Chapter 67 (Grilled Fish (Part 2)...)

Prince Chang also smelled it and looked at the butler: "What kind of dish is this? It smells so good?"

The housekeeper smiled and explained, "This is the grilled fish that Miss Yan from the Xiao family sent. She said it needs to be heated in the oven before eating. I'm having someone heat it up, and it will be ready soon."

Lord Xue's eyes lit up. Miss Yan from the Xiao family?

Is it the one his son likes?

You're actually so familiar with Prince Chang?!

Normally, if a chef from a certain family sends something over, he would usually mention the name of the host family. Now that he directly mentioned Miss Yan, it was definitely not an accessory of the Xiao family. My wife said it was just the chef of the Xiao family, so I was afraid it was a misunderstanding.

Lord Xue coughed lightly and prepared to speak again: "Your Highness..."

As soon as the two words came out, he smelled the fragrance getting stronger and stronger, which successfully diverted his attention.

When he looked up, he saw a servant carrying a meal that looked quite large. He placed a thick cloth on the table, and put down a large iron plate. The soup inside was bubbling due to the heating.

The protagonist of this dish is a fish.

A fish that looks quite large and extremely plump!

Lord Xue stared at it with greed, but didn't say anything. If he said another word at this time, he would delay the delicious food.

At this time, a fair and delicate little boy who looked about seven years old came over. His eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to those of King Chang.

Master Xue still managed to speak: "This humble official greets His Royal Highness the Grandson."

"Hello, sir." Ah Heng replied politely and sat on the other side of King Chang.

Prince Chang rubbed his head and asked, "Where's your mother?"

Ah Heng pouted unhappily and whispered, "Mom told us to eat first and she won't come out."

Prince Chang shook his head and said, "Ah Heng, go and invite your mother over. There's so much food, how can the three of us finish it all? Don't worry about all the formalities."

"Yes!" Ah Heng was immediately happy when he heard this, and ran out happily to call people.

I could still hear him calling for his mother from a long distance away.

"The young prince is very filial." Lord Xue said with a smile.

Prince Chang's eyes curved as he nodded, "Yes, this child is kind-hearted."

It was also his kindness that made him wake up from the chaos and see his responsibilities.

Lord Xue's smile became more genuine. A kind-hearted superior would make his followers feel more at ease. Although he had not dared to choose anyone before, Prince Chang had once been the crown prince. In his heart, he still had more weight than others.

Soon Princess Chang also came over.

Lord Xue bowed again, and then the meal officially began.

There were many delicacies on the table. In addition to the grilled fish that took up quite a large space, there were also crispy pork, spicy chicken wings and other foods served on the side. However, the large portion was what attracted the most attention.

Prince Chang called him, "Master Xue, you're welcome. Eat more."

Then, as the master, the first piece of his hammer fell on the big fish.

The fish is big and plump, with tender meat. The skin is a little burnt, but it is soaked in the salty, spicy and slightly sweet soup. With a little force of chopsticks, the fish meat is peeled off.

The tender white fish meat with a strand of tough fish skin and the soup is sent to your mouth.

The fish meat is a big piece, but there are very few bones. When you take a bite, the first thing you taste is the delicious soup. Then you take a sip with the tip of your tongue and chew the fish meat and skin together. It is tender but not rotten, and very delicious.

"tasty!"

A light shout was heard, and Prince Chang was stunned for a moment, almost thinking that it was himself who spoke, but he quickly realized that it was Lord Xue.

The older man beside him was looking at the grilled fish in surprise, his eyes full of admiration. "Your Highness, Miss Yan's cooking skills are amazing! I didn't expect fish could be prepared like this. I had grilled fish at the food court a few days ago and thought it was delicious, but I didn't expect this way of eating it to have such a unique flavor."

The key to grilled fish is its tenderness. The fish meat becomes soft and rotten with just a slight touch. Sprinkled with a thick layer of seasoning, it tastes very rich.

The fish at the barbecue stall was delicious, but it was too small and not satisfying.

But the fish in front of me is big, fresh and tender enough!

The soup is also delicious enough. The fish cooked in this soup tastes different from the heavy spices of barbecue. It is slightly spicy, slightly salty and sweet, and has the aroma of charcoal fire.

Make him unable to stop!

Prince Chang was speechless. He had heard before that the Minister of Revenue loved delicious food, but he didn't expect him to love it so much. He still remembered that his father had told him before that the reason why Lord Xue was appointed as the Minister of Revenue was because this person's only hobby was eating.

How much can you eat?

He can't be greedy for much, not to mention he is not very courageous, so the emperor feels at ease with him in this position. Now it seems that it is indeed the case.

The little boy opposite Lord Xue was eating cherries that were stained with a little soup. They were sweet and salty, and inexplicably delicious.

