Chapter 68 The two generals' families said that Madam Shen's male prostitutes would be available...
"Lamb intestines! Freshly cooked lamb intestines, the broth is thick and clings to the bowl, hot and fragrant!"
"Four dishes! Meatballs, gluten, crispy pork, and as much guokui (a type of flatbread) as you like, it's really delicious!"
"The fried dough balls are ready! They're so fragrant and crispy, just fried!"
In late autumn in Bianjing, the lingering heat of late summer had subsided. The soft sunlight fell gently on the towering gate tower, illuminating the large, neat copper nails on the gate and reflecting the red tips of the autumn grass clinging to the cracks in the city wall's blue bricks.
Stalls lined the city gate, one after another. The vendors, dressed in tattered cotton-padded jackets and shoes, folded their hands into their sleeves and sang and shouted at the top of their lungs. Their voices were loud and clear, and the surrounding area was as lively as boiling water.
The Song Dynasty bordered the Liao and Jin Dynasties and had traded with them for many years, so foreign clothing was still very popular. Xi Feijing, accompanied only by two personal guards, had removed his armor and was wearing a narrow-sleeved fur robe with a large collar and a brocade pattern, and a deerskin hat. He was leisurely eating mutton flatbread under the gate tower.
Having spent many years at the border, his complexion had become rough and bronze-colored, making him increasingly resemble a horse merchant who traveled between the border prefectures and the Liao people to do business.
The stall owner making mutton pancakes didn't notice anything unusual at all. But while busy making pancakes, he couldn't help but glance at the two huge, mountain-like attendants behind the merchant. He muttered to himself: "Where did this official's servants come from? They look like two pieces of charcoal from a coal mine. They're quite scary!"
After finishing two sesame cakes, Xi Feijing patted the crumbs off his hands with satisfaction, had his personal guards settle the account, and then slowly strolled towards Yujin Garden.
He passed by peddlers pushing carts and carrying loads, while merchants drove mules and camels, supporting their livestock with high piles of goods on their backs, shouting for passage as they squeezed past him with difficulty.
The air was filled with all sorts of smells: cow and horse manure, dust, and the aroma of food wafting from under the gatehouse, creating a strange, noisy, and chaotic odor that felt strangely welcoming.
He hadn't eaten mutton pancakes outside Nanxun Gate for many years, and this year, since he had come back, he was able to enjoy them to his heart's content.
Because he was returning to the capital on a secret imperial edict, he was not to make a fuss. Xi Feijing was even temporarily unable to go home and settled his men in an inn. However, when he left the city, he couldn't help but stand by the steaming stove, buy a few cakes, and share them with his personal guards.
Recalling the desolate and bleak scene of heavy snow outside Youzhou City, and then comparing it with the prosperity of the capital, I felt a sense of disorientation, as if I were in another world.
He had only taken a few steps when Xi Feijing caught sight of a familiar figure. Even though the tall, muscular man was wearing the most inconspicuous brown robe and was mixed in with a crowd of people buying clear mutton soup, Xi Feijing recognized him at a glance.
He narrowed his eyes, gave his personal guard a wink, and then, using the crowd as cover, quietly crept up from the side.
The two charcoal-clad bodyguards also moved silently, tacitly covering and cooperating with their general's antics.
Xi Feijing was just one step away; his ghostly outstretched hand was about to touch the money pouch hanging from the man's waist. Unexpectedly, as if the man had eyes in the back of his head, his hand, which was hanging at his side, suddenly twisted like a large iron clamp, as if to grab Xi Feijing's wrist.
Fortunately, Xi Feijing reacted very quickly. Seeing that the situation was not good, he immediately stepped back. In an instant, his figure had retreated three steps away like the wind.
The man's hand grasped at empty air, and he turned around indifferently: "Xi Sanlang, why do you still love to steal chickens and dogs like this?"
Xi Feijing, unashamed of his failed sneak attack, smiled slyly like a fox: "Yue Er, long time no see, your ears are still so sharp."
