noffsinger Chapter 148 Sharing Food
Chapter 148 Sharing Food
In the magnificent and resplendent imperial palace, Zhao Shouyi arrived at the imperial kitchen in high spirits. With a smile on his face, he personally distributed plates of delicious pork skin jelly to the hardworking chefs. The jelly was crystal clear, like pearls, and emitted an enticing aroma.
Then, Zhao Shouyi carefully and cautiously picked up the two portions of meticulously prepared pork skin jelly, as if he were holding priceless treasures, not ordinary food. He first walked steadily toward his father's residence, each step extremely careful, as if afraid of accidentally knocking over this precious gift; then he turned and headed toward his mother's palace, again not daring to be the slightest bit careless.
After everything was properly arranged, Zhao Shouyi's anxious heart finally settled down a little. Now, he walked with light steps, leisurely embarking on his journey back to the palace. A gentle breeze caressed his face, carrying the refreshing fragrance of flowers that soothed his mind and spirit.
When Zhao Shouyi stepped into the palace, he immediately saw the Empress and the lively and adorable little prince who were already waiting there. He quickly walked forward, gently placed the tray he was carrying on the table, and then looked at his wife and son with a loving expression, smiling as he said, "Wife, son, come and try this pork skin jelly that I specially had prepared. See if it suits your taste." As he spoke, his eyes were full of anticipation.
Upon hearing that he could taste delicious food, the little prince's eyes lit up with excitement. He eagerly reached out with his chopsticks, steadily picked up a piece of crystal-clear pork skin jelly, and quickly put it in his mouth. He chewed slowly, carefully savoring its unique texture and flavor. Before long, a bright smile, as radiant as the warm spring sun, suddenly bloomed on the little prince's face. He exclaimed indistinctly, "Wow, Daddy, this pork skin jelly is so delicious! Its texture is like fruit jelly—bouncy and smooth—but the taste is completely different! Fruit jelly is usually sweet, but this pork skin jelly is savory and delicious, truly unique and flavorful!" After saying this, the little guy mischievously winked his bright eyes at Zhao Shouyi, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
The Empress, who had been experiencing morning sickness and had a poor appetite, was immediately delighted after taking a small bite of the pork skin jelly. She softly exclaimed, "Mmm, it's truly delicious! My family has never prepared it this way. We usually boil pork skin with pickled peppers and eat it directly. This pork skin jelly, however, is much more refreshing and delicious, leaving a lingering aftertaste. I love it!"
Hearing the Empress's praise, Zhao Shouyi felt a surge of joy. He looked at the Empress tenderly and said softly, "I'm glad you like it, but Your Majesty is currently pregnant and shouldn't eat too much. So you can only have a few bites to satisfy your craving. After you successfully give birth to your son, I will definitely make a sumptuous pork skin jelly especially for you, ensuring you can eat to your heart's content!" After saying this, Zhao Shouyi once again showed a doting smile.
"Yes, yes, that's fine." The Empress said with undisguised joy. Her beautiful face was especially charming with excitement, and her bright eyes sparkled with joy.
"How about sending some aspic to Princess Wan'er and her husband as well?" Zhao Shouyi asked the Empress softly with a smile. His gaze was gentle and expectant as he looked at his beloved wife.
Upon hearing this, the Empress nodded without hesitation, "Of course! How can such delicious aspic be enjoyed alone? Sharing brings even more joy! Moreover, I think we should not only send some to Princess Wan'er and her husband, but also to Yu Ning and Bei Chen. After all, they are old friends of ours for many years." With that, the Empress couldn't help but laugh, as if she could already see her friends' satisfied expressions as they savored the aspic.
Seeing that the Empress was so understanding and willing to share, Zhao Shouyi was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly in response, "Yes, everything will be as my beloved consort says."
Meanwhile, in Xinghua Village, a warm and joyful atmosphere filled the Su family's ancestral home. The eldest son of the Su family, carrying a string of glistening, tempting candied hawthorns, walked into the house with a broad smile. His wife followed closely behind, carrying a bamboo basket full of candied hawthorns.
"Mom and Dad! Come and see! These are the candied hawthorns that our family worked so hard to make yesterday! They're sweet and sour, and so delicious! You should try them!" The eldest son of the Su family shouted as he walked quickly to his parents and handed them the candied hawthorns.
Hearing her son's call, the woman sitting in the main room quickly got up to greet him. When she saw the strings of bright red candied hawthorns before her, a radiant smile spread across her face. She happily took the candied hawthorns and exclaimed, "Oh my, they look so beautiful! They must taste delicious!" Then, turning to the eldest son of the Su family, she said with concern, "There's some pork skin jelly in the kitchen; your father and I made it yesterday. Go get a plate and take it home so your wife and children can all have a taste."
Upon hearing his parents' words, the eldest son of the Su family instantly broke into a radiant smile, as warm and comforting as the spring sun. He nodded excitedly, as if pounding garlic, and exclaimed, "Alright! Thank you for your kindness and generosity, Father and Mother! I'll hurry and fetch some to take home and enjoy!" Before he finished speaking, he had already turned around impatiently and dashed towards the kitchen like the wind.
Not long after, the eldest son of the Su family emerged from the kitchen with light, brisk steps. He carried a large plate filled with pork skin jelly in both hands; the jelly was crystal clear and trembling, as if carved from exquisite jade. The eldest son beamed with joy, humming a cheerful tune as he walked happily towards his home.
