The queen was still chatting with Concubine Lan with a bright smile, and she seemed satisfied with the meal. The matter of the little eunuch was never mentioned again.
After dinner, he and Concubine Lan went to enjoy the flowers in the garden of Zhilan Palace. Leave after digesting the food.
With a group of eunuchs and maids, the queen left Zhilan Palace still smiling and calm.
"Cuckoo, check..." the queen said softly, holding a flower.
"Yes, the Queen." Du Juan nodded. The Queen did not mention what it was, but Du Juan understood what the Queen meant.
I want to check out the handsome little eunuch who cooks at Zhilan Palace.
The queen was in charge of the harem, and all the eunuchs, maids, and concubines were under her management.
The afternoon sun was still hot, but the queen walked away calmly, looking at the harem, which belonged to her.
No bee can escape her network.
Concubine Lan was holding a delicate wooden ladle to water her favorite orchids under the shady corridor. She was careful, gentle and beautiful.
"The Queen wants to take you there, what do you think?" said Concubine Lan.
"The villain doesn't think it's good. Now he wants to give himself a second thought. He said too much."
An Xiaoshan stood aside with a bucket and whispered, as if he was afraid of breaking the peaceful atmosphere.
Concubine Lan didn't expect him to answer like this. She didn't kneel on the ground to express her loyalty as expected, but the unexpectedness made it more interesting.
"Have you ever thought about it, she is the queen, if you go to her and give you a slight promotion, you might become a high-level eunuch in the harem."
Concubine Lan continued and looked at An Xiaoshan after speaking.
"Your Majesty, there's no need to test me. Zhilan Palace is very good, and so is your Majesty. I won't leave." An Xiaoshan said firmly.
Concubine Lan looked at him and suddenly smiled.
"Your choice is right. You can go and find out. None of the handsome little eunuchs beside the queen have survived more than a month."
Concubine Lan said with a smile.
These words made An Xiaoshan think deeply and fear him.
"Queen too?" An Xiaoshan asked tentatively. He was very curious. This queen looked graceful, elegant, gentle and virtuous.
Is there also a need for fake dragons and phoenixes?
He didn't believe it, not to mention that no matter how much the emperor favored others, he couldn't ignore the queen.
Concubine Lan did not answer this question directly.
"The Queen married His Majesty when he was the Crown Prince. She has had nothing to do for more than ten years. She and His Majesty are on the same page and treat each other with respect as guests. They are a model in the world."
Concubine Lan said teasingly and stretched out her hand. An Xiaoshan quickly handed over the wooden ladle, and their hands touched each other inadvertently.
Concubine Lan smiled slightly, but An Xiaoshan lowered his head with a sullen face, showing no other expression except respect and caution.
He remembered the concubine's instructions when he got off the concubine's bed. He really didn't take it seriously at the time, but now he's very scared when he thinks about it.
"To raise eyebrows and treat each other with respect as guests, that's not husband and wife, that's sworn brothers." An Xiaoshan calmly retracted his hand and said.
He understood in his heart what Concubine Lan said. The queen was unparalleled in virtuousness and had no children.
So she can't let people gossip. The handsome little eunuchs around her are disposable items, and they probably won't be used more than three times at most.
Thinking of this, his back felt cold. This palace was indeed the most dangerous place. Thinking about the queen's gorgeous and graceful appearance, it is a terrifying mask.
People from a distance could not see anything wrong with the movements and postures of him and the imperial concubine.
Concubine Lan was very satisfied with his seemingly calm performance.
"Your metaphor is interesting, two brothers on the same bed?" Concubine Lan couldn't help but bite her lower lip and smile as she thought about that scene.
An Xiaoshan also remembered the story from later generations, about the couple becoming brothers after the seven-year itch.
"Do you know why I invited the queen to dinner today?" Concubine Lan put down the wooden ladle, stood up, turned and walked towards the other side of the corridor.
An Xiaoshan followed him slowly, carrying a bucket.
"Isn't it to deal with that evil concubine?" An Xiaoshan said, he had heard a few words.
"How can you be so stubborn in the harem? It's just to test the queen's attitude. My real purpose is my brother and the entire Lan family."
Concubine Lan seemed to be relieved when she said these words.
An Xiaoshan looked around, there were only two people. Suddenly he understood that Concubine Lan had a secret with him, so she didn't mind saying what she was holding back in her heart.
She must be feeling very uncomfortable holding it in. No wonder there are so many perverts in the palace, so perverted that they can't even speak the truth without holding back.
"This is the emperor's business. The concubine should fight for his favor. Why do you want to find the queen?" An Xiaoshan asked.
"The queen won't give you a chance in this harem. People like me who have fallen out of favor have no chance to win favor."
Concubine Lan took a wooden gourd and knocked a peony and said with a sneer, she was about to knock the peony into pieces.
An Xiaoshan thought in his heart that this woman was really violent, and he destroyed this innocent peony flower out of displeasure.
"Your Majesty...stop..." Daukou, who was walking quickly from a distance, ran over and shouted to stop Concubine Lan.
Concubine Lan looked at the destroyed peony and was also shocked.
"Why didn't you stop me..." Anger flashed across the imperial concubine's face, and she hit An Xiaoshan on the head with a wooden ladle.
The wooden ladle was broken into two halves on the spot, which showed the ferocity of Concubine Lan's attack. An Xiaoshan groaned and squatted on the ground after being beaten.
My heart is furious, why are you so crazy, you stinky bitch? I just wanted to get angry, but looking at the scene in front of me, I could only grit my teeth and give up.
