Six inches vs. twelve inches
Winter Solstice came in the blink of an eye. On this day, the yin energy reaches its peak, and the yang energy begins to rise. The rain from a few days ago seemed to have swept away all the warmth from the ground, making the weather even colder. Winter winds blew relentlessly, mixed with the dampness of Xinan County, piercing straight into people’s collars.
The Winter Solstice is a major festival, involving ancestor worship, warding off cold, celebrating winter, changing into new clothes, preparing festive food, and eating tangyuan and dumplings. A full day hardly seems enough for all the tasks. Shops were supposed to close for the holiday to celebrate with family, but Xinan County, being a hub of commerce located on a key north-south route, was bustling with travelers returning home for the festival. Thus, apart from a few shops that closed, the streets remained lively. The noodle shop wasn’t too busy, as preparations for family celebrations were easy, so they stayed open, and the back kitchen’s lights were on even before dawn, as usual, to prepare for the day’s business.
In the western part of town, various food stalls and small vendors set up shop. Since they were all small businesses, they didn’t put on airs and promoted their goods loudly in the streets. Many sold honey dates, honey mandarins, sugar lotus seeds, and sugar-coated hawthorn, adding a touch of warmth to the cold weather. Yu Jinnian was in the kitchen making caramelized sugar slices when he heard an old man selling rice wine along the streets. He quickly cleaned his hands, opened the street-facing kitchen window, asked about the price and types, and called the old man over to get two pounds of each kind.
The old man was emaciated, with sunken cheeks, but despite his appearance, the rice wine he sold was excellent. The rice wine was clear and sweet, and the yellow wine was fresh and smooth. Yu Jinnian was puzzled as to why such good rice wine was sold so cheaply, wondering if it was perhaps from an illegitimate source or made through some unsavory brewing method. For a moment, he hesitated to buy it.
The old man seemed to notice his hesitation and, without hiding anything, began to chat with Yu Jinnian. It turned out that his precious grandson had fallen gravely ill two months prior, and all the family’s savings had been spent on medicine to save the child. Now that the boy had fully recovered and with the winter festival approaching, the old man thought to sell his rice wine at a low price to earn some money to buy candy for his grandson, allowing them to celebrate the festival.
After hearing this, Yu Jinnian was reassured. Since the old man’s wine was good, he decided to buy both large barrels. He then turned back, cut a few slices of caramelized sugar, wrapped them in oiled paper, and gave them to the old man. “Your rice wine is excellent. If you come again next time, bring me more. Take this candy for your grandson to enjoy.”
The old man waved his hands in refusal, feeling overwhelmed. His family was poor and could not afford rent for a store, so he had to sell rice wine in the streets every day. Seeing the bustling business in this shop, he naturally assumed the owners were wealthy and dared not accept anything from them. After a few exchanges, and hearing Yu Jinnian say that the candy wasn’t worth much, the old man finally accepted the gift, bowed several times, and left after receiving payment for the wine.
Yu Jinnian stored the wine and cut the remaining caramelized sugar into inch-long pieces.
This caramelized sugar was a type of sweet made by melting sugar and combining it with milk, honey, or water infused with flower essence, then tossing in roasted sesame seeds to coat them. After cooling and flattening the mixture, it was cut into slices. The water infusion could vary according to the season, using chrysanthemum, osmanthus, rose, or mint, among other ingredients. This time, Yu Jinnian had taken a shortcut by using simple milk.
The freshly made caramelized sugar was sweet and fragrant with sesame, slightly warm, and attracted many customers once brought out. Since it was the Winter Solstice, a time of year more significant than even New Year’s, people were willing to spend a bit extra on festive treats, unconcerned about the cost.
Yu Jinnian directed Duan Ming and Qing Huan to sell the caramelized sugar. A few young men from the north, dressed in fine clothes, walked into the noodle shop, rubbing their hands together against the cold. Despite the biting wind, they carried themselves with a leisurely air. Once seated, they drank hot tea. Yu Jinnian went over to take their orders and overheard them discussing how cold this year had been, with the northern regions freezing solid. They mentioned that even the capital, which was usually dry in winter, had seen unusual rain, leaving livestock sick from the cold.
