Chapter Twelve: The Biography of Rewarding Li Miaofa
As Chi Su was about to deliver food to Lin Fufei, Xue Hengzhao stopped her and said, "You have already been there once. Let me go this time. I haven't seen her for a long time."
Chi Su said: "It's very cold outside, so please put on my jacket."
Xue Hengzhao got dressed and went to see Lin Fufei with a food box.
The work of the Xixin Department was notoriously dirty and tiring. Lin Fufei was unkempt and her clothes were full of carbon stains.
We are thinner than when we were together.
I was very happy and a little embarrassed to see Xue Hengzhao.
"Sister Xue, why are you here? I just asked Miss Chi San how you are doing lately.
She said everything is fine with you, which reassures me. It’s very cold here, please go back quickly!”
"Can you eat the longevity noodles that Concubine Ying gave you today?" Xue Hengzhao asked her.
"I...I've eaten. I've eaten a big bowl full! I'm still full now!" Lin Fufei said, patting her belly.
She saw the food box Xue Heng was carrying, but she also knew that it would be good for them to eat in one bite, and there would never be any extra.
"The beef noodle soup at Yushanfang is really good." Xue Hengzhao said, "There is also a lot of beef."
"Yeah, I'm full." Lin Fufei hurriedly followed.
Xue Hengzhao slowly walked to a corner sheltered from the wind, squatted down, opened the lid of the food box and said: "The noodle soup that the empress rewarded is made of mutton. You don't even know this, and you dare to say that you have eaten it."
Lin Fufei blushed and muttered: "Sister Xue, you are so smart, I can't hide anything from you."
"Come here quickly and eat while it's hot." Xue Hengzhao raised his hand and called her.
"No, I won't eat, so you only have this bowl." Lin Fufei bit her lip and shook her head vigorously.
"I have really eaten it. You also know that I never bother to be a good person. If you really don't want to eat it, I will leave immediately." Xue Hengzhao stood up as he said that.
"Sister Xue, goodbye, we finally meet each other." Lin Fufei said as she walked over, picked up the noodle bowl and ate it, but her tears fell into the bowl.
Not only does she have to work hard every day, she also has to be beaten and scolded.
Because of her young age and cowardly temper, many people regard her as a punching bag.
In the past, it was her turn to eat last, but today she didn't get any of the longevity noodles.
After finishing the noodles, Lin Fufei wiped her tears and put down the bowl.
Another smile appeared on her red face and she said to Xue Hengzhao: "Thank you, Sister Xue, this noodles is so delicious."
"This noodles are leftovers from Chi Su and I, just don't mind it." Xue Hengzhao said, "Thank you for helping us."
"Oh, they're just useless chopsticks. What's there to thank you for?" Lin Fufei said sheepishly, "It's not worth anything.
But if you live in Miwuyuan now, you must be careful, because they say that place is not clean.
I secretly tore this talisman from an empty house just now. No matter what it is, it can always ward off evil spirits."
"We don't have any use for this, so you'd better take it back and stick it up as it is to avoid being scolded." Xue Hengzhao said, "How are you doing here now?"
As soon as she asked, Lin Fufei couldn't stop crying.
"Okay, wipe your tears and stop crying. I didn't come to see you cry." Xue Hengzhao handed her a clean handkerchief, "First tell me, who is in charge of you on weekdays?
Even the supervisors don’t count.”
"That's Aunt Zhuang above us," Lin Fufei said, "She's below the eunuchs and above the supervisors."
"That's her." Xue Hengzhao said, "Come here, I'll tell you a way to help you be bullied less in the future and live a smoother life."
Lin Fufei quickly put her ear to it.
Xue Hengzhao said: "The relationship between the Xixin Department and the Imperial Kitchen is very close. Every year in the twelfth lunar month, the Imperial Kitchen smokes pigs with ling cypress as a tribute. Do you know something about this?"
Lin Fufei nodded quickly after hearing this and said: "I know, I know, I heard them discussing this matter a few days ago.
Your Majesty now believes in Taoism, and to worship the Sanqing Dynasty, you need to use Lingbai smoked pigs."
"The Lingbai used for smoking pigs is carefully selected and sent by your Xinxing Department," Xue Hengzhao said, "but Lingbai smoked pigs are not easy to make. In previous years, only one out of ten pigs could be served on the table.
Not bad. There is a lot of snow this year, so I’m afraid it will be more difficult.”
"Sister Xue, you even know this." Lin Fufei was full of admiration. "Those people above are as anxious as ants on a hot pot. They say they have spent dozens of pigs and they haven't been able to make a good one."
Come.
If you still can't do it after three days, you will be punished."
"If this thing fails, of course the people in the Imperial Kitchen will bear the brunt, but they will also make excuses. I'm afraid Secretary Xixin will also be implicated." Xue Hengzhao said, "Go find that Aunt Zhuang you just mentioned and tell her.
Say you have a secret method that guarantees you can make first-class smoked pig."
"Is there really such a way?" Lin Fufei asked quickly.
"Of course there is, but most people don't know it. Let me tell you, when the time comes, I will only use cypress branches. The branches should not be thicker than your arm, and they should be dried to 70% dryness first.
When the pig is smoked, the fire-burnt lychee shells from southern Fujian and the green bamboo slices from Yunmeng are added, 30% fire and 70% smoke, and the smoke is smoked for a day and a night. During this period, the pig is turned several times to ensure even heating, so there will be no mistakes. " Xue Hengzhao told Lin Fufei the detailed method and told her: "Only tell Aunt Zhuang this matter. Tell her that you give her the credit, and she will naturally ask you why.
Just say that in exchange for her protection, you have nothing else to ask for but to have enough to eat and be less bullied.
This is a great feat, and she will definitely agree.
If you tell the palm print eunuch directly, he will naturally remember you.
But it's just to reward you with something, or to give you a slight promotion. You still can't get close to him often, and it will be difficult to leverage him.
And the people who are in charge of you will inevitably be jealous, or think that you don't take them seriously, and will inevitably find ways to suppress you in the future. You can't fight those people.
Although the supervisor is directly in charge of you, his power is limited and he cannot protect you much.
And I'm afraid that if you strive for credit, you may be harmed first.
You are still a person like Aunt Zhuang, you can go up or down. With her protecting you, your life here will not be too sad."
"Sister Xue, you could have benefited from such a big contribution yourself, but you gave it to me instead." Lin Fufei choked and squeezed Xue Hengzhao's hand, "I knew you were the most kind-hearted person.
”
"I did this because I will need you again in the future." Xue Hengzhao withdrew his hand, "In the future, you should be more careful with Aunt Zhuang. People like them, who have been in the palace for most of their lives, have long since become
Isolated and eccentric, unkind.
In fact, the people who are most willing to take charge are not the clever ones, but the stupid ones like you.
If you protect her, she won't let you suffer."
After Xue Hengzhao said that, he no longer lingered and turned around to leave.
Lin Fufei stood there blankly, even forgetting to give her a gift.
I just watched her green cloak fluttering in the cold wind, and her whole body was swaying, as if she would ride the wind away at any time.
