Chapter 61 (Meat?)
As a family of military generals, there is nothing more joyful than hearing the three words "victory".
Even though the Xiao family won countless battles, once they failed, they basically lost their lives, so every success was enough to make people happy.
In such joy, stinky tofu could only be temporarily ignored. Madam Xiao waved her hand and doubled the salary of everyone in the mansion. The people in the mansion were already happy, and they were all overjoyed.
Some people even have half a day off.
It’s just that human joy is not shared.
The good news from Xiao Huaiting this time is good for the Great Zhou, but not good for some people.
What does it mean to capture three cities in a row?
This means that Uta seems to be unable to cause any harm to the Xiao family army.
Zhou Zejing was called to court along with other court officials. Listening to the messenger's excited and high-spirited voice describing how difficult this battle was and how brave the Xiao family army was, his brows furrowed more and more.
Others were just excited when they heard this, but he was only thinking that he had never expected that Xiao Huaiting, the sixth son of the Xiao family, would actually surpass his master!
Even his father and brothers could not defeat the enemy so brutally in such a short time!
This is just good news. If we continue fighting, will we be able to... take over the entire Uta?
After thinking for a while, he looked up at the emperor sitting on the dragon throne. The old emperor had been ill during the New Year holiday. Although he looked better now, he was old and had white hair. His suspicion was getting worse with age.
A normal emperor would be happy to hear the good news, but he was the only one who had no expression on his face.
No one else dared to look directly at the Holy Face, so naturally they didn't notice it.
As soon as Zhou Zejing looked up, the other party also looked over. Their eyes met, and Zhou Zejing nodded in understanding. The old emperor then said, "I understand. The Duke of Zhenguo has worked hard and made great contributions. It is truly a blessing for our Great Zhou to have achieved such great things at such a young age!"
The court officials echoed: "It is only because of your majesty's wisdom that the Great Zhou has such a talented person!"
Even though it was flattery, the old emperor was still somewhat satisfied, and he sighed: "It's a pity that the Xiao family is now so small, and too many have sacrificed for the country. I feel guilty when I think of the Duke of Zhenguo, and I really don't know how to reward him."
this……
The court officials didn't know how to respond for a moment. Everyone knew that the Xiao family had made great contributions and had already been made Dukes. Madam Xiao had even been granted an imperial decree. What higher title could be bestowed upon them?
At this moment, Zhou Zejing came out and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I think that since the national treasury is currently low, and for the good of the Duke of Zhenguo, why not end this battle here?"
At this point, many people understood and stepped forward one after another, saying, "Your Highness is right. War is a waste of money and manpower. Wuta has lost three cities in a row. This is enough of a lesson. If the war continues, too many people will die. It will be a sin in vain!"
"Your Majesty, I agree. Our Great Zhou once had a friendly relationship with Wuta, so we cannot be too drastic now."
Each person's voice formed a firm belief. No matter what, it was time to stop. War was a waste of money and manpower. Uta had learned enough lessons now. It was enough.
They are also doing this for the good of the people of Da Zhou!
The Sixth Prince, Prince Xuan, also echoed. He was a young boy of fifteen or sixteen, with a handsome face full of sympathy for the people.
The old emperor even curled his lips slightly.
Suddenly, Prince Chang, who had been silent the entire time, stood up and said in a deep voice, "Father, I believe we should continue the fight! Seize the opportunity to win and make sure the name of the Wuta Kingdom disappear from this continent!"
A resounding sound successfully silenced the chaotic voices in the court.
The court officials looked over and saw that it was Prince Chang who spoke, so many of them tactfully shut up.
As the former crown prince, Prince Chang's status in the hearts of the court officials was not low. After all, he was once the crown prince they recognized and was excellent in every aspect. If it weren't for the missing five years, how could Prince Shun and Prince Xuan have had a chance to come to the fore?
Zhou Zejing's face turned cold, and he smiled and said, "Your Highness Prince Chang has a good idea, but he may not have seen a real battle scene. Whether it's the soldiers of Wuta or my Great Zhou, even if they win, many people will die on both sides. In addition, the national treasury is empty now. Why is Your Highness Prince Chang still determined to attack?"
