A Sprinkle of Snowflakes: 1-3 The Jade Three

*Step one: scale removal, step two: gut removal, step three: bone removal—this constitutes the art of the three-step removal.*

## Info

* **Recommended:** Moon Vines Set
* **Rewards:** 3,000 , 600 , 1 , 1 , Blueprint: Mini Ice Age

### Dialogue Choices

There are no dialogue choices in this stage.

## Transcript

Expand for script.

* I interrupted the December Spirit before she could complete her task because I carelessly left books lying around.
* To make up for my mistake, I decided to help the spirit fulfill people's wishes.
* However, upon returning to the Great Qian Dynasty, I immediately encountered the demanding Madam Chen.
* In order to resolve this matter as soon as possible, I have to rise to the challenge and find Madam Chen to inquire about Mr. Du's preferences.

* **You:** Let's go with this.

* I've returned to my room to get ready to depart.
* Carrying the clothes I've chosen, I glance at the crystal ball I had casually thrown aside.
* And I see...
* **You:** The snowflakes inside...

* **You:** ...are moving?

* **You:** What's going on?

* I throw my clothes aside and pick up the crystal ball to examine it closely.
* The moment I touch it, the crystal ball emits a faint light.
* The dancing snowflakes seem to have heard some kind of command. They gather and transform, eventually piecing together a sentence.
* **You:** I want my daughter to succeed in life...

* All of a sudden, the dancing snowflakes scatter.
* As if an invisible hand is collecting and rearranging them, a new sentence begins to form.
* But at this moment, the crystal ball flashes twice.
* The snowflakes scatter, floating aimlessly as if nothing ever happened.
* I stare blankly at all of this, taking a good while to come back to my senses.
* **You:** I want my daughter to succeed in life...

* **You:** Was that a wish?

* **You:** Who is making the wish?

* The crystal ball shakes gently, and the snowflakes dance once again. In an instant, they form more words.
* **You:** Madam Chen?

* **You:** The Madam Chen who is preparing the hundredth-day celebration for little Daomi?

* The crystal ball glimmers with a gentle fluorescence, as if responding to my inquiry.
* I look at the words "Madam Chen" spelled out by the snowflakes and can't help but sigh as I recall the image of her pointing at me with great anger.
* **You:** It is indeed a wish she would make.

* **You:** However, Madam Chen is inviting Mr. Du, who is so capable...

* **You:** As long as Mr. Du accepts her, Madam Chen's wish will be fulfilled, right?

* **You:** Although I don't really want to fulfill the wish of someone so arrogant and demanding...

* **You:** ...helping Madam Chen host a banquet for Mr. Du and assisting the December Spirit are intertwined.

* **You:** It actually saves me a lot of trouble.

* Having worked it all out, I feel much more relaxed. I am about to change my clothes when I realize that Liansheng has walked in without me noticing.
* **You:** Liansheng? When did you...

* **Liansheng:** I knocked on the door but didn't hear a response, so I got worried and came in.

* **Liansheng:** What's that shiny thing in your hand?

* **You:** Ummm... this is a... it's nothing.

* **Liansheng:** Are you... in some kind of trouble?

* **You:** No, I'm... doing pretty well.

* **Liansheng:** Master Xi!

* Liansheng raises her voice slightly, as if she wants to say something, but ultimately just lets out a sigh.
* **Liansheng:** You know, you can always trust me.

* Liansheng lowers her head, looking somewhat sad.
* But more than that, she looks worried about me.
* I sigh and walk up to her, taking her hand.
* **You:** I'm sorry, I can't tell you the specifics yet.

* **You:** But... I've been entrusted to help Madam Chen fulfill a wish.

* **You:** If I fail, a friend of mine will be in trouble.

* **Liansheng:** Is there... no other way?

* I shake my head.
* Liansheng furrows her brows and stomps her feet. It is a long time before she reluctantly speaks up.
* **Liansheng:** Why does it have to be that annoying Madam Chen?

* **Liansheng:** What did she wish for?

