Zhao Qing didn't know that he was cheated at all, he nodded in agreement with Jiang Li's remarks, and said: "You are right, my actions are not serious, I really can't do these delicate tasks, if that's the case, after that I will give you the task of massaging His Highness, and you will have some refreshments."
"Yeah!" Jiang Li nodded vigorously, expressing his loyalty, "Don't worry, I will give His Highness a good massage."
Xiao Qiheng: "..." This little bastard is relying on his own legs to talk nonsense now, right
Hearing this, Xiao Qiheng wanted to expose him on the spot, but seeing that his legs were not as stiff and cold as before after being groomed by him, he gave up.
For some reason, Xiao Qiheng felt that his tolerance was surprisingly high for this little bastard.
In this way, Jiang Li stayed by His Royal Highness's side to take care of him. In order to take care of him nearby, he packed his things and moved into the small hall in the main hall the next day. They were exchanged and sent to the outer courtyard to do chores.
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Li has been serving in the main hall for more than half a month, and his daily task is to take care of the daily life and food of His Royal Highness.
Xiao Qiheng was quite satisfied with his serving, and felt that he was a little more caring than the previous ones.
On this day, Jiang Li sent Xiao Qiheng to the study, turned around and went to the kitchen, wanting to see what was for dinner tonight.
As soon as he reached the door of the kitchen, he heard Madam Zhou's angry voice: "These slaves are simply bullying! No, I'm going to find them to argue!"
Cui Ya's voice also sounded: "Grandma, don't be impulsive. It's not a day or two for the kitchen staff to step up and down. You used to be ridiculed by them."
"Then let them trample our Qinghe Hall? I can't swallow this breath! It's too much to bully!"
Nanny Zhou walked out of the kitchen as she spoke, Cui Ya followed her and persuaded her, Jiang Li saw what happened and asked what happened.
Cui Ya dragged Nanny Zhou back, and told Jiang Li that she went to the kitchen to get the ingredients today.
It turned out that the reason why the dining room was short of ingredients was that the imperial concubine had to entertain the concubines of the palaces temporarily, so they only gave them half a sheep and some vegetarian dishes for the Qinghe Hall.
In this dynasty, the royal family and nobles or people with a certain status did not like mutton, because the smell of mutton was too smelly, and they thought it was a food that was liked by the rough people who lived outside the customs, but ordinary people would eat it. Mutton is eaten as a dinner because it is cheap.
Therefore, the half sheep distributed by Si Panfang today can be said to be an insult to Xiao Qiheng, a crown prince with no reputation, and I don't know where they got it.
In fact, it's not just the dining room, including Xiaoluzi who went to get the charcoal before, and what he got was only the leftover charcoal from last year. Cuiya went to the material workshop the day before yesterday to get the material that he wanted to make winter clothes for His Royal Highness, and finally got some. The fabrics selected by the princes of each palace are very ordinary in color and clothing.
This kind of situation is actually a common occurrence, but after a long backlog, Mother Zhou finally couldn't bear it anymore today. She used to be a person close to Empress Shuyan, so she naturally felt distressed for His Highness the Crown Prince, so she wanted to ask for an explanation now , but everyone knew that even if she went, she would return in vain.
In this huge palace, power means everything.
Cui Ya explained the situation clearly, but she was also annoyed: "What a bunch of slaves!"
Compared to the angry faces of the two, Jiang Li's eyes lit up, mutton! Eating mutton in winter is simply not too cool! !
"Where is the sheep?" Jiang Liyu asked the two happily, "Show me quickly."
"It's inside." Cui Ya said, leading him in to have a look.
Jiang Li entered the kitchen, saw half a sheep on the table, and said "Wow", good guy, it looks like it was just killed, and the blood was not washed away.
He walked over, stretched out his hand to look at the half of the sheep, and found that the meat quality of this sheep was very good, moderately thick and elastic, and he couldn't help showing a very satisfied smile.
Seeing him smiling at the half sheep, Cui Ya looked relieved, and asked in puzzlement: "Little Ion, why are you smirking? This is a sheep, it smells so good."
When she said this, her expression was disgusted. After all, mutton is really not loved by everyone here.
"I'm laughing because we have a lucky meal tonight." Jiang Li said.
Nanny Zhou and Cui Ya looked at each other in confusion, and asked in unison, "Koufu? Did I hear correctly?"
"No!" Jiang Li clapped his hands and smiled mysteriously, "I had a dream yesterday, and I dreamed about Grandpa the God of Cookery. He happened to teach me a good way to eat mutton. Let's try it tonight."
