Chapter 1 (1/2)
Chapter 1: First Meat
—“Because even if all else failstitime travel”
Braised Meat (红烧肉)
Everything was caused by a bowl of braised meat
– – –
Back then she was aat the cusp of wo for a fine husband, and yet, her heart only stirred for one and only one thing Meat It didn’t matter whether it was a fat or lean cut Pork, beef and lamb were her favorites, followed by chicken, duck and fish
Tasty meat was all she cared for
Oh, she kneas bad for her
It ritten bright and clear in her university nutritional studies textbook: “Meat is acidic Eating too much is unhealthy”
But she couldn’t help thinking of her mother’s braisedshe craved very much
There was one tiht, but etables could ever take the place of her beloved meat was utter foolishness… Oh, how foolish she had been
– – –
It was such a shame that, out of nowhere, her life ended in a car accident
– – –
She was now Gu Qingqiao, a peasant girl as adopted by a rich, prestigious faeneral who founded the country and daughter of the Chief Minister of the Board of Rites You could really say her lucky star was shi+ning on her, the way she suddenly beca new dynasty
Surprise after surprise, the days passed by, but the novelty of her new life quickly wore off Honestly, ancient people weren’t that interesting and they co beca endlessly shut away in her private chambers, and the ery Her sole pleasure was finding delicious things to eat
One day near the year’s end, a fortune-teller visited their holuttonous Miss Gu, before the fortune-teller casually dropped a prophecy: her love for eatingcalamity to the nation
Wow, to think that just liking food could even bring disaster to a nation! It won’t be long untilpeople
She rolled her eyes at heaven
– – –
On the fifteenth day of the New Year, her father, Chief Minister of the Board of Rites, suddenly announced that an i for dinner and ordered the cook to prepare a feast in advance
She was about to say soqiao There will be s I already asked A’da[1] to save some for you”
Meat-filled s (肉元宵)
As she quietly backed down, she stole a glaze from behind her sleeves and sneakily smiled at Aunt Zhao with arched eyebrows
In this era, Qingqiao’s birthher in the care of her father’s beautiful concubine, Lady Zhao
O Aunt, Aunt, why are concubines always named Zhao[2]?
However, her stepmother was not terribly malicious like the evil villainess in Xueqin’sthe two of them
– – –
Qingqiao floated into the kitchen, where A’da was in themeat He was very happy to see her
“Miss, today’s ht balance of fat ands”
A’da was Qingqiao’s hand-picked personal cook, who eventually became the head chef of the house thanks to years of her torture training
She could still remember how she met A’da, back to the first tiqiao Everyone ate their s, but she cos and caused all the chefs to look at each other with skepticiss could be made salty
In the end, it was the little kitchen servant A’da who stepped up to the challenge, and he qiao had been craving for
“Very good, A’da Froqiao, who used to be a picky eater, et to add more pepper”
That incident gave birth to the Chief Minister of the Board of Rite’s fa s
In a blink of an eye, chef A’da became famous
– – –
“Since the h quality, why don’t you cook braised lutinous rice balls on the kneading board, and began to feel excited
“That wasn’t on the ave me,” A’da replied aardly “It’s all sea h meat”[3]
Sea Mollusk (Abalone) (鲍鱼)
Swiftlet Chips (Edible Bird’s Nest) (燕窝)
Thinking about it, A’da had a point Braised meat wasn’t a fancy dish, plus she could eat it whenever she wanted anyway
Qingqiao turned around and i away: “Then just make one bowl forWhen it’s finished, have Dongxi bring it over in the evening”
“Eh? You’re not attending the banquet tonight, Miss?!” A’da asked with bewilderment
“What ‘eh’? Haven’t you heard of the saying, ‘Sry’[4]?” Sighing ruefully with puppy-dog eyes, she continued with thinly veiled bitterness, ”It’s the New Year, and you actually have the heart to let your honorable and fragile ry?”
……
A’da stood frozen to the ground in a daze
“Oh, one et my bowl of white rice”