The summer heat made people lose their appetites. In addition, the Qinghe County Lord seemed to be a bit abstinent when it came to food. Tao Ti thought about it and finally prepared four dishes and a soup:

Gong Bao chicken, squirrel mandarin fish, sweet and sour pork tenderloin, pickled cabbage, plus a light and delicious fish ball vermicelli soup.

After the palace maids prepared the ingredients, Tao Ti washed her hands and started cooking.

The first dish she made was sweet and sour tenderloin. She selected fresh tenderloin, marinated it for a while, then coated it with batter and fried it in a pan. The success of a sweet and sour tenderloin depends on the frying process. The heat must be controlled well, so that it is not fried too raw or too old. The right degree of crispness and tenderness depends entirely on experience and touch.

The second is the quality of the tomato sauce; although there are tomatoes in the Dayuan Chao, they are too sour, so when making the sauce, Taoti increased the proportion of sugar. That's right, when stir-frying the tenderloin, in addition to adding tomato sauce, you also have to add some sugar and vinegar, so that you can coat it with a bright red and thick sauce.

When the dish of sweet and sour pork tenderloin was poured out of the pot steaming hot, Tao Ti sprinkled a layer of green onions and fried white sesame seeds on it, and the dish instantly became more tempting.

Qinghe wasn't very hungry at first, but when she saw the red dishes, she couldn't help but pursed her lips. They looked delicious.

Seeing this, Tao Ti picked up a piece with chopsticks and put it to Qing He's mouth, "Here, taste it."

Qinghe was stunned and her face turned red.

She has never been fed by anyone since she grew up.

She shyly opened her mouth and bit off the sweet and sour pork tenderloin. But she was immediately amazed by the rich, sweet and sour taste as soon as the food entered her mouth.

The tenderloin is exceptionally tender, and the sauce coating it is just the right amount of sweet and sour, not greasy at all. I even want to eat it with a bowl of rice.

Qinghe was surprised and surprised when she realized what she was thinking. This was the first time she wanted to eat rice.

Tao Ti had no idea what Qinghe was thinking. After feeding Qinghe, she took a bite herself and went to make the next dish - Gong Bao Chicken - with satisfaction.

This Gong Bao Chicken is a classic Sichuan dish. Although it looks like a bunch of red peppers, it is actually not spicy. It tastes more spicy and fragrant, with a slight sour taste and a little sweetness.

Take the fresh and tender chicken thighs, cut them into small cubes, and stir-fry them with the fried peanuts. Soon, the rich and fragrant aroma will waft out of the kitchen and outside the hall.

Yuanbao's "meow" sounded from outside the kitchen door at the right time. Every time the little guy smelled the fragrance, he would stare with a pair of beautiful eyes and lie at the door and call. Although he was very greedy, he was very well-behaved and never ran into the kitchen to make trouble.

"Little greedy cat." Tao Ti raised her head and glanced, then smiled and told Linglong to feed Yuanbao some dried fish.

After making the Gong Bao Chicken, Tao Ti started to prepare the plump mandarin fish without stopping.

The most important thing about cooking squirrel mandarin fish is the knife skills. If you want to fry the fish beautifully, you have to cut it diagonally with a chrysanthemum knife. The angle is very important.

Qinghe watched from the side and couldn't help but hold his breath. He looked at Tao Ti's skillful and neat technique, then looked down at his own hands.

My hands seem to be just a decoration...

When a whole fish is coated with dry flour and put into the oil pan, the aroma of fish and oil quickly emerges with a "sizzling" sound. Soon, the fish is fried golden and crispy, and is placed intact on a long white porcelain plate.

Tao Ti prepared a thick sauce in another pot, added hot oil, and sprinkled it evenly on the fish. At the same time, she sprinkled fried shrimps, green beans, bamboo shoots, etc. on the fish as a garnish.

"Cousin, this dish is so delicious." Qinghe praised sincerely, looking at Tao Ti with eyes full of admiration.

