Chapter 4: Icemaking of Saltpeter (Part 1)

When he returned to the bedroom, Xiao Fuzi had already returned. But Li Zhen had no time to pay attention to him because he was being taught a lesson by Concubine Yan. Li Zhen never knew that such a beauty had an eloquence comparable to Tang Monk. This ideological education lasted for more than an hour before Li Zhen broke free from Concubine Yan's claws. Concubine Yan had been away for a quarter of an hour, but Li Zhen still felt her ears buzzing until Xiao Fuzi came over.

"Your Highness, the kitchen utensils have been found. What else do you have to give?" Xiao Fuzi was eleven years old and entered the palace since childhood. Li Zhen was assigned to him as soon as he was born.

"Help me build the stove." Li Zhen felt that he was a fool. He had many subordinates around him but didn't know how to use it. Fortunately, it's not too late now.

Xiao Fuzi and the others were working, and they sat on the chair and watched. Li Zhen thought that Tang Dynasty was still very good. The stove built was not available for the time being. It would take two days to wait until the mud was dry until it was used.

"Xiao Fuzi, who can cook?" Li Zhen is too young now. He needs a helper as his special chef. As a prince, it is not a good idea to always do it by himself. He just takes this time to train one first.

A group of eunuchs looked at each other, and one of them came out: "Your Highness, little pillar, have learned some cooking."

Li Zhen looked at Xiao Zhuzi. Although she was young, she could already tell the chef's figure: "No, I will teach you in two days and you can cook for me."

Xiaozhuzi quickly thanked: "Thank you, Your Highness."

There is no secret in the palace. Today, Li Zhen instructed the imperial chef to cook for the emperor to eat. The emperor was very satisfied. The news has been spread. Now everyone in the palace knows that the Eighth Highness Li Zhen has obtained the inheritance of the immortals and has learned countless kinds of delicacies. This is because Li Shimin blocked the news, otherwise it might have been spread outside now.

Two days later, the stove was already available. Xiao Zhuzi made a loach taro under the guidance of Li Zhen. Li Zhen ate it so hard that he was "tearing in tears". It was too difficult. He didn't know how he survived the two days. After eating the loach taro, Li Zhen asked Xiao Zhuzi to make a sweet and sour carp and send it to Concubine Yan. Concubine Yan liked it very much. From then on, Xiao Zhuzi cooked two dishes for each meal, one for Concubine Yan himself, and the other for Concubine Yan... Well, Li Da Foodie seemed to have forgotten someone.

Therefore, Li Zhen's good life was not a few days later. With a transfer order, Xiao Zhuzi was transferred to Shangshi Bureau. This transfer order was like a bolt from the blue, which fooled Li Zhen. This was definitely Li Shimin's method, which was ruthless. However, Li Zhen was not afraid and secretly warned Xiao Zhuzi that it would be fine to make the dishes he taught to others, but he had to exchange his own life. If he didn't have to do this life, the old man would not let him go.

This scared Xiao Zhuzi to the point of being pale. He swears in front of Li Zhen that he would never reveal the recipe and would never cook according to the recipe. Even so, Xiao Zhuzi has learned not only the recipes after following Li Zhen for so many days, but also several cooking techniques and the characteristics of several ingredients. These alone can greatly improve his cooking skills, at least it is absolutely enough to gain a foothold in Shangshi Bureau.

After Xiao Zhuzi left, Li Zhen hurriedly chose a replacement. This time, Li Zhen was smart and no longer selected eunuchs, but asked Concubine Yan for a palace maid who could cook. This time, he saw how Shangshi Bureau asked him for someone.

"You, I really don't know what happened to you father and son. You are enemies, and you are not like enemies. If you say they are father and son, how can you do this with father and son? You are breaking each other." Today Li Zhen accompanied Concubine Yan to dinner. When talking about what happened a few days ago, Concubine Yan was also amused and crying.

Li Zhen snorted angrily: "It's really because my father is too bullying. Didn't he forget him when delivering food? As for transferring my cook away?"

Concubine Yan smiled and said, "But you can't threaten that cook, so your father wants to taste new dishes and get me here."

"Isn't this better? Mother can spend more time with her father." As soon as Li Zhen finished speaking, he was slapped on the forehead.

Concubine Yan was angry and embarrassed and said, "Boy, where did you get so many colorful intestines? Did you learn it from the old god?"

Li Zhenshun climbed the pole: "Yes, I remembered a lot of recipes these days, and I will try them for my mother to have the opportunity."

"Why is it still a recipe? You won't even want to order something else?"

"I recently found that only what I need is easy to remember. The more I need, the easier it is to remember." Li Zhen was talking nonsense.

"There is still this statement?" Concubine Yan nodded: "But it makes some sense."

