Chapter 5 A pretty face is certainly useful
The Emperor glanced sideways at Qin Jinzhi's rice bowl, a disdainful smirk playing on his lips. He muttered to himself, "This old woman is always so biased. She always puts the good stuff into that bastard's bowl, completely disregarding my feelings."
As the meal was nearly finished, the Emperor finally couldn't contain himself and slowly asked, "Do you really want to marry that boy from the Pei family?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Jinzhi nodded with a grin: "Who doesn't like a pretty face?"
Pei Jinnian, the eldest son of the Pei family of Hedong, was renowned for his talent and good looks, and countless young ladies from noble families secretly admired him.
It's understandable that Qin Jinzhi would develop feelings for him.
The emperor clicked his tongue. "Look at your shallow appearance. What good is being pretty?"
Qin Jinzhi raised an eyebrow. "Being handsome can help you get a wife. Back then, it was precisely because you had such an incomparably handsome face that your grandmother was so devoted to you."
She had just heard that her grandfather was a commoner who was dirt poor.
As a result, he managed to win over the Empress Dowager simply because of his good looks.
Upon hearing this, the emperor revealed a proud expression. "That's true. Your imperial grandfather was a famous handsome man in the surrounding villages back in the day. Your imperial grandmother should be secretly happy to marry me."
The Empress turned her head away in disgust, refusing to look at him, and Qin Jinzhi finally finished the rice in her bowl.
The emperor looked at the angry empress and said helplessly, "If you really like that boy, then bestowing a marriage upon him is not out of the question."
The Empress gave him an approving look after hearing this, "That's more like it."
"However, there are so many fine young men in the capital, that Pei family boy may not be the best. Next month, have your imperial grandmother prepare a polo match and invite all the young masters and ladies to participate. You can also take a look at the other young men. If you still don't find one you like, I will issue this imperial decree to bestow marriage upon you. What do you say?"
Qin Jinzhi nodded after hearing this, "Okay, I'll do as you say."
After the meal, the emperor and empress would take a short rest.
Looking at the two people with eager eyes, Qin Jinzhi said helplessly, "Grandpa and Grandma, I'm eighteen now. You two won't still cuddle with me like you did when I was little, will you?"
Qin Jinzhi was incredibly imposing when she was a child.
The Empress sings a lullaby, while His Majesty fans himself to catch mosquitoes.
But that happened when she was five years old. How old is she now?
Upon hearing this, the emperor wanted to slap her again, "Go to your own palace, stop getting in the way, and don't wander around."
Qin Jinzhi said with a grin, "I'll take Feiyan to digest her food."
Feiyan immediately stamped her foot, "Princess, I only ate one bowl of rice at noon."
While saying they were digesting their food, Qin Jinzhi led Feiyan to the imperial kitchen.
Feiyan asked with a puzzled look, "Princess, you ate so much at noon, yet you're still not full!"
Qin Jinzhi said in a pretentious tone, "I remember someone really liked the Peony Linglong Cake made by the head chef of the Imperial Kitchen. I wonder if they can still eat it."
Feiyan's eyes lit up like stars after hearing this, and she nodded vigorously!
The peony-shaped exquisite cake is refreshing, appetizing, and exceptionally delicious.
When Qin Jinzhi was a child, she didn't like to eat and her meals were only slightly more than those of the birds.
The Empress was extremely anxious, so a master chef from the Imperial Kitchen sent over this Peony Exquisite Cake.
After eating, Qin Jinzhi's appetite indeed improved considerably.
She hasn't eaten this since Qin Jinzhi left the capital!
Qin Jinzhi smiled and said, "I'll let you eat your fill today."
Feiyan stood there stunned. "Really!"
"If you don't follow now, you're a fraud!"
Upon hearing this, Fei Yan beamed with joy, "They're here! They're here!"
It's so good that the princess is back!
Qin Jinzhi walked into a corner of the imperial kitchen.
Inside was a rocking chair, and on it sat a cook who looked like Maitreya Buddha, sleeping.
Qin Jinzhi kicked the stool. "Don't sleep."
For a moment, the people in the imperial kitchen seemed to have been put on pause.
The surrounding air pressure was extremely low.
This head chef is a legendary figure in the imperial kitchen; even the head steward has to bow and scrape before him.
He doesn't usually cook, only occasionally preparing a few dishes ordered by His Majesty. He usually just sleeps in a corner.
The fat man suddenly opened his eyes, revealing a terrifying scar on his face.
He's fat and has big ears, like a man-eating demon!
Feiyan hid behind Qin Jinzhi, somewhat frightened.
This master chef is still so scary.
When Fei Yan first came to the imperial kitchen with Qin Jinzhi, eight-year-old Fei Yan was so frightened that she cried.
The shadow still lingers.
Qin Jinzhi squatted down to be at eye level with the fat man.
"Knowing I'm back, you're still hiding here slacking off."
Upon seeing who it was, the fat man's fierce-looking face suddenly broke into a wide grin.