"It's not only beautiful, but also delicious." Tao Ti said, and lit two more pots to cook fish ball vermicelli soup and pickled cabbage at the same time.

Qing He volunteered to serve the dishes. Ling Long didn't dare to let the glass-like county master do the work, so she hurriedly said, "County master, let me do it."

Qinghe bit her lips lightly and stood aside with her eyelashes drooping, like a helpless child.

Seeing this, Tao Ti said softly, "Qinghe, can you help put down the dishes?"

Qinghe and Linglong were both stunned, but they had different thoughts.

Tao Ti didn't say much, just gave Qing He a warm smile. Qing He's black eyes flickered and he also smiled, "Yeah!"

She took the bowl and chopsticks and went out without any shyness. Linglong approached Tao Ti nervously and said, "Crown Princess, Princess Jingyang regards the county master as her own eye. If she knew that we asked the county master to do something, she would blame you, Crown Princess."

Tao Ti said, "Don't worry. If we don't tell anyone about this, how would the princess know? Besides, Qinghe is slow to warm up. If you don't let her do something, she will be polite all the time, and she won't be able to enjoy her meal later. Having a certain sense of participation will make the food more delicious."

Linglong seemed to understand, but since the Crown Princess had said so, she didn't want to say anything more.

The dishes were already on the table. The sweet and sour pork tenderloin was bright red, the Kung Pao chicken was rich in flavor, the squirrel mandarin fish was unique in shape, the vinegar and pickled cabbage was sour and fragrant, and the fish ball and vermicelli soup was delicious and refreshing.

Tao Ti picked up the chopsticks and said to Qing He with a smile, "Let's eat!"

Qinghe responded and gracefully reached out to the dish of diced chicken in Gongbao, picked up a small piece of it and chewed it slowly.

Tao Ti also reached for the Gong Bao Chicken, but she scooped a large spoonful of it into the rice, picked up the bowl and started eating.

Qing He was shocked, "..."

After Tao Ti finished the food in her mouth, she said to Qing He, "Kung Pao Chicken is delicious when eaten with rice. You should try it too. It's not enough to eat it one by one."

Qinghe bit her lip and hesitated for a moment, but finally couldn't resist Tao Ti's encouraging look, so she scooped a big spoonful into the bowl, mixed it with rice and took a big bite.

The salty aroma of rice and vegetable juice is fully mixed, the diced chicken is tender and smooth, the peanuts are crispy and delicious, the salty taste is the main flavor, followed by a light sweet and sour taste. After eating a big bite, the tip of the tongue is slightly numb, but the aftertaste is endless and I want to have another bite.

"How is it? Is it delicious?" Tao Ti smiled with squinted eyes like a little fox, and her tone was filled with a little pride in her cooking skills.

"Mmm, it's delicious." Qing He stared at her with sparkling eyes and said with great admiration, "Cousin, your cooking skills are better than the chefs in the palace. You are really amazing."

The sincere praise from the innocent girl made Tao Ti's heart swell with joy. She remained humble and said softly, "Try this squirrel mandarin fish again."

Qinghe stretched out her chopsticks. The surface of the mandarin fish was fried crispy. With a little force, the chopsticks penetrated the shell and picked up the snow-white and tender fish meat inside. The crispy texture on the outside and tender on the inside mixed with the sweet and sour sauce, and there was a sweet fruity fragrance when you tasted it carefully.

"At first I thought it would be like sweet and sour fish, but now that I've tried it, I find that there is a big difference between the two. The sweet and sour taste is not strong, and it tastes crispy, fragrant, tender and not too sweet." Qinghe commented and took two more chopsticks.

Tao Ti was happy to see that she picked up her chopsticks more often. After all, the best compliment for a cook is to eat up all the food.

As they ate and chatted, their relationship improved unconsciously.

During the chat, Tao Ti also learned the reason why Qing He was in poor health.

