Tang Dynasty Swordsman

Page 9

Li Shi glanced at him: "You can cook?"

Li Ji thought to himself, "Of course! I've been single for over twenty years and have always lived in the staff dormitory. How could I not know how to cook?" He immediately reached out and took the dead pigeon, saying, "But I have nothing of use on hand. I'll need Your Highness's help."

Li Shi said, "Okay, just let me know what you need."

Li Ji first instructed Li Shi to tell the three young eunuchs to hide inside the room and not to approach or spy on them. He also told them to prepare a bucket of hot water—Ran Mao'er and the others had that. Then he mentioned a few other things and asked Li Shi to leave the hospital to find someone to ask for them.

When Li Shi returned, Li Ji had already scalded the pigeon, plucked its feathers, gutted it with a knife, and even buried the feathers and entrails in a pit under the tree. He was sitting on a wooden bench, lost in thought and enjoying the shade.

Li Shi was about to present all sorts of items, so Li Ji first rubbed wine and salt inside and outside the pigeon, then wrapped it in lotus leaves, and then covered it with a ball of kneaded dough. He hadn't expected the young prince to be so resourceful, able to find anything. He had originally thought that if there was no dough, he would have to dig up some yellow mud to wrap it, which wouldn't be very clean...

Li Shi also brought some charcoal. Li Ji grabbed a handful of dry leaves from under the tree, mixed them with the charcoal, lit it with a flint, glanced at Li Shi first, threw the bamboo tube and pigeon coo into the fire, and then placed the prepared pigeon on the fire, turning it over with a branch from time to time to roast it repeatedly.

Preparing the ingredients was based on his experience from his previous life, while lighting the fire and burning charcoal came from his memories of this life—if he had an oven, it would be much simpler.

Li Shi squatted down beside him, watching him turn the roasted pigeons over, and couldn't help but ask, "Why not just put them directly on the fire to roast? Why wrap them in dough? Is this how you eat in your countryside?"

Li Ji replied, "This is originally a beggar's... way of eating. However, beggars don't pluck their hair, and they wrap it in yellow mud, not..."

Chapter 18, The Head of the Six Yang

Suddenly, voices rose from the courtyard gate, loud and clear, clearly not those of a eunuch. Li Ji was startled.

Looking at Li Shi, his movements were as swift as a rabbit—he grabbed a slingshot with his left hand and tucked it behind his back, while his right hand scooped up a pigeon's wing, hurriedly stuffed it into his mouth, and took a big bite, as if afraid that someone would snatch it from him.

Hearing footsteps, a man strode around the main hall and came to the backyard. Li Ji looked closely and recognized him as Prince Jianning, Li Tan, who had personally gone to the city gate to welcome Li Bi the day before.

Li Tan frowned slightly at the sight of the charcoal ash and broken pieces of dough scattered on the ground. Li Ji quickly stood up and bowed, but Li Shi, with his mouth full of pigeon meat, mumbled, "Uncle Wang is late; he only has one leg left." He then gave Li Ji several meaningful glances.

Left with no other choice, Li Ji respectfully offered the pigeon leg with both hands. Li Tan didn't accept it at first, but instead asked, "What is it?"

Li Shi said, “Li Ji shot down a bird and cooked it using their country cooking method. When I saw it, I asked for a wing and a leg to eat. It was a delicacy that even the palace did not have… Uncle, you may come and enjoy it with me, but please do not tell Father.”

Li Ji couldn't help but glance at the child sideways, thinking to himself, "Just saw him?" You're quite quick to distance yourself!

Li Tan then reached out and took the pigeon leg from Li Ji. He smelled it first, then took a small bite and chewed it carefully—"Mmm, indeed delicious." He then looked down at the half-eaten pigeon: "This bird... could it be a pigeon?"

Li Shi quickly added, "Exactly, it's a wild pigeon, but unfortunately it's not fat enough."

Li Tan said "Oh," took two more bites, and his expression suddenly became strange. There was seven parts joy at tasting the unusual flavor, but also three parts doubt—"It doesn't seem like a wild pigeon, but more like a carrier pigeon."

Li Ji's heart skipped a beat, but Li Shi asked with a smile, "Uncle Wang is joking. How can you tell the difference between wild and domesticated pigeons? Could it be that Uncle Wang has eaten homing pigeons before?"