“Not just the north; it seems Xinan County has had more rain than usual this year as well. What would you gentlemen like to eat?”
The northern guests, hearing the voice, turned to see a smiling young man standing behind them.
These young men were noble sons from the capital. Having found the capital too cold after autumn set in, they decided to travel south for leisure. Along the way, their carriage was blocked by a yellow weasel spirit, causing the horses to panic and breaking an axle, so they had to stop in Xinan County for repairs. After entering the city through the west gate, they heard many people praising this shop’s caramelized sugar and mentioning a “little doctor.” Feeling both hungry and curious, they decided to check it out.
One of the men glanced up and down at Yu Jinnian and guessed he was the “little doctor” the townspeople had been talking about. He smiled and said, “I’ve heard you have a little doctor here. Since today is the Winter Solstice, how about a bowl of Cold-Banishing Delicate Ear Soup? We’ve traveled all the way from the north, cold and battered by the wind and rain. Just add more scallions and ginger for us, but go light on the salt; we prefer a lighter taste. Also, bring a plate of lamb skin flower shreds, half a pound of fresh-cut lamb, and a dipping sauce. Hmm… and two vegetable dishes. The chef can choose, but the vegetables must be fresh.”
This man had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, but his ears stuck out slightly, giving him a Maitreya-like appearance that somewhat undermined his otherwise handsome features. His clothing was refined but understated, and he spoke with energy and confidence, polite and warm. With his knowledge of various dishes, it was clear he came from wealth, though Yu Jinnian didn’t care about their background, focusing instead on doing his job. He noted their order and returned to the kitchen to prepare.
The Cold-Banishing Delicate Ear Soup was originally a medicinal soup from the ancestors, where warming herbs were chopped, wrapped in dough, and cooked in medicinal broth. The dough was shaped like ears, hence the name “Delicate Ear Soup.” Over time, the medicinal herbs were replaced with various warming broths, and the “delicate ears” evolved into what are now dumplings or wontons, eaten more for tradition and warmth than for their medicinal properties.
Luckily, since it was Winter Solstice and his own family would be eating dumplings too, the Cold-Banishing Delicate Ear Soup was easy to make. The kitchen had already been simmering lamb and lamb bone broth, and as soon as Yu Jinnian approached, the rich scent of lamb soup greeted him.
To his surprise, it was Ji Hong tending the fire in the kitchen. Yu Jinnian noticed that Ji Hong had been working diligently these past few days, with his usual loose hair now tied up in a bun, secured by a simple jade bamboo hairpin. Seeing this, Yu Jinnian felt a surge of affection, sidled up to Ji Hong at the stove, and whispered something intimate in his ear. Ji Hong smiled, lowered his head to look at him, and Yu Jinnian took the opportunity to kiss him, lingering for a while.
Yu Jinnian gently explored Ji Hong’s lips with his soft tongue, when suddenly they heard a loud “Ah!” The two quickly separated, with Yu Jinnian burying his red face in Ji Hong’s neck to hide his blushing lips.
Duan Ming covered his eyes, exclaiming, “This servant deserves to die!”
Yu Jinnian, embarrassed and angry, said, “Go jump into the pot and stew yourself already!”
Duan Ming blushed and lowered his head, holding a food box as he asked, “Should this box of venison jerky be stewed with me too?”
Yu Jinnian immediately asked, “What venison jerky?” Opening the box, he saw a whole box of venison jerky, each piece glistening with a honey-red hue. He picked one up with chopsticks to taste, finding it tender and flavorful, perfectly salted. His anger dissipated, and he asked where it came from. Duan Ming explained that it was a gift from the Yan family, a token of gratitude for a prior medical service. Since fresh venison doesn’t keep, they had turned it into jerky. Although he regretted missing out on fresh venison, Yu Jinnian acknowledged that venison jerky was also a delicacy and said, “Well, at least the Yan family has some conscience.”
After storing the jerky, Yu Jinnian stopped fooling around with Ji Hong and began preparing the dishes for the guests.
