(Little bird 344846030's long comment plus more delivery!)
If it wasn't for the fact that his father was guarding the border in Mingzhou and the family needed the eldest son to sit in charge, he would actually rather join the army by himself, but as the elder brother in the family, he had to give up this dream and stay at home to take responsibility.
Now He Changqi just took a fourth-rank job in the Ministry of Rites, and he is not good at management, even though he is the eldest son of Jing'an Bofu, he doesn't have much money left.
The dignified son, because of his mother's illness, was also worried about money.
Chu Lian didn't know the twists and turns, after all, she was not in charge of the family, and this incident was not mentioned in the original book.
After getting a cart full of peppers, Chu Lian was almost overjoyed.
My mind is already full of spicy dishes such as chili oil, fresh chicken with fresh pepper, boiling lamb, hot and sour soup, dry fried shredded beef, mapo tofu and so on.
After returning to Songtao Garden, I went straight to the small kitchen, and didn't even care about my lunch break.
At the door of the small kitchen, Nanny Zhong and Wen Lan were staring dumbfounded at a few rough women who were carrying things into the small kitchen bag by bag.
That cart of peppers took up half of the warehouse connected to the small kitchen.
Nanny Zhong walked up to Chu Lian in two steps, and asked with her mouth open in surprise, "Third Grandma, what are these? Why are there so many?"
Chu Lian's eyes narrowed as she smiled, and she purposely put it off, "Don't worry, Mammy, it's a good thing, big brother gave it to me."
"Given by the son?"
Following Chu Lian, seeing her open a bag and asking Jing Yan behind him to find a larger wooden basin, Chu Lian picked up the calf-high pocket and poured a bag of dried peppers into it with a splash. In the tub.
After hearing the news, Nanny Gui also rushed over, and when she saw this pot of fiery red things, she was surprised and said, "What kind of crop is this, it looks so pretty like this."
Chu Lian stretched out his slender hands to poke the peppers in the pot, looking at the bright red dried peppers, he suddenly felt bad.
She turned her head and stared at a group of maids behind her, "This is a foreign food, even if it is eaten directly like this, it is okay, do you want to try it?"
The first ones nodded were a few geese and Wenqing Wenlan, and the eyes of the girls were filled with anticipation. In fact, no matter what the third grandma made in the past, it was so delicious. In the past two days, they felt that they were fat when they looked in the mirror. !
I always warn myself to eat less when I eat, but I can't control it when it's time to eat, it's really annoying.
Seeing that they were willing to try, Chu Lian couldn't help raising the corners of his mouth, and took two steps to the side to get out of the way.
A few geese and Wenqing Wenlan pinched a dried chili, looked at it twice, and stuffed it into their mouths without even asking what it tasted like.
In less than two seconds, the throats of the girls were on fire, and they quickly spit out the red pepper in their mouths, and hurried to the small kitchen to find water to drink.
These actions only shocked Nanny Zhong and Nanny Gui, this... what the hell is going on!
Nanny Gui was in a hurry to go and see how the girls were doing, but Chu Lian stopped her and said with a smile: "Don't worry, mama, they're fine, it's just that after eating this spicy food, their mouths caught fire for a while. Just drink two glasses of cold water."
After Chu Lian finished speaking, she couldn't help laughing. Nanny Gui was relieved when she heard what Chu Lian said, and cast a resigned glance at the third grandma who was deliberately cheating on others, her eyes castigating.
Nanny Zhong turned her head and told the two stunned little maids behind her to go to the small kitchen to pour cold water for the maids.
When the geese and Wenqing Wenlan came back, their eyes were watery, their cheeks were flushed, and they looked at Chu Lian even more aggrieved.
Chu Lian put on a sullen face on purpose, and said a lesson: "See if you dare to eat recklessly next time. If I find out that you have done something wrong, you will be punished by eating a bowl of this kind of spicy food in the future!"
Several geese and Wenqing Wenlan hurriedly shrank their heads, not even saying they didn't dare, and even Nanny Gui and Nanny Zhong next to them turned pale for a moment.
In fact, what Chu Lian said meant something.
In the past two days, Xiyan and the others handed over all their food, and Nanny Gui decided to take her own wine, but since they ate in the small kitchen, because Sanfang's food was extraordinarily delicious, they always had less from time to time. Chu Lian had only heard about it a little before, but recently the momentum in the yard has intensified.
Although Xiyan and Nanny Gui sent food and wine to He Sanlang for her sake, but there are no rules, after all, she is the one who decides in Songtao Garden, and outside Songtao Garden there is a larger Jing'anbo Mansion .
Although it is a trivial matter to eat and get some food, if it accumulates over time and indulges again and again, it will raise a greedy person. Chu Lian said this because he took this opportunity to beat up the servant girl in her yard. At the same time, she expressed her position that even if Nanny Gui made mistakes in the future, she would still punish her accordingly.
Chu Lian glanced at the group of people in front of him, and felt that the warning had taken effect, so he relaxed and became gentle again.
"Fuyan, go and see if there is any fish in the kitchen today, and ask Lan and Mingyan to bring two more pots for these peppers, and Jingyan went to find sesame seeds, garlic cloves, green onion and ginger."
After finishing the order, Chu Lian stood aside and directed a few big maidservants to wash the dried peppers in a wooden basin, and then chopped them into pieces.
Throughout the afternoon, Songtao Garden was filled with a scorched and spicy smell, which made people in the kitchen cough again and again.
Chu Lian asked Xi Yan to move the rose chair to lean against a wisteria in Songtao Garden to enjoy the cool air, holding the ledger of Linju in his hand to sketch, and glanced at the maids coming and going in and out of the smoking small kitchen from time to time .
