Chapter 091
Prince Rui quickly sent people to Kexianju to order a number of dishes, one of which was their signature dish, Jade Bamboo Lamb. He also asked the people at Kexianju to prepare the ingredients and bring them to the kitchen of Prince Rui's Mansion to cook. Kexianju often did such things, and sometimes they also took on some banquets.
However, because everything ordered by King Rui needed to be prepared in advance, only one steward came along to confirm it today. The steward was a middle-aged man in his forties, a little fat and looking very honest and simple. He behaved very well when he was brought in and did not look around. It happened that King Rui had nothing to do today, so he went straight to see the steward.
After the steward saluted, King Rui asked, "Is there any problem with tomorrow's dishes?"
"There is no problem, except that for the dish of lamb with bamboo shoots, the prince likes lambs that are a few months old..." The steward discussed this type of issue with Prince Rui, and then wrote down Prince Rui's request in detail.
King Rui had nothing to do anyway, so he became curious about this dish and asked a few more questions. The steward looked honest, but he was a talkative person and could make a dish interesting. In the end, King Rui took off the purse from his waist and threw it to him, saying, "Here's a reward for you."
"Thank you, Your Highness." The steward took it and saluted to Prince Rui. After Prince Rui waved his hand, he retreated.
After returning to Kexianju, the steward opened the purse and saw a jade pendant inside with a pearl on it and a simple good luck knot underneath. The steward casually hung it around his waist and then opened the purse. He saw a small note in the interlayer of the purse. After reading it carefully, the steward threw the purse and the note into the charcoal basin together.
In the palace, Emperor Cheng listened to Li Fu's report and asked, "What did he give to that Guan as a reward?"
"It's a jade pendant." Li Fu gave a general description of its appearance. "The steward put it on after he returned."
Emperor Cheng asked, "Can I know what they talked about in the palace?"
"I don't know about that." Li Fu said with his head down, "Those who can enter the main courtyard are all close to Princess Rui."
Emperor Cheng tapped the table with his fingers and suddenly asked, "What about the lamb with jade shoots?"
"It's the signature dish of Kexianju. They specially raise a group of lambs outside the city. The meat is delicious. The jade bamboo shoots are not real bamboo shoots..." Li Fu briefly described the dish of jade bamboo shoots and lamb meat. "Many people go to Kexianju just to eat this dish, but this time Prince Rui directly ordered a sheep and asked them to get something to cook in the palace kitchen."
"Did Prince Rui also go here to eat before?" Emperor Cheng asked.
Li Fu said respectfully, "Prince Rui used to come to Kexianju once every ten days or half a month. Later, when Prince Rui didn't like to go out of the palace, he often sent people to buy things for him."
Emperor Cheng nodded. It was time to eat mutton in winter. Prince Rui? Emperor Cheng looked down on him. He was indeed a waste. But it was precisely because of this waste that he stayed. With a wave of his hand, Li Fu respectfully stepped aside.
Compared to the people in the capital who couldn't eat, the people in the border town were much more lively. At noon, only the family ate dumplings together. In the evening, Manager Wang and many of his subordinates and their families were present. It couldn't be as simple as at noon, but Nanny Zhao had already made preparations. There was no need to avoid suspicion like in the capital, and there were no rules such as men and women couldn't be together. Instead, everyone sat together in a lively manner. In the open space in the middle, the chef was roasting a whole lamb. The freshly roasted lamb was crispy and fragrant. Not to mention the men, even the women enjoyed the meal very much.
Because underneath the roasted whole lamb, a rack or something like that is used, and on it are potatoes, sweet potatoes, sesame cakes, steamed buns and other things. The oil from the roasted whole lamb drips on it, and then these things are also roasted to make them fragrant.
However, Shen Jin did not bring Dongdong out this time. Even Concubine Chen and Shen Hao did not come out either. Shen Jin simply let Dongdong show up and then sent him to Concubine Chen. Every time there was something newly baked, he would send a portion to the back.
Shen Jin did not sit next to Chu Xiuming, because the men were drinking and eating meat, and Shen Jin and the other ladies were together, and when they were happily talking, they inevitably drank a few more glasses. Although they were all given fruit wine, Shen Jin had a low alcohol tolerance and drank a little too much in a short while.
When everyone left, Shen Jin was obviously a little drunk. He looked at Chu Xiuming with sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks. Chu Xiuming was not drunk. He had developed a good alcohol tolerance since he was a child and was very restrained. When he saw his young lady's appearance, his eyes flashed, and he walked over, holding her hand and said, "Let's go back to the house. I think Aunt Zhao has already cooked the hangover soup."
"No." Shen Jin refused without hesitation, "It tastes terrible."
Although Chu Xiuming thought his wife was cute when she was drunk, he still felt sorry for her feeling uncomfortable the next day, so he said, "Just drink a little, okay?"
"No!" Shen Jin refused again, then turned around and found that there were no outsiders around, so he stopped walking, "I want a hug!"
Chu Xiuming chuckled and said, "Okay." He bent down and picked up Shen Jin horizontally.
Shen Jin stretched out her arms and hugged Chu Xiuming's neck. She felt something was wrong. She blinked her watery eyes and thought for a long time but couldn't figure out what was wrong. "This is not the way to hug."