* **You:** She wants her daughter to succeed in life.

* I explain the situation to Liansheng.
* Reluctantly, Liansheng finally agrees—
* To help me with this task.

* Soon, we arrive at the Chen residence. After explaining our purpose to a servant, he instructs us to wait while he stiffly goes inside to announce our arrival.
* **Liansheng:** Did you notice the servant's leg?

* **You:** No, what about it?

* **Liansheng:** At first glance, that guy seems no different from an average person in terms of his gait.

* **Liansheng:** But I have sharp eyes and can see that he moves his left leg faster than his right leg.

* **You:** You mean...

* **Liansheng:** His right leg is injured.

* **Liansheng:** I bet he was beaten by Madam Chen.

* **You:** Why do you say that?

* **Liansheng:** After finding out that you took on the job of the hundredth-day celebration, I started asking around about Madam Chen.

* **Liansheng:** Everyone says she's fierce and cruel. Many people hear cries for mercy from her servants coming from within her courtyard walls.

* **Liansheng:** Based on all that, it's a logical conclusion.

* Suddenly, Liansheng checks her surroundings, then stands on her tiptoes and leans close to my ear.
* **Liansheng:** Do you remember the fire at the Four Seas Restaurant Mr. Fu told us about?

* **Liansheng:** After the Four Seas Restaurant caught fire, a drunk man saw Madam Chen leave the crowd of people who were helping to fight the fire and return home.

* **Liansheng:** If she wasn't helping to put out the fire, why was she in the crowd?

* **Liansheng:** Right after the Four Seas Restaurant rejected Madam Chen's job, a big fire broke out at night. It can't be a coincidence.

* **Liansheng:** If it weren't for you being entrusted with this, would you care about Madam Chen's wish?

* **Liansheng:** Hmph.

* Liansheng's words make my heart tighten.
* **You:** I thought Madam Chen was just a bit difficult to deal with, but if she really is as ruthless as rumored...

* **You:** We need to take this matter more seriously.

* **You:** No matter what, we have to make sure that the old servant of the Du family changes his mind.

* As we are talking, the servant who went to report our arrival opens the courtyard door.
* **Attendant:** Please follow me.

* We follow the servant and walk deeper into the Chen mansion.
* At this moment, a burly one-eyed man comes out from around the corner ahead, holding a bag of silver in his hand and appearing to be in a very good mood.
* **Liansheng:** Hmm, isn't that one of the bosses of the gambling house?

* I look at the man and notice that the servant leading the way is bowing extremely deeply to him.
* The servant walks. As he brushes past the one-eyed man, the man suddenly taps the servant's shoulder for no apparent reason.
* The servant trembles all over. Strangely, the man says nothing, laughs loudly, and departs.

* After crossing the long courtyard, we finally enter the parlor.
* Madam Chen is holding a baby. She gently rocks her, humming a tune and playing with her.
* Perhaps it's the warm sunshine outside, or perhaps it's the peaceful tranquility of the mansion...
* ...but I find myself somewhat dazed, as if I am looking at a heartwarming painting that pierces my soul.
* But this peaceful scene only lasts for a moment, as the servant's report causes Madam Chen to raise her head fiercely.
* She carefully hands the baby to an old woman before speaking to us coldly.
* **Madam Chen:** You didn't go look for that old man, but instead you came to find me.

* **You:** We just want to get to know Mr. Du better.

* **You:** We need to know his preferences before we go find the old servant from the Du family, so we can be more targeted and persuade him to change his mind.

* **Madam Chen:** Hmph.

* **Madam Chen:** Everyone who knows Mr. Du says he loves seafood. He especially likes freshwater seafood above all else.

* **Madam Chen:** However, he has poor eyesight and eats quickly. After getting fish bones stuck in his throat a few times, he started eating less.

* **Madam Chen:** After learning about these things, I wanted to serve Sister Song's Fish Soup at the banquet. The dish has the taste of freshwater seafood without the annoyance of fish bones.

