The Empress’ Livestream
chapter-454

Chapter 454: The First Winter (I)

What’s the most satisfying to eat at a winter reunion?

In response to this question, many audiences have their own views, but the most popular answers are steamboat and roasted meat!

Meitian Douwugeng: “Streamer, don’t be careless and let the people of ancient times witness the awesomeness of our present day’s steamboat!”

Jiang Pengji raised her eyebrows, searched through Liu Xi’s memories, then reacted coldly to this viewer’s comment.

Streamer V: “If the steamboat you refer to is a warm cauldron, it is better you keep this idea to yourself.”

Many of them were dumbfounded, as they didn’t comprehend Jiang Pengji’s words.

Some of the audience went to search on Baidu and discovered what is termed “warm cauldron” refers to the ancient time’s version of steamboat. The furthest back in time it went was the Shang dynasty, except in the past, there weren’t so many complicated soup bases or seasonings. Thus, the steamboat wasn’t flavourful enough.

Although the dimension the streamer lived in had a different history from them, it seemed that some events in history were common.

Heshi Buqianzai: “#restschin, I’m so bored, initially I thought we could use steamboat to whet the taste buds of the people in ancient times.”

Jiang Pengji smiled, then posted on the bullet screen.

Streamer V: “You all can teach me how to cook a soup base and the sauces that accompany it. Consequently, you can similarly tame their taste buds.”

The shopping center that the system ran was rubbish, the items on sale were few and pathetic, and almost all of the items were cheap and low quality.

She searched through the shopping center to discover it sold many low-cost seasonings, like salt, white sugar, Ajinomoto, white vinegar. Other than those, there were also single crops, which could be used as seasoning when dry, such as pepper, dry ginger, chilli, star anise…

She had confirmed with the viewers that those ingredients were very cheap. However, those that lived amongst the savage and the wild, or others who lived on other continents and had yet to enter the central plains. On the basis that both lands were in vastly different situations, they didn’t dare to speak arrogantly so long as they could be a substitute of seasoning.

Jiang Pengji sneered, then said in her heart,

“Such a rare occurrence that your shopping mall is able to acquire these items.”

Though it was just a small-scale shopping center, at least it was a blessing to her daily meals.

The system, which was still forcefully locked up by her, heard her rantings and inevitably sneered coldly. It may well be locked up. The system was not nervous, nor did it have any intentions to plead for mercy.

Compared to the system, a human’s lifespan was too short.

She could not outlive a hundred years, and after she passed on, could her soul resist the system?

It remarked coldly, “You humans are corrupt and greedy living beings.”

Having served many hosts, it had already seen through human nature, their greed and shamelessness.

Blame it on its carelessness for being caught by Jiang Pengji.

This was the system’s rare occurrence of speaking since Jiang Pengji grounded it.

Jiang Pengji discreetly raised her brows and honestly replied, “Selfishness and greed are natural unique characteristics that beings with wisdom possess. On a certain level, it is a critical factor to push for a civilised society. You mention that humans are full of greed, but why don’t you reflect on yourself? As if you are pure and innocent. You are foolish, yet you blame your enemies for their intellect. How interesting of you.”

It seemed that Jiang Pengji had found System’s Achilles heel. The usual calmness in its voice was lost, and instead it mockingly responded, “I gave new life to the host and in her lifetime, she has the freedom to pursue her wishes. So, when she dies, isn’t what she leaves behind my recompense? It is but a fair agreement! Dream on if you wish to take all the advantage. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world! You cannot even control your inner greed. Instead of working harder, you want the easy solution, to squeeze the system dry, to own various items, popularity, looks, riches, a lover… and you ask on what basis? A dumb and mediocre person in their past life, why does he deserve a spectacular life when he is rebirthed? A century of glory comes at a price!”

Jiang Pengji blinked her eye and she silently acknowledged in her heart.

“What you say is logical. But why is it my business?

The system choked; this indeed had nothing to do with her.

It had just suppressed those feelings for so long and it felt like vomiting.

After some time, her voice was heard again. “I don’t really agree with your idea. Firstly, a mutual concession is built on the foundations of transparency between both parties. Did you mention to your host that after consuming your item, she must pay with her soul? Next, not everyone desires a rebirth, for instance, me. My past life was so glorious, who asked you to resurrect me? That’s so presumptuous! Thirdly, I dare you to examine your conscience and truthfully answer, is your choice of host really for the other party’s soul?

The system’s side kept silent; Jiang Pengji rolled her eyes.

A fool remained foolish, if it dared to hover before her without any abilities.

If the system was really after her soul, why expend so much effort to resurrect her thereafter, and allow the host to dominate the world, then harvest her soul again? From Jiang Pengji’s guess, the soul wasn’t the host’s final worth. The system was unwilling to squeeze her dry, because no matter how little, it still had worth. The true value may lie elsewhere for example, points of popularity, or otherwise… something else?

She pondered to herself. A pity she didn’t have enough evidence. The system was acting ignorant again.

“Tsk… what dumb data…”

Mumbling to herself, Jiang Pengji followed the recipes for brewing herbal soup as sent by the viewers of the live streaming room, and methods to make sauces. There were no secret recipes, if one put their heart to research; they would be able to find out from the internet.

With regards to the help offered by the audience, Jiang Pengji knew how to reciprocate and naturally she felt moved.

Woyu Xiuxian: “Something good happened, it feels as if the streamer started copying, she began to suddenly smile. This is so mysterious.”

“I suddenly recalled one very interesting fellow who continues to challenge me daily though his intellectual shortfalls. What is this called?”

Fali Wubian: “Intelligence deficit?”

Clever!

Awarding 101 points to this awesome reply, Jiang Pengji wasn’t afraid that pride would consume him with an additional point.

She placed the soup recipe and the sauce recipe to dry on the sandalwood burner, then folded and kept them.

“I feel I can set up a prospective business selling soups in warm cauldron myself, perhaps there’ll be franchises…”

Tumi Dalao: “Hahaha — streamer, please don’t do that, or the strategists in your house are going to cry in frustration.”

The lord plays with soil, wooden materials, knitting… these are all out of her job description already. If she were to open a steamboat store…

Pei, pei, just imagining this scene alone, the audiences’ hearts broke.

Why is it so hard to meet a reasonable lord these days?

Possessing the recipe for the steamboat soup base and sauce recipes and having gotten the ingredients required, all that was left were the equipment required for the steamboat, for the roasting of meat and barbecue. Jiang Pengji factored in consideration for the warm cauldron in the era and compared to the “Mandarin ducks” hotpot with two soup bases and what she remembered from ancient writings. She rushed a proposal and ran to the brick factory, and approached the craftsmen to discuss it for the rest of the day.

Feng Jin and the trio saw that Jiang Pengji was absent from the government office again, and they weren’t sure if they should be relieved or develop headaches.

If the lord was present at the government office, she was most likely not carrying out her duties. As her subordinates, they felt troubled.

If the lord was absent from the government office, most likely, she was engaging in improper business. It was frustrating just thinking about it.

Sometimes they really wanted to quit.