Jin Wang Dotes on His Concubine

The emperor snorted in an ambiguous way: "Now that I have abdicated, I will naturally not care about state affairs. It is useless to force me."

Li Dequan did not dare to speak.

The emperor's temper was known for being unpredictable in the past. After this serious illness, he experienced several things in a row, and his temper became even weirder. Li Dequan couldn't tell what was weird, but he always felt that the emperor's temper was becoming more and more like a child.

Old and young, old and young, maybe that's how it is said.

"Why did the fifth son marry such a stupid wife? It's still my Zhao family's bloodline. Fortunately, Xiaobao and Erbao didn't take after her. She is really stupid and can't please anyone. If she was selected from outside to enter the palace, she would probably only be able to stay in a corner and never show up."

The emperor snorted and asked Li Dequan to help him lie down. There was no movement on the kang soon.

Li Dequan laughed and sighed, called a little eunuch to watch, and left the Qianqing Palace and went to the upper study.

Chapter 204

"You mean to ask mother to make more other food and send it to the Qianqing Palace? But the emperor has the imperial kitchen, and the imperial chefs are so skilled. Wouldn't mother's cooking skills be a joke?" After hearing Xiaobao's words, Yao Niang said a little awkwardly.

"Since the emperor got sick, his appetite has not been very good. The imperial food is indeed delicious, but I don't think the emperor eats it well. I am also worried about the emperor. I think that the emperor always drinks the soup that mother sends. Is it because mother's cooking skills suit the emperor's appetite, so..."

Xiaobao naturally couldn't tell Yao Niang that Li Dequan went to him specifically and expressed the emperor's intentions very subtly. Although he was still young, he could understand it. After returning, he tried to give his mother a hint.

Yao Niang touched Xiao Bao's head with relief: "Xiao Bao is a filial child. Since Xiao Bao wants mother to try, mother will try. Even if the emperor doesn't like it, it doesn't matter. At most, we can eat it ourselves when dinner comes." At this time, she also realized that Xiao Bao should be in the study room at this time, so she asked: "Why doesn't Xiao Bao have class in the afternoon?" "The master asked me to take a rest, so my son ran back secretly, and my son left now." After Xiao Bao left, Yao Niang shook her head and lamented that children really think about what they want, but this just proves that Xiao Bao is also a bit childish. As Xiao Bao grew older, Yao Niang gradually had an illusion that her son was not as cute as before, but she thought about it again. When she grew up, she had more experience and learned more things, and she would always be more and more like an adult. She didn't think about it anymore. Anyway, she had nothing to do at this time, so she went to the small kitchen. The Yangxin Palace also had a small kitchen, which was responsible for small tasks such as the night snack soup of Emperor Jin'an. Later, Yao Niang moved into the palace, and the people in the small kitchen were replaced by people from the small kitchen of Rongxiyuan. Xue Pozi, who used to work in the kitchen of the Prince of Jin's Mansion, has now entered the palace and become the nanny in charge of the kitchen of the Yangxin Palace. Xue Pozi is good at cooking and has served Yao Niang for a long time. She knows the tastes of several masters. When she heard Yao Niang say that she wanted to bring some food to the retired emperor, she was excited and gave Yao Niang all kinds of ideas.

To bring food to the retired emperor, it is natural to pick exquisite dishes, so Xue Pozi said that some big dishes can be taken out to meet people, even if it is a banquet, it will not be shabby. At first, Yao Niang also thought it was good, and the two discussed it in various ways, but Yao Niang always felt that something was missing.

Finally, after thinking about it, she rejected Xue Pozi's suggestion of "she will do it and let Yao Niang watch", went back to change into a simple dress, and then came to the kitchen again.

Yuchan helped her put on an apron, and Yao Niang thought about it and planned to make pumpkin millet porridge and corn cakes as the staple food, and make a few side dishes. After thinking about it, she decided not to make those so-called big dishes. The emperor had eaten too many delicacies and had seen all kinds of good things. Since he had a poor appetite, it meant that he didn't like it. She had to find another way.

From Xiaobao, she learned that the emperor had eaten less staple food recently. Yao Niang always believed that people had to eat to be healthy. This pumpkin millet porridge was one of the porridges that Xiaobao and Erbao liked to drink the most. It was simple to make and there was no need to add so many ingredients. It was just for the original taste.

As the weather was cold and there were few fresh vegetables, there was no shortage of pumpkins in the palace, but after all, they were not seasonal vegetables, so they always lacked taste. However, there were many kinds of melons, especially pumpkins. They were particularly sweet after being frosted and stored in the cellar. They were the best for making porridge. Even Emperor An of Jin, who didn't like sweet food, could drink two bowls.

Yao Niang washed the small yellow rice, added water and put it in the pot. After boiling, simmered it slowly over low heat. The pumpkin should be added later, otherwise it would be melted. Then, she made pancakes with dough. She suddenly had an idea and asked someone to slice pumpkin and steam it on the steamer. She could make some pumpkin corn pancakes later. It was soft, sweet and delicious.

