Miao Chu

Chapter 336 Praise
Although no one knew where the food tasting dish came from, everyone saw that when the emperor left the Imperial Academy, the eunuch beside him was carrying a large food box.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Zhao Yu boarded the imperial carriage.

Before the carriage had gone far, a group of teachers from the Imperial Academy began reciting scriptures to the students.

"The emperor values ​​scholars so highly and supports them in this way; you should all study diligently so as not to disappoint him!"

"What is 'ruling the world with filial piety'? This is it! Lambs kneel to suckle, crows feed their parents, and Wang Xiang lay on ice. Even today, when people eat good steamed buns, they know to offer them to the Empress Dowager. Although the matter is small and the steamed buns are small, their hearts are sincere and their intentions are earnest!"

"Even His Majesty takes back steamed buns to the palace to show his respect to the Empress Dowager. You all get to eat them every day now. With such good living conditions, how can you not work hard?"

The buzzing and buzzing was so loud it was annoying to hear.

One of the bolder students couldn't help but shout, "Teacher! When will we be able to eat like this every day? There are only so many steamed buns every day, and the quantity is limited! Not to mention steamed buns, even the glutinous rice is not purchased in large quantities by the kitchen staff. If you go late, there won't be a single one left—please help speak to Chancellor Deng and Vice Chancellor Meng. The Emperor has already mentioned it, so in the future, they should purchase more so that we can all eat and truly live a 'good life'!"

The man was very displeased. He snorted and said, "The steamed buns are all in the kitchen. Everyone else can eat them, but you can't. Whose fault is that?"

Because this teacher was always approachable and got along well with his students, someone immediately seized the opportunity and said, "We're all focused on our studies! Unlike them, all they think about is food!"

Another person responded, "Exactly! That's right! Sir—I've heard that the small kitchen, which is exclusively for teachers and school officials, receives a lot of steamed buns every day, in several different flavors. Only the small kitchen has them, not the main kitchen for students. With so many steamed buns, the teachers might not be able to finish them all. Why don't you...why don't you help us bring some out?"

"There's only so much food, and I've bought it all. The other teachers have nothing to eat and are causing trouble—you'll have to take responsibility for that!" The teacher glared at him. "Just focus on your studies! Are you going to study for a bite to eat, for my sake? If there's no food, you'll stop studying?"

The students booed.

The teacher knew his words weren't very pleasant to hear, so he added a few words of comfort, saying, "Even the Emperor himself praised it, so the school will probably buy more to try and make sure you can eat well. If you can eat well and have plenty of food, then what excuse will you have for not improving your studies?"

Although the gentleman was trying to comfort him, what he said wasn't wrong.

Having received praise from the emperor, the academic officials dared not slack off and began discussing the purchase of more Songji steamed buns.

Zhao Yu headed towards Xuande Gate. He spent quite a bit of time at the Imperial Academy, and by the time he returned, it was already late. So, without changing his clothes, he went straight to the inner palace.

Unfortunately, Ciming Palace was clearing out the dining table—Empress Dowager Yang had her own way of maintaining health and always ate dinner early.

Upon hearing that the Emperor had arrived, and seeing that Zhao Yu's robes and feet were covered in splattered mud and dust, and that his face showed undisguised fatigue, she couldn't help but say, "My son has been traveling all day and has finally returned. He should rest—it's alright if he doesn't come for a day or two. You've always been filial; does missing a few times mean it doesn't count?"

Zhao Yu hurriedly said, "If I don't come, I'll always be thinking about my mother. I might as well come and sit down for a while!"

At this moment, palace servants brought over a basin and a towel.

Empress Dowager Yang watched Zhao Yu wash his hands and face, then urged him to serve tea. After he finished tidying up, she asked, "What was the situation when Your Majesty inspected the river embankments and waterways outside the city today? How badly have they risen?"

Having ruled from behind the curtain for a long time, the Empress Dowager was well-versed in politics, so Zhao Yu dared not be negligent and quickly recounted everything he had seen and known.

Knowing that the floodwaters had receded and the capital was temporarily safe, Empress Dowager Yang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Autumn is just around the corner. If we can just hold on for another month or so, this year's floods will be completely over, and His Majesty can finally get a good night's sleep!"

Zhao Yufu then recounted how he had sent Li Zhai and Feng Deju to Liutahe, saying, "Several officials from the Water Conservancy Bureau have submitted a memorial, and the Ministry of Works and the Three Departments have also come to dissuade us. I think that since the flood season is over now, there's no rush. It would be better to do as they say and wait until the water is dry in winter before we can dredge the river."

Since returning power to the emperor, in order not to cause him any trouble, Empress Dowager Yang rarely inquired about court affairs openly. At this moment, she merely responded with a few words to indicate that she understood, and then said, "This is the safest way. Otherwise, with the floods so high right now, it would always make people uneasy—Your Majesty is becoming more and more thorough in your actions."

