Tang Dynasty: Slacking off in the Imperial Kitchen, exposed by Si Zi

Chapter 141 The Fragrant Dragon Emerges from the Altar!

In the large iron pot next to it, two old hens, a Muscovy duck, and two pork bones had been simmering for a day and a night.

The soup was golden and thick, with not a single drop of oil on the surface, all skimmed clean by Su Mu.

Su Mu scooped up a spoonful of golden soup, the broth clinging to the side of the spoon, thick and sticky like melted beeswax.

Whoosh!

The broth was poured into the earthenware pot, just enough to cover the ingredients.

Finally, pour in half a jar of twenty-year-old Shaoxing wine.

The aroma of wine wafted out instantly, but Su Mu quickly covered it with a huge lotus leaf.

A plate was placed on top of the lotus leaf, and the plate was then sealed tightly with yellow mud, leaving only a tiny air hole.

"That's it?"

Li Yuan looked at the large jar that was covered in paste, making it look like a beggar's chicken.

"It's still early."

Su Mu moved a small stool to sit in front of the stove, holding a palm-leaf fan in his hand. "Simmer it over a low flame, not even an hour less. For these three days, the fire must not go out, and no one can leave."

On the first day, nothing happened.

The earthenware pot sat quietly on the charcoal fire, like an old monk in deep meditation.

The next day, things got interesting.

White steam began to hiss from the cracks in the mud seal. The smell was not overpowering, but faint, carrying a hint of lotus leaf fragrance and the aroma of wine, swirling around the courtyard.

On the morning of the third day.

As dawn broke, the fog over Chang'an City had not yet lifted.

Liu Fengyu of the Imperial Food Bureau got up very early.

Today is the actual day of the Emperor Emeritus's birthday. Although the Emperor Emeritus has gone out, the banquet still needs to be prepared, in case His Majesty wants to host a banquet for his ministers there.

Liu Fengyu tied on his apron and was about to chop up a chicken.

Suddenly, his nose twitched twice.

"What does it taste like?"

The young apprentice beside him sniffed: "Master, it smells like... meat?"

"Nonsense! The Imperial Kitchen smells of meat every day!" Liu Fengyu cursed, raising his knife.

But the knife just wouldn't come down.

The taste has changed.

At first, there was only a faint, almost imperceptible aroma of meat, like someone stewing meat in the distance. But in the blink of an eye, the smell became domineering, rich, and all-pervasive!

It doesn't just have a chicken or duck flavor.

It's as rich and full-bodied as a thick quilt, instantly enveloping you. It's the ultimate sweetness of seafood brought out by the oil, mixed with the crispness of aged wine and the exotic aroma of mushrooms.

Clang!

The kitchen knife in Liu Fengyu's hand fell onto the cutting board.

He looked at the pot of carefully simmered chicken soup in front of him and suddenly found it tasteless.

"Where is this smell coming from?!" Liu Fengyu rushed out of the Imperial Kitchen gate and stood in the courtyard, looking around.

It wasn't just him.

All the imperial chefs from the Imperial Kitchen came out.

The fragrance ignored the palace walls and drifted northward on the wind.

It sneaked into the concubines' palace, making the stomachs of those nobles who ate nothing but cat food growl; it drifted over the imperial garden, even the birds in the trees became restless.

On the Taiji Hall.

The morning court session has not yet ended.

The Vice Minister of Rites was holding a tablet and reciting a birthday greeting to the Emperor Emeritus with great enthusiasm, his words so ornate that they made everyone drowsy.

Li Shimin sat on the dragon throne, forcing his eyelids open.

He hasn't slept well these past two days, worried that if the old man really throws a tantrum and doesn't show up, where will the royal family's face be?

"May the Emperor Emeritus enjoy boundless happiness, longevity, and eternal youth."

The Vice Minister of Rites was reading with great enthusiasm when he suddenly noticed that the atmosphere in the main hall was strange.

The ministers who had been dozing with their heads down all raised their heads, their nostrils flaring wildly.

Even Fang Xuanling, who was most particular about his demeanor, couldn't help but crane his neck to look outside the hall.

