Volume 2, Chapter 9: Namasu Latter Part

It was a recipe that Gaoshun brought over the next day.

This is a write down of the chefs dish. The employees had testified that the outline of the dish that was served to the proprietor is in here. The chef also said that was what they prepared.

Gaoshun flipped open the notebook and laid it on the table for her to see. It detailed the directions on how to cook the namasu that used scalded fish.

Maomao looked over it, stroking her chin.

You combine scalded fish with finely sliced vegetables and dress it with vinegar. It wasnt a particularly strange dish, though it noted a somewhat peculiar combination in the preparation of the vinegar.

There were several kinds of vinegar combinations noted it should be for the change in flavours according to the season and obtainable ingredients. The ingredients, types of fish and vegetables were not written in detail.

Hmm, Maomao stroked her chin.

You wont know what they essentially used with this.

That would be the case.

Maomao was looking over it, her head tilted, when an unamused Jinshi came in from her side. He had some longan[note]Also known as Dragon Eye. A cherry-sized tropical fruit that grows in clusters from trees. It has a relatively hard thin yellow-brown shell and the meat is white and very juicy. It has a dark brown seed, as mentioned below, though the part that is connected to the fruit is a lighter shade. Super sweet and tasty.[/note] meat in hands, and were splitting and eating it. There were some black, dry thing inside it.

Longan is a small lychee-like fruit that is harvested in summer. The dehydrated version is called Keienniku[note], Keien meat.   is just another name for Longan. I suppose it tastes a little like osmanthus () and has a circular () shape?[/note], and is used in herbal medicine.

Do you not know?

Looking like he was itching to do something, he propped his elbows on the table and stared into Maomaos face. Gaoshun looked at him with furrowed brows, but the warning itself wasnt good enough.

(You have to hammer it home.)

Maomao was giving the misbehaving Jinshi an icy look, when a hand stretched out, gently taking the longans from Jinshis hands.

Misbehaving children dont get snacks.

Fufufu, Suiren stood behind Jinshi with a bright smile. What is it, this atmosphere. Maomao couldnt tear her eyes away from the dark clouds that hung over that womans back.

I get it.

Jinshi lowered his brows[note]Not too sure, but it might have a similar meaning to knitting his brows? Out of displeasure?[/note], lifted his elbows. And when he corrected his posture, his old housekeeper nodded, Good, as she returned the longan back into Jinshis hand.

I thought the old housekeeper[note]Btw the word for old housekeeper also means wet nurse, and I think it means both in this case. Suiren is both his housekeeper and former wet nurse.[/note] just spoiled him, but it turns out there is a strict side for proper etiquette to her huh, Maomao thought.

The discussions had deviated somewhat, but they went back on track.

The incident occurred really recently, right?

It was about a week ago.

In terms of seasons, it was still cold yet. It is typical to use cucumber in namasu, but they would probably use other root vegetables for this season.

The ingredients would be something like daikon or carrot, right?

Vegetables that can be used in winter are limited. Ingredients had seasonal times the seasons to eat them are also limited.

They said they used seaweed for that.

At Gaoshuns words, Ah, Maomaos mouth gapped open.

Seaweed?

Maomao asked again.

Seaweed.

Gaoshun repeated.

Seaweed is used both as food and as traditional medicine. It was probably also used as the ingredients for namasu.

Having heard those words, Maomao inadvertently nodded.

(If you say that they prefer delicacies.)

They probably got their hands on some more or less unusual seaweed.

The sides of her lips shifted into a broad grin. Her double tooth was probably peeking out from her parted lips.

At that, Jinshi and the others looked at her in bewilderment.

Squinting in delight, she looked to Gaoshun.

If thats okay with you, is it possible to let me see the inside of the kitchen of that house?

Maomao said to Gaoshun, having nothing to lose.

