Great Tang Idyll - Volume 4 Chapter 50

The servants at Cao Herui’s house come with a clear purpose. Not only are they on paid leave today, but they are also given food and wine in boxes when they leave in the morning. Zhang Xiaobao figures that, knowing human nature, they will come here to cause trouble. If anything goes wrong, the worst that could happen is treating them to a meal.

When they arrive, they start searching for a place to eat, specifically where the Liu family is dining. They figure out where the cooking area is, then position themselves nearby to eat their own meals.

It’s often said that when fishermen go out to sea, they don’t have a proper place to cook, so they typically bring rice balls from home. There are variations of these rice balls, like steamed rice wrapped with some vegetables. The better ones might include fish wrapped inside and then covered with vegetables.

This gives a mix of meat, vegetables, and rice. Some people prefer sour flavors, so they might add vinegar. Others let the food ferment in the heat, making it sour by the time it’s eaten, altering the taste.

However, the Liu family isn’t used to such food, so they specifically arrange for someone to cook on the shore, learning from Zhang Zhong’s family’s treatment of workers. For example, when common people work, someone cooks for them. Even if they don’t waste time, someone still makes rolls or steamed buns for them.

If they don’t have a special place to cook, it makes them seem worse than common folk.

In reality, their status isn’t much higher than that of ordinary people, though they don’t see it that way. They go so far as to imitate the common folk, asking someone to make a few pancakes, fry a couple of vegetarian dishes, and add dried shrimp, small fish, and other ingredients, rolling them up to eat. The only difference is that instead of meat dishes, they use vegetarian ones.

The servants at Cao Herui’s house are well aware of this and come over specifically to mock the Liu family. Zhang Xiaobao has prepared a much better meal for them today—smoked chicken made by Zhang Dashan, and pork head. In addition, there are five pounds of braised beef in soy sauce—something truly incredible. Beef, a rare treat, which they normally can’t even imagine, let alone eat.

They make some coriander and garlic sauce for themselves, find a spot, and sit down not far away, gazing at the sea, which has already grown tiresome, listening to the chaotic sounds of the tide, and glancing at the sun from time to time, hoping it will pass quickly until noon.

After waiting for what feels like ages, they are all drowsy from the sun. Finally, noon comes, and people who have been fishing from various spots begin gathering. The Cao family is special—they don’t have anyone to cook for them. Instead, Cao Herui brings along big vegetable-filled buns. According to Zhang Xiaobao, these are great for supplementing vitamins, whereas Zhang himself prefers to get protein by eating meat.

More salt is added to the buns for two reasons: to prevent them from spoiling in the sun and to save the trouble of dipping them in soy sauce. Originally, they were meant to take the buns with them and eat them when hungry, but now they are gathered on the shore to rest for a while.

As soon as the Cao family members arrive, thirty people working for the Zhang family call out to them, inviting them over to eat.

Those shrimp catchers on the rafts know that the thirty people are now different from the others: they wear new clothes embroidered with rice seedlings and no longer eat meals together with others as before. They now have three meals a day provided by the Zhang family — good meals, with both meat and vegetables, and even wine.

They have been envious for days. Now, hearing the invitation, they don’t hesitate — carrying their buns, they come over near where the Liu family’s servants are eating.

“Xia, come over here! I’ve got wine! Didn’t you always want to drink? I brought some. There’s also beef. Eat up, eat as much as you want. We’re busy over there, but if you want to drink, drink. If you want meat, eat meat. Our master is really capable—others can’t compare.”

One of the thirty workers shouts to the thin man who is approaching. His voice is loud enough for the servants of the other three families to hear, and, of course, the Liu family servants hear it most clearly.

As he speaks, he opens a bamboo tube filled with wine and pulls out a piece of meat. He slowly bites into the beef, chews it a few times, then takes a sip of wine. The sound is loud enough to fit the saying, “a bite of food, a sip of wine.”

It would be a lie for the Liu family’s servants to claim they aren’t jealous. Aside from catching fish and cooking them, they rarely get a taste of anything else. Even if they bring fish back, they can only judge its oil content. If it isn’t fatty enough, the master won’t allow them to have much oil. Salt isn’t an issue—they can cook as much as they want themselves.

Watching the Cao family eat, the Liu family can only pretend not to notice. Some mutter low curses, calling them shameless. They grumble about how the master’s family has a feud with the Zhang family, yet they still work for the Zhangs.

Though the Liu family can only smell the delicious aroma carried by the wind, the Cao family, with their own master, can freely partake in the feast. If they hadn’t been called over, that would have been another story.

The man called Xiao Xia is the first to approach, smiling as he speaks to the person who has greeted him, “Brother Dayu, you’re really something! You get to eat such delicious food and drink wine. Brother Dayu, do you really mind if I eat too?”

