PDLP Chapter 70 Green Ants in Newly Brewed Wine, Red Clay Stove
Chapter 70 Green Ants in Newly Brewed Wine, Red Clay Stove
"Master, wake up. It's snowing outside. You've been looking forward to this for so long."
When Dexi pulled Yinzhuo out of his specially made reclining chair, he was still a little dazed, but he still heard what Dexi said.
"Then what are you waiting for? Go and get my cloak. Let's go outside and see if the snow is heavy enough. Set up the tent that I had the Imperial Household Department make earlier, and go get a small stove. I want to experience the pleasure of freshly brewed wine and a small red clay stove."
Although Dexi really couldn't understand what fun it was to be outside in the dead of winter, it didn't stop him from carrying out Yinzuo's orders without any hesitation. Although the snow had only just started falling, the thin layer of white on the ground indicated that it had snowed quite heavily. Dexi instructed people to clear the snow off the ground, bring out the tent, and set it up. To keep Yinzuo warm inside, he laid two layers of waterproof tarpaulin on the ground, and then covered the tarpaulin with a thick carpet before placing the table, reclining chair, and small stove that Yinzuo had requested inside. After lighting the fire and waiting for the tent to warm up a bit, he went inside to invite Yinzuo out.
"That's good, Dexi is very thoughtful. Laying a carpet on the floor not only makes it look clean, but it also effectively blocks the cold air from the floor. It's really a win-win situation. We just need to be careful about the stove..."
Yinzhu spent almost the entire day huddled in the tent, watching the swirling snowflakes outside without moving an inch. Dexi, worried that the wind blowing in from outside would chill Yinzhu, tried to lower the curtain, but Yinzhu wouldn't allow it. So, Dexi had no choice but to have two stoves added to the tent, prepare ginger slices, and bring over brown sugar. Using the small stove in front of Yinzhu, they brewed ginger soup and fed it to him cup after cup.
“I’m telling you, Dexi, let’s stop here. If I’m not mistaken, this is the third cup of ginger tea you’ve given me. I came here to experience the pleasure of warming wine, not to drink ginger tea.”
Although Yinzhuo couldn't completely resist the taste of ginger, he didn't particularly like it either. At this moment, he frowned as he was forced to drink Dexi's strong ginger soup. When Dexi handed him another cup of ginger tea, he finally couldn't hold back anymore!
“My lord, if you insist on sitting here, then I will have to give you this ginger tea. Although it is said that the cold is not as cold as the melting snow, you have been sitting here for so long. If you catch a cold, you will be the one who suffers. Please listen to my advice and let's go inside and sit by the window. That way, you won't have to drink this ginger tea.”
Seeing that Dexi was completely unmoved, Yinzhuo's last-ditch effort finally gave in to the unpalatable ginger tea. Fortunately, he had been in the tent for so long and had experienced something new, so he wasn't too unwilling when Dexi dragged him back.
"Dexi, in a little while, have someone run to the Imperial Kitchen and have them cut up a few more portions of mutton for hot pot and send them over. Also, prepare some common seasonal vegetables and fruits, and two jugs of wine. When Fourth Brother and the others return from the yamen, go next door and invite Fourth Brother and Yinzhen over. Hot pot is more lively with more people."
Dexi was always reliable in his work, and soon he handed over the instructions given by Yinzhuo. He also sent someone to deliver the message to the neighboring house early in the evening. As Yinzhen and his entourage arrived one after another, Yinzhuo's courtyard gradually became lively.
"Sixth Brother, your pot looks quite novel and has some clever design. By dividing it in the middle, you can put two different broths in one pot, which saves a lot of trouble."
"Right? Fifth Brother has such keen eyes that he immediately noticed the unique feature of this pot. It's called a 'Yuan Yang Pot,' which means it can hold two different soup bases at the same time, so everyone can choose according to their own taste."
Seeing that Yinqi seemed very interested in the pot, Yinzuo immediately got excited. After all, he had specially ordered this pot to be made according to the current style of the double-compartment pot. Wasn't it the same as praising him for the pot's ingenuity? It has to be said that Yinzuo's shamelessness was indeed unmatched by ordinary people.
As the brothers were talking, the food from the imperial kitchen arrived. In addition to the mutton, seasonal vegetables, fruits, and wine that Yinzhuo had requested, they also brought a tomato hot pot base made according to the recipe provided by Yinzhuo. It was the first time that everyone had seen such a soup base, and they couldn't help but be curious.
"Sixth Brother, is this the hot pot broth you mentioned before, made with wolf peaches? It smells good, but I wonder how it tastes?"
Seeing that everyone seemed quite interested in the tomato soup base, Yinzhuo quickly invited everyone to sit down at the table and then had someone pour the soup base into the pot.
"You'll only know how it tastes after you've tried it yourself. There are no outsiders here today, just the brothers and me. So don't be shy, grab your chopsticks. Once the pot boils, everyone can cook whatever they like. If you don't like the tomato broth, there's a bone broth pot right next to it. Come on, let's eat!"
Just as Yinzhuo said, there were no outsiders here today, and since they all knew each other so well, there was no need to be reserved. As soon as the pot was lit, everyone started to pick up their favorite dishes and put them into the pot.
"This wolf peach soup base tastes good, it's a bit sour. Eating too much mutton can feel greasy, but this soup base can help cut through the greasiness of the mutton."
Everyone seemed to enjoy the tomato broth quite a bit, especially Yinzhen and Yintang. With snowflakes falling outside and hot pot simmering inside, there was probably no more pleasant time in the world. Everyone ate and drank to their hearts' content. Seeing that it was still early, Yinzhuo had someone come in to clear away the leftovers from the table, served tea to everyone, and brought out some snacks that the thirteenth and fourteenth brothers liked to chew on. The brothers chatted until late at night before parting ways.
The commotion lasted until so late yesterday, and unsurprisingly, Yinzhu slept until late the next day. Looking out the window at the snowflakes still falling, Yinzhu couldn't help but thank his past self for daring to challenge Kangxi. Otherwise, he wouldn't be living such a comfortable life now, and he would probably have to get up before dawn to go to the Qianqing Palace to wait for court, just like his fourth, fifth, and seventh brothers.
"As expected, I was right. Snowy days are definitely best for sleeping. Anyway, I don't have anything to do after getting up, and I'm not hungry, so I might as well take another nap. This is such a blissful life."
When Dexi heard that Yinzhuo had woken up inside, she thought he would call her in to help him wash up. But to her surprise, he had no intention of getting up now and went back to bed for a nap.
“That’s true. Nowadays, none of the masters in the palace live as comfortably as you. Even the Emperor has to get up before dawn to attend court.”