Sometimes the palace is sunny

Chapter 18 Aroma
How bad is the meal that Guanglu Temple sent to the emperor?

Looking at the "breakfast meal" consisting of [-] dishes and [-] dim sum, Shen Shiqing, who has learned all over the world, didn't know what words to use to describe it.

There are fried mutton, fried goose wrapped in batter, pork fried with yellow vegetables, fried fresh fish with sauce... There are also a few indispensable wild vegetables served with bean soup, tea, etc., in a variety of ways. The plate is exquisite and colorful at first glance, but it is another scene when you eat it.

After eating goose with chopsticks and mutton with chopsticks, Shen Shiqing could barely tell the difference between the two dishes. They were all made with big oil and sauce. In order to shape the shape, each meat dish that needed to be fried was wrapped in a specially prepared paste. .

If it is just out of the pot, such dishes may still be delicious and crispy with a little sauce, but when they are sent from the big kitchen of Guanglu Temple in Dong'anmen to Chaohuayuan by car all the way, the whole process is full of food. The food box filled with hot water is warm, and even [-]% of the heat has dissipated when it arrives in Yuqian, so what kind of taste can you taste?The only thing left in the mouth is the taste of being soaked in sauce, which makes people even indifferent to taste the taste.

When she first became the emperor, Shen Shiqing had to care about too many things, and her appetite was suppressed by her. Now that a few days have passed, she can't bear to look at those "imperial meals" that are so rich and jaded.

She feels that she is not a person who is good at cooking, she just likes to make things from the books, but the taste is always good.

It is precisely because of this that although her life in Ning'an Bo's mansion is poor, her expenses are also meticulous because of her heart.

Who would have thought that the food eaten by a majestic king of a country would be worse than that of a widow like her?
After eating a bowl of hot porridge with pine nuts and chestnuts, two small steamed buns with vegetarian dishes, and a few mouthfuls of fresh and tender wild vegetables, Shen Shiqing put down her chopsticks and refused to eat any more.

She intends to say that she doesn't need to cook so many unappetizing meat dishes in the future, but she also knows that the dishes arranged by Guanglu Temple for the emperor are the same as those for the ministers. We can eat even less.

But these things are really too unpalatable!

The emperor didn't have a good breakfast. Seeing the emperor was buried in the palace reviewing the memorial, several eunuchs played tricks on each other, and the three cats quietly walked out of the courtyard. After about an hour, he came back happily .

At the beginning of the founding of the Dayong Dynasty, the founding king set extremely strict living hours for the successors of later generations. Wake up at the beginning of Yinshi, have meals, have morning classes, and go to the court at Maoshi... The memorials were written until late at night. It was earlier than chickens and later than rats. In order to make themselves feel better, successive monarchs promoted the cabinet to screen memorials for themselves, or only held the grand court meeting every three days and five days.

When Emperor Zhaode arrived, the first thing he canceled was the morning lessons given to him by the bachelors. Later, even the morning court was only held once in ten or twenty days.

When he was not in court, he would occasionally take a nap, and it was not uncommon for him to take a nap after breakfast.

When Shen Shiqing became the emperor, she didn't want to spend time sleeping in. After breakfast, she practiced riding a horse in the dim morning light, and when the autumn wind cleared her mind, she began to review the memorial.

Putting down a booklet, Shen Shiqing raised her eyes and saw his beaming face.

"My lord, there is a little fat lamb here, which has been bled, dehaired and scalded. I will put it on the rack and roast it for you!"

As soon as the three cats finished speaking, they saw the emperor looking at him with some interest, and the emperor asked him: "Roast? How do you plan to bake?"

"Some cumin and salt, my lord, if you want something sweet, can this servant get some sugar?"

Sanmao's cooking skills have been practiced in recent years to fill the stomach of the emperor, and they are not considered serious royal chefs, and the dishes they can cook are limited, except for stewing and boiling.

After hearing this, Shen Shiqing felt a little worried about the sheep.