Yue Teng calmly pointed to the clear stew pot in front of him. The stall owner was quite skilled, managing to stew a pot of meat and bone broth that was fragrant but not cloudy, so clear that one could see their reflection. Only then did Xi Feijing realize how he had been exposed. What a blunder!
His smile deepened: "Has Yue Er finished his soup? Shall we go to Yujin Garden together?"
"Let's go." Yue Teng didn't bring any personal guards. He counted out twenty copper coins, placed them in front of the stall, and walked alone alongside Xi Feijing.
The two hadn't seen each other for many years and were momentarily at a loss for words. It was Xi Feijing who spoke first, with a nostalgic tone: "Haven't we seen each other for four years?"
Yue Teng stared ahead for a long time before speaking: "Two years. The year before last, we went to the northern desert for military exercises. I glanced at you from afar through your flashy central banner. I couldn't see you clearly, but I saw what looked like an unserious person lounging on the commander's chair under the banner. That must have been you, right?"
"How dare you bring that up? If you hadn't shot me off my horse with that arrow, causing me to hurt my old back! How could I not be crooked while sitting?"
Xi Feijing gets angry whenever he mentions it.
Every few years, Youzhou and Yanzhou would cooperate in military exercises, with the two armies facing off. The winner would be the one who could break through the opponent's central army and capture their banner.
Xi Feijing was a born unorthodox general, full of cunning and scheming, and had no desire to confront Yue Teng head-on. When he studied military strategy, he admired the lightning tactics of the famous Western Han generals Wei Qing and Huo Qubing. However, every military commander has a different personality and temperament, and the same tactics, when applied to him, took on a somewhat sleazy and despicable quality.
Yue Peng commented on Xi Feijing, believing that his long-distance flanking maneuvers and unpredictable tactics were simply aimed at infuriating his opponents, which is why ordinary people often could not understand his inexplicable tactics.
In layman's terms, Xi Feijing was the kind of stubborn guy who would rather go through the window than the door. The first battle that made him famous was when he was a detachment of General Xi's army, deep into the grasslands, carrying out surprise attacks and flanking maneuvers, acting as a troublemaker torment the enemy's reinforcements.
General Xi only instructed him to hold back the Khitan tribal troops under the Liao Northern Army to buy time for the central army, without giving him much other instructions. As a result, he kept jumping around like a monkey, sometimes burning the grain supplies, sometimes attacking while the enemy was crossing the river, sometimes launching a feint attack, sometimes a night raid, and then running away after making a move.
He got the advantage but acted innocent, writing a boastful and sarcastic letter, making over a dozen copies, and then shooting it into the enemy's ranks with an arrow.
Yelü Yi, the Right Wise King who had studied Chinese, was so angered that his old wounds flared up again, and he died.
General Xi was skilled in defense and an upright man. He had such a cunning and unscrupulous son. He often lamented that his first two sons had died young, and that the Xi family would be doomed if this boy took over.
Xi Feijing's sneak attacks weren't carried out by sending someone; he was a restless person who couldn't stay still, and he always went to steal things himself.
The same thing happened during the martial arts demonstration with Yue Teng. He handed over the central army to his deputy and excitedly led a group of men to launch a surprise attack. Little did he know that Yue Teng knew him too well and had been waiting for him to walk into the trap.
Xi Feijing was surrounded, but he still refused to admit defeat. The martial arts demonstration used arrows without arrowheads and unsharpened swords, but the two sides fought hand-to-hand and neither gave an inch. It hurt!
He later fought his way out of the encirclement with his two imposing, towering bodyguards. Despite suffering losses, he was still unwilling to give up and secretly set a fire in the wind, hoping to break through Yue Teng's central army in the chaos.
As a result, Yue Teng remained calm, stood up, raised his hand and fired three arrows at once. From a hundred paces away, even through the thick smoke, two of the arrows hit his warhorse.
The bare shaft of the arrow, without an arrowhead, pierced two inches into the horse's leg, startling the warhorse so much that it reared up and neighed, throwing him off immediately.
His waist snapped open with a loud crack.
Xi Feijing was utterly humiliated, having to be carried away by his personal guards. He quickly fled in the chaos of the smoke. But he didn't give up. He launched a surprise attack that night, wiping out Yue Teng's rear guard and seizing more than a dozen carts of fake grain supplies.