* **Madam Chen:** Later, I heard he also loves the fragrance of rice. When he was young, he loved to mash fish into rice and eat them together.

* **Madam Chen:** And so I wanted you to make minced fish congee. But you couldn't even do that!

* **Liansheng:** That's...

* **Liansheng:** That's all because of my poor skills. I've been holding my master back, and I even offended Mr. Du's old servant.

* Liansheng clenches her small fists.
* **Madam Chen:** Hmph. That's all I can tell you.

* **Madam Chen:** I've said it before, if you can't change his mind, there will be trouble.

* As soon as Madam Chen finishes speaking, the previously mild weather suddenly turns into a fierce wind. Before long, rain starts to fall.
* Madam Chen gives a signal to the servant and leaves without looking at us.

* **Attendant:** Begging your pardon, I have difficulty walking, so I can only accompany you up to this point.

* After escorting us out, the servant stops at the door
* I smile and wave to the servant. I am about to head out in the rain when he hands me an oiled paper umbrella.
* **Attendant:** It's raining. Please take this with you.

* **You:** You're lending us an umbrella without permission? Aren't you afraid of being punished?

* **Attendant:** Madam asked me to lend it to you.

* **Liansheng:** Madam Chen?

* Liansheng's eyes widen incredulously.
* **Attendant:** Madam is indeed strict, but she is not as cruel as the rumors suggest.

* **Liansheng:** You're speaking up for her?

* **Liansheng:** If I'm not wrong, the injury on your leg came from her, right?

* **Attendant:** No, in fact...

* The servant looks a bit hesitant, but after struggling for a moment, he finally speaks up.
* **Attendant:** If it weren't for Madam paying off my debt, I'd probably have had to say goodbye to this leg.

* **You:** Why?

* I suddenly recall the one-eyed man I bumped into.
* **You:** Is there some connection to the gambling house?

* The servant awkwardly scratches his head.
* **Attendant:** I had a moment of weakness when some acquaintances brought me there.

* **Attendant:** At first, my luck was good and I won some money. But later on I started losing, and the more I lost, the more stubborn I became, and in the end I borrowed money to continue.

* **Attendant:** When I finally came to my senses, I found myself in huge debt. They saw that I couldn't pay it back and wanted to take one of my legs.

* **Attendant:** I had no other choice but to beg Madam for help. She said she would kick me out, but in the end, she still helped me with the debt.

* **Liansheng:** Is that really what happened?

* I pat Liansheng's hand, indicating to her not to ask further.
* **You:** Since the Madam has paid off your debt, don't go near such places again.

* After bidding farewell to the servant, I walk slowly towards the inn with Liansheng, holding the umbrella over our heads.
* Madam Chen lending us an umbrella was quite unexpected, and Liansheng was full of speculations, chattering away nonstop.
* Human nature is inherently complex, and even the hardest person has moments of softness.
* Furthermore, I have more important matters at hand. After chatting casually with Liansheng for a bit, I sink into contemplation.
* **You:** (Mr. Du likes freshwater seafood as well as the fragrance of rice.)

* **You:** (What dish can bring out the best of both flavors, while also having tender, boneless fish and rice with a good texture?)

* I wrack my brain, trying to think of such a recipe.
* A feeling of familiarity floats over me, and I feel like the answer is right in front of me, just obscured by a thin veil.
* No matter how hard I think, the veil sticks tightly to the answer and cannot be removed...
* ...until I see two boys playing on the street corner, using tree branches as swords and pot lids as shields.
* The answer comes to me instantly.
* **You:** Liansheng, we're not going back to the inn!

* **You:** I have an idea!

* After we explain our intentions, a servant leads us into the Du family mansion.
* **You:** (Is this Mr. Du's home?)

* **You:** (It's even more magnificent than the Chen mansion.)

* As I secretly admire the luxury of the Du mansion, a servant brings two cups of tea.
* **Liansheng:** Master Xi, smell this tea.

