There was a flood in Luoyang last year, and the imperial court allocated a large sum of relief funds to strengthen the dams and relieve the people. It is now April, and two months later it will be rainy and flood-prone summer. Emperor Zhaokang was concerned about the people of Heluo, so he specially sent Pei Yan to Luoyang for inspection.
The purpose of this inspection was to investigate the reinforcement and protection of dams in Luoyang Prefecture and prefectures and counties, as well as the food reserves; secondly, Emperor Zhaokang wanted to take this opportunity to add glory to Pei Yan's good reputation
Going out on errands, just for inspection, and it was in Luoyang, not far from Chang'an, so easy and not tiring but also a good job to build a good reputation, Emperor Zhaokang naturally wanted to leave it to his most beloved son.
At the beginning, Tao Ti still didn't understand why Emperor Zhaokang had to make troubles when Pei Yan's body was like this, so that he could recover from his illness with peace of mind, wouldn't it be good to spend his time peacefully
Later, when she chatted with Xu Wenchan, Xu Wenchan said, "I asked my parents this question before, and my parents said that parents will not give up their children until the last moment. Your Majesty should It's also like this, I have always held the expectation that His Highness will get better, so I let him continue to participate in the government and let him go out on business."
Tao Ti was at a loss for words, but Mao Sai suddenly understood.
She had a different thinking angle from Emperor Zhaokang. Emperor Zhaokang hoped for Pei Yansheng, but she, like everyone else, acquiesced in Pei Yan's death.
Realizing this, Tao Ti couldn't help feeling a little guilty.
Seeing that her kneading movements slowed down, Xu Wenchan couldn't help stretching out five fingers and shaking them in front of her, "Ah Ti?"
"Hmm..." Tao Ti came back to her senses.
"Your dough should be kneaded almost, right? I think it's already very smooth." Xu Wenchan pointed to the big ball of dough under her hands. She was a little confused why her friend made so many noodles and could finish it today
"Well, it's almost there." Tao Ti pinched the dough in her hands to make sure it was smooth and elastic, and then began to roll out the noodles.
Like a magic trick, one life makes two, two makes four, four makes eight... A long, slender snow-white noodle shakes out in her hands, the roots are distinct and do not stick to each other.
Xu Wenchan and the palace people watched without blinking: The princess is really amazing, she can also pull noodles, and the posture of pulling noodles is so chic and beautiful!
Tao Ti pulled the noodles, divided them into several parts and placed them in round bowls, and asked the palace staff to steam them on the steamer.
Xu Wenchan couldn't understand, "Aren't the noodles boiled, can they be steamed?"
Tao Ti wiped her hands, and said with a light smile, "I make instant noodles, not for eating now, but for food on the road."
"Instant noodles? What a weird name."
"Because this noodle is ready, you can take it with you and eat it anytime and anywhere, that's why it's named so. I'll make it later, and I'll cook a bowl for you to taste, and you'll know."
"it is good!!"
The two talked and laughed, and walked out of the kitchen.
The sunshine in the courtyard was just right, and the people of the Eastern Palace moved small benches and sat in the courtyard busy with the errands assigned to them by the princess, such as grinding flour, keeping the stove, washing vegetables, choosing vegetables, and drying them—
There are still five days before departure. During these five days, Pei Yan is either discussing the arrangements for the trip to Luoyang with the officials of the Eastern Palace in the Zixiao Palace, or studying the relevant materials presented by the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Officials in the Chongwen Museum, leaving early and returning late. Very diligent.
Pei Yan is so busy, Tao Ti is not idle either.
She boasted in front of Emperor Zhaokang, promising to take good care of Pei Yan's daily necessities.
For clothes, Fu Xirui prepares them; for clothes, there are palace servants to take care of them; for residences, Luoyang officials will also arrange them. What Tao Ti can play a role in is "food".
Tao Ti inspected the work progress of the palace people, and Xu Wenchan followed. Seeing pots of black sesame, soybeans, rice, white sesame, black beans, walnuts, red dates, etc., she asked curiously, "Ah Ti, what are they doing?" What are you grinding?"
Tao Ti pointed to the four maids and said, "These two are responsible for grinding black sesame paste, and these two are for grinding five-grain soymilk. These are ground into powder, which can be brewed and drunk anytime and anywhere on the road. It is very suitable for breakfast."
While talking, the two walked to the bread kiln again. The two young eunuchs looked at the fire, and there were already a dozen golden, burnt sesame baked naans in the basket beside them.
Seeing Tao Ti approaching, the two young eunuchs stood up respectfully and saluted, "Crown Princess, this batch will be baked soon."
Tao Ti reached out and pinched a small piece of baked naan, brought it to her mouth and tasted it, it was warm and crispy, the more she chewed, the more delicious it was, which was the taste she expected.
She smiled at the little eunuch, and said softly, "Thank you for your hard work, the roast is very good."