That's why Yue Teng always scolds him for being a petty thief.
Xi Feijing was not ashamed of this evaluation, but rather proud of it.
After all, Yue Teng was someone he admired.
Unlike Xi Feijing, who came from a military family, Yue Teng was the son of a proper farmer. Before the age of twenty, he was still farming and herding cattle. At the age of twenty-one, he joined the army with his elder brother and fought his way up from a lowly soldier to the rank of general.
During the reign of the late emperor, the Song Dynasty was still weaker than the Liao and Jin dynasties, and there were frequent battles on the border. The Song Dynasty suffered more defeats than victories, and at its worst, it almost lost two prefectures.
At the time, Yue Teng was only a deputy general. His superior, General Zhong, had died on the battlefield. He was given a critical mission in the face of danger. He first gathered Zhong's defeated troops and retreated to Yanzhou to rest for three days. He then wrote to Xi Feijing to borrow 10,000 soldiers from Youzhou and 100,000 shi of grain. After making sufficient preparations, he began to counterattack.
Finally, with fewer troops, they captured three cities in succession, not only recovering lost territory but also crossing the Great Wall and setting their sights on the six prefectures of Xiangzhou under the Jin dynasty.
Yue Teng was only twenty-eight years old at that time.
From then on, Yue Fei's army guarded Yanzhou. As long as Yue Fei's banner was still flying over the city, the Jurchens dared not even move south to graze their horses. Even when they were starving, they would only sneak over like dogs to eat a little grass and then quickly slip away before the soldiers guarding the city noticed.
Because Yue Teng came from a poor family, he could not tolerate the Jurchen horses stealing grass from the Song people, and he later almost captured Xiangzhou.
As a result, the backyard caught fire!
When news of Yue Teng's victory in capturing Xiangzhou reached the capital, the city was in chaos. The late emperor was already seriously ill and in a coma. In order to seize the throne, Prince Jin, together with several powerful families who secretly supported him, launched a palace coup, imprisoning Zhao Boyun, who was still the crown prince, in the Southern Garden, and also imprisoning the Empress Dowager in the Baoci Palace.
The emperor was only eighteen years old at the time. He ordered his trusted eunuch Liang Qian to dig a dog hole and crawl out. He risked his life to contact the officials of the Eastern Palace who had escaped and were not captured. It was only through the sacrifices of loyal ministers and righteous men of the Eastern Palace that the tiger tally and two imperial edicts of the crown prince were successfully delivered.
The first measure was for the Emperor to deploy General Xi and Xi Feijing to garrison the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, to counter the Liao and Jin states, who had learned of the troubles in Bianjing and wanted to take advantage of the situation, and to make them prioritize protecting their homeland.
Only then did he order Yue Teng to lead troops back to the capital to provide reinforcements.
Prince Jin already commanded 100,000 imperial guards, but when the banners bearing the character "Yue" fluttering in the wind appeared like thunder beneath Bianjing, he was still afraid. Not only was he afraid, but some imperial guards even defected at the sight of the banners. Prince Jin sent people to bribe Yue Teng and to negotiate peace, but neither bribery nor persuasion worked. Enraged, Prince Jin took Yue Teng's elder brother hostage and brought him to the city wall, forcing him to submit.
Yue Teng's parents had passed away, leaving only his elder brother, who had fought alongside him on the battlefield and saved him from danger on several occasions. Yue Da had also lost both arms on the battlefield and was ordered to return to the capital for medical treatment and recuperation.
Yue Da, unwilling to put his younger brother in a difficult position, threw his neck against the knife and died.
Afterwards, Yue Teng, with his iron army, fought his way through all nine gates of Bianjing, and carrying a blood-stained spear, accompanied the emperor to the throne.
The emperor originally intended to bestow upon him the title of Prince Zhongwu, but he declined, frankly telling the emperor that his personality was too straightforward and unsuitable for serving as an official in Bianjing. He only wished to serve as a Great Wall and defend the border for the Song Dynasty to the death.