* Liansheng whispers as she tilts her head towards me.
* I pick up the tea cup and lift the lid, puzzled. Before bringing it close to my nose, I catch a whiff of a refreshing aroma.
* **You:** Is this top-grade Dancong tea?

* I inspect the tea incredulously. It is a clear bright apricot color.
* I take a small sip and the rich, mellow tea fills my mouth with a delicate floral aroma.
* As I gently swallow the tea, the clear, sweet taste immediately rises to the back of my tongue, and slowly spreads throughout my entire mouth.
* **You:** This is definitely the finest Dancong tea.

* **Liansheng:** The Great Qian Dynasty has not yet regained its prosperity, so such rare, precious tea is usually offered as tribute to the palace.

* **Liansheng:** Mr. Du is a former government official turned teacher. How did he get such precious tea?

* **You:** Everyone says Mr. Du has many outstanding students. Maybe this is a gift from a student who passed the imperial exam, trying to show gratitude to their teacher?

* Liansheng tilts her head in thought and doesn't respond.
* At this moment, a booming laugh rings out. As I turn around, I see an old servant helping an elderly man walk in.
* **Old Servant:** This is Mr. Du.

* **Old Servant:** You may address him directly if you have any concerns.

* **You:** (Mr. Du?)

* **You:** (Mr. Du returned early?)

* **You:** (Has the old servant revealed the details of the tasting, and can I convince Mr. Du to change his mind?)

* I have no idea.
* **Mr. Du:** Don't look so worried. If you need any help, just let me know and I'll be happy to assist you.

* Perhaps noticing my discomfort, Mr. Du kindly waves at us and sits in the chair opposite me with a smile.
* At this point, I can only grit my teeth and use the speech I had prepared for the old servant.
* **You:** Mr. Du, we came to apologize to you.

* **You:** Your servant found a fish bone in our minced fish congee, and that was our fault. We'll take full responsibility for it.

* **Mr. Du:** My old servant Liu didn't swallow that mouthful of minced fish congee.

* **Mr. Du:** We're not unreasonable people, so we won't pursue this matter. You can rest assured, my friend.

* **You:** My father taught me that we should always do our duty and be responsible in everything we do.

* **You:** No matter the size of the matter, we will make things right.

* **Mr. Du:** You're young, but quite responsible.

* **Mr. Du:** But surely you did not come to my humble abode just to apologize?

* **You:** You are most perceptive, sir.

* **You:** There is another matter we want to discuss with you.

* **Mr. Du:** Is it about the banquet in three days?

* **You:** Yes.

* **You:** Madam Chen is my employer, and I don't want any negligence on my part to cause any unwanted consequences for her.

* **You:** If I may take the liberty of asking, sir, have you made a decision yet?

* **Mr. Du:** No.

* **Mr. Du:** Liu has been with me for over forty years and knows all my habits and preferences.

* **Mr. Du:** You definitely win on taste.

* **Mr. Du:** Don't laugh, but when I was young I had a lot of trouble with fish bones. I'm really scared of them now.

* **Liansheng:** Don't worry, sir. When I made the minced fish congee earlier, I was in a rush and didn't have time to handle it properly.

* **Liansheng:** The menu has already been set for the celebration in three days, and there won't be any issues like this.

* **Mr. Du:** Hmm...

* Mr. Du doesn't respond. He strokes his beard, lost in thought.
* **Old Servant:** It's not that Mr. Du doesn't believe you.

* The old servant walks over shakily.
* **Old Servant:** But your porridge is different from others. If something like a bone is mixed in, it's very hard to detect.

* **Old Servant:** Even if you're as careful as can be, accidents can still happen.

* **You:** What if I could find a way to completely remove the fish bones from a dish, while keeping the flesh of the fish tender and flavorful enough to mix in with rice?

* As I suspected, this gets Mr. Du's attention.
* **You:** There's a dish called "The Jade Three." We mix rice, pork, and chopped greens in a clay pot and stir-fry them evenly.

* **You:** Next, we add a fresh, tender freshwater tapertail anchovy on top of the rice, and steam it together with chicken broth.