"The year I was born, the Rongdi invaded in large numbers, and my father led the troops to the front. The Rongdi soldiers were cunning, and they used part of their forces to besiege Pingyang City. At that time, most of the soldiers and generals in the city went to the front, and the rest were some remnants of veterans. In order to defend Pingyang City, my mother put on armor and went up to the city tower to command the defense..."

"And then?" Tao Ti asked nervously.

Qing He said slowly, "Pingyang City has a good terrain, which is easy to defend but difficult to attack. The Rongdi soldiers could not forcefully attack the city, so they laid siege and fought with Pingyang City. My mother endured the hardship with them. She couldn't eat or sleep well, and she even had spotting. If it weren't for the experienced doctor in the mansion, she might not have been able to keep the baby. She struggled like this for seven days and seven nights. At dawn on the eighth day, my father returned with reinforcements..."

Tao Ti recalled the scene at that time and couldn't help but smack his lips, "It's really not easy for the princess!"

Qing He nodded and said, "Yes, I have always thought that my mother is a great woman. But she has always felt guilty towards me, thinking that it was her fault that I was born with a sick body."

At this point, Qing He smiled softly, "She gave me this life and treated me like a treasure. I can't thank her enough, so how can I bear to blame her?"

After the meal, almost all the dishes were eaten up. Tao Ti ate three bowls of rice, and even Qinghe ate two bowls of rice.

Both of them had bulging bellies. Tao Ti took Qing He back to the couch and continued chatting with her about the customs and culture of Longxi.

Qinghe had never talked so much as she did today. It was as if she had said a year's worth of words in one day. Even she herself found it incredible.

As it got dark, they had a bowl of snow lotus seed, tremella and almond soup. The soup had been simmering for an hour and was refreshing, soothing the lungs and nourishing the complexion.

When it was time to say goodbye, Qinghe was still a little reluctant.

It was not until Tao Ti asked her to come back tomorrow that Qinghe relaxed her brows and left happily.

Linglong looked at the back of the Lord of Qinghe County, and then looked at the Crown Princess who was holding the ingot and masturbating wildly, and an inexplicable warmth surged in her heart——

The Crown Princess's cooking skills conquered the county lord's stomach, and she also captured the county lord's heart with her innate gentle power.

Just like how she used her actions step by step to make everyone in the Eastern Palace love her, respect her, and support her.

Her eyes are delicate and gentle. The Eastern Palace is lucky to have such a Crown Princess.

Tao Ti, who was petting the cat, seemed to have sensed something. When she looked up, she met Linglong's gentle gaze.

Taoti, "???"

What's with that motherly look?

——

Yuming Palace.

Princess Jingyang lazily leaned on the beauty couch, with a palace maid massaging her shoulders and another kneeling and massaging her legs.

Seeing Qing He coming back briskly, Princess Jing Yang raised her eyebrows and asked, "It seems you had a great time in the East Palace today?"

Qing He walked over and sat down, chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, my cousin's wife is very nice."

Princess Jingyang narrowed her eyes, and was quite interested. "Oh? Tell me what's the best way."

Qinghe then told him about the eating, drinking and entertainment that they had in Yaoguang Palace today.

Princess Jingyang looked surprised and asked, "You actually ate two bowls of rice today?"

Qinghe nodded, her cheeks flushed, "My cousin's cooking skills are really great."

The maidservant who was serving Qing He happily added, "Your Highness, the Princess, the county lord had more than two bowls of rice today. She also had a bowl of fish ball vermicelli soup and a bowl of snow lotus seed, silver ear and almond soup. The county lord's meal today is equivalent to three meals a day."

Hearing this, Princess Jingyang stood up from the couch, patted Qinghe's hand, and said with relief, "Okay, being able to eat is a good thing. If you go to see her again tomorrow, bring more gifts. Since you want to make friends, you have to show some sincerity."

Qing He nodded, and rested her head on the princess' shoulder like a little bird, with a faint smile between her delicate eyebrows. "I always thought that the palace was a gorgeous but cold cage. Today I know that life in the palace can be very enjoyable."

