After the salted fish is married

118. Mandarin duck pot

The air in the racecourse was fresh, watching the horses run freely on the grass, everyone became more active.Near noon, the people who had been active all morning were hungry, Yan Ke and the others looked at Yan Xining eagerly: "Princess, what shall we have for lunch?"

Now what Yan Ke and the others are most looking forward to is three meals a day. Ever since they came to Prince Rong's Mansion, they have looked forward to every meal.The princess never hides her secrets, even if she can't eat the delicious food he made by herself, he will give the recipe to the cook.With the guidance of the princess, the taste of the food is exceptionally good, and fresh delicacies appear on the table from time to time.

After thinking for a moment, Yan Xining said, "Why don't you... eat hot pot."

He has fried hot pot base ingredients in his backpack, and chicken soup in the horse farm kitchen. As long as he adds the base ingredients to the chicken soup, he can have a mouthful of spicy and delicious hot pot soup.Besides, there are fresh vegetables, meat, vegetables, and lucky bags in the Zhuangzi on the racecourse side. It is the most convenient to eat hot pot.

Yan Ke hesitated when he heard the words: "Eat hot pot? Do you eat hot pot this day?"

Yan Xining smiled and said, "What's the matter? Can't you eat it?" In his opinion, hot pot can be eaten all year round, warming up in winter and sweating in summer. Hot pot in each season has its own flavor.

Yan Ke said with a smile: "Speaking of which, brothers haven't eaten hot pot for a long time. Since the princess proposed to heat the hot pot, this subordinate will handle it."

Yan Xining was at a loss, all the ingredients for the hot pot were ready, what did Yan Ke need to do?

At this time, Yan Ke raised his arms and shouted: "Brothers, the princess said that she wants to eat hot pot at noon. Let's show the princess a trick!"

The guards on the horses immediately responded: "Okay!" Then they rode their horses and ran towards the forest near the racecourse, and they disappeared after a while.

The corners of Yan Xining's lips twitched: "What are they... doing?"

Ji Song explained: "They went hunting wild animals in the mountains."

The hot pot that Yan Ke and the others eat is shabu-shabu. Fresh and tender slices are cut into thin slices and scalded in a pot of clean water. When the meat changes color, they are quickly picked up.When eating, dip the prepared sesame sauce or the sauce made of rolled shallots. In winter, you can eat meat in a hot pot, and your stomach will be full and your body will be warm.

Ji Song recalled: "The last time I ate hot pot was in the Chi Ling Army." That time he, Yan Ke and Xiao Ling ate half a head of goat, recalling it now, it feels like a long time has passed.

Yan Xining looked at the guards who ran into the forest like wild monkeys: "But...the hot pot I make is not the kind of hot pot they think."

Ji Song was stunned for a moment: "Huh?"

Yan Xining didn't know how to explain to Ji Song, and after a while he gave up: "It's okay, Yan Ke and the others will be back when we finish the hot pot."

In fact, before he could prepare the side dishes, Yan Ke and the others came back.The guards were so powerful that they brought back a deer and a goat as soon as they made a move.As soon as they returned to the racecourse, everyone sniffed: "What smells so good?"

A large round table has been placed in the temporary awning on the horse farm, and two large charcoal pots are placed on the round table.There were only four guards following Ji Song and the others to the racecourse, and a round table could fit them all.

There is a copper pot on each charcoal pot, and the bottom of the pot is chicken soup. On the clear chicken soup, there are scallions, goji berries, ginger slices, and red dates floating on it. It is very healthy at first glance.The other copper pot was a spicy pot with a thick layer of red oil floating on it. The spicy smell that Yan Ke and the others smelled came from this spicy pot.

Fresh and tender vegetables and thin slices of meat are placed around the charcoal basin, which are both in variety and in portion.The table is colorful, giving people a strong visual impact.

Yan Ke turned around the table twice and looked at Ji Song: "Master, is this the hot pot that the princess mentioned? It's different from what we usually eat."

