"okay."
When Li Hao heard that there was a red envelope, he immediately beamed and turned to go to the East Kitchen.
…
Two quarters of an hour later,
"Master Qing, the water is boiling!"
"Well, here we come."
Blanch the beef ribs, heat oil, add onion, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, then pour the blanched ribs into the pot and stir-fry...
The East Kitchen was filled with smoke, and Li Qing was enveloped in it and couldn't see his expression. Li Hao didn't notice anything strange. He chatted with each other, but he was just talking to himself.
After stir-frying for a while, Li Qing poured in soy sauce, sprinkled a handful of rock sugar, added two handfuls of salt, and a large handful of dried red chili peppers. Then, he scooped a few large ladles of water from the water tank and covered the pot.
"Bring it to a boil over high heat, then switch to medium heat and simmer slowly. Watch carefully and don't overcook the pot."
After that, he turned around and walked out.
"Master Qing, when will the stew be ready?"
"Such a big pot will take an hour at least. If you have a good meal, don't be afraid of being late. Let's heat up your pot." Li Qing didn't even look back.
Li Hao scratched his head and muttered: "What's going on? I didn't offend him. Is it because of the red envelope? Hmm... it's also possible. I spent a lot of money buying new year's goods in the past two days. It's just a waste for me, but It may be his living expenses for a long time.”
Thinking of this, Li Hao couldn't help but admire Master Qing even more. When he was in Baoding Mansion, Shen Jin offered bribes openly and secretly, but he was sternly rejected by Master Qing.
Even if Shen Jin clearly meant it, Master Qing was not embarrassed. That was called a breeze with two sleeves.
"When I return to Jinling after the New Year, I should pay more tribute to him. He has taken good care of me this year..." Li Hao whispered to himself.
~
The process of burning for an hour is really boring. Fortunately, the firewood is chopped, so it is not very troublesome.
After filling it with chopped firewood and waiting for it to burn vigorously, Li Hao stretched out and took out the book in his arms.
After watching it for half an hour, he felt it was boring again. He opened the lid of the pot and added some water and some new firewood. Li Hao got up and came to the courtyard to chat with Mr. Qing.
In the courtyard, three snowmen are lifelike. Mr. Qing is standing in front of the snowman, with his hands folded on his chest, hunched over his waist, standing facing the broken clouds and sunshine, silhouetted against each other, silent...
He is so young, but at this moment, he looks like an old man.
Li Hao rubbed his eyes and looked again. The feeling was still strong.
Somehow, he felt an indescribable sadness flowing in his heart.
He walked forward and called out: "Master Qing."
"Hmm..." Li Qing turned around, "It's not quite yet."
"I know, I just added firewood and water, so it won't be a problem." Li Hao grinned and asked, "Master Qing, is this the snowman you built?"
"Otherwise?" Li Qing said, then nothing more happened.
Li Hao exclaimed: "Don't tell me, your level is much higher than mine, it's too real, just like... Master Qing, are these three real people, or are they just imaginary, Master Qing?"
He deliberately joked and prepared a retreat route, but his efforts were in vain.
Good news: Qingye didn't beat him.
Bad news: The purpose of enlivening the atmosphere was not achieved.
Li Qing just smiled and said: "They are all real... they are my wife."
"Can a Taoist priest also marry a wife?" Li Hao was surprised, but then he was relieved. Qingye even ate beef, so it was not surprising that he would marry a wife.
I heard that Taoist priests in Longhu Mountain can marry and have children.
"Master Qing, do you miss them?"
"I don't think about it when I'm busy, but I will inevitably think about it when I'm free." Li Qing said quietly, unable to hide his loneliness.
Li Haole said: "It turns out that you are no better than me. However, the Shen family's affairs are basically settled. When the Queen is pregnant with the emperor's heir, we can go back, and so can you..."
After a pause, he said proudly: "When the time comes, take the three young ladies to Yongqinghou's mansion. There are many rooms in the mansion, and there is room for them to live."
"Speaking of which, Mr. Qing, you are quite blessed." Li Hao said with a smile, "But you are so cruel. You haven't sent a letter home even after a year since you came out."
Li Qing raised his hand and patted him on the head, "No matter how big or small, let's burn your pot."
"...I just added new firewood, there is no need." Li Hao was depressed, and then smiled again: "Master Qing, I actually understand your mood. It's the Chinese New Year, but we are far apart and can't reunite with my beloved wife..."
"Ho ho ho..." Li Hao was speechless.
"You will recover in a quarter of an hour, but if you keep making noises, I won't hold back." Li Qing glared at him angrily, "Go to the East Kitchen, otherwise, I will make you mute until the Chinese New Year."
Day by day, my mouth is too broken.
Li Hao was in agony, but had no choice but to turn around and go to the East Kitchen...
"Alas..." Li Qing sighed.
How could he and them be so different from each other?
Time flies, but some things will not fade away.
'Dang Dang Dang...'
"Sir, open the door, it's me." Zhu Jianshen's unique voice sounded.
Before Li Qing could say anything, Li Hao ran out first and stepped forward to open the door. Then, Zhu Jianshen wriggled in like a penguin.
"What are you doing? It smells so good..." Zhu Jianshen immediately stopped talking when he saw the three snowmen. He had heard his sister talk about the three wives of Li Qing.
Seeing this situation, he knew Li Qing's mood at the moment.
