43. Matsutake and Ham Braised Rice
◎Arranged Marriage (Part 2)◎
Marriages between high-ranking families have always been alliances of political interests, and the Dongping Palace was no exception.
Therefore, Xie Linchuan's words were like a bolt from the blue.
The Crown Prince, the Third Prince and others present all felt a pang in their hearts, but they did not show it on their faces because of their good Qi cultivation skills.
Lu Fei's heart was also startled, and he clenched his hands tightly in his sleeves.
Emperor Chengping narrowed his eyes.
When he heard that Princess Baoqing was infatuated with Xie Sanlang, he initially thought it was no big deal.
But Baoqing and the Third Prince were both born to Concubine Chen. Last month, the Third Prince had married the daughter of Qin Yan, the head of the Northern Office of the Privy Council. If he also had the Dongping Prince's family as a sister-in-law, his influence would be too great.
Although he favored the third prince, he also knew that if the prince became too powerful and the crown prince declined, it would shake the foundation of the country.
A barely perceptible hesitation flashed across his eyes, and then he burst into laughter:
"They say you, Xie Sanlang, are the reincarnation of Wei Jie and Pan An. What girl has such good fortune?"
A pair of hawk-like eyes scanned the people in the hall, almost able to see through their hearts.
Xie Linchuan said respectfully, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. For the time being, I only wish to take this opportunity to seek an honor. As for the girl, I will ask her opinion and then report back."
As soon as these words were spoken, the tense nerves in Emperor Chengping's heart suddenly relaxed.
Xie Yan, the Prince of Dongping, looked ashen. He stepped out from the table, lifted his robe, and knelt. "My son was naughty and disrespectful in the palace. Your Majesty, please forgive me."
Emperor Chengping was in high spirits. "He possesses extraordinary skills and demonstrates the prestige of our nation, making a great contribution. Marriage between men and women, knowing the love of youth, is the way of heaven and earth. What's wrong with that?"
If Xie Linchuan had told the girl on the spot, he would have had to think twice to balance the interests of all parties. It would have been better to say half of it and hide the other half, so there was room for redemption.
Remembering his deliberate tone, Emperor Chengping became amused. "I heard that out of seven colors in Lin'an, Xie Lang accounts for three. So, there's still someone in this world you're unsure of?"
Xie Linchuan said calmly, "I am a man. To be outstanding with appearance instead of talent is a shame rather than an honor."
"She is also a noble lady from an aristocratic family. Although I am fully confident, seeking marriage is no different from any other. Gaining a sincere heart is the most important thing. Therefore, I still have to ask her first."
After hearing the word "sincerely", Emperor Chengping felt a sense of melancholy.
Back then, when he was still the crown prince, the late emperor never asked for his opinion when choosing the crown princess.
The person he loves most can only be a talented woman, and even children can only be conceived after the Crown Princess gives birth.
Now, even though he has been on the throne for many years and his lover has become a noble concubine, she is still a concubine, and his favorite third prince is, after all, a bastard.
Thinking of this, he felt a little envious of the youngest son of the Xie family.
With this thought in mind, he waved his hand and said, "I approve! This honor is what you deserve!"
Xie Linchuan bowed down: "Thank you, Your Majesty——"
For a moment, both the host and the guests were in great joy, the music and ceremony were in full swing, the eunuchs and palace maids came in one after another, playing music, dancing, pouring wine, and serving food, it was like a sea of flowers and a raging fire.
Xie Yan and Xie Linchuan retreated to the banquet table together.
At this time, two dishes were being served: braised pigeon and stir-fried eel slices.
As the saying goes, "One pigeon is better than nine chickens." Compared to chicken, pigeons have tender meat and are more nutritious. Dishes made with pigeons are also more refined, making them a common dish at royal banquets.
At this moment, the pigeon was served on a Ding kiln white porcelain plate, bright red and smooth. A few green leaves and two quail eggs were placed next to it, creating a vibrant and colorful feast.
Amidst the steam, the thick, sauce-colored soup in the dish was trembling slightly.
The aroma has already spread, it is the mellow aroma of sauce, mixed with a slight caramel sweetness, and occasionally a hint of the fragrance of rice wine.
Even the supervisor who served the food couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat when he smelled the aroma.
Xie Linchuan was in a very good mood. When he saw the dishes coming, his appetite was aroused. However, he was not aware of the two sharp gazes.
He ate up all the braised pigeon and stir-fried eel in front of him, but still felt it was not enough, so he also had two pieces of preserved meat and a piece of papaya.
