’s cries of despair...

"My lord, you are handling the case fairly; this is a blessing for the people of Shanyang!" Young Master Shen bowed in gratitude to the official.

"An official who does not act on behalf of the people is better off going home to sell sweet potatoes," Lord Huo praised, "Young Master Shen speaks out for justice. If all the people of Shanyang were like you, this county would enjoy perpetual peace."

After leaving the county office, Li Zhenjiang took out a tael of silver and said, "Young Master Shen, we are strangers; if it weren't for you standing up for me today, I fear..."

"Quickly put that away. If I encounter trouble in Jiangnan in the future, can't you just help me?" Young Master Shen glanced at the sun and urged, "Hurry and take me back to Hexia!"

On the third page, "My little young master is having his full moon celebration today, and you've caused all this..." Little Long complained.

"This..." The boatman looked guilty.

"It's fine, it's fine. My parents are here!"

The boatman cheerfully rowed upstream, singing a tune from Jiangnan. The melodious and soft Wu dialect made Young Master Shen feel as if he was in a dream, as if he had arrived in the enchanting Jiangnan.

Before he knew it, they reached the Hexia Imperial Dock. After bidding farewell to the boatman, the two of them disembarked onto the shore, and the familiar scents wafted in, making them feel quite hungry.

Young Master Shen gazed northward, taking in the bustling scene of Hexia Town, and he couldn’t help but marvel. Later, Wu Cheng'en described it in his poem "Autumn Thoughts": "The wind of the Huai River blows the ten thousand willows askew, the soaring towers recognize the splendor. The waves turn, and the mother of the river casts her gold, while the immortals near the sea drift on their bamboo rafts. The sun watches a thousand masts passing through the tribute baskets, while the clouds and flags lead the clear horns of the twin cities. The pearl is not valued for the poems of Mei Gao, nor is the wine in the thatched hall worth the osmanthus."

To the south of Qingjiangpu, on the west bank of the Grand Canal, there are many shipyards established according to provincial regulations. The Ministry of Works set up a division here, dispatching officials to oversee the construction of uniformly wide-bottomed boats. The materials used for building boats are mostly supplied by the Hexia market. Mr. Shen runs a business related to boat building in the alley, which has brought great fame to the Shen family.

Hexia Town naturally also trades in local specialties such as Huaihong cloth, mung bean wine, leather drums, and gilded bronze wares. Wu Cheng'en's father operated a shop in the area around the Estimation Street and Copper Alley, dealing in various materials.

Additionally, dining establishments sell locally sourced shad, perch, as well as the newly popular Wenzhou crab meat soup dumplings and sesame tea crisps.

Of course, the largest business in Hexia is the salt trade. Every street and alley is filled with salt merchants who have prospered from it. The salt produced along the northern Jiangsu coast is collectively known as Huai salt, recognized for its quantity and quality, ranking first in the world.

"You have finally arrived, young master!" Boss Song greeted with a beaming smile, "Quickly, your young master is waiting for you to celebrate his first month!"

To find out what happens next, stay tuned for the next installment.