Chapter 24 "I really like eating locust flower wheat rice..."
"Is it ready to eat just by steeping it in boiling water like this?"
The princess looked at the covered porcelain bowl in front of her with great curiosity.
Feng Mian nodded and replied, "Yes. After counting to one hundred and eighty, remove the lid. If you want it softer, count a few more times."
The princess doesn't particularly like strong flavors, but she usually enjoys drinking chicken soup. So she brought over some chicken soup-flavored sauce, wanting to hear the princess's opinion on the soup dumplings.
The princess moved slightly closer to the porcelain bowl, her nose twitched, and her delicate eyebrows unconsciously rose. "It smells wonderful."
Wu Liu silently counted to one hundred and eighty, then stepped forward and removed the lid from the bowl. Steaming hot water vapor billowed out, along with a rich aroma.
The princess looked at the bowl in surprise. The previously dry soup noodles had been soaked in hot water and stretched out, lying in the golden broth made from dissolved chicken sauce. The dehydrated dried vegetables were all soaked in water, and although they were not as fresh as fresh vegetables, they were still a pleasing green. Small pieces of dried meat had also been soaked in the hot soup and plumped up, dotting the soup noodles.
The princess held a spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other. After tasting the soup noodles, she took a sip of the soup, and then tasted the vegetable and meat pieces. The surprise in her eyes was almost overflowing.
"It really tastes like chicken soup! Although it's not as fresh as what you get when it's made in the kitchen, it's still incredibly delicious. If only... if only..."
The princess looked at Feng Mian with great excitement. Although she hadn't finished speaking, Feng Mian understood her meaning. Like her, the princess also thought that if this item could be used as military rations, it would greatly improve the soldiers' diet.
Feng Mian nodded and said, "I intend to send this to the army once it's made."
A hint of tears welled up in the princess's eyes. The reason she was able to think of using this item in the army so quickly was because of her two troublesome children at home. Every time they returned from a campaign, they were always carrying some kind of injury or illness. No matter how carefully she prepared their meals at home, it couldn't compare to a trip to the military camp.
Not to mention that many soldiers in the army could not even dream of going home, and those soldiers who guarded the beacon towers all day long could only receive supplies once a month when the roads were blocked by wind and snow, and they had to endure a lot of hardship.
"How can a person always eat dry biscuits and pickled vegetables? Soldiers in the army often suffer from nystagmus, pellagra, and other ailments, which are really tiring. If we had these soup biscuits, we would have both vegetables and meat, which would definitely reduce a lot of pain. Even if the environment is not good and we can't boil water to make them, it's still great to be able to eat them dry!"
The princess excitedly grasped Feng Mian's hand, "This is truly a meritorious deed! The soldiers at the border all thank you!"
"It is my honor to be able to do my part for the soldiers who guard the border and defend the country." Feng Mian then revealed his dilemma, "It's just that the cost of this soup is a bit high, so I'm afraid it will be difficult to promote."
"Even if the Prince's Mansion and I foot the bill ourselves, we may not be able to sustain it for long."
The princess's expression immediately darkened. "We finally managed to finish it, but it all fell apart because we didn't have enough money. It's such a pity."
"So I'd like to ask you for a favor." Feng Mian sat down beside the princess and looked at her earnestly.
"So you're saying there's a way?" The princess's hope was rekindled, and she looked at Feng Mian expectantly.
"I wasn't quite sure at first, but now that I see you speak so highly of this soup noodle, I'm a bit more confident." Feng Mian smiled and laid out his thoughts. "Since this soup noodle is food, it can also be sold to the people and merchants. I plan to set up a soup noodle workshop. The money earned from selling the soup noodles can be used to maintain the workshop's operation, and the soup noodles supplied to the army can be sold at a discount, so there's no need to worry about extravagant military spending."
"Although the oil used in the workshop can no longer be used to fry soup dumplings, it can still be used to make other foods. The problem of waste can be solved simply by opening another small restaurant."
Moreover, Feng Mian plans to secretly starve himself for a few more meals to see if he can dream of other foods.
The princess's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "That's a great idea! But what do you need my help with?"
"I would like to ask you to attend the banquet on my behalf and bring these soup dumplings to the wives of officials to try. If we can persuade them to support the soup dumpling workshop, it will be much easier to get started."
Feng Mian was a little embarrassed. She knew that the princess did not like to attend banquets, and she had just declined the invitation two days ago. It was really difficult to ask the princess to attend the banquet in her place today.
The princess readily agreed to Feng Mian's request. She disliked attending banquets, finding it boring and a waste of time for a group of ladies and young women to gather together and compare themselves. However, she was extremely willing to attend banquets for important matters.
"There happens to be a banquet at Prefect Chen's house the day after tomorrow. I'll definitely promote it for you then. By the way, have you named this soup dumpling yet?"
