The large kitchen was naturally reserved for chefs like Jin Xi and Xing'er, while the small kitchen was taken over by Zhao Shu and others.

If this were in the capital, one would certainly not have seen the Empress Dowager cook herself, nor would one have had the chance to see Prince Yong covered in flour.

Even Zhao Yi was helped by Li Zhuo to the kitchen to make dumplings with Prince Yong.

"Father, what are you wrapping?" Zhao Shu peeked over and saw several lumps of something on the cutting board in front of Prince Yong. The shapes were so abstract that it was impossible to name them just by looking at them. If this were a first-grade test question, asking children to name the thing based on the picture, the kids would definitely take the duck egg home.

Prince Yong finished wrapping up what he was holding, put it down, looked up at Zhao Shu, and glanced at the dumplings in front of her, "And what's that over there?"

"Five Blessings and Good Fortune Dumplings! If you eat the dumplings made by Ah Jun, you'll surely have five blessings and good fortune next year." She lied and praised the strange-looking dumpling in front of her as if it were a beautiful flower. After she finished praising it, she saw Zhao Yi, Sun Yun, and the Empress Dowager casting disgusted glances at her. She swallowed hard and said, "Crown Prince, how can you be so disgusted with me?"

The Crown Prince immediately looked away, continued making the dumplings he was not yet finished, and said to Prince Yong beside him, "You don't understand men's dumplings, do you, Uncle Nineteen?"

"That makes sense." Prince Yong nodded hastily, not wanting to say anything more, as a man's pride was too fragile to bear.

Zhao Shu looked at them with disdain. "Actually, I ran out of minced meat. I saw that Father had a lot, so I wanted some. I misspoke and hurt your dignity as men. I'm sorry, I was wrong. Please give me some meat." She had to admit that seeing dumplings that were even uglier than hers made made her want to show off a little.

Prince Yong casually handed the remaining minced meat to Zhao Shu and continued wrapping, occasionally exchanging tips with the Crown Prince in a low voice.

Looking at this family, Sun Yun felt a mix of emotions. This was no noble family; they were just an ordinary family. In the Sun family, it was impossible to see a man cooking. "A gentleman keeps away from the kitchen" was a principle she had learned since childhood.

He leaned close to Zhao Shu's ear and whispered, "Did your father and the Crown Prince also cook in the past?"

"Only someone cooking for the first time could make dumplings like that." Zhao Shu completely ignored the oddly shaped dumplings in front of her. After saying that, she glanced at the dumplings in front of Sun Yun, which were exquisite and beautiful, looking like ingots. "Did you cook often before?"

“I learned it at the clan school. Do you want to learn? I can teach you.” Sun Yun said casually. Without waiting for Zhao Shu’s reply, he began to teach, “First, wrap one up, then stick the two ends together tightly.”

After saying that, she finished wrapping them. Zhao Shu clumsily tried to wrap one, but it was not only extremely ugly, it also leaked...

Zhao Yi chuckled to himself, but Zhao Shu glared at him. He immediately lowered his eyes and pretended to be extremely serious.

Just then, Jin Xi brought in a large celadon bowl with lotus petal design. "Your Majesty, here is the broth you requested."

Immediately, everyone's eyes fell on the Empress Dowager. She calmly instructed Jin Xi to put down the broth, then washed her hands and began to wrap the fish paste in vegetable leaves...

Zhao Shu thought for a long time before finally remembering that this was also Ah Jiu's favorite dish, "Everyone Meets a Hundred Fortunes," which she had made exceptionally well. After remembering, she immediately put on an admiring look, "Grandmother, you are simply a culinary god!"

The Empress Dowager glanced at her sideways and continued what she was doing, thoroughly enjoying the admiration from her granddaughter.

"Your Majesty, the Commandant has arrived, bringing with him the grandchildren of the imperial family and a group of noblewomen to pay their respects," Zhang Chu reported as he entered.

The Empress Dowager did not stop. "Have the imperial kitchen prepare the imperial meal, and I will not go to see anyone." Since arriving in Guanzhou, she had never truly received the homage of the Guanzhou imperial family.

As expected, Zhang Chu excused himself and left, deliberately avoiding looking at the dumplings that were wrapped up beyond recognition.

The Crown Prince looked somewhat unnatural. Although ancestral worship was now being held at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, not in Guanzhou, both the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince were in Guanzhou. It was necessary to set up an altar to worship ancestors and heaven. However, the Empress Dowager had no intention of worshipping ancestors and heaven in Guanzhou and spent this New Year's Eve in a very ordinary way.

If it were in the palace in the capital, even eating New Year's dumplings would involve a grand and elaborate ceremony, with rules and regulations for every step from the moment one gets up.

Everyone knew why the Empress Dowager did this, and Zhao Yi himself knew as well, but no one said anything; instead, they were all smiles.

Before long, the Empress Dowager's "Everyone Gets a Hundred Fortunes" was ready. It smelled delicious when it came out of the pot, and everyone immediately felt hungry, even though they had just had breakfast.

Perhaps to dispel the gloom of the prince's injury, three or four more stoves were added to the small kitchen, so that everyone could gather together to cook and talk.

Zhao Shu made more than fifty dumplings, thinking that Wei Tingsi would eat about thirty, and that the remaining twenty would be divided among everyone. She then prepared to cook three dishes and a soup.

Sun Yun was fast and skilled. Prince Yong and Zhao Yi secretly glanced at her, hoping to learn her techniques. Zhao Shu glared at the two men angrily. They even looked down on her for trying to learn from her! How outrageous!

He pursed his lips, washed his hands and started washing the vegetables, preparing to avenge his previous humiliation.

"Ah Jun, what are you going to do?" Sun Yun felt it necessary to lend a hand.

Zhao Shu flicked her sleeves, raised an eyebrow, and said, "A beef rib with abundant blessings." She then waved the beef rib in her hand, smiled broadly, and asked, "And you?"

“Five Blessings Roll.” Sun Yun chose the stove facing her and began to wash her hands and wash the vegetables. Her movements were skillful and graceful, making others envious. This other person was Zhao Shu.

With her practical skills being negative, she tried hard to recall how she had survived and grown to twenty years old in the modern world. It was truly unbelievable, and the past was too painful to recall.

This "Fortune and Prosperity" beef ribs was made for her by Ah Jiu. She had known Ah Jiu for over ten years. When neither of them was able to earn money, they spent the Lunar New Year at the orphanage. Every year, Ah Jiu would help the director prepare the New Year's Eve dinner, while she could only do odd jobs like washing dishes and vegetables. Thinking about it now, it's incredibly heartbreaking.

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