Ji Song said with a smile: "It's the first time I've seen such a hot pot, and I feel pretty good. Clean up and sit down, the water is boiling and you can serve the food."

Just as he was talking, Yan Xining walked over with a piece of Shau Kei mushroom slices.There are several kinds of mushrooms in Shau Kei, including brown matsutake and white mushrooms that cannot be named.These mushrooms are all picked from the mountains and forests around Zhuangzi, and they taste best when used for hot pot.

The two charcoal pots were heated at the same time, and the pot containing the red soup was already opened.Yan Xining reminded: "When the water boils, you can put the meat slices in, and you can eat them. You're welcome."

The guards were very reserved, it wasn't the first time they dined with Ji Song, but it was the first time they dined with Yan Xining.In front of the princess, they wanted to save some face.

Seeing everyone giggling and not moving their chopsticks, Yan Xining looked at Ji Song for help. Ji Song understood, and said softly, "Eat."

As soon as the voice fell, Yan Ke took the lead to pick up a large piece of meat with his chopsticks and put it into the spicy pot: "Hey, you are welcome!"

Yan Xining doesn't like hot mutton slices, so the meat slices prepared today are all beef.There is a servant in the racecourse who is good at dividing cattle. Under his knife, every piece of beef is clearly arranged.The piece of meat that Yan Ke picks up is a piece of meat under the shoulder blade of the beef, which can be blanched slightly to obtain a soft and tender taste.

The color of the sliced ​​meat changed after being rolled a few times in the spicy pot. Yan Ke first picked up a piece of meat and put it in Ji Song's bowl: "Master eats meat."

Seeing this piece of meat, Ji Song frowned, and he remembered the time when he often received a piece of meat and a wonton a few days ago.He couldn't laugh or cry: "It's hard for you to remember me."

Yan Ke said righteously: "Of course, there are good things to leave to the master."

Ji Song didn't order it, he picked up a piece of meat from the pot and put it in Yan Xining's bowl, and then called to the guards: "Eat quickly, if you don't eat meat, you will get old."

Several guards responded, and they put the meat slices into the bowls in front of them.However, they were not in a hurry to eat meat, instead they looked around the table.Yan Xining wondered, "What are you looking for?"

Yan Ke scratched his head in embarrassment: "Is there no sesame sauce?" They are used to dipping sesame sauce in hot pot, and the taste of meat slices depends entirely on sesame sauce.

Yan Xining smiled and handed over the prepared dipping sauce: "I didn't prepare sesame sauce, but you can try this."

There are two kinds of dipping materials, one is garlic oil dish, and the other is dried chili dish.The mashed garlic soaked in sesame oil is golden in color, and served with finely chopped green coriander, the fragrance reaches the sky.The dried chili dish is brightly colored, and when you smell it closely, it is numbing and spicy. It is the dry dish that Yan Ke and the others are used to eating.

The guards picked up the sliced ​​meat, rolled it in the oil dish, and stuffed it into their mouths. The hot meat slices were quickly cooled when they met the oil plate, and the mouth was lukewarm.Although the meat slices are simply rolled in the pot, they are fully contaminated with the taste of the spicy pot.The dense spicy stimulated everyone's tongues, and before the sliced ​​meat slipped into the stomach, beads of sweat were already oozing from the tips of everyone's noses.

Spicy but not dry, fat but not greasy, with the appropriate embellishment of garlic oil dish, everyone's taste is fully stimulated.They had never tasted such a complex, stimulating and delicious taste, and the guards who came back to their senses picked up the slices of meat in front of them and boiled them in a spicy pot.

tasty!Unexpectedly, the hot and spicy pot made by the princess is not inferior to the shabu-shabu they ate.Yan Ke was full of praise, he was completely conquered by the hot pot: "Princess, the hot pot you made is delicious, what kind of hot pot is this?"

