Chapter 257 Ordinary Fireworks

Huo Lin stepped out of the Golden Palace; the afternoon sun was somewhat dazzling.

He felt utterly exhausted, as if a heavy stone was lodged in his chest.

The heated debates in the court just now, the ugly faces of those old ministers, and their disgraceful behavior of suppressing talented people from poor families for their own selfish interests, all played out before his eyes like a revolving lantern.

Hmph! A bunch of lazy, good-for-nothing old bastards!

He talks a lot about benevolence and morality, but in reality he's full of selfish motives.

If it weren't for the stability of the court, how could he have tolerated their rampant behavior?

Huo Lin clenched his fists in frustration, feeling a surge of pent-up anger with nowhere to vent.

Wang Degui followed cautiously behind, not daring to breathe loudly.

Huo Lin did not stop walking and headed straight towards Weiyang Palace.

bother.

tired.

I want to see her.

Only when he thought of Jiang Huan did Huo Lin feel some relief from his troubles.

He hadn't even changed out of his court robes when he stepped into the gates of Weiyang Palace. A wave of energy washed over him, carrying the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

"Your Majesty, the mutton slices are ready!"

"Your Majesty, the shrimp paste is ready. Do you think it's chewy enough?"

"Hey, Xiao Zhao, pass me that plate of tripe!"

"This broth smells so good, it's making me hungry!"

The palace maids and eunuchs moved about busily, their voices light and cheerful, and a rich fragrance filled the air.

Huo Lin's steps unconsciously stopped, and he paused at the courtyard gate.

In the center of the courtyard, a round table had been set up at some point.

A copper pot sits in the center of the table, with a blazing charcoal fire beneath it. The bright red broth boils and bubbles in the pot, sending up plumes of steam.

Jiang Huan, with her sleeves rolled up, stood by the table, directing the palace maids to arrange various ingredients.

Fresh slices of beef and mutton were neatly arranged, alternating between red and white, while bright green vegetables and fresh mushrooms filled the table with a dazzling array of dishes.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed from being busy, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, but her eyes were bright and full of energy.

Seeing Huo Lin enter, Jiang Huan's eyes lit up, and a bright smile bloomed on her face, instantly dispelling the lingering chill between Huo Lin's brows.

"emperor!"

She jogged a few steps to meet him, grabbed his wrist, and led him to the table.

"The court session is finally over! Come in, come in quickly! The time is just right, we've been waiting for you, our great deity!"

Huo Lin was pulled along by her, looking at this energetic figure, and then at the lively scene before him that was so different from the court.

My previously tense nerves surprisingly relaxed.

This place is still the best...

Where she is, there is always such liveliness and energy.

It felt like stepping from a cold, deep palace back into the human world.

He followed Jiang Huan to the table, his gaze falling on the bubbling red soup, and his throat bobbed involuntarily.

Why does today's hot pot look unusually red?

[They probably put in half a pot of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, right? Just looking at it could burn my throat.]

No, no, I need to save my voice to argue with those ministers.

It smells so good, it's making my mouth water.

As Jiang Huan listened to his inner turmoil, a smile curled at the corners of her lips.

Spicy food is something you can eat more of and become more and more addicted to.

Occasionally, stepping out of your comfort zone and trying a new flavor might just open up a whole new world for you!

Jiang Huan pressed Huo Lin down to a seat at the table, then turned around and went to prepare the dipping sauce.

"Please sit down and try this tripe. I just had it prepared, it's very fresh."

Without turning her head, she shouted, "It's very simple, just dip it in and out seven or eight times until it's cooked through. Keep an eye on it, and don't let it get too old!"

Huo Lin: ...

[A rollercoaster of emotions? How long will this go on?]

He looked down at the bubbling red oil in the pot, momentarily at a loss.

But Jiang Huan had already gone back to work. He remained silent for a moment, then picked up his chopsticks with a serious expression, took a piece of tripe, and put it into the boiling pot.

[One up, one down... three up, three down...]

He began to count silently, completely focused, though his movements were slightly stiff.

[...Seven up, eight down!]