He wanted to return to Yanzhou, so the emperor had no choice but to reward Yue Fei's army handsomely and grant him the honorary title of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent—after all, the emperor's eldest son was still an infant at the time, so this Junior Guardian was naturally an honorary title.
Xi Feijing was known as a child prodigy from a young age. He could read military books at the age of three and was already training alongside General Xi at the age of ten. He was raised by his elders to be force-fed military books and strategies, but he knew very well that he was not as good as Yue Teng, who had grown up in the wild.
He has never genuinely admired anyone in his life.
Only Yue Teng is truly admirable.
In particular, Yue Teng was not only much younger than him, but also had a dignified and imposing appearance, with sword-like eyebrows and tiger-like eyes, and an upright and unyielding demeanor... Hmph, he was slightly better looking than him.
Yue Teng governed his army in the same strict manner as he was a man. His Yue Family Army was so disciplined that they would rather freeze to death than dismantle a house, or starve to death than plunder. He and his army were like the most solid shield of the Song Dynasty, with their tactics being both expansive and flexible.
Unlike Xi Feijing, who excelled at lightning-fast surprise attacks, the Liao and Jin dynasties, defeated by Xi Feijing, would feel resentful, furious, and even seek revenge. However, when faced with the formidable Yue Teng and his army, the Liao and Jin dynasties reached a surprising consensus: Don't provoke him. Why would you provoke him?
He was an unstoppable heavy sword of the Song Dynasty, so powerful that the Liao and Jin armies would waver and tremble with fear at the mere sight of his banner, and would flee in terror.
After recalling the past, Xi Feijing felt indignant again and nudged Yue Teng with his elbow: "Forget about the food supplies, when are you going to return the 10,000 Youzhou soldiers you borrowed from me when you asked for help?"
Yue Teng feigned ignorance: "That was a gift from General Xi, not a loan."
"Nonsense! I still have the letter you sent requesting troops!"
"Next time, next time too," Yue Teng mumbled.
How can military matters be called "borrowing"?
"Look, look! The official always says you're straightforward and I'm too cunning, but I think you're just pretending to be weak while actually being strong! Now it's time to go and prove myself to him, and I'll finally see the truth!"
"Xi Sanlang, how old are you? Why are you still acting like a baby in front of the Emperor? Have you never been weaned?" Yue Teng said righteously, angrily urging him without changing his expression, and even quickened his pace.
Xi Feijing was blessed with the ascension of one Buddha to heaven and the birth of two Buddhas.
"Yue Er! Don't run!"
Yue Teng didn't respond, and his feet moved even faster.
The two chased and fought all the way to Yujin Garden, where they happened to encounter Liang Qian leading a young woman dressed in commoner clothes and two attendants. They immediately restrained their tempers and respectfully bowed to Liang Qian, greeting him, "Liang Da Dang, it's been many years! How are you still doing?"
If Liang Qian hadn't orchestrated the palace eunuchs' inside-outside collusion to secretly dig a dog hole to deliver messages to the emperor, perhaps a treacherous minister would be sitting on the dragon throne now. Liang Qian was also an old retainer left to the emperor by the late emperor, serving two generations of monarchs with unwavering loyalty, and deserved to be treated with respect.
Liang Qian quickly stepped aside, then bowed deeply and clasped his hands, saying, "I dare not accept the courtesy of the two generals. His Majesty has been delayed by some trivial matters. Please come into the garden for tea first, and the banquet will begin shortly."
Then he led the young lady and her entourage to step aside, and bowed to invite Xi Feijing and Yue Teng to go first: "Generals, please."
Xi Feijing and Yue Teng nodded, then exchanged a glance. They both had some idea of why the Emperor had summoned them back at the last minute, and they followed his instructions and stepped inside.
As the two walked inside, they heard the rapid sound of horses' hooves behind them. The carriage came to an abrupt stop at the entrance of Yujin Garden.
A square-faced boy poked his head out, eagerly lifting the carriage curtain and waving excitedly at the two of them, his tone very friendly: "General Yue! General Xi! Wait! Wait for me!"
