Chapter 284 Menu
The ordeal last year was still fresh in Huo Lin's memory.
For seven consecutive days, I had to get up before dawn, brave the cold wind to go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and most importantly...
His gaze involuntarily drifted to a corner of the desk, where a memorial from the Ministry of Rites lay.
The entire document lists the procedures for this year's ancestral worship ceremony, as well as... the meal arrangements.
He picked up the booklet with two fingers in disgust, glanced at it, and his face fell.
It was the same bland, watery vegetarian food again, making my stomach churn with acid and my mouth feel utterly tasteless.
Does that old fogey in the Ministry of Rites have a grudge against his stomach? It's the same thing year after year, with absolutely no originality.
This is not ancestor worship; this is clearly abuse and torture!
If he eats this stuff for seven days, he'll probably be meeting his ancestors ahead of time!
Moreover, it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.
His stomach had long been spoiled by Jiang Huan's constant feeding, and he hadn't experienced hunger in a long time.
Sigh, how am I going to get through this ancestral worship ceremony?
Huo Lin's heart was bleeding, but he still had to maintain the dignity of an emperor; only his tightly pursed lips betrayed his true feelings.
Just then, a cheerful and bright voice drifted into the imperial study.
"What's wrong? What kind of memorial is so ugly that you're frowning as you look at it?"
Huo Lin looked up and saw Jiang Huan carrying a bowl of freshly stewed bird's nest with rock sugar as she walked in.
After she instructed people to put the charcoal away at Weiyang Palace, she became increasingly uneasy.
It's freezing cold now, I wonder if this workaholic is dressing properly and eating well.
After much deliberation, he decided to come in person. Little did he expect that he would catch Huo Lin, who was filled with bitterness and resentment, red-handed as soon as he entered.
It's not just ugly, it's torture.
Huo Lin sighed softly and handed her the document, his tone tinged with aggrieved complaint.
"It's the menu for ancestral worship prepared by the Ministry of Rites. It's the same every year, with no new ideas. It's disgusting to look at."
Even though Jiang Huan was mentally prepared, she still felt sympathy for Huo Lin after seeing the contents of the document.
Good grief, are the dishes on this menu even meant for human consumption?
It's all cold food. It wouldn't be unbearable for one or two meals, but the problem is that it's been so many days.
Is this a memorial service or a weight loss training camp? No wonder he had that expression.
She looked up at Huo Lin, and Huo Lin was also looking at her. Their eyes met, and they felt an instant connection.
No, if we really eat like this on the menu, his "CEO-specific stomach ailment" will afflict him again in a few days.
Jiang Huan pondered deeply, then finally picked up a pen and a blank sheet of paper, and began to write in a flowing style.
"How about this, we'll change this clear broth cabbage dish to a soup base made with broth, mushrooms, and dried scallops. It'll be both delicious and won't break the rules."
"Plain porridge is too bland. Add some red dates, longan, and lotus seeds to make eight-treasure porridge. It's nourishing and warming, and it can also be considered a vegetarian meal."
"How can you eat a plain steamed bun? You can make it into a milk-flavored steamed bun, using milk to make the dough, without adding sugar, but it tastes fragrant and soft."
"Let's add some snacks, like jujube and yam cake, pea flour cake, sesame brittle...aren't these all vegetarian? They'll be good to fill our stomachs when we're hungry."
As she muttered to herself, she wrote with flowing strokes, completely transforming the originally lifeless menu, preserving its form of fasting while infusing it with the essence of life.
Wang Degui watched in stunned silence, cold sweat pouring down his face.
"Your Majesty...is this...is this in accordance with the rules?"
Jiang Huan put down her pen, blew on the ink, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Then tell me, in what way have I broken the precept against eating meat? Our ancestors only said to eat vegetarian food, not to eat like an ascetic monk, right? As long as the intention is there, does one have to starve oneself to the point of dizziness to be considered devout?"
Wang Degui was speechless after Jiang Huan's question, and could only nod awkwardly.
