Back to the prosperous Tang Dynasty to be the emperor

Chapter 76 Night Banquet (5)

"The sons and ministers are waiting to welcome the father and mother!"

As soon as the gold-chrome car approaching slowly approached, the two brothers Li Xian rushed up and led the crowd to greet him, bowed and saluted to say hello.

"Hey, Xian'er, Xian'er, why did you stop here?"

At the same time as Li Xian and others greeted each other, two young eunuchs rolled up the curtains of the golden chrome car, one on the left and the other on the right. There was a distance to meet him on the road, he couldn't help but feel a little confused, and asked a question in doubt.

"Returning to the emperor father, when you go out with the empress mother, the children should be the guides. This is the filial piety that the sons and officials should do. I implore the emperor father and the empress mother to guard the sons and servants, so as to be safe."

When Emperor Gaozong asked this question, Li Xian really didn't know how to respond. In desperation, he could only turn his eyes to Li Xian, but he saw Li Xian bowed in a calm manner and smiled to explain After a while.

"Hey, you child, that's all, that's all, let's take care of it."

Naturally, Gaozong didn't know that Li Xian had countless twists and turns in his stomach. Hearing what Li Xian said, he didn't feel surprised. He waved his hand with a smile, and casually agreed to Li Xian's request. Empress Wu, who was sitting beside her, had a flash of brilliance in her eyes.

Hey, I'm really going to do it tonight, good guy, I almost fell into the trap!Gaozong didn't notice the change in Empress Wu's eyes, but Li Xian's eyes were very sharp. Even though the gleam in Empress Wu's eyes just flashed by, it couldn't be hidden from Li Xian's careful observation, and his heart tightened. Now that Empress Wu's arrangement has been confirmed, I can't help but secretly exclaim that I am lucky, but Li Xiancheng is deep in the city, and although he is already on guard, his face is still full of Chengzhi's incomparable smile, and he is very happy. He stopped next to the golden chrome car, and acted as an accompanying escort in such a dignified manner.

Picking up the driver is a major event, and the amount of red tape is really unusual. Even though Gaozong is only here for a "family banquet", there is no lack of etiquette. Since Gaozong and others got off the car, the elders of the Wu family They all became kowtowers since they were young, kowtowing and kowtowing, and kept busy. They were so busy until it was dark, they finally welcomed Gaozong and other distinguished guests into the banquet hall, took their seats, and served the wine and dishes one after another. The family banquet has officially begun. According to the usual practice, the Wu family brothers who are the masters will naturally give the toast, and then there will be Gaozong's instruction, and the Empress Wu will return the gift. It is a long toss until the first song and dance. A group of people waited for some free time.

The Wu family has been rich for generations, and the Wu brothers are all in high positions. Although the banquets they hold are not as dazzling as the banquets in the palace, they are also extremely rich. The dishes are brought up from time to time like flowing water. The tables in front of everyone are full, but all the people here are the most noble people in the world. They have never enjoyed any food, so naturally they are not very interested in those food and wine. At the end, most of them just enjoy the singing and dancing, and have a few chats with them. The atmosphere of the whole family banquet is always very flat, even a little dull, even though the Wu family brothers are trying their best to flatter and make jokes to create an atmosphere. But it didn't help, just like that, the two songs and dances were over, and the family banquet was coming to an end.

Li Xian doesn't eat food, wine, if he can't drink, Li Xian will never touch his lips, he really can't escape the toast from the brothers of the Wu family, that's just casual, even if he sits upright, it seems All my mind was on singing and dancing. In fact, from the corner of my eyes, I glanced at the mother and daughter of the Helan family who were sitting diagonally opposite each other from time to time. They were secretly on guard and ready to respond at any time. It's been two rounds, and there's nothing wrong with Helan's mother and daughter, which made Li Xian feel agitated for no reason, but he didn't dare to talk nonsense, he could only force himself to suppress it With the irritability in his heart, he waited with complicated emotions, because Li Xian himself couldn't tell whether he wanted the accident to happen or not.

"Your Majesty, empress, I have been an official in Shizhou for several years. Although I have not made much achievements in government affairs, I have made some achievements in food. I occasionally get a dish, and I dare not hide it. Please come out, Your Majesty and Empress Dowager, please appreciate it." Just after the second song and dance ended, Wu Weiliang stood up with a smile, walked into the hall with big strides, and bowed deeply to Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu on the chair , said politely.

"Oh? I'm very curious about this. Aiqing will serve you that famous dish." Gaozong actually didn't really want to come to this so-called family banquet, but since Empress Wu had spoken, he I can't help but come, the interest is naturally not too high, it's purely coping, I haven't opened my mouth much this night, but at this time, after hearing Wu Weiliang's words, I really got a little interest, so I sat down for a while He straightened his body, waved his hands, and signaled Wu Weiliang to offer the treasure quickly.