Suddenly, he heard such praise, his eyes lit up, and he said crisply, "Yes! Sister Shu is amazing! She can make so many delicious things, popcorn, cakes, spicy noodles, barbecue, all made by her!"

"They gave me some rice crust a couple of days ago. It's delicious, and my parents love it!"

Master Xue was busy eating, and when he heard this, he asked in surprise, "Did she do all this?"

He was not unfamiliar with these things, because after the Lantern Festival, popcorn became his snack and he would buy it from time to time. Until a few days ago, he found that the mobile popcorn vendor had also moved to the food street. When he went there, he felt like a bumpkin who had just arrived in the city.

I've never seen anything, but I want to eat everything.

In the end, he ate so much that he had to lean on the wall and was scolded by his wife.

I didn’t expect that she did all this???

Ah Heng nodded proudly: "Of course, it was all done by Sister Ah Shu!"

Master Xue was a little shocked. This was too unbelievable. He asked, "How old is this girl?"

That doesn't make sense. For her son to like her, they should be around the same age, right? How can she be so amazing?

Ah Heng counted on his fingers and said, "Seventeen, right?"

Master Xue swallowed, his heart suddenly burning. He had originally only supported his son because he liked him, but now, he put down his chopsticks, took a sip of wine, gave himself some courage, and then said: "Your Highness, Princess, Little Highness, you seem to be very familiar with Miss Yan of the Xiao family?"

Prince Chang also stopped eating his chopsticks and raised an eyebrow, "It's OK. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Lord Xue smiled sheepishly, "To be honest, I'm in love with Miss Yan, but my wife did something wrong and offended Miss Yan. This was something neither I nor I knew about. We only found out about it two days ago. I've been wanting to apologize to Miss Yan ever since. I wonder if Your Highness could help make some connections?"

His expectant gaze shifted from Prince Chang to Princess Chang.

Full of hints.

Princess Chang naturally understood that it was most appropriate for a female relative to discuss such matters, and she was also moved.

As the former Crown Princess and now Princess Chang, she knew the situation of some ministers in Kyoto. The son mentioned by the person in front of her should be Xue Wulang who had just passed the imperial examination and was preparing for the palace examination.

That's an excellent man.

The Xue family is quite prestigious, so if this could work out, it would be beneficial to both parties.

She and her husband exchanged a glance, and just as they were about to nod after confirming, Ah Heng suddenly spoke in a vigilant tone, "No!"

Three adults:?

Princess Chang was especially shocked.

Son, do you, a little brat, know what the adults are discussing?

Soon, Ah Heng told them that he not only knew, but also understood it very well. He said seriously, "Sister Ah Shu is Dongdong's future aunt. She can't marry anyone else! Dongdong will be angry. Besides, Uncle Xiao Liu is very old. Mother-in-law said that I was born when Dad was this old. It's so pitiful. You can't let Sister Ah Shu marry someone else."

"Hiss!" Lord Xue took a deep breath, his face filled with astonishment. "Is what the young prince said true?"

Princess Chang was surprised: "I haven't heard of it? Ah Heng, how did you know?"

Ah Heng puffed out his chest proudly: "I am Dongdong's best friend, of course Dongdong told me!"

"Dongdong, who told you that?" Princess Chang asked softly.

Ah Heng thought for a moment and said, "I think it was Grandma Xiao who said that?"

At this point, Princess Chang felt that she didn't need to ask any more questions. She smiled helplessly and looked at Lord Xue.

Silence is better than words at this time. Lord Xue received the gaze, sighed, and muttered in his heart. His wife said that the Xiao family would never let Xiao Liulang marry Miss Yan. Didn't Mrs. Xiao say it herself?

It turns out that not everyone pays so much attention to the door lintel!

He was heartbroken and could only comfort himself by picking up a large piece of meat that connected the fish belly and head, sliding it through the soup, and eating it in one bite.

The fish in this place is the most tender and fresh, without any bones. When you take a bite, it feels like there is something slippery and soft in your mouth. It really melts in your mouth and then slides into your stomach.

So delicious!

The delicious food made him feel a little better, but he felt even more heartbroken when he thought that the opportunity he had just imagined to eat delicious food as he pleased was gone.

Ah Heng was stunned when he saw his favorite part being pinched away. His little mouth pursed, and he felt a little lost.

But it seems that this gentleman is quite sad because he couldn't marry Sister Shu?

Forget it, he stopped talking.

Eating elsewhere is also delicious.

For example, the fish meat at the edge of the fish belly is tender and smooth, and the bones are all big, making it easy to eat. Then take a bite of the cooked bean sprouts inside, and the saltiness is just right, so you don’t even need to eat it with rice!

A wonderful lunch ended.

