Ji Ling didn't eat much dinner that day and was planning to go to bed early to rest. Unexpectedly, Yin came over. The two chatted for a while, and naturally they became hungry.
When Yin saw this, he just smiled and shouted for someone to prepare supper.
In the dining room, Xiao Dazi had been heating the stove and preparing supper since he heard that the emperor was coming. He was afraid that his master would be late talking to the emperor and would have to eat supper.
Sure enough, someone came and called him. He put two plates of side dishes, two bowls of crepe wontons, and a can of white water fish porridge that had been simmered on the stove on the tray and took them out.
There is also a pot of light lotus leaf wine, in which a few coins of puhuang and scutellaria baicalensis are added and boiled in tea. When gently shaken, the aroma of the wine is mixed with the fragrance of lotus leaves, and the bitter fragrance of tea spreads out.
The crepe wontons are sprinkled with a layer of small shrimps. The umami flavor of seaweed and the fragrance of chopped green onion are mixed together. The dumpling skin is thin, and the pink meat filling inside is faintly revealed. Each one is full of the mellow flavor.
Soup.
A little bit of red chili oil was added to the wonton soup.
Stir it with a spoon and the spiciness will pop out in the soup.
Ji Ling pushed the shrimps away to the edge of the bowl little by little, blowing the hot air away with each mouthful. Seeing this, Qixi took a fan and gently fanned it for her.
When the temperature cooled down a bit, Ji Ling picked up the bowl of small wontons and drank half the bowl of fresh soup. Then he picked up the spoon and started eating the wontons, which were so spicy that beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Another plate of red bean chess pieces was served, which they said were chess pieces, but were actually small sweet pastries rolled in red bean paste. Each piece was as big as a chess piece.
Ji Ling took a look and asked Qixi: "Did Xiao Lezi do this?"
Qixi laid out the meal in an orderly manner and replied calmly: "Back to the master, yes, this red bean chess piece was made by Xiao Lezi."
Ji Ling responded and pushed the cake to the side without removing his chopsticks.
Yin caught a glimpse of it accidentally and felt a little strange, saying: "Lingling, don't you like to eat snacks the most on weekdays?" She saw that Ji Ling was about to speak but stopped.
Yin was a little worried, put down his chopsticks, reached out to hold her hand, and asked carefully: "But you have no appetite?"
Ji Ling shook her head and said: "No, Your Majesty, I have a very good appetite, but..." She hesitated when she said this.
Yin was confused and asked: "Just what?"
Ji Ling glanced at the red bean chess piece and said in a soft voice: "The little joy was specially allocated to me from Changchun Palace by Concubine Qi. After all, it is Concubine Qi's heart and I can't bear to live up to it. It's just...his craftsmanship.
Although it’s good, it’s not to my liking.”
Yin glared at her slightly and said, "What else do I think it's about!"
He took a sip of porridge, waved his hand casually and said, "It's not a big deal. If you don't like him, just send him away."
Ji Ling raised his head and looked at Yin: "Your Majesty, I really feel that it is very rare. It would be fine if he was just an ordinary servant, but it is the favor of Concubine Qi. Although I don't like his craftsmanship, I will always give it to Concubine Qi.
Just to save face. If we take people away like this, Changchun Palace will be very ugly!"
She sighed and said: "Your Majesty, you don't even know that I have been worried about this matter for a long time. At the moment, I only let Xiao Lezi make cakes, but the cakes he made are actually not suitable.
My taste..."
Yin shook his head, gave her a stern look, and said: "Since you are the master, you have the freedom to dispatch your slaves. If you are really in trouble, don't worry, I will dispatch them for you!"
Ji Ling's eyes lit up, and she said with a smile: "This is the best, thank you, Your Majesty!"
Seeing how her eyebrows relaxed, Yin couldn't help but shook his head and said with a smile: "Lingling, can such a small thing make you worried?"
He put down his chopsticks, pursed his thin lips, and said: "It is the duty of slaves to serve you well. Since he cannot do it to your liking, it is the fault of slaves.
If you are really worried about offending Concubine Qi, I will take the initiative and send her to the Yangxin Hall!"
…
The second day, Changchun Palace.
Hong Cha was holding a bouquet of water lotus and just stepped onto the steps. The maids and eunuchs sweeping the front hall stopped what they were doing and said with a smile: "Sister Hong Cha!"
Hongcha nodded slightly, which was regarded as an agreement, and entered the cabinet without squinting. The maids on both sides quickly opened the curtains for showering flowers. Hongcha only felt the aroma of rouge and gouache blowing towards his face.
She handed the lotus flower to the palace maid waiting at the side and gave some detailed instructions before walking to Concubine Qi. When the palace maid combing her hair saw her coming, she handed the comb to her and said with a smile: "Sister Hongcha, you are so beautiful."
It’s finally here!”
Concubine Qi straightened her bun in the mirror, glanced at Hongcha, and said angrily: "Where have you been? It's been so long! Look, what time has it been?"
After she finished speaking, she said to the palace maid impatiently: "Everyone, please go out. My hands are so clumsy that I can't even comb a simple bun straight. I don't know where I spend all my time."
The palace maid looked frightened. Hongcha took a comb, dipped some hair oil in it, and spread it evenly on the mouth of the white porcelain bottle. Then she parted the hair on Concubine Qi's head little by little. While parting it, she said softly:
"Master, these strands of hair are not evenly separated, how can they be combed neatly?"
While talking, watching the maids retreating, Hongcha whispered: "Master, I got the news that the emperor wanted to take Xiaolezi away, saying that he was to be kept as a handyman in the imperial kitchen of Yangxin Palace.
Eunuch."
Concubine Qi's eyes suddenly widened and she asked: "When did it happen?";
Hongcha frowned and said carefully: "Last night, the emperor stayed in the east courtyard of Jingyang Palace, but this morning he asked Xiao Lezi to leave for some reason."
As she spoke, she bent down to Concubine Qi's ear and whispered: "Those of us in the palace who were in contact with him didn't realize something was wrong before Xiao Lezi delivered the news this morning. When we inquired about it, he said that the emperor thought Xiao Lezi
The craftsmanship is very good. He picked up the person by name and slipped away. If he was in a hurry, Xiao Lezi didn't even pack the package!"
Concubine Qi thought for a while, frowned, and said sourly: "I'm afraid this is wrong. If it goes according to the emperor's thoughts on Ji Guiren, the better Xiao Lezi's craftsmanship is, the more he will let Xiao Lezi stay in Ji Guiren's courtyard to serve him, where can I?
I’m willing to take people away!”
When Hongcha heard what Concubine Qi said, her expression became nervous, and she whispered: "Master, could it be that our trick was discovered by Ji Guiren, and she told the emperor?"
Concubine Qi's face was filled with clouds. She thought for a long time before shaking her head and saying, "If this is the case, can I still sit here well now?"
After she said this, her face turned cold, and she added: "Even if she sees through it, what evidence can she have to present to the emperor?" Although she said this, the look on her face could not help but reveal it.
Some fear and timidity emerged.
When Hongcha saw this, he felt panic in his heart and whispered: "Master, why don't I think of some more ideas and go to Yangxin Palace to inquire?"
