Delicious Delicacy of the Demon Spirit

It's hot in July, and this year, the heat seems to drop in a particularly timely manner.A juggling troupe came to Qingshui Town, called Huanxi Troupe. It is said that they have traveled all over the country and are well-known. Even wealthy households in the capital would invite them into their homes for a show or two.

The Huanxi Group will stay in Qingshui Town for ten days. At first, they set up a venue on Dingtai Street to earn some praise from the common people. Within three days, dignitaries and dignitaries came to invite them one after another.Old Prince Qiao is a high-ranking official among high-ranking officials far and near, and a nobleman among nobles, so naturally he can't fall behind. On this day, he invited this juggling troupe.

The back kitchen was extremely busy, not only preparing the food for the owner to watch juggling, but also busy with the lunch for the forty people from the Huanxi class.I heard that the prince was also called by Prince Qiao, bringing the concubine and the grandson with him.The old prince also wanted to get closer to his grandchildren so that he could feel the joy of family.

The five tables of meals in the Huanxi class represent the face of Prince Qiao's mansion.It can't be too rich, otherwise, in the eyes of outsiders, this prince's mansion would lose his dignity by serving a group of jugglers as guests; and it can't be too shabby, it's possible that the dignified Prince Qiao's mansion can't provide a few decent meals.Although He Weiran doesn't have to be in charge of the cooking, she still has to do the customization of the menu.The old prince said that you can figure it out because he trusts her. In fact, in the past six months, he has gradually stopped specifying the dishes he wants to eat tomorrow, and they will eat whatever He Weiran does. satisfied.

Li Ku'er was busy going in and out to help, but her mind was so wild that she didn't know where she was.The maids in the entire back kitchen are telling how the Huanxi class is so good at performing wonderfully, and there is also the unique illusion technique passed down by the class leader Jin, which no one can learn.

Li Kuer's yearning look made He Weiran want to laugh: "What? I've seen all the mysterious things about ghosts and ghosts, and I'm still curious about these tricks to fool people?"

"Oh, sister He, why are you so loud?" Li Kuer covered her mouth: "What if people hear it?"

He Weiran smiled and moved her hand away: "It's more nervous than me. Don't worry, no one is listening, they are all thinking of ways to go to the sideshow. If you want to watch, I will take you there."

"Really? But it's against the rules."

"The prince invited me this morning. It's not a big deal to bring one more person. Maybe you have to stand behind me, and you have to hold back if you want to speak loudly. Are you going?"

"Go!" Li Kuer was so happy that his eyes lit up, and he promised, "I will definitely watch respectfully like the maids who serve the princesses, without making a sound."

"You don't have to be like those maids who serve people. People still think that I am in charge of the kitchen." He Weiran patted her head and smiled: "I just said... I am your master .”

Li Kuer chewed his mouth and retorted: "In fact, I am your confidant."

He Weiran burst out laughing, shook his head and joked: "You are my heart and soul."

Li Kuer had no opinion in an instant. "My dear...I like this title."

After dinner, Li Kuer followed He Weiran to watch a juggling show.The stage of the Huanxi class was set up in the morning, and all kinds of juggling props were already in place. There was also a row of musicians sitting beside them, playing suona, playing huqin, and beating gongs and drums. Although they were only preparing, they were also very lively.The faces of the beauties were all smeared with two blobs of bright red rouge, and they were wearing brightly colored clothes wrapped with gold and silver threads, which were shiny, delicate, and festive.

Other maidservants are arranging tables and chairs on the viewing platform to eat.Ah Liao and the others were very envious of Li Kuer, and lamented that they still had to stay in the back kitchen and wait for orders here, it was really miserable.

Not long after, Prince Qiao also came, hugging the little grandson and teasing non-stop, followed by the concubine and the eldest son, who were talking about the greetings between mother and child, and behind them were the two wives, teaching the eldest son the tips of raising children.After they were all seated, and their respective maids had settled down, He Weiran sat down on the corner chair, and Li Kuer obediently stood behind her, lowering her head and staring at the Huanxi class secretly. set up a table.

"Miss He, I wonder if you have seen the juggling of this Huanxi class before?" Prince Qiao asked He Weiran while pinching his beard.

He Weiran shook his head: "I've never been lucky enough to meet him, but thanks to the lord's blessing, I can finally regain my vision."

Concubine Qiao smiled, and her words were very friendly: "I, since I came here with the prince, I have never been able to catch up with the people in the capital."

The old prince laughed loudly, patted the back of Princess Qiao's hand and said, "That's really wronged the princess, hurry up and chase Feng'er back at this moment." He looked at He Weiran and Li Kuer behind He Weiran , suddenly said: "How about this, there are so many people, everyone in the house has no errands, let's all come and watch together."

When the butler heard this, he quickly sent someone to call the remaining servants.The servants and maidservants stood in two rows on both sides of the seats where the prince and the others sat, and Xiao Qu and the others moved closer to He Weiran.Li Kuer leaned close to He Weiran's ear and whispered, "My privilege is gone."

He Weiran smiled and pinched her nose, and while no one was looking, he picked a grape from the fruit plate at hand and stuffed it into her mouth.

The juggling officially started, and the head of the juggling class was the first to appear on stage. He had a slightly fat body, was half a century old, had gray hair, and spoke in a very naughty manner. After some interesting opening remarks, everyone on the field forgot the rules of respect and humiliation, and laughed endlessly. .

