42 Lychee Kidney
◎Arranged Marriage (I)◎
At the entrance of Xinghua Restaurant, Jiang Qinglan met Zhang Yueniang as soon as he got off the carriage.
The latter also came back from outside, carrying a basket. The small bamboo basket was filled with three large cabbages, all of which looked juicy and crisp.
The two of them entered the house together.
As soon as he got home, Jiang Qinglan felt better and put the matter of the eldest princess aside and thought about it in Java.
She casually placed the golden hairpin on the counter, picked up a large cabbage and patted it lovingly.
Xiang Anshi of the Song Dynasty wrote in a poem: "When we meet, I only want to find some dregs of grass, and offer a cup of soup to the cabbages on the frosted fields."
"Song" means Chinese cabbage, and "Shuangsong" means Chinese cabbage that has been hit by frost.
Frosted cabbage has a sweet taste and is juicy, making it the best cabbage.
She smiled and said, "The cabbage is the sweetest at this time."
"We've been eating too much mutton these days, and everyone's getting irritated. Tonight, let's use this cabbage as a side dish and some noodle soup, shall we?"
After waiting for a long time without any response, she looked up.
Zhang Yueniang stared at the golden hairpin on the counter, completely lost in thought.
"Yue Niang?"
"Ah?" Zhang Yueniang came back to her senses. "What did my wife say?"
Jiang Qinglan repeated it again.
After thinking for a moment, he added, "But, Hu Zi is a boy, so just cabbage noodle soup won't be enough. Let's add some stir-fried moo shu pork."
After hearing this, Zhang Yueniang picked up her basket and hurried to the kitchen.
Jiang Qinglan then found a wooden box and put the golden hairpin in it.
Thinking of Zhang Yueniang's expression just now, he thought: She herself doesn't like this hairpin, but it seems that there are many people who like it.
——
If Xie Linchuan knew that the hairpin he carefully crafted was disliked by others, wouldn't he be so angry that he would burst into tears?
But at this moment, he was surrounded by people and cheers, and had no time to care about anything else.
Yes, in the Cuju match, the Song Dynasty’s imperial guards defeated the Liao Dynasty’s envoys, so how could they not be happy?
Emperor Chengping was overjoyed and immediately ordered a banquet to be held in the Purple Palace. Xie Linchuan and his fellow players then went to the back hall to rest for a while.
Xie Linchuan had always been energetic, and this match didn't tire him out. After changing his clothes, he felt the air in the hall was stuffy, so he grabbed a fan and strolled out.
Thinking of what Yang Song had sent someone to tell him, that she had asked about his recent situation, he felt in a very good mood and everything seemed to be pleasing to him.
The sky is so blue, the flowers are so red, and even the grass is so lovely green...
Before he even walked out of Chuiyou Gate, he saw a lake blue figure standing by the road, as if waiting for him.
Xie Linchuan frowned immediately.
Lu Fei bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. I have something to ask you."
After beating the guy up last time, Xie Linchuan vented his anger and stopped bothering him. He just thought in his heart that he was a shameless villain.
Just now on the Cuju field, although both of them were on the court, they did not directly cooperate with each other.
Xie Linchuan didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore. Unexpectedly, he came to him on his own?
At that moment, he raised his head and took a step forward.
They were about the same height, but Lu Fei was handsome and elegant, like a green bamboo standing solemnly in the wind, and his posture was extremely respectful.
However, Xie Linchuan raised the corners of his mouth and looked disdainful, with some of the arrogance and domineering attitude of a spoiled child.
He glanced at Lu Fei and said nonchalantly, "Just talk about the important things. I'm busy."
Lu Fei bowed again and said word by word, "Thank you, Your Highness, for showing mercy and letting her go."
Upon hearing this, Xie Linchuan was stunned for a moment before he raised his eyelids and looked at him straight in the eye.
Then, he said calmly, "Who is she you are talking about?" There was a hint of frivolousness in his tone, like a cat playing with a mouse.
Lu Fei pursed his lips and said, "That's Madam Jiang." Then, as if afraid the other party would ask more questions, he added, "Madam Jiang from the Xinghua Restaurant, daughter of Jiang Yuan."
Xie Linchuan burst into laughter.
He opened and closed the fan, making it make a clicking sound. He squinted his eyes, looked up and down at Lu Fei and said:
"What are you talking about, Lord Lu? I just went to the Xinghua Restaurant for a few meals. There's money to be made, and I see Madam Jiang is very happy. Why should I let her go?"
