Chapter 125 Do You Have a Sweetheart?
There is a peach blossom forest planted on the back mountain of Hanshan Temple outside the city, and the peach blossoms are now in bloom.
Hequan came to the Marquis' Mansion and brought Jiang Lan a peach blossom and an invitation. Xie Yun asked him to deliver it and invite Jiang Lan to attend the Peach Blossom Banquet. Xie Yun also invited Jiang Shen.
Jiang Lan planned to take this opportunity to ask her elder brother if he had a lover, and also to relax. She took Qing'er and four plainclothes black-armored guards with her. After leaving, they went to the Shangshu Mansion first. Jiang Shen also happened to be out, so they went out of the city together.
The Peach Blossom Banquet was held in the back mountain. When Hequan brought people over, Xie Yun walked out of the peach blossom forest. He was dressed in white, with a peach branch as a hairpin, and the folding fan in his hand was also painted with a lifelike peach blossom.
At first glance, I thought it was some Peach Blossom Fairy who came down to earth~
Jiang Lan smiled and praised, "Cousin Yun is dressed very appropriately today."
"Sister Lan has good taste." Xie Yun casually opened his folding fan and led the two into the peach blossom forest. On the way, he told them the origin of the peach blossom forest.
"Legend has it that the Peach Blossom Fairy from heaven, while descending to earth to overcome her tribulation, married a scholar who was staying at a temple. Three years later, her tribulation was complete and she returned to her palace in heaven. When she returned, the sky was filled with peach blossoms, and the petals that fell to the ground grew a peach forest. The scholar guarded this forest until he grew old, never marrying."
After Xie Yun finished telling this legend, Jiang Lan asked him, "Is this the calamity of the fairy or the scholar?" Xie Yun smiled and said, "All phenomena are like dreams and bubbles."
A gust of wind blew, and the peach blossoms flew everywhere, and the petals fell down, as if it was raining petals.
Jiang Lan stopped to admire it, and Xie Yun and Jiang Shen also stopped.
"Only Cousin Yun could find such a nice place~" she said enviously.
When she and Qi Wuhan are old, they also want to find a paradise like this to live in, basking in the sun and growing vegetables every day, which is like living a carefree life like a god.
Xie Yun said that there was a hot spring behind the forest, which made Jiang Lan even more envious.
In the center of the peach forest, there is a very tidy open space with a stone table and two stone benches. It would be a rare blessing to meditate here under the moon.
There were snacks and a jar of wine on the table. The snacks were also made in the shape of peach blossoms, including peach blossom cakes, peach blossom pastries and peach blossom biscuits.
"This is peach blossom wine that I brewed myself." Xie Yun first poured two glasses of wine for the two to taste. Jiang Lan first smelled the wine, which had the sweet aroma of peach blossoms, and then took a sip. It was refreshing, with a hint of sweetness and the aroma of peach blossoms. She said it was delicious and drank the remaining half glass of wine.
When she said it tasted good, Jiang Shen nodded in agreement.
"Cousin Yun, did you make this too?" Jiang Lan reached out and picked up a piece of peach blossom cake. Xie Yun smiled and said, "I brewed the wine and bought the food. I can't let you and big brother go hungry." At this point, he said excitedly, "I recently developed a new recipe. I'll make it for you to try later."
"What new recipe?" Jiang Lan asked curiously.
Xie Yun smiled mysteriously and said, "I can guarantee that this dish is not sold in restaurants. Only I can make it~" He asked the two to wait here and ran to cook excitedly.
"Brother, do you have a lover?" Jiang Lan asked curiously after Xie Yun left.
Jiang Shen was stunned, his face flushed slightly, and he felt a little embarrassed. He didn't know how to answer for a moment.
Judging from his reaction, Jiang Lan probably didn't have any. If he did, his reaction would probably be shy, evasive, and flustered... not wanting others to know. "I heard that father is arranging a marriage for my eldest brother?"
"Yeah." Jiang Shen nodded and blushed a little more.
