The Return of An Lingrong in Legend of Zhen Huan

The matter finally came to an end, and Princess Chao Gui finally put her mind at ease. She ran to An Lingrong's Yanxi Palace to complain to her about Zhen Huan.

"Sister An, I know you have a kind heart, but this Zhen Huan is really not a good person. You must not make close friends with her."

An Lingrong also followed suit: "Yes, I always thought my sister was kind, but I didn't expect her to be like this... Alas."

Seeing Chao Gui chattering non-stop, An Lingrong was afraid of being caught, so she said, "Bao Yu just picked some wintersweet petals this morning. I'll make you some wintersweet shrimp cakes."

"Okay, okay, Sister An, I'll help you. Let's make more. Qiuhan also likes to eat it. I can take some to see her when I leave."

An Lingrong nodded in agreement, and the two of them went to the small kitchen. She asked a few servants to go out, saying that she wanted to do it herself.

The two had a clear division of labor. Chao Gui chopped the green onion and ginger, soaked them in water, and beat the egg whites.

An Lingrong put six taels of shrimp (one tael is 300 grams in 50 grams) and one tael and a half of pork fat (one tael is 75 grams in grams) on fresh pork skin and chopped them into fine pieces. She added the egg whites (almost three), scallion and ginger juice, rice wine (cooking wine), fine salt, MSG, pepper, and aqua starch (about four spoons of water starch) prepared by Chao Gui, and stirred them to make "shrimp glue".

Then, while An Lingrong was stirring, Chao Gui washed the wintersweet flowers (about 25 flowers), scalded them with boiling water, put them in cold water to cool, and drained them. He cut eight cents of water-soaked shiitake mushrooms (about grams) into thick strips (in the shape of plum blossom branches), and marinated them with fine salt, MSG, and sesame oil.

An Lingrong took a flat plate, smeared a thin layer of lard on the inner wall (about three spoons to prevent the steamed shrimp paste from sticking), poured the shrimp paste into the plate and spread it flat (about 1.5 cm for us, I couldn't find the unit), and then the two of them gently arranged the mushroom strips into the shape of a wintersweet tree (we can use tweezers if conditions permit), and decorated it with wintersweet flowers.

Finally, steam it in a steamer over high heat for less than a cup of tea (5 to 6 minutes) until cooked. Take it out and cut it into pieces of the same size with a knife for easy eating.

But the shape must be kept intact. Put fresh soup in the pot, bring it to a boil, adjust the fresh and salty taste, add cornstarch to make a smooth starch, make the marinade slightly sticky like thin cream, then heat lard to make it polished and flavorful, and it's done.

Chao Gui couldn't wait to pick up a piece and blew on it. After taking a bite, he said, "Sister An, I feel like you are so amazing. It seems like there is nothing you can't do."

Then he put down the cakes and counted on his fingers: "Ice skating, singing, moon guitar, poetry and books, flower arrangement..."

"Well, I'm just killing time when I have nothing to do. Besides, it's always good to have many skills. Who would complain about having too many skills?"

Chao Gui nodded: "Sister An is right. I have also been learning martial arts with Qiu Han recently. Although I didn't see Sister Fu Cha being pounced on by the cat, I heard that Qiu Han was very handsome."

After An Lingrong chatted with Chao Gui for a few more words, Princess Chao Gui left with the cakes. An Lingrong looked at Princess Chao Gui's back as she left and thought: Should I also learn how to ride a horse and shoot arrows?

Then she shook her head and thought, forget it, let's put this matter aside for now. The focus is Concubine Nian. An Lingrong remembered that in a few days there would be news about Prince Dun beating up a censor. She had also heard about this incident at that time, and it involved Nian Gengyao.

It seemed that it was this incident that made the emperor and Zhen Huan join forces to defeat Prince Dun and Nian Gengyao step by step.

But I am not as favored as Zhen Huan, and even if I am favored, I cannot be the regent. I still have to think of a safe way.

But An Lingrong didn't know that Princess Chao Gui ran into Shen Meizhuang just after she left the Yanx Palace and took only a few steps.

Shen Meizhuang came here to talk about the quarrel between Zhen Huan and An Lingrong in Jingren Palace a few days ago. She wanted to ease the relationship between the two. After all, the three of them had entered the palace together and there was no need to ruin their relationship. As a result, she happened to run into Princess Chaogui who had just left Yanxi Palace.

Princess Chaogui recognized Shen Meizhuang because she saw her from a distance when she and Zhen Huan were standing together that day. When she saw Shen Meizhuang, Chaogui thought of Zhen Huan and rolled her eyes and ignored her.

After all, Shen Meizhuang was not as stupid as Yu Ying'er. After looking at Princess Chaogui's clothes and the direction she came from, she was able to guess her identity.

"Your concubine, Shen, the noble lady of Xianfu Palace, greets Princess Chaogui. May the princess be blessed with good fortune."

"Lady Hui, I heard that you and Concubine Wan have known each other since childhood and have always had a good relationship."

"Yes, I and Lady Wanpin are close friends."

Chao Gui nodded: "Thanks to Wanpin's blessing, otherwise this princess would have been unlucky."

Shen Meizhuang said quickly: "Princess, your words are too serious. Wanpin has never seen the princess, and the princess is on good terms with Concubine Rou..."

"Yes." Chao Gui interrupted Shen Meizhuang directly: "Wanpin has never seen this princess, and she also knows that this princess is on good terms with Concubine Rou. If that's the case, why do you still want this princess to regret the engagement? It brings shame to the royal family!"

"Princess!" Shen Meizhuang quickly knelt down and wanted to say a few words to defend Zhen Huan, but she really couldn't say it. She couldn't say that Zhen Huan wanted the princess to break off the engagement in order to win over Concubine Cao.

"Humph, I think you are smart. Don't ruin your future for some stupid and selfish people."

After saying that, Princess Chao Gui left directly. Shen Meizhuang slowly got up after Chao Gui left. Caiyue worriedly asked her young lady whether she was going to see Concubine Rou. Shen Meizhuang shook her head and took the servants back to Xianfu Palace.