She praised him, and seeing that Zhao Yu had already drunk a cup of tea shortly after sitting down, she asked again, "You went out early this morning and are only returning now. Has Your Majesty eaten yet?"

Zhao Yu hurriedly put down his teacup and said, "I was just about to tell Mother—I went to the Imperial Academy today to ask the scholars questions and ate some steamed buns of various kinds. They tasted quite good. I also heard that those steamed buns have a special history, so I brought them back specially, hoping that Mother could try something new!"

At this point, he couldn't help but say, "It's a pity I got back so late; my mother had already eaten..."

Empress Dowager Yang said, "Although we have already eaten, we might as well take a look at the steamed buns my son brought—where are they?"

As soon as she spoke, a eunuch came over with the large food box, placed it on the table, and opened the lid.

Zhao Yu said, "My son ate several kinds of food today. The roasted pork and char siu buns and the tofu buns were sure to suit Mother's taste as soon as he tasted them!"

Empress Dowager Yang moved closer with great interest, looked around, and asked with a smile, "What is the roasted pork and char siu steamed bun? And which one is the tofu steamed bun?"

Zhao Yu had only eaten it once and couldn't really tell the difference, but the eunuch had only seen it once while standing by and watching, yet he remembered it very clearly and quickly pointed it out to Empress Dowager Yang.

Empress Dowager Yang had just finished eating and was actually full, but she didn't want to spoil the emperor's mood.

Seeing the box of steamed buns, which varied in size and shape, she asked, "Are these only for me? Did the Empress have any?"

Zhao Yu shook his head.

Empress Dowager Yang sighed and said, "Although she is a magnanimous person, you come back from outside and only send things to me, not to her. Who wouldn't think something is wrong?"

As she spoke, she immediately ordered someone to bring another food box over, and then turned to Zhao Yu and said, "When you go back later, don't say that it was from here. Just say that there were two portions prepared from the beginning, one for the Empress and one for me."

Zhao Yu was taken aback and was about to speak when Empress Dowager Yang said, "Listen to me!"

While the palace servants went to fetch the food box, she pointed to one of the steamed buns and said, "These steamed buns were specially brought back by the Emperor. Although I've already eaten them, I still want to try one—this one is the smallest. I wonder what it tastes like? Let me try it!"

Zhao Yu also looked over, but was taken aback.

Sure enough, there was a tiny steamed bun, about the size of a child's fist, and it looked like something he had never eaten that day.

Zhao Yu couldn't help but look at the eunuch beside him and asked, "What's this?"

"It is said to be called Golden Sand Steamed Bun, a newly made flavor. The restaurant that made the buns gave it to the students and staff of the Imperial Academy for tasting."

Seeing that it was a flavor he had never tasted before, Zhao Yu couldn't help but say, "Son, come and try one with your mother."

Before long, two sets of bowls and chopsticks were served.

The mother and son each took one. Empress Dowager Yang didn't use chopsticks; the steamed buns were really small, so she simply used her hands.

The eunuch then added, "I heard from the person making the steamed buns that you have to be careful not to burn yourself when eating these golden sand steamed buns!"

The food box was a double-layered box, with charcoal and water added to the bottom layer for keeping the food warm—it was indeed very useful, but after so long, the steamed buns were no longer hot, only lukewarm.

How hot can it be?
Despite her thoughts, Empress Dowager Yang readily agreed.

Instead of taking a bite, she simply broke the steamed bun in half.

It was just a casual snap, and I wasn't really on guard. But the moment the dough broke open, it was completely unexpected. The golden filling inside practically burst out, its color incredibly tempting, like a surging wave, like a waterfall. A little of it even dripped onto Empress Dowager Yang's fingers—and it was still warm.

The filling is quite unique; I don't know what it's made of, but it smells wonderful—it has a milky aroma, a fresh fragrance, and the wheat aroma of the outer dough.

Empress Dowager Yang brought half a steamed bun to her mouth and took a bite.

She blinked twice as soon as she put the food in her mouth.

It's kind of...delicious!

Before I even had a chance to chew, the flavor of the filling was already rolling onto my tongue. It was a very rich flavor, a blend of sweet and salty, and very oily. It was a bit thick at first, but it slowly melted away without being greasy at all.

It's not smooth—the salted egg yolk is crushed and sieved finely enough, but it is still a duck egg yolk, so you can still taste a very even sandy texture. When you press that sandy texture on your tongue, you can really appreciate the unique umami flavor of the salted egg yolk, along with a very strong oily aroma.

When you bite into it, your mouth is warm and full of the aroma of the filling. First comes the rich and savory salted duck egg yolk—it's been baked, so the aroma is exceptionally prominent. It's wrapped in a very strong and pleasant milky aroma, as well as the aroma of animal fat. The skin is soft with very dense pores and a little bit chewy. After chewing a couple of times, the filling mixes with the skin, adding a touch of wheat flavor.

Anything that is given to children who are filial, no matter what it is, is considered eight times better.

