99 Chili Sauce
However, she lowered her head to look at her body. Nine years old! She was only nine years old! She had just celebrated her ninth birthday not long ago.
How was she supposed to pounce on him? She was a child!
Unfortunately, she was born at the wrong time.
Ming Zhiyan’s pork slices were thin and good. The slices were even, as if they had been measured. Jian Qingqing praised, “Lord Ming, you cut it really well! I thought you didn’t know how to cut it.”
Hearing this, Ming Zhiyan’s knife paused for a moment, but he did not say anything.
The Jian Family’s meals had always been lively. They talked about everything, and there was never a rule of eating without saying anything.
However, Ming Zhiyan rarely had this kind of experience. In the past, in the Crown Prince’s estate, he had always eaten alone. Even when he occasionally entered the palace, he mostly paid attention to the rules.
When Old Man Jian was in the mood to eat, he pulled Ming Zhiyan aside and bragged.
Jian Qingqing saw that he was listening attentively to Old Man Jian’s speech, bragging that he was kind and gentle.
It was not that she had never seen a wealthy family before. There were occasionally young ladies from official families or servants from large clans who went to her shop to buy snacks. However, even though she was the boss, those people treated her with a distant and aloof attitude.
Even though Ming Zhiyan was a County Magistrate at such a young age and had an extraordinary status, he had always been gentle and polite to the people.
After finishing her lunch, Jian Qingqing took two clay pots and filled them with chili sauce. After more than a month of fermentation, the chili sauce had already developed a very pure and thick flavor.
She made two flavors, one pure chili and one with garlic. It was not that spicy.
She dug out a jar each and gave it to Ming Zhiyan.
“This is a sauce made from chili. One jar is pure chili and the other jar is filled with garlic. You can add it to the dish and stir-fry it. You can also use it to stir-fry rice. If you want to give it to the soldiers, this is the most convenient and easiest to preserve.”
Ming Zhiyan took it steadily and thanked her solemnly, “I thank Lady Jian on behalf of the soldiers.” After saying that, he bowed deeply.
Jian Qingqing was flattered and smiled, “Lord Ming, you don’t have to do this. This is what I ought to do.”
Ming Zhiyan still insisted, “No matter what, if Lady Jian needs help, I will not refuse.”
After returning to the county office, Ming Zhiyan looked at the two pots of chili sauce on the table and thought for a while. He took out some paper and wrote a letter.
After he finished writing, Ming Zhiyan shouted, “Men!”
Wang Li pushed the door open and entered. He called out respectfully, “Master.”
Ming Zhiyan handed the letter to him and said, “Go find two porcelain bottles to fill with the chili sauce. Send the letter to the Capital secretly.”
Wang Li said solemnly, “Yes!”
The letter and the chili sauce finally arrived at the Capital after seven days. Eunuch Zhong, the chief steward of the palace, carefully walked into the palace. He lowered his head and said softly beside the Emperor, “Your Majesty, Crown Prince Ming has a secret letter and something delivered.”
The Emperor was slightly surprised and said, “Bring the thing over.”
Eunuch Zhong went out and took the thing from his little disciple, respectfully carrying it in.
The Emperor first took out the letter, opened it, and read it word by word. He did not know what he saw, but his originally indifferent expression suddenly became solemn.
He sat up slightly and quickly read the letter with trembling hands. As if he did not believe it, he opened his eyes wide and read it again.
Eunuch Zhong stood at the side and looked at the Emperor’s changing expression. He lowered his head even lower. He did not know what Crown Prince Ming had written that could make change the Emperor’s expression like this.