Tang Dynasty: A Guide to Avoiding Pitfalls for Li Er at the Start

Chapter 78 I don’t eat beef

"boom!"

The Wen family mansion gates were tightly shut, and Wu Shun was startled by the noise.

Her face was pale, and she stood there with her fists clenched tightly.

Wen He left so decisively, without giving her any face at all.

"He's just a newly rich guy who's managed to curry favor with the Crown Prince. What's so great about him!"

Wu Shun stomped his feet hard, turned around and was about to leave, but found his younger sister standing there motionless.

"Second Sister, what are you still standing there for? Go back!" she shouted.

Wu Erniang pursed her lips, looked at the closed door, and suddenly called out inside, "Sister misspoke just now, um, I apologize to you, please don't be angry, sister was afraid you would complain and make him unable to become the crown prince... um."

Before she could finish speaking, Wu Shun pulled her away, glaring at her fiercely and warning, "Why are you saying all this? Since he's being so shameless, then we won't give him any more face!"

Wu Shun deliberately snorted at the gate.

Even if the master of the Wen family goes to file a complaint, so what?

Her family were dukes, and she refused to believe that His Highness the Crown Prince would listen to the words of a mere county magistrate.

Unbeknownst to Wu Shun, Wen He was standing behind the gate at that moment.

"Is Gao Ming going to choose a concubine?" Wen He looked at Wen Zhong in confusion.

As the steward of the Prince of Qin's residence, he would certainly receive news if Li Chengqian were to choose a concubine.

Wenzhong shook his head; he had never heard of this before.

"It turns out I was just being delusional."

Wen He deliberately told Wen Zhong this.

He knew very well that even if Li Chengqian were to choose a concubine, he would absolutely not choose the two Wu sisters.

"This old servant will convey this to Your Highness."

"It wasn't me snitching, you heard it yourself."

"Yes, I heard it myself."

Wenzhong smiled knowingly and immediately understood why his young master hadn't left after the door was closed, but had deliberately stayed there.

"Go check if the roast chicken is ready. If it is, send three to the East Palace."

He stretched and walked into the main hall.

Wen Zhong bowed and clasped his hands in response, then looked up and smiled helplessly.

"I'm afraid Your Highness will blame me."

As the former steward of the Prince of Qin's mansion, how could he not know how to organize a banquet?

In the past, if there was a banquet at the Prince of Qin's residence, he would take care of it unless the Princess Consort did it herself.

But this young man, Wen, is very stubborn.

They insisted on pleading poverty to His Highness the Crown Prince.

However, this mansion is indeed poor; just buying these things tonight has already emptied the treasury.

What to eat at home tomorrow is still a problem.

"Brother, the hot pot is ready."

Inside the main hall, Wenrou stared at the newly set-up copper pot and shouted loudly.

Wen He walked over and gently rubbed the little girl's head: "The fire has only just started, it won't get better so quickly."

He specially prepared a chicken soup hot pot.

In his previous life, he was from the seaside and couldn't handle spicy food, so he mostly ate mild hot pot.

I also cooked two bowls of vegetables in a stone pot.

Originally, he only wanted to invite the three little ones to have hot pot, but it would be even better if Li Shimin came.

"Brother is hungry."

"Wait a minute, have you gained weight recently?" Wen He squinted.

Xiao Wenrou quickly shook her head, covering her slightly chubby face: "I haven't gained weight, it's just that I've gained a little bit."

Upon hearing this, Wen He couldn't help but burst into laughter, which caused Xiao Wenrou to swing her little fists at him.

He still prefers days like this, unlike before, when he felt lonely despite the lively atmosphere.

……

Half an hour later.

A hot pot was served at the Yichun Palace in the East Palace, with three roasted chickens placed next to it.

"That brat is hiding in the mansion eating this?"

