Chapter 231

Chapter 231: Crabs Arrive from the Huai River

The crabs’ large size made those who had never seen such specimens extremely curious. Auntie Cui Ping leaned in to look closely and said: “In autumn, when the crabs’ legs itch, many crabs are sent into the palace, but this quality is rare. To send them from so far away must have taken a great deal of effort.” She added with feeling: “Master Xin is a benevolent father.”

Leaving aside how much the crabs themselves cost, just the effort and expense of sending them from such a distance was no small thing. What mattered was the sentiment. She also noted that the crabs had been sent directly here rather than to the marquis’s manor; Master Xin’s intention was all too clear.

After admiring them contentedly, Xin An estimated the number by eye and began to give orders, saying: “Uncle Wang, take people now to tie up all these crabs. Check each one to see if it is alive. Nan Feng, run to the Herbal Cuisine House and bring all the small baskets from there. If there are too few, go find Madam Wang. Also bring more white handkerchiefs.”

She continued: “Auntie Cui Ping, I must trouble you to return to the manor and see Grandmother. It is not easy for these crabs to have reached here alive, and the longer we keep them the easier they will die. I want to select some good ones to send to the Empress Dowager. Please tell Grandmother and borrow her palace token so that you can deliver them into the palace yourself.”

Cui Ping nodded at once, thinking to herself: [Second Young Madam is indeed astute. That earlier remark of mine meant precisely this. If she had never met the Empress Dowager it would be one thing, but since she has met her and even been rewarded with a meal, it is proper to make a return gesture afterward.] She said: “Prepare three baskets, twenty crabs in each. The Empress Dowager and His Majesty the Emperor share a tender bond as mother and son. Once Her Highness receives the crabs, she will surely invite His Majesty to taste them together.”

Xin An praised her: “Aunt, your consideration is thorough.”

Auntie Cui Ping turned and went back at once, while Wang Jin went to the Northern Garrison Army to fetch Tang Mo.

Tang Mo arrived quickly, with Zhuang Shi following behind. The two were astonished at the sight of the five big tubs of crabs. Tang Mo stepped forward, picked up one that was already tied, clicked his tongue in admiration, and said: “Crabs this big are rare. The Huai River is truly a good place. No wonder you called the capital’s crabs scrawny and small.”

Leaning in to look as well, Zhuang Shi was shocked and said: “So many.” He asked: “Are all crabs from the Huai River this big?”

Cheerfully, Wang Jin explained: “The Huai River has abundant waters of good quality, so the crabs are better than those elsewhere. But crabs of this caliber are not common on the market. All the households reserve them early.”

Zhuang Shi understood. These were rarities not only in the capital; even on the Huai River they were top grade. He silently marveled at the Xin family’s resources. Never mind the crabs’ price; the cost of sending them all the way to the capital likely exceeded the crabs themselves. What mattered was the sentiment.

He sniffed the air, where a faint fragrance had already spread, and said: “How odd. I can already smell the aroma.”

With a laugh, Xin An said: “I had a few steamed first. We will all have a taste in a moment.” The truth was she wanted to eat them herself. It had been many years since she had eaten crabs from her hometown.

Soon, Chun Yang came out carrying a pot of crabs and said: “Come and taste.”

Those who had followed Xin An to the capital all missed the Huai River to some degree. As soon as they caught the scent they began praising it. Xin An did not fear the heat; she stepped up, picked one up, and untied it while blowing on it. Tang Mo copied her. With both masters moving their hands, the others stopped their work with grins and came over, each taking one. Though the heat made them bare their teeth, none let go. Xin An said: “There is ginger-vinegar sauce here. Dip a little and it is even more fragrant.”

They all stood around a square table and began to eat. Tang Mo said: “This crab paste is very fragrant.”

Preferring female crabs, Xin An said: “The golden roe is what is fragrant.” She picked up a piece with her chopsticks and brought it to Tang Mo’s lips. Tang Mo tasted it naturally and said: “Mm, it is delicious too. More fragrant than any crab I have eaten before.”

Deftly removing the gills and picking out everything inedible, Zhuang Shi slurped the crab paste straight into his mouth. After declaring twice, “so fragrant,” he stuffed half a crab into his mouth, worked it around, and out came only a pile of shells. He ate remarkably cleanly. Xin An joked: “Brother Zhuang is truly a connoisseur of crab.”

Laughing, Zhuang Shi said: “I have liked things with shells since I was little. They just taste fresh and fragrant to me.”

Xin An said: “Pack twenty more for Brother Zhuang and trouble him to take them with him later. I will not send someone to deliver them to your residence.”

He protested: “No, no, that would be too embarrassing.” He had seen that each heap was twenty crabs; how could he accept more?

Tang Mo laughed and said: “No need to be polite. When Brother Zhuang looks after me on ordinary days, I am not polite at all.”

Thus Zhuang Shi accepted with a smile. Tang Mo stuffed another into his hand and said: “Let us eat one more so we are not thinking about them all afternoon.” Zhuang Shi did not stand on ceremony, partly because he truly liked them. Sighing with satisfaction, Wang Jin said: “They are truly delicious. The master surely chose the very best crabs to send. The paste is fragrant and the meat is good. We are all benefiting from the young lady’s good fortune.”

Everyone was all smiles. Even after eating they still wanted more, but they did not delay their work. Seeing that the hour was no longer early, their hands moved all the quicker.

The crabs were placed in bamboo baskets and covered with white cloths soaked with water. Once preparations were roughly complete, those delivering the crabs set out one after another. There was a portion for each of the young madams on good terms with Xin An; three portions each for the households of Tang Yong and Wang Mian; one portion for Tang Mo’s close friends; and Madam Wang, who had come upon hearing the news to watch the bustle, took five portions to give away. Each portion was twenty crabs, half male and half female.

Xin An said: “Send a portion to the Second Prince’s residence as well. A pregnant woman cannot eat them, but the Second Prince can.” She added: “Send one to Madam Xu too. After all, we have business dealings now.”

After all the necessary deliveries were made, Xin An looked at the one and a half tubs remaining and finally remembered Tang Gang, asking Madam Wang whether they should save some for him.

Madam Wang said: “No need for such trouble.” She was certain that Tang Gang would use them to curry favor with Tang Rong. She had no desire to play the fool. These were her daughter-in-law’s things, sent from so far away by the in-law’s family, and they ought to be put to their intended use. If there were truly too many left, could the women of their household not eat them themselves? She said: “I know which people your father gets along with. I will make the arrangements. Besides, your father has entered the palace today and will not return before the afternoon.” Today, His Majesty the Emperor would set justice aright for the cases of Duke Xiang’s residence and the marquis’s manor, so Tang Gang would not be back quickly.

And so, after all the deliveries, there were still fifty to sixty jin remaining. They left one basin here at the Xin residence and took the rest back to the marquis’s manor to eat at leisure. Xin An said: “We will have crab-roe noodles tonight. Chun Lv makes them especially well.”

Er Shan’s cousin Xia’er had already come to work at the Xin residence. Seeing the brimming basin of dead crabs, she felt distressed and wanted to cook them to eat, but luckily Wang Jin discovered this and said: “It is indeed a pity to throw them away, but the dead ones truly cannot be eaten.”

She said reluctantly: “They look so fine. They must have only just died.”

Wang Jin said: “Dead is no good regardless. We will toss them into the stove in a while and burn them to ash. If you are craving something, we will eat meat tonight.” The young lady was generous with them and never stingy with food. Worried that Xia’er might sneak a dead crab to eat, he simply carried the basin away and gave her no chance.