There are flying flowers everywhere in the Spring City, and the east wind blows the willows leaning during the Cold Food Festival.

After two rains, the Cold Food Festival arrived with poplar flowers flying all over the sky.

Inside the Yaoguang Palace, Xu Wenchan, wearing a light yellow dress, was holding a cup of the Cold Food Festival's "limited drink" - wintergreen tea, and while drinking it she talked about the recent excitement in Chang'an City.

"Recently, Zhou Muyan from the Left Prime Minister's Mansion has been in bad luck! I heard that when she was buying silk at Tianyi Pavilion, she offended some important person. Not only did she admit her mistake in public, but she was also slapped twice. Ahaha, it's really satisfying!"

Tao Ti's mouth twitched, "Two slaps...?"

"Yeah, I heard that he shot with both hands, bang bang bang!"

“…”

After hesitating for a moment, Tao Ti decided to dispel a rumor.

After she recounted the whole story of that day, she added, "The next day, the Prime Minister's wife came to the palace to meet the Empress, and she also called me to Ganlu Palace, said a lot of things to make the scene, and gave me a lot of gifts, saying it was an apology. Well, at least this attitude is still quite good."

Xu Wenchan's eyes widened, his chubby face full of admiration, "Wow, Artie, you're really great!"

Taoti, "Huh???"

"I have been asking around before, wondering which hero is the one who is not afraid of power and dares to fight Zhou Muyan. I didn't expect it to be you! You really deserve to be my good friend. You really helped me vent my anger this time!"

"What do you mean? Is there any grudge between you two?"

"Yes, there is a festival!"

She responded straightforwardly, took a deep breath, and showed a rare seriousness on her face. "Actually, I know that those noble ladies in Chang'an City look down on me. I know everything they say about me behind my back... They just say whatever they want. I accept the way I look. But this Zhou Muyan is really abominable. It's fine if she makes fun of me, but she also says bad things about my family! I can't stand this!"

Xu Wenchan put down the teacup and angrily recounted the grudge between Zhou Muyan and her Zhenbei Marquis Mansion.

The matter is actually very simple. Xu Wenchan's seventh brother is over 20 years old and has not yet married. Although the Xu family has been a military family for generations, Xu's seventh brother is a young literary man who is good at writing poems and songs. He doesn't like those careless and illiterate women in Yunzhou. His biggest dream is to marry a well-educated, gentle, and knowledgeable Chang'an talented woman in this life, and from then on, he will enjoy playing music, chess, calligraphy, poetry, wine and tea, and only envy the birds instead of the immortals.

Therefore, as soon as the Zhenbei Marquis' family arrived in Chang'an, the Marquis's wife began to arrange Xu Qige's marriage, sending visiting cards to every household and going door to door to look for young ladies.

It happened that in the autumn of that year, Princess Jinrong held a poetry competition, and Zhou Muyan happened to win first place in that poetry competition, so everyone called her a "talented woman".

When Xu Qige heard that the Sixth Miss of the Zhou Family was a talented woman, he asked the Marquis's wife to go and see her.

"My brother doesn't really want her, he just wants to give it a try, and let my mother take a look. If it works out, it works out. If it doesn't, it doesn't. We are not the kind of people who will stick to it. But she made fun of my brother behind his back with those noble ladies, saying that my seventh brother is a blockhead, a toad wanting to eat swan meat, and that a rough warrior from the north can be worthy of her?"

Xu Wenchan said angrily, "The problem is that she has never met my seventh brother! I am not bragging, although my seventh brother cannot compare to the peerless elegance of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, he is also a handsome and elegant man! The people of Yunzhou City all praise my seventh brother as a handsome young man, but I say that Zhou Muyan is not worthy of my seventh brother... Alas, just because of her bad mouth, my seventh brother's reputation has been ruined!"

Tao Ti was stunned by what he heard. After a moment of silence, she asked, "Since your seventh brother is not like that, why don't you ask your mother to take him to more banquets? Wouldn't that dispel the rumors?"

