Chapter 167 Wounded

Looking at the little princess's trusting and hopeful eyes, Jiang Huan sighed inwardly.

She pleaded for the princess on her behalf?

I'm afraid the Empress Dowager will go crazy after hearing this, saying that she's disreputable and a bad influence on the children.

But seeing Princess Mingzhu's anxious look, Jiang Huan felt a little soft-hearted.

This little girl grew up in the deep palace, of noble status yet naive to the ways of the world.

Men these days are so cunning; they've come up with all sorts of tricks to deceive people.

Although she's not exactly a relationship guru, she's had enough experience to be able to offer some help.

"That works."

Jiang Huan carefully chose her words, her tone like that of someone coaxing her sulking little sister: "But we can't rush this. It's lunchtime, let's eat first and then talk about it."

"Great! Great!" Princess Mingzhu's eyes lit up with excitement when she heard that she could get a free meal from Jiang Huan.

"What delicious food is Sister Jiang going to make this time? I really loved the egg tarts and glutinous rice balls last time."

"Little glutton." Jiang Huan smiled and tapped her forehead, then took her hand. "Come on, let me show you what real cooking skills are!"

The small kitchen was clean and tidy, with kitchen utensils and equipment arranged in an orderly manner.

Jiang Huan washed her hands first and then quickly began to prepare.

"We're making cherry pie today. Never heard of that before, have you?"

"I've never heard of it before, but any name that comes out of Sister Jiang's mouth sounds so enchanting."

Princess Mingzhu circled around Jiang Huan curiously, like an excited little sparrow.

Jiang Huan smiled gently, thoroughly enjoying what she heard.

That's right, she has reached the highest level of master chef, and her words can become law.

"It's a cherry dessert with a crispy outer crust and a sweet and sour interior. I'll save the first bite for you."

As she spoke, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing her two fair wrists.

She deftly removed the pits from the fresh cherries, her movements so fast it was dazzling.

Princess Mingzhu rolled up her sleeves and eagerly stepped forward, saying, "Sister Jiang, let me help you!"

Jiang Huan was about to say no, but then she saw that the other woman was practically glued to the cutting board.

Those eyes were so intense they could make a hole in a rock.

Jiang Huan, being a facilitator, handed her a small bowl of cherries and some skewers.

"Then take this little stick and help me poke the pit out, be careful not to break the flesh."

Princess Mingzhu nodded repeatedly, took the skewer, and carefully began to operate it, imitating Jiang Huan.

Jiang Huan skillfully kneaded the dough, preparing to make Bi Luo's flaky pastry.

The kitchen was filled with the sweet aroma of cherries, and sunlight streamed in through the window, making it feel warm and cozy.

Princess Mingzhu watched Jiang Huan busy at the stove and suddenly remembered what her grandmother had said to her privately a few days ago.

"Consort Zhuang was born into a humble family. Even though she rose to a high position, she couldn't change her ingrained habits."

"She spends all her time in the kitchen doing chores, without even caring about lowering herself. I really don't know what the Emperor sees in her, that she has repeatedly disobeyed me for this reason."

Princess Mingzhu felt somewhat uncomfortable when she heard this.

In her opinion, Sister Jiang's pastries were a hundred times tastier than the bland and tasteless food in the imperial kitchen that could starve rats.

Moreover, Sister Jiang is sincere to people, unlike those noble ladies in the palace who only know how to put on airs and speak in riddles.

Forget about serving others, Sister Jiang is creating delicious food, that's real skill!

Seeing Jiang Huan's focused expression, Princess Mingzhu became increasingly angry.

Sister Jiang is not like what the Empress Dowager said; she just likes Sister Jiang.

"This plate is full. Do you need me to knead the dough for you?"

Princess Mingzhu, lost in thought, finished her work haltingly, and then, as if unable to stay idle, began to speak.

"Yes, I need to." Jiang Huan drawled, her tone smiling, and made way for a little. "Be careful not to get it on your clothes."

If she says she doesn't need it, how disappointed someone will be.

Princess Mingzhu imitated Jiang Huan and put her hand into the basin.

The flour is delicate and soft, with a wonderful texture.

At first, she massaged it carefully, but gradually she found it interesting and began to apply more pressure.

"oops!"

She was just having fun and went too far.

Flour splattered high, covering her face and even her eyelashes.

"Pfft." Jiang Huan couldn't help but laugh and quickly took a clean, damp cloth to wipe her face. "Are you kneading dough or applying powder to yourself?"

