Tang Dynasty: Slacking off in the Imperial Kitchen, exposed by Si Zi

Chapter 36 Fang Xuanling was delighted with his meal!

Chapter 36 Fang Xuanling was delighted with his meal!

Fang Qingjun subconsciously licked her lips, her tongue touching the lingering tingling sensation, and her mind instantly recalled the lavish feast in the backyard of the imperial kitchen.

"No—I wasn't stung."

Fang Qingjun coughed dryly, then, in a fit of desperation, placed the food box, which was still emanating a demonic aura, on the table in front of Fang Xuanling. "Daughter has gone to—go investigate the people's conditions."

"To investigate public sentiment?"

Fang Xuanling was both amused and exasperated. "Did you investigate the imperial kitchen's swill buckets? You reek of cooking oil!"

"Father, please don't say such unpleasant things." Fang Qingjun quickly opened the food box.

The lid was lifted.

The aroma, which had been suffocating all the way, finally found an outlet.

boom!

Fang Xuanling felt as if he had been punched hard in the nose.

It doesn't hurt, it smells good!

That kind of aggressive fragrance.

Inside the food box was a rough earthenware jar, half-filled with a bright red, glistening oily soup.

The soup noodles were covered with a dense layer of white sesame seeds, and a dozen or so bamboo skewers were stuck in it at an angle, like an upside-down weapon.

Thinly sliced ​​lotus root, black and white tripe, and a few pieces of meat of unknown origin were skewered on bamboo sticks.

"What is this?"

Fang Xuanling's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.

He had only had a bowl of plain porridge for dinner, but now, the aroma of meat, oil, and spice had awakened his cravings, causing them to thrash inside him.

"Cold pot skewers".

Fang Qingjun mimicked Su Mu's tone, picked up a string of lotus root slices and handed it over, "Father, please try this. This is—this was specially made by that master."

"A master?" Fang Xuanling took the bamboo stick with suspicion.

It looks bright red and is covered in oil. Is this edible?

But the taste is just too tempting.

He tentatively put a slice of lotus root into his mouth.

The lotus root slices are placed inside the bowl, and they feel cool and refreshing.

Just as Fang Xuanling was about to say "that's all there is to it," the next instant, the numbing and spicy flavor lurking in the red oil suddenly exploded on his tongue!

"hiss--!"

Fang Xuanling, the prime minister of the court, who was second only to the emperor, suddenly widened his eyes and gasped.

hot!

It's so spicy it'll pierce your heart!

But within this spiciness lies a rich and mellow aroma.

It was the essence of dozens of spices released by hot oil, mixed with the aroma of sesame, sliding down the throat and burning hot into the stomach, instantly dispelling the original feeling of hunger and cold.

The lotus root slices are crisp and crunchy, making a "crunch crunch" sound between your teeth.

"call----"

Fang Xuanling opened his mouth, wanting to exhale the hot air, but he couldn't bear to part with the lingering fragrance, so he swallowed it down.

A fine layer of sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

"Father, how is it?"

Fang Qingjun looked at her father expectantly, as if presenting a treasure, "Isn't it dancing with its tongue?"

"Nonsense! How can your tongue dance!"

Fang Xuanling reprimanded her with a stern face, but his hand honestly reached for the pottery jar, "Give me another string—what's that dark thing?"

"Beef tripe"

Fang Qingjun quickly handed over a skewer, "This one is the crispiest. Master Su said it should be coated in chili oil a couple more times."

Fang Xuanling stopped using chopsticks and grabbed a bamboo skewer, stirred it in the red soup a couple of times, coated the tripe with red oil and sesame seeds, and then shoved it into his mouth.

Crispy! Tender! Numbing! Fresh!

The tripe was prepared exceptionally well, with absolutely no fishy smell, only that unique chewy texture. The moment your teeth cut through the tripe, the broth-soaked juices burst in your mouth, the satisfaction is simply exhilarating.

One after another.

