Chapter 1057: Showing a movie to Li Zhi and Wu Zetian

Lin Lang picked up the jade cup and took a big sip of Moutai. The spicy liquor slid down his throat. He gently put the cup down, glanced at the dishes on the table, and said with a smile: "Royal brother, Royal sister-in-law, please try our Hushang Kingdom's special dishes. How do they taste?"

Empress Wu looked at Mu Xueman with her chopsticks in hand. "Sister-in-law, today's table is filled with delicacies that make my mouth water just by looking at them. Tell me quickly, what are the names of these delicacies made with Shanghai fruits and vegetables?"

Mu Xueman stood up gracefully, her wide sleeves fluttering lightly, and tapped the dishes on the table with her fingertips, her eyes smiling: "Please look, my dear sister-in-law, this bright red and tempting dish is called stewed beef brisket with tomatoes."

Empress Wu took a chopstick of tomato stewed beef brisket and tasted it, then said with a smile, "The sweet and sour taste of the tomatoes intertwined with the salty and fragrant taste of the beef. The soup is just the right amount of sour and sweet, and the meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth. It's delicious!"

After hearing this, Li Zhi couldn't wait to take a bite with his chopsticks. He praised with the same satisfied expression, "This tomato stewed beef brisket is sweet, sour and salty, fragrant and soft. It tastes really good!"

Helan Minyue saw that everyone was praising the stewed beef brisket with tomatoes, so she took a small bite and put it in her mouth.

As soon as the sweet and sour soup wrapped in the soft and tender beef touched her taste buds, her eyes suddenly lit up, and her originally dignified and quiet expression also showed a bit of surprise.

The taste is simply wonderful; the sweet and sour taste of the tomatoes perfectly balances out the greasiness of the beef, leaving every bite filled with rich aroma.

Helan Minyue unconsciously took another bite with chopsticks. It was so delicious that she couldn't stop eating.

She secretly marveled in her heart that Mu Xuelan, as a royal concubine, had such good cooking skills. She believed that every specialty dish of Shanghai Kingdom must contain countless thoughts and ingenuity.

Seeing that everyone was enjoying their meal, Mu Xuelan was also very happy. She continued to point to the plate of golden and shiny spicy and sour potato shreds and introduced it.

"Royal brother, Royal sister-in-law, this hot and sour potato shreds is a classic home-cooked dish from Shanghai. The potatoes are evenly chopped and carefully stir-fried until they become crispy and delicious. The hot and sour taste is extremely appetizing."

After hearing this, Empress Wu picked up a piece of spicy and sour potato shreds with chopsticks and put it into her mouth.

The sour and spicy taste instantly spread in her mouth, surprising her so much that she was slightly stunned.

After all, in the Tang Dynasty, spicy food was mainly flavored by peppercorns and dogwood. This was the first time I tasted such a unique spicy flavor, and it felt very novel.

A hint of surprise flashed across Empress Wu's eyes, and then she revealed a satisfied smile: "This sour and spicy taste is truly unique. I have never tasted such an appetizing dish before. It truly has a unique flavor."

Li Zhi was even more amazed after tasting it. He put down his chopsticks and asked curiously, "Brother, what is the red garnish in this spicy and sour potato shreds? It's bright in color and tastes very unique."

Lin Lang smiled slightly and took out green peppers, round peppers and chili peppers from his personal space.

He signaled the eunuch to present it to Li Zhi.

Li Zhi carefully examined the fruits and vegetables of various shapes, his eyes full of curiosity. "My dear brother, what kind of fruits and vegetables are these from Shanghai? I have never seen anything like them before."

Lin Lang replied respectfully, "Brother, this long, thin one is a green pepper. It has a relatively mild flavor with a hint of fresh spiciness. The round one is called a bell pepper. It has a sweet taste and is not as spicy as the green pepper."

"And this little red one is called chili pepper. Don't be fooled by its small size, it tastes spicier."

"The spicy and sour potato shreds have such a unique flavor thanks to the addition of chili peppers. This is a vegetable unique to our country of Shanghai, not found in the Tang Dynasty."

After hearing this, Li Zhi picked up a chili pepper with great interest and sniffed it gently, but the curiosity in his eyes became even stronger.

