The Manchu and Han Banquets in Qing Dynasty

Played for half a day.

At that time, not long after Emperor Shunzhi died, the seven-year-old Xuan Ye had just ascended the throne. The little emperor was annoyed to death by the ministers all day long, thinking about when he could sneak out to play.Finally one day, he managed to get rid of a group of court ladies and eunuchs, and sneaked into the imperial dining room.

As for why he sneaked into the imperial dining room?The reason was that he was attracted by the smell of food. He lay on the door and looked in, thinking about whether he should let the royal chefs make some cakes for him as the emperor, but he was scared and fell to the ground by the sudden voice behind him. .

The little emperor glared unhappily at the person who came, and found that it was a little kid about his size. The little kid opened a pair of bright eyes and said, "Who are you? Do you want to steal it?"

The little emperor thought that this person is really stupid, seeing his dragon robe and not knowing his identity, but this is better, so he said: "Zhen... I am a new eunuch, little brother, and you are also from the imperial kitchen." People? I'm so hungry, I want to eat."

Kid Xiu felt soft-hearted when he heard this, he felt so sad to see such a beautiful child hungry.So he said: "My name is Lin Zixiu, and my master is the imperial cook. You hide outside first, and I'll get you something to eat, okay?"

As soon as the little emperor heard that there was something going on, he acted even more vigorously, grabbed Zixiu's hand and shook it, saying: "Brother Zixiu, thank you, you are really a good person."

Kid Xiu was very pleased when he heard it, so he asked the little emperor to hide it, and went in to steal things by himself.There are a lot of things in the imperial dining room, but it is not easy to take out the rice and vegetables. When Xiao Zixiu saw a plate of vermilion dim sum on the stage, he had an idea, wrapped several gold cakes and brought them to the little emperor.

The little emperor got excited about eating, so he asked Zixiu to eat with him. Zixiu saw that he was eating happily, and felt that he had done a good deed.

"By the way, what's your name?" Zixiu asked with a piece of snack in his mouth.

The little emperor thought for a while and replied, "Call me Xiao Ye."

"Oh, Xiaoye, how old are you?"

"Seven years old." The little emperor replied.

"I'm eight years old, so I'm older than you. You should call me brother." Zixiu said with a smile.

"Okay then, brother Zixiu, will you stay in the palace all the time?" The little emperor felt that Zixiu had helped him, so calling him brother was fine.

Zixiu shook his head and said regretfully: "Master brought me into the palace today, and I don't know if there will be another chance in the future. Master is very strict with us, but if I become an imperial chef in the future, I can enter the palace to play with you." gone."

"That's it, then you have to work hard, I'll wait for you in the palace." The little emperor looked at Zixiu disappointed, and helped Zixiu wipe off the pastry foam from his mouth.

"Well, I will work hard." This was Zixiu's promise.

However, when they met again, only Kangxi remembered this past. Nine years later, he waited for his elder brother Zixiu, but found that he could never go back to the past.

The author has something to say: I don’t know how GNS thinks this article is swollen, so I’m worried. =

This is delicious gold cake

Fourth course

Kangxi was depressed, and he was depressed like never before, no matter how difficult the political affairs were, he had never been so depressed.The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. How could that kid forget him?Although he hadn't thought of Zixiu much in recent years, at least he recognized Zixiu as soon as he heard his name.

After dealing with the political affairs, Kangxi put down the pen with a "snap", which startled Eunuch Liang who was guarding the door.Eunuch Liang's name is Liang Jiugong, and he is a big celebrity around Kangxi. He is not only first-rate in flattery, but also first-rate in his facial expressions.As soon as he saw Kangxi like this, he knew that Kangxi had something on his mind.

"Your Majesty, what's bothering you? I don't know if the slave can help the Emperor to share his worries?"

Kangxi shook his head, Liang Jiugong said again: "I don't know which empress the emperor wants to go to tonight? The servant should go to the transmission as soon as possible."

Kangxi glared at him, and Liang Jiugong immediately knelt on the ground knowingly, and said straight away: "The slave should die, the slave should die." He also slapped himself with bows left and right.Kangxi didn't stop him, but just stared at him coldly until Liang Jiugong's cheeks were swollen before saying, "Get up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness." Liang Jiugong's face was swollen like a steamed bun. He didn't understand what happened to His Majesty today.He used to ask this question a lot.

"I'm tired tonight, so I'll rest in Qianqing Palace." Kangxi got up and walked out, Liang Jiugong followed behind him like a bug.Suddenly, Kangxi stopped, and Liang Jiugong almost bumped into Kangxi without stopping.

Kangxi said: "The new cook that Concubine Hui recruited is called Lin..."

"It's Lin Zixiu, Your Majesty." Liang Jiugong quickly answered.

Kangxi nodded, and said: "Concubine Hui said that Lin Zixiu's cooking is delicious. I'm going to Concubine Hui's for dinner tomorrow. You can send someone over to tell you about it tomorrow."

