Chapter 44.2

After watching the children finish eating, she urged them to wash up and go to bed.

These milk candies were the ones Yin Xiaoman had taken from the cabinet where Lichun had placed them as offerings.

Although she had repeatedly left notes asking Lichun not to bow to her and offer sacrifices, ever since Yin Xiaoman had first taken the fruits and snacks from the plate, Lichun seemed to have figured out her thoughts. Every day, she would place fresh fruits and various small snacks from the Imperial Kitchen in the cabinet.

Sometimes it was common snacks like jujube-flower pastries or mung bean cakes, and other times it would be new varieties developed by the pastry chef.

For example, the milk candies she gave the children this time were the ones the pastry chef had come up with recently.

That day, when she saw them, Yin Xiaoman immediately became interested.

Even if she wasn’t going to eat them, she could easily tell that the chef had made these to please the young masters and mistresses.

She didn’t know if they were specially made for some young prince or princess, but it was clear that the chef had put effort into them.

Because the children’s stomachs and spleens were weak, the pastry chef didn’t add a lot of other ingredients in pursuit of taste. Instead, she used the simplest ingredients: flour, rice flour, sugar, and cheese.

She shaped it into small squares, about the size of a fingertip, which were perfect for the children’s small hands to pick up and eat, one bite at a time.

Additionally, to stimulate the appetite, the pastry chef also mixed in small bits of hawthorn strips, which not only wouldn’t get stuck in the children’s throats but also made the pastries more crunchy with a chewy texture. They were not only creamy with a strong dairy flavor but also tangy and sweet, making them very delicious.

With just a glance, Yin Xiaoman immediately knew the children would love these and that they were very nutritious. So, she decided to add them to the list of items she could exchange with Lichun in the future.

Ever since the bucket of seafood she had left behind saved Lichun’s life again, their seafood trade had officially begun.

It had been going on for several rounds by now.

Especially now that they knew they were going to leave the Vanguard Camp and settle in a new place, adhering to the principle of “having goods in hand, feeling secure.” she had bought several batches of goods from Uncle Li and then exchanged them with Lichun for many things.

Fortunately, Lichun, who had once again gained attention at the crown prince’s birthday celebration, was now most worried about the seafood shortage. So, no matter how much Yin Xiaoman brought, she accepted it all and was happy to get more.

She also eagerly wanted to fulfill any of Yin Xiaoman’s requests.

Thus, the trade was mutually satisfying for both sides.

Speaking of that birthday banquet, Lichun’s ability to shine again was truly thanks to Yin Xiaoman.

The crown prince’s birthday was already a big event at the palace.

Especially this time, he had specifically requested each Imperial Kitchen chef to present one of their signature dishes, which elevated the banquet to a new level.

Not only had the emperor and empress announced their attendance, but even the empress dowager said she would come to see it.

With these three significant figures making an appearance, everyone with any standing in the palace naturally wanted to find ways to attend.

As a result, what was originally meant to be a simple birthday banquet turned into a grand court feast.

Although no one openly stated it, the competition between chefs, both overt and covert, was clearly underway.

Even though Lichun was Yin Xiaoman’s top disciple and someone Yin Xiaoman had always valued the most, she was still young and had been a chef for a short time.

Even when Yin Xiaoman was around, her appreciation for Lichun was more for her organizational skills, but when it came to culinary arts, there was still room for improvement.

This was something everyone knew. If it had been in the past, no one would have mentioned it.

After all, for the head matron of the Imperial Kitchen, her management skills were far more important than her culinary skills.

But strangely, the bowl of shrimp noodles she had made previously had received extreme praise from the noble consort. That wasn’t all; she had also received compliments and rewards from the emperor.

Such an occasion, in the Imperial Kitchen, even the most experienced chefs hadn’t received such high praise in all their years.

Somehow, she had been elevated to such a high position, and it felt as though she was being roasted on a fire every day.

And there was no place to express this discomfort.

This really left Lichun speechless.

She knew better than anyone that if she couldn’t produce a dish that stood out at this birthday banquet, or if she didn’t satisfy the crown prince, it would be impossible for her to stand tall in the Imperial Kitchen anymore.

Not to mention that those veteran chefs would resist her authority from then on, but she and her loyal subordinates would no longer have any standing, and would never be able to hold their heads up again.

And all of this, as soon as Lichun mentioned it, Yin Xiaoman understood.

So, after leaving the seafood, she hadn’t completely relaxed her mind, fearing that relying solely on those ingredients would still leave Lichun unsteady.

Thus, after much thought, that evening, she went back to the Imperial Kitchen and left behind the recipe for the seafood hotpot.

This was something she had recently worked out herself. It had started when she saw a charcoal hotpot that she didn’t know where they had gotten from in the Kitchen Unit.

Wang Jun told her that it was a pot for cooking lamb, probably captured as a war trophy in the past, and since it wasn’t useful, it had just been left in the cafeteria.

But in this day and age, forget about lamb, they couldn’t even find lamb bones! So the pot was just sitting in a corner collecting dust, with no real use.

That pot was useless to Wang Jun and his team, but to Yin Xiaoman, it felt like an entirely new door had opened.

After learning how to use it, her mind immediately started racing, and several hotpot recipes popped into her head.

In her previous era, there hadn’t been hotpot, but there was a custom of eating food from pots.