"The Queen Mother's birthday is the day after tomorrow. If I give this peony away, I'm afraid not only will I not be favored, but I'll also be ridiculed."
Kao Kao looked at Concubine Lan worriedly and whispered.
"You bitch slave, why don't you stop me and seek death..." Concubine Lan's eyes were red with anger, she pointed at An Xiaoshan and cursed angrily.
An Xiaoshan was also anxious, you did it yourself and you blame me, bitch, now is not the time to press you down on the bed. Why didn't you call me a dog slave then?
But it's obviously not wise to compete with this crazy woman. It would be easy for her to kill herself if she went crazy.
"My dear, don't be anxious. There is a solution to everything. Why do you have to send peonies?" An Xiaoshan asked quickly.
"You...you bitch slave...what do you know..." Concubine Lan's chest heaved with anger and her pretty face turned pale.
"Because the Queen Mother's name is peony, she loves this peony flower very much. Every year on the Queen Mother's birthday, peonies in the palace compete for beauty. All the concubines in the palace offer peonies to win the favor of the Queen Mother.
His Majesty will also reward the best among them. This peony is a wonderful product that Concubine Lan has been looking for for a long time. Now...this year is the Queen Mother's 50th birthday..." Daukou said with a sad face.
Your Majesty's generous reward is the fundamental thing, right? An Xiaoshan thought to himself that the harem was going to all lengths to fight for favor.
Forget it, help her, otherwise you won't have a good life.
"If others send peonies, we will also send peonies. Even if we send this peony, what are our chances of winning?"
An Xiaoshan squatted on the ground and covered his head.
"Xiao Anzi, you don't understand at all. Now Zhilan Palace no longer seeks merit, but seeks nothing. The Queen Mother may not think much of this Peony Flower's defeat, but others may be hurt."
Cardamom said.
"My sister is too unambitious. Either she won't give it to her, or if she wants to give it, she has to win with one blow. Instead of giving peonies, why not give them a poem."
An Xiaoshan said.
"Tsk, do you think you, a bitch slave, have any good ideas? Every year on the Queen Mother's birthday, the ministers from all over the dynasty think hard and send tons of poems. You might as well send peonies."
Concubine Lan said through gritted silver teeth.
"Then add a peony-shaped birthday cake. I don't believe the Queen Mother is not tempted." An Xiaoshan said.
"What is a birthday cake?" Cardamom and Concubine Lan asked at the same time.
Of course you have never heard of it, An Xiaoshan felt confident. The two women didn't understand what he said, so he returned to the kitchen and started operating.
Separate egg whites and egg whites. Beat the egg whites with chopsticks until foamy, add a spoonful of sugar and continue beating. When the egg whites are a bit thick, add another spoonful of sugar and beat until the egg whites become creamy.
Mix egg yolks with sugar, flour, milk and a little salt. Add the egg whites and continue to mix. After mixing evenly, add the other half of the prepared egg whites and cream. Mix the two and continue to mix into cream.
There was a bit too much cream to make at one time, so An Xiaoshan found two fine white porcelain bowls, put crushed ice cubes in them, then poured the cream on top, chopped cherries, and dried pomace.
Two bowls of cream ice cream, let the little palace maid serve Lan Guifei and cardamom.
He asked the old catering eunuch to help.
Pour the egg whites and milk into a container, add sugar, and stir evenly while adding oil. Use a fine sieve to sift flour into it until you have a batter.
Add a little white vinegar to the batter and beat it. When fish-eye bubbles appear, add a spoonful of sugar. When laundry bubbles appear, add another spoonful. When lines appear, add another spoonful.
After mixing the batter, add one-third of the egg whites and stir evenly, stirring from the bottom of the bowl upwards.
Pour the mixed cake batter into the mold and shake it a few times to remove any air bubbles inside.
The cake embryo was ready, and the little palace maid came back with two empty bowls, and happily spread the news that the imperial concubine wanted to eat another bowl.
"Help me return to the imperial concubine. This thing is too cold. Eating too much will hurt your spleen and stomach. Don't be greedy. The cake will be ready soon. Please wait a moment, imperial concubine."
An Xiaoshan said. I thought it would be nice to eat ice cream on this hot day, but eating too much would cause diarrhea.
The little palace maid hurriedly went back to Concubine Lan.
"This bastard little Anzi, I want to eat more delicious cakes, but he dares to stop me. If the cake is not good, I will slice it and give it to the Queen Mother."
Concubine Lan pretended not to be angry and said, the cool and sweet cream ice cream made her have endless aftertaste.
It also gave her a lot of confidence in the Queen Mother's birthday. So I feel very relaxed now.
"Your Majesty, this little Anzi has so many ideas. He said he would give me a poem, and I guess it might be even more original."
Cardamom also ate a bowl of cream ice cream and licked her lips to say good things.
"Well, ask him when the cake is ready." Concubine Lan nodded and said. In fact, there is not much hope. A young eunuch may not even know the words.
What other poems and songs do you know?
An Xiaoshan encountered a problem here.
He didn't expect that the most difficult part would be baking the cake. Because there was no oven, An Xiaoshan had to find a way to improvise.
I broke it several times before I found a way. Those defective products were all cheap to the little eunuchs who were watching the fun, especially Xiao Linzi, a glutton.
Everyone is welcome, and everyone is satisfied with the food.
After making the cake base, cut into four layers, then apply cream and put seasonal fruits on it. Then make the cream look like peonies and pile it on top.
Place it in a box and surround it with ice cubes to set the cream.
