34 Braised Shrimp and Lemon Shredded Chicken
◎Three in one: concubine; thinking about her; about to be exposed◎
When Xie Linchuan arrived at Fangfei Garden, he saw Princess Liang of Dongping talking with three women.
However, Liang was sitting, and the three women were standing with their heads bowed, looking very respectful.
He knew the two on the left, one surnamed Liu and the other surnamed Ye, both were his father's concubines.
I don't recognize the one on the right, but he looks quite young.
When Liang saw Xie Linchuan coming, she was very happy. She gave the three women a look and they left.
She took her son's hand and said affectionately, "How is it? Does the dress fit you well?"
It was a wide-sleeved shirt.
The attire of the upper class at this time was quite similar to that of the Wei and Jin dynasties, with people emphasizing loose clothing, wide belts, and an elegant and free-spirited style.
But Xie Linchuan found it troublesome to drag things along, so for ease of movement, he always wore narrow sleeves. He took one look at the dress and threw it away.
But at this moment, he noticed that Liang looked expectant, so he said perfunctorily, "Yeah, it's suitable."
Liang immediately brightened up and began to chatter:
"The other day, your uncle found a piece of twisted ice silk from the South Sea. It made me feel cool all over. I was going to make a skirt for Chan'er. But this girl was so thoughtful and gave it to me."
"It's a bitter summer now, and you've always been afraid of the heat, so I'll cut it up and make you a shirt."
Liang Chan is Liang's niece and Xie Linchuan's cousin, and she often goes in and out of the Prince of Dongping's Palace.
By chance, Xie Linchuan had seen her scolding a maid, but then she would act innocent and flatter Liang. Therefore, he felt a little disgusted with her.
Liang didn't know this and just kept talking about how gentle, considerate and understanding Liang Chan was.
The implicit meaning is that if Xie Linchuan is not interested in Princess Baoqing, it would be a good idea to marry this cousin.
But the main character, Xie Linchuan, had a vague look in his eyes and was already daydreaming.
While Liang said she was tired and wanted to drink tea, he immediately changed the subject:
"Apart from the three women, Liu and Ye, there was another one. How come I haven't seen him before?"
Liang's hand holding the porcelain cup froze, and her face lost some of its expression. She said indifferently:
"That's Aunt Zhang, my new bride for your father."
Xie Linchuan frowned, thought for a while, and blurted out:
"Will mother feel bad about father taking a concubine?"
Liang was stunned, and there was even a hint of panic in her eyes, but she was born into a noble family and quickly regained her grace and elegance.
She smiled:
"Silly child, what are you talking about? The husband is the head of the wife, and the wife takes concubines for the husband. This is the moral code."
Xie Linchuan said:
"But I read in ancient books that a long time ago, there was monogamy. Even longer ago, there was polyandry..."
Liang slapped his hand with a "slap", looked around, and shouted softly:
"What nonsense are you talking about? If your father finds out, he'll break your legs!"
Xie Linchuan is the most unrestrained and carefree, but he has a father who is old-fashioned and upright, and he attaches great importance to the Three Bonds and Five Constant Virtues.
He stopped talking, still unwilling to accept it, and said awkwardly:
"Apart from my grandfather, are there no men who don't take concubines?"
Liang said:
"In the previous dynasty, princesses were so domineering that even the prince consort could not take concubines. Now, even the prince consort can do so. As for your grandfather..."
As she spoke, she sighed and said quietly:
"Who is your grandmother? She's like a fairy general, someone you don't see again in a hundred years."
Xie Linchuan had a thousandfold admiration and ten thousand respects for his grandmother.
Hearing Liang's praise, he smiled brightly, as if he had received a satisfactory answer. "Grandmother is truly an extraordinary person."
No wonder, his grandmother always taught him to keep himself clean.
As dusk fell, the lanterns under the eaves lit up one after another, and the dim lights cast a hazy halo on the blue brick ground.
If it were in the past, when the youngest son came to talk to Liang on his own initiative, wouldn't she have been talking to him energetically until midnight?
From the newly blooming peonies in the garden, to which old woman was punished for gambling; from which lady from a noble family acquired new calligraphy and paintings, to which family was looking for a son-in-law after the spring examination...he talked about everything.