Yan Xining put the things that need to be stewed for a long time into the soup pots on both sides: "This is a spicy pot, and the one here is a chicken soup pot. Let's call it a mandarin duck pot."

There is no mandarin duck pot that can inject two kinds of soup bases at the same time, so he can only make his own.Fortunately, everyone didn't care about this problem, and they ate happily.

When eating hot pot, Yan Xining likes crispy and tender ingredients like blanching hairy belly and yellow throat. However, due to limited conditions, he couldn't find suitable ingredients.But it doesn't matter, as long as you like the taste of hot pot, you don't have to worry about not having hot pot in the future.

Compared with eating spicy pot, Yan Xining looks forward to the stewed lucky bag and matsutake in the clear soup pot.Seeing the black matsutake slices floating in the chicken soup, Yan Xining couldn't help looking at Ji Song.

Ji Song was savoring the spicy pot, and he found that Yan Xining was very good at selecting ingredients, and everything that was put into the spicy pot was extremely delicious.Whether it is bright red beef or small round gluten balls, every texture and taste is impeccable.

Seeing Yan Xining staring at him, Ji Song was a little surprised: "What's wrong?"

Yan Xining smiled and said, "I'm waiting for matsutake."

Ji Song was stunned for a moment: "Huh?"

Yan Xining didn't hold back her laugh: "I'm talking about matsutake mushrooms, have you seen these mushrooms? This mushroom is called matsutake."

Ji Song: ...

He remembered that Yan Xining once called him Agaricus blazei, did Ah Ning already think of this mushroom at that time?Forget it, as long as Aning likes it, why not have another nickname for him?

There are all kinds of ingredients in the pot, and everyone has their own favorite delicacy.For example, Yan Ke is a standard carnivore, he likes half-fat and half-lean beef best, while Ji Song likes crispy sliced ​​lotus root and bamboo shoots.What Bai Tao likes is rather strange. He likes a kind of sweet potato called "choking dead cow" grown near the racecourse.

After eating for a while, Ji Song was sweating all over, and he took off his outer shirt: "I thought hot pot was only suitable for eating in winter. I didn't expect to eat it in this season. It has a special flavor."

Yan Ke nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, and the hot pot made by the princess is different from the hot pot we ate before. The hot pot we ate before mainly eats meat, but in the mandarin duck pot made by the princess, everything can be cooked."

Han Jin on the side nodded again and again: "Yes, everything can be hot pot."

Yan Xining was quietly waiting for the matsutake to be cooked. After the matsutake was put into the pot, he could smell a unique aroma, which was not so obvious mixed with the smell of the spicy pot.However, after taking a sip of chicken soup, you can clearly feel the presence of matsutake.

Matsutake has the aroma of the mountains and pine wood. In Yan Xining's imagination, the taste of matsutake should be as crisp and tender as mushrooms.However, in his previous life, he was poor and could not afford such a precious mushroom as matsutake, so he never knew what matsutake tasted like.

After waiting for a while, the matsutake was finally cooked.Yan Xining picked up two pieces of matsutake and put them in the bowl, he didn't add any seasoning.After the temperature of the matsutake dropped, he couldn't wait to take a bite of the matsutake.

What's the matter with the taste like Pleurotus eryngii?

Yan Xining took two more bites in disbelief. The mouthfeel was indeed matsutake aroma, but the taste was not crisp and tender, but dense.Yan Xining was a little disappointed, he chewed the matsutake in his mouth, no matter how he ate it, he felt that he was eating a king oyster mushroom with a slightly more delicate taste.

119. Plum rain

Although the texture and taste of matsutake made him a little disappointed for the time being, it didn't matter. I heard that matsutake can be fully stimulated by frying it with butter.In the evening, he is going to cook a pan-fried matsutake, hoping to live up to the delicious taste of matsutake.

At this time, Yan Ke picked up the lucky bag that was put down first from the spicy pot: "Princess, is this thing safe to eat?"

