In a secluded corner of the side courtyard, a woman who looked like she was in the prime of her life was looking around, the corners of her mouth raised slightly, "Huan'er, if you don't hide anymore, I'm going to tell your father, let him stare at you and scare you, and punish you for not eating snacks for three days." ”

A small tree suddenly trembled, and a little girl rushed out, and ran to the woman in a hurry, "I'm coming, I'm coming, don't tell my father." "The little hands tugged at the corners of the clothes, pinching and pinching.

"Let me ask you, have you done anything bad in the past two days?" The woman smiled and looked at the corners of the little girl's mouth, and there was something like flour hanging from it, as if she had eaten too quickly and had not had time to destroy the evidence.

"I... No, I've always listened to my mother's teachings, and I never steal some food... The little girl was very anxious, her words were flustered, and she accidentally recruited half of it.

"So, what is it?" The woman smiled and stretched out her hand, and her long, white and narrow index finger hooked the little flour from the girl's mouth, and shook it in front of her eyes. "It looks like orange cake, you must have secretly eaten a lot of it from your mother, huh?"

"No, no! I ate two pieces the day before yesterday, I ate two pieces yesterday, and today I only ate one and a half pieces and you came to arrest me! The little girl was very aggrieved, her little hand groped in her arms, and took out half of the orange cake, "Look, I haven't finished this half yet." Seeing that she couldn't escape, the little girl squeezed her eyes and flashed a little tear, trying to escape something. Now, mother, do you want to eat? ”

"Well, if you find stolen goods, I'll go tell your father, don't you dare to listen to what I say." The woman said, pretending to lift her legs to leave. "Don't don't, I... I don't steal anymore, woo wow wow... The little girl was so frightened that she cried on the spot, but she could see that it was a little fake.

Seeing this, the woman hurriedly squatted down and held the girl's little face, "Good Huan'er, don't cry, my mother scared you, and your father won't eat you if he knows this, why are you crying." In this way, in the future, I promise you to eat orange cake every day, but you can only eat one piece, and the most important thing is that if you want to eat it, you can say that you want to eat it, and you must abide by the regulations, and you are not allowed to force Zhu Cheng to help you have a snack in the future, you know? ”

The little girl hurriedly opened her eyes, "Really? ”

"Seriously."

"I know that my mother is the best, the best mother in the world." The little girl raised her right hand, "I, I made a promise with my mother today, and I will not force others to do things they don't like to do in the future, and I will not break the rules." ”

"That's good!" The woman hugged her little body and rubbed her lovely head, her big eyes overflowing with happiness. "In the future, we can't do things just for ourselves, Huan'er, we don't live for ourselves, we live for all those who love you and those you love."

Ji Huan stuck out her tongue, "Mother, today is the day of my father's city feast, I always feel uncomfortable talking about 'living, loving, and serving others', let's go to the atrium to have a look." ”

The woman picked up her beloved little daughter, "It's just you, and now you know how to use other things to make a fool of yourself." ”

"Not at all... I... I just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to help ... ”

"You are an eleven-year-old girl, pampered, you know what you can help if you sing and dance all day long."

At the end of the Shen Shifu season, the place outside the city of Xifu is full of lights, and groups of three or five are talking and laughing, "You can eat Jifu dim sum again, and you can meet once every three years, and you have waited for this day for a long time." ”

"Otherwise, Brother Qi can know that time is the way of heaven, and the longer you wait, the longer the charm will be enough to make people itch, and this feeling is the best."

"Then, tonight, I will borrow the blessings of the palace, can I get drunk and rest?"

"What? Do you still want Jifu to leave you a drunken bed? ”

"Hahaha, don't dare, if Miss Ji is willing to share a house with the contemptible position, then I will fight for my life, and I will drink a few altars of him."

"Shhh, Miss Hi Fu is not yet in her old age, Brother Tai's vulgar words have been heard by the people of Hi Mansion, and I have to blast out you, a young man who has been favored by others and has no way to hide his mouth."

"Hahahaha."

Hearty laughter poured into the surrounding sound waves, like a sea of sand and dust.

"Sister Ming, Sister Ming, look!" Ji Huan held a freshly pinched work in both hands and showed it to Zhu Ming.

"This... This bun looks so tight... Zhu Cheng barely guessed what this thing was.

