in2ebook Chapter 66 Preparing to Peel Gourd Strips
Chapter 66 Preparing to Peel Gourd Strips
At this moment, Su Heng had already walked halfway to the study when he was stopped by a servant of the Duke of Zhenguo.
"My lord, the Duke of Zhenguo requests your presence in the front hall; he has important matters to discuss," the servant said respectfully, bowing.
Upon hearing this, Su Heng immediately changed direction and headed towards the front hall.
Cuiwei Palace
"Your Majesty, look! The gourds on the gourd trellis by the wall are all ripe! What are you going to do with them?" Li Quan looked at the large and plump gourd on the trellis with a face full of joy, his eyes revealing undisguised excitement. He turned his head and shouted loudly to Su Nuannuan, who was playing and laughing with the two little cuties.
At this moment, Su Nuannuan was immersed in the joyful atmosphere of interacting with the children. After hearing Li Quan's slightly excited shout, she slowly turned her head and her gaze fell on the big gourd that Li Quan was holding in his arms.
“They’re already ripe… Let me see how many there are in total?” Su Nuannuan temporarily put down her playful antics with the two little ones, stood up, and walked lightly toward Li Quan.
When she came closer, she immediately noticed the enormous gourd in Li Quan's arms and nodded slightly in satisfaction.
"Your Majesty, two have ripened in total, and this one is the largest of them." As Li Quan spoke, he carefully moved his body slightly while holding the large gourd, revealing the smaller gourd behind him to everyone.
Su Nuannuan carefully examined the two gourds, and after a moment's thought, she said, "Hmm... how about this, we'll cut the larger gourd into thin strips and then dry it in the sun so we can eat it when winter comes; as for the smaller one, we'll dry it completely first, so it can be used to make a gourd ladle later." In just a few words, Su Nuannuan had already arranged the future uses of the two gourds perfectly and clearly.
"Your Majesty, how exactly do you make these gourd strips? Do you need to use a knife to slowly shave them into strips one by one?" Li Quan was clearly not very familiar with the method of making gourd strips, so he carried the large gourd and walked slowly to Su Nuannuan, humbly asking for her guidance.
"In a little while, I will personally make a tool for shaving gourd strips and build a frame to stabilize the gourd. That way, I can shave the gourd strips smoothly," Su Nuannuan said confidently.
Li Quan, who was standing to the side, put down the large gourd he was holding and hurriedly stepped forward, saying with a fawning expression, "Then why don't you let this servant peel the gourd strips!" As he spoke, he did not forget to put on a flattering posture.
However, Su Nuannuan gently shook her head and said slowly, "Don't rush. The most urgent thing right now is to prepare the racks needed to dry the gourd strips. Otherwise, once the gourd strips are cut out, there will be nowhere to put them."
Upon hearing this, Li Quan immediately replied, "Your Majesty, what kind of shape should the drying rack be made? Please describe it to me so that I can prepare accordingly." He lowered his head and looked like a sycophant.
Looking at Li Quan's expression, Su Nuannuan couldn't help but feel both annoyed and amused, but in the end she patiently told him in detail about the style of the shelf he needed and instructed him to quickly find a way to prepare the materials.
As for the tools needed to shave gourd strips, Su Nuannuan already knew what they were. After all, she happened to have some readily available materials, which she could easily modify into handy tools.
Just then, Yaoqin, who had been standing silently to the side, finally couldn't contain her curiosity and asked, "Your Majesty, what exactly does this so-called gourd strip taste like? Is it really delicious?"
"I don't know what these gourd strips taste like either. I saw them in an old book by chance, and that's why I wanted to try them myself. After all, there are very few vegetables to choose from in winter," Su Nuannuan explained softly, her brows slightly furrowed.
Upon hearing this, Jinse's face immediately lit up with a bright smile: "Your Majesty, if these gourd strips you dried taste good, then that would be a great achievement! In that case, the people will be able to add a delicious dish to their tables during the cold winter months!"
Su Nuannuan nodded slightly, indicating her agreement with Jinse's words: "What you said is true. If these gourd strips are indeed incredibly delicious, I will definitely write a letter to my father to spread this unique way of eating widely, so that all the common people can benefit from it."
At this moment, Yaoqin blinked her big, bright eyes and asked with a face full of curiosity, "Your Highness, how exactly should this gourd strip be eaten?"
Su Nuannuan rolled her eyes at Yaoqin, annoyed, and said reproachfully, "I don't know for sure right now either. We'll have to wait until the gourd strips are completely dry before we can find out."
In fact, Su Nuannuan already knew how to eat gourd strips. Back in her previous life in Northeast China, she had the good fortune to taste braised pork with gourd strips once, and on another occasion, she had tasted the rich and flavorful dried gourd strips.
Regardless of the method, she still finds it unforgettable, the taste lingering on her lips and teeth. The ingenious method of slicing gourd strips was something she learned in Northeast China.
Afterwards, Su Nuannuan played affectionately with the two little ones for a while before calling over Yue Niang and Hong Lian, instructing them to take the children downstairs to breastfeed.
Su Nuannuan walked alone towards the east wing hall, her steps light and swift. After entering the east wing hall, she went straight to the place where the metal materials used to make the phoenix crown were kept.
Her gaze swept around the room, finally settling on a pile of silver pieces. She reached out and picked out a small strip, examining it closely. Then, she gently rolled the silver piece with her fingers, feeling its hardness. However, after trying it, she couldn't help but frown slightly, shake her head, and slowly put the silver piece back in its place.
"Sigh, it seems that pure silver is not a feasible material." Su Nuannuan sighed softly, thinking of a solution while muttering to herself, "I need to get Li Quan to help me get a piece of copper or iron as soon as possible. Oh, and it would be best if he could also get a piece of wood."
Just then, a commotion arose outside. It turned out that Li Quan had already arranged for someone to bring back the materials needed to make the frame, as requested. Hearing the noise, Su Nuannuan quickly left the east side hall and went to the courtyard to check the situation. She saw thick logs and bundles of thin bamboo strips laid out on the ground, all of which were essential materials for making the frame.
Su Nuannuan's gaze swept quickly over the pieces of wood, and suddenly, her eyes were drawn to a bamboo pole of just the right thickness, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
"Haha, isn't this the material I've been looking for to make the handle for a gourd-peeling tool? This is perfect!"
Su Nuannuan then instructed, "Li Quan, don't leave yet! I need you to find a way to get me a small piece of copper or iron. It will be very useful." As she spoke, she bent down, picked up the bamboo pole she had just picked out, and showed it to Li Quan.
Upon hearing this, Li Quan immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I do have a small piece of copper in my room. I'll go back and fetch it for you now to see if it's of any use. If it's not suitable, I'll go to the Imperial Household Department to look for other solutions." With that, he hurriedly turned and left.