After Lanqin took a nap, lunch was delivered. Lanqin ran over, opened the food box, and immediately lost her appetite.

Everything was steamed or stewed, and even the stir-fries were unappetizing. Compared to the meals Lanqin ate in the South Courtyard, it was a disgrace to the imperial chefs.

"Nianxue, did you bring the beef broth cube from Old Niu Tou?" Lanqin asked, looking at the bowls of food laid out on the table.

"I brought it. Master Niu specifically told me to bring it, just in case the princess isn't used to the food in the palace," Nianxue said, and immediately went to find Niu Baoquan's special Niu-style beef soup cubes.

"Let's go see if there's a small kitchen here, and we can reheat these vegetables ourselves!" Lanqin said.

Thus, our Comrade Lanqin used the Fourth Prince's small kitchen for her first meal in the palace.

Cui Niang occasionally used the small kitchen, and seeing Lan Qin and the others carrying things towards it, she came out of her room to greet them, "Does Princess Niu need to use the small kitchen?"

When Lanqin saw that she had taken the initiative to ask, she replied, "Yes, would you like to come and make the food again?"

Cui Niang was actually eating the meal that had been brought, and when she heard Lanqin say this, she asked curiously, "Is the food not to the princess's liking?"

Lanqin nodded and said, "I really don't want to eat these steamed or stewed dishes."

Cui Niang paused for a moment, thinking to herself: This princess is really the first one to reheat the dishes from the imperial kitchen herself. But she said aloud, "This servant has already eaten. Princess, the stove has been unused for a long time, so it may not be very good. This servant will help you to start the fire."

Lanqin nodded and, under Cui Niang's guidance, began to start a fire. Sure enough, the small kitchen had been unused for a long time, and the charcoal beside it was damp, making it difficult to start a fire.

"Princess, please go back quickly. There's a lot of smoke here. I'll prepare the dishes later and then bring them over." Nianxue saw puffs of black smoke rising from the stove.

"No need, I'm not afraid. Today, I, the princess, will personally cook a big stew for you all!" Lanqin said.

Suddenly, the small kitchen was filled with chaos, and every now and then a woman's cough could be heard.

"Princess, there's too much smoke, you'd better go out quickly," someone said.

"Almost done, Xi Cha, quickly add water, it will taste better this way!" another person said.

A sizzling sound of water and oil mixing filled the small kitchen.

Just as Lanqin brought out a large bowl of stew, she happened to see Fourth Master returning with Su Peisheng, and the two of them met in a rather dramatic way.

"Pfft~" Fourth Master couldn't help but let out a big laugh, "I've only been gone for a few hours, how did you end up like this!"

Lanqin glared at Fourth Master and said nonchalantly, "If you don't like it, then please turn around and walk away."

Upon hearing this, Su Peisheng silently gave Lanqin a thumbs up in his heart. She was probably the only one who dared to speak to the Fourth Master like that.

When Nianxue and the other maids came out, they saw that Lanqin's face was covered in soot, with black ash on her face and nose. They also saw that the Fourth Master was staring at Lanqin with a stern look.

"Princess, your face is covered in soot, quickly wipe it off." Nianxue hurriedly took the plate from Lanqin's hands. Xicha quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe Lanqin's face.

"Wash your face before you come in, don't look like a little kitten!" Fourth Master said this and strode towards the main courtyard.

Lanqin stuck out her pink tongue at Fourth Master's back, then let Xicha wipe her face.

Cui Niang followed Nianxue and carried in another pot of things that Lanqin had made.

Fourth Master was sitting at the main table when he saw Nianxue and an unfamiliar woman bring over two bowls of things. He frowned and asked, "What are these?"

Nianxue glanced at it cautiously: This was made by Gege, who specially added Master Niu's soup cubes.

It turns out that Lanqin brought out the spirit of Master Kong instant noodles' sauce packets and specially asked Niu Baoquan to learn how to make some Qing Dynasty "seasoning packets". The ingredients used were naturally the best beef bones and beef, and then the soup was simmered over high heat to make a rich broth. Then, the broth was put into a container and placed in ice to cool and solidify.

Fourth Master swept over another pot, which was also black and murky, then glanced at Cui Niang, frowned, and asked, "Are you Cui?"

When Cui Niang saw that the Fourth Master recognized her, she immediately curtsied and said, "This servant greets Your Highness, may Your Highness be well!"

The Fourth Prince looked you up and down, and said with some surprise, "Why didn't you leave the palace to get married, and instead stayed here all this time?"

With her eyes lowered, Cui Niang said, "I have no relatives left outside. I have lived here for six years and have long regarded this place as my home. Therefore, after my master left, I will continue to live here."

Fourth Master nodded slightly and said, "I never expected you to stay here all this time. I'll leave Master Lanqin to you. Introduce her to the rules and taboos here."

Cui Niang nodded in agreement and then left.

When Lanqin reappeared, the soot on her face had been washed off. Seeing Cui Niang come out, she said, "Cui Niang, you should go wash up too, your face is covered in soot."

Cui Niang quickly gave Lan Qin a curtsy and withdrew.

"What is this? Why is it cooked like this?" Fourth Prince asked, raising an eyebrow. Actually, he was also getting used to the rations in the palace, because his palate had long been spoiled by Lanqin's small kitchen.

"This is Shandong-style braised pork offal. I specially asked Master Niu to make the sauce packet. Master, don't let its appearance fool you, it tastes great, want to try some?" Lanqin perked up immediately when talking about food. She sat down opposite Fourth Master, picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a dark, unidentifiable piece of something, and brought it to his mouth.

Fourth Master looked at the lump of something with a puzzled expression, his mouth remaining closed. "Is it really delicious?"

"Master, trust Lanqin. When have you ever had a bad meal while you were with me?" Lanqin said, blinking her eyes.

Fourth Master reluctantly opened his mouth, stared at the lump of stuff with disgust, and ate it.

"Is it good?" After feeding Fourth Master, Lanqin immediately picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.

"tasty!"

"It was absolutely delicious!"

Next, a scene that surprised Su Peisheng unfolded: Fourth Master and Lanqin began to work diligently. Before long, the two bowls of food were almost empty. Even Cui Niang, standing outside, was quite astonished by what she saw.

In her memory, the Fourth Prince's appetite had never been this good before. Whenever he dined with his wife or Consort Li, he never needed to eat this much. This Lady Niu was truly capable, managing to get the Fourth Prince to eat so much.

Thinking back to when she first came to the Fourth Prince's residence, the Fourth Prince was only a teenager. Because Cui Niang was not talkative, she always served in the outer room, and the Fourth Prince did not have a deep influence on her, but he knew of her. At that time, there were only so many eunuchs and maids serving in the Fourth Prince's residence, and the Fourth Prince remembered them all. Unlike now, in the Fourth Prince's residence, there are many servants in every place, and he cannot remember them all at all.