Chapter 560: He Also Wanted to Join In—What Should He Do?

Chapter 560: He Also Wanted to Join In—What Should He Do?

Mo Qing's actions indeed surprised Minister He greatly, even making him wonder if the person before him had a change of heart.

But seeing his son-in-law busy and enjoying himself, he felt the urge to join in—what should he do?

As a result, Minister He joined in.

He imitated Mo Qing, rolling up his sleeves and trouser legs, not caring about appearances, and began weeding in the greenhouses...

In the evening, He Zhiran personally arranged a banquet to welcome her father.

The banquet at the Mo family outshone even the palace feasts of the time, especially since they grew vegetables in greenhouses, so sourcing ingredients was the least of He Zhiran's worries.

Because of this, the Mo family's table boasted the most innovative dishes.

There was no shortage of various meats at home, and several batches of livestock had already been sold from the farm, adding a substantial income to the Mo family.

For the welcoming dinner, He Zhiran invited Xie Tianhai, Fang Chuanzhou, and Hu Cong to join them.

They had all served in the court with her father, and they got along without any barriers, so they were quite familiar with each other. Their conversation with Minister He helped liven up the atmosphere.

Incidentally, He Zhiran also wanted to get updates on the fiefdom's recent management and offer some of her own insights.

Though she was a woman, no one underestimated her.

Especially Xie Tianhai and Fang Chuanzhou, who had long been aware of He Zhiran's capabilities and held her in high regard.

They even said that if He Zhiran were a man, she would undoubtedly have a position in the court.

He Zhiran heard such remarks but never dwelled on them.

It wasn't that she liked to worry, but with her husband at war, she took charge of the home front.

The welcoming banquet in the Northwest once again made Minister He feel the charm of the place, comfortable living, delicious food, and the daily joy of seeing her adorable grandchildren.

He began to envy Mo Qing, as parents, he had been enjoying family bliss several months earlier.

Fortunately, the Empress's faction's antics gave him a new perspective, fortunately he had shed his former stubbornness, and fortunately he could put family first, otherwise, where else would he find such comfort in life?

Of course, being able to think this way was also because he heard that Mo Jiuya was making good progress in the war, and once the barbarian chaos was quelled, the Northwest would enjoy a peaceful future.

...

He Zhiran, along with the women of the household, laid out the hot pot and ingredients on the table.

She specially invited Tang Mingrui, for no other reason than that the weather was cold, the best time for the hot pot business.

Moreover, the vegetables from the greenhouses and the lamb from the farm needed to find a fixed market.

Tang Mingrui knew that when Ninth Sister-in-law sent someone to call him, there was surely a new business idea brewing.

Like the Mo family, he had also eaten hot pot before, and at that time he thought that opening such a restaurant could definitely make a lot of money.

But at that time, Ninth Sister-in-law said that the hot pot seasoning and ingredients were limited, especially the chili, which was the soul of the hot pot, and they had to wait.

Today at the Mo family, Tang Mingrui was once again shocked by the food on the table and the special copper pot in the middle.

"Ninth Sister-in-law, is this also hot pot?"

He Zhiran knew that this guy, who was always scheming to make a buck, would ask.

She invited him over specifically to discuss opening a hot pot restaurant, so it wouldn’t hurt to explain it to him now.

"This copper pot was crafted a few days ago with Brother Hu’s help," He Zhiran said.

As she spoke, He Zhiran had already come to the table, pointing out the different parts of the copper pot and explaining how they worked to Tang Mingrui.

When Tang Mingrui heard that the small lid on the copper pot could adjust the heat, he was even more impressed with He Zhiran.

"Elder sister-in-law, I’m absolutely in awe of you. How did you think of something so clever? It’s simply amazing..."

He Zhiran felt a bit guilty under Tang Mingrui’s praise, since she hadn’t come up with it herself but had simply borrowed it from her past life.

"Haha... it’s pretty straightforward—you just haven’t had the time to figure it out!" He Zhiran casually laughed and went on to explain the ingredients and seasonings on the table to Tang Mingrui.

Tang Mingrui listened intently, and even Mo Qing and Minister He were captivated.

Minister He had just been dragged over by his wife, claiming their daughter had prepared a feast. Who would’ve guessed the table was covered in raw food? How were they supposed to eat it?

Was there really a custom of eating raw food in the Northwest?

He Zhiran’s next move quickly cleared up his confusion.

The red broth in the copper pot had already started boiling, filling the room with a fresh, fragrant aroma he’d never smelled before.

He Zhiran grabbed a few slices of meat and some fish balls and tossed them into the pot.

Before she could say a word, Mo Qing eagerly encouraged Minister He to dig in.

At the same time, he grabbed a thin slice of meat and dropped it into Minister He’s bowl.

"Father-in-law, this is lamb. It’s tender and not gamey at all. Just dip it in some sauce and give it a try."

This was Minister He’s first time seeing this kind of meal. How long had the lamb been cooking?

Even though it didn’t look raw anymore, was it really ready to eat?

Mrs. He, sitting beside him, wasn’t new to hot pot. Seeing her husband still sitting there dumbfounded, she nudged his arm.

"Master, father-in-law isn’t pulling your leg. The lamb is absolutely delicious."

Looking at the others at the table, in the blink of an eye, they had already devoured the ingredients their daughter had just put into the pot, and then they added more.

No need to ask, just by looking at the expressions of enjoyment on their faces, and the way they were too lazy to speak, it was clear that this food was delicious.

Once Minister He started eating, he couldn’t stop.

No wonder his wife and son didn’t want to leave. He thought the meal at the Mo family last night was already enticing enough, but today’s hot pot was even more irresistible.

He Zhiran also brought out the wine she had personally brewed in the autumn.

The wine had been stored in the warehouse after it was made. Now that the weather in the Northwest was cold, although the storage room was chilly, it hadn’t reached freezing temperatures.

At this moment, the temperature of the wine was like it had been chilled, pairing perfectly with the hot pot, both refreshing and palate-cleansing.

Unsurprisingly, the wine received praise from everyone.

Minister He had only one hobby in his life, which was to enjoy a small drink in his leisure time.

He Zhiran catered to his preference, and yesterday she had prepared a jar of Wuliangye for him. After drinking it, Minister He couldn’t stop praising it, even claiming that it was far more delicious than the royal tribute wine.

Today, he tasted the wine his daughter had brewed herself, which was another unique flavor for him.

Minister He kept thinking to himself, I love it, I love it...