Chapter 65 Flowers Bloom Everywhere in Yuqing Palace
"Delicious." Xie Yunchuan affirmed again, "This is the first time I've known that dogwood can be used as a condiment in addition to its medicinal uses."
The pungent taste of the dogwood was neutralized well when it was ground into powder and sprinkled on the grilled fish brushed with soy sauce, leaving only a refreshing spiciness.
"It feels like a burning sensation, like strong liquor, but not quite the same. Drinking liquor makes you feel good, but eating this makes me... well, it's an appetizer?"
He affirmed her several times, making her extremely happy, and urged her to eat another kind.
After being amazed by the spicy grilled fish, Xie Yunchuan was even more looking forward to the other grilled fish.
Xie Yunchuan deliberately took a sip of tea to reduce the spiciness in his mouth before tasting the other flavor.
The snow-white fish fillets, coated in a thick sauce, curl up and release the tangy plum flavor that instantly awakens the taste buds.
After the sizzling aroma of the grilled fish fades, a refreshing sourness follows, but it's not an overly sour one; it also carries a hint of the fish's natural sweetness.
Compared to spicy grilled fish, this flavor is much easier to identify.
Xie Yunchuan's pupils dilated slightly, once again amazed: "This is... with plum juice added?"
"Almost, except it's not plum juice, but plum sauce. There are no plums in December, otherwise plum juice would taste even better!"
Xie Yunchuan smiled and nodded as he ate, "I didn't realize our little one had such a talent for being a chef."
"No, no, this is what someone told me. It's just about sprinkling some stuff on it. It's not difficult."
Xie Yunchuan suddenly paused, frowned, and asked her, "Sheng'er, have you remembered what happened before?"
That tree shrew? I've never seen one in the palace. It must have been something Sheng Sheng encountered at the Duke of Jing's residence.
Did she remember what happened before?
Sheng Sheng was taken aback, then belatedly realized, "Oh right, how did Sheng Sheng become friends with the little tree shrew? Sheng Sheng remembers that the little tree shrew picked a dogwood for her and said that it was edible, but humans might need to process it before eating it."
Sheng Sheng tried hard to recall the scene at that time, but her memory of Zhu Yu seemed to have been suddenly transmitted into her mind, and she could recall it effortlessly.
But when she tried to think of anything else, her mind went completely blank.
Xie Yunchuan patted her head: "It's okay, let's go eat. Is our little Sheng'er starving?"
"Yes!" Sheng Sheng nodded vigorously. "However, Sheng Sheng still has to deliver grilled fish to Xiao Bai!"
Xiaobai was a great hero yesterday, so she should reward her properly.
"Send Zijuan to Cining Palace, you eat." Xie Yunchuan picked up Shengsheng. "Children need to eat on time to grow tall."
Upon hearing that she could grow taller, Sheng Sheng looked at her own short legs and felt a little heartbroken.
Sheng Sheng muttered, "Sheng Sheng will grow taller, even taller than her brother!"
She's just young now, but when she grows up she'll be as tall as her brothers!
"Okay, he's taller than his brother."
Xie Yunchuan suppressed a laugh and coaxed her, his mind filled with the image of Sheng Sheng saying she was taller than him.
Sheng Sheng has a sweet appearance, and if she's taller than him... well, a nine-foot sweet girl?
Xie Yunchuan couldn't help but laugh just thinking about it.
The brother and sister came out of the study, while Zijuan and the others were still gathered around the fire grill, sharing one of the grilled fish.
Upon seeing the two of them come out, they hurriedly wiped their hands and greeted him with puffed-out cheeks.
"Your Highness!"
Xie Yunchuan paused in his steps.
Previously, Yuqing Palace was not deserted, but there were few people, and the palace servants were all well-behaved.
Although it's not bad for palace servants to be sensible and obedient, there are many more smiles in Yuqing Palace now than in the past.
Xie Yunchuan's gaze then fell upon the still-burning fire, with a skewer of grilled fish on the rack. The belly of the fish had been removed, which was what he had just eaten.
This situation would never have occurred in the past at Yuqing Palace.
Because Sheng Sheng liked them, Huang Ying specially transplanted some flowers and planted them all over the yard. But since it wasn't the right season yet, only the row of wintersweet buds in the corner showed any signs of blooming.
It was because of the little bundle in his arms that Yuqing Palace was filled with beauty, and the people among them felt more at ease and warm.
Xie Yunchuan's heart softened.
Huang Ying turned her back, quickly wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and swallowed the grilled fish in her mouth: "Your Highness, dinner is ready, and the small kitchen can serve it now."
Huang Ying felt a little embarrassed, as if she had been caught doing something wrong by her master, and looked at him guiltily.
The others also hurriedly wiped their mouths with their sleeves.
Xie Yunchuan chuckled, pretending not to see their little tricks, and simply instructed Zijuan to grill another fish and send it to Cining Palace.
After a while, the sunset came out, and my stomach kept growling.
Just as they were about to go to the palace for dinner, Xiao Bai suddenly popped its head out from over the wall, and then struggled a little to squeeze its whole body onto the wall.
Once his body was revealed, everyone noticed that his snow-white fur was covered with many small, withered leaves.
I don't know which haystack Xiaobai rolled around in; from a distance, it looked like he had dyed his fur a new color.
"Oh, Little White is here!"
Sheng Sheng was overjoyed. She had just mentioned that she wanted to send fish to Xiao Bai, and Xiao Bai came to her door on his own. What a coincidence!
"Why is Lord Xiaobai covered in so much stuff? Princess, may I get a comb to help Lord Xiaobai comb his hair?" Zijuan said.
"Okay." Sheng Sheng nodded.
Xiao Bai jumped down, and for the first time, instead of lazily saying a few words to Sheng Sheng before coming over, it ran straight towards Sheng Sheng.
Sheng Sheng was puzzled, but upon closer inspection, she saw that Xiao Bai was actually carrying a mouse in its mouth!
"Huh? It's that little mouse from yesterday!"
Xie Yunchuan didn't react for a moment, but after thinking about it, he remembered that yesterday in Wenhua Hall, Xiaobai did chase a mouse onto Xie Yubin and make a fuss.
Judging from the sound, it means this is a mouse?
Xie Yunchuan put the little dumpling down, watching with a smile as the little dumpling ran to find Xiaobai. Without any regard for others, he began to lecture Xiaobai: "Xiaobai, how could you do this? Xiaobai helped us a lot yesterday and is our good friend. How could you bully him?"
Xie Yunchuan couldn't bear to watch.
So, was yesterday's big show really orchestrated by this little dumpling?
Xie Yunchuan chuckled: "I didn't expect it to be a little dumpling with sesame filling."
There is a bit of a black-hearted side to it.
Little White was displeased. It released the little mouse and pressed down on its tail with its paw: "Hey, human, who gave you the audacity to talk to me like that? I am the Imperial Cat, I've been serving the Empress Dowager since my grandmother's time!"
What Xiaobai said is true. The current Empress Dowager is very fond of cats. She has kept a white cat by her side since she was just a concubine.
That white cat is Xiaobai's grandma.
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