Drive to the Tang Dynasty, where supplies are refreshed daily!

Chapter 106 The Taste of Home!

Not only Xiao Ran, but also Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya, as well as San Niang and several princesses, were very close to him.

Xiao Yu herself could not do that.

Only then did he begin to lower his stance and take the initiative to talk to Zhang Jinhe and Zhang Erya.

He always felt a little inferior when facing Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang were far superior to Xiao Yu in terms of appearance, temperament, and status.

Xiao Yu joined in scraping the persimmon frost; the persimmon frost they were using came from the two neighboring villages.

Actually, there was quite a bit of persimmon frost left, but seeing that the villagers had brought it to them, Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang felt that the villagers had a hard life, so they simply accepted it.

The price is the same as in Kaolao Village.

Zhang Jinhe also accepted the persimmon cakes.

Seeing Xiao Yu's awkward shaving, Princess Yuzhang smiled and said, "Yu Niang, shave like this."

Princess Yuzhang set an example.

"Okay!" Xiao Yu imitated Princess Yuzhang and gently scraped.

I just didn't control the force well, and I still managed to scrape my skin.

“That means we can’t sell it to Jinniang; we’ll have to keep it for ourselves,” Li Lizhi said with a smile.

This made Xiao Yu a little reserved. Persimmon cakes in Chang'an were not cheap, but it was nothing to Xiao Yu.

The main reason Xiao Yu felt pressured was because of Li Lizhi's and Princess Yuzhang's identities.

“There aren’t many left at home. The young master said he wanted to buy some, so these are all fine for me.” Zhang Erya put the scraped skin aside.

The villagers' money should definitely be paid in full.

The price was the same as the price Zhang Jinhe paid for it.

Xiao Ran eats it occasionally.

Like other pastries, it is served to guests when they come over.

Persimmon cakes shouldn't be eaten too often, but it's nice to have them occasionally.

Third Sister and the two little princesses also eat it occasionally.

Cheng Tiehuan wasn't used to it at first, but now she's quite adept at scraping persimmon frost.

Li Wu didn't shave; he followed the three little maids, sometimes inside the courtyard, sometimes outside.

The two little princesses are too young; I'm afraid something might happen if I don't keep an eye on them.

Seeing that Xiao Ran was going to burn glass, the three little girls followed him eagerly.

The little princess even took the initiative to pull Xiao Ran along.

The three little girls all liked Xiao Ran, not only because he had given them treats before, but also because they liked his personality.

Xiao Ran wasn't interested in little boys, but he really liked this cute little girl.

"Young master!" Zhang Dalang and the others greeted Xiao Ran as soon as they saw him arrive.

“Young master, Sizi.” Li Ke smiled.

This job is actually not easy. The furnace is very hot, and it's quite hot standing next to it.

Li Ke, on the other hand, was enjoying himself.

It needs continuous improvement to address its shortcomings.

Xiao Ran did not intend to mass-produce these glass cups.

Xiao Ran wanted to improve quality.

Although it's valuable now, we still prioritize quality.

"Sizi, San Niang, Fanyin, go play over there. It's hot here, and this place is dangerous; you can't go near it," Xiao Ran said to the three little girls.

"Hmmmm~"

"it is good!"

The three little girls led Xiao Hei away, not getting close to the stove.

Now, Xiao Hei spends more time with San Niang than with Xiao Ran.

As it approached lunchtime, the others went back to eat first.

Xiao Ran didn't provide meals, but gave them an extra meal allowance.

The main reason was that I didn't want to put pressure on Zhang Erya.

The others went back, while Zhang Dalang and Li Ke stayed by the stove.

Xiao Ran also had to go back to prepare the meal.

Li Wu was also interested in glassmaking, but he didn't forget his duty and kept an eye on the little princess at all times.

Sun Simiao and Empress Xiao were not inside the room, but were sitting outside basking in the sun.

Now that winter has arrived, the sun isn't too strong, and it feels warm and cozy on your skin.

Xiao Yu and the other young people did not disturb them.

We might not be from the same generation, so we don't have much in common.

The aroma of food wafted into the yard, and the three little ones ran to the kitchen door to wait.

Although I've eaten here many times, I still really like it.

Princess Zhang Erya was also cooking.

Princess Yuzhang helped out, but Zhang Jinhe didn't come because there were too many people and it was too crowded.

Recently, we've finally achieved meat freedom at home.

There used to be a lot of meat from deer and bears.

Cooking doesn't require much food at once; it's not just about eating meat to fill you up, but also about staple foods and other dishes.

"It smells so good!" The little princess swallowed hard. "It's so delicious!"

The little princess recognized the taste of meat.

"Hmm, this fragrance." Empress Xiao also smelled it.

Xiao Yu couldn't help but look towards the kitchen. Last time, Empress Xiao and Xiao Yu didn't eat, so they didn't know about Xiao Ran's cooking skills.

"Young master, your cooking skills are absolutely superb. Madam, please have a taste later." Sun Simiao smiled.