Now, she was a little abnormal, and said lightly:
"I'm tired. You should go back to sleep too. You have to be on duty tomorrow morning."
Xie Linchuan bowed and took his leave.
Fangfei Garden is as its name suggests, with lush flowers, willow waves hiding orioles, and the rich fragrance of gardenias diffused in the night breeze.
Xie Linchuan walked on the corridor, casually pushing away the branches that stretched out in front of him.
Just now, the three aunts stood before Mother, their backs bent and their heads lowered, looking respectful. And Mother, though smiling, had a clear look of sorrow in her eyes.
This picture lingered in his mind for a long time.
He suddenly stopped and ordered Pinglin: "There is no need to investigate Madam Jiang's matter." He also said in his heart: I will think about it again.
A few days later, at the Xinghua Restaurant, Jiang Qinglan also said, "I'll think about it."
Wang Hui Niang fell down:
"What else is there to think about? It's a huge order! We can make a profit of a hundred taels of silver from this trip."
"Besides, establishing a relationship with Lichun Garden would be of great benefit to us."
It turned out that Mr. Gao bought so many braised pig's trotters that day and helped her make a big deal.
There is a theater in Lin'an City called Lichun Garden. Like Fengle Tower, it is a place where dignitaries linger and entertain themselves.
Mr. Gao happened to be the nephew of the purchasing manager of Lichun Garden. With a little help from him, the deal was made - two hundred braised pig's trotters and one hundred bowls of iced rice dumplings were to be purchased from the Xinghua Restaurant.
Wang Huiniang was anxious and angry, but Jiang Qinglan had her own considerations.
Firstly, their food is only for daily supply and the quantity is not much.
Lichunyuan asked for so much, including pig's trotters, marinade, watermelon, flour, ice, and even bowls and plates. I'm afraid it will be difficult to find so much in a short time.
Second, she originally opened the shop just to make a little money in the market.
A place like Lichun Garden must have many high-ranking officials and nobles. If one of them tasted the food and wanted to hire her as a cook, just like the one at the Prince of Dongping's Palace last time, she was afraid she would be difficult to deal with.
Wang Huiniang saw that she was worried and promised:
"Sister, if you're worried about insufficient supplies, there's no need to worry."
"What did I do before? I could find people to sell meat or ice cream. Don't worry about that."
"We opened a shop to make money, so there's no reason to push money away."
In fact, Jiang Qinglan had another consideration: Gao Langjun had no relationship with him, so why should he do such a big favor for her?
If he is really interested in her as Wang Huiniang said before, then it will be troublesome.
When emotions are mixed with interests, it becomes a mess.
She thought it over again and again, and still shook her head.
She quickly wrote a letter and asked Hu Zi to deliver it to the purchasing manager of Lichunyuan to reject this large order.
Wang Huiniang encouraged him for a long time, but when she saw that the man really pushed the money away, she turned her face black and was about to leave.
Jiang Qinglan was quick to pull her and said with a smile:
"My dear sister, don't be angry. I have no feelings for Mr. Gao at all. How can I repay such a big favor from him?"
In the past, Wang Huiniang was a female merchant who made a living among the people and had to mobilize all resources to achieve her goals.
In her opinion, what Mr. Gao did was not a big deal at all.
The Xinghua Restaurant sells food, the Lichun Garden buys food, each willing to fight and the other willing to suffer. As for Mr. Gao, he was the one who introduced the business, not the ones who asked him for help.
If it comes to favors, just give him some kickbacks and that's it. It's one thing at a time and there's no emotional connection involved.
Seeing this silly girl, who was still smiling foolishly after losing the silver, and looked so heartless, she said:
"You're a bit too particular and too serious. Clear water holds no fish. If you want to expand your business, you need to be a bit vague about many things."
Jiang Qinglan twisted Wang Huiniang's arm and said coquettishly:
"I'm not that ambitious. I just want to start a small business and be more comfortable."
"My dear sister, don't be angry. When I bought fish this morning, I got some shrimp. You love river food the most. I'll make you some braised shrimp. I'm sure you'll be happy."
After hearing this, Wang Huiniang sighed: "Ah - you -"
Jiang Qinglan walked into the kitchen with a smile.