“My name’s Dayu, not ‘Dayu.’ Remember that. If you call me the wrong name next time, you’ll get nothing to eat.” The man has gotten used to being called “Dayu” but now, due to a shift in his status, wants to be addressed properly.

(Translator’s Notes: the character 大禹 (Dayu) refers to a famous ancient Chinese hero known for controlling floods and being wise and powerful. But 大鱼 (Big Fish) sounds very similar — only one character is different — and it literally means “big fish.”)

Xiao Xia, knowing not to offend him, smiles even more warmly. “Brother Dayu, do you think people like us can work for the Zhang family?”

Dayu, pleased by the respect, grabs two pieces of beef and generously hands them to Xiao Xia. He also passes over the bamboo tube of wine. “For that, you’ll need to speak to the master. He’s very capable and can probably talk to the Zhang family. Compared to other masters, ours is a hundred times stronger. What can other masters do? You’re being deceived.”

“Yes, yes, other masters get fooled. Well, the meat’s delicious, and the wine’s great too.” Xiao Xia agrees, downing both the wine and meat in one gulp, feeling utterly content.

“Who are you talking about? Whose master was deceived? Explain it clearly. Who’s more capable?” A more irritable servant from the Liu family can no longer keep quiet. It would have been one thing if he was just smelling the food, but now they are talking about his master? He storms over, pointing at the big fish and questioning him.

This man is half a head taller than Dayu and much stronger. In the past, Dayu would have endured the confrontation, but now, things are different. He stands up from his seat and yells, “I’ll tell anyone who comes over here. What can you do? You dare to touch me? I work for the Zhang family. If you touch me, I’ll say I can’t do it anymore and get the Zhang family to deal with you. I’ll tell you now—your master is a fool. You were deceived into thinking you could gain an advantage. How does that sound? If you can’t get enough shrimp paste, you’ll be the one to pay. My master’s really capable. Look at what we eat and compare it to your disgusting meal. That’s what capability looks like, understand?”

The Liu family servant is furious but doesn’t dare to act. After hearing Dayu’s words, he clenches his fists. He is indeed afraid of the Zhang family, not only because Zhang Zhong is the governor but also because the Zhang family doesn’t hesitate to take drastic measures. Angrily, he stands there, unable to do anything.

The other Liu family servants don’t dare to cause trouble either. They stand there, disheartened. Their master has been deceived, and the man named Cao is enjoying himself at the Zhang family’s expense. It’s hard to say they aren’t jealous, but who can they blame?

The tension on their side quiets, but the servants from Cao Herui’s house are quite happy. They eat, drink, and continue mocking the Liu family, offering no compliments.

The servants from the other two families watch on, seemingly indifferent. They are jealous of the Cao family, but also pleased to see the Liu family criticized. They haven’t forgotten that the Liu family never shared food with them before.

The Liu family eats in silence. One of them, still somewhat ambitious, speaks up, “Eat quickly. Once we’re done, we’ll go catch some shrimp. We have to deal with this. We can’t rely on others. We’ll talk to the master when we get back. All officials are the same. Our master won’t let anyone outdo him. Only shameless people cling to the Zhang family’s power.”

This speech bolsters the morale of the Liu family as they eat faster. Meanwhile, the Cao family takes their time, savoring the meal, reluctant to finish too quickly and lose the taste. They mock the Liu family as they eat, clearly enjoying the moment.

At the same time, Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan eat their own lunch, unaware that their scheme to sow discord has already worked wonderfully.

The two set out together in the morning, riding one horse, heading toward the section managed by Qi Dong.

On their way there, they slow down to take in the scenery and observe the crops.

By lunchtime, they arrive. They not only see the piles of firewood for boiling salt but also the people working at the seaside boiling salt.

The food is ready. Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan casually find a place, get their meals, and start eating. There are no tables, and Qi Dong hasn’t made pancakes either, using the excuse that it would delay the cooking.

Zhang Xiaobao and Wang Juan, carrying their own plates, stroll over to Qi Dong’s side, squat down, and begin eating, occasionally glancing at Qi Dong.

If an ordinary person did this, Qi Dong would have been furious, but he dares not offend the governor’s children, so he endures it.

“Juanjuan, how much salt can these pots produce after several days of boiling? Will it be enough for the workers here?” Zhang Xiaobao doesn’t intend to let Qi Dong eat in peace, so he asks Wang Juan.

Wang Juan swallows her food. “With so many pots, if all the salt boiled were given to the workers, they’d die from eating too much! Hey, since they’ve been boiling, why can’t we see any salt? Where did all the salt go? Xiaobao, do you know? If you don’t, ask your father. I’ll go ask him later.”