It is said that the banquet was in full swing in the palace of General Hussar, and the guests in the mansion were enjoying the banquet. Xia Houxuan and Gao Xun had also been drinking tea and chatting for two hours.
As night fell, the wind became a little chilly, but the two of them chatted very congenially, and each had only a passion in their hearts, so how could they feel the slightest hint of chill.
"Brother Gao, you and Princess Dongxiang have been great playmates since childhood. They can be said to be childhood sweethearts. They have also made a childhood alliance. Why have you been so close to the age of marriage over the past few years? , on the contrary, we have become quite estranged from her, and we haven’t even seen her in person a few times?”
Xia Houxuan usually pays little attention to his children's personal affairs. If Gao Xun, a good friend, was not often troubled by love, he would not take the initiative to talk about their children's love.
Although Gao Xun didn't drink, as the saying goes, everyone gets drunk without being drunk. When Xia Houxuan mentioned his sweetheart, his heart felt like a river rushing and a deer running wildly. His face, which was originally as white as a crown jade, also seemed a little a little... The redness complemented his crimson clothes perfectly.
"Brother Xiahou, you don't know something. When we were children, Your Majesty had not yet received the divine weapon and practiced the great treasure. Moreover, he had a little more contact with my uncle. Over and over, Cao Ling, Nizi and I... Oh, I and my uncle Her Royal Highness Princess Dongxiang naturally became the couple of childhood sweethearts. But in recent years, after His Majesty accepted Zen and ascended the throne, she became Her Royal Highness the Princess. As the son of a foreign minister, it is naturally extremely difficult for me to see her. Even At the court banquet on the first day of last year, the gifts I planned to give her were all taken away by the palace people."
While Xia Houxuan was sighing with emotion, he couldn't help but laugh. It was because he wanted to enlighten Gao Xun, so he joked:
"I didn't expect that Brother Gao's family background would lead to cases that cannot be investigated!"
When Gao Xun heard the words, he naturally understood the meaning and couldn't help but laugh. Xia Houxuan was saying that his Gao family studied laws and criminal matters, but had no way to find out who had withheld the gifts. He laughed and said:
"Brother Xiahou, even if I know how to investigate cases again, I would not dare to investigate the emperor's servants."
Xia Houxuan also smiled and said:
"One day, when you become the Emperor's son-in-law, what else will you fear from your own servants?"
Gao Xun was naturally happy when he heard this. He raised his glass and said with a smile:
"Although there is no wine today, I will have tea instead of wine and give Brother Xiahou a drink!"
"Dry!"
The two raised their cups of tea, but did not clink their glasses. They just held their hands slightly and drank freely.
Just because the tea ceremony is different from the wine ceremony, if you drink hot tea and drink it next to each other, your hands will inevitably be hot and dripping.
"Brother Xiahou, I think it's almost time now. You still have business matters to discuss with your uncle. I'll take you to see your uncle now."
"In that case, there is Brother Lao Xian."
As the two of them spoke, they left the room and headed towards the main hall.
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In the Duyang Hou Mansion, the lights were burning brightly, and the bright red lights reflected the vermilion pavilions, pavilions, and carpets in the halls. There was a trace of inexplicable weirdness in the majesty, like the Alchemy Land of the Heavenly Palace, or the Red Netherworld of Purgatory.
Cao Jian, King of Dongwuyang, was already half drunk at the moment. This dynasty followed the trend of frugality, and Cao Jian had just been promoted to king. Naturally, it was difficult for him to see these delicacies every day. He was growing taller, so he enjoyed a good meal today.
"I don't know what the name of this dish is, but King Gu thinks it's very delicious."
While Cao Jian kept eating chopsticks, he puffed his cheeks and asked Yuan Kan beside him.
Although Yuan Kan cannot live a luxurious life on weekdays, he has always been well-informed, so he also knows a little bit about these palace delicacies. Seeing Cao Jian's question, he stopped holding the sandalwood chopsticks in his hand, wiped the greasy corners of his mouth with a hot towel, smiled slightly and said:
"Your Highness does not know that this dish is called steamed pig, which means steamed piglet. It is also a rare delicacy in the palace. As for its preparation method: first, take a fat piglet and clean it. Boil until half-cooked, then soak in black bean juice. Find another liter of raw rice, without water, soak it in thick juice until it turns yellow, cook it into rice, and then sprinkle the black bean juice on top of the rice. Finely chop the ginger. One liter each of orange peel, and four liters of three-inch green onions, together with the piglets and rice, put them in a pot, seal them well, steam them for two or three meals, then use three liters of cooked lard and one liter of soy sauce. Sprinkle it on the pig, and the pig will be cooked, and the steamed pig will be done."
After hearing Yuan Kan's story, Cao Jian moved his index finger even more. He smiled and said:
"Good, good, very good. The lonely king has eaten a lot of pork, but this is the first time I have heard of such an exquisite method. When the lonely king returns, he will ask the cook to cook it according to the law!"
Everyone drank and drank heartily, but Cao Hong became more and more luxurious. He still asked the chef to constantly cook new dishes.
For example, the "Hupao Pork" cooked by one-year-old fat sheep in a fire pit, and even the famous dish "Tiao Wan Zhi" mentioned in the "Shi Jing".