Turning around, he saw that the dish in front of his father was still untouched. He said bluntly, "Father, His Majesty has given me this dish, and I must not refuse it. How about I help you eat it? It can be considered as filial piety."
After saying that, he picked up the chopsticks and started eating.
Xie Yan was so angry that he blew his beard and glared, thinking: This is my son? He looks like an ancestor!
…
After the palace banquet was over and the father and son took a carriage back to the palace, Xie Yan took the opportunity to teach his son a lesson.
"You are always so reckless, kid. You never discuss anything with me beforehand."
Xie Linchuan was not willing to be outdone:
"My father asked me to work in the Lin'an Prefecture Office, and I went there immediately."
"If you don't allow me to play Cuju, then I won't play. This time, the Cuju match with Liao was arranged personally by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. How could I not discuss this with you?!"
This guy is still pretending to be stupid!
"Who told you about Cuju?" Xie Yan was so angry that his beard was shaking.
"Your marriage is such a big deal. Your mother and I haven't made the decision yet. Why are you rushing to the government to ask for help?"
"Didn't you see the expressions on the Emperor's face, the Crown Prince's face, and the Third Prince's face? Fortunately, you weren't stupid enough to say such a thing!"
Xie Linchuan responded one sentence at a time:
"So, you guys wanted to bring me and Princess Baoqing together. What's going on now? The Third Prince married Qin Yan's daughter, and Princess Baoqing is a hot potato."
"Father, you're really shooting yourself in the foot!"
"You rebellious son!" Xie Yan choked with anger, his heart aching. He grabbed the folding fan at hand and hit Xie Linchuan on the head with two "dong dong" sounds.
How did he know that the situation would change so drastically?
The emperor favors the third prince, but the crown prince has been trained as the heir for many years.
He has always been a man who seeks stability, and the marriages of his two daughters are mostly to those related to the prince's faction.
She thought that if the third son was still a princess, she could not only preserve her wealth and status, but also have some connection with the third prince.
Xie Linchuan knew that Xie Yan was always like this, all talk and no action.
Seeing that his face turned blue, he stopped being angry with him and said with a smile:
"Don't worry, father. The emperor will only be happy to see the marriage I requested. I asked my grandmother first, and she is in favor."
Mrs. Xie was the pillar of the Xie family. Upon hearing her agreement, Xie Yan's expression lightened slightly.
Only then did he look at his son. He had used some heavy hands on him just now...
But seeing that his son looked carefree and didn't seem to be hurt, he felt relieved.
He cleared his throat and pretended to be calm: "Then tell me, whose daughter is she?"
By this time, we had already left the palace and could hear the noise of vendors lining the Imperial Street.
Xie Linchuan listened for a while with his ears perked up, then chuckled: "I won't tell you about this for now, so that you don't run over and scare others."
After saying that, he jumped out of the carriage and jumped onto the street.
This rebellious son! Xie Yan raised the curtain, stuck his head out, and asked, "If you don't go back to the palace to report today's events to your grandmother and mother, where are you going?"
Xie Linchuan stood on the bustling street and said seriously:
"I've been training Cuju in the palace for the past few days, and there's a backlog of official documents in the government office. I have to go and deal with them. Grandmother got the news a long time ago. Father will go and talk to Mother, so there's no need for me. I'm leaving now!"
Xie Yan was almost furious.
The government office is in the west, and he was walking north. He was not going to the government office, he was clearly going to drink!
This rebellious son!
Xie Yan returned home, still in a bad mood. He walked around the yard twice and went to Qingxin Courtyard to pay his respects to Old Madam Xie.
Old Madam Xie was playing leaf games with Xia Yin and a few others. She won some money and had a big smile on her face.
Next to her was a plate of preserved plums, piled high like a mountain.
The plums' folds were filled with white icing, giving them a sweet, sweet odor. On the ground, the seeds were scattered all over the ground, making a mess.
Lin'an Market is full of candied fruit shops, selling a wide variety of candied cherries, candied kumquats, and candied plums. However, candied plums are the best seller, as they are sweet and sour.
Seeing this, Xie Yan's face darkened and he scolded Xia Yin, "How do you serve the old lady? You'll get a toothache if you eat too much of this candied fruit."
Then he took the plate away.
Mrs. Xie was unhappy and put the leaf on the table. "I'm just happy now, and you're calling me again. I want to eat the candied fruit, what do they have to do with it?"
He waved his hand and dismissed everyone.
She glared at her son, and seeing some gray hair growing on his temples, she felt a little sorry.
She had only this one son. Born in a turbulent time when he was young, she and Xie Shan were busy outside all day.
The child was raised by a wet nurse, so he developed this cautious character.
