Chapter 54 (Fried Rice)

Yan Qiushu always felt that Princess Chang had not finished speaking.

A lot has been hidden.

After all, Madam Xiao and Xie Qingyun's expressions were not right.

But since she was like this, Yan Qiushu naturally didn't say anything. She just smiled and said, "Don't worry, Princess. I will do my best to take care of the little prince."

"If it doesn't work, just send someone to find me." Princess Chang patted her hands and said softly, with a hint of regret in her eyes. Madam Xiao made this suggestion out of softness of heart. She also felt sorry for the child Aqin and thought it was a good thing. However, when she went to the harem, she didn't meet the old emperor, but met Concubine Lu instead.

Concubine Lu was so eager that they would break up with the Xiao family that she took the initiative to agree on behalf of the emperor. She also said that she would let the fifth child come to check on the child from time to time. If the child was taken good care of, he would naturally be rewarded. If he was not, he would still be punished.

It was originally just a good intention. She saw that her own child had gained a lot of weight even after leaving his parents for a few days, so she thought of letting Zhou Zhaoqin stay there for two days as well, to stay away from the trouble and relieve his mood.

Who knew that Concubine Lu would put the Xiao family in a difficult position by doing this?

If something really happened, especially if they had to bring a nanny, Princess Chang would have stopped it. However, Concubine Lu was as important as the queen in the harem and was deeply favored by the emperor, while she was only a princess. Naturally, she could not argue with him, especially since the other party was her elder in terms of seniority.

Once a tall hat was put on her, she couldn't move.

Now Princess Chang can only hope that Yan Qiushu’s cooking skills are great and that she can really take good care of Aqin, otherwise she will have to take the blame.

Princess Chang was still sighing when she left.

Madam Xiao looked calm and her tone was even more steady: "I've taken this matter upon myself. Ah Shu, you don't have to feel any psychological burden. If there is anything, I will handle it. As a lady of the imperial family, I still have some face."

Xie Qingyun pulled Yan Qiushu aside and gave her some instructions before leaving with Madam Xiao.

After the outsiders disappeared, Xie Qingyun glanced in the direction of the imperial palace, frowned, and sneered, "Bad luck!"

Madam Xiao's face was serious, and she whispered, "Noble Concubine Lu's hands are getting longer and longer!"

Xie Qingyun sighed: "What a pity for Prince Shun, he had to be born her son."

As soon as the Xiao family's parents left.

Zhou Zhaoqin ran over timidly and pulled Yan Qiushu's sleeve.

He didn't say anything, but just the look on his face was enough to make people feel sad.

Dongdong pouted and said jealously, "This is my sister Ashu!"

Upon seeing this, Xiao Pingsong glanced at his younger brother. Seeing him glaring at him unhappily, he glared even more fiercely, silently threatening him that he would not be polite to bully the guests!

Dongdong was quite unconvinced, that's how it was.

Their relationship wasn't good either. Even before the holiday, they had reconciled, but it was still far from the point where they could share Ah Shu's sister! He wasn't Ah Heng!

However, with just these words, Zhou Zhaoqin was stunned, loosened his hands, and tucked his two chubby little hands into his sleeves.

I really won’t hold your hand anymore.

Nanny Li behind him darkened her face. She wanted to say something, but was a little afraid and pursed her lips tightly.

Dongdong was dumbfounded. Although he had known for a long time that something was wrong with Zhou Zhaoqin, he had never expected it to be this serious. He quickly said dryly, "Well...you hold my hand. I won't say anything more..."

Zhou Zhaoqin remained silent, his eyes fixed on the skirt of the woman next to him. If it moved, he had to move too.

Even Yan Qiushu, who didn't have much of a good impression of him before, couldn't help but feel a little sad. She didn't like children who were too naughty, and it would give her a headache.

She likes Wan'er who is well-behaved, Dongdong who is quirky but kind and sensible, Pingyu who is arrogant but polite, and Xiao Pingsong who is simple and honest.

The only thing that Zhou Zhaoheng left on her at first was the impression of being overbearing and strong, which she didn't like.

I didn't expect that it would become like this in just such a short time!

