Seeing the look on Brother Zhang's face, Zhao Zhen felt that he probably wrote this thing himself. He flew here and there. This group of scholars like to do this. When they have nothing to do, they call this and that. Doesn't Su Zhe still have one? My unlucky brother is both a Tieguan Taoist and a layman from Dongpo. Those things usually end up being criticized, but now that layman from the Iron Pot...
"Rong'er, that talented guy you talked about last time, that unsatisfactory brother of Su Che. Where is he now?"
"The last time my father said it, it seemed that he was summoning the Secret Pavilion and Zhishi Hall in February. Then he made a joke during the Dragon Boat Festival. He lost a bet and walked around the city naked. My father demoted him in anger. Went to Lingnan to eat lychees."
Su Che's dissatisfied brother? Isn't that Su Dongpo? Brother Zhang probably counted the days and found that Su Dongpo was now the age of twenty-four. He was in his prime. With his character, he would have done it if he lost a bet and paraded naked in the street.
"Yes, that guy is also a talented boy, but also a fool, and he can also eat."
At this point, Zhao Zhen glared at Brother Zhang: "Why do we always come out with things like this?"
Zhao Rong giggled loudly next to her. Seeing her daughter, who had not been so happy for a long time, smiling so brightly, Zhao Zhen felt no more anger in his stomach. He wiped his mouth with silk cloth, stood up and said, "I'm going to court." , just have a chat with this idiot, it will be hard for you to be bored in the palace all day long."
"Father, let me see you off."
"That's all, just lie there and rest."
Before Zhao Zhen left, he glanced sideways at Brother Zhang. From a closer look, the boy's face was indeed that of Zhou Zheng. His eyes were firm and steady, and he didn't look like the kind of young man who could talk and seduce people. He was quite relieved, so he shouted He had a few Zhao Rong's personal maids guarding him here, and then he went to court with the Manjianghong calligraphy written by Brother Zhang. He was carrying this today, and if he didn't scold the cowards below, he would not have a surname. Zhao.
"Hey, let me ask you."
After Zhao Zhen left, Her Royal Highness looked around Brother Zhang: "Where did you learn this skill? Even the royal chef can't cook as good as you."
“Most of them I figure out by myself, and sometimes I look at the recipes.”
At this time, Zhao Rong saw that Brother Zhang was still standing, so he asked the palace maid Taohong to give him a low stool. Brother Zhang sat down without any politeness. At this time, it was the season when the lotus flowers were blooming outside. Looking out from the study room, there is a patch of pink lotus root and white, which is very beautiful.
"It would be great if this lotus flower could be eaten. I don't know what it tastes like."
Zhao Rong sighed exaggeratedly and glanced at Brother Zhang from time to time. Brother Zhang just took a sip of the water brought by the palace maid. He nodded after hearing her words: "Look at me while sighing. Don’t you just want me to make it for you to eat?”
This is indeed a fool... How can anyone speak so directly? Zhao Rong is also angry and funny, but she is a girl after all: "Then tell me if you can."
"It's a pity there's no sugar."
In fact, according to Brother Zhang’s overview of history, there should have been white sugar at this time in the Song Dynasty, but most of it came from trade or tribute from countries such as Dashi and Tianzhu. Now that the Song Dynasty has moved south ahead of schedule, there are strong enemies around it. The fundamental route of trade has been lost, so the sugar that was definitely available in the palace has now become a rarity.
"White sugar? I have it!"
Zhao Rong's eyes lit up after hearing this: "My father felt sorry for me and gave me the last jar of sugar, but I was not willing to eat it yet. Taohong, go get that jar of sugar."
The palace maid hurried out, Zhao Rong looked at Brother Zhang and said, "But let me tell you, that jar of sugar is my darling. If you break it, don't blame me for being angry."
Brother Zhang sneered, turned around and walked out.
Zhao Rong quickly shouted: "That idiot, what are you going to do?"
"Pick lotus flowers."
Hearing that he was really going to start getting lotus flowers for her to eat, Zhao Rong quickly called for someone to help her out of the couch, and then came to the edge of the pond to watch this idiot work.
I saw that he took a dustpan from nowhere, then boarded the small boat that they usually used to enjoy flowers, and began to cruise in the lotus bushes in the pond. After a while, the dustpan was filled to the brim. Look, there are lotus buds and crisp lotus pods inside.
"Why are you picking lotus pods?"
Zhao Rong asked curiously, and Brother Zhang squeezed a handful with his hand and said, "Eat."
"You really cherish your words like gold."
