Two days later.

Guan Zhiyue got up early. Winter weather is naturally brighter later than other times of the year, and the sky outside was still dark. Fortunately, it had stopped snowing.

"Bilian, are you ready?"

Bilian stood solemnly behind Guan Zhiyue, ready for anything, and nodded seriously, "Your Majesty, this servant is ready."

"Alright, then you go out of the palace first and go get our custom-made small boiler."

Guan Zhiyue planned to treat Li Qiji's uncle's family to individual hot pots, especially in winter when it's freezing cold. If a table full of food is cooked but ends up cold, wouldn't that be unpleasant?

Hot pot is the best food in winter. The "Yuan Yang Hot Pot" restaurants outside use a whole big pot, but we absolutely cannot use a big pot for this welcome banquet.

After all, these royals are very particular. They would definitely not like it if so many people were stirring things together in one pot. Besides, Li Qiji's uncle and aunt come from a scholarly family, so they must be very particular about their meals.

"Yes, Your Highness, I'll go right away. Is there anything else you need me to do?"

Guan Zhiyue shook her head, indicating that there was nothing more to do. She then told Bilian to leave the palace as soon as possible, and went into her room to retrieve the hot pot base and other miscellaneous seasonings she had taken out a few days earlier from the top shelf of her wardrobe.

Night always arrives so quickly. Guan Zhiyue washed and dressed herself in her room, and then headed towards the Empress Dowager's Cining Palace.

That night, Guan Zhiyue stepped into the Cining Palace.

"Her Majesty the Empress has come to pay her respects!"

"Yue'er is here!" Empress Dowager Xin looked at the door with a smile, waiting for the young girl to come in.

"Your daughter-in-law greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be well!"

Guan Zhiyue knelt respectfully on the ground and bowed to Empress Dowager Xin, who was dressed as an old lady.

When the servants in the room saw Guan Zhiyue stand up, they quickly knelt down and bowed to her, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress!"

"Come to my side quickly!"

Guan Zhiyue walked up to Empress Dowager Xin with small, floral steps, her face full of smiles.

"She's lost weight, how could she have lost so much weight?" Empress Dowager Xin looked at Guan Zhiyue as she approached, and then at the person in front of her, who was as thin as a willow swaying in the wind. It was completely different.

"Yes, my daughter-in-law has been working hard to lose weight recently, so she has succeeded." Guan Zhiyue was very satisfied with her current weight, and she looked confident in the face of the Empress Dowager's questions.

Empress Dowager Xin held Guan Zhiyue's hand and said with some concern, "I just feel that you are so weak now. Is there anything wrong with your health?"

"Thank you for your concern, Mother. Your daughter-in-law is in good health after losing weight, and there is nothing wrong with her!" Guan Zhiyue was actually very gratified. She originally thought that the Empress Dowager would be displeased with her successful weight loss, but all she heard were words of concern. This made her feel that not everyone in the palace was heartless.

"As long as you're healthy, that's all that matters!"

"However, Yue'er, after successfully losing weight, you do look much more stunning than before. You've just lost some of your former sweet and adorable charm, and now you have a more pitiful look."

"That's wonderful! I'm really looking forward to the arrival of my grandson. Daughter-in-law, you must take good care of my son." Empress Dowager Xin looked at Guan Zhiyue, whose face was stunningly beautiful, and thought that she would soon be able to hold her grandson.

In the past, the emperor might have disliked her because of her plump figure, but now that her daughter-in-law is so beautiful and charming, she herself doesn't believe that her son can still remain unmoved by her beauty.

Although the harem is full of beauties, those concubines and imperial consorts are no match for the current Empress. Alas, I have such discerning eyes!

Empress Dowager Xin was constantly plotting her own schemes, while glancing at Granny Fan and Granny Jin beside her from time to time.

"Mother, have my uncles not entered the palace yet?" Guan Zhiyue asked Empress Dowager Xin after chatting with the Empress Dowager for a while.

Empress Dowager Xin also looked towards the doorway and asked the old eunuch waiting beside her.

"Little Chen, have Lord Xin and the others not entered the palace yet?"

Eunuch Chen stepped forward respectfully from the side, bowed and clasped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Lord Xin and his family have entered the palace, but the Emperor invited them to the Imperial Study to discuss the customs and culture of Jiangnan."

"Where is Madam Xin?" Empress Dowager Xin asked.

Eunuch Chen: "We went together."

Guan Zhiyue nodded, stood up and said to Empress Dowager Xin, "Mother, today it is your daughter-in-law's turn to host the family banquet. I will go to the kitchen to prepare dinner first."

Empress Dowager Xin nodded in agreement, indicating her strong support, and then instructed her head maid, Chun Tao, to take Guan Zhiyue toward the private kitchen of Cining Palace.

Before leaving, Guan Zhiyue bowed to Empress Dowager Xin and said, "Mother, I have another question to ask you!"

"You silly child, speak freely!"

Guan Zhiyue respectfully asked, "I wonder what your uncle, aunt, and cousin's tastes are?"

"But are there any foods you should avoid?"

Empress Dowager Xin thought for a moment and said, "No, your uncle and his family have no dietary restrictions when it comes to food. Your uncle is a real gourmand. You can show off your best skills."

After hearing this, Guan Zhiyue nodded and then followed Chun Tao toward the private kitchen of Cining Palace.

"Little Chen, send someone to invite the Emperor and the Prince of Xiaoyao!"

"Yes, old servant, I'll go right away."

The kitchen of Cining Palace.

"Your Majesty, everything is ready and we are just waiting for you to arrive."

"Is the bone broth ready?" Guan Zhiyue looked around at the kitchen, which was filled with all sorts of things.

"Yes, it's all better now."

Guan Zhiyue wandered around and saw that everything was prepared according to her instructions. She sent all the servants away and then she and Bilian cooked hot pot broth in the kitchen. This time, the hot pot was also a yin-yang pot, but the big pot was replaced with a small pot for each person, with a partition in the middle.

"Your Majesty, shall we begin preparing the meal?"

"Okay! Stir-fry." Guan Zhiyue then started stir-frying in the kitchen with a clattering sound. After everything was ready, she had a servant take the pot to Zhuoying Pavilion in Cining Palace.

"Your Highness, would you like to freshen up? Otherwise, you smell like smoke." Bilian asked Guan Zhiyue, who was covered in the smell of cooking.

Guan Zhiyue shook her head dismissively. "This is how it tastes. We're going to eat it later, so I'll wash up when we get back to the palace. Otherwise, if I wash up now and then, I'll have to wash up again after dinner. Wouldn't that kill me?"

"yes!"

"You'd better do your best this time, Your Highness!" Bilian whispered in Guan Zhiyue's ear.

Guan Zhiyue was speechless. She rolled her eyes at the sky, indicating that she didn't want to do these things at all.