"Your Majesty is right, this old servant was foolish."
Huo Lin looked at the completely redesigned menu written by Jiang Huan, and his tightly furrowed brows completely relaxed.
[That's right, that's right. What the Ancestor wants to see is my will, not my corpse.]
[If we were to eat it exactly as the original recipe, there would be no need for ancestral worship; my soul could simply float down and reunite with them.]
[She's so clever and resourceful; saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda!]
He was overjoyed, and his previous frustration vanished completely.
"Wang Degui, proceed according to the menu prepared by Consort Zhuang. Convey my imperial edict to the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Kitchen, instructing them to prepare accordingly without fail!"
"Yes!" Wang Degui quickly bowed and agreed.
Seeing Huo Lin's expression brighten, Jiang Huan felt a surge of joy, her little tail almost wagging in excitement.
"Do you have an appetite now? Would you do me the honor of having some bird's nest porridge?"
"Hmm." Huo Lin suppressed the smile on his lips and responded casually, but the slightly raised tone of his voice still betrayed his good mood.
Meanwhile, at the Prince Mu's residence.
In stark contrast to the relaxed atmosphere of the imperial palace, a gloomy and oppressive atmosphere permeated the Prince's mansion.
Huo Ting leaned against the couch, covered with a thick brocade quilt. His face was pale, his lips were bloodless, and he coughed softly from time to time, looking weak and sickly.
Sitting before the couch were Huo Qingcang, who had traveled a long way, and his grandson Huo Yuan.
The two arrived in the capital early due to matters related to ancestor worship. Upon hearing that Huo Ting was unwell, they came to visit him.
Huo Qingcang looked at Huo Ting with concern: "Your illness seems to be more serious than rumored. Have you had the imperial physician examine you carefully? You can't take your youth for granted and ruin your health like this."
Huo Ting slowly opened his eyes, his gaze somewhat unfocused and weak, his voice hoarse and feeble: "Thank you for your concern, Uncle. Cough cough... It's just that I caught a cold recently and haven't fully recovered yet... I'll be fine after some rest."
He spoke humbly, but his tone carried a lingering melancholy.
Huo Qingcang sighed: "Alas, the climate in the capital is dry and the winters are bitterly cold. You should take good care of yourself."
He paused, seemingly wanting to find a topic of conversation, and said, "Yuan'er and I traveled to the capital together, and along the way we heard some rumors that the current emperor is quite fond of a certain concubine? I don't know if it's true or not, but in the capital, rumors always spread very quickly."
He meant no harm in his words, and was just chatting casually.
To everyone's surprise, a cold, sharp glint flashed in Huo Ting's eyes upon hearing this.
If it weren't for those two people, how could he have become like this!
Huo Ting suddenly coughed violently, as if he were coughing up his lungs.
Seeing his reaction, Huo Qingcang didn't press further, but Huo Yuan's brows furrowed tightly.
If Huo Ting hadn't suffered a tremendous injustice and resentment, why would he have gone to such lengths?
It seems that Consort Zhuang is no benevolent person; she must have done something that is utterly outrageous!
Before Huo Ting could finish coughing, Huo Yuan couldn't help but ask, "Just now, when Grandfather mentioned Consort Zhuang, the Prince reacted so strongly. There must be something fishy about it. Could it be that this woman has done something to cause trouble in the palace? Prince, please speak frankly. Although I am of lowly status and my voice is weak, I have studied the classics and will never tolerate such a thing that corrupts the court!"
His question was direct, even somewhat impolite, and carried the stubbornness typical of scholars.
Upon hearing this, Huo Ting raised his eyelids and sneered, "Your Highness has been away from the capital for a long time and may not know that the Emperor dotes on Consort Zhuang to the extreme."
He paused, then coughed violently a few more times, his tone carrying a hint of accusation.
"Ministers should not presume to discuss matters of the imperial family, but His Majesty's mind is now mostly focused on the harem, inevitably... cough cough... inevitably neglecting state affairs. We ministers see this and are deeply concerned!"
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