BSI Chapter 60 The generational order is messed up! Li Lizhi calls Su Mu "Grandpa"?!
Chapter 60 The generational order is messed up! Li Lizhi calls Su Mu "Grandpa"?!
Chapter 60 The generational order is messed up! Li Lizhi calls Su Mu "Grandpa"?!
In no time at all.
The ground was covered with bright red shrimp shells, piled up like a small mountain.
The pile in front of Wei Zheng was the tallest. This old man usually seemed to be a man of few desires, but when it came to eating, he was more ruthless than anyone else.
"ha--!"
Li Yuan wiped the sweat from his forehead, threw the last shrimp head into the pile of spoils, smacked his lips a couple of times, and said, "The spiciness is really satisfying, but it's like my mouth is on fire."
"Young Su, what kind of midnight snack is this, all meat and no wine? Bring out that beer of yours, the kind you just poured into the pot, and fill it to the brim!"
Su Mu tossed the shrimp shells in his hand aside, wiped his hands on his apron, and turned to walk to the edge of the deep well.
With a pull of the well rope, a bamboo basket was brought up.
There was nothing else in the basket except a few dark green, long-necked bottles, with fine water droplets still clinging to their surfaces, exuding a chilling aura.
Wei Zheng was drinking cola from a bamboo tube to cool off the spiciness when he caught a glimpse of what Su Mu was holding out of the corner of his eye, and he almost spat out his mouthful of black liquid.
"Ruri—Ruri?!"
Wei Zheng's hand trembled, and the bamboo tube clattered against the corner of the table.
That's glass!
This is a top-quality tribute from the Western Regions; a piece the size of a fist could be exchanged for a house in Chang'an. And Su Mu is actually using it to store wine? Several bottles at once, casually tossing them into the well water to preserve them?
Li Lizhi was also dazzled. The dark green bottle was so transparent under the light that it was unbelievable, and she could see the golden liquid swaying inside.
"Making a fuss over nothing."
Su Mu slammed the bottle down on the table, making a crisp sound like glass hitting wood. Wei Zheng's heart skipped a beat, fearing it would break.
Su Mu ignored the looks from these bumpkins; the craft beer the system gave him was just like this in terms of packaging.
He casually grabbed a bottle opener from the corner of the table and aimed it at the edge of the bottle cap.
"Sizzle—!"
A sound of extremely decompressed gas gushing out.
White, cold mist billowed out of the bottle, followed by a purer and richer aroma of roasted malt, even more intense than when the shrimp were cooked.
Su Mu took several large, rough porcelain bowls.
Goo, goo, goo!
The golden liquid poured into the bowl, creating a thick layer of snow-white foam. The bubbles burst under the light, making a soft hissing sound.
"Try it."
Su Mu pushed the bowl in front of Li Yuan, saying, "This is called liquid bread; it will give you strength."
Li Yuan stared at the still-bubbling bubbles in the bowl, his Adam's apple bobbing.
This wine looks clear and not cloudy, completely different from the murky Sanlejiang.
He picked up the bowl and first tentatively took a sip of the white foam.
bitter!
A slight bitterness spreads on the tip of the tongue, followed by a strange coolness.
Just as Li Yuan was about to frown, the wine slid into his mouth.
boom!!!
Ice-cold! Refreshing! Kills the smell!
That powerful sensation that Su Mu described as "killing the mouth," combined with the sweet aftertaste of malt and the stimulation of alcohol, instantly washed away the greasiness and spiciness in my mouth.
The coolness rushed down my esophagus, instantly suppressing the heat I had felt from eating shrimp.
"good!!!"
Li Yuan slapped his thigh suddenly, and this roar was even louder than Wei Zheng's earlier.
"That's refreshing! This is the kind of wine a real man should drink!" Li Yuan stopped using the cup, picked up the large bowl, tilted his head back, and took a big gulp.
Gudu Gudu!
He drank half a bowl of wine.
"A long, malty burp came out."
Li Yuan's old face instantly turned rosy, and his eyes became somewhat unfocused, but his spirits were surprisingly high.
"This tastes amazing! A hundred times better than that lousy 'Sanlejiang'! That stuff is neither sweet nor sour, it tastes like dishwater. This is fantastic, the bubbles explode in your mouth like firecrackers!"
Seeing the Emperor Emeritus drinking so heartily, Wei Zheng couldn't resist picking up a bowl as well. He took a careful sip, and his eyes widened instantly.
This taste—how strange!
It tastes slightly bitter at first, then sweet in the aftertaste. The best part is the bubbly sensation that makes you want to burp.
"This wine—though made with ingenious techniques—is truly remarkable for its ability to cool you down and cut through the greasiness of food."
Wei Zheng gave a fair assessment, then silently quickened his drinking pace.
Su Mu opened a bottle for himself and clinked his bowl against Li Yuan's: "That's right, this is good stuff, I don't give it to just anyone."
After a few bowls of wine, Li Yuan completely let loose.
His clothes had long been unbuttoned several times, the front of which was wide, revealing the white undergarment underneath, showing no trace of the dignity of an emperor emeritus.
He placed one foot on the long bench, the bowl in his hand wobbling, and his usually gloomy and cloudy old eyes were now frighteningly bright.
"Su—Brother Su!"
