"Strong liquor?"
As night fell, in the Imperial Study of the Great Xia Palace, Emperor Xia Yuncheng poured a cup of wine from a jade bottle, hesitated for a moment, and then drank it down.
hiss!
A line of fire shot down from his throat, quickly extending to his lower abdomen, and then his entire body burst into flames.
Xia Yuncheng's chest heaved violently as he tried his best to suppress a cough, his face turning bright red.
After taking a good dozen or so breaths to calm down, he finally suppressed the effects of the alcohol and said in a hoarse voice, "It really is potent!"
Eunuch Ma stood with his hands in his sleeves, waiting for the emperor to speak before raising his head and respectfully saying, "Your Majesty, this old servant has already conducted a special test. The high-proof liquor brewed by Chen Ke is twice as strong as the most potent liquor in the empire."
Xia Yuncheng sneered, "What wine he brewed? It's just that his father wanted to elevate his son's rank, so he attributed the winemaking business to his son."
Grandpa Ma remained silent. There was no point in arguing; whether it was the son or the father, they would all belong to the Chen family and couldn't escape it.
Xia Yuncheng stared at the jade bottle on the table, his expression becoming solemn:
"My father once said that the greatest enemy of the northern border army was not the orcs, nor hunger, but the bitter cold. That kind of all-pervasive cold is difficult for even cultivators to withstand for long. Sometimes when the army launches an expedition, before the tens of thousands have even reached their destination, half of them will have their fingers and toes frozen off, losing their fighting ability."
Grandpa Ma nodded: "In the past hundred years, the beastmen of the wild lands have been unable to endure the severe cold of the north, which is why they have migrated south as a whole. Although the southward trend of the beastmen has slowed down in the last two years, we still cannot let our guard down."
Xia Yuncheng unknowingly drank another cup, then said seriously, "Chen Ke said that using this kind of high-proof liquor or alcohol to clean wounds can prevent them from festering and help them heal. Have you tested it?"
Eunuch Ma bowed and said, "This old servant has sent people to consult several imperial physicians in the palace. Theoretically, it is feasible, and the relevant tests are being arranged. We are just waiting for His Majesty's decree."
Xia Yuncheng was a little dizzy, his cheeks burning. He composed himself and said slowly, "Then let's give the Chen family a little incentive. Let them produce high-proof liquor and alcohol on a small scale and prioritize supplying them to the army on the northern border. Let's see how they react."
Eunuch Ma breathed a sigh of relief. His Majesty's words were, in effect, an acquiescence to Chen Ke's plan.
The Chen family is going to make a fortune this time.
Yes, my Hidden Dragon Pavilion will also make a fortune!
Eunuch Ma bowed and took his leave. Just as he reached the door, a shout came from behind him.
"Eunuch Ma,"
Xia Yuncheng's gaze flickered, and he coughed, "Um, is there any more wine? I was planning to give it to the Emperor Emeritus to try."
Yes, yes!
Without revealing anything or hesitating, Eunuch Ma took out a jade bottle and personally handed it to His Majesty.
He had intended to remind His Majesty that the wine had a strong aftereffect, but after thinking about it, he chose to remain silent.
The new emperor is too competitive. If his advice does not work and instead arouses His Majesty's competitiveness, wouldn't that be counterproductive?
Just as he was about to leave, an eunuch from the imperial kitchen suddenly arrived.
The elderly eunuch entered the study, knelt down, and then said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus sent someone to deliver a food box to you. This old servant dared not be careless and had someone check it, but... but..."
Xia Yuncheng's face darkened: "But what happened?"
"But we found some unknown seasoning in the food," the old man said, then quickly lowered his head.
Xia Yuncheng's face darkened further, and he said coldly, "Someone, bring the food box over here!"
Outside the room, two eunuchs who had been waiting quickly entered, opened the food box, and placed three exquisite small plates on the table.
If Chen Ke were there, he would definitely name three dishes without hesitation: spicy duck neck, red oil tripe strips, and, um, a plate of "drunkard's raw meat".
These three dishes were originally presented to the new emperor by him through the retired emperor.
Glug!
Looking at the three plates of glistening, fragrant snacks, Xia Yuncheng couldn't help but swallow hard.
His appetite was whetted by the strong liquor, and he even had an urge to eat a few big bites without thinking twice.
Eunuch Ma looked at the three side dishes with surprise and asked the people from the imperial kitchen, "What do you mean by the unknown seasonings?"
The Imperial Kitchen was responsible for the emperor's meals, and safety was its top priority.
Even food prepared by the Empress herself for His Majesty must undergo toxicity testing by the Imperial Kitchen.
That's just how the rules are, so there's nothing wrong with them inspecting the food sent by the retired emperor.
The old man hurriedly said, "Grandpa Ma, it's those red grass seeds on that plate of raw vegetables."
Red grass seeds?
Grandpa Ma's heart stirred. He picked up a pair of chopsticks, carefully picked up a chili seed and a bit of the chili skin still attached, and put it in his mouth.
Huh?
A hint of confusion flashed in Eunuch Ma's eyes.
Under the tense gazes of everyone, he stopped chewing, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this unknown seasoning is actually pepper."
Pepper?!
What about the fruit on those potted plants in the Imperial Garden?
It can even be used to cook?
Xia Yuncheng was surprised, and when he saw that Eunuch Ma stopped talking, his heart sank slightly.
Grandpa Ma did not draw a conclusion as to whether the peppers in the food were poisonous or not, indicating that he himself was unsure.
Just as the atmosphere in the imperial study was tense, Xia Yuncheng suddenly laughed loudly: "You are too kind. I was also hungry, and this food has come at just the right time. You may all leave now."
As he spoke, he picked up a bottle of liquor and popped it into his mouth.
"Your Majesty!" The people from the imperial kitchen were terrified and knelt down with a thud.
Eunuch Ma said coldly, "His Majesty ordered you all to leave. Didn't you hear him?!"
If word got out that the father and son were to be so suspicious of each other, how would His Majesty feel, and how would the Emperor Emeritus feel?
Mmm, delicious!
The aroma of chili peppers and raw food spread in his mouth, and Xia Yuncheng suddenly felt as if his soul had left his body.
He showed none of the tragic solemnity he had shown when "testing the poison" earlier, and grabbed a few more and threw them into his mouth, finding them increasingly fragrant with each chew.
I can't stop, I just can't stop.
Xia Yuncheng was sweating profusely from the spiciness. He sipped his wine, picked up a bright red strip of tripe, and put it in his mouth.
Hmm, this is delicious too, even spicier!
In the blink of an eye, Xia Yuncheng devoured the spicy tripe and the drunkard's dish completely.
He wiped his greasy lips before turning his expectant gaze to the plate of duck necks.
Born into royalty, what delicious food hasn't Xia Yuncheng eaten since he was a child?
The three dishes of appetizers sent by the retired emperor were made in a rather simple way, but their spicy and fragrant aroma was unique and irresistible.
He picked up a piece of duck neck, examined it carefully against the light for a moment, then brought it to his nose to smell it before finally putting it to his mouth and gently biting into the meaty part.