In fact, she prefers dry pot spicy shrimp to braised shrimp. This dish, like the fish with hummus and fermented black beans, is a good accompaniment to wine and a must-have with rice.
Unfortunately, there's no chili peppers, and the dogwood isn't spicy enough. Forget it, let's just make braised shrimp.
Since it is called braised in oil, there must be a lot of oil, enough to cover the prawns.
When they change color after being fried in boiling oil, remove them from the pan and place them on a plate.
Heat oil in a wok again and sauté onions, ginger slices, garlic cloves, and fermented soybean paste until fragrant. Then, add the fried shrimp all at once.
At this point, the prawns are bright red. After tossing them in the seasoning, they are coated with a burnt brown sheen that makes you salivate.
Finally, add a little rice wine, a little bit of soy sauce, and a handful of chopped green onions, and the braised shrimp is ready.
Shrimp is already delicious, and when stir-fried in this rich red sauce, it is fresh and delicious.
The braised shrimp made in this way are so sticky with the sauce that they can be pulled into strings. When you bite into them, the shell is crispy, while the meat is firm and chewy, with a hint of the sweetness of the shrimp itself in the salty and fresh taste.
After eating the prawns, even the bright red soup at the bottom of the plate cannot be wasted.
If you pour it on rice and mix it, you will be able to eat three bowls in a row!
While watching Wang Huiniang, Hu Zi and Tuantuan feasting on their food, Jiang Qinglan was pondering what Wang Huiniang had just said.
There are some things that you cannot see clearly by yourself and have to rely on others to point them out.
Is she serious? A little bit, it seems.
If I like someone, I like them. If I don’t like someone, I don’t like them. I will never engage in ambiguous relationships and will always walk in the middle ground.
Lu Fei let down his original body once, so he won't have a second chance with her.
However, it is not true to say that everything is clear and there are no exceptions.
She had taken advantage of Mr. Yan. Initially, she had made a mistake in getting the certificate, turning a compact one into a luxurious one. Later, he gave her fifty taels of silver.
But at that time, she was very poor and had to eat meat sparingly. People who are poor don't think too much.
Now, his sister comes here every day to eat and drink as much as she wants, and she keeps a record of every single expense.
There are only about thirty taels left out of the fifty taels, which will definitely be enough to spend in this year.
Once her restaurant started serving some high-end dishes, money would become even more difficult to spend, and the little golden ball wouldn't be able to cover the bill for long.
As long as you write it down carefully and write it down one by one, everything will be clear and neither of you owes the other anything.
Here, her wishful thinking went awry.
But she didn't know that the one in Dongping Palace would not recognize her.
…
Xie Linchuan didn't come to visit for several days, so Jiang Qinglan put the matter of the little golden ball aside.
After selling those braised meats and dishes for quite some time, she felt that customers were getting tired of them, so she started developing new dishes.
She remembered that in her previous life, every summer, there would be someone pushing a small cart at the subway entrance, selling cold lemon shredded chicken.
Sometimes she would buy some, along with a bottle of iced Coke. After returning to the dorm, she would lie on her bed, watching "Reply 1988" while enjoying shredded chicken and a Coke.
It’s so beautiful!
It is better to act than to think. Just do it.
People who cook frequently know that frying, stir-frying, and deep-frying are the most troublesome cooking methods. Not only do they require you to stand by the stove all the time, but they also test your cooking skills.
In comparison, cold salad, steaming and slow cooking are relatively easy to prepare.
Lemon Shredded Chicken is a cold dish that looks complicated but is actually very simple to prepare.
First, add ginger slices, onions, rice wine and other seasonings to a pot of water to remove the fishy smell. Blanch the fresh chicken thighs in it. Then, remove the chicken thighs, rinse them with cold water, and tear them into small strips.
The most important thing about any cold dish is the sauce. A successful sauce is the key to a successful dish.
To make the sauce for lemon shredded chicken, you need cornstarch powder, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and chopped green onions.
Place these in a bowl and pour hot oil over them one spoonful at a time.
Listening to the crackling sounds and smelling the aroma of minced garlic, dogwood powder and sesame seeds stirred by the hot oil, the job is done by pouring oil.
Finally, add vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar to the sauce. Mix them with lemon slices and coriander, and mix them with the chicken. The lemon shredded chicken is ready.
