Chapter 664: Jiuzi Zongzi (Four)

The two jars of rotten pickles did not come to the dining table in the end.

It’s easy to say anything else, if something goes wrong with the food, isn’t it going to be a loss?

Seeing the chefs' faces turned green, Cao Yong asked them to throw away the two jars of pickled vegetables and exchange for the pickled mustard lumps in the kitchen.

Cao Yong did not forget to tell them, don’t cut thin strips and mix sesame oil like normal; just wash them in clean water and cut them into strips as thick as fingers.

Although some stoves in the kitchen were already used when it was about to come, it was rare that Cao Yong came to the kitchen in person, and everyone flattered them and quickly followed the instructions, washing rice with rice and dough with dough.

Wuen was nervous because he didn't buy the two jars of pickles, and he lowered his head and stood in front of Cao Yong, not knowing how to apologize.

When Cao Yong saw her, he smiled and said to her, "The errand was done well. You can't blame you for pickles... This pickles are easy to grow. I remember one year in the mansion, it seemed that several tanks of pickles were broken because of the rain."

Wu En was still a little ashamed and lowered his head and said, "I should have looked around. I have enjoyed the blessings in the mansion for several years, and I will become a useless person who does not know the firewood, rice, oil and salt."

She was a female slave of the Prince's Mansion of Balin. When she arrived at the Cao family in the 48th year of Kangxi, she was still a teenage girl. Now, in this blink of an eye, she is still seventeen or eighteen.

Time is like water, and time passes.

Cao Yong said: "I heard from Zi Jing that you have a good plan and keep your accounts smoothly. This is already much better than others."

Thinking of his mother entering the palace, Cao Yong asked, "By the way, how did your wife learn Mongolian language?"

"Just paying respects. When we went there this time, the wife was still embarrassed and wanted to take her servants over, but it was not in accordance with the rules." Wuen said.

Rehe Palace, Xiyu, Songhe Qingyue.

The Empress Dowager looked at Li sitting on the stool, held her hand, and smiled on her face, looking happier than when she was in the palace.

The old man said a word of Mongolian after a while, and asked the nanny who was a servant in the palace to translate it into Chinese to Li. Despite this, Li could still feel her kindness.

Although she didn't know why the Empress Dowager treated her differently, Li put her heart in favor and was really close to the Empress Dowager, treating her as respectful as a relative.

In addition to making an embroidered screen to celebrate the birthday of the empress dowager, Li also sewed a middle garment for the empress dowager himself. Although it was not as exquisite as the palace, he chose soft cotton material, which was very comfortable to touch.

This time when he came to the palace to pay tribute, Li brought a set of filial piety to respect him.

When the empress dowager saw her, she was very happy and took her to rub her face, with a very kind face.

After that gift, the Empress Dowager pulled Li and started talking about family matters.

For example, did she feel cool or not when she was first exposed to the front line? She feels cool or not, her son and daughter-in-law are filial or not, and so on.

After hearing this, Li answered carefully, and occasionally added a simple Mongolian sentence, which made the empress dowager more and more happy.

In the words of the Queen Mother, she began to mention Korqin, as if she was recalling the old story.

Concubine Yi sat on the chair next to her and laughed with her face, as if she was feeling uncomfortable. She was afraid that the empress dowager would be happy and said something unreasonable, and she would get into her ears and cause disaster for herself.

Taking advantage of the time when the empress dowager stopped, Concubine Yi smiled and said in Mongolian, "Empress Dowager, it is rare for Mrs. Cao to enter the palace. Otherwise, let's leave guests. How about I go to prepare the evening table? I have to be shameless. Please give me a bite to you, the old lady, to give me a bite."

Although Li didn't know what Concubine Yi was talking about, she felt quite uneasy when she saw her talking and looking at her.

Among the concubines in the escort, Concubine Yi is the most respected. Among the female relatives in the capital, this empress is a powerful person, which makes Li a little scared.

The Empress Dowager was about to talk to Li about Korqin, but after listening to Concubine Yi's suggestion, she was just right and smiled and asked her to go there.

