The Legend of Zhen Huan: Year after year, we share the spring breeze

At the beginning of the new year, the emperor and empress are still very busy.

All the wives of the nobles and the ladies-in-waiting of the imperial family had to come to the palace to pay New Year's greetings to the empress. The Jingren Palace was bustling with people and the empress exempted herself from the greetings from the six palaces.

The emperor was busy listening to Kunqu Opera.

The newly favored Yu Da Ying came from a family of Kunqu opera performers and had been learning Kunqu opera since childhood. The soft Wu dialect of Jiangnan combined with the delicate and graceful Kunqu opera made the emperor very fond of her. He took her to the Cining Palace to entertain the empress dowager. The song "Eternal Reunion" touched the emperor's heart, and he immediately gave her the title of "Lady Miaoyin". For a time, she became the talk of the town.

On this day, the heavy snow, which had stopped for a few days, began to fall again. Seeing that his mistress was in low spirits, Su Ye took the initiative to bring up something: "My mistress, the things I asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to make a few days ago are now ready. Would you like to take a look?"

An Lingrong instantly perked up, "Hurry and bring it over."

Playing cards.

An Lingrong picked up one and examined it carefully. The cards were made of several layers of fine rice paper glued together, then cut into small pieces according to her instructions. The layout was marked with Chinese characters: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, hook, circle, regular script." Then, from one to thirteen, the corresponding number of hearts, clubs, diamonds, and black hearts were drawn. A small ghost and a big ghost were added to make up the deck.

After trying to hold it, An Lingrong found it slightly elastic but not too thick. She was very satisfied, as the Imperial Household Department had put a lot of thought into it.

Finally something to kill time.

She looked at the heavy snow outside the window again. What does heavy snow best match?

Of course it’s hot pot!

An Lingrong picked up a pen and wrote down the ingredients and utensils needed for the hot pot. She handed it to Xiao Luzi and instructed, "Go to Sister Mei's palace and tell her I want these things. Once you get them, send them to Sui Yu Xuan."

Shen Meizhuang was of noble birth and was favored by the emperor, so if she went to the imperial kitchen to ask for something, things would definitely go more smoothly.

In Xianfu Palace, Shen Meizhuang was reading a book.

Looking at the paper that Xiao Luzi handed over, Shen Meizhuang knew that this girl had a new idea. Without asking any more questions, she told Xiao Shi and Xiao Luzi to go to the imperial kitchen to get something. She also called the two who had already reached the door and said, "Ask the imperial kitchen if there are any fresh shrimps. If there are, bring them over."

"Cai Yue, I remember the emperor gave me two jars of wine a year ago. Go get them and we'll go to Sui Yuxuan." She was looking forward to An Lingrong's new ideas.

Zhen Huan watched as several young eunuchs placed things in the hall, somewhat confused.

Xiao Luzi stepped forward and replied, "My dear Lady Wan, these are the things that belong to my young lady. They said they would send them to you. Lady Shen and my young lady will be here shortly."

Zhen Huan looked at the vegetables and meat on the ground. Was Ling Rong going to cook in her own palace?

After accepting this setting, Zhen Huan also relaxed, and her own Shui Yuxuan became lively for once.

When Shen Meizhuang arrived at Suiyuxuan, An Lingrong was still struggling with her clogs on the road.

Shen Meizhuang told Zhen Huan about the New Year's Eve palace banquet, and Zhen Huan agreed with An Lingrong's strategic approach of "temporarily avoiding the limelight."

"Lingrong looks careless, but she is actually very meticulous." Zhen Huan and An Lingrong did not have much contact.

After their last conversation, Shen Meizhuang already considered An Lingrong a sister. She said, "Although Sister Lingrong doesn't come from a high family, she's a rare clear-headed person. Sometimes what she says can be shocking, but upon closer inspection, it makes perfect sense. She's also lively, unlike other women who are coy and bashful. When I'm with her, I always feel relaxed and happy. She's like a book; the further you read, the richer the content and the more surprises you'll find."

When talking about An Lingrong, Shen Meizhuang's eyes and eyebrows were full of smiles.

Zhen Huan was a little jealous and deliberately said, "Sister Mei, you are good with her, but not with me?"

Shen Meizhuang scratched her nose and said, "How could I forget you? Look, when we have new ideas, we come to your palace!"

