At three o'clock in the morning, everyone in the dining room had been waiting to see through their eyes, and when they saw Zi Ning coming back, Aunt Lian greeted her and shouted: "My little aunt and grandmother, where have you been running for a while, our eyes are red in a hurry." The fresh leg of lamb has already been prepared, and the tendons have been broken with the back of the knife, and it is drying on the board. ”

Zi Ning glanced up at the sun and said, "Just in time." He pulled up his skirt with both hands and entered the dining room, and saw the purple casserole boiling on the stove, and the green ring was squatting in front of the pot, his eyes fixed on the flames, and no one was allowed to approach, lest he spoil a pot of things.

Zi Ning nodded and smiled, washed her hands with water, and turned to look at the tender piece of lamb leg meat on the board. Reaching out and flipped it twice, he picked up a sharp meat knife on the side, and carefully cut off a layer of fat tendons. Without looking at it, he threw the mutton that he had cut off and didn't use into the wooden basin, and said, "Only this piece is enough, the eldest princess is not a big-bellied god and Buddha, and she can't eat so much meat." ”

Then let people wash the wild lily, ginger and shallots and prepare them, and with the shredded green and red peppers, cut the mutton into thin slices of equal size, mix well with fine salt and pepper spices, pour a little autumn grape juice to marinate, and wait quietly for the mutton to taste.

Just wait for the fragrant porridge in the purple casserole over there, and you can stir-fry the mutton on this side. Zi Ning moved a long mat mat and sat down by the fire, watching the fire in the casserole with Green Ring.

Everyone had never seen this dish, and they were full of doubts, muttering a few words secretly, but they didn't dare to ask. Aunt Lian endured it for a long time before she asked carefully: "Miss Zining, what kind of new dish is this, we have lived for half a lifetime, and we have all seen each other for the first time." ”

Zi Ning thought to herself: "This dish of fried mutton with lilies is a common home-cooked dish in modern times, and it is not uncommon to say it, you have to think of an elegant name." So he shook his head and said, "This is a dish specially designed for the eldest princess to open her spleen and stomach, and it is a first-class secret, and it won't work if you say it." Seeing this, Aunt Lian hurriedly shrunk her neck, not daring to ask more.

After a while, the aroma emanated from the lid of the purple casserole on the stove, and Zi Ning smelled the rich smell, and added a mint leaf to the pot. Only then did he turn off the fire and take the porridge out of the pot, put it in a carved bowl of green jade, carefully cover the celadon lid, and hold it on a bamboo plate.

Next, half a pillar of incense, the lily mutton was also fried in the oil pot, Zi Ning poured a little on the remaining autumn grape juice, stir-fried twice, and took it out of the pot. Ordered someone to bring a green and white porcelain plate, put the vegetables in the middle of the plate, the oily sauce-colored mutton and white lilies, green and red peppers, green shallots, and turmeric are matched, like a plate of flowers, and the bright ones are very gratifying.

She washed the perilla leaves she had gathered, soaked them twice in light salted water, and placed them on the edge of a blue and white porcelain plate in a double-layered red sandalwood food box. Summoned the green ring and said, "Quickly bring two food box baskets, and let's send them to the eldest princess together." ”

Luhuan had never been to Zunhua Courtyard, and was suddenly shocked: "Ning'er is it true, the inner courtyard of the eldest princess, we can't go." ”

Zi Ning turned her head to look at Aunt Lian and said calmly: "There are some allusions to this dish, I must personally send it and tell it to the eldest princess in person, so that she can arouse her appetite." Aunt Lian nodded hurriedly, untied the apron on her body, and said, "Let the girls be tired of carrying baskets, and follow me to the inner courtyard to report to me, and Mama will definitely send a maid from Zunhua Courtyard to pick it up." The eldest princess's appetite is a big deal, and it's too early and late, so it can't be delayed. ”

As she spoke, she stretched out her hand to straighten her clothes and hair and sideburns, and when she walked out of the dining room, Zi Ning and Lu Huan each carried a basket containing food boxes and followed closely behind her. The three of them showed up to the guards guarding the door, left Qingshuang Garden, and walked all the way to the inner courtyard of the palace. Because she hadn't seen Mama Qing and the others for a long time, Zi Ning asked, "Where did Mama go, I haven't seen her this morning." Why is it that even the triple courtyard is very quiet, and there is not a single figure in sight. ”

Luhuan replied: "You don't know yet, the grandmothers are busy preparing clothes and jewelry for the maids, after noon, the painters in the palace are coming, this is a big thing, if the portrait is good-looking, if you take a fancy to Lord Su, you can be favored." ”

Zi Ning asked suspiciously: "There are so many maidens, how many days does it take for the painter to finish painting these portraits?"