In terms of culinary skills, Sun Simiao was completely convinced.

Although Xiao Ran explained more than once that his cooking skills were only average, it was mainly thanks to the seasonings.

But the others didn't believe it; they just thought Xiao Ran was amazing.

After all, no one else had these seasonings except Xiao Ran, which in itself is quite remarkable.

Xiao Ran was powerless to refute this.

It wasn't just seasonings; many of the dishes Xiao Ran made were things that no one else had ever heard of.

I didn't recognize any of the cakes or creams, but they tasted delicious.

The three little girls had eaten it once and had been craving it for days.

The arrival of Empress Xiao Yu and Li Ke brought more people to the house for meals.

After preparing the meal, Zhang Erya went to call Sun Simiao and Empress Xiao.

Upon entering the main room, one sees a large table with several dishes laid out on it.

Empress Xiao and Xiao Yu were not used to it; they usually ate separately, but this was clearly a meal for everyone to eat together.

Li Lizhi noticed Empress Xiao's confusion, "The young master doesn't like to be separated, saying that the more people there are, the more lively the meal is, and he will only separate if there isn't enough room."

"That's wonderful." Empress Xiao was getting old and thought it was nice to have some liveliness.

Xiao Yu was shocked to see Zhang Dalang, Li Wu, and the others eating together.

The princesses, however, had gotten used to it.

The three little girls liked to sit close to Xiao Ran. It was indeed a bit crowded today.

"It smells so good!" Li Ke wasn't hungry at first, but looking at these dishes made him feel hungry.

“Little Nangjun~ Qi Youyou~” the little princess said quickly.

"Good!" Xiao Ran put some meat on the little princess's plate. "Madam, Sanlang, Yu Niang, please try it and see if it suits your taste."

"It smells so good, it must be to my liking. Knowing that the young master is such a good cook, I'm afraid I'll have to come here for meals often in the future," Empress Xiao laughed.

After tasting a tomato, Empress Xiao nodded approvingly.

The food was indeed delicious, but it was the atmosphere that Empress Xiao truly appreciated.

Empress Xiao paused in her chopsticks, her gaze slowly sweeping over everyone at the table.

At the corner of the table, the little princess was holding a small spoon, standing on tiptoe to reach the fatty meat in Xiao Ran's bowl.

The little princess from Chengyang giggled beside her and reached out to help her move the spoon forward.

Third Sister sat on the stool next to Little Black, shoveling food into her mouth. Occasionally, she would look up at the little princesses' laughter and play, her eyes sparkling.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang huddled together, whispering something, glancing at the children every now and then with eyes as soft as melted honey.

Even the usually reserved Xiao Yu blushed when Cheng Tiehuan handed her a piece of venison, and lowered her head to chew it slowly.

The aroma of meat and vegetables, along with the chattering of children, enveloped the entire room like a warm, cozy blanket.

Empress Xiao suddenly remembered many years ago.

At that time, she was still the Princess of Jin, and Yang Guang was still by her side. The banquets in the palace were always strictly regulated. The table was full of delicacies, but even the sound of chopsticks touching the rim of the bowl had to be carefully controlled.

Later, when she became empress, the dishes in the Imperial Kitchen were as exquisite as paintings, but the tables for separate meals were spaced apart, and even speaking required one to consider one's status. Where could one find such a lively and bustling atmosphere?

Later, amidst the flames of Jiangdu and the sandstorms of the Turks, the journey was tumultuous, and the people around me changed wave after wave. Even being able to sit down and have a peaceful meal became a luxury.

She had witnessed too many separations and too much scheming, and had long forgotten what it felt like for a family to sit around a table, arguing and fighting over a piece of meat or a laugh.

But at this moment, looking at these teenagers and innocent children, listening to their unrestrained laughter, and watching Xiao Ran's natural movements as he served food to the little princess, I suddenly felt that this is what life should be like.

They don't care about status or power struggles; they're just a group of people who get together for a hot meal or a casual chat, and they smile broadly.

This wasn't just about freeloading; it was clearly the sliver of "home" she had longed to cling to after a life of hardship.

She lowered her head and quietly dabbed at the corner of her eye with a handkerchief.

The steaming hot buns blurred my vision and also concealed the sudden surge of dampness.

It turns out that as people get older, they can't stand such liveliness, especially since this liveliness contains the tranquility she never dared to think about in the first half of her life, and the warmth of a "full house" that she can hardly hope for in the second half of her life.

"Grandmother, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Li Ke sensed something was wrong.

"It's okay, it's fine."

“Madam, the old man usually reads all day by himself and gets bored. Please come over more often if you have time,” Xiao Ran said with a smile.

"Alright, alright, if that's how you say it, then I won't stand on ceremony." When Empress Xiao raised her head, her voice was slightly hoarse, but her smile was exceptionally gentle. "This kind of meal is heartwarming."

Xiao Yu finished what was in her bowl and was a little full, but she still wanted to eat.

I felt a little embarrassed, because Xiao Yu had indeed been a bit aloof before.

