PFC Chapter 64 This dragon tendon can actually make me feel comfortable?
Chapter 64 This dragon tendon can actually make me feel comfortable?
Chapter 64 This dragon tendon can actually make me feel comfortable?
The windows of the Lizheng Hall were half-closed, and the wind that blew in carried a hint of autumn desolation, but it could not dispel the bitter smell of medicine that permeated the hall all year round.
Empress Zhangsun leaned against the soft couch, her chest feeling tight, as if a wet cotton ball was pressing down on it. Each breath required great effort, and suppressed coughs occasionally escaped her throat.
"Cough cough—!"
The court lady beside her quietly handed over a bowl of pear soup, which was warm but so bland that it did not whet anyone's appetite.
"Is Erlang still in the Liangyi Hall?"
Empress Zhangsun pushed away the pear soup, her voice weak.
"Your Majesty, His Majesty has just finished his meal and is currently discussing matters with his wife in their private quarters."
As they were talking, a corner of the heavy curtain at the entrance of the palace was lifted.
There was no movement until a small head with two buns poked its head in.
This time, Xiao Sizi learned her lesson. Before entering, she deliberately rubbed the soles of her shoes against the door. With her hands behind her back, she no longer walked with her usual brisk pace, but rather took small, hesitant steps, just like a guilty little cat.
Li Lizhi followed behind, her expression somewhat strange. She wanted to laugh but dared not, still clutching the handkerchief that was already soaked in red oil, with nowhere to hide it.
"Mother!"
Little Sizi moved to the soft couch, called out sweetly, and then nestled her little head into Empress Zhangsun's arms.
Empress Zhangsun, who had been feeling a tightness and pain in her chest, regained some color in her face after being bumped by the little dumpling. She reached out and touched her daughter's cheek.
It doesn't feel right!
It's a bit greasy.
I smelled it again.
Normally, this girl would smell of milk or a light scent of camphor, but today was different.
An extremely domineering, smoky, spicy aroma suddenly emerged from the layers of Shu brocade, scattering the medicinal smell throughout the hall.
"Where did you go gallivanting off to?"
Empress Zhangsun pinched her daughter's little nose. "You smell so strongly. Did you go to that—wood shed—again?"
Little Sizi covered his nose and chuckled foolishly, his dark eyes darting around, as he proudly showed off his right hand, which had been hidden behind his back.
He was holding a wad of oiled paper.
The oil paper was soaked in red oil, becoming translucent and looking filthy.
"Mother, this is for you!"
Little Sizi held the oil-paper package under Empress Zhangsun's nose, "These are dragon tendons from Su Guoguo! They smell so good, they'll stop my cough after seven days!"
"Dragon tendons?"
Empress Zhangsun chuckled, "Where in this world is there a dragon, and you'd even have its tendons pulled out for you to eat?"
She had intended to have the palace maid take it away and throw it away, as it looked greasy and she wasn't sure if it was clean.
But that smell was just too peculiar.
That's the aroma of garlic charred by hot oil, mixed with the unique exotic flavor of cumin, and finally coated with a rich sweet and spicy taste.
Empress Zhangsun had been experiencing a bitter taste in her mouth for the past few days, and everything she ate tasted like wax. But now, her saliva was unexpectedly secreting.
"Mother, please try some! I specially saved the leftovers; there are only three left!"
Little Sizi held up three fingers, looking pained.
Li Lizhi was standing nearby and didn't stop them.
She ate too quickly in the backyard, and now her stomach was burning, but she felt completely comfortable. The heat actually drove away a lot of the autumn chill.
The Empress Dowager is cold-natured and weak; if she could sweat it out, it might not be a bad thing.
"Then Mother will have a bite."
Empress Zhangsun accepted the oil paper package.
turn on.
Three long, bright red, oily strips lay quietly, covered with white sesame seeds.
It looks rather frightening.
She used her nail guard to pick up one; it was limp yet resilient, and red oil dripped down the tip of the nail guard.
The court lady tried to persuade her, but Empress Zhangsun waved her hand to stop her.
Put it in your mouth.
The teeth just started to bite down.
boom!
The spiciness, neutralized by the sugar, exploded in my mouth instantly.
Empress Zhangsun's brows furrowed suddenly, and she instinctively felt like vomiting.
This is so exciting! For someone who has always eaten a bland diet, it's like a storm for her taste buds.
Before she could even open her mouth, the rich aroma of wheat and sesame filled the air.
The more you chew, the more flavorful it becomes.
That chewy texture forces you to focus all your attention on your cheeks. Every chew feels like extracting the essence from this "dragon tendon".
"Cough! Cough cough cough!"
The moment you swallow, the spiciness rushes to your throat.
Empress Zhangsun coughed violently, her entire face instantly turning bright red.
"Your Majesty!"
The palace maid was terrified and immediately went to summon the imperial physician.
"Don't—don't move!"
Empress Zhangsun coughed as she raised her hand to stop her.
This cough is different.
In the past, my cough was a dry cough, as if there was a handful of straw stuffed in my lungs, and I couldn't cough it up no matter how hard I tried.
But at this moment, a surge of spicy heat went down my esophagus like a torch, directly piercing my cold stomach. Then, the heat surged up and rushed straight to the top of my head.
This fit of coughing loosened the thick phlegm that had been stuck in his throat for so long.
"Cough—Pfft!"
He spat a mouthful of phlegm into the spittoon.
Empress Zhangsun was panting heavily, with a fine layer of sweat on her forehead and her inner garment soaked through.
But something's strange.
The wet cotton patch on my chest is gone.
With each breath, the air flows smoothly into the deepest part of the lungs, carrying a lingering spicy flavor, so refreshing!
"call----"
Empress Zhangsun let out a long breath, her eyes shining brightly. "That was satisfying!"
She didn't care about manners and grabbed the remaining two sticks from the oil paper package.
"Mother, save me a duck!"
Little Sizi was so anxious when he saw that the bag was almost empty that he jumped up and down.
"Go away, kids will get a sore throat from eating too much."
At this moment, Empress Zhangsun was no longer dignified as usual. She was very protective of her food. She turned her back to her daughter and stuffed the remaining two pieces into her mouth in a few bites.
So delicious.
This spicy snack is absolutely addictive.
The sweet and spicy flavor lingered in my mouth, making me itch with desire, wishing I could swallow the whole piece of oiled paper.
"Beautiful".
After finishing her meal, Empress Zhangsun licked the red oil off her lips with a lingering sense of satisfaction. "This stuff—I'll get some more tomorrow. No, more!"
Seeing her mother, who usually couldn't even finish half a bowl of bird's nest, now beaming with joy over a few strands of gluten, Li Lizhi felt a huge weight lifted from her heart.
"Yes, Your Majesty, I will go first thing tomorrow morning."
It was late at night, and the lights at the Shangshiju restaurant had just gone out.
Several eunuchs on night duty huddled together against the wall, sharing a dry, hard flatbread.
"Hey, can you guys smell it?"
A young eunuch sniffed, "This afternoon, the smell coming from the backyard was damn good."
"Shh! Is that something we can even think about?"
Another, older eunuch lowered his voice, "I heard it was created by a reclusive master. We servants are lucky to even smell it."
Just then, a palace maid hurried past from the other side of the alley.
Chun Tao is Princess Chang Le's personal maid.