"When accompanying the king, one must be cautious, but not to this extent."
"There's no need to compromise on everything in life. No matter how the country changes hands, my Dongping Palace will still be able to maintain its place."
Xie Yan listened to the instructions respectfully, nodded in agreement, and then told him in detail about today's palace banquet.
After hesitating for a long time, he carefully asked, "The unfilial son said that you knew about the proposal."
In front of Xie Yan, Madam Xie spit the plum pit onto the ground with a "boo" sound: "I know. Just listen to him on this matter."
Regarding what Xie Yan said about the palace banquet, she pondered it carefully for a while before slowly saying, "Don't worry about Sanlang's affairs."
"Who cares if he's with the Crown Prince or the Third Prince? Who cares if he plays Cuju or races horses? As long as he doesn't do anything that harms the world, I don't care."
"He seems reckless, but in fact, he is more calculating than you."
Xie Yan frowned and was about to say something, but when he saw Old Madam Xie stand up, he hurriedly stepped forward to help her.
Little did she know that she would shake off Xie Yan's hand and walk to the other end of the table in two nimble steps.
She grabbed a candied plum and ate it, then picked up another and quickly stuffed it into his mouth: "Take one too, it's delicious!"
Xie Yan had no choice but to chew the sweet plum, but he didn't dare spit out the core in front of his mother, so he had to hold it under his tongue.
——
A few days later, at the corner tower of the Imperial Palace.
A strong and rich fragrance filled the air; the row of osmanthus trees at the base of the city wall were in bloom.
Unfortunately, Princess Baoqing had no interest in appreciating these small pieces of gold.
In recent days, she has lost her appetite and has trouble sleeping at night. Her round peach-like face has become thinner, and her chin looks pointed.
The maid advised her, "Your Highness, it's not good to stay cooped up in the room all day. Why not go out for a walk outside the palace? I heard that the Xinghua Restaurant has developed new dishes."
Princess Baoqing thought to herself: "It would be nice to go and take a look. Maybe I can run into Brother Liuguang and find out who he likes and where I lost."
She then powdered her face and arranged her hair. She applied delicate makeup, changed into bright brocade clothes, and boarded a carriage, preparing to leave through the Youye Gate.
Just as they reached the corner tower, a red-lacquered carriage with carved phoenixes came rolling in. Its pearl curtains swayed, rustling softly in the wind.
Princess Baoqing was drawing the curtain and craning her neck to gaze at the blue sky outside the palace wall. When she saw the carriage approaching, her heart skipped a beat.
She immediately lowered the curtain and urged the eunuch driving the carriage, "Hurry up!"
Unexpectedly, when the two carriages passed each other, a voice came from the carriage: "Sister Yunhui, where are you going?" The voice was as clear as a yellow oriole.
Princess Fu'an had already smoothed her clothes and skirt and got off the carriage.
Ever since she had a fight with Princess Baoqing that year, she had been disliked by the emperor and was relocated to the Li family in Suzhou in a very low-key manner.
The Li family was a prominent family, and most of the scholars in Jiangnan came from their Qiushan Academy, so this was considered a happy marriage.
Princess Fu'an, however, also had a tragic fate. Within a year of her marriage, her husband died of illness. Childless, she requested permission to return to Lin'an.
Princess Baoqing didn't want to see this person, but Fu'an, as her elder sister, had already gotten off the car, so how could she be rude?
I had no choice but to go ahead.
Looking up, I saw Fu'an wearing a jade-colored cloud satin jacket and a dark blue wide silk embroidered quilted skirt. On her head was a beautiful lotus crown, and on her ears were a pair of sapphire pendants.
Princess Baoqing thought to herself, "Fu'an has always been very luxurious. The carriages used to have gilded wheels. Why are you dressed so plainly after returning from the surrender?"
Could it be that he was influenced by the bookish kids in the Li family?
Little did she know that this was not the most shocking thing to her.
Princess Fu'an smiled, took Princess Baoqing's hand, and said affectionately:
"Sister Yunhui, it was all my fault at first. I've learned a lot from this trip and I'm no longer as foolish as before."
"We sisters must get along well with each other. That's how the Emperor will be happy, don't you think?"
These words made Princess Baoqing's hair stand on end.
She grew up with Fu'an, and she knew who he was.
It's okay for others, but she could suddenly change her personality? That's absolutely impossible!
But Princess Baoqing, the daughter of the palace fighting champion Concubine Chen, was no pushover. She laughed awkwardly and said, "Sister, you're right. I've learned my lesson."
The two of them were chatting with each other with smiles on their faces and smirks in their hearts, when they saw another green-painted carriage enter from the right side gate.
