I was watching short videos and historical figures were collectively vomiting blood! - Chapter 27

Chapter 27 Li Bai: Can This Elevator Take Me to Pluck the Stars?

Above the sky, the Taste of China continued to play. Various delicious dishes appeared in succession, including Nuodeng ham, matsutake mushrooms, stir-fried winter bamboo shoots, pickled yellow soybeans with small yellow fish, lotus root and pork rib stew, fish head pancake, pan-fried mackerel, sauerkraut fish soup, spicy red snails, and more!

The appearance of these foods, paired with high-quality visuals, music, and narration, created an immersive experience for the viewers, which was quite a shock to ancient people.

“Oh my God!”

Ying Zheng swore again, looking at the food in the sky and then at the food on his plate, feeling instantly unimpressed. During the Qin and Han dynasties, food variety wasn’t very rich. Meals back then mainly consisted of six types: rice, millet, barley, wheat, and other grains, while the main types of meat were beef, mutton, pork, dog, goose, and fish.

As for beef, even Ying Zheng didn’t dare to eat it casually, as cows were like ancient tractors, representing productive power—something the emperor couldn’t waste. The Taste of China on the sky screen gradually shifted from slow-paced clips to a fast-paced montage.

[Chicken hotpot, dried tofu with hot sauce, fermented rice dumplings, purple-style tiger tail, sunflower meatballs (commonly known as lion’s head), snowflake river fish, faux leopard fetus, Wensi tofu, Jinxiang duck, fish-flavored pork slices, Yangzhou fried rice, deep-fried stinky tofu, golden fish playing in lotus flowers, crispy shrimp balls, braised sea cucumber… ]

With each high-frequency appearance of these delicious dishes, everyone from all ancient realms was left dizzy and overwhelmed. Almost every chef was desperately trying to memorize the dishes appearing on the screen, especially those from the imperial kitchens.

In the Han dynasty realm, Liu Che looked at the sky and drooled. He was also a fan of fine food and loved grilled meat. He often ordered his chefs to make the outer skin of the meat extra crispy while keeping the juices inside for the best flavor. But even so, when he saw the dishes on The Taste of China, he almost drooled.

“Chef! Write down all these dishes for me!” Liu Che ordered.

In the Qin dynasty realm, Ying Zheng waved his hand, “Everyone in the kitchen, pay attention! I want all these dishes!”

At that moment, the kitchen staff looked at each other with bitter expressions. They clearly saw that the ingredients and various condiments were things they could never surpass. Meanwhile, the sky screen continued to flash with scenes from The Taste of China.

[The Taste of China is divided into chapters like Nature’s Gifts, Staples, Creative Inspirations, Time’s Flavors, Secrets of the Kitchen, Five Flavors, and Our Fields, each showcasing corresponding dishes and related content.]

For instance, in the “Five Flavors” chapter, it described sugar-coated pancakes, smoked duck, Liangxi crispy eels, crab-filled dumplings, hand-pulled wontons, braised ribs, orange peel duck, salt-baked chicken, Sichuan pickled peppers, and bean paste sauce…

At this point, in the Spring and Autumn period, famous chef Yi Ya put down his utensils and stared in shock at the foods on the screen. Yi Ya was not only a chef but also a sorcerer, skilled in frying, simmering, roasting, and especially in seasoning.

“The dishes in later times seem to use an abundant variety of seasonings, creating a range of different tastes,” Yi Ya remarked. “But the simplest cooking methods, as shown earlier, I believe, preserve the original flavors best.”

Yi Ya acknowledged that these dishes all had their merits, but he believed that the simplest cooking methods, which preserve the natural flavors, represented the true essence of cooking.

Though he said this, he soon began searching for more spices, eager to create even more diverse dishes.

…

Zhu Yuanzhang watched the video on the sky screen, looking at his splendid banquet, and thought for a moment.

“The food of later generations doesn’t seem to be that much different from ours.”

Looking at it this way, the chefs from the Imperial Kitchen were quite skilled. Historical records from the Nanjing Guanglu Temple Chronicles describe Zhu Yuanzhang’s meals during the Hongwu period. For breakfast, he had lamb stir-fried, roasted goose, pork stir-fried with yellow vegetables, soup with chicken, rice, and tea, totaling 12 dishes. For lunch, there were shrimp with pepper vinegar, roast goose, roasted lamb head, and 24 dishes in total.

At this moment, Empress Ma, sitting on the other side of the table, looked at Zhu Yuanzhang and coldly instructed, “Someone, clear this food and bring me the common people’s dishes.”

“Why, what’s wrong?”

Zhu Yuanzhang was puzzled.

Empress Ma replied seriously, “I think you’ve forgotten your origins. Do you remember the old woman who used to give you food?”

“She always reminded you of your humble background, and in anger, you had her killed. How will future generations view you?”

“Now you’ve become so indulgent, I want you to eat common people’s food to remind you to stay connected with them and not forget your past.”

Zhu Yuanzhang felt a bit ashamed.

“Sister, your generosity makes me feel guilty. Fine, let’s do it. Today, let’s reminisce about our hardships.”

…

Su Dongpo gazed at the sky screen, his eyes sparkling with interest.

“Foodie?” He said as he looked at the comments on the screen. “I suppose I’m also a top-tier foodie?”

He then smiled at his companion, Huai Min, and said, “Watch me perform the ‘one bite, one elbow!’”

This was another phrase he had learned from the comments.

Creative individuals quickly adapt to new things. Thanks to big data, Lin Ming had watched a food video and was soon recommended by others.

[Spicy snail noodles, the first bite was really stunning!] [Late-night food cravings, share this video with your hungry friends!]

…

In the real world, Lin Ming and Gao Yi had just finished their meal and were planning to watch a movie. The new A Chinese Odyssey was being re-released, so they were going for a bit of nostalgia.

Looking at Gao Yi’s distracted expression, Lin Ming laughed, “You can watch a one-minute video for over 40 minutes. You really are impressive.”

Gao Yi, still savoring the taste, suddenly seemed lost in thought, I remember, Dami’s photo collection didn’t have that mole, right?

I heard there was one in Island Horror, but it was edited out, Lin Ming laughed. The entertainment industry is truly chaotic.

Even if the video was fake, many people would still believe it and treat it as the truth. Just then, someone called Lin Ming for a video chat. He looked at the screen, and it was Zhi Mengmeng, a close friend of Mu Qianqian. Lin Ming initially wanted to decline, but since Zhi Mengmeng was usually nice, he decided to pick up.

As soon as the call connected, he deliberately flipped the camera. At that moment, Lin Ming and Gao Yi had just stepped into the observation elevator at the mall. As the elevator slowly ascended, the city’s nightscape was fully visible through the glass.

Tall buildings, flashing neon lights, highways, and elevated bridges were all bustling with traffic. The city glowed with energy, even at night. Before long, the elevator reached the seventh floor.

What Lin Ming didn’t know was that his video call was also being broadcasted to various realms through the sky screen. In the Tang dynasty, Li Bai, dressed in a white robe with an immortal aura, put down his wine jug and brush, staring at the suddenly rising elevator.

He squinted his eyes and said, “Can this elevator take me to pluck the stars?”