Zhou Miaosi gives birth to a daughter
With the popularity of beef, Fu Zhiqiao launched a whole beef feast at Taibailou Restaurant.
Beef tendon slices, beef slices, grilled beef skewers, gravy eggs, gravy tofu, beef soup... People all over Beijing are talking about Taibailou, saying that if you don't eat Taibailou's beef at least once in your life, you've lived in vain.
For a time, Taibai Tower was a sight to behold.
Seeing the booming sales of beef, within ten days, restaurants began to follow Taibailou's lead and launch grilled meat skewers. Although they didn't have beef, they had plenty of lamb, pork, and chicken.
Yinxing was indignant when she found out. She pouted and said, "Girl, all those restaurants are copying us and trying to steal our business."
"You can seize it for a while, but you can't seize it forever." Fu Zhi Qiao was very calm about this.
Taibailou's braised beef and grilled beef skewers are known for their unique flavors, which other restaurants cannot replicate.
The barbecue seasoning she makes contains more than ten kinds of spices, and after being ground into powder, the amount of each spice is different.
Especially the cumin added to the kebabs, people who don't travel to the Western Regions to trade have no idea what cumin is, let alone the people who live in the capital year-round.
As the saying goes, it's easy to paint the skin and bones, but difficult to paint the soul.
The grilled beef skewers have been on the market for about half a month now, and many colleagues have come to try them, both openly and secretly. It's not surprising that some chefs with sensitive palates can taste some of the recipe.
Fu Zhi Qiao dares to guarantee that there will be no other restaurant in the entire capital that can make the exact same taste as hers.
Even if some people go elsewhere to eat barbecue skewers because the prices are cheaper, they will definitely come back to eat there once they find that the taste is not as good as Taibailou's. This back-and-forth will further reinforce people's impression that Taibailou's food and drinks are delicious.
To eat beef, almost all the wealthy people in the capital flocked to Taibai Tower. The daily limit on the amount of beef made the diners complain. Helpless, Fu Zhiqiao had no choice but to add dozens of kilograms of beef every day.
As a result, the beef that was originally planned to be sold for a month was sold out in just over twenty days.
After the beef skewers sold out, lamb was next on the market.
Lamb skewers and beef skewers taste different.
Guests who have enjoyed the delicious taste of grilled beef skewers will naturally not miss out on grilled lamb skewers.
At first, many diners were disappointed when they learned that the beef was sold out. However, after they ate the grilled lamb skewers, their complaints about not having beef almost disappeared.
"As expected of Taibai Tower, they can even handle the gamey mutton so well."
"Absolutely! This mutton soup is so delicious. Every day after my shift, I drink a bowl of mutton soup, and it warms me up from head to toe, making all the fatigue of the day disappear!"
"That's right, the lamb skewers and lamb soup are delicious. How about we take a bowl of lamb soup back with us after we finish eating, and have it with flatbread tomorrow morning?"
"That's a great idea. Lamb soup with flatbread is the perfect combination."
The two men were dressed in police uniforms. Perhaps because they had to work the next day, they didn't order any alcohol, but instead ordered lamb skewers and lamb soup.
Lean and fatty meat are skewered together and grilled. The fat melts and releases a fragrant aroma that makes diners' mouths water.
The lamb was roasted to a charred, fragrant perfection, still bubbling with tiny oil bubbles when it was served. I couldn't resist taking a bite; the meat was tender, without any gamey or muttony smell, and the juices seeped from the pieces, leaving a lingering, rich aroma in my mouth.
They ate a skewer of mutton and drank a sip of mutton soup, and they were so happy that they kept licking their lips. Especially in the cold winter, drinking a bowl of warm mutton soup was just the most blissful thing.
This winter, the people of Beijing enjoyed a feast. They all realized that beef was delicious, but mutton was also quite good. Each had its own unique flavor and was delicious. There was nothing bad to eat at Taibai Tower.
Beef and mutton are limited-time menu items offered by Taibailou; they will be unavailable once the stock is sold out.
In order to keep the diners attracted by beef and mutton, Fu Zhiqiao also made preparations by ordering a lot of pork from butchers before the Lunar New Year.
If there's no beef or lamb, pork will do; she plans to continue selling braised and grilled meats in the restaurant.
