Shanghai Embroidery Lady

Chapter 62
That summer, on a scorchingly hot afternoon, Aunt Zhou was taking a nap in the house with her brothers in her arms. Eight-year-old Ye Zijin was tossing and turning on the bed like a monkey. Run to the garden to play.

After she was tired from playing, she felt thirsty and hot, holding a handful of silver dan grass picked from the grass beside the pavilion, reluctant to throw it away, so she quietly sneaked into the kitchen to look for food.Seeing fresh melons and fruits puffing up in the water, she happily picked up a piece of silver-white "croissanthoney" and began to nibble. This kind of melon is sweet and crisp, and the leaves are sweet to the heart, and the mouth is sweet and cold. Yes, that's called comfort.After rubbing her round belly, Ye Zijin left contentedly. Before leaving, she accidentally saw the freshly brewed sour plum soup. Seeing that the thick brown soup had been soaked by the ice outside, Ye Zijin felt itchy in her heart , I seem to taste a sweet and sour taste in my mouth.I couldn't help but tiptoed to pick up a spoon and scooped up a spoonful of it.

As soon as she took a sip, Ye Zijin couldn't help grinning and sticking out her tongue. It was so sour that her teeth almost fell out. She had never thought that sour plum soup could be so sour. Maybe it was because the melon was too sweet just now.She was about to put down the spoon when a person outside the door shouted: "Xiulong Gege, it's you again!"

Ye Zijin was startled, the spoon slipped from her hand, and half a spoonful of sour plum soup spilled into a bowl.

A short, fat man came in, with a round body and a round head, his neck was almost negligible, and his temple hair was a little gray.When Ye Zijin sees him, he will think of a newly learned idiom - heart wide and body fat.

Ye Zijin knew that he was the most powerful imperial chef in the mansion, and all family banquets and wedding banquets in the Dutong Mansion depended on his skills.Ye Zijin licked her lips and lowered her head in embarrassment.

The fat man walked in with a smile, glanced at the melon rind on the ground, and said, "Hey, after eating cantaloupe and throwing away the rind, are you now sour by the sour plum soup?"

Ye Zijin scratched her head, rubbed one foot on the ground, and whispered, "Lu Bo, don't tell others..."

The fat man walked up to her, and suddenly picked up the bowl that dripped the sour plum soup just now, sniffed it, and then tasted it.Then he handed the bowl to Ye Zijin with a smile, and said leisurely, "Come, eat and watch this."

Ye Zijin took the bowl hesitantly, looked at a bright red exquisite tomato in the bowl, tasted a small piece, and felt that it didn't taste like a tomato, but it was soft and sweet, very delicious.

The fat man saw the silver dan grass in her hand, took off a leaf, washed it, and put it in a bowl. There was a green leaf standing on this exquisite tomato, which was as red as a little girl with a green flower on her hair. smiley.

Since then, this improved dessert in the Dutong Mansion has been very popular with Da Fujin and his sisters. The name is also festive and prosperous.It's just that I heard that my aunt was not favored in the palace even though she was a queen, and she was treated coldly everywhere, which did not live up to the meaning of this dessert.

"Miss Ye, does this dish fascinate you?" Seeing her staring at the snacks on the plate, Meng Haoxiang jokingly reminded her, and also hinted that she should not neglect Mrs. Wilton beside her.

Ye Zijin walked out of her memory, smiled apologetically at the Wilton couple, picked up a small spoon and scooped up a small spoonful of the fruit pulp ladylikely.After taking a sip, time seemed to freeze, her eyes widened in shock, her expression seemed suspicious, so she ate another spoonful, then the second spoonful, the third spoonful... until she ate up the whole plate.

Meng Haoxiang coughed a few times on purpose, seeing that she was devouring her food, it drew a kind smile from the Wilton couple next to her.

Ye Zijin didn't even look at Meng Haoxiang, turned around and called the waiter over and asked, "Is your chef's surname Lu?"

The waiter said respectfully: "The chef's surname is not Lu, our boss' surname is Lu."

Ye Zijin has been confirmed to be Master Lu from the Dutong Mansion back then. This dessert is exactly the one that was improved back then. It not only contains the sweet and sour taste of pomegranate juice and sour plum soup, but also mixes with the coolness of Silver Dan grass.