"Let's call it Instant Soup Dumplings, it's easy to remember and understand."
With one problem solved, Feng Mian breathed a sigh of relief. If the workshop operated smoothly in the northern frontier, she planned to include the soup dumplings in her letter to her uncle. The Great Yong Dynasty wasn't limited to the Dingbei Army in the northern frontier; there were also many fine young men from Great Yong in the southwestern border regions, and they too needed to improve their meals.
The princess nodded and noted it down. Feng Mian then asked, "I would also like to ask you for someone else."
"Really? I... I'll be able to work for the princess from now on?"
At Xueyue Residence, Huaihua was so excited when Fengmian told her that she was going to be transferred to Fengmian's side that she almost jumped up.
"The princess's words are law, how could she possibly lie to you?" Liu Ying found her boisterous manner amusing and couldn't help but tease her. From now on, she wouldn't be the youngest one by the princess's side anymore!
Huaihua scratched her head sheepishly: "Then what do I need to do?"
The two maids who served the princess closely, Sister Liuying and Sister Wuliu, were different from her; they looked no different from noble ladies. She, however, was just a clueless little girl, and really didn't know what she could do to help the princess.
Seeing the anxiety in her eyes, Feng Mian first comforted her, saying, "Don't be afraid. You made the soup dumplings very well. For the time being, you will only need to make soup dumplings."
Feng Mian briefly told Huaihua about the plans to set up a soup noodle workshop, and asked her to set aside an hour each day to learn to write with Wu Liu or Liu Ying.
"I'll have two people taste the three types of soup noodles you've made so far, and see if they have any other opinions. Then you can adjust the recipe and flavor accordingly."
Huaihua nodded vigorously, then asked curiously who the princess was going to invite to taste her soup dumplings, since their opinions were so important.
At the Swift Feather Camp's training ground, the soldiers were training with great fanfare when a captain suddenly stepped forward and shouted, "Wang Er, Yan Xiaoqi, step forward!"
Two soldiers, covered in sweat and looking dejected, ran out of the ranks when the captain gave the order: "The princess requests your presence at her residence."
ah? ?
Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi sat awkwardly and nervously in the dining hall of the Prince's mansion, looking at each other anxiously and whispering among themselves, trying to guess what the princess wanted to see them about.
"Could it be that the princess was just putting on a show of kindness in front of the prince, and now she's going to settle scores with us?" Wang Er speculated with extreme malice.
Yan Xiaoqi held onto hope: "Wouldn't it be too much to call us into the Prince's mansion to do this? Are you afraid others won't know?"
"You're just a kid, you don't understand. There are many secrets within wealthy and powerful families. The more secretive they are, the more likely they are to eliminate us silently!"
As Wang Er finished speaking, several loud noises rang out, and the open doors and windows slammed shut instantly, startling the two of them so much they almost jumped up.
Several tall figures were visible through the window screen, carrying something in their hands, gradually approaching the room.
The sound of footsteps was so loud that Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi screamed and hugged each other.
With a "bang," the tightly closed door was kicked open from the outside.
"Feng Mian, you've got Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi..." Baili Xunzhou stormed in from outside, his robes fluttering in a sharp arc, his voice fierce. But he stopped abruptly when he saw the situation inside, standing there dumbfounded, still in the act of barging in.
Everyone in the room turned to look at Baili Xunzhou. Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi, who still had a few pieces of soup noodles in their mouths, saw their young master rushing in calling their names. They quickly bit off the soup noodles in their mouths, chewed them up in a few bites, and swallowed them, explaining all at once.
"Your Highness, we're alright!"
"The princess didn't expect us to settle accounts!"
When the captain came to tell them to leave, he looked at them with sympathy and told them to hold on, saying that he would definitely go and invite the Crown Prince back to the manor to save them, and that they could go without worry. He didn't expect the Crown Prince to come so quickly.
After the two finished explaining, they looked at the embarrassed Crown Prince, and then at the Princess who had come to her senses and was giving a half-smile. They were choked by the awkwardness that filled the air.
Alas, it's all their fault for thinking badly of the princess.
Who would have thought that the princess had specially summoned them just to treat them to soup noodles!
Bai Lixunzhou stammered, "I thought..."
"I was just worried that the soup dumplings wouldn't suit the soldiers' tastes, so I called these two to taste them and give me some feedback." Feng Mian looked at Baili Xunzhou with a leisurely air. "Does the young master think I want to kill them?"
Baili Xunzhou kept his mouth shut, and heard Feng Mian sigh: "The trust between you and me is really weak."
He was secretly annoyed with the captain. When the captain came to deliver the message, he was worried that His Highness would not take the matter to heart, so he embellished it quite a bit, making the words so serious that it was as if if Baili Xunzhou had arrived a moment later, he would have been collecting the corpses of Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi.
