Chapter 512 "Spicy...this is...alcohol!"
In the Great Shang Kingdom, pots were typically filled with meat broth and simply seasoned with salt.
The aroma of all the various seasonings in this small box of Ke Su Bao instantly spread, giving people a special feeling.
Little Su Bao quietly prepared the seasonings. Hearing Miss Shi's words, she smiled and said, "That's fine. We often did this when we were in the village!"
Princess Chang'an nodded and said, "Yes, I think the pot dishes that Xiao Su Bao makes are even tastier than those made by the imperial chefs, especially the fragrant and spicy ones, which are both spicy and refreshing!"
"Spicy? Did you use Sichuan peppercorns and mustard, or dogwood, or black pepper..." Miss Shi was taken aback and couldn't help but ask.
"None of those!" Princess Chang'an chuckled, pointing to the red powder. "This is what we're using!"
The stone maiden stared at the red powder for a moment, then reached out to pinch some.
But before he could make a move, Xiao Su Bao grabbed his hand.
The little girl quickly said, "This stuff is very spicy. Don't touch it directly with your hands!"
Curious, Miss Shi dipped a little chili powder into her mouth with a small spoon.
The little girl blushed instantly, and tears streamed down her face.
"It's spicy, so spicy!"
This flavor is even more pungent than the spiciness of dogwood, and I only used a tiny bit...
Little Su Bao quickly handed over the water bottle next to her.
The girl grabbed the water bottle and poured it into her mouth!
"No..." Tang Dabao, who had just finished talking to his younger brother, suddenly changed his expression and hurriedly shouted.
But it was too late.
It was only when Miss Shi took a sip of the fruit wine that she realized something was wrong.
But with the princess here, he couldn't afford to lose his composure.
She could only swallow that mouthful of fruit wine.
The little girl's face turned bright red instantly, and she looked completely flustered.
"Spicy...this is...alcohol!"
As Miss Shi spoke, she felt a little dizzy and lightheaded!
She has a very low alcohol tolerance, the kind that's really bad!
Shi Daren and his wife were not far away, and when they saw their daughter like this, they rushed over immediately.
Shi Daren also saw the spices in Xiao Su Bao's food and immediately became curious.
But at this moment, she is still my daughter!
Miss Shi, however, tugged at Shi Daren's arm and said, "Father... it's spicy... it has a very strange taste... I think... it's okay... it's okay to introduce and cultivate it!"
Seeing her daughter still thinking about these things at a time like this, Madam Shi was at a loss for words.
Her expression was incredibly complicated!
Shi Daren coughed and quickly told his wife and maid to take their daughter to their tent.
I was standing right in front of Xiao Su Bao and the others, watching the spices that Xiao Su Bao had taken out.
The duties of the Minister of Agriculture were not limited to managing grain; in fact, he also enjoyed studying various plants, including the plant *Symplocos edulis*.
He looked at Xiao Su Bao and couldn't help but ask, "Your Highness, what do you need these medicinal herbs for?"
Xiao Su Bao was certain that Miss Shi had just drunk too much, and that little bit of chili was nothing to worry about.
She secretly gave Miss Shi another sugar pill, thinking that nothing should happen.
Hearing Shi Daren's words, Xiao Su Bao was taken aback, then said, "Anything is fine!"
Shi Daren...
He thought that Xiao Su Bao didn't want to tell him!
Before he could speak again, Xiao Su Bao said, "These things can be used to braise meat, add some when stir-frying vegetables, and also add to soups... It seems like they can be used for everything!"
The little girl pointed to the powder next to her and said, "This is powder that my mother grinds from these spices. Every time we add seasoning, a little bit makes it taste great!"
Shi Daren subconsciously wanted to take a spoonful to taste it, but thinking of his daughter's expression, he stopped himself.
He just leaned over and took a sniff; the smell was quite novel. He looked at Xiao Su Bao a little shyly and asked, "Can I take some of these spices back with me?"
He felt that this was a good thing for ordinary people too!
After all, a dish with only salt, vinegar, and at most soy sauce added isn't particularly delicious.
Some imperial chefs in the palace also had their own special spices, but generally, as long as the imperial physician found no poison, they were safe to eat.
But people keep these things to themselves and won't tell the Minister of Agriculture.
Shi Daren felt a little uneasy, worried that Xiao Su Bao wouldn't agree.
"I didn't bring much. I can give you some when we get back!"
Shi Daren looked at Xiao Su Bao, his eyes filled with excitement.
"Okay, okay, okay!"
He glanced at the various spices on the side and thought that Princess Fu'an's meal was indeed quite expensive.