Prince Chang said, "Father, my Lords, it may seem as the Crown Prince said, that everything is going well, but the Wuta Kingdom is ambitious and has been restless for many years. If Xiao Huaian hadn't risked his life to avoid severely damaging Wuta five years ago, how could they have recuperated for five years before offending our Great Zhou again? Now that the Duke of Zhenguo has captured three of their cities, they will be forced to lie low for two years at most, and then we will have to start the war all over again!"
He took two steps forward as he spoke, his gentle peach blossom eyes now fixed directly on Zhou Zejing, as if seeing through the darkness in his heart. He said in a trembling voice, "May I ask, Your Highness, was that battle not a battle? Weren't the lives of the soldiers sacrificed back then? Wasn't the wealth of our Great Zhou wasted back then?"
Zhou Zejing was speechless for a moment.
The voice seemed to be right next to his ear, and every word hit his heart, making cold sweat break out on his back and he involuntarily took two steps back.
Prince Chang did not continue to target him, but instead scanned the ministers who had just called for an end to the war.
The ministers all turned their eyes away and remained silent.
Then he looked at the old emperor.
The old emperor's face darkened and he gripped the armrests of the dragon throne tightly.
At this time, a fair-skinned young man appeared on the other side of King Chang. He was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had an extremely handsome face. He looked like a noble young master. As soon as he appeared, many people were excited.
It’s over, are we going to fight now?
The young boy's clear voice echoed through the hall: "Father, I think what my second brother said is absolutely right. This battle must be fought. If the Duke of Zhenguo can annihilate Wuta in one fell swoop, the people on the border will no longer have to be disturbed by Wuta. This will be a great thing for both the country and the people!"
Zhou Zejing's expression changed slightly, and he looked at Prince Shun with a frown.
This person actually agreed to King Chang’s proposal?
Doesn't he know that Prince Chang and the Xiao family are in cahoots? If the Xiao family wins, Prince Chang's power will only grow.
The old emperor was also worried that one day the Zhou family would not be able to control the Xiao family, and the world would change its surname.
Many people in the court also looked sideways, their eyes showing drastic changes of emotions, not knowing what to do.
The old emperor's face was even more wrinkled, the corners of his lips were pressed down, and there was surprise in his eyes, but more of anger.
However, with his brother's support, Prince Chang saluted directly: "Father, this battle must be fought!"
Prince Shun also bowed and said, "Father, this battle must be fought!"
The court officials who were looking after the two men also followed suit and shouted. Then more and more people joined in the call. Gradually, almost all the civil and military officials in the court were shouting. Only a few people from the Sixth Prince's faction and Zhou Zejing did not move.
But the situation was hopeless at this point, and there was no excuse to suspend the war, unless the old emperor said it bluntly. He was unwilling to see the Xiao family continue to grow stronger and more famous, even at the expense of the people on the border.
Finally, the old emperor forced a smile and said, "Why do you all have to do this? I am only suggesting it. Since you all think it's worth fighting, then go ahead. I just hope that Xiao Jia Liulang can return safely."
"Your Majesty is merciful. The Duke of Zhenguo will surely return safely!" all the court officials said in unison.
When they lowered their heads, the old emperor sitting high on the dragon throne's smile turned cold.
Yan Qiushu and others had no idea about the disputes in the court.
The Xiao family was still immersed in joy.
On that day, all the Xiao family members gathered together to celebrate with delicious food. Yan Qiushu didn't have to do anything because the chefs in the mansion were very skilled and could replicate her cooking skills almost perfectly. Occasionally, they would even modify it and make something new. For example, the original steamed lion's head was turned into braised lion's head because Yan Qiushu mentioned that the taste could be changed.
Although the taste is slightly different from the braised lion head in Yan Qiushu's memory, it is still a surprise in taste.
The steps are always the same.
Yan Qiushu enjoyed the meal, but when she returned home after eating, she still felt a little guilty when she saw Zhou Zhaoqin eating alone in her yard.
Although this child cannot openly observe mourning for his mother's death, he cannot eat meat for at least 49 days. The Xiao family does not have to observe mourning, but they want to celebrate with a good meal. They can't let this child just watch them eat meat, right?
