"Would Your Majesty want to try it?" Su Jinli seemed to have just remembered her. She scooped half a spoonful with a clean silver spoon and handed it three inches in front of her. "I just added some spicy shells brought from Sichuan. The taste may be a little stronger, but it goes perfectly with hot porridge." She raised her wrist slightly, and the black jade bracelet shone with a warm light in the firelight. The luster was even more pleasing to the eye than the oriental pearls on the empress's phoenix crown.
The empress looked at the spoonful of shiny powder, as if she saw countless ants crawling across it. She recalled the fine lines at the corners of her eyes she had seen in the mirror this morning while she was dressing. She recalled Su Jinli's stunning ant-climbing-a-tree trick at the Imperial Garden banquet yesterday. She recalled how the emperor had recently summoned Madam Su to the palace for lectures, even postponing two cabinet meetings to hear her fox fairy tales.
"No need." The Queen's voice was as cold as the falling snow outside the palace. She clenched the round fan in her hand, and the newly painted "Fishing Alone on a Cold River" on the fan was left with several white marks by her nails. "I have been having stomach discomfort recently and cannot eat such spicy food. Madam Su is thoughtful." As she spoke, she turned around abruptly. The pearl curtain swayed in disarray the moment she turned around, and a few of them fell off the hairpin and fell on the bluestone slab, making a tiny sound that was soon drowned out by the laughter of the Emperor and the Queen Mother.
Upon seeing this, Concubine Shu hurriedly bowed and followed. Before leaving, she did not forget to give Su Jinli a look. Her eyes were like needles tempered by ice, but Su Jinli cleverly avoided it by lowering her head to serve the dishes.
"Sister Su, the Queen seems unhappy." Princess Shou'an chewed on the silver spoon, her little face full of confusion.
Su Jinli brought the last plate of Ants Climbing a Tree to the Queen Mother. She just smiled and wiped the oil splashed on her wrist with her apron: "Maybe you think the fumes here are too heavy." She looked at the Queen's back as she disappeared in the wind and snow, and thought of the snow in Kunning Palace in her previous life. It was also such weather. The pregnancy-maintaining medicine given by the Queen was shining coldly in the white porcelain bowl, but at this moment, the smoke from the kitchen was warm enough to melt people's hearts.
The emperor had already started eating his third dish, muttering, "Jiang Yan is so lucky to be able to eat such delicious food every day." He suddenly put down the porcelain plate, stared at Su Jinli and asked, "Su Jinli, what do you think about adding some shrimp to this Ants Climbing a Tree? I think it would be even better if it were a little fresher!"
The Queen Mother tapped her cane. "Your Majesty is being ridiculous again. Why add shrimp to a good home-cooked meal?" She looked at Su Jinli with the kindness of an elder. "I think it's best this way. It has a touch of homely flavor, unlike the palace dishes, which are exquisite but lack the true flavor."
Su Jinli nodded, her gaze fixed on the window. The snow seemed to have stopped, a thin layer of snow covering the black tiles of the imperial kitchen. A few sparrows were perched on the old locust tree in the courtyard, chirping as if arguing over the alluring aroma. She remembered that Jiang Yan should still be in Wenyuan Pavilion, proofreading the Complete Book of Agricultural Administration. She wondered if he had sent his servant to bring him lunch, and if he had remembered to add a spoonful of freshly pickled chilies to the porridge this morning.
The chili powder in her sleeve warmed up a little. Jiang Yan had ground it specially for her the previous night, saying the chefs in the imperial kitchen were reluctant to use spicy food. He told her to keep it with her and add some to her meal whenever she wanted. Now, smelling the lingering spicy aroma from the pot, she suddenly felt that no matter how cold the wind in the deep palace was, as long as there was this little bit of homely air, she wouldn't be lost.
While the Emperor and the Empress Dowager were still arguing over whether to add shrimp to their Ants on the Tree, Princess Shou'an was already looking forward to tomorrow's snack. The eunuchs in the imperial kitchen were busy cleaning up the messy stove, their mouths still savoring the taste of the meal. Su Jinli took off her bamboo apron and patted the greasy spots off it. She suddenly felt a little tired, yet also strangely satisfied.
She remembered what Jiang Yan often said: "No matter how difficult life is, there must always be some taste." Looking at the somewhat chaotic but lively scene in front of her, she suddenly understood that this so-called taste has never been delicacies from land and sea, but someone is willing to cook for you, someone will grab a piece of your home-cooked dish regardless of his image, and someone can share this little bit of warmth with you within these palace walls.
As for the Empress's cold face and Consort Shu's jealousy, they seemed less important in this kitchen filled with the aroma of peppercorns and meat. Su Jinli smoothed her hair and turned toward the door. The chili powder in her sleeves was like a small flame, warming her as she walked through the snow-covered palace corridor, toward the home that always kept a light on for her.
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