Cheng Yaojin was even more direct, shouting loudly from behind: "Which bastard is sneaking food outside the palace? It smells so good!"

Is this stewed dog meat?

Li Shimin frowned, about to reprimand him.

But as soon as he opened his mouth, the wind rushed in.

hiss!

Li Shimin's Adam's apple bobbed up and down suddenly.

This taste—

Having eaten in the palace for so many years, what delicacies hasn't he seen?

But this flavor is so unique. It has a magical power that can steal your soul, drilling straight into your stomach and making your cravings churn inside.

The Vice Minister of Rites also stopped reading. He had smelled it too, swallowed hard, and swallowed the rest of the birthday wishes back down.

"His Majesty----"

Wang Dequan whispered a reminder from the side, but his own stomach betrayed him and growled.

Li Shimin took a deep breath; the aroma was wafting from the imperial kitchen.

No need to ask, it must be that kid Su Mu!

No one but him could have made this commotion!

Li Shimin glanced at the memorial he hadn't finished reviewing, then at the distracted ministers below, their eyes gleaming with greed.

This dynasty is utterly worthless!

"cough."

Li Shimin cleared his throat, stood up, and said, "Since all my beloved ministers are so eager to celebrate the Emperor Emeritus's birthday, let's adjourn the court session today. I—I'm going to see the Emperor Emeritus."

After saying that, he disregarded all imperial dignity and strode towards the back hall, his steps so fast they seemed to carry the wind.

The ministers looked at each other.

"Where is Your Majesty going?"

The wooden door in the backyard of the imperial kitchen, which was not very sturdy to begin with, was almost crushed by the crowd.

Li Shimin ran so fast that a few specks of mud clung to the hem of his dragon robe, and his forehead was covered in sweat.

He was followed by Fang Xuanling, Wei Zheng, and a vice minister of the Ministry of Rites who had lost a shoe.

Before even entering the house, the aroma, so strong it seemed to lift one's skull, was already overwhelming.

"All of you, stop right there!"

Li Shimin, panting heavily, reached out to stop the group of ministers behind him whose eyes were gleaming with greed.

He was the emperor, and even if he starved to death, he would still have to respect the order of arrival, not to mention there was an emperor emeritus among them.

Inside the house, the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed) was burning brightly.

Li Yuan sat cross-legged in the middle, holding a pair of chopsticks in his hand, his eyes fixed on the large earthenware pot that had just been brought up to the table.

The yellow clay on the outside of the earthenware pot had been burned dry and hardened, with several fine cracks, and that captivating aroma was emanating from these cracks.

Little Sizi lay on the edge of the table, her two little hands protecting the earthenware pot, watching the large group of people at the door warily.

"Don't grab it! This is for Grandpa's birthday!"

The little girl's drool was almost dripping onto the table, and she was speaking with a lisp. She looked both possessive of her food and pitiful.

Su Mu held a small iron hammer in his hand, ignoring the commotion at the door, and simply raised his chin at Li Yuan.

"Your Majesty, the auspicious time has arrived. Shall we begin the ceremony?"

Li Yuan's Adam's apple bobbed, and he nodded heavily: "Open!"

Su Mu flicked his wrist.

Ding!

The small hammer struck the hardened yellow mud seal.

The clay shell shattered and peeled off, revealing the lotus leaves inside. The lotus leaves had been scorched a dark brown by the heat and lay limply against the mouth of the jar.

Su Mu reached out, pinched the edge of the lotus leaf, and suddenly peeled it off.

boom!

In that instant, everyone inside and outside the house seemed to have a strange illusion. The earthenware pot didn't contain vegetables, but a fragrant dragon that had been trapped for three thousand years!

White steam rose up, not dissipating, but gathering into a pillar that shot straight up to the roof beam!

Immediately afterwards, the rich aroma of meat, which had been building up for three days and three nights, exploded out completely.

The freshness of abalone, the richness of sea cucumber, the mellowness of ham, and the intensity of Shaoxing wine—the essence of eighteen top-quality ingredients is released without reservation at this moment!