To use the seal required the imperial stamp, but she didn’t know exactly how to apply it. It was only after recently asking the System that she understood.
【Unlock Method: Write down the required ingredients by hand, stamp with the imperial seal, and burn it.】
“I’ve never seen such a down-to-earth unlocking method before.”
Jiang Ning was stunned at the time, even silently pulling the blanket over herself on a slightly warm summer night.
【Host, do not misunderstand. The System transmits items in one direction only. To receive your proof of request, this is the only way.】
“……”
Although this method was somewhat alarming, in a way, it was advantageous for her—it could completely clear her of any suspicion of ill intent.
Jiang Ning wrote down two ingredients, milk and light cream, on a piece of paper, stamped each with the imperial seal above them, then found a fire-starter and burned it.
The Little Crown Prince watched her actions carefully. She had indeed used the paper and brush already in the pavilion, the seal was stamped by him—Jiang Ning hadn’t touched it—and the stamped paper was burned to ashes.
There was nothing strange about it, yet her inexplicably burning paper was the strangest thing of all!
She, she, she—could she be a witch?!
The Little Crown Prince’s feigned aloof demeanor crumbled as he stared at Jiang Ning with wide eyes.
“This is our secret, Your Highness. Could you not tell the Supervisor?”
The Little Crown Prince hesitated, then nodded. “Then, what about that milk tea you mentioned…”
Seeing the milk and light cream light up on the panel, Jiang Ning couldn’t help but beam with joy. She turned and bowed gratefully to the Little Crown Prince.
“Thank you, boss! Once the milk tea is ready, you’ll definitely get the first taste!”
With those words, Jiang Ning bowed again and happily ran out of the pavilion.
Not only had something she thought would be difficult been resolved so easily, but she would also be able to enjoy happy milk tea from now on!
Watching Jiang Ning’s cheerful retreating figure, the ten-year-old Little Crown Prince felt a subtle mix of emotions, especially after hearing her promise that he would get the first taste.
Lost in thought over her words, he absentmindedly swept the ashes into a flowerpot.
It wasn’t until he sat back down at the desk that he realized—why had he helped her clean up?
From the pavilion to Zheyue Palace was quite a distance, passing through the imperial gardens along the way. Jiang Ning stepped lightly into the gardens and happened upon a consort enjoying the cool in a pavilion.
Seated gracefully in the pavilion, the consort looked at her with a faint smile at the corners of her lips.
With dignified features, a gentle and virtuous demeanor, impeccable attire, and the phoenix robe and phoenix hairpin adorned with red pearls—this had to be the capable and amiable Empress.
The Yong Dynasty emperor had passed away from illness six years after ascending the throne, leaving behind a full harem and not too many children.
According to tradition, when an emperor passed away, all consorts without children should enter the imperial mausoleum. However, the late emperor had decreed that the Crown Prince would ascend only when he was capable, and the remaining consorts could leave if they wished.
Among the harem consorts, some left, but more chose to stay.
Thus, in this situation with no emperor but many consorts, the responsibility of managing and mediating relationships fell entirely on the Empress.
Ah, what a thankless job—clearly a demanding and unrewarding 996 role.
Jiang Ning ignored the dark circles under the Empress’s eyes that even makeup couldn’t conceal and stepped forward to perform the palace salute.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Empress Zheng shifted her stiff shoulders slightly, raising a warm and gracious professional smile.
“You must be the divine chef Ji Ke recently found? Come closer, let this one take a look.”
Jiang Ning wasn’t entirely clear about the intricate relationships within the palace, but she wasn’t a fool either. What Empress would take an interest in a mere cook?
She didn't approach too closely, keeping her head lowered as she stopped before the pavilion. Though she raised her head, she still avoided direct eye contact.
Jiang Ning wore a high-waisted palace dress with blue patterns on a white base, her dark hair styled in Double-horn buns. Two pale silk ribbons hung from her waist, adorned with a red brocade pouch and a redwood waist token.
Only those from Zheyue Palace carried these redwood tokens within the palace.
Though Jiang Ning's attire was similar to other palace maids, her eyes were distinctly different—dark, bright, and full of lively spirit.
Empress Zheng observed her carefully, her expression unchanged but inwardly puzzled.
…Why did this differ from the information she had received? Wasn't Jiang Shiyu said to be timid and weak, often bullied by her father and brothers?
