In early September, the sky was clear and the wind was gentle, and the warm sunshine enveloped the Yaoguang Palace.

An alluring sweet aroma wafted from the small kitchen. A large pot was filled with sugar-roasted chestnuts, each one round and small. The brown chestnut skin could not withstand the high temperature and cracked open, revealing the golden and fragrant chestnut meat.

When Xu Wenchan came to settle accounts with Tao Ti yesterday, he also brought a large basket of chestnuts and hawthorns.

After letting the palace servants take care of some simple food in the morning, Tao Ti began to study food.

On normal days, she would definitely not be so diligent and go into the kitchen early in the morning. But today was different. This afternoon, Old Madam Gu, Mrs. Gu, and the eldest daughter of the Gu family would come to the East Palace to pay her respects.

Thinking of the years of Uncle Gu's secret care for Pei Yan, and that both Old Madam Gu and Madam Gu were elders, Tao Ti, as a younger generation, decided to treat them well. After all, having delicious food on the table could also enhance some feelings.

Hawthorn is not easy to be used in cooking, so Tao Ti made some snacks such as hawthorn cake, snow-flake hawthorn balls, hawthorn jam, and canned hawthorn to stimulate the appetite and strengthen the spleen.

As for chestnuts, in addition to sugar-fried chestnuts, Tao Ti made a chestnut stewed chicken soup, a chestnut braised pork, and also cooked a pot of yam and chestnut porridge, which she served in a purple clay pot and simmered over low heat.

In addition to the chestnut dishes, she also made sweet and sour crispy pot-wrapped meat, and a large portion of chicken wings and shrimp stew. Together with the six specialties sent by the East Palace kitchen, the table was full of dishes, which was full of sincerity.

When the women of the Gu family arrived at the Yaoguang Palace, Tao Ti was changing into neat skirts in the bedroom.

After hearing the palace maid's report, she was still a little nervous. She tugged at the hem of her clothes and asked Linglong, "Do I look okay like this?"

Linglong smiled sincerely and said, "Good, very good. Even without dressing up, the Crown Princess is still pretty and graceful."

"You're getting better and better at praising me." Tao Ti gave Linglong a sly wink, "But I like it!"

"What the slave said is true."

"Okay, let's go out first. Don't keep people waiting."

Tao Ti took a deep breath, straightened her back, and a gentle and friendly smile appeared on her bright and delicate face.

No matter what, you have to keep your temperament in check.

With Linglong's support, she walked around an eight-foot-high rosewood screen inlaid with jade and decorated with cloud and dragon patterns, and slowly walked towards the flower hall where guests were received.

Old Madam Gu, Mrs. Gu Bai, and the eldest daughter of the Gu family, Gu Minglan, sat in the right side of the lower seat. When they saw Tao Ti coming out, the three of them stood up and bowed respectfully.

Tao Ti said softly, "Grandmother, aunt, cousin, we are all family, no need to be polite, please sit down."

Before entering the palace, Madam Gu and Mrs. Bai had an indescribable impression of Tao Ti, the Crown Princess.

They had heard about how the Crown Princess committed suicide by taking poison on her wedding night, and how she and the Crown Prince had shared the good and bad times together and treated him with all her tenderness and consideration... After hearing so much, they still had no idea what was going on.

But now, hearing Tao Ti's affectionate address to them, they couldn't help but feel a little more favorable towards them.

After taking their seats, they looked up at the seat of honor, and both Madam Gu and Mrs. Bai's eyes lit up.

Tao Ti was wearing a gentle and soft bean green long skirt today, a tea-white shirt with lotus embroidery, a heart-shaped bun, and a pearl headpiece. The round and bright pearls dotted her hair, making her temperament even more gentle.

Her makeup was also light, with just a hint of powder, she looked delicate but not coquettish, and graceful and elegant.

In addition, her curved eyebrows and genuine smile gave people a comfortable feeling like a spring breeze.

Old Madam Gu had lived for most of her life and had met many people. As soon as she saw Tao Ti's face and aura, she knew that this grandson's wife was a good girl with a clear mind.

Bai herself was a gentle and good-tempered person. Now that she saw that the Crown Princess was fair, clean, pretty, and her eyes were full of gentleness and friendliness, without any airs of a Crown Princess, her impression of her improved a lot.

Gu Minglan, the eldest daughter of the Gu family, was also amazed by Tao Ti's beauty. Before she came to Chang'an, she had only heard people say that the Crown Princess was good in this way or bad in that way, but had never heard anyone talk about her appearance.

Looking at her face now, standing next to her cousin the Crown Prince... well, they are a match at least.

Seeing that the palace maids had already poured tea for them, Tao Ti asked them if they wanted milk tea or honey grapefruit tea, saying that eating something sweet would make them feel better.

Madam Gu and Mrs. Bai politely said no, but Gu Minglan asked curiously, "Crown Princess, do you have milk tea here too?"

When Tao Ti saw her answering the call, she thought, the strategic approach of using food as a bridge of communication is indeed correct!

