Qixiang Palace.
As soon as Consort Xi stepped through the gate, she shouted, "Mother—I'm so hungry, I'm starving!"
"Pah, pah, pah—why say such unlucky things on such a fine day!"
Hearing the sound, Old Madam Jin came out to greet them. Her heart melted when she saw Jiaojiao. "Oh my, my darling Jiaojiao is here too. Are you hungry?"
"Quickly, quickly—Granny, bring out all the food! I've been simmering chicken soup all night, with your favorite little mushrooms in it, it smells so good!"
The old lady held Jiaojiao's hand and looked her up and down. "You've lost weight. You must eat more later!"
“Grandmother…Mother was just saying yesterday that the new clothes she made a few days ago are too small again, and that she’s lost weight.”
Jiang Jiaojiao smiled slightly and said.
Every time my grandmother saw me, she would complain that I had lost weight and would bring out all the best food and drinks.
“Look, as long as Jiaojiao is around, Mother can’t see anyone else.”
Chen Jin'er said sourly.
"Oh, you're jealous of the younger generation, aren't you ashamed? You'll get your comeuppance. The little kitchen you were talking about yesterday has finally figured out how to make cold noodles. Try it in a bit to see if it tastes right."
The old lady looked helpless, but Chen Jin'er jumped up with joy, "Mother is the best! I love you to death!"
This jump terrified the palace maids and nannies who were accompanying them.
Granny Jin quickly helped Chen Jin'er up, "Your Highness, be careful of the prince in your belly."
"How do you know it's a prince? I told you, I like princesses. I want a sweet and soft little princess like Jiaojiao."
As she spoke, Chen Jin'er touched Jiang Jiaojiao's soft cheek.
"So soft! Seventh Brother is so lucky!"
As he spoke, he looked up and down with his eyes, clicking his tongue in amazement...
They're both women, but why does Jiaojiao look so much softer?
"Ah! Little Jin—Aunt Jin! Where are you looking!"
Jiang Jiaojiao covered her chest with both hands, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. The dress she wore today was made of soft, fragrant silk bestowed by the emperor, which took more than a dozen embroiderers three days and three nights to complete. Paired with a belt inlaid with various gemstones, it made her figure appear exceptionally exquisite and shapely.
Madam Jin was both amused and annoyed. This girl, after becoming a concubine and a mother, had become even more like a child.
Walking with Jiaojiao, they look like sisters.
Now even her personality has become more and more playful.
Luo Shier grinned broadly beside her, giving Old Madam Jin another headache.
These three together really have no manners whatsoever. Oh well, as long as they don't cause any trouble, let them be.
Anyway, once they get married and become wives of elders, there are plenty of rules for them to learn!
The cooks in the small kitchen of Qixiang Palace were brought in by the Jin family, who had gathered the best chefs in the world.
Only they could satisfy Consort Xi's various whimsical ideas.
And here it is, the liangpi (cold skin noodles) I was craving yesterday is served today. The translucent noodles are spread out in the bowl, topped with bright green cucumber shreds and bean sprouts, along with bright red dogwood oil, a few specks of minced garlic and chopped green onions, and fragrant aged vinegar. Mix it all together, and yum...
Chen Jin'er's mouth was watering. She was pregnant and felt hot and restless, so she wanted something cool to eat.
"So cool! So sour! So refreshing!"
Jiang Jiaojiao took a bite and exclaimed, "This cold skin noodle is a perfect match with cucumber and bean sprouts!"
Cucumbers and bean sprouts were also cultivated by Chen Jin'er, and now they have become signature dishes of the Dream of the Red Chamber, bringing in a fortune every day.
I never expected that mixing it with cold noodles would be so delicious!
Chen Jin'er squinted her eyes: "Mmm, it tastes really good! The dough could be made thinner, that would make it even better. Also, you could add more vinegar, making it more sour would be perfect!"
After saying that, she picked up another piece of cold noodles with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.
"My goodness! My teeth are aching so badly, isn't that enough?"
Grandma Jin took a bite and almost broke her teeth from the sourness. She quickly rinsed her mouth with tea.
"Smells sour! Delicious!"
Luo Shier's face was contorted with embarrassment, but he kept eating, getting more and more addicted.
A large bowl of cold noodles was completely devoured by several people, who patted their bellies and exclaimed how satisfying it was.
After Jiang Jiaojiao finished eating and drinking, she didn't forget to call out to Granny Jin, "Granny, is there any more in the small kitchen? Prepare some for me, I'll take it to my mother to try."
“There are all kinds of delicacies at the banquet, but your mother is not as greedy as you.”
The old lady smiled so much that wrinkles appeared on her face. "Yesterday, your eldest aunt sent word that she and your mother will be going to the palace for a banquet today."
A palace banquet was something the Jin family had never even dared to dream of before.
It's all thanks to Jiaojiao!
"How can you possibly get enough to eat at a palace banquet?" Chen Jin'er muttered. "We don't even know if we'll get to eat anything at all."
"What?"
Madam Jin didn't hear clearly.
Jiang Jiaojiao quickly gave a wink, and Chen Jin'er immediately reacted, taking the old lady's arm and changing the subject, "Oh dear, I'm so sleepy after eating, Mother! How about you come inside with me to rest for a bit?"
"Hmm, I heard that pregnant women are most prone to drowsiness. Grandmother, please go and rest with Aunt Jin. I... I'll take some cold noodles for Fourth Sister to try first."
After saying that, he pulled Luo Twelve away.
"Hey, hey, hey—why are you in such a hurry! You're leaving already?"
Before Madam Jin could stop her, Jiang Jiaojiao had already pulled the other person away.
After a few lighthearted banter, the old lady had long forgotten what she had just said. Chen Jin'er secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If the old lady had known that something bad was going to happen at the banquet, she definitely wouldn't have let her go.
That won't do.
Those were all stages specially set up for her by others. If she didn't go, how could they put on their shows?
Jiang Jiaojiao took the cold noodles to Consort Mei's palace.
The fourth princess found the cold noodles novel, took a bite, and was amazed, eating them without even looking up.
After realizing she had eaten a whole plateful, she put down her chopsticks sheepishly, wiped her mouth, and said, "This cold noodle dish is really refreshing and delicious."
"Princess, you haven't had such a good appetite in a long time."
Lan'er wiped away her tears of joy. Ever since the Northern King entered the city, the princess had been unable to eat or sleep and had become thinner day by day. Today, upon hearing the good news about the dragon boat race, she managed to eat a few bites, but she vomited them all up after only a few bites. Unexpectedly, this seemingly unremarkable cold noodle dish suited the princess's taste.
Jiang Jiaojiao was taken aback by Lan'er's words.
Only then did they realize that the Fourth Princess had become quite haggard in just a few days, and even the makeup on her face couldn't hide the dark circles under her eyes.
The Fourth Princess quickly interrupted Lan'er, "Don't listen to Lan'er, it's just that the weather has been a bit hot and humid these past few days, and my appetite has been a little poor."
"Hold out your hand so I can see it."
Jiang Jiaojiao's expression suddenly turned serious. The Fourth Princess was taken aback and stretched out her hand. After examining it carefully, Jiang Jiaojiao's face darkened. "Have you been having nightmares lately?"
How did you know?!
The fourth princess cried out in alarm, her face turning deathly pale, as if some earth-shattering secret had been discovered, and she was in a state of panic.
"You've been poisoned."
Jiang Jiaojiao asked definitively, "Have you been in contact with anything from outside recently?"
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