Braised beef has been replaced with braised pork, and roasted beef and mutton has been replaced with roasted pork belly. While beef and mutton are delicious, roasted and braised pork are just as good, and they are cheaper, so they are sure to be popular with diners.
*
The colder the weather, the less Fu Zhiqiao wanted to go out.
At 1:15 AM, Yinxing went to the main house to wake Fu Zhiqiao as usual. As soon as she stepped out of the room, she found that everything outside was white, with snow covering the courtyard and the eaves.
Everything was fine last night, but when I woke up this morning, the world had changed color. This is the difference between the capital and Qingzhou. It snows in Qingzhou in winter, but it's always light snow. It takes two or three days to accumulate enough snow to make it this thick. In the capital, however, it only takes one night to turn the whole earth white.
In the capital, however, the whole world turned white in just one night.
Approaching Fu Zhiqiao's bedside, Yinxing whispered, "Miss, Miss, wake up! It's snowing outside!"
Fu Zhi Qiao got up with her eyes half-closed. Yin Xing handed her a hand warmer and found a fluffy cloak to put on her.
Fu Zhiqiao walked to the window and stretched her hand out. Snowflakes, as fine as goose feathers, fell into her palm. In an instant, the snowflakes melted into water from the warmth of her hand.
"Girl, you can't open the window when it's snowing, or you'll catch a cold!"
Fu Zhi Qiao withdrew her hand, and Yin Xing called over a maid to bring hot water and washing utensils. After washing up, Fu Zhi Qiao went to the kitchen courtyard to check on the cattle and sheep she was raising.
She specially built a greenhouse in the courtyard to raise the cattle and sheep well, so that they could be eaten during the New Year. After confirming that there was no problem with the cattle and sheep, she went to pay her respects to Yu Roulan with peace of mind.
Yu Roulan was worried that Fu Zhiqiao might catch a cold and feel unwell, so she instructed the kitchen to make her a bowl of ginger soup. "It snowed heavily last night, and your health isn't very good to begin with. If you feel unwell anywhere, you should see a doctor as soon as possible."
"Mother, don't worry, I'm perfectly fine," Fu Zhiqiao replied, sipping her ginger soup.
Zhou Miaosi's letter arrived at this time.
In her letter, Zhou Miaosi said that she had given birth to a daughter and wanted to invite her to come over for a get-together.
Fu Zhi Qiao had probably calculated the date Zhou Miao Si would give birth, and she even prepared a gold lock for the baby.
Giving birth is like a life-or-death experience for a woman.
Due to the limited hygiene conditions in ancient times, new mothers were not allowed to be exposed to wind or cold after giving birth. Coupled with the current freezing weather, a slight mishap could lead to catching a cold and developing postpartum illnesses. If she were to visit, Zhou Miaosi would have to expend considerable effort to receive her. While she had a good relationship with Zhou Miaosi, she had absolutely no connection to the Qin family. Visiting Zhou Miaosi at this critical juncture would undoubtedly only cause her trouble.
Zhou Miaosi didn't send her an invitation, and Fu Zhiqiao was also busy with the Taibai Tower matter. The two had very little contact in the past month or two. Now that Zhou Miaosi is sending her an invitation, she must have already finished her postpartum confinement.
Fu Zhiqiao brought gifts to the Qin residence.
Zhou Miaosi gave birth to a daughter, a very healthy child; the gender-changing medication did not harm the child.
When Zhou Miaosi first learned that she had given birth to a daughter, she was uneasy because her mother-in-law's long-awaited grandson had not come true.
Zhou Miaosi lay on the bed, looking listless. Qin Xiuqi comforted her, "Our daughter is fine. I love our daughter too."
"But my mother-in-law..."
Qin Xiuqi interrupted her: "No need to think too much, I'll take care of everything. Besides, I have a daughter who is just as lovely as you, and I can't even dote on her enough."
Zhou Miaosi was finally cheered up.
The baby weighed a good seven or eight pounds at birth, causing Zhou Miaosi a lot of suffering; every part of her body ached. Because she almost had a difficult childbirth, Zhou Miaosi stayed in her room during her postpartum confinement period and rarely went out to see anyone. She only contacted Fu Zhi Qiao after her confinement period was over.
After giving birth, Zhou Miaosi's maternal glow became even more pronounced.
