RPAGF Chapter 47 The Salty vs. Sweet Controversy!
Chapter 47 The Salty vs. Sweet Controversy!
Chapter 47 The Salty vs. Sweet Debate! (Long live the salty faction? Is the sweet faction the true champion?)
Li Yuan looked up from the bowl, his beard covered in coriander leaves, his face full of disappointment: "Silly girl, wasting good food."
This tofu pudding is meant to be salty and spicy—that's what makes it truly delicious! Add sugar? That would be worse than pig slop!
"No way! Salty food is pig swill!"
Not to be outdone, Little Sizi scooped up a spoonful of red beans and stuffed it into her mouth, her cheeks puffed out. "Sweet and delicious!"
"Salty flavor is the only authentic taste!"
Li Yuan banged the bowl loudly.
The grandfather and grandson stared at each other across the table, neither willing to give in.
Li Lizhi then wiped her hands clean and brought the large bowl of fried dough sticks to the table.
Seeing the tense standoff between the old man and the young girl, she was somewhat bewildered.
"Why are they arguing?"
"Sister!"
Little Sizi pointed at Li Yuan, "Wengwengqi's tofu pudding smells stinky! Tell him it's sweet and delicious!"
"Girl, you be the judge."
Li Yuan pointed to his bowl, "This braising sauce was painstakingly prepared by that boy Su; it's so delicious it'll make your eyebrows fall off. Your silly sister insists on eating tofu mixed with sweet soup; isn't that a complete waste?"
Li Lizhi looked at the bowl of savory tofu pudding with bubbling red oil and a fragrant garlic aroma on the left, and then at the bowl of sweet tofu pudding with flowing brown sugar and crystal clear appearance on the right.
My throat feels a little dry.
The salty smell is enticing and makes one's appetite soar.
Sweet things look beautiful and bring joy to people's hearts.
"this----"
Li Lizhi was in a dilemma and looked to Su Mu for help.
Su Mu was slurping his salty tofu pudding when he saw Li Lizhi looking over. He swallowed the fried dough stick in his mouth and shrugged.
"Only children make choices."
Su Mu pointed to the wooden barrel, "Adults, you want them all."
Li Lizhi's eyes lit up.
Yup!
In the palace, she was forbidden from doing this and that, and even eating a meal required adhering to the rule of not eating more than three times. Now, in this dilapidated little courtyard, far from the emperor's reach, who can control her?
"I want them both!"
Suddenly filled with pride, Li Lizhi placed two empty bowls in front of Su Mu, saying, "Su Mu, please!"
Su Mu deftly served two bowls.
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Li Lizhi took a sip of the salty drink first.
The aroma of garlic and chili oil instantly awakened my sluggish appetite in the morning. The crisp texture of the wood ear mushrooms and daylily buds, paired with the smooth tofu pudding, was simply divine.
Take another sip of something sweet.
The warmth of ginger and brown sugar slid down my throat, neutralizing the spiciness, while the sweetness of red beans blossomed on my tongue.
One bite salty, one bite sweet.
This extreme collision of flavors surprisingly produced a strange sense of harmony.
Li Lizhi ate without lifting her head, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, but she didn't bother to wipe them away.
In no time, both bowls were empty.
"belch--!
Li Lizhi covered her mouth and looked around somewhat embarrassedly.
I'm so full.
This tofu pudding looks like it's all water, but it's actually very filling. Add that big fried dough stick, and my stomach is completely full. I don't even want to move.
"That feels so good!"
Li Lizhi slumped onto the stool, rubbing her stomach in a completely unladylike manner.
Suddenly, she froze.
She thought of her father, who was still starving in the palace.
I promised my father last night that if I found something delicious this morning, I would definitely bring some back to him.
This tofu pudding is so delicious; if Father Emperor doesn't get to eat it, he'll probably throw a tantrum again.
"Su Mu".
Li Lizhi sat up straight and pointed to the wooden bucket that was almost empty. "Could we serve Father some tofu pudding? And some fried dough sticks too?"
Li Yuan picked his teeth beside him, remaining silent, but his eyes were fixed on the sky, pretending not to hear.
Su Mu finished the last sip of soup, put down the bowl, and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.
"You can bring fried dough sticks, but you can't bring tofu pudding."
Why?
Li Lizhi grew anxious. "There's still quite a lot left! I'll pack it up in a food box and send it back as fast as I can. It'll only take a quarter of an hour."
It's not that I don't want to install it for you.
Su Mu stood up and put the lid of the wooden bucket on. "Tofu pudding is delicate. When it's fresh out of the pot, it's solidified fat. If it sits for too long, or if it's been bumpy on the way here, the water inside will leak out."