Li Tan slightly curled his lip: "I won't boast, but there are few birds, beasts, fish, clams, and mussels that I haven't eaten. However..." He paused, then continued, "This method of preparation and this unusual flavor are indeed the first time I've tasted anything like it." He looked at Li Ji: "Is this how you do things in your village? How do you make it? Would you be willing to tell me?"

Li Shi seemed eager to drag the other man into the mess, so he quickly pushed the wooden table forward and said, "Uncle Wang, please sit down." He pulled Li Tan to sit down and then proceeded to describe in detail, from beginning to end, Li Ji's process of making "beggar's pigeon"—his memory was quite good, as he didn't miss a single detail.

Li Ji stood respectfully to the side, a simple and honest smile that might seem a bit silly to outsiders, but in his heart he thought: Two people sharing a bird can still eat it, but three people sharing a bird... what's left? If I had known, I would have been like this kid and quickly stuffed a leg into my mouth.

He wasn't worried that Li Tan would find out about shooting the carrier pigeons, so there was no need to ask him to share the food.

After all, the pigeons were already cooked, and half of them were already in the stomach. Who could definitively say they were carrier pigeons and not wild ones? This case wouldn't be lost even if it went to the Emperor—besides, the Emperor had high hopes for Li Tan and wouldn't punish his cousin for such a trivial matter. Furthermore, since there were theoretically no carrier pigeons in the palace or the army, why would Li Tan bother to file a false complaint?

However, Li Tan was able to identify a homing pigeon by its skeleton and a few bites of meat... Could it be that this pigeon was one of his own?!

Therefore, he glanced at Li Tan's expression, hoping to find some clues—but in the end, he found nothing.

Li Tan's eating manners were noticeably more elegant than Li Shi's, but he still managed to devour a pigeon leg clean in no time. Then, he glanced at his nephew, took out a handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to him: "Your mouth is full of oil and meat scraps, what kind of behavior is this? Hurry up and wipe it clean!" He then lowered his head, looked at the remaining pigeon meat, and reached out to pull off the head.

While wiping his mouth, Li Shi asked, "There's a lot of meat on the breast, so why does Uncle Wang want to eat the head? What does the head taste like?"

Li Tan smiled slightly and explained, "The human head is the head of the six yang and the origin of the five elements, where essence is gathered. The heads of birds and beasts are the same. Therefore, the most delicious food is found in the head."

Li Ji thought to himself: Hmm, this one knows how to eat.

Li Shi was still young and spoke without thinking: "Then, has Uncle Wang ever eaten a human head?"

Li Tan glared at him fiercely: "What kind of talk is this? If I report this to my brother the king or the emperor, I'll give you a good spanking!"

Li Shi quickly bowed and kowtowed, like a chicken pecking at rice: "I have spoken recklessly, please forgive me, Uncle Wang—please do not go to Father Wang to complain!" Judging from his words, he did not seem to be afraid of his emperor grandfather.

Li Tan ignored him, gnawing open the pigeon's skull with his teeth and sucking out the brains, while turning his head to look at Li Ji. He then slowly said, "I didn't expect you to have such skill. Master Changyuan is very frugal. Yesterday, the Emperor wanted to give him an official position, but he refused; he was given money and silk, but he didn't accept them; he was given several palace maids as rewards, but he didn't accept them; I heard that he only ate two pears at the banquet last night... I thought you were just as frugal, even refusing to eat meat."

Li Ji hurriedly said, "My elder brother admires the Dao and cultivates immortality, so he eats vegetarian food and even abstains from grains. I am just an ordinary person, how could I not like to eat meat? So when we were in Yingyang, I often secretly went to catch birds and beasts to eat on my own. I hope Your Highness can help cover it up and not tell my elder brother."

That's true. If the original Li Ji were with...

Li Bi, being a vegetarian, certainly couldn't have developed such strong muscles and bones. That's why he learned from the local hunters how to trap small birds and animals, then roast them over a fire to eat—of course, the original Li Ji only knew this one cooking method, and his skills were quite poor; two out of three times he burned them, and the other time they were half-cooked…

However, he wasn't worried about Li Bi's wrath—Li Bi didn't require his younger cousin to be vegetarian—he was simply concerned that since there was already little meat, it would be taken by others. It's important to know that the Li brothers weren't the only ones living in seclusion in Yingyang; there were also Li Bi's two stepmothers, a young half-brother, and several generations of servants living together.