A handsome young man got out of the car.
He wore a red official uniform, a straight-angled hat, and a purple fish-shaped talisman bag hung on a silver leather belt.
Seeing the two of them, he crossed his arms and saluted. "Greetings to the two Your Highnesses."
Princess Fu'an was a little stunned for a moment.
At first, like other girls, she admired the prince Xie on the Cuju field. Later, when she married into the Li family, she realized that scholars like her late husband Li Mu were naturally elegant and graceful.
It's obvious that this man is a civil official.
Lu Fei was about to reply when Princess Baoqing smiled and said, "This is the Junior Supervisor of the Secretariat, Master Lu Fei."
Now, Lu Fei's name is the most famous in Lin'an City besides Xie Linchuan and Li Zheng.
He first shone brightly in the Flame Team and Qiyun Society matches, and then there was the incident at the Purple Palace. The women in the market talked in their sleep, and besides Xie Lang, Lu Lang was also mentioned.
After hearing this, Princess Fu'an straightened her clothes and skirt and returned the greeting with a smile.
Princess Baoqing had wanted to escape for a long time.
In the past, although Fu'an was domineering and cruel, at least he was clear about it. But now he has added an layer of hypocrisy.
She was afraid that she had fallen into her trap, so she giggled and pretended to be innocent: "Sister and Lord Lu are going to the palace together, so it's just on our way. I have to leave the palace, so I'll excuse you first."
After saying this, he quickly got on the carriage and urged the eunuch to hurry up, as if a ghost was chasing him.
Let’s put the matters of Fu’an and Lu Fei aside for now.
Meanwhile, the imperial guards won the game of Cuju against the Liao envoys, and Li Zheng was freed from slavery. These two explosive pieces of news spread throughout Lin'an overnight.
But these two pieces of news could not compare to the shocking proposal of Prince Xie in Zichen Hall.
In the Xinghua Restaurant, the diners were talking at once:
"A marriage granted?"
"Oh, that Prince Xie looks just like the South China Sea Moon Guanyin. Which noble lady is so lucky to have such a blessing? And even to have an imperial marriage?"
"Tsk tsk tsk, I heard that when the news reached the harem, Princess Baoqing cried until her eyes were swollen like peaches."
Yang Song pricked up his ears and listened attentively, not even noticing the person walking towards him.
Jiang Qinglan coughed lightly: "Mr. Yang——"
Yang Song shuddered: "What did Madam Jiang say?"
Jiang Qinglan smiled and said, "Today's special dishes include rice with matsutake mushrooms and ham, and rice noodles with tofu. Would you like to try them, Mr. Yang?"
In the morning, by the Chunbo River, an old man from the mountains picked wild delicacies and came to sell them, so she bought some.
Things like matsutake are hard to find. Now that we've found them, we can't let them go to waste. Use matsutake to simmer rice, and shimeji mushrooms to enhance the flavor of rice noodle soup, making the most of them.
Stewed rice is the most convenient and quickest.
In his previous life, in the dormitory, Jiang Qinglan often secretly used an electric rice cooker to cook stewed rice.
It’s just that the most common meat dishes are cheap meat such as pork belly and mushrooms.
Nowadays, with more high-end ingredients such as matsutake mushrooms and ham, cooking is even simpler.
Dice the ingredients, put them on the rice, cover it, and simmer over the fire.
Add some fine salt and chopped green onions before serving. The deliciousness of the matsutake mushrooms and the salty aroma of the ham are enough to make the dish tasty.
Tofu pudding rice noodles is Zhang Yueniang's hometown dish, and she's known for her specialty. The broth is refreshing, the tofu is tender, and the rice noodles are soft yet chewy.
Especially in late autumn, eating a bowl of hot rice noodles makes me feel warm in my heart.
In addition to the regular dishes, new and old diners are looking forward to these rare special recommended dishes.
Many people ordered both. If you were alone, you might even share dishes with another table just to try both the braised rice and the rice noodles.
Yang Song was lost in thought and didn't pay attention to what Jiang Qinglan said, so he chose a shorter name: "Then let's have some tofu rice noodles."
Jiang Qinglan was about to go to the kitchen when he saw a young woman at the table by the window suddenly stand up, cover her face, and run out crying.
When the few people who were gossiping just now saw this, they sighed and said, "Look, another person who is heartbroken because of Master Xie."
Jiang Qinglan shook her head and thought: This Xie Shizi is now considered a top star. She didn't know if she would have the chance to meet him in this life.
Thinking of what they said about the arranged marriage in the Purple Palace, she thought to herself: I wonder who will be the future Crown Prince’s wife?