Su Mu gestured, "When it gets to your father, it won't be tofu pudding anymore; it'll be a bowl of soybean dregs water. The texture will be gritty, sour and astringent, and the braising liquid will be murky. This isn't filial piety; it's just making your father miserable."
Li Lizhi was stunned.
She didn't understand the intricacies of these culinary skills, but seeing how confident Su Mu was, she knew it was hopeless.
"Then—what should we do?"
Li Lizhi looked at the few cold fried dough sticks on the table and felt a little worried.
"Take a fried dough stick home with you."
Li Yuan slowly interjected, tossing a One of Bamboo tiles into the box, "He's lucky to have anything to eat; he won't starve."
Li Lizhi picked up a fried dough stick with a bitter face.
These fried dough sticks were golden when they first came out of the fryer, but now that they've cooled down, they're soggy and have some oil stains that haven't been wiped off. They look rather pathetic.
"Alright, let's go back now."
Su Mu started to shoo people away, throwing the bowls and chopsticks into the basin of water. "I need to catch up on my sleep. My head hurts from playing cards last night."
Li Lizhi sighed, found a piece of oil paper, and carefully wrapped the cold fried dough stick.
I glanced at the wooden bucket again.
Pity.
That tofu pudding was so delicious, so savory and so sweet.
Father, you can only smell it now.
Liangyi Hall.
Li Shimin walked around the palace for the eighth time with his hands behind his back.
Breakfast time had long passed.
The bowl of mutton soup that Wang Dequan had served was taken away untouched by him.
I can't eat.
My nose is filled with the aroma of fried noodles I smelled this morning, and my mind is filled with my daughter's words, "I brought you something delicious."
"Why haven't they returned yet?" Li Shimin stopped and looked towards the palace gate.
The sun was already high in the sky.
My stomach growled louder and louder.
Just as Li Shimin was about to ask Wang Dequan for the ninth time, there was finally movement at the door.
Li Lizhi carried a food box and walked in hurriedly.
Little Sizi wasn't following behind, nor was the Emperor Emeritus in sight.
"Father," Li Lizhi bowed, her expression somewhat unnatural.
"No need for formalities!" Li Shimin strode over, his eyes fixed on the food box. "Lizhi, you've kept me waiting!"
What good stuff did you bring?
Li Lizhi chuckled twice and slowly opened the food box lid.
A smell of cold oil wafted out.
Li Shimin peeked out.
In the exquisite gilded lacquer tray, there lay a lone object.
That thing was quite long, but its color was rather dull, and it wasn't straight. It lay limply on the plate, like a cucumber with its spine broken.
"This is----"
Li Shimin's smile froze.
"This is called a fried dough stick."
Li Lizhi explained with a forced smile, "It tasted so good when it was fresh out of the pan, so crispy and crunchy. It's just—it got a little soft after sitting for a while."
Li Shimin reached out and picked up the fried dough stick.
It felt damp and greasy when I first touched it.
He tried taking a bite.
tough.
Really resilient.
It was like chewing on a rubber band; you couldn't break it. The oily smell spread in my mouth, without any fragrance, just the taste of cold, stale dough.
Li Shimin chewed twice, but couldn't swallow it or spit it out.
He looked at the traces of brown sugar on his daughter's lips that hadn't been wiped clean, and smelled the strong garlic scent emanating from her.
And that little belly that was clearly full and slightly protruding.
"That's it?
Li Shimin held up the half-eaten, cold fried dough stick in his hand, his voice trembling, "You all spent the whole morning frying and boiling it, even the Emperor Emeritus stayed out all night, just to eat this—cow skin?"
Li Lizhi lowered her head guiltily: "Father, there's also tofu pudding, which is especially delicious. There's sweet and savory, and the braising sauce is so flavorful—but Su Mu said it would turn into water if we brought it back, so we can't bring it—"
Sweet? Salty?
Turn into water?
Li Shimin imagined that scene.
Although I don't know what tofu pudding is, I imagine it's similar to tofu.
Steaming hot tofu pudding, topped with delicious braised sauce, and served with freshly fried, crispy fried dough sticks —
Then look at this cold, limp thing in my hand.
Li Shimin slammed the remaining half of the fried dough stick onto the table.
"That expert did it on purpose! Absolutely on purpose!"
"You'd rather throw it away than bring me a hot meal!"
"Wang Dequan! Serve the meal! I want mutton! I want the most gamey mutton! I want to infuriate them!"
"Aaaaaah!!"
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