Chapter 25: Li Shimin's Family Eats Hot Pot

Just as the three were chatting, the people from the second carriage and the third carriage also got down.

Chen Yan turned his head; the one who stepped down from the second carriage was Empress Changsun, still holding Xiao Sizi in her arms.

Only… when Chen Yan saw the young woman behind, a flash of astonishment crossed his eyes.

She wore a moon‑white embroidered silver ruqun, her appearance exquisitely beautiful, skin as delicate and white as congealed cream, tinged with a faint pink hue.

A pair of almond eyes were clear and bright, the outer corners slightly upturned, as if holding a spring pool.

It must be said, this was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman Chen Yan had ever seen in two lifetimes combined.

However, Chen Yan only glanced at her once.

If I'm not mistaken, the one who could share a carriage with Empress Changsun must be the famed Princess Changle.

One Gao Yang is enough of a headache; Chen Yan does not wish to provoke a Princess Changle any further.

"Your servant has seen the Empress, Princess Changle…" At this point, Chen Yan smiled at the Xiao Sizi in Empress Changsun's arms, "and also the Little Princess of Jinyang."

"Sister, hello." Xiao Sizi sweetly called out in her ten‑level baby talk.

Chen Yan felt his heart melt, increasingly convinced that taking this little dumpling home was the right choice.

Meanwhile, Princess Changle Li Lizhi curiously sized up Chen Yan.

She thought to herself, "Is this the Marquis of Weinan Chen Yan?"

"Cheng Qian is much more handsome than imagined, not as hot‑tempered as Gao Yang said, but rather gives a very gentle impression."

"Moreover, his gaze just now was clear, his behavior measured, unlike the rumors that portray him as a debauched playboy of pleasure houses."

Empress Changsun said with a smile, "Zi An, I must trouble you."

"No trouble, no trouble, everyone, please come in; the meals are already prepared," Chen Yan gestured repeatedly, warmly inviting Li Shimin's whole family inside.

At that moment, Princess Gao Yang, who stepped down from the third carriage, saw Chen Yan ignoring her and, furious, leapt up, "Chen Yan, what do you mean?"

"Can't you see someone as big as me?"

Chen Yan retorted immediately, "Didn't you see that huge gate? So what, you want me to treat?"

"Last time I didn't treat you, didn't you still kick the door and get in?"

"You…" Princess Gao Yang raised her hand, about to say something.

But Chen Yan cut her off, "What you—?!"

"I have no time to deal with you now; go stay wherever it's cool, just looking at you annoys me!"

Hearing the two, Li Shimin's family all twitched the corners of their mouths in unison.

What a true rivalry.

Chen Yan saw many eunuchs unloading luggage from the carriage behind, turned his head and ordered, "Qing'er, go and have those people move everything into the room next to mine."

"Okay, okay, Young Master."

Facing so many dignitaries, Qing'er became very restrained; upon hearing this, she felt as if granted a great pardon, and ran to command the eunuchs to move the items.

Afterwards, Chen Yan led Li Shimin's family into the Bo Mansion.

Princess Gao Yang snorted coldly, "That damned Chen Yan refuses to acknowledge me, and I still force my way in—makes me so angry!"

Saying that, Princess Gao Yang strode straight ahead, following.

Behind them, Xiang Lan wore a helpless expression, feeling that the future life was bleak.

When they had all entered, Li Chunfeng, holding a Bagua compass that seemed to have emerged from nowhere, stared at the Bo Mansion in amazement.

"Extraordinary, extraordinary!"

"......"

In the main hall.

Li Shimin's family, upon entering, were immediately drawn to the items on a round table.

On the table, two hot‑pot burners hissed with steam.

One had a clear broth base, the other a spicy broth made with pepper, dogwood, and a pinch of Sichuan pepper.

Around the two burners lay plates of various fresh ingredients, most of which were beef.

"Zi An, what is this…" Li Shimin asked curiously.

He recognized the meat and vegetables on the table, but what he didn't understand was that the food was completely raw, uncooked.

How does one eat raw food?

The others were equally puzzled.

Chen Yan smiled, "This is a new way of eating I've devised; um... it's a bit complicated to explain, so why don't everyone sit down and try it to see for themselves."

