Chapter 326: Chapter 326 Sweet Treats
Agarwood Pavilion.
Su Jin, accompanied by Xingxing, headed towards the small kitchen.
Having married Xie Jingchen for so long, she had yet to enter a kitchen.
The maids and old women in the small kitchen trembled at Su Jin’s arrival, unsure of what the Eldest Young Madam intended to do.
Mrs. Liu, the kitchen steward, came forward and said, "The kitchen is heavy with smoke and grease, why has the Eldest Young Madam come here?"
"I want to use the small kitchen," Su Jin replied.
Use the small kitchen?
The Eldest Young Madam can cook?
Mrs. Liu was a bit surprised.
She truly hadn’t seen the Eldest Young Madam as someone so domesticated.
Su Jin entered the kitchen.
Mrs. Liu wanted to follow her in but was stopped by Xingxing who tugged at her sleeve.
Mrs. Liu turned to look at her.
In a low voice, Xingxing said, "Call a few people to bring some water and stand outside the kitchen. If a fire breaks out, it should be extinguished promptly."
Mrs. Liu, "..."
The maids, "..."
Originally, Mrs. Liu was already worried.
Xingxing’s words made Mrs. Liu doubt whether the Eldest Young Madam was there to cook or to burn the kitchen down.
Knowing Xingxing’s impressive appetite.
Mrs. Liu had devised a special method to win Xingxing’s favor—
making buns with thin skins and plenty of filling, including her share in desserts, and separately cooking side dishes to accompany meals.
Xingxing was very fond of Mrs. Liu.
Mrs. Liu felt that with the good relationship built from the meat buns, she could share some heartfelt words with Xingxing.
"Can you persuade the Eldest Young Madam to leave?" Mrs. Liu asked boldly.
"If I could, that would be nice. Once my lady sets her mind on something, not even an ox could pull her back," Xingxing said wistfully.
"..."
Xingxing is a top-notch hand at adding firewood.
If Su Jin cooks, she would definitely add firewood, so no worries about a fire.
But Xingxing was afraid of the pot catching fire.
As Su Jin entered the kitchen, all the busy cooks looked at her.
After cooking, unsure of what to do next, Su Jin took a ladle of water into the pot and then didn’t know what to do.
Su Jin rolled up her sleeves and got to work.
She took a large porcelain basin to the place where the eggs were kept and began to crack eggs.
Separated egg whites from yolks.
Cracked a swift series of eight eggs.
Then she started beating the egg whites.
Seeing all the maids and old women watching her, Su Jin said, "You all continue with your work, don’t mind me."
Xingxing came over and said, "Miss, let me do it."
Su Jin handed the chopsticks to her and said, "Beat it in one direction."
Xingxing complied.
Su Jin then proceeded to make a chiffon cake.
All the ingredients for making the cake were complete, including butter, which was called suet in ancient times.
But the same ingredients, in different hands, would yield significantly different results.
This was Su Jin’s first time making a cake herself.
She had only watched someone make a cake once before.
She had memorized all the steps, but when it came to actually doing it, it was exceptionally challenging.
Especially since there was no oven in ancient times, Su Jin used a grill instead.
The first attempt was burnt.
The second attempt was undercooked.
The third attempt was half-burnt.
The fourth attempt...
Mrs. Liu saw the eggs gradually decreasing.
Seeing Su Jin showing no signs of stopping,
she silently sent someone to get sixty more eggs from the main kitchen.
By the eighth time, the cake took shape.
However, upon tasting it, they found not enough sugar had been added, making it insufficiently sweet.
There was a young maid who didn’t like sweet foods and thought it tasted great.
But the cake wasn’t wasted, it was completely finished.
Since everyone was so supportive, Su Jin continued her work.
After another failed attempt, Xingxing couldn’t help saying, "Miss, the sun is about to set, why don’t we continue tomorrow?"
Su Jin was also tired and so stopped.
She rubbed her neck as she left the small kitchen.
Mrs. Liu breathed a sigh of relief.
Seeing a few eggs remaining, she felt a bit restless.
She followed all of Su Jin’s steps once.
Hmm.
If Su Jin were there, she would have been utterly demoralized.
Because Mrs. Liu succeeded on her first try.
A young maid said, "Should we take it to let the Eldest Young Madam see?"
Mrs. Liu raised her hand and tapped the back of the maid’s head, "Are you tired of living, trying to undermine the Eldest Young Madam?!"
"Then what about this?" the young maid asked.
"Eat it," Mrs. Liu answered.