Li Yuan grabbed Su Mu's shoulder, his breath reeking of alcohol, and slurred, "You're such a man—so honest! Unlike those spineless cowards in the palace, who act like they've seen a ghost when they see me, not daring to raise their voices. Boring! Utterly boring!"
Li Lizhi had just peeled a shrimp for Xiao Sizi when she heard this address, and the shrimp meat in her hand fell onto the table with a thud.
Su—brother?
"Grandpa! You're drunk!"
Li Lizhi's face turned pale. The seniority was completely messed up. "This is Su Mu, he is—he is a servant in the Imperial Kitchen."
"Go! Go! Go!"
Li Yuan waved his hand, nearly sweeping the bowl in front of Li Lizhi to the ground. "What servant? This is a master! A confidant of mine!"
He patted Su Mu's back hard, making a loud thud: "Brother Su, your skills are superb! And your temperament is just to my liking! I'm getting moldy from staying in the Da'an Palace, only here do I feel like I'm still human, able to breathe!"
Su Mu's neck was a little tight from being strangled, but he wasn't annoyed. Instead, he smiled and poured Li Yuan another bowl: "Grandpa, you're too kind. It's just a matter of eating and drinking."
"Yes! It's about eating and drinking!"
Li Yuan slammed the bowl on the table, spilling most of the wine. "What's the point of life if not for a hot meal? All those rules and etiquette—bullshit!"
Wei Zheng could no longer eat the shrimp in his hand.
His dark face turned a deep purplish-red, and he couldn't stand or sit comfortably.
"Your Majesty the Retired Emperor! Be careful what you say! Be careful what you say!"
Wei Zheng wanted to help Li Yuan up, but dared not pull him by force. "Although this place is remote, it is still within the palace grounds. If such words were to spread—"
"What a load of rubbish!"
Li Yuan glared at Wei Zheng, pointing his finger at his nose, "Wei the Blackie, don't try to intimidate me! I'm not the emperor anymore, I'm just an old man who's just waiting to die! What? Can't I even make a friend?"
As he spoke, Li Yuan turned to look at Su Mu, his eyes filled with an almost frighteningly fervent intensity.
"Brother Su, I'm so happy today! Let's—let's become sworn brothers! From now on, if I have a bite to eat, you'll have a bite too!"
We are brothers, though from different fathers!
Clang!
Wei Zheng plopped down on the ground, knocking over an empty wine bottle at his feet.
become sworn brothers?
The founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, the retired emperor Li Yuan, wanted to become sworn brothers with a woodcutter in the imperial kitchen?!
If this were written into the daily records, the historian's pen would be so scared that it would break three times!
"No! Absolutely not!"
Wei Zheng scrambled to his feet to stop him, saying, "This disrupts the proper order and moral order! If His Majesty finds out—"
"He knows nothing!" Li Yuan shoved Wei Zheng aside, grabbing Su Mu's hand and refusing to let go. "If that brat Erlang dares to utter a word, I'll beat him up!"
Li Lizhi covered her face, unable to bear watching the scene.
Finished!
Everything's in complete chaos!
If Grandpa calls Su Mu "brother," then wouldn't Father Emperor have to call Su Mu "uncle"? And wouldn't I have to call Su Mu "grandpa"?
Little Sizi was examining the green glass bottle, completely oblivious to the adults' arguing. She just found Grandpa's current appearance particularly amusing and giggled.
Su Mu, however, remained calm.
He grabbed Li Yuan's hand in return and shook it twice.
"Well done, sir. I'm honored that you think so highly of me."
Su Mu downed the wine in his bowl in one gulp. "But we're a small business here. Even though we've become sworn brothers, you'll have to pay for the wine and food next time. I don't offer credit."
Wei Zheng's lips twitched.
At this point, this kid is still thinking about the cost of the vegetables?
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Li Yuan laughed until tears streamed down his face, pointing at Su Mu, "Good! That's the kind of straightforwardness I want! Money is nothing! Tomorrow I'll have someone move all those chests of goldware from Da'an Palace to you!"
Midday on the moon.
Laughter, clinking glasses, and Li Yuan's off-key humming of the Qin King's Battle Song drifted far away on the night breeze from the backyard of the imperial kitchen.
At this moment.
The highest point of the imperial city is the Star-Gazing Platform.
-
The night wind howled, making the dragon robe flutter loudly.
Li Shimin stood alone by the railing, his hands behind his back.
On the small table behind him was a plate of cold steamed buns and a bowl of mutton soup that had long since lost its heat.
That was a late-night snack delivered by the Imperial Kitchen according to the appointed time, and I didn't touch it.
He squinted, gazing in the direction of the imperial kitchen in the distance.
The place was brightly lit, and a few wisps of white smoke could be seen rising. Although he couldn't hear what they were saying, the lively atmosphere and unrestrained laughter seemed to have grown legs and entered his ears.
Li Yuan's signature loud laughter could be faintly heard even from this distance.
Li Shimin lowered his head and glanced at the steamed bun in his hand, which was as hard as a rock.
Break off a piece and put it in your mouth.
Dry, astringent, cold, and hard!
It's all crumbs when you chew it, and it hurts your throat when you swallow it.
"Wow, it's so lively!"
Li Shimin muttered to himself and threw the remaining half of the steamed cake back onto the plate.
As the autumn wind blew, he tightened his dragon robe and suddenly felt that the majestic palace and the supreme imperial power were so cold and desolate.