Yet this person didn't seem like someone who could be easily bullied. Would her gentle approach then be useless?
"I've heard that Lord Ji has been eating quite a lot because of your culinary skills. Truly remarkable. It has made me curious about your craftsmanship."
Seeing Empress Zheng looking at her with slight anticipation, Jiang Ning promptly untied the red brocade pouch from her waist and held it up with a smile.
"You flatter me. These are just some pastries made by this subordinate. Your Majesty has seen much of the world, so I humbly ask for your guidance."
Empress Zheng had someone take the pouch and smiled at Jiang Ning.
"You've been in the palace for a while now. Are you adjusting well?"
Jiang Ning focused intently, not daring to let her mind wander. "Everything is fine."
"How does Ji Ke treat you?"
"Lord Ji is considerate of his subordinates, caring toward his colleagues—a rare and good person."
Empress Zheng felt displeased, sensing that Jiang Ning's replies were like a slippery fish: seemingly answering everything yet offering no substantive content, leaving no room for criticism.
But she didn't appear as loyal as others, so perhaps there was still a chance to win her over.
"Supervisor Ji is indeed commendable," Empress Zheng remarked indifferently.
"As you're new to the palace, if there's anything you don't understand, feel free to come to Mingfeng Palace and seek out Lan Cao."
A matron in her thirties standing behind Empress Zheng nodded at Jiang Ning, her smile equally gentle.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."
Jiang Ning bowed in gratitude, though inwardly she thought differently: unusual occurrences often hide ulterior motives. It seemed she'd have to avoid Mingfeng Palace from now on.
"Meeting today was fate. Very well, you may go attend to your duties."
"This subordinate takes her leave."
Without a moment's delay, Jiang Ning lifted the hem of her skirt and hurried out of the imperial garden.
"Your Majesty, she differs from the rumors. Should we…"
Empress Zheng sat in the pavilion, enjoying the summer breeze, her tone somewhat languid.
"What she was like before doesn't matter. What's important is knowing she isn't overly loyal to Ji Ke. We'll find her weakness and make her useful to us."
She rarely had such time to relax and didn't want to dwell on these matters now.
"Hmm? Is it my imagination, or have the roses in the palace diminished?"
Lan Cao looked carefully and agreed. "Perhaps Consort Shu has been burying flowers again."
"…Mentioning her gives me a headache. Let's return to the palace."
Unbeknownst to Empress Zheng, who had thrown the blame onto Consort Shu, the actual culprit was Jiang Ning.
Having avoided the inexplicable encounter with the empress, Jiang Ning returned to Zheyue Palace.
Zheyue Palace housed few people to begin with, and most were usually out with Ji Ke, leaving only about five or six guarding his quarters.
Jiang Ning was practically the only living creature bustling about the place. The eunuchs guarding the doors had long grown accustomed to her presence—as long as she didn’t approach Ji Ke’s room, she was free to roam as she pleased.
Lifting the wooden basin in the corner of the kitchen, Jiang Ning gazed at the delicate roses inside and nodded in satisfaction.
The quantity was almost enough. Once she found another chance to pick a few more to round out the amount, she could start making the rose jam.
Now, it was time to use the newly unlocked ingredients from the System to make some refreshing milk tea!
Jiang Ning turned and headed back to the kitchen, dragging out the newly unlocked milk and pouring it into a bowl. She then rummaged through the cabinets for black tea and a teapot, happily carrying them along with a small clay stove to the shade of the loquat tree.
The eunuch stationed outside Ji Ke’s door glanced over briefly before pretending to look at the ground with feigned indifference.
To be honest, they had been tempted by Jiang Ning’s cooking more than once or twice. They had previously succumbed to the urge and snuck into the kitchen for a taste, only to be scolded by Eunuch Fu for a long time. This time, they were determined not to slip up again.
Jiang Ning casually rolled up her sleeves, revealing her fair arms. She used a fire-starter to light the small stove, then poured sweet spring water into the clay pot placed on top, waiting for it to heat up slowly.
If it was milk tea, considering Ji Ke’s taste, it had to be rich in tea flavor without any hint of milky odor.
To achieve this level of quality and a mellow, thick texture, extra care had to be taken during the tea-brewing step.
