After the salted fish is married

72. Change

Although Wang Chunfa said this, Yan Xining couldn't let him bring the zongzi to Ji Song.He couldn't even invite Wang Chunfa to eat a zongzi for the time being, because the zongzi hadn't been cooked yet.

It takes time and heat to cook zongzi. It has to be simmered on low heat for half a day, so that the glutinous rice can fully absorb the fragrance of reed leaves and become soft. At that time, the sweetness of candied dates can penetrate the rice grains, and the fat part of fresh meat can be turned into fat.

Wang Chunfa didn't come back to eat zongzi. He put the food box on the table: "Princess, I put the crispy rice here for you. You can eat it while it's hot. The subordinates are going to patrol first."

After saying this, Wang Chunfa walked out of the kitchen quickly, he raised his breath suddenly and jumped up, tapped his toes on the pillars and went up to the roof.In the blink of an eye he climbed over the wall and disappeared.

Yan Xining stood in the courtyard blankly, staring at the direction where Wang Chunfa disappeared, deeply moved: Dragons and crouching tigers are hidden in the Chiling Army.Take Wang Chunfa as an example, he is so tall but so agile.

Looking at it, Yan Xining's eyes became more and more puzzled.After he came back last night, he felt that something was wrong with the house.But it was too late yesterday, so he didn't think about it. He was busy making zongzi this morning, so he ignored the weird feeling.Until just now watching Wang Chunfa stepping on the tiles and flying away, the strange feeling came to my heart again.

When Bai Tao packed up and walked out of the room, he found his young master standing in the courtyard thoughtfully looking up at the roof. He staggered towards Yan Xining: "Master, what are you looking at?"

Yan Xining pointed to the roof: "Look, Bai Tao, have the tiles on our roof changed?"

The previous tiles were dusty, and there were broken tiles in several places.But at this time, the tiles on the roof became black glazed tiles, reflecting the warm light in the sun.The brand new tiles are closely arranged without any damage.There are two more vivid dragons on the ridge that has been eroded by wind and rain.

Yan Xining and Bai Tao looked at each other, after a while Bai Tao affirmed Yan Xining's words: "Yes, young master, the tiles in our house have been renewed."

The shingles couldn't have suddenly become new, the only explanation was that someone had re-roofed them while they were away.No one else can do this except Ji Song.

Yan Xining walked around the room, and he found more details that he had overlooked.The previously peeled-off walls became flat and smooth, the doors and windows that would make noise when pushed became odd jobs, the yellow paper on the windows turned into light gauze, and the mottled pillars were painted with a new layer of paint...

The shotgun of the old house was replaced with a cannon, and Wenzhangyuan's aggressive style instantly became taller.

It would be a lie to say that she wasn't moved, Yan Xining couldn't be happier: "When it rains in the future, you don't have to worry about leaking."

Bai Tao followed suit and nodded: "Yes, yes, the lord is very kind to us."

After being happy, Yan Xining felt worried again. Ji Song's sudden restoration of Wenzhang Garden meant that he was not going to leave for the time being?He didn't mind sleeping on the same bed with Ji Song, but the weather was getting hot, wouldn't it be a bit hot for two people to lie on the same bed?

If Ji Song wants to show off to outsiders, this is enough, right?Now everyone in the palace thinks that they are very affectionate, so there is no need to keep pretending, right?

Yan Xining was puzzled, but after a while he was relieved: Ji Song is his leader, so he can do whatever he likes.As one of his employees, as long as he can live a decent life, everything is negotiable.

The kitchen is full of rice dumpling fragrance, Yan Xining is also hungry even after busy work.He opened the food box, and saw a bright yellow casserole with a lid on the first floor, and he could feel the amazing heat from the casserole before he got close.

When I opened it, I saw that the casserole was full of stir-fried vegetables. There were bamboo shoots, fungus, green, white, yellow, and red in various colors.But there are only assorted stir-fried vegetables here, and there is no trace of crispy rice.

Looking at the second floor, Yan Xining saw a pair of golden fried rice crackers. The hemispherical rice crackers were buckled in the plate, and it was extremely crispy at first glance.

It is worthy of being the signature dish of Yingkelou. From the shape to the tableware, this dish exudes the taste of money.Yan Xining smashed the rice with a small wooden hammer next to the rice, and then poured the fried vegetables on the rice. He called Bai Tao: "Eat something first."