Then he remembered something: "Take out a pair of embroidered shoes. Rong'er is not used to wearing shoes with flower pot soles."

Liu Zhu hurried to get it.

An incense stick later, An Lingrong appeared at the door of Suiyuxuan, panting.

"Two...sisters, I, I'm late..."

An Lingrong fell on the soft couch and drank the tea that Su Ye fed her.

"If we have something to do in the future, let's go to your palace. Can we be so tired just by walking?" Shen Meizhuang picked up a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Forget it. The one in my palace is not easy to deal with. Sister Zhen's place is the most convenient. There are few people and it's quiet. I can do whatever I want."

After putting on the embroidered shoes, An Lingrong felt that she was back to normal.

Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang looked at each other and laughed out loud.

"Liu Zhu Huan Bi, wash and cut these vegetables."

"Xiao Yunzi, cut the beef and mutton into thin slices, as thin as possible."

"Xiao Shi, cut this fat into pieces. I'll need it later."

"Xiao Luzi, go and light a fire. We need three stoves."

"Su Ye, these are tapioca starch and brown sugar. Follow my instructions and make the pearls. Cai Xing, go help Su Ye."

"Caiyue, pick out the shrimp, remove the shrimp threads, heads and skins, and mash them into a paste with starch."

An Lingrong gave instructions one by one, and the people who received the instructions quickly started to act.

"Fortunately, she remembered to leave Jinxi for us, otherwise no one would even boil a cup of hot water." Shen Meizhuang looked at An Lingrong who was busy like a little bee, and looked forward to today's dinner even more.

The voice just fell.

"Aunt Jinxi, I'm here to help you, please..."

The two were left staring at each other.

"Well, actually I'm not that thirsty." Shen Meizhuang said.

"Yeah, me too." Zhen Huan agreed.

An Lingrong rarely cooked in her previous life, but she loved hot pot. When she had free time, she would watch videos to learn how to stir-fry ingredients and invite friends to her home for dinner.

Most of the spices used in 21st century hot pot were already available at that time, so An Lingrong was able to make hot pot base very easily.

After a while, the spicy hot pot and clear soup pot were served on the table, with a small red clay stove underneath.

After the servants put the things away, they all retreated. There was a table in the side room reserved for them to eat. They watched An Lingrong making the soup base the whole time, and were tempted by the aroma and couldn't wait to eat.

An Lingrong prepared the dipping sauce for the two of them and began to demonstrate how to eat hot pot.

The mutton was cut as thin as a cicada's wing and cooked as soon as it was put into the pot. An Lingrong picked up some and put them into the bowls of Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan respectively, indicating that they should try it.

The spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavor exploded in their mouths, stimulating their taste buds. Combined with the tenderness of the lamb and the rich aroma of the sesame paste, it was impossible to stop eating. An Lingrong specifically added fermented glutinous rice to the spicy hot pot, so that even if she ate too much, she wouldn't get irritated or break out.

In comparison, clear soup pot is not so popular.

After a while, beads of sweat began to appear on the foreheads of the three men.

"Sister, try this." An Lingrong handed the pearl milk tea to Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan. There was no straw, so they could only eat it with a spoon.

The taste is still a bit monotonous, it would be better if it could be made with coconut flakes.

"Wow, this is delicious. What is this black thing?" Zhen Huan fell in love with the taste at once.

An Lingrong smiled mysteriously: "Pearl milk tea, these are pearls."

"It really does look a bit like Black Pearl."

"It's made with tapioca starch and brown sugar. This milk tea is made by boiling milk and adding black tea. After the black tea aroma is brought out, remove the tea leaves and add some sugar."

"Sister, you are so creative. How did you come up with these ideas?" Zhen Huan asked while eating meat.

"This isn't something I came up with," An Lingrong explained. Seeing she was busy talking, Shen Meizhuang gestured for her to hold out her bowl and scooped out two shrimp balls for her. "Hot pot is a dish people in the Sichuan and Chongqing regions eat to ward off the cold. As for this milk tea, it's a Mongolian dish that I modified a bit."

"These vegetables will have a unique flavor if you put them into the pot and cook them." Shen Meizhuang has fallen in love with the taste of hot pot and thinks everything in it is delicious.