"It's the Dragon Boat Festival again."
Li Ang walked on the street and looked at the shops on both sides of the street with mugwort and calamus hanging on their doors. He couldn't help but sigh.
The last time I celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival was in Zhenzhou, and a whole year had passed before I knew it.
Looking back on my experiences during this period, the preliminary examination, admission, spiritual practice, underground palace, ghost market, Zhaoming... It feels like it has been a long time since I was like this, relaxing and simply shopping.
"Grandma, how do you sell mugwort leaves?"
He stopped at a roadside stall and bought some sage and mugwort, which he put in a cloth bag. Chai Chai and Li Leling walked side by side behind. Chai Chai held a soft and sweet walnut-date cake in one hand and chewed it in big mouths. Li Leling held a small and exquisite sweet-scented osmanthus rice cake in both hands and ate it like a squirrel.
The two were talking and laughing, followed by a group of maids guarding them - but this was the north of Chang'an City, where the families of princes and ministers lived, so this kind of battle was not unusual.
"Ahem."
When passing an intersection, the wind caused the lingering smoke from burning mugwort on the street to drift over, making Li Leling cough involuntarily.
The maids who dressed her up immediately came forward with nervous expressions. Li Leling quickly covered her nose and waved her hands to indicate that she was fine.
“The smell of mugwort smoke is too strong, isn’t it?”
Seeing this, Li Ang took out a breeze charm from his arms, injected it with spiritual power, and raised it in the air to disperse the wormwood smoke for Li Leling.
"Let's go faster."
Chai Chai held Li Leling's arm and passed the intersection quickly, complaining in a low voice: "Why are so many people burning mugwort this year? It feels like the sky is gloomy."
"Yes, it should be to repel mosquitoes,"
Li Leling sneezed again, covered her mouth and nose and said, "It's actually a good thing. Every household contributes to expel mosquitoes and prevent malaria, ah-"
"You are still thinking about the people, so take care of yourself first."
Chai Chai reluctantly handed the silk scarf to his friend. He suddenly thought of something and turned to ask Li Ang: "Dalang, I remember you said last time that you would publish an academic paper on the mosquito repellent effect of moxa leaves..."
"It was sent out early. It has been sent out for seven days."
Li Ang waved his hand and said: "The mosquito repellent effect of simply burning dried mugwort leaves is actually very poor. The mosquitoes will infect people before they are killed."
The main component of mugwort that affects mosquitoes is cineole, which can repel mosquitoes to a certain extent, but requires a higher concentration.
I believe that the mosquito repellent effect of mugwort is better than planting a eucalyptus tree in front of your home.
Li Ang said: "Previous experimental results have been tested, and currently the most effective substances for repelling mosquitoes are various plant essential oils. Nepeta oil has the best effect, followed by cinnamon oil, and peppermint, which is also the essential oil of silver grass."
Li Leling nodded, "Oh, I know. Yesterday, fourth brother gave each of us a small bottle of peony essential oil, which smells quite good."
Li Ang smiled and said nothing. Ever since he produced allicin using a steam distillation condensation device, many doctors in the academy have been obsessed with producing various plant essential oils.
Peony, osmanthus, honeysuckle, Qilihuang, and even leeks must be squeezed.
Li Ang is happy to see the fruits of the intellectual curiosity of the doctors. Most plant essential oils are of little value, but some have aromatic, skin care and even mosquito repellent effects and can be used as cosmetics and daily necessities.
It's just that the price is a bit expensive, and the condensation device used is still a secret of the Yu State. Only a few institutions are qualified to produce it, so the output cannot be high.
'Perhaps after some time, Dr. Xue Gong develops other methods of refining and extracting essential oils, and the price of essential oils can be reduced and the output can be increased. '
Li Ang wandered and thought, 'When essential oils are mass-produced, Thai massage may be renamed Yu-style massage, and blind massage parlors may appear on the streets, which will increase the employment rate and benefit the country and the people... '
"Hey, Dalang."
Chai Chai interrupted Li Ang's thinking. She pointed to the sage grass and mugwort in the cloth bag Li Ang was carrying, "Don't you have some at home? Why do you need to buy new ones?"
Li Ang patted the bag and said, "Oh, these are bought for cooking."
