Half in the river wind, half in the clouds

Because the political situation in Liangzhou was uncertain and the troops in Chang'an kept coming in waves, Jiang's mother kept the two sisters under tighter control, and Aunt Yun simply stayed in the house and refused to come out. The four maids were only in the courtyard, and all external affairs were handled by the servants, leaving only the corner gate for daily entry and exit.

Jiang Fei has been absent-minded recently and she pierced her fingers into sieves while doing needlework.

Jiang Feng had no time to care about her. Seeing the situation getting more tense day by day, she felt like a Buddha crossing the river. The jade seal became a sword hanging over her head. She felt cold at the thought of it. She was worried that the matter would be exposed. She was worried that Ming Que would betray her. She even wanted to find a remote place to secretly bury the thing. In order to calm herself down, she began to paint Mr. Mi Xiangyang's "Smoke and Rain" based on her memories of her previous life.

Fortunately, by May, the tense atmosphere had gradually eased, the officials sent by the court left one after another, General Guo had had enough of prison food, Jiang's father was settled in Aunt Yun's room again, relatives began to move around, the Protectorate began to prepare for the spring hunt, and the wife of the governor began to arrange blind dates for her uneducated second son.

Jiang Feng excitedly took the fake "Smoke and Rain" painting that was hundreds of years old to Liu's house, just in time for his brother-in-law to host a banquet for the nobles of Chang'an in the evening. Jiang Lan rolled up her sleeves and personally directed the maid in the kitchen.

Jiang Feng joked, "What a distinguished guest! I feel like I'm facing a great enemy! Since he is a distinguished guest, he must have enjoyed everything. I'm afraid that even if I cook for him, it will be nothing more than this. It would be better for me to just give him a plate of pickles, a whole lamb and a pot of old wine. How frugal."

"Don't talk nonsense, little bitch!" Jiang Lan said angrily. She was afraid of losing face in front of the nobleman. Although she heard that the nobleman was the most humble and informal, how could she not be nervous? Her husband invited his boss to dinner, and it was not just an ordinary boss, but a nobleman. It would be fine if it was a restaurant, but it was a family dinner, so the wife had to show off her skills and all kinds of martial arts.

"Sister, let me help you."

"Don't make trouble, go find Yuzhi to play with by yourself, what can you do!"

"I will. There are many more. Just wait and see, sister." Jiang Feng said with a sly smile.

Jiang Feng rolled up his sleeves and served a plate of Wensi tofu and a plate of fried furong eggs, which were delicious. Jiang Lan opened her eyes wide and asked her mother-in-law to give Jiang Feng the center of the kitchen. Jiang Feng saw a few flat and white crucian carps in the basin, so he instructed her mother-in-law to clean the crucian carps, added wine and autumn oil to the steamer, covered the steamer lid tightly to prevent the crucian carps from being affected by the water on the lid, and added fragrant tannins and bamboo shoots before serving. The steamed crucian carps were fragrant.

In less than half an hour, Jiang Feng turned all those creatures swimming in the water, flying in the sky, and running on the ground into delicious dishes. He also creatively fried a steak, garnished the dish with a few slices of green vegetables and flower leaves, and cleverly arranged a large plate of various fruits. Although it was a little rougher than that of a Michelin chef, it was still presentable.

In her previous life, if it weren't for her parents' professional prejudice, Lin Jinran would have studied to be a chef. She loves to eat, so she also loves to cook. Whenever she eats something good outside, she can copy it and make it about 70% to 80% of the way. During the time when a certain food program was very popular, Lin Jinran's weight increased sharply.

After traveling through time, she found that many of her specialties in this era could not be made: there were no tools and no ingredients. But she persisted in her research and never gave up, and finally found a place for her skills today. In fact, these dishes are just home-cooked dishes, but the methods are new and no one has tried them, so they are novel. However, compared with the various roasted, boiled, and steamed dishes in the northwest at that time, they are more than enough to entertain guests.

Just after the hour of You, Brother-in-law Liu arrived with a group of people. Jiang Lan went out early to greet them, and the maids began to set up the place. Jiang Feng and Jiang Lan's sister-in-law Liu Yuzhi were solving the Nine Links in the house.

The seven or eight people at the table were all military men, who were always bold and unrestrained. The rough northern men drank politely at the beginning, pinching their throats, but after a few glasses of liquor, the sounds of finger-guessing games and drinking contests became louder.

Jiang Feng asked in a low voice: "Who is this noble person? I was so busy just now that I forgot to ask my sister. I heard that even Brother Shanfeng was so reserved?"

"I heard from my brother that it was Prince Xiang's fifth son, Prince Zhongshan Li Longye, who is now the deputy governor of Liangzhou." Yuzhi answered while flipping through the nine linked rings seriously.