"I can’t eat anymore."
"..."
Mrs. Liu looked at the remaining cake on the table and said, "Send someone to ask the Eldest Young Madam’s maid if the leftover cake can be given away. It’s a waste to throw it away."
After about half a cup of tea’s time, the young maid ran back and said, "The Eldest Young Madam’s maid suggested sending a portion to Mrs. Wang, and the rest can be disposed of at your discretion."
Mrs. Liu was left speechless.
She had never seen master and maids like this.
Not remembering the Old Madam, but remembering Mrs. Wang.
If it’s truly sent to Mrs. Wang without considering the Old Madam’s portion, won’t the Old Madam be upset?
Even if the Old Madam doesn’t like sweets, face must still be saved.
With an expression of helplessness, Mrs. Liu packed the whole cake in a food box and personally delivered it to Qihao Hall.
As for the remaining cake, she wouldn’t dare send it to Qihao Hall, even if she had several guts.
Qihao Hall.
The Old Madam was sitting on the Arhat Couch drinking tea.
A young maid came in and said, "Old Madam, the steward of Agarwood Pavilion’s kitchen Mrs. Liu is here."
Why had the steward of Agarwood Pavilion come here?
The Old Madam slightly furrowed her brows.
"Let her in."
Soon, Mrs. Liu came in.
The food box embroidered with gold in her hand was especially eye-catching.
Su Jin had been busy in the kitchen all day, the Old Madam had heard from the maid’s report.
To be honest, it was a bit surprising that the small kitchen had not caught fire.
Last time she had borrowed flowers to offer to Buddha, the Old Madam had almost lost half her life.
How dare she send food again!
Mrs. Liu came forward and paid respects, saying, "This was made by following the Eldest Young Madam’s instructions, specifically delivered for the Old Madam to taste."
Knowing it wasn’t Su Jin who made it, everyone was relieved.
Mrs. Wang accepted the brocade box and opened it for the Old Madam to see.
"Is this a sweet?" the Old Madam asked.
"Yes, it is a sweet," Mrs. Liu replied.
"It’s a pity the Old Madam doesn’t like sweets," Mrs. Wang stated.
"Let me try," the Old Madam said.
Mrs. Wang was taken aback.
More surprising was what followed.
The Old Madam not only tasted it but finished the entire piece that Mrs. Liu had cut.
Mrs. Wang had a liking for sweets, but even she found the cake a bit cloying.
The Old Madam didn’t care for sweets, and the small kitchen’s cakes usually contained less sugar.
This scene, had she not seen it herself, Mrs. Wang wouldn’t have believed it.
When had the Old Madam become so fond of sweets?
The Old Madam’s temperament wasn’t as fiery as before, had her tastes also changed?
Mrs. Wang made a mental note.
She instructed the kitchen to add more sugar to the pastries made tomorrow.
The Old Madam, who usually ate a maximum of two pastries a day, astonishingly ate six.
The Old Madam’s tastes indeed changed.
...
In the garden.
Xie Jinyu was feeding fish by the Lotus Pond.
Xie Jinhuan pulled Xie Jinxiu along as they walked over.
"Big sister," Xie Jinhuan called out.
Xie Jinyu turned her head, and upon seeing Xie Jinxiu, her expression wasn’t good.
Ever since Xie Jinxiu had people spread rumors that Princess Nanzhang was pretending, Xie Jinyu hadn’t spoken to her.
Xie Jinyu turned her head, and upon seeing Xie Jinxiu, her expression wasn’t pleasant.
Ever since Xie Jinxiu spread rumors about Princess Nanzhang, Xie Jinyu hasn’t looked at her favorably.
The two didn’t speak to each other.
But as sisters from a noble household, it wouldn’t do for them to ignore each other like this all along.
Xie Jinhuan tried to mediate, saying, "We’re all sisters of the same household, let’s not let something so trivial come between us."
"Something trivial?!" Xie Jinyu replied coldly.
"My elder sister," Xie Jinhuan called out.
Xie Jinxiu turned her head, and upon seeing Xie Jinxiu, her demeanor was not good.
Ever since Xie Jinxiu spread rumors about Princess Nanzhang, Xie Jinhuan and she haven’t been on good terms.
Both of them ignored each other.
But as women of the same family, they couldn’t go on ignoring each other like this.
Playing peacemaker, Xie Jinhuan said, "A little thing like this, let’s not hold it in our hearts."
"Little thing?!" Xie Jinyu retorted coldly.
"Your elder sister," Xie Jinhuan called out.