Aman said indignantly, "There's nothing strange about it! In my opinion, that so - called princess is simply not a kind - hearted person. Now, she's so infatuated that she deliberately makes things difficult for you just to snatch someone else's fiancé! Sister, don't worry. I'll go and tell Brother - in - law Lu about this right away! Let Brother - in - law Lu see the true face of this high - born princess!"
Fuming with anger, she was about to run off when Li Ying finally managed to hold her back. Just then, they heard Lu Xunguang's deep and steady voice from behind.
"Does Aman think I'm a lecherous and dissipated man who's easily seduced by beauty?"
Li Ying turned around in pleasant surprise and saw Lu Xunguang's smiling but somewhat helpless face.
"Aman, is that how you use the phrase'seduced by beauty to the point of losing one's wits'?"
He said it casually. Li Ying and Hu Qinzhu exchanged a glance and both of them smiled. Aman couldn't help blushing. Her fiery temper finally subsided a bit in the kind - hearted laughter.
"I heard that you and Aman ran into trouble in the restaurant. I rushed here in a hurry. Aying, did Princess Yongning make things difficult for you?"
Seeing Li Ying shake her head, he finally felt relieved.
Aman, however, beamed with pride.
"Tsk, it's a pity that Princess Yongning left in such a hurry. If I'd known Brother - in - law Lu was coming to rescue the beauty, I would've kept her here no matter what. I'd let her see with her own eyes how much Brother - in - law Lu cares about Sister. Maybe then she'd give up and stop pining after someone else's fiancé every day."
There were many people on the street, so although Aman was straightforward, she knew to keep her voice down and not make a scene.
Lu Xunguang frowned. Aman wasn't a mean - spirited person. If she was so annoyed, it must be that Princess Yongning had embarrassed Li Ying.
Li Ying didn't want to put him in a difficult situation, so she kept silent. But he wouldn't let it go. After repeated questioning, Hu Qinzhu and Aman took turns to tell him what Princess Yongning had said.
Lu Xunguang's face darkened, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
This so - called 'using bubbles in dishes' was clearly a deliberate attempt to make things difficult!
His Aying had never suffered such grievances!
Seeing his gloomy face, Li Ying knew that he might take some actions secretly. She quickly tugged at the corner of his robe gently.
"Don't be in a hurry, Lu Lang."
"It seems that Princess Yongning sees me as a rival. She issued a challenge, wanting to give me a good setback in the area I'm best at and dampen my spirit. Since I've accepted the challenge, I should show her what I can do."
"Trust me, Lu Lang. I've already made a perfect plan. I won't let her find any fault. Trust me. You're an eagle in the sky. How could the woman who walks side by side with an eagle be just a yellow oriole?"
She said this because she didn't want Lu Xunguang to take risks.
He was now at the height of his power and fame. He must have a way to secretly intervene and stop Princess Yongning from making things difficult for her.
But this matter involved the royal authority. If there was a slightest mistake and the emperor found out, although it wouldn't lead to any serious trouble, it might still cause some discord between the emperor and his subject.
Li Ying had witnessed Lu Xunguang's arduous journey to his current position. She didn't want him to take risks because of her trifles.
Hearing her words, Lu Xunguang was still a bit skeptical. "Aying, do you really have a solution?"
Li Ying smiled confidently.
"It's getting late. You rushed here in a hurry, Lu Lang. You must not have had your meal yet. Why don't you come back with me and taste the 'bubble delicacies' of 'Mirror Flowers and Moon Reflections' first?"
To thank Hu Qinzhu for delivering the message and offering help today, she was also invited. The four of them soon returned to the mansion.
Since this matter was so important, none of them were in the mood for feasting and chatting. They all waited anxiously in the kitchen, watching.
Li Ying was calm and collected. She took out the fresh shrimps she had bought early in the morning.
Mianmian and Maomao both loved sweet and crispy shrimps. The shrimps bought every day were very fresh, bouncing vigorously. Even if they were simply boiled, they tasted delicious.
She peeled off the heads and shells of the shrimps and carefully removed the veins. Then she started to prepare the batter.
She was going to make a dish called 'bubble shrimp'. Whether she could successfully meet the challenge from Princess Yongning depended on this dish.
However, the most important ingredient in the batter, 'baking soda', had to be made by herself.
Fortunately, she had fished out a lot of soda ash when she was at the salt lake.
She crushed a large piece of limestone, poured in some vinegar, and covered it with a cleaned pig bladder to collect the carbon dioxide produced by the reaction.
Then she passed the carbon dioxide into a saturated soda ash solution. The baking soda produced by the reaction would precipitate out smoothly. After draining the water, drying it, and grinding it into powder, it could be used at any time.
She mixed two egg whites with cornstarch and potato starch, added baking soda, oil, and some self - brewed natural yeast. She stirred it well into a batter that wouldn't easily slide off. After letting it rise for a while, she could coat the shrimps and fry them.
The fresh shrimps gently swayed in the boiling oil. The batter on them was like a round little balloon, slowly swelling up. It was really cute, looking like little puffer fish swimming in the water.
The fried bubble shrimp had tender shrimp meat inside and a thin, crispy shell. Every bite was fragrant. Whether sprinkled with stir - fried salt and pepper or eaten as a snack with sweet and sour ketchup, it was extremely delicious.
Aman stared blankly at the plate of golden and round bubble shrimp that Li Ying brought out. She even bit her tongue.
"Sister, you actually made it!"
Wasn't this exactly the so - called 'bubble delicacy'?
Previously, she had watched Li Ying go through so much trouble to make that white 'baking soda', which tasted neither sweet nor salty. She had thought that her sister might not be able to meet the challenge this time!
It seemed that she had been wrong!
Aman beamed with joy. While stuffing the bubble shrimp into her mouth and feasting on it, she said vaguely with a smile, "Sister is amazing! Using just those dull - looking stones, you can make such a novel snack. I'm sure Princess Yongning won't be able to say anything more!"
Hu Qinzhu was also surprised that Li Ying had come up with a solution in such a short time. After tasting the bubble shrimp, although she was amazed, she still looked a bit hesitant.
"Sister Li, although the bubble shrimp is delicious... but... if Princess Yongning is really as Aman said and deliberately making things difficult, even if you present this delicious dish, she may not let you go..."
Li Ying smiled and put another shrimp into her bowl.
"It's okay. Since I've made this dish, I already have a plan."
Then she turned to Aman and said with a smile, "Slow down. Be careful not to burn your throat! Silly Aman, fried food makes you gain weight easily. Be careful not to fit into your beautiful dresses!"
Aman swallowed the shrimp in her mouth without a care and said with a smile, "I'm not afraid. It's just a few dresses! How can they be as important as Sister's delicious dishes!"
Li Ying couldn't help smiling when she saw Aman's cute and naive look.
She playfully tapped Aman's nose and said, "Silly girl. Dance dresses are not important, but aren't you afraid you won't be able to fit into your wedding dress?"
Aman's pretty face flushed red immediately. Her chopsticks stopped in mid - air, and she looked at Li Ying coyly.