Seeing that he was about to go to the dining room after picking flowers, Zhao Rong didn't care about his identity. She was supported by the palace maid and held up her skirt and followed him. When the little eunuchs inside saw the princess coming, one by one They were all so frightened that they were covered in sweat and didn't even dare to raise their heads.
But Brother Zhang started to work. He first removed a layer of old petals from the outside of the lotus buds, then removed the core in the middle, and then soaked the processed buds in a large bowl of water. , and here Brother Zhang started to peel the lotus seeds after processing the flowers. He peeled out the bitter core in the middle of the lotus seeds separately, put them in a teapot, poured hot water to soak, and put the lotus seeds themselves into the steamer. pot.
At this time, the jar of white sugar was also brought over. Brother Zhang poured the sugar into the pot without saying a word, added some oil and started boiling the sugar. Next to him, he asked someone to get a large bowl of freshly beaten cold sugar. well water.
When the sugar melted into syrup and small bubbles emerged, he quickly poured all the syrup into a white porcelain bowl, then took out the flower buds and rolled them in it a few times to ensure that every piece was covered with syrup, and then quickly took out the hot buds. The flower buds were thrown into the cold water.
After repeating this several times, lotus flowers that seemed to be sealed in the glass were placed around the plate. At this time, the lotus seeds were steaming to the boil. Brother Zhang poured the remaining syrup back into the pot and added more Copy some new sugar until it becomes sandy, and pour in the lotus seeds together. As he stirs with his hands, the outside of the lotus seeds is evenly coated with a layer of sugar.
He poured the frosted lotus seeds into the middle of the plate, and then poured a layer of osmanthus honey on top. This midsummer dessert was complete.
Zhao Rong stepped forward and picked up a lotus flower. She felt that it was full of cool water, and there seemed to be juice flowing inside. When she looked up to the sun, she saw that it was full of colorful colors.
"Is this really edible?"
"Um."
Zhao Rong curiously put a flower into her mouth. With a click, the sugar glass outside shattered, and the sweet water wrapped inside flowed into her mouth. It was sweet and cool, with the fragrance of lotus.
As she chewed, the sugar glass outside made a clicking sound in her mouth. It was crispy and sweet. Zhao Rong ate it with joy.
"You go and wait for me in the pavilion outside, and I'll get it for my mother to eat."
She walked away slowly with the plate, while Brother Zhang sat obediently in the pavilion outside. After all, this Zhao Rong was not someone else... I'm afraid he has to play the drama of the prince rescuing the princess now whether he wants to or not. You have to play.
While Brother Zhang was sitting there waiting for Zhao Rong, Zhao Zhen was losing his temper in the main hall. Although he was Renzong, he had even taken the capital, so it was normal to lose his temper.
He threw the copybook "Man Jiang Hong" written by Brother Zhang on the faces of the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty and asked them to circulate it. The civil servants were okay, but the generals were really blushing after seeing it.
"If I, Di Hanchen, were still here, I wouldn't be as arrogant as the Liao Kingdom! You, you, you deserve to die! Give me back, Di Hanchen!"
In the past, it was absolutely impossible for Zhao Zhen to say such a thing. He still had to look forward and backward at that time, but it is different now. His mother's hometown has been copied, and if this group of civil servants is allowed to continue to cause trouble, he I am afraid that I will be forced by the Liao Kingdom to commit suicide by jumping into the sea in my lifetime.
He is not afraid of death, he is just a dying man, but there are thousands of people below him, as well as his own children. They are a bunch of idiots who just want to change the court and continue to serve as officials, whether they are big or small officials. Anyway, these people have enough qualifications and can find a pensioner wherever they go. But where will he, the emperor, go from here?
Everyone knows how his ancestors dealt with the subjugated emperors of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, and how Li Yu died.
And now that the Song Dynasty has collapsed like this, everything must start from the year when Di Qing and Di Hanchen died. Originally, Di Qing alone was able to defeat thousands of troops. Once Di Qing died, the people of Liao and the Xixia Party came from the northwest and After encircling the Song Dynasty, they directly beat the Song Dynasty to the point where it could not hold its head up. They moved the capital to Lin'an Prefecture overnight and handed over the capital to others.
What a shame this is, what a grievance this is, he is getting angry just looking at the group of people below him. This time the ministers should really listen to that fool, and maybe they will get better after cutting them in half.
"Just show it to me here for an hour!"
Zhao Zhen fluttered his sleeves and left, and the officials below did not dare to say anything. After all, they had just been scolded, and now they could only wait for the official's anger to subside.
