Zhao Shu picked up her pen and drew a circle on Prince Yong's face. "Haha, Father, if you lose again next time, there won't be a clean spot on your face."

"You're just bullying your father." The Empress Dowager laughed until tears streamed down her face. But despite her laughter, she showed no mercy and used her brush to dot Prince Yong's forehead.

Prince Yong: ...Sigh, he really went to great lengths to make his mother and daughter happy.

It was clearly a land grab, and they lost.

"Empress Dowager, Your Highness, Princess, the food is ready. I've never seen this before, so I've come to ask the Princess to take a look." Jin Xi came over carrying a tray.

Zhao Shu and the other two had ink stains on their faces to varying degrees, and Jin Xi had to exert a great deal of effort to remain calm.

"Bring it here so I can take a look." Zhao Shu hurriedly put down her brush.

Jin Xi brought over the porcelain bowl. Zhao Shu glanced at it; it looked quite similar, but she didn't know how it would taste. She picked up a spoon from the tray, scooped out a spoonful, and put it in her mouth.

"The taste is good, but it's too sweet. Grandmother can't eat things that are too sweet. In the future, don't put too much sugar in your cooking for her. Just a light sweetness will do."

Foodies know no borders, chefs know no eras, and talented people only need a few pointers to create mouthwatering dishes.

Jin Xi is a prime example of this.

"Yes, this servant remembers and will do as the princess says." Jin Xi was overjoyed. At first, she really kept telling herself that everything was for the Empress Dowager.

In the end, even she herself found it incredible. She just tried a bite, and the taste was smooth, delicious, and extremely refreshing.

"Bring it up in several portions," Zhao Shu instructed after taking a bite and making sure it was okay.

Jin Xi was in charge of the Empress Dowager's meals, so she naturally took care of everything. Before long, the three of them washed the ink off their faces, and freshly made double-skin milk pudding was served.

Zhao Shu personally brought the Empress Dowager's portion to her, saying, "Grandmother, this is your first time eating this, so you shouldn't eat too much. Besides, although this is refreshing, it's also cold, and eating too much can easily upset your stomach."

The Empress Dowager smiled and took a spoonful. "Hmm, it's really good. Jinxi, make more later and send it to the Emperor and Empress. There's nothing this good in the palace."

"Grandmother, the Qixi Festival is just around the corner. Shall we release lanterns on the lake?" Zhao Shu asked, remembering that the Qixi Festival and Lin Xiuxue's tea party were just around the corner.

The Empress Dowager asked in confusion, "Aren't we going to the Lin family?" She remembered that she was going to see those noble ladies and choose a concubine for her son so that her beloved grandson would have someone to take care of him.

"The Lin family's tea is all taken from their granddaughter. What's so special about it? It's nothing special," Zhao Shu said dismissively.

The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow and gave Zhao Shu a complicated look. "A-Jun really isn't going?"

She knew how much effort her precious grandson had put into befriending noble ladies. Therefore, even though she knew that Lin Xiuxue didn't truly consider her grandson a sister, and that she only approached him when she needed something, she suppressed all her anger in order to fulfill her grandson's wishes.

“No, Ah Jun has decided to make the lanterns herself. Does Grandmother want to come along?” Zhao Shu nodded firmly. Lin Xiuxue, Lin Xiuxue, without my full support, how will you win over all the noble ladies in the capital?

The Empress Dowager smiled with relief. Although she had been smiling these past few days because her son had lost his fiefdom, only she knew the bitterness in her heart. Her granddaughter, whom she had always worried about, had become sensible, which was a kind of compensation from God.

"Yes, two is fine. I haven't been to Huguo Temple in a long time. On Qixi Festival, Ah Jun, please accompany me to pray to Buddha and cleanse myself of worldly dust."

Zhao Shu nodded hurriedly. In these turbulent times, even the Empress Dowager, who had lived a life of iron-fisted rule, must be worried.

Playing chess and cards with the Empress Dowager, chatting, the time passed quickly, and it was already 7 PM when they returned to Qionghua Courtyard.

Although it was a bit late, Bi Qiao and the others still waited respectfully in the courtyard.

Upon seeing Zhao Shu return, he hurriedly led everyone to pay their respects, saying, "This servant greets the Princess."

"Get up." She walked to the chair that Bi Qiao had already arranged and sat down, with Xiao Guozi and Luoluo standing on either side of her.

"Thank you, Princess," the maids said in unison.

He glanced at the faces of the eight maids and chuckled, "Have you all made up your minds? You only have one chance. Once you've chosen, there won't be a chance to change your mind."

The eight maids all lowered their heads, not daring to look around or make a sound, and Zhao Shu also stopped talking.

At this moment, Zhao Shu fell silent, and no one dared to utter a sound, including Uncle Fu and Granny Zhuang who were standing guard to the side.

After a long while, one of the eight maids stepped forward and said, "Since childhood, I have dreamed of one day being able to leave the palace and be free, no longer a slave. I thank the princess for her great kindness. I have no way to repay her in this life, but I will repay her by serving her like a cow or a horse in the next."

There were an unusually large number of stars today, their silvery light covering the sky. She looked up and thought, "I will never be a slave again." It was truly a remarkable thought.

If you don't grant her wish, you'll either kill her or you'll eventually be used as a stepping stone to be trampled underfoot.

"As I said, if you want to leave, I will not only release your indenture, but also give you travel expenses." Zhao Shu said earnestly, word by word, without anger, resentment, or any other emotion.

She looked at Uncle Fu and said, "Uncle Fu, everyone who leaves will receive fifty taels of silver."

This was the first time Uncle Fu had ever seen Zhao Shu treat her servants so well. They had only just arrived at the Prince's Mansion and hadn't even served yet, but she was already giving them fifty taels of silver. Fifty taels of silver was nothing to the Prince's Mansion, but for an ordinary family, it was enough for them to live comfortably for three or four years.

The first to step forward and offer to leave was Xin You. When she heard the price of fifty taels, tears streamed down her face, and she knelt down in front of Zhao Shu with a thud. "This servant thanks Your Highness for your great kindness. This servant will pray for Your Highness's longevity and prosperity every day and will erect a longevity tablet for you."

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