Chapter 0003: The Dream That Cannot Be Awakened

Correct, as long as there is money

Su Yonglin first took out money to buy a portion of his favorite crispy yellow dumplings

At the same time, the rulers of the Song Dynasty, driven by the need for substantial military expenditures, were also inclined to lift strict curfews, promote consumption, and expand domestic demand in order to generate more tax revenue to counter the formidable northern adversaries

The night market streets are lined with tea houses and taverns, as well as vendors pushing small carts selling their goods, referred to as itinerant vendors, offering an extremely diverse range of products

In addition, Su Yonglin also saw quite a few shop assistants hurrying along while carrying food boxes. Although they were running, the food boxes in their hands were remarkably steady, clearly indicating that they were trained professionals. It was unclear to whom they were delivering takeout.

"Go ahead and eat, it's all on me"

Thus, this dream continued until it reached the cliff at Yashan, and finally there was nowhere left to lie down.

Su Yong curiously turned around to look together, but saw nothing at all

They gathered in groups of two or three, enjoying the steaming late-night snacks, chatting and laughing as the atmosphere grew lively. The more they talked, the more they could eat, as if they had not had dinner at all

With the significant enhancement of productivity and the revolution in lighting fixtures, the barrier of lighting fuel has finally been overcome

The prosperity of the Lin'an night market far surpasses that of his "hometown" in Dinghai County, Qinyuan Prefecture. In his view, even in modern times, there are many places that cannot compare to it

He began practicing martial arts at the age of seven, and his appetite has always been considerable. Now, with various aromas wafting directly into his nose, he finds it even more unbearable, thus gazing at Su Yonglin with eyes full of desire

Under the glow of the lights, the entire commercial street is draped in a layer of hazy orange veil, resembling a paradise on earth, captivating all who behold it, as if this place embodies the peace and prosperity of a golden age, containing everything that benevolent individuals have sought for centuries.

It is no wonder that in such occasions, even if one has just eaten, it is hard to resist the urge to snack, often justifying it with a reason like "filling a gap" to buy something to eat; otherwise, the cravings in the stomach can be quite relentless

After patting her belly, Su Yonglin bought two more portions of fried white sausage, asking the vendor to slice them and wrap them in oil paper, one portion for herself and one for Su Yong, as they walked and ate together

Around 2 or 3 o'clock, the number of pedestrians on the street begins to decrease, and the night market gradually comes to an end. By 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning, diligent individuals start preparing for the morning market, and commercial activities continue throughout the night.

Su Yong's expression froze for a moment, and he lowered his head, unsure of what to say.

The path they have chosen for themselves, even if it leads to near certain death, must be traversed.

What does it mean to say if there is a tomorrow

Thank you, Alang

This is already a battle of no retreat

Su Yonglin and Su Yong had their fill and left the commercial street. By the time they reached the street corner, the number of people had gradually diminished

Listening to the sounds around, the overflowing atmosphere of human life made Su Yonglin unable to help but reveal a faint smile

It is nothing, just a final glance, as I may not see it again in the future

In the bowl, in addition to the soup, there is also the highly chewy snail meat, which has an excellent texture

Thus, the streets were brightly lit, dispelling the chill of the night in early spring, creating a rather warm and pleasant atmosphere

During the Song Dynasty, the Chinese people first experienced a true nightlife

In addition, the streets are filled with the enticing aromas of steamed cakes and glutinous rice cakes, melt-in-your-mouth sweet pastries and eight-treasure rice, as well as various fish dishes, lamb soup, and noodle soups, all steaming hot and fragrant

Ke Su Yong cannot help it; with one hand holding a fried dough twist and the other hand holding a fried white sausage, he takes a bite from one and then a bite from the other, looking as happy as a child

Su Yonglin looked at the shopkeeper's face, which was hard to dislike, and slowly nodded his head

Two bowls of clear broth with field snails, eight wen.

Qinghefang, Shixifang, Guankangkou, and Zhong'an Bridge are the four focal points of the Lin'an night market, where restaurants, singing houses, and entertainment venues are densely distributed

Su Yong stuffed a large handful of fried dough twists into his mouth, chewing as he went, displaying a rather unrefined manner of eating

Upon listening closely, Su Yonglin learned that they were laughing about the incident involving Chen's fifth son from a certain street on Qinghefang, who had taken the family's savings to indulge in the pleasures of Huayuelou, only to have his wife find out about it.

