Plum Blossom Cake Party
After Consort Rong left, the breeze in the corner of the courtyard still carried the sweet fragrance of plum blossom cakes. Ya Huan, holding an empty plate, asked with bright eyes, "Consort Li, when are we going to invite Consort Hui to eat cakes? I also want Sister Qin Lan to try the ones I made!" Consort Li was tidying up the molds on the cutting board. Hearing this, she smiled and nodded, "I was just thinking of sending someone to tell her, but you brought it up first. Ah Zhao, please go to Consort Hui's palace and tell her that the plum blossom cakes are just finished and ask her to bring Qin Lan over to try them."
I was about to agree when the Dowager Consort Xian waved her hand, "No need for such trouble. Just have Zhang Mama deliver the message. Consort Hui is all talk and no action; she's actually looking forward to coming. If you go, she'll just put on airs." Consort Su smiled and chimed in, "The Dowager Consort is right. I'll go pick some wintersweet from the corner of the courtyard and put them in a porcelain vase to add some beauty." With that, she turned and went to the corner of the courtyard, gently plucking a few sprigs of wintersweet in full bloom, their petals still glistening with tiny snowflakes.
Before long, Zhang Mama returned, followed by Consort Hui and Qin Lan. Consort Hui, wearing a light purple padded jacket and carrying a gilded food box, frowned deliberately upon seeing us: "What a small matter, why send someone to invite me? I just happened to have some free time and thought I'd drop by." Though her words were firm, her eyes unconsciously drifted towards the plum blossom cakes on the table. Qin Lan, following behind her, couldn't help but smile and quickly walked to my side: "Ah Zhao, Ya Huan, I missed you so much!"
"Consort Hui, please sit down!" Ya Huan quickly pulled over a chair and ran to bring over some freshly warmed jujube tea. "This was brewed by Consort Xian, please have a taste!" Consort Hui took the teacup, her fingertips touching the warm rim, but she still said, "You're thoughtful enough not to finish all the cakes." Consort Xian sat on the veranda, watching her contradictory expression, and shook her head with a smile: "You child, still the same as always, stubborn on the outside but soft on the inside."
Consort Li picked up a piece of plum blossom cake and handed it to Consort Hui: "It's freshly made and still warm. Try it and see if you like it." Consort Hui took the cake, took a small bite, and the aroma of osmanthus mixed with the soft, sticky rice melted in her mouth. Her eyes softened instantly, but she still stubbornly said, "It's alright, a bit better than the one the imperial kitchen made last time. It's just that there wasn't enough osmanthus." Consort Li didn't expose her, but just smiled and said, "Next time, put in more, according to your taste."
Qin Lan sat beside me, holding a plum blossom cake in her hands, and whispered to me, "Consort Hui has been looking forward to coming for a long time. Yesterday, she even specially asked the kitchen to prepare candied fruit, saying she wanted to bring it over for everyone to try." As she spoke, she pointed to the food box that Consort Hui had brought, "Inside, there are also jujube paste pastries that she made for Consort Li, saying they were made according to the recipe from an old shop in the west of the city." I followed her gaze and saw Consort Hui quietly pushing the food box towards Consort Li's hand, the tips of her ears turning slightly red.
Consort Rong had returned sometime earlier, carrying a cloth bag. Standing at the courtyard gate, she whispered, "I... I made some little trinkets, and I wanted to... wanted to share them with everyone." Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and beckoned her over. Consort Rong walked to the table, opened the cloth bag, and inside were several small sachets embroidered with plum blossoms. The plum blossoms on each sachet were embroidered with lifelike detail. "These... these are made with dried plum blossoms. They can... can calm the mind."
"Your Majesty's embroidery is so beautiful!" Ya Huan picked up a sachet, held it to her nose and sniffed lightly. "It smells so good! I want to hang it by my bedside!" Consort Rong's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said softly, "I'm glad you like it. I... I made a few more, and I also left some for... for Consort Hui and Sister Qin Lan." She picked up two sachets and quietly handed them to Consort Hui and Qin Lan, lowering her head even further.
Consort Hui accepted the sachet, her fingertips tracing the plum blossom pattern on it. She paused for a moment, then coughed lightly, "You're thoughtful, I'll accept it." As she spoke, she carefully placed the sachet into her sleeve, her movements so gentle she was afraid of breaking it. Qin Lan also quickly thanked her, hanging the sachet at her waist, and said with a smile, "Thank you, Consort Rong, I will keep it safe."
Consort Su poured everyone a cup of jujube tea and said softly, "The sun is shining brightly today, and the plum blossom cake is sweet. Let's have a good get-together and chat about everyday things." Consort Xian nodded and looked at Consort Hui: "Has there been any progress in your father's case lately?" Consort Hui put down her teacup, her expression becoming more serious: "It's almost done. His Majesty said he'll issue an edict in a few days, and then we can help Consort Li overturn her case." Upon hearing this, Consort Li's eyes reddened slightly, and she said softly, "Thank you, Zhiyi." Consort Hui's face instantly flushed, and she turned away: "No need to thank me, it was just a small favor."
Consort Rong sat in the corner, holding a sachet in her hands. Occasionally, she would look up to listen to the conversation, and a subtle smile would appear on her lips when she heard something interesting. Ya Huan held her hand and told her about the interesting things that happened in the courtyard. Consort Rong listened attentively, and occasionally asked softly, "Will the little peach tree... really bloom?" Ya Huan nodded vigorously, "Of course! When spring comes, we'll go see it together!" Consort Rong's eyes lit up, and she softly hummed in agreement.
The sunlight gradually slanted westward, bathing everyone in a warm glow. The plum blossom cakes on the table were nearly empty, and the candied fruit brought by Consort Hui was all gone. Everyone remained seated under the eaves, chatting and laughing. Qin Lan pulled Ya Huan and me aside, saying she would teach us how to make pastries from her hometown; Consort Li and Consort Hui huddled together, whispering about the past; while Consort Xian and Consort Su sat to the side, watching the young people with eyes full of satisfaction.
Consort Rong stood up and walked to the winter plum blossoms in the corner of the courtyard, gently inhaling their fragrance. I walked over, and she turned her head, whispering, "This place... is so nice, like... like home." I smiled and nodded, "This is our home, and we'll be together from now on." Tears welled up in Consort Rong's eyes, but she revealed a radiant smile. It was the first time I had ever seen her smile so joyfully, like a winter plum blossom blooming in winter, warm and bright.
As the sun set, Consort Hui was about to take Qin Lan back. She walked to Consort Li's side and whispered, "I'll come see you again in a few days, bringing your favorite jujube paste pastries." Consort Li nodded and smiled, saying, "Okay, I'll wait for you." Qin Lan also said goodbye to us, promising to come again next time to make pastries together. Consort Rong stood at the courtyard gate, watching their retreating figures, and whispered, "Next time... next time I'll make sachets for everyone too."
After everyone left, the sweet aroma of plum blossom cakes and the delicate fragrance of winter plum blossoms still lingered in the courtyard. Ya Huan tidied the tables and chairs, humming a little tune; Consort Xian sat on the veranda, holding a sachet given to her by Consort Rong, a smile on her lips; Consort Su was arranging the remaining winter plum blossoms, preparing to place them in the room.
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