Jiang Ning pinched some tea leaves and placed them in the teapot. Once the spring water boiled, she poured the hot water into the teapot to "awaken" the tea—essentially, to rinse off any dust and allow the tightly curled leaves to unfurl.
For this first infusion, just enough water to cover the tea leaves was sufficient. After awakening the tea, she discarded this water and added boiling spring water again for steeping.
The black tea leaves were dry and firm. To fully release their aroma, not only did the temperature need to be high enough, but sufficient time was also required for the fragrance to develop.
Stimulated by the first infusion of boiling water, the tea leaves in the pot slowly unfurled, releasing their rich aroma freely as the water gradually turned a reddish-brown hue.
At this point, she added fine white sugar and stirred it with chopsticks. The originally clear tea took on a slight viscosity from the sugar syrup. When the tea fragrance reached its peak intensity, Jiang Ning decisively poured in the milk.
To emphasize the tea flavor, she added less milk than tea, but the taste was already rich enough.
While waiting for the milk and tea to blend, Jiang Ning went to the kitchen to chop small peach cubes, placing them in another teapot before bringing it out.
The mellow, sweet aroma of the milk tea had already filled Zheyue Palace, tempting everyone in the courtyard to glance over frequently, unable to stop themselves from swallowing their saliva.
She covered the teapot spout with a cloth filter to strain out the tea leaves. Holding the handle, Jiang Ning poured the milk tea into the teapot containing the peach cubes, instantly releasing a faint peach fragrance.
Iced milk tea was even more delightful in the summer. She hung the teapot in the well again to cool it down. When she retrieved it, it was exactly the milk tea she had been dreaming of—smooth, mellow, and with a single sip, it dispelled the summer heat.
Most of the cicadas in the palace had already been caught, leaving the surroundings quiet and peaceful. A gentle breeze rustled the tree shadows, creating a soft, whispering sound.
Jiang Ning poured several cups of milk tea for the eunuchs on duty, poured some for herself, and decided to save the rest for Ji Ke—considering it as a way to supplement his protein intake with milk.
Sitting in the rattan chair, she enjoyed the breeze contentedly. Thinking about the wages she would receive at the end of the month, she couldn’t help but marvel at what a heavenly job she had found.
For this, she had to thank Jiang Shiyu’s peculiar father and brother.
Truly, a loss may turn out to be a gain.
Meanwhile, in another place, Empress Zheng, who had returned to Mingfeng Palace to continue reviewing documents, was once again in a low mood. The good spirits she had cultivated earlier shattered completely the moment she picked up her brush and the paperwork.
Back in the day, she had been a gentle, refined, and well-educated young lady from a noble family. How had she become so irritable and restless now?
"Bring me the things made by Jiang Shiyu and Jiang Ning to taste."
Empress Zheng could no longer bear it. Her mood was so agitated that she couldn't even muster a dignified smile. She wanted to vent her frustration on something and suddenly remembered the brocade pouch Jiang Ning had given her.
After tasting it, she would definitely mock Ji Ke to relieve her anger.
The items were quickly arranged on a plate and brought to the table—a few square pastries. Their appearance was quite novel, and it was clear at a glance that they would be crispy in texture, though their taste remained unknown.
She picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. A rich milky aroma filled her senses, crisp and refreshing, with a slightly sweet and salty flavor that felt both novel and perfectly suited to her taste.
After chewing for a while, Empress Zheng raised an eyebrow, lowered her gaze to look at the cookie, and gently wiped away the fine crumbs at the corner of her mouth.
"Hmm?"
The pastry was crispy and sweet. For some reason, her agitated and stifled mood inexplicably felt a little more comfortable.
Empress Zheng nodded, casually placing the plate of cookies by her side. With her right hand reviewing documents and her left hand snacking on the pastries, not only did time pass quickly, but her mood also remained free of irritation.
"This Jiang Ning does have some skill."
After distributing the silk and satin to be allocated to each palace, she happily reached for the plate again but found nothing. Looking up, she saw it was completely empty.
"Tsk."
The ever-dignified Empress Zheng let out an extremely undignified click of her tongue, her mood turning irritable once more. She stared thoughtfully at the empty plate.
She would have to find an opportunity to have her make more.
Author's Note:
When working through fatigue, who wouldn’t want to enjoy some delicious sweets to soothe their tense nerves?