Chai Chai and Li Leling said in unison: "Cooking?"
"Just give it a try."
Li Ang said with a smile: "Fry an egg with mugwort, make an egg pancake, make chicken soup or something."
Of course, the most important thing is to make Qingming Cake with meat filling, add some diced bamboo shoots, diced mushrooms, dried tofu...
Although the memory of the other world is incomplete, and Li Ang doesn't know where he is from in the other world, he has a lot of recipes in his mind, and he has an inexplicable obsession.
For example, rice dumplings other than red bean paste rice dumplings should never be dipped in sugar, fruit mooncakes are extremely sinful, and the coriander vinegar dish is the best in the world when eating hot pot, etc.
"I want to eat!"
When Chai Chai heard that there was something delicious, he immediately raised his hand, his eyes shining.
"It's indispensable for you."
Li Ang smiled, glanced at the slightly hesitant expression on Li Leling's face, and said, "If your highness wants to eat, you can come and buy a pair of bowls and chopsticks."
"Eh? Really, thank you."
Li Leling nodded happily when she heard this. She had long heard from Chai Cuiqiao that Li Ang would occasionally have a whim at home and experiment with making some novel foods, which tasted surprisingly good. Let Chai Chai shout that he was deceived into cooking for so many years.
The female official in the back row hesitated to speak. Her Royal Highness often went out with a commoner girl, which had already caused some rumors in the palace. Going to a young man's house for dinner, isn't it a bit...
The female officer looked at the happy expression on the princess's face, hesitated for a moment, and said nothing.
After all, Li Ang's identity is different. He is the founding county uncle, the top scholar in the academy, and the little Medicine King God who has a living shrine. Even the newly born princes and princesses every year have to be held in his arms, so no one in the palace will express any inappropriate criticism.
"The rankings have been released! The rankings have been released over there! Come and take a look, everyone!"
"The results have been released, and I'm almost dying of anxiety."
There was noise in the distance, and the Chang'an citizens who were walking and shopping on the street just now rushed towards Zhuque Street.
Some stall owners simply closed their stalls and asked familiar neighbors to look after them while they hurried forward.
"Is this... the academy releasing the results?"
Li Ang looked far away and saw forms with dense handwriting posted at the end of Suzaku Avenue. That should be the list of students selected this year who can take the preliminary examination of the Academy.
As in previous years, the preliminary examination list is also tens of thousands of people.
"Sunrise!"
A familiar voice came from the front, and Song Shaoyuan and You Xiao were seen holding hands and walking in the opposite direction of the crowd.
"Brother Song?"
Li Ang saw the joy on Song Shaoyuan's face and immediately reacted, "Selected?"
Song Shaoyuan raised the corners of his mouth, nodded with a smile and said, "I've chosen."
"That would be great."
Li Ang and Chai Chai were sincerely happy for Song Shaoyuan,
Both he and You Xiao seemed to have lost a lot of weight, which must be the result of hard study and careful tutoring during this period.
"Yeah. But this is just a preliminary exam. There will be preliminary exams, re-examinations, and final exams in the Academy. One step at a time."
Song Shaoyuan sighed. He failed to pass the re-examination last year. This year is his last chance to enter the Academy. Once he misses it, it will never be possible again.
"Da Lang, you will definitely pass the exam. I believe in you."
You Xiao gently patted the back of Song Shaoyuan's hand, his eyes full of love.
Spreading dog food on the faces of the onlookers.
"I hope so. By the way, this is..."
Song Shaoyuan and You Xiao turned their attention to Li Leling who was standing next to her. She was wearing a luxurious undershirt and was followed by a group of maids. She was obviously rich or noble.
"Oh, let me introduce you. This is my classmate, Li Leling. This is my cousin Song Shaoyuan from Zhenzhou, and his wife Youxiao."
Li Ang introduced the identities of both parties,
Just as Song Shaoyuan nodded to say hello, he suddenly realized something.
Wait, Li Leling? Why does this name sound so familiar to me?
Look at those maids and guards with dignified and cold temperaments and wearing palace badges around their waists...
"Mr. Princess?"
Song Shaoyuan was stunned, and You Xiao opened his mouth slightly in surprise.