Empress Dowager Yang immediately gave this steamed bun an extra 80 points.

She intended to eat slowly, but the steamed bun was quite small, and before she knew it, she had finished the whole thing. When she looked up, she saw Zhao Yu looking at her and immediately praised, "No wonder my son remembered to bring it back for me—it really is a good steamed bun!"

At this moment, the palace servants had already brought up the food box and were distributing it. Empress Dowager Yang hadn't paid much attention to it before, but now she hurriedly spoke up: "Distribute all kinds of steamed buns evenly. The box I kept for myself can have a few more of these golden sand steamed buns!"

She savored the memory for a moment and said, "No wonder it's called Golden Sand Bun—it's definitely made of golden sand!"

Zhao Yu had already finished his golden sand bun; it was so small and not very appetizing.

The aroma of salted duck egg yolk mixed with thick milk was still lingering in his mouth when Zhao Yu came to his senses and said, "I haven't told my mother about the origin of this steamed bun yet—the restaurant that serves the steamed bun is called Song Ji, and the owner's surname is also Song. She is the 'Young Lady Song' that Inspector Xin Feng mentioned that day!"

Empress Dowager Yang was taken aback and asked, "Is it... the one who captured the gang leader in Huazhou and was in charge of the kitchens along the Tonghe River?"

“It’s her!” Zhao Yu said, chuckling. “Today I met that student Han Li. My mother even praised his writing. He’s the Supervisor of the Water Conservancy Bureau, and several other officials have also praised him for being a master at river management despite his young age…”

As he spoke, he instructed a eunuch to bring forward a booklet he had brought back from the Imperial Academy and to show the illustrations to Empress Dowager Yang.

After all, he had overseen the country, and done so very well. Empress Dowager Yang immediately recognized its value and couldn't help but say, "The drawing is so realistic. If we make something based on it, even in remote areas where there are few people to teach and guide, and where people don't know many words, we can still make something that is completely intact!"

"Was this painting originally done by Han Li? It is a great blessing for Your Majesty that my student has achieved such a feat!"

"It was made by Han Li!" Zhao Yu replied. "He also said that the drawing was inspired by the actions of that young lady Song in Huazhou..."

He learned a few sentences from what Han Li had said that day.

A loud drum doesn't need a heavy hammer.

Empress Dowager Yang clapped her hands and said, "This young lady has made one merit after another. She has been involved in two major cases in the capital and then went to Huazhou. However, we are afraid that if the news gets out, the remnants will find out that she is involved in the cases. We want to reward her but cannot. Now that we have such an opportunity, we must not treat her unfairly, otherwise we will be afraid that we will discourage the people who have made contributions!"

She said, "I'm here to give him praise—my son specially brought me such good steamed buns. As his mother, it's only right that I summon the cook and reward him handsomely. It will be a wonderful story to tell when word gets out!"

A filial son and a loving mother are exemplary models for the world, which is wonderful!
Once Empress Dowager Yang had this idea, she immediately summoned her trusted palace maids to calculate the time and find a nearby free day to make arrangements.

Since it was getting late, she gave instructions to send someone out of the palace the next day to the Song family restaurant in the so-called Suanzao Lane to deliver a decree to "Miss Song" in advance, saying that the Empress Dowager would be summoning her on a certain day, and asking her to make arrangements in advance.

After sitting for a while longer in Ciming Palace, Zhao Yu returned to Funing Palace.

Upon entering, he discovered that a meal had already been prepared in the side hall, and Empress Deng was waiting.

Zhao Yu felt a little guilty and said, "Eat first! Why are you still waiting for me!"

Empress Deng said, “I heard that His Majesty has returned and gone to Ciming Palace. I suppose even if the Empress Dowager invites me to eat, I can’t just eat casually. If we set out another meal after he returns, it would be embarrassing if people heard about it. It’s better to wait. If I’m not full, I can just have a few bites here. If I’m full, I can eat by myself.”

His wife's thoughtfulness deepened Zhao Yu's guilt, but he didn't know what to say. So he turned around and told the eunuch who was following him to bring up the food box, pointing to it and saying, "I went to the Imperial Academy today and brought back some steamed buns..."

Empress Deng was overjoyed and went to receive the food herself. She was very happy and said, "Your Majesty is so busy, yet you still remember to bring me food!"

He then asked, "Has the Empress Dowager received it yet? We mustn't forget to send it!"

This made it even harder for Zhao Yu to lie.

He could only say, "Ciming Palace already exists; this was separated from there..."

"I...I was really a bit negligent this time. I'll bring you some things back another day. Please don't take it to heart."

Empress Deng whispered, "Why is Your Majesty saying this? I know Your Majesty's filial piety and would never think too much about it!"

Everyone outside said that the emperor was deliberately being filial to the empress dowager because he was adopted, but she knew very well that her husband's filial piety came from the bottom of his heart, but she simply couldn't argue with it.

(End of this chapter)