"So it's you, you little rascal, who's back!"
Qin Jinzhi laughed along, "Fatty, do you have any Peony Linglong Cake?"
The fat man laughed loudly, and his body, which looked very heavy, stood up from the rocking chair with great ease.
"If others don't have it, you can have plenty!"
He then walked to a separate cutting board and began kneading the dough.
Upon seeing this, Qin Jinzhi lay down on the rocking chair where Fatty had been lying.
Feiyan poured her some tea, then sat on a small stool and fanned herself.
She whispered in Qin Jinzhi's ear like a thief, "Princess, the head chef still looks so scary."
Qin Jinzhi put her hands behind her head and said, "Be careful he doesn't hear this and won't let you eat the Linglong cake."
Feiyan immediately shut her little mouth.
Qin Jinzhi asked with her eyes closed, "What's the deal with that new palace maid?"
Feiyan blinked. "You mean Sister Liuying? I heard there was a flood in Jiangnan, and her family had no money for food, so she sold herself into the palace."
"Then how did she come to serve the Empress Dowager?"
"Because of you, Princess!"
Qin Jinzhi opened her eyes and looked at her, "Because of me?"
Feiyan nodded. "One year on Her Majesty the Empress's birthday, you personally made a hairpin and gave it to Her Majesty. After you left the capital, Her Majesty often missed it and often wore that hairpin. But one day it was lost. It was Sister Liuying who found it in the pond in Her Majesty's small garden. Her Majesty saw that she was loyal to her master and had proper manners, so she transferred her to serve her."
Qin Jinzhi frowned deeply. "Are you sure it's the pond in the small garden?"
Feiyan nodded, "I'm sure, when Sister Liuying found the hairpin, she was soaking wet and her face was purple from the cold!"
Qin Jinzhi chuckled softly, seemingly lost in thought, "Loyalty is good."
The process of making Peony Linglong Cake is complicated, but Fatty's hands are very fast.
In half an hour, the steaming hot peony-shaped cake will be ready.
Qin Jinzhi smelled the aroma; it smelled wonderful. She hadn't eaten it for three years and was really craving it.
He casually tossed a gourd the size of a fist to Fatty.
"Let's go, don't disturb Fatty's sleep."
After saying that, the two left without looking back, carrying the pastries.
When Fatty opened the gourd lid, the aroma of wine immediately filled the air, permeating the entire imperial kitchen.
Legend has it that there was a wine connoisseur in the state of Jin who only knew how to brew one kind of wine called Xiaoyaozui, and it would take ten years to yield two liang (approximately 100 grams).
The highest bidder wins.
This gourd of wine is worth 100,000 gold coins!
The fat man grinned, "This kid has a conscience after all."
He took a deep sniff, but couldn't bear to drink it, and carefully put it away.
The last time I drank this Xiaoyao Zui was twenty years ago.
I want to drink again, but I don't know if that old ghost will live to see that day.
On the way back, Feiyan's mouth was full of Linglong cakes. She ate and said, "Princess, Linglong cakes are so delicious! I'm so happy I could cry!"
Qin Jinzhi laughed out loud, "That's all the ambition you have."
When they arrived at the palace, His Majesty and the Empress were already awake.
Fireflies are helping His Majesty change his clothes.
Upon closer inspection, the palace maid appeared to have changed into a lighter, thinner garment, exposing her beautiful neck to the man's view.
His Majesty took a deep breath, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. "The fragrance on you is quite pleasant."
Liu Ying bowed slightly, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "Your Majesty, I have had a faint body fragrance since I was a child, and my family members often praise the pleasant scent."
Upon hearing this, His Majesty's eyes lit up with curiosity. Just as he was about to ask another question, he saw Qin Jinzhi step into the hall with light, graceful steps.
"Grandfather, look what good things I've brought you!" Qin Jinzhi's clear and melodious voice instantly drew His Majesty's attention.
At this moment, Feiyan placed the peony-shaped exquisite cakes that she had prepared earlier on the table, the delicate cakes radiating an enticing luster.
"The princess was worried that His Majesty and the Empress might eat too much and suffer from indigestion, so she went to the Imperial Kitchen and personally selected this pastry for you."
The Empress also came out of her bedroom at this time.
"So you went to Fatty's place. You're the only one who gets to eat like that."
Then Liu Ying said, "Your Majesty, let me comb your hair first."
The moment her hand touched His Majesty's head, Qin Jinzhi grabbed her wrist.
"Sister, you can go now, I'll take over."
Liu Ying's expression was somewhat restrained. Qin Jinzhi's grip wasn't strong, but when she released her, the palace maid's wrist was already red.
She said, "Your Highness is of noble birth, how can I trouble you? Let me do it."
To everyone's surprise, His Majesty said, "Let this scoundrel come; it's rare that she has such filial piety."
They had no choice but to give up and retreated somewhat unwillingly.
Qin Jinzhi narrowed her eyes as she watched Liu Ying's retreating figure.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com