He then rushed back at breakneck speed, barged in, only to find it was yet another misunderstanding.
At this moment, facing this delicate and frail princess, he felt that he would be better off facing dozens of burly foreign men on the battlefield. At least then, he wouldn't feel the same discomfort, like ants crawling all over him.
Baili Xunzhou: "I'm sorry..."
Feng Mian glanced at him indifferently: "The young master has apologized to me far too many times."
Baili Xunzhou coughed lightly, walked into the house, and glared angrily at Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi, who shrank back.
He softened his voice, his tone becoming more pleading and humble: "The princess suddenly requested people from my camp, and the messenger didn't explain clearly. I misunderstood, and I hope the princess will forgive me. May I ask what brings the princess here?"
Why bring people from his camp to taste a few bowls of soup noodles?
Feng Mian looked at Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi, signaling them to answer their young master's question.
The two of them already had a ton of compliments in their hearts, and they hurriedly tried to answer in a flurry of different words.
"These are ready-to-eat dry soup noodles made by the princess!"
"It's so convenient to eat, just rinse it with hot water and it's cooked!"
"There's meat, vegetables, and eggs! It smells so good, I almost want to eat my tongue!"
"The princess said she wants to open a workshop to mass-produce them, so that we can have hot soup noodles when we march!"
Baili Xunzhou was shocked, his dark pupils falling in disbelief onto Feng Mian's face.
Military rations have always been a major problem for the Dingbei Army. Most of the time, the soldiers eat meagerly, a headache he and his father have long plagued. They either occasionally go hunting or pay out of their own pockets to improve their rations. The princess is actually going to provide such fine soup noodles as military rations for the Dingbei Army?!
He immediately bowed deeply to Feng Mian with a solemn expression, but couldn't help but smile, his eyes filled with gratitude and joy. "Thank you for your concern for the soldiers on the frontier, Princess. I thank you on behalf of everyone!"
Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi hurriedly followed suit, bowing deeply and saying in a clear voice, "Thank you, Princess!"
Feng Mian smiled and gestured for them to stand up. "Don't thank me yet. The workshop isn't finished yet. If the soup dumplings don't sell well and we can't earn enough money to supply the workshop, you won't be able to eat soup dumplings either."
Upon learning that making the soup noodles was quite expensive, Baili Xunzhou suggested, "In that case, you can make more sauce packets. Even without the soup noodles, a bowl of hot soup on its own would be excellent."
Feng Mian found this reasonable and nodded in agreement. She looked at Baili Xunzhou, then, remembering something, took out a thumb-sized nameplate from her purse and handed it to him.
"To see the Crown Prince is harder than climbing to heaven. Since we've already met, I'll give you this now."
Bai Lixun, embarrassed, accepted the nameplate. The nameplate was made of iron and felt cool to the touch. It had a seal character "封" (seal) engraved on it, below which were the two characters "百里" (hundred miles) in the size of a grain of rice, and a string of five zeros.
He raised his eyebrows and looked at Feng Mian questioningly.
“This is the nameplate I mentioned to the Crown Prince last time, which can be used to make purchases at shops under my name. Lord Lu sent someone to deliver the Crown Prince's nameplate early this morning. The number on it is the serial number. This is the main nameplate; I will give the secondary nameplate to the Princess Consort.” Feng Mian said, looking at the expectant Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi. “Tomorrow, Lord Lu will go to the Jiyu Camp to distribute the nameplates in order.”
Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi cheered inwardly. They looked at each other and saw the respect and love for the princess in each other's eyes. From now on, they would also be the princess's soldiers!
"The Princess will be attending a banquet at Prefect Chen's residence tomorrow. If all goes well, the workshop will have its first big deal." Feng Mian thought, trying to reassure Baili Xunzhou.
Upon hearing this, Baili Xunzhou asked, "And what about you?"
He thought the princess would personally oversee the completion of these two matters, so why did she abandon them?
"I want to eat locust flower wheat rice," Feng Mian said confidently.
Baili Xunzhou was speechless for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "You really like locust flower and wheat porridge that much?"
Locust flower wheat porridge is a common dish among ordinary people. He originally thought the princess was just looking for something new, but she seemed quite persistent about it.
Feng Mian simply hummed in agreement, indicating that he simply liked to eat it, without explaining why. Baili Xunzhou was somewhat curious but didn't dare to press the matter further. Under Feng Mian's dismissive gaze, he picked up Wang Er and Yan Xiaoqi and left.
But I couldn't help but wonder why she liked locust flower and wheat rice so much.
But before Feng Mian could even take a bite of the locust flower and wheat porridge, news came from the front yard: the instant soup noodles that the princess had prepared for the banquet were missing.
A note from the author:
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