Nanny Zhou and Cui Ya: "What method?"
Jiang Li snapped his fingers and spit out two words: "Hot pot!"
Nanny Zhou and Cui Ya: "What??"
Jiang Li's first reaction when he heard them say mutton was to eat hot pot! Eating mutton hot pot in winter can’t be more refreshing. Imagine mutton slices being soaked in a hot soup pot. The delicious meat smell comes with the whirling white smoke, and then dipped in a special dipping sauce, he will feel hungry. Back to the post!
Just do it, Jiang Li immediately rolled up his sleeves and took the half sheep to clean up.
Nanny Zhou and Cui Ya didn't know what hot pot he was talking about, and saw that he was going to have a big fight, so they quickly followed him.
Although these days, Jiang Li occasionally helps Nanny Zhou stir-fry side dishes and cooks noodles himself, but he has never been a chef, so Nanny Zhou is still worried about what he said, so she chased after him and said, "Little Ion Ah, don't bother, let me come, although this stuff is not delicious, there is no other way now."
"Who says it's not delicious? It's delicious." Jiang Li disagreed with this statement, "The mutton is just for showing off. I won't eat it if I don't want to show off."
Nanny Zhou: "..." Isn't this kid out of his mind
Jiang Li cleaned up the half sheep, cut them into suitable pieces with a machete, then cut them into thin slices, and put them on a white porcelain plate.
He is very skillful in cutting meat, and almost every piece of meat is the same thickness, which surprised Nanny Zhou, even she couldn't do such a knife skill: "Little ion, where did you learn it?"
"I practiced it myself." Jiang Li opened his mouth to lie, and said while cutting, "Usually, after finishing work, I just chop things and play when I have nothing to do. After a long time, I will become proficient."
"That's it." Mother Zhou didn't care whether his words were true or not, she was still worried about what kind of hot pot he was talking about, and whether it would displease His Royal Highness, "Are you really okay with this?"
Compared with her worries, Cui Ya, who is not too old, is attracted by the fresh food instead, and has been watching Jiang Li's meat cutting intently, very curious about what the hot pot he is going to look like.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of any problems." Jiang Li comforted, "Well, if you're okay, can you prepare some side dishes for me?"
Jiang Li told Nanny Zhou the side dishes needed for eating hot pot later, and asked her to help prepare them. After all, she was more familiar with the kitchen. As for Cui Ya, he sent him to find the stove and pot.
Jiang Li made a clear water pot, because there is no pot for mandarin duck pot here, so he stewed the soup base while making seasonings. After working all afternoon, he got everything ready.
He made two pot bottoms, and prepared an extra serving of other side dishes. Apart from serving Xiao Qiheng, he also left them for Nanny Zhou and the others.
When it was time for dinner, he and Cui Ya brought the ingredients to the main hall, and at the door, they happened to meet Zhao Qing who came out of it.
Zhao Qing saw him coming with a small iron pot, and when he passed by, he smelled a faint fragrance, and couldn't help asking him: "Little ion, what are you carrying?"
"Hot pot." Jiang Li dropped two words, put the soup base on the charcoal stove prepared in advance, turned around and saw Zhao Qing took the tray from Cui Ya's hand, and brought the other side dishes to the table superior.
In addition to the five dishes of mutton slices, Jiang Li prepared a lot of vegetarian side dishes, such as mushrooms, radishes, yams, tofu, green vegetables, etc. Seven or eight dishes filled half the table. In addition, he also made minced garlic, chopped peppers, chopped green onions , sesame sauce and other dipping sauces.
In short, it is a very modern way of eating hot pot. He is still thinking about frying chili sauce later.
Zhao Qing, a pure ancient man, was dumbfounded when he saw that half of the table was covered with lettuce, and asked with a strange look: "It's all raw, how do you eat it?"
"Eat it hot." Jiang Li prepared the food, stopped talking nonsense with him, turned around and went out, and went to the study to find Xiao Qiheng.
When Xiao Qiheng came back and saw the lettuce on the half of the table, his face was also a little strange, especially after smelling the smell of mutton, he frowned slightly imperceptibly, looked up at Jiang Li, and beckoned him to explain.
Jiang Li handed the chopsticks to Xiao Qiheng, and said with a smile: "Your Highness, it's time to eat mutton in winter. It is a warming and nourishing food. It warms up the deficiency, nourishes the middle and nourishes the qi. It is very good for the human body. I will eat it today. We have specially prepared mutton hot pot, you can try it."
"You made it?" Xiao Qiheng raised his eyebrows, he didn't expect that he could cook.
