Tang Dynasty: Slacking off in the Imperial Kitchen, exposed by Si Zi

Chapter 22: A bowl of rock sugar stewed pears shocked the imperial physician!

The flavor is not greasy, with the refreshing taste of pear, the soft and glutinous texture of white fungus, and a faint medicinal fragrance. Just smelling it makes your throat itch and makes you want to take a deep breath.

Little Sizi stopped crying.

She leaned over the stove, sniffing, and stared longingly at the steaming purple clay pot.

"Pot, it smells so good..."

"alright."

Su Mu lifted the lid.

A thick plume of white steam rose into the air.

The pear flesh in the stew pot had turned into a translucent amber color, the white fungus had completely dissolved, and the soup was so thick that it could be pulled into strands.

Instead of using the fancy gold bowls and jade cups from the palace, Su Mu found a small, rough porcelain jar with a lid and carefully put the stewed pears and soup inside.

"Take it."

Su Mu found a thick cloth to wrap the jar and stuffed it into Xiao Sizi's arms. "It's a bit hot, hold on tight. When you get back, let your mother eat it while it's hot, soup and meat, don't leave a single bit."

Little Sizi nodded emphatically, clutching the jar to his chest; it was the precious jar that had saved his mother.

"Brother, I'm leaving!"

The little girl ignored her foot pain and turned to run outside.

Watching her retreating figure, Su Mu called out, "Slow down! Don't fall! If you fall, I won't have any more powder!"

Without turning its head, the little ox nimbly moved its two short legs swiftly and disappeared outside the door in the blink of an eye.

……

Lizheng Hall.

After vomiting, Empress Zhangsun was so weak that she was like a thin sheet of paper, lying on the bed, unable to even breathe.

Li Shimin was extremely anxious, while the imperial physicians were still discussing what prescription to use, but none of them dared to use strong medicine, for fear of taking away his last breath.

"Your Majesty...the princess has returned," Wang Dequan whispered a reminder.

Li Shimin turned around and saw Xiao Sizi rushing in, covered in sweat, clutching a dusty, rough porcelain jar tightly in his arms.

"Sizi, stop making a fuss." Li Shimin was in no mood to coax the child. "Your mother is feeling unwell. Quickly, let the wet nurse take you away."

"No! Mother, this one!"

Little Sizi stubbornly pushed away the wet nurse's hand and put the jar on the small table by the collapsed side.

"It was made by Guo Guo! He says it can cure Mother's pain!"

Li Shimin frowned even more deeply.

That cook?

Although that person's cooking was indeed superb, whether it was fried rice or stinky tofu, it was all amazing.

But this is a life-threatening illness! It's a qi ailment! Even the imperial physicians are helpless. How could a cook possibly cure it by making some delicious food? Nonsense!

"Sizi, this is an illness, not hunger." Li Shimin patiently reached for the jar. "Don't give your mother anything to eat."

"I want seven!" Little Sizi cried out anxiously, spreading his arms to protect the jar. "Mommy, smell it! It's not bitter! It's really not bitter!"

Empress Zhangsun opened her eyes halfway and looked at her daughter's desperate appearance, her heart softening.

It seems her health is beyond repair.

Since the child is so filial, what harm would it do if he drank a sip of poison?

"Erlang... open it and take a look."

Empress Zhangsun spoke weakly.

Li Shimin sighed and reached out to lift the rough lid.

call--!

There was no cooking smell as I had expected, nor was there that nauseatingly sweet taste.

An extremely refreshing scent instantly filled the Lizheng Hall, which was filled with the smell of medicine and illness.

It was the delicate fragrance of pears, mixed with the unique sweetness of some plant. It was like suddenly walking into an orchard covered in dew on a hot summer day.

Li Shimin was stunned.

The imperial physicians kneeling on the ground twitched their noses twice and suddenly raised their heads.

"This taste..."

Li Shimin picked up a spoon and scooped up a spoonful.

The broth was crystal clear, thick as honey, and trembled as it clung to the edge of the white porcelain spoon.

There were also translucent pieces of silver ear fungus inside, which looked very moist.

As Empress Zhangsun smelled this odor, the nausea that had been pressing on her throat miraculously subsided somewhat.

She propped herself up and took a sip from Li Shimin's hand.

It's warm when you put it in your mouth.

It doesn't have that unpleasant, gritty feeling of medicine residue.

The broth slid down the tip of my tongue, like a gentle stream of water, instantly enveloping my already swollen and congested throat.

sweet!

It's not the kind of cloying sweetness that irritates the throat, but rather a subtle, gentle sweetness that nourishes the body.

Immediately afterwards, a chill rose from my chest.

That's the unique effect of fritillaria cirrhosa and pear peel. With the addition of rock sugar and white fungus, it transforms into a refreshing sensation that goes straight to the lungs.

The burning sensation in my lungs was suddenly soothed by the thick, viscous liquid, as if someone had poured a basin of warm, sweet dew over them. The dryness, itching, and the urge to cough violently were all calmed down by the liquid.

"this……"

Empress Zhangsun's eyes lit up.

She didn't speak, but instead opened her mouth and even leaned forward somewhat eagerly.

Li Shimin was overjoyed and quickly scooped up another spoonful, this time with a piece of stewed pear flesh that was now soft and tender.

The pear flesh melts in your mouth, soaking up the broth and becoming incredibly delicious.

One bite, two bites, three bites.

Empress Zhangsun, who usually couldn't even drink water, actually ate the entire small pot of soup, along with the pear flesh and white fungus inside, in one go!

After finishing the last bite, Empress Zhangsun let out a long sigh of relief.

The breath was perfectly smooth, without producing that deadly whistle.

The hall was deathly silent.

Everyone stared at Empress Zhangsun, waiting to see her reaction.

One breath, two breaths, three breaths.

No cough.

No vomiting.

The sickly flush on Empress Zhangsun's face had faded somewhat, replaced by a faint rosy color.

She leaned against the soft pillows, and her shoulders, which had been constantly tense and ready to fight off violent coughs, finally relaxed.

"Comfortable……"

Empress Zhangsun's voice was still soft, but it had clearly regained its strength and was no longer the hoarse, broken bellows-like sound. "My chest... doesn't feel stuffy anymore."

Li Shimin almost dropped the empty can in his hand.

He abruptly turned to the dumbfounded imperial physicians: "What's going on? This is a hundred times better than your bitter medicine!"

The imperial physician shakily crawled over, looked at the little bit of soup left at the bottom of the empty jar, dipped his hand in it, and tasted it.

"Wonderful...wonderful!"

The old doctor was so excited that his beard trembled. "Pear juice moistens the lungs, an unknown ingredient nourishes yin, sugar clears heat, and what's even more amazing is the mysterious medicinal material in it!"

It was ground into an extremely fine powder, completely dissolved in the soup. This gelatinous substance clung to the throat, allowing the medicinal effects to reach the affected area directly! This…this is the pinnacle of medicinal cuisine!

"And the cooking time..."

The imperial physician gasped, "A touch more and it'll be too dry, a touch less and it'll be too raw. To be able to stew the white fungus until it melts without burning, and the pear flesh until it's soft and tender without falling apart—this isn't just medical skill, this is...this is divine skill!"

Li Shimin was thrilled to hear this.

He looked at the empty can, then at his wife who had fallen into a peaceful sleep and was breathing steadily.

Then look at the little ox next to him, smugly licking the little bit of sugar water off its fingers.

This is hardly a cook.

This is clearly a reclusive miracle doctor! A living god who can snatch people from the clutches of the King of Hell!

"Excellent! What a master!"