Chapter 12 – Brown Sugar Ginger Soup.

The snow had started falling yesterday and continued into today.

Inside the study, she hadn’t felt it, but as soon as Wan Anran lifted the curtain and stepped out, the wind and snow blew directly onto her face, making her instinctively tighten her cloak and sneeze.

Even though she had only walked a few steps to the entrance of Xianfu Palace and was already wrapped in a thick cloak, Wan Anran could still feel her ears and fingertips gradually turning icy cold.

She still had to walk all the way to Kunning Palace…

At the entrance of Xianfu Palace, there were two sedan chairs. One belonged to Consort Xuan, and the other was for the Ninth Prince, Wan Fu. Noble Lady Nara was helping Wan Fu into his sedan chair as he muttered, “Mother, come sit with me! We always used to ride together before…”

Before Wan Fu could finish, Noble Lady Nara decisively shoved him into the sedan, then turned back with a gentle smile and reached out to hold Wan Changzai’s hand. “Sister Wan, let’s go.”

The warmth from her fingertips slowly spread to Wan Anran’s heart.

Wan Anran shook her head. “Sister Nara, you should ride with the Ninth Prince instead.”

“No need, no need. I’ll walk with Sister Wan.”

“Sister Nara, please don’t make excuses…”

The two of them kept politely insisting the other go ahead.

Inside the sedan chair up front, Consort Xuan lifted the curtain and spoke warmly, “Noble Lady Nara, go accompany Wan Fu in his sedan. As for Wan Changzai, come with me.”

The sedan chairs stopped outside Kunning Palace.

Wan Anran lifted her skirt and stepped down, startling Nanny Zhou, who had come to greet them.

Consort Xuan was always known for being strict with etiquette—why…?

Suddenly, a flash of realization crossed Nanny Zhou’s mind. She suddenly remembered that Wan Changzai had been ill for two whole months and had just recovered!

Could her body have healed that quickly?

She had come all the way from Xianfu Palace through wind and snow to serve the Empress her meal—if she caught another cold, wouldn’t that tarnish her mistress’s reputation? Feeling both regretful and guilty, Nanny Zhou quickly led the group inside.

The Empress was still busy.

Nanny Zhou led them to a side hall to wait. Meanwhile, palace maids who had been prepared in advance greeted them with smiles, “Consort Xuan, Ninth Prince, honored ladies, this is the brown sugar ginger soup prepared at Her Majesty’s order.”

Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Nara accepted it with smiles.

Wan Anran touched the ginger soup with both hands, but her face instinctively scrunched up. The exact same expression appeared on Wan Fu’s face.

Ginger soup…

That was the one thing Wan Anran really couldn’t accept.

Noble Lady Nara took a small sip, then glanced sideways at Wan Changzai and her son. “Brown sugar ginger soup is very tasty!”

“You’re lying, Mother!”

“…Then I’ll give it a try.”

This was, after all, a gesture of care from the Empress.

Wan Anran leaned in to smell it, then cautiously took a sip. The initial taste was a light sweetness, followed by a faint trace of the ginger’s spiciness—it wasn’t pungent, nor was it unpleasant.

As she swallowed, a wave of warmth spread through her limbs, and a visible blush appeared on her cheeks. She drank it all in one go and placed the white porcelain bowl back on the tray. “It’s delicious.”

Wan Fu looked suspicious. “Liar!”

He held the bowl away from himself, resisting. “Just hearing the name, you can tell it doesn’t taste good! Wan Changzai, you shouldn’t help Mother lie. Father said that people who lie are bad!”

What a precocious little child!

Wan Anran huffed, “I never lie. This is honestly delicious! Lightly sweet, not greasy at all, and it doesn’t scratch the throat. You can’t even smell the raw ginger—just a bit of a spicy aftertaste. And after drinking it, your whole body feels warm and toasty!”

“…I still don’t believe you.”

“I’m really not lying!”

“Then what if you are lying?”

