Chapter 102: The Hot Pot Experience

Not long after, the county officials summoned the three assistant magistrates. Upon seeing the glazed treasure mirror, their faces were filled with astonishment. “To think such a glazed treasure mirror exists in the world—it is nothing short of an auspicious omen. Young Master Zhen... are you truly willing to present this mirror as a tribute?”

Ordinary folk, upon obtaining such a glazed treasure mirror, would likely hide it away as a family heirloom. Yet Zhen Qian was willing to offer it up, arousing suspicion.

The others shared Feng Wannian’s thoughts, but even Zhen Qian hadn’t expected Feng and the others to lose their composure so completely, calling the mirror an auspicious sign. Now this posed a serious problem.

This glass mirror was merely a scrap piece left over from Zhen Qian’s numerous experiments. He had initially intended to entrust someone to deliver it to his sister in Chang’an, so it bore no special ornamentation. In Zhen Qian’s eyes, its value was at most a hundred wen. If pure white glass weren’t so difficult to obtain, he wouldn’t have made it in such a rough manner.

The mirror’s appearance was somewhat poor, but this didn’t hinder Feng Wannian and the others’ imaginative and creative minds. They insisted that the mirror had to be inlaid with numerous precious stones; the frame had to be made of golden nanmu wood to reflect the emperor’s noble status. Even the wooden box housing the mirror needed to be replaced...

If Zhen Qian were to find out that the mirror had been transformed into something entirely different, he would immediately “buy the case and return the pearl,” stripping off all the decorative gems.

Offering the mirror was a spur-of-the-moment decision by Zhen Qian, to see if this so-called auspicious omen could be exchanged for a noble title and official rank. Although he held a position now, having lost his memory meant he hadn’t truly reaped many benefits. If he could secure a noble title and rank, it would provide an extra layer of protection for his future endeavors.

Feng Wannian and the others nearly forgot Zhen Qian standing by as they busied themselves discussing how to re-decorate the glazed treasure mirror and write a brilliantly worded memorial, extolling Emperor Xuanzong of Tang’s glorious achievements and the era’s peace and prosperity, all to win the emperor’s favor.

After much debate, Feng Wannian looked up and noticed Zhen Qian standing neglected on the side. He clicked his tongue in admiration. “My worthy nephew, your contributions are undeniable. I had intended to keep you here to celebrate, but we must discuss how to present this tribute. Why don’t we share a drink another day?”

Feng Wannian was no fair-weather friend; it was just that the upcoming matters no longer concerned Zhen Qian.

Just as Zhen Qian was about to take his leave, he remembered his true purpose for coming. From his sleeve, he respectfully produced a wooden box and handed it to Feng Wannian. “Prefect, this is thirty percent of this year’s profits from the tavern and other shops... I humbly ask you to accept it!”

Feng Wannian and the other three exchanged glances, smiling broadly. “Nephew, you are too kind. With this glazed treasure mirror, not only will we settle this year’s tribute for Luquan County, but we shall also receive the emperor’s reward. How could we accept your profits as well?”

Everyone nodded in agreement. With this glazed treasure mirror, they no longer cared for Zhen Qian’s share of the profits.

Zhen Qian had done Luquan County a great favor, and Feng Wannian felt a bit guilty. Picking up a scroll by Huaisu titled “The Fish-Eating Letter” from the table, he said, “There’s no need for thanks. This handscroll is for you, nephew!”

He had long coveted Huaisu’s “Fish-Eating Letter,” but hastily declined, “I dare not accept it!”

“A gift from an elder must be accepted!”

Feng Wannian insisted, pressing the scroll into Zhen Qian’s hands. Zhen Qian’s heart leapt with joy. Though his own brushwork was atrocious, few disliked masterpieces of calligraphy and painting. Feigning reluctance a few times, he finally accepted it with gratitude.

A worthless mirror had saved him a year’s profits from his shops—and he had even swindled Huaisu’s “Fish-Eating Letter.” What a great gain!

Zhen Qian returned cheerfully to his residence in Luquan County. The house was modest. The deed clearly stated it covered ten thousand chi. The figure sounded impressive.

In the Tang Dynasty, one chi equaled 0.3 meters, but as an area measurement, one chi was 0.09 square meters. Ten thousand chi was about 900 square meters—enough for a small courtyard with three successive chambers. The purchase price was under one hundred strings of cash, quite high for the productivity level of the Tang era, but still reasonable when compared to prices in the capital, Chang’an.

