Spring bamboo shoots
In an instant, Zhao Mingyan's gaze became deep, his pupils were tinged with a hint of dark green, and a dim light flashed.
"Oh! Husband..."
After their eyes met for a moment, Zhao Mingyan's expression suddenly changed. She swung her big pink fist like a spoiled brat and hit Tan Linshuang's chest. "I don't like tofu. It doesn't have any greasy smell, let alone hot tofu."
Tan Linshuang's face twitched, and he rubbed his chest and forced out an uncomfortable smile, "Then my lady... ahem... do you like eating bamboo shoots?"
Hiss…it hurts!
Are you trying to send me to the west with this punch?
He complained in his heart.
“Bamboo shoots?”
Zhao Mingyan retracted his fist and looked around. Soon he found bamboo shoots sprouting from the ground. "Bamboo shoot chicken breast is not bad."
After saying that, she couldn't help swallowing her saliva, then walked to a thick spring bamboo shoot and reached out to pull it, "Uh..."
But she never imagined that bamboo shoots are harder to pull out than radishes.
Seeing her clumsy appearance with her butt sticking out, Tan Linshuang held her forehead with her hand and laughed. Then she stepped forward and said to her, "First, find the root of the bamboo shoot, then hold the bottom of the shoot with your hand, shake it gently, and pull it upwards to avoid damaging the shoot."
“Hmm…”
Zhao Mingyan followed his instructions, patiently shaking the root of the bamboo shoot little by little and slowly pulling it up.
After getting the hang of it, she became more focused and didn't notice that a pair of big hands were covering the back of her hands to help her.
"Pull it out!"
Feeling that the roots were loose, Zhao Mingyan exerted all her strength and the thick bamboo shoot broke out of the soil with its roots and mud, drew an arc in the air, and was held in her palm.
"The sound of spring bamboo shoots breaking through the soil." She was quite excited as it was her first time to pull bamboo shoots.
"Um?"
Then she caught a glimpse of another pair of big hands covering the back of her hands, completely wrapping her hands, warm and strong.
She curled her lips slightly and glanced at the person behind her, "It's my first time, so I'm bound to be clumsy."
"But the first time is strange, the second time is familiar!"
"Don't you agree, husband?"
Her smile grew wider, and her eyes and tone were full of meaning.
"cough!"
Tan Linshuang immediately released her hands, took a step back, and said calmly, "You need to remove the old roots of the bamboo shoots you pull out, otherwise they won't taste good."
Zhao Mingyan lowered her eyes to look at the roots, and then heard him say, "If the old roots are not removed, no matter how fresh and tender the bamboo shoot tips are, the taste will still be affected."
Hearing this, Zhao Mingyan narrowed her eyes slightly, feeling that there was something else behind his words.
Old roots…bamboo shoot tips…
After a while, she raised her head and met Tan Linshuang's eyes again.
The gentle breeze swayed the bamboo leaves, and a slightly cool bamboo fragrance diffused and penetrated into Zhao Mingyan's nostrils, making her deep eyes more sharp.
"Grandma is old, and it's really hard for her to manage such a large business. My husband should help her more."
Tan Linshuang's pupils flashed, and when she spoke, she seemed completely powerless. "My wife, you have seen that my husband is not in good health... cough cough cough... I hope you can fulfill this filial piety on my behalf."
After saying that, he bowed and saluted Zhao Mingyan.
Zhao Mingyan curled her lips quietly, then put on a sweet and innocent look, "Oh! Husband, look at what you said, how awkward is that?"
Tan Linshuang raised his head and looked carefully at her plump round face, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart: She looks like a pig on the outside but is very smart on the inside!
Zhao Mingyan was also looking at him subtly.
Does this sickly guy want to take control of the business from my grandmother, bypassing my uncle?
But he was so weak that the old lady would never be willing to let him work hard at all. If he died before her, wouldn't her own family line be cut off?
He should understand his grandmother's good intentions, but he's just unwilling to accept it, right?
If you have ambition but no ability, then just be my decorative husband. From now on, I will go out into the public eye, and you stay at home to take care of your health and let me have more children.
She couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of giving birth to a bunch of children who would surround Tan Linshuang and babble to her.
The ancients said: The principle of the world is that the husband takes the lead and the wife follows.
Fuck you!
I want my wife to follow her husband’s lead!
The two smiled at each other, as if they had reached a consensus.
The moon is getting darker and half of the houses are illuminated by it. The Big Dipper is tilted while the Southern Dipper is slanted.