Shen Miao, who was holding Tang Er and Fu Xing, who were both nervous and sweating, and hiding them obediently in the corner, suddenly heard these two names and her ears twitched: Xi? Could it be the Xi of the Xie family's eldest daughter-in-law? This surname is not common, what a coincidence?
And General Yue… She swallowed hard, her heart pounding. She tried to look up, but saw Liang Qian already bowing and lifting his robes to kneel: “Greetings, Your Highness Prince Lu.”
Is this chubby little black boy the Prince of Lu? This title... seems to belong to the only surviving brother of the current emperor.
Shen Miao was startled again and was about to bend her knees when she heard the newly changed, hoarse-voiced King Lu above her wave his hand and say, "No need for formalities."
Just then, Shen Miao bent her knees and stood up upon hearing this, while secretly glancing ahead.
Two tall, imposing middle-aged men and a sturdy, short, dark-skinned man walked a few steps apart, heading into the garden under the guidance of a palace attendant.
I couldn't see their faces, but I could still hear them talking.
Prince Lu chased after the two generals, clinging to one like a little tail: "General Yue, can I go with you to Yanzhou to fight the Jin dogs? Please! If that doesn't work, General Xiao Xi, please take me in. I'll fight the Liao dogs too."
"Your Highness, war is not child's play. Swords have no eyes, and neither the Empress Dowager nor the Emperor will allow you to go." This was Yue Teng's earnest advice.
"Your Highness, what do you mean by 'if it doesn't work out'? Do you think I'm just a substitute for General Yue in your heart?" This was Xi Feijing speaking with resentment.
"That's not what I meant. You two are pillars of the nation, the best generals in my eyes. I just wanted to go to Yanzhou first, and then go to Youzhou..."
"Alas, I am not as good as General Yue, I know that."
"...General Xiao Xi, could you please read fewer storybooks in the future? The things you say give me goosebumps."
After that, I couldn't hear anything anymore.
Liang Qian waited cautiously until all the dignitaries had gone far away before straightening up and saying to the thoughtful Shen Miao, the dumbfounded Tang Er, and the trembling Fu Xing, "Madam Shen, let's go in quickly."
It was only then that Shen Miao clearly realized who she was supposed to cook for.
On the way here, she was still wondering which noble person Liang was serving as an eunuch, and which imperial relative was hosting the banquet.
Now it's all clear: he's the one among all those guessing influential people, the one we dared not guess the most, and also the most expensive!
Tang Er and Fu Xing asked Shen Miao in trembling voices, "Madam Shen, what should we do? We never thought we'd have to cook for the imperial family in this lifetime!"
How could they, with their clumsy hands and feet, possibly prepare imperial cuisine?
Shen Miao thought to herself, she hadn't done it either.
“Don’t be afraid, I’ll take charge of the cooking in a bit. Just help me out as you would in your own kitchen. I don’t think the Emperor invited us here for the imperial cuisine; he probably wants something different.” Shen Miao calmed down. “Just cook as usual.”
Tang Er and Fu Xing supported each other. Seeing Shen Miao calm down, their anxious hearts gradually calmed down as well. They wiped the sweat from their brows, and their legs finally stopped trembling. They entered the inner kitchen of Yujin Garden with Shen Miao.
Several eunuchs and cooks were already waiting inside. When Liang Qian led them in, they all bowed and paid their respects.
Liang Qian sternly instructed the kitchen staff to obey Shen Miao's orders completely and not to delay the official's important business. He then turned to Shen Miao and said gently, "Madam Shen, I'm entrusting this to you. It's a rush today, so I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you."
"Of course. Don't worry, Eunuch Liang, I'll begin right away." Shen Miao took out a sash, tied it around her sleeves, and wrapped all her hair in the headscarf. She carefully washed her hands with soap and also made Fu Xing and Tang Er wash their hands thoroughly, making sure to clean even the crevices under their fingernails.
She picked out the knife that suited her best, twirled it a bit, and began cooking smoothly, following the menu she had agreed upon with Liang Qian.
Liang Qian watched as Shen Miao lit three pots in one go, calmly issuing orders, busy but not chaotic, cooking at an extremely fast speed and with very steady hands. He nodded to himself, gave a few instructions to the eunuchs waiting to serve the food, and then turned and left in a hurry.