The little eunuch was very flattered, so he was busy and said nothing.
Leaving from the bread kiln, Tao Ti took Xu Wenchan to look at the other foods she prepared, "This is mayonnaise, this bottle is spicy black bean sauce, beef sauce, mushroom sauce, diced radish with chopped pepper, sweet and sour Garlic, stored in a cool and dry place, can be stored for about ten days, and it’s best eaten with dry food. I also prepared a bottle of rose sauce, a bottle of dried osmanthus, and a bottle of dried jasmine, and I took it with me to drink on the road... "
"By the way, there are these. These are my newly made candied fruit, beef jerky and dried pork. Although they can't be stored for ten days, they can still be stored for five days."
"Tomorrow I will marinate some duck neck, duck wings, duck collarbone, stewed bean skin, stewed lotus root slices, the secret recipe of our family's ancestral stewed ingredients, who knows the taste! Take it with you on the way to eat, Relieve boredom and relieve hunger."
Looking at the dazzling array of bottles and jars in front of him, and hearing what Tao Ti was chanting, Xu Wenchan couldn't help swallowing, "Ah Ti, don't say any more, because I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself and hide Get into your carriage and go to Luoyang with you."
There are so many delicious foods, what is the trouble of traveling and traveling? !
Not long after, someone from the palace came to report that the noodles on the stove had been steamed.
Tao Ti responded, and brought Xu Wenchan back to the kitchen.
The steamed noodles form a flat ball, hold them up carefully, put them into the hot oil pan and fry them slowly over low heat. With the sound of "stinging, stinging", the white noodles are fried into a fixed golden color. The noodles look very crispy, not to mention the tempting aroma of carbohydrates and oil.
The more beautiful the woman is, the more she will deceive people, and the more delicious food will make people fatter.
Tao Ti blew up three as a demonstration, and let the palace people fry the rest. The palace servants sent by the dining room to help are all skilled in cooking, so it's no problem to do such a simple job.
In order to verify the success of this homemade instant noodle, Tao Ti rolled up her sleeves and prepared to cook two bowls and taste it herself—
Unexpectedly, the fifth prince and sixth princess came just as soon as the water was hot.
As soon as the two little greedy cats came to the door, they raised their heads and kept chanting "it smells so good".
Ever since, Tao Ti finally cooked four bowls of instant noodles.
The four large celadon bowls are full of noodles. A large piece of crispy and plump braised beef, a few green and refreshing vegetables, and a golden fried egg are rich in color and make people very appetizing.
Under the milky white soup are golden slightly curly noodles. In the steaming heat, the unique aroma of instant noodles is overflowing, which will make people revive.
The two big foodies and the two snacks couldn't wait to pick up the chopsticks, pick up the noodles and put them in their mouths.
The springy and chewy noodles are mixed with the salty and delicious soup, which slides between the lips and teeth. It is thick but not greasy, very fragrant, and people can't stop after eating.
"Delicious, so delicious!" Xu Wenchan said.
"Smells, really smells!" said the Fifth Prince.
"Yeah!" The sixth princess had her mouth full, and she could only nod her head in agreement.
After a while, the four bowls of noodles bottomed out.
Xu Wenchan fell back on the chair enjoying himself, his eyes were full of stars, and he looked at Tao Ti, "Ah Ti, you are really amazing! Really, this bowl of noodles is really delicious. The fried noodles It is fragrant and smooth, completely different from the usual noodles, very fragrant!"
The fifth prince and the sixth princess also agreed, looking at Tao Ti with admiration.
"When I kneaded the dough, I added egg white and pepper, so it was very fragrant." Tao Ti wiped her mouth, fried food is really happy. Judging from their reactions, my homemade instant noodles should be very successful this time.
After the three foodies rubbed their noodles, they played together for a while, and the sun turned dark before they knew it.
Before leaving, Xu Wenchan took out a stack of banknotes and stuffed them into Tao Ti's hands, and said generously, "The old saying goes, poor families get rich. Ati, you have flowers, you should eat and drink, Don't lose yourself."
Tao Ti, "..."
Is this what it feels like to be taken care of by a wealthy girlfriend? It's a bit cool.
Of course, she won't take it, she has enough savings to spend.
She managed to return the silver ticket to Xu Wenchan, but she never thought that the Fifth Prince would take out a large bag of golden beans and stuff them into her hands—
"I saved these, you...you buy what you like when you see it in Luoyang..." The kid was still a little awkward, his ears were red and he was embarrassed, and he didn't dare to look at Tao Ti.
Tao Ti, "..."
Well, here comes another rich and powerful man.
Compared to the generosity of Xu Wenchan and the Fifth Prince, the Sixth Princess gave me a peace talisman. She shyly said, "Sister-in-law, this is the peace talisman I embroidered. Wear this and you will have a safe journey."
The goose-yellow peace talisman was embroidered with the word "Ping An" delicately but a little immature, and there was a beautiful pink tassel hanging below it.