"This country of Shanghai really has many novel things. The dishes and fruits and vegetables you brought here really opened my eyes. This chili pepper is so spicy. If I use it to cook other dishes, I'm sure it will have a unique flavor."

Empress Wu also said, "These fruits and vegetables are indeed interesting. If these spicy vegetables can be grown in the Tang Dynasty, the imperial kitchen can try using them in cooking in the future, so that everyone in the palace can taste the unique flavors of this country."

Lady Wu Shun of Korea also agreed, "Yes, today's table full of delicious food has already made me very happy. It would be great if I could eat these novel dishes more often in the future."

Lin Lang smiled and said, "As long as my brother and sister-in-law like it, I will give these pepper seeds and planting technology books to the Shanglin Bureau for trial planting and promotion, so that the Tang Dynasty's dining tables will be more abundant and diverse."

Li Zhi laughed loudly and said, "That's great! You are so thoughtful, brother!"

Seeing everyone praising the spicy and sour potato shreds, Helan Minyue couldn't help but pick up some with her chopsticks.

As soon as the slender silver chopsticks put the shredded potatoes into my mouth, an unprecedented spicy sensation instantly exploded on the tip of my tongue.

She had never tasted such a stimulating flavor before. Her face flushed instantly and her eyes were filled with tears. She put down her chopsticks in a panic and grabbed the celadon teacup beside her to drink some water to relieve the spiciness.

"Cough cough..."

Helan Minyue was choked by the spicy taste and coughed repeatedly, and the tips of her ears were stained red.

Seeing this, Wu Shun quickly stood up and patted her back, asking with concern, "Daughter, are you feeling the heat?"

Helan Minyue took a deep breath, her beautiful eyes filled with tears as she looked at her mother Wu Shun, her voice filled with a hint of pouting: "No, it's okay, I just didn't expect that this chili stir-fry would be much spicier than the dogwood!"

Chu Yiren explained with a smile, "Chili peppers are the strongest type of pepper in Shanghai. It's easy for ordinary people to not be able to handle it when they try it for the first time."

Empress Wu watched with great interest as her niece, who was being dazzled by the spicy food, couldn't help but joke, "Minyue is usually very elegant, but today she's been 'defeated' by this little pepper."

Wu Shun couldn't help laughing. He took out a silk handkerchief and wiped the corners of his daughter's mouth. He smiled and praised, "Although this stir-fried potato shreds is spicy, the aftertaste is quite refreshing."

Helan Minyue's eyes moved as she looked at Lin Lang. The moment their eyes met, she lowered her head shyly.

Everyone in the hall laughed after watching this, and the air was filled with a warm feeling mixed with spiciness and laughter.

Mu Xueman pointed to another dish and continued to introduce it, "This fresh and green one is stir-fried zucchini. It's refreshing and delicious."

"This dish is a fragrant stir-fried lamb with green onions. We use the onions that are unique to Shanghai. The spicy aroma and the tenderness of the lamb create a unique flavor."

As Mu Xueman spoke, her eyes fell on a brightly colored dish. "This sweet and sour pork with pineapple is the work of Concubine Li. The sweet and sour pineapple paired with the crispy outside and tender inside meat is a specialty dish used by the Kingdom of Shanghai to entertain distinguished guests."

"And this dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes and tomatoes mixed with icing sugar is also the work of Concubine Li." Mu Xuelan sat down with a smile.

Finally, Li Moli smiled sweetly and said, "And I made the tomato and egg soup too. It's sour, sweet, and fragrant, perfect for relieving greasiness after a meal."

Li Zhi was attracted by the brightly colored sweet and sour pork with pineapple on the plate.

The amber-colored piece of meat was wrapped in crystal sugar coating. He picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork with silver chopsticks, and the hot steam with a sweet and sour aroma hit his face.

The moment you take a bite, the crispy outside and tender inside meat and the bursting pineapple juice explode on the tip of your tongue. The sweet but not greasy taste blends with the perfect sourness, like the warm spring sun wrapped in the tropical fruit aroma overflowing in your mouth.

Li Zhi couldn't help but exclaim, "This sweet and sour taste is so wonderful! It's crispy and has a fruity aroma. I've never tasted such a delicious delicacy before!"

