With the fresh, sweet Lingxi River water from her space and the pure wild boar stick bone soup provided by White Tiger, combined with various vegetables and condiments from her space, Cai Wei’s spicy hot pot could be said to be extremely successful.
Before the hot pot was ready, the rich aroma had already drawn Chang Mei and Brother Ying who were drooling, even the Old Turtle who usually had a light diet could not help but crawl over and circle around the pot stand.
"It smells so good, Master, is it ready? I really want to taste it!"
Chang Mei’s little paws were on the pot stand, his eyes fixated unblinkingly on the pot bubbling with hot air.
Cai Wei said with a smile, "Not yet, the timing of the spicy hot pot is very crucial. If it’s one moment too soon, the vegetables will be undercooked; if it’s one moment too late, they will be overcooked. So, we must calculate the timing well, neither a moment too early nor a moment too late is allowed!"
While she was speaking, her arm lifted, quickly scooping out the vegetables, potato slices, mushrooms, black fungus, noodles, etc., from the hot pot. They were served in a bowl, garnished with coriander, garlic, sesame sauce, chili oil, etc, then a soup ladle of the original soup was poured into the bowl. The spicy hot pot, brimming with hot air and fragrant aroma, was served in front of them.
"Eat up, be careful not to scald yourself!"
"Squawk—Master, why don’t I have any?"
Brother Ying, with his round mung bean eyes, loudly protested.
Cai Wei squatted down and poked his round stomach, laughing, "Are you sure you can still eat more?"
Brother Ying quickly protected his round stomach with his wings, gave Cai Wei a resentful look and remained silent.
Cai Wei said, "Remember, although the delicacy is irresistible, overeating is not only bad for your health, but also, if there are even more delicious things, you won’t have the chance to eat them!"
Brother Ying looked pitifully at Chang Mei, who was devouring his food, and reluctantly nodded in agreement ...
The next morning, not long after Cai Wei got up, the Imperial Kitchen sent a young eunuch to bring today’s breakfast.
The breakfast was divided into two portions. One was prepared according to the standard for imperial concubines, and the other was prepared according to the standard for princesses.
The eunuch who served the meals specifically instructed, "This is a noble rock sugar blood swallow made specially for the princess. It is especially good for nourishment and beautifying. Considering you are about to have your grand wedding, a special dish is made for you that only those above the status of a consort can eat. Please make sure you don’t spoil it!"
Cai Wei nodded, "I know!"
At the side, Du Meiren gave a signal. Her personal palace maid, Nong Mo, immediately took out a purse and gave it to the eunuch who delivered the meal. The eunuch took it, weighed it, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, Beautiful Du, you two are too polite. It is my fortune to be able to serve both of you. How could I allow you both to be wasteful?"
With that, he put the purse into his bosom, happily left the place.
During the meal, Nong Mo opened several of Cai Wei’s food boxes and found that they were all filled with Imperial dishes that only a consort or above could enjoy. Each of the dishes was as exquisite as a piece of art.
There were the white, soft and fragrant rose-flavored rolls, light yellow flower-shaped pine flower cakes, and red paper-backed fruit-filled Snowflake cake.
Other than pastries, there were also steaming hot Peach Blossom Shao Mai, Four Joys Shao Mai, crystal-like jade shrimp dumplings, steamed buns, glutinous rice bowl cakes, and small New Year cakes.
Accompanying these were several exquisite small dishes, like salted quail breasts, Five-spice pigeon eggs, smoked sauce small fish, pickled cucumber, rose duck, etc...
For the soup, besides that expensive bowl of Rock Sugar Blood Swallow, there was also a small bowl of greenish, glittering purple rice porridge, and a small bowl of thick, soft sticky millet porridge.
It ended up filling the entire table so much so that there was no space left for Du Meiren’s standard dishes.!