Each strand of shredded chicken is covered with bright red dogwood powder and white sesame seeds, and is soaked in oily juice.
The dish is generously sprinkled with emerald green cilantro and spring onions, while the thinly sliced lemon slices are bright yellow. The vibrant colors of this dish are eye-catching.
Jiang Qinglan called over the food-tasting duo, Hu Zi and Tuan Tuan.
Tuan Tuan had a dog's nose, and even outside, he could smell a strange aroma that kept drilling into his nose: the aroma of garlic, oil, sesame, and the fresh and sour aroma of lemon.
She swallowed three times while still in the yard.
When I entered the kitchen, I saw a plate of cold dishes on the table. It looked red and green, and it was very lively.
She immediately picked up the chopsticks and picked up some chicken. The chicken was covered with finely minced garlic and dogwood powder, and shiny fragrant oil was dripping down the shredded meat!
She hurriedly put it into her mouth, and Tuantuan's eyes immediately lit up. Then, she seemed to be possessed by Taotie.
Hu Zi doesn't like sour food and always shakes his head when he sees lemon, but this time he ate it with a smile on his face.
"Hey, why is it not sour even though I added lemon? And why do I want to eat more after I've eaten it?"
If you add too much lemon, the chicken will become bitter; if you add too little, the flavor will not be enhanced.
The best thing is just the right amount of sourness, which can stimulate the taste buds without being too much.
Once the diners' taste buds are awakened and they taste the spicy, fresh, and slightly sweet chicken, how can they not be addicted?
Jiang Qinglan was very considerate. Although there was no Coke, he bought some black plum drink to go with it.
Hu Zi and Tuan Tuan took a bite of chicken and a sip of drink, and soon the new dish was finished.
Jiang Qinglan looked at the two cups of cold black plum drinks left over from the two of them and smiled slightly.
The Yaolu wine from Tiexue Tower is lighter in color than the Wumei drink, but much stronger.
These days, Xie Linchuan was busy, Chen Yue also got married and stayed at home for a long time, only Zhu Ming was bored.
It was a day off, and Zhu Ming took the opportunity to invite the two of them out, clamoring to go to Tiexue Tower for a drink.
Tiexue Tower is as famous as Fengle Tower, and both are among the 72 official hotels in the capital.
Its winemaker, Huang Shirui, formerly the chief winemaker of the Guanglu Temple, brewed a rich, fragrant, and lingering Yaojiu wine, beloved by everyone from royalty to the common people.
Zhu Ming said he had heard that a new batch of Yaojiu had been brewed in the building, but others didn't know about it yet, so they went to drink the best one first.
In this way, Xie and Chen agreed to his request.
On the top floor of Tiexue Tower, after a few drinks, Zhu Mingdong started talking about all sorts of things and pestered Chen Yue to ask about his new marriage.
Chen Yue was a rather calm man, his emotions hard to detect. But they had been around for a long time, and were quite familiar with each other. The contentment in his eyes and eyebrows couldn't be hidden from the other two.
Zhu Ming teased, "Oh, you passed the imperial examination last year, and you got married this year. You've got all the good things in life."
She looked at him again and said, "You look so rosy-cheeked, you must be very fond of your new bride."
These words were a bit frivolous, but coming from Zhu Ming, no one else took them seriously.
Chen Yue said seriously:
"My marriage to my new bride was arranged by my parents, so there's no question of whether I like her or not. However, my new bride is from the Hedong Cui family, a prominent and well-off family, and is a perfect match for my Chen family. She is also quiet and polite, and I am very satisfied with her."
The two of them exchanged witty banter, but Xie Linchuan remained silent.
He leaned lazily on the armchair, his long legs stretched out casually, opening and closing the gold-sprinkled fan in his hand, listening to its clicking sound.
His eyes were empty and he stared at the shimmering wine in the cup in a trance.
Zhu Ming chuckled and broke Chen Yue's promise:
"You say it so righteously, but you just don't like it."
"That's right. You marry a wife for her virtue, and a concubine for her beauty. And when you marry a wife, you want one from a wealthy family. A girl from a small family can't handle it and will be laughed at. But a concubine is different..."