"Yes, my minister obeys the order!" Seeing that Gaozong's interest had been successfully aroused, Wu Weiliang was very excited. He hurriedly agreed to the promise, and without retreating, he stood in the hall and slapped him lightly. Immediately, two pretty maids came in from outside the hall carrying a tray. There was a large sea bowl on the tray, which was steaming, but the bowl was covered, so it was impossible to see what was inside. What is it, but there is a strong fragrance that diffuses in the lobby in an instant, making people appetite after smelling it.

"Your Majesty, please take a look." After the two maidservants walked into the hall, Wu Weiliang approached, reached out and lifted the lid of the big sea bowl, gestured a "please" gesture, and said with a smile.

"This, is this tofu?"

Gao Zong was lustful but not good at food. He never cared much about eating a dish, and he didn’t do much research, but no matter what, the basic concept of food is still not lacking. Now he is staring at the things in the big sea bowl For a long time, no matter how I looked at it, I felt that the stuff was just ordinary tofu, but I was not sure, hesitated for a moment, and then tentatively asked.

"Your Majesty is wise, this is tofu."

Wu Weiliang smiled and bowed, and replied affirmatively.

"Huh? Could it be that Aiqing's tofu is made of gold?"

Hearing Wu Weiliang's answer, Gaozong was not happy. He felt like he was being tricked, but he didn't want to be a member of the Wu family in front of Empress Wu. His face immediately became gloomy, and he sneered coldly. road.

"Your Majesty, although this thing is tofu, it is not the usual tofu. There is something special inside." Emperor Gaozong was unhappy, and the atmosphere in the hall immediately darkened, but Wu Weiliang was not nervous, and smiled. He explained a sentence, but deliberately pretended to be closed, and still refused to say clearly what the universe inside was.

"Oh? I'm curious about what this universe is. Aiqing might as well come out." Gao Zong looked at the bowl of tofu suspiciously, then at Wu Weiliang, scratched his head, and asked in disbelief.

"So that Your Majesty can know that this thing is indeed tofu, but the raw material is not soy milk, but egg white, duck brain, beef paste, etc., which are boiled by a secret method. Its tenderness can be described as unparalleled. It's rare, and what's even more rare is that there is something in this tender tofu——loach!" Wu Weiliang smiled triumphantly, and explained loudly.

"loach?"

Loach is a cheap thing, so it is impossible to get into the imperial dining room. Although Emperor Gaozong had heard about it, he had never actually seen it. What is so precious about loach.

"Your Majesty, although this loach comes out of the pond, it is not an ordinary thing in the paddy field. It is taken from the fat one. It is fed with milk cream every day and washed with clean water. Three days before it is put into the pot, it is cleaned with aged vinegar every day. The intestines are then nourished with ginseng soup to make it tasty. When it is ready to be put into the pot, there is another thing to pay attention to. That is to put the live animal and tofu into the pot, slightly use the ginseng soup as the base, and simmer it slowly over a slow fire. The loach is afraid of heat, and the soup is slightly hot, so they burrow into the tofu one after another. When it is cooked, the tofu has closed, and the loach melts in the tofu. After explaining it eloquently, and specifically pointing out the beauty benefits, everyone was amazed.

"Oh, the third uncle said that this thing is so miraculous. I have never heard of it. Could it be that it really has the miraculous power of beauty?" Women always love beauty. Before Gaozong could speak, he began to exclaim coquettishly.

"Mrs. Mingjian, this thing does have the miraculous effect of beautifying the face. I obtained the prescription from a fairy elder. I really dare not lie to the sage." Wu Weiliang has long heard that He Lan Minyue, the niece, is now Emperor Gaozong. His new favorite, seeing him ask a question at this time, he dared not neglect a little bit, so he hurriedly bowed and answered.

"Really, this concubine is really knowledgeable." He Lan Minyue opened her small mouth slightly, and stared at the plate of tofu with her big eyes, as if she was very tempted.

"Okay, Aiqing has a heart, well, Yue'er is happy, so use it first." Gaozong didn't pay much attention to food, no matter how beautiful Wu Weiliang said, Gaozong didn't mind listening to it, but he didn't. How could he take it to heart, but seeing that He Lan Minyue's heart was moved, he smiled and gave He Lan Minyue this plate of tofu.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, my concubine."

As soon as He Lan Minyue heard this, she was overjoyed immediately, and gave Gao Zongfu a blessing with a smile, opened her mouth, and thanked delicately, but her eyes were fixed on the plate of miraculous tofu.

All the people present are extremely noble people, so naturally they don't have the intention to compete with He Lan Minyue, besides, since Gao Zong has opened the golden mouth, no one dares to fight on the spot, so they can only smile He couldn't stop watching the plate of tofu being handed over to He Lanminyue's mother and daughter.

(End of this chapter)