The pot held a clear white lamb broth, made from half a lamb carcass and lean leg meat simmered overnight. The broth also contained a bag of medicinal herbs, including angelica, galangal, tsaoko, cinnamon, along with dried tangerine peel and bay leaves. These not only removed the lamb’s gamey taste and enhanced the flavor, but also had warming and restorative effects. The surface of the broth was dotted with a few large red dates. There was no salt or soy sauce, only pure, fresh white broth. When ordered, it was ladled out and seasoned according to taste with salt, vinegar, chili oil, and cilantro, and served with crispy flatbread, which could be torn and soaked in the soup—a simple yet perfect comfort food.
Yu Jinnian ladled out a small pot of broth, added some fresh ingredients like shiitake mushrooms, diced yams, and minced meat, and served it in a bowl. For the Winter Solstice, the noodle shop had prepared four types of dumpling fillings, so he boiled one of each kind, placed them in the soup, and sprinkled a bit of ground pepper on top. This was the Cold-Banishing Delicate Ear Soup. Eating it would guarantee a good sweat, and no one would get frostbitten ears this winter.
The lamb skin flower shreds were thinly sliced lamb tripe, good for both stir-frying and cold dishes. The fresh-cut lamb was briefly boiled until tender, then served with a dipping sauce made of minced garlic, sesame oil, and pepper vinegar. For the two vegetable dishes, Yu Jinnian quickly stir-fried some winter bamboo shoots and made a red-braised tofu dish to serve alongside.
The noble sons were accustomed to fine dining, expecting little from a small southern shop, but as soon as the food arrived, the aroma of the dumplings and lamb soup won them over. Each dumpling contained a different filling, and after finishing one, they eagerly anticipated what the next would hold.
“Mm! Brother Shi Ming, this soup is even better than the delicate ear soup from your manor!” said a young man in a reddish-brown robe, his cheeks puffed with food.
The one with Maitreya-like ears, known as Shi Ming, was famous in the capital for his love of food. His manor employed a kitchen staff large enough to rival a theater troupe, capable of preparing dishes from all over. He quickly finished a bowl and agreed, “Indeed, our kitchen lacks this finesse… Haha, this was definitely worth the stop!”
The group each had two bowls of delicate ear soup, sweating profusely and flushed with warmth, yet still reluctant to set their bowls down. They even ordered a bowl of clear soup with half a flatbread torn in, reveling in the flavors. By the time they left, content and satisfied, Shi Ming called Yu Jinnian over and asked if he would be willing to leave the shop and return to the capital as his private chef.
Even though the offer was generous, Yu Jinnian had no intention of leaving. Seeing this, Shi Ming didn’t press the issue. With a grand gesture, he rewarded Yu Jinnian with a pouch of gold beads, leaving before Yu Jinnian could fully process the unexpected windfall. The group left the shop, praising the noodle shop’s delicate ear soup to everyone they passed.
By noon, word had spread, and eager food lovers arrived at the noodle shop, only to find it had closed for the day to celebrate the Winter Solstice, leaving them disappointed.
While the disappointed customers dispersed, Yu Jinnian took the staff to enjoy the temple fair. He let them each pick out a small item they liked, bought some sweet-and-sour fruits, and watched a stilt-walking performance. As they enjoyed themselves, Yu Jinnian took the opportunity to gift the accessories he had made earlier—earrings for Qing Huan, a necklace pendant for Sui Sui, and a pearl bracelet for Aunt Xu.
Qing Huan and Sui Sui were both overjoyed and refused to take their gifts off, crowding around a bronze mirror to admire themselves. Fearing Aunt Xu would scold him for spending the shop’s money, Yu Jinnian explained that the jewelry was purchased with tips he had earned from his medical practice. However, Aunt Xu merely shook her head and said, “You should plan more for yourself. I’m not much use anymore, and in the future, this shop and Sui Sui will depend on you…”
Her eyes turned misty as she spoke, and her words carried a sense of entrustment. Yu Jinnian, unwilling to face such topics, especially those involving illness and death among his loved ones, quickly found an excuse to flee her room and hide in the kitchen. Though he was a doctor, he was also a person with emotions, someone who didn’t want to confront certain issues.
Ji Hong came in to make tea and saw the young man sitting in the corner, red-eyed. He quietly walked over and, without asking any questions, pulled Yu Jinnian into his embrace, letting him lean on his shoulder. After a while, Ji Hong softly asked, “Feeling better?”