"Hey, my seventh brother doesn't like to be in a crowd, especially at banquets. He used to always talk about the idea of ​​a marriage that lasts a long time, but after what happened with Zhou Muyan, he became even less interested in marriage. Now he keeps saying that if it's destined, it will happen, and if it's not destined, don't force it... My dear, he really pissed off my mother off, and she almost threw herself over several times."

Xu Wenchan shrugged and said, "Now you know why I hate Zhou Muyan so much, right?"

Tao Ti nodded. If anyone dared to talk about her family behind their back again, she would definitely be angry.

"So, you really helped me vent my anger this time! But... did you really not hit Zhou Muyan?"

"I really didn't hit her. I just used a grappling technique on her and definitely didn't touch her face." Tao Ti looked very sincere, fearing that she would be accused of fraud.

"Hey, this is strange. She didn't even come to the flower viewing party at the Duke of Ping's mansion a few days ago. She usually loves this kind of occasion." Xu Wenchan pursed her lips and thought, "Could it be that she really has spring ringworm and that's why she didn't go out?"

"Spring rash?" Tao Ti was surprised.

"I don't know where the news came from, saying that the Zhou family hired a doctor overnight, and a maid saw that Zhou Muyan's face was red and swollen. It was so scary!" Xu Wenchan said, "The Zhou family claimed that she had spring ringworm, but the noble ladies all thought that she was swollen from those two slaps, so she made up this excuse."

After hearing such a convoluted story, Tao Ti could only sigh that three people make a tiger, and the ancient people's passion for gossip should not be underestimated.

But why did Zhou Muyan suddenly get puberty this week? And it was the day after they had a fight.

Isn't this a coincidence?

Tao Ti thought for a moment and then realized that it is spring now and there are many people who are allergic to pollen.

It seems that Zhou Muyan is so unlucky! However, for someone who values ​​her appearance so much, she must be going crazy now when her face is suddenly disfigured.

Xu Wenchan said cheerfully, "As long as she is unlucky, I will be happy."

"Aren't you afraid that others will hear you and say you are stingy?" Tao Ti teased.

"It's more than just being mean. I'm afraid you'll say I'm vicious, right? But this is what I think. I just hate her. Even if she's in front of me, I dare to say openly that I hate her."

At this point, Xu Wenchan paused and looked at Tao Ti, "Ah Ti, do you... think that I am not doing this well? If you think it is not good, I, I can change it!"

Tao Ti drank the remaining wintergreen tea in the cup and said, "People have good and dark sides. As long as they can control the dark side and not harm others, there is nothing to blame. Not everyone can become a great and righteous saint."

Xu Wenchan blinked his round almond eyes and touched his chin with his fingers. "Although I don't quite understand what you said, but... you seem to be explaining it in a very sensible way!"

"Okay, it doesn't matter if you don't understand." Tao Ti slowly stood up, patted her shoulder, and smiled faintly, "Let's go to the kitchen to make something delicious?"

As soon as he heard about food, Xu Wenchan immediately came to his senses, "Okay, I'll help you!"

Cold Food Festival and Tomb-Sweeping Day are very close, and later the two festivals gradually merged. In modern times, people celebrate Tomb-Sweeping Day more often than Cold Food Festival. But in the Yuan Dynasty, the importance of Cold Food Festival far exceeded that of Tomb-Sweeping Day. On this day, people would go outing, visit graves, worship their ancestors, drink winter holly tea, and eat Zitui steamed buns.

Three days ago, the kitchen began to prepare steamed buns for the children. This is a kind of pasta, made of dough into various shapes, such as swallows, insects, snakes, rabbits, and tigers, and then decorated with red beans, black beans, pepper seeds, red dates, and peanuts. It is then steamed and eaten.

Tao Ti tasted it on the first day she was delivered to the kitchen. It was soft and sweet because it was freshly steamed. But when it cooled down, it didn't taste so good. But the steamed buns were so lifelike that they were suitable to be displayed as handicrafts.

