20demayo Chapter 65 The Popularity a National-Level Food Should Have!
Chapter 65 The Popularity a National-Level Food Should Have!
Chapter 65 The Popularity a National-Level Snack Should Have!
Chun Tao clutched a handkerchief in her hand, walked quickly, her face flushed with a suspicious blush, and her mouth bulged as if she were chewing something.
As I passed by these eunuchs, a gust of wind blew by.
That deadly sweet and spicy flavor!
The eyes of the eunuchs instantly turned green, like the eyes of hungry wolves smelling meat.
"Sister Chuntao!"
The older eunuch, being bolder, darted out and blocked their path. "What kind of delicious food is this? The smell—it smells so tempting!"
Chun Tao was startled and quickly stuffed the handkerchief into her bosom, swallowing the food in her mouth whole. She was panting from the spiciness.
"Nothing at all! It's just a little something the princess gave me."
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"Can desserts really taste like this?"
The young eunuch didn't believe him. His prominent ears twitched, and he leaned closer. "Sister, we've always been good to you. Could we at least have a taste of the soup?"
Chun Tao was pestered and had no choice but to carefully pinch off a small piece from the handkerchief in her bosom, fearing that others would see them exchanging gifts in secret.
It's only the size of a fingernail.
It was bright red and had half a sesame seed stuck to it.
"Is that all? This is a red ribbon bestowed upon the Su family by the princess; it's incredibly valuable!"
The young eunuch treated it like a precious treasure, holding the small amount of red residue in both hands.
He didn't want to keep it all to himself, so he used his fingernail to divide that small piece into four parts, giving each of his three brothers a tiny bit.
Put it in your mouth.
In that instant, the expressions of the young eunuchs froze!
Immediately afterwards, four pairs of eyes simultaneously emitted a green light in the darkness!
Is this what masters eat?
This isn't just food, it's practically a magic pill!
Even if it's only the size of a grain of rice, the sensation of oil and spices exploding in your mouth makes them feel that the boiled vegetables they used to eat were simply pig swill.
"Is there any more?"
The young eunuch grabbed Chun Tao's sleeve, his voice trembling, "Sister, I have all the money I've saved up this month, could you—could you get me a new one?"
Chun Tao shook off his hand and snorted, "One? Do you know what price this thing is in the harem these days? Those concubines practically emptied their jewelry boxes just to get a taste of this as an appetizer! I only got half a reward, and I haven't even had enough yet!"
After saying that, Chun Tao covered the handkerchief in her arms and ran away in a flash.
A few eunuchs were left standing in the cold wind, smacking their lips to savor the last bit of flavor, their eyes filled with fanaticism.
Early the next morning.
Before the broken wooden door to the backyard of the imperial kitchen was even opened, a number of people were already standing outside.
There were young eunuchs helping out in the Imperial Kitchen, maids from various palaces who came out to buy supplies, and even a few burly men dressed in Imperial Guard uniforms, loitering around the door, pretending to be on patrol, but their eyes were fixed on the crack in the door.
Su Mu was woken up by the noise.
He yawned and pushed open the door, holding a wood-chopping knife in his hand, ready to chop some firewood for breakfast.
"Clang!"
The door had barely opened a crack when a round face squeezed in.
"Mr. Su! Do you still have that red strip? I'll offer a high price!"
It was that little eunuch from last night. He had dark circles under his eyes, clearly having not slept all night. He was clutching a handful of copper coins, and his hands were sweaty.
Su Mu frowned and pushed the person away.
"So early in the morning, are you going to a funeral?"
He glanced out the door.
Good heavens, a whole sea of people.
These people usually avoid this dilapidated woodshed, afraid of getting tainted by its bad luck. But today, they're all like cats that have caught a whiff of fish.
"Sir! I have silver! I have silver!"
"I want two! No, five!"
"Get out of my way! I'm here to buy this for Consort Wei!"
The crowd suddenly erupted into chaos as several hands reached out, waving coins and pieces of silver.
Su Mu felt a headache coming on.
He made these spicy strips to complete the system's task of creating a nationally popular snack, but he never expected to turn himself into a middle-aged woman at the market.
"stop!"
Su Mu slammed the machete against the door frame.