Yan Xining smiled and said, "That's enough." He took out a lucky bag from the chicken soup pot and put it in front of Ji Song: "Come, try the lucky bag you made yourself."

Although he had seen the making of the lucky bag with his own eyes and knew the ingredients contained in the lucky bag, after Ji Song tasted the taste of the lucky bag, he was still surprised: "Is this a lucky bag?"

The rice cake in the lucky bag was boiled and lost its original shape. The soft rice cake stuck to the tofu skin and other ingredients inside, and the soup flowed down the rice cake and pulled out long strands.There are red beans, meat paste and shrimp slippery in the lucky bag, which is rich and delicious.

The contents of each lucky bag in the pot are different, and every mouthful of the hot pot soup is full of satisfaction.Ji Song couldn't get enough of it: "It's delicious."

Yan Xining smiled and said, "If you like it, just do it."

Yan Xining prepared a large table of dishes, which were all eaten up by the guards in the end.It was a successful hot pot meal, and everyone was very satisfied.

Time flies, and a day is gone in the blink of an eye.At night, Ji Song and the others stayed at the racecourse, and at midnight Yan Xining heard the sound of rain falling in his sleep.He turned around in a daze: "It's raining..."

Ji Song hugged Yan Xining, he said casually: "Yes, it's the rainy season."

Every year from mid-to-late June to early July, there will be continuous rain falling near the capital.During the rainy season that lasts for half a month, the water flow soars and things grow hairy, so the people call this period the plum rainy season.

Ji Song woke up suddenly after saying this: "The rainy season?!"

Before he asked Ye Linfeng when he could heal his legs, Ye Linfeng said to wait for the rain to stop.Ji Song didn't know that at the time, so now it seems that Ye Linfeng is probably waiting for the rainy season to pass.

Thinking of this possibility, Ji Song's heart beat like a drum, and he suppressed his emotions.He didn't dare to give himself too much hope, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment, so let nature take its course.

The rain has been pattering for a whole day and night, and instead of stopping, the rain is getting bigger and bigger.On the third day, the sky seemed to have opened up, and the rain poured down.In less than half a day, water accumulated in the low-lying areas of the racecourse.Seeing such heavy rain, Ji Song decided to brave the rain and return to the palace.

Yan Xining looked worried at the white rain outside the car window: "It's raining so hard..."

Ji Song replied: "Yes, it rained so much at the beginning of the rainy season, I'm afraid the surrounding counties will be flooded. You go back to the palace first, and I'll go to the Ministry of Industry to discuss with them."

He felt vaguely uneasy. This year's rainy season had too much rainfall. Under such circumstances, some old houses in the city would be washed away by the rain, and the surrounding counties would definitely suffer from waterlogging.Ji Song, as the servant of the Ministry of Industry, had to take a look at this kind of time to feel at ease.

As a modern person, Yan Xining has not experienced natural disasters in the past 20 years.Although there are many river networks in the place where he lives, he has never encountered a flood since he can remember.

But he has seen the tragic situation of the people during the flood in books and on TV. The houses were washed away and the grains were submerged.Chu and Liao are no better than modern times. There are no good water conservancy projects and traffic conditions here. Once a disaster occurs, the casualties of the people will only be more.

For a moment, Yan Xining felt a little heavy: "If... I mean, if there is really a flood, can I help?"

Ji Song was stunned, he had seen too many high-ranking people regard human life as worthless.He knew that his princess was kind, but at this time, he only hoped that Aning could stay in the palace well.So he raised his hand and rubbed Yan Xining's hair: "You stay at home, the weather is bad during this time, don't run around."

As soon as the carriage stopped at the gate of the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry, the officials of the Ministry of Industry rushed to greet Ji Song: "Master, you can count yourself back, this time the amount of rain in the rainy season is astonishing, the rainfall in half a day today is more than the entire rainy season in previous years More!"

Ji Song was pushed into the Ministry of Industry by everyone without looking back, Yan Xining looked at everyone's hurried steps, and felt even heavier in his heart.