She also asked someone to bring a bowl of goat's milk. This milk was a common offering in the palace. Some people liked it, while others didn't. Yao Niang liked it very much. However, goat's milk also had another function for her, which was to clean her face and bathe. It was very good for moisturizing the skin.

She asked someone to boil the goat's milk and add some almonds to remove the fishy smell. At the same time, she asked someone to wash and cut the vegetables that would be used later. As for the dishes, she planned to make a dish of stewed mushrooms with chicken, which was the most popular home-cooked dish among the people in Jinzhou. She also stir-fried two fresh dumplings.

She also stewed a pot of lamb meat, which she planned to use for dinner with Emperor Jin'an and the two children. Since she had already made it, she might as well make it all at once to avoid wasting time.

After the dough is mixed, it needs to be fermented. In fact, cornmeal can be used to make pancakes without fermentation, but it is not as soft as fermented ones. Because the weather is cold, Yao Niang wrapped the dough with white cloth and asked someone to get a pot of warm water and put it on the steamer to heat it up, so that the dough can be fermented in a while.

The people in the small kitchen were directed around by her. There was no other reason, because Yao Niang's status was different now. Every time she came to the small kitchen to cook in person, it would always cause panic.

After everything was prepared, Yao Niang asked about the time and thought it was almost time, so she started cooking.

The small kitchen had a complete stove, so she and Mrs. Xue cooked four dishes together without any problem. When stewing chicken, Yao Niang took a cloth with some oil and rubbed it around the pot, then picked up the fermented noodles and started to make pancakes around the pot.

"I didn't expect that the queen would do this. This method of making pancakes requires special skills." Mrs. Xue sighed.

"In the past, I had to do everything myself, such as washing clothes and cooking, at home. Later, when I entered the palace, I didn't have to do anything myself, and my cooking skills became rusty. People's homes don't have to be so particular about food, especially when the weather is cold and the space is limited. They really cook one thing at a time. By the time the pancakes are baked, the food should be cold."

While talking to Mrs. Xue, Yao Niang pinched the dough into lumps. She didn't need to roll them into pancakes. She just dipped her hands in cold water and pressed them flat on the pot.

In fact, this method is not called pancakes, but pasting pancakes.

Soon, a circle of pancakes were pasted around the pot, and Yao Niang covered the pot.

After a while, she opened the pot lid and the corn pancakes were cooked. She took the pancakes off the sides of the pot and continued to paste the pancakes. She did this twice and baked two large plates of corn pancakes.

Yao Niang picked up a piece of cake and gasped because of the heat. She tasted the one with pumpkin and the one with goat milk. She was about to let Hongchou Xue Pozi and others taste it, but suddenly found that it was very quiet around.

She subconsciously turned around and saw Emperor Jin An standing behind her.

Emperor Jin An was wearing a crimson dragon robe and a black gauze winged hat on his head. The dragon robe had a narrow collar and sleeves, with the sun and moon on the shoulders and eight dragon patterns, and a white jade belt tied around the waist, which was indescribably handsome and majestic.

The other people in the small kitchen all retreated.

"Ah?"

Yao Niang was caught off guard and was frightened.

She was a little embarrassed and subconsciously touched her hair and apron. At this time, she didn't look like an emperor's woman at all, but like a little woman from the market. Standing in front of Emperor Jin An in a dragon robe, she felt ashamed of herself.

As if to cover up, she asked with a smile: "Why is your majesty here? Aren't you busy with government affairs today?"

Jin An Emperor was still indifferent as usual, and his expression did not change: "Nothing, I just came back early."

Yao Niang suddenly stopped feeling awkward and said with a smile: "I don't have anything to do, I just want to cook some food. Xiaobao said that his father has a poor appetite recently and likes to drink the soup I sent, so I thought of making some food to send over. Try it, is it delicious? I tasted it pretty good."

She pulled down a piece of corn cake in her hand and stuffed it into Jin An Emperor's mouth. A low surprise came from outside the door, but it stopped abruptly, as if someone covered his mouth.

Jin An Emperor opened his mouth, took the corn cake into his mouth, chewed it a few times, and swallowed it.

"Not bad."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Yao Niang smiled even more happily, "After eating too many delicacies, it's good to eat this kind of folk food occasionally."

Jin An Emperor nodded and looked around: "But is it all ready?"

"It's almost ready, just waiting to be served."

"Then let the servants do it."

Yao Niang nodded and took off her apron. Jin An Emperor stood by and waited for her. After she washed her hands and tidied her clothes, he took her hand and left the small kitchen.

During dinner, Er Bao ate very deliciously, and even Jin An Emperor ate more than usual. As for Xiao Bao, he took the food made by his mother to the Qianqing Palace.

The Qianqing Palace had just finished eating, and the emperor was a little full and burped, but it turned into a light cough when he left.

"Yes, but it can't compare with the imperial chefs in the imperial kitchen."

"This is folk food. My mother said it's just for the sake of novelty."

The emperor probably felt a little shameless. He obviously ate a lot, but he gave people a good review. He coughed lightly and said seriously: "Folk food also has its merits. If your mother makes it in the future, you can bring it to me to taste."