tallest building

Chapter 330 Old acquaintance

Ying Shan's left little finger was caught in the puppet's rope, and it took a lot of effort to free it.

Consort Hui had someone rub the affected area with medicinal wine, and only felt relieved after seeing that there was nothing seriously wrong.

Someone came from the Empress's palace and told the two children to go back.

Consort Hui smiled and said, "You two can take the bamboo sedan chairs. One chair is enough for two people."

This bamboo sedan chair is only used in the summer, for its lightness and coolness.

The Emperor was already in the Empress's palace, and Gong Chang'an and Ying Shan hurriedly stepped forward to pay their respects.

"Shan'er has grown quite a bit taller these days. Have you written to your parents and brothers yet?" the Emperor asked Ying Shan with a smile.

“I wrote it, but there were some characters I didn’t know how to write, so I left them blank for Chang’an to fill in,” Ying Shan said. “My brother asked me if the pomegranate flowers in the capital had finished blooming yet? The pomegranate flowers in their area have just started blooming.”

"Bai'er loves pomegranate flowers, and he paints several of them around the Dragon Boat Festival every year." The Emperor sighed as he mentioned Ying Bai.

It's such a pity that a teenager has lost sight in one eye at such a young age.

The Empress quickly said from the side, "A few days ago I ordered them to find a lot of calligraphy and paintings and send them all to Bai'er. That child likes to write and draw, and it would be a waste to leave these in the palace unused."

"Yes, it's good to give it to him," the Emperor said. "People always need something to rely on to avoid loneliness."

"Chang'an, you spend every day with Shan'er, playing Cuju with him morning and evening. This sport can temper one's character and strengthen one's physique, it's the best thing ever." The Emperor said to Gong Chang'an, "I see that you never get sick throughout the year, it's because you don't forget to strengthen your body while studying."

The Emperor was very fond of Gong Chang'an, not only because he was a child prodigy, but also because he had inexhaustible energy like a wild horse.

Such a person is destined for great things. The emperor often felt that he was not up to the task and lacked energy, which was not a sign that this would last.

"I have kept His Majesty's instructions in mind. The Second Young Master is now playing exceptionally well." Gong Chang'an's eyes shone like stars, and his body was as strong as a little tiger.

How could anyone not like a child like that?
"Ying'er, help Shan'er and the other two wash their hands. It's time for lunch."

One of the dishes served at lunch was white duck with asparagus. The Empress did not eat asparagus, so this dish was made especially for the Emperor.

The emperor took a sip of the soup and paused. The taste of the soup was so familiar, it seemed to instantly transport him back to more than a decade ago.

"Your Majesty, what do you think of the soup?" the Empress asked with a smile, unaware of the situation.

"Who made this soup?" the Emperor asked.

"As expected, His Majesty could not be fooled," the Empress smiled. "A new imperial chef has arrived in the palace, and she made all of these dishes."

"The soup is indeed good, but I feel it's different from usual," the Emperor said calmly.

"Then why don't you try some of the other dishes?" the Queen said. "See if they suit your taste?"

The Emperor looked at the dishes on the table, including a dish of braised ginger sprouts, which was never served in the Empress's palace because the Empress did not like ginger.

However, since Zhang Ma was a newcomer to the palace, the Empress allowed him to decide what to cook for each meal. Moreover, the Emperor had been specially invited today, and the Empress had told him about the Emperor's dietary restrictions and preferences.

This dish of braised ginger shoots further convinced the Emperor that the chef was no ordinary person.

"Where did the Empress find this chef? The dishes are quite special," the Emperor asked the Empress. "Does Your Majesty remember the pastries the Princess sent for your birthday celebration?" the Empress asked with a smile. "I borrowed this person from the Princess; he's an old acquaintance from Chang'an!"

"Oh, Chang'an, you recognize this person?" The Emperor turned his gaze to Gong Chang'an.

"Your Majesty, the person who cooked this dish is my wet nurse, Zhang Ma," Gong Chang'an replied, putting down his chopsticks. "She raised me and I grew up eating her food."

"No wonder she's in such good health. Zhang Ma's medicinal cuisine is superb. Your Majesty, you've eaten Mingqian's before, and you learned it from her." The Empress said, "I've noticed that the eldest princess has been having no appetite these days. I thought that in this hot and humid weather, if she doesn't eat, something bad will happen."

The palace chefs had exhausted all their methods, but nothing could improve her appetite. So they inquired about good cooks and finally found Zhang Ma, who worked wonders…”

The Empress continued her rambling, completely unaware that the Emperor's gaze towards Gong Chang'an had changed.

These two dishes are exactly the same as those made by Wei Fu, the chief eunuch in Consort Shen's palace back then. If one dish is a coincidence, it is impossible for both dishes to be the same.

There were other dishes on the table, some of which the emperor had eaten, and some he had not.

Everyone who has eaten it is extremely familiar with it.

Considering the pastries that the eldest princess had sent before, which also tasted the same, the emperor couldn't help but suspect something was amiss.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty," the Empress called out twice when she saw the Emperor lost in thought, "What's wrong? Is the food not to your liking?"

"No, this dish is very well made, I like it very much. It's rare to have such culinary skills, I'm sure it will also suit the Empress's taste, right?" The Emperor suppressed all his emotions and remained calm.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I always suffer from summer heat. Every summer, my biggest worry is finding three meals a day." The Empress did not dare to mention that she had no appetite because of the troubles of her family, but only attributed it to her suffering from summer heat.

"In that case, he is indeed a meritorious person. What should I reward him with?" the Emperor said.

"It's rare for His Majesty to bestow such a favor," the Empress said, pleased to hear that she was also credited with the Emperor's taste and the food prepared by Zhang Ma. "Let her come in to express her gratitude later!"

"Your Majesty, please try this perch." Gong Chang'an used a pair of clean chopsticks to pick up two pieces of meat from under the perch's gills and put them into the Emperor's bowl.

Looking at the two pieces of white fish meat, each the size of a garlic clove, in the bowl, the Emperor recalled how Shen Fu would always pick out these two pieces of meat for him whenever they ate sea bass together, saying that they were the most delicious parts of the sea bass and that nothing else could compare.

"The perch has four gills, why did you only give me these two pieces?" Those around thought the emperor was teasing Gong Chang'an.

Although this sea bass has four gills, the upper and lower gills are tightly connected, and only the lower gill has this garlic-clove-like meat.

Gong Chang'an replied with a smile, "The moon shines brightly in one heart, yet thoughts arise in two places; thus, one can give rise to two, and two can unite into one."

This exchange was exactly the same as the one the Emperor and Shen Fu had exchanged in private years ago.

Gong Chang'an was just a child, how could he know?

The answer was already obvious to the emperor. His hand holding the chopsticks trembled slightly, and his eyes welled up with tears.

"The fish has gone cold and hard, Your Majesty, please have a taste," Gong Chang'an reminded him with a smile.

He already knew his own identity, but the Emperor did not. But now was not the time to acknowledge each other, because there were still many paths to be paved.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this perch is very delicious, but it's a bit small," the Empress said. "That's how Songjiang perch is; the taste is exceptionally delicious, and the smaller the size, the better."