"Ati, what are you going to do?"

In the small kitchen, Xu Wenchan looked at the various ingredients in front of him in amazement: brown-red bean paste, fried white sesame seeds, plump peanuts, red salted egg yolks, salted tofu, pickled vegetables, fresh bamboo shoots, selected pork leg, rose sauce... all filled up a long table.

"Make green rice dumplings." Tao Ti took the blanched mugwort from the stove and started making mugwort juice.

"Qingtuan? Isn't that used for sacrificial offerings..." Xu Wenchan muttered softly, "That one is sweet and greasy, not tasty at all."

"Don't worry, I'll make a few more flavors, there's always one you like." Tao Ti said with a smile, and seeing that she was bored standing there, she asked her to help out and do some simple and easy things.

Xu Wenchan was not shy at all. She rolled up her sleeves and started working seriously. After grinding a large plate of peanut crumbs, a layer of sweat had already appeared on her forehead.

Tao Ti asked, "Do you want to take a break?"

"No, no, I'm fat so I sweat easily, I'm not tired at all." Xu Wenchan's cheeks were flushed and his two dimples were deep. "Besides, I found that cooking seems to be quite interesting!"

"Yes, it is a very happy thing to relax and make delicious food. Of course, it is even happier when eating!"

"Yes!"

The two little foodies smiled at each other, showing their perfect understanding.

In modern times, there is a debate over sweet and salty rice dumplings and sweet and salty tofu pudding, and naturally there is also a debate over salty and sweet green rice dumplings. Tao Ti didn't know what Pei Yan and his friends liked, so she thought about making some salty and some sweet.

She has arranged four flavors in total: salted vegetable and tofu filling, fresh bamboo shoots and pork filling, rose bean paste filling, and peanut sesame filling, two each of salty and sweet flavors, for you to choose from.

Green mugwort juice, glutinous rice flour and pork fat are put into a bowl in a certain proportion and kneaded into a soft dough with moderate strength. When the dough is about the same hardness, it is divided into equal-sized dough pieces, wrapped with various fillings, and kneaded into round, soft and green dumplings.

"Ati, isn't this a bit too much?" Xu Wenchan counted with his fingers, there were almost a hundred of them.

"It's okay. This can be kept for three days, and most of it will be given away, so it's not a lot." Tao Ti said, and asked the palace servants to put the wrapped green dumplings on plates and steam them in steamers.

She and Xu Wenchan returned to the palace and drank a pot of honey jasmine tea. Not long after, a palace maid came to report that the green rice dumplings were ready.

Tao Ti stood up from the couch, and Xu Wenchan immediately jumped down and followed to see.

When we arrived at the kitchen, several palace maids were crowded aside, curious to see what the steamed green dumplings looked like.

Under everyone's fixed gaze, the lid of the steamer was slowly opened.

I saw a cloud of white mist blowing in my face, and when the mist dissipated, small green balls were lying neatly in the steamer. The unique fragrance of wormwood wafted into my nose, as if a pot of vibrant spring scenery with willows and poplars was steamed out, which was intoxicating.

"Wow, they are so beautiful, each one looks like jasper."

"It's really beautiful. The color and taste make it look delicious..."

Listening to the palace servants' whispers, Tao Ti turned to Ling Long and said with a smile, "Today is the Cold Food Festival, and everyone has worked hard. Later, you can count according to the number of people and take out a few Qingtuan. Give half of one to each of the palace servants to taste. You can take one for yourself."

Tao Ti did not hide her special treatment for Linglong, and the other palace people did not feel dissatisfied because of this special treatment. After all, Linglong was the personal maid of the Crown Princess, and her rank and qualifications were higher than theirs, so she was naturally qualified to eat one alone.

Linglong responded, and the palace maids all smiled excitedly and thanked him quickly.