But instead of saying anything, he quietly started helping with the work.
Princess Chang'an glanced at the guy and knew he wanted to steal her skills.
She glanced at Xiao Su Bao, who didn't seem to think anything of it. Besides, back in the village, every household would use these spices to cook.
This is nothing.
Seeing that Shi Daren didn't ask her any more questions, Xiao Su Bao started making the fruit.
She then soaked the dried mushrooms, wood ear fungus, and bamboo shoots she had brought from home in the water beside her.
Then it's time to start making the other ingredients.
She then took out a red, lumpy object.
Shi Daren, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed. This thing looked like lard, but why was it red?
Before he could speak, Xiao Su Bao sensed that the temperature in the pot was about right and scooped out a spoonful of lard.
Next came scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili pepper pieces.
The little girl threw these things directly into the pot, and instantly a special aroma spread with the wind.
Some people who were already paying attention to this area immediately looked over, their eyes showing a hint of surprise.
Little Su Bao's little hands moved very quickly; she put the red block of chili oil into it as well.
Instantly, the spicy aroma exploded.
The group, who hadn't been very hungry before, were now feeling quite hungry.
Only then did Shi Daren realize that there were actually many spices in the chili oil.
Some of them I know, and some I don't.
Shi Daren swallowed hard, his eyes instantly becoming unusually bright.
Just then, the emperor and empress arrived.
The prince had never eaten this kind of hot pot before, and he was quite curious.
He is in poor health and usually eats very bland food.
And he didn't eat much, he had no appetite, but now...
As for the second and third princes, they ran over excitedly, ignoring their parents and elder brother.
The bamboo pavilion here was prepared for them as soon as they arrived, specifically for eating hot pot.
"Su Bao, make a mushroom soup pot for your Uncle Crown Prince later, he can't eat spicy food!" The Second Prince leaned over and said with a hint of excitement in his eyes.
Xiao Su Bao responded and stirred the red chili oil inside until it melted a bit before having someone pour the prepared bone broth directly in.
She started seasoning again, this time keeping it simple and just using salt.
Soon, steam rose from the pot.
Little Su Bao started making mushroom soup on the other side. Compared to red soup, mushroom soup is much simpler.
No seasoning was used, only water. Then, the prepared mushrooms were added. However, at the very end, the girl poured in a powder.
Everyone instinctively looked over, their eyes filled with a hint of bewilderment.
Especially for women with sons, they felt that Xiao Su Bao not only had a good status, but also had excellent cooking skills.
The little girl didn't share these people's thoughts. After making the mushroom soup, she made a bone broth, which had a flavor that leaned towards medicinal soup.
Xiao Su Bao made three different soup bases.
"Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Crown Prince, this medicinal soup can be drunk directly. It tastes very good and is also nourishing!"
The little girl spoke to the three people.
The Queen actually preferred spicy food, but she did not refuse the little girl's kindness.
The girls here use very large pots, and they make quite a lot of soup base inside.
All you need to do is put it in the small copper pot.
Fu Manduo's face was full of pride. Look, his good friend is the best!
In the shadows, Cao Xuan frowned deeply!
He had lost face today and was already in a bad mood, but then he smelled an extremely rich fragrance.
He's hungry!
He never expected that this thing was made by Xiao Su Bao.
It's incredibly impolite for a princess to show her face in public like that!
But Cao Xuan couldn't help but take a few more glances, and secretly made up his mind that when Xiao Su Bao married into their family, he would have a good talk with the little girl!
But now... he rubbed his stomach and slowly stood in the most conspicuous place.
I'm standing right here, surely Tang Susu can't see me!
Moreover, he was the Empress Dowager's favorite among the younger generation!
He stood there for ages, and everyone else started eating, but no one even glanced at him!
Cao Xuan glared angrily at Xiao Su Bao, then turned and left.
The little girl looked completely bewildered. This young master of the Cao family must be seriously mentally ill!
He glares at himself for no reason!
At this moment, a number of dishes were placed on the bamboo table next to them.
The majority of the meat is still freshly cured.
The emperor was quite generous, sending some of the broth from the pot out, but they had to prepare the other dishes themselves.
The Emperor, Empress, and Xiao Su Bao ate directly in the pavilion.
In the large pavilion, palace maids and nannies were cooking vegetables for the emperor, empress, and crown prince.
Xiao Su Bao and the other girls sat together around a small copper pot, eating.
The girls didn't need any help; they cooked the vegetables themselves and ate them by themselves, looking very happy.
The Second Prince and his group also set up a table. Tang Dabao and the others, who all played with the Second Prince, came over to eat with them.