Time's up!

Huo Lin scooped out the tripe and placed it on the empty plate next to Jiang Huan.

【Perfect. 】

[When I take action, it is naturally extraordinary.]

Jiang Huan had just returned with the condiments when she saw the rather dark-colored tripe in the dish and paused for a moment.

This seems a little too mature?

What happened to the promised ups and downs? The frequency of these fluctuations must be incredibly slow.

When Huo Lin saw Jiang Huan return, he pointed with his chin at the piece of tripe, indicating, "Try it."

Jiang Huan stiffened, but she couldn't refuse, since she was the one who brought it up.

I had no choice but to grit my teeth, pick up the tripe, and put it in my mouth.

She bit down with her teeth, but it didn't budge; it was incredibly tough.

The texture is so good, you could easily mistake it for cowhide.

Jiang Huan chewed a couple of times until her cheeks ached, but the tripe remained chewy, as if it were challenging her.

"Mmm...delicious."

She swallowed the tripe with a slurred voice, glanced at Huo Lin who was waiting for praise, and an idea came to her.

"Your Majesty, your control of the heat is truly... unique, the texture is exceptionally firm, you should try it too."

As she spoke, she picked up another piece of tripe that Huo Lingang had just scooped out and brought it to his lips.

Huo Lin felt comfortable under Jiang Huan's gaze. He nodded slightly and opened his mouth to take the piece of tripe.

He confidently closed his teeth and bit down hard...

I couldn't bite it.

Huo Lin's expression went blank. He quietly increased the force, but the tripe remained stubbornly firm.

Jiang Huan suppressed a laugh as she watched him struggle with the tripe, her shoulders trembling.

She deliberately leaned closer, blinked, and asked, "How is it, Your Majesty? Isn't it especially delicious? You cooked it yourself."

Huo Lin: ...

He finally gave up chewing and silently spat the piece of tripe into the bone dish next to him.

"You call this delicious?" His voice was deep, but his ears were slightly red.

“Yes!” Jiang Huan looked completely innocent, but finally couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

"It's so delicious that my teeth are almost ready to retire, hahaha..."

She laughed so hard she bent over and had to hold onto the table for support.

Huo Lin looked at her laughing without any regard for her image, and his tense lips couldn't help but relax.

"How dare you mock me?" He reached out as if to pinch Jiang Huan's face.

"Oh dear, I'm innocent!" Jiang Huan nimbly jumped aside.

"I wanted the Emperor to personally experience the fruits of your labor, but it seems the Emperor is more suited to ruling the country. This hot pot job..."

She chuckled and came closer, taking the chopsticks from Huo Lin's hand. "It's better to leave it to the professionals. You, just focus on eating."

Huo Lin watched as she picked up another piece of tripe and quickly dipped it seven or eight times in the bubbling red soup, her movements incredibly fluid.

"This is how you cook tripe to make it crispy!"

The cooked tripe, curled up and glistening with bright red broth, was offered to Huo Lin's lips again.

"Want to try this?"

Huo Lin opened his mouth and caught it.

The tripe is crisp and chewy, coated in a spicy and savory broth, creating a wonderful taste.

【Hmm, this is good, crispy and fragrant, much better than the ones I used to cook in hot pot.】

He chewed while nodding, his eyes brimming with undisguised satisfaction.

Seeing that he was enjoying his meal, Jiang Huan picked up her chopsticks and put a piece of shrimp paste into the pot.

"I made these shrimp paste myself, they're so fresh!" she said, chattering away as she cooked the vegetables. "And this tofu, it tastes best when it soaks up all the broth... Oh dear, don't cook the vegetables for too long, they'll get tough and won't taste good..."

Jiang Huan's voice mingled with the bubbling sound of the pot, weaving together a warm, symphony of fireworks.

The infighting in the imperial court and the endless political affairs seemed to be dispelled by the rising heat and spicy aroma.

The two sat around a steaming hot pot, sharing a bite with each other amidst the rising steam, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones, enjoying this rare moment of tenderness.

The turmoil in the imperial court was temporarily kept outside this small courtyard.