20demayo Chapter 20
Chapter 20
chapter 20
at noon, the xuanwu emperor ate very little, causing the imperial kitchen to spend half a day investigating whether there were issues with their cuisine and flavors.
it wasn't until the two imperial chefs who went to the hexi palace to "learn the craft" returned, that they learned concubine zhenji was going to make barbecued meat again that night.
many veteran chefs who had worked in the palace for decades didn't think much of it, believing the emperor only indulged concubine zhenji's whims. if it were another consort, they doubted he'd be able to swallow such food!
to the few young chefs eagerly discussing how novel and interesting these barbecuing methods were, the older chefs felt the youth didn't take things seriously and simply wanted to take shortcuts.
but cooking has no shortcuts—either the food is delicious or it's not. the noble lords and ladies in the palace all had discerning palates and could taste everything.
to make a name for oneself in the palace, one needed real skill.
jiang xinyue also believed this.nôv(el)b\\jnn
to win over the xuanwu emperor's heart and conquer his stomach, she needed real culinary skills.
fortunately, she hailed from a future era renowned for its cuisine. casually whipping up some barbecue or hotpot would suffice to impress the food-deprived ancients.
having not eaten his fill at noon, by 3 pm the xuanwu emperor couldn't hold out any longer, his stomach growling audibly.
"wang dequan, has anyone from the hexi palace sent word on when we'll dine?"
wang dequan was also hungry and hadn't eaten enough, grimacing as he replied, "your majesty, they said it won't be until 7 pm. perhaps you'd like the evening meal served first, and treat the barbecue as a late-night snack?"
"no!"
the xuanwu emperor sternly refused, forcing himself to ignore the emptiness in his belly as he diligently reviewed the memorials.
he had already waited so long, how could he give up now by dining early?
"wang dequan, do you smell the aroma of barbecued meat?"
after a moment, the xuanwu emperor sniffed the air. "is zhenji grilling the meat already?"
wang dequan's eyes lit up as he hurriedly said, "this servant will send someone to inquire."
"no need!"
xi que and shuang jiang took over the barbecuing duties from jiang xinyue so she could enjoy the meal.
she had to teach the ladies the proper way to eat barbecue.
at first, the empress zhu found the manner of eating barbecue rather uncouth, but after trying the pork belly skewers following zhenji's example, it was as if she had opened the door to a new world.
seeing the emperor, though still dignified, devouring the food with gusto, clearly quite familiar with the ritual, zhenji even personally rolled a skewer of beef into a lettuce leaf with fresh green chili peppers and garlic, stuffing it into the emperor's mouth.
far from taking offense, the emperor reciprocated by wrapping one for zhenji to eat.
to the onlookers, they resembled an ordinary but affectionate couple from the common folk.
the empress zhu suddenly understood—perhaps the xuanwu emperor did not see zhenji as a younger version of the late noble consort li, but rather genuinely liked the girl to some degree.
this young woman possessed a welcoming charm that, when she extended her goodwill, made anyone want to be close to her and befriend her.
just look at how the usually arrogant eldest princess, the typically aloof second princess, and the mischievous third prince had all fallen under zhenji's spell, addressing her respectfully as "concubine zhenji" with obvious delight.
this barbecue feast was truly enjoyable for both hosts and guests.
after the meal, when all the noble guests were stuffed, jiang xinyue had the performers from the office of music and dance come in to play instruments.
the pipa, zheng, xiqin, guqin, xiao, dizi, se, qin, sheng, guan, and ruan.
each instrument had its own unique range when played solo, yet they blended harmoniously together, sometimes grandiose and powerful, sometimes gentle and soothing...
the children's laughter mingled melodiously with the music as the palace maids and eunuchs joined jiang xinyue, hand-in-hand around the bonfire, dancing.
seated beside the xuanwu emperor, the empress zhu's perpetual artificial smile faded, revealing some genuine feeling. "it's rather like the grand feasts the mongol people hold after a winter hunt on the grasslands."
the xuanwu emperor turned his head and smiled at her as well: "mongol roasted meat is a whole cow or sheep cut into pieces, not as refined as zhenji's method, which is more suitable for us great yan people."
at this moment, jiang xinyue had already changed into a palace consort's attire. in front of the bonfire, her countenance was like the bright moon in the sky, emitting a soft glow.
her smile was radiant, as if it could dispel all gloom and darkness, making one want to pursue that beauty.
empress zhu looked at her with kind eyes: "no wonder the emperor favors her. she is so innocent and pure that even we consorts cannot dislike her."