Thinking back on it now, it seems that Li Ji was only very close to Li Bi, and was not very filial to his aunt or affectionate to his younger cousin...

After hearing Li Tan's words, Li Shi paused for a moment before asking, "I also heard that last night the Sage came with three of his uncles to dine with Mr. Changyuan. Was it just pears? What was the situation like? Li Ji, tell me about it."

He cast a curious glance at Li Ji, and Li Tan also looked at Li Ji, clearly eager to hear what was happening. Li Ji pondered for a moment, then said, “Last night, it was already dark, and dinner still hadn’t arrived. I was hungry and was about to ask my brother to go out and inquire when I heard footsteps. It turned out to be the Emperor and several princes arriving together…”

He didn't recount the entire story of roasting meat and pears the previous night to Li Tan and his nephew. Regarding the discussions between the emperor and his ministers about Prince Yong, Li Lin, and Chancellor Fang Guan, he pretended he didn't quite understand and glossed over the details. He only said that the emperor roasted pears for his brother, who accepted two. Several princes repeatedly requested more, but the emperor refused. Then, one prince even suggested it, and he composed a poem about it… and that the emperor intended to reward him, but he only asked for meat and water to bathe, having no interest in holding office, and so on.

He spoke rather slowly, seemingly not very talkative, but in reality, he was carefully considering his words, maintaining his current persona and trying not to give himself away. When Li Ji was interacting with the boy Li Shi, he wasn't so scheming; at least 80% of it was a natural performance. But now, facing Li Tan, a grown prince favored by the emperor, who, according to Li Shi, was also brave and intelligent, possessing the same vigor as his grandfather in his prime… he couldn't afford to be any less careful.

This persona is currently quite favorable, making others less wary, which is why the emperor speaks so eloquently, claiming that he is "innocent and carefree, with the heart of a child." If he were a shrewd man like Li Mi, and a commoner meeting the emperor for the first time, do you think the emperor wouldn't have immediately ordered his men to be expelled after discussing Li Lin and Fang Guan, matters involving the imperial family and court officials? Li Mi's intelligence is likely known throughout the court, so having his brothers perceived as uncouth or even foolish would actually make it easier for the emperor to secretly support them.

In crosstalk, the supporting role accounts for 70% of the performance. Since the members of the same family are of varying abilities, it is easier for them to complement each other's shortcomings.

Furthermore, if Li Bi's suggestions prove ineffective in the future, and the emperor discovers that he is all talk and no action—based on the impressions of the past two days, this seems unlikely, but we still can't be complacent—the only way to escape being implicated is to play dumb.

But what he deliberately portrayed was not stupidity, but rather naivety and ignorance of politics, which prevented him from repeating what he had learned.

After finally finishing his explanation, Li Shi took the opportunity to tear off and eat the pigeon breast meat, then stuffed the remaining bones into Li Ji's hands: "There's still some meat left, here you go, don't waste it." His eyes then lit up with longing: "One day when we have barbecue, I'll ask the Sage if he'll be willing to roast pears for me..."

Upon hearing this, Li Tan burst into laughter. He then pulled his own handkerchief from Li Shi's belt, carefully wiped his hands and lips, and then stood up, patting his nephew's head: "The Emperor loves his eldest grandson the most. Whatever you ask, when has the Emperor ever refused? However..."

His expression suddenly turned serious: "We must wait a while, lest the Sage think of the matter of burning pears for Mr. Changyuan, lest he suspect that it was your brother who instigated you to do it—be careful!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ji felt a slight chill run down his spine. Li Shi reacted quickly, immediately bowing his head and saying, "Uncle Wang's admonition is correct; I will remember it."

Li Tan had already devoured the pigeon's head, even chewing almost the entire skull. He didn't covet the remaining meat—there wasn't much left anyway—but turned to look at Li Ji and slowly nodded, saying, "First wrap it in lotus leaves to moisten and enhance its fragrance, then wrap it in dough and roast it. This way, the meat is heated but not burned, its essence is contained within and doesn't dissipate outwards—truly a fine technique, somewhat resembling 'Hollow Sheep Meals in a Hurry.' I will have someone try making it someday."

"Today I have received your flesh and also obtained this wonderful method. I must repay you—Li Ji, tell me, what reward do you want?"

