Shaohua is Junqing

Lingmei Pavilion.

Beitang Mo Ran specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare Siyu's favorite dishes. No matter how reluctant Siyu was to go out, she had to go now.

Beitang Mo Ran, Si Yu, Su Xun Xian, Chu Sheng Nan and Bai Ruo Shu sat at the same table for dinner, with Cai Die and several other maids serving beside them. In addition to the three dishes ordered earlier, there were also steamed sea bass, grilled duck, Vietnamese chicken in clear soup and lotus root stuffed with honey. Although they were not delicacies, they were rich enough.

Siyu smiled happily when she saw the braised pork she had been longing for.

"Don't be restrained, let's start eating." Beitang Mo Ran said.

"Thank you, Your Highness. Let's eat." Siyu picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in her mouth. She chewed it and her mouth was full of fragrance.

"It smells so good! It's so delicious." He said as he picked up another piece.

Beitang Mo Ran was very happy seeing Si Yu eating so happily.

Siyu then picked up some other dishes and ate them, which were also delicious.

"Your Highness, you should reward today's chef and his helpers, especially the one who made this braised pork. It is so delicious, fragrant and not greasy." Siyu said.

"Okay, Chief Steward Cao, today's chef will be rewarded with ten taels of silver, and the other people in the kitchen will be rewarded with five taels of silver each. Let's say it's a reward from the princess."

"Yes, I have remembered it."

After lunch, everyone went back to their rooms to rest.

In the afternoon, Siyu and Chu Shengnan played two games of chess. Since neither of them was proficient in the game, they just played for fun and to practice, without determining the winner.

Siyu didn't want to go to Lingmei Pavilion for dinner, so she had it sent to her room. After dinner, she went to the hot spring pool for a bath. The warm spring water drove away the coldness in her body, and she felt very comfortable.

Since the beginning of winter, the weather has always been gloomy, and it always feels like it will rain or snow, but it has never snowed. Today the weather cleared up, and although the sun was not as hot as in summer, it was finally visible.

Siyu is afraid of the cold, so she stays in the house all day. Beitang Mo Ran is afraid that she will get sick, so he wants to take advantage of the good weather today to let her go out for a walk.

"Siyu, the weather is nice today, come out for a walk with me."

Siyu looked out through the window and said, "The weather looks good, so I'll go for a walk with the prince."

Siyu put on a thick cotton coat, a cloak, and held a heater in her hands before going out with Beitang Mo Ran.

There is also a garden in the Hot Spring Palace. At this time, only plum blossoms are blooming. Some are in full bloom, while others are still buds. They are not afraid of the severe winter cold at all. They bloom and are beautiful on their own.

"The plum blossom has its own pride and blooms in the cold." Siyu said.

"It is for this reason that plum blossoms are often used to describe a person's noble character."

In such cold weather, Siyu suddenly thought of a delicacy that is very suitable for winter, that is - hot pot.

"Your Majesty, there is a delicacy in my hometown that is very suitable for eating in the cold winter. It is called hot pot."

Beitang Mo Ran heard the word "hot pot" for the first time, "Hot pot? What is that?"

"Just add water or soup into a pot, bring it to a boil, then cook all kinds of food. You can eat while it's cooking, and add sauces on top. It's so delicious!" Siyu explained simply.

"This is the first time I've heard of this way of eating. Can you eat it while cooking?"

“Yes, and it is very suitable for eating with many people.”

"So how do we do that?"

"First prepare a charcoal stove and put a pot on it. An iron pot or a copper pot will do. Then add water and hot pot base. After it boils, put all kinds of food in and cook. When it's cooked, you can eat it."

"That sounds good. Let's have the hot pot you mentioned tonight."

"Okay, but I need to prepare the hot pot base first. This is the key point."

"what do you need?"

"I'll go to the kitchen first. If there's any, I'll make it right away. If not, I'll trouble His Majesty to send someone to buy some."

"Okay, I'll go to the kitchen with you first."