Although Xia Chunyu put up with a few conditions that would give him headaches, but as long as that can fix up the relationship, he would take any conditions available, still that old say, there will be many more days to come.
Inside the Jing An lord mansion, although Ye Jiayao hand over the responsibility of cooking the New Year’s Eve banquet to Jiang Yue, and she’s confidence on it herself, but Ye Jiayao was still a little bit concerned, so she watching at the kitchen. Since yesterday they started on all kinds of braised food, the lord’s favourite braised beef, the madam’s favourite smoked fish, braised ribs and more. Been slaying animals for the banquet, the kitchen was the busiest place in the whole lord mansion.
Be Ye Jianyao was happy with the busy work, she loved the rich New Year atmosphere, whether it’s rich or poor family, they all took New Year as a great deal, treated it seriously, stuck up door-gods, couplets, red lanterns, cutting out rice cakes, put on new clothes, New Year’s Eve dinner, count-downs etc. These traditions that are slowly fading in the modern society, it showed how important the Chinese see the culture of “home”, expressed the cohesive power of family, how fortunate it was to gather along with family. Making a feast for the family and watch them enjoy it, she felt tremendously satisfied.
Therefore, Ye Jiayao couldn’t hold the urge to do it on her own, other people can’t hold the urge to eat when they see delicious food, but she can’t hold the urge to cook them.
Jian Yue grumbled: “Second young lady, you let me handle it, now you are on it again.
Ye Jiayao: “I’m just going to cook a few dishes, you are still the chef.”
“Ah…is the sweet and sour lotus root ready?” Ye Jiayao asked.
One of the cook responded: “Almost ready out of the wok.”
“Good, rest and cool it with ice, then pour Osmanthus-scented honey on top.” Ye Jiayao ordered, while kneaded the dough of sticky rice into small potions, to stuff into pitted dates.
Zhou Xingjia saw and laughed: “How delicate is the second young lady, has so much tricks on just a date.”
Ye Jiayao smile, the sticky rice date was quite a common cold dish in the modern days, which was a popular in the Heavenly residence too, great for elder and kids.
“Yaoyao.” Ye Jiayao heard Chenyu’s voice, thought she misheard, why would Chenyu come to the kitchen? She looked up, there he is.
Ya Jiayao handed over to the cook next to her: “Stuff them in just like that.”
Wiped her hands as she walked up to him: “why are you her? So messy in here.”
Chunyu had a serious face: “Come out with me for a bit.”
Ye Jiayao was confused, what’s going on? Who dares mess around on New Years’ time.
She followed Chunyu out of the kitchen, Chunyu said: “Some one came to the palace.”
“For me?” Ye Jiayao joked.
Out of surprise, Chunyu nodded: “For the New Years’ Eve dinner, the queen mother wants to have Fo tiao qiang dish, Yaoyao…you see…”
Ye Jiayao smiled stiffly, couldn’t really tell how she felt, it’s New Years’ Eve today, the queen mother demanded for her appearance to the palace, just to feed her appetite?
“Well I can’t refuse the queen mother’s call, I have get changed back home.” Ye Jiayao smiled out of helpless, she hunched that she won’t be able to make it to the family gathering tonight.
Xia Chunyu: “I will come along.”
He was not pleased, since Yaoyao married into the lord mansion, the Majesty has spoken a few time that he wanted to try Yaoyao’s dish, but never called her in for it, as Yaoyao was on a difference status right now, as the second young lady of the lord mansion, not someone can be call in anytime. But the queen mother was not being so nice, picking such a good time, not letting her to have the first New Years’ Eve dinner with the family, have to say, there might be something fishy behind it.
But you can’t refuse the queen mother’s call, all he could do was to company her.
Ye Jiayao teased him: “What can you do there, work as kitchenhand? You don’t know the kitchen works, stay home, in case I can’t make it back, and mother-in-law is giving out red pockets, you can keep them for me.”
Xia Chunyu insisted, didn’t want Yaoyao to take it all on her own: “We will have our red pockets regardless. The dinner won’t be anything without you.”
“Don’t be silly, it okay without me, but if you aren’t there, that would really effect everyone’s mood. If you really care about me, for the sake of mine, stay home with your parents.” Ye Jiayao tried to persuade.
She knew what Chunyu was thinking, but if Chunyu ditched the dinner just to accompany her, Xia You will definitely be very unpleased, her son cared about her daughter-in-law, that no problem, but if he ditched the whole family for her, no matter who’s parents they are, would be unhappy.
Ye Jiayao changed up, just about to leave for the palace, nanny Sun came to pass the madam’s message, to tell her to try her best to make it back for the dinner, if not, don’t worry, can still gather for late supper at night.
Ye Jiayao was touched, it’s really nice of Xia You be considerate for her.
“Okay, nanny Sun, please tell madam, don’t need to wait for me for dinner, the point is that everyone is happy.” Ye Jiayao smiled.
Nanny Sun reported back to Xia You, she heard and silent, the second daughter-in-law sees the bigger picture after all, it just that the queen mother was not being really nice, did she really think that the second young lady of the lord mansion was a chef? Cooks for her on demand?