* **You:** This anchovy has smooth, tender flesh.

* **You:** When the chicken stock has boiled down and the rice is steamed, the scales of the anchovy will have melted away, making it even easier to separate the fish meat from the bones.

* **You:** The freshness and flavor of the fish will have seeped into the rice.

* **You:** Once it's done, you sprinkle some green onions on top, mix the fish and rice together well, then scoop up a big spoonful and savor it.

* **You:** The flavor of the fish, the freshness of the chicken broth, the fragrance of the rice, and the sweetness of the vegetables will all burst forth on the tip of your tongue and blend together in your mouth.

* **You:** At the end of the meal, there is also a thin layer of crispy rice at the bottom of the pot.

* **You:** That crispy, fish-flavored layer of rice is delicious! It's crunchy and makes a satisfying sound when you bite into it. It's a unique flavor experience.

* With my vivid descriptions, I can see Mr. Du's eyes widen.
* **You:** This dish is delightful in both appearance and taste, and it's not difficult to prepare.

* **You:** If I may use your kitchen, I can prepare it for you right away.

* **Mr. Du:** Hmm... Go ahead.

* After working with Liansheng in the kitchen for a while, I walk out carrying a clay pot.
* Mr. Du seems mighty impatient. He sits at the table, constantly tapping his fingers on the surface.
* As I place the clay pot down, I see his eyes widen again.
* **You:** Please help yourself, sir.

* I lift the wooden lid and hot steam rises from the clay pot.
* There is even a faint hint of fir in the air.
* Mr. Du can't wait any longer. Before I even finish mixing in the scallions and fish, he eagerly scoops up a bowl of rice.
* The fragrance causes him to drop his refined manner, just for an instant.
* He brings the bowl to his lips, chopsticks a blur as he devours mouthfuls of rice.
* In an instant, his face shows immense satisfaction. He leans back, squints his eyes, and slowly shakes his head while savoring the taste.
* After swallowing the rice, he wakes up as if from a dream, opens his eyes, and once again puts more rice into his mouth.
* He eats three or four big mouthfuls before he slows down.
* **Mr. Du:** Delicious, delicious!

* **Mr. Du:** This rice is really as you said. The fragrance of fish, chicken broth, and even the taste of pork can be detected!

* **Mr. Du:** The green vegetables mixed in with the rice are also a nice touch, not only balancing out the fat but also adding a hint of sweetness to the rice.

* **Mr. Du:** "The Jade Three" is a fine dish indeed!

* After Mr. Du finishes speaking, he eagerly asks for a copper spoon from his servant and scoops up the crispy rice at the bottom of the pot.
* **You:** It is a joy to cook for someone who loves food.

* Mr. Du completely ignores me, focusing on chewing the crispy rice. Crunching sounds echo through the hall.
* Mr. Du sets down his spoon with satisfaction only after the last grain of rice has entered his stomach.
* **Mr. Du:** I haven't felt this good in a long time.

* **Mr. Du:** But educated people need to eat with understanding as well.

* **Mr. Du:** This is called "The Jade Three". Which three is it referring to?

* **You:** Before steaming the anchovy, I used chopsticks to remove the internal organs in advance.

* **You:** The first jade is to remove the internal organs without damaging the shape.

* **You:** Anchovy has soft scales and is rich in oil. After steaming it, the oil turns into a film covering the fish. This is the second jade.

* I lift the wooden pot cover and show it to Mr. Du.
* **You:** Before steaming the anchovy, I first pinned the fish to the lid.

* **You:** When I lifted the lid, the fish bones came out with it. The disappearance of fish bones and spine is the third jade.

* Mr. Du claps his hands and bursts into laughter.
* **Mr. Du:** Interesting, interesting!

* **Mr. Du:** "The Jade Three" is truly a masterpiece!

* **You:** Is it something you would want to eat again?

* **Mr. Du:** Of course!

* **Mr. Du:** I can't wait for the banquet in three days!