Yujin Garden draws water from the Bian River to form ponds and marshes, and then builds floating islands in the ponds, adorning them with pavilions and towers, and planting ginkgo and maple trees throughout. This makes Yujin Garden exceptionally beautiful in autumn, when the leaves of all the trees in the garden are turning color, with the ginkgo leaves turning yellow and the maple leaves turning fiery red, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
When Zhao Boyun arrived, Xi Feijing and Yue Teng were exhausted from dealing with the Prince of Lu, who was making a fuss about going to the border. When Zhao Boyun's tall, dark, and stout figure strode into the waterside pavilion, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty!"
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects!"
Zhao Boyun waved for them to rise, then smiled and sat down: "Generals, you must be tired from your journey. Please sit down, no need for formalities. Ah Heng, are you kidding me?"
"No, no," King Lu quickly clarified, obediently sitting down at the lower seat. "Recently, while studying, the scholars all said that my handwriting has improved, and I can now write characters of consistent size."
Zhao Boyun: "..."
Let's increase the salaries of those lecturers who taught the Prince of Lu; they've worked so hard.
Liang Qian hurriedly stepped forward and asked, "Your Majesty, shall we begin serving the meal?"
Zhao Boyun nodded: "Send the message, I will talk with the two generals while we eat."
Liang Qian then went off to make arrangements.
Zhao Boyun waved away the other palace maids and servants, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and put it down. He then smiled slightly and pointed at Xi Feijing with his finger: "General Xi, you have a younger sister who married into the Xie family of Chen Commandery. Do you know that your brother-in-law claimed to be guilty today and came to the palace gates to request an audience and resign his post?"
Xi Feijing disliked his brother-in-law, who had lured his sister away with his looks, and he still hadn't gotten over it—that was his sister! But for the sake of his sister and nephew, he forced a helpless smile: "My brother-in-law has no talent and should have resigned long ago."
When he was young, his brother-in-law was as soft as dough. Apart from having a good-looking face, being very obedient to Chun Jun, having good handwriting, writing well, coming from a noble family, and having a strict family style, he didn't have any outstanding qualities.
"This time he finally saw the light, crying his eyes out, saying that the Xie family's collateral branches had secretly seized a lot of farmland and that their unruly servants were bullying others. He claimed that it was because he hadn't managed the household properly, so he begged me to punish them severely."
Zhao Boyun laughed heartily. He had been waiting to see if any powerful families would completely submit to him before he made his move. He had originally pinned his hopes on the Feng family, but unexpectedly, it was the Xie family who knew when to yield.
As he spoke, Zhao Boyun changed the subject, his smile vanished, and he coldly revealed his plan: he wanted to take this opportunity to crush the last backbone of the aristocratic families, leaving them only able to eke out a living under the imperial power, never to stand up straight again!
Previously, when his father was still alive, he had planned to weaken the aristocratic clans so that his ascension to the throne would be smooth. However, his haste led to many unjust cases, which may have been the reason why the four powerful clans of Hedong—Xue, Qin, Xu, and Jiang—all chose the Prince of Jin.
They showed him no mercy when they plotted to usurp the throne. The fact that he didn't exterminate them all after three years on the throne is considered merciful.
Zhao Boyun had already made his plans.
In the future, the proceeds from the confiscation of property and land from the gentry will be divided into three parts: one part will be used to fill the national treasury, one part will be used for military expenses, and the last part will be used to open up the Western Regions.
"The reason I called you back is threefold: first, to have you recommend a few capable soldiers to accompany the group to the Western Regions; second, this matter concerns the families of the two generals, and I must explain it to you. Third, it is also to allow you to come back to visit your families and spend the New Year with me."
As Zhao Boyun spoke, the ice and snow melted away, and his eyes and brows lit up with a smile.
"I wish to play Cuju (ancient Chinese football) with the two generals!"
Yue Teng's eldest brother's orphaned daughter married into the second branch of the Feng family. When he heard the Emperor say this, he didn't even flinch. He simply said sincerely and frankly, "I will explain what Your Majesty said to my niece tomorrow."