When he returned to Wenzhang Garden, he found that the water in Lanyue Lake had risen a lot, and the koi were almost swimming ashore.The pouring rain fell on the surface of the water and formed a layer of mist. Yan Xining looked up at the sky. Clouds were piled up in the foggy sky. It seemed that the rain would not decrease for a while.

It rained heavily all day, and when Ji Song came back, the rain still didn't stop.Ji Song's clothes were drenched and his face was solemn: "The house on the old street in the north of the city collapsed. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But if the rain doesn't stop, there will be casualties sooner or later. Ah Ning, I will be very busy next time, you have to take care of me." Be yourself."

This is the case in the city, let alone outside the city.Ji Song's legs were not good for walking, so he sent the guards in the mansion as his eyesight to look around the prefectures and counties. When the guards came back, they all looked bad.

Yan Xining served ginger tea: "I see."

Ji Song drank a bowl of ginger tea at home and changed into dry clothes. Before he could rest for a while, Steward Leng led the officials from the Ministry of Industry to Wenzhang Garden in the rain.The official was drenched all over: "My lord is not well, the embankment of the Minjiang River was broken, and the three counties of Wenxing, Longping, and Changlu were flooded!"

The Minjiang River is the mother river on which the Chu and Liao people depended for survival. There are countless cities and villages on both sides of the river. Once the embankment bursts, the consequences will be disastrous.Ji Song's eyes were fixed: "Let's go."

Speaking of Ji Song approving the coir raincoat, he controlled the wheelchair and rushed into the rain. Yan Xining wanted to follow but was stopped by Ji Song: "Stay at home!"

There are sternness and anger in Ji Song's eyes, but more of silent concern.His eyes were so complicated that Yan Xining was stunned on the spot for a moment.When Yan Xining regained consciousness, Ji Song's figure had disappeared.

The rain was rushing against the oil-paper umbrella, and the big yellow umbrella started to drizzle under the torrential rain.The raindrops fell on top of Yan Xining's head, his heart clenched tightly.Normal people would be blinded by the rain, and Ji Song couldn't stand on his legs. How could he inspect the broken dam?

Ji Song, who is not good at walking, can do this for the people of Chu and Liao, so why should he stay at home and do nothing when he is able-bodied?

Bai Tao took an umbrella and ran to Yan Xining's side: "Master, it's raining too much, you should go back first. The prince will be fine."

Yan Xining looked at Bai Tao seriously: "Bai Tao, do you know where Tang Jue and Yuniang live? Bring them here." In fact, he still wanted to call Li Liheng and Qi Zhong together, but Li Liheng was in a state of distress, and Qi Zhong didn't Know which Zhuangzi is in the outskirts of the city.

Bai Tao responded: "Okay, young master, go back quickly, Bai Tao will go find them now."

Bai Tao's movements were quick, and after a stick of incense, Tang Jue and Yuniang appeared in the main hall of the palace.Yan Xining didn't make any detours: "This year's rainy season is too heavy, and the capital and nearby counties have already suffered disasters. I want you two to figure out how much property and money I have under my name."

Hearing that Tang Jue and Yuniang looked at each other and understood Yan Xining's intentions: "Princess wants to help the victims?"

Yan Xining nodded: "Yes, the spare house can be used to take in the homeless victims, and the money can be bought into supplies. Extraordinary measures are taken in extraordinary times. Although there is no way to cover everything, but..."

Before today, he always thought it was good to be a salted fish.He eats and drinks every day, even if the world falls outside, it has nothing to do with him.However, seeing Ji Song resolutely rushing into the rain with his crippled legs today, he felt very uncomfortable.

He couldn't tell the truth, but he knew that if he didn't do something now, when he was lying in Wenzhang Garden basking in the sun in the future, he would never be able to feel calm and calm again.

Yan Xining let out a foul breath: "It's a little bit of help."