"Cousin, have you ever heard of milk tea?"

"Before I came to Chang'an, I heard people say that there was a new trendy drink called milk tea in Chang'an. I wanted to try it, but the milk tea in Taotie Pavilion was on limited sale. I sent my maid to the store three times, but I couldn't buy any!"

Gu Minglan was also wondering in his heart, is this milk tea really that delicious? Why is it so popular?

Hearing this, Tao Ti chuckled and said, "Cousin Mochou, I'll give you a VIP card. Next time you go to Taotie Pavilion with this card, you will definitely be able to buy it."

Gu Minglan was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and said, "I heard that there are only 100 VIP cards in the whole of Chang'an. They are very rare. Thank you for your kindness, Crown Princess. I can't accept this."

Seeing that this cousin was a straightforward person, Tao Ti narrowed her eyes and smiled, "It's okay."

Gu Minglan wanted to decline, but Tao Ti, who was sitting at the top of the table, added, "I am the behind-the-scenes manager of this Taotie Pavilion. I still have a lot of these VIP cards. Don't be polite, cousin."

Gu Minglan, "???"

She looked at Tao Ti with surprise, and Tao Ti nodded slightly at her as a positive response.

Gu Minglan, "!!!"

Although Madam Gu and Mrs. Bai did not show it on their faces, they were a little surprised in their hearts. They did not expect that the Crown Princess would open a shop outside the palace to do business. That was quite strange.

Soon, three cups of rich and sweet bubble milk tea and a serving of sugar-roasted chestnuts were placed on the tea table.

Gu Minglan held the bowl and took a sip. The warm and smooth milk tea flowed into her mouth. It was extremely mellow, with a hint of tea aroma amidst the rich milk aroma, but not too greasy. The pearls had a light sweetness, and were soft, glutinous, and chewy.

"It tastes really good!" Gu Minglan was conquered by the taste at once.

Madam Gu and Mrs. Bai also took two sips and thought it tasted good.

The atmosphere in the flower hall was much more harmonious than at the beginning.

After sitting for a while, a palace servant came in to report that the yam and chestnut porridge on the stove was ready.

Tao Ti put down the cup in her hand and said to Madam Gu and the others with a smile, "It's already noon, let's go to the restaurant for lunch."

Mrs. Gu said "OK", and they walked towards the side hall together.

Looking at the table full of sumptuous dishes, Madam Gu paused for a moment and said with a sigh, "Thank you for taking the trouble to prepare such a large table of dishes, Crown Princess."

Tao Ti said softly, "Grandmother, aunt, and cousin are not only guests of the East Palace, but also relatives of Your Highness who are related by blood. Naturally, I have to entertain them well."

These words made Mrs. Gu feel very happy.

After they were seated, Bai glanced at the dishes on the table and said with a gentle smile, "There are quite a few dishes made with chestnuts today."

Tao Ti said, "I happened to get a basket of chestnuts yesterday, so I made a few dishes to taste the unique flavor of autumn."

Bai was surprised. "Crown Princess, you said you made all these chestnut dishes?"

"Well, I also made the pork stew and the chicken wings and shrimp stew."

After that, Tao Ti personally scooped a bowl of yam and chestnut porridge for Madam Gu and said softly, "Grandma, try this porridge. I prepared it especially for you. Chestnuts and yams are both good ingredients for autumn supplements. They are good for the mind, calming the nerves, and prolonging life."

Looking at the white porcelain bowl she handed over, Madam Gu felt warm in her heart. Just as she was about to take it, she caught a glimpse of the white jade bracelet on her slender wrist.

Madam Gu was obviously stunned.

Tao Ti followed her gaze and saw the jade bracelet. She explained softly, "This was... well, given to me by Nanny Lan who was beside my mother. She said she left it for her future daughter-in-law."

"Yes, this bracelet was put on her by me personally when she was crowned as queen...You are the daughter-in-law she chose, so naturally she would leave it to you." Old Madam Gu said softly, her voice trembling with sadness.

In the blink of an eye, her Yuanyuan has been gone for so many years.

Bai heard that her mother-in-law was in a bad mood, so she looked over and saw at a glance that this was the jade bracelet that her sister-in-law often wore when she was alive. Seeing her mother-in-law like this, she was probably thinking about her.

She pursed her lips and quickly changed the subject, "Mother, look at how well this yam and chestnut porridge is cooked, fragrant and thick. The Crown Princess is really considerate."

After hearing this, Madam Gu also came back to her senses. When she looked at Tao Ti again, a bit of sincere love appeared in her slightly cloudy old eyes, and she sighed, "Yes, the Crown Princess is really thoughtful."

"Just eat as you like."

Tao Ti withdrew her hand, calmly covered the jade bracelet with her sleeve, and said to Bai and Gu Minglan, "Aunt, cousin, let's pick up our chopsticks, otherwise the food will get cold and won't taste good."

"Eat it while it's hot." said Mrs. Gu.