After dinner, Zhao Mingyan returned to the north courtyard and went straight to the back garden. He sat down to drink tea and admire the moon, and then chewed some five-spice beans and ate some snow yogurt as a midnight snack.
Although she had married into the Tan family, her habit of eating midnight snacks remained unchanged. Xiaozhu had placed these snacks in the back garden early on, and the servants in the yard were also very cooperative, so as soon as Zhao Mingyan sat down in the back garden, she started smacking her lips.
But after eating for a while, listening to the chirping of insects and birds around her, she suddenly felt bored. She put down the five-spice beans in her hand, supported her cheek with one hand, and looked at the moon obscured by clouds. She missed home.
Isn’t the Tan family too quiet?
She frowned slightly and thought to herself.
Logically speaking, the Tan family has one more person than the Zhao family, so it should be more lively.
But now, it seemed as if everyone in the entire North Courtyard had gone to bed, and even the sound of footsteps could not be heard.
In the Zhao family's backyard, they had their first round of midnight snacks.
Where is Tan Linshuang? What is she doing?
After the two returned to the North Courtyard, they went their separate ways.
Is this what they call a newlywed couple?
She couldn't help but sneer, and then she thought of what Xiaozhu said to her during the day - Miss, you and your son-in-law are not even familiar with each other.
Huh? Why hasn't Xiaozhu come back yet?
At this moment, she suddenly realized that Xiaozhu had been in the east kitchen for two incense sticks of time.
"Miss!"
Speak of the devil, and he appears. Before Zhao Mingyan even saw the little candle man, her voice could be heard from afar.
Zhao Mingyan looked up and saw Xiaozhu walking in front, followed by four or five servants from the east kitchen. Each of them held a tray with various delicacies made with bamboo shoots on it.
"Meet the young lady!"
After approaching, they first bowed to Zhao Mingyan, and then placed the dishes one by one.
"Green bamboo shoot belly strips."
"Yan Du Xian (preserved pork with preserved vegetables)."
"Three shredded bamboo shoots."
“Braised spring bamboo shoots in oil.”
Gulu——
Listening to the names of the dishes and smelling the aroma floating in the air, Zhao Mingyan clearly heard the sound of herself swallowing her saliva. As soon as the servants from the east kitchen left, she couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks.
Xiao Zhu stood aside and said with a smile: "These are all arranged by the son-in-law. He said that he wanted you to taste the delicious spring bamboo shoots cooked by yourself."
Zhao Mingyan smiled broadly, "People who are naturally weak often have delicate minds."
Xiaozhu pursed her lips, "Miss, are you praising your son-in-law, or... oh right!"
She waved her hand suddenly and changed the subject, "The main courtyard has sent word that they will send people to dig and plant bamboo on that plot of land tomorrow. They also said that although we have missed the best season for land preparation, the bamboo craftsmen in the Tan Mansion are all 'experienced in bamboo planting', so you don't have to worry, young lady."
Zhao Mingyan smiled, "Grandma is so thoughtful."
"I visited the land during the day. It's moist, warm, shady, and fertile, perfect for growing bamboo."
only……
She didn't say the rest of the words, but muttered them to herself in her heart.
However, the problems faced by Mingyuezhai did not originate from bamboo.
To be precise, the problem was that Mingyuezhai had failed to offer lanterns to the palace for several years, and it had nothing to do with the bamboo used to make the lantern ribs.
In the seventh year of Yongle's reign, an imperial decree was issued to grant all officials ten days' holiday starting from the eleventh day of the first lunar month to celebrate the Lantern Festival. To celebrate this, lantern makers and craftsmen from all over the country gathered in the capital and placed their own lanterns on Yibei Street outside Dong'an Gate for sale, attracting a large number of tourists.
Mingyuezhai also took his lanterns to the capital to sell, and was chosen by the eunuch in charge of writing in the Imperial Household Department, who presented the lanterns to the imperial palace.
Since then, Mingyuezhai’s lanterns have become famous in the capital.
Mingyuezhai soon became the most famous lantern shop in Zhaohua Town and even in Xuzhou Prefecture, making the Zhao family, which was already a prominent local family, prosper.
Until Zhao's father passed away, and the widow took over the business. Li Yuzhu, who did not know how to play lanterns, failed to be selected for Mingyuezhai for several years, and gradually disappeared from the capital...