As soon as she stretched out her hand, Xi Yan hurriedly handed over an exquisite small plate, which contained pickled melon cut into small pieces and inserted with bamboo sticks.
Chu Lian picked up a bamboo stick and ate a mouthful of jelly melon, feeling very refreshed. Seeing the comfort on her face, Xi Yan hurriedly stepped forward to hold her shoulders graciously.
Chu Lian reminded from time to time, "Focus on the left side."
Xi Yan hastily complied.
Chu Lian closed her eyes in enjoyment, what is rice worm life? This is it!
Not long after, I saw Fu Yan's body smelling of oily smoke, their little faces flushed with sweat, and they kept coughing when they came to Chu Lian's side.
Chu Lian clenched a fist with one hand and put it to his lips and coughed twice on purpose, "Is it all done?"
"Back to the third grandma, the chili oil you asked for has been prepared according to your method. There are two jars in total, and they can be filled after cooling down in a while." Jing Yan replied.
"Now that it's done, go back and take a shower and change your clothes, and look at the smell all over your body."
The big maidservants hurried away as if they had received an amnesty.
Chu Lian took another mouthful of cold melon proudly, "Xi Yan, did you see that, this is what happens to those who are greedy and turn their elbows outward! Don't worry, I still have a lot of bags of peppers!"
Xi Yan froze at Chu Lian's words.
After enduring it, I finally admitted my mistake, "Third Mistress, in the future, this servant will never dare to decide how to dispose of your personal belongings. I beg Third Mistress to spare this time!"
Chu Lian glanced at Xi Yan, "Xi Yan, you just need to understand, don't lose the big because of small things."
Although those snacks are not easy to come by, they are nothing more than appetite. Chu Lian took this opportunity to remind Xiyan that if she entrusts her with more important things for safekeeping in the future, if she still makes mistakes, she will have to be punished. of.
For dinner, Chu Lian personally cooked a boiled fish fillet and a hot and sour soup, and the side dishes were all the dishes that are often eaten in Songtao Garden.
The bottom cloth of the boiled fish fillet is covered with fresh bean sprouts, the top is the snow-white fish fillet, and the top layer is the floating red pepper. When it is served, it is full of fragrance. The fish meat is tender and smooth, although it is covered with a layer of red pepper, it is not very spicy. The corners of Chu Lianmei's mouth curl up when the thin snow-white fish fillet enters.
It's just a pity that I was eating alone at the table. Originally, this kind of boiled fish fillet was served in a big basin, so I felt it, but because she was the only one eating, Xiyan only pretended to be a little bowl.
The rest of Chu Lian let Xiyan divide into two parts and sent them to Qingwei Hall and Dafang Yard respectively.
Nanny Gui went to Qingyu Hall in person, and Nanny Liu welcomed her in quickly.
"This is the fresh food made by the third grandma today. The old slave sent some to the old matriarch to taste according to the third grandma's words. It's just that the third grandma told me that the boiled fish fillets are a bit heavy. If the old matriarch can't eat it, just have a bite." Just do it."
Grandma Liu greeted with a smile, took the food box and handed it to the maid behind her, asking her to take it in, and sent Grandma Gui out of the yard by herself.
The big house naturally also received the boiled fish fillet, and the eldest son He Changqi happened to be there at that time.
He Changqi lifted the lid of the food box, saw a layer of red chili peppers in the porcelain cup, and asked in surprise, "Is this dish made from the chili peppers I brought back this afternoon?"
"Back to my son, that's right! Our third grandma cooked it herself in the evening. She said that the boiled fish fillets have a strong taste. If my son is not used to it, eat less."
"Since it's made of that spicy pepper, I'm going to have a good taste."
Before Xi Yan left, He Changqi ordered the nurses in the yard to serve dinner.
I can't wait to taste the strange taste of the dishes made of spicy peppers.
The next day, Chu Lian went to Qing Wei Hall to pay his respects, and unexpectedly met his elder brother He Changqi.
The old matriarch smiled and asked Chu Lian to sit down beside her, and joked, "Your elder brother was deliberately late today for a quarter of an hour, just waiting for you to come over to say hello."
Chu Lian asked strangely, "Brother, what's the matter?"
He Changqi's dark and broad face suddenly turned a little red, he pursed his lips and was embarrassed to speak, so he looked at Mrs. He begging for help.
"Look, you are so promising, it's just a trivial matter, and you are ashamed to say it. The third daughter-in-law married to our He family, and you are her elder brother!" Old Madam He reprimanded Chang He pretending to be angry. Qi Yitong took Chu Lian's hand and said to her with a smile: "Your elder brother is going to invite his classmates and friends to visit the mansion in two days. He ate the boiled fish slices sent by you yesterday and thought it was very delicious. I just want to ask you to fix it up on the day you entertain the guests to support some facade."
When entertaining guests and friends, there must always be food and wine. Nowadays, secret recipes are precious, and most of the prefectures also have one or two delicious dishes to support their appearance.
In the past, the Jing'an House relied on Cook Zhou's dim sum, but now that Cook Zhou is gone, Mr. He's family feels that there is nothing good to offer when he entertains guests, and the meals owed to his friends are delayed again and again.
Now that I have this opportunity, of course I can't let it go.
Chu Lian thought it was an embarrassing thing, but it was just to add two dishes to the dinner table for the elder brother to treat friends. It was very simple, and Chu Lian immediately nodded and agreed.
Here, He Dalang finally got something on his mind, but Mother Liu suddenly rushed in from outside.
"Old Madam, the steward of the front yard has sent a message that someone is coming from the palace!"