eurekapd Chapter 112 Ready
Chapter 112 Ready
Ji Anni's mouth watered when she mentioned barbecue, she was a loyal fan of barbecue activities. However, it was probably impossible to get the best barbecue ingredients in this alien space. Well, forget it, as long as she could have a barbecue with Yizhen, she would be satisfied even if the taste was mediocre.
Seeing that Hua Rong still didn't seem to understand, Ji Anni continued, "Ah, it's hard to explain it clearly. Hua Rong, I'll make a list for you when we get back to Pianyouyuan later, and you can go to the imperial kitchen to get the items on the list. In the evening, I'll bring Yizhen to Pianyouyuan and show you what barbecue is, okay?"
"Empress..." Hua Rong wanted to persuade her but couldn't, so she could only sigh softly.
"Good Hua Rong, as long as you help me find ingredients in the imperial kitchen, I will roast a big chicken leg for you, okay?" Ji Anni began to bribe Hua Rong with food.
Although Hua Rong was not someone who could be bribed by a chicken leg, she couldn't bear to refuse Ji Anni when she saw how excited she was. Besides, it was just a dinner, so it shouldn't cause any trouble. So after thinking about it, she agreed.
As long as Huarong nodded, Dieer would certainly not object.
Ji Anni was so happy that she quickly pulled the two of them back to the right courtyard to make preparations. They divided the work inside and outside and worked closely together. Huarong went to the imperial kitchen to help Ji Anni prepare the ingredients, while Die'er stayed in the right courtyard to prepare tables, chairs, bowls and chopsticks. Ji Anni began to look for stones to build her simple grill.
By the way, this courtyard on the right is really a great place for barbecue.
The "回"-shaped corridor encloses a small square courtyard. The courtyard is full of flowers and plants, and there is a small pond and a stone bridge. There is a small pavilion next to the pond, and the space under the pavilion is just enough to place a large dining table for ten people. There is also a stone tablet outside the pavilion, on which the three characters "波心荡" are engraved in small regular script with cinnabar.
Ji Anni felt that these three words sounded familiar, and vaguely remembered that she had read the words "Twenty-four bridges are still there, the waves are rippling, and the cold moon is silent" before. So she turned her eyes to the pool, and sure enough, she saw the reflection of the pavilion swaying slightly on the water surface in the clear water, full of poetic and picturesque feelings. As long as the moon rises above the branches and there is another bright moon on the water surface, the scenery will definitely be more charming.
Hua Rong was quick in her work. Just as Ji Anni had set up her barbecue grill by the pool, Hua Rong came back with three young eunuchs.
"Your Majesty." Hua Rong walked straight towards Ji Anni.
Ji Annie wiped her dirty hands on her skirt and welcomed her: "You're back so soon?"
Among the three young eunuchs, two held bamboo baskets in their hands, and the other carried a large bag. Although the bamboo baskets were covered with lids and the bags were tied with ropes, Ji Anni could guess that they were mostly filled with ingredients from the imperial kitchen. Seeing that the corners of the three young eunuchs' clothes were stained with indelible oil stains, it was clear that they should be working in the imperial kitchen.
"Your Majesty, come and see if everything is complete?" Hua Rong ordered the three young eunuchs to stand in a row and wait for Ji Anni to come and inspect.
Ji Anni opened the lid of the first bamboo basket, which contained chicken, pork, vegetables and other food; then she opened the lid of the second bamboo basket, which contained bamboo sticks, oil brushes, seasonings and other small tools. She didn't need to open the third bag carried by the eunuch, as she knew from its appearance that it must contain charcoal for making fire.
"All ready." Ji Anni was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling.
Hua Rong said to the three young eunuchs, "You all go back."
The young eunuchs bowed respectfully to Ji Anni and then slowly left.
Ji Anni didn't even have time to eat lunch properly. She asked Die'er to get a few cakes to fill her stomach, and then she started to skewer the meat enthusiastically. As her master Ji Anni was busy, Huarong and Die'er, the two maids, couldn't be idle either, so they came to help. But three people were far from enough. Soon, all the maids in the right courtyard who had nothing to do were gathered in the Boxindang Pavilion to help. There is strength in numbers. The group worked for about an hour or two, and finally everything was ready.
Everything is ready, only the east wind is missing. And the east wind is naturally Yizhen.
Ji Anni looked at the sky. The sun had slowly set in the west, and the evening breeze was a little chilly. It would be dinner time in the palace soon. Even if Yizhen was visiting some queen, she should be back by now, right?
So Ji Anni called Huarong and Dieer, and the three of them walked eastward from the concubine's palace again.
On the way, she met several concubines with whom she had lived not long ago. Although Ji Anni had never spoken much to them, they looked familiar, so she greeted them generously since she met them.
But the other party was obviously flattered and quickly bent down and bowed to Ji Anni.
Seeing that the other party was so polite, Ji Anni didn't know how to respond, so she also imitated them and gave a blessing.
The concubines came up to greet Ji Anni warmly and asked about her well-being. Some even wanted to make an appointment to visit her.
Although Ji Anni is a person who likes to make friends, she can't help but feel ashamed when facing these people who are so attentive and call her "sister". She thought to herself, when she was bullied by Princess Tianning, which one of them stood up and recognized her as a sister? She had just become a little imperial concubine, and they immediately came to curry favor with her like bees seeing sugar. This not only did not leave a good impression on Ji Anni, but instead brought a snobbish disgust.
I think Yizhen is the best. No matter whether she is a concubine or an imperial concubine, she is the only one who is sincere to her.
It was really hard to deal with the chattering concubines in her ears, and the smile on Ji Anni's face gradually faded. Fortunately, when her patience was about to reach its limit, the gate of the East Concubine Palace finally appeared not far ahead.
Ji Anni walked into the Concubine Palace in a grand manner, surrounded by a large group of concubines. She thought she would be able to have some peace and quiet after entering the Concubine Palace, but the concubines had no intention of returning to their rooms and kept talking in Ji Anni's ear. Even the two personal maids, Hua Rong and Die Er, were pushed to the back by them and could hardly be seen.
"Sisters, it's getting late. Why don't you go back to your room and have dinner first?" Ji Anni took a lot of effort to force a smile, and it also took a lot of self-control to stop herself from covering her ears.
At this moment, they had already arrived at Yizhen's door. Perhaps Concubine Concubine also realized that Ji Anni came back to Concubine Concubine's Palace this time not to reminisce with them, but simply to visit Yizhen, so they all tactfully left in disappointment.
After nodding and saying goodbye to them one by one, Ji Anni's ears were finally quiet.