“Hmm,” Yu Jinnian snuggled closer, though the heaviness in his heart hadn’t lifted, he no longer kept it bottled inside. He spoke up, “Aunt Xu said some things earlier that didn’t sound good. I’m a doctor, diagnosing and treating all kinds of patients, and people call me the ‘little divine physician,’ but I can’t do anything for Aunt Xu’s illness.”
Ji Hong gently patted his back. “Even the best doctor is still human, not a god. There will always be times when nothing can be done. I’m sure Aunt Xu wouldn’t want you to feel sad because of it.”
Yu Jinnian, still nestled against him, whispered, “I’m a little scared.”
“I’m here,” Ji Hong replied. He knew exactly what the young man was afraid of, but instead of offering the usual comfort, like “Don’t be scared, life and death are natural,” he said, “You can be as scared as you want, anytime. I’ll always be here.”
Hearing this, Yu Jinnian couldn’t help but smile through his tears. He gave Ji Hong a light peck and then buried his head back into Ji Hong’s chest, leaning on him affectionately.
Meanwhile, the front hall had no idea what the two of them were up to in the back kitchen. Qing Huan, following instructions, had set up a small red clay stove on the table, and brought out the fresh, thinly sliced lamb, ham, venison jerky, lamb belly, and liver, along with some sauces. The delicate ear soup was served, and Yu Jinnian and Ji Hong came to join the family, sitting down to slowly grill the meat together.
Outside, the wind howled and frost chilled the air, but inside, the warmth of grilling meat filled the room.
The meat was sliced paper-thin, the fresh red flesh sizzling with sauce on the grill. As it cooked and sizzled, Yu Jinnian sprinkled coarse salt and cumin on top. He personally liked to dip his in chili, occasionally feeding Ji Hong a bite. Grilling and eating in such a lively atmosphere was endlessly enjoyable.
Though they hadn’t reached wealth, warmth came first.
Perhaps it was the festive cheer, but even Aunt Xu, who had been bedridden for over a month, seemed to recover a bit. She managed to sit up, leaning on a recliner, smiling as she watched them playfully bicker, occasionally waving Sui Sui over to help adjust her collar. Knowing that Aunt Xu couldn’t eat such hard-to-digest meats, as they would worsen her condition, Yu Jinnian went to the kitchen and prepared a dish of white hyacinth beans. He ground the cooked beans into a fine paste, added sweet honey, and mixed it all together to make a sweet bean porridge for her.
White hyacinth beans are known to aid digestion, detoxify, and strengthen the spleen. They also help protect the mucous membranes and even have anti-cancer properties, so eating some wouldn’t hurt.
On the Winter Solstice, aside from eating delicate ear soup, people in different regions had various customs—some ate tangyuan, some had noodles, and in the south, there was a tradition of drinking winter-brewed wine. Yu Jinnian, who had grown up in the south but whose adoptive father was from the north, was familiar with both southern and northern customs. So, he brought out the rice wine and yellow wine he had purchased earlier, drizzling each cup with a spoonful of osmanthus honey. Those who could handle stronger alcohol drank the yellow wine, while those with lower tolerance had the rice wine.
Aunt Xu, on the other hand, drank a concoction of yam and barley water, a tea substitute for the wine, just to join in the festive mood.
The grilled meat was delicious and tender, paired with a small cup of winter-brewed wine. The meat was rich but not greasy, and the wine was sweet but not overwhelming. Eating and drinking together, it felt as though the cold outside melted away, and a warm feeling spread deep into everyone’s hearts. They clinked their bowls and chopsticks, listening to Qing Huan sing a little tune. No one knew who had composed it, but its soft, lilting melody enchanted everyone like a misty dream.
“Snow melts into flowing flowers, ascending to a bed of embroidered silk. Mandarin ducks dance neck to neck, under the emerald-hued canopy.”
Qing Huan sang, “Too weak to move my weary wrist…”
Yu Jinnian, hearing this, suddenly felt something was off and quickly interrupted, pouring everyone another round of yellow wine and calling for a finger-guessing game. Soon, everyone was tipsy, and as dusk fell, they cleaned up and dispersed. When Yu Jinnian returned to his room, he saw Ji Hong sitting at the desk, reading the daily dispatches. Bored, Yu Jinnian started humming the tune again as he tidied up the bedding. He had a good memory, and though he couldn’t recall every word after hearing it once, he had remembered the melody quite well.
