By the end of December, most of the vegetables in Xu Di's greenhouse had ripened.
Xu Di selected the best-growing seeds, picked some, put them in a basket, and delivered them to the general's mansion. When the general saw the gifts, he and two guards, dressed in plain clothes, quietly rode to the Xu family's residence.
Xu Di built this greenhouse secretly, and because it was in the house in the backyard, only a few family members knew about it. Even those who lived in the front yard didn't know because they didn't come to the backyard.
The prince entered the greenhouse and saw rows of lush green vines climbing on the trellises strung together by hemp ropes. Red and green fruits grew on the vines. There were also rows of waist-high plants that he didn't know the names of, with green and red or red and green fruits hanging on them.
Xu Di followed behind the Crown Prince, introducing each item one by one. Hearing that these were vegetable seeds brought back from overseas, the Crown Prince became even more curious.
Xu Di said, "Your Highness, these are all the seeds I brought back from the sea last year when I went with my uncle and his men. Last winter, I planted a few on the kang (heated brick bed) in the front yard and collected these seeds. I was thinking that some families had built greenhouses to grow flowers, so I built one here. I was thinking of planting more and saving more seeds so that next spring I could plant them on a large scale on the estate. Your Highness, putting everything else aside, there are so many wonderful things about this chili pepper."
No matter how mature the prince was, he was still a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy. When he heard Xu Di say this, he urged Xu Di to quickly explain what was so wonderful about it.
Xu Di said, "Once this chili pepper is ripe, you can pick the fruit and dry it. It's an excellent seasoning with a very spicy flavor. After eating it, you'll feel warm all over."
Upon hearing this, the prince thought of the cold winter and how the soldiers here drank strong liquor to keep warm. However, not everyone could drink this liquor, as brewing requires grain. Now everyone is struggling to get enough to eat, so where can they find grain to brew liquor?
Seeing the prince's expression, Xu Di knew what he was thinking and continued, "Prince, let me tell you the truth, this chili pepper is not only edible, it also has another use. After being made into chili powder, it is an excellent self-defense item. Let me put it this way, it is much more powerful than lime."
Upon hearing this, the prince's eyes lit up. Xu Di, seeing that the prince understood what was going on, chuckled and said, "Prince, if this could be used on our city walls, not only would people be unable to withstand it, but even the horses and oxen would be unable to withstand it."
Upon hearing this, the prince couldn't help but chuckle along with Xu Di. After laughing enough, the prince quickly composed himself and said, "Xu Di, if that's really the case, then I must thank you properly."
Xu Di waved his hand and said, "I'm thinking of going to the estate to plant next spring. I can't hire people myself. We have to plant this secretly. Could you find some uncles and elders like Uncle Li to come? I don't need anything else, just that they know how to farm."
The prince nodded repeatedly. Xu Di looked at some of the chili peppers that had already turned red and said, "These chili peppers are ripe. Don't leave today. Have dinner at my house, and I'll cook you something delicious."
Upon hearing this, the prince glanced at the sky and said, "I'll go back and make some arrangements first, and then come back for dinner tonight."
Xu Di couldn't wait any longer, so he picked a few bright red chilies, removed the seeds, and started making the hot pot broth.
The thought of a delicious, spicy hot pot filled Xu Di with energy.
Because it was almost Chinese New Year, the family had stocked up on various supplies. They found a few beef bones and asked Sister He to help them make bone broth. Then, Xu Di went to a small pharmacy that his mother had set up at home to find the spices he needed.
As Xu Di followed the list he had written, he rummaged through the medicine cabinet that lined the entire wall, thinking happily to himself, "It's so good to have a doctor as a mother. I can just come and get whatever spices I want. Nowadays, many spices need to be bought at pharmacies. Of course, not all the spices I need can be found there, but Xu Di felt that this was already pretty good."
First, boil the chili peppers in a small pot for a while, then mash them into a paste. Put vegetable oil in a wok, add a large piece of butter, and wait for the butter to melt. Then comes the crucial moment.
Put chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns into hot oil, add some of Aunt He's homemade fermented bean paste, then add various spices, and then add some white wine. Stir-fry over low heat. The aroma made Xu Di feel empty inside. Watching the small pot, looking at the steaming broth, and smelling the aroma, he felt like he was about to fly.
Xu Di saw that the base sauce was ready, so he thought about going to see which vegetables in the greenhouse could be cooked that night. When he turned around, he saw his father standing by the kitchen door, staring longingly at the pot where the base sauce was being cooked.
Xu Di was startled and said, "Oh my god, Dad, what are you doing here? You scared me!"
Xu Rao said, "You've finally decided to let us have hot pot."
Xu Di said, "Didn't the young master just come over? There are some chili peppers that are ripe, so I thought we should have a hot pot dinner tonight to satisfy our cravings. I'll go to the street and buy some beef and mutton."
Xu Rao said, "Go and see if the butcher shop still has any tripe. If they do, buy some too."
Upon hearing this, Xu Di waved his hand and hurried towards the street. It was already afternoon, and if he went too late, the stalls would be closed.
As the year draws to a close, there are many more vendors on the streets. When Xu Di went out, he saw people around his home asking what smelled so good. He took a closer sniff and found that the aroma of the hot pot base he had just made was already wafting through the air. It has to be said that the aroma of the hot pot base was truly impressive; otherwise, hot pot wouldn't have become so popular throughout the country back then.
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