"Then what do you need now?" Li Zhen was so upset when he heard this voice. He came in secretly and eavesdropped on other people's conversations. Is it fun? You are the emperor, the father, and Wei Zheng caught him. Are you not afraid of him spitting saliva at you?

"I have met the emperor (father)." Although I am full of resentment, the etiquette that should be given must be left out.

Li Shimin waved his hand to let them get up, then stared at Li Zhen and said, "Tell me, what do you need now?"

"I need ice the most now." Li Zhen honestly said what he needed. It was hot this day and he could already fry eggs on the stones.

"I also need ice, but there are not many ice cubes stored in winter. In addition, the day for ice delivery is not yet here, so you can bear it." Li Shimin twisted Li Zhen's face hard.

Li Zhen finally broke free, and didn't know when he learned the problem. He always liked to twist others' faces: "If the child could provide enough ice, what kind of reward would the father give?"

"What kind of reward do you want?"

"Thunder, rain and dew are all kindness of the Lord." Li Zhen didn't say that. He didn't know the value of ice in this era. He had a tone like this, so it would be better to take the initiative to ask Li Shimin to offer.

"How about you being the king?" Li Shimin tempted.

Concubine Yan said worriedly: "Emperor..." She wanted to circle but didn't dare to do it all.

But Li Zhen looked at Li Shimin with an idiot-looking look.

Li Shimin was so guilty: "What are you doing when you look at me like this?"

Li Zhen said with slightest voice: "I will be crowned king sooner or later, I am not in a hurry."

"Hahaha..." Li Shimin looked at Li Zhen. A three-year-old child looked like this. No matter how he looked, he felt funny. He couldn't help laughing. Even Concubine Yan on the side couldn't help laughing.

"Everyone is serious, and you are talking about serious things." Who would have thought that when Li Zhen said this, Li Shimin and Concubine Yan laughed even harder, and even the palace maids and eunuchs who served were covering their mouths and laughing secretly.

"Do you want ice?"

Li Shimin stopped smiling immediately, his eyes widened: "You really have a way?"

"Yes, there is a delicious food called shaved ice in the food collection, which mentions the method of making ice." Li Zhen was very proud. I put the ice making method in the "Food Collection". I think you dare to underestimate the skills of the chef?

"Really? What's the solution?" Li Shimin asked immediately. He really needed ice now. Chang'an was so hot, and the south was even more irritating. Yesterday, the memorial to Jiannandao mentioned that someone was already terrified of heat. Li Shimin was also worried and anxious. If Li Zhen really had a solution, it would have really helped him a lot.

Guan Yang stretched out his palm. Li Shimin knew what it meant and stuffed the fan in his hand to Li Zhen: "Is it enough?"

Li Zhen still stretched out his hand: "If my father only had the method of making shaved ice, this fan would be enough, but the method of making ice is more than this price."

"What do you want?"

"Father, please take a look."

"In this way, can I give your fiefdom a little bigger when you become king?" Li Shimin promised.

“How much is it?”

Li Shimin stretched out a finger, Li Zhen shook his head in disappointment. Li Shimin thought for a moment, and added a finger in pain, as if it had reached his bottom line.

Li Zhen also knew that it was at least good. It seemed that he couldn't squeeze out much, so he nodded quickly: "Okay, although it's a little less, but for the sake of your father, I'll just treat you as helping you. Don't change it?"

"..." Li Shimin almost vomited blood. This is already a lot, right?

"Don't change. Let's swear." He reluctantly took a breath, and the father and son, one big and one small, hit the palms three times in a row, and the pledge was completed.

Rubbing the numb palms was definitely intentional. Li Zhen turned his head and said to Xiao Fuzi: "Go and find some saltpeter and bring the basin of water by the way."

Xiao Fuzi responded and ran to the Imperial Medical Department. He knew that saltpeter is a medicinal material, and the Imperial Medical Department would definitely have it.

Turning his head and apologizing: "This is the old man's order, Father, don't blame me."

As he said that, he sat on Li Shimin's thigh - when will he not act cute at this time?

Li Shimin said: "The father knew that it was the old god, and the father also understood that the truth should not be passed on lightly. Don't worry, the father did not blame you."

"Thank you, Father."

“Is saltpeter used to make ice?”

Li Zhen grabbed Li Shimin's beard and said coquettishly: "Yes."

Although he felt disgusted, Li Zhen could only endure it. Looking at Li Shimin again, it seemed that he was quite enjoying it. He couldn't stand his expression, and he suddenly exerted force on his hand and several beards were pulled down.

"Ao!" Li Shimin screamed in pain.

"The emperor atones for his sins." Concubine Yan quickly apologized.

"It's okay, it's okay." Looking at Li Shimin's painful appearance, Li Zhen felt much more comfortable.
Chapter completed!