Fang Xuanling initially maintained the airs of a prime minister, eating with impeccable manners. But the spiciness was addictive. The spicier it was, the more he wanted to eat, and the more he ate, the less he could stop.

Before long, he simply rolled up his sleeves, put one foot on the crossbar under the table, and started using bamboo skewers to dab at the table.

"Cough cough—water! Pour me some water!"

Fang Xuanling's face was flushed red from the spiciness, and tears were welling up in his eyes, yet he still exclaimed how exhilarating it was, "That's great! That's fucking great!"

At this moment, all the court intrigues, droughts, and locust plagues were swept away by this domineering spiciness.

All I could think about was that pot of red soup, and that simple, raw joy.

"This is... the work of that master you mentioned?"

Fang Xuanling ate seven or eight skewers in one go, finally slowing down as he wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, his eyes gleaming.

"Exactly."

Fang Qingjun chuckled inwardly at her father's utterly unseemly demeanor. It seemed Su Mu was right; even a prime minister would have to bow before such a feast.

"This man—is a genius!" Fang Xuanling looked at the jar of chili oil, lost in thought.

This is more than just a dish.

To be able to transform the cheapest offal, and even the most mundane ingredients like lotus root slices and potatoes that nobody eats, into something so exquisite. This ability to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary—if applied to governing a country—

"Father, what are you thinking about?"

Seeing her father lost in thought, Fang Qingjun couldn't help but ask, "Do you still want to eat those chicken feet? The boneless ones are the chewiest."

"Eat! Why wouldn't you eat!" Fang Xuanling waved his hand dismissively, displaying an air of authority. "Tomorrow! Go again tomorrow! Bring me another serving!"

Fang Qingjun covered her mouth and chuckled: "But Young Master Su said that he doesn't know what he'll do tomorrow; it all depends on his mood."

"Depends on my mood?"

Fang Xuanling raised an eyebrow and snorted coldly, "What an arrogant brat. He even dares to keep the current emperor in suspense. I'd like to see just how capable he really is."

He picked up the last skewer of chicken faces and took a big bite.

"However—this flavor certainly has the right to be arrogant."

The old locust tree in the backyard of the imperial kitchen really suffered today.

As the sun began to set, a wisp of smoke rose from under the tree, choking the cicadas in the tree and silencing them.

Su Mu, with a towel draped around his neck, was squatting in front of a row of newly built red brick troughs, busy at work.

The charcoal in the trough was glowing red, and the heat distorted the surrounding air.

"Cough cough cough!"

Before the courtyard gate was fully opened, a violent coughing sound came in first.

Fang Qingjun covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, while using her other hand to protect the delicate food box. The smoke made her eyes water.

"Young Master Su, this—this is a fire?"

Li Lizhi followed behind, her brows also furrowed.

She had specially changed into a dirty, dark purple, narrow-sleeved Hu-style robe today, which made her look much neater, but upon seeing this scene, she still stopped in her tracks and exclaimed, "What fire?"

Su Mu didn't even turn his head, holding a large palm-leaf fan in his hand, fanning the charcoal fire vigorously, "This is called the aroma of cooking."

"The warmth of everyday life?"

Little Sizi peeked out from between their legs, completely unconcerned about the choking smoke. Instead, she brought her little nose close and sniffed hard, "It smells so good! Brother, what's up today? Why does it smell like—burnt?"

Lamb skewers.

Su Mu tucked the palm-leaf fan behind his back, turned around, and picked up a large handful of skewered meat from the cutting board.

The lamb we're using today is carefully selected.

It was quite a coincidence that the Imperial Food Bureau had just received a new batch of tribute sheep from the Western Regions, which were incredibly fat and juicy.

Su Mu cut the best hind leg meat, separating the fat from the lean meat at a ratio of 3:7, and then cut it into cubes the size of mahjong tiles.

The meat skewers haven't been cooked yet; they're arranged on bamboo skewers, alternating between red and white, and look quite substantial.