Chen Fengjiao smiled and said to the concubines: "I'm sorry, let the sisters laugh." Today, when the main palace is east, how about we hold a lotus banquet in the pavilion of the imperial pond. ”

Lotus feast, many concubines have never even heard of it, no wonder, they haven't eaten anything good in the palace, they are tired of eating. What is the lotus feast, can it be compared to the delicacies of the mountains and the sea, ginseng and bird's nest? Besides, can lotus roots and lotus seeds be eaten, and lotus flowers can also be eaten? They all looked at Chen Fengjiao with suspicious eyes, but no one dared to leave.

Chen Fengjiao and Concubine Quan Yifei were amazingly consistent this time, leading the concubines to the imperial pool, walking along the corridor to the pavilion, looking into the imperial pool, the lotus flowers were tightly nestled in the turquoise round lotus leaves, swaying in the gentle breeze, looking more delicate and elegant, charming and lovely. Concubine Quan couldn't help but chatter: "The lotus leaves are infinitely green, and the lotus flowers are different red." It's just beautiful. ”

Is it beautiful, it is very beautiful, but there are too many beautiful scenery in the palace, but the concubines are no longer strange.

Chen Fengjiao is now full of interest, pointing to the lotus flowers in the pond and saying: "This palace admires the spirit of lotus flowers the most, out of the mud but not stained, clear ripples but not demons." Therefore, it has always been loved by the world, whether it is her flower posture and leaf appearance, her elegant beauty, or even her fragrance and darkness, it is intoxicating. But what you don't know is that its fragrance has penetrated into the marrow of the human marrow, which is incomparable to any spice. You are accustomed to eating the delicacies of the mountains and seas in the palace, but you don't know that the real food is in the folk. ”

The concubines listened to the clouds and fog, what kind of food can the people have, they can't even eat.

Chen Fengjiao said with a smile: "Today, the palace specially instructed the kitchen to make three main dishes, which are lotus fragrant eight-treasure chicken, colorful water lily stalks, and Thai sauce lotus rolls. Ladies and gentlemen, please come to your table and enjoy it. When the concubines had just sat down in surprise, more than a dozen palace maids came with delicate plates in their hands, and the plates were placed on the table, and a fragrance came to their nostrils. This is not an ordinary fragrance, the rich fragrance is tightly gathered together, stimulating everyone's taste buds. That is, fragrant and elegant. It is immersed in the heart and spleen, and it is not entangled with each other, and it does not hide each other. It's just that the quality of one of the dishes is not very good, it is black and covered with black mud, and the concubines are all frowning.

Chen Fengjiao said: "This is the lotus fragrant Babao chicken. It is used to take out the internal organs and wash the well-known Qingyuan chicken after killing, fry it with lotus root, lotus seeds, perfume lotus, mushrooms, salted egg king, ham and conpoy condiments, and then stuff it into the belly of the chicken, and then wrap it with fresh lotus leaves and fat pond mud that have just come out of the pond and put it in the oven for four hours. The eight flavors are called eight treasures, so it is called lotus flavor eight treasure chicken. ”

The concubines listened very carefully, and at this time, Chen Fengjiao asked the palace maid to hit it with a silver hammer, and as soon as the mud was knocked out of a hole, there was a curling fragrance inside. When the oily chicken is dissected, the fragrance of the eight treasures inside suddenly fills the entire space, which is amazing.

Concubine Quan Yifei took a hard breath and said: "Wonderful, wonderful, Du Fu's "Beauty Walk" has: the peak of the purple camel comes out of the green cauldron, and the plate of the water spirit is lined with scales. The rhino has not been eaten for a long time, and the luan knife is cut into the air. The yellow door does not move the dust, and the imperial kitchen sends eight treasures. Since there are eight flavors in it, I think it is more appropriate to call it Lotus Fragrant Eight Zhen Chicken. ”

All the concubines echoed it.

"Colorful water lily stalks" are full of color and fragrance, and "Thai sauce lotus rolls". The carmine lotus petals are wrapped in golden balls, surrounded by a budding red turban lotus, like a work of art. Everyone was amazed. In addition, there are lotus swimming shrimp, golden fried lotus, lotus bud flower roll, lotus sea fresh, lotus sour lotus root bone, lotus soup stalk, eight-star lotus leaf rice, all kinds of delicacies are related to lotus. The fragrance hits people, and the concubines' eyes are shining and their saliva is flowing. The palace cuisine is indeed good, but seeing this table full of strange and delicious delicacies still has a great appetite. Can't wait.

Another group of palace maids came over and put down a cup of light tea at everyone's table, with lotus leaves folded into a semicircle. Puzzled, Chen Fengjiao said: "This is lotus leaf tea, and there is a record in the "Compendium of Materia Medica" that 'lotus leaves raise yang energy, remove fat and slim down'. It is a good tonic. Today we use tea instead of wine to share the feelings of sisterhood, please. ”

The concubines toasted and drank together, and the next thing was to feast, and the lotus fragrant Babao chicken melted into the mouth with a lotus root permeated with a strong chicken fragrance. The colorful water lily stalk lotus stem is broken as soon as you bite it, and the umami taste is delicious. The Thai sauce lotus roll is even more wonderful, and after biting into the ball, you are surprised to find that there is a lot hidden inside. It turns out that the flour is wrapped in shredded lotus root, shredded meat, shredded mushrooms and green and red peppers that have been stained with Thai sauce, and when freshly squeezed in oil, the taste is crispy and rich. They flicked their tongues and were addicted. and frequently greeted Chen Fengjiao.

Chen Fengjiao and Concubine Quan smiled at each other, the two knew each other, this delicious meal had convinced the concubines, and even Concubine Quan secretly admired it.