"Cha." Liang Jiugong's thoughts turned sharply, and two thoughts flashed in his mind instantly: one was that the emperor loved Concubine Hui more and more; the other was that the emperor seemed to be very interested in the new cook.But no matter which one, he has to be careful.As he got older, the emperor's thoughts became more and more elusive.

In the afternoon of the next day, Kangxi really appeared in Yongshou Palace. Everyone in Yongshou Palace was very happy about Kangxi's arrival.Kangxi seldom dined with his concubines, but this time he came here specially for lunch, which was enough to show Kangxi's love for his concubines.

Zixiu had already prepared the food, and only after he came here did he realize that making meals in Yongshou Palace is also good.Concubine Hui is favored, and someone will buy whatever ingredients he wants. When he is free, he can concentrate on cooking in the kitchen alone, which is relatively leisurely.

He thought, perhaps it would be good to stay by Concubine Hui's side.

The eunuchs came to pass on the meals, and Zixiu ordered all the food to the eunuchs, and then continued to study the unfinished dish just now.As soon as he started cooking, he forgot to sleep and eat, and he didn't need to rest all day and all night.For this reason, the master taught him countless times, but he still did not change.

Until someone came to communicate again, saying that the emperor let him go.

Zixiu frowned, wondering what Kangxi was going to do again?

"The servant has met the emperor, met the empress..." Zixiu felt that his salute was getting smoother and smoother. Realizing this, he couldn't laugh or cry.

"Pingshen, Lin Zixiu, come here." Kangxi beckoned, and Zixiu moved to Kangxi's side step by step.Kangxi said: "What's the name of your dish, I don't seem to have seen it before."

Zixiu glanced at the table and explained: "This dish is called Hongmeizhuxiang. It is mainly made of pigeon eggs, chicken breast and shrimp. It is sweet and salty. The emperor can try it."

Kangxi asked with interest: "Why is it called 'Hongmeizhuxiang'? Is this your own dish?"

Zixiu was at a loss for words for a while, and then he remembered that the dish of Hongmei Zhuxiang was only available during the Yongzheng period. There is also a legend about this dish, which is also about Yongzheng.But now Yongzheng has not yet been born.

He faltered: "This slave created it himself...The slave thought the name was nice, so he used it."

Kangxi nodded, and said: "It sounds very good, and the dishes are delicious. This dish will be called 'Hongmei Zhuxiang' from now on. Lin Zixiu, you have done a good job in cooking. What do you think I should reward you for?"

Zixiu's heart is like riding a roller coaster, sliding up and down, and then sliding up again... Dealing with the emperor is tiring, how dare he ask for any reward, letting him go back early is the greatest reward for him.

So Zixiu replied again: "The emperor's greatest reward is to enjoy the meal."

Kangxi was a little unhappy. This person said this for the first time, and he said it for the second time. Does this Lin Zixiu really don't want a reward or does he feel that he has nothing to reward him?

Kangxi said: "Eunuch Liang, go and bring the jade Ruyi I got the day before yesterday. Lin Zixiu, make me a plate of gold cake tonight and send it to the imperial study."

"Yes." Zixiu was in a very complicated mood, he couldn't understand the emperor's mind at all.While he was thinking hard, Eunuch Liang had already brought Yu Ruyi over.

Kangxi said: "I will reward you with this Jade Ruyi today, and if you do well next time, there will be a reward."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness." Zixiu took Yu Ruyi, feeling that the thing was heavy, and the workmanship was exquisite and meticulous, but it could neither be eaten nor drunk, nor could it be used as ingredients.He looked at Yu Ruyi with some distress, wondering what use this thing would be to him.

After Zixiu stepped back, he still couldn't figure it out, so he randomly put it in his closet.He felt that his luck was still good, and both Concubine Hui and the emperor liked to eat the dishes.No, he didn't think that he had climbed a high branch, but he felt that his skills were not in vain.Some people affirm that he will work harder when cooking.

There was nothing to do for the next time, so he started to cook new dishes again.It is not accurate to say that it is a new dish, it can only be said that it is a dish that he has not yet cooked well.After ten years of apprenticeship with his master, he was able to cook 58 dishes in the Manchu Banquet. Although he could also cook the remaining [-] dishes, he still couldn't meet the requirements.

That is, the 58 dishes he could make were all said by the master to be tangible but not refined. He still didn't understand what the essence of what the master said was. He still doesn't know the [-]th dish.He has been here for exactly one month, which is indeed not a long time, but he didn't find the answer and didn't talk about it, and his skills didn't improve.

Previously, he could not try to cook new dishes because of the conditions, but now that he has the conditions, he must seize the time to study hard, and this is also his main purpose of entering the palace.

"Lin Zixiu?" A soft voice came from outside the door, Zixiu looked and found it was Haizhu.For Haizhu, he is grateful. This girl is a nice person and loves to help others.

"Miss Haizhu, what's the matter?" Zixiu wanted to help Haizhu move a stool, but found that his hands were covered with oil, and he couldn't help feeling embarrassed.

Haizhu said: "It's nothing, just to see if you're used to the place you live in. By the way, I haven't congratulated you yet.