Tang Dynasty: Slacking off in the Imperial Kitchen, exposed by Si Zi

Chapter 93 Premium Autumn Pear Syrup

Chapter 93 Premium Autumn Pear Syrup

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Su Mu squatted down, placed his palm on her back, and gently stroked it. "Your mother is perfectly fine, why are you talking nonsense so early in the morning?"

Little Sizi cried even harder, her little face pale with fear.

"Yesterday was the seventh day, and it was red and bright—Mother coughed—coughed up blood—the imperial physician said—that her lungs had failed—it was the son who harmed Mother—"

Su Mu's hand paused.

Autumn dryness, cooling properties, sour taste, sugar coating.

Empress Zhangsun's illness was originally due to lung deficiency, and the sudden cold weather these past few days has made her trachea even more vulnerable.

Although the candied hawthorn skewer was appetizing, the astringent nature of the hawthorn actually trapped the lung qi, and the hard sugar coating irritated the throat.

"Don't cry."

Su Mu's voice deepened, devoid of its usual languor, replaced by a reassuring calmness: "As long as there's still breath, there's no death."

He picked up the little girl in his arms, strode to the stove, and placed her on her special little stool.

"Sit here and watch the fire. If you want to save your mother, hold back your tears."

The little girl was intimidated by his imposing manner and swallowed her sobs back down, only managing occasional hiccups as she vigorously rubbed her eyes with her little hands.

Su Mu turned around and focused his mind on the system store.

When a qi ailment flares up, the most frightening thing is a dry cough without phlegm, accompanied by airway spasms.

Right now, the imperial physicians are probably administering those terribly bitter herbal medicines or giving acupuncture, but those methods are slow to take effect. For this kind of acute respiratory failure, strong medicines and skillful techniques are needed.

"Exchange for 10 catties of Laiyang pears, 5 monk fruit, and 2 liang of old ginger from the deep mountains."

The light flickered, and a basket of large, rough-skinned pears appeared on the cutting board.

Su Mu did not use a knife to peel the skin.

Half of the medicinal effects of Laiyang pears are in their peel; that astringent taste is the key to moisturizing the lungs.

He picked up the metal abrasive and flicked his wrist.

Wipe, wipe, wipe—!

The harsh scraping sound echoed in the yard.

The pear flesh, skin and all, was grated into thin shreds, and the juice flowed down the cutting board into the bowl. This pear is a wonderful thing; no water needs to be added, it relies entirely on its own juice to cook.

Remove from heat.

This large bowl of shredded pears was poured into a copper pot without adding a single drop of water.

Su Mu grabbed a few monk fruit and squeezed them hard in his palm.

With a snap, the brown shell cracked, revealing what was inside. This stuff is three hundred times sweeter than sugar, yet it's cooling and can clear lung heat.

Slice the ginger into thin strips and remove the pits from the red dates.

The fire boiled.

The pear juice in the pot boiled, producing white foam. Its unique sweetness, mixed with the spiciness of ginger, instantly dispelled the chill in the yard.

Xiao Sizi sniffed, the smell entering her nasal cavity, which made her previously tense chest relax a little.

"Guy—what's this?"

"Qiuli ointment."

Su Mu stirred the large ladle in his hand to prevent it from burning. "The imperial physician gave your mother bitter medicine, which is for treating illness. This is sweet, it's for saving her life."

After simmering over high heat for half an hour, the pear shreds in the pot had become translucent and soft.

Su Mu found some fine gauze, poured the pot of mushy paste into it, and squeezed it hard. The brownish liquid was poured into another clean earthenware jar, and the remaining pear pulp was ruthlessly dumped into the swill bucket.

All that's left is to wait it out.

Simmer over low heat.

This is also the most mentally taxing step.

If the heat is too high, it will taste bitter; if the heat is too low, it won't stick.

Su Mu stared at the bubbling bubbles in the pot, a fine layer of sweat beading on his forehead.

That alone is not enough.

Empress Zhangsun's current symptom is hypoxia.

Her lungs were swollen, she couldn't inhale enough air, and she couldn't exhale properly. In this era without oxygen tanks, it was necessary to find a way to increase the humidity and oxygen content of the air she inhaled.

Su Mu looked at the system panel again.

"Exchange for three meters of medical rubber tubing, two glass bottles, and two one-way valves."

These things aren't expensive; they're all basic industrial products.

He drilled two holes in the cork.

A rubber tube is inserted and extends all the way to the bottom of the bottle.

The other one is inserted only at the bottle opening.

Pour half a bottle of cooled boiled water into the bottle.

Su Mu tried blowing a breath into the long tube.