I could only ask the chef to prepare something delicious for him first and then eat it myself.
Maybe because there was no one else around, Zhou Zhaoqin ate slowly. When they finished eating, drinking, chatting and laughing, Yan Qiushu came back and found that the child had just finished eating and there was still a lot of food left on the table.
"Don't you like these?" Yan Qiushu asked, "How about I make you some egg fried rice?"
Zhou Zhaoqin shook his head, and a sensible smile appeared on his slightly recovered little face: "No, I like it very much."
Yan Qiushu rubbed his head and said nothing.
The child was ignorant and thought it was a bear. When he became sensible, he was not happy. However, she finally made half a bowl of fried rice. This time, Zhou Zhaoqin really enjoyed eating it. He ate it all in big mouthfuls under Yan Qiushu's gaze, and even scraped out the last grain of rice at the bottom of the bowl with reluctance.
After eating, he became more lively. He walked over to Yan Qiushu very obediently and said in a childish voice, "Thank you, Sister Shu. You've worked hard!"
Yan Qiushu smiled and said timidly, "It's not hard, because you will have to work hard next."
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhou Zhaoqin's eyes lit up. This was mainly because these days, whenever Yan Qiushu said that they had worked hard or helped, she would definitely make something delicious. He didn't dare to be as presumptuous as Dongdong, but he also stared at her in surprise, waiting for her to continue.
Yan Qiushu pinched his little nose and said with a smile: "You are quite smart. You have to make something delicious!"
Zhou Zhaoqin said crisply: "I'm not afraid of hard work!"
With this said, it was easy. The next day, one hour before lunch, Yan Qiushu took Zhou Zhaoqin into the kitchen.
Nanny Li watched her actions with a wooden face. At first, she saw that this girl treated the emperor's grandson as an ordinary child. Although she called him "Your Highness", she actually treated Zhou Zhaoqin and Dongdong the same way. She was quite indignant.
But unexpectedly, Zhou Zhaoqin liked her quite a lot. She took good care of the child, Yan Dada, and made her much more lively. The key point was that the Xiao family still protected her, and she herself did not give face to anyone.
Even Li Ma, who came with a mission, didn't know how to start.
God have pity on her. She really tried, but was either ignored or scolded. Now that Zhou Zhaoqin was being treated so well, she couldn't even find an excuse to blame her and could only watch in frustration.
Still have some regrets...
The stinky tofu smelled bad yesterday, but Mrs. Xiao and the others liked it very much. She almost tried it yesterday, but she refused because she was too suspicious!
Anyway, Nanny Li couldn't complete the task now. She thought to herself in despair, since she was so cooperative, she wondered if Miss Yan could give her some good food later, just like she did to Shui Yu and Nanny Xu?
Yan Qiushu had no idea what Li Ma was muttering in her heart.
She is busy in the kitchen.
To make the following delicacy, the first step is to wash the gluten. First, pour the flour into a basin, add a little salt and a cup of water, stir it with chopsticks, and wait until the flour is mixed into flocs, then start kneading.
Zhou Zhaoqin rolled up his sleeves, revealing a pair of clean, white hands. He held them high, not daring to get them dirty. He had just washed them with Yan Qiushu. However, the woman in front of him was so focused on her work that she didn't even look up. He held his hands up for a long time, and anxiously whispered, "Sister Shu, what am I doing?"
Yan Qiushu comforted him, "Just wait, it will be fine soon."
After kneading the messy dough into a smooth dough, she put it directly into the basin, poured a large basin of water into it, brought four small stools, and called out to Aunt Xu, Shui Yu, and Zhou Zhaoqin: "Come here, it's time to work!"
The three of them sat down in perfect harmony, staring at the dough in the water in unison. "What are we going to do?"
"Washing dough is like washing clothes, just rub it continuously!" Yan Qiushu said. She was the first to put her hand into the water and began to rub it. In the blink of an eye, the clear water turned white. Zhou Zhaoqin followed suit.
Shui Yu and Aunt Xu did not delay either.
Four people and four pairs of hands stirred it together, making the speed of washing the face extremely fast.
Soon, the water had to be changed. Shui Yu picked up the water and said, "I'll pour this one."
