"Du Shou, find a few blacksmiths!"
Since Xie Yuan wanted to win over Dugu Xiong with delicious food, he would go all out.
Furthermore, Xie Yuan also found the cooking methods of this era somewhat unbearable. There was only steaming, boiling, and roasting; there were no stir-fries, no spicy hot pot, and no barbecue skewers.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, she "pirated" the stir-fry recipe several hundred years ahead of schedule.
"Yes!" Duoshou was already used to obeying the princess's orders, and did not hesitate at all.
The next day, Duoshou summoned all the blacksmiths in the area.
Xie Yuan drew a blueprint, which included a series of cookware such as a large iron pot, a wok, and a frying pan.
Following Xie Yuan's instructions, the blacksmiths hammered away, making the pots and pans one by one.
"Duoshou, go to the butcher shop and buy some meat! Especially lots of fatty meat!"
As Xie Yuan gave the instructions, he secretly planned, "Also, go to the pharmacy again and buy these!"
Xie Yuan handed Duo Shou a list with names of star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, and other spices on it.
Xie Yuan was not mistaken; in ancient times, these seasonings were sold as medicinal materials in pharmacies.
"It's a pity there are no chili peppers; without them, hot pot and spicy hot pot lose their soul!"
"Once we reach Lingnan, we must assemble a fleet and send them overseas to see if they can find crops such as chili peppers and corn."
Xie Yuan couldn't help but dream; she was truly looking forward to Lingnan and the sea.
...
Around noon, the fourth prince returned to the capital with the Northwest army and passed through this small town again.
"General, let's stop and have some food."
The fourth prince, still eager to cause trouble for Helian Jue, took the initiative to speak to Dugu Xiong.
The Fourth Prince hadn't forgotten that Dugu Xiong was the most upright and couldn't stand Helian Jue's eccentricity and extravagance.
Just a few months ago, this general was still in the Northwest Camp, yet he didn't forget to write memorials impeaching the deposed crown prince.
The Fourth Prince thought that if Dugu Xiong knew that the once arrogant deposed crown prince was now in an inn in a small town, he would definitely be willing to "pay a visit".
Dugu Xiong didn't need to deliberately kick a man when he was down; a few sarcastic remarks were enough to make Helian Jue explode.
If Helian Jue loses control of his emotions and starts fighting with the victorious general—
That scene must have been spectacular.
The Emperor will no longer be soft-hearted and will not easily forgive the deposed Crown Prince for beating a meritorious official!
"Very well! Your humble servant obeys."
Dugu Xiong was in his forties, with a tall and imposing figure, broad shoulders and a thick waist, looking like a majestic general.
"I've heard that His Highness the Prince of Yue is also staying here?"
As Dugu Xiong rode his horse through the open space outside the town, he happened to see the busy royal guards.
He seemed to have thought of something, and asked a question as if he suddenly realized something.
"Old fox!"
The fourth prince cursed inwardly.
He refused to believe that a great general like Dugu Xiong would not have any spies in the capital.
After returning to the capital, Dugu Xiong stayed at a post station more than 100 miles away for a few days.
Besides waiting for the imperial edict, they were also gathering information about the capital!
The Fourth Prince dared to bet that Dugu Xiong must know a lot, but he was pretending to be stupid!
“That’s right! My brother is going to Yuezhou to take up his fiefdom. I guess he’s reluctant to leave the capital, so he stopped in a small town on the outskirts of the capital…”
The fourth prince's attempt to set a trap for Helian Jue displeased the upright General Dugu, who then impeached him.
But the fourth prince was destined to be disappointed—
"Huh? What's that smell? It smells so good!"
Dugu Xiong sniffed, like a gourmand, closed his eyes, and followed the scents all the way to the temporary camp.
On the flat ground, several large pots were set up, steaming and bubbling inside.
There were large chunks of braised pork, mushroom soup with glistening oil, and some seasonal vegetables.
"Not boiled or steamed?"
As an excellent gourmet, Dugu Xiong was able to determine the processing technique with just a glance.
"That's right! It's not boiled or steamed! It's a stir-fry method taught by our Princess Consort."
"Stir-fry?"
Dugu Xiong was very curious.
The fourth prince, however, was getting impatient. It was just a pot of food; although it did look bright and had a unique aroma, it wasn't that bad—
Slurp!
The fourth prince couldn't help but swallow hard.
The soldiers began to line up for their meals.
The first person to get their food didn't even bother to find a spot; they picked up a piece of braised pork right next to the big pot.
Bright red and oily, the fatty meat is soft and tender, and it seems to melt in your mouth without even needing to be chewed.
Glug!
The usually dignified General Dugu Xiong was so tempted that he kept swallowing his saliva.
"General, would you like one too?"
Helian Chen appeared out of nowhere, smiling like a little fox.
"Okay! One bowl, please!"
Dugu Xiong actually took the large bowl and ate with the soldiers.
The fourth prince also wanted to eat it, but he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Waaah, he came here to annoy Helian Jue, but how come he ended up being the one who was drooling over him?
"General, is it delicious? This is the Xie family recipe passed down through generations in our royal palace. There are over a hundred dishes in total."
"Mmm! Delicious!" Dugu Xiong finished a large bowl of braised pork in no time.
He wiped his mouth forcefully and said in a deep voice, "Speak! What do you want?"
They're all ancient foxes, so let's not bother with any ghost stories.
"Eight hundred sets of armor and weapons, and two hundred warhorses!"
"I want the complete recipe book!"
"Can!"
And just like that, the two sides reached a deal in just a few words.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