Xi Feijing was initially alarmed, but considering that his brother-in-law would resign voluntarily and the Emperor had said that he had come to his senses, he was probably satisfied with the Xie family's surrender, so he breathed a sigh of relief. He then smiled and said, "This saves me trouble. The entire Xie family is loyal to Your Majesty, so I don't need to say anything more."
Having said that, the purpose of the banquet has been achieved.
While listening, Prince Lu had already downed several cups of tea. He quickly and tactfully interjected, "Brother, I'm hungry."
"The dishes are here!" Liang Qian lifted the curtain at the right moment, and the eunuchs carrying lacquered wooden trays filed in. He glanced at them and thought, "This Lady Shen is quite skilled. The Emperor and the General have only been talking for a quarter of an hour, and she has already prepared three dishes?"
The first course was a cold dish: Longjing Shrimp. The shrimp were blanched, chilled, and then served chilled with tea, making it a refreshing and delicious appetizer.
The second dish was roasted duck, which Shen Ji had prepared and brought. It should have been slightly heated on the stove by now, as the flatbread was soft and the duck meat was warm.
Zhao Boyun didn't even notice the third dish. His eyes lit up when he saw the roasted duck, and he enthusiastically recommended it to the two border generals who didn't know how to eat it: "Generals, you don't know, but a new duck shop has opened in Bianjing City. They make the best duck! Try it. The chef, Madam Shen, is a master. You two have never tasted such delicious roasted duck before."
Yue Teng was alright; since instant soup dumplings hadn't yet reached Yanzhou, he imitated the officials and wrapped a duck in them, then put it in his mouth. Sure enough, it tasted delicious! Even someone as stoic as him couldn't help but nod in praise: "It is indeed a good duck!"
Xi Feijing knew that there was a Shenji Soup Noodle Shop in Bianjing City. He was also the one who set up the soup noodle workshop in Youzhou. Later, his sister often mentioned that Madam Shen in her letters, saying that she was intelligent, hardworking and had good skills. But... why are there so many cooks with the surname Shen in Bianjing City?
What's this about another woman named Shen who runs a male prostitute?
He rolled up a piece of duck meat with a puzzled look and put it in his mouth. The crispy and oily duck skin crunched in his mouth, and the duck meat burst with juice. Mixed with the sauce, the pancake, and the scallions, it was better than he had expected! Sure enough, a duck that could catch the eye of an official must not be an ordinary duck.
"Indeed delicious." Xi Feijing ate several in a row, his beard getting wet from eating so much. He was also speechless, unable to find a way to describe it. He wondered to himself, could the woman from the duck shop and the woman from the soup noodle shop be sisters?
They all have excellent skills!
Prince Lu had already sampled the roast ducks bought by his duck-loving elder brother in the palace, so he wasn't excited on the surface. He was just very skilled and quick at wrapping the roast ducks, eating seven or eight pieces in a row without stopping. He was very experienced and couldn't speak, because if he said anything more, he would eat one less piece. He had to concentrate on eating the roast ducks.
Seeing that Xi Feijing and Yue Teng both liked them, Zhao Boyun felt a sense of satisfaction at having met kindred spirits. He waved his hand and said to Liang Qian, "Go and tell Madam Shen to roast a few more, wrap them up, and take them home for the two generals!"
Liang Qian looked troubled. He had gone to Shen Ji's shop many times to buy ducks, but he couldn't buy more than he wanted. So he knew about Shen Miao's trouble with not having enough ducks. Later, because the emperor wanted to invite Madam Shen to host the banquet, he investigated the Shen family from beginning to end, including their eighteen generations of ancestors.
He not only learned that the Shen family was a poor family affected by the great injustice of that year, but he also knew that Madam Shen had recently gone to Baijia Village to look at the wasteland. After secretly sending someone to Baijia Village to inquire, he found out everything.
Liang Qian then honestly explained: "...In this way, there is not enough white ducks, and Madam Shen is unwilling to use inferior mallard ducks. As a result, we can only supply twenty ducks per day. She also wants to buy land to raise ducks herself. She was looking for one when she heard a tragic story and was so frightened that she dared not rent any government land."