Zhao Mingyan once studied why the lanterns of Mingyuezhai were no longer popular among the people of the capital, and then found that as the styles of palace lanterns increased, the old styles used by Mingyuezhai in the previous dynasty were no longer rare among the people of the capital, and they were even less favored by the Silijian.
Therefore, the most difficult problem at the moment is how to innovate the style of lanterns in Mingyuezhai.
"It would be great if I could go to the capital to see it with my own eyes and learn from it."
She murmured softly as she ate the spring bamboo shoot feast in front of her.
The road to Shu is difficult, and people from outside cannot enter, so it is naturally difficult for outside skills to enter as well.
However, what prevented Zhao Mingyan from going out to learn from a master was not the Shu Road, but her identity as a woman in the harem.
Although she did not bind her feet, she still walked with difficulty.
If her father had one or two brothers, or three or two cousins whom she could trust, the situation would not be as awkward as it is now.
Seeing that their lantern shop made money, the side branches of the Zhao family followed suit and copied all the craftsmanship. They made palace lanterns, gauze lanterns, dragon and phoenix lanterns, revolving lanterns... anything that appeared in Mingyue Zhai could be seen in their relatives' shops within ten days.
Instead of hoping that these relatives who have gained something for nothing can go to Beijing to learn the latest lantern making techniques, it would be better to try to find the sun and moon in Tan Linshuang’s arms.
Putting aside her worries, she waved to Xiaozhu and asked, "Have you given the order to the East Kitchen?"
Xiaozhu nodded, "Maybe it has been served to my son-in-law by now."
"What is this?"
In the study, Tan Linshuang frowned slightly as he looked at the strange dish brought in by the servant from the east kitchen.
The servant said, "Master, this is braised bull whip."
"Braised bullwhip?"
Tan Linshuang's mouth twitched, "Could it be that the young mistress ordered you to do this?"
"My husband is so wise!"
Before the servant could speak, Zhao Mingyan's voice had already arrived.
Tan Linshuang's mouth twitched again, and the servants quickly retreated.
Seeing Zhao Mingyan, who looked like a peach, swaying towards him, Tan Linshuang pretended to be weak and coughed a few times before getting up to greet her. "My wife, you can't treat my illness with any supplements, otherwise I will die."
"My wife doesn't want to be a widow so early, right?"
"Look at what you said, my husband. With your physique as strong as a pine or a cypress, you don't look like the rumor out there that you 'will not live past your twenties'."
Zhao Mingyan jokingly walked over to Tan Linshuang, looking him up and down, his eyes gradually becoming sharper. "I really don't know who started those rumors? They have ulterior motives!"
“Cough cough cough…”
Tan Linshuang coughed violently again, and Zhao Mingyan quickly patted his back.
"My dear husband, I know you have a heavy responsibility to support the family, but you are unable to do so."
"Why don't we take it slow?"
Hearing this, Tan Linshuang pulled the corners of his mouth and continued coughing.
Seeing that his cough had become softer, Zhao Mingyan turned and walked to the desk, lit a row of new candles, and then pulled him to sit down again.
Before the confused Tan Linshuang could ask, Zhao Mingyan spoke first: "Tonight, I will read with my husband by candlelight."
Tan Linshuang said hurriedly, "Madam, please go back to your room and sleep quickly. I still need to read for a while."
Zhao Mingyan shook her head, her tone becoming more coquettish: "Newlyweds should have harmonious marriages."
"Since my husband intends to study by candlelight at night, as your newlywed wife, I should accompany him."
"It's just that I'm a woman, I don't read books of sages, I only read..."
She drew out the last word.
Tan Linshuang raised her eyebrows.
As the candlelight flickered, he saw Zhao Mingyan take out a book from her arms. When he looked closely, it turned out to be "New Stories by Lamplight".
"I am like a willow branch, easily withered; my lover is like a willow catkin, too wild and crazy."
The next moment, Zhao Mingyan began to recite.
"Husband, I think this sentence is not written correctly?" she said immediately.
Tan Linshuang hunched over and asked casually, "Ahem...what's wrong?"
Zhao Mingyan raised the corner of her lips and leaned towards him. "It should be the other way around. My lover is like a willow branch that cannot be broken, and I am like a willow tree that you can cling to."
As soon as she finished speaking, she lifted Tan Linshuang's arm and wrapped it around her waist.
When he touched her soft willow waist, Tan Linshuang's fingertips trembled and his heart beat more chaotically than the flickering candlelight.
I’m afraid it won’t be peaceful tonight!
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