"Ahh Sister Bad! I made Nanguo Cake! Ji Huan was a little angry.

"This..." Zhu Cheng leaned in and stared at the white object for a long time, but still didn't see any characteristics of the pastry.

"Isn't it just that it can't be rounded, sister, you wait." Ji Huan began to bury her head again, rubbing her two little hands on the board, and when her little face was raised, she should have suddenly thought of something, and ran out to get some things and came back to continue rubbing.

After a while, "Hey, hey! You see! Ji Huan held up her work again, her white little face was flushed with ruddy because of her hard work, and a trace of sunset from the red lamp and the window sprinkled on half of her face, making her seem to have rubbed rouge, and she was still young next year, as if she was already a big girl.

Zhu Cheng took a look at it, the appearance of this Nanguo cake is really good, round and mellow, without a little bit of malaise, like a jade that has been played by the old man for many years. Raised his hand and checked it, the weight was quite sufficient, I don't know what materials were added, "Huh? Why is it a little sticky? Zhu Cheng was puzzled, "Is it honey?" ”

"Yes, because the sweet and greasy ones taste the best!" Hi Huan raised her face, expecting praise.

"Hmmm... Really well done. I just don't know how it tastes... It's the first time I've seen a southern fruit cake with honey... ”

didn't wait for Zhu Cheng to finish speaking, Ji Huan hurriedly started the next one again.

"The day is coming, everyone has been waiting for a long time, and the dim sum and vegetables are here." Zhu Cheng said to the crowd, as if with magic power, a large number of villagers sat down one after another, entering the official stage of the city feast.

As the saying goes, the people take food as the sky, in the area of Bao country, where pasta is prevalent, it is natural to respect the noodles of various grains, the least of which is all kinds of pastries, and the most good at making fruit cakes and flower cakes, should be respected by the chef of Bao Guo's house. There has always been a practice of employing cooks in the Mansion, that is, the lady of the Mansion personally led people to visit the Qinba Valley and the banks of the Han River, looking for cooks with a certain talent, and hired them to the Mansion, and the lady took out the ancestral secret recipe to teach it herself. Therefore, any chef in the house, whether he is good at frying or frying or main and side dishes, must know a few good pastries, not to mention other pasta. Although the palace is hospitable and close to the people, the recipe of more than 80 pages will never be leaked. Since Bao's assistance to Dayu to control the water, by the Qinling Mountains in the northern part of the Han region, after the summer, business, when the time is under the Zhou Tian, every tribute, pastries and other pasta will always appear in the tribute, naturally a unique ability.

The gate of the mansion was wide open, and a man dressed in a gorgeous costume walked out, with purple cloud silk sleeves, embroidered horses in the morning yarn, and a azure white cloud shirt outlining solid arms, looking like a warrior. Although he is not confused, he still has a handsome face, with a firm and majestic momentum.

As soon as this person came out, everyone bowed and toasted together: "Minister Lao Guoxiang (Gong Xu) bothered to give a banquet and wait for gratitude." ”

Ji Qi replied with a number of courtesies, waved his hand to invite everyone to sit down, and picked up the wine glass on the table, "You are the people of the country, and you are also the neighbors of my house. ”

There should still be old rules, just like now when you come to a meeting, you always have to make a toast or something before the meal, polite words seem to be polite, but friendship and respect can often be reflected through a few words.

The wine is drunk, to be honest, she also likes this year's pastries, because this year's various vegetables and fruits are growing well, the sugar is sufficient, the leaf flesh is also large, and the taste is also good. Dropping the wine glass, he picked up a southern fruit cake casually, "Huh? This one is so round and flawless, I am afraid that it can match the Qin pearl that was paid tribute last year. Thinking like this, she pinched it, and the weight was quite sufficient, but it was a little sticky...

Everyone at the banquet was about to start eating, when suddenly a scream stopped everyone's movements. When he looked at it, he was sitting on the ground with his mouth covered, and there was still half a round pastry in his hand, and the maid next to him was stunned at a loss.

"Someone poisoned!!" One of the guests shouted in fright, and everyone was alarmed, "Who is so bold as to dare to harm Gong Xuan!" ”

"There are such unbearable people in Baoguo, this kind of indiscriminate way."

"Duke Qi is very good at leading people, what deep hatred does he have to repay Gong Xu."