“…Hmm, then I’ll drink a spoonful of vinegar, how about that?” Wan Anran said playfully.

“……” Wan Fu looked at her with a mixture of doubt and trust. At least she had earned a decent amount of credibility with him these past couple of days. He thought for a moment, then picked up the cup and hesitantly gave it a small lick.

He really did—he stuck out his little tongue and gave it a lick.

Wan Fu’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, and he murmured, “It’s… actually sweet?”

Once he confirmed the brown sugar ginger soup was sweet, he wasn’t scared anymore.

Wan Fu picked up the cup and drank it all in one go. Little imaginary flowers bloomed behind him as he cupped his cheeks in delight, excitedly turning to Wan Anran. “Wan Changzai, it’s really yummy!”

“Right?!”

“Mhm! Especially that spicy taste at the end… hmm… I guess that’s what adults taste like, don’t you think? Wan Changzai?”

Even a three-year-old could talk about “the taste of adults.”

Everyone burst into laughter at Wan Fu’s innocent words. Their bodies warmed up, their spirits lifted, and all that remained was to await the Empress’s summons.

Yet no matter how long they waited, no message came.

Wan Anran began to wonder if the Empress had forgotten about them entirely—just as Nanny Zhou returned, saying, “Consort Xuan, Ninth Prince, honored ladies, please come with this servant.”

Wan Anran was about to see the Empress’s busy side.

In just three days, the New Year’s grand banquet would take place. Empress Niuhuru was currently checking the arrangements for the upcoming days’ banquets with the palace attendants. After the Emperor’s court session ended, the Empress would lead the imperial consorts into the main hall to pay their respects. Then the Crown Prince and the princes and princesses would follow, after which the imperial guards, various palace leaders, eunuchs, and palace maids—although they did not have to meet the Emperor—still needed to have red envelopes and gifts prepared for their rewards. After the New Year greetings at Qianqing Palace concluded, the Emperor still had to go to Cining Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and the Grand Empress Dowager.

Just finalizing the order of the procedures took quite a bit of effort.

After the New Year greetings ceremony would be a family feast, followed by the Emperor entertaining the full court of civil and military officials, then the harem holding a banquet for the madams and official wives, next hosting Mongol princes who had traveled from afar, and various tea gatherings… When all of these were over, preparations for the Lantern Festival would almost have to begin.

In any case, Wan Anran and the others saw palace attendants coming in and out of the main hall nonstop. They said they were there to accompany the Empress for her meal, but they didn’t even get a chance to speak.

Wan Anran observed quietly for a moment and inwardly sighed.

Being an Empress was not a job just anyone could handle. Despite Empress Niuhuru looking only about seventeen or eighteen years old, she handled affairs exceptionally well. Even without considering anything else, just listening to the many names of the Eight Banner nobles and officials’ families, which sounded like a tongue twister, the Empress could immediately respond the moment the other party mentioned them, and would even occasionally point out mistakes…

Wan Anran respectfully admired her.

It was a good thing she had transmigrated as Madam Wan Changzai; if she had transmigrated as the Empress, she would probably have been exposed on the very first day.

The crowd came and went.

Finally, Madam Zhou seized a break and stepped forward, “Mistress, it is time to eat.”

The Empress picked up her tea and took a sip.

The tea had cooled completely after sitting for a long time, but it was just right to quell the heat in her heart. She forced herself to compose, and looked at Consort Xuan with slight apology, “Sorry to have kept you waiting so long. Madam Zhou, please serve the meal!”

Madam Zhou immediately brightened.

The group walked to the Flower Hall and had just taken their seats when a steaming hot array of dishes was placed on the round table in front of them. The main dishes included a stir-fried diced chicken in sauce, a steamed perch, and a stew of daylilies, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and old duck. There was also a seasonal delicacy of green peas with shrimp, stir-fried Chinese kale, and shiitake mushrooms with vegetable hearts. Additionally, several cold dishes and assorted pickles were served.

