Chapter 144 – Qing Transmigration Tale (53)
After the rain in the night, the grass had grown more vibrant, and a lot of mushrooms had appeared on the grass lands.
Hong Hui and Hong Yun’s guards contained members of the Mongolian Eight Banners. These men were familiar with the things of the grass lands like their left and right hands.
The brothers had felt that they knew crops and wild plants, but after Hong Yun got prickled by a wild nettle, he gave up, and followed these Mongolian guards to recognize wild vegetables.
The brothers found fresh and tender wild vegetables and dug out half a basket. Hong Yun still remembered Di–Eniang telling him to find fish.
“Where is there a river?” Hong Hui asked.
The brothers followed the guards and traveled over a dozen miles to find a pond. It took them a lot of effort and time to get two carp a few catties heavy, and half a basket of sharpbelly.
“Is this edible?” Hong Yun asked Hong Hui in a whisper.
Hong Hui nodded. “Eniang can cook it, it probably can be eaten.”
The guard on the side said, “This fish can be wrapped up in flour and then fried, it will smell very good.” Back when they had been young, they wanted to eat it like that, but they did not have the oil to waste. Later, when they got positions and did not lack for money, they had big fish and meat to eat. Who would think of these? They were not enough.
If the masters did not want fresh things now, he would not have remembered wanting to eat these so much back in his childhood. Think about it now, he found it incredible.
Seeing that the morning was half gone, the brothers did not dare to delay, hurriedly riding back.
Kangxi was strolling around with his sons. He saw Hong Hui and Hong Yun in the distance, and had people call the two over.
When they came close, he saw the children’s pants were wet. He asked, “What did you go to do?”
Hong Hui smiled and showed the baskets of wild vegetables and fish to the emperor. “To find some fresh food for A-ma.” If this was anything else, the emperor may taste it. But wild things, even if everyone else ate, people would not dare to have the emperor eat this.
Kangxi immediately grew interested. “How come you thought of finding these? Is the supply not enough?” Then he turned back to look at Third Prince and the others.
The brothers thought, right now, anyone might be short but not Four. People would not neglect him just because he got sick.
Hong Hui smiled and said, “It is fine, Khan-mafa. Eniang wants to give A-ma some different things to eat. Also, this is very fresh. A-ma eat some more after seeing that us brothers were busy the entire morning.”
So it was the children being filial.
The emperor smiled and said, “The imperial kitchen knows how to cook this?”
The A-ge establishments had chefs who came from the imperial kitchens. They could be said to be imperial chefs.
Hong Yun smiled. “Not for them to cook. If they get wild vegetables, they will pair it with several chickens and ducks. Di–Eniang will cook it herself.”
Kangxi saw the two children like this and knew that Four likely was fine. Otherwise, Four’s wife would not be in the mood to do such things.
After talking a bit more, he let the two children go. Kangxi sighed to his sons, “The saying is that when the family is in harmony, everything else will prosper. Four had such a severe illness, and managed to make it through. Husband and wife are in harmony, the children are kind and love each other. When a person is comfortable inside, they are immune to all illnesses.”
They only just murmured behind him.
The emperor had three dead empresses. He did not count as having harmonious relationships with his wives.
Even after his death, Empress Heseri would not be in harmony with the emperor. Disregarding the women who would come with the emperor down there, just the fact of the deposed crown prince would be enough for Heseri to want to strangle the emperor.
As to them brothers, they definitely were not kind and love each another. If they knew of a phrase called love each other and kill each other, they would find that it was an apt description.
Lin Yu Tong looked at the two baskets in front of her and was satisfied. “Okay, enough to eat today.” Then she sent the two children. “Go wash up first, change your clothes.”
The wild vegetables were boiled in water, drained, chopped, and then mixed with crushed garlic and sesame oil. It had a clear fragrance.
She used egg to mix dough, rolled it thin, and used together with carp soup, onion and cilantro, it was delicious.
She cleaned up the sharpbellies. She salted them, and did not fry them in oil, just cooking them in the pot. They were crisp to the point that even the bones could be eaten.
She gave half to the two children, and then Lin Yu Tong moved the food in to eat together with Si Ye.
“They went to the trouble to find this fish a dozen miles away.” Si Ye was familiar with the area. “Ye remembers a pond there, they likely went there to find the fish.”
Then he pointed at the sharpbelly for Lin Yu Tong to serve him. “Ye has never eaten this before.”
He appeared to be in a good mood, able to pay attention to what to eat.
Si Ye ate a lot of the food. Maybe because it was the goodwill of the two children, he drank the medicine after eating, and then went to sleep.
“Ate a bowl of noodles, half a plate of the wild vegetables, and five or so of the small fish.” Lin Yu Tong reported Si Ye’s situation to the two children. “He ate more than all day yesterday.”
The two children were happy as expected. They felt that their efforts were of use.