She trembled and wanted to get up, gesturing with her hands, her mouth slurred.

Mrs. Bao Yuan rushed out, "Master! Why is that?! While reaching out to pick it up, I tilted my ears to hear what Gong Qi was saying. Water... Take the water... "The voice is old like that of an old man, mixed with the sound of bubbles.

"Water, water is coming!" A maid rushed over with water and handed it to the lady, and Bao Yuan carefully went to feed the lady.

After a long time, Xi Xu, who was sitting paralyzed on the ground, eased up, as if she had been closed from the ghost gate, her face was pale, and she had to clear her throat several times when she said a word. "Who ... Ahem... Who makes the pastries? His voice trembled, full of resentment.

"Slaves, slaves, slaves, pastry chefs, and people in the dining room. . . ." Zhu Cheng trembled with fright, and hurriedly knelt on the ground, and the maids who participated in the pastry making were also so frightened that they didn't dare to breathe, and knelt down with a "plop".

"Zhu Cheng, I... Ahem.,Treat you well with the people in the house.,Why?。。 You want to kill me? ”

"Slave ... Didn't do it ... Zhu Mingwan cried out, obviously frightened.

"Master, you say... Is someone trying to kill you? Bao Yuan frowned, "I'm afraid no one will harm others in such a stupid way, besides, this city is a common meal, regardless of the guest and host, I also ate one when this plate was served, and there is nothing wrong with it now." ”

"And who made this one?" Ji Xuan was also puzzled, and lifted the remaining half of the Nanguo cake.

Yes... Is that... Zhu Cheng saw it at a glance, the most rounded, naturally the first "finished product" made by Miss Fushang herself... I also guessed the seven-seven-eighty-eight in the production process.

"That... It was made by slaves and maidservants. "I wish you a cross heart and want to take care of things." I used the wrong ingredient and mistook salt for sugar. ”

"Don't don't be sister, it's me who is bad, that's what I did. Woo woo woo ... Ji Huan walked out from behind the door, wiping her tears as she walked, "I didn't know it was salt, I thought... I thought it was cotton sugar. ”

For the first time, Zhu Cheng saw the young lady crying with pear blossoms and rain, and the milky cry was not a shadow, but felt pitiful and cute.

"Huan'er, you... Ji Qi wanted to get angry, but after thinking about the son who had not returned with the monarch Bao Jue's father and son who had traveled east to pay tribute to the West Zhou Tianzi, he looked at this only daughter, but he couldn't raise his anger, "You naughty boy, what if other people eat this, at least lose half of their lives, what face do I have to set up this city." ”

"Daddy, I made a mistake... The little hands wiped the tears one by one, the thin sleeves were wet, and the snot came down while wiping, "I... I'm sorry ... Daddy... Woo woo woo ... ”

"Huan'er... You... Don't cry. "Ji Xuan is very helpless, crying like this, not to mention that the body is not decent, this is simply impossible to count down, and the streets and alleys are surrounded by thousands of pairs of eyes and back rows to see a real one, and then cry... This...

"Huan'er, don't cry, Daddy won't punish you, after all, I've suffered so much from you, and I'm used to it... Bao Yuan sighed and hugged Ji Huan, "Is there anything else you do?" ”

"I... I seem to have done seven, I count ... Mom and Dad and I, two, and my brother who hasn't come home yet, three. Sister Zhu and I's, five... Well... There is also one of Yu'er who worked in the kitchen and Uncle Ma's son in the firewood room. . . But I originally wanted to use my own jade plate for everyone. The one that came up brought the plate of Nanguo cake was gone... Ji Huan was still a little choked up when she spoke.

"You... Do you want to give us food? Bao Yuan hesitated, picked up the half, and did not dislike it, and sipped the filling inside with the tip of his tongue. God, what is this cake mixed with, you can eat only honey, unknown fruits, and a lot of salt, but there are more and more strange tastes, take a bite, I'm afraid I'm going to be speechless, and I lost the old man to eat such a big bite... Bao Yuan looked at Xi Xuan with palpitations, and saw a little helplessness in Xi Xi's eyes, since Da Huan'er could walk, the old man had experienced too much, and he couldn't help but feel a little distressed.