"Don't!" Yan Qiushu stopped her: "Keep this, it will be useful. Let's continue."
Shui Xian sat down dizzy and continued to wash the dough.
This thing is not easy to wash, especially since the dough made by Yan Qiushu is quite large. She kneaded it for a long time, and it would take even longer to wash it. Four basins of water were used up, and it took a while for the fifth basin of water to stop becoming turbid again.
Yan Qiushu pinched the soft, slightly darker thing and said, "It's OK!"
All three of them relaxed immediately, and softly patted their sore arms. This time they were really tired!
After resting for a while, Yan Qiushu said again: "Shui Yu, help me get two chopsticks."
"Okay!" Shui Yu quickly went over and took the things.
Yan Qiushu carefully pulled the gluten thinner bit by bit, rolled it on the chopsticks, stacked it layer by layer, and slowly moved it backwards, eventually forming a shape that was thin in the front and fat in the back.
Repeat this several times until all the gluten on hand is used up, add seasonings and marinate, then take a piece of winter melon, peel it, cut it into slices, pour soy sauce on it, and fry it in a pan of oil, then take pickled vegetables, ginger, peppercorns, and edible cornus officinalis and put them into the pan of oil to stir-fry, after the aroma comes out, pour it into the bowl containing the winter melon, and finally use a larger bowl to put it on top, with the two upside down.
When the lid was opened, Shui Xuan was already stunned: "This! Isn't this a winter melon?!"
Yan Qiushu raised her eyebrows and smiled, "Maybe not."
Then she took the gluten dough, put it into the pan with freshly heated oil and fried it until golden brown all around. Then she added salt, soy sauce, sugar and other seasonings and stir-fried it. Finally, she added water starch to thicken the sauce.
A quarter of an hour later, two dishes and an appetizer of hot and sour soup were ready. Shui Yu brought the dishes out. Yan Qiushu and Zhou Zhaoqin were already sitting at the dining table. The former was as calm as before, while the latter was full of anticipation.
He hasn't even seen what these two dishes look like!
But as soon as the lids on the two dishes were removed, Zhou Zhaoqin's prepared "Wow" turned into a "Huh?"
The two dishes in front of me are clearly - Braised Pork with Preserved Vegetables and Braised Chicken Legs!!!
The pork with preserved vegetables is sauce-colored, with large pieces of meat covering it. There are also cuts on the skin on the top, through which you can vaguely see the meat inside, and the bottom is full of pickled vegetables.
Not to mention the chicken legs, they looked like they were braised, with the braised sauce still flowing slowly on them. I didn't smell any other fragrance, but the color and shape were no different from braised chicken legs!
Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "Try it?"
Zhou Zhaoqin had already prepared the chopsticks in his hand, but he didn't dare to use it. After hearing what Yan Qiushu said, he shook his head quickly.
Yan Qiushu was amused by this. She explained, "It's not meat, I promise!"
After hearing this, Zhou Zhaoqin tentatively picked up a piece of chicken leg. Although he had a guess in his mind that this was probably what they had just made, but when he looked at it with his naked eyes, as a child, he really didn't observe it so carefully at first, especially the tail of the chicken leg, which had what looked like a "bone"!
Only when the whole chicken leg was in his mouth, he bit it with his teeth and touched it with the tip of his tongue, did Zhou Zhaoqin clearly realize that it was not really a chicken leg.
But the taste is somewhat similar to chicken, the "meat" is tender and tightly stacked layer by layer. As you bite it with your teeth, the "meat" is torn apart, and the braised sauce poured on it is salty and fragrant with a hint of sweetness. The combination makes it a food that tastes a bit like chicken!
He was surprised and delighted: "Delicious! Did we really make this this afternoon?"
Yan Qiushu nodded and was about to explain when a clear young voice appeared: "What's delicious?"
The two looked up and saw a handsome young man walking towards the yard. His casual clothes were also very gorgeous, and there was a red gem on his hair crown, which sparkled in the sun.
The young man's eyes were smiling, and he walked over with a pair of long legs. He looked over, but the smile on his face suddenly changed, and his tone was serious: "Who allowed you to feed him meat?!"
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