Thinking about what Xie Qingyun said to her when she pulled her aside before leaving, Yan Qiushu felt unhappy.

She said that the child became like this because he witnessed his mother's suicide.

Originally, the Third Prince's wife went to ask Princess Chang to entrust her child to her, and at the same time swore that she had educated the child well and that the child would never take revenge on anyone for her or the Third Prince in the future.

Then she committed suicide.

Zhou Zhaoqin had been sent away by her a long time ago, but perhaps because of the bond between mother and child, the child was not usually so attached to his mother. But that day, he cried and made a fuss to find his mother. Even the strong nanny broke free and rushed in, witnessing his mother's death.

After that, he became dazed and silent, refusing to utter a word except for the most basic etiquette.

Princess Chang was very troubled by this. She invited many doctors who were good at treating children and even invited high monks to come, but it was of no avail.

The death of the Third Prince's wife was a huge shock to him.

But because the Third Prince's Consort was complaining about her husband, the Emperor was not happy with his daughter-in-law's behavior. He could depose his son, but his daughter-in-law could not. Even if the Third Prince's Consort did not commit suicide, she would not survive, especially with the Qiao family's matter.

She was actually using her own death to seek a final refuge for her son.

The old emperor did not vent his anger on the child because of this death. He just wanted to bring the child to the palace, but Zhou Zhaoqin started crying and making a fuss as soon as she arrived at the palace, so he had no choice but to let Princess Chang take the child with her, which led to this incident.

Yan Qiushu felt a tightness in her chest as she thought about this. She took a deep breath, smiled, and squatted down to ask, "Second Prince, have you eaten?"

Nanny Li, who had been silent the entire time, finally said with an unwavering expression, "The Second Prince hasn't eaten anything. Why don't you go make something to eat, Miss Yan?"

Yan Qiushu ignored the man and continued to wait for his answer.

As if noticing her gaze, the little boy's eyelashes trembled. He looked up at her and slowly shook his head.

Yan Qiushu held his hand and called Dongdong and the others: "Come on, let's go make something delicious. Anyone who wants to eat must come and help."

Dongdong quickly followed: "I'm coming too!"

"Aunt Yan, I'm coming too." Xiao Pingsong quickly followed, patting his chest and saying, "I'm very strong. Aunt Yan can ask me for any hard work."

Wan'er didn't want to eat anymore. She had already eaten her fill in the evening and now she didn't have much energy, so she said goodbye to Yan Qiushu and went back silently.

Yan Qiushu brought the three children to the kitchen.

It was difficult to do anything delicate at this time of night because candlelight was not as bright as sunlight and the colors were different. Yan Qiushu also didn't like staying in the kitchen at this time, if it weren't for Zhou Zhaoqin.

She looked around and finally decided on the ingredients: two bowls of leftover rice, a handful of corn, some diced carrots, and some diced mushrooms. She asked Aunt Xu to light the fire first, and then she could start cooking when the oil was hot.

But before she could even start cooking, Nanny Li came running over. Her demeanor was dignified, but her eyes were like sharp blades as she scanned the kitchen and the ingredients prepared on the counter. Her brow furrowed, "Miss Yan, are you going to let the Second Prince eat the leftovers?"

Yan Qiushu put on a fake smile and asked, "So what does Nanny Li mean?"

"Of course I have to make a new one. How can you be so perfunctory!" Nanny Li scolded, looking at her with a look full of disapproval, as if this person was so ignorant of etiquette and disrespectful to the royal family.

Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "How about you come?"

Nanny Li's face changed slightly, and her momentum suddenly weakened a lot. She couldn't cook, so where would she come from? Not to mention that Zhou Zhaoqin wouldn't like what she cooked. Her voice immediately became weaker: "I was appointed by Concubine Lu to take care of the Second Prince. I can't do these things."

Yan Qiushu suppressed her smile and said expressionlessly, "If that's the case, then don't say anything. As long as your Second Prince likes it, isn't that enough? If I make other dishes, will he be hungry during this time? Besides, some meals can only be made with leftovers!"

