Cao Qinmo frowned slightly as she looked at the generous gifts prepared by Yinxiu.
A white jade ruyi and a pair of glass hairpins with gold ornaments were, of course, rare and precious items in her possession.
But compared to what Consort Cheng wore on her head, it was nothing at all.
Putting aside the Emperor's favor, everyone in the palace knows that Consort Cheng is a reincarnation of the God of Wealth. The silver she earns in a year is more than the salary of ten lifetimes.
I was so worried that I lost my composure and realized that the so-called generous gift was unnecessary.
Cao Qinmo said, "What good things doesn't Consort Cheng have? I'm afraid she wouldn't even look at these mundane things."
"I'll make a bowl of Jade Dew Dumplings and take it with me so that Consort Cheng can have a sweet treat."
Yinxiu said, "After we finished making it last time, there wasn't much agar powder left, I'm afraid it won't be enough. This servant will go to the Imperial Household Department to get some more. What color would Your Majesty like to make?"
Cao Qinmo said, "The pink one looks better. Let's check if we still have any white vinegar. If not, we'll prepare it together."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A short while later, Yinxiu returned with a young palace maid carrying a basket. Cao Qin silently stayed in the small kitchen and cooked herself, but the taste of the maid's cooking was still quite inferior to hers.
Cut half a purple cabbage obtained from the imperial kitchen into shreds, soak it first, then boil it. Pour the cooked liquid into a bowl, add a few drops of white vinegar, and it turns from purple to pink.
Then pour the liquid into a pot, add amomum jelly powder and agar-agar powder, and cook until the sour taste of the white vinegar disappears. Pour it into a lotus-shaped mold and place it in an ice bowl for later use.
After boiling the milk, Cao Qinmo poured it into a bamboo tube and had a strong eunuch shake it continuously. After shaking for half an hour, the ghee (butter) was finally separated out.
Yinxiu brought over the bird's nest that had been stewed and cooled early in the morning, as well as lotus dew balls that had been cooled in an ice basin.
After opening, take it out and place it on the bird's nest. It looks like a lotus flower carved from pink crystal, crystal clear.
Cao Qinmo dotted the ghee on the center of the flower and then drizzled a layer of osmanthus honey on top.
This dish is said to have been one of the favorite snacks of high-ranking officials and nobles during the Tang Dynasty. Besides its delicious taste and beautiful presentation, it's also popular because purple cabbage is a rare delicacy.
It wasn't in a royal palace or the homes of princes and nobles. Ordinary wealthy families had never even heard of it, let alone used it to make desserts.
Even now, it's not something any concubine can just use. She learned to make this because she originally wanted to use it to win the emperor's favor.
Looking back now, what difference would it make if she were sent to the Hall of Mental Cultivation? Could a former servant from a royal household possibly fight her way through so many favored concubines?
Since no matter what she does, she won't receive any favor, she might as well use her energy to please Consort Cheng and Consort Hua instead of trying to please the emperor.
After all, the benefits obtained from them are tangible and real.
As for the Emperor, Wenyi will be more likely to receive his favor if she goes there in person when she is a little older!
Yinxiu looked at the jade dew ball in front of her and secretly swallowed. Even its appearance was so exquisite; she wondered how delicious it must taste.
"Your Majesty's work this time is even more beautiful than the last one. Consort Cheng will surely be delighted to see it."
Cao Qinmo placed the prepared jade dew dumplings into the food box, carefully closed the lid, and said with a smile, "They can't compare to those made by Yikun Palace, but they're just for the novelty."
"Making good relationships with the women in the harem, like Consort Jing, even if it's just by gaining seniority. I still have Wenyi, and she might one day be destined to be made a Consort, or even a Noble Consort!"
"The higher Wenyi's rank, the better her future will be, and the better she will be able to be married into a good family in the future."
Yinxiu said with a smile, "His Majesty loves the princess the most. Even if Your Majesty doesn't mention it, he will definitely choose the best husband for the princess."
Cao Qinmo shook her head, her eyes filled with worry about the future.
"Manchu-Mongol intermarriage is an old custom. Of all the princesses the late emperor had, only one married into the capital. The others were all betrothed to Mongol princes."
“Besides the legitimate daughters, there were also many princesses from the imperial clan who were married off with the title of princess.”
"The difference is that a favored princess can marry into a wealthy and nearby place, and can also build a princess's mansion in the capital and live there often."
"Princesses who were not favored were mostly forced to marry far away. If they were unlucky, they would marry into the northern or southern Mongolian regions, where they would suffer not only hardship but also the ravages of war."
"One wrong move and you might lose your life."
"Although Wenyi is the emperor's beloved daughter, the emperor only has two daughters, and Shuhe is several years older than Wenyi."
"The affairs of the court are ever-changing. I have no favorites, no princes, and no family support, so I cannot protect my daughter."
"If you don't make plans early, it will be too late when things come to a head."
Yinxiu felt a little sad upon hearing this. She used to think that the princess was a favored daughter of heaven, destined to live a life of wealth and luxury.
But she never expected these things to follow. The thought of the princess she had watched grow up marrying into those barren lands made Yinxiu feel heartbroken.
But even if the Empress had thought of and prepared for this many years in advance, would there really be a way?
Yinxiu felt that it was of little use except for creating a lot of trouble for no reason.
"Your Majesty, there are some things I shouldn't say, but although you are the princess's birth mother, this concerns the princess's entire life, so you have no say in this matter."
"Even if we wanted to exert our strength, there's nowhere we could do so."
Cao Qinmo sighed. It was precisely because of this that she suppressed her jealousy and tried to cultivate good relations with the women in the harem.
If, when Wen Yi gets married, several favored concubines can speak up for her, then all her efforts today will not have been in vain.
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