He hummed it a few times, and finally, Ji Hong put down his paper, looking up slightly. “If you like this kind of song, you should sing it a few more times in bed tonight.”
Yu Jinnian turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
“Your lips, warm and ruby-red, your skin smooth and supple like jade.” Ji Hong recited without a hint of emotion, as though he were reading a high-brow literary work instead of sensual poetry. “If you sing it a few more times, I’ll make sure you’re too tired to move your wrist.”
Yu Jinnian thought for a moment before he realized the meaning behind Ji Hong’s words. His face flushed, and he quietly shut his mouth. After the last few times they had been together, he had come to realize that Ji Hong’s skill—especially with his hands—was unexpectedly enduring, likely thanks to years of writing and carving. The more Yu Jinnian thought about it, the hotter he felt, and soon, he was burrowing under the blankets, pulling the bed curtains down. Hidden in the darkness of the bed, he muttered a tune, “I don’t believe you, and I’m not sure who was panting harder last time.”
Just as he was softly mumbling, a shadow appeared, crawling into the bed. Ji Hong grabbed his arm and whispered, “Then let’s see.”
Yu Jinnian giggled and kicked playfully, their clothes half-tangled, when suddenly there was a shout from outside the noodle shop.
“Yu Jinnian! Brother Nian! Help, someone’s dying!” The voice shouted again, “Oh my god! Don’t throw up on me! Move away, move away—ah, Brother Nian, open the door…”
With a loud bang, the door swung open.
Jiang Bingren, stunned by the sudden movement, stood frozen, staring at Yu Jinnian, who had opened the door. After a moment, he finally blurted out, “Someone’s dying!”
“You’ve shouted loud enough to kill me! My soul’s about to fly away!” Yu Jinnian exclaimed, glancing at Jiang Bingren.
Jiang Bingren was holding a vomit bucket in one hand and supporting a man with the other. The man was dressed in black, wearing narrow sleeves and dark boots, with something bulging under his waistcoat. His appearance was oddly familiar. Yu Jinnian’s expression grew serious. After a moment’s thought, he turned around and shouted, “Ah Hong! Come see if this is one of your people again!”
Jiang Bingren was even more confused, gripping the man’s arm tightly. “Wh-what do you mean?”
Ji Hong came out, wearing a dark cloak, his hands tightly gripping the fabric in front of him as he strolled over. Yu Jinnian suppressed a laugh, knowing he had accidentally torn Ji Hong’s waistband earlier in their excitement. Ji Hong glanced at Yu Jinnian, lightly scolding him for his lack of restraint, then turned his attention to the man.
The man vomited again into the bucket. When he looked up and saw Ji Hong, his knees buckled, and he knelt down with a loud thud. “M-Mas…ter… uhgghh!”
Before he could finish his words, he bent over and threw up again.
Jiang Bingren was startled, his gaze drifting down toward Ji Hong’s lower half, suspicion growing in his eyes. But whatever calculations he was making, they soon faded, replaced by a glint of realization. “…Master?”
Yu Jinnian immediately jumped out and said, “What are you thinking? Six inches!”
Jiang Bingren blinked, instantly deflated, muttering, “What’s there to brag about?” Whether it was a lapse in judgment or sheer stubbornness, it seemed he was determined to win back some dignity. His eyes darted around before he suddenly pointed at the man kneeling on the ground, who was still vomiting his guts out, and blurted out, “He… he’s got more than six inches! Ten inches! No, twelve inches!”
Yu Jinnian: “…”
Ji Hong: “…”
The man on the ground shuddered, as if in response to Jiang Bingren’s words, and instinctively clutched the bucket tighter. His face contorted in misery, and when he opened his mouth again, it looked as though he was about to throw up his entire twelve-foot intestine.
Poor thing.
Twelve inches, huh? That’d have to be coiled around the waist.
Yu Jinnian didn’t know whether to feel sorry for the man or for Jiang Bingren.