In all honesty, the crispy rice is very average, and the gorgon sauce thickened a bit.But it is a supreme enjoyment to be able to eat such a rice crust when you are hungry.The crispy crispy rice cracked in his mouth, and Bai Tao said casually: "The prince is so kind to the young master."

Yan Xining's movements paused, and an inexplicable emotion emerged in her heart, and the taste of rice crust changed in a moment.He shook his head to shake off his emotions: "Don't think about things while eating, or the meal will not taste good."

Just as the two were happily eating the crispy rice, the sound of chaotic footsteps came from outside the courtyard.Butler Leng's voice came: "Put it here."

Yan Xining walked out of the kitchen and saw that two servants were carrying the pot that he saw in Zhuangzi and put it on the ground.This pot is smaller than the one he used in Zhuangzi, but it is more exquisite in shape, with exquisite carvings on the brass.

Yan Xining was stunned for a moment: "Housekeeper Leng, this is..."

Leng Jun smiled and said: "The master said that you like this kind of pot, so he sent a villain to buy one. Princess, look, is this pot okay? If you don't like it, the subordinates will change it."

Yan Xining gave a thumbs up: "Very good."

It's just that the emotions that were suppressed just now came up again, why did Ji Song treat him so well all of a sudden?This made him feel flattered.

After two hours of stewing, the zongzi was finally cooked. At this time, the water for cooking the zongzi had turned dark green, and the zongzi could only be submerged slightly.The glutinous rice swelled up to support the reed leaves, and the triangular rice dumplings were more rounded than when they were cooked, making them even cuter.

The biggest change is the salted duck eggs and eggs sandwiched in the rice dumplings. When they are put into the pot, they are green and white, and the shells are smooth and round.After dipping in the soup, their shells were dyed green, and the deep and light greens were printed on the eggshells, which didn't look very beautiful.

Some eggs had cracks on their shells after stewing, Yan Xining picked out the duck eggs and put them in the wooden basin.He picked up a salted duck egg and gently peeled off the eggshell. At this time, the white had been stained with the color of reed leaves and became dull.But the tempting egg fragrance mixed with the rice dumpling leaf fragrance went straight to the brain along the mouth and nose.

The duck eggs have not been marinated for a long time, and the egg whites are not very salty, but the yolks have started to ooze oil.Through a thin layer of egg white, you can see a large egg yolk coagulated in the white.With a light poke with chopsticks, the egg white cracked, and the orange-yellow fat burst out and slid down the egg white, hanging on the black eggshell.

Bai Tao salivated: "It looks delicious..."

Yan Xining smiled and handed the salted egg poked with chopsticks to Bai Tao: "Be careful it's hot."

Bai Tao held the duck egg in both hands and impatiently sucked up the dripping oil, the oil was fresh and fragrant.Bai Tao can assert that this is the most delicious oil he has ever eaten since he was born.

After confirming that there is no fat slipping, he began to taste the salted duck eggs.The salty taste of the egg whites is not strong, and the fragrance of the reed leaves permeates the egg whites, and the salty taste is just right when eaten empty-handed.The egg yolk is sandy and fluffy, bringing together the essence of the whole egg.The moment the whole egg yolk was poked out from the shell and put into the mouth, Bai Tao was so beautiful that he almost flew up.

After putting the eggs aside, Yan Xining picked up a salty rice dumpling from the pot.He likes fresh meat and egg yolk dumplings, but he can't buy salted egg yolks here in Chuliao, and he is reluctant to crack the salted eggs he has worked so hard to get the egg yolks, so the meat dumplings he makes only contain meat.However, the materials I make are real, and each zongzi has a large piece of fat and even meat.

The zongzi wrapped with zongzi needles is easy to take apart, as long as the tail of the zongzi leaf is pulled out from the zongzi, the whole zongzi can be peeled off.The sticky glutinous rice is boiled until soft, and when peeling off the leaves, you can hear the slight "squeak" sound of the glutinous rice detaching from the leaves.

Yan Xining took a plate to hold the meat dumplings, and after a while a triangular meat dumpling bigger than a fist lay on the plate.There is a rich layer of oil on the surface of the glutinous rice stained with sauce, and the meat is clearly visible in the middle.

The meat wrapped in rice dumplings was marinated by him last night and placed in the water tank. The color of the lean meat was unusually dark, while the fat meat had turned transparent and was about to be cooked.Using chopsticks to lightly poke the meat, the fatty meat cracked open, revealing the shiny glutinous rice soaked in oil.