Tao Ti did not refuse this gift, and accepted it with a smile, "Thank you, Feifei."
The sixth princess's cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were as agile as a deer, "Sister-in-law, I will wait for you and the prince's brother to come back."
Xu Wenchan and the fifth prince also quickly agreed, "Yes, we will wait for your return!"
Tao Ti, "..."
Why are you suddenly sensational, you guys, woo woo.
At this moment, at the gate of Yaoguang Hall, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who can finally come back early after finishing government affairs: Are these people so idle? Why pester his princess every day!
As soon as the prince appeared, after a while, Xu Wenchan and the others went back to their respective homes, looking for their own mothers.
Seeing that Pei Yan came so early, Tao Ti made him a cup of eight-treasure tea, and happily told him about how she made instant noodles.
Pei Yan drank the sweet and fragrant tea, looked at her joyful side face, and couldn't help narrowing his eyes lazily.
The fatigue of a busy day in front of the copybook seemed to disappear in an instant.
He suddenly felt that taking her to Luoyang would be a pretty good decision.
...
Two days later in the blink of an eye, it was the day of departure.
After Fu Xirui took an inventory, he found that there were two more carriages. As soon as he stepped forward to report, he heard the princess say, "I added those two carriages."
Fu Xirui, "This...?"
Tao Ti explained, "The two carriages are loaded with food, such as pancakes, naan, and instant noodles."
After a pause, she looked at Pei Yan beside her, and asked softly with some uncertainty, "Your Highness, are two carriages too many? Well, I have tried to bring as little as possible. If it is troublesome, then I will try again." To simplify it…”
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, like a child who was afraid of doing something wrong.
Pei Yan lowered her eyes lightly, her tone was gentle, "No trouble."
After finishing speaking, he cast a faint glance at Fu Xirui.
Fu Xirui immediately bent down and echoed, "The slave is just asking a question as usual, two carriages are nothing."
Hearing this, Tao Ti breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good."
After the carriage was cleared, Pei Yan took Tao Ti's hand, "Let's go."
"..."
Tao Ti was slightly stunned, and lowered her eyes to look at the slender and beautiful hand that was holding her, a lot of questions popped up in her mind.
If she remembered correctly, she also had a carriage, so why did he just take her to his carriage
Could it be that he was acting as a show for the accompanying Eastern Palace officials and palace people? Well, it's not impossible to explain it this way.
Before she could figure it out, she was already in Pei Yan's carriage.
Outside the carriage, Zhan Ping stood on one side with his sword in his arms, and sighed softly, "It's troublesome to take a woman out."
Linglong was about to get into the carriage at the back, when she heard this, she couldn't help but reply, "Master Zhan, those two carriages are full of dry food that the princess brought us to work hard, if you If you find it troublesome, don’t eat it on the way.”
Flatten a choke.
Linglong didn't bother to look at him again, and got into the carriage directly, and sat with the other three accompanying maids.
Seeing the convoy gradually leaving the East Palace, most of the eunuchs and maids in the East Palace were in a light mood. After all, the master was not at home, and they, the slaves, could relax and be lazy. It's just that the eunuchs and maids of Yaoguang Palace are not in a good mood—
"Hey, the princess is gone, and I don't know if she can come back in a month..."
"It will take half a month to go all the way, not to mention that His Highness has to do business in Luoyang, one month may not be enough."
"Hey, with the departure of the Crown Princess, I feel that our Yaoguang Palace is much deserted and lonely!"
"Who says it's not? It's great when the Crown Princess is here. She takes us to cook and eat together, and talks and laughs with Miss Xu, the fifth prince and the sixth princess. It's so lively."
"What should I do? I'm a bit reluctant to part with the Crown Princess right now. Lan'er, Qing'er, and Min'er are so lucky to be able to accompany the Crown Princess and serve them. Why didn't I get selected!"
The palace people here were immersed in the emotion of reluctance to let go, and on the palace wall and gate, Emperor Zhaokang stood facing the wind, looking at the convoy that was gradually traveling far away.
Li Gui handed over a cloak and reminded, "Your Majesty, it's windy and cold up here, take care of your dragon body."
Emperor Zhaokang folded his hands behind his back and said in a deep voice, "This is Yan'er's first time traveling far away, I'm always worried..."
Li Gui comforted, "With thirty guards with strong martial arts skills and two hundred elite soldiers, the prince will be safe and sound on this journey. Besides, there is the princess concubine who will take care of her personally, so your Majesty can rest assured."
Hearing this, Emperor Zhaokang recalled Tao Ti's pleading appearance that day, and couldn't help snorting, "She'd better do what she says and take good care of Yan'er."
The convoy finally disappeared from sight. Emperor Zhaokang looked away and gathered his cloak.
After a while, he said in a low and soft voice, "Yan'er is more fortunate than me."
Li Gui was taken aback for a moment, then lowered his head silently, not daring to answer.