"Princess, let's hurry up and make it, otherwise how will we give it to the Thirteenth Prince?"
As Geng Youran stood up to tidy up the books on the table, she led Qianxue to the small kitchen and said:
"And you too, why didn't you leave as soon as you ran into Gao Wuyong? Now look what's happened, we have to do it all over again."
Qianxue had nothing to say but could not, so she could only try to appease him:
"Hehe, isn't it because your pastries are so delicious?"
"Hmm, your mouth could be even sweeter."
Geng Youran asked Qianxue to find the pine pollen she had collected in advance, while she poured an appropriate amount of honey into a pot, added an appropriate amount of water, steamed it for a while, and then added fine sugar while it was still hot, stirring until the sugar was completely dissolved.
Then slowly pour the steamed honey into the pine pollen, stirring constantly with a spoon.
After the honey and pine pollen are fully mixed, the two people rub a layer of oil on their hands, pinch the steamed cake into evenly sized pieces, and knead them into balls.
Finally, sprinkle a layer of pine pollen on the cutting board, place the dough into the mooncake mold, press it gently, and then unmold it. After unmolding, sprinkle another layer of pine pollen on the surface of the mooncake.
The next step is to make 'Da Nai Gao' (a type of rice cake).
The steps to make 'Danai Cake' are actually very simple, just a bit tedious.
This type of pastry requires washing fresh plums, then peeling and pitting them.
Then Geng Youran took out an appropriate amount of white plum and licorice from the cabinet behind her and put them into a pot. She added an appropriate amount of water to the pot and brought it to a boil.
Meanwhile, Qianxue prepared pine nuts, olive kernels, walnut kernels, and melon seeds. She peeled the olive kernels and walnut kernels and chopped the melon seeds, then stuffed them into the plums.
Then Geng Youran put the prepared plums into the white plum and licorice soup and simmered them for a while.
After blanching, remove the plums and let them cool before use.
Following Geng Youran's instructions, Qianxue mixed honey with pine nuts, olives, walnuts, and melon seeds to make the filling.
Then the two people filled the cooled plums with the filling until they were full.
Finally, place the stuffed plums into a small steamer (a type of steamer for cooking food), cover it, and steam in a steamer. Steam until the plums are cooked through and the filling has solidified.
After finishing all these things, Geng Youran was also tired.
"Qianxue, you keep an eye on things here. Once they've cooled down a bit, you can pack them up. I'm going back inside to rest for a while."
"yes."
However, just as Geng Youran was about to turn and leave, she heard someone shout at the door:
"The Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince have arrived!"
Geng Youran and Qianxue looked at each other, and Qianxue joked:
"Princess, I guess you don't need me to deliver it."
Geng Youran said:
"Stop talking nonsense. You stay here and keep watch, don't let anyone else near."
"yes."
Geng Youran then carried the tea set into the room.
There was no other way; she was afraid that someone might tamper with the small kitchen (and most likely no one would dare), so she had Qianxue keep an eye on things while she took matters into her own hands.
"Your Highness, Thirteenth Prince, please have a taste. This is freshly harvested spring tea, a gift from the Princess Consort a few days ago."
Yinzhen didn't touch it, but the Thirteenth Prince seemed interested. He picked up the tea, smelled it first, then took a sip, and nodded.
"This Biluochun tea tastes good."
Geng Youran put away the tray and smiled:
"The Thirteenth Prince has a sharp tongue."
At this moment, Yinzhen spoke up:
"My master and thirteenth brother haven't eaten yet. Go to the small kitchen and get them something to eat. After we eat, my master has to go to the palace this afternoon."
"yes."
Geng Youran gracefully left the room, then kicked him a few times from a short distance away, thinking to herself, "Has this person taken the wrong medicine today? Does he really think I'm his cook?"
Meanwhile, Qianxue saw that the pastries had cooled down quite a bit and was packing them into a food box.
"Princess? What brings you here?"
"What, can't I come?"
Qianxue chuckled and comforted her:
"Of course you can, this is your territory. What I mean is, Your Highness and the Thirteenth Prince are inside, why are you in the small kitchen?"
Geng Youran put down the tray, sat down next to her, and started picking vegetables, saying fiercely:
"They were hungry and specifically asked to eat here."
Qianxue stuck out her tongue; she roughly guessed why her princess was angry.
The two of them were too slow, so Qianxue called in a few more maids to pick vegetables.
"Your Highness, Thirteenth Prince, my cooking skills are limited, please try it."
Yinzhen and Yinxiang were pleasantly surprised to see the six dishes and one soup laid out in front of them.
"Gege Geng, what kind of dishes have you made? I've never eaten them before."
"Your Highness is too kind. It's just some simple home-cooked dishes. It's springtime now, so I specially prepared some dishes using seasonal vegetables. I hope you're satisfied."
Yinzhen, who was standing next to him, picked up a piece of chicken, tasted it carefully, and found it to be quite delicious.
"This chicken is quite good; it even seems to have a plum blossom flavor. What's it called?"
"Your Excellency, this dish is called 'Plum Blossom Fragrant Chicken.' It's because the chicken is coated with a mixture of white plum blossoms and sandalwood powder while steaming, giving it a plum blossom aroma when you eat it."
Seeing that the two gentlemen's chopsticks hadn't stopped eating, Geng Youran breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your Highness, Thirteenth Prince, please eat first. There is still a main dish in the small kitchen. I will go and prepare it."
Then Geng Youran went to the small kitchen, first selecting an appropriate amount of Chinese toon root, and had Qianxue wash it, crush it, and sift it finely.
Then Geng Youran mixed the crushed and finely sifted toon roots with flour, added an appropriate amount of water, and kneaded it into a dough. She then rolled the dough into a thin sheet and cut it into wonton wrappers of appropriate size.
The filling uses the finest shrimp.
"Qianxue, go find two plates. Let's wrap up a lot and keep some for ourselves."
Qianxue was speechless, but she did as she was told.
After the two princes had eaten their fill, the thirteenth prince smiled and left with the food box, while the fourth prince went to the palace.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed."
"Get up."
As Yinzhen became more mature in his work and his ruthless style became more approachable, Kangxi gradually entrusted him with many tasks.
"A famine is currently occurring in Shengjing. What are your thoughts on this?"
"Your Majesty, I believe that grain from Shandong and Henan can be transported to Shengjing Sanchakou by sea to help the people."
Kangxi nodded, and then said:
“Very good. Since you already have an idea, then this matter will be handled by Minister of Revenue Ma Qi, and you will be in charge of its implementation.”
"Your subject obeys the decree!"
After leaving the palace, Yinzhen personally went to the Ministry of Revenue and confirmed with them that soup kitchens should be set up in the disaster area before the grain arrived in Shengjing to provide basic living support for the victims. At the same time, he requested the Emperor to reduce or exempt taxes after the disaster to help the victims rebuild their homes.
Yinzhen was so busy with disaster relief that he didn't even have time to rest, but unexpectedly, trouble also arose in his own palace the next day.
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