Pick up a piece of rice dumpling and stuff it into your mouth. It is soft, creamy, rich and delicious, and the meat, glutinous rice, and sticky seasoning are intertwined with each other.Yan Xining was very moved. This is the taste he remembered. Although there is no egg yolk, the taste of the meat dumpling is incomparable.

After tasting the meat dumpling, he unpacked a sweet dumpling in the same way.The color of the sweet rice dumpling is much lighter than that of the meat rice dumpling. The light blue glutinous rice is thickly wrapped with golden candied dates.Fearing that the candied dates would be too sweet, Yan Xining only stuffed one in each zongzi.

Although it is sweet rice dumpling, the penetration of sugar is obviously not as good as salty rice dumpling with various seasonings added. The first bite of glutinous rice is slightly sweet, and all you can taste is the original taste of glutinous rice and the strong aroma of rice dumpling leaves.The rustic taste dilutes the taste of salty rice dumplings in the mouth, and the rich aroma of rice dumplings lingers between the lips and teeth.

Yan Xining licked the corner of her mouth, the sweet rice dumpling is really good, if it can be dipped in a little sugar, the taste will be even better.As soon as he said it, Yan Xining scooped a small spoonful of white sugar from a jar on the side and sprinkled it on the sweet rice dumpling.The preheated white sugar melted slightly, and after taking a bite, the sweet taste flowed from the throat to the heart.

When I was a child, my mother wrapped white rice dumplings without adding anything in them. The boiled rice dumplings were dipped in white sugar. Whether they were hot or cold, they were delicious.Yes, this is the smell now.

Both kinds of zongzi were very successful, Yan Xining was relieved, and he greeted Bai Tao with a plate, "Bai Tao, you can eat zongzi."

Bai Tao had been staring longingly at Yan Xining when he was eating rice dumplings, and when he heard this, he cheered, "Young master is so kind." But when he jumped and pulled his sore leg, Bai Tao grinned his teeth and his eyes were red again in pain.

But when he saw Yan Xining, he forced back his tears and smiled silly: "Hey~"

73. Meal delivery

It was almost time for the rice dumplings to be cooked, and Ji Song would be back soon at this time.Yan Xining put the rice dumplings in the pot to warm them up. When Ji Song came back, the rice dumplings should be lukewarm and taste just right.He was looking forward to it, wondering if Ji Song was sweet or salty, which flavor would he like?

But time passed little by little, and the sun was almost setting, and Ji Song hadn't appeared in Wenzhang Garden yet.Not only Ji Song didn't come back, even Yan Ke and the others didn't show up.

Yan Xining was a little puzzled, usually when the delicious food was prepared, the guards would show up.As long as he calls out, someone will take away the things he has finished.But today he walked around Wenzhang Garden several times and yelled several times, but none of them showed up.

It seems that everyone is very busy today.

Seeing the sun go down, Yan Xining decided not to wait.He was going to call Butler Leng to send the zongzi to Tingsong Tower.According to his judgment, Ji Song was not in Wenzhangyuan but in Tingsonglou after work.Now that it has been so long since he got off work, he should be listening to Songlou.

When heating up the zongzi, Yan Xining was inexplicably aggrieved. If he had known, he would not have waited for Ji Song to serve the meal earlier.

When the water in the pot boiled again, the butler Leng appeared at the kitchen door: "Princess."

Yan Xining smiled and said, "I just thought of you, and you came here. Help me..."

The butler Leng apologized: "Master sent a message that the Ministry of Industry is a little busy today, so please don't wait for him to have dinner first. He may not be back until very late today."

Yan Xining was stunned for a moment: "Is he still in the Ministry of Industry? Didn't he go back to the palace?"

Steward Leng replied: "Yes. Something happened to the Ministry of Industry today, and the Holy One was so angry that he ordered the Third Department of the Ministry of Punishment to conduct a thorough investigation."

Yan Xining's heart tightened: "Outrage? What's the matter? Is it related to Ji Song?"

In desperation, he called Ji Song by his name but didn't know it.Ji Song is his food and clothing parents, is his leader.Without Ji Song, there would be no Wenzhang Garden, let alone his wonderful life.Just a few days after Ji Song became the minister of the Ministry of Industry, why did he make His Majesty angry?

Yan Xining looked a little dignified: "Is he all right?"