Gaoshuns arrangement was swift, the plan was that Maomao will enter the kitchen of the aforementioned chef tomorrow. It seems that she could easily enter, with the officials who handled the incident already done looking through it. Normally it was like that, the one who was called Gaoshuns acquaintance should have looked around over-attentively.

The estate was situated in the north west of the city. All surrounding houses that lined up were altogether magnificent. The north-side of the city with the imperial court that was mainly resided by high ranked bureaucrats would be something like this.

Since the lady of the estate was asleep, fatigued and having lost weight, it was a manservant who let them in instead. They already got permission from the lady so it shouldnt be a problem.

(A manservant huh.)

Finding that strange, Maomao headed for that place.

Her companion was an official that was arranged by Gaoshun. He had been staring at Maomao doubtfully this whole time. Though he didnt seem to have come willingly, he looked like the type to follow Gaoshuns order, so there werent any issues at present. He was probably a military officer. His body, still young, wasnt perfectly built, but he moved sleekly with his whole body. He looks like someone, she suddenly thought.

Maomao assumed that he didnt really think to get along with her, so she thought that was fine.

Luckily, as poison had been used to make food, the kitchen hasnt been used since that incident.

It was when Maomao plod into the kitchen.

What the hell are you doing!

A man dashed towards Maomao, his eyes raised. Wearing high class clothes, a man in his thirties.

Dont just enter the kitchen, get the f*ck out! You! You dare bring in this kind of guys!

The man grabbed the collar of the manservant who had guided them in.

Maomao was looking with narrowed eyes, and her accompanying official took a step forward.

We properly got the ladys approval. Besides, this is our job.

Maomao sent a round of applause to the official who replied coolly to the violent man.

Is that true?

The man loosened his grip on the collar. As he coughed and spluttered, the manservant verified their claims.

Can we come in? Or are there any inconvenience?

At the officials words, though the man had clicked his tongue, Suit yourself, he spat out.

It seems that the lady of the official who had fallen into a coma was forced to bed. The estate was now managed by that officials younger brother. It seems to be the man from before.

Maomao surveyed the inside of the kitchen.

The cookware, as expected, seemed to have been cleaned and put away nicely by the chef, but aside from easily spoiled perishables like fish, the ingredients had been left as it is.

Maomao searched out the inside of the kitchen. And the thing she was looking for was easily found in the shelves.

When she saw the small bottle of salt pickles, Maomao smiled smugly.

What is this?

Maomao asked the pale looking manservant. The manservant squinted his eyes at the inside of the container. His face said he had no idea, so she took a handful and put it in a water jug for him to see.

How about this?

Ahh. Thats what the master likes to eat.

The manservant told her that theres no way that would be poison since he always ate it. The lady seemed to have faith in him, she didnt think he would be lying.

And thats how it is. Quickly leave.

The man said, desperately annoyed. He kept an eye on the bottle in Maomaos hands.

I suppose so.

Maomao returned the bottle to the original place. A handful, she hid inside her sleeves.

Im sorry to have troubled you.

Maomao, saying that, left the kitchen. Still, the gaze piercing at her back didnt disappear for a while.

Why did you withdraw so easily?

The young military officer asked Maomao in the horse carriage on the way back.

I dont think I withdrew.

She took out the salt covered seaweed from her sleeves, and wrapped it in a hand-towel. Her sleeves that were covered in salt were gross, but the military officer could get angry if she brushed it off here in front of him.

This is strange. Its still a little too early to harvest this seaweed, but still, even if it is pickled in salt, it is not the something you can get until in this season.

It was quite an out of season ingredient.

Thats why I thought it wasnt something harvested from around here. For example, it could be like something that was procured from the south through trade.

The military officers eyes widened at Maomaos words. It seems like he understood what he should do he wont need a detailed explanation.

What happens after was only something that Maomao could do.

The next day, the kitchen that she got permission to use from Gaoshun was prepared for her. It was the office of an official who was in the imperial court, seems like he* could stay over at night. Maomao prepared the thing she arranged last night in this room.