Compared to Xie Linchuan, who was always looking around, Lu Fei was much more stable, like the moonlight in the bamboo forest, peaceful and gentle:
"Mr. Gao's return to his hometown, the closure of the Songhua Brewery, and my attack by criminals—wasn't that the work of Master Xie?"
At that time, the golden crow set in the west, and the rosy clouds prevailed.
Xie Linchuan laughed heartily twice, raised his head, and let his side be covered in brilliant gold.
"So what?" His tone was full of the youthful vigor that is unique to young people.
"Thank you, Prince!" Lu Fei raised his eyebrows slightly, seeming excited.
"You come from a prominent family, a young talent, what kind of noble lady can't you get?"
"Her family is broken and she's homeless. She must not be harmed again. Please have pity on her frailty and spare her life, okay?"
Xie Linchuan slowly put away his smile.
Is it good? Not good at all! Xie Linchuan had never let go of anything he liked.
After staring at the man in blue in front of him for a while, he suddenly raised his hand and pointed the handle of the fan forward.
Lu Fei suffered a loss last time and thought he was going to attack again, so he quickly took two steps back.
But he didn't expect that the handle of the fan just touched his shoulder.
"Who I like is my business." Xie Linchuan took a step closer, a cold look on his face. "I'm just curious, who are you to her? What qualifications do you have to talk to me about this?"
Seeing the veins on Lu Fei's neck showing, he smiled slightly and said maliciously: "Because you are her ex-husband who took advantage of her when she was in trouble?"
Lu Fei took a deep breath and tried to suppress his boiling emotions:
"Master Jiang has taught me so much, and even for the sake of this friendship, I cannot bear to watch her fall into the hands of a playboy."
He still dares to mention Jiang Yuan? !
Xie Linchuan felt a chill running down his head, and he didn't even care about being called a "dandy".
He spoke word by word, his voice cold and stern: "What a great kindness in teaching! What a great teacher-student friendship!"
"Is it because of this favor that you allowed Lord Jiang and his wife to be left exposed in the funeral cemetery? That you divorced the daughter he entrusted to you on your wedding day?!"
In an instant, Lu Fei's face turned pale as paper, his back teeth were almost broken, and veins were visible on his clenched fists.
At that time, his mother put a knife across her neck and refused to let him collect Lord Jiang's body.
His sister-in-law pulled her two nephews to kneel in front of him, begging him to divorce his new wife, save the Lu family, and save his brother.
And he surrendered.
He originally wanted to send her out of the Lu family temporarily and have someone take care of her secretly.
Unexpectedly, Meng Yuanliang, in order to completely destroy his brother's situation, kept a close eye on the Lu family, intending to fabricate another crime besides the Zhenzhu corruption case.
He didn't dare to act rashly.
By the time he gained the support of the Third Prince and the matter was settled, she was already heartbroken...
He could never forgive himself.
He will spend every day from now on in shame and regret.
Now, the reason why he is still alive is, firstly, because of his responsibility to his family, and secondly, he hopes that he still has a chance to make amends to the Jiang family and her.
The evening breeze blew through the willows on the shore, blowing white fluff to people's sides, swirling around the hems of their clothes.
Suddenly, Lu Fei loosened his clenched fists: "You're right, I don't deserve it." He felt hopeless.
Xie Linchuan glanced at him and said, "Waste."
After saying that, he walked away.
…
A banquet was going on in the Zichen Hall.
At this time, palace banquets continued the extravagant style of the previous dynasty. The procedures were complicated and quite particular, divided into the first sitting, rest sitting, and the second sitting.
The main purpose of the first sitting is to create an atmosphere. Dozens of fruits and flowers, dried fruits and preserves, sour and salty snacks, and cured meat platters are served in an endless stream, creating a dazzling array of displays.
But the main point is that you can just look at it and not eat it.
During the break, there will be cold dishes before the banquet, six rounds of cold fruits, eleven dishes in each round.
Finally, the main course of dinner arrived, and we “sat down again” to drink a glass of wine and change two dishes, one dry and one wet.
The two dishes served at this time were quail cooked with flowers and kidney with lychee.
The quail, roasted to a golden brown and crispy, was chopped into small pieces and piled among the hibiscus petals. It was both attractive in color and elegant.