"You have a good smile, you have a wonderful smile, and the bird of the Nine Heavens is also coming to report." Class leader Jin pointed to the roof of the east wing, and rolled his eyes: "Everyone, look-that-look!"

Everyone looked at the place he was pointing at, but they saw a puff of five-colored smoke suddenly emanating from the roof, and the light smoke curled up, but it seemed to be controlled by something, and it gradually turned into a long-tailed divine bird. The bird looked up to the sky and screamed, and the sound was clear and sweet. She flapped her wings and danced on the roof, which was extremely beautiful and magical.

Everyone was stunned, and Li Kuer opened her eyes wide in surprise, trying to see the essence of the divine bird, although she no longer believed her eyes.

"Sister He, isn't it really a monster's technique?"

He Weiran took a sip of tea and said, "Maybe there is a stranger who is good at making smoke paintings hidden on the roof."

"But that smoke is multicolored. I've never seen such a beautiful smoke." Hearing their conversation, Xiao Qu couldn't help but join in.

"It's not impossible to make colorful smoke. I heard that when making incense, add half of the moss bark powder from pine trees to burn five-color smoke."

"That's it..." Xiaoqu knew the truth, and suddenly felt bored.

He Weiran added another sentence: "But maybe, as Ku'er said, it might be a monster's spell."

Li Ku'er curled her lips: "Sister He always refuses to give a correct sentence."

The colorful smoke bird's dance didn't last long, and soon it dispersed into an invisible cloud of color mist. Everyone couldn't help showing regretful expressions on their faces, but they saw the colorful mist gather together again, forming the four characters "Fu Shou Yan Nian".

"Hey! The gods and birds have come to pray for Prince Qiao! I wish the prince good luck and a long life!"

Everyone quickly applauded and drank together: "I wish the prince a happy life and a long life!"

The old prince smiled from ear to ear and said yes repeatedly.

After the congratulatory speeches were over, Team Leader Jin began to arrange other excellent people to play. The variety of juggling shows dazzled and amazed people. Even the most common horsemanship, rope skills, and swordplay have reached the peak of difficulty.

A hemp rope as thick as the little finger was tied between two high platforms. On each platform stood a person wearing an ugly mask with unopened eyes, a sharp throwing knife on his waist, and a round target behind each of them. A rope master is walking back and forth, and the masked figures on both sides shoot their knives at the same time. The knives need to hit the target, and they must be careful to hurt their companions on the opposite side.The Rope Master is even more thrilling, constantly bending to avoid the flying knives coming forward and backward, and still needs to maintain his own balance.Everyone watched so much that they didn't even dare to make a sound or take a breath, for fear that they would blow them off with one breath.

Li Kuer doesn't like this kind of scary juggling. She likes the performance of the youngest son of the class leader. The young man calls himself Young Master Jin. His performance is not on the stage, but beside everyone. Even the little grandchildren who don't know anything about it can be amused by the little flying golden paper crane he folded out.

He will also perform Immortal Suo. There is a huge pomelo tree in the courtyard of the palace, which is very tall, much taller than the house.This pomelo tree always bears fruit later than ordinary pomelo trees. It’s already July, and the other pomelo trees in the town have basically produced green fruits, but it hasn’t grown anything yet. Just one tree is not considered a lush green leaf.

Young Master Jin walked around under the grapefruit tree three times, tsk-tsk non-stop: "This tree is good, look at the grapefruits on it, one, two, three...the tree is full of gluttons."

Everyone looked at the tree curiously, how could there be any grapefruit?The crown prince knocked on the paper fan and asked him: "Young Master Jin, your eyesight is not good at such a young age... Take a good look, you don't have a single grapefruit."

Young Master Jin immediately showed an angry expression: "My eyes are the best in the world, don't think that you can slander me casually just because you are a prince." His eyes changed, and he suddenly laughed: "I, I can always see you!" Things that others can't see are like grapefruits on this tree. If you don't believe me, I will pick off the grapefruits and let you take a good look at them."

Lord Shizi was not offended by his abruptness just now, he still had a good temper and said: "Okay, if you pick off the grapefruit, I will reward you with an ingot of ingot, so that you can buy candied haws without your father's back."

"Haha, it's a deal." After the young master Jin finished speaking, he took out a bundle of ropes from his sleeve, threw it up, stretched and flew up quickly, and suddenly stopped in mid-air, very close to the grapefruit branches and leaves. half empty.

Under the amazed gaze of everyone, he climbed up the rope three times, five times and two times, holding the rope with one hand, and stretching out the other hand to feel in the pile of leaves.

He rolled his eyes, touched and touched, touched and touched: "Eh? Where is it? How is it possible?" With a turn of the rope, he reached the other side of the grapefruit tree, and continued to touch...

"Ha, there it is!" He smiled slyly, and really took out a green grapefruit not much smaller than his head.Everyone can see clearly that there were no grapefruits in that place, but now...

Young Master Jin tossed the grapefruit to Shi Zi, and said triumphantly, "Yuzi Yuko, Master Shi Zi, do I have good eyesight?"

Shizi looked at the grapefruit in his hand in amazement, and hurriedly replied: "It really is the best eye in the world."

"There's more here, everyone can take care of it."

After finishing speaking, Young Master Jin tossed a dozen or so grapefruits to the crowd, and Li Kuer received one with great trepidation.