Tao Ti took out two servings of green rice dumplings with four different flavors, one for herself and one for Xu Wenchan, and asked the palace servants to plate the rest.

The two little foodies, each holding a plate, sat in the courtyard full of peonies and ate. It was spring time and the fragrance of green grass was light and long-lasting.

Just as the two were about to start eating, there was a sudden noise at the door.

Tao Ti was slightly startled, and Linglong quickly bent down and said, "Princess, please wait a moment. I will go out and take a look."

"Well, go ahead." Tao Ti said.

Xu Wenchan had already picked up a green dumpling and started eating it. What happened outside was none of her business. The most important thing was to eat the delicious food!

When you open your mouth and take a bite, the first thing you come into contact with is the soft, glutinous and delicate skin of the Qingtuan. When you eat the rose bean paste filling inside, the fragrance of roses mixed with the fragrance of mugwort makes you feel like you are in a sea of ​​flowers in spring. The bean paste is sweet but not greasy, and it is endless aftertaste!

Xu Wenchan narrowed his eyes happily and commented, "The outer skin is cool, but the bean paste inside is warm, not greasy at all, and has a crunchy texture. It flows straight into my mouth warmly. This is really the best bean paste pastry I have ever eaten!"

Tao Ti smiled and said, "Try something else."

Xu Wenchan immediately picked up another one, this time it was a qingtuan stuffed with fresh bamboo shoots and pork. When she took a bite, the tenderness of the bamboo shoots and the deliciousness of the meat filling immediately turned into juice and filled her mouth. The skin of the qingtuan was fragrant and glutinous, the bamboo shoots were crispy and chewy, and the satisfaction of the meat filling filling her mouth was naturally needless to say. The combination of these ingredients is simply full of the breath of spring.

The two were enjoying their meal when Linglong came back with two... children following behind her?

Tao Ti knew that little girl, the Sixth Princess Feifei.

As for the slightly older and handsome little boy next to Feifei, Tao Ti guessed that he should be the fifth prince of Concubine Xu?

As expected, Linglong said softly, "Crown Princess, the Fifth Prince and the Sixth Princess are at the door... I feel a little embarrassed to come in."

When Linglong said this, the Sixth Princess's head drooped even lower, and she called out timidly, "Hello, sister-in-law."

The fifth prince stared at Tao Ti for several times with his dark eyes. After making eye contact with Tao Ti, he quickly lowered his head, his ears turned red, and said vaguely, "Hello, sister-in-law."

Looking at the two shy children in front of her, and seeing that there was no wet nurse or eunuch following them, Tao Ti suddenly had a guess in her mind -

She put down her chopsticks and asked softly, "Why are you here? Why are you standing at the door and not coming in?"

The fifth prince, “…”, pretending to be stupid.

The Sixth Princess: “…” blushed.

Tao Ti raised her eyebrows, "If you don't tell me, I'll let the eunuch take you back?"

When the Fifth Prince heard this, he became anxious and quickly tugged at the Sixth Princess' sleeve.

The Sixth Princess bit her lip, and raised her head as if to muster up her courage, her grape-like eyes sparkling, "Sister-in-law, my Fifth Brother and I... want to eat egg yolk pastry..."

The fifth prince was stunned, his face flushed, and he whispered, "Xiao Liu, you idiot, how could you say that just like that!"

Don't you know how to be more tactful?!

The Sixth Princess curled her lips in grievance, "Then you won't say it..."

Tao Ti laughed dumbly. Just as she had imagined, the two little gluttonous cats came here to get some food.

"There are no egg yolk crisps," she said.

For a moment, both children were a little disappointed.

"But you came at the right time. I just made some green rice dumplings. Do you want to stay and try them?" Tao Ti smiled and pointed to the green rice dumplings on the table.

The fifth prince and the sixth princess simultaneously looked at the green dumplings on the white porcelain plate, and then looked at Xu Wenchan who couldn't stop eating. The two children's eyes suddenly turned into stars, "Hmm!"