This lychee kidney is very strange. Just like lychee paste and lychee soup, it does not contain lychees.
The latter two got this name because the food has the taste of lychee.
Lychee kidneys are made by stir-frying lamb kidneys in a pan. After being heated, more dots appear on the surface, which looks very much like lychee shells.
The second cup of wine was served with milk sticks and three crisp soups; the third cup of wine was served with sheep shed sticks and belly sticks. [1]
Among the Liao envoys who came to the court this time, the second prince Yelu Wang was the most respected.
He was only in his twenties, but he had already made great military achievements. He defeated Wulanggai in the north and resisted Xixia in the west. He was a leader of the young generation of the Liao Kingdom.
However, no one is perfect. He is a little impatient, brave but lacks patience.
He saw that the people of Song State had so many different ways of eating.
A group of people were busy serving and removing dishes, but they didn't drink much of the wine, and they didn't eat as much meat as they did in the north, so they just smiled contemptuously.
He raised a glass of wine and stood up to toast Emperor Chengping:
"Your Majesty, I have long admired the culture of the Central Plains. In the few days since I arrived in Lin'an, I have seen courtyard trees wrapped in silk and pleasure boats floating on the river. It has broadened my horizons."
"Today, our Liao Kingdom invites you all to visit Xijin Prefecture. Your Majesty, please accept. There, the mountains reflect the setting sun and eagles soar across the sky. This is the place where true men can unleash their heroic spirit and lofty ambitions."
Emperor Chengping sat upright on a high seat, his expression unrecognizable.
The Crown Prince wore a faint smile. Beside him was the eldest son, Zhao Kan, who, despite his youth, was remarkably composed.
The third prince lowered his head and curled the corners of his mouth slightly.
Yelu Wang's words were harsh, but Emperor Chengping did not say anything. The other people in the hall each had their own plans and did not dare to say a word.
Then a soft laugh was heard, and a handsome young man came leisurely. His dark-colored robe with narrow sleeves and a crotch cut out made him look like a crane, a mantis, and a leopard.
This person is Xie Linchuan.
He smiled brightly, looked directly at Yelu Wang and said:
"Since the Liao Kingdom is so vast and the Fourth Prince is so ambitious, how come he was defeated today by me, a lowly official in the Lin'an Prefecture?"
"It turns out rumors aren't necessarily true. You can only tell if a fist is strong enough by hitting it."
He is now a great contributor to the Cuju game and a handsome young man. As soon as he entered the hall, he attracted the attention of many people.
Just now, Yelu Wang was suppressed by Xie Linchuan everywhere on the Cuju field, but as soon as the game was over, that man disappeared.
Just as I was about to ask, he showed up.
The staff beside him introduced: "This is Xie Linchuan, the third son of Prince Dongping."
Yelu Wang narrowed his eyes slightly.
Fifty years ago, the three words "King of Dongping" were a terrifying existence.
The Song Dynasty coexisted with the Liao Dynasty and the Western Xia Dynasty, and its territory was located in the "east". Half of the country was conquered by Xie Shan, the King of Dongping.
Yelu Wang smiled slightly and softened his tone, "So it's Prince Xie of the Dongping Palace. Then my defeat isn't unfair."
Emperor Chengping was in a good mood when he saw Xie Linchuan. Seeing Yelu Wang give in, he also said softly:
"The Liao Kingdom is vast, the Song Kingdom is rich. The everlasting peace between our two countries is a blessing for the people of the world."
"If there is an opportunity in the future, my princes will naturally go to Liao to broaden their horizons."
After that, he ordered the ceremonial officer to come forward and give the Liao envoys additional rewards such as Shu brocade, tribute tea, and Ru kiln porcelain bottles.
Xie Linchuan stepped back.
When he sat down to the table, he met his father Xie Yan's cold gaze and gave a lazy smile. Then, as if nothing had happened, he picked up the mandarin duck fried belly in front of him and started eating.
Emperor Chengping thought of something else, and as he scanned the crowd, he asked, "Who is Lu Fei, the beloved minister?"
Lu Fei stepped out, lifted his robe, and knelt. "I am Lu Fei, the Secretary of the Ministry of Secretariat."
Emperor Chengping said:
"I remember you, the official in charge of ceremonies in the eleventh year of Chengping. It was thanks to the Third Prince's recommendation that I was devastated. Otherwise, wouldn't I have lost such a talented person? Tell me, what reward do you want?"