The emperor was not happy just because he could eat a roast lamb as usual, and the three cats couldn't help scratching their heads. He also thought about learning some cooking skills before, but the emperor said that the food in Guanglu Temple was unpalatable because he was too particular. It's not as fresh as his original taste.

He always cooks according to the emperor's instructions, and there are fewer tricks that can be used.

"Then, did the servant cook this lamb for the emperor?"

cooked?Shen Shiqing sized up Sanmao's appearance as if he was about to fight a dead sheep, then lowered his eyes and continued to read the memorial.

After a few breaths, she said leisurely:
"Take flour, mix it with dried tangerine peel, ginger juice and water to form a dough, roll it into a cake, then cut it into noodles as thick as your little finger, and cook it thoroughly in the pot. The upper belly of the sheep and the bones of the sheep are boiled in cold water, and the blood stains are removed. Then take it out and wash it with warm water, then put a handful of white pepper, a handful of red robe peppercorns, and a handful of Wumai ground pepper in a cotton gauze bag and wash them twice, put them in a hot water pot and finely chop them with the mutton bones. Cook, put only a big firewood under the pot, after three quarters, take out the mutton, and stew the lamb bones in the pot until the big firewood is burnt out, add salt to the soup, put the meat slices on the surface, add green onion and coriander, pour Serve the soup."

The seemingly simple but incomparably delicate recipe was casually recited by the young king, as if it was just as easy as boiling a pot of water.

The three cats stood at the bottom and were already dumbfounded.

Reconcile what and what?
What pepper what pepper and what pepper?

[-]. How to make soup with a firewood?

"Emperor, Emperor..." Sanmao rubbed a few steps forward, "I'm stupid... I still know the peppercorns, but I've never heard of that ground pepper."

"Ground pepper is a traditional Chinese medicine, and it's not a rare thing. Anyone who prescribes medicine in the pharmacy knows it."

"Yes."

The three cats withdrew, Shen Shiqing read the memorial for half an hour, and then heard a chicken report that Li Congyuan had come.

These days, she often summons the cabinet to Chaohuayuan to talk about government affairs for her. Among the three ministers of the cabinet, Yang Zhai, Minister of the Ministry of War, keeps talking about the emperors of the past dynasties. He is very old-fashioned and reticent, but once he speaks, he will get "Zi said poetry cloud". Li Congyuan starts with practical affairs, and the laws of governing the country he speaks are from point to point, and they can hit the point.

After comparison, Shen Shiqing understood that if he wanted to know how the former emperors acted, he had to listen to Yang Zhai; Li Congyuan's.

Shen Shiqing also finds this kind of feeling very novel. Ever since her father passed away, her mother was also seriously ill, and she entered the Ning Anbo Mansion again. No matter whether it is historical allusions or poems and classics, no one can compare with her. She discussed that in order to alleviate her loneliness, she could only teach books to her maidservants. Therefore, Chuiyun studied "Spring and Autumn", Tunan studied "Mencius", Peifeng studied "Zhuangzi", Achi studied "Book of Songs", and she Then she told herself that everything she has learned in the past 15 years is useful when she lectures over and over again.

The vastness in history books, the truth in Confucian classics, and the breeze and bright moon in poetry will not fade away because she is in shackles.

There are not many things that really belong to her in this world, and she cherishes all of them, just like at this time she is eager to study as the emperor.

Li Congyuan didn't come to Chaohua Garden this time just to explain current affairs to His Majesty, he brought several memorials, all of which were pleading for others.

The person who was interceded was Ning Anbo Xie Wenyuan who is now in prison.

Turning over the few memorials, His Majesty the Emperor who was sitting by the desk raised his eyebrows and smiled:
"I didn't expect that Ning Anbo was usually silent, but he was quite popular in court."

Li Congyuan lowered his head and said: "Your Majesty is strictly investigating the case of Zhang Qi embezzlement of military pay and military land. Everyone in the court praises His Majesty for his clear sense and decision-making. It is not a pity to die like Zhang Qi, but Jin Yiwei and the Ministry of punishment did not." It is found that Ning Anbo has done illegal things... Xie Wenyuan is indeed incompetent, but he can be punished for the crime of deceiving the emperor and being disrespectful, I am afraid it will be difficult to convince the public."

