The next afternoon.

On the top of the wide court in front of the Taiji Palace.

Li Zhi sat in the jade chariot on the edge of the jade steps, looking at Di Renjie, who suddenly stopped his driving: "There is a result?" ”

"Yes."

When Li Zhi heard this, he raised his eyebrows and raised his hand, stopped driving, got up and slowly walked down the jade wheel, came to Di Renjie, and glanced at him: "Come with me." ”

A moment later.

Tai Chi Palace, in the back garden, next to the mountain pool.

Li Zhi, who was standing in the water pavilion, smiled at the corner of his lips, but said lightly: "It turned out to be the two of them." ”

"It seems that the Lord foresaw it." Looking at Li Zhi, Di Renjie nodded and said, "But if you think about it, it's really just the two of them." ”

"Not necessarily." Li Zhi sighed, but his face was leisurely and pleasant: "Don't forget about those good uncles of the king." ”

Di Renjie was stunned for a while, and thought for a while before he said lightly: "If this is the case, then this matter can be investigated deeply." ”

"You don't have to dig into it, and you can't dig into it." Li Zhi said categorically: "Not only can't we investigate deeply, but we also have to help them bury this matter deeply, so that everyone will not know that they have done such a thing from now on." ”

never thought that Li Zhi would say such a thing, and Di Renjie looked at him for a while.

"Huaiying once received a banquet from Mei Niang, and I think she has also eaten the salty balls she made herself*? The salty balls she makes are rare in the world. Although I often get the words of the imperial doctor, this thing has a thick taste, which is not conducive to me. However, I still can't bear to eat such delicacies. Mei Niang was with those imperial doctors, and I was never allowed to eat more, so I had to coax Hong'er to go, taking advantage of the opportunity that he often dined with his mother, and stole a few pieces with me each time, so that people could keep them well, and just wait for the time when they were thinking about it, take one to relieve their hunger. ”

Li Zhi asked such a prominent question, but Di Renjie was also used to it, so he just shook his head and said: "Niangniang has always adhered to the palace rules, although she was given a banquet, she only ordered someone to set up wine and food in the palace of Lizheng, but she was not allowed to enter. As for the things made by the mother, the minister is not blessed. ”

Li Zhi nodded: "That's right." So he turned his head and asked Qinghe to fetch a small jar of salty balls to him, and then turned his head to Di Renjie and smiled: "Don't say that I am stingy, it is really not easy for me to get this thing - Mei Niang is very busy, and occasionally has leisure, and she has to take care of me, so it doesn't take long to make this thing." That's why every time there are some fresh ducks outside the palace, they can only come out of a dozen small altars. This jar will be enough for me to eat for three or five days. ”

"Since it's so rare, how can the minister ......?"

"Although it is rare, in fact, according to Mei Niang, it is not a bad thing to make - but after taking fresh duck, taking good wine, and soaking the spices sent from the Western Regions, the sea salt is rolled, and then sealed, and put it on 2714 days, and it will naturally taste good. It's just that the salty balls made by Mei Niang are different from the Chang family, and there is an extra process, so they are naturally extra flavorful. Later, Huaiying can try one with me, and I will know the taste. ”

Li Zhiruo's meaningful gaze made Di Renjie quite puzzled. But I don't understand, when Qinghe came to them with a small jar of salty balls, Di Renjie still followed Li Zhi's order and watched Qinghe take out two of the eight salty balls in a jar, break them, and peel them.

Seeing the white jade-like Yuanziqing, Di Renjie raised his eyebrows, and was a little surprised: "It's actually a familiar ......."

Li Zhi was happy when he heard this, and only motioned to him to give it a try.

Di Renjie, who thanked Li Zhi for his food, only accompanied by the fragrant tea offered by Qinghe, tried a salty ball with a small silver spoon, and was greatly surprised: "This ...... But it's different! The minister has also eaten a few famous ones, such as the few in the Dafu Pavilion and the Dabao Pavilion in Naxi City, and there has never been such a wonderful fragrance! And this round is yellow, and it looks like golden sand. The entrance is even more fragrant...... It's really a treasure! ”

Seeing that Di Renjie was so surprised, Li Zhi couldn't help but be happy, nodded and smiled: "That's right!" You say it's such a good thing, how can you make it? ”

Di Renjie raised his eyebrows, looked at Li Zhi's smiling face thoughtfully, looked at the half shell in his hand, and thought for a long time......

He was still thinking about it until he returned home at night.

"My lord, why are you still staring at this jar in a daze? Do you still want to eat? If you want to, then Di Fang picked it out for you......"

Seeing that Di Fang, who was about to step forward to open the altar seal with swallowing saliva, wanted to do it, Di Qing slapped it hard: "My lord is thinking about the question given by the Lord, where do you want to eat salty balls?" You good foodie, go aside! ”

"Question? What's the problem? Isn't it just asking why the salty balls made by the queen mother are so delicious? Isn't that easy? What kind of character is the queen mother, what precious spices does she want that she can't get her hands on? This salty ball is naturally better than others. After swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Di Fang rubbed her head and muttered.

"Of course I know that. The question is...... The duck's shell is so thick that it needs to be salted, and it can be accompanied by good wine. Tell me, good wine is already strong, how can these extremely delicate spices not be suppressed by the aroma of wine? Why do other salty balls have to be cooked, but only made by Niangniang can be cooked? ”

Di Renjie asked casually, but asked the two waiters, you look at me, I look at you, Di Fang couldn't help but look into the jar full of fragrance, but said in surprise: "Huh? Why are all these salty balls broken? My lord, didn't you accidentally break your skin on the road? ”

"You idiot!"

Di Qing took it down again and scolded: "Don't you have long eyes? If you don't look at the cracks, they are all dyed out of color...... At a glance, you can tell that it is good to pay attention to the lines that come out after cooking, so that the flavor can soak in...... Uh......"

Di Qing only scolded happily, but he didn't realize it until the last sentence, realizing that he had scolded his own master as well. was hesitating whether to apologize to Di Renjie, but when he saw Di Renjie slapping the case, he shouted excitedly:

"That's right! That's it! If there is no gap, how can it taste? Ha ha! Right! If there is no gap, how can it be tasted! ”

He laughed at the jar of salty balls.

(Note: Salted balls, also known as pickled duck, salted pestles, etc.) Here the word "zi" needs to be read three times, which means the eggs of birds. That's right, this snack that Li Zhi regards as extremely precious is the pickled duck eggs that we are all over the street now. Ha ha...... But he can't be blamed for being greedy for this. This kind of stuff is salty and delicious, and it goes well with rice. It is said that at that time, the dignitaries in Chang'an City would have a special cook in their homes, who were responsible for making this kind of food. Moreover, the labor required to make this common snack today in the Tang Dynasty is really amazing. There are seventeen or eighteen kinds of spices alone, and now, I probably can't imagine it...... ）