Tao Ti picked up the chopsticks, picked up a piece of bright red pot-wrapped meat and put it into her mouth.

The starchy skin wrapped around the pot-wrapped meat becomes crispy and crunchy after being fried twice in oil, and the surface is coated with a rich sweet and sour sauce, which tastes sour and sweet. When you bite through the skin and eat the tender tenderloin inside, the meaty aroma overflows, and the large piece of meat fills your mouth, giving you an extremely satisfying feeling.

Seeing Tao Ti eating the pot-stir-fried pork with a look of enjoyment, Gu Minglan frowned slightly. It's just a plate of fried meat, why is she eating it so happily?

Out of curiosity, she also picked up a piece.

As soon as she put it into her mouth, the sweet and sour taste made her eyebrows move slightly. After chewing it twice, her eyes gradually lit up, "This fried meat tastes really good. Crown Princess, did you really make this dish?"

As soon as she said this, she suddenly realized that it was a bit rude to ask this question, and hurriedly added, "Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to doubt you, it's just that this fried meat is so delicious..."

Tao Ti smiled at her, "I understand what you mean. This dish was indeed made by me. I like to cook when I have nothing to do. My cooking skills... well, are pretty good."

Gu Minglan exclaimed in amazement, thinking: This cooking skill is more than just good, it is simply amazing!

Seeing that Gu Minglan also loved to eat, Tao Ti felt a little more intimate with her and suggested, "Cousin, try this chicken wing and shrimp stew."

"good!"

Gu Minglan looked at the stew pot and saw that the black clay pot was filled with ingredients. The tempting river shrimps and chicken wings were neatly arranged, and sprinkled with white sesame seeds and emerald green onions. The red, green and white, accompanied by the rich aroma that continued to emanate, brought people a double stimulation of vision and smell. Before he even tasted it, his saliva was automatically secreted.

Not to mention Gu Minglan, even Madam Gu and Mrs. Bai felt a strong appetite when they saw this dish and they all reached for their chopsticks.

Gu Minglan first picked up a chicken wing, which had been cut into pieces. During the cooking process, the salty sauce flowed through the opening and completely soaked into the chicken wing, making every piece of chicken meat full of fragrance. The chicken wing melted in the mouth with one bite, and was extremely tender.

The shrimp in the pot is also fully blended with the sauce, the meat is chewy and full, and you can taste the unique sweet flavor of shrimp when chewing it carefully.

"Wow, it turns out there is a layer of vegetarian dishes buried underneath. I thought it was a whole pot of shrimps and chicken wings." After Gu Minglan picked up the third chicken wing, the lotus root slices, onions, potatoes, and carrots buried under the stew pot were also exposed.

"These vegetables have absorbed the aroma of the meat and the soup. They taste just as good as chicken wings and shrimps, and are especially good with rice." Tao Ti recommended it enthusiastically. Every time she eats the stew, she can eat six bowls of rice with the soup and vegetables.

After tasting the two dishes, Gu Minglan developed an inexplicable trust in Tao Ti.

So she followed Taoti's instructions and scooped a large spoonful of the vegetable rice soaked in soup. After taking a big bite, she nodded continuously, "It smells good, really good. Grandma, mother, you should try these dishes too, they are so delicious!"

Mrs. Bai and Madam Gu were quite old after all, and their stomachs could not handle the greasy food. They just took two bites, then resisted the urge to drink the lighter chestnut stewed chicken soup instead.

The method of making chestnut stewed chicken soup is not much different from ordinary chicken soup, except that fresh chestnuts are added. The young hen is stewed until tender, the meat is tender but slightly chewy, not dry at all, and very easy to eat. The chicken soup, which is full of essence, is clear in color, with a layer of light golden chicken fat floating on the surface, but it does not taste greasy. The soup has the sweetness of red dates and the aroma of chestnuts, so it is particularly sweet.

"This chicken soup tastes really delicious." Bai praised, looking at Tao Ti with a little more appreciation.

Madam Gu nodded continuously, with a warm smile on her wrinkled face, "I didn't expect you to have such a good craft. It's a blessing for Yan'er to marry you."

Tao Ti curled her eyes and smiled shyly.

Several people in this room were having lunch in a happy atmosphere, while in the Zixiao Palace on the other side, Pei Yan also received a loving snack sent by Tao Ti.

Normally, when she delivered food, one food box was enough, but this time, she used three food boxes carved with red lacquer crabapple flowers.

Gu Zhihong, the young master of the Gu family, came over in confusion and asked, "Didn't the kitchen already send a table of food over? Why is there more?"

Gu Qu, the newly appointed Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, also frowned, thinking that all the efforts were a waste.

Pei Yan didn't say anything. Fu Xirui, who was standing beside him, was smart and said with a smile, "Master Gu, Young Master Gu, this is the food sent by the Crown Princess. The Crown Princess is considerate of Your Highness. Every time she cooks, she will send some for Your Highness to taste."

Both the Gu family father and son were stunned: Food prepared by the Crown Princess?