Cao Xi couldn't help but marvel when he saw "Tiao Wan Zhi", a famous dish that he had only heard of in name but not seen in reality:
"Marquis Duyang is so generous, he even made this Tiao Wan Zhi!"
The two brothers Cao Xun and Cao Ze, who were eating happily on the side, were not sure, so they turned around and asked:
"Third brother, what is the name of Tiaowanzhi?"
Cao Xi smiled slightly, and when he was about to explain, Cao Yan, who always liked ancient books, started to show off:
"The so-called Tiaowanzhao is to cut ten pounds each of mutton and pork into thin strips. Add three liters of ginger, five leaves of orange peel, two liters of Tibetan melon, and five liters of green onion. Mash together until it is the size of a pellet. In addition, use four Five pounds of mutton are used to make meat soup. Add meatballs and cook them into meatballs. The taste is extremely delicious!"
[Note 1: This is the earliest meatball. 】
After listening to the fourth brother's words, the brothers Cao Ze and Cao Xun suddenly felt that the roasted meatballs became more and more delicious.
"General Cao is so generous. He even managed to get Wuchang fish during this season!"
What the diner was talking about was the famous Jiangdong dish, steamed Wuchang Chatou bream.
This Wuchang fish has always been a delicacy in the Soochow Palace. Even in the palace of the Wei Dynasty, it is not often seen, but today Cao Hong placed dozens of Wuchang fish in the main hall, which shows that he is extremely wealthy.
"With such good wine and good food, how can we satisfy our hunger without cake?"
Cao Hong laughed twice. After hearing this, the servants hurried to the kitchen to order the food.
Not long after, two very special cakes were served to the guests.
The pancake is made by adding milk, honey, water and flour, and then putting it in a pan. The resulting pancake will break into pieces and be as crisp as snow.
Another dish of pork skin pancake is made with hot soup and noodles. When it is as thin as porridge, boil the hot soup in a large pot and put a small round thin copper bowl in the soup.
And this little copper bowl is the key to this cake. At this time, use a small spoon to scoop the powdered porridge into the round copper bowl, and then use your fingers to rotate the bowl so that the powdered porridge is evenly distributed on the surrounding walls of the bowl. The first step is completed.
This bowl is extremely hot. Once the rice porridge is cooked and the cakes are cooked, take it out. Then scoop the flour porridge into the bowl, wait until it is cooked again, and then take it out.
This cake is put into cold boiling water and becomes as pliable as pig skin, hence the name pig skin cake. It is seasoned with sesame oil and other seasonings when eating, and its taste is wonderful. According to legend, this cake was made by the Han people to commemorate Qu Yuan, and was later served as food in the palace.
While all the guests were sighing at Cao Hong's magnificence and luxury, a grand finale dish that made all the guests jaw-dropping was served in the main hall. The difference from before is that this dish is not shared by everyone, but only a few.
This dish is the famous "Camel's Hoof Soup".
Although camels are rare, they are excellent food. Camel hump and camel milk are both excellent delicacies.
His Highness Cao Zhi, King of Zhencheng, when he was still a boy, spared no expense and spent a lot of money to have a famous chef make the extremely delicious Qibao Camel Hoof Soup. This camel hoof soup later became loved by the palace.
Among the guests, only Cao Jian, King of Dongwuyang, who was at the top of the table, and some royal family members could eat.
The light chariot generals Wang Zhong, brothers Yuan Kan and Yuan Liang, as well as Xu Yun and Cui Zan, who were sitting outside, could only watch helplessly as they enjoyed this rare delicacy. Fortunately, there are other delicacies on the table, so they will not be idle.
Cao Hong looked at Cao Jian, King of Dongwuyang, who was enjoying his meal, with an imperceptible sneer on his lips.
He had finally obtained this expensive spice from Cao Lin, King of Hedong, so naturally it could not be enjoyed by ordinary people.
As for his family general, Li Zi, who had a close personal relationship with Lei Li, the family general of Cao Lin, the king of Hedong, although things were done beautifully,...
Cao Hong sneered again. He called his confidant not far away and whispered a few words. The young man understood what he was saying and immediately set out to do his work.
Cao Hong shook the heavy yellow jade cup in his hand, feeling a bit of sadness inexplicably in his heart, as if he was mourning for the stars that were about to fall tonight.
As the night progressed, the banquet was still in full swing.
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Xia Houxuan and Gao Xun thought that Gao Rou should have sent Cui Lin away as a guest, but they found that they were discussing something.
The two of them had no choice but to continue waiting in the corridor, waiting for Gao Rou.
The two of them were still far away from the main hall, and it was difficult for Gao Xun to hear clearly the conversation between his uncle and Cui Lin. However, Xia Houxuan's family-inherited mental skills had already achieved a small degree of success, so his hearing was sharper than ordinary people, so he could hear it quietly. The conversation between the two.
"Brother Cui is saying that the thief who was taken to Tingwei Prison today... that young man is actually..."
Xia Houxuan could tell that this voice with a somewhat surprised tone was the voice of Tingwei Gaorou. But Xia Houxuan didn't know why Gao Rou was so shocked.
At this time, another familiar voice sounded. Xia Houxuan also recognized this voice. It was none other than Cui Lin and Cui Deru, the former Shangshu, the governor of Youzhou, and the new Da Honglu. Just listen to his answer Gao Judao:
"Yes, if I'm not mistaken, that child is my miserable Wen Ji child..."