After Lord Xue discussed the details with Prince Chang, he left with satisfaction and a sigh, and went back to tell his son the bad news.

Xue Jiahe was suddenly struck by lightning.

It would have been better if he had lost hope at the beginning, but just as he lost hope, his father's hope was rekindled. When he thought he could succeed, it was gone after only two or three days.

Miss Yan is indeed the daughter-in-law chosen by the Xiao family for Xiao Huaiting.

He felt mixed emotions and didn't know what to do.

In the end, he chose to lock himself in the study for several days to calm down his emotions, which were sometimes good and sometimes bad.

Mr. Xue was so scared that he came to see his son every day. It was not until three days later that he came out calmly.

After three days of adjustment, he no longer felt uncomfortable.

I also clearly realized that they really were not destined to be together.

It was such a vague liking, a liking they had only had after meeting a few times, it couldn't be said to be that strong. If it weren't for what Madam Xue did, he might have given up after not seeing her for a while. But her making a fuss made him feel guilty towards that woman, so he had such a big emotional fluctuation.

Master Xue was worried that his son would get stuck in a rut, but he didn't expect him to come to his senses so quickly. He was relieved, but he still felt guilty about it, so he said, "In the future, your marriage will not be interfered with by your mother. As for the county lady, I will let your mother reject it. You can go and win back the one you like."

"Thank you, Dad!" Xue Jiahe smiled calmly.

The father and son smiled at each other and let the matter go.

With Lord Xue's words, Madam Xue had no choice but to reject the idea of marriage with Prince Jin, no matter how reluctant she was.

Three months later, Xue Jiahe successfully won the first place in the palace examination, which attracted the envy of countless people. He also seemed to be favored by the Sixth Prince's sister, the Eighth Princess. However, before everything was settled, he asked to be demoted and wanted to go to the countryside for training.

This was a demotion for the top scholar. With the help of Lord Xue in lobbying, the emperor readily agreed and left in early April.

During this period, Prince Chang had already escorted the military pay away.

At this time, Kyoto fell into a strange calm, and the factions of the fifth and sixth princes only made minor movements and frictions.

It was not until May that good news came - Uta was completely defeated!

The most outstanding achievement was that Xiao Huaiwu sneaked into the military camp alone, killed the enemy commander, and escaped unscathed, laying a solid foundation for Xiao Huaiting to lead the army to flatten Wuta.

Afterwards, the Xiao family army did not give Wuta a chance to breathe and attacked Huanglong all the way.

Wuta is not a big country. Due to its remote location, most of its people eat meat. Although its individual strength is higher than that of the soldiers of Da Zhou, its numbers are still not that advantageous.

Now that the soldiers of the Great Zhou Dynasty are well fed and well clothed, their strength has increased, and their combat effectiveness is naturally stronger. In addition, Xiao Huaiwu, who has been preparing for five years to avenge the old hatred, is there, and the entire army is united, determined not to give up until Wuta destroys the country. Everything goes unexpectedly smoothly.

When the real news of victory reached Kyoto, the whole country celebrated.

Mrs. Xiao was so excited that she expressed her desire to fulfill her vow.

Mrs. Xiao believed in Buddhism, or perhaps not faith, but just a thought. The Bodhisattva in her small Buddhist temple was brought home from the most popular jungle temple in Kyoto.

During those years, her heart was sick and she tortured herself like a possessed person. Her only comfort was to worship Buddha.

She hopes that one day God will return her husband, son and son-in-law to her.

But although she no longer dreams, the fact that her sons and daughters can return safely from the battlefield and that they have avenged the second, third and fourth sons-in-law is her greatest joy. She wants to fulfill her vow and visit her daughters who live in the Taoist temple on the same road as the jungle temple.

It was naturally a good thing that Madam Xiao was willing to go out. As the young lady, Xie Qingyun made arrangements immediately.

Except for Xiao Huaiqi, all the masters of the Xiao Mansion accompanied him out.

Including the three children, Dongdong, Wan'er and Xiao Pingsong, Yan Qiushu naturally went along as well.

When nobles wanted to worship Buddha, they did not have to walk from the city to the temple outside the city like ordinary people did. They only had to sit in a carriage and go all the way to the foot of the mountain before they had to get off and walk.

Yan Qiushu jumped off the carriage and found that this temple was really popular.

There were a lot of people at the foot of the mountain alone, and many monks and Taoists were setting up stalls to tell fortunes. Men, women, young and old were walking around, just like a market, but no one was making any loud noise.

Some devout people would even kneel down three times and kowtow nine times.

Then Dongdong, who was here for the first time, also jumped down. A large bulging pouch on his waist was quite conspicuous. He quickly covered it with one hand, looked outside, and exclaimed: "Wow, so many people!"