"My wife asked me to hold her, so I held her up, didn't I?" Chu Xiuming looked down at Shen Jin, who was confused, and said softly, "What's wrong?"
Shen Jin thought about it, but still couldn't figure it out, "Oh, it seems to be right."
Chu Xiuming's voice became even gentler, "Yes, there's nothing wrong with that."
Seeing this, the maids around all stepped back. Shen Jin looked at Chu Xiuming and said with a smile, "My husband, you are so beautiful."
"Not as good as my wife." Chu Xiuming said.
Shen Jin laughed and rubbed against Chu Xiuming. When he reached the door, it was already opened from the inside. As expected, Nanny Zhao had already prepared some hangover soup. After knowing that the banquet was over, she brought it over. There was not only some for Shen Jin but also for Chu Xiuming. When she saw the general carrying his wife in, she said, "General, the hangover soup is on the table in the inner room. I'll go and give some to the young general and the others."
"Yes." Chu Xiuming agreed, walked directly into the inner room, and put Shen Jin on the bed.
Nanny Zhao closed the door from the outside. Water was already boiling in the kitchen. She told someone to keep an eye on it and keep it warm. When the general and his wife needed water, they could just bring it over. Seeing that there was nothing else to do, Nanny Zhao brought the sobering soup to Chu Xiuyuan, and also specifically told the maid to bring it to Steward Wang and Steward Zhao.
In the room, after Chu Xiuming put Shen Jin down, he went to get some sobering soup, drank a sip himself and then fed it to Shen Jin. Even if Shen Jin didn't want to drink it, he was no match for Chu Xiuming. After being forced to drink half a bowl, he lay on the bed with a red face. Chu Xiuming, with a smile in his eyes, drank the rest himself and then pressed her down.
Dongdong was not even one year old yet, so Shen Jin had not weaned him. Although he had fed him once before the dinner, he felt uncomfortable because of the bloating after such a long time. He pushed Chu Xiuming away weakly, "Don't..."
The two of them had been apart for so long, and they hadn't been close yesterday because of Dongdong and other reasons. How could Chu Xiuming hold back at this moment? Even Shen Jin wanted to, and she kept moaning under Chu Xiuming's hands, her toes curling constantly. If Shen Jin, who had just married Chu Xiuming, was an immature fruit, now that she had given birth to a child, she had truly matured. When she twisted her body slightly, her slender waist and plump breasts were particularly attractive. The two people's clothes were very messy, and Shen Jin was only left with a skirt and a cloth bag on her body, and the cloth bag was slightly tightened...
Chu Xiuming looked at the milk flowing out of the red lotus cloth bag, lowered his head and sucked it through the cloth bag. Shen Jin exclaimed, and it was unclear whether she was holding Chu Xiuming or trying to push him away...
After Zhao Mama brought Chu Xiuyuan some hangover soup, she went to Concubine Chen's courtyard. Dongdong had been coaxed to sleep in Concubine Chen's bedroom. After all, there was no special room for Dongdong in this courtyard. Concubine Chen saw that Zhao Mama came alone and said with a smile, "It's cold at night, don't bother the child."
"This old servant has come to talk to Madam Chen." Ever since Concubine Chen came to the General's Mansion, the people in the General's Mansion have called her Madam Chen. After all, the title of Concubine is not what Concubine Chen wants.
Concubine Chen heard this and said, "Well, Dongdong was a little tired from playing today, and he waited for Jinyatou and the others for a while, and then he fell asleep. He was very well behaved."
Dongdong met two children of similar age to him for the first time today. He was so happy that the three of them were babbling non-stop in his arms. No one around them could understand what they were saying, but the three little ones were happy. Shen Hao was very tired from taking care of the three children. Concubine Chen seemed much more relaxed and just sat beside them watching them play together. She looked relaxed and at ease which she had not seen in Prince Rui's Mansion.
Madam Zhao responded with a smile, "Madam Chen, please don't get too tired."
Concubine Chen shook her head, and Nanny Zhao did not stay any longer. She came here only because she was afraid that Concubine Chen would wait for Shen Jin for too long. After Nanny Zhao left, Concubine Chen asked the maid to help her wash and dress, and then she went to bed on the outside. Looking at Dongdong sleeping with his limbs spread out, she gently tapped his nose and said, "Why are you as domineering as Jin girl when she was a child?"
Although she said so, Concubine Chen had no intention of restraining Dongdong. Instead, she moved aside and tucked the quilt in. In fact, the children had different statuses in Concubine Chen's heart. She had never slept with Shen Qing or Baozhu in her arms, but for Dongdong, Concubine Chen was reluctant to let him leave her sight.
However, Concubine Chen always felt that Dongdong did not look like her daughter when she was a child. She had never seen what Chu Xiuming looked like when he was a child, but from what she saw now, he did not look like Chu Xiuming either. Could it be that he looked more like Chu Xiuming's parents? Concubine Chen thought about it for a while, and then stopped thinking about it. Anyway, this was her precious grandson. She didn't know who her daughter's next child would look like. In fact, whether it was a boy or a girl, it would be good if they looked like Chu Xiuming. Her daughter... always felt a little weak and could be bullied.
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