After being with His Majesty for a few days, Li Congyuan could feel that His Majesty, who has been moody and free-spirited for many years, has become calmer than before, and he will not drag people out to beat him easily, and he has also become bold and direct when speaking out. .

"What you said makes sense." His Majesty nodded, put down the memorial in his hand and stood up, "Isn't it enough for me to deprive him of his title just for being incompetent?"

Li Congyuan pondered for a moment, then said: "Your Majesty, although Xie Wenyuan has done nothing for the country, his father, Xie Zhan, led troops to rescue the late emperor when he was trapped, and his mother, the princess of Huaiyuan County, is the direct aunt of King Yingjun. Gao, how can he stand up to the loss of his own son? I hope His Majesty will spare Ning Anbo for the sake of the King of England."

Walking to Li Congyuan's side, looking at his gray hair, Shen Shiqing couldn't help thinking of her father, Shen Shao.

Did her father stand in front of the late emperor like this back then, seeking a chance for Xie Wenyuan's title?
Li Congyuan who was standing by the side suddenly heard a chuckle: "Li Shangshu, if I remember correctly, Xie Wenyuan almost lost his title when the late emperor was there. He retained his title, and at that time, Bachelor Shen should have said something similar, right? But in the past ten years, Xie Wenyuan still didn't do a single good thing, all he did was flattery and flattery. After more than ten years, is it necessary for another scholar to come to me to intercede for him?"

Li Congyuan had nothing to say for a while.

If it wasn't for his unavoidable circumstances, he didn't want to speak for that insect-like corpse.

Shen Shiqing didn't make things difficult for him: "Stop Xie Wenyuan for a period of time so that his memory will be long. If it is really found out that he has not committed any crimes, I will naturally let him go."

When saying these words, Shen Shiqing had a smile on her face, as if she was extremely sincere.

Seeing His Majesty let go, Li Congyuan didn't continue to pester him: "I thank Your Majesty for your kindness on behalf of Uncle Ning An and Xie Wenyuan."

Grace?
Shen Shiqing, who had her back to Li Congyan, was playing with a piece of paperweight on the case.

The smile on his face deepened.

Just after the hour, Li Congyuan withdrew from the hall, passing by the ear room under the osmanthus tree, he suddenly smelled a faint fragrance mixed with the fragrance of osmanthus.

It seems to be cooking meat, but it is much more refreshing than the usual meat aroma.

The most important place in the palace, could it be that His Majesty brought in a famous chef from outside?Li Dashi was a little curious and wanted to take a look, but he met the eunuch Sishu hurried in from outside.

He nodded to the four rats, and his desire to see them faded away. His majesty hadn't clamored to build a garden for almost ten days, but it was just a little bit of appetite.

On the other side, as soon as the four mice entered the main hall, the emperor pointed to a stack of memorials on the table:
"Working hard to write a memorandum to intercede with Ning Anbo, who has been homeless for many years. These people are really interesting. You go and look it up for me."

"Yes!"

The "Emperor Zhaode" in a normal uniform was tall and tall, and his brows were less sinister and violent, but he was more unpredictable than before.

"Check deeper."

"My lord, don't worry."

The four mice lowered their eyebrows and were pleasing to the eye, only thinking about doing things well.

Backing out of the Chaohua Palace, the four mice took small steps to the door of the ear room where the three cats specially used to add a small stove to the emperor:

"Maozi, what are you doing to the emperor? Why didn't I hear where you brought in the cook from outside?"

In the side room, there was no chef from outside, only a cat in a daze.

"Mouse thief, have you smelled the fragrance too?"

Open the lid of the pot, and the thick aroma of the broth makes Sanmao's eyes straight:

"The prescription given to me by the emperor... isn't it too delicious?"

　Shen Shiqing: Am I good at cooking?It's just a little hard work.

　　Three cats and four mice: woo woo woo woo woo~~~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)