plumnovel Chapter 17: What is "Niangpi" to eat?
Chapter 17: What is "Niangpi" to eat?
The Ganlu Palace is now like a steamer.
Although four icebergs were placed at the corner of the palace, the cool air was swallowed up by the heat wave that surged in from outside before it could even reach the emperor's desk.
Li Shimin pushed the memorial aside and tugged at his collar.
Sweat trickled down my temples, sticky and irritating.
"Your Majesty, shall we serve the meal?" Wang Dequan asked cautiously, bowing and holding a whisk in his hands.
Li Shimin didn't say anything, he just waved his hand listlessly.
Soon, a line of eunuchs filed in carrying trays.
It's the same old thing.
The steamed mutton was so tender that it was covered with a thick layer of white fat, half of which had solidified, making it look unappetizing.
The half-charred venison, sprinkled with Sichuan peppercorn powder, had a pungent, spicy aroma that fermented in the heat, enough to make you feel hot and bothered just by smelling it.
There was also a bowl of sunflower soup with a greenish sheen, and a few slices of fatty pork floating in it.
"They've withdrawn."
Li Shimin only glanced at it before his stomach churned, and he almost vomited up the herbal tea he had just drunk.
"Your Majesty, you didn't eat much for breakfast..."
Wang Dequan advised with a pained expression.
"I ordered you to remove it!" Li Shimin slammed his hand on the table. "In this weather, are you trying to choke me to death with all this greasy stuff?"
The eunuchs were startled and hurriedly and scrambled to remove the plates.
The hall was in a mess, but the strong smell of mutton wouldn't dissipate, making the room feel even more suffocating.
Just then, a series of light footsteps came from outside the hall.
Before you even see them, you hear a string of silvery laughter, and the satisfied sigh that comes from someone who has eaten and drunk their fill.
"Burp~"
The little girl, with her hands behind her back, swaggered across the threshold with her pigeon-toed gait.
This girl is in excellent spirits today.
Her cheeks were rosy, and although there was sweat on her forehead, it wasn't the kind of sweat that comes from being sweaty; rather, it had a refreshing quality to it.
A little bit of red oil stain remained at the corner of his mouth, glistening in the sunlight.
Li Shimin's dark face instantly brightened.
"Oh, my Princess Jinyang has returned?"
He beckoned and called his youngest daughter over.
As he got closer, Li Shimin's nose twitched.
A very faint yet extremely strong sour and spicy flavor, mixed with the refreshing aroma of cucumber and an indescribable tarry scent, wafted from the little girl.
The aroma was like a hook, completely reviving the dormant cravings in Li Shimin's stomach.
Glug!
His Majesty the Emperor of Tang Dynasty's stomach let out a rather uncooperative growl.
The sound echoed in the quiet hall.
Wang Dequan lowered his head even further, pretending that he was deaf.
Li Shimin blushed and quickly coughed twice to cover his embarrassment, then reached out and pinched the little ox's round belly.
It's rock hard.
"have eaten?"
"Mmm!" Little Si nodded vigorously, her two little pigtails jiggling. "I'm so full! My tummy's about to burst!"
Li Shimin felt incredibly bitter.
While her own father is starving here, her little darling is out there eating all by herself until her belly is round.
"What delicious food did you eat?" Li Shimin asked sourly. "Was it made by that... handsome brother again?"
Little Sizi's eyes lit up, and he made a big circle in the air with both hands.
"It's all white!"
"It's so smooth!"
"So soft!"
As the little girl spoke, she slurped her saliva, seemingly still savoring the taste.
"And there's red liquid poured on it! It's so nice!"
Li Shimin frowned.
White, smooth, and soft?
Tofu?
Wait, where does the firmness of tofu come from?
"What is that?" Li Shimin pressed.
Little Sizi tilted his head and thought about the word Su Mu had said.
That word is a bit awkward to pronounce, and it even has an "er" suffix.
Never mind, the pronunciation is about the same anyway.
The little girl puffed out her chest and proudly announced loudly:
"You're such a sissy!"
The hall fell into a deathly silence.
The whisk in Wang Dequan's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".
The attendant beside him trembled, and the brush left a long ink mark on the rice paper.
Li Shimin's eyes widened, wondering if there was something wrong with his ears.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Niangpi!" Little Sizi blinked her big, innocent eyes. "The niangpi made by the potter is the best! It even needs a bath to be made!"
Li Shimin felt a buzzing in his head.
Niangpi?
Do I need to take a shower before I can do it?
What... what kind of outrageous language is this?!
Could that so-called master be a pervert?
wrong.
Li Shimin took a deep breath, trying to clear his mind of all the jumbled thoughts.
That expert can make bubble tea and soup dumplings; he's definitely not a despicable person.
This "Niangpi" must have some deeper meaning!
Or perhaps it's some extremely special ingredient, but the name... is truly astonishing.
"Go and summon Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui to me."
Li Shimin rubbed his temples, his expression grave.
We need to get some advice on this.
……
Fifteen minutes later.
Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui rushed to Ganlu Hall in a great hurry.
The two men were covered in sweat from running, their official robes clinging to their backs.
Why the urgent summons? Is it because of an emergency at the border? Or is there some unusual activity by the Turks?
Upon entering the hall, one could see His Majesty pacing back and forth in front of the map with his hands behind his back, his face somber. Beside him sat Princess Jinyang, still savoring the memory of her full stomach.
"Your Majesty, we, your humble servants, pay our respects."
No need for formalities.
Li Shimin turned around, not mentioning matters of state or military affairs, but instead asked abruptly:
"My two esteemed ministers are both learned and knowledgeable. Do you know that there is a food in this world called 'Niangpi'?"
Fang Xuanling had just gotten up when his knees buckled and he almost knelt back down.
Du Ruhui also looked stunned, his mouth agape for a long time.
Why has the style of this dialogue between the emperor and his ministers suddenly become so strange?
"Your Majesty...this..."
Fang Xuanling wiped the sweat from his forehead, carefully choosing his words, "Your Majesty, I am foolish, but the words 'Niangpi' sound rather... rather vulgar, not like a proper dish name."
"Alas, one should not make hasty judgments."
Li Shimin waved his hand, his face serious.
"This was made by that reclusive master of the imperial kitchen. According to Si Zi, this dish is as white as snow and as smooth as solidified fat. It needs to be served with chili oil, and the production process is extremely complicated. It requires a 'bath' to take shape."
Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui exchanged a glance.
A master?
Is that the master who made the divine fried rice and the water-spraying buns?
Then this matter is not simple.
A wise person's actions are often unexpected. This name may sound vulgar, but it might contain some profound truth.
Fang Xuanling stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and then his eyes suddenly lit up.
"Your Majesty, I've got it!"
"Oh? Xuanling, tell me quickly!"
"The Classic of Mountains and Seas says that there is a beast in the west whose skin is edible, does not rot in water, and is as tough as silk."
Fang Xuanling began to ramble on, "This 'niangpi,' could it be a mistake for 'liangpi'? Or perhaps it refers to some unique noodle-making technique from the Western Regions, implying 'brewing'?"
Du Ruhui followed the train of thought and nodded repeatedly.
"Prime Minister Fang's words make sense. I have heard that in the harsh and cold northwest, the people are skilled at making noodles. This 'bathing' analogy may refer to repeatedly washing the flour with water to extract its essence."
The more Du Ruhui analyzed it, the more reliable it seemed.
"Flour is the essence of the five grains, and water is the source of all things. Washing your face with water removes impurities and retains the essence—this is clearly a Taoist method of 'refining essence into qi'!"