When Zhang Erya saw this, she offered to add more rice to Xiao Yu's plate.

The two little princesses and Princess Yuzhang were not shy at all and had become familiar with each other.

When Li Ke ate Xiao Ran's cooking for the first time, he had a great appetite and wanted to eat more.

He was also worried about the negative impact, as he was, after all, a prince and had to be mindful of his image.

Looking at Zhang Dalang and Li Wu, who were silently eating, and Cheng Tiehuan on the other side, Li Ke realized he had no idea what was going on.

Without further ado, they continued eating.

Knowing that they had big appetites, they prepared a lot of food.

"Sizi, this meat is lean." Li Ke even put some meat on the little princess's plate, showing that the little princess liked to eat meat.

"I want to be fat and chubby~" the little princess immediately declared.

"You like to eat fatty foods?"

"It's a duck, it's a duck~"

Sun Simiao was picking up a piece of stewed pork belly with bamboo chopsticks when he heard this. He looked up and smiled, "Our Sizi is growing up, so it's good that he likes to eat fatty food."

"The fat is full of vitality. This meat is stewed until it melts in your mouth. It warms the spleen and stomach, and gives you strength. Eat a few more pieces so you can grow taller in the spring."

"Hehe~" The little princess was very happy to hear Sun Simiao say that.

Her face was all oily.

Li Lizhi and Princess Yuzhang could not eat fatty food, they could only eat lean food.

He also likes to give the fatty parts of the pork belly to the little princess.

The little princess is a great dining companion.

There was a lot of food prepared, and everyone enjoyed it; there was hardly any left.

The three little girls, having eaten and drunk their fill, didn't stop playing outside.

Seeing Princess Yuzhang helping to tidy up the table, Xiao Yu didn't sit idle either.

Normally, Xiao Yu only needed to stay by Empress Xiao's side, serving her tea and water; the other tasks were handled by the servants in the mansion.

Now Xiao Yu felt embarrassed to be idle. Since Princess Yuzhang was doing it, it wouldn't be right for her not to.

There are just many things I don't know how to do, and it's awkward standing in the kitchen.

"Yu Niang, you can go and keep Grandmother company. There's nothing to do here."

Princess Yuzhang dismissed Xiao Yu.

Stepping out of the kitchen, Xiao Yu saw Xiao Ran and suddenly found Xiao Ran increasingly pleasing to the eye.

Although his clothes and appearance were a bit unconventional, he looked energetic.

Noticing Xiao Yu's gaze, Li Lizhi frowned slightly.

At some point, three young maids gathered around Sun Simiao and Empress Xiao.

Xiao Ran also noticed that people of all ages and genders quite liked the old man, Sun Simiao.

His gentle and insightful nature, free from discrimination, is like the warm, non-scorching sun in winter, bringing a comforting warmth to everyone.

He never adopted the serious demeanor of a doctor when dealing with children.

Seeing the little princess holding a piece of fatty meat and smiling with her face glistening with oil, he would laugh and add another piece to her bowl, saying, "You need to eat good food to grow up."

Third Sister timidly handed over the wild fruit she had just picked. He would solemnly take it, wipe it clean, and taste it while praising, "This fruit is more refreshing than the candied fruit in the city."

The children couldn't understand his medical theories, but they could feel his indulgent tenderness, even more so than that of an elder, from the force with which he rubbed their hair and the way he handed them snacks.

This kind of closeness without any ulterior motive is the most effective way to help children let down their guard.

He never used his seniority to intimidate young people.

He understands the awkwardness of young people and respects their enthusiasm. He never acts like a "senior" and is more like an old friend who is willing to listen to you.

When accompanying Empress Xiao to bask in the sun, he didn't talk about court intrigues, but only about everyday things like "sunbathing the back in winter can ward off the cold." He listened quietly as she reminisced about her youth, occasionally interjecting with a comment like, "The rouge back then probably didn't smell as good as it does now," which made the old woman laugh.

He understands what people who have weathered many storms need most—not respect, but companionship and conversation, so that those memories buried deep in their hearts can find a place to rest.

He had "equality" ingrained in his very bones, especially when it came to ordinary villagers.

In his eyes, human life and chicken life, noble people and villagers, are no different in terms of "living." This kind of unbiased kindness is what makes people feel close to him the most.

His closeness was never a deliberate attempt to please, but rather a profound understanding that comes with the passage of time—having witnessed too much life and death, he has come to appreciate the preciousness of life.

Having witnessed too much conflict, I understand even more how precious peace is.

So he has a down-to-earth, everyday quality about him. Sometimes you can't quite put your finger on what's so great about him, but you always want to stay by his side a little longer, and even the air feels warm and cozy.

Sun Simiao's qualities cannot be defined by terms like "smooth" or "high emotional intelligence."

Those kinds of words always carry a hint of deliberate craftsmanship, but what he possesses is a complete acceptance and respect for "humanity" itself, refined by the passage of time; it is an almost genuine clarity and compassion.

(End of this chapter)