Chapter 13: Eating Venison (1)

Chu Lian picked one up with her fair fingers and tasted it. There was a refreshingly light taste in the midst of the sweetness, just enough to avoid being cloyingly sweet. When she bit into it, the chewy texture was accompanied by the taste of honey. And when she swallowed, her mouth was filled with the fragrance of kumquats. It was Xiyan’s first time making these, so she had put a little too much rock sugar during the cooking process and caused the taste to be a little too heavy. Other than that, she had done well.

Xiyan watched Chu Lian’s expression anxiously, waiting for her evaluation.

Chu Lian finished eating one piece and nodded while smiling gently, “Everyone, take a piece to try!”

The other three maidservants had already been watching with their eyes wide. Upon hearing Chu Lian’s words, they were unable to hold back and they each picked up a piece to eat. They had already been attracted to these candied kumquats the second Xiyan had carried the plate in.

Kumquats were tart when eaten directly, and might even be a little sour depending on the fruit. However, after preparing them in this manner, their tartness and sourness were completely erased. Instead, the special, delicate fragrance and sweetness of the kumquats shone through.

The maidservants carefully took a bite, and their eyes immediately lit up.

Mingyan nodded bashfully. It was at this moment that Chu Lian realised that she got shy easily.

As expected, without something to compare the pumpkin pastries to, all the maidservants would have said that those were the best. However, after eating the sweets made from following Chu Lian’s ‘secret recipe’, the maidservants finally realised why Third Young Madam had said that those pastries weren’t all that tasty.

“How is it?” Chu Lian asked as she smiled.

The maidservants nodded fervently, like chickens pecking at grains.

When Chu Lian saw that they didn’t seem content with what they just had, she turned to look at the large clay plate of kumquats on the other side of the room and gave a few instructions to Xiyan. “Xiyan, go and turn all these into candied kumquats. This time, put less rock sugar and put aside two small bowls of it. I’ll send them over to Grandmother and Mother myself. All of you can share the rest.”

Candied kumquats could be eaten for dessert, or they could even be brewed in a fruity tea. It could regulate qi flow within the body and dissolve phlegm. Combined with red dates, they served as a good supplement for older women.

Xiyan had just learned how to make this recipe, so of course she wanted to make it a few more times to practice it. Third Young Madam could also use these candied kumquats to show off her skills to the He Family, and as a result, she might be able to stand a little more firmly in the household.

It seemed like Matriarch He had a lot to say to He Changdi. It was almost 11am before he came back.

Although Chu Lian didn’t really want to bother with him, since they were now a married couple, she had to go through the motions out of courtesy.

The two of them were to eat their midday meals together in their own courtyard.

After sending a little maid over to the kitchen to pass the message, after 20 minutes, the kitchen would send maidservants over with the food.

Mingyan laid out the dishes together with two other maidservants before escorting Chu Lian out of her room for the meal. He Changdi had gone to his study after returning from the matriarch’s place, so Senior Servant Gui went over to inform him.

Chu Lian hadn’t eaten much in the morning and the pastries that Xiyan had specially brought back from the kitchen weren’t to her liking. Although she had eaten two candied kumquats, those sweets couldn’t fill her stomach. She had finally managed to make it to the midday meal, and she was hungry!

Mingyan escorted her to the parlour. Chu Lian’s expectant gaze was already fixed on the table from a distance away.

However, upon seeing the four or five dishes arranged there, her shining gaze dulled with disappointment, like a little girl whose lollipop had been taken away.

What... what was this!?

The people of the Great Wu Dynasty were clearly well-dressed. Things here looked about the same as in the Tang Dynasty. However, why was it that their meals were this poor!

Look, look! Look at what’s on the table!

There was a pancake 1 as big as her palm, made out of some ingredients she couldn’t identify. There were also some white chunks of meat, cooked vegetables, and a fish in some soup that looked completely unappetising...

Out of the few dishes on the table, the ones that looked the most attractive were the two bowls of rice. The rice grains looked white enough, at the very least.

Chu Lian finally realised why those average pastries could make the House of Count Jing’an so famous. With these unappetising dishes as the base of the country’s cuisine, even the Tianjin crepes 2 commonly sold as street snacks would be famed all over the capital!

Mingyan saw that the corners of her mistress’ lips were twitching, and her expression didn’t look quite right. She thought that there was something that Third Young Madam couldn’t eat amongst the dishes, so she anxiously asked, “Third Young Madam, could it be that these dishes aren’t to your liking?”

Chu Lian resisted the urge to spit up blood. She held on to the dredges of her conscience and shook her head, somehow managing a fake smile. “Not at all.”

At the same time that Mingyan relaxed, she whispered into Chu Lian’s ear, “Third Young Madam, look, there’s roasted venison! We wouldn’t have even gotten the chance to eat that six months ago in the House of Duke Ying!”

Chu Lian didn’t know how to react. Were the people around her all hidden foodies?

Right at that moment, He Changdi came into the room and cast a sideways glance at Chu Lian before sitting down at the head of the table. He looked completely reluctant to bother with his newlywed bride.

Chu Lian bobbed in greeting towards He Changdi before sitting on the stool next to him.

Fuyan and Jingyan, who were serving them from the side, passed chopsticks to both of them.

Chu Lian was too busy frowning down at the dishes on the table to notice He Changdi, who was currently observing her in secret out of the corner of his eyes.

Upon discovering the expression on her face, he laughed mockingly in his heart. Oh? This village bumpkin from the House of Duke Ying must have been scared silly by a normal meal from their House of Count Jing’an! Heh! She couldn’t even decide which dish to start with, how shameful!

Any noble in the capital would know that the House of Duke Ying was no longer as prosperous as they were twenty years ago, despite their expanded family tree. At this point, the House was simply an empty shell of its former self. If there were no promising descendants in the House once the old Duke Ying passed away... There was a tacit understanding amongst the nobles of the capital that the Ying House would surely disappear, becoming a mere speck in the annals of history.

Heh! In his past life, that bitch ‘Chu Lian’ was still around to support her family’s House. However, here in this new life, he was to determined to never let history repeat itself!