But that pot was just a large clay pot, where all the meat and vegetables were placed, simmered until tender, and then brought to the masters. The goal was simply to keep everything warm.

The concept of a pot that could be heated and used for dipping, where one could choose what to cook at will, had never been seen before.

This intrigued her.

Since the charcoal hotpot was of no use to Wang Jun and his team, Yin Xiaoman borrowed it and took it home, experimenting with it several times.

She always had charcoal on hand at home, and since no one else was around, she didn’t have to be too cautious.

After closing the door, she tried lamb hotpot, fish hotpot, seafood hotpot, and varied the broths, switching between tomato, fresh mushroom, fish, and bone broth… experimenting with all kinds of combinations to her heart’s content.

For the children, as long as their mother made delicious food, it didn’t matter what it was. They would just enjoy it and never ask any more questions.

When Lichun mentioned that the chefs in the Imperial Kitchen were nearly going crazy, with everyone buried in their thoughts trying to come up with new dishes for the crown prince’s banquet, Yin Xiaoman kept pondering and still felt that this seafood hotpot was the most reliable.

Firstly, it was fresh; secondly, the ingredients were easy to find. Most importantly, it didn’t require much technical skill.

Otherwise, it would be unrealistic to expect Lichun to make a huge leap in her cooking skills at the last minute.

The hotpot recipe, on the other hand, had been tested and adjusted to near perfection by herself.

As long as Lichun followed her method, it would be difficult to fail.

The only tricky part was making the hotpot itself.

But in the palace, with so many skilled craftsmen, that wouldn’t be a problem.

So, after spending half a day, she carefully drew up a design for the hotpot, including the recipe for the broth and instructions on how to use it, and handed it to Lichun.

When Lichun saw the note Yin Xiaoman had left, she was stunned.

Her first reaction was that the immortal had brought out the utensils they used in the Heavenly Palace!

Leaving the recipe aside, the fact that this thing called a hotpot had never been seen before was astonishing.

Without saying a word, Lichun immediately bowed deeply, knocking her head several times in quick succession in front of the wooden cabinet in gratitude.

Even though the immortal had told her not to bow, she just couldn’t feel right unless she did.

After bowing, Lichun didn’t waste a moment. She immediately copied the design drawn by the immortal, then urgently sent for skilled craftsmen to come as quickly as possible.

The craftsmen spent a few days discussing and experimenting, and finally, two days before the birthday banquet, they completed the ten copper hotpots.

The hotpots were made exactly according to Yin Xiaoman’s drawings.

The only difference was that they were even more exquisite.

Because they were meant for use by the nobility in the palace, the craftsmen spared no effort in making sure the appearance was perfect.

In addition to designing the handles on both sides to resemble auspicious beasts, intricate patterns were also carved onto the body of the pot.

Even before use, just looking at them, the pots already exuded a distinct aura.

At this time, Lichun also perfected the broth according to Yin Xiaoman’s method.

The broth, made from fresh fish and lamb bones, was a pure, snow-white, and fragrant stock. After filtering out the dregs, it was poured into the hotpot, and the freshest seafood Yin Xiaoman had sent once again was added.

Bright red shrimp, tender white squid, plump fresh abalone, smooth clams, along with yellow corn, white mountain bamboo shoots, black shiitake mushrooms, and fish balls, shrimp balls, and crab meat dumplings that Lichun had made by hand…

On the day of the birthday banquet, Lichun personally led the team, followed by the Imperial Kitchen’s Little Palace Maids, and one by one, they brought the ten seafood hotpots before the masters.

Each palace maid, dressed in the standard uniform of the Imperial Kitchen, carried a vermilion tray, and on each tray was a delicate, never-before-seen piece of tableware.

The tableware was completely different from the porcelain and pottery that everyone was used to. Its shape was unusual, and it gleamed with a golden luster.

Around the outer rim, food was clearly placed inside, and even though the lids were on, one could hear the bubbling sound of the broth inside, as it gently rolled.

The center of the tableware was hollow, and it seemed like it contained burning charcoal, still crackling and sending out occasional sparks with popping sounds.

This was a sight no one had ever seen before, and everyone’s faces displayed curiosity.

As Lichun’s team walked past, a brief silence fell over the lively hall. All eyes were immediately drawn to the gleaming, novel tableware.

What they could never have expected was that, in the presence of such delicious food, the novelty of the tableware itself would pale in comparison!

When Lichun personally removed the lid of the hotpot placed before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, a rich, mouth-watering fragrance immediately filled the air.

The palace was suddenly filled with the sound of people inhaling sharply in awe.

After her, the palace maids also opened the lids of the hotpots set before other noble guests, and in an instant, the previously silent hall became lively again.

“What is this?”

“It’s delicious!”

“My goodness, it even has a shell?”

“Please serve me another bowl!”

“I want some too!”

The once dignified and graceful nobles, who had always been particular about their posture and appearance, seemed to have collectively lost their memories in that moment, forgetting all about those concerns.

The air was filled with all sorts of exclamations and requests for more.

Lichun quietly lifted her eyelids and looked at the guests’ expressions, stunned beyond belief and captivated by the deliciousness of the food. She finally felt her heart settle in her chest.

She knew that no matter how the competition continued afterward, she had won this round.