Green Ring turned his eyes to look at her, pouted and said: "I think only the high-grade and middle-grade people have portraits, and we, the low-grade women, are going to watch the excitement on the side." But Xianggui is still sick and doesn't know what to do. ”

Zi Ning heard her say, "um", since the portrait has nothing to do with herself, she didn't care, she didn't bother to worry about it, she just followed Aunt Lian quickly to Zunhua Courtyard.

Coming out of the Frost Garden, there is a winding corridor, on one side is a hollow carved window, through which specks of fine sunlight shine on the ground. On the other side is a neat green willow, which has just pulled out delicate buds, lined with the vermilion wall outside the courtyard, faintly showing three hanging flower gatehouses.

Walk in the weeping flower gatehouse, the courtyard is connected with each other, the mountains and stones are embellished, more and more quiet and wide, the four sides are the verandah, the small lotus pond gathers under the rockery, echoes with the water pavilion platform.

After going around for a long time, Zining's eyes were full of flowers, fragrant, and she felt like she had walked into a labyrinth.

......

Zunhua Courtyard is the residence where the eldest princess and the king of Huajun live, and the large courtyard with three entrances before and after, and the east hall is the hall of the inner courtyard of the Suri Mansion, but outsiders are not allowed to enter. The west hall was used as the library of the king of Hwajun, and the five south-facing Taisho houses were the inner rooms for the living.

The eldest princess didn't like the house inlaid with gold and emerald, so the king of Huajun ordered a craftsman to rearrange the stone brick floor mixed with white marble and Cheng mud gold and replace it with neat gray and blue bricks. The beaded door curtain is replaced by a bamboo curtain, and the bed furniture is matched with ancient pottery color, which is more elegant and comfortable, and the ancient meaning is super vulgar.

As soon as spring comes, the flowers and trees in the backyard of the Zunhua Courtyard are blooming.

Because the eldest princess is not very well, the doctor told not to move around, a few days ago I had a headache, the body became more and more weak and lazy, resting on the soft couch all day long, looking at the eyes full of spring and blooming flowers, I wanted to move but I couldn't do it.

Aunt Xu stood and waited on the side, and the eldest princess ordered the door to be opened, and the curtains were rolled up, revealing the scenery of half of the courtyard.

Leaning on the soft couch, the eldest princess lowered her head and fiddled with the golden chunzi on her wrist, the dazzling gold made her arms even weaker and slender, "Ruochen, this palace still has a headache recently, what does the imperial doctor say?"

"The princess asked the princess to be relieved, this headache is an old disease. The slave maid thought that it must be because the princess suffered from the cold in the confinement back then, and because of the spring breeze every year, she hurt badly when she saw the wind. Although this spring is in full bloom, the princess also knows that the spring is cold, and the spring lingers but the cold does not disperse, and it is most likely to fall into the root of the disease. Aunt Xu gently draped a green peacock feather feather over the eldest princess, "The imperial doctor also advised, the princess rarely goes out on weekdays, and only rests in the warm pavilion." ”

The eldest princess sighed faintly, she has been sitting or sleeping in the warm pavilion recently, passing the long and boring spring time, the incense in the warm pavilion made her head dizzy, not as good as the fresh flowers in this spring, even if she inhales a cold breath in the wind, at least there is some fresh air on her body.

A little maid followed behind the old woman, and the two stood outside the house to pray, and with Aunt Xu's permission, they lowered their heads and came into the house with a jade plate.

The old lady saluted and said with a smile: "The prince said that the days are long in this spring, and it is easy to be tired and panic, and the eldest princess is inevitably lonely. As she spoke, she stepped back, and the little maid took a step forward and knelt down in front of the eldest princess's low couch, with the jade plate held high above her head.

