Akiko followed Tachibana to the main courtyard, though Tachibana was probably forced to go with Akiko there.
Upon arriving at the main courtyard, Ju Xiang, with a wooden face, discussed some matters that had not yet been finalized, such as arrangements for the women after they arrived at the back courtyard, the dishes to be served at the banquet in the garden, and some entertainment after the banquet.
The princess was somewhat surprised to have two maids greet her, but she quickly realized what was going on.
Since both Wu and Li from the East Courtyard only had two head maids, the Fujin (principal wife) naturally didn't need to be so polite. She directly took the banquet menu, and she finalized the details of the dishes, arrangements, and other minor matters with her vermilion pen.
The two maids naturally agreed without hesitation. Qiu Hu even smiled and agreed, while Ju Xiang forced a smile in response.
After the Fujin (Prince Consort) had finalized everything, Qiu Hu curtsied gracefully and said, "Your Majesty, the Consort said she couldn't help with these matters, but since it's the Fourth Prince's full moon celebration, she just wanted to be able to help in some way. Once Your Majesty has finalized everything, it would be good if she could just take a look at the list once."
This is not an unreasonable request.
The Fujin nodded and said to Yuru beside her, "Go, copy a form of the procedure and send it to the Consort."
Qiu Hu thanked him solemnly and politely.
By the time Yu Ru finished copying, more than a quarter of an hour had passed.
Qiu Hu took the copy, bowed, and returned to the East Courtyard.
Li Chenjiao quickly received the copied list.
She clapped her hands: "Bring me pen and ink."
It must be admitted that the Princess Consort's banquet list was very well arranged, with no detail overlooked, including all the preparations and what to do at what time.
It was called a banquet list, but it was actually seven or eight pages long.
Li Chenjiao found the pages about the meals a headache. She kept the two pages about the meals and instructed Qiu Hu to take the rest outside to discuss with Granny Lin. If anything was inappropriate, she could simply change it.
The food served earlier in the meal is more focused on auspicious meanings.
Li Chenjiao glanced at it.
The eight-piece set includes a hand-held fruit bell with four pieces on each side, one piece of snacks, one piece of oven-baked food, one piece of Aorbuha (a type of fruit), and so on.
Aorbuha is a type of deep-fried pasta dish with Manchu characteristics. Li Chenjiao ate it twice in Yonghe Palace when she went to the palace, and the taste was just so-so.
Several kinds of wine were prepared, as well as milk tea, since the thirteenth and fourteenth princes, who were young, would be there that day.
The amount in the backyard is slightly less than that in the frontyard, with one dish of rice and noodles, one dish of paper flower handkerchiefs, one dish of rice dishes, one dish of bird's nest soup, and one dish of tofu soup.
The women in the backyard ate lighter meals, and the wine they drank was fruit wine that was not easy to get drunk on.
Li Chenjiao took up her pen and, without hesitation, changed the order of several dishes, as well as two decorations in the backyard and a few snacks.
The last time Li Chenjiao arranged such food was two years ago when she was at the estate preparing it to welcome the Crown Prince.
She may not have prepared many meals, but does that mean she's not knowledgeable enough?
In no time, Li Chenjiao had revised the menu for the full moon banquet's lunch and dinner.
She blew on the ink, then curled her lips into a wide, unrestrained smile.
Do you think it's so easy to let bygones be bygones when the Fujin (princess's wife) wanted to kill her?
This is just the beginning.
After Li Chenjiao finished revising the order, Qiu Hu and Granny Lin outside also finished revising the order.
The two of them brought extra paper and pens to write.
Li Chenjiao took the list that the two had agreed upon and made corrections to the original copy.
After all the revisions were completed, she put down her brush and said, "That's about it. First, send it to the main courtyard for the Princess Consort to review. No, make a copy, send one copy to the main courtyard, and send one copy to Consort Wu."
"I revised the list according to Consort Wu's wishes. Well, the Fujin has seen it and I have made the revisions. I think there are no mistakes."
Li Chenjiao's smile had a hint of cunning.
If Madam Wu wanted to fan the flames, she would readily agree, but Madam Wu would also find it difficult to escape.
As for whether the Princess Consort would be unhappy?
As long as she's happy.
"Go to the main courtyard, Lin Mama, and go to Wu Gege's place, Qiu Hu," Li Chenjiao added.
The two agreed and were about to go down to copy the document when Li Chenjiao suddenly called them back.
"Wait, let me make another copy and have Xiao Luzi deliver it to the front yard later."
Li Chenjiao's actions were somewhat disrespectful to the Fujin, so she should apologize first.
Her actions were indeed somewhat unexpected. Wu Shi was initially disappointed that she had failed to provoke conflict between the primary wife and the secondary wife.
However, after her initial disappointment, the concubine launched another attack on her.
Wu Shi: ???
Is the concubine here specifically to make things difficult for her?
The list had already been changed by the First Lady, and now the Second Lady has changed it again...
So whose order should she use?
However, on the surface, the concubine had asked the principal wife for her opinion first, but she ended up embarrassing the principal wife.
But this time, she was the one who arranged the full moon banquet, and she was the one who first asked the concubine for her opinion.
Looking at the two banquet lists in front of me.
Wu was unusually troubled by a headache; she was so angry that she almost ground her back teeth to powder.
The concubine in the East Courtyard usually seems quiet and unassuming, but who would have thought she's quite the cunning wolf...
Their methods of sowing discord and tripping people up are second to none.
This time, Wu has truly shot herself in the foot.
Whose invoice should we use?
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