On Hangcheng Avenue, trade continues day and night, with the sound of the drums at three or four in the morning signaling the dwindling of visitors. As the fifth drum tolls, those selling at the morning market begin to open their shops again

Sipping on soup, chewing on river snail meat, biting into lamb fat chive pancakes, and gnawing on chicken leg meat, one feels not only a sense of fullness in the belly but also warmth spreading throughout the body

Once the incident involving Sun Yuanqi occurs, they will inevitably have no way out. If they do not wish to be exterminated by the Southern Song court, their only option is to head north.

Taking a deep breath, Su Yonglin stuffed the last piece of chive pancake into his mouth, lifted the bowl, and drank the soup in one go, chewing vigorously and swallowing large bites

He raised his head and looked around

If one has such a good daughter at home, it would be the best thing, as it would also save on the expenses of attracting customers

As she was eating, Su Yonglin felt thirsty again and wanted to drink something. She glanced around and noticed a vendor selling soup dishes to her left.

The dream of Kaifeng has been awakened, yet the rulers are unwilling to wake up, forcing themselves to stand up and running to Hangzhou to continue lying down and dreaming

The fried white sausage has a chewy texture and a rich aroma of oil, even for a farmer who rarely sees a few ounces of grease throughout the year, it is hard not to feel overwhelmed after a few bites

The night market in Lin'an certainly features more than just snack stalls, but the snack stalls are undoubtedly the main attraction

After Su Yonglin ate several pieces of fried white sausage, he felt overwhelmed and directly stuffed the remaining ones into Su Yong's mouth. This guy chewed heartily, his mouth glistening with oil

The streetlights are arranged with precision akin to the markings on a clock, and from a distance, they appear to extend to the ends of the earth with equal spacing, seemingly without an endpoint

The shopkeeper, smiling broadly and bending slightly, received the eight wen from Su Yonglin as he took out his purse and placed the coins in the shopkeeper's hand

The small vendors shouted at the top of their lungs, continuously calling out their wares

Whenever night falls and the watchman strikes the first drum, from Qinghefang to Zhong'anqiao Street and the alleys on both sides, all the shops come alive once more, as if rejuvenated. The ten-mile long street is illuminated with brilliant lights, and the flow of people is like a tide, bustling and shoulder to shoulder

Su Yonglin smiled

Su Yonglin and Su Yong are walking on a commercial street near the Zhong'an Bridge

The night watchman struck the drum four times, signaling that the night had reached its deepest hour

Su Yong was overjoyed, his eyes shining like a mythical Pixiu as he scanned the surroundings, seemingly intent on devouring all the delicious snacks on the commercial street, filled with fighting spirit

He took out money and bought two servings of clear broth with river snails from a street vendor, and the two of them sat at a small table by the street, slowly sipping the soup one spoonful at a time

As she walked, Su Yonglin suddenly stopped, turned her head, and gazed towards the distant place where the lights flickered dimly.

After eating the fried white sausage, Su Yonglin still felt it was not enough. He glanced at Su Yong, who was clearly not full either.

Su Yonglin smiled at Su Yong.

Thus, Su Yonglin bought two portions of lamb fat chive pancakes, two oil-braised chicken legs, one for each to share, wrapped in oiled paper, tearing off large bites and swallowing them, feeling the lingering fragrance in their mouths

Without formidable military power, one cannot safeguard a flourishing and prosperous existence

The brilliant lights and the diverse array of goods reflect the progress of productivity, while also infusing the nightlife of some affluent Song individuals with a romantic atmosphere

Su Yonglin is relatively well off; under the supervision of his grandfather and driven by his own will, he has practiced martial arts for many years, resulting in a strong physique. Although staying up late is not an occasional occurrence, his affluent lifestyle and proper nutritional intake ensure that he is unlikely to suffer from premature baldness.

The night market he experienced in Lin'an made him feel as if he had once again traversed time back to the modern era, and for a fleeting moment, he felt as though he was situated in a bustling metropolis of the present day

How much is it?

Precious gems and rare treasures, seasonal flowers and fruits, seafood, game, and exquisite utensils, a variety of delicacies, with steaming, boiling, roasting, braising, and stir-frying all available

As long as there is money, even a night owl can find a sense of belonging here

At this time, it is already the early hours of the morning, and there are still quite a few diners seated at the tables and chairs casually placed by the street vendors or shops.

This scene, akin to a celestial paradise, is ultimately just a dream

So beautiful

The young ladies in official circles are all as beautiful as flowers, shy and charming, solely focused on supporting their husbands and educating their children, gentle and virtuous; marrying one of them naturally leads to a harmonious marriage

It was not until the Song Dynasty that the night market made its grand and legitimate debut.