Liu Li was dressing up for the occasion, she’s a gold threaded pink butterflies patterned satin jacket, fox fur circled around collar and sleeves, down under she wore a jade flowers crepe dress, her clothing set off her beautiful eyes and white teeth, snowy, glowing skin, and the perfect body shape of hers.
Xiao Ya stepped in, saw that the princess was dressed in, gave her complements: “Princess, you are looking like a fairy from heavens in those.”
Liu Li laughed and joked: “You are saying I don’t look good without dressing up?”
Xiao Ya replied hastily: “You are born this beautiful my princess, you look gorgeous regardless, don’t you see that the third young lord always having his sight on you not able to move away?”
Liu Li got embarrassed and gave her a look: “How dare you making fun of me.”
Xiao Ya giggled, whispered: “the second young lady is in the palace.”
Liu Li picked a hairpin from the drawer and handed to Xiao Ya: “Put it on for me.”
Xiao Ya found a good spot on her hair then put it on nice and steady.
Liu Li looked at herself through the mirror, satisfied, said: “Finally kicked the annoying person out of the house, to have a decent New Years’ Eve dinner.
Ye Jiayao was led to the kitchen the moment she stepped in the palace.
Lu Yiming saw her, handed her a menu, embarrassed: “These are the dished the queen mother wants you to cook.”
Ye Jiayao took over the menu, god, that’s thirty-six dishes, all main courses with heaps effort, didn’t she say only the Fo Tiao Qiang? So, the queen mother was planned to make her stay for the evening.
This bloody old lady, being a pain in the ass all the time.
As upset as she was, it’s a Majesty’s banquet after all, Ye Jiayao needed to go 120% on the cooking, gets nothing if she did a good job, but it’s sin if she didn’t, she can’t afford to get picked on be the old lady.
Lu Yiming called in two cooks, said: “The preps for the ingredients are all done, they will give you a hand on cooking, just say it if you need anything.”
Ye Jiayao smiled: “Okay, thank you, Chef Lu.”
Lu Yiming got on his own stuff, later Ye Jiayao found out, there were one hundred and eighty-eight dishes for this royal feast, the whole kitchen got worked up for it.
At the end of the banquet, the Fo Tiao Qiang was served, the Majesty had a taste of it, couldn’t resist to ask: “Who made this?”
Eunuch Wei whispered: “The queen mother called in the second young lady of the Jing An lord mansion to make it.”
The Emperor frowned, it’s New Years’ Eve today, why would the queen mother called Ye Jinxuan in to cool? Was she trying to be annoying? What would the people in the Jing An lord mansion think?
But since she’s here already, and the banquet was almost coming to an end, the Majesty could only order Eunuch Wei: “Get her some handsome rewards and send some to take her home later.”
Ye Jiayao walked out of the palace with a bunch of the palace, she saw Song Qi on a carriage, waiting at the front gate of the palace.
“The second young lady, the Heir-son Lord asked me to pick you up, he was going to do this himself, but got hold up by the lord to company him playing Shuangkou.” Song Qi took over the gifts on the little Eunuch’s hands.
Ye Jiayao could not hide her laugh: “The lord plays Shuangkou too?”
“Yeah, Big young master suggested, the lord is learning really fast, he’s in the mood right now.”
Ye Jiayao asked again: “What about the madams?”
“The madams want to play Shuangkou too, but the third young lady doesn’t know the rules, so they can only play Madiao, the third madam has good skills, winning a fortune.”
Ye Jiayao could image Zhou’s eyes glowing in green, hugging in the money to her chest, she was getting more anxious about going home, she hadn’t play these games for a long time. Back in the modern days, the family would also gather around to play Mahjong after New Years’ Eve dinner, the Spring Festival Gala were playing on the TV, dad didn’t play, instead he made tea and gave out food to everyone, quite a joyful atmosphere.
Inside Xia You’s room, four ladies were sitting around to play Madiao, XiaYou held a ready hand, she only needed six-Bamboo and nine-Bamboo tiles, but Zhou before her kept on playing Character tiles, Qiao opposite to her kept playing five- and eight-Bamboo but never six or nine, made Xia You so anxious she kicked Qiao, Qiao wondered, thinking, mother-in-law might need six and nine Bamboo, she had 3 six-Bamboos, had a ready hand, but she couldn’t refuse to mother-in-law’s demand, she had been losing the whole evening, so Qiao gave her six-Bamboo tile out.
Xiao You was happy, just about to celebrate, but Zhou cracked out of laugher: “Such a lucky day today, was waiting just on the six-Bamboo tile for three of a kind, come on, give me the money, two folds people…”
Qiao was speech less, shit, she gave it away and it doubled, she’s bleeding inside.
Xia You closed her hands, gnashed, this was the fifth time Zhou did this, she’s a bane.
Liu Li handed out her money with no hesitation, laughed: “Third aunty is very lucky today, even better skills, killing it on your own tonight!”
“Please, I don’t play often.” Zhou said modestly, but was so happy inside her heart.
“The second young lady is back.” The slave girl said outside.
Xia You stood up: “You play for me, my second daughter-in-law, change up the luck for a bit.”
Ye Jiayao took off the cape, handed to the slave girl: “Mother, you play, I don’t know much about it.”
Zhou hated Ye Jiayao, she would love to win some more money from her, after hearing that she didn’t know much, said: “Just play around with the family members, mother asked you to play, just play!”