Glug glug—!

Bubbles churned in the water, rising from the bottom and then being expelled through a short pipe. The expelled air, carrying a moist mist, felt cool on my face.

That's it.

The simplest humidifier bottle.

Although it cannot produce pure oxygen, this moist air can greatly relieve airway spasms and prevent dry, cold air from continuing to irritate the already damaged lungs.

Su Mu then connected one end of the rubber hose to the bellows used to blow air next to the stove.

This is physically demanding work.

Hurried footsteps came from the courtyard gate.

Li Lizhi rushed in, lifting her skirt, her hair slightly disheveled, clearly having also run all the way.

"You little brat! Why are you running around like this! Your father is looking everywhere for you!"

She froze before she could finish speaking.

The courtyard was filled with an intensely sweet caramel aroma.

In front of the stove, Su Mu was filling a small porcelain jar with a pot of dark, viscous substance that looked like asphalt.

On the table next to it was a strange glass bottle with several limp tubes inserted into it, which looked like some kind of bizarre torture device.

"Su Mu—what are you doing?"

Little Sizi saw her older sister, jumped off the stool, and pointed at the black jar: "Sister! Guoguo is making life-saving medicine!"

"medicine?"

Li Lizhi took two steps closer, looking at the dark jar. "Even so many renowned doctors in the Imperial Hospital are helpless, this—"

Is this like burnt syrup that can save a life?

Su Mu sealed the jar and stuffed it into Li Lizhi's arms.

The walls of the can were scalding hot.

"This is pear syrup."

Su Mu didn't have time to explain too much. He picked up the glass bottle with the tube and the bellows, "That's for soothing the lungs and relieving coughs. One spoonful each time, dissolved in warm water, and then you can give it to her."

"And this one?" Li Lizhi pointed to the strange-looking bottle.

"This is for her to breathe on."

Su Mu managed the rubber plantation well, and wore it around his neck.

"Air purification?"

Li Lizhi felt that she had wasted the last ten years of her education. "Can anger be washed away?"

"The air is too dry and dusty right now. Your mother's lungs are like a cracked field; if the dry wind blows any more, they'll be completely ruined."

Su Mu scraped the last bit of pear syrup into the porcelain bottle, sealed it with mud, and it was done.

He turned to look at the strange-looking glass bottle device.

The bottom of the transparent glass bottle was half-filled with clear water, and two rubber tubes emerged from the cork like snakes.

If this thing were presented directly to Li Shimin, that suspicious emperor might mistake it for some kind of witchcraft artifact.

"Alright."

Su Mu clapped his hands and pointed to the pile of things, "Listen carefully, here's how to use it."

Little Sizi stopped crying and gripped the edge of the table with both hands, her ears perked up.

"This black bottle is called pear syrup."

Su Mu placed the porcelain bottle into Li Lizhi's hand; it was warm to the touch. "Don't mind its dark color; this is the essence extracted from pears."

Dissolve it in warm water—it must be warm water, too hot and it will hurt her throat, too cold and it will irritate her lungs. After dissolving it, slowly feed it to your mother; it will soothe her lungs and stop her cough.

Li Lizhi gripped the bottle tightly and nodded emphatically.

"This stove—"

Su Mu pointed to the humidifier bottle covered by a copper cover and handed the end connected to the bellows to Xiao Sizi, "You'll have to operate this."

"Where do I come?"

Little Sizi pointed to his nose, looking very nervous.

"Yes, that's called borrowing energy."

Su Mu made up a story in a serious tone, "Your mother is short of breath right now and needs to borrow yours. You take this skin and just like that, squeeze it and loosen it, squeeze it and loosen it."

No need to go too fast, just like you normally breathe.

Su Mu demonstrated by pressing the rubber tiger button.

Glug glug!

The water in the bottle bubbled and churned, while a cool breeze carrying water vapor shot out from the other nozzle.

He added some menthol to the water, and now the refreshing coolness was just right.

"Place this tube against your mother's nose, but don't stick it in. Just put it about two or three inches below her nose."

Su Mu handed the ventilation tube to Li Lizhi, saying, "There's moisture in this air; it'll moisten your mother's dry, parched lungs."

Li Lizhi looked at this strange thing that was both a tube and a skin, and her heart pounded.

But the warmth emanating from the bottle of pear syrup in her hand inexplicably gave her a bit more confidence.

"Did you remember?"

Remember that!

Little Si picked up the leather tiger, which was bigger than her head, her eyes filled with a resolute determination, as if she were going to war.

"Go."

Su Mu waved his hand and lay back down on the bamboo chair. "Don't say it was my idea, just say it was a dream from a deity."