This sentence exploded in Jiang Feng's ears like thunder. Li Dan's son? Li Longji's younger brother? She remembered that he had a famous younger brother, the King of Qi in "Meeting Li Guinian in Jiangnan", but she had almost no impression of this King of Zhongshan, Li Longye.

Crown Prince Li Chongjun is also in Liangzhou now, and it seems that the Prince of Zhongshan is in the same group with him.

It has been three years since Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian ascended the throne. Jiang Feng speculated that the date when Li Chongjun would launch a mutiny was not far away. At this point in time, the prince condescended to come to Liangzhou, which made Jiang Feng feel suspicious. If anyone followed Li Chongjun at this time, he might be in trouble.

But how did Li Longye get involved? During the reign of Emperor Zhongzong, there was almost no record of Li Dan's five sons in history books. It was impossible for Li Longji to unsheathe his sword overnight and support the country. It must have been the result of his painstaking efforts day and night.

When I was an undergraduate, my teacher taught me about a painting called "Five Kings Returning Drunkenly", which depicts the story of the five brothers of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Emperor Xuanzong had a harmonious relationship with his four brothers, and they often went to banquets, cockfights, and hunting together. The painting depicted the five brothers riding horses together.

Yes, it’s Li Ye, the King of Xue, riding a yellow horse!

Just as he was thinking about it, Jiang Lan came over in a hurry, pulled Jiang Feng and said with a hint of worry: "A Feng, the young prince wants to see you."

"See me? Sister, you must have heard wrongly. Why would you see me for no reason?" Jiang Feng's mind was full of the lawsuit.

Liu's brother-in-law is now very close to Li Longye, but are Li Longye and his third brother Li Longji on the same boat? How can he get involved with Li Chongjun? If you stand on the wrong side, you will lose your title and be dismissed from office at the least, or beheaded and your entire family will be exterminated at the worst!

Why do you want to meet her now? What is Li Longye's character like? Most of the Tang Dynasty's princes were romantic. Emperor Taizong married his sister-in-law, Emperor Gaozong married his stepmother, and Emperor Xuanzong married his daughter-in-law. If the person sitting here today is also amorous and is attracted to this decent appearance...

She had no intention of being a princess and competing for favor with all the other women. A hundred thoughts flashed through Jiang Feng's mind, and in the end, he just hoped that Brother Liu's vision in choosing a boss would be the same as his vision in choosing a wife.

"Dong Ju couldn't explain it clearly, but it seemed that the crucian carp was very good. The servant said it was you who made it."

It's true that people are afraid of being famous and pigs are afraid of getting fat. Why make that crucian carp dish? It should be a dish of stir-fried fish scales.

Jiang Feng was thinking blankly, Jiang Lan had already arranged her appearance and pulled her out. Jiang Feng was thinking about how to respond, and soon he arrived in the hall.

Jiang Feng followed Jiang Lan closely, following the rules that he had learned from his mother's beating.

"Your Highness, this is the concubine, and this is my aunt." As Liu Nezhi introduced them, Jiang Lan led Jiang Fengying to pay her respects.

"Ma'am, there's no need to be so polite. I'm sorry to bother you so much today." The voice was cool and clear, with an air of nobility.

Jiang Lan repeatedly said that she dared not, but Jiang Feng lowered his head and swore to never open his mouth.

"I have always loved to work hard on riding, shooting and eating. My father often blames me for neglecting my career because of this. Riding and shooting are fine, because our Tang Dynasty was established on horseback, and our ancestors' things should be practiced diligently every day. However, it is difficult to give up the desire for food. The dining hall in my palace is also one of the best in the capital, and it is as famous as my fourth brother's music. I didn't expect that there are people out there. Today, in this remote place, I have the opportunity to enjoy this delicacy. I took the liberty to treat you, young lady. Please don't be surprised."

"Your Highness is too modest." The silly brother-in-law clasped his fists and turned to Jiang Feng and said, "Ah Feng, I didn't know you were such a great cook. Do you have a recipe for today's dish?"

There are certain audio and video platforms such as Tik Tok, Baidu and CCTV, as well as "Suiyuan Food List" and "Zhitang Talks about Food", but you have no chance to see them!

He complained in his heart but spoke with great respect: "There was a recipe originally, but it was lost after the study was renovated that year." His voice was gentle and light, respectful but not humble, and it made people happy from the bottom of their hearts to hear it.

Except for Liu Nezhi and Guan Shanfeng, everyone seated there saw Jiang Feng for the first time. Upon closer inspection, they saw that the girl was no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, with a pair of big, clear eyes that were even brighter than the stars in the desert.

At this time, a sturdy man said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, you like to eat and drink these exquisite things, but I think sheep bones are the most refreshing to eat. And this fruit, it is arranged very beautifully, but I, Old Zhao, dare not eat it!"

After saying this, everyone burst into laughter.