Speaking of concubines, Zhu Ming's mind suddenly lit up:
"Oh, by the way, Liuguang, how's your thing going?"
In the blink of an eye, Xie Linchuan had finished a pot of wine and was a little drunk.
"What's up?"
Zhu Ming was very interested: "What about the cook?"
Xie Linchuan tilted his head, his nose was as high as the ridge of a distant mountain, and the curve of his jaw was clean and smooth.
"What cook?"
Zhu Ming was not afraid of him pretending to be stupid, and was about to get to the bottom of it when Chen Yue suddenly pinched his jaw and gulped down a large glass of wine:
"You bastard, I even left my bride behind when we came to Tiexue Tower to drink the wine. Now, you're not even drinking a single sip, and you're just asking about our affairs like a gossip. How disrespectful!!"
Seeing this, Xie Linchuan raised his lips to a wicked smile. Although he had a sinister aura, his deep dimples gave him a touch of innocence.
He stood up, holding the wine jug: "If you eat his and not mine, you are not a good brother."
…
At the first quarter of the hour of Hai, the moon is bright and clear.
In Qingxin Courtyard, Xia Yin yawned, while Old Madam Xie was still in high spirits:
"One more round!" He grabbed five copper coins in his hand and was about to throw them up.
Xia Yin said with a bitter face:
"Grandpa, I've even lost all my monthly allowance for next year. I have no capital left."
Mrs. Xie thought for a moment and said, "That's right."
He looked her over again and gave her a mischievous smile, "You're not young anymore. If you lose, let me help you find a good guy. How about that?"
"That boy named Lin beside Sanlang is pretty good. He's like a bee, buzzing around you all day long."
The old lady was always joking, and Xia Yin was used to it, but this kind of thing, young as she was, made her blush. Just as she was about to speak, she heard a clang and the door was thrown open.
Xie Linchuan rushed in, casually fell on the armchair, and said proudly: "Grandma, I will play with you!"
Obviously drunk.
Xie Linchuan has a very good alcohol tolerance and can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk.
But two years ago, his eldest brother-in-law was exiled to Kuizhou, and his eldest sister went with him. Because of this, he drank all night and was drunk for three days.
Xia Yin was very perceptive and went to make some sobering soup, leaving the two of them to talk.
"The Yaolu wine brewed by Old Man Huang is still so fragrant." Old Lady Xie took a light sniff and said slowly.
No wonder the smell of alcohol was so strong. Tonight, Xie Linchuan and the other three drank up all the newly brewed Yaojiu in Tiexue Tower.
The waiter kept it to himself and refused to take it, and was slapped twice by Zhu Ming.
At this time, Xie Linchuan insisted on picking up the copper coins on the table - they were used to pay Guan Pu, but because his fingers were out of control, he couldn't pick them up at all.
Mrs. Xie did not interrupt him and watched him calmly for a while.
Finally, Xie Linchuan pursed his lips and said dejectedly, "Grandma, my brain... seems to be broken."
"Oh?" Madam Xie looked into his very beautiful yet somewhat confused eyes. "How did it break down? Have you seen a doctor?"
From the age of thirteen, this grandson became unruly, in stark contrast to his father's cautious and careful behavior. It was a long time ago that he was as childish as he is today.
Xie Linchuan shook his head: "I thought the doctor couldn't cure it."
He poked his temples with a finger, as if troubled.
Mrs. Xie understood immediately and laughed silently.
Which girl doesn't have spring in her heart, which boy doesn't have love? This child has also come to his senses.
Xie Linchuan stared at the lotus flowers blooming outside the window again, and said in a daze: "Those lotus flowers...she has them there too."
In summer, where are there no lotus flowers? Just thinking of a person, seeing anything will make him think of it thousands of miles away.
Old Madam Xie smiled so much that wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes, both for her grandson and for herself - she was thinking back to her very distant girlhood.
After a long while, she took her grandson's hand again and said from the bottom of her heart:
"I only gave birth to your father. His marriage was arranged by the late emperor. I have no say in the marriage between the old and new ministers. Fortunately, they have been treating each other with respect over the years."
"Your two sisters are married and have fulfilled their family responsibilities. As the youngest, you can be more unrestrained."
"Tell me which girl you like. The Qixi Festival is coming soon, so I'll go and see her quietly. As long as she's a good person and responsible, I'll make the decision for you."