Seeing this, some ministers held the Tang family in even higher regard.
After all, there are very few people who can dine with His Highness like this.
Little Su Bao eats very quickly and elegantly, but if you look closely, you'll see that she eats quite a lot.
There were imperial chefs grilling meat nearby, and they stole a glance at Xiao Su Bao, their eyes filled with curiosity.
However, no one spoke up, as it was something they found difficult to bring up.
After finishing the meal, everyone clutched their stomachs, and it was already dark outside.
Above the bonfire, the sky was filled with stars.
Everyone started strolling around to digest their food.
The leftover food and broth were not wasted; the emperor distributed them as a reward to the palace maids and eunuchs who were serving him.
Xiao Su Bao glanced at the Emperor and Empress, then took out a porcelain bottle from her waist.
"Grandpa, Grandma, these are hawthorn pills. They can help with digestion!" the little girl said obediently.
"Me too!" The second prince said, supporting his large belly. He had really eaten too much and felt like he had eaten so much food that he was about to burst.
The little girl didn't hesitate and gave one to each of the group members.
Even after eating the hawthorn pills, the group didn't rest. Looking at the stars in the sky, the emperor's eyes showed a hint of a smile.
"Su Bao, your pot is great!"
The emperor looked at Xiao Su Bao, having also heard that the Tang family seemed to be short of money!
After all, the courtyard was so big that there were quite a few maids and servants.
Moreover, the Qian family didn't have much money...
"Ah!" The little girl looked at the emperor with a puzzled expression.
Then the Second Prince said, "Why don't you just open a restaurant in the capital that specializes in this kind of hot pot? If you open one, I'll go there every day!"
"I'll go too!" the Third Prince chimed in from the side.
"Hmm, that medicinal soup pot looks good, I think we can make it!" The Crown Prince also came over. He didn't eat much, but his complexion did look much rosier.
Little Su Bao was stunned. Princess Chang'an nudged Little Su Bao in the lower back and said, "Hurry up and agree. You're opening this shop by imperial decree!"
The emperor gave his daughter a disapproving look.
However, considering the current situation of the Tang family, the emperor did not say anything.
Officials are generally not allowed to engage in business, but most of them usually have some profitable businesses.
Otherwise, with that meager salary, they wouldn't be able to support their entire families.
Emperors usually turn a blind eye to certain things.
The Tang family now only has Tang Sizuo as a compiler, which is still a low-level official position.
Besides, this pot business is for Xiao Su Bao!
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The little girl realized what was happening and bowed to the emperor.
"Alright, no need for so much formality, but let me make this clear from the start: I'm going to take a one-third stake in this!" the emperor said with a smile, looking at the young girl.
Little Su Bao would never refuse and immediately agreed!
The emperor looked at Xiao Su Bao's happy expression and glanced at Tang Bu Gui beside him. That brat, he's only doing this because of the little girl, otherwise... Humph!
When Tang Bugui saw the emperor's gaze fall upon him, he bowed slightly in greeting.
The emperor gave a light hum, then said, "Alright, it's getting late, everyone should go to bed early!"
The emperor is old, and he only felt a little better after taking a nap at noon today; otherwise, he would have been unable to endure it much longer.
Little Su Bao glanced at the emperor and said, "Grandpa Emperor, let Su Bao rub your hands!"
Princess Chang'an was immediately eager to try, feeling that she should learn from Xiao Su Bao.
I still need to take care of my old father, who is just as childish as my second brother.
The emperor's eyes lit up; Little Su Bao's massage technique was really comfortable!
"Alright!" the emperor agreed and went straight back to his tent.
The Empress was also by her side, watching the young girls, her smile growing even wider.
Inside the tent, a little guy was startled to see so many people come in.
"Mother..."
The fifth child ran over and took his mother's hand.
His health had just improved a little, so the empress allowed him to rest in the tent.
The mushroom soup pot and the medicinal soup pot that were served before were also brought in, and some vegetables that children can eat were cooked in them for him.
"Fifth brother!" Princess Chang'an reached out and patted her younger brother's head.
Unlike his older brothers, the little brother is the cutest, always soft and cuddly.
The concubines in the palace also adored the young fourth prince.
"Sister..." Xiao Wu looked at the little girl, who was small and well-behaved.
The emperor reached out and took his youngest son into his arms. The little guy was still very thin, but he was obviously much better than before.
Looking at his youngest son, the emperor couldn't help but ask, "Fifth son, how was the meal today? Is there anything else you'd like to eat?"