Ye Zijin said to the little boy in the waiter: "I want to see your Boss Lu. You just tell him one thing, that candied haws are sour, glutinous rice and lotus root are sweet, and kidney bean rolls are soft and fragrant. The gluttonous girl is eager for it."

The waiter was confused when he heard it, and saw that although Ye Zijin was dressed in a simple and elegant way, he had a good demeanor, so he took a serious note and went to the inner room to find Boss Lu.

Meng Haoxiang probably guessed a thing or two. He knew Ye Zijin's identity a bit. Although he didn't know the exact background, he knew that he was a relative of the emperor. He must have met an old friend at this moment.

Seeing that Ye Zijin was restless, Mrs. Wilton asked with concern if something happened. Ye Zijin didn't reveal her identity, but explained that she met a relative she hadn't seen for many years.

Not long after, an old man on crutches hurriedly walked towards Ye Zijin's table with the support of the waiter. His steps were so fast that the flesh on the old man's cheeks shook up and down with the steps, and his bloated body looked very heavy.

When the old man saw Ye Zijin, his throat trembled and he called out "Xiulong Gege..." Then he threw down his crutches and was about to kneel down to perform the old salute.

Ye Zijin hurriedly stepped forward to support the old man, her eyes were also crystal clear.Unexpectedly, many years later, the former imperial cook in the capital's mansion became the owner of the best palace restaurant in Peking.After the family parted that day, she was hurriedly taken away by Aunt Zhou before she had time to say goodbye to the fat chef who treated her so well. Later, whenever she thought of the dim sum made by the fat chef, she would miss it very much.There are not many people in the Dutong Mansion who treat her well, except for Aunt Zhou and Lu Bo.Ye Zijin felt emotional for a while, but now the poem can be changed to "it is the beautiful scenery of the northern country, and it is the season when the flowers bloom and meet the king".

The Wilton couple also understand a little Chinese, and they also know the meaning of Gege when they hear the old man call Ye Zijin Gege.Once a British painter came to China with the ambassador and drew a portrait of Ge Ge in the Qing Dynasty and brought it back to England while viewing it in the palace. The Wiltons believed that Ge Ge's status in China was equivalent to that of the princess of the British royal family.

Mrs. Wilton was a little surprised and blurted out "Princess".

Ye Zijin felt that it was awkward to talk to Master Lu here, so she asked Meng Haoxiang for instructions to leave the meeting temporarily, and apologized to the Wiltons, and then followed Lu Bo to the inner room.

This quaint tea room of Yuchu Zhenpin is Boss Lu’s private living room. On the four walls are inscriptions of famous calligraphers and politicians and celebrities from all walks of life. One of the inscriptions is "Iron Horse Autumn Wind Dasan Pass" The picture of a general hunting is particularly majestic. .The room is covered with plush Indian carpets, and there are antiques such as ceramics and jade on the sandalwood display racks. The small room is unexpectedly decorated with a vast world.

"Gege, how have you been these years?" Lu Bo was both happy and sad, and after sitting down, he wiped away two drops of old tears with his sleeve.

"I'm fine, but...my aunt has already gone..." Ye Zijin tried hard not to think about the sadness of the past, and just smiled lightly, and changed the topic, "Lu Bo, have you been in Peiping all this time? ?”

The old man quietly poured a cup of tea for Ye Zijin, sighed and said, "Yes, I have spent most of my life in the palace cooking for the Queen Mother. So, we simply set up an old shop in Beiping and opened a restaurant, who would have thought that the business would get better and better, and it would be like it is today.”

Ye Zijin looked at the translucent emerald green teacup, gradually walked out of her memories, and said, "Lu Bo, I'm not a Gege anymore, just call me Xiulong."

The room was filled with the fragrance of tea, and the conversation between the old and the young was simple and plain, as if all the suffering during the period had been melted into a cup of amber tea, and there seemed to be a trace of sweetness after the bitterness in the words.

