Chapter 411 Chaos

A few days later, He Ling had fully recovered and came to Weiyang Palace to pay her respects, full of energy.

Seeing that her complexion was rosy, Jiang Huan was finally relieved.

Thinking about the hot pot feast I promised Ayina, and seeing that the weather was fine today, I decided to cook for myself with great enthusiasm, ready to show off my skills and try out some new desserts.

As soon as the news spread, the small kitchen in Weiyang Palace became lively.

Just as Jiang Huan tied on her apron and directed the palace servants to wash and prepare all kinds of fresh ingredients, Ayina burst in.

"Hey, you, why are you going into the kitchen with that big belly? Aren't you afraid of getting choked by the smoke and fumes!"

She frowned as soon as she entered, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Huan's protruding belly. Although her tone was still as sharp as ever, the worry in her eyes was unmistakable.

Without further ado, she rolled up her sleeves. "Fine, fine, this princess will reluctantly lend you a hand."

My mother died in childbirth, so we can't let anything happen to her.

But what's wrong with this woman? She doesn't seem to realize she's pregnant at all!

Jiang Huan knew she meant well, so she let her have her way: "Great! With our princess here, that's perfect."

At this moment, Mingzhu heard that Jiang Huan was going to cook something delicious, so she came to join in the fun.

"Your Majesty, I'll help you too!" Her voice was clear and bright, her little face full of excitement, eager to try.

Almost at the same time, He Ling also peeked in: "Your Majesty, what do you need me to do? Chop vegetables? Knead dough? I'm not very good at it, but I can learn!"

Suddenly, the once spacious kitchen seemed rather cramped.

Jiang Huan felt warm inside looking at these three enthusiastic helpers, so she assigned them the simplest tasks.

"Mingzhu, go wash the vegetables in that basin over there again. Make sure to wash each leaf thoroughly, otherwise don't blame me if you end up eating high-quality protein."

"He Ling, could you peel those potatoes for me? Be careful not to cut your hand."

"Ayina, could you... could you please put some of the salt and sugar over there into a small dish for me?"

The three of them accepted the task and were full of enthusiasm.

However, ideals are often grand, while reality is often harsh.

Mingzhu was diligent in washing the vegetables, but she was probably too eager to show off. She used too much force with her little hands, and a vegetable leaf slipped from her grasp and fell into the basin full of flour next to her.

She cried out and frantically tried to scoop it up, but her wet little hands knocked over the flour bowl again...

A puff of white smoke rose, and Mingzhu instantly turned into a small clay figure, her face and clothes covered in white powder.

She was stunned, blinking her long eyelashes covered in flour, looking at the messy counter with a helpless expression.

"Clumsy!" Ayina immediately launched into a tirade, pulling her aside with disdain. "You make such a racket while washing vegetables. Stand over there and don't make a mess!"

Despite her fierce words, she still grabbed a cloth and hastily wiped Mingzhu's face.

On the other side, He Ling held a peeler, facing the round potato as if it were a formidable enemy.

Her wrist moved stiffly, and although no blood came out, her technique was too clumsy. She either peeled too thickly, cutting off large chunks of fruit, or she didn't cut the skin properly, leaving it long.

After peeling a potato, it not only shrinks to half its original size, but also becomes strangely shaped.

She wasn't giving up, so she picked up a second one, but her hand slipped, and the potato flew out of her grasp and hurtled straight at Ayina.

Ayina was scooping salt with a spoon when she was startled by this sudden "attack." Her hand trembled, and half a spoonful of salt fell precisely into the dish where sugar should have been placed.

She looked at the dish of sugar mixed with salt, then at He Ling: "Are you peeling potatoes or practicing your hidden weapons? Is this dish of sugar still usable?"

Seeing this, He Ling quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, my hand slipped..."

Looking at the appalling state of the kitchen before her, Ayina was so angry that she put her hands on her hips and exclaimed, "You two, I think you're just here to cause trouble!"

The two shrank back, feeling guilty after being scolded.

Seeing the chaotic scene, Jiang Huan was both amused and exasperated, and quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Alright, alright, I appreciate your kind offer. You just wanted to help. Mingzhu, He Ling, go rest over there for a bit and wash your faces."

Jiang Huan turned to look at Ayina and saw her disappointed expression. She couldn't help but tease her, "Our princess is quite the lecturer. She must be an excellent cook. Why don't we entrust the task of making the base sauce to you?"

Ayina was taken aback, and a hint of unease flashed across her pretty face for a moment before she forced herself to remain calm and raised her chin.

"Hmph! Let me stir-fry it then. We people of the northern desert are experts at roasting and stewing meat. A mere stir-frying ingredient..."

As she spoke, she walked confidently to the stove, took the large iron ladle from Jiang Huan's hand, and, imitating Jiang Huan's earlier actions, scooped up a large spoonful of butter to put into the pot.

"Wait!" Jiang Huan stopped her quickly. "Your Highness, the oil isn't hot yet!"

Ayina froze, then stubbornly said, "I...I know, can't we warm up a bit?"

She waited a while, and when she saw the oil in the pan start to smoke, she thought it was about time, so she reached for the bowl of dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns next to her.

"Wait!" Jiang Huan called out again, "The chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns need to be added slowly. If you pour them all in at once, they'll burn and become pungent!"

Ayina's hand froze in mid-air again, her brows furrowing even more: "What a hassle! In our northern desert barbecue, we just sprinkle all the seasoning on at once!"

Even so, she still followed Jiang Huan's example and scooped up a small spoonful of chili powder to add, but her hand trembled, and a lot of the chili powder in the spoon spilled out, only to be washed away by the hot oil in the pan...

Achoo! Achoo!

The pungent smell hit Ayina's nasal cavity, causing her to sneeze twice and her eyes to well up with tears. The spoon in her hand tilted to one side.

Seeing that the remaining chili peppers were about to be used to make the broth, the old woman who had been watching anxiously could no longer hold back.

She strode forward, firmly supporting Ayina's wrist, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, let this old servant do this rough work. The smell of chili peppers is too strong; don't let it hurt your eyes."

Another palace maid cleverly handed over a damp cloth: "Your Highness, please wipe your face."

Ayina was choked quite a bit, and there were still physiological tears on her face. Watching the nanny skillfully stir-fry and control the heat, her previous momentum instantly deflated.

She reluctantly took the handkerchief and wiped her eyes, still refusing to admit defeat.

"Hmph, it's because the stove fire is disobedient, and your pot is too small..."

Jiang Huan suppressed a laugh and pulled her aside: "Yes, yes, it's all the fault of the pot and the fire. Let's leave this kind of rough work to the skilled ones."

She finally understood: Ayina was a master at horseback riding and archery, but once she entered the kitchen, her destructive power was no less than the other two.