Xiao Wu blinked, not very brave. He wrapped his arms around the emperor's neck and said in a soft voice, "I'm full..."
The emperor smiled slightly, as if he had thought of something, and placed his son directly into Xiao Su Bao's arms.
Xiao Wu and Xiao Su Bao looked at each other in bewilderment.
If the little girl hadn't been so fast, the Fifth Prince would have almost fallen!
When the emperor saw that Xiao Su Bao had hugged his son, a sly smile appeared on his face. He then said, "Alright, this kid has been very clingy lately. Su Bao, you see, your imperial grandfather isn't feeling well either, so I'll leave the child to you!"
After the emperor finished speaking, he looked at Xiao Su Bao with his big, blinking eyes.
The Empress's heart resumed beating. She turned her head and gave the Emperor a cool look, but she did not stop Xiao Su Bao from holding her youngest son.
"Alright, you guys go out and have some fun!"
The Empress glanced at Little Su Bao, a smile playing on her lips.
The wet nurse and palace maids hurriedly followed behind their young master.
There was a hint of worry in their eyes, after all, in their eyes, Xiao Su Bao was just a child.
The wet nurse was about to pick up Xiao Wu, but the emperor, seeing that she lacked common sense, tried to stop her.
Little Su Bao's abilities are beyond what a mere wet nurse could comprehend.
Just then, Princess Chang'an stepped in front of the wet nurse.
"Alright, Granny Cui, go and rest. Little Wu will sleep with me later!"
Nanny Cui was taken aback, and quickly said, "Princess, please let me take care of the Fifth Prince. He is still young..."
Princess Chang'an raised her head slightly, her face, which was only ten years old, carrying a hint of the coldness of a person in a superior position.
At this moment, she is the princess, high above all others.
"Does what I said have no effect? Mother, I think we should get a different wet nurse for Xiao Wu!"
The wet nurse was startled and quickly knelt down to beg for mercy.
However, Princess Chang'an ignored her. She was just a palace maid; who gave her the audacity to interfere with her master?
The Empress also disliked Cui, so she nodded.
As for the emperor... he doesn't care about things that happen in the harem.
Madam Cui hurriedly looked at the Fifth Prince, but the Fifth Prince was staring blankly at Little Su Bao!
This is the fairy sister I've seen! The little guy's eyes lit up.
Cui was driven out. She dared not be angry with the emperor, empress, princesses, and princes, so she could only direct her hatred at Xiao Su Bao.
After all, even if Xiao Su Bao is a commoner princess, she still comes from a peasant background, and people in the capital city don't really think much of her!
If it weren't for the fact that Xiao Su Bao has a father who is a general, no one would give the little girl a second glance.
Little Su Bao saw the hateful look in Cui Shi's eyes; the little girl was far too perceptive of such malice.
"Never mind her, let's go, let's take Xiao Wu out to see the stars!" Princess Chang'an pulled Xiao Su Bao and walked outside.
The main reason was that she sensed her father was about to get beaten up, and if she didn't leave soon, he would lose face and get angry.
The emperor watched them leave with a smile, then suddenly remembered that Little Su Bao hadn't given him a massage yet.
"This girl, really... she just said she'd give me a massage..." Before the emperor could finish speaking, he felt a sharp pain in his waist.
He then met his wife's ambiguous smile.
"Your Majesty, you seemed quite relaxed when you first lost your child!" the Empress said wistfully.
Because the eldest son was in poor health, the emperor didn't have the time or opportunity to abuse him.
When it came to the second son, the emperor treated him like a toy, and several times when there was no danger, he was almost put in danger by his own father.
During a heavy snowfall, the emperor grabbed his son and threw him into a snowdrift.
The second child was still small then, and the little guy disappeared into the snow in an instant.
Furthermore, he encouraged his son to climb a tree to steal birds' nests, and the second son fell down and broke his leg!
besides……
The Empress grew angrier the more she thought about what had happened.
Some might hope that the emperor wasn't such a father who enjoyed taking care of children.
The third brother...
The emperor had no chance to succeed because the empress had explicitly forbidden it, which made things a little easier for the third prince.
As for his daughter, the emperor once secretly took her out of the palace and almost encountered danger, taking her out in the rain and onto the roof...
The Queen took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
Over the years she's been empress, her temper has really improved a lot, otherwise...
The emperor is the kind of person who beats people up every day and beats them up every three days, isn't that right?
"Wife... I'm the emperor... Can't we talk this out? We've been married for so long, it's not good to keep getting physical..."
Chief Steward Chen had already taken everyone out from the very beginning.
He was actually somewhat used to all of this.