The mother and daughter were intimate for a moment, and Qinghe asked the eldest princess what they talked about in Ganlu Palace.

Compared with her daughter's wonderful experience of the day, Princess Jingyang felt that spending an entire afternoon with Queen Zhou and her daughter was a real waste of time.

"Humph, the mother and daughter have such a good plan, they have both you and your brother in their schemes! What kind of person is her nephew, he didn't know that he was looking at me before returning to Chang'an? That playboy who attracts cats and dogs is not even worthy of carrying your shoes!"

Princess Jingyang scolded, "And Lingbi, the last time she saw your brother, she was very picky about him, and now she's trying to please him again? Humph, if we marry a daughter-in-law like this, wouldn't the Duke of Jin's mansion be in turmoil?"

As she scolded him, she was also wondering in her heart, Zhou Mingmiao is a smart and scheming man, how come his sons and daughters are so useless? Her own brother is not a fool, so it doesn't make sense for two smart people to give birth to a fool? It's really puzzling!

Qing He didn't know what her mother was thinking, so she just told her to calm down and said, "Mother, I don't want to get married. I want to serve you forever. My brother also said that if I don't get married, he will take care of me for the rest of my life."

The princess scolded him, "Nonsense, there is no young lady who doesn't want to get married."

She hugged her daughter's thin shoulders with concern and coaxed her softly, "My Qinghe looks like a fairy, has good character and a good temperament. Mother will definitely find a suitable husband for you."

While this mother and daughter are full of tenderness and love, the mother and daughter in Ganlu Palace are filled with sorrow and worry.

Pei Lingbi put the teacup on the table unhappily and frowned, "Mother, you have hinted so clearly, can't Aunt see it? Or does she simply look down on me? I am her niece, how great it is to be related to her!"

Queen Zhou could naturally see Jing Yang's perfunctory attitude and was annoyed. She sneered, "Your aunt has always been conceited and protective. In her eyes, her sons and daughters are the best in the world and no one is worthy of them."

Pei Lingbi curled her lips, "Qinghe is already like that, who would marry her? Marrying a sickly girl who can't have children and worship her as a bodhisattva? In my opinion, it's already very good for her to marry into my uncle's family."

Queen Zhou said, "No matter what, we have to bring Lanxi to our side. Either Qinghe marries her, or Xie Ranshi marries her. At least one of them must be done."

Pei Lingbi's eyes flickered, and an idea suddenly came to her mind. She whispered it into Queen Zhou's ear.

When Queen Zhou heard this, her face turned red and then pale. She frowned and stared at Pei Lingbi. She wanted to scold her, "How dare a princess like you say such a despicable thing?" But when she thought that the girl in front of her was her own daughter, she held back and held back her words.

He just said, "If this matter is exposed, you will lose your face, but I will lose it!"

Pei Lingbi shrank her neck in dismay, "I just mentioned it."

Suddenly, she narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly, "Mother, if I'm taking risks with this method, why not use it on Qinghe?"

Queen Zhou's eyebrows twitched slightly.

Seeing that she did not refute, Pei Lingbi hurriedly said, "If it succeeds, Qinghe will not dare to make it public, and your aunt will have to accept the marriage with a pinch of her nose. If it fails, Qinghe's reputation will be ruined. If she does not marry cousin Hui, she will have to shave her head and become a nun. Instead of rushing to get married to your aunt like now, you and your uncle should make plans secretly..."

She whispered seductively, "After that, it will be my aunt who will ask you, the Queen Mother. In the future, if Cousin Hui wants to take concubines or maids, it will be up to the Zhou family to arrange it."

Queen Zhou's slender jade fingers, which were stained with red nail polish, tightened a little bit, and she frowned in thought.

Thinking about the possibility of this happening, at the same time, he was also surprised by his daughter's sinister thoughts.

On second thought, she felt that it was good for her daughter to be like this.

Whether in this royal family full of intrigues or in the cruel backyard, only with more scheming and tricks can you better survive.