Chapter 219 Love between a Man and a Concubine
Liu Milan was distracted for a moment, then she heard the maid say, "Miss, the Madam wants you to come over."
Liu Qilan tilted her head slightly, "I see." Yin asked again, "What's the matter?"
The maid replied, "Madam said that an important guest has arrived in the front hall, and she wants you to go over and help with the arrangements."
Liu Qilan was a little puzzled. Ever since she took charge of the household, her brother and sister-in-law would always inform her in advance of any visitors to the mansion so that she could be prepared. Today was strange. The guests had already entered the house, but she was still unaware.
Despite her doubts, she hurried to the dressing table to fix her makeup and straighten her clothes, then took two maids and went upstairs.
When she entered the main room of the upper house, she saw her sister-in-law Wang sitting cross-legged on the kang.
In the spring, Wang changed into a silver-red silk jacket and stopped applying plasters on her temples. Her complexion was a little better than in the winter, and her cheeks were slightly flushed.
Liu Qilan walked forward, bowed, and sat down below, smiling and saying, "I've seen that my sister-in-law has been in good spirits these past two days. This is a happy thing."
Wang also smiled and said, "But now that spring has arrived and the weather has warmed up, I feel myself getting fresher and healthier day by day. I'll be back to normal health soon. Thank you for your hard work in taking care of the housework these days. You can rest in a few days."
Liu Qilan listened, smiled faintly, and then asked, "Since sister-in-law said that a distinguished guest is coming, I wonder if there is anything I can do for you?"
Wang Shi looked at her ethereal yet calm face, sighed inwardly, and said, "It's your brother. After the court session, he suddenly invited a colleague to our house. It's already this late, and I was thinking of treating them to a meal before they leave. It's just that their arrival was so sudden, and your brother didn't tell us beforehand, so I don't know what to prepare in such a hurry, so I asked you to come over to discuss it with us."
Liu Qilan felt a little strange. Although she was in charge of all the comings and goings of the guests in the mansion now, most of them were grand banquets where relatives and friends were invited when there was something going on in the mansion. Her brother also knew that his sister-in-law was not feeling well. Normally, if they wanted to drink with friends and colleagues, they would usually go to restaurants outside. Why was she acting out of character today?
Besides, there is no need to make a big fuss about such a small gathering of two people. My sister-in-law can just give instructions to the kitchen. Why do we need to specially call her over?
Although she thought so in her heart, she didn't show it on her face. She still smiled and said, "So, what do you want to discuss, sister-in-law?"
Wang said, "It's nothing more than that. I just wanted to ask for your help in thinking of some dishes and drinks. I'm not very familiar with your brother's friends. My family migrated here from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas, and we have always had a light taste. Unfortunately, the Marquis's friend is a military officer, so I'm afraid he won't be able to eat the food in our mansion. I'm worried about this."
When Liu Qilan heard her sister-in-law mention the word "military general", a figure suddenly flashed through her mind. She lowered her head and blurted out without thinking too much, "For the appetizers, use four cold dishes, two meat dishes and two vegetable dishes. The vegetarian dishes are cold-mixed golden needles and black fungus with vinegar. The two meat dishes are mixed golden shrimp and fermented shad. The main dishes are braised ox tongue, cooked crispy pickled fish, white fermented rabbit meat, and crystal pork knuckle. You can add two or three other vegetarian dishes at will. For dessert, soup or rice, use fruit-filled salt and pepper golden pancakes and Yangchun noodles. Nothing else is needed. Huiquan wine will be sufficient for drinks."
She listed many dish names in one breath, as smoothly as flowing water, as if she had memorized the whole sentence by heart.
The maids standing by were shocked when they heard this. These meaty and greasy dishes were definitely not what a noble family like the Zhenyuan Marquis's family would eat on a daily basis. Where did these girls remember the names of these dishes?
After Liu Qilan finished speaking, she finally came to her senses. Her face felt slightly hot, so she tilted her head slightly to cover it up, "I was just thinking... since the visitor is a warrior, he must like to eat meat and rich food, so... if my sister-in-law thinks there is something wrong, it's okay to change it."
These dishes... these dishes were all served at the banquet for male guests at the Ding'an Earl's mansion that day.
After meeting Meng Changyuan by chance that day, she spent some money and pretended that she wanted to learn how to prepare a banquet. She asked the servants in the hall what dishes would be on the banquet and what the guests liked to eat.
This kind of thing is a daily routine for the women in the inner house, so her behavior is not surprising in the eyes of others.
Those words were just excuses to deceive others. What she really wanted to know was just one person's taste.
After getting the recipe, Liu Milan read it over and over again under the lamp every night until every dish was engraved on her heart.
She knew that she was foolish and stupid, and was just torturing herself, but it was great to have a little comfort.
Liu Qilan did not have any wishful thinking. He was a meritorious official of the court, a hero who protected the country, and now he was the uncle of the emperor. She was just an unknown woman in the harem, and she had had such an unfair marriage. She was not worthy of him.