As a result, the entire hunting ground’s people would see the two a-ge of Fourth Prince’s establishment running outside with other people. They would occasionally return with wild chickens and rabbits. But most of the time, they bought back wild vegetables, mushrooms, wild chicken eggs, or other birds.
Si Ye finally could sit up and talk, leaning against the bed.
The saying went that the illness would come suddenly like the collapse of a mountain, but the illness left like spinning silk. With Lin Yu Tong’s golden finger, even when the hot weather had left, Si Ye could not leave the bed. One could see just how serious the illness had been.
The weather had turned cold. The emperor was going to return to the capital. But Si Ye had to stay behind and recover. He temporarily could not endure the bouncing on the road.
The emperor was going to leave, but he left the palace physicians for Si Ye. However, he would take Hong Hui and Hong Yun.
Si Ye could not stop him. He knew the emperor’s intentions. Eight was very popular in the capital right now, and he could not return to the capital. With the two children following the imperial procession, people would know that Si Ye had not fallen yet.
No matter how old Hong Hui and Hong Yun were, they were still children. As children, they depended on their parents. So the brothers did not want to leave. They felt it was very good here. They would go out in search of food during the day. Then, Eniang would make it into delicious food when they returned. The family would have a delicious meal. At night, they would read, tell stories, and the days were very carefree.
“Hong Zhao is still in the palace,” Lin Yu Tong said to Hong Hui. “When you return, you likely will be residing in the palace. Look after Hong Zhao for Eniang.”
This was right! Hong Hui nodded.
Lin Yu Tong said to Hong Yun, “No one is watching over the establishment. Hong Shi is still young, and Moyaqi is a girl. Your eniang has not been in charge of the household before. If your big brother is unable to leave the palace, you have to watch over the establishment.”
This was another reason that could not be refused.
Watching the two children leave, Lin Yu Tong was a bit worried. They were going to be with the emperor, but had no adults to rely on. It was very difficult for the children.
“What? You do not bear it?” Si Ye asked with a smile. He did not know who disliked the two children obstructing husband and wife more.
Without anyone to disturb them, Lin Yu Tong kick off her shoes and laid down next to Si Ye. “With Ye‘s illness, the two children have grown much more mature.”
Hong Hui had kept Si Ye company through the first seven days without taking a step away. Hong Yun had traveled four hundred miles with Lin Yu Tong day and night. It was not easy for a child of twelve.
Si Ye caressed her back. “How come you dare to abandon Hong Zhao and run here?”
Lin Yu Tong did not speak, just reached to hug his waist, her forehead rubbing on his body.
Si Ye did not ask more, just said, “In the future, when picking princess consorts for Hong Hui and Hong Yun, they cannot be like you.”
Lin Yu Tong instantly sat up. What did he mean? She was not good?
Si Ye saw her fur stand up and hurriedly smoothed her, “You are good, very good, your heart is good. So, you are jealous, we do not lack sons, so it is not much. But if Hong Hui encounters a princess consort who is also jealous and her heart is not good, have you thought of the consequences?”
Lin Yu Tong immediately stopped talking.
Si Ye sighed. Where did her thoughts go to now?
After Hong Hui returned to the capital, the letters from the capital came to Si Ye like snowflakes. Everyone seemed to know that while this person was not in the capital, the emperor still gave him special treatment. In any case, his eldest di-son was still accompanying the emperor.
Si Ye leaned against the bed, a letter in his hand, but no smile appeared on his face.
“What is it? Something happened again?” Lin Yu Tong asked.
Si Ye shook his head, “No, not that angry, just some bothersome servants.”
Lin Yu Tong jumped in fright. “What? Someone caused trouble in the establishment?” How could that be! There were only the women and the two children in the establishment.
“What are you thinking?” Si Ye pushed the letter to Lin Yu Tong. “Just a servant who came to Ye‘s door, but he has thoughts recently and is very close to Eight.”
Lin Yu Tong took the letter and scanned it before putting it down. With this look, she only saw two names, Nian Geng Yao and Nian Xi Yao.
“How come you do not read?” Si Ye saw Lin Yu Tong casually place the letter down and asked.
“Even if I read, I do not know them.” Lin Yu Tong laughed and said, “I cannot even remember the names of the positions, and do not know their ranks. What will I be able to understand?”
Si Ye smiled. “This Nian Xi Yao in the past was on Eight’s side. This Nian Geng Yao joined Ye. These two are full brothers, understand?”
The Nian Family were truly amazing! They were so good at placing their bets.
“In the past, Ye treasured this Nian Geng Yao’s talent a bit. Now? His thoughts are too lively and his ambitions too great,” Si Ye said in a low voice.
Nian Geng Yao was very lively, but Eighth Prince also liked to dig at someone else’s walls too much.
“Do you know who recommended Nian Geng Yao to Eight?” Si Ye asked.
Lin Yu Tong thought of a possibility and could not help but say, “Is it Fourteenth Brother?”
Si Ye sneered.
Lin Yu Tong thought, Fourteen, you are amazing! You have great skill at digging at people’s walls!
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