"No wonder cloud ear fungus has been appearing for sale in the city recently; it turns out it can be grown."
"I can't help but sigh," said Magistrate Mo of Heyang County.
"We've really seen something amazing today," said Eunuch Qi, beaming with delight at the fresh dishes. "Today, our Lady Hui will also have the pleasure of trying these new things."
Yan Shuping laughed heartily, "Eunuch Qi, there are still many delightful surprises about Huiyi. Hurry up and start eating!"
Eunuch Qi smiled and said, "Gentlemen, please come together."
After taking a bite, everyone was completely won over. The Dongpo pork was tender and juicy, and the chicken, duck, fish, and vegetables cooked with chili peppers created an incredibly addictive and spicy flavor.
The people at the table were so engrossed in their food that they didn't utter a sound or even bother with small talk.
Although it is now autumn, summer still dominates. The people eating in the hall are not as cool as those eating in the courtyard or outside. The dishes are fresh, fragrant and spicy, so it is natural to feel hot and bothered after a while.
At this moment, a cool breeze blew into the hall, and soon the heat dissipated.
It turned out that several large fans had been set up along the side of the hall, and the green hills and breeze... Several people were stepping on them from behind, indicating that they had already eaten in the kitchen.
Almost everyone knows this is a fan; they relied on it to get through a cool summer.
But this was the first time Eunuch Qi had seen this thing. He exclaimed in surprise, "What is this? How can it produce such a strong wind on its own? It is so refreshing!"
Magistrate Yan smiled and said, "I knew that Lady Huiyi would have many more surprises for you, Father-in-law. This is called a fan, a wonderful item for relieving summer heat that Lady Huiyi created."
"Lady Hui's talents are truly remarkable," Eunuch Qi exclaimed. "The palace is also very stuffy and hot. I wonder if I could take a few of these heat-relieving remedies back to the palace to help the Emperor, Empress, and other ladies-in-waiting. They would surely love them."
Song Anxin replied, "It is an honor to be liked by the palace ladies and nobles. I will definitely make arrangements for you when you leave."
"Then thank you very much, Lady Huiyi." Eunuch Qi was very happy. He coughed softly, a little embarrassed, and said, "The taste of this chili is absolutely amazing. There is nothing like this in the capital. This old servant is very uneasy about tasting such a delicious food, even though His Majesty has never tasted such a good thing."
Song Anxin looked both amused and exasperated: "Eunuch Qi, I will also prepare some chili peppers for you, so that His Majesty can also have a taste. However, fresh chili peppers are bound to be damaged on the way. I have dried some chili peppers and made some chili sauce and chili powder here, which can be used as side dishes. I will also write down some recipes for you, so please take them with you."
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Qi's face immediately lit up with joy: "Lady Hui is truly thoughtful. We thank Lady Hui."
The Emperor would surely praise him when he returned, and the thought made Eunuch Qi even happier.
"Come, Eunuch Qi, esteemed officials, my son and I would like to offer you a toast." Song Anxin and Lin Fengnian raised their wine cups. "Thank you for coming, and thank you, Eunuch Qi, for traveling a long distance to deliver the imperial decree for my son and me."
Everyone then freed their hands, quickly raised their glasses, and said in unison:
"Congratulations, Ms. Huiyi and Mr. Lin Nongshi!"
"cheers!"
The wine was Quanqing wine, which tasted almost identical to Gongzhongtian wine, and even had a sweeter aftertaste. After drinking it, Eunuch Qi couldn't help but sigh with satisfaction.
"Hehe, Huiyi, this trip to you has really been worthwhile!"
Song Anxin smiled and said, "I'm glad we didn't neglect our hospitality, Father-in-law. My son and I will go and offer our toasts first. Please enjoy your meal and drinks, everyone. We'll have to take our leave now."
The officials quickly replied, "It's alright, it's alright. Come, Eunuch Qi, let us toast you."
Although Eunuch Qi had no official rank or position, he had been by the emperor's side for many years and was a highly trusted person. Naturally, the officials wanted to get closer to him.
Song Anxin and Lin Fengnian finished toasting each table in the hall. The rest were the tables in the courtyard and on the flat ground outside. There were hundreds of tables in total. If she and the eldest brother had to toast each table one by one, they would probably have passed out halfway through.
So she led Lin Fengnian to the gate of the mansion and called out loudly to those inside and outside:
"Everyone, today is a double celebration for our family. Thank you all for coming and supporting us. Also, thank you so much for your courageous help during our time of crisis. I, Lin Songshi, will always remember this kindness. Enough said, let's drink to this!"
The villagers shouted in unison, "Cheers!"
Then the villagers started talking all at once:
"Aunt Lin, this is no big deal! You've been such a good person to us ordinary people, how can we bear to see your family suffer!"
"That's right, I knew Aunt Lin would be alright. Aunt Lin is a lucky person, so naturally good fortune will come her way."
"Second sister-in-law, congratulations on your family's bountiful harvest. I'm so happy for you."
“............”
The county magistrates in the main hall were initially confused, but after sending a few servants to inquire with the villagers, they roughly learned the whole story. They were utterly shocked.
Has Lord Liang gone mad? He actually did something so brainless. It seems we can no longer associate with Lord Liang.
The banquet, with its hundred tables, lasted until almost dark before the crowd slowly dispersed. The villagers were in high spirits, and everyone ate and drank to their heart's content. The wives and daughters of the officials were also infected by the villagers' atmosphere, appearing relaxed and happy, and even managing to exchange a few words with the villagers.
As daylight faded, the villagers carried their own tables and chairs back home, and the women who had come to help also went home satisfied with their "spoils of war."
After seeing off all the guests, Song Anxin went to the small side hall, where Magistrate Yan was also located.
"Huiyi, are you saying that Lord Liang wants to steal this?"
Yan Shuping looked at the round, egg-like object on the table with great confusion.
Song Anxin said, "Lord Yan, don't underestimate this thing. This thing is called potato. It is a new type of grain. It can be used as a staple food and can also be cooked into all kinds of dishes. Most importantly, this potato can yield thousands of catties per mu!"
"What! It can yield over a thousand catties per mu." Yan Shuping's eyes widened in shock, his usual composure of complete control gone.
Song Anxin continued to drop another bombshell: "And it can be planted for two seasons."
Yan Shuping's eyes gradually brightened from shock, and then his face was full of joy: "Huiyi, you've been promoted a bit too early. Let's see what those old fogies in the court can say now."
He then snorted: "No wonder Commander Liang went to such lengths to send so many soldiers to snatch these potatoes. He probably already had connections with the Liang family in the capital. He thought they could easily deal with a mere woman like you, but the autumn harvest has given them a huge 'surprise'."
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