As the evening market candles of Green Ox Lodge cast their glow upon the Abacus-Bead Lanterns, Xiaotao was busy arranging table tallies with abacus beads. The clay figurine of Huwa atop her double buns wore a scholar's cap, and the beads in her apron pocket bounced into the character for "contest." Today, a gifted scholar claiming to be the "Chang'an Poetry Champion" had arrived, specifically demanding to test their "poetry-themed plating."
"Brother Fan! He wants dishes from the Analects!" Clutching a handful of beads, Xiaotao hid behind the stove, the beads in her palm bouncing into the character for "difficult." "'Practice what you preach'—how do you make that into a dish?"
Zhang Yifan gave a light laugh, the beads bouncing into the shape of a dumpling on the cutting board: "Simple. 'Is it not a joy to practice what you have learned?' We'll make 'fresh meat and vegetable dumplings' served with hot and sour soup, playing on the homophone for joy."
Chapter 150