Although she called it prepared, it wasnt something significant. She was only serving something that was put in water to remove the salt. It was a simple work, but being the circumstance, she thought she didnt have to use the kitchen in Jinshis building, and was prepared another one.

And now, there were two dishes were in front of Maomao. They were the seaweed she sneaked off with yesterday washed in water and portioned into two. It was a vivid green.

Standing in front of Maomao was the official who consulted Gaoshun about the incident, the military officer who guided Maomao yesterday, and for some reason, Jinshi. Suiren will be angry again for misbehaving if youre here because of curiosity, Maomao thought.

When I investigated, it was as you said.

The young military officer said casually. The seaweed from yesterday was brought in by a merchant from the south.

After that, I asked the manservant again. He said that, now that I mentioned it, that seaweed wasnt eaten in winter. I also asked the other employees and they generally gave the same answer.

Amid that, the one shaking his head was the official who had consulted about the incident.

I already heard from the chef about this seaweed. As it was the same variety of seaweed that is usually used, I was told it shouldnt be poisonous.

Maomao endorsed that. It was the same variety of seaweed. But if there was a point that was different.

That doesnt mean that it is not poisonous.

Maomao said as she picked up the seaweed from the dish with chopsticks.

Perhaps, there isnt really a custom to eat this seaweed in the south, what about that? From what the employees of this times gourmet said, what if a merchant thought they could make money off that and specially got the locals to make salt pickle?

How does that become an issue?

The one who asked was Jinshi. Maybe it was for the people here today, the strangely exhausting atmosphere she saw recently wasnt there. Gaoshun aside, the two officials close by were looking at the beautiful eunuch somewhat uncomfortably.

Maomao said as she playfully fiddled with her chopsticks.

There are times where poison can become non-poisonous.

The means to do that were varied. Eel blood is naturally poisonous, but if the blood is drained and heated, the eel can be eaten. In this case, Maomao was sure she recalled that lime[note]Calcium hydroxide.[/note] was required.

And, in the two dishes that Maomao portioned, one had used lime and the other didnt. The one she was picked up with her chopsticks was what she pickled in the lime she prepared last night.

Maomao popped it in her mouth. Everyone fell into a fluster, drawing closer as to ask what she was doing.

Its fine. Probably.

Actually, this was only something she heard as knowledge. It happened that she didnt really know if just pickling over one night will be enough to neutralise the poison. This too was an important experiment.

What do you mean by probably!

Be at ease. I have vomit inducing medicine right here.

She took out from her bosom the medicine she had decocted with bravado.

Dont it say it so confidently!

In the end, she was held down by Gaoshun from the back and forcibly made to eat the vomit inducing medicine by Jinshi. Thanks to that, she vomited noisily in front of the four gentlemen. They must be wondering what they were doing to the unmarried girl.

By the way, the vomit inducing medicine made you vomit from its disgusting taste. So, it was extremely disgusting.

After having recovered her senses, Maomao said.

This would be the problem, but who was it who suggested to the traders to bring in salt pickled seaweed?

Specially ordering it from an area where they dont eat it, what a way to do things.

The person who fell into a coma was just paying for his owns mistakes.

But, if that was wrong.

And if it happens that they knew about the possibility of it becoming poison.

(This is just a guess to the end.)

The possibility of getting struck with a clue from the incident from ten years ago certainly exists.

The people here were clever. She didnt need to say anymore, and had no intention of doing so. Maomao was a small human[note]Someone with low social status. An insignificant person.[/note]. She did not want to deeply consider going along with whoevers sins.

I understand.

Gaoshun, looking like he understood what Maomao wanted to say, nodded slowly.

Maomao let out a sigh of relief, and picked up the seaweed that was before her and ate it. This time it was from the other dish.

And, once again, she ended up being forced by the pale-faced Jinshi and the others to vomit it back up again.

T/N: New character number two! I wonder who he resembles

But to get sick from seaweed iodine overdose?

lol Maomao