The Myth of Daqin: The Soul of Yi Xiaochuan

Time flies like a white horse, and in the blink of an eye it is already August.

As time went by, the First Emperor also moved his office from Zhangtai Palace to Changle Palace.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, a time for family reunions. With the cool autumn breeze, the sweet fragrance of osmanthus, and the bright moon hanging high in the sky, people are immersed in the festive atmosphere.

The First Emperor was in high spirits because he had eliminated the remnant of the rebellion, so he decided to hold a grand banquet to celebrate the festival with his ministers.

A summons spread throughout Xianyang City: "On the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, I have specially ordered a banquet for the Three Dukes, Nine Ministers, and heads of various departments in the capital. You must be punctual for the banquet!"

For a moment, the entire capital was in an uproar. Ministers were busy preparing for the banquet. They knew that this was not only a grand feast for the emperor and his ministers to enjoy together, but also an opportunity to showcase their talents and loyalty.

In the spacious and bright kitchen of the Meng Mansion, Meng Yi and Lu Su were busy making mooncakes.

Lü Su, dressed in a simple dress, was as beautiful as a morning flower, graceful and captivating. Concentrated on mixing glutinous rice flour and water, her delicate movements like a dancing fairy, the sunlight streaming through the window casting a faint golden glow over her figure.

Meng Yi, standing nearby, was dressed in navy blue uniform, looking handsome and imposing. He carefully wrapped the filling into the glutinous rice wrapper, each movement imbued with power and precision, his expression serious and earnest, as if he were completing an important task.

Meng Yi kneaded the dough intently, his eyes firm and focused, as if the dough in his hands was a precious treasure he needed to protect. Sweat trickled down his forehead and down his cheeks, but he paid no attention, devoting himself wholeheartedly to the process of making mooncakes.

Lu Su looked at Meng Yi with a smile, her eyes filled with tenderness and admiration. She gently placed the dough wrapped with fillings into the mold, pressing out a beautiful pattern. Then she looked up and said to Meng Yi, "Husband, does the shape of this mooncake look like the full moon we saw when we first met?"

Meng Yi stopped what he was doing, took a look at the mooncake, and then smiled and said, "It's true. At that time, I didn't know that there was such a beautiful and kind woman like you in the world."

A blush appeared on Lu Su's face. She lowered her head shyly and continued to make mooncakes. After a while, she raised her head again, looked at Meng Yi and said, "Husband, do you know? Every time I am with you, I feel very happy."

Meng Yi walked over to Lu Su, gently held her hand, and said, "Me too. Madam, I feel extremely satisfied to be able to spend this time with you."

The kitchen was filled with the mouth-watering aroma of glutinous rice. Lü Su and Meng Yi's tacit cooperation made the mooncake-making process smooth and harmonious. Their hands intertwined in the air, passing materials and tools to each other, as if performing a beautiful dance.

As time went by, trays of exquisite mooncakes filled the chopping board. These mooncakes were round and plump, with clear patterns on them and exuding an enticing aroma.

Lu Su and Meng Yi looked at the fruits of their labor with satisfied smiles on their faces. Their laughter echoed in the kitchen, full of happiness and joy.

Meng Yi raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a doting smile: "My wife, you are really talented. I have only explained the process of making mooncakes to you a few times, and you have already understood it so thoroughly."

Lu Su responded coquettishly: "Oh, how can I be so great? It's just because I work with you, my husband. I am in a good mood, so naturally my memory has become especially good." Her voice was as sweet as honey, which made Meng Yi's heart ripple.

"By the way, husband, after the mooncakes are made, let's wrap them up and send some to my eldest brother, second brother and sisters-in-law!" Lu Su continued, blinking her bright big eyes.

Meng Yi gently stroked Lu Su's cheek, which was as white as mutton fat jade, and said softly, "My wife, you are so thoughtful. But you can't favor one over the other. You have to send it to your father-in-law as well, so that everyone can taste this delicacy together." His eyes were full of love and admiration for Lu Su.

Lu Su nodded slightly, a happy smile blooming on her face.

After that, the two began to carefully package the mooncakes they had just made. Each mooncake was wrapped in a layer of oil paper as thin as a cicada's wing, and then tied with a thin string, like a piece of exquisite work of art.

Then, Meng Yi selected four strong family generals, asked them to ride fast horses, and carried packages of mooncakes to Jiuyuan and Peixian respectively.

In addition, Meng Yi also packed three copies and prepared to give them to the First Emperor, Li Si, and Wang Ben.

Meng Yi had already arranged for his family to deliver the gifts to Li Si and Wang Ben, while the First Emperor also needed Meng Yi to take them personally.

Then, Meng Yi quickly changed his clothes and carefully carried the mooncake to the palace.

After arriving outside the imperial city and going through a series of complicated notification procedures and obtaining permission, Meng Yi finally arrived at Changle Palace, ready to meet with the First Emperor.

The First Emperor sat at his desk in the center of the hall, looking slightly weary. The long, heavy workload and the ingestion of heavy metal pills had left his health declining like an autumn leaf in the wind.

Meng Yi looked at the emperor before him, a wave of worry welling up in his heart. He wanted to remind the First Emperor to reduce his intake of elixirs to avoid further harm to his body. However, knowing the First Emperor's character, he knew that even if he spoke up, he would probably be seen as talking nonsense. So, he sighed inwardly and gave up the idea.

Meng Yi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, it's a festive occasion, so my wife and I have specially made a bag of mooncakes and would like to offer them to you."

The eunuch hurried forward to take the brocade box containing the mooncakes and gently placed it in front of the desk.

The First Emperor smiled slightly and said, "I didn't expect that Minister Meng is not only able to make a name for himself on the battlefield and govern the people in an orderly manner, but also has such superb cooking skills! I would like to taste this mooncake." After that, he reached out and picked up a mooncake and looked at it carefully.

The First Emperor looked at the mooncake in surprise and said, "Oh, this thing is called a mooncake? It looks a bit similar to the ones made by the Imperial Kitchen."

Meng Yi thought to himself, "That's not right. As far as I know, mooncakes are a delicacy that only appeared during the Tang and Song dynasties. How could they already exist now?" At this thought, Meng Yi's heart suddenly trembled. "Could it be that Gao Yao has finally entered the palace?"

At this moment, the First Emperor said, "Yushan, present the cakes made by the Imperial Kitchen to Lord Meng for his inspection."

Meng Yi quickly reached out to take the cakes handed to him by the eunuch, and then examined them carefully. These cakes were indeed very similar to the mooncakes he and Lu Su had made by hand, but if you looked closely, you could find that there were still some subtle differences between the two.

Meng Yi couldn't help but think secretly in his heart: If Gao Yao has really entered the palace as I expected, then the origin of this mooncake is worth pondering.

Seeing Meng Yi lost in thought, the First Emperor smiled and said, "Mr. Meng, why are you so reserved? Today is a day for the emperor and his subjects to gather together. There is no need to worry too much. Come, come, taste this mooncake with me."

After expressing his gratitude, Meng Yi stood respectfully aside and carefully accompanied the First Emperor to taste the mooncake. The First Emperor took a bite and the delicate taste and rich aroma made him smile with satisfaction.

Seeing this, Meng Yi bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this mooncake was carefully made by me and my wife. May Your Majesty be in good health and live a long and prosperous life. May the Great Qin Empire be peaceful and prosperous!"

The First Emperor was delighted and laughed heartily. He was very pleased with Meng Yi's loyalty, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes.

Then, he picked up another mooncake and savored its delicious taste, while also feeling the deep love of Meng Yi and his wife.

At this moment, the palace was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns, creating a joyous atmosphere.