Dongdong and Xiao Pingsong, who had been curious and wanted to ask why the delicious food was made with leftovers, looked at each other and kept silent.

Nanny Li was so frightened that her eyes trembled. She pursed her lips, and finally uttered a faint mutter: "Who wants to eat leftovers?"

Yan Qiushu ignored the others and placed her palm above the oil pan to feel the temperature. After confirming that the temperature was high, she poured carrots and other things into it.

Originally, she planned to use lard as the oil, as lard fried rice would have a more fragrant flavor.

But considering Zhou Zhaoqin's situation, I will temporarily accompany him to eat vegetarian food for the next few days.

"Sizzle! Sizzle!" The familiar sound made by hot oil when it hits the food, but this time, the kitchen, which was in an eerie silence, seemed to suddenly have the smell of life, and the atmosphere became softer.

The tense little boy was in an unnoticed corner, staring at the figure busy in front of the stove. The figure was slender and graceful, but seemed to be emitting a warm glow under the firelight, which made him relax instinctively.

He blinked and looked greedily at the figure in front of him. The tears in his eyes grew little by little and finally overflowed.

He missed his mother...

The kitchen was warm, with fire burning in the stove and crackling in the pot. Yan Qiushu skillfully poured the ingredients into the pot one by one, and finally two bowls of rice.

The advantage of leftover rice is that it is loose, which makes it perfect for making fried rice. Put the cold rice into a hot pan and stir-fry it slightly. The off-white rice grains will spread out one by one and mix easily with the yellow corn kernels, red carrot kernels, and grayish-white mushroom kernels to form a bright and beautiful fried rice.

Xiao Pingsong was stunned and asked, "Aunt Yan, is it because leftover rice is easier to fry?"

"Yes, Pingsong is really smart." Yan Qiushu praised.

Xiao Pingsong scratched his head embarrassedly and continued watching.

Yan Qiushu sprinkled a spoonful of salt into the pot and continued to stir-fry. When it was almost done, she added a spoonful of soy sauce.

Suddenly, the rice, which had originally started to turn slightly yellow, turned into a very appetizing light brown color.

A pleasant salty aroma also emanates at this time.

When it was almost done, Yan Qiushu told Aunt Xu not to add any more heat and continued to stir-fry a few more times, successfully serving the soy sauce fried rice. Before serving, she asked, "Pingsong, how much can you eat?"

Xiao Pingsong actually has a big appetite. He usually eats three bowls of rice plus several other dishes when he eats with Yan Qiushu. He didn't come over tonight, so she didn't know how much he ate, but he must have come with her because he wanted to eat.

Xiao Pingsong had been tempted for a long time. He had actually eaten only 70% full at night. His mother thought he should eat less at night, otherwise it would not be conducive to rest at night. But now, he felt that his stomach was empty, as if he had not eaten anything?

He thought for a moment and said, "Give me whatever the Second Prince can't eat!"

Dongdong was anxious: "Me! I want one too!"

Yan Qiushu served a bowl first. She had estimated Zhou Zhaoqin's appetite last time and, considering that he was in a bad mood, she didn't serve him too much. She specially changed a large bowl for the rest and gave it to Xiao Pingsong in one go.

Dongdong was about to speak out again to emphasize his presence, but Yan Qiushu held him back and said, "Follow your brother Pingsong and let him give you two bites, two at most."

Dong Dong was listless: "Okay."

Yan Qiushu patted his belly: "Be careful not to burst it!"

Dongdong's face turned red and she touched her belly sadly. It was indeed very bulging.

Yan Qiushu was amused by his behavior. When she turned around, she saw that the little boy standing in the corner seemed to have a smile on his lips.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the shock he suffered was too great, Zhou Zhaoqin was not frightened silly. He was still the same child, but his personality had changed due to external factors, not from the heart.

If he is comforted well, he will gradually get better.

Less than half an hour later, the restaurant was filled with people again.

Next to Xiao Pingsong was the eager-eyed Dongdong, and on the other side was Zhou Zhaoqin.

