Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

The retired emperor looked at the gifts on the table, his eyes filled with satisfaction. He stroked his beard and said, "My son, you are so thoughtful. I have always known the craftsmanship of Zuixianlou. Although I have never tasted the mooncakes, I am sure they are rich in flavor. The roast duck and salt-baked chicken are even more delicious."

The old attendant beside him also came over and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, your majesty's filial piety is all in these gifts. You must taste them today."

The Emperor nodded and smiled, "Haha, indeed. Go, put all these away, and I will enjoy them slowly tomorrow."

The eunuch quickly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, I will help you clean up. You may rest for a while. If you need anything else, please let me know."

The princes and princesses over there were in their respective palaces and were all very excited when they heard the news sent by the queen.

In the little princess's palace, the little princess is wearing a gorgeous palace dress with delicate butterfly patterns embroidered on the hem of her skirt.

Her eyes sparkled as she pulled the maid beside her and asked, "Really? Tomorrow I can eat the special Seven Stars and Moon mooncake with my father, the emperor, and my mother."

The maid smiled and nodded in response, "Of course, little princess, His Majesty and the Empress are looking forward to spending this wonderful Mid-Autumn Festival night with you."

In the prince's palace, the eldest prince was dressed in a blue brocade robe, looking very heroic.

He was sitting at his desk practicing calligraphy. Upon hearing the news, he put down his brush, smiled, and said, "The gift from Zuixianlou today really adds to the atmosphere of this Mid-Autumn Festival."

It must be a very pleasant thing to be able to gather with my father, mother, and my younger brother and sister to admire the moon and taste mooncakes together."

The attendant beside him echoed, "Your Highness is right. During such a festive occasion, family reunion is the most precious thing. The Seven Stars and the Moon mooncakes also have a good meaning."

Concubine Wei was sitting in the hall of her palace, her eyes fixed on the mooncakes that had just been delivered.

She was wearing a purple-red palace dress today, with gorgeous patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs. The pearls and jade on her head swayed gently with her movements, making her look graceful and elegant.

The maid beside her asked softly, "Your Highness, these mooncakes from Zuixianlou look so tempting. Do you plan to try them now, or wait until the Mid-Autumn Festival?"

Concubine Wei extended her slender fingers and gently stroked the lines on the mooncake box. After a slight frown and a moment of thought, she said, "This mooncake is indeed exquisite. Just looking at it makes me want to eat it."

"It's just that the Mid-Autumn Festival is a day for family reunion, and eating at that time is more meaningful."

The maid nodded in agreement, "Your Majesty is right. Let's save these mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Sitting together under the bright moonlight will surely bring a special warmth."

Concubine Wei smiled slightly and continued, "However, the craftsmanship of Zuixianlou is well-known in the capital. I am really curious about how these mooncakes taste."

"Never mind, I'll open it and pick out some, and share it with everyone around me, so that everyone can taste this festive delicacy in advance. As for the rest, let's save it for the Mid-Autumn Festival to savor it carefully."

The maid quickly replied, "Yes, Madam, I will do it right away." Then she stepped forward and carefully opened a box of mooncakes. The fragrance of the mooncakes instantly filled the air, causing everyone to secretly swallow their saliva.

"Looking at the scene before her, Concubine Wei smiled even more deeply, as if she had already felt the joyful atmosphere of the Mid-Autumn Festival in advance.

In a garden pavilion in the palace, several other concubines heard that Zuixianlou had sent many Mid-Autumn Festival gifts, especially the exquisite mooncakes, so they gathered together and started chattering.

Concubine Xu was wearing a light yellow palace dress, the hem of her skirt embroidered with silver flowers shimmering in the sunlight. She smiled and said, "Sisters, look at these mooncakes sent by Zuixianlou. Just looking at the packaging is quite exquisite. I wonder how they taste."

Concubine Yang next to her gently fiddled with the handkerchief in her hand and nodded in agreement, "Yes, I can't wait to try it. Concubine Wei said to save it for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but I feel like there's a kitten scratching my heart. I'm so curious."

Concubine Chen leaned closer and lowered her voice, saying, "I heard there's a mooncake with seven stars and a moon. The Emperor specially reserved it for him to enjoy with the Empress and the princes and princesses. It must be very special. We don't have that kind of luck."

After hearing this, everyone sighed at first, and then started a lively discussion.

Concubine Lin tilted her head and asked curiously, "If we eat it now, will it seem rude? After all, this is a Mid-Autumn Festival gift sent by Zuixianlou to the palace."

Concubine Xu smiled and waved her hand: "Why are there so many details? Let's just try a few pieces first. We don't have to eat them all. It's good to feel the taste of Mid-Autumn Festival in advance."

"Besides, this is also a gift from Zuixianlou. If we enjoy it, won't we also enjoy living in this palace?"

Concubine Yang also joined in the fun: "That's right, Sister Xu is right, let's try it, and then on the Mid-Autumn Festival, we can join the palace in having a good time."

So, several concubines discussed with each other and asked the palace maids to open a box of mooncakes, and the sweet aroma wafted away.

"Wow, this mooncake is so beautiful!" Concubine Xu was the first to exclaim in surprise. The mooncake was golden in color.

The other concubines also gathered around.

Concubine Yang smiled and said, "It's indeed delicious. Just looking at it makes people happy. Come on, let's each try a piece."

As she spoke, she reached out and picked up a piece from the box, gently broke off a corner and put it in her mouth. After chewing it carefully, her face was full of intoxication: "Hmm, this tastes amazing, the crust is crispy, and the filling is soft, sticky and sweet. It's worthy of the craftsmanship of Zuixianlou."

Seeing this, Concubine Chen couldn't wait to grab a piece and ate it while praising it: "It's really delicious. The sweet taste makes me feel relaxed. No wonder the emperor values ​​this gift from Zuixianlou so much."

Lin Fei also took a piece, took a bite, and said with a smile: "You are absolutely right. It is so delicious. We must savor it slowly."

After saying that, he did not forget to hold up the mooncake in his hand to show the delicate fillings, "Look at this filling, it's made with so much real stuff."

Everyone was eating and sharing the mooncakes with each other, laughing constantly, and the whole pavilion was filled with the sweet aroma of mooncakes.

Concubine Xu continued, "This small piece is not enough. We should eat a few more pieces today. On the Mid-Autumn Festival, we can enjoy the moon with the palace and eat the leftovers. That will be perfect."

After hearing this, the other concubines nodded in agreement and continued to happily enjoy the delicious mooncakes.