[Red Mansion] A little chef came to the Grand View Garden

The water shield and fish ball soup was served in a green-glazed earthenware pot, and Liu Mei carefully held it out.

The water shield in the clay pot is green and the fish balls are white, which is really beautiful, but there is no oily star on the soup.The water shield in the soup is one by one, very similar to the young lotus leaves, which are small and unique, and the sides are tightly rolled up.There is a thin layer of agar on the back of the leaves of this water shield, which is smooth in the mouth and crisp when chewed. It also clears away heat and moistens the lungs. It is a delicacy for relieving summer heat.

Concubine Bei Jing only took one look, and sighed in amazement: "Looking at it, it's as if the whole lotus pond has been put on the table." After saying a word, all the servants of the palace around them couldn't help laughing.The lady in charge who has been serving the concubine couldn't help but also laughed and said: "The concubine is very right, we smell this fragrance, and feel like we are by the water!"

When Liu Mei saw Daiyu smiling, she knew what she wanted to say.

Daiyu really spoke, and told another allusion: In the early years, a scholar named Zhang was an official in the north. ", so he resigned lightly and went back to his hometown to enjoy water shield perch, which became a good story for a while.

For a while when Daiyu talked about "Thoughts of Watercress", her expression finally showed some gloom: Thinking of her traveling thousands of miles and being alone, her hometown in the south seemed out of reach. Suddenly seeing the food in her hometown, she felt nostalgia , Dispatch against all odds.

At this moment, Sister Feng laughed and said, "This is amazing!"

"Fortunately, we came early, and we can still taste this fresh water shield soup at the concubine's place - if it really waited until the autumn wind, wouldn't the water shield here have been snatched by people who came here admiringly?"

As soon as the words came out, Concubine Bei Jing couldn't help pointing at Sister Feng, and let out a "chi" laugh.

Daiyu also forgot her nostalgia for a moment, and covered her mouth with a handkerchief and smiled slightly.

Sister Feng remained serious, pointing to the two newly served hot bowls, and said, "Fortunately, I'm a layman, and I don't know how to enjoy this lotus pond on the table, so I can only point to the bowl of braised pork..."

Just then Liu Mei made it clear that the other hot bowl was made of stewed rice stems—the wild rice stems were cut into pieces on a hob and stewed in red. The old ham was sautéed in oil to enhance the freshness. The ham was discarded when it was stewed.After the wild rice stem is stewed, both in appearance and aroma, it looks a bit like meat, but in fact it is still a vegetarian dish.

Seeing Sister Feng talking and joking like this, everyone was even more overjoyed. The lady in charge smiled so much that she shook her mouth and said, "Why don't you try this meat, grandma?"

Sister Feng didn't smile at all, she actually took a piece from the maid of the cloth dish, put it in her mouth, tasted it carefully, shook her head after a while and said: "Oh, the concubine knew that I was a layman..."

Everyone was stunned when they heard the words.

"...this vegetarian dish must be made into red stewed meat." Sister Feng showed a look of grievance, "Only at the end of the meal, when the mouth is fragrant, I was surprised that it was not meat. Concubine, you Are you trying to coax me?"

There was even more laughter in the hall, Princess Bei Jing laughed so much that she almost put half a bowl of soup in her hand on her body, and the lady in charge hurried up to take the soup bowl.The concubine took a while to smile and pointed at Sister Feng and said: "People say that you are the most obedient, monkey-like, and monkey-like, and today I have really seen it. When you say these three sentences, it makes me laugh." I can't breathe - isn't this braised 'meat' made by your cook?"

At this time, Sister Feng's expression was still calm, and she stood up and gave a little blessing to Concubine Beijing, and said, "Concubine Tai, I am your junior, but I just said a few jokes to make you smile, so as not to accumulate food for a while. If there is anything to offend, the concubine must take it into account that you are older than me, don't bother with me..."

After saying these words, there was naturally another burst of laughter in the hall.

Liu Mei saw that it was about the same time, so she quietly asked the servants of the palace to bring the rice and beans along with it.The toffee feels fresh after eating, and with a bunch of crispy and tender stir-fried seasonal vegetables, this more chewy soybean rice seems to be very suitable.

"What kind of rice is this? Why do I act like I've never seen it before?" Dowager Bei Jing asked as she looked at the pottery bowl containing the rice.

But Daiyu had seen it before, "This is Shumi, which was originally eaten by the villagers in the mountains. Later, as fewer people ate it, it became more expensive. But today in the other courtyard of the concubine, this Shumi is the only food." , coupled with this courtyard, this house, this table, this delicious food...is the natural interest of the mountains and forests."

Concubine Bei Jing looked at Daiyu and said with a smile: "Don't always put gold on the princess's face! If it weren't for your cook to save the situation, the rest of us would be staring and drinking tea with empty stomachs!"

Sister Feng also followed suit: "Toffee, don't laugh at me as an ordinary person who has no ink in my stomach. I remember a poem called "What is a chicken millet?" Inviting me to Tian's house. This other courtyard of the concubine is really a rare pastoral atmosphere. People have long forgotten the annoying things in that house."

Both the concubine and Daiyu laughed, and Daiyu said, "It's 'the old man has chicken millet, invited me to Tian's house'."