As long as I can think of him like this in my heart, that's enough.
Wang stared into her clear eyes for a long while before asking, "Lan'er, why don't you ask who is the guest in the mansion today?"
Liu Qilan shook her head. She had no interest in the other man.
Wang said, "It's the Duke of Protectorate, Meng Changyuan."
Liu Qilan looked as usual, except that the grape-purple butterfly-like handkerchief in her hand fluttered and fell to the ground.
She bent down to pick it up, avoiding her sister-in-law's inquiring gaze, and whispered, "This person is actually my brother's close friend for many years." As she spoke, she stood up and said, "If my sister-in-law has no other instructions, I will go to the kitchen to tell them."
After saying this, she walked out without waiting for Wang to speak.
Wang looked at her figure, leaned back on the soft pillow, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Judging from the situation, what her husband guessed with her at night was probably correct.
Lan'er is not unwilling to get married, it's just that she has someone in her heart.
As for who that person was, she refused to say.
If that person is really Meng Changyuan, although he is a little older, the two families are of similar status, and he and Liu Zhengfeng have been friends for many years and have similar interests. In fact, it is a good match between them.
As someone who had experienced this, Wang Shi didn't think Liu Milan was being shy, but rather that she seemed to be worried about something. But what exactly she was worried about, Wang Shi couldn't figure out.
Her sister-in-law has always been thinking only about others, and never seems to have thought about herself.
Wang was just thinking about something with her head down when a maid came in from outside, carrying a mahogany tray.
"Madam, this is a gift from a guest outside. The Marquis ordered it to be brought in for Madam."
Wang raised her head and just glanced at it, but her sight was fixed on the colorful gems in a rosewood box with peony pattern.
A box of colored stones, like pearls and jade, colorful, yet transparent, reflecting thousands of rays of light under the sun, truly eye-catching.
Wang knew the value of the stone and realized that it was a colored stone produced in the southwest. Due to the long-term wars in the southwest, the production of this colored stone was extremely limited, so the market price was very high and it was worth a fortune.
A box of multicolored stones like this would probably cost tens of thousands of silver coins if it were sold outside, and there's nowhere to buy it!
Money is just a small matter. What woman in this world doesn't love these things?
Such a valuable gift, and the Protector of the Country just casually gave it away? Even if he was wealthy, he wouldn't do that!
Wang's mind shifted slightly, and she asked, "Is this gift for me?"
The old woman replied, "The master said that this box of stones was given to our young lady to be set in something for her to wear as a token of enjoyment. It's not worth much. Knowing that your wife is not feeling well, he also gave her some of the finest Liaodong ginseng and deer antlers. He had a servant carry it to your house and bring it in for your inspection later."
These things are for her!
This time, it seems like the couple is in love!
Wang thought about it and felt a little angry.
This Duke Protector of the Country is indeed true. If he really has that intention, he would come to propose marriage in an honest and fair manner. As a real man, he shouldn't be ashamed!
Why do all this? It just makes the girls guess.
Wang Shi didn't even look at it closely, but smiled faintly, "Then send this box of jewels to the second young lady's room."
Liu Qilan left the upper room and went to the kitchen as expected.
The women in the yard were squatting on the ground picking vegetables. When they saw her coming, they jumped up in surprise and said, "Young lady, why are you walking into such a dirty place? Be careful not to dirty your shoes!"
Liu Qilan smiled and said, "You guys go do your own thing, don't worry about me." Then she went straight into the kitchen.
When I walked to the kitchen, I saw several cooks huddled over the chopping board, worrying about what they were doing.
She walked forward and saw a thick cow tongue on the chopping board. She smiled faintly and said, "What's wrong? Are you in trouble?"
When the cooks saw the young lady approaching, they immediately bowed and smiled apologetically, "Young lady, you may not know, but we've always eaten home-cooked dishes. We've served the master and mistress for years, and we've always been able to cook those dishes. The dishes you ordered today are fine, but the beef tongue is something we really don't know how to prepare."
Liu Milan knew this was the truth, so she rolled up her sleeves, revealing a pair of jade-white, slender wrists. "Everyone, get out of the way. Let me do it."
As she spoke, she picked up the boning knife that was standing upright next to the chopping board, pressed the thick ox tongue with one hand, and started to cook it.
The girl who used to be slender and pretty, was holding a sharp knife that was totally disproportionate to her figure, and she handled the cow tongue neatly and skillfully, which made her look quite heroic, and everyone who watched was amazed.
Liu Qilan smiled faintly and lowered her head to pack the ingredients.
She has been interested in cooking since she was young, and she is self-taught and has acquired excellent cooking skills.
However, in a family like theirs, such things have always been the work of servants. If the master gets involved, it would be disgraceful.
In previous years, she could only cook for her grandmother as a token of filial piety.
Now... now she no longer cares about her decent status. If he can eat comfortably and happily, she will be satisfied.
Even though he knows nothing.
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