So he also revealed the Guo family's tricks.
"Insolent!" Zhao Boyun slammed his fist on the table in a fit of rage, the sound of which made the roast duck bounce. "What a Guo family! They dare to play such tricks right under my nose! How hateful! I thought they had truly turned over a new leaf, but it turns out they were all deceiving me!"
Xi Feijing quickly put down his chopsticks and sat down quietly and obediently. He glanced at the Emperor out of the corner of his eye and saw that the Emperor's black face was so angry that his beard stood on end, making him look even blacker. But for some reason, there was a hint of excitement in the Emperor's eyes, as if he wanted to get up and applaud.
This is about the Guo family.
The Emperor... should have known about this long ago, right?
Yue Teng was a loyal subject, not affiliated with any faction. Although he was related to the Feng family by marriage, he never spoke up for them. Therefore, he remained calm and continued to eat his roast duck silently, glancing at Liang Qian. He thought to himself that Liang Da Dang's skill in putting on a show for the emperor was becoming increasingly refined.
Shen Miao was unaware of the entanglements and turmoil above. Because she was rushed into this task today, she could only cook as quickly as possible, wholeheartedly wanting to make the banquet a success. She couldn't afford to be careless; this was the emperor, after all. Having seen too many scenes in movies and TV dramas where imperial physicians and chefs were dragged out and executed at the slightest disagreement, she dared not be careless and had to use all her skills to prepare this banquet.
Speed and quality can be achieved through training. In her past life, she was trained in speed by her grandfather, who had served as a cook for two years—her highest speed was 35 minutes to cook four dishes and a soup, enough for 50 people in a large pot.
Even though it was in such a hurry, Grandpa insisted that she caramelize the sugar.
However, she actually did it.
Grandpa took a bite of her braised pork, barely satisfied, and said, "What's the big deal? Even if you set up a stove in the wild, you still have to caramelize the sugar."
Shen Miao then used all her skills from back then—red fermented pork, fish head tofu soup, pan-fried free-range chicken, cumin-flavored pork ribs… After finishing, she huddled by the stove, covered in sweat. In this cold late autumn, she took a large palm-leaf fan used for ventilating the stove and fanned herself directly.
Tang Er and Fu Xing couldn't keep up with Shen Miao, whose spatula was flying like sparks, and were already dumbfounded. Then they were spun around like tops by Shen Miao's shouts. The other cooks were the same, and didn't even have time to chat with Shen Miao.
When the last braised beef brisket was served, a large group of people in the kitchen collapsed in shock.
When Liang Qian rushed in, he was also startled.
What's going on? Why is everyone slumped in various corners, their eyes lifeless, as if wisps of souls are rising from their mouths?
"Madam Shen?" he called tentatively.
Shen Miao silently raised her head, her eyes looking somewhat tired.
"His Majesty sent his servants to deliver the gold and silver for this banquet, and also said..." Liang Qian could also see that Shen Miao had done her best. The Emperor and the two generals praised every dish they ate, and with Prince Lu, who had a big appetite, the last table of dishes was almost completely devoured, which would almost never happen at a regular palace banquet.
He grinned, revealing a purse, and delivered the Emperor's decree: "The Emperor says that Madam Shen's ducks will be available; just wait a few days."
Why does this sound almost exactly like what Ninth Brother said? Shen Miao was puzzled, but she still accepted the small purse with both hands and thanked Liang Qian for his kindness. After returning by carriage, she opened the purse with great anticipation.
She had previously agreed with Liang Qian that she would receive a deposit of five taels of silver, and a final payment of five taels upon completion. But at that time, she didn't know that the person hosting the dinner was the Emperor!
Today, she put all her effort into preparing this meal, and the eunuch Liang seemed quite satisfied, even praising her several times. Surely she should receive a reward? Full of anticipation, and clinging to her stereotypical view of the emperor, she imagined: How could the emperor be stingy? He would surely give her plenty…
She froze.
There was only a five-tael silver coin in the open purse.
Not a penny more, not a penny less.
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