plumnovel Chapter 42 The Retired Emperor
Chapter 42 The Retired Emperor
Chapter 42 The Retired Emperor
Outside the courtyard wall, withered leaves swirled in the wind.
The Da'an Palace is not far from the Imperial Kitchen, separated by two partition walls.
This place is usually deserted; apart from garbage trucks, no one ventures into this secluded corner.
Li Yuan strolled around slowly with his hands behind his back.
His dragon-patterned robe was a bit old, the cuffs were worn and faded, and he wasn't wearing the tight gold and jade belt, but just a silk sash.
Since handing over that position, he has become the most idle person in the Tang Dynasty.
I'm so bored I'm practically bursting with boredom.
The dinner delivered by the Imperial Kitchen was another bowl of mutton soup so mushy it was practically mushy, because the Emperor Emeritus was old and had bad teeth, so he needed to eat something soft and mushy.
"Screw that rotten stuff."
Li Yuan kicked away a pebble at his feet, his face full of displeasure.
Although he lost two teeth, he wasn't so badly disabled that he could only drink porridge.
That's treating people like useless people.
Just as I was wondering whether I should go to the Imperial Garden to break off a couple of tree branches to vent my anger, a strange smell wafted over.
It's not the scent of cosmetics, nor is it that cloying, overpowering fragrance.
It's the rich flavor of grains after they've been roasted over a fire, mixed with the pungent smell of meat, and a little bit—spicy?
Li Yuan's two gray eyebrows twitched, and he sniffed hard twice.
This smells so enticing.
It was even more tempting than the large pieces of meat cooked in the army pot when we raised our army in Taiyuan.
As if possessed, Li Yuan followed the scent and turned into the alleyway he would never normally glance at. The further he went, the stronger the aroma of sesame paste became, almost filling his nostrils.
The dilapidated door in the backyard of the imperial kitchen was ajar.
Li Yuan pushed the door with considerable force, and with a loud "creak," the door slammed against the wall.
A lively meal was being enjoyed in the courtyard.
The copper pot was bubbling and steaming, and the charcoal fire was crackling and popping.
Li Lizhi had just picked up a piece of mutton when she heard a noise and turned around. Her chopsticks trembled, and the piece of meat fell to the table with a "thud".
Fang Qingjun was about to put the wide rice noodles into her mouth when the noodles were stuck there. She couldn't suck them in or spit them out, and she froze like a stone statue.
Emperor Emeritus!
Li Lizhi's face turned pale, and she was about to get up and perform a grand salute.
Li Yuan's cloudy yet sharp old eyes swept across the courtyard, spotting his two granddaughters and then the young man sitting in the main seat with his legs crossed.
This atmosphere is great.
There aren't so many rules, and there aren't so many rigid gestures like kowtowing and bowing.
Li Yuan smirked, raised a finger to his lips and made a shushing gesture towards Li Lizhi, who was about to call for help. He then waved his hand dismissively, signaling them to be quiet.
Li Lizhi swallowed the "Grandfather" that was on the tip of her tongue, her face turning red with embarrassment.
Hearing the noise, Su Mu didn't turn around; he was using a slotted spoon to skim the foam off the pot.
"Here to freeload again?"
Su Mu didn't even look up, assuming it was some old eunuch who had come by smelling the scent.
There are quite a few old foxes like this in the palace. They've spent their whole lives in the game, have no children, and just want a living.
"Who can argue with that?"
Li Yuan seized the opportunity, swaggering in with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept over the copper pot before finally settling on the earthenware jar containing sesame paste.
"This flavor... is interesting."
Su Mu then turned his head and looked the newcomer up and down.
He was in his sixties, slightly hunched, with gray hair and wrinkles on his face like old tree bark. The fabric of his clothes looked nice, but they were a bit old, and his boots were covered in mud.
He looked like an old steward who had worked in the palace for many years and was now retired.
"She also has a keen sense of smell."
Su Mu didn't get up; he simply hooked a small stool over with his foot and kicked it to the side of the table.