"Brother, have you seen the girl?" Jiang Lan asked with concern, curiosity and a little gossip.
"Not yet..." Jiang Shen blushed even more.
Jiang Lan felt like asking a few more questions would be like teasing her elder brother. Just as she was about to change the subject, Jiang Shen asked her, "How are you?" There was a hint of worry in his expression. Jiang Lan smiled and replied, "Don't worry, elder brother. I'm doing well in the mansion. The emperor hasn't deducted the marquis' salary. Food, clothing and other expenses are not a problem~"
"Then," Jiang Shen paused and asked, "When does His Majesty plan to let him come back?"
Jiang Lan replied, "I guess I'll let him come back after the storm has died down."
"If you encounter any problems, come to me, don't deal with it alone." Jiang Shen instructed seriously, his expression becoming a little serious.
"Yeah." Jiang Lan nodded and said with a smile, "Big brother is now the awe-inspiring top scholar. With big brother backing me up, no one dares to bully me."
Jiang Shen was still a little worried, so he told her that if anyone came to cause trouble, she could just come back home and live there. Jiang Lan nodded in agreement.
When Xie Yun came back with the food box, Jiang Lan had already tasted the peach blossom cake, peach blossom pastry and peach blossom biscuits. Then Xie Yun took out a plate of fish from the food box and decorated the plate with peach blossoms.
"Brother Yun, where did you get this fish?" Jiang Lan thought that temples probably wouldn't raise fish for food.
"I caught it myself, you guys come and try it~" Xie Yun couldn't wait to know what the two people thought.
After the two of them took a bite, he asked expectantly, "How is it?"
Both of them had strange expressions, as if they didn't know what to say.
"The taste," Jiang Lan considered her words carefully, "is quite unique."
Jiang Shen couldn't help laughing and asked, "Cousin Yun, how did you cook this fish?"
Xie Yun shared his unique secret recipe, saying that the peach blossom fish first needs to be marinated in peach blossom wine for a quarter of an hour, then covered with peach blossoms and steamed until the fish flesh turns white. Then, the peach blossom broth is thickened and poured on top. The peach blossom fish is ready.
It sounds complicated at first.
Jiang Lan took another bite, savoring it carefully. Xie Yun also took a bite, his expression unchanged. Jiang Lan asked tentatively, "Cousin Yun, what do you think?" Xie Yun said, "The cooking temperature needs to be improved."
“…”
Um, is it just the temperature...
Seeing that both of them were looking at him, Xie Yun also realized the problem, "Is it not delicious?" Jiang Lan didn't want to discourage his enthusiasm, and said that she had never tasted this flavor before. She took another bite and savored it carefully. Jiang Shen also took two more bites, then put down his chopsticks, drank a sip of wine, and ate another piece of peach blossom cake.
"I'll cook a few more dishes next time. I've come up with a new recipe these past two days."
“.…..”
“.…..”
It was almost evening when they came down the mountain. Jiang Lan felt a little drowsy and drunk.
Jiang Shen was fine, occasionally pulling aside the car curtain to take a look at the mountains in the distance.
The mountains are covered with green, the mountaintops are shining with golden light in the sunset, and the birds are returning to the forest. It is the most comfortable and leisurely time of the day.
When the carriage entered the city, Jiang Lan was almost asleep. Half asleep, she could still vaguely hear the sounds of people passing by outside...
Ding-Dong...
She seemed to hear the sound of a copper bell and suddenly woke up. She quickly opened the curtain of the carriage and looked out, only to find that she had already entered the city.
Just a moment ago, she thought it was Qi Wuhan who came back. She must have been dreaming.
"I don't know if it's cold in the imperial mausoleum, and whether the clothes you brought are thick enough?" She lowered her eyelashes sadly.
Qing'er comforted her, "Don't worry, Madam. The weather is getting warmer now, so it won't be too cold over there. The clothes you brought are enough."
Jiang Lan nodded, and when she raised her eyes, the sadness in her eyes dissipated a little.
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