Concubine Wang and Concubine Xi were originally standing beside Concubine Yi. When she saw her going out, she bent over to the empress dowager and followed her out.

After leaving the empress dowager, Concubine Yi turned around and smiled at Wangpin and Concubine Xi and said, "Mrs. Cao looks very gentle. Are the two sisters not Mrs. Cao's relatives? I think they are always close to each other?"

I don’t know what she meant, but Wang Pin and Xi’s nobleman Chen didn’t know how to answer for a while.

Fei Yi knew that the two of them were cautious, frowned and shook their heads, turned around and left first.

Concubine Xi hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice: "Empress, isn't it that Empress Yi and her cousin's aunt? Empress Yi seems to be less calm than usual."

"Who knows? If you don't have to do with our relationship, please ask a few less questions." Wang Pin said.

"Yes, my sister knows it. Looking at the 20th prince's escort, my sister feels hopeful. As long as Yinxi can grow up safely, my sister will not be in vain in the palace." Concubine Xi said with a little sigh.

Speaking of which, she was favored the year she entered the palace, and she would not see the emperor for three or five months.

But how many women in this harem can do as they please?

Wang Pin whispered: "These words, my sister will be in her heart in the future. If you want to be more open-minded, you will be much better than others with a prince."

Concubine Xi responded and left with Princess Wang.

Since Concubine Yi praised Haikou in front of the Empress Dowager, she naturally worked harder and ordered a menu for the kitchen.

In addition to half of them, the Queen Mother likes them, there are also a few dishes with Mongolian flavors, and a few dishes with Huaiyang flavors. There are also a few dishes with milk and a few dishes with southern orders on the bun mat. There are also nanmu wine and fruit wine. Not only does it look decent, it can also feel that it is carefully arranged.

Seeing that it was still a while before leaving the meal, Concubine Yi washed up again, sat in front of the dressing table, and put on makeup again.

She has been in the palace for more than 40 years and is over fifty years old, but because of proper maintenance, she still looks like she is about 40 years old.

It was still a bit complacent, but when I thought about the fact that Li gave birth to a child in his forties, Concubine Yi also gave birth to some envy.

She sat in front of the mirror for a while, sent an eunuch to the Empress Dowager's harem to inquire, and saw that the emperor had not gone there.

After a while, the eunuch came back to report that the emperor had come to the Empress Dowager's harem to pay his respects, but had not come out yet.

"It turns out." Concubine Yi thought to herself and did not get up and go to the empress dowager immediately. Although she claimed to be smart, she never dared to show off in front of Kangxi. She was afraid that she would lose her composure and made Kangxi feel too concerned, so she asked someone to go and inquire again.

It took a quarter of an hour before the news came back. Kangxi had already started from the Empress Dowager's Palace and returned to Sizhi Bookstore.

Concubine Yi breathed a sigh of relief and was faintly disappointed. She hadn't seen Kangxi for a few days...

Concubine Yi was right in her mind. Kangxi did pretend to be the queen mother to pay her respects when she heard that Li had entered the palace and came to "meet" her.

When the moment when Zhen met Li, Kangxi had nothing to say. Thinking that Cao Yong fainted outside the Sizhi Bookstore a few days ago, he finally felt a little guilty in his heart.

Li lowered his head, and he would not have thought that the emperor would think so much in his heart.

As an outsider, she dared to answer a few words in front of the empress dowager and the concubine. When she saw the emperor, she could only sit down and rest with her eyes down.

When the Empress Dowager saw Kangxi coming, she also mentioned Korqin in her words. In addition to missing her hometown, she also felt a little sour. Li didn't know her life experience at all, nor did she know that Korqin's blood was also flowing on her body.

The Empress Dowager has not been in good health in the past few years. She has talked to Kangxi several times to see how to compensate Li.

He neither lost the face of the court nor felt wronged by Li, so that the empress dowager could also explain to the empress dowager and the others when he went underground.

For a while, it was not so good.