Steward Leng shook his head quickly: "Master is fine, master is just cooperating with the other two departments in the investigation. This matter will not get better for a while, he specially asked his subordinates to tell the princess, so as not to worry you."

The grievance and tension in Yan Xining's heart disappeared, and he breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. I understand, thank you Leng Butler."

Butler Leng looked up at Yan Xining, as if he had something to say.Yan Xining saw that he hesitated to speak, and he understood: "Has Steward Leng eaten dinner? Would you like some rice dumplings?"

Steward Leng thanked him: "Princess Xie is thinking about it, and my subordinates are not hungry. It's just that the master only had breakfast today, so he must be very hungry right now."

The Holy Majesty asked several other departments to come to the Ministry of Industry to investigate. This kind of matter is very serious at first glance, and there is no room for a moment's delay.If you don't get the evidence as soon as possible, these people will never even think about going home.

Yan Xining understood again, and he hurriedly opened the food box: "There are ready-made zongzi, please ask Butler Leng to help deliver them to him."

Steward Leng shook his head when he heard the words: "The master is worried about the princess in his busy schedule, and you must be the person he wants to see the most at this time. The Ministry of Industry is very close to Prince Rong's mansion. The princess might as well send the master some snacks with her own hands. The master saw that You must be very happy."

Yan Xining: ...

Ji Song will be very happy to see him?The butler Leng may not have a good eye.

But if you want to establish a loving personality, isn't this the best time?As long as he walks around the entrance of the engineering department with the food box, who will not say something about the love between the two of them?

But can the Ministry of Industry go in?That's a state government agency. Can he go in as an idler?And when he woke up in Wenzhangyuan, Ji Song specially sent Yan Ke to warn him, telling him to keep his own place and not to leave Wenzhangyuan for half a step.

After hearing Yan Xining talk about her problem, Steward Leng was dumbfounded.After a long while, he took a deep breath: "Didn't the master tell you?"

Yan Xining looked confused: "What?"

Leng Guanjia said: "After returning from the paddock, the master told his subordinates that the princess can go wherever she wants in the future, and no one can stop her. Didn't he tell you?"

The corners of Yan Xining's lips twitched: "Is there such a thing?"

Butler Leng couldn't laugh or cry: "Princess, you really misunderstood the master. You have been with the master for so long, don't you know his temperament? If he really keeps you, he won't take you to the paddock to Zhuangzi."

Yan Xining nodded slightly: "Well...it makes sense."

That day, Yan Ke told him to stay in Wenzhang Garden and not run around, but wasn't Ji Song himself the one who led him around?He took the lead in breaking the rules he set himself.

After packing several rice dumplings and eggs in the food box, Yan Xining took Bai Tao and followed in the footsteps of Butler Leng to the gate of Wenzhang Garden.When passing through the Jiuqu Corridor, Yan Xining casually complained: "The layout is really unreasonable."

Butler Leng didn't understand, so he said, "Princess, what are you talking about that is unreasonable?"

Yan Xining said: "If I remember correctly, the Ministry of Industry is on the west side of the palace. After passing the courtyard wall on the west, we will almost reach the entrance of the Ministry of Industry. And when we go to deliver meals, we must first walk from Wenzhang Garden to the gate , and then detour to the west from the south gate. It’s a big circle.”

If it weren't for the establishment of the character, he would rather climb the ladder and climb over the wall to pass the food box to Ji Song, it's really too difficult.

After hearing the words, Steward Leng had all his thoughts: "What the princess said makes sense."

Yan Xining also felt that what she said made sense: "If I were the prince, I would open a side door on the west side." When going to work, go directly through the side door, and you can sleep an extra half an hour in winter.

Steward Leng arranged for a carriage to take Yan Xining to the Ministry of Industry, but Yan Xining preferred to walk there just a few steps away.

After leaving the gate of the Wangfu, it was already completely dark, and lanterns were lit on both sides of the street in front of the Wangfu.This was Yan Xining's first time walking on this street. There were many shops on both sides of the street. Although it was getting late, there were many people on the street.

Bai Tao, who was carrying the food box, looked left and right: "Master, it's so lively." Obviously the palace is in the busiest part of the city, but the courtyard they live in is as secluded as it is in the countryside.

Yan Xining smiled and said, "Yeah, it's very lively." After coming to Chuliao for so long, it was the first time he walked in the city.The lights in front of the eyes are bright, although they are not as flashing as modern neon lights, but they have a different style.