Princess Mingzhu herself found it funny, and with her face covered in graffiti, she giggled.

"It's fun! Sister Jiang, kneading this dough is quite stress-relieving!"

After the two laughed and joked for a while, Jiang Huan took over again, kneading the dough until it was smooth and delicate, then covered it with a damp cloth to let it rise.

Next, prepare the cherry filling by simmering pitted cherry flesh with sugar, adding a little lemon juice for flavor, and cooking it into a thick, glossy jam.

An enticing sweet aroma filled the air, and Princess Mingzhu couldn't help but swallow hard.

"It smells so good, Sister Jiang, when will it be ready?"

"All we have to do is wrap the filling in the puff pastry and bake it."

Jiang Huan smiled and agreed, dividing the rested dough into small portions and rolling them into thin slices.

Then, scoop up a spoonful of bright red cherry sauce, place it in the center of the dough, and deftly pinch out a pretty decorative edge with your nimble fingers, and a plump cherry pie is formed.

"Wow, so beautiful!" Princess Mingzhu exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "Sister Jiang, I want to try it too."

Jiang Huan handed her a dough sheet and a spoon: "Here, don't put too much filling in, otherwise it won't be able to be wrapped properly. Make sure to pinch the opening tightly, otherwise it will leak when baking."

Princess Mingzhu confidently accepted the gift and, imitating Jiang Huan, placed the filling and pinched the edges.

However, there was a huge gap between theory and practice. She either put too much filling in, causing the dough to burst, or she couldn't pinch it tightly, causing the filling to leak out.

She was in a flurry of activity, and the resulting pirouette was crooked and uneven.

"Oh dear, this is so difficult."

Princess Mingzhu looked at her appalling work, then at the exquisite works of art that Jiang Huan had created, and pouted in frustration.

Jiang Huan suppressed a laugh and comforted her, "It's your first time, it's normal."

She picked up the baguette wrapped by Princess Mingzhu: "Although the shape isn't very regular, maybe it will have a unique flavor after baking?"

After all, even bizarre foods have a market.

Princess Mingzhu was amused and regained her enthusiasm: "Then I'll try again!"

She picked up another piece of dough, this time with even greater care.

The two worked together and soon finished wrapping the filling.

Jiang Huan neatly arranged the wrapped Bi Luo on the baking tray: "Alright, let's put these newbies into the oven."

"Sister Jiang, let me help you open the oven door!" Princess Mingzhu volunteered and rushed to the oven first.

Although she made a terrible mess of the bread rolls, surely anyone with hands can open a furnace door.

She wanted to leave a very, very, very good impression on her sister Jiang!

But Mingzhu overlooked one problem.

The oven was built with thick bricks and stones, and the oven door was exceptionally heavy.

She gripped the iron ring on the furnace door tightly with both hands, took a deep breath, and pulled it outward with all her might.

creak—

The heavy furnace door was pulled open, and a scorching heat wave rushed out, instantly distorting the air and making one's skin feel tight from the heat.

Jiang Huan was about to offer a reminder when she was pushed aside by the heat and couldn't get the words out in time.

Princess Mingzhu, due to exerting too much force during her first time opening the furnace, lost her balance and became unstable.

The incident happened so suddenly that Jiang Huan had no time to think. Almost instinctively, she reached out to support Princess Mingzhu, trying to steady her and prevent her from falling too hard.

"careful!"

Jiang Huan exclaimed in surprise, her hand already touching Princess Mingzhu's arm.

However, Princess Mingzhu fell with too much force, and Jiang Huan was pulled along by her, causing her to lose her balance.

She staggered and fell to the side, and by sheer coincidence, the back of her hand brushed against the newly opened oven.

"hiss!"

A sharp, burning pain shot through the back of her hand, causing Jiang Huan to gasp and her fingers to clench sharply.

Princess Mingzhu, disregarding her own safety, looked up at Jiang Huan in horror: "Sister Jiang, your...your hand!"

On the back of Jiang Huan's right hand, a distinct red mark quickly appeared, with blisters already forming at the edges.

The burning pain made her furrow her brow and her breathing become heavier.

"I'm so sorry! Sister Jiang, I didn't mean to! I..."

Princess Mingzhu was terrified, her voice trembling with tears, as she frantically tried to get up and check on Jiang Huan's injuries.

Just then, a figure in black, exuding a chilling aura, swept into the small kitchen like a gust of wind.