Ye Zijin noticed that Lu Bo had changed a bit, although his posture remained the same, but there was a bit more calmness and silent majesty in his eyes.It is very different from the simple and honest imperial chef of the Dutong Mansion back then. It must be the demeanor that has accumulated after the wind and rain in the business field over the years.

Lu Bo also found that Ye Zijin had changed. Although her eyes were still clear and bright, she was no longer the clever, eccentric and stubborn Xiulong Gege she used to be. It shows her soft and tenacious temperament.

Ye Zijin and Lu Bo chatted a lot about the past in Dutong Mansion, about her stealing cantaloupe, about her being punished by Da Fujin, and naturally they talked about Zizheng and Zirong.

When Lu Bo learned that Zi Rong had been abducted, he shook his head and sighed, and comforted him: "Ge Ge, don't blame yourself too much, you were just a child back then. Master Ning Rui has his own natural appearance. He has been better than Ning Xiang since he was a child." The young master is lively and active, with a clever mind, I believe he must still be alive in this world." Ning Rui and Ning Xiang are the old names of Zirong and Zizheng respectively when they were in the Dutong Mansion.

"Well, I just feel that the life I owe Ning Rui is still unclear..." Ye Zijin frowned slightly, and her long eyelashes drooped.

Lu Bo said meaningfully: "The fate of each person is different. No one is destined to owe anyone. In fact, a person's life is similar to cooking. Add a spoonful of salt or a spoonful of vinegar. The taste of the stir-fried dishes is quite different, but no matter how unpalatable it is, you have to swallow it yourself. Even the best cooks sometimes miss it, cooking is so difficult to control, let alone fate."

Ye Zijin smiled and tasted the tea thoughtfully.

At this time, the waiter walked in cautiously, walked up to Ye Zijin and said respectfully: "A guest who came with you just now asked me to tell the lady that I have to go to another place in the afternoon, please go out quickly after talking about the past. .”

"Ge Ge, who is that person? I was so confused just now, and I forgot to ask you what you are doing in Beiping this time?" Lu Bo signaled the waiter to go down first with his eyes.

Ye Zijin didn't need to think about who the waiter was talking about. Meng Haoxiang mentioned that he didn't like to wait for others, so he must have grown impatient after waiting for her.

Ye Zijin put down the teacup, got up and said, "He is a friend of mine. I came to Beiping this time to find someone. It's a long story. I'll come back to you to talk about it after I'm done. I have to go first." .”

Lu Bo nodded, sent Ye Zijin out, and said before parting: "If you need help with anything, just talk to Lu Bo, and come to my place after finishing the work. I will make you a snack. I still remember your favorite food when you were young." Ruyi Kidney Bean Rolls, I don’t like desserts with peanuts the most.”

Ye Zijin felt warm in her heart, said goodbye to Lu Bo and returned to Pearl Pavilion.At this time, the Wiltons had almost finished their meal. Seeing her coming back, Meng Haoxiang asked her to translate immediately, as if to make up for all the words he hadn't said during the silent blank period just now.

Ye Zijin felt uncomfortable after eating this meal, and she couldn't understand Meng Haoxiang's orders and instigation to her with peace of mind.Qu Xiangtian saw her displeasure, and smoothed things over to ease the atmosphere.

After dinner, she returned to her place of residence. Mrs. Wilton was a little tired and unwell, so she had to cancel the afternoon trip. Ye Zijin took the address she had written down during this gap and was going to find Shen Kangtong, the son of Master Shen.

As soon as she went out, a black Austin car had slowly driven up to her.In the car window, Meng Haoxiang looked calm, put down the newspaper he was looking at just now, and said casually: "I happen to be going to buy some things, I will drop you off and get in the car." The last two words remain the same as before.

Seeing Ye Zijin standing still, Meng Haoxiang said impatiently: "What are you doing in a daze? I just don't want you to waste too much time on things other than translation. The driver is a local and knows the way."

Ye Zijin listened to this with the tone of a cold-blooded boss fighting his workers. She was still a little angry just now, but now she is even more angry.She tried her best to calm herself down, but then she thought about it, having a local guide could really help her a lot.So without even looking at Meng Haoxiang, she opened the car door and sat next to the driver without making a sound.

(End of this chapter)