Tang Jue and Yuniang made a big salute to Yan Xining: "Princess Gaoyi." With Yan Xining's words, they would count the property and silver under Yan Xining's name overnight.

After thinking for a while, Yan Xining said to the two: "I don't know much about disaster relief, but I know that time is life. With such heavy rain, more and more people will be displaced. If possible, the Zhuangzi shop under my name will start from now on." Open up to accept homeless victims."

After a pause, he added: "Use the money on the account to buy supplies first, and buy as much as you can. If the money is not enough, I will find a way."

Yu Niang smiled and said: "Princess, don't worry about money. If you trust your subordinates, they will raise money for you."

Yan Xining remembered what Ji Song said, he said that Yuniang is a genius in business, maybe she really has a way to raise more money to help more victims?

Thinking of this, Yan Xining said gratefully: "Thank you, Yuniang, for that."

After Tang Jue and Yuniang left, Yan Xining felt much more comfortable, but when he walked from the main hall to Wenzhang Garden, he began to feel uncomfortable again.Bai Tao held an umbrella for Yan Xining: "Master, what's wrong with you?"

Yan Xining rubbed his chest: "You said... His wheelchair is on the dam, can he run?" Chu Liao's dam is not made of reinforced concrete. Once the rain washes away, the wheelchair will definitely be sunk in it. in the dirt.

Bai Tao comforted: "Don't worry, young master. The prince is not stupid. He just needs to sit in the Ministry of Industry and direct others to do things. Even if he goes to the dam, he won't be able to help much."

Yan Xining thought about it for a while and thought it was the same reason: "That's right, with so many officials in Chu and Liao, it's unlikely that an incompetent minister of the Ministry of Industry will be able to carry sandbags, right?"

As Bai Tao said, Ji Song couldn't get on the dam, but this didn't prevent him from going to the nearest disaster-stricken county to inspect the people's situation.In the middle of the night, he arrived outside Wenxing County, which was the hardest hit.

The county seat has become a country of water, and the water outside the city is moderate, and the water has already reached the calf of an adult. I can't imagine what it looks like inside the city.A team of victims appeared on the official road. In the darkness, the victims dragged their families and their mouths covered in muddy water towards the capital.The sound of rain drowned out their cries, and the long line moved forward in the dark in despair.

A doctor from the Ministry of Water came over on horseback: "My lord, the three free warehouses near Wenxing County have all opened. It's just that there are too many victims and there is no place to house them."

Ji Song's eyes were gloomy. When there were floods in previous years, the rich households and gentry in the city would take in some of the victims at their doorsteps in order to gain a good reputation.However, this year's disaster came too fast, and the number of victims was too large, so the rich households and gentry couldn't accept many people.

Seeing more and more victims walking by, Ji Song clenched his fists.He didn't dare to imagine where these Chuliao people with their families could go, even if they could enter the capital, where could they live?

At this time, the sharp sound of gongs came from behind Ji Song and the others. Ji Song lifted the curtain and looked out, only to see a man in a coir raincoat and a red lantern riding a horse on the official road.A loud and hoarse voice came to Ji Song's ears through the heavy rain: "We are the personal guards of Prince Rong's Mansion. The victims of the disaster can rest in the shop of Prince Rong's Mansion! Anyone who sees a shop with red lanterns is welcome to enter!"

"Look at this kind of red lantern! If you see a shop or house with this kind of lantern, you can enter!"

Vigorous shouts penetrated the icy rain and reached the ears of the victims.The red lanterns brought warmth and illuminated the road ahead.Ji Song heard a weeping voice from beside his ear: "We are saved, we are saved!" "Thank you His Royal Highness Rong, woo woo woo..."

Ji Song narrowed his eyes and looked at the man who was riding a horse and screaming in the rain. He couldn't see who it was, but he recognized the red lantern in his hand.This kind of lantern is hung on the corridor of his house, and there are one every five feet.There is a big "Rong" written on the lantern with a black pen. That's right, it is his family's lantern.