Each dish was made with great care. Though Wan Anran did not know the taste yet, the colors and aroma alone deserved full marks!

Once seated, Wan Anran eagerly began eating.

The stir-fried diced chicken was perfectly balanced sweet and savory, with the distinctive aroma of doubanjiang (fermented bean paste). The chicken was tender, and the bones were so crisp they could be bitten through easily. It was perfect for eating with rice.

The duck stew had the meat cooked until tender and falling apart, with all the flavor concentrated in the broth. The daylilies, bamboo shoots, and black fungus absorbed all the essence of the soup, making them delicious beyond words.

And…

Wan Anran tried each dish and was once again amazed by the chefs’ superb skills. Just as she was immersed in the delicious food, her arm was bumped.

Wan Anran pulled her arm back slightly and continued eating intently.

This time, a hand rested on her waist, twisting and turning—Wan Anran’s eyes widened in surprise and she looked over at the side with a wronged expression.

Consort Xuan glared at her angrily and pursed her lips, signaling Madam Wan Changzai to look towards Empress Niuhuru.

Unlike yesterday, no matter how delicious Wan Anran ate today, the Empress was indifferent. She reluctantly took two small bites of rice—only about a quarter of a bowl—and then stopped, saying, “I remember there are still things I need to attend to. You all continue eating.”

Wan Anran: ………

She still remembered her task today, and even more so one fact: if Her Majesty the Empress did not eat properly, then who knew when Wan Anran would next get to enjoy such delicious dishes!

Wan Anran’s expression grew serious. When it came to the future thousands of meals, what did this one meal in front of her matter? She put down her chopsticks, stood up with a worried face, and said, “Madam Zhou, may I go see the kitchen?”

Madam Zhou, still worried about the Empress, was momentarily stunned by Madam Wan Changzai’s words. Especially after seeing Wan Changzai’s solemn expression and worried look, the posture of stopping after half a bowl when she had eaten two bowls last time, Madam Zhou was truly touched from the heart. She did not refuse, instead bowed slightly, “Yes, please come with me, Mistress.”

When Madam Zhou led Wan Changzai inside, the cooks and palace attendants in the kitchen all looked a little surprised, then quickly all knelt down.

Wan Anran called to them, and under the supervision of the steward, she inspected the dishes cooking at each stove. Besides the dishes delivered to the round table, there were many other dishes in the small kitchen. Chicken, duck, fish, and meat were all available. There were also porridges, pastries, and various sweets. Of course, there were several large plates of “Zisun Baozi” — filled buns beloved by the Banner people.

The cooks were full of hope.

Chef Zhao had received a reward yesterday that made many jealous. Today, the cooks responsible for the meals had used all their skill and effort, hoping to earn the Mistress’s praise and a reward.

Although surprised by Madam Wan Changzai’s presence, they quickly turned their expectant looks to Madam Zhou following behind. One or two smiled and approached, “Madam Zhou, what does the Mistress wish to eat today?”

Only Chef Zhao looked happily at Madam Wan Changzai, “Mistress Wan, is there something you want to eat? Or something you want made?”

Wan Anran thought for a moment, “Do you have chili peppers?”

Chef Zhao raised his eyebrows, “Of course we do!”

He answered while somewhat sighing.

Chili peppers were an exotic item, having entered the Central Plains only about a hundred years ago. First, not many knew about them; second, their spicy, stimulating taste often caused acne in women who ate too much. Combined with their strong flavor, not only palace consorts but even daughters of ordinary noble households tended to avoid them. For Madam Wan Changzai, who had just recently entered the palace, to know about chili peppers and still dare to eat them was really unexpected to Chef Zhao.

Wan Anran’s eyes lit up.

They really had chili peppers? Indeed, the kitchen serving the Emperor and Empress was different. Yesterday in the Xianfu Palace and the imperial kitchen’s supplies, she had not found any chili peppers, and she had felt a little disappointed!

If they had chili peppers, then things would be simple