20demayo Chapter 112 Fried Chicken Poker, the more you play, the better!
Chapter 112 Fried Chicken Poker, the more you play, the better!
Chapter 112 Fried Chicken Poker, the more you play, the better!
The courtyard gate creaked open.
Li Lizhi leaned half her body in, holding a food box in her hand.
She had heard from Wang Dequan that her father and the retired emperor were exchanging skills here, and fearing that the two of them would go hungry, she specially brought some snacks from the Imperial Kitchen.
Before his foot even stepped across the threshold, his nose betrayed him.
"What's this smell?"
Li Lizhi sniffed; the domineering aroma of oil mixed with sweet and sour notes pierced her nostrils like hooks. "It's even stronger than the ambergris on my father."
She walked into the yard carrying a food box and happened to run into Su Mu carrying a large winnowing basket coming out of the kitchen.
Paper was placed on the winnowing basket, and a small, golden mountain was piled on top of it.
Each chicken leg was fried until the scales were distinct and golden brown, with some parts still showing traces of juice seeping out, glistening under the light. Next to it was a small dish of bright red, thick plum sauce.
"Oh, what a coincidence!"
Su Mu placed the winnowing basket in the middle of the table. "Did the Princess come here following the scent?"
Li Lizhi looked at the pile of golden things, and her throat involuntarily twitched.
She placed the exquisite food box aside, and compared to the plate of fried chicken, the carefully prepared osmanthus cake inside suddenly seemed bland and tasteless.
"This is... a chicken?"
Li Lizhi pointed to the plump, rounded legs, somewhat unable to recognize them.
In the palace, chicken was usually either stewed in soup or steamed or boiled, with the emphasis on preserving its original flavor.
This practice of wrapping everything, skin and bones, in a thick shell is simply unheard of.
"You'll know once you try it."
Su Mu handed out a sheet of toilet paper to everyone. "Don't worry about the heat, just grab it with your hands. It would be a waste to eat this with chopsticks."
Li Yuan had been waiting impatiently for a long time.
He pushed the chestnuts he had just won aside and reached out to grab the biggest chicken leg.
hot!
That's really hot!
The hot oil, fresh from the pan, was still sizzling under the chicken skin.
Li Yuan passed the cold air from his left hand to his right, then from his right hand to his left, hissing and gasping for breath, yet reluctant to put it down.
Once it cooled down a little, he couldn't wait to take a bite.
Click!
Crisp!
The incredibly crisp sound exploded in my mouth as my teeth cleaved through the charred crust, followed by a burst of hot, juicy meat juice.
The marinated chicken is tender and juicy, with a savory and delicious flavor, and the aroma of the breadcrumbs adds a touch of smokiness that instantly fills your mouth.
"Hmm, Li Yuan's eyes widened, and he couldn't even speak, only letting out a long, satisfied sigh."
So delicious!
This is simply the most brutal and direct impact on the taste buds! There's no need to savor the aftertaste or ponder any artistic conception; it's just pure, intense pleasure brought by the combination of fat and carbohydrates!
Su Mu pushed the dish of plum sauce towards the center: "Try dipping some in this."
Li Yuan did as instructed, rolling the half-eaten chicken leg in the bright red sauce.
Enter again.
The tartness of the plum and the sweetness of the rock sugar instantly neutralize the greasiness of the fried chicken.
The sweet and sour taste stimulated the salivary glands to secrete saliva, instantly making the already heavy taste feel lighter and more appealing.
"Absolutely amazing!"
Li Yuan gave a thumbs-up, his lips smeared with red sauce and crumbs, looking nothing like the retired emperor he once was. "This taste—delicious! A hundred times better than that bland imperial cuisine!"
Li Shimin initially wanted to maintain his composure, but seeing his father eating so happily, he couldn't help but reach out his hand.
He picked a chicken wing.
One bite, and the flesh separates from the bone.
He couldn't resist and even chewed on the bones.