The eldest princess glanced at the plate, it was some golden jade hairpin hairpins shaking, dotting the spectrum of emerald butterflies and flowers, shining in the sunlight with gold or white bright colors. She raised her hand lazily and said with a smile: "It's hard for the prince to read, this palace feels that this birch courtyard has been rebuilt better and better, with many flowers and dense trees, and it is refreshing and quiet to live in, which is much stronger than the tinkling of the bead curtain and the sound of the eyes full of chirping." ”

Aunt Xu ordered the eldest maid Xuezhi to accept the jade plate, and gave a reward to Mama and the little maid who held the plate, gave a mat on the west side of the mat, and handed a cup of almond tea to Mama.

The old lady thanked her and said with a smile: "Since the eldest princess is not safe, the little princess is also worried, I want to visit the princess more, but I am afraid of disturbing your purity, and I dare to come only after asking the slave and maid, this filial piety is touching." The prince was also worried all day, and the imperial doctor said that the eldest princess had no appetite for food, and the prince was anxious like something. The prince's mind has never been broken, only let the eldest princess know that the prince is in the court, and he always remembers you in his heart. ”

The corner of the eldest princess's mouth hooked up a deep smile, raised her hand to pick up a cup of motherwort safflower tea, slowly exhaled the heat, and said for a while: "The prince's memory, not only the palace knows it, but everyone in the whole mansion also sees it. Mama is the old man of the palace, the prince has grown up with you since he was a child, what kind of infatuated temperament is that, you know best. ”

The old lady squinted and smiled: "No, there is only the eldest princess in the eyes of our prince." To put it mildly, the prince is more loyal to the eldest princess than to the saint. But over the years, the old men of all the mansions and families outside have bought concubines, our prince has never had such a mind, and he only guards the eldest princess, and the long-term affection is the most rare. ”

The eldest princess put away her smile, put the teacup on the low table beside her, put her hands together, lowered her head and stroked the embroidery on the cuffs, and was silent for a while. Seeing this, Aunt Xu hurriedly took the teacup, replaced it with a jasper square cup, which contained some rose-purple fruit syrup, and brought it to the eldest princess with both hands.

The eldest princess dug a mouthful of fruit syrup water with a porcelain soup spoon, swallowed it slowly to moisten her throat, and instructed in a light tone: "The prince has things to do in the court and has to be busy, and he also sent people to send some gold and silver toys all day long, where do you have the leisure to think." It's these people at the bottom, if the palace is not by the prince's side for a moment, they have to be lazy, and the mother has to help the palace take care of it. The clothes and ornaments used by the prince for daily use cannot be wrong at all, and the eating utensils must be more careful, so as not to make the villain inside and outside the palace laugh. ”

With a slight frown, the eldest princess couldn't help coughing twice, Aunt Xu hurriedly handed over the handkerchief, and blocked the wind with her side before half a step, lest the old grandmother's breath rush the eldest princess.

The old grandmother's face turned red, and she smiled dryly: "The eldest princess has learned a lesson." All kinds of details in this palace have to be handled by the eldest princess. The prince also often said that if there was no eldest princess to control the situation, the house would not know what kind of peach would be chaotic. ”

Aunt Xu saw that her words were inappropriate, so she coughed lightly and said, "The princess is also tired today, please go back, and when the prince returns to the house at night, the princess will talk to the prince again." As he spoke, he nodded, and the two maids came up, first gave a false salute to Mama, and then took away the tea bowls and utensils on the table together.

The old lady stood up in fear, thanked her, and took the little maid to take a few steps back, then turned around and walked out of the house, and left the Zunhua Courtyard as if she were fleeing. Seeing that it was far away, the little maid stuck out her tongue and whispered: "Grandma Wu, the eldest princess's shelf style can really bluff people." ”

The old lady was startled, looked left and right a few times, saw that there was no one around, and stretched out her hand to hit the little girl's head with a chestnut, "The little hoof still hasn't shut up, and the master's gossip is also your gossip." The eldest princess is such a noble person, the daughter of the queen mother, and the eldest princess of the protector of the country by the first emperor. In addition to the current emperor, the eldest princess is respected, and even our prince has to give ten points, when will it be your turn to say irresponsible things. ”

The little maid turned pale with fright, stretched out her tongue, lowered her head and followed Mama Qing closely, never daring to say anything more.

Under the green willows in the distance, a faint cyan figure raised his hand to brush away the willow branches in front of him, and Lu Jixian muttered in his mouth: "The golden house is not necessarily a blessing to the eldest princess......

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