She knew that the princesses in the palace had fought over her grandson, and some noble ladies, unable to bear their daughters' pleas, had come to test the waters.
However, she and Xie Linchuan had been reassured early on that he had to choose the person himself.
Now it seems that he was chosen?
However, Xie Linchuan just drooped his slightly red eyes, shook his head, raised his arms, and lay down on the table.
Old Madam Xie knew Xie Linchuan well. Once he made up his mind, he would go all out to achieve it. This hesitation meant he wasn't sure yet.
She continued to persuade:
"You're impulsive by nature. If you haven't thought it through, you need to calm down and let it go. Don't scare others. Otherwise, the gain will outweigh the loss. What does the book say?"
Mrs. Xie was born into a peasant family and was not well versed in poetry or literature. She thought for a long time before saying, "There is always light in the dark..."
Looking down, I saw Xie Linchuan with his head resting on his arms, his long eyelashes casting a row of shadows under his eyelids, indicating that he had fallen asleep.
Mrs. Xie smiled and looked at her grandson lovingly for a long while. After a long while, she called Pinglin over and asked him to help the man out.
When the lights in Lingquan Courtyard were all extinguished and the night was quiet, she said to Xia Yin:
"The day before yesterday, Sanlang brought back some braised pig's trotters. Go check and see if they were bought from a woman named Jiang. Where is she now?"
…
July 7th.
Early in the morning, Jiang Qinglan finished making breakfast and looked at the bright red sky in the east.
She thought to herself: The sun is shining brightly today, it's a good time to take out the books and dry them in the sun.
Who knew that Wang Huiniang came in from outside with a small basket and grabbed her and said, "Let's not be busy today. We need to dress up and use this to paint our nails."
Jiang Qinglan took a look and saw that the basket was filled with bright red Impatiens flowers, which were gorgeous and beautiful.
She waved her hands quickly: "No, no, I still have to cook. If the color gets on the food, I won't be able to explain it."
She had never liked these things. She was too lazy to use modern nail polish, which was just a smudge, let alone the troublesome use of impatiens.
After saying that, he ran into the kitchen.
Tuan Tuan ran out: "Dye it for me! Dye it for me!"
Today is Chinese Valentine's Day, a festival for women, and Wang Hui Niang did not want to spoil the fun of the Choupituan.
Mash the juice of Impatiens balsamina and apply it on the round nails, then wrap it tightly with a cloth strip.
By the time Jiang Qinglan noticed, the nails of Tuantuan's ten fat fingers had turned a light pink.
She also discovered that Wang Huiniang was particularly serious today.
Not only did they change into new clothes and dye their nails, they also placed a statue of the Weaver Girl on the incense table, displayed seasonal fruits and some Moheluo clay dolls.
It turns out that today's Qixi Festival is much more lively than in later generations.
Although it has some ambiguous elements of Valentine's Day, it is more of the Qiqiao Festival and the Daughters' Day.
On this day, young girls and wives have to style their hair, put on powder, make new clothes and wear bright skirts.
At night, there is a Qiqiao competition - people hold colorful silk threads in their hands and thread the needle under the bright moonlight.
In addition to activities at home, there are also various celebrations on the West Lake, Zhongwari, and Imperial Street during every festival, and the festive atmosphere is very strong.
Sure enough, at nightfall, the diagonal street was packed with people.
People, regardless of their social status or how much money they have, flock to the streets. Those who have money go shopping, while those who don't have money stroll around, sharing the joy of the festival.
Clusters of fireworks bloomed into huge bouquets, lighting up the night and drawing cheers from tourists.
Jiang Qinglan finished counting the accounts, glanced at the deserted store, and had an idea in mind.
Wang Huiniang raised the curtain and came out from the kitchen, saying with a hint of joking:
"Oh, it's okay today, everyone's gone to celebrate. What's going on lately? Mr. Gao hasn't come. I'm afraid he's sad. It seems like I haven't seen Mr. Yan for a long time."
Jiang Qinglan put away the abacus and smiled brightly.
It’s just as well that these two people didn’t come.
As for Mr. Gao, she was afraid of hurting the child's feelings.