"Forget it... Uh-huh, ahem, forget it, I'm fine, but now I really can't eat, I just want to drink water... Huan'er, don't cry, Daddy didn't eat too much, otherwise how could he talk now, I'm afraid I would fly into the sky and become that swallow bat. ”

"Poof!" Ji Huan laughed when she heard this, and a snot bubble appeared, and then it broke with a "pop".

Bao Yuan saw the snot bubbles blow up, almost didn't hold back, cleared his throat, and couldn't help laughing: "You are not allowed to go to the kitchen without permission in the future, otherwise I am afraid that something will happen if you continue like this, and if you want to learn pastries, your mother will teach you by herself." ”

"Really?" Ji Huan suddenly felt that it didn't matter if she could go to the kitchen to steal snacks, if she got the true inheritance of her mother, she was afraid that she would have as many orange cakes as she wanted.

"Really, but it's going to take a while."

"Okay, I'll wait for my mother to teach me!" At this time, Xi Huan was so happy that she wanted to jump up, but she saw that her father, who was sitting on the chair again, was drinking water and retracted it.

"Let all the distinguished guests worry, I'm really sorry, it's me who has no way to discipline, so that the little girl broke into a gratuitous farce in today's city, please pay attention to your meal, if you find a particularly smooth and round Nanguo cake, don't eat that, just throw it away... Because there are still six that I don't know where... ”

When everyone saw this, they also wanted to laugh, but no one dared to laugh, although it did not cause trouble, but the palace treated people very warmly, regardless of their status, official position, and salary, they were all treated equally, so it was not good to have fun in person.

"Madame has work, and Gong Gong is not hindered, Miss Xifu's craftsmanship, we will never dare to throw it away."

"Yes, this time Miss Jifu appeared for the first time, eccentric, clever and cute, I was fortunate enough to see it, I was shocked, and it was still a celebration, and there would be no disagreements." So said a well-dressed son.

At this moment, everyone exploded the pot, and suddenly didn't take a closer look at the incident just now, although the only daughter of the house is young, and there is no powder, but she really has the face of the country with the fragrance of heaven, if it is timely, I am afraid that it is unparalleled in the world.

The black hair hangs down the knees, the willow eyebrows are long and narrow, the sideburns are like weak branches supporting the wind, the apricot eyes are blank to everyone, but they are radiant, the nose is small, the middle is light, a cherry mouth is more than the pomegranate of Lintong, and there are two tear stains on the little face that has just cried.

It was also the first time for Ji Huan to be watched in front of the public, and she felt the burning gaze, and hurriedly pulled up Zhu Huan, who was kneeling on the ground, and trotted into the mansion and disappeared from everyone's sight.

Many of them specially picked the southern fruit cake and wanted to find Miss Xifu's own handiwork, which caused other diners to be dissatisfied, shouting and wanting to fight, but was quickly overshadowed by the noisy voices.

"Don't kneel, it's not your fault, go eat something, it's okay here." Bao Yuan felt a little guilty.

The day has passed, and the noisy sound outside is still not small, in the garden, Ji Huan hugged Zhu Cheng, how to persuade or refuse to let go.

"So Huanhuan, my back hurts a little, let's not hold it like this, you haven't eaten yet, I'll get you some of your favorite food, right?" Zhu Cheng asked tentatively, it's been an hour, this waist is really a little unbearable, it's not that she didn't try to pull away the white little arms, but she really hugged it too tightly, and the more she wrenched it, the harder she strangled. "Miss has such strength...

"Sister Cheng is not allowed to do this in the future, my fault will be borne by me, and I have made a rule with my mother, and I will not force you to have a snack for me to eat." Ji Huan buried her head in Zhu Ming's arms, but she refused to come out.

"Oh, Madame told you? Yesterday when I asked you for orange cake and osmanthus dew, I bumped into Mrs., Mrs. was a little suspicious, thinking that she knew that I didn't like orange cakes, and if I wanted to eat them, I ate them directly in the kitchen. Zhu Cheng lowered her head and rubbed Xi Huan's back, and then she heard a gurgling sound and laughed lightly, "Huanhuan, go eat, I'll be with you." ”

"Sister Mi is the best! You will always be my good sister! As he spoke, he let go of the clamps of his hands, and his arms were reddened. I looked up at Sister Mi's face, and then at the bright moon that had just risen over the distant peak.

"The moon is so round today."

"Today is sixteen."

The figures of two hands holding hands are reflected in the bright moonlight, soft and cool.