The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

Yun Ji asked: "Are you going to get married first and then go back, or go back and then get married?"

When Baron Fernando mentioned this, his mouth drooped. "We will definitely go back to get married. When the time comes, Harold's family will arrange a ship to go with us."

Min Xi smiled and said, "The Harold family actually cares about you very much. Your fiancée's cousin once came to my place for dinner and heard about you. It was they who passed the news of the delegation to the Queen."

The baron nodded. "I know. So the day after we arrived in London, I went to thank you. After all, you are the ones who should be thanked the most. If you hadn't told them, they wouldn't have known that we were on a diplomatic mission to England."

"Even though I said that, they still have to help. I don't know if I'll ever get to meet the Queen."

"Well, I will remember their kindness." The baron said, "You have not been to any other place in England except London, right? I will take you around London, otherwise your trip to England will be in vain."

Min Xi said, "We have been to Oxford University and want to visit their botanical garden. I remember you said before that the botanical garden has a very complete collection of plants."

"How is it? Is it complete?" asked the Baron.

Min Xi nodded: "There are quite a lot of varieties. But there was no expert to show us around, so we just had a quick look and didn't recognize many of them."

The baron said, "Would you like to go again? I know a professor of biology at Oxford University."

Min Xi's eyes lit up and he looked at Yun Ji. If they went there at this time, the sweet potatoes and corn should have been harvested, so they could ask for some seeds.

Yun Ji nodded at him: "If you want to go, let's go again."

Oxford University is not far away, but it takes at least two days to go back and forth, which means closing the store for two days, which does cause some losses. Although Spain has everything, it is only theoretically inferred and needs to be found, while Oxford University's corn and sweet potatoes are certain to exist, and the chance of getting seeds is also very high.

Min Xi said, "We need to arrange a time and wait until there are no guests who have made reservations in the restaurant. Your Excellency the Baron needs to coordinate with our schedule. I wonder if that is convenient."

The baron waved his hand indifferently: "Don't worry, I have nothing else to do. I'm available anytime you want to go. But you have to go as soon as possible, because we will be leaving England soon."

"Thank you for the reminder, I understand." Min Xi said.

When they went upstairs to rest, Min Xi led the baron to the west room: "You can stay here."

The Baron looked at them. "Where do you live?"

Min Xi pointed to the side and said, "We live here."

The baron did not go into his own room, but walked to the door of their bedroom and looked inside: "Will it disturb your lives if I move in like this? Who originally lived in my room?"

Yun Ji opened his mouth to say that he lived there, but Min Xi spoke first: "Don't worry about who lives there, just live there peacefully now, don't worry, it won't disturb our lives."

The baron looked at it, turned around and held Min Xi's hand: "Thank you very much, because I came here and made you two squeeze into one bed. It's really unfair to you."

Yun Ji's mouth twitched, and he thought to himself, even if you didn't come, we could still sleep in the same bed, and I don't feel wronged.

Min Xi pulled his hand out and said with a fake smile: "It's okay, we have always slept in the same bed before, and we are used to it."

Yun Ji didn't say anything, thinking that it was a good idea for the Baron to think this way, so that he would think he owed them a favor and would be easier to talk about if there was anything.

Baron Fernando stayed with them. He was not an official member of the delegation and was not responsible for official business. His mission was to marry Miss Alice Harold.

According to the task given to him by his elder brother, he had to visit Marquis Harold's mansion every one or two days to meet Miss Alice, chat with her and cultivate their relationship. After all, because of the pirate incident, Miss Alice had been frightened for such a long time.

The baron wanted to say that he was not that important to Miss Alice, and she was not very happy and enthusiastic to see him. It was just a family marriage and a partnership. Of course, he didn't dare to say this to his eldest brother, for fear of being beaten.

Min Xi and Yun Ji had no free time because of their business, so the Baron had to go to the Marquis's house alone to meet Miss Alice.

Min Xi even thoughtfully prepared snacks for him and brought them to Miss Alice. Alice also knew that Baron Fernando had two Chinese friends who were good at cooking, and she often asked him about China, but Fernando never took the initiative to offer to bring her to Min Xi's place.

It was Min Xi who took the initiative to ask the Baron to invite Mr. and Mrs. Fogges and Miss Alice to have a meal in the restaurant to thank them for their help.

The baron seemed a little reluctant: "That's too much trouble for you."

Min Xi laughed: "You don't think it's free, do you? If you eat at my house, I will treat you for free. If you invite friends to dinner, they will definitely pay."

The baron spread his hands: "No money!"

