Xiang Wei heard from the maids below that the hairy crabs had been delivered, so she immediately went to check them out. Yueyao followed shortly after.
Mingzhu had been in Suzhou for over five years and was quite familiar with hairy crabs, having eaten them frequently. However, without the need for explanation, Xiang Wei picked one up, weighed it, and said, "I heard that if the crab's belly button protrudes, it generally means it's full of roe and fat."
The two servants carrying the basket said, "Miss, rest assured, each hairy crab in this basket has been carefully selected, there won't be any inferior goods." Anyone would be afraid to deceive the magistrate's residence.
Mingzhu laughed and said, "Today we'll have a complete crab feast, with steamed crabs, crispy fried crabs with salt and pepper, flaky pastry hairy crabs, and crabs steamed with Shaoxing wine...."