As for Mr. Yan, whenever he came, she always felt like a noble man visiting a humble person, and she felt uncomfortable all over.
Jiang Qinglan smiled and said, "Aren't we still got Mr. Yang and that little girl?"
When she thought of Yang Song’s dark, round face, she wanted to laugh.
She had noticed these days that Young Master Yang was truly adept at coaxing that bad-tempered girl into a happy and cheerful state. He was a true economical and practical man. Tonight, the two of them would definitely go on a trip to West Lake.
She put all the copper coins in the box and locked it. "Let's go, close the shop, and go to the West Lake to play."
Tuan Tuan and Hu Zi were sitting on the doorstep watching the fireworks over on the other side of West Lake. When they heard the words, they jumped three feet high.
Huzi ran to the backyard, picked up a bamboo cage, tied it around his waist, and handed Tuantuan a roll of fine net. He said proudly, "I'll take you to catch shrimp!"
The four of them arrived at West Lake and saw the stars twinkling in the sky, the rippling water in the lake, and the shores crowded with tourists, making a great deal of noise.
"Qionghua Dew - Zhenzhu Spring - Penglai Spring - Even if wine doesn't make you drunk, you will get drunk by yourself!"
"Yun Guo'er—Xiao Yan'er—Citronzi—Come, come, take a look!"
The vendors set up colorful tents.
The aroma of chocolate fried in the oil pan, mixed with the refreshing aroma of wine, floats in the air.
The little boys gathered around the stall selling mohele, laughing and joking at the lifelike clay dolls.
Several pleasure boats cruised along West Lake, their melodious music carried by the evening breeze ashore, inviting one to contemplate the scenery within.
Hu Zi came here with a mission and had no interest in food or drink.
He found a shallow area by the lake, rolled up his trouser legs and sleeves, and went into the water.
He skillfully inserted small wooden sticks, covered three sides with a fine net, leaving only one exit, and then scattered various baits on the water surface.
Wang Huiniang went to the stone bridge to watch the Qiqiao competition, and only Jiang Qinglan and Tuantuan were left on the shore.
The little chubby girl also wanted to go in the water, but Jiang Qinglan grabbed her collar and said, "Your legs are too short, your butt will be submerged if you go in!"
Tuan Tuan also thought it made sense, so he held the bamboo basket and watched Hu Zi catch fish. Soon, the fish in the basket were jumping around.
They stared at the big prawns, their eyes sparkling and their mouths watering:
"Sister, with so many shrimps, are you planning on making wine-roasted shrimps, shrimp soup, or shrimp trotter sashimi?"
At this time, people prefer to eat shrimp for its natural flavor. The kinds that Tuantuan mentioned are commonly sold in restaurants and stalls.
Jiang Qinglan had tried all of these before, but she had always had a strong taste for shrimp, and she preferred shrimp cooked in a dry pot with salt and pepper or braised in oil.
I tried braised shrimp the day before yesterday, but I have never made salt and pepper dry pot shrimp.
She began to recite the sutra of eating: "Sister knows a way to cook it, you must have never eaten it before."
"First, open the backs of the prawns and fry them in a pan. Then, sauté the ginger slices, garlic cloves, and shallots in the hot oil until fragrant. Stir-fry over high heat until the shells are golden and crispy."
"Next, add Sichuan peppercorns and a plant from the south sea called chili pepper."
"When these seasonings are fried in a pan with the shrimp, the aroma spreads everywhere, making your mouth water."
"The shrimp is cooked, the meat is firm and chewy, but the shell is so crisp that it breaks apart with a single bite. The taste is spicy with a slight numbness, and the salty aroma of pepper and salt is complemented by the sweetness of the shrimp. The more you chew, the more addictive it becomes!"
"At this time, you can also add a cup of sweet, iced drink called cola. Oh, the taste is so good that you wouldn't want to be a fairy!"
Tuantuan was stunned when he heard this, and his saliva dropped into the bamboo basket.
She suddenly shuddered: "What else is there to say, sister! Anyway, we have a lot of shrimps, let's call Brother Huzi up and go back to cook together!"
Jiang Qinglan shook her head. Where could she find chili peppers and cola?
"This is what my sister saw in a book. We can't find that thing called chili pepper either."
