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

Chapter 210 Children's words are innocent, but what is said without intention may be taken to heart by the listener!

Su Mu placed the bird's nest bowl into the steamer and glanced back at it.

Two girls stood on either side of the cutting board, one in a pale yellow shirt and the other in a lotus-root pink shirt.

The medicinal herbs and food ingredients were separated by a cutting board.

Little Sizi clung to the edge of the cutting board, her big eyes darting back and forth as she looked at her two older sisters.

"Brother, are they going to steal Egg Seven Duck again?"

Su Mu flicked her forehead.

Little Sizi ran away, covering his forehead.

Li Lizhi did not follow.

She stood in the kitchen, watching Fang Qingjun squat back down by the stone mortar and continue grinding the medicine. The pestle moved steadily and skillfully, her wrists moving with practiced ease, unlike a novice doing it for the first time.

On the stove were a blue and white porcelain jar, a gauze bag, and a bowl of soaked bird's nest, all brought by Fang Qingjun.

In the corner were the shepherd's purse roots and bamboo shoot tips she had sent before, washed clean and arranged in a bamboo tray to drain.

Li Lizhi suddenly felt that Fang Qingjun's traces were everywhere in the kitchen.

The medicinal herbs she brought, the powder she ground, the medical books she read, the powder on her arms when she rolled up her sleeves to work—and what about herself?

A plate of candied fruit was served.

The food boxes were freshly packed from the small kitchen in Chang Le Palace.

Li Lizhi turned around and walked into the courtyard.

She stood by the well platform, her hand gripping the wooden handle of the well pulley.

Her fingernails dug into her palms with great force, but her face remained expressionless.

The sound of a stone pestle pounding medicine came from behind me.

Each beat was deep and powerful.

Mixed in with the conversation were fragmented snippets between Su Mu and Fang Qingjun.

"Grind this batch of angelica root until it can pass through gauze, don't grind it too finely."

"Okay, I'll sift it again."

Two words, three words, a sentence... none of them are long.

But the response was smooth and natural.

Click!

Li Lizhi's fingernail left a white mark on the wheel handle.

She turned and walked back to the kitchen doorway.

"Su Mu, I'll come help tomorrow too."

Su Mu added water to the steamer without even looking up.

"Okay, just don't sit idle now that you're here."

Li Lizhi bit her lip.

"I can learn to grind medicine too, you teach me."

Fang Qingjun paused for a moment while pounding the medicine.

She didn't look up and continued grinding.

But the force with which the pestle fell was greater than before.

Little Sizi ran in from outside, holding a cheese stick in each hand.

"Brother! You're tough! You're tough! You can mess with me!"

When the cheese sticks were pulled out of the well water, a thin layer of frost had formed on their surface.

Su Mu took it and squeezed it.

It was frozen solid, and the bamboo skewer stuck in the middle didn't budge.

He peeled off the bamboo mold, and the plump white cheese stick came out, its surface smooth and its aroma of milk irresistible!

The little ox's eyes stopped moving.

Su Mu took off twelve hairpins in one go, arranged them on a plate, and took them to the stone table in the courtyard.

"Two per person, no more."

Little Sizi grabbed one first and took a bite.

Your teeth sink into the cheese, and the rich, creamy flavor explodes in your mouth. It's not just sweet; it has the full-bodied richness of milk itself, with a hint of saltiness at the end.

The little girl puffed out her cheeks, chewed twice, and then froze.

Then she started to sway.

Head swaying, shoulders swaying, bottom twisting left and right on the stone bench.

"Great buddy, great buddy, great buddy!"

She finished one in three bites and grabbed the second one.

I was eating it halfway through when I suddenly stopped.

She held up the cheese stick and turned to look at Fang Qingjun.

Fang Qingjun was washing her hands by the well, her arms still bearing brown marks from angelica powder.

Xiao Sizi turned to look at Li Lizhi again.

Li Lizhi leaned against the kitchen door frame, her fingers unconsciously twisting the jade pendant at her waist.

Little Sizi's head tilted to the side.

