The Prodigal Son of Zhenguan

"Uncle Wang, why is this water salty?" Li Tai asked.

Li Fu looked at Li Tai and smiled, "Salt has been added to this water, of course it is salty, don't eat it yet, rinse it with clean water later."

Adding salt to the water can remove some bacteria and dirt on the surface of the hawthorn, making it cleaner.

Li Fu asked Liu Niang to bring a knife and thick chopsticks, and used the knife to cut off the petals on the top of the hawthorn, cutting one at each end, and then, using the chopsticks to push inside, the hawthorn core came out.

Check carefully again to see if there is anything missing, so as not to hurt your teeth when you take a bite.

Clean bamboo strips were brought over, and Li Fu asked Dong Jiu to cut bamboo sticks on the side.

The thickness should be the same from top to bottom, with one end flat and the other end pointed.

Dong Jiu was good with a knife, so this little thing was naturally not difficult for him.

A knife flew back and forth in his hand, and there were many bamboo shavings around.

"My dear, is this okay?"

Dong Jiu quickly cut a bamboo stick and handed it to Li Fu.

Li Fu took it and looked at it, and said with a smile: "Just follow this standard and make more."

It will be useful in the future. Even if you don't string candied haws, you can still use it for barbecue.

The sun is shining now. The washed hawthorns will dry in the sun in a while. Li Fu took the bamboo sticks to string the hawthorns.

The bunches of red fruits piled together look very pleasing.

"Uncle Wang, why do you string them together? But they look very beautiful." Li Chengqian said.

Just now, he was working and washing hawthorns. He wanted to eat two more...

"It will look better after hanging sugar on it." Li Fu smiled and said, "Wait a little longer."

Li Fu went into the kitchen, and the three children were playing in the yard with Xiao Tao and Dong Jiu.

"Liu Niang, light a fire." Li Fu said.

He cleaned the pot and poured icing sugar and water into the pot.

First, boil the sugar over high heat, and then let Liu Niang control the fire and turn it to low heat. Basically, it can be boiled for a while using the residual heat in the stove.

During this time, Li Fu kept stirring the sugar in the pot with a wooden shovel.

The sugar in the pot was bubbling, from large to small, and soon, the sugar water in the pot slowly turned slightly yellow.

Li Fu picked up a little with chopsticks and put it in cold water. The syrup on the chopsticks immediately turned into crispy sugar.

"Bring the hawthorn fruit here." Li Fu said.

Liu Niang hurriedly brought the skewered hawthorns and the dustpan together.

Li Fu also prepared a clean large porcelain plate.

He took some fried white sesame seeds and sprinkled them into the syrup, stirred them evenly, and then Li Fu began to stick sugar on the hawthorns.

Coat them with a uniform layer of transparent syrup, put them on the porcelain plate, and wait for them to cool down. The hawthorn fruit was coated with a layer of crispy transparent sugar coating.

All the hawthorn fruits were coated with sugar, and a large plate of candied haws was ready.

"Children, come and eat candied haws." Li Fu called the three children who were playing in the yard.

When they heard Li Fu say that the hawthorn fruits were ready to eat, the three children immediately ran over.

Li Fu handed each of them a candied haw.

"Be careful, don't poke yourself." Li Fu said, "Try it, this is also something you participated in and made with your own hands."

When the three children heard what Li Fu said, they felt a sense of accomplishment.

Yes, they also worked together.

The candied haws were crispy and sweet on the outside, and sour on the inside. They mixed together in the mouth, giving it a unique flavor.

"Is it delicious?" Li Fu asked.

Children should like this kind of sweet and sour snack.

"Delicious." Li Chengqian agreed.

"Well, I think it's delicious too." Li Tai said, taking another bite.

Li Lizhi ate more elegantly, but her eyes were sparkling, and she also praised the delicious candied haws made by Li Fu.

"When you go back, you can take some with you, but this thing will melt in hot weather, so you have to eat it as soon as possible." Li Fu said.

"Then let's take some for Grandpa and Mother to try." Li Chengqian said: "And Grandfather."

"Okay, we made so much, you can take it all back when the time comes." Li Fu said.

Li Fu asked Liu Niang to take some and let her, Xiaotao, Shitou and Dong Jiu share it.

If we don't finish eating so much today, it will be wasted.

The food for the three children will be packed in separate food boxes.

The afternoon passed quickly in the busyness. In the evening, Li Fu asked Shitou to prepare the carriage to send the three children back.

The children were happy today, but I don't know what the Crown Princess will react to when she returns from His Majesty and finds that her three children have been "abducted" by Li Fu.

In the carriage, the three children were reluctant to leave, but thinking that their father and mother were still waiting at home, they wanted to go back.

They were in a dilemma.

The smiles on their faces disappeared.

"Uncle Wang, can we go out to play again in the future?" Li Chengqian asked.

"Why not?" Li Fu smiled and said, "Go back and study hard. When the time comes, Uncle Wang will go to your father and ask about your study. If your father and mother praise you, then Uncle Wang will take you out to play for a day."

"Really?!" Li Chengqian looked at Li Fu excitedly.

"Of course it's true. If you perform well, Uncle Wang will take you to Uncle Wang's farm in the future." Li Fu smiled and said, "When the time comes, Uncle Wang will make a lot of delicious and fun things for you."

"Then it's a deal." Li Chengqian stretched out his little hand and wanted to high-five Li Fu.

"Okay, it's a deal, Uncle Wang, keep your word." Li Fu smiled and said, "Uncle Wang, think about it, the next time, how about half a month later?"

"Okay!!"

The three children cheered.

In this way, even the boring days of studying have something to look forward to.

Li Fu will go back to the manor tomorrow. As for half a month later, he will definitely come to Chang'an City in half a month.

After all, Li Yuan has already intended to abdicate, and when Li Shimin ascends the throne, half a month is enough time to prepare.

This matter can't wait for a long time.

After all, it's not a good thing for the court to continue like this.

With the sign given by Li Shimin, the carriage entered the East Palace smoothly. Li Fu watched the three children reluctantly say goodbye to him. After watching them go back, Li Fu went to see Li Shimin.

Li Shimin had just finished his work and hadn't even had a chance to catch his breath when he heard from his subordinates that the King of Jingyang had returned with three young princes, who had been taken to the Crown Princess by the servants.

"Go tell the King of Jingyang to come to me," Li Shimin said.

"Yes."

The servant passed on the message, and Li Fu came to see Li Shimin.