When Zhao Zhen returned to the study in the back angrily, something cold and sweet was stuffed into his mouth as soon as he entered the door. He turned around and found that his daughter Zhao Rong was being naughty next to him.
When he saw his daughter's appearance, he laughed out loud: "What did Ronger give me to eat?"
"The food Rong'er gives you is like a summer scene." Zhao Rong said playfully: "Look!"
She placed the pot of snacks in front of Zhao Zhen, who was also surprised. After all, none of the desserts he had eaten in the past looked like this. Although they were all colorful, they lacked this crystal clear quality.
"What is this?"
Zhao Zhen pinched a lotus and watched it for a while: "It looks pretty."
"Here, this is the dessert that the idiot you mentioned made for me. I didn't even want to eat it, so I divided it between you and my mother."
"Okay, okay..." Zhao Zhen smiled happily: "You can take it and eat it yourself. Where is the idiot?"
"I asked him to cook. I said that my father must have lost his temper in the court today. I asked him to get you something to eat that can relieve heat and reduce fire."
Zhao Zhen sighed after hearing this: "I, Rong'er, still know how to care about people."
The father and daughter chatted for a while, and Zhao Zhen suddenly sighed: "It would be great if this boy wasn't a fool. He might be your perfect match, Ronger."
"Father..." Zhao Rong did not say anything about not getting married this time, but instead said: "How can it be so easy to find a good match..."
Zhao Zhen was not an idiot about what this child was thinking. He could tell what was going on in her mind when he saw the look in her eyes, so Zhao Zhen asked with a smile: "How about letting that idiot be the consort?" How about it? Anyway, the prince-in-law can’t be an official, so I’m afraid that idiot won’t be able to hang out in the officialdom.”
"It's necessary, it's necessary, why are you so anxious..." Zhao Rong was anxious at first, then turned her head and looked outside, and found that Brother Zhang had not come back, so she whispered: "It's better to test again..."
Zhao Zhen laughed heartily when he heard this. How could he not know what his daughter was thinking, so he followed his daughter's words and said, "Then how does Rong'er think the world is tested?"
Zhao Rong started strolling around here with her hands behind her back: "Jingzhao Mansion... no, no, no, that idiot doesn't know what he will do."
After thinking for a while, Zhao Rong's eyes suddenly lit up: "Father, the Gyeonggi Province has not yet been established. The Jingzhao Palace is too important. This fool can't go. It is better to let him go to one of the four palaces in Gyeonggi Province." The most remote prefecture has a small county under its jurisdiction. Let's see what he can do. Ronger knows that someone with that kind of temper will probably be teased to death in the capital, but he can do very well as a county magistrate. When the time comes, Use it for two years first, and if it goes well, it won’t be too late to transfer it back.”
Zhao Zhen looked at his daughter's serious look, and his heart was like a mirror. Although the idiot was a little stunned, all other aspects were really in line with Zhao Zhen's expectations, and he was probably stunned because he had been studying for many years and was still young. As a result, if you practice a lot outside, you may actually achieve some results.
"Then he's just a scholar."
"Father..." Zhao Rong rolled her eyes: "Don't you want to add another subject next month..."
Zhao Zhen raised his eyebrows: "Rong'er, Rong'er... the imperial examination is a big deal, how can it be a trivial matter."
"Let him take the exam! Take the exam based on his ability!"
Hearing Zhao Rong's words, Zhao Zhen just smiled, but did not explain anything. What else is there to be tested for? As long as he, the emperor, gives the order, no matter how upright the examiner is, he will have to weigh it carefully. As long as he is not a top-notch idiot, the Jinshi subject will definitely be casual.
However, seeing his daughter's expectant eyes, Zhao Zhen had no choice but to sigh, pull out a piece of tissue paper from the table and hand it to the eunuch beside him: "Go and give this to Uncle Yong."
"Father...a blank piece of paper?"
"Rong'er." Zhao Zhen patted his daughter's little head: "You haven't even gotten married yet, and you already care about her?"
Zhao Rong pouted: "No..."
"Okay, okay, don't be impatient. Besides, a blank piece of paper is enough."
Zhao Rong didn't understand, and Zhao Zhen didn't tell the truth, but soon this blank piece of paper was sent to Ouyang Xiu's desk. Ouyang Xiu, who was now in his sixtieth year, paid homage to the Deputy Privy Envoy and Minister of Rites to preside over the matter of adding subjects.
He stared at the blank silk cloth, raised his eyes to look at the little eunuch, then nodded to him, then put the silk cloth away, stood up and bowed: "I obey your order."
(End of chapter)
