"Did you make all those snacks yourself?"

The Queen Mother took the teacup from the palace servant beside her and stopped looking at Su Wanti. She just used the lid of the teacup to gently stir the tea leaves floating in the cup.

The teacup was a fine product from the official kiln. The bone china was light and fine, and the lid and the rim of the cup touched each other from time to time, making a crisp "ding ding" sound.

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the snacks I sent to the Cining Palace were all made by me alone."

Su Wanti stood up, her expression pious and solemn, but her voice was even more pleasant than the crisp "ding ding" sound.

"These snacks are presented to the Empress Dowager sincerely by me. They represent my feelings for her. I dare not use anyone else's hands to make them."

In fact, the Empress Dowager had already investigated the matter clearly, and she knew that the dim sum was indeed made by Concubine Wan herself.

This question was just to draw out her real concerns.

"Hmm," the Queen Mother replied indifferently, glancing at Su Wanti with her slender eyes coldly.

"Your family is a farmer outside the capital. After entering the palace, you only worked as a maid in the flower room for two years and never served in the imperial kitchen. The recipes for these pastries are so delicate and complicated. Where did you learn how to make them?"

The Queen Mother was a thoughtful person. She knew Su Wanti's family background and her experiences after entering the palace.

She had looked at those dim sum and found that they had similarities but also differences with those made in the imperial kitchen.

This is not something a woman from a humble background can do.

The Queen Mother was worried that there might be some unknown forces that were detrimental to the Emperor. Seeing that Su Wanti was extremely beautiful and had the appearance that the Emperor liked, she bribed her and provided her with help behind the scenes to help her gain the Emperor's favor, and then used her to achieve some ulterior motives.

Perhaps it was that unknown force that provided Su Wanti with such a unique snack recipe?

Su Wanti didn't know that the Queen Mother would think so deeply, nor did she know that the Queen Mother would link the snacks she made with the conspiracy.

But she knew that the Queen Mother had been immersed in the harem for several years and had developed a pair of sharp eyes that could see through routines and understand people's hearts.

Well, it’s best not to lie in front of the Queen Mother, just tell the truth.

But this truth does not mean telling everything.

For example, she cannot reveal the source of the recipe, but she can talk more about the thoughts and steps she took to make the snacks.

Su Wanti listened to the Queen Mother's question, smiled slightly, and answered honestly:

"Your Majesty, the dim sum I present to you is a modification of an existing dim sum."

"I longed to meet the Empress Dowager, but could find no way. Later, I recalled the day I first came to see her. I saw the maids in her palace picking plum blossoms and gathering fallen snow. I felt that the Empress Dowager must enjoy exquisite things that embody the spirit of nature."

"I then asked the Emperor for confirmation, and he said that the Empress Dowager likes to incorporate natural ingredients into her diet. So I thought, maybe I could make some novel, non-sweet snacks for the Empress Dowager to please her."

"I come from a farming family. When I was at home, I worked day and night, taking care of the family's three meals a day. I've made all kinds of pasta and snacks, so I have some basic knowledge."

"But the level of sophistication and the ingredients and craftsmanship used in the palace's pastries are incomparable to the food of ordinary people."

"In order to make these pastries, I have put in a lot of effort. I first select a pastry and study it for several days, spending at least four hours in the small kitchen every day. During this time, I also consult with the imperial chef. Then, when making the pastries, I try to incorporate natural ingredients that the Empress Dowager likes."

"I've put a lot of thought into this, using plum blossoms, mint, lotus, osmanthus, and so on... We can't let them clash with the main flavors of the pastry, but we can't let them be obscure and have no sense of presence either."

"I have to try every dessert many times, and only when I feel it is suitable will I dare to present it to the Empress Dowager."

"If Her Majesty the Queen Mother has seen the snacks I made, it's fine if she still doesn't want to see me. I've also improved some drinks, including sour plum drink, snow-soaked plum wine, golden lychee ice, etc. When summer comes, I will make them one by one and present them to Her Majesty the Queen Mother."

While Su Wanti was speaking, the Queen Mother would occasionally glance at her to see her expression.

The Queen Mother knew that the dim sum she made involved complicated processes and tedious production, requiring not only meticulous attention to detail but also great patience and care.

From this point, we can see that she is not an impetuous and perfunctory person, but a down-to-earth, careful, persistent and patient person.

Now, she tells the story of the process of making snacks in a detailed and real way.

Su Wanti was excited when she talked about what she had done with her heart. Her cheeks flushed slightly and her sincere words caught the Queen Mother's eyes, and her previous worries disappeared.

The Queen Mother felt relieved and her prejudice against her faded a lot.

She glanced silently at Su Wanti's little face, carefully examining her complexion.

Su Wanti's eyes were big and gentle, her pupils sparkling like broken stars, and the corners of her eyes were upturned, like the eyes of a little fox.

Looking down, she has a small nose, a pointed chin, and lips that are alluringly red, pearl-like, full and round.

Her eyes and lips make her look alluring and charming, with unparalleled beauty.

But her fair and tender cheeks were slightly flushed with either shyness or excitement, and her words and actions were quiet and proper, giving her a calm and peaceful temperament, which made people feel at ease just by looking at her.

The Queen Mother felt that the woman in front of her was like a tamed little wild beast, beautiful, docile, and with a bright and fierce beauty.

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