A few tables of delicious windswept seats, in the blink of an eye, there were no two out of ten, the concubines were still unsatisfied, and in the midst of the excitement, there was a shout: "The emperor has arrived." ”

The concubines hurriedly knelt down in unison, and they didn't dare to come out in fright.

Ming Chengzu Zhu Di was wearing civilian clothes, walked over with a smile, looked at the table full of leftovers and said: "It seems that I am still a step late, and I didn't enjoy Concubine Feng's lotus banquet, I regret it." ”

Chen Fengjiao raised her head and said, "The emperor is really not late, and the last dish has not yet come." ”

Zhu Di said in surprise: "Yes, it must be the finale, generally speaking, the finale is the best, I am right." ”

Chen Fengjiao nodded.

"Then what are you waiting for, please sit down, concubines. Zhu Di said.

The concubines re-entered the table, looking at the corridor curiously one by one, and a team of palace maids came over with silver plates in their hands, and on the silver plates were white jade porcelain plates, steaming. After putting it down, there was a plate of lilac liquid rippling in the jade porcelain plate, on which floated a beautiful perfume lotus flower and silk lotus stamen. Chen Fengjiao said softly: "This last dish is called 'Neptune Lotus Seed Soup', which is made with fresh lotus seeds, lotus root grains, mushrooms, scallops, shrimp and crab fillet. This soup is fresh and sweet in the mouth, and the aftertaste is endless. ”

Zhu Di was not polite, scooped it up with a silver spoon and drank it, tasted it carefully, and finally nodded again and again and said, "Okay, this is the best soup I have ever drunk." It not only has the fragrance of lotus seeds, but also has a strong and sweet soup, lubricating and delicious, and it should also be a good product for beauty. Wang Yu, recorded its practice as a court delicacy, and I like to drink it. ”

Wang Yu, the chief eunuch in the palace, hurriedly agreed.

After the emperor finished tasting it, the concubines also began to drink it in large gulps, and from their expressions, they were very satisfied.

Concubine Quan Yi is next to Zhu Di, and Chen Fengjiao is on the left, and the difference comes out after careful observation. Concubine Justigan's body is almost close to the emperor, with a coquettish voice and flirtatious eyebrows. Zhu Di is also very easy-going and affectionate. Chen Fengjiao is not used to such a scene, and tries to keep a certain distance from the emperor. Zhu Di was not reluctant, and said with a smile: "Concubine Feng's lotus banquet fully proves that the saying that delicious food is in the folk is correct. Since ancient times, there has been a legend of "red cotton shrimp group" out of Gaozu, and "Panlong yellow croaker" comforting Liu Bei. If all the concubines can be as good at learning and using as Concubine Feng, instead of talking nonsense all day long and doing nothing, I will be very pleased. ”

The concubines who said it were red-faced, and the purpose of their original purpose was to humiliate Chen Fengjiao, but they didn't expect it to be self-defeating, but instead let Princess Chen show her hand, and even the emperor was impressed. The so-called stealing chickens is not enough to lose rice, this is the truth.

Concubine Quan is very good at adjusting her feelings, and said to Zhu Di in a loud voice: "The emperor is sage, and the concubines will keep it in mind. However, it is rare for the concubines to taste different delicacies today, and they can also enjoy with the emperor. Please also ask the emperor to enjoy more joy with us in the future, and the concubines will be grateful. ”

Ming Chengzu Zhu Di immediately took it and said: "I am also willing to have fun with my concubines, but I am afraid that the mountain loop will not be able to turn around, and there will be a place for horses to travel in the snow." If there was no Feng Fei, this lotus feast would have no meaning. ”

Zhu Di's sour words made the entire pavilion silent. Ming Chengzu Zhu Di rarely lost his temper like this, especially in the face of the concubines, even the chief eunuch Wang Yu in the palace was not a taste in his heart. The emperor really had feelings for Chen Fengjiao, except for the death of Empress Xu, who made his heart ache, Zhu Di was not a promiscuous emperor. But the temperament is brutal, killing countless people, the favorite concubine Wang died of illness in the future, someone in the palace accused the palace maid of adultery, Zhu Di was furious, and the tragedy of killing 3,000 palace maids alive is impossible to verify, but it also shows that Ming Chengzu Zhu Di is a tyrant who will do anything to achieve his goal. Wang Yu secretly looked at Chen Fengjiao, thinking that it was me, and immediately knelt down to thank him, expressing his willingness to serve the emperor for the rest of his life.

All eyes were on Princess Chen.

Chen Fengjiao's face did not change and her face was calm, and she replied with a slight smile: "The beauty around the emperor is like a cloud, and the concubine is just the most inconspicuous ordinary girl among them, and even the etiquette in the palace is a headache. It is difficult to bear the weight, so I am sincerely afraid and can't sleep at night. What's more, there is no grass in the world, why should the emperor fall in love with a flower. ”

Chen Fengjiao's answer shocked all the concubines, just ask who dares to refuse the emperor's good intentions so face-to-face, unless she is impatient and wants to die. This Princess Chen was bold, and the consequences of the emperor's anger were very strict, and many people were trembling with fear, and they didn't dare to come out.

Ming Chengzu Zhu Di looked at Chen Fengjiao, and unexpectedly not got angry, but instead changed the conversation with a smile and said: "Concubine Feng's lotus banquet today has opened my eyes. should be rewarded, give ten silk horses, one hundred taels of gold, I hope that Concubine Feng can often set up banquets in the future, don't forget to notify me to come to the party. ”

Chen Fengjiao immediately knelt down and said sincerely: "Concubine Xie Lord Long En." ”

All the concubines secretly breathed a sigh of relief. A storm passed quietly, and everyone rejoiced. (To be continued......)