Under His Majesty's "earnest expectations" and personal supervision, the small kitchen in Kunning Palace was completed at an extraordinary speed.
The place wasn't large, just a corner of the backyard, but it was furnished with everything one could need. There was a fine bluestone stove, a complete set of bronze pots and pans, and rows of neat white porcelain spice jars—everything one could require. The Imperial Household Department had even assigned two of the most skilled and composed imperial chefs, along with several clever palace maids and eunuchs, specifically to be at the Empress's beck and call.
From then on, I officially began my career as the "personal chef".
Every morning, the Imperial Household Department would send me a list of the freshest ingredients, which I would then personally select from the day's needs. From snow lotus from the Tianshan Mountains to fresh fish from the East China Sea, whatever I asked for would appear in my small kitchen within half a day.
Xiao Che was extremely satisfied with this. He even made it a point to have his daily meals at Kunning Palace.
This meant that in addition to dealing with his endless "inspections" and "office duties," I also had to worry about his three meals a day. Although it was tiring, seeing his complexion become rosier day by day under my careful care gave me a sense of accomplishment that others could not understand.
I gradually realized that being able to see the emoji above his head is the most coveted skill a chef could ever dream of.
I no longer need to guess whether this deep-thinking emperor wants something sour or sweet, soup or meat. I only need to look up to discern his true taste preferences.
The emoji above his head has become my "mobile ordering machine".
【Staying up all night is so tiring.gif】—I then asked the kitchen to simmer a pot of nourishing black chicken soup.
[It's so hot, I have no appetite.jpg]—So I served a bowl of chilled mung bean and lily soup.
[My mouth feels so bland, I want something flavorful.png]—So I stir-fried a plate of spicy and sour appetizers.
Every time, I can accurately "guess" what he's thinking and serve the most appropriate dishes.
Xiao Che never spoke, but the increasingly relaxed look in his eyes as he ate, and his ever-growing appetite, said it all. And those emojis above his head, like "My wife understands me best.gif" and "So delicious it's heavenly.jpg," were the greatest compliments I could receive.
On this day, something unpleasant seemed to have happened in the imperial court.
When Xiao Che arrived at Kunning Palace in the afternoon, his face was extremely pale. A low-pressure atmosphere enveloped him, and his handsome face was covered with frost, his eyes sharp as if he wanted to kill.
He walked into the side hall without saying a word, slammed the scroll of memorial in his hand onto the table with a "bang," clearly very angry.
The palace servants inside the hall fell silent instantly, even their breathing became extremely soft, for fear that they might inadvertently become cannon fodder in the emperor's wrath.
I waved for everyone to leave, then personally brewed him a cup of calming chrysanthemum tea and brought it to him.
"Your Majesty, is something amiss in court?" I asked softly.
He didn't answer, but simply picked up his teacup, drank it all in one gulp, his chest rising and falling slightly, clearly still angry.
I looked up at the top of his head.
In that void, a cartoon figure was flushed red with rage, thick smoke billowing from its head, and flames shooting from its mouth. It looked exactly like an enraged fire-breathing dragon. Beside it was a line of bold, black text—
[Feeling a bit irritable today.jpg]
Upon seeing this meme, I immediately understood.
Today, what he needs is neither a warm and nourishing soup nor a calming and cooling tea. He has a fire burning inside him, and what he needs is to vent, to stimulate himself, to break out in a good sweat, to expel all his irritability and anger with the perspiration.
A dish immediately popped into my mind.
A dish that, in this era and in this palace, seems somewhat... "unrefined," but is absolutely the right remedy.
A bold plan took shape in my mind.
I said to him gently, "Your Majesty, please sit for a moment, I will be right back."
Having said that, I turned and left the side hall, heading straight for my small kitchen.
"Your Majesty." The imperial chef on duty quickly stepped forward and bowed.
"No need for formalities." I waved my hand and gave the order directly, "Bring the beef bone broth we prepared yesterday and start simmering it. Also, take the best beef hind leg and slice it thinly. And also, prepare some tripe, beef aorta, honeycomb tripe... anything that can be used for hot pot. Oh, and make sure to prepare plenty of chilled plum juice."
The imperial chef was stunned. Apart from beef, most of these ingredients were offal, the kind of food ordinary people ate, and rarely appeared on the imperial table. But he dared not ask any more questions and immediately accepted the order to prepare them.
I walked to the condiment station myself and took a deep breath.
Next comes the crucial part.
