"Mother, it smells so good!" Zhou Wan, who was cooking nearby, had been drawn in by the aroma and couldn't help but praise it.
"Hehe, we'll see if it tastes good in a bit," Xu Yuehuai comforted her, telling her to try it and eat more.
"Zhou Wan, you should also work harder, otherwise you won't be able to finish in a while." Third Sister was also very pleased to see Xu Yuehuai's focused and attentive appearance just now.
"I also want to make a milk tea hot pot." Xu Yuehuai said mischievously, which piqued the interest of San Niang and Zhou Wan. However, they were only curious and did not ask any questions because they were busy with the dishes in their hands.
Xu Yuehuai brought over white sugar, tea cakes, and milk.
She placed the pot on the stove, added white sugar and a tea cake, and began stirring with a spatula until it started to bubble slightly and had a caramelized aroma. Then she poured in the bowl of milk and simmered it over low heat.
She also needs to make some side dishes—
Thinking of this, she brought out the leftover sweet potato starch, then added milk to a separate pot, brought it to a boil, poured in the sweet potato starch, stirred until thick, and then poured it out to cool for later use.
She also prepared grass jelly ash, added some lime water, and made grass jelly. Then she steamed taro and purple sweet potato, added starch, and shaped them into small balls.
She also cooked oatmeal and red beans, let them cool, and then drizzled them with honey and sugar.
Her milk tea hot pot is now almost finished; all that's left is to filter out the tea leaves.
After arranging the dishes, Xu Yuehuai went to check on San Niang and Zhou Wan: "Are you almost done?"
"Almost there, just a little more," Zhou Wan replied while preparing some dishes.
Just then, Qi Guze and Pei Xuan arrived at Tianxiang Tower.
Xu Yuehuai was carrying the dishes out when she saw Qi Guze and Pei Xuan come in. She froze for a moment, but then quickly smiled, her lips curving upwards uncontrollably from the bottom of her heart.
When she saw Qi Guze return safely with her own eyes, she finally felt completely at ease and naturally blended into the relaxed and happy atmosphere, completely forgetting the unpleasantness of the day.
Similarly, she didn't need to ask any more questions to know that the barter agreement between the Central Plains and the Dark Moon Kingdom had been finalized.
Qi Guze was also very happy to see Xu Yuehuai. After all, he had finally returned to the Central Plains and seen the woman he had been longing for. A smile involuntarily spread across his face.
Xu Yuehuai didn't say anything. She stepped forward, put down the dishes in her hand, and then happily invited everyone to eat: "Come on in, come in quickly. We're going to give you a welcome dinner to celebrate your safe return."
Qi Guze and she were also very in sync. Neither of them said much, but when they first met, they stopped and looked at each other with a smile.
After finishing their work on the dishes, San Niang and Zhou Wan came out and invited everyone to sit down and eat.
"Come on, let's toast to your safe return." Xu Yuehuai stood up and said, "Now that you're back, no one outside will say you've colluded with the enemy or betrayed the country anymore. Once the barter agreement is finalized, you two will become great heroes of the Central Plains."
Third Sister immediately chimed in, "Your Highness, Lord Pei, please don't forget about us when the time comes."
After everyone stood up and drank the glass, the atmosphere was immediately lively, and they were soon immersed in laughter and joy.
The backyard of Tianxianglou was filled with the aroma of food and wine, as well as the continuous laughter of everyone.
"Come on, try this crispy pork and milk tea hot pot. These are new products that Manager Xu specially developed for you." Zhou Wan said as she helped Tie Xiong serve the food.
"Yes, you should all try some." San Niang saw this scene and smiled to herself. "Zhou Wan, now that the Prince has returned, shouldn't your marriage with Tie Xiong be put on the agenda?"
"We're still looking forward to your wedding banquet," Xu Yuehuai said.
She sincerely hoped that Zhou Wan could find a good home and leave behind all that had happened before.
Tie Xiong scratched his head, blushed, and didn't say anything.
Pei Xuan took a bite of the crispy pork and was instantly captivated by its unique texture. Paired with a sip of milk tea and hot pot, it was an absolute perfect match. Indeed, the food from the Central Plains was the best for everyone.
"Manager Xu, I must toast you with a glass of wine." With that, Pei Xuan stood up, raised his glass, and drank it all in one gulp to Xu Yuehuai.
Qi Guze also ate the crispy pork, but didn't say anything, just savoring it. However, when he heard Pei Xuan say "toast," he looked up at him.
He knew in his heart that Pei Xuan was still depressed because the emperor did not trust him. At the moment, he was also feeling depressed, so he couldn't help but drink a few more cups.
Xu Yuehuai saw all of this and quickly said with a smile, "Drink less alcohol, don't get drunk later."
"Manager Xu, don't worry, we can all hold our liquor well."
Someone said something like that, and then the atmosphere at the dinner table became even more lively, with food being eaten bite by bite and wine being drunk glass after glass.
Xu Yuehuai glanced at the time, then looked at the two little devils who had already closed their eyes, and quickly went over to rub their heads, saying with a smile, "You two don't need to stay with them anymore, go to sleep quickly, you still have to go to school tomorrow."
"Okay." Jiang Shichen nodded and then pulled the already dozing Jiang Qianqian away.
Soon everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, and some were so drunk they were almost unconscious.
Xu Yuehuai drank in moderation and didn't drink too much, and Qi Guze wasn't drunk either. The two looked at each other across the table and knew what the other meant.
They got up and sat down in the small pavilion next to them. Qi Guze had been holding a hairpin in his hand ever since he entered. He wanted to find an opportunity to give it to Xu Yuehuai in person, but before he could speak, Xu Yuehuai spoke first.
She said very seriously, "I can now be completely certain that Ah Qi is not the Crown Prince."
Qi Guze frowned instantly upon hearing Xu Yuehuai's words. He did indeed have some doubts about this matter, but before he could investigate further, he was sent to the Mingyue Kingdom by the Emperor. Now, he was curious about how Xu Yuehuai knew about it.
"Ah Yue, how did you find out about this?" His serious expression already demonstrated the seriousness of the matter.
Xu Yuehuai gave a bitter smile.
She had nothing to hide from Qi Guze, and could even ask him for advice, so she quickly said, "That day I happened to overhear Ningyuan Marquis and Aqi talking in the East Palace. They were talking about a real crown prince. A few days ago, when Aqi left the palace, I sent him back and tested Ningyuan Marquis with a question at the palace gate, which confirmed my guess."
“Your Highness, if A-Qi is really not the Crown Prince, what crime has he committed? Moreover…” Xu Yuehuai paused, “A-Qi seems to have some connection with the Mingyue Kingdom.”
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