This is a true depiction of the nightlife in Lin'an

The shopkeeper bent down to pick up the bowl and spoon left by Su Yonglin, washed them, and then scalded them with hot water before placing them back in their original position. After that, he busied himself with other tasks, but suddenly felt that something was amiss

This is a type of fried food, made by slicing cooked taro, grinding nuts such as hazelnuts, pine nuts, apricot kernels, and Chinese parasol tree seeds into a fine powder, mixing it with dough and sauce, and then frying it. It is both fragrant and visually appealing, with a golden color. It is crispy and delicious, making you want to take another bite after the first one, and the more you eat, the more flavorful it becomes, making it impossible to stop.

The prices in Lin'an are naturally somewhat higher than elsewhere, but a bowl of fish soup costing 7 wen is indeed a bit expensive; this sentiment likely does not stem from business considerations

As far as the eye can see, there are vendors on both sides of the street selling Chengsha cake and colorful flower candy, selling snail-shaped pastries and almond paste, as well as selling crispy fried dough and layered cakes. A little further ahead, one can see the famous fried delicacies—crispy yellow dumplings and fried dough twists.

However, it seems that everyone on this street has forgotten

Su Yonglin is clearly one of the members of this group

At this moment, besides the calls of the street vendors in Su Yonglin's ears, there were also the sounds of people's laughter and conversation

The previous meal at Xichun Tower was a farewell dinner for Sun Yuanqi. Su Yonglin did not feel comfortable competing with him for food and only ate a little, so now his stomach is completely empty and he is very hungry

They feel that one volume of "Tokyo Dream Chronicles" is not enough, so they want to add another volume of "Dream Grain Chronicles" and also include a volume of "Old Tales of the Martial World"

It was quite affordable. Last autumn, I had a bowl of fish soup by Qinghefang Street, and it was not as large as this bowl. The shopkeeper charged me 7 wen.

Establishments with a bit of capital often employ attractive women to solicit customers on the street, thereby attracting numerous diners who eagerly spend money to try the offerings

He cannot see it, but Su Yonglin can.

Goodness, from morning till night, the wife at home is incredibly fierce, swinging a cooking spatula and sending Chen's fifth son running all over the place. As a result, the entire street's neighbors have been entertained all day long, with a group of children jumping and clapping in delight, creating an extremely lively scene

Immediately, the smile faded, transforming into a serious expression.

Although night markets have appeared in large cities since the late Tang Dynasty, they have not been officially recognized.

What remains for you is only a copy of the Tokyo Dream Chronicles

Certainly, there are negative effects as well, such as the fact that Chinese people have begun to commonly stay up late, leading to the widespread issues of dark circles and hair loss among the populace.

The three individuals sitting at the table next to Su Yonglin and Su Yong are engaged in lively conversation and laughter

Having said that, the shopkeeper smiled, and Su Yonglin also left this place with a cheerful Su Yong, who was well-fed and satisfied

The people there live a relatively more affluent life, enjoying greater comfort than they do.

The store is unaware of the situation

This young gentleman speaks in an amusing manner, as if he has no future ahead of him. How can one carelessly utter such ominous words?

Thirty years ago, in the second year of Jingkang, there was a northern city that possessed a prosperity and wealth far surpassing that of the present-day Lin'an beneath their feet

Alang, what happened

If there had been satellite images back then, this metropolis with a population of one million would undoubtedly have been the brightest point of light on the entire Earth, dazzling and resplendent

In a single night, the world of heaven and earth descended into hell, the splendor that once flourished was reduced to ashes, leaving behind only a "Record of Dreams in Tokyo," causing the remnants of the old and the young to weep profusely in their midnight reveries

At this moment, both Su Yonglin and Su Yong are empty in their stomachs, drooling.

Alright

Alright, if there is a next time, I will definitely come here again to have a bowl of clear broth snail soup, and you must not raise the price arbitrarily

As she walked, Su Yonglin finished off the small portion of crispy yellow pastry in her hand, yet her stomach still felt hungry

The shopkeeper smiled warmly and said: "Dear customer, we use ample ingredients here, with no adulteration, and our kitchen is open and transparent. The prices are also reasonable. Whenever you have time, do come back more often."

Although the common woman in charge may be illiterate and not understand the rules of propriety, she does not have such a good temper. When it comes to the livelihood of the entire family, if she encounters a troublesome head of the household, she will not hesitate to resort to violence, showing no regard for face or dignity

Then he put down the soup bowl, wiped his mouth, stood up, and walked to the back of the shopkeeper

Su Yong is nothing but a good-for-nothing