But Lu Chen praised his wife without surprise. “Your cutting technique has improved a lot.”
Qiao Jinniang smiled proudly and said, “Of course. After all, at this time last year, I regarded meat as you and practiced my cutting technique!”
Both Zhou Siming and Lin Mo were silent. They were surprised at Qiao Jinniang’s boldness, and waited for Lu Chen to lose temper. However, to their surprise, Lu Chen said, “Don’t think about those unhappy things. There aren’t many people coming to the rear palace. Why don’t we plant fruit and vegetables here?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “Good idea. Let’s plant some spring onion and ginger here. It’ll be convenient for cooking.”
Zhou Siming and Lin Mo looked at each other and smiled.
Qiao Jinniang seasoned the meat fillings and wrapped them in dough. Seeing that the oven had been built, she placed the small scones in the oven one by one with her hands.
In just a quarter of an hour, the aroma of the small scones wafted out.
Qiao Jinniang used long bamboo chopsticks to take out the golden scones one by one and put them on a plate.
The meat-flavored scones smelled mouth-watering.
Lin Mo and Zhou Siming both loved delicious food. At this moment, their mouths were almost watering…
When Lu Chen went to pick up the freshly baked scones, Qiao Jinniang gently hit his hand. “Why do you behave like Xi’er? These freshly baked scones are very hot. Wait for a while to eat them.”
Lin Mo and Zhou Siming looked at each other and withdrew their hands that were about to move.
But Lu Chen took one and said, “It’s fine. I’ll blow it.”
He hadn’t tasted the food Qiao Jinniang made for a long time, and he hadn’t eaten these little scones for more than a year.
The meat was wrapped by a thin layer of golden-yellow dough, and the fragrant oil soup flowed out when one bit into it. After drinking the soup, the meat inside was fragrant but not greasy and was bouncy.
The only downside was that there was no green onion in the small scones because Little Lu Xi didn’t like to eat spring onions. If there were green onions in them, the taste would be even better.
When Qiao Jinniang saw that Lu Chen had already cooled off the scone with a blow and took a bite of it, she simply took a bite of the scone that Lu Chen had bitten.
Both Zhou Siming and Lin Mo felt that such behavior didn’t accord with etiquette.
But instead of blaming Qiao Jinniang, Lu Chen helped Qiao Jinniang wipe the corners of her lips.
Only after the two finished eating a small scone did Qiao Jinniang seem to remember Lin Mo and Zhou Siming.
She said, “Young Master Zhou, Young Master Lin, please try one. Be careful that the soup inside is a little hot.”
Lin Mo and Zhou Siming each took a small scone, and after tasting it, they felt endless bliss.
Zhou Siming asked, “Why are there no such small scones for sale in Tasty Pavilion?”
Qiao Jinniang said, “These are just snacks and can’t be regarded as main dishes, so they are not sold in the restaurant, but Xi’er likes to eat them.”
Qiao Jinniang made a lot of small scones and sent three plates of them to the Emperor, the Queen and the Empress Dowager respectively.
In the Hall of Diligent Governance, hearing of the Empress Dowager’s decree, Emperor Huilin was a little surprised that the Empress Dowager would allow the Qiao family’s son to marry Fulu.
But after hearing that the Empress Dowager had changed her mind after Qiao Jinniang went to her, Emperor Huilin felt that maybe he underestimated Qiao Jinniang before.
Chen’er was born with a silver spoon. Even though he lost his memory, he shouldn’t be willing to marry into a woman’s family.
But Qiao Jinniang had the ability to make Chen’er marry into her family.
Emperor Huilin had always looked down on Qiao Jinniang, but now he decided to reexamine her. Although he was not suspicious of the Qiao family’s loyalty to him, he had to think about it for Chen’er.
The queen of the previous dynasty imprisoned her own son and almost became a female emperor.
Eunuch Quan came in with the small scones and said, “Your Majesty, this is the small scones sent over by the Crown Princess. They were just out of the oven. Please have a taste.”
Emperor Huilin picked up a small scone and took a bite, and then all his suspicion for Qiao Jinniang disappeared.
Seeing the scones were about to be finished, he couldn’t help frowning. “The East Palace is too stingy. They only gave me two?!
“Not to mention the properties of the East Palace, just because of the silver taels allocated to the East Palace by the imperial palace, they shouldn’t only send me two pieces of scones, right? Pass on my order, increase the Crown Prince’s salary.”
Eunuch Quansaid, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Seeing the small scones brought by the imperial maid, the Queen smiled. “That’s very nice of Jinniang, but I don’t like to eat this. Take it to His Majesty! Come, take my new phoenix hairpin out of my jewelry case and send it to the Crown Princess.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Qiao Jinniang took Little Lu Xi back to the East Palace, only to see the rewards the Emperor, the Queen and the Empress Dowager gave. It was a very good deal to exchange a few scones for so many rewards.
After lunch, Yuyan came and said that Nuomi asked to see her.
Qiao Jinniang quickly asked Yuyan to call Nuomi in.
Nuomi threw herself into Qiao Jinniang’s arms and said, “Miss!”
Looking at this, Hongling frowned and was about to tell Nuomi this was against the etiquette, but then she saw that Qiao Jinniang was also hugging Nuomi, and she immediately shut up.
Since Nuomi became her maid, Qiao Jinniang had never been separated from her for such a long time. She stayed with Nuomi longer than anyone else.
“Nuomi.”
Nuomi wiped her tears and said, “Miss, does His Royal Highness treat you well? I saw you only for a short while yesterday, and I didn’t have the time to ask how you are going. We are all worried about you very much!”
“Silly Nuomi, what’s there to worry about? I’m the Crown Princess.” Qiao Jinniang said, “Did you come today because you miss me?”
“Um, I miss you so much, and I want to ask you, Miss, should I ask the Tong family for compensation? The eggs smashed by the people yesterday were so stinky that even perfume can’t get rid of the smell. So the restaurant will have to be refurbished and the furniture will have to be replaced.
“If you ask the Tong family for compensation, we are afraid that people will blame you for being mean.”
Qiao Jinniang had seen the miserable Tasty Pavilion was in yesterday. She said, “Tong Yingying has to compensate. If not, what if everyone follows suit in the future? Just go to the Tong family to demand for compensation in my name. Don’t worry about me.”
Nuomi pursed her lips and nodded. “Yes, Master.”
Qiao Jinniang had no sympathy for Tong Yingying. Flattered by others, she had an exaggerated opinion of her abilities and even boasted herself to be the most intelligent and talented girl in Chang’an.
She couldn’t believe Tong Yingying dared to make up stories and spread her “great contributions” among the commoners.
It was not that Qiao Jinniang hadn’t seen such conceited women before. She actually didn’t mind it as long as it didn’t hurt her, but Tong Yingying wanted to make her her stepping-stone. How could she tolerate it?
Besides, she certainly couldn’t bear the losses of Tasty Pavilion’s alone.
…
The Tong family.
Tong Xuan found those letters in Tong Yingying’s room. She didn’t recognize Cousin Siming’s handwriting, but the valuable ancient jade had the character “Ming” engraved on it, which must be Zhou Siming’s jade pendant.
If such a jade pendant was not given away, but lost, the Duke Wu Mansion would definitely search for it!
This was a priceless ancient jade that could represent Zhou Siming’s identity. If he lost it, he would definitely know.
“Miss, it’s not good, the former maid of the Crown Princess, Nuomi, came and demanded Eldest Miss to compensate for 30,000 taels of silver of damages!”
When Tong Xuan heard 30,000 taels, she almost fainted. Even if they sold this house, they couldn’t get 30,000 taels.
