Empress Pei was holding the little prince who was kicking and waving his arms. The mother and son were playing with the little petrels.
Li Ying stood beside them with a smile, hands folded. She was so observant that she immediately noticed a faint red mark on the little prince's neck.
It was still a bit hot. The little prince was prone to getting hot, and after a while of his restless kicking and waving, his head would be covered in sweat.
Empress Pei and the wet - nurse were extremely careful. They would change his clothes several times a day.
However, despite their care, the little prince had delicate skin and was chubby, just like the fat baby holding a carp in the New - Year pictures. There were inevitably some heat rashes under his armpits, on his neck, and on his chubby hands and feet due to the sweat.
Empress Pei also noticed Li Ying's gaze. She frowned and said, "The imperial physicians have come to examine him several times. Since the prince is so young, it's not suitable to use medicine. We've had the wet - nurse drink the heat - clearing and detoxifying decoction so that the prince can get it through her milk. But these rashes just won't go away."
Suddenly, as if remembering something, she asked softly, "A Ying, you're always so resourceful. It was you who helped me take care of my skin. Do you have any way to treat the prince's heat rashes?"
Since the empress had brought it up, Li Ying didn't decline.
"Your Majesty, I do have a method. I used it to wipe my daughter's body after her bath."
This was true.
Mianmian was an active girl. If not careful, she would be covered in tiny heat rashes all over her body.
Li Ying had no choice but to pick fresh peach leaves and distill peach - leaf hydrosol at home. She squeezed out every bit of the heat - relieving essence from the peach leaves and put it in a bottle. She would apply it to Mianmian's body after her bath every day.
She always carried it with her and had forgotten to take it off this time. It was just right to use it as an emergency when the empress asked.
Empress Pei trusted her completely. She was overjoyed and immediately ordered the imperial physician to check it. After making sure it was safe, she couldn't wait to apply it to the little prince's slightly red neck.
Li Ying repeatedly reminded her that this peach - leaf essence could not only be applied after the daily bath but also be added to the bathtub for bathing, which also had the effect of relieving heat.
If the rashes didn't improve after five consecutive days of use, a thin layer of camellia oil could be applied, and it could also be combined with the "massage" technique. This would not only repair the little prince's damaged skin but also promote his metabolism.
Empress Pei was overjoyed. She didn't even bother to chat with Li Ying and immediately massaged the little prince according to the "essential - oil massage" method Li Ying had taught her.
Li Ying bowed and took her leave. Calculating the time, it was already time for dinner. So she leisurely headed to the kitchen.
Lu Xunguang had already sent the palace servants to clean all the starfish she had caught. They were neatly placed on the table, waiting for her to cook.
Li Ying rolled up her sleeves and calmly cut some scallions and ginger first. She sprinkled them on the starfish and steamed them in the pot.
Inside the starfish shell was the yellow - green egg yolk, which tasted very delicious. But if eaten directly, there was a faint bitter aftertaste.
Moreover, starfish was not a mainstream seafood, so it inevitably had a stronger fishy smell.
For ordinary diners, it would be okay to try something new and taste the original flavor of the steamed starfish.
But the emperor was the Son of Heaven. He was very particular about food. Such a rustic cooking method would surely not suit his taste.
After being steamed, the purple skin of the starfish turned bright red, looking very nice.
At this moment, all one had to do was break off each of the starfish's five legs. There was a slit on the back of the leg.
Peel off the shell along the slit, and the plump egg yolk inside would be revealed.
Stir - fry these egg yolks with fresh Chinese chives. Add some fresh shrimps and scallops. After stir - frying them until fragrant, add enough scallions and garlic, pour in yellow rice wine to remove the fishy smell, and add oyster sauce and soy sauce for flavor. After boiling it vigorously, add a thin layer of corn - starch thickening.
Pour the cooked starfish topping over the rice and stir it slightly. Then a bowl of starfish topped rice with extremely rich flavor was ready.
Li Ying imitated the cooking method of sea - intestine topped rice. The starfish egg yolk was also very delicious. Compared with the crispy and sweet taste of sea - intestines, it had a more substantial texture and thicker meat, which made people feel satisfied with every bite.
Take some more starfish egg yolks, beat them well, and add them to the fresh fish - paste stuffing.
Fish meat was originally light. With the seasoning of the starfish, it tasted even more delicious. Pour in sesame oil to lock in the moisture of the fish - paste stuffing, and then mix in a large amount of minced garlic.
Firstly, the minced garlic could cover up the fishy smell of the starfish. Secondly, starfish was cold in nature. Eating too much of it might be slightly poisonous, and eating garlic could detoxify.
Make dumplings with the fish - paste stuffing and fry them until golden and crispy. They would leave a fragrant aftertaste in one's mouth.
For the un - shelled starfish, remove the central mouth, cut it into five pieces, and cook it with dried scallops, pork ribs, kelp leaves, and chicken feet to make a thick soup.
This slow - cooked soup had been simmering in the casserole for more than an hour. The soup had turned into a rich milky - white color, and the freshness of the starfish had completely melted into the soup.
The pork ribs were tender, the seaweed was slippery, and the sweetness of the dried scallops and starfish was refreshing and not greasy.
Hearing that the Empress Dowager had been coughing for several days, this starfish soup could clear heat and relieve cough, which would be very beneficial to her.
Considering that the Empress Dowager preferred a light diet, Li Ying specifically removed the starfish egg yolks and steamed a bowl of tender egg custard. She poured soy sauce, ginger, and vinegar on it. It was juicy with every bite and was most suitable for the elderly.
These dishes might seem ordinary, just like home - cooked food. But the novelty of the ingredients caught the emperor's attention.
He heard from Empress Pei that after the little prince used the sponge for bathing, his skin had indeed become more delicate, and the peach - leaf essence water Li Ying had offered did have some effect. He finally felt a bit more satisfied and put away his previous mild annoyance.
This southern inspection was to show the emperor's boundless grace. The emperor took a bite of the topped rice and casually ordered, "Today, there is no distinction between the monarch and his subjects. I'm sure all of you, my ministers, are hungry. Why don't you eat with me?"
Such imperial grace made all the civil and military officials on the ship feel extremely honored. They knelt down and shouted long live.
Li Ying still stood beside Empress Pei with folded hands, observing the palace rules and etiquette.
Suddenly, the emperor let out a soft exclamation. Raising his eyebrows, he asked, "Where is Minister Lu?"
Naturally, he looked at Li Ying, but Li Ying was completely at a loss.
After they returned, she had been concentrating on cooking the starfish dishes for the emperor and hadn't noticed when Lu Xunguang had left.
Seeing that the emperor's expression was turning a bit annoyed again, Lu Xunguang rushed back in a hurry. His clothes were all wet. He bowed his head respectfully and said, "Your Majesty, I'm late. I've ruined your good mood. Please punish me."
Seeing his appearance, it was obvious that he had gone into the water again.
Empress Pei, who had gotten the peach - leaf water from Li Ying, quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
"Minister Lu is really dedicated. I'm sure he went to search for more sponges for the little prince's bath. Your Majesty, Minister Lu has been so devoted. You mustn't punish him. In my opinion, he should be well rewarded instead."