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Chapter 204.1
“You mean to say that mother should make some other dishes and send them to Qianqing Palace? But the Emperor Emeritus has the Imperial Kitchen, and the chefs there are so skilled. If mother were to cook, wouldn’t it be a joke?” After hearing Xiaobao’s words, Yaoniang felt a bit uneasy.
“Ever since Grandfather Emperor fell ill, his appetite hasn’t been great. The food from the Imperial Kitchen is indeed delicious, but this son noticed that Grandfather Emperor doesn’t enjoy them much, so this son is worried about Grandfather Emperor. This son also noticed that Grandfather Emperor enjoys the soups mother sends every time. Maybe mother’s cooking suits Grandfather Emperor’s taste, so that’s why…”
Naturally, Xiaobao couldn’t tell Yaoniang that Li Dequan had specifically come to see him and expressed the Emperor Emeritus’s meaning in a subtle way. Although Xiaobao was still young, he could understand things implicitly. That’s why he decided to give some guidance to his mother when he returned.
Yaoniang affectionately patted Xiaobao’s head and said, “Xiaobao, you’re a filial child. Since you want mother to give it a try, mother will. Even if the Emperor Emeritus doesn’t like it, it’s alright. Worst comes to worst, we can just eat it ourselves for dinner.”
At that moment, she realized that Xiaobao should be in the imperial study right now, so she asked, “Why don’t you have lessons in the afternoon?”
“The teacher let me rest for a while, so this son secretly came back. It’s time for this son to return.”
After Xiaobao left, Yaoniang shook her head and sighed. Children always act on their own whims, but it just proved that Xiaobao still had some childlike innocence. As Xiaobao grew older, Yaoniang gradually had the feeling that her son wasn’t as cute as before. But when she thought about it, growing up, experiencing more, and learning more would naturally make one more like an adult.
She didn’t dwell on it further. Since she had nothing to do at the moment, she went to the small kitchen.
The Yongxin Hall also had a small kitchen responsible for preparing night snacks and soups for Emperor Jin’an. After Yaoniang moved into the palace, the staff in the small kitchen was completely replaced with those from Rongxi Courtyard’s small kitchen.
Mother Xue, who used to work in Jin Wang Manor’s small kitchen, had also entered the palace and become the housekeeper of Yongxin Hall’s small kitchen. Mother Xue was skilled and had been serving Yaoniang for a long time. She knew the tastes of her various masters very well. When she heard Yaoniang wanted to send some food to the Emperor Emeritus, she became spirited and offered various ideas.
When sending food to the Emperor Emeritus, it naturally had to be delicate and exquisite. So, Mother Xue suggested making elaborate dishes that could be presented to others. Even if they were served at a banquet, they wouldn’t be outshone. At first, Yaoniang thought it was a good idea, and they discussed various options. However, Yaoniang couldn’t help but feel that something was missing.
After thinking it over, she rejected Mother Xue’s proposal to let her handle everything while Yaoniang watch. She went back and changed into simple clothes before returning to the small kitchen.
Yu Chan helped her put on an apron. After careful consideration, Yaoniang decided to make pumpkin millet porridge and pan-fried corn pancakes as the main course, along with a few small side dishes. She thought and thought but decided not to make those so-called elaborate dishes. The Emperor Emeritus had already eaten plenty of exquisite delicacies and had experienced a wide variety of good food. Since his appetite wasn’t good, it meant he didn’t enjoy them. She needed to find a different approach.
Based on what Xiaobao had told her, the Emperor Emeritus had been eating less staple food lately. Yaoniang always believed that people needed to eat well to maintain good health. This pumpkin millet porridge was one of Xiaobao and Erbao’s favourite porridges. It was simple to make, and there was no need to add too many ingredients. The focus was on the ingredients’ original flavour.
Considering the cold weather and the limited availability of fresh vegetables, the palace had an abundant supply of preserved goods to eat. However, they weren’t seasonal vegetables and always seemed to lack a certain taste. But there were plenty of various types of melon, especially pumpkin. After being harvested when it was most ripe and then frozen, it became particularly sweet and fragrant. It was perfect for making porridge, and even Emperor Jin’an, who didn’t like sweet flavours, could drink a couple of bowls.
Yaoniang washed the small yellow millet and added water to the pot. She simmered it slowly over low heat. The pumpkin would be added later; otherwise, it would disintegrate. Then, she started kneading the dough to make pancakes. Then more inspiration struck, and she had someone steam slices of pumpkin on the steaming tray. Later, she could make some pumpkin corn cakes. They would be soft, crispy, fragrant, and sweet.
She also had someone bring a bowl of sheep’s milk. It was a customary drink in the palace, and some people liked it while others didn’t. Yaoniang enjoyed it quite a bit. But besides being a drink, sheep’s milk had another use—she could use it for face cleansing and skincare. It was excellent for moisturizing the skin.
Yaoniang had someone boil the sheep’s milk and add some almonds to remove any unpleasant smell. At the same time, she had someone wash and slice the vegetables she would need later. For the dishes, she planned to make a small chicken stew with mushrooms, a popular home-cooked dish in Jinzhou, and stir-fry some preserved vegetables.
She also prepared a pot of stewed lamb, which she intended to have for dinner with Emperor Jin’an and the two children. Since she was making it, she might as well make it all together to avoid having to spend more efforts to make it again.
After the dough was kneaded, it needed time to rise. In fact, cornmeal can be used to make pancakes without rising, but the resulting pancake wouldn’t be as soft and fluffy. Since the weather was cold, Yaoniang deliberately wrapped the dough in a white cloth and had someone prepare a pot of warm water, which was placed on a steamer to warm up. This way, the dough would rise well in a short time.
The people in the small kitchen all bustled around under her command. This was the more common scene now because Yaoniang’s status had changed. Every time she tried to personally go to the small kitchen to cook, it would always cause a huge wave of panic.
Once everything was ready, Yaoniang checked the time and felt it was about right to start cooking.