As he stepped into the house, Miss Leng was standing at the door, smiling broadly to welcome him home. Seeing the eldest son of the Su family carrying a full plate of pork skin jelly, Miss Leng couldn't help but chuckle and tease him with a hint of playfulness, "Oh ho, I told you to take some good food to your parents, but why did you bring back such a big portion for yourself too?"
Upon hearing his wife's teasing remark, the eldest son of the Su family first scratched the back of his head sheepishly, then grinned and explained, "Hehe, wife, please don't tease me. My parents made a ton of pork skin jelly today. Even if they ate their fill, they definitely couldn't finish it all in a short time. That's why they told me to bring back extra so that all the children in our family could enjoy this delicious pork skin jelly!"
Hearing her husband's words, Miss Leng felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She smiled and nodded gently, saying, "I see. Then we must thank our parents for their kindness. In that case, let the children wash their hands and get ready for dinner!" With that, Miss Leng turned and walked towards the yard, calling the children who were playing to come and wash their hands before eating.
Meanwhile, the eldest son of the Su family carefully placed the pork skin jelly on the dining table. Then, he quickly took some fresh, bright green scallions and fragrant cilantro from the side and sprinkled them evenly on the plate of delicious-looking pork skin jelly, making the already appetizing pork skin jelly even more uniquely flavorful.
Just then, Miss Leng led the children, who had finished washing their hands, into the house. In her hands, she held a fragrant flatbread that she had just baked herself, and with skillful movements, she cut it into appropriately sized pieces and placed them one by one on the dining table.
With everything prepared, the entire Su family sat around the dining table, each face beaming with happiness and contentment. Amidst laughter and chatter, they began to fully enjoy this sumptuous and delicious breakfast…
"Wow, this pork skin jelly is so delicious! It's almost as good as the fruit pudding that kids love!" Xiao Bao excitedly gave a thumbs up, praising the delicious food in front of him.
Xiao Ni, standing nearby, giggled and said, "That's right! I love this pork skin jelly too! The delicious flavor is unforgettable!"
At this moment, the eldest son of the Su family looked at his wife with a big smile and asked gently, "Wife, what do you think of the pork skin jelly?"
The young woman blushed instantly, looking somewhat flustered. She lowered her head slightly and replied softly, "My family is quite poor, and I've never tasted pork skin jelly before. This is my first time trying it, and...it's so delicious!"
The eldest son of the Su family quickly comforted him, "Haha, don't be embarrassed, this pigskin isn't worth much. Since you like it, we'll buy more pigskin every year and send it back to our hometown. We'll have our family cook it and send it over, and we guarantee you'll have your fill!"
Hearing these kind words, Miss Leng nodded happily and replied, "Yes, thank you, husband!"
It was the weekend, and the eldest son of the Su family said to Miss Leng in high spirits, "Today is a rare day off, how about we go out for some fun? Where would you like to go? I'll take you!"
Miss Leng raised her head, looked at her husband with affection, and said in a soft and gentle voice, "In my opinion, we should ask the children what they think first, and see where they want to go to play."
"No, no, no, in my heart, you are the most important, so everything is up to you to decide!" The eldest son of the Su family waved his hands repeatedly. His resolute face was full of seriousness, and his deep eyes were fixed on the person in front of him, as if he were telling a story of endless affection.
"Really? That's wonderful! Actually, I've always wanted to go to the city. I heard that my sister's family recently opened a clothing store with really trendy styles. I'd like to have two beautiful outfits made there." Miss Leng said with a bright smile, her beautiful eyes sparkling with anticipation, like a dazzling star.
"Alright, whatever you want to do, I'll fully support you!" The eldest son of the Su family smiled and nodded, agreeing before turning and striding towards the carriage. He nimbly leaped onto the carriage shaft, skillfully cracking the whip and urging the horse forward slowly.
Soon, the carriage stopped in front of the house. The eldest son of the Su family carefully helped his wife onto the carriage, then carried the children one by one into the carriage. After settling them in, he once again cracked the whip and drove the carriage speeding towards the city.
It was the dead of winter, and a biting wind howled past, stinging one's face. Halfway there, the eldest son of the Su family couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Clothes must be much more expensive in the dead of winter. Ah, if only my wife could wait until summer to get new clothes..."
However, the moment the thought crossed his mind, he immediately shook his head, inwardly blaming himself. After all, it was he who had suggested going out, and he couldn't let his wife return disappointed. With that thought, the eldest son of the Su family gripped the reins tightly, making a silent vow that no matter how expensive the clothes were, he would grit his teeth and save money to buy his wife a few nice new outfits.
The carriage moved slowly, its wheels crunching over the snow. However, before they had traveled even halfway, a cold and fierce northwest wind began to howl, like the roar of a ferocious beast. The wind whipped snowflakes into a frenzy, and soon, large, white flakes, like goose feathers, began to fall, instantly transforming the world into a vast, desolate expanse.
The eldest son of the Su family quickly pulled up his collar, shrank his neck, and muttered, "This damn weather, it changes so fast!" His wife beside him also frowned and said worriedly, "Oh no! At this rate, the mountains will probably be snowed in soon!" Before she finished speaking, the two looked at each other and felt uneasy.