Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 57, Section 56: A Reward for the Cook
After handing over all the matters to the Minister of Works, he could not remember much of the subsequent details of the Examination Order, so he had to hurriedly summon the scribe.

After all that commotion, it was already 11:00 AM when Qin Shi returned to Lan Chi Palace.

She didn't linger and went straight to the palace kitchen.

In a cool, breezy spot by the door, a damp cloth covered the beans, waiting for them to sprout.

Tai Guan Cheng Zhu Kui eagerly stepped forward. Before the nobleman arrived, he was already dazzled by the aroma of steaming buns wafting from the entire palace kitchen.

"Qin Jun!"

He greeted them loudly: "Is this the steamed bun that the esteemed gentleman spoke of, which can puff up with just a little wheat flour?"

Qin Shi looked at the plate of steamed buns in his hand, which already closely matched the semi-circular shape he had described.

The surface is smooth and supple, with only a few scattered impurities, which are wheat flour particles that are difficult to completely remove no matter how much you sift or grind.

When you gently squeeze it with your hands, it's steaming hot, soft, and fluffy.

Kaogongling looked at her expectantly, while she gently tore off a piece and chewed it slowly, feeling a sense of satisfaction and sweetness from the starch as she chewed.

So he nodded: "Okay."

He then handed the remaining steamed buns to the woman behind him, saying, "You should all try some too."

Take a couple more steps inside, and you'll see steam rising from numerous stoves and pots.

On the bamboo steamer above the stove, on a mat made of reed leaves and stalks, were already arranged steamed buns of various shapes. Some were round, some square, and some were even whole flatbreads.

The cook, Huo, stood awkwardly in the corner with his hands clasped together, until Qin Shi beckoned him over:
"Is the same method used for making a whole round pie?"

Huo lowered her head, her slightly dark yellow face filled with nervousness, but she still said in a low voice, "Your Excellency said that the koji of Polygonum hydropiper can not only be used to brew wine, but also kneaded with wheat flour to make steamed buns. So I tried kneading it with millet flour."

She twisted her large knuckles forcefully, speaking softly but acting very boldly: "I kneaded millet flour and glutinous rice flour, but neither turned out well."

"Then, I accidentally added too much water to the glutinous rice flour, which wasn't good, so I added a little wheat flour..."

She originally intended to make rice noodle soup, but unexpectedly, the paste made with Polygonum hydropiper fermented together actually took on a pretty good shape.

Having learned the art of making wheat flour since childhood, she boldly gave it a try and steamed a pot of wheat cakes similar to steamed sponge cakes. Although she hasn't tasted them yet, they are soft to the touch and smell sweeter than steamed buns, and they also use less wheat flour.

Therefore, he boldly offered it to the King of Qin.

Qin Shi nodded: "Cut a piece for me to try."

Huo immediately took out a knife.

A small piece was placed in her hand, and as she slowly chewed it, she discovered that although it wasn't as sweet as the steamed cakes sold in later generations, its texture was exceptionally soft and chewy.

"it is good!"

She praised him, saying, "You're very innovative."

Her brief description highlights exactly the kind of innovative talent she needs.

Then, looking at the other steamers, he asked again, "How can you make so many shapes?"

Two large blushes were particularly noticeable on her dark, sallow cheeks, and even her voice trembled slightly. She took a deep breath and then raised her voice a little higher:
"Your Excellency, the Imperial Kitchen Assistant once said that Your Excellency loves to eat brown sugar wheat cakes. I dare to suggest that the small, round ones contain brown sugar, while the slightly square ones contain salt and pepper."

very good!

Qin Shi clapped his hands in satisfaction: This person has clearly learned how to make steamed buns without any instruction.

She encouraged him, "Next time you can use an iron wok to stir-fry the vegetables and meat as filling."

Huo Dadan looked up at her, and after listening to what the nobleman said, he thought for a moment and immediately came up with more than a dozen combinations. As a result, his eyes became even brighter and more spirited.

Under the watchful eyes of the palace chefs, Qin Shi loudly uttered the word everyone had been waiting for: "Huo has made a contribution to innovation, he shall be rewarded."

"The good wheat flour recommended by Jiumai should also be rewarded."

The Imperial Kitchen Assistant was overjoyed!

Although he wasn't directly rewarded, he wouldn't be shortchanged by the tributes from his subordinates. On the contrary, his own men were receiving rewards one after another. Now, walking around the Orchid Pond, how could he not feel the wind beneath his feet!

The only pity is—

"Lord Qin, this tofu is probably not yet fully pressed."

Qin Shi was not surprised.

Nowadays, without hydraulic presses, tofu is pressed by placing a millstone and heavy wooden blocks on top and applying force evenly downwards.

The force is there, but not enough. Therefore, what could be done in one or two hours in the industrial age would probably take twice as long today.

If we were to differentiate between firm tofu and soft tofu as described in Qin Shi Huang's novels, the firmest tofu, which is the most difficult to cook, would probably take more than 5 hours to prepare.

She didn't mind, and simply said, "Come back to me after you've successfully suppressed it this afternoon."

She can then finalize the menu for the evening.

As for noon...

It was almost midnight, and she quickly ordered:
"Although the tofu is not yet ready, let's make two bowls of honey in the soy milk first."

"Make a bowl of honey-flavored tofu pudding, and another bowl of savory tofu pudding with meat sauce and garlic chives."

"Prepare all kinds of steamed buns, along with stir-fried tender lotus root, sunflower soup, and other dishes, and send them directly to Zhangtai Palace."

After saying this, he walked out, sniffing his sleeve as he did so.
Well, since the palace kitchen was spacious and there were no strong smells from stir-frying, the only scent on my clothes was a faint fragrance of mugwort and a slight bamboo scent from the book-making area, which was not impolite.

She adjusted the golden crown of the Winter Goddess on her head, then nimbly boarded the carriage: "Red Maiden, is my makeup applied smoothly?"

If she were obedient, she should present herself to the king with such a spirited appearance to express her gratitude.

The woman observed carefully, then said with slight surprise, "Qin Jun's makeup is perfect and delicate, without any damage."

Qin Shi was finally relieved.

After all, whether it's pressed powder or liquid foundation, the main features are long-lasting wear and moisturizing. With her delicate and radiant skin, a quick pat of the powder and foundation is all it takes for it to adhere perfectly.

Unlike today's makeup powder, which shows up as patchy textures after a little sweat or over time.

The carriage rumbled along, as someone needed to be sent to Zhangtai Palace to report first, and it would take a little time for the palace kitchen to prepare the meal and deliver it to Zhangtai Palace, so the journey was slow.

After finally arriving at the entrance of the side hall of Zhangtai Palace, they found another carriage parked not far away.

"Lord Qin, this is the carriage of the lady of the palace."

Qin Shi immediately perked up: "Is it Lady Chu?"

Could it be that the king knows she is coming to dine with him today and also to watch a dance together?
She opened the carriage window and saw a particularly magnificent carriage parked in front of her—the bridle was decorated with gold inlay and inlaid with silver and jade, dazzling and captivating in the sunlight.

The exterior of the carriage was painted with red cloud patterns, making it exceptionally vibrant.

The roof of the carriage was first covered with leather, and then covered with light blue silk cloth, with long jade tassels and copper bells hanging from the four corners.

As the carriage moves, the tassels and bells of the hairpins will surely make a particularly pleasant sound as they clink together.

Qin Shi subconsciously looked forward again at the roof of her carriage—wait, so her carriage also has tassels!
It was just a bit short and stubby, so I didn't notice it.

A strong wind started blowing in the middle of the night, and the house smelled of dust.