As a minister born in the gui, Cao Yin was already very decent when he was promoted to Bo without making military achievements; Cao Yong was young and was in the position of showing off, so he was not willing to give him any kindness at will.

The Empress Dowager lived all her life, except for the old emperor who was in power and swallowed his anger. After becoming the Empress Dowager, she always acted at will.

Seeing that Kangxi had not been moving for a long time, she treated Li in her own way, which means that she would reward him with various gems, antique vases, precious clothing and materials, all kinds of good things.

The same is true today. The Queen Mother has asked someone to prepare several sets of head and face jewelry.

When Kangxi got out, the Empress Dowager asked someone to carry a jewelry box about one foot high, pushed down Li, and said with a smile: "These Ai family are also placed on the shelf. You can take it to your wife and grandson-in-law."

After she finished speaking in Mongolian, an old lady translated it into Chinese and told it to Li.

The rewards from the palace have been a little lenient in recent years. Every time I repeatedly refuse, the Empress Dowager still has to give them the gifts.

Even so, Li did not dare to feel greedy and hurriedly stood up to thank him.

The Queen Mother didn't allow her to refuse, and said something else.

After hearing this, the nanny standing beside him smiled and said to Li: "Madam Cao, the Queen Mother asked you to take it away. If you don't take it, you will also send it to the mansion. It is the little bit of the Queen Mother's wish. The Queen Mother likes your needlework. He said that if you think these jewelry are expensive, you will go to the palace a few more times in the future and do two more sets of needlework, and the Queen Mother will be happy."

Having said that, Li had to thank him for accepting it.

At this time, footsteps came from outside, and an eunuch came in and reported that it was Empress Yi who had arrived.

The Empress Dowager nodded and called the Chuan. Concubine Yi smiled and walked in, saying in Mongolian words: "Empress Dowager, the meal minister has been prepared. Do you think when will the meal be delivered?"

The Empress Dowager smiled and asked Concubine Yi to pass on the meal...

Cao Family Courtyard, East Courtyard, Upper Room.

Cao Yong and his wife had already received the news, and they knew that Li was left in the palace by the empress dowager and wanted to return after dinner. Cao Yin also sent someone back to report the news, because he was busy praying for rain and did not come back to have a meal, so he asked someone to deliver a food box.

Chu Yu looked at the rice, black buns and half a plate of mustard strips on the kang table, and asked with a smile: "My husband went to the kitchen for a while, and just took these?"

Cao Yong nodded with a smile, with a little pride on his face and said, "Today, all over the house will eat sweetly."

When they came out of the kitchen just now, several cooks asked specifically whether they were going to give them the steamed buns and rice.

Cao Yong had seen it in the kitchen, and the most time-honored one was white rice noodles. It was rare to make this one, so he naturally ordered everyone to deliver it, just to treat it as a snack before the meal.

Seeing that her husband was a little proud, Chu Yu was a little puzzled when he talked about dinner and food.

Cao Yong had already washed his hands, crossed his legs to the kang, took a steamed bun made of wheat bran noodles, looked at it for a few seconds, and took it to his mouth and took it a bite.

Hard to swallow.

I can't tell what it feels like, it's like wood dregs, but it's not as soft as wood dregs. It smells like wheat, but it's different when I eat it in my mouth.

Cao Yong's face was stiff, and he still chewed and swallowed the mouth from his mouth.

When Chu Yu saw her husband's strange expression, he looked at the "strange" meal and became curious. He took a bun, broke it off and gave it to his mouth.

Cao Yong quickly stretched out his arm to stop him and said, "You are still drinking medicine, so you can taste it in a few days."

Chu Yu stretched out his finger and discussed, "Mr. I just take a bite, otherwise my son and I don't know what it tastes."

When Cao Yong saw this, he nodded and said, "Then just eat a bite of steamed bun, don't think about rice. This is done for the children to see and smell it. It may be fine if you eat one or two bites. If you really eat a bowl and a half bowl, it is not something that ordinary stomachs can withstand."
To be continued...