He just watched and saw that although most of the goals were scored by Xie Jia Sanlang, it was all thanks to Lu Feizhong's passes.
A person's character can be seen from his playing style. This person is neither hurried nor slow, steady and orderly, which is more to his liking than that young man Xie Sanlang.
He also heard that Xie Sanlang beat someone up for something, but the person did not report the matter to the Censorate, which showed how calm and steady he was.
But he pondered the surname "Lu" in his heart.
In the Tanzhou Zhenzhu corruption case, the culprit, the Zuo Cao Langzhong of the Ministry of Revenue, was also surnamed Lu, named Lu Yun.
Lu Fei bowed down and said neither humbly nor arrogantly:
"I have heard that there is a man in Lin'an City named Li Zheng, whose ball skills are superb and everyone knows him."
"However, this man was reduced to a pariah due to a crime. He plays football every day and wears a silver mask when he goes into battle. He is known as the 'Silver-faced General'."
"Your Majesty is benevolent and righteous. Why not free him from his lowly status? This will also demonstrate the eternal benevolence of our Great Song Dynasty and its grace to the world."
The third prince loved Cuju very much. Emperor Chengping had heard the name Li Zheng from him before, and it seemed that he was implicated in the rebellion case of King Yue.
At the time, Emperor Chengping was still the crown prince and was very suspicious of the case. However, Emperor Jiande acted so cruelly that neither he nor his ministers could do anything about it.
Lu Fei's words hit the mark of Emperor Chengping, and he said, "This is not difficult."
"But I want to know, has Li Zheng done you any great favor? Why didn't you even offer him a promotion, and are you pleading for him?"
Lu Fei said, "I have only played one game of football with Li Zheng, and we have no other contact."
"I plead for him because I cannot bear to see the Song Dynasty lose such a talented person, and I cannot bear to see Your Majesty lose the opportunity to show kindness and mercy to the people."
Emperor Chengping did not have the founding achievements of Emperor Jiande, but he was gentle in nature, his policies were conciliatory and effective, and he was most praised for his kindness.
Hearing this, he was delighted, but he didn't show it on his face. He said, "I remember that the former Langzhong of the Left Cao of the Ministry of Revenue also had the surname Lu. What is your relationship with him?"
Lu Fei said calmly, "Lu Yun, the former Langzhong of the Left Cao of the Ministry of Revenue, is my elder brother."
Emperor Chengping was surprised.
In fact, after the matter was settled, many people whispered in his ears that Lu Yun was wronged.
However, the other people in the Ministry of Revenue had backers, but Lu Yun had no foundation at all. Finally, the Crown Prince stepped in and stripped him of his official position.
After understanding this relationship, Emperor Chengping became more and more impressed with Lu Fei and sighed:
"The Third Prince has discovered a talent for me. Lu Qing, you couldn't bear to see Li Zheng buried, but how can I bear to see you being inferior to others?"
He then promoted Lu Fei to be Junior Supervisor of the Ministry of Secretariat, and demoted Li Zheng from his lowly rank, bringing him into the Imperial Guards.
Lu Fei thanked him and returned to the banquet.
The Crown Prince still had a smile on his face, but a sense of unease was brewing within him. He glanced at Lu Fei, then at the Third Prince.
After Emperor Chengping finished speaking, he thought of Xie Linchuan again.
Seeing his eyes shining brightly and showing no sign of hiding his clumsiness, he thought to himself: Compared to Lu Fei, this kid is still too young.
"Xie Sanlang, what reward do you want?"
Xie Linchuan was looking at Yelu Wang, but his ears were listening to Lu Fei's words.
He had a very high opinion of himself and felt that these two people, one shallow and arrogant, the other hypocritical and insidious, were people who should not be associated with.
Hearing his own name, he stepped forward with a smile and bowed before the temple:
"Your Majesty, Lord Lu has a broad mind and a bright and clear mind. His heart is entirely devoted to your Majesty's country and his loyalty is witnessed by the sun and the moon."
"I, your humble servant, would like to share your majesty's worries like Lord Lu, but I regret that I am unable to do so."
"I know myself well, and I dare not hope for the fate of Fenglangjuxu. I only wish for the harmony of music and the good times."
"Here, I would like to ask Your Majesty to fulfill my selfish wish and grant me a marriage."
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