Zhen Qian had not intended to buy property, especially since Luquan County was a commercial hub with many merchants, and house prices equaled those in the prefectural capital. Renting was impossible, so he settled on this small courtyard as his base.

The courtyard was divided into front, middle, and rear sections. The front courtyard was the reception hall; the rear housed the firewood shed, stables, and kitchen. Zhen Qian lived in the central room, flanked by four side rooms. A family helped with cleaning.

Upon his arrival, an elderly woman stepped out from the main gate. “Young Master is here. Head Hao has been waiting in the reception hall for half an hour.”

“Thank you, Aunt Wang, for your hard work!”

In the reception room sat a burly middle-aged man, broad-shouldered and bearded, looking fierce in common clothes.

Seeing Zhen Qian enter, he quickly stood up. “Young Master Zhen is back. Did you just come from the county office?”

“Indeed... sorry to keep you waiting, Head Hao.”

Head Hao’s real name was Hao Ren, though he looked hardly trustworthy. In his youth, he had been a local tyrant of Luquan County—bold, just, and quick to fight injustice. To avoid trouble, his family had secured him a position at the county office. He had no serious misdeeds; one could not judge him by appearance alone.

In ancient times, county officials mingled with both lawful and unlawful spheres. Though they did not commit crimes, they earned no high salaries like modern civil servants. The county office often gave small rewards, and with gifts from locals, their lives were quite comfortable.

Zhen Qian had known Hao Ren for half a year. They understood each other well, and Zhen Qian no longer bothered with formalities.

“It’s getting late. I thought the Prefect would stay for dinner...” Zhen Qian joked. “My stomach’s still empty. How about we eat while we talk?”

Zhen Qian had not lived long in the county town and had no habit of cooking. With Ju Niang, the cook, away on a trip, meals were delivered from his own tavern.

Soon, a Tang-style hotpot was placed before them—a copper pot with six side dishes. The room was surrounded by heated walls. Since Zhen Qian disliked the northern cold, he had early on installed heated bricks and fire walls.

Hotpot was not Zhen Qian’s invention. As early as the Three Kingdoms period, copper hotpots existed, though they were not popular and differed in shape.

Ancient hotpot, once called “antique broth,” was named for the bubbling “gu-dong” sound when ingredients were dropped into boiling water.

There are two main theories of hotpot’s origin: one places it in the Three Kingdoms or Sui Yangdi’s era, where “copper cauldrons” were the predecessors; the other traces it to the Eastern Han, where unearthed artifacts called “dou” referred to hotpots.

Regardless, the modern concept of hotpot only truly appeared in the Ming Dynasty.

“Eating hotpot comes with a tradition—not missing seven ingredients: celery, garlic, scallions, coriander, chives, fish, and meat. They symbolize diligence, calculation, intelligence, good relations, lasting happiness, abundance, and prosperity. Today, we’re enjoying mutton hotpot, which helps ward off cold, warms the stomach, aids digestion, and even boosts kidney function and virility...”

“Then I’ll eat plenty today!” Hao Ren licked his lips and began devouring meat and wine with gusto. “Since Young Master Zhen introduced hotpot to Luquan County, it’s truly taken off. Other taverns try to imitate it, but none capture the authentic flavor of your place. Today is a real treat!”

P.S.: It is said that in the late Kaiyuan era, a low-ranking official named Tian Tongxiu, possibly a military advisor, sought to flatter Emperor Xuanzong. One morning on his way to work, he claimed to have seen the Deity of Origin suddenly appear on Danfeng Gate’s street. The deity told him he had left a spiritual talisman buried beneath the ancestral home of Master Yin Xi on Louguan Dao. Tian was urged to dig it up quickly or it would be lost.

Yin Xi, also known as Guan Yin Xi, was the last earthly gatekeeper of Hangu Pass when Laozi last appeared among mortals. It was due to his hospitality that Laozi left the five-thousand-character Tao Te Ching. Louguan Dao revered him as their patriarch.

Emperor Xuanzong, hearing this good news, did not hesitate. He sent men to Hangu Pass in Shaanxi to excavate, and indeed found the talisman. Though Tian was a fraud, he was no fool. The emperor was overjoyed and promptly built the Xuanyuan Temple in its honor, promoting Tian immediately.

The Supreme Lord Lao resides in the Doushuai Heaven above; this talisman was naturally a heavenly treasure. Thus, that year, Emperor Xuanzong officially changed the era name to “Tianbao.” Thereafter, many auspicious omens appeared across the land. The emperor neither forbade nor discouraged them, inadvertently encouraging many to seek fortune through cunning and opportunism.