At the same time, he empathized with Li Qing and missed his sister Wan.
Li Hao didn't know what was going on and laughed and said: "Uncle, you came at the right time. The beef has just come out of the pot..."
Suddenly remembering that his old uncle was the Supreme Emperor, he hurriedly explained: "This cow was killed by a fall. I happened to meet it, so I bought some."
Zhu Jianshen forced a smile to show that he understood.
Li Hao was confused, "Uh... then I'll go and get busy."
How come these two grown men are changing faster than my mother’s face? What kind of trouble are they having during the Chinese New Year? Li Hao felt tired: It depends on your faces every day. After all, I am also the Young Marquis of Yongqing!
…
"The meat is coming out of the pot!"
Li Hao carried a wooden plate filled with cut steaks, walked to the door of the living room with a grin, and called back: "Master Qing, uncle, stop standing in the yard and go inside to eat meat."
"Here we come." Zhu Jianshen replied, patting Li Qing on the shoulder, "Let's go, don't dwell on the past."
Li Qing breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and walked back into the house.
After entering the living room and sitting down, Li Qing slowly recovered his thoughts and said to Zhu Jianshen, "Didn't I tell you not to go out casually?"
"The sun is out today, it's warm." Zhu Jianshen pointed outside and said with a smile: "The Chinese New Year will be here soon, come here to take a look."
As he said that, he took out a big red envelope and said, "Xiao Hao, this is for you, take it."
"Thank you, uncle."
Li Hao happily took it and put it in his arms, "Then my nephew will also wish my uncle a happy New Year in advance."
He knelt down and kowtowed, and said: "I wish my uncle to be as blessed as the East China Sea, live as long as the Southern Mountains, and that all your wishes will come true, and that you will be happy every day."
These days, he also figured it out.
The old uncle disowned him because it was for his own good and for the good of the Li family.
His father was a consort. Once his identity was exposed, among other things, he would not be able to continue his job as chief naval officer. Even the title of Marquis of Yongqing would be affected.
After all... my father inherited his godfather's title, not his biological father's. If he really wanted to take matters into his own hands, the court would not admit it at all.
The current situation is the best for the Li family and even for him, the young prince.
The eldest princess of Ming Dynasty sounds really majestic and noble, but the actual situation is another matter.
Once it becomes public, my mother will live in the Tenth Prince's Mansion, my father will move in with her, and the Yongqing Marquis Mansion will probably be taken back, as well as the Li family's many properties...
Blood loss!
It's better not to admit it. Being the young prince of Yongqing is much more comfortable than being the son of the eldest princess and the emperor's cousin.
Li Hao is not stupid, he can distinguish what is good and what is bad.
"Uncle, try your nephew's stewed beef, but it's mushy." Li Hao picked up a piece of beef ribs and thoughtfully dipped it in the dipping sauce.
Pour the sauce on the divided steak, which is easy to chew. One bite will fill your mouth with aroma, which is really enjoyable.
"How does it taste?" Li Hao asked for credit with a face full of pride, as if he was responsible for the steak.
"Not bad." Zhu Jianshen took another big sip and said inarticulately, "Do you have any wine?"
"Yes, uncle, please wait a moment. I'll go to the East Kitchen to warm the wine." Li Hao didn't care about eating, so he got up and went to the East Kitchen to warm the wine.
Zhu Jian swallowed the beef in his mouth deeply and said: "At the beginning of spring after the new year, whether the queen is pregnant with the emperor's heir or not, you can leave anytime you want, I said so."
"Well, I don't want to waste any more time." Li Qing nodded: "The queen is basically fine. Even if she doesn't get pregnant in spring, she will get pregnant later. You can rest assured about this, but..."
Thinking of the troubles in the future, Li Qing suggested: "Having more children means you will be blessed. It is not a bad idea for the emperor to have concubines."
"Hey, isn't it true that the sun is shining in the west?" Zhu Jian was deeply surprised, "Didn't you complain that I had more children before? Why are you so lucky to have so many children now?"
Li Qing: "..."
"It's true that you have given birth to too many children. However, as an emperor, it is not enough to only have one son."
Zhu Jianshen nodded: "Actually, I also want him to have a concubine, but...well, now having a concubine has escalated to a political struggle. If I do that, it will be equivalent to helping the ministers deal with their sons, which is really not advisable!"
After a pause, he smiled again: "Actually, you don't have to worry about this. Even if he looks like this now, in the future... I don't believe that he can still stay away from concubines!"
As a man, as an emperor, and as someone who has experienced this, Zhu Jianshen is very sure that his son will definitely take a concubine in the future.
Therefore, he was not in a hurry.
Besides, who said a woman can only have one son in her life?
"Okay, don't worry about this." Zhu Jianshen smiled and said: "Speaking of which, I really want to see my eldest grandson before I leave. Are you sure the queen can get pregnant?"
"Of course!" Li Qing said firmly. He not only believed in his own medical skills.
"This is the best." Zhu Jianshen said happily, "In this case, I can still live a few days of entertaining my grandson."
Li Qing chuckled and nodded: "As long as you stay optimistic, it's absolutely fine."
"I'm quite optimistic. With your promise, I have nothing to worry about behind my back, but you..." Zhu Jianshen glanced at the snowman outside and sighed, "You should stay optimistic."
Li Qing was silent for a moment and said, "I'm quite... used to it."