With a wet nurse to take care of the baby, she didn't have to worry about anything. Her husband treated her gently and considerately, and although her mother-in-law had some complaints, she didn't dare to give her a hard time directly. Zhou Miaosi's postpartum period was incredibly comfortable.
After Fu Zhiqiao took her seat, servants from the Qin family came to serve tea. Smoke curled up from the openwork cloud-shaped incense burner, and several charcoal braziers were placed in the corner, making the whole room warm and cozy.
Zhou Miaosi and Fu Zhiqiao exchanged a glance, and she immediately laughed and said, "Why are you dressed so plainly? You should be more glamorous to match your appearance."
Fu Zhi Qiao smiled, then looked behind her and saw the wet nurse holding a chubby, fair-skinned baby.
Fu Zhiqiao first presented the child with an exquisite gold-inlaid jade longevity lock, then looked at Zhou Miaosi and said, "Sister Miaosi, this is a skin-regenerating and moisturizing oil. It is for external use, twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. With continuous use, the skin will become moisturized and soft, and even the stretch marks on the belly can be reduced."
Zhou Miaosi smiled and said, "You're so thoughtful."
The baby was born full-term, grew well, and weighed a good weight, which stretched Zhou Miaosi's belly considerably. The stretch marks on her belly were a constant source of worry for her. After more than a month of postpartum confinement, her body had recovered to a considerable extent, but the stretch marks on her belly still hadn't faded, which really bothered her.
After giving birth, all of Qin's family's attention was focused on the child. Although her husband, Qin Xiuqi, was considerate, he did not notice her sensitive feelings in this regard.
Only Fu Zhi Qiao would consider her needs in every aspect.
A warm feeling washed over Zhou Miaosi.
Suddenly, the child woke up and started crying. Zhou Miaosi was used to this: "She's hungry. My daughter has a big appetite. One wet nurse isn't enough for her. We have three wet nurses in the manor."
Fu Zhiqiao chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling with laughter, which made Zhou Miaosi laugh along with her.
Zhou Miaosi gestured to the wet nurse to take the baby downstairs to breastfeed.
After the wet nurse left, there was no one else in the room. The maids were all behind the screen, which didn't stop the two from chatting about everyday matters.
Zhou Miaosi is satisfied with her current situation and feels happy. Seeing her best friend still single, she has a sudden thought and an impulse to arrange a marriage for Fu Zhiqiao.
"Zhiqiao, have you been looking at anyone lately...?"
"No rush."
Zhou Miaosi knew that Fu Zhiqiao had some involvement with the Prince Duan's heir. She hesitated for a moment, but then spoke up: "But, you'll be a year past your coming-of-age ceremony soon..."
The implication was, "Why aren't you in a hurry to get married yet?" Zhou Miaosi really wanted to ask Fu Zhiqiao, "Do you still have a relationship with the Crown Prince?", but due to Xie Zhuo's status, she ultimately held back.
Although Zhou Miaosi did not look down on Fu Zhiqiao's background, she knew very well that scions of aristocratic families valued marriage between people of equal social standing.
Judging solely from their social status, Fu Zhiqiao and Xie Zhuo are extremely mismatched. There are far too many people who want to curry favor with the Prince's Mansion; it would never be Fu Zhiqiao's turn.
The royal family is too prestigious; Fu Zhi Qiao cannot marry into it.
The news of the broken engagement between the Prince's Mansion and the Minister's Mansion caused a great stir in the capital. Even though Xie Zhuo was ill and unable to have children, it was still an irresistible temptation for a woman of ordinary background. Zhou Miaosi was worried that Fu Zhi Qiao would suffer at the hands of the Prince's Mansion and wanted to advise her not to get too involved with Xie Zhuo. However, she didn't know Xie Zhuo's character well. A few casual chats were fine, but to say something like "don't be with Xie Zhuo" would inevitably cause trouble.
Seeing the slightly worried look in Miao Si's eyes last week, Fu Zhi Qiao said, "Sister Miao Si, please speak your mind."
“That silly girl Xiyu is already looking for someone, why haven’t you made any moves yet? Zhi Qiao, if you don’t mind, I can introduce you to a few men. I have quite a few brothers on my family’s side, and I’m sure I can find you a man who is good-looking, virtuous, and from a good family.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