Each person received a portion of soy sauce fried rice, each served with two spoons. Dongdong was about to ask her brother to take a couple of bites first when Nanny Li hurried forward, raised her chin slightly, and said in a sarcastic tone, "Miss Yan, according to the rules, I have to test the poison for His Highness."

Yan Qiushu pointed at the spoon and said coldly, "Here, take it and try it yourself."

Nanny Li caught a glimpse of this and was heartbroken. "Miss Yan is quite sensible, but she was very disrespectful to His Highness."

After she finished speaking, she picked up the spoon and scooped out a spoonful. The fried rice grains were soft, and the light brown rice grains and carrot grains were mixed together. When she scooped it up with a spoon, there was quite a bit of color on the spoon, and it was slightly shiny under the light.

Nanny Li had a look of disdain on her face. How could something good be made from leftovers?

Just when she looked at the food on the spoon, her throat moved slightly and she felt a little appetite. Then she opened her mouth and put the food into her mouth. Suddenly, she took a bite. The salty and fragrant taste was just right and went well with the rice without being too salty. After chewing it twice, in addition to the taste of the rice itself, she could also taste the soft mushroom particles, crispy carrot particles, and sweet corn kernels.

When you put the whole thing in your mouth, every bite seems to be a surprise.

It really is...it tastes great!

Nanny Li's expression was serious. This girl was really capable?

Nanny Li was muttering in her heart, and Dongdong also successfully got a mouthful of fried rice.

After just one bite, his mouth was full of oil, satisfied and disappointed: "Wow, so good!"

Xiao Pingsong said helplessly: "Then I'll leave some more for you?"

Dongdong shook his head with tears in his eyes, rubbing his stomach with both hands, trying to squeeze out a little space, but failed. This rubbing made his stomach feel even more bloated, and he could only sigh even more sadly: "No, it's useless. I can't even eat this little."

Xiao Pingsong didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so he just ate it with big mouthfuls. Sure enough, he was right. This fried rice was so delicious! He felt like he could eat a lot more!

Zhou Zhaoqin also started eating at the table. He picked up the spoon and took a small bite. The salty and fragrant rice was mixed with corn kernels and other things from time to time.

As he ate, he began to subconsciously focus his attention on it, hoping that he could still eat the delicious corn kernels in the next bite.

This bite is so soft, and when I tasted it carefully, I found that it was actually mushroom pieces.

Another bite, and it was carrot pieces again.

At the end of the meal, he suddenly tasted a sweet taste. Zhou Zhaoqin blinked his big eyes twice, and the low breath in his body began to become active. He had eaten the corn kernels again!

Nanny Li watched Zhou Zhaoqin eat with gusto, and she couldn't help licking her lips with satisfaction. Suddenly, her stomach rumbled, and she remembered that the Second Prince had not eaten. She had been following the child around, running around, and had not actually eaten either. Now the Second Prince had eaten, but she hadn't!

She had just taken a bite of fried rice, and now her mouth was full of the delicious taste, which made her feel unsatisfied and even wanted to continue eating.

Nanny Li frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "Miss Yan, I wonder if I have prepared my meal yet?"

Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "No."

"Then Miss Yan, please go and prepare it. I have to take care of the Second Prince and cannot be delayed." Nanny Li said modestly, "I don't ask for anything else. The leftovers will be fine."

Yan Qiushu said with a forced smile, "I'm afraid I'll disappoint Madam Li. As for me, I can't just ask anyone to cook. Whether I want to cook or not is up to me. Besides, the servants eat in the main kitchen. If you go over there now, Madam, maybe there'll be a bowl of leftovers."

Shui Yu stepped forward at the right moment and gestured, "Madame Li, the main kitchen is just to the right after exiting the courtyard. Please come in."

Matron Li: “…”

Her old face flushed, and she said in a deep voice, "Miss Yan, I was arranged by Concubine Lu to take care of the Second Prince."

"Yeah, so what does it have to do with me? How about letting your Second Prince give you some?" Yan Qiushu spread her hands.

The next second, Zhou Zhaoqin cooperated very well, holding the bowl with both hands and eating even faster.

Nanny Li was completely ashamed and angry. She glared at her angrily and strode out.