Liu Mei thought to herself, speaking of the poem that Sister Feng remembered, in fact, the following sentence might be more suitable for the occasion - open a garden for noodles, talk about wine and mulberry...

Concubine Beijing heard this, but looked at Daiyu, and said sincerely, "Speaking of old friends, Miss Lin, when Lingtang was alive, everyone was a very close friend in the boudoir, and she was born to follow your father after marriage. Going south, it took more than ten years in a flash, and everyone gradually lost track of each other... You finally came to Beijing, but I didn't get to see you until today..."

When Daiyu heard Concubine Bei Jing mentioning her parents, she quickly stood up and listened, but her eyes were slightly red.

Concubine Bei Jing couldn't help but sigh again, "Since we are old friends, there is absolutely no reason why we should not take care of each other. When Shirong comes here today, I will definitely tell him well. From now on, you will be considered as an extra relative in Beijing. During the holidays, everyone can move around from time to time.”

Sister Feng immediately showed a "that's a good feeling" expression.

But Daiyu was a little nervous when she heard this.

What kind of person Princess Bei Jing is, she immediately saw the clues, and said with a smile: "I know that you are a girl from a high family and a wealthy family. Shirong came here to stay with me in this other courtyard for a few days, and he will come over later. , I want him to avoid it first."

When Daiyu heard this, she breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the concubine.

Everyone mentioned that Jia's mansion had a funeral at Qingxu Temple, so the concubine prepared to post an invitation, and the next day she invited Jia's mother and others to come over for a small gathering in this other courtyard.

Liu Mei just waited behind Zicuckoo, observing secretly, only to feel that Concubine Bei Jing's affection for Daiyu was overwhelming.She is naturally full of accomplishment.

"Go outside and watch on the main road. When the prince comes back, let me know that the concubine is entertaining the female family members of Rongfu." The housekeeper immediately went outside the main hall and gave orders.

After a while, the maid of the palace frowned slightly and came back to report: "The prince has not arrived yet, but a young son came from another courtyard. He said he was the son of Jia's family. He came to pick up his sister-in-law and... younger sister."

Liu Mei knew it was Baoyu as soon as she heard it. Hearing what he said, Liu Mei couldn't help but feel angry.

Baoyu was right to care about Daiyu, but talking in front of people like this...what was he thinking?

The concubine heard this, but before she could speak, Sister Feng gave Liu Mei a wink.

Liu Mei immediately and accurately understood what Sister Feng meant.She immediately said: "Wait for me to go and have a look, don't just talk about it, say that the second and third girls of our house are also here." After that, she turned around and walked outside the other courtyard. A crisp voice sounded from behind immediately - Sister Feng naturally took care of smoothing things over in front of the concubine.

When I arrived at the gate of the other courtyard, I saw Baoyu riding a tall horse waiting at the gatehouse, with Mingyan holding the reins beside him.

"Meier?" Baoyu was overjoyed when he saw Liu Mei, "How are Sister Feng and Sister Lin doing here?" His expression was earnest, not fake, he was really worried about those two.

However, Baoyu is full of sisters and sisters, and this time even Sister Feng has been dragged into trouble.

Liu Mei has a very sharp nose, and immediately smelled a little alcohol on Baoyu's body, probably because he had had a few drinks in the middle of the day, so he sneaked out to find Sister Feng and Daiyu, accompanied by Mingyan alone. .

please!This is because Mother Jia sent Sister Feng and Daiyu out of Qingxu Temple, and there is Princess Beijing sitting here, such an aboveboard matter, but Baoyu came here alone to pick up her sisters and sisters, which made both of them feel embarrassed up.

Liu Mei's beautiful eyebrows trembled, and she raised her eyes to look at Baoyu's handsome and warm face, feeling a hundred and a thousand in her heart that she didn't want to see him again.

Baoyu, interrupting you is really good at timing!

Seeing this situation, Liu Mei secretly became anxious-why didn't the King of Beijing come earlier?

No, no, it's better for King Jing of Beijing to come slowly, and wait for her to send Baoyu away first.

Liu Mei suppressed her anger, ignored the strange eyes of the servants of the palace, and explained to Baoyu kindly.But no matter how much Liu Mei tried to talk, Baoyu just refused to leave, and he had to wait for his sisters Feng and Lin.

After a moment of stalemate, there was some movement on the road outside the courtyard.Smoke and dust gradually rose in the distance, only hearing the sound of hooves, several riders rushed to the front in a blink of an eye.

It can't be right at the gate of this other courtyard, just hit it in two strokes!Liu Mei was secretly anxious.

"Huh?" She poked her head to look, and found that the one who was rushing along the official road was the first one, dressed brightly, but it was not the county king himself.

At this time, Baoyu sat on the horse and turned around, stared intently for a long time, and finally recognized the person who came, and immediately trembled, turned off the horse, and saluted the person tremblingly: "See... I have seen Prince Zhongshun ...Your Highness..."

Yes, the person here is Prince Pippi Shrimp... No, His Excellency Prince Zhongshun.

Just as Liu Mei corrected the address in her stomach, she felt a pair of cold eyes turn towards her.

The author has something to say: During the Western Jin Dynasty, Zhang Jiying was in Luoyang. Seeing the autumn wind, he missed the delicious food of his hometown, so he sighed: "The capital has deep routines, and I want to go back to the countryside."So he resigned and returned to his hometown, leaving a good story about foodies.