Empress Wu took a bite and smiled, "You two sisters-in-law are truly ingenious. You've blended the aroma of fruit and the flavor of meat so perfectly. It's absolutely wonderful!"

Helan Minyue said sweetly, "You two sisters are truly amazing cooks! Every dish is delicious, showcasing the unique flavors of Shanghai. When I marry into your family, I'll definitely learn from you."

Mu Xuelan smiled politely at Helan Minyue and said, "Okay!"

Li Moli nodded and smiled, "Shanghai Country has all kinds of delicious food and fun things to do. When we return to Shanghai Country, we'll take you on a good tour."

Helan Minyue smiled sweetly after hearing this, feeling that Lin Lang's concubine seemed very friendly to her and had no hostility.

Lin Lang chuckled, his eyes meeting Helan Minyue's, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "Miss Minyue, try this tomato frosting, it tastes sour and sweet and delicious!"

Helan Minyue picked up a piece of tomato mixed with white sugar with silver chopsticks. The crystal icing sugar wrapped around the tender red flesh. The moment it entered her mouth, the cool and sweet juice burst on the tip of her tongue.

Her eyes instantly lit up like stars as she exclaimed in admiration, "This blend of sweet and sour is so wonderful! Especially the frosting, it melts in your mouth, sweet but not greasy, and much more delicate than the frosting from the Tang Dynasty!"

Empress Wu also tasted the tomato and sugar mixture and exclaimed, "This icing sugar from Shanghai is much whiter than the Tang Dynasty's granulated sugar, and its sweetness is far beyond ordinary. I wonder how it's made?"

Chu Yiren smiled and said, "Sister-in-law, the current method of making sugar in the Tang Dynasty is mostly to extract sugarcane juice and boil it into sugar. The process is simple, so there are many impurities."

"And the frosting sugar in Shanghai is called 'white sugar'. It is made from cane sugar and is refined through multiple purification and bleaching processes. Not only is it snow-white in color, it's also much sweeter."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhi couldn't wait to taste the tomato mixed with sugar. The mellow sweetness instantly spread in his mouth, which was completely different from the coarse sugar he had eaten before.

His eyes lit up, and he slammed the table and sighed, "Sure enough! The white sugar from Shanghai is pure and sweet, far superior to the sugar from the Tang Dynasty!"

"My dear brother, could you help the Tang Dynasty improve its sugar-making techniques so that this delicacy can benefit more people?"

Lin Lang replied readily, "Don't worry, my royal brother! In the Tang Dynasty, sugar is mostly consumed by the royal family and nobles, but in Shanghai, white sugar has long been a common condiment in the homes of ordinary people."

"I wish to teach you all the art of sugar production. Not only will I provide you with a good recipe for growing sugarcane, but I will also help the Tang Dynasty establish a sugar refinery, so that white sugar will no longer be a rare commodity!"

Empress Wu nodded slightly, her eyes full of admiration: "My dear brother, this move not only adds flavor to the cuisine of the Tang Dynasty, but also benefits the people. It is truly a win-win situation."

Wu Shun couldn't help but admire him: "My dear son-in-law, you have the world in your heart. If sugar can be widely used in the Tang Dynasty, it will be a blessing for the people!"

Li Zhi laughed heartily and raised his glass, saying, "With your help, my dear brother, the Tang Dynasty will not only be able to enjoy the delicious food of Shanghai, but also let the people share this sweetness!"

"Come, drink this cup to the full for this good thing!"

With the crisp sound of clinking glasses, this banquet full of surprises and expectations became more and more lively in the anticipation of the future.

After the evening banquet, Li Zhi asked curiously, "Brother, you said you had prepared an important program before dinner. What was it?"

Unexpectedly, Lin Lang pretended to be mysterious and replied, "I brought projection equipment from Shanghai. I have prepared two films tonight. One of them is called "The Assassination of Qin Shi Huang."

"The other movie is called 'The Overlord of Western Chu'. Now, hang the screen on the palace wall outside the palace, connect it to the solar battery and play the movie for my brother and sister-in-law to watch."

Li Zhi was bewildered when he heard this. He said in surprise, "'The Assassination of Qin Shi Huang' and 'The King of Western Chu' are both Peking Operas. I listen to them often, but what are projection equipment and movies?"