I took the finest butter, melted it in a pot, and then added large pieces of scallions, ginger, and garlic to sauté until fragrant. Then, I generously poured in the dried Sichuan chilies and Sichuan peppercorns that I had previously asked the Imperial Household Department to find.
With a sizzling sound, a spicy and domineering aroma instantly exploded throughout the small kitchen.
That aroma was completely different from the refined, mild scents of food typically found in the palace. It was wild, direct, and aggressive, as if it could instantly ignite all one's senses.
The young eunuch in charge of tending the fire coughed repeatedly from the fumes, while the two imperial chefs exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with shock and confusion. They had never seen the Empress prepare such "rough" dishes before.
I ignored everything and continued to add various spices, frying up a pot of bright red and tempting hot pot broth.
Finally, I had someone bring me a copper pot with a tall chimney in the middle, from which charcoal could be burned. I poured the stir-fried base ingredients and the beef bone broth that had been simmering for a long time into the pot, and placed it over the charcoal fire.
Soon, the copper pot began to bubble and boil, with various spices floating on the red oil broth. The rich, spicy aroma almost wafted through the roof of Kunning Palace.
I looked at my masterpiece with satisfaction and ordered, "Take this, along with all the prepared dishes, to the side hall."
When the steaming copper pot, bubbling with red oil, was carefully placed on a small table in the side hall, Xiao Che, who was still immersed in his agitated mood, was completely stunned.
He looked up at the strangely shaped copper pot that was still bubbling, and the plates of raw meat and vegetables around it. His face showed an unprecedented expression of shock and bewilderment.
He had never seen such...rough food.
There's no fancy plating, no complicated cooking techniques, just a pot and a bunch of raw ingredients—simple, crude, and almost barbaric.
"What...is this?" he finally asked, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
"Your Majesty, this dish is called 'hot pot'," I said with a smile, picking up the serving chopsticks and placing a thinly sliced piece of beef into the bubbling red oil broth.
"Seven dips and eight lifts, until the meat changes color, then it's ready to eat." As I spoke, I placed the blanched beef slices into the dipping sauce dish in front of him. That dipping sauce was a special blend I made with sesame oil, minced garlic, and scallions, which was perfect for relieving the spiciness and enhancing the aroma.
Xiao Che frowned as he looked at the steaming slice of meat on the plate, glistening with sesame oil. He seemed hesitant about whether to try this food that appeared so incongruous with his "imperial status."
“Your Majesty, if you have a fire burning in your heart, why not use an even fiercer fire to extinguish it?” I looked at him encouragingly. “Give it a try; perhaps you’ll find an unexpected flavor.”
Perhaps it was my gaze that was too sincere, or perhaps it was the overwhelming aroma that was so tempting. Xiao Che remained silent for a moment, then finally picked up his jade chopsticks and took a slice of beef.
He put the slice of meat into his mouth with some skepticism.
The next second, his eyes widened suddenly.
An unprecedented, exhilarating flavor exploded on his taste buds in an instant!
The tenderness of the sliced meat, the spiciness of the broth, and the saltiness of the dipping sauce—the three flavors intertwined perfectly, creating a powerful, overwhelming sensation. That spicy and refreshing taste was like a fire, instantly igniting his long-dormant appetite.
He paused in his chewing motion, then, uncontrollably, picked up a second slice, then a third...
He ate faster and faster, fine beads of sweat gradually appearing on his forehead. His originally cold face was now flushed with a healthy rosy hue from the heat and spiciness. He stopped talking and focused intently on feeding plate after plate of ingredients into the bubbling copper pot.
He ate a hearty hot pot feast until he was drenched in sweat.
When he put down his chopsticks, picked up the chilled plum juice, and drank it all in one gulp, he let out a long sigh of relief. The frustration and anger that had been building up in his chest seemed to have truly vanished with the sweat pouring down his face.
He felt more open and comfortable than ever before.
He looked up at Lin Wanwan, who was smiling at him.
Under the lamplight, her eyes were gentle, and her smile was serene, as if she had known all along that he would like this flavor.
For the first time, Xiao Che's eyes held a deep sense of inquiry.
How did she know?
At his most agitated moment, instead of bringing him lukewarm tonics, she presented him with a lavish feast, striking precisely at the deepest desires of his heart.
It felt as if he had a secret hidden in his heart that he himself was unaware of, but she had seen through it all with ease.
This feeling of being completely seen through gave him a strange, unprecedented... peace of mind.
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