"General Zhao is indeed generous!" Li Longye clasped his fists and looked around and said with a smile: "General, you win every bet and bet on the Shanyu's sable robe. Generals, one man can block the pass of ten thousand men on the battlefield. Nezhi's wine and food are barely worthy of a leisurely prince like me."

As soon as Li Longye finished speaking, everyone stood up in a hurry. Brother-in-law Liu bowed and said, "It's my fault for not thinking it through."

Li Longye waved his hand and said, "Generals, Nezhi, why are you being polite to me? Take your seats quickly! When you return to the army, I will slaughter sheep and cook cattle outside Yanmen Pass!"

The people who had just sat down stood up again and said in unison: "We will definitely fulfill our mission."

It’s so tiring to eat, Jiang Feng thought.

Why is there a need for redeployment now? This redeployment has almost wiped out the backbone of the Liangzhou Army, and General Guo has just finished his prison sentence? Is this an opportunity to purge the Liangzhou Army?

Jiang Feng was puzzled and looked up. She saw Li Longye wearing a black narrow-sleeved robe with gold thread beads on the cuffs. He looked noble and imposing. His big beard covered half of his face, but made his eyes look deep. At this time, these deep eyes looked at Jiang Feng with interest and a smile. The girl quickly lowered her head to pretend to be a little sheep, but she still felt two burning gazes shooting at her.

Li Longye finished talking about the important matters in a few words, and then began to think about the elegant matters again. He slowly said, "Since there is no recipe, I will have to ask the third lady for advice in the future."

I want your advice, you big head ghost!

Eh, that's not right? How did he know she was the third child? Jiang Feng's heart was beating fast, but he didn't dare to show any disrespect on his face. He just replied softly, "I have run out of ideas for today's banquet. If Your Majesty likes it, I will write down the menu of all the dishes for today's banquet and present it to you. But Your Majesty has tasted all the delicacies in the world, so I dare not show my ugliness for other dishes."

"Since the young lady is so modest, I will not force you to do anything. Thank you for the recipe first."

……

"What prince? He's just a foodie!" Jiang Feng said hatefully as he followed Jiang Lan to the side room.

"I just asked you about your food. Why are you so angry?" Jiang Lan said with a smile as she took off half of her arms.

"You should rest early today and write the recipe tomorrow. I am not kidding you for delaying your business."

"Sis doesn't care about me anymore now that she has a brother-in-law! Today, my fingers were burned red while making the goat milk soup, but sister didn't even look at it. She just wanted to get the job done." Jiang Feng turned to Jiang Lan and acted coquettishly.

Jiang Lan smiled brightly and pretended to be angry: "Dong Ju gave you a cold compress a long time ago, and you are trying to be nice again."

Although he said that, he still pulled Jiang Feng's hand over to take a closer look, and then said: "You have drunk so much of my good tea, and I have something delicious and fun but you don't think about you, but you come to brag about it."

"Tomorrow, sister will give birth to a lot of nephews and nieces to play with me, then she will really love me."

After hearing this, Jiang Lan's face instantly turned red and she spat, "You are getting even more confused."

Jiang Feng was still confused, so he changed the subject and asked, "Sister, is my brother-in-law going to be transferred? But will he be transferred to a nearby prefecture?"

Jiang Lan put down the Sanhuang ointment and said with a worried look on her face, "It's not a nearby prefecture. Your brother-in-law said he was transferred to Chang'an. Originally, it was Brother Shanfeng who was going to lead the troops, but for some reason a few days ago, your brother-in-law took over."

"Chang'an? Chang'an is protected by the capital, and it's thousands of miles away. How can we transfer troops from Liangzhou?" Jiang Feng asked puzzledly.

"Who said it wasn't? I'm worried too. But your brother-in-law is usually nice and willing to tell me everything. But when it comes to military affairs, he doesn't say a word and only says that he knows what's going on." Jiang Lan said.

Jiang Feng knew that Jiang Lan didn't know much, and asking too much would only increase his worries. He stopped talking and picked out some interesting things to say.

Jiang Feng couldn't wait until the guests in the front hall left, and fell asleep early. When he woke up in the morning, he saw bright red and plump lychees on the table. He peeled one and put it in his mouth. It was crisp and sweet, and he couldn't help but wonder, "Where is the concubine's smile at this time of year?"

"What do you mean the fat one is laughing while the thin one is laughing? These are lychees. They were originally a tribute. The prince sent someone to deliver them this morning and specifically mentioned that they are for you."

Oh, it's still called lychee now. Yang Yuhuan, one of the four beauties, has not appeared yet, and the story of "a horse riding through the dust and the concubine smiling" has not been staged yet. It turns out that the men of the Li family also have a hobby, love to give women lychees?

No, no, the one with the beard gave it to me?

If someone shows kindness for no reason, he is either a traitor or a thief! I thought to myself, but I ate the lychees without any hesitation.