The Empress glared at the Emperor, but she had always been too lazy to pay attention to him, after all, she had been saved by the Emperor back then!
"I'm doing this for Xiao Wu's own good; he's too weak!" The Emperor sighed, holding the Empress's hand.
The empress paused, then let the emperor pull her to the bedside.
The two sat on the bed, looking at each other in silence.
Xiao Su Bao and the others took Xiao Wu out. The little guy really likes Xiao Su Bao and always clings to her.
"Fairy Sister..." The little guy gently tugged at Xiao Su Bao's collar, his big eyes looking at Xiao Su Bao with adorable eyes.
“My little Wu likes you very much!” Princess Chang’an sat on a wooden post to the side, tilting her head as she looked at them.
Little Su Bao is now a beautiful little girl.
At this moment, she was looking at Xiao Wu in her arms, her whole being exuding a gentle aura.
As if she had thought of something, Princess Chang'an took Xiao Su Bao's hand.
The people around stood guard, and no one came closer.
Princess Chang'an looked at Xiao Su Bao and said, "Su Bao, can you help Xiao Wu? He's working so hard!"
Xiao Wu was skinny and didn't look like a prince at all. He always seemed like he might die at any moment.
Little Su Bao glanced at the Fifth Prince and carefully opened her Heavenly Eye.
However, the Fifth Prince had no merit, only malevolent energy!
Just like... that ominous aura in the Empress's belly back then!
But all that evil energy had dissipated, so how could it have turned into the birth of this child?
Xiao Su Bao frowned slightly, because at this moment, the Fifth Prince's eyes were as black as ink, and when he looked at Xiao Su Bao, there was a hint of inquiry in them.
That look in his eyes...
Almost instantly, a bolt of lightning struck from the sky.
The Fifth Prince's body trembled slightly for a moment.
Little Su Bao suddenly remembered someone from a long time ago!
Pomegranate!
That being with strange Gu techniques.
Little Su Bao suddenly grabbed Little Wu's wrist.
Almost instantly, I felt a fluctuation in the Fifth Prince's chest.
At that moment, the Fifth Prince suddenly closed his eyes and fainted.
"Fairy Sister..." he called out softly.
"Little brother! Little brother!" Princess Chang'an cried out anxiously.
Little Su Bao was about to give her life-saving pills to the Fifth Prince.
Just then, a figure rushed over.
The wet nurse snatched the fifth prince away and raised her foot to kick the little boy in the chest.
Her eyes held a hint of malice, as if she wished she could kick Xiao Su Bao to death.
Princess Chang'an was shocked and immediately tried to stop her.
It was just a figure that was faster than anyone else.
Little Mo Bao suddenly appeared and stomped hard on Cui's leg.
In a moment of pain, Cui, the wet nurse, threw the fifth prince out of her arms.
Little Su Bao reacted extremely quickly, leaping lightly and grabbing the Fifth Prince into her arms.
"Someone come quick! Someone is trying to murder the Fifth Prince!" Cui's wet nurse shouted desperately towards the outside.
Princess Chang'an also realized what was happening, and her face turned extremely pale.
Almost at the same time, Princess Chang'an kicked the lactation consultant in the chest.
For a moment, Cui's wet nurse didn't know whether to cover her chest or her legs!
Her face contorted in pain, and her body began to spasm.
"Cui family, how dare you snatch the Fifth Prince! How many lives does your Cui family have?!" Princess Chang'an was furious, her eyes filled with a chilling aura.
Cui wanted to explain, but she was already covered in sweat, her body was trembling, and her voice became intermittent.
"Princess...no...don't believe her...she's vitals..."
Before Cui could finish speaking, Xiao Su Bao had already taken the Fifth Prince into her arms and quickly fed him the pill.
The fifth prince's face was deathly pale, his body trembled slightly, and slowly he finally opened his eyes.
Unlike before, the Fifth Prince's pupils were now brown, not the deep black they once were.
"Xiao Wu...no...bad..." The little guy's voice was very low, and his little hands nervously and anxiously tugged at Xiao Su Bao's sleeve.
Xiao Su Bao was stunned as she looked at the Fifth Prince in front of her.
“Uncle is not a bad person!” Little Su Bao looked at the Fifth Prince, her voice firm but her eyes gentle.
The Fifth Prince breathed a sigh of relief.
Despite his young age, he was precocious and could even remember things from when he was an infant.
He overheard a monk at Huguo Temple saying that he would turn bad in the future!
The wet nurse would always speak to her with pity, saying that she was the smartest of all the princes.
The wet nurse also told him that he must survive, and kept saying that someone wanted to kill him!
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