"Since you're here, let's get another pair of chopsticks. But let me make this clear beforehand, there's not much meat left. If you want some, cook it yourself. I'm not going to serve you."
Li Lizhi's heart was in her throat.
Making the retired emperor sit on a small stool? And even letting him cook his own meat?
If the Emperor finds out, Su Mu's head, even if it were made of iron, wouldn't be enough to chop it off!
But Li Yuan was amused.
He glanced at the tiny stool, no bigger than the palm of his hand, and without a second thought, lifted the hem of his robe and plopped down on it.
"That feels good."
Li Yuan breathed a long sigh of relief.
Although this small stool is short, you don't have to put on airs, and it's much more comfortable to sit on than that hard dragon throne.
"Girl, get me a set of bowls and chopsticks."
Li Yuan beckoned to Li Lizhi, his tone as natural as if he were instructing his own maid.
Li Lizhi quickly got up and hurriedly grabbed a clean set of bowls and chopsticks, her fingertips trembling as she handed them over.
"What are you trembling for? Are you afraid I'll eat you up?"
Li Yuan took the bowl and chopsticks, glanced at his granddaughter, and then looked with a smile at the little dumpling who was lying on the edge of the table with the end of a chopstick in her mouth.
"Grandpa!"
The young man didn't care about all that.
She just felt that the old man looked kind. Although his beard was a bit prickly, his eyes curved when he smiled, just like the way her father sometimes looked at her.
"Is Grandpa hungry too?"
Little Sizi pushed his bowl of sauce towards Li Yuan; it was filled with red and yellow sauce. "This mud is so good! Hurry up!"
"Mud?"
Li Yuan raised an eyebrow, dipped the tip of his chopsticks in the mixture, and tasted it.
concentrated.
Fragrant!
With one bite, the rich aroma of sesame and peanut oil seemed to drive away the chill of late autumn.
"nice one."
Li Yuan's eyes lit up. Without needing anyone to teach him, he scooped a large spoonful into a bowl and, imitating Fang Qingjun, drizzled some fermented bean curd sauce and chive blossoms on top.
Su Mu pushed the plate of mutton that was standing upright in front of the old man.
"Slice this meat thinly, don't overcook it. Cook it seven or eight times up and down, keep track of the number in your mind."
Li Yuan picked up a piece of meat.
The meat is cut so well; when you hold it up to the light, the red and white marbling is so clear it looks like a painting.
The sliced meat is added to the water.
The aroma of scallions and ginger wafts up from the boiling broth.
Li Yuan silently counted the number of chopsticks in his mind, his wrists steady. He had held the handle of a knife and the imperial seal in his life, but now, holding these chopsticks felt the most reassuring.
Once the meat changes color, take it out and roll it in the thick sesame sauce.
The slices of meat, coated in sauce, were still steaming hot.
Li Yuan opened his mouth wide and shoved it in.
Unlike other lambs, this meat is tender and melts in your mouth! The rich sesame sauce perfectly masks any gamey or muttony smell, leaving only a sweet and savory flavor that lingers on your tongue.
"Ugh————"
Li Yuan closed his eyes and let out a satisfied sigh.
This is the kind of food a human should eat!
What kind of crap did those old fogies at the Imperial Kitchen make? It was mushy mush for toothless old ladies!
"How are you, old man?"
Su Mu added a handful of glass noodles to the pot. "This cooking is better than what you get at your big stove, right?"
Li Yuan opened his eyes, chewing on the meat while nodding repeatedly.
"Amazing! So much more amazing!"
He picked up another piece with his chopsticks, this time without even blowing on it, even though it was so hot he kept inhaling but couldn't bear to spit it out.
"The cooks at my place—every single one of them should be dragged out and flogged! All they do all day is steam and boil, their mouths must be so bland."
Li Yuan complained, his hands still moving, "They say it's for health, for the sake of my body, but I think they just want to get rid of this old man as soon as possible!"
Li Lizhi and Fang Qingjun exchanged a glance and both shrank their feet under the table.
That's too harsh a statement to accept.
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