This status may seem glamorous, but it's not easy to hold. Prince Xie has so many crazy female fans, so isn't Madam Xie a shining target?
It is easy to dodge an open attack, but difficult to guard against a hidden arrow, and you will have to suffer the consequences.
Besides, men's hearts change so quickly. She is not well-known, but Xie Shizi is famous. Who knows, one day...
Tsk, it’s lonely at the top!
Jiang Qinglan shrank his neck and returned to the kitchen.
The conversation in the living room continued:
"Not to mention these young ladies, even Princess Fu'an, who just returned to Lin'an, felt lost after hearing this."
Someone interrupted him, "Bah! Princess Fu'an is a new widow, she must be sad for her husband, how can you frame her?"
Princess Fu'an behaved disrespectfully in front of the emperor and married in a low-key manner, which many people did not know. Only now, after she became a widow and returned to Lin'an, did everyone know about it.
The person who just mentioned Princess Fu'an quickly slapped his mouth and said, "Oh, I was wrong."
Yang Song was shocked when he heard this.
He couldn't tell who was who between the two princesses who were fighting that day.
But since Princess Fu'an was married and a recent widow, she would definitely not go out. So... the one he had been eating and playing zodiac games with these days was Princess Baoqing.
Princess Baoqing is infatuated with Prince Xie, and everyone in Lin'an knows it. And the man she's constantly pestering is...
Yang Song thought about Mr. Yan's character and appearance, which were consistent with the rumors about Master Xie.
Just as he was thinking about it, Jiang Qinglan came up with a pot of tofu and rice noodles.
There was white smoke rising up, a fragrant aroma, and the handle of the casserole was wrapped with two snow-white towels.
When Yang Song saw her, the words "arranged marriage" suddenly popped into his mind.
Of course he knew that Mr. Yan was interested in Ms. Jiang.
For a moment, he didn't care whether their identities matched or not. He only thought about not letting Jiang Qinglan serve him, and suddenly jumped up:
"I don't dare to trouble Madam Jiang, I'll do it myself!" After saying that, he insisted on grabbing the rice noodles.
"This pot is hot--" Jiang Qinglan said hurriedly.
But there was no time to stop it, the pot had already been snatched away.
"Hiss—" Yang Song was scalded so much that he almost smoked. He slammed the pot down on the table, covered his ears with his hands, and ran around the room like a rooster gone mad.
At this moment, Princess Baoqing came quietly like a beautiful butterfly. Seeing Yang Song's funny look, she rarely laughed at him, but just stared blankly.
Yang Song seemed to have a telepathic connection. He turned around and saw something, and his heart skipped a beat. This time, not only his hands, but also his face were "burned" red.
He whispered, "Your Highness, why...are you here?"
Jiang Qinglan immediately sent someone to bring cold water and went to Lukui Courtyard to find burn ointment.
Before he could find it, Wang Huiniang held him down and said, "Hurry up and go to the front. There's something urgent!"
Jiang Qinglan was naturally soft-hearted and couldn't bear to see others suffer. He frowned and said, "What could be more important than this? Young Master Yang's hands are already blistered."
"Oh, auntie, leave the matters here to me—" Wang Huiniang said anxiously, "The princess sent someone here, saying there's something urgent!"
【Author’s words】
In the next chapter, the male protagonist will be exposed.
Please add a collection to my upcoming article, which is about reconciliation, forced seizure, and extreme emotional tug-of-war. Sisters who like to watch emotional dramas can click:
Reuniting with the Enemy After Rebirth (also known as Spring in Yanjing)
[The main CP reunites after the breakup, and the secondary CP seizes the be]
In her previous life, Chen Jiayue died from a cup of poisoned wine.
It was given by her husband Xu Jiangling.
After three years of tenderness, he only wanted to step on the corpses of her father and brother to gain power.
Living her life over again, she threw herself into her cousin's arms without hesitation.
Xu Jiangling smiled faintly when he heard this.
On her wedding night, when those familiar hands tore off her clothes, she broke down and cried.
But his hand stopped. "Is your playboy cousin really that good?"
——
Xu Jiangling waited for the enemy in person and pretended to be in cahoots with the treacherous minister and his son.
He married the daughter of his enemy, and everyone said he was enduring humiliation.
But no one knew that he had been waiting for this moment for ten years.
"Yanjing is overgrown with weeds, and the beauty of spring is only because of you."
[Reading Guide]
1. The hero loves the heroine in both lives, and the poisoned wine in the previous life was a misunderstanding of the heroine.
2. The secondary CP is the heroine's brother and his concubine.
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