Li Shi chimed in from the side, "Li Ji, just say it. Anyway, you don't want to be an official—except for officialdom, Uncle Wang can grant you anything. Whether you want wealth or beautiful women, Uncle Wang has it all..."

Li Tan couldn't help but glare at him: "Stop talking nonsense! The country is in turmoil now, and we followed the emperor on his northern hunt. Where would we get so much wealth and beautiful women? Besides, you ate Li Ji's flesh and learned the art of roasting birds. What will you use to repay him?"

Li Shi shrank back and chuckled awkwardly, "It's just a small pigeon... a wild bird, how much is it worth? Uncle Wang's reward is enough..."

Li Tan snorted coldly, then turned to Li Ji again: "You speak."

Li Ji thought for a moment, then crossed his hands and pleaded, "The straw man has no great desires, only a full stomach. Could Your Highness please order someone to build a stove in the west wing and provide him with some utensils so that the straw man can cook for himself?"

Li Tan shook his head, rejecting the idea: "No. Although I am in charge of both internal and external defenses and supervise the eunuchs, I cannot overstep my bounds and meddle in these trivial matters, thus encroaching on the authority of Li Fuguo and others. Moreover, Master Changyuan is a friend of the Emperor. If the Emperor were to find out, his entry into the palace would be seen as a violation of his friend's authority."

Chapter Nineteen, The Sudden Death of the Hunyang

According to Li Bi, among the eunuchs in the palace, Li Fuguo is the most favored—although not the highest-ranking—basically equivalent to the "Grand Eunuch." Therefore, if someone were to privately raise carrier pigeons in the palace and receive military reports from the front lines, even if they could deceive the emperor and the princes, they would absolutely not be able to deceive Li Fuguo.

As for Li Tan, although he was ordered to guard the palace and supervise the eunuchs, as an adult prince, he could not truly go deep into the palaces and courtyards—at least he could not set foot in the concubines' residences—so he could not hide his actions from Li Fuguo, while others could hide their actions from him.

Therefore, if the source of these carrier pigeons is indeed in the palace, it can only be that Li Fuguo kept them privately, or that he instructed someone to keep them privately.

"These eunuchs are masters of petty tricks and trying to guess the emperor's intentions, so we don't need to pay them any mind. However, as you said, Prince Jianning is always intelligent, and he may already be suspicious... Perhaps after taking Prince Fengjie away, he will privately interrogate him repeatedly to find out the truth..."

"Will the Prince of Fengjie tell the truth?"

"It's hard to say. Prince Jianning and Prince Guangping are the most loving and respectful of brothers, and Prince Fengjie is also very kind to him, like father and son. Therefore, Prince Fengjie may not take the initiative to tell him the truth, but if questioned..."

Li Ji knew that it was unlikely he would get a definite answer to this question, so he decided to let it go. But after thinking for a moment, he suddenly leaned closer and asked, "Brother, the Emperor has not yet appointed a Crown Prince. In your opinion, who is suitable to be the Crown Prince?"

Li Bi was slightly startled and quickly said, "Shut up! This is not something you or I dare to comment on!"

Li Ji smiled slightly and said, "There shouldn't be anyone eavesdropping outside. When brothers whisper, what comes from the elder brother's mouth will enter the younger brother's ears. It's not unreasonable to make a prediction, is it?"

Li Bi glanced at him, then lowered his voice even further and slowly said, "According to the rites and laws, the eldest son is chosen as heir, and if there is no eldest son, the eldest son is chosen. Only if both the eldest son and the eldest son are truly incompetent should we consider virtue. When I was still a prince, I married Consort Wei and had two sons, but we later divorced, so those two sons are no longer considered heirs. Now that I have ascended the throne, I have not yet appointed an empress, so there is no heir for the time being. The Prince of Guangping is the eldest son of the emperor, upright and honest, and has not committed any misconduct. He should be established as the crown prince..."

"I heard from the Prince of Fengjie that among the princes, the Prince of Jianning is the most virtuous and wise, and that he even has the same charm as the Emperor Emeritus in his prime..."

Li Bi shook his head and said, "Prince Jianning is only the third son of the Sage, and his mother, Lady Zhang, is of lowly status. With his elder brother already here, how could it be his turn?"

"What if Prince Jianning is greatly favored by the emperor and can achieve great merit?"

Upon hearing this, Li Bi was startled and immediately stared at Li Ji: "What exactly are you trying to say?!"