However, a few days later, Jiang Qinglan used dogwood instead of chili peppers and iced mint water instead of cola, and also prepared a modified version of pepper and salt dry pot shrimp.
Tuan Tuan ate to his heart's content.
This is a later story.
At this time, they had no idea that their experience of eating shrimps had been heard by others.
As soon as it got dark, Zhu Ming jumped up and down, wanting to take Xie Linchuan and Chen Yue to visit West Lake.
He said that he recently found a new singer who sang little songs in the soft Wu dialect, which was very nice to listen to.
Chen Yue did not show up for the appointment, saying that he had to accompany his wife to pray for good luck in the evening.
Xie Linchuan fell down and listened patiently for a while on the pleasure boat, only to feel dizzy and yawning.
There was a gentle breeze on the shore, which was quite refreshing, so he started walking.
"Hey, Liuguang," Zhu Ming hurriedly chased ashore, "Why are you running? This is specially prepared for you!"
Xie Linchuan rolled his eyes at him, turned a deaf ear, and left.
A Qiqiao (Qi Qiao) competition was taking place on the stone bridge, and the laughter was so loud that he felt it was noisy. After strolling along the shore for a while, his restless heart finally calmed down a little.
He looked around and suddenly saw two familiar figures on the shallows not far away. He was immediately startled. His feet seemed to be rooted and he could not move.
He had always had an exceptional hearing ability, so without even trying, the two girls' whispers drifted into his ears. He smiled, thinking:
You really are a restaurant owner. People come here to pray for wisdom and worship the moon, but you come here to catch shrimps and even think about how to eat them.
I don’t know whether to say that he is cute because of his true nature, or that he is lazy and delicious?
Chili peppers and cola, what are they? How come he has never heard of them?
He hadn't been to Xinghua Restaurant for some time. When he saw it by chance today, he felt reluctant to leave.
The three people who were catching shrimps walked away with their baskets, but his eyes were still fixed on the dark purple shadow like nails.
Seeing this, Zhu Ming chuckled for a while, then came to his senses and stamped his feet anxiously:
"Liuguang, you've always been decisive, so why are you so confused about this? It's been so long, and you still haven't taken action?!"
The laughter of the three people gradually faded away, and Xie Linchuan finally came to his senses: "What are you doing?"
Zhu Ming nudged his lips and said, "Take it back and pawn it..."
"Shut up!" Xie Linchuan shouted decisively.
Zhu Ming assessed the situation and said, "Okay, okay, if we don't want to mention it, then we won't mention it."
Still muttering quietly: "I say, Liuguang, you really have to listen to me on this matter. Women, give your body to whoever you give your heart to. If you are interested, you should make the move as soon as possible. If you hesitate, you will suffer the consequences."
Zhu Ming kept on talking for a while, but when he heard no response, he looked up.
The three people who were catching shrimps just now had long disappeared, but there was a dark shadow under the willow tree.
Xie Linchuan frowned when he saw this.
Zhu Ming also looked over: "Who is it?"
"Who do you think he looks like?" Xie Linchuan thought of something.
"It's pitch black, I can't see clearly, it should be a man."
Xie Linchuan's tone was a little cold as he softly uttered two words: "Lu Fei."
He has excellent eyesight and will never make mistakes.
This was the second time Lu Fei followed her stealthily.
"Ah!" Zhu Ming was surprised. "What is he doing here? Princess Baoqing is not here."
The evening breeze blew through the willows on the bank, bringing coolness, and also made the tall wine flags on the bamboo poles of the wine shop flutter.
The four big words "Xinghua Restaurant" suddenly appeared in Xie Linchuan's mind, and his eyes suddenly became stern.
But thinking of Zhu Ming, who was not careful with his words, he kept silent.
He suppressed his excitement and only said to Pinglin after returning to the mansion, "Go check Madam Jiang's background. In particular, what is her relationship with the Lu family?"
Pinglin thought to himself: "Last time, my master ordered me to go, but he suddenly said forget it. I don't know if he'll change his mind this time. So, I'll just wait a little longer."
He bowed and replied, "Yes, I will go tomorrow."
However, Xie Linchuan's reaction immediately let him know that today was different from the past.
There seemed to be flames dancing in his eyes, ready to burst out: "No, you go right now!"
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