"Sister Fang."

Fang Qingjun wiped her hands and walked over.

"Um?

""

"You come to bring things to Guoguo every day, don't you?"

Fang Qingjun paused for a moment.

"Yes, we're sending some food and medicine to Mr. Su."

Little Sizi turned its head again.

"My eldest sister is one too."

Li Lizhi's fingers slid down the jade steps.

"I am here on behalf of my father to check on the progress of the medicinal diet."

Little Sizi took a bite of the cheese stick, chewed it, and his mouth was full of white residue.

She tilted her head and thought for a long time.

Su Mu came out of the kitchen with a teacup in his hand and took a big gulp.

"Pot, pot."

"Um."

"Xizi has a question for you."

"ask."

Little Sizi held the half-eaten cheese stick to her chest and looked at Su Mu with a serious expression.

"When you grow up, will you have to give your husband gifts every day to become his wife?"

"puff!!!"

Su Mu spat out the mouthful of tea he was drinking.

The tea splashed and sizzled on the stone table.

The air in the courtyard froze instantly!

Fang Qingjun's hand was still hanging in mid-air. Her whole body was red from her neck to her ears, and the blush spread all the way up, even her hairline was not spared!

She opened her mouth, but no word came out. Her hands didn't know where to go, so she finally gripped the handkerchief inside her sleeve tightly.

Li Lizhi's reaction was even more exaggerated.

She suddenly sat up straight, her head hitting the door frame with a dull thud!

Ignoring the pain, she covered her face with both hands, large patches of crimson showing through her fingers.

The jade pendant jingled loudly, and she shrank back half a step behind the door frame.

Su Mu coughed so hard he was doubled over, and the tea went into his trachea.

He patted his chest several times to calm himself down, tears welling up in his eyes from coughing.

Little Sizi sat on the stone bench, holding a cheese stick to his mouth, blinking his big eyes.

She had absolutely no idea what serious things she had said.

"What happened, bro? Did you get choked by Cha Cha?"

Su Mu finally caught his breath.

He put down his teacup, braced his hands on the stone table, and looked down at Xiao Sizi.

"Who taught you to say that?"

Xiao Sizi spoke with righteous indignation.

"Nobody's teaching me how to duck!"

She counted on her fingers.

"It's my own idea! My sister Fang brings me nice things every day, and my eldest sister comes every day too. My mother says that if a girl brings gifts to a man every day, it means she wants to be that man's wife!"

Su Mu's forehead twitched twice.

Your Majesty, you should be more mindful of the occasion when you teach your daughter!

Fang Qingjun's face was a mess.

She turned her back, pressing her hands tightly against her cheeks, her fingertips burning hot.

Her mind was buzzing.

Finished!

All of this was pointed out by a five-year-old girl.

Li Lizhi peeked half her face out from behind the door frame.

Her earlobes were so red they looked like they were about to bleed, her lips were tightly pressed together, and her chin was stiff.

"You brat! What nonsense are you spouting!"

Her voice was a notch higher than usual.

"I'm here to check on the medicinal diet for my father! What does this have to do with giving gifts!"

Little Sizi blinked.

"But my eldest sister also sent a plate of candied duck yesterday."

Li Lizhi choked.

Xiao Sizi turned to look at Fang Qingjun's back again.

"Sister Fang also gave me pearl powder and bird's nest duck."

She put down the cheese stick, placed her two chubby little hands on her knees, and struck a pose like a little adult.

"So, what I want to know is, is it true that the more gifts you give, the better, so you can become your husband's wife?"

She paused, then added.

"I've collected a lot of eggs and three pine cones, is that enough?"

Su Mu held his forehead.

Fang Qingjun's shoulders were shaking.

I don't know if it was from anger or embarrassment.

Li Lizhi emerged completely from behind the door frame. Her face was unevenly flushed, with the redness most pronounced on her cheeks, followed by the tip of her nose, and the lightest on her forehead.

She forced herself to maintain a composed demeanor.

"Su Mu, aren't you going to do anything about it?"