"Yes." Jiang Li watched him not move his chopsticks, and said, "Your Highness, don't worry, this is absolutely delicious, if it's not good, you'll punish the servant to eat the whole pot and make you an apology!"
Xiao Qiheng: "..." Your expression doesn't look like being punished at all, but looks like looking forward to it.
Jiang Li reached out to lift the lid of the soup pot, a thick white smoke came out, he stretched out his hand to fan the white smoke, picked up a piece of mutton with chopsticks, put it in the hot pot for a few times, and then picked it up, After dipping a little dipping sauce, put it in Xiao Qiheng's bowl.
"Try it." Jiang Li said.
Xiao Qiheng glanced at him, his eyes fell on the scalded mutton slices in the bowl, he was silent for two seconds, picked them up with chopsticks, and put them in his mouth.
The thickness of the mutton slices is moderate, and the fat and thinness are very even. It is the most taboo to eat mutton that is "old". , but with the help of dipping sauce, people don't feel disgusted at all, but feel that the synthesis is just right.
A piece of mutton slices, unexpectedly people have a kind of unfinished feeling.
"Your Highness, what do you think of the taste?" Jiang Li saw the wrinkles between his brows slowly unraveling, and boiled two more slices for him, this time dipping some chili, "Try this taste, I need some chili in winter ,sweat."
Xiao Qiheng didn't comment, but ate the mutton he put in the bowl with his chopsticks.
Zhao Qing stood aside, looked at the hot pot in front of him, smelled the fragrance, felt that he was so hungry that he almost couldn't help swallowing.
For this meal, they ate vegetables one by one, and it took a lot longer than usual to finish eating.
The advantage of eating hot pot in winter is that it is warm. After a meal, Xiao Qiheng felt warm all over his body, his appetite was satisfied, and he was in a pretty good mood. It was a rare compliment: "It tastes good."
Jiang Li smiled and said, "As long as His Highness likes it, I'll try something else for you next time."
Xiao Qiheng was noncommittal.
When removing the table, Jiang Li whispered to Zhao Qing: "Guard Zhao, there is also a hot pot in the kitchen, if you don't mind, you can go over and eat together."
Zhao Qing was originally a casual person, so how could he dislike him? After asking for instructions from Xiao Qiheng, he rushed to the kitchen.
Xiao Qiheng took a rest for a while, and put Jiang Li down to have a meal when he went to take a bath. After he took a bath, Jiang Li came back and began to massage him.
Xiao Qiheng's leg was already suffering from an old ailment. Although Jiang Li's massage for him could help the blood flow, it was still a temporary solution, not the root cause. It could only relieve some of his discomfort.
While pressing, Jiang Li observed him from the corner of his eye, hesitant to speak.
Although Xiao Qiheng was reading a book, he knew his actions well, so he said, "Speak directly."
Jiang Li sneaked a peek on purpose, just waiting for him to take the initiative to say: "Your Highness, although the massage of the acupoints on your legs can help you restore blood circulation, but the symptoms are not the root cause, you still have to prescribe the right medicine to treat the disease."
Xiao Qiheng paused and looked up at him: "Prescribe the right medicine?"
"Yeah!" Jiang Li nodded, "You need to find a professional doctor to make a diagnosis."
Xiao Qiheng smiled, but the smile didn't reach the bottom of his eyes, and his voice gradually became a little cold: "You care a lot, do you think Gu is pitiful like this? Get out."
It's not that he hasn't been treated before, it's just that after so many years, hope has long since turned to despair. Jiang Li's words are simply poking his heart.
"Your Highness clearly understands that this servant has no such intentions!" Jiang Li saw that he was showing signs of anger again, and hurriedly smoothed his hair, even revealing his scars, "I have lost my legs, so I understand this feeling very well, so I hope Your Highness can Get well soon."
"You?" Xiao Qiheng heard the words, and his eyes fell on his legs, "What nonsense, which leg is missing?"
Jiang Li looked sad: "The third one."
"..."
Xiao Qiheng was stunned for a long time before he realized what he meant, and was extremely shocked that he could say such a thing so brazenly, his face changed several times, and he couldn't bear to throw the book in his hand on his face, He said in a low voice, "Get out!"
"Slave resigns!"
Jiang Li rolled away in a hurry, leaving Xiao Qiheng half leaning on the pillow, and inexplicably remembered the last time this little bastard looked at him last time, and said while crying, "The slave is shocked by the majesty of His Highness, and it was a momentary love." Can't help it" scene, suddenly his face turned livid.
I really didn't expect there to be such shameless people in the world!