Bai Tao said with emotion: "It would be great if I could come out for a walk every day in the future."

Yan Xining chuckled lightly: "Don't think about it." There are countless eyeliners around the Prince Rong's mansion, and he doesn't want to meet by chance when he goes out.He just wants to live his little life quietly, and doesn't want to be involved in right and wrong at all.

Butler Leng interjected: "If the princess is willing, she can go anywhere in the capital. As long as I tell my subordinates, the subordinates will prepare a carriage for the princess."

Yan Xining smiled without saying a word, he touched his cheek, does he seem to be the kind of person who can't stay still while running around the world?

After turning around South Street, we soon arrived at West Street where the Ministry of Industry is located.There are several departments' yamen on West Street, except for the guards standing guard, there are no pedestrians on the road.

The Ministry of Industry is in the middle of West Street, and there is a plaque hanging on the tall yamen, with the word "Ministry of Industry" written on it.Yan Xining stood at the gate of the yamen, he looked up at the plaque, at this moment he clearly felt the majesty and pressure of the imperial power.

The guards on both sides obviously knew Steward Leng, and when they saw him coming, some of them ran towards the office of the Ministry of Industry.After a while, Yan Ke ran out quickly. Seeing Yan Xining, Yan Ke's eyes lit up: "Princess, it's really you! Come in quickly, the prince must be very happy to see you."

Yan Xining stood at the door hesitantly: "But I'm not from the Ministry of Industry, can I go in?"

Yan Ke said seriously: "Although the princess is not an official of the Ministry of Industry, you are Princess Rong." The status of the princess is equal to that of the prince. Isn't it normal for princes and grandchildren to work in the yamen?

Hearing what Yan Ke said, Yan Xining's doubts disappeared, and he walked into the gate of the Ministry of Industry.

As soon as you enter the gate, there is a large courtyard. At this time, there are several desks in the courtyard, and the desks are full of files. Some officials are trying to find something behind the desks.There were more than a dozen large wooden boxes with seals around the desk, and two guards stood beside each wooden box.

At this moment, Yan Xining finally knew where the big guards in the mansion had gone. It turned out that they were all transferred to the Ministry of Industry by Ji Songzheng to help.

Behind the courtyard is the lobby of the Ministry of Industry. In front of the lobby, there is a plaque with the four characters "teaching a hundred workers".There is a desk under the plaque, and there are four people sitting behind the desk, one of them is Ji Song.Among the remaining three people, there was an acquaintance, and that person was Yan Ziyue, the cheap elder brother of the original owner.

When Yan Xining entered the door, Ji Song was talking to Yan Ziyue with his head turned sideways.Yan Ziyue had a smile on his face, and the two looked very close.

The two matched extremely well both in appearance and demeanor. Seeing this scene, a strange emotion welled up in Yan Xining's heart.He has no way to describe this emotion in words, all he knows is that he is not very comfortable.

Yan Xining's entry attracted the attention of the guards. The guards who were originally stern-faced turned their heads quickly, and after turning their heads again, they put on a relaxed smile on their faces.Yan Xining was like a gust of gentle wind, blowing away the killing intent around them.

Sensing something, Ji Song turned his head, this time his eyes met Yan Xining's.The dim light of the fire illuminated Ji Song's eyes, and the moment he saw Yan Xining, the light in Ji Song's eyes brightened, and a smile finally appeared on his face that had been tense all day: "A-Ning."

Yan Xining smiled and shook the food box in his hand: "I brought you some snacks, did I disturb your work?"

Ji Song steered the wheelchair towards Yan Xining's direction: "It's almost over."

The three officials behind the desk quickly stood up and saluted: "I pay my respects to Princess Rong." Yan Ziyue had a relaxed expression just now, but the moment he saw Yan Xining, his smile was replaced by discomfort.

Yan Xining said politely, "I'm bothering you, my lords."

Ji Song looked deeply at Yan Xining, and he took the food box with a deeper smile: "Let Leng Jun and the others deliver it, why did you come in person?"

Yan Xining smiled and said: "I heard that you only had breakfast, I was worried that you would have to cook for a long time, so I came to take a look. I made zongzi today, I don't know if you like sweet or salty, so every kind I brought a few of them."

Ji Song lifted the lid of the food box, and the steaming aroma of rice dumplings came over his face: "I like it all, thank you for your hard work."