Chapter 68 The Imperial Observatory Borrows a Star-Gazing Mirror
The setting sun melts into gold, and the evening clouds merge like jade.
Before the last rays of sunlight faded, lanterns were already lit throughout Rongyue Courtyard.
Grandmother Jia was in a good mood today. After her afternoon nap, she came to Rongyue Courtyard and pulled Daiyu to sit here and look around there.
When it was time for dinner, it was made clear that dinner would be served at Rongyue Courtyard.
Anyone could see that the old lady was missing her daughter.
In the past, I always avoided Rongyueyuan to avoid seeing things that reminded me of people, but today I seem to have completely let go of my attachments.
She led Daiyu through every corner of Rongyue Courtyard, pointing out to Daiyu things that Jia Min had done in a certain place, things that she, as her mother, remembered clearly.
Yuan Hongqu did not disturb the grandmother and grandson's reminiscence, but simply had tea and snacks prepared for them to enjoy when they rested.
At this moment, she was not the old matriarch of the Rongguo Mansion, but simply a mother who missed her daughter.
The reunion of Lady Wang and Aunt Xue left Grandmother Jia feeling somewhat lost. She also missed Jia Min, but could only reunite with her after her death.
A sumptuous dinner is enough to make one forget the unpleasantness of the moment and focus on enjoying the food.
Yuan Hongqu, along with the kitchen staff of Rongyue Courtyard, prepared a whole fish feast.
From shark fin soup made with high-end ingredients to crispy fish with shimmering goldfish; from the gorgeous squirrel-shaped mandarin fish that sizzles when drizzled with sauce, to the simple and unpretentious steamed sea bass...
"These fish balls require pounding the fish meat thirteen thousand times to achieve their delicate and bouncy texture..." Daiyu introduced the dishes on the table to Grandmother Jia with great familiarity. From the outside, it looked like just a bowl of clear soup with a few leaves floating on top and small, milky-white fish balls at the bottom. But little did they know that each fish ball had undergone millions of poundings. This bowl of soup was made with clear broth from dozens of fish, and the surface oil was repeatedly absorbed with chicken floss and filtered again and again to make the soup as clear as water, yet containing endless flavors.
"Why is there a plate of fish bones? Sister Lin, is this just to make up the numbers?" Xi Chun looked at the plate of golden fish bones on the table, very puzzled.
It was indeed just a plate of fish bones, with almost no fish meat on it, and no decorations around the plate.
"Fourth sister, why don't you try it?" Daiyu said with a smile.
This was something Daiyu specifically requested must be served.
"Why don't we just leave it? I don't see anywhere to eat it, and it's not worth it to keep poking my mouth." Xichun covered her mouth and laughed. "Sister Lin, let's leave it for Miao'er to eat!"
Daiyu gently picked up a piece and placed it on the plate in front of her. The fish bone was broken into pieces, and it was impossible to tell what fish bone was left.
"Fourth sister, are you no longer afraid of getting your mouth pricked? These fish bones have been marinated since last night, fried, and then steamed with various seasonings. After steaming and cooling, they will be fried again... This way, they will still look like fish bones, but they will crumble at the slightest touch, have a crispy texture, and taste excellent."
Xi Chun paused for a moment before speaking.
"But it's just fish bones, is it really necessary to go to such lengths to prepare it?"
“That’s why you eat fish bones like this. When we make eggplant dish, we need several chickens to make it, but it’s just a pickled vegetable made from eggplant.” Daiyu felt that fried fish bones were worlds apart from eggplant dish.
Xi Chun thought about it and realized that it was indeed true.
She also picked up a piece of fish bone and tasted it. It was crispy and fragrant, and the taste was surprisingly delicious.
"It's a pity that Baoyu and Sister Tanchun have always wanted to experience a whole fish feast, but they won't be able to enjoy it."
Baoyu and Tanchun didn't come here to eat because they had to entertain the Xue family; only Yingchun and Xichun were here.
As Grandmother Jia watched Daiyu and Xichun's question-and-answer session, she seemed to see a glimpse of Jia Min from her childhood through Daiyu, which brought her great comfort.
Having a meal at Rongyueyuan with the children swept away all my gloom for the day.
After dinner, the group accompanied Grandmother Jia back to Rongqing Hall. Before they arrived, a servant came looking for them, saying that the Second Master had urgent business with the Old Madam.
“Mother, this evening, a strange phenomenon occurred in the sky; a meteor fell from the horizon,” Jia Zheng said immediately upon seeing his mother.
"You're not from the Imperial Observatory, so what does this have to do with you? Mind your own business." Grandmother Jia didn't care. Why was she in such a hurry to come to her for such a small matter? Did she think she could send the star back to the sky?
Jia Zheng glanced at Daiyu before saying, "It is Lord Wang, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, who has a request for his son. This matter involves his niece, so he has come urgently to find his mother."
Daiyu felt that what her second uncle was talking about seemed to be about her. She hadn't been sitting properly just now, but after hearing this, she quickly sat up straight.
"Tell me first," Grandmother Jia said slowly.
"Lord Wang of the Imperial Observatory heard that our family has a star-gazing mirror that can even see the toad on the moon, and he would like to borrow it from the Imperial Observatory for a while," Jia Zheng said cautiously.
"No way!" Grandmother Jia refused outright. "Those are things children play with. How can they be used for important matters? Forget about it and quickly refuse. Let them think of another way."
"Mother," Jia Zheng said anxiously, "I have already agreed. Lord Wang borrowed it in front of the Emperor, so I cannot refuse."
Jia Zheng knew it wasn't right to lend his niece's things to the Imperial Observatory, but he was in a bind and had no choice but to agree. Upon returning, he quickly went to discuss it with his grandmother.
"You..." Grandmother Jia began to scold, but seeing how long Jia Zheng's beard had grown, and in front of Daiyu and the others, she didn't say anything.
"Second Uncle, if the Star Gazing Mirror is lent out, can it be returned to me? My nanny said that there is only one in the world now, and it is probably impossible to have more." Daiyu could tell that her grandmother did not want to ask her, not wanting to put her in a difficult position, but her second uncle had already received the imperial decree. If she did not lend out the Star Gazing Mirror, she was afraid that a disaster would be inevitable.
Even Jia Zheng couldn't guarantee anything when Daiyu asked this question.
Although the astronomical mirror was lent to the Imperial Observatory, it was lent with the Emperor's guarantee. If the Imperial Observatory did not return it voluntarily, he would not dare to ask for it back!
Seeing that Jia Zheng remained silent, Daiyu knew that if the money was lent out, it would be like throwing a meat bun to a dog—gone forever.
She really loved the stargazing mirror, and the thought of never being able to stargaze again was heartbreaking.
But......
My second uncle looks so pitiful. Could he be punished by the emperor for refusing to lend me the star-gazing mirror?
"Alright, I'll go and tell the Emperor that Baoyu broke the astronomical mirror. In the future, if Daiyu uses it again, she should do so discreetly so that not many people can see it." Jia Zheng got up and was about to leave.
Daiyu's lips trembled, she paused, and called out to Jia Zheng.
"Second Uncle, don't rush off, I'll go ask Granny."
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