Chapter 505: Well, I went to Huguo Temple to visit the Queen Mother
Lan Shenye instructed the little lantern standing at the door, "Little Lantern, tell the kitchen to prepare dinner. Tonight... we'll have hot pot and have some fun."
"Yes, young master." The little lantern responded and retreated neatly to pass on the message.
Soon, several servants came in one after another.
They carried in a small red clay charcoal stove, on which a large purple copper double-flavored pot was placed steadily. On one side was boiling red oil spicy soup with a fragrant pepper aroma; on the other side was a milky and rich broth, emitting hot steam.
Then, plates of thinly sliced beef and mutton, juicy seasonal vegetables, tender white tofu, springy fish balls, plump shrimp balls, and various kinds of mushrooms...a dazzling array of dishes were arranged in an orderly manner on the large round table.
Several small blue and white dishes filled with sesame paste, sesame oil, minced garlic, fermented bean curd, chopped green onions and coriander were also placed one by one.
The servants were well-trained. After making all the arrangements, they bowed and quietly withdrew.
Yun Hua looked at the table full of rich food, rubbing his hands, and looked at Lan Xiyue with bright eyes: "Tsk tsk, look at us, cousin Yueyue got married first, and now she got married again late at night, and she will soon marry her new bride."
He nagged Yun Jin with his elbow mischievously, "Brother, you better hurry up! Don't wait until Yueyue's kids are running around the yard and the kids late at night are playing with soy sauce, and there's still no sign of your wife!"
Yun Jin slowly picked up a piece of tender bamboo shoots and put it into the clear soup pot. Without even raising her eyelids, she said calmly, "I'm not in a hurry."
Lan Xiyue pursed her lips and smiled, then turned her gaze to Yun Hua with a hint of teasing, "Third cousin, you sound like you've forgotten yourself. You used to have so many close female friends, stretching from the south to the north of the city, but why haven't you ever arranged to get married? Now that you're feeling better, it's a good time to focus on your studies."
When Yun Hua heard this, she immediately blushed like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She waved her hands and begged for mercy: "Oh, my dear cousin! Stop talking about those ridiculous things! That was because I was a jerk and didn't know any better!"
He straightened his back, his eyes becoming serious. "After this near-death experience, I've finally figured it out. A prodigal son who returns is worth more than gold! I swear to turn over a new leaf and become a new man. When spring comes, I'll go to the border to join the army, serve under my father, start as a small soldier, and work hard to earn a good career!"
Lan Shenye looked at his sister, thinking of those priceless boxes, and said with a hint of worry: "Yueyue, I've seen the items you had carried here today. They are all rare treasures and worth a lot of money. This... If His Royal Highness the Regent knew..."
"Don't worry, brother." Lan Xiyue interrupted him without hesitation, her tone relaxed and confident, "Mo Liyuan knows everything. He said it himself that the palace's storehouse is under my control. Besides..."
Her eyes curved, "My brother Lan Xiyue is betrothing me, how can I go so shabby? It must be a grand affair with a lavish wedding! Tomorrow you just have to go to the Qian Mansion with your head held high and your chest held high, and I guarantee that you will make your sister-in-law proud!"
Yun Jin listened from the side, smiling helplessly and shaking his head, "You two... such a big thing, the betrothal gifts are ready, the date is set, and yet you didn't even tell us a word. If grandparents find out, they'll definitely scold us, the older brothers, for our negligence."
Lan Xiyue smiled and said, "Brother, you're worrying too much. When I got married, my grandmother prepared a dowry so generous that it was the envy of others. Now that my brother is getting married, it's natural for me, as his younger sister, to take care of everything. How can I let my grandmother spend more money? You cousins haven't married yet, so the good things should be saved for you to use when you get married!"
Yun Hua held his chin with one hand and looked at Lan Xiyue, his eyes full of undisguised envy and pride: "Oh, I really envy Shen Ye! For such a big event as marriage, cousin Yueyue even took care of the betrothal gifts all by herself, so I don't have to worry about anything. But..."
He changed the subject and became proud again, "Having a sister as capable and protective as Yueyue makes me, as her cousin, so proud! I can walk out with my back straightened!"
"Okay, okay." Yun Jin interrupted him with a smile, pointing to the soup pot on the table that was bubbling more and more cheerfully, with red oil surging and white steam rising. "The bottom of the pot is boiling, and the aroma is going straight into our noses. We have caught up with this hot meal today. On this day, it is most comfortable to eat around the stove." He took the lead in picking up a piece of lamb that was cooked to perfection, dipped it in a generous amount of sesame paste, and put it into his mouth.
Yun Hua nodded in agreement and eagerly picked up his chopsticks. While boiling his tripe, he looked at Lan Xiyue with admiration. "That's right! I don't know how Cousin Yueyue came up with such a wonderful way to eat food like 'hot pot'! Nowadays, any larger restaurant in Beijing would be too embarrassed to open if it didn't have this pot! It's all the rage in the city!"
Lan Xiyue raised her chin proudly, her eyes flashing with excitement: "Of course, I'm extremely smart and I learned everything on my own!"
Lan Shenye looked at his sister's smug look and couldn't help but laugh and shake his head, saying with a doting helpless look: "You...how can a girl brag like this?"
As he spoke, he picked up the warmed white jade wine pot and gracefully filled the green jade wine glasses in front of Yun Jin and Yun Hua with clear wine.
Lan Xiyue immediately looked eagerly at the wine jug in her brother's hand, and said coquettishly, "Brother, where's mine?"
Lan Shenye put down the wine jug and waved to Xiao Lantern: "Xiao Lantern, serve the princess some fruit wine."
Lan Xiyue's face fell and she muttered, "Brother, I don't want to drink fruit wine..."
Lan Shenye remained unmoved and coaxed her gently, "Yueyue, be good. This wine is strong and has a long aftertaste. It's better for a girl to drink some mild fruit wine, which is not easy to get drunk. Be obedient." His tone was gentle but did not allow for any objection.
Lan Xiyue curled her lips, knowing she couldn't persuade her brother, so she had to give up. She really couldn't drink much, so she just drank fruit wine.
The little lantern quickly came over with an exquisite crystal bottle, which contained amber liquid and emitted a sweet plum fragrance.
He carefully filled the small white jade cup in front of Lan Xiyue, then quietly stepped aside and stood by.
The charcoal fire is burning and the soup in the pot is boiling.
Several people sat around the table, enjoying various delicious ingredients and chatting about family matters.
The hot steam blurred the night outside the window and softened each other's faces.
Yun Jin picked up a piece of tofu and asked casually, "Yueyue, His Royal Highness the Regent...isn't he in the capital?"
Lan Xiyue was concentrating on fishing out a trembling piece of tripe from the spicy hot pot. Without even looking up, she replied vaguely, "Yeah, I went to Huguo Temple to visit the Empress Dowager."
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