"Father Emperor, Royal Grandmother, Maternal Grandfather, Maternal Grandmother, Father, since we are all gathered today, how about we celebrate properly together?" Leng Ruo Li asked, her face beaming with enthusiasm.
"Yes! Yes! Li'er, I often hear your father say how delicious the hot pot you make is, and the chopped chili fish head, and what else, what else, that it's all incredibly tasty. Can you make hot pot for Father Emperor, your Royal Grandmother, and your two maternal grandparents to try?" the Emperor said shamelessly.
It was no wonder Leng Jin Yu was always boasting to him about his daughter's superb cooking skills and how delicious her dishes were, yet his own daughters were merely pampered princesses who knew nothing. Fortunately, Leng Jin Yu's daughter was also his daughter-in-law. Although he had no daughters to cook for him, he had a daughter-in-law who could cook delicious food for him, which was just as good.
"If Father Emperor wishes to try, Li'er will make you hot pot today." Leng Ruo Li rolled her eyes inwardly at the Emperor, thinking, *You're the one who wants to eat, yet you have to bring up the Empress Dowager and my two maternal grandparents.*
"Haha, Li'er, really? You'll make a hot pot for all of us today." The Emperor laughed heartily.
"Mhm, mhm!" Leng Ruo Li nodded obediently.
"However, there are too many people today. The young ladies will need to go pick vegetables, wash vegetables, and slice meat. Otherwise, the kitchen will be overwhelmed."
"Li'er, that's no problem. I'll go help you with your Little Aunt," Madam An said, her eyes crinkling with joy. They were also very much looking forward to the hot pot the Emperor mentioned.
"Yes, yes. Li'er, your Little Aunt also cooks normally. I can help you too," Madam Jiang chimed in. She was also eager to try the hot pot the Emperor was talking about.
"Since that's the case, both Little Aunt and Second Little Aunt can come to the kitchen with me."
"Your Highness, Father, both Uncles, you can accompany my Father Emperor and Maternal Grandfather to play Dou Dizhu." Leng Ruo Li said, pulling three decks of playing cards from her sleeve pocket.
"Li'er, what are these things you have?" the Emperor asked curiously.
"Father Emperor, these are called playing cards. You can play with them when you, Royal Grandmother, and Maternal Grandfathers are bored," Leng Ruo Li explained with a gentle smile.
"But Father Emperor has never seen these things before and doesn't know how to play!" the Emperor said, utterly confused.
"Yes! This Empress Dowager has never seen these things either." The Empress Dowager picked up a deck of cards and looked at them.
"Father Emperor, Royal Grandmother, Your Highness, and my two Uncles have played before. They can teach you, and it's very simple to play," Leng Ruo Li said with a sweet smile.
"Alright, alright. Li'er, hurry up and make the hot pot. Father Emperor is getting a bit hungry. Hehe..." the Emperor chuckled.
Everyone: "..."
*This old emperor is really thick-skinned, pestering my precious daughter Leng Jin Yu to cook for you! Hmph! Next time, I'll find a way to make your precious son do things for me.*
At this moment, Jun Mo Han, sitting opposite Leng Jin Yu, suddenly felt a chill down his spine. However, he had no idea that he had already been marked by his father-in-law.
Upon hearing this, Leng Ruo Li beamed at everyone and headed to the kitchen with Madam An, Madam Jiang, Xing Er, and Ling Er.
Since there were many people eating hot pot today, Leng Ruo Li instructed the butler to find eight iron pots suitable for making Yuan Yang hot pot as she requested. She also prepared plenty of charcoal and eight large tables, which were then set up in the main living room. She planned to have eight tables of people eating hot pot, with both masters and servants eating together, making the hot pot gathering livelier.
Next, Leng Ruo Li had Madam An and Madam Jiang, Xing Er, and Ling Er lead everyone in picking, washing, and preparing the vegetables. Everyone worked quickly. Meanwhile, Leng Ruo Li first stewed a large pot of rich beef bone broth. Then, she secretly went to a corner and took out several packets of hot pot base and various dipping sauces from her spatial supermarket, placing them on the stove. She then took a clean large basin, scooped out half of the beef bone broth, and poured it into half of the Yuan Yang pots to make the clear broth base. Afterwards, she used the remaining beef bone broth to prepare the spicy broth, pouring it into the other half of the Yuan Yang pots. In no time, all eight Yuan Yang pot bases were ready.
Next, Leng Ruo Li sliced all the meats thinly and arranged them on plates. After Leng Ruo Li finished preparing the meats, her two aunts and a group of maids had also arranged various vegetables in vegetable baskets. Now, they were just waiting for her to prepare the various dipping sauces. However, the sauces Leng Ruo Li brought out were ready-made and could be eaten directly after being taken from her space. Therefore, she simply prepared some chopped cilantro, scallions, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil, and that was sufficient.
Subsequently, eight steaming Yuan Yang hot pots were placed on the tables prepared by the servants, and the entire royal mansion's living room was immediately enveloped in the aroma of hot pot.
At the same time, the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, Grand Tutor Xia, and Old Madam Xia, having just been taught how to play Dou Dizhu by Jun Mo Han and the Xia family uncles, were engrossed in their game when they were drawn in by the spicy aroma.
"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, Li'er's hot pot is ready. We should eat first before playing again." Xia Ling Xuan, having smelled the aroma of the hot pot, was already eager to try the hot pot made by his niece. He was getting tired of playing this kind of card game. The last time he attended Su Xun's son's hundred-day banquet at Drunken Immortal Tower, Li'er had taught several of them how to play these cards. After the meal, he had even taken a deck of Li'er's cards back to his manor to play. After bringing them back to the Xia manor, fearing that his father would accuse him of neglecting his studies for frivolous pursuits, he only played them secretly with his elder brother and sister-in-law. Therefore, both Xia Shan Yi and Xia Ling Xuan were very adept at playing cards.
"Alright. Remember, after we finish eating the hot pot, you two brothers must play Dou Dizhu with me and Grand Tutor Xia!" the Emperor said with a brilliant smile.
"Okay! I will certainly play with Your Majesty for a while after eating the hot pot," Xia Ling Xuan replied somewhat helplessly.
Then, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, along with Grand Tutor Xia, walked to the largest and most imposing table to dine. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager looked up at the eight steaming hot pots and were slightly taken aback. After they recovered, the Empress Dowager asked curiously, "Li'er, how many tables of hot pot have you made? We can't possibly eat so much."
"Royal Grandmother, today Li'er intends to let the servants also eat hot pot with us, so everyone can gather and have a lively time. You and Father Emperor won't mind, will you?"
"Haha, Royal Grandmother doesn't mind. Actually, Royal Grandmother also enjoys eating heartily with you young people. That feeling is truly wonderful," the Empress Dowager laughed heartily. Being with Leng Ruo Li and the others today made her feel twenty years younger.
Following that, Leng Ruo Li demonstrated to those who had never eaten hot pot before how to eat it. Everyone quickly found their seats, and as soon as the Emperor and Empress Dowager announced that they could begin eating, everyone immediately picked up their chopsticks and started to eat. Leng Ruo Li had prepared a pair of serving chopsticks and personally helped the Empress Dowager, Grand Tutor Xia, and Old Madam Xia to cook dishes. The elders repeatedly praised the hot pot made by Leng Ruo Li as delicious. The scene was one of warmth and harmony.