"A new way of eating?" Li Shimin, interested, said, "I would like to see how your method works."

Saying that, he sat directly on a high‑back chair at the table.

Empress Changsun immediately sat beside him, still holding Xiao Sizi.

Li Chengqian and the others took their seats.

After sitting down, Chen Yan picked up the bowls and chopsticks the maids had prepared, pinched a few slices of beef and dropped them into the spicy broth.

"Your Majesty, this method is called hot pot; the seasonings are already in place, so you just put whatever you want to eat in, cook it, and then you can eat it."

This novel way instantly attracted Li Shimin and his two sons.

They mimicked Chen Yan's motions, swiftly pinching meat into the pot.

In no time, Chen Yan told everyone that the meat was ready to eat.

Li Tai said half‑incredulous, "Marquis of Weinan, this meat has only just been boiled; can it really be eaten now?"

Chen Yan picked a piece of beef for himself, gave it a light blow, and shoved it into his mouth, "It's been cooked long enough; cooking it more would make it tough, so now it's perfect."

Seeing Chen Yan already eating, the three stopped doubting and each pinched meat into their own bowls.

When they took the first bite, their eyes instantly brightened.

"Sss, delicious!" Li Tai exclaimed, "This hot pot is not only unusual, its flavor is superb!"

Li Chengqian initially thought it tasty, but the more he ate, the more something felt off.

This flavor… why does it seem familiar?

Li Shimin at this moment also realized, "Zi An, this is beef, right?"

As his words fell, Princess Gao Yang, who had already been about to pick up her chopsticks, and Princess Changle both froze.

The chopsticks hovered in mid‑air, neither extending nor retracting.

Cattle are among the most important production tools today; the common folk rely on them heavily for plowing fields.

Therefore, eating cattle is expressly prohibited in the Tang Dynasty.

Chen Yan knew what they were thinking, shrugged, "His Majesty, don't worry. Today Cheng Bo Bo's household had a cow that died from longing—it crashed itself to death. Cheng Bo Bo said there was more meat than he could finish, so he sent some over to me."

"It's already been recorded with the Government, so you can eat at ease."

Li Shimin's family: "......"

The cattle of Cheng Yaojin's family are quite famous in Chang'an City, always meeting accidental deaths in all sorts of bizarre ways.

Some have leapt off cliffs in despair, some have accidentally fallen to their deaths, and some even died from overeating, bursting.

Dying from a crash due to longing is hardly surprising.

Li Shimin, with a darkened face, said, "Then I must eat more, lest tomorrow Cheng Laohei's household still have a dead cow, and we won't be able to finish it all."

With those words, the atmosphere in the hall gradually became lively.

Seeing that Li Shimin said nothing further, everyone shed their inhibitions and began to eat the hot pot heartily.

Especially the three of Li Shimin and his sons, they ate so greedily that oil dripped from their mouths.

Princess Gao Yang took a bite, a flash of brilliance crossed her eyes, yet she remained proper, taking small mouthfuls.

Princess Changle was about to extend her chopsticks when Chen Yan stopped her: "Princess, please wait a moment."

Li Lizhi looked puzzled, and Chen Yan immediately pointed to the clear broth at the side, "This broth I prepared especially for Her Majesty and the two princesses; it is milder, so you can eat it boldly without worry."

Empress Changsun, looking at the plates of meat before her, hesitated, "Can I really eat them?"

It's not that she doesn't want to eat, but because of a respiratory illness, even if there is meat she dares not eat it.

Now, Chen Yan actually tells her she can eat boldly without worry.

"Of course." Chen Yan again pointed to a pot of beef that he had specifically instructed Zhang Shi to stew, "If you cannot wait, you may eat these with the little princess first."

"Mother, more more~"

Xiao Sizi stared longingly at the meat in the pot, swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and a glimmer of sparkle appeared at the corner of her mouth.

But she did not say she wanted to eat, she just stared steadily.

Because Xiao Sizi knows she often falls ill, and the imperial physician says she must not eat meat.

Xiao Sizi knows that if she tells Mother she wants to eat, Mother would certainly be unwilling and would give the meat to her.

If later she fell ill from eating meat, Mother would worry.

Xiao Sizi doesn't want Mother to worry, so she restrains her inner craving and swallows the saliva back.

"......"