The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

Given Zhang Juzheng's status and position, he had seen the best imperial physicians, used the best medicines, and had ambergris in his incense burner all the time, but there was no obvious effect.

The reason why lavender essential oil is useful is that it is the first time used and no drug resistance has developed, so the effect is best.

When Mrs. Gao heard that the essential oil was effective for Zhang Juzheng's headache, she said, "Since it is so effective, let's ask the kid where he got it so we can buy some later."

Zhang Juzheng turned around and told his followers, "Zhang Mo, send someone to ask Lord Yun about the origin of this lavender essential oil so that they can buy more."

"Yes, sir!" Zhang Mo quickly agreed.

When Zhang Juzheng discovered the benefits of lavender essential oil, Min Xi, Yun Ji and Yun Lin were busy under the lamp.

Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival. There will be a lantern festival tonight. The curfew will be extended to three o'clock in the morning. People in the city can go out to visit the lantern festival. In previous years, they bought lanterns from vendors, but this year Yunlin insisted on making lanterns by himself.

Min Xi and Yun Ji certainly wouldn't spoil his fun, so they made lanterns with him.

Yunji asked his brother: "What shape of lantern are you going to make? A rabbit lantern?"

It is said that there is a jade rabbit in the moon, and the jade rabbit has become an elegant name for the moon. Making rabbit lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival is very appropriate.

Yunlin said: "The rabbit lantern is too common and has no characteristics. I want to make a jade toad. Jade toad is also an elegant name for the moon."

Min Xi secretly shook his head when he heard him say that. Isn't a rabbit cuter than a toad? He really doesn't understand the aesthetic taste of children. But he didn't pour cold water on him. Instead, he asked, "Is it the kind that can move?"

Yun Ji and Yun Lin both turned their heads to look at him: "How did you move?"

Min Xi gestured: "Don't toads have four legs? We can make the four legs movable, hang them with ropes, and let them swing when we carry them. It will be more interesting."

Yun Lin's eyes lit up: "Great! I just want to be active. When I walk around the street with a lantern, I'm sure everyone will be jealous!"

Yun Ji thought for a moment and asked, "How should we do it specifically?"

Min Xi said, "I will draw the picture, and you go prepare the materials."

There is no bamboo in the north, so willow branches are the first choice for making lanterns, because they are tough and can be bent at will. Yunji and Yunlin ran to break willow branches, and Min Xi returned to the room to draw the structure diagram of Yuchan.

By the time Min Xi had solved the structural problem, the two brothers had already prepared the willow branches. The three of them had dinner and gathered under the lamp to make lanterns.

The three of them worked and studied at the same time, and they were still busy until late at night and still hadn't finished. Min Xi urged Yun Lin to go to bed: "Lin'er, go to bed quickly."

Yunlin was still a little reluctant, yawning and saying, "But my lantern is not finished yet."

"It won't be bright tomorrow? I remember the lantern festival is tomorrow night!" Min Xi looked at him.

Yun Lin chuckled: "Okay then, I'm going to sleep and we'll continue tomorrow."

After Yunlin left, Min Xi and Yun Ji did not go to sleep, but continued to make lanterns. The frame of the jade toad was already made, and all that was left was to paste the lantern paper and then put the various parts together.

The two worked under the lamp until late at night and finally made the toad.

Min Xi picked up the toad lantern and pushed the sliding rod on the pole, and the toad's four legs moved, looking vivid and lifelike.

Yun Ji smiled and said, "I didn't expect that I could actually make a toad that can move."

Min Xi said: "Although the jade toad is white, pure white is too plain and does not reflect the festive atmosphere. You can add some color to it tomorrow."

"Okay, no problem. Let's go wash up and go to bed." Yun Ji yawned, took the lantern from Min Xi, and inserted it into the gap in the brick wall above the door. Yun Lin would be able to see the lantern tomorrow morning.

Sure enough, the next morning, Yunlin, who was thinking about the lantern, got up early and ran to the upper room. Just as he was about to shout, he saw the lantern hanging on the door. He was immediately delighted. His elder and second brothers would not let him down. He pulled a chair over, stood on it, and took down the lantern. He looked at the lantern with great joy, and the four legs could actually move. It was so fun.

Yun Ji's voice rang out in the room: "Yun Lin, the lanterns are not finished yet, don't take them away."

Yun Lin was not surprised when he heard his eldest brother's voice coming from his second brother's room. He smiled and said, "Isn't it already done? It's just missing the finishing touch. I can just paint it myself."

Yun Ji said: "Your second brother asked me to add some color to it, saying that it was too plain and lacked the festive atmosphere."

Yunlin had no choice but to stand in the distance holding the lantern: "How long will it take?"

"It will be quick! Just leave it there and go practice your skills first. Come back and it will be ready when you're done." Yun Ji said.

Yunlin then stood back on the chair and put the lantern back in its place. When he came back from practicing, he saw that his elder brother had really painted the toad, with its eyes painted on and its back painted light gold, a color that matched the original color of the toad. When the candle was lit at night, a lantern emitting warm light could be seen.

Today was a festival, so Min Xi naturally had to cook by himself. He made a list yesterday and asked the kitchen to buy ingredients. After breakfast, he went into the kitchen to prepare for tonight's family dinner.

While looking at the ingredients in the kitchen, I suddenly heard Yun Ji calling me: "Ninth brother, ninth brother!"

"I'm here! What's the matter?" Min Xi responded from the kitchen.

Yun Ji walked quickly into the kitchen and said, "Someone from the palace came and said that His Majesty invited us to watch the lanterns together tonight."

Min Xi was very surprised: "Your Majesty is going out of the palace tonight too?"

"I think it's probably true."

Min Xi thought for a moment and asked, "Do I need to prepare anything?"

"He will surely travel incognito, and will not make a big fuss. Prepare some food for His Majesty."

"Do you want to make another lantern?" Min Xi asked.

Yun Ji was stunned: "Preparing for His Majesty?" He was actually a little skeptical. The emperor was already sixteen years old, so was it necessary to make lanterns for him?

"Yes. He has limited chances of leaving the palace. Although this is not his first time to visit a lantern festival, if he sees Yunlin's lanterns, he will definitely be itching to try them. You can prepare an extra one. If he doesn't want it, it's not redundant. After all, we are visiting a lantern festival and anyone can bring one." Min Xi felt that Wanli was only sixteen years old and still a young man. He would definitely be interested in lanterns.

Yun Ji asked, "Then make the same lamp as Yun Lin?"

“It would be better if there is some difference, but it would be better if it can be movable, so that it can show that the level of care put into the two lamps is similar.” Min Xi said.

"Okay, I'll think about it." Yun Ji said.

When Min Xi came out of the kitchen, he saw Yun Ji making the frame of a lantern: "What are you going to do?"

Yun Ji turned his head and smiled at him: "Become a three-legged golden crow."

"why?"

"It fits your Majesty's status. The Golden Crow is the sun, the most dazzling being. Moreover, the Golden Crow's three legs and two wings can move, which makes it even more special than a toad."

After hearing his explanation, Min Xi felt it made sense, so he nodded: "It makes sense, but can it be done?"

"Don't worry, there will be no problem." Yun Ji was full of confidence.

As a result, Min Xi saw that Yun Ji had worked hard all day to make a lantern that was really clumsy and lacked beauty and flexibility. He held his forehead with his hand in amusement and said, "His Majesty will laugh to death if he is given this! Forget it, I will not prepare a lantern for His Majesty. I will buy it for him when he sees something he likes on the street."