Mo Qing's actions indeed surprised Minister Hao greatly, to the point where he even had the illusion that the person before him had undergone a change of heart.
But seeing his father-in-law busying himself with such enthusiasm, how could he not want to partake in the merriment?
As a result, Minister Hao joined in.
He rolled up his sleeves and pant legs without any regard for his image, just like Mo Qing, and proceeded to weed in the greenhouse...
In the evening, He Zhiran personally arranged a banquet to welcome and refresh her dear father.
Compared to the palace banquets, the feast at the Mo residence far surpassed them, especially since the family had grown vegetables in their greenhouse, absolving He Zhiran of any concerns about the ingredients' origins.
For this reason, the dishes served at the Mo family table were as innovative as they came.
The household had an abundant supply of various meats, with several batches of mature livestock from their farm having already been sold. In the eyes of the Mo family, this was a considerable source of income.
For the welcoming evening banquet, He Zhiran specially invited Xie Tianhai, Fang Chuanzhou, and Hu Cong to accompany them.
They had all served as officials alongside her father in the past, and there were no barriers between them, so they were quite familiar with one another. Having them engage Minister Hao in conversation would help liven up the atmosphere.
Additionally, He Zhiran also wanted to inquire about the recent management situation within their territory and offer her own perspectives.
Despite being a mere woman, no one dared to look down on her.
Especially Xie Tianhai and Fang Chuanzhou, who were well aware of He Zhiran's capabilities and held her in high regard.
The two had even remarked that if He Zhiran were a man, she would undoubtedly have a place in the imperial court.
Regarding such remarks, He Zhiran merely accepted them without dwelling on them.
It wasn't that she particularly enjoyed meddling in affairs; she had no choice. With her husband on the battlefield fighting enemies, she had to oversee the logistics at home.
At this welcoming banquet in the Northwest, Minister Hao once again felt the goodness of this place - the comfortable accommodations, delicious food, and the opportunity to see such an adorable pair of little children every day.
He began to envy Mo Qing, for as fellow parents, the latter had enjoyed this familial bliss several months earlier than him.
Fortunately, the incident caused by the Empress's faction had allowed him to completely let go of everything. Fortunately, he did not persist in his stubborn ways as before. And fortunately, he was able to prioritize his family ties. Otherwise, where in his life would he have the chance to experience such a carefree and relaxing time?
Of course, his ability to think this way was also due to hearing that the war situation on Mo Jiuye's front was progressing favorably. Once the Barbarian rebellion was quelled, the future in the Northwest would be one of tranquility.
...
He Zhiran, along with the women of the household, brought out the hot pot and ingredients and set them on the table.
She had specially invited Tang Mingrui for a reason - as the weather turned cold, it was the best time for the hot pot business.
Moreover, the vegetables from their greenhouse and the mutton from their farm needed to find a stable market.
Tang Mingrui knew that whenever Sister-in-law He summoned him, it meant she had a new money-making idea.
Like the Mo family, he had already experienced hot pot before. At that time, he had thought that if he could open a restaurant serving such fare, he would undoubtedly make a lot of money.
However, Sister-in-law He had said that due to the limited supply of hot pot seasoning and ingredients, especially chili peppers which were the soul of hot pot, they would have to wait.
Today, upon arriving at the Mo residence, Tang Mingrui was once again astonished by the food arranged on the table and the special copper pot in the center.
"Sister-in-law He, is this also a hot pot?"
He Zhiran knew that this man, whose mind was constantly occupied with thoughts of earning money, would ask such a question.
She had invited him to discuss starting a hot pot restaurant, so there was no harm in resolving his doubts now.
"This copper pot was made by Brother Hu some time ago at my request."
As she spoke, He Zhiran approached the table and pointed to various parts of the copper pot, explaining their functions to Tang Mingrui.
Upon hearing that the small lids on the pot could even adjust the heat, Tang Mingrui became increasingly impressed with He Zhiran.
"Sister-in-law He, I truly admire you to the point of prostrating myself. How did you come up with such an ingenious idea? It's simply too miraculous..."
Faced with Tang Mingrui's praise, He Zhiran felt somewhat embarrassed, as this creation was not her own idea but rather a replication of achievements from her previous life.
"Haha... It's really quite simple. You just haven't had the time to ponder it!" He Zhiran laughed casually and continued introducing the ingredients and seasonings on the table to Tang Mingrui.
Not only did Tang Mingrui listen attentively, but Mo Qing and Minister Hao were also listening with rapt attention.
Earlier, Minister Hao had been led over by his wife, who told him that their daughter had prepared delicious food. Little did he expect that the table was laden with raw ingredients. How could he possibly swallow them?
Could it be that there was a custom of eating raw food in the Northwest?
He Zhiran's next action immediately dispelled his doubts.
The red broth in the copper pot had already come to a boil, filling the room with a fragrance he had never experienced before.
He Zhiran picked up a few slices of meat and some fish balls and placed them into the pot.
Without waiting for her to speak, Mo Qing immediately urged Minister Hao to start eating.
At the same time, he picked up a thin slice of meat and put it in Minister Hao's bowl.
"Father-in-law, this is mutton. It has a tender and fresh taste without any gamey flavor. Just dip it in the broth and enjoy."
This was Minister Hao's first time witnessing such a way of eating. The mutton had only been in the pot for a short while, yet it was already cooked enough to eat?
Madam He, who was sitting beside him, had eaten hot pot before and could not bear to see her husband hesitating. She gently nudged his arm.
"My lord, our son-in-law is not deceiving you. This mutton is truly delicious."
Looking at the others at the table, in the blink of an eye, they had already devoured the ingredients He Zhiran had just added to the pot and promptly added more.
No need to ask - judging by their expressions of enjoyment, and their unwillingness to even speak, this dish must be incredibly tasty.
Minister Hao took a bite, and indeed, he could not stop eating.
No wonder his wife and son were reluctant to leave after coming here. He had thought the dinner at the Mo residence the previous night was already enticing enough, but today's hot pot was even more irresistible.
He Zhiran had also retrieved the grape wine she had personally brewed in autumn.
After being made, the wine had been stored in the cellar. Although the weather in the Northwest was now cold, the temperature in the storage room had not reached freezing levels.
At this time, the wine's temperature was like it had been chilled, perfectly complementing the piping hot hot pot - both refreshing and appetizing.
Undoubtedly, the grape wine was praised by everyone.
In his life, Minister Hao had only one hobby - enjoying a small drink whenever he had the chance.
Yesterday, He Zhiran had indulged his preference by providing him with a jar of Wuliangye liquor, which Minister Hao had praised endlessly, even claiming it was several times more delicious than the imperial tribute wine.
Today, he had the opportunity to taste the grape wine brewed by his daughter herself, offering him a unique flavor.
Minister Hao could not help but silently repeat in his heart, "I love it, I love it..."