The blade pierced deep into the wood, making a buzzing sound.
The crowd fell silent instantly, and the eunuchs who had reached out shrank back in fear. This man was someone who dared to lock even the Emperor out; they couldn't afford to offend him.
"Want some?"
Su Mu leaned against the door frame and lazily glanced around.
Everyone nodded in unison, and the sound of swallowing saliva rose and fell.
"This stuff is hard to make; it requires the finest spices and needs to be sun-dried for a full 180 days —"
Su Mu made up a story on the spot, since no one would understand anyway. "It's just that I'm in a good mood, so I do a little bit every day."
He held up one finger.
"Limit of ten per person per day."
"Huh? Only ten?"
Some people complained.
"What? You think it's too much? Then don't buy it." Su Mu pretended to close the door.
"No, no, no! Ten sticks it is!"
The little eunuch was so anxious he was almost in tears. He shoved the copper coins in his hand into Su Mu's arms, "This is my monthly allowance saved up for half a year, it's all for you! Just ten coins!"
Su Mu weighed the copper coin in his hand and casually tossed it into the bamboo basket beside him.
"Queue up. Anyone who cuts in line will never get to eat a meal cooked by me, Su, in this lifetime."
At this command, the previously chaotic crowd instantly became orderly.
The eunuchs and palace maids who usually schemed against each other in the palace were now as obedient as quails, standing quietly, afraid of offending this living god of wealth.
Su Mu turned around and went back into the house, pulling out a large bowl of spicy strips he had made the night before from under the cutting board.
The chili oil hadn't even dried yet, but the aroma was already even stronger.
He wrapped them in oil paper, ten at a time, and moved quickly.
"Take this and get lost."
"Next."
In less than half an hour, that bowl of spicy strips, weighing dozens of kilograms, was completely devoured, not even a single crackling of oil remained.
Even the last layer of red oil at the bottom of the basin was bought by the junior officer of the Imperial Guard for one tael of silver, who said he would take it back to dip steamed buns in and make them smell incredibly delicious.
Su Mu looked at the heavy bamboo basket filled with copper coins and silver coins, and curled his lip.
These ancient people really have never seen the world.
Meanwhile, at Chang Le Palace.
Li Lizhi looked at the small bag of spicy strips wrapped in a brocade handkerchief on the table. She had bought them back from a eunuch at a high price, three times the usual price.
There was nothing I could do; I was too late.
Su Mu is limiting purchases to ten per person.
-
As a princess, she couldn't very well stand in line and fight with those servants, could she? She could only have her subordinates collect it.
"This thing—"
Li Lizhi picked up a stick and sighed helplessly, "These days in the harem, it's probably harder currency than gold."
The little boy next to her was lying on the table, his two little hands protecting his share, watching his sister warily.
"Sister, yours was bought by someone else, but this one was earned by queuing up! No stealing!"
Li Lizhi was both amused and exasperated.
The harem of the Tang Dynasty is about to be turned upside down by these few strands of gluten.
Inside the Taiji Hall.
The bronze crane incense burner emitted wisps of blue smoke, which was specially made ambergris. The aroma was rich and mellow, but it also had a stale smell that made people drowsy.
Wei Zheng, holding a tablet in his hand, stood in the center of the hall, reciting a memorial with great enthusiasm.
.
The voice was melodious and rhythmic, making Li Shimin's temples throb as he listened to it on the steps of the imperial palace.
Li Shimin changed his sitting posture and was about to yawn by rubbing his temples.
Suddenly, my nostril twitched.
An extremely unreasonable smell forcefully tore a hole in the ambergris in the hall.
This tastes a bit familiar.
It's spicy, with a strong cumin aroma and a hint of sweet, caramelized soybean flavor from being cooked in hot oil.
The smell was like a wild, unruly boy, rampaging through the court filled with noble officials, brazenly trying to get into Li Shimin's nostrils.
Li Shimin's spirits lifted instantly, and his drowsiness vanished in an instant.
Isn't this the Su family's red stripe?
The bag that Li Lizhi brought back last night was locked in the cabinet in the Lizheng Hall like a treasure. He was in such a hurry to leave this morning that he didn't have time to take it with him.
Where is that smell coming from?
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