The bones were fried until crispy, and even the bone fragments inside were delicious when you bit into them.
Watching these two most powerful men in the Tang Dynasty eating chicken legs without any regard for their image, Li Lizhi felt her worldview was about to collapse.
"Does it really smell good?"
She carefully extended two fingers and pinched a smaller wing root.
I took a small, gentle bite.
Click!
Li Lizhi's eyes lit up instantly.
I thought it would be greasy, but the outer shell was incredibly crispy, while the meat inside was so tender it was bursting with juice.
Especially after dipping it in that plum sauce, the sweet and sour taste is simply tailor-made for girls.
"tasty!"
Li Lizhi disregarded her princess decorum and sat down on the empty bench next to Su Mu, joining the food-grabbing frenzy.
For a moment, the small courtyard was filled with the crunching sounds of chewing, interspersed with a few satisfied sighs.
"One more round!"
Li Yuan ate with his mouth full of oil, threw the bones on the table, and his fighting spirit rose again.
"Let's change the prize this time."
Li Yuan pointed to the remaining half-basin of fried chicken, "Whoever wins gets an extra piece, and the loser is responsible for shuffling the cards!"
Li Shimin rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, his face also showing a defiant expression: "Bring it on! I refuse to believe I can lose this time!"
Li Lizhi retorted defiantly, "I want to play too! Mr. Su, teach me!"
That night, the lights in the backyard of the imperial kitchen stayed on until late into the night.
There were no rulers and subjects, no fathers and sons, only three card players arguing heatedly over who would be the landlord, and a cook who was responsible for serving fried chicken and watching the excitement.
Until the night watchman rang the clapper at the fourth watch.
The cold wind intensified, and the bowl of fried chicken was finally empty, leaving only a table full of broken bones and a small dish of dried plum sauce.
Li Yuan yawned, his face showing signs of fatigue, but his eyes were brighter than ever before.
"happy!"
Li Yuan stood up, patted the dirt off his backside, and tidied up his somewhat messy hair.
"Alright, let's call it a day. This old body just can't stay up all night anymore."
He kept saying he couldn't take it anymore, but looking at his energy, he was many times stronger than when he first arrived.
Su Mu gathered the playing cards on the table and was about to put them in a box.
An old, large hand reached out and pressed down on the stack of cards.
"I have requisitioned this."
Li Yuan confidently stuffed the cards into his sleeve, saying, "Those old concubines in Da'an Palace are so idle all day long."
"I'll take them back and teach them, so they won't keep nagging me about those old, trivial things."
Su Mu chuckled: "Alright, alright, you can take it. I'll write you an instruction manual later, so you don't forget the rules."
2
"Need not!"
Li Yuan waved his hand, "My brain is more than capable of remembering this much. By the way—"
'
He pointed to the basket containing the fried chicken, where there were only two untouched chicken legs left.
"Um—find me a lotus leaf to wrap it up."
Li Yuan coughed somewhat awkwardly, "I'll take it back as a midnight snack. I was so busy disciplining Erlang that I didn't get enough to eat."
""
Su Mu saw through it but didn't say anything. He quickly found some oil paper, wrapped it up, and thoughtfully put a small jar of plum sauce inside.
"Take care, sir. This won't taste good when it gets cold. Remember to have it reheated when you get home."
Li Yuan took the oil paper package and put it in his pocket. The scalding heat against his chest felt warm and cozy.
He didn't let Li Shimin see him off. With his hands behind his back, he hummed the little tune that Su Mu had just casually hummed and slowly walked towards the alley entrance.
"A royal flush—we can't afford to play it!"
The slightly off-key melody echoed through the empty palace alleys, exuding an indescribable sense of carefree ease.
Li Shimin stood at the courtyard gate, watching his father's receding figure.
In the past, my father's back was always hunched, desolate, and exuded a heavy sense of death.
But today, his steps were much lighter, and even his back seemed to be straighter.