"If you don't have the money, just owe it to us first. When we return to Lisbon, the money will be considered as a wedding gift from us to you," said Min Xi.

"What is a gift money?" the baron asked puzzledly.

Min Xi had no choice but to explain: "In China, when friends get married, you have to give money."

"No presents?"

"Some people give gifts, but it's a bit troublesome. Who knows what the newlyweds need? What if they already have it? Wouldn't it be redundant? So it's better to give money and let the newlyweds buy what they need themselves." Min Xi shrugged.

Yun Ji smiled and said, "That's true. This meal is a wedding gift from my ninth brother and I to you."

The baron pointed at the two of them and said, "You are really good at calculating. Okay, I will invite them to my house for dinner some other day. If there are no guests at noon, I will invite them to have lunch."

"There will be no one around at noon the day after tomorrow. Is that a convenient time?"

"Since you said so, I have to invite them anyway. If they don't come after the deadline, it will be their loss!"

"Okay, then you go and notify them tomorrow. You have to determine how many people will be coming so we can arrange the menu."

"Got it. I'll go invite him tomorrow and find out when I come back."

The next day, Baron Fernando really went to invite Miss Alice and Mr. and Mrs. Fergus to dinner. When he came back, he said that there would be five people coming, and with the three of them, there would be eight people: "With so many people, can you handle it?"

"I can handle a banquet for eighty people, so eight people is nothing! Don't worry, I will never embarrass you and will make you feel proud." Min Xi gave him a reassuring look.

Yun Ji rode to buy groceries early in the morning. The baron got up slowly, washed up, and ate breakfast leisurely before driving the carriage out to pick up the guests. The Fergus couple had been here once before, so they should have been able to find a place, but if they were invited, they would definitely not take the initiative to come, so they waited at the Marquis's house for their future cousin-in-law to come and pick them up.

In fact, Baron Fernando is actually a few years older than Fergus, but because he is about to marry Fergus's cousin, he naturally becomes Fergus's younger brother.

Min Xi had already put several dishes into the pot and cooked them on the stove, and the baron finally came with two carriages.

Min Xi and Yun Ji both put down their work and came up to greet the guests.

This was not the first time that the Ferguses met, and they were considered acquaintances. They took the initiative to greet them and expressed their gratitude for the hospitality.

A slim young lady stepped forward, lifted her skirt and saluted like a lady: "Hello! I've heard from the Baron about you two a long time ago. Thank you for your hospitality!"

This is Miss Alice Harold, the fiancée of Baron Fernando. The girl has very light blonde hair, very fair skin, and some freckles on both sides of her nose, which makes her look more lively. Her eyes are very pure blue, and when she looks at people, they are like two clear lakes, which is very charming.

It has to be said that Baron Fernando is very lucky in love. The family marriage is like opening a blind box. He did not expect that the other party would be so beautiful, but he does not know what her temperament is like.

Min Xi smiled and said, "I have heard of Miss Harold as early as when I was in Lisbon. Seeing is believing. Nice to meet you! You are welcome to visit my home."

Yunji served the prepared tea and snacks to the guests.

In addition to Miss Alice and Mr. and Mrs. Fergus, Alice's younger brothers and sisters also came. It was the first time for these teenage boys and girls to see Chinese people who looked so different from them. They were so curious that they forgot about etiquette and stared at Min Xi and Yun Ji again and again.

When they ate the egg tarts made by Min Xi, they were even more amazed. These were more delicious than the snacks that their brother-in-law brought them. Freshly baked egg tarts were naturally several times better than cookies and cakes.

The lunch was also very sumptuous. In addition to the famous roast chicken and roast duck, Min Xi also made a squirrel sea bass. Unfortunately, there was no ketchup, so only ordinary braised sauce was used. However, it still made everyone praise it.

The staple food for lunch is wontons. The essence of wontons is the filling, followed by the wonton skin, which requires a lot of skill.

The wonton filling is made of fresh shrimp and beef. This morning, Min Xi and Yun Ji went shopping together. They actually saw shrimps, but there were very few of them. He bought all of them, and also bought some beef, especially the brisket. The wonton filling tastes better with a little fat. Chop the shrimp and beef into minced meat and wrap them in wonton wrappers. The wonton wrappers float in the clear soup like paper after cooking, and they are very delicious.

The Baron ate wontons for the first time, and he was amazed at the first bite: "Min, what is this called? Why have I never eaten it before?"

"Wontons. This is the first time I make them, so of course you haven't eaten them. I made them today specially to entertain Miss Alice." Min Xi said with a smile.