Yan Qiushu and her group naturally walked straight up.

There was a special maid with good physical strength to support Madam Xiao, and the others tried their best to walk by themselves. The three children also worked hard, and when they got tired, they drank some water and continued walking.

Halfway through the journey, the group sat down to rest for a while. When they stood up again, Wan'er and Dongdong could not hold on any longer.

Yan Qiushu looked around and found that the maids who followed her up were also very tired. Seeing their weak hands and legs, she felt a little anxious.

How to deal with these two children?

Before she could raise the question, Yan Qiushu saw Xiao Huaiyu straighten her clothes and roll up her sleeves, looking more capable and neat. Then she squatted down and hugged Dongdong.

"Miss Third, you..." Yan Qiushu was quite worried.

The next second, the slim-looking girl, with a single effort, easily picked up the fat kid who was heavier than Wan'er, and then said to Xiao Pingsong, "Pingsong, you hold Wan'er."

"Yeah!" Xiao Pingsong nodded obediently, and also came over and easily picked up Wan'er.

Yan Qiushu was stunned.

She had tried to hug Wan'er before!

Of course, I failed and was even laughed at by this little girl.

Xie Qingyun came over with a smile and said in a narrow voice, "Didn't I tell you? Most of the people in the Xiao family practice martial arts. After a while, Wan'er will also have to learn martial arts. By then, she might be stronger than you."

Yan Qiushu silently closed her jaw in shock: "Take me with you."

No wonder the third young lady of the Xiao family could once whip her ex-fiancé and make him cry for his parents. She always found it unbelievable when she heard about it before. Xiao Huaiyu looked like such a gentle woman. Although she was not as cold and aloof as Song Mingdai, she was almost the same.

I didn’t expect it to be like this!

Xie Qingyun chuckled: "Okay, I'll write down your request. When Wan'er starts learning martial arts, I'll tell the master to bring an extra one."

Yan Qiushu coughed lightly and quickly retracted her words: "I was just kidding. I'm too old to be suitable."

"She's not married yet, she's still a little girl." Xie Qingyun patted her head with a smile and continued to climb up.

The temple was built halfway up the mountain, and it took quite a while to walk up. By the time they arrived at the temple exhausted, it was already not too early. Madam Xiao went to fulfill her vow, Xie Qingyun and others went to pray, and Yan Qiushu also followed suit and asked for a fortune stick to ensure her safety and wealth!

She even drew a lucky number, which made her so happy that she couldn't close her mouth.

When Madam Xiao came out and saw her cheerful face, she also smiled and said, "What good fortune did you pray for? Could it be that you are praying to the Buddha for a good marriage?"

Yan Qiushu smiled happily: "I asked the Buddha to make me rich, and the Buddha agreed!"

Madam Xiao was speechless for a while, then shook her head and said, "He's still a child, he hasn't grown up yet."

After fulfilling their vow, the group strolled around the temple and had a vegetarian meal before starting to go down the mountain. When they were three-fifths of the way down the mountain, there was a fork in the road. Instead of going down directly, they walked towards the fork.

This road is much quieter than the temple, but I only met two pilgrims along the way.

This is the Taoist temple, Yuxia Temple, where Xiao Huaiya, the fifth daughter of the Xiao family, temporarily resides.

As soon as they reached the door, a female nun who was sweeping the floor recognized them. When she heard that they were here to see Xiao Huaiya, she led them inside directly.

There were no adult men in their group, so they could go straight through. Before they reached the back of the Taoist temple, Mrs. Xiao, who took medicine all year round, keenly smelled the odor of medicine. She suddenly became anxious and quickened her pace.

When they arrived at the courtyard where Xiao Huaiya lived and confirmed that the source of the medicinal smell was here, Mrs. Xiao became even more anxious. She didn't care about etiquette and pushed the door open and went in.

Yan Qiushu slowed down a step. Before entering, she noticed that there was a locust tree in the yard. It was in season, and it was blooming with small white flowers in clusters, which were very beautiful. It happened to be a little windy today, and the locust flowers fell all over the ground. Just looking at the scenery was quite romantic.

When she entered, she saw a woman lying on the bed, reading a book in her hand. Her legs were tied with several wooden boards and tied tightly with white cloth. There was a bowl of hot, bitter medicine on the bedside table.

This should be her room, but even so, the woman was wearing a veil, covering the lower half of her face tightly, revealing only a pair of red almond eyes that looked as if she had been crying, looking pitiful.

At this moment, his eyes were wide open in shock and guilt because of his mother's sudden arrival. He dropped the book and his first reaction was to pull the quilt over his legs.

The book fell to the ground, revealing its name - The Biography of Ping Niang.

Yan Qiushu: “…?”