Li Shimin stared at the things on the table, his eyes wide with anger, and questioned Huang Chun. "Your Highness, please don't be angry. Perhaps these expenses are indeed too high. Young Master Wen's family is not wealthy enough to support so many people. Isn't he just offering these things to apologize to you?"

Empress Zhangsun covered her mouth and chuckled, then stepped forward to comfort her.

Li Shimin snorted in dissatisfaction: "Just three chickens, and this lousy boiled vegetable dish was specially ordered by Wenzhong to be made separately."

"It's hot pot," Empress Zhangsun reminded her.

"..." Li Shimin was speechless. He knelt down and stared at Huang Chun, asking, "That brat, do you have any suggestions on how to eat this?"

Huang Chun bowed and explained, "Wen Xiaolang said that all you need to do is slice the mutton into thin slices and blanch it for a short while. Oh, and he also made the dipping sauce himself."

"However, he seemed a little confused, saying that he couldn't eat beef now, pork was too smelly, and mutton was too expensive. He was so poor that he could only eat boiled vegetables."

When he heard this news, his heart skipped a beat.

This young man Wen is incredibly audacious; he even dared to think about eating beef.

He looked up and, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Li Shimin's lips twitching, as if he were very angry.

Li Shimin was indeed angry.

He originally thought that people in later generations would live a miserable life and could only eat fried noodles.

I never expected that I could eat beef so freely?
But what is pork?
"Pork? But pig?"

He thought for a while, and then suddenly remembered that this seemed to be a common saying.

Among the upper-class nobility of the Tang Dynasty, pigs were called "shi," which sounds the same as "shi" (屎).

Because the pigs were raised next to the outhouse, and their meat was particularly smelly and pungent, even poor families and landlords wouldn't eat it.

"I ate it once when I was a child, and it didn't taste very good."

Empress Zhangsun frowned slightly, recalling the taste and feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

Li Shimin didn't say much, just gave a faint "hmm", and then called Huang Chun to come closer.

"According to that brat, cut some beef, but not too much, and prepare a roast chicken and hot pot for His Majesty, with more beef."

"promise."

Huang Chun responded.

Although the Tang Dynasty explicitly prohibited the consumption of beef, beef that died from disease or falls could still be sold.

Beef was naturally indispensable in the imperial city.

The next day.

Birdsong could be heard coming from outside.

The sunlight shone on the lotus pond, turning it into a golden expanse.

Wen He slept until the sun was high in the sky before getting up.

"It's so great not having to work from 8 am or do an internship."

He stretched lazily, put on his coat, and was about to go out.

Suddenly, I heard laughter coming from outside, like a girl's voice.

He pushed open the door with a puzzled look, and saw a familiar figure chasing a dog with Wenrou not far away.

"Where did this dog come from?"

“It was a tribute from the Western Regions. I thought it was quite good, so I gave it to Lizhi.”

A soft, melodious sound came from beside him.

Wen He nodded, yawned, and said lazily, "If it were rabbit, that would be great. Braised or steamed, it would be delicious."

He smacked his lips a few times, then his body suddenly froze.

The brain, which hadn't fully rebooted, quickly started up.

"solitary?"

He turned around abruptly and saw Li Shimin, dressed in a light yellow round-necked robe, holding a cup of tea and gazing at him with deep eyes.

"I?" Li Shimin repeated his question.

"Cough." Wen He choked on his saliva and quickly bowed to him: "Your Highness, I am unaware of your arrival. I apologize for not welcoming you properly."

Seeing his serious and earnest appearance, Li Shimin couldn't help but chuckle: "Where did you learn these words?"

"Um, TV series, time-travel novels, and movies," he replied seriously.

Li Shimin stood there stunned, unsure how to respond.

"What nonsense is this? Never mind, I came here today to ask you, how can a pig, which is what you call a pig, become delicious?"

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Book lovers 20210218180530249, I love eating vegetable buns, and Feng Xiaoxiao is very confused.

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(End of this chapter)