Li Ji smiled and said, "I didn't mean to say anything, but I heard that Prince Jianning is wise and virtuous, and he also bears heavy responsibilities in the palace. I couldn't help but think of what my brother said last night about Prince Yong, Li Lin..."

Li Bi immediately flicked his sleeve: "Don't speak recklessly—how can you generalize like that?!"

In fact, Prince Yong, Li Lin, and Prince Jianning, Li Tan, are quite similar. Both are intelligent and virtuous, receiving unanimous praise from the court and the public, and are favored and heavily relied upon by two emperors. Since Li Lin may threaten the imperial power, Li Tan may also contend for the throne. Li Ji, having thoroughly studied history books in his previous life, is probably naturally more perceptive about such matters than many officials of this era.

Li Bi was equally astute. After being enlightened by Li Ji's words, he added after his reprimand, "I know how to nip problems in the bud, but you must never speak recklessly outside."

"My little brother understands."

"I ordered you to wait quietly in the courtyard, how could you have thought of going to sharpen a slingshot to hunt birds? And now this has happened..."

Li Ji smiled bitterly and said, "I am not a woman confined to my quarters. Living in this secluded courtyard is like being a caged bird. Moreover, I have nothing to say to those eunuchs... I am really feeling stifled. Otherwise, brother, I humbly beg Your Majesty to allow me to accompany you and protect you during the day?"

Li Bi shook his head: "No... Although I am a commoner, I am still a scholar and a former official of the Prince's residence. You are different. How can you follow me and be considered to be by the side of the Sage? Moreover, if I need to be protected by the Sage, what will the Sage think?"

Li Ji had considered this as well. Since his request was denied, he decided to settle for second best: "Although the Sage is in exile, I see that he and the other princes are dressed in new clothes and eating well..." That night, they served quite a lot of roasted meat and several kinds of fruit. "I imagine there must be many books in the palace... and even more so in the city. I humbly request that you ask the Sage to lend them to me. If I have books to read, it might help alleviate my loneliness."

Li Bi frowned slightly and said, "You are a boorish man—everyone in the palace who knows you thinks so—how can you borrow books to read? How should I ask?"

"Just say that your brother wants to read it." Li Ji knew that besides practicing Qi cultivation and immortality, Li Bi loved reading the most. His collection of books in his Yingyang home alone was no less than a hundred volumes, probably more than most officials.

Li Bi pointed to the scrolls he had brought back and placed on his desk, and said, "The sage gave me these documents and ordered me to plan the recovery of the two capitals. Where would I find the time to read?"

“Brother, how can there be no time to read books? Whether on horseback, in bed, or on the toilet, official documents are not for reading, but they are good places for reading!”

He was merely copying the wisdom of his predecessors, but Li Bi found it refreshing and couldn't help but clap his hands in praise, saying, "These words are excellent; only a true lover of calligraphy could utter them." He then glanced sideways at Li Ji and asked, "But why can't you write well?"

Li Ji quickly changed the subject: "Brother, I heard Prince Jianning mention something about 'Hunyang Mohu' during the day. It seems to be a foreign language. I wonder what it means?"

"It was indeed from the Hu region, and it was made by breaking a whole sheep."

The sheep's belly was stuffed with a whole goose, and after cooking, the goose was eaten only, while the sheep was discarded... Such extravagance and wastefulness were extreme! In the past, this practice was prevalent in Chang'an, and as a result, the country became increasingly decadent, its power seemingly full but actually lacking. This dish alone can illustrate this point..."

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That night, Li Bi read by candlelight until late into the night, while Li Ji went to bed early.

—Actually, the main function of the couch in those days was not to be a bed, but rather a transitional form between a seat and a bed. Fortunately, the couch was wide and large enough that even two people could barely lie down. Since Li Ji claimed that he did not like sleeping on the floor, Li Bi had no choice but to accompany him.

Early the next morning, Li Bi was summoned away by Li Fuguo again, leaving Li Ji alone once more. However, Li Ji had just finished exercising in the courtyard and ordered Ran Mao'er to fetch a bucket of warm water to wash himself when two other eunuchs carried in a bamboo box, saying it was a book that Master Changyuan wanted to read.

Li Ji was overjoyed and hurriedly told them to move the scrolls into the back chamber. Then he sent Ran Mao'er and the others away and went to rummage through the bamboo box—

What are they? *Sun Tzu's Art of War*, *Wei Liao Zi*, *I Ching*, *Shang Shu*, *Huainanzi*, *Dongguan Hanji*, *Records of the Three Kingdoms*, *Tai Xuan Jing*...

Bah! I know all of this by heart, what use is it to me? Do you really expect me to memorize these texts to prepare for the imperial examinations?!

After much effort, he finally found a copy of the *Wenxuan* (Anthology of Literature), its title unfamiliar. Looking at the preface, he discovered it was a collection of poems and prose compiled by Xiao Tong, the crown prince of the Southern Liang Dynasty—it seemed incomplete, containing only a dozen or so volumes. However, these volumes also included many poems and prose pieces from the Jin Dynasty onwards, allowing Li Ji to compare them with his own timeline.

Ah, so there were once Tao Yuanming and Xie Lingyun in this world... And who is this Bao Mingyuan? His poems are quite good...

The last volume, which wasn't a book, was opened and read: "Respectfully copied from six poems composed by Emperor Gaozong, the Great Sage and Filial Emperor."

Li Ji naturally didn't understand what this "Emperor of Heaven, Great Sage, Great Filial Piety" was all about, but judging from the fresh handwriting, it must have been recorded by someone from that era. Therefore, it must refer to a previous emperor of the current dynasty—if it was a previous emperor, they wouldn't have omitted the dynasty name, would they? There was indeed a Gaozong Emperor in the Tang Dynasty, which Li Ji could recall from his own memory.

The six poems are: "The Crown Prince Takes a Consort, Princess Taiping Arrives," "Passing by Wentang," "The Ninth Day of the Ninth Month," "Visiting Ci'en Temple and Inscribing a Poem for Master Xuanzang," "Staying Up Late on New Year's Eve," and "Visiting the Great Ci'en Temple," all in five-character lines. Li Ji read them carefully and felt that they were all rather plain and steady. Although he had no extraordinary talent, they were passable.

Compared to the famous works of the same period on my own timeline, which are like pearls and jade, these six poems are just glass beads—of course, the ones written by the emperor and princes the night before can be compared to excrement.

In other words, the literary level of the previous Tang emperors was at least passable, so how come their descendants have degenerated to this extent? Of course, it's also possible that Emperor Gaozong of Tang was the best poet among the mediocre, the best among generations of the imperial family, while the current emperor and princes are only at a normal level...

As he flipped through the books, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, it was lunchtime. Huo Xianming announced from outside the door, and then three eunuchs brought in trays of food, eighteen dishes in total. The dishes not only filled the table, but some even had to be placed on the couch, which really startled Li Ji.

Upon closer inspection, there were four courses of dried and fresh fruits, four courses of noodles and snacks, four cold dishes, four hot dishes, plus a main course and a bowl of soup. As for the staple food, it was a large bowl of white rice, accompanied by minced meat soup as a sauce...

"How can there be so many?!"

Huo Xianming said with a fawning smile, "This was sent by the King of Jianning, specifically for Mr. Changwei's consumption."

Oh dear, I've been hearing "Mr. Changyuan" and "Mr. Changyuan" all the time these days, and today I even heard "Mr. Changwei"... Do I also qualify to be a "Mr"?

Huo Xianming and others pointed to each dish and explained its name, origin, and preparation method—supposedly at Li Tan's special instruction: "This is a flat peach from Dali, this is a grape from Hedong, this is dried longan from Guangnan, this is honey-preserved plum from Jingnan..."

Li Ji thought to himself, "Do you really think I'm some country bumpkin who's never seen anything before? Do I even need to introduce these fruits?"

But he had never seen the shapes and styles of most of those snacks and dishes before—even in his previous life—so he had to strain his ears to listen carefully to what the eunuchs were saying.

"This is Golden Milk Pastry, this is Mando-style Sandwich... This is Xijiang Sauce, made by mincing Xijiang pork shoulder and steaming it with five flavors; this is Leaping Dragon Gate, made by deboning and slicing cured Yellow River carp, wrapping it in sauce and steaming it... This bowl is Cold Toad Soup, the main ingredient is river clam meat, with tender lotus leaves added..."

However, when it came to the last main dish, they were somewhat vague, only saying, "This thing... this servant doesn't know what it is or how to cook it, but the messenger conveyed the words of the Prince of Jianning, saying that Mr. Changwei will know it as soon as he sees it."