On The Self-Cultivation Of A Favored Concubine - Chapter 77

“Do you know why I became a cook?”

“Why?”

“Because the first book I ever recognized was a cookbook. And the magical thing is, you can’t find this cookbook anywhere else, this is my own exclusive copy. If it weren’t for this book, a country girl like me could never have made it through the selections to become a royal chef in the palace.”

“What kind of dishes are recorded in it?”

“Strange and wonderful dishes, many of them desserts. That’s why I dare say no one makes better desserts than I do.”

Liu Qinglan gave an enlightened “oh.” She remembered that the Peach Blossom Demon loved sweets most of all.

As Tao Xi spoke, she finished washing the corn in her hands. “Speaking of which, you’ve been out for quite a while. The little Empress should be awake by now, shouldn’t she?”

Liu Qinglan looked at the sun; it was indeed long past noon. Ever since the three little cubs developed their own ideas, their intelligence already matching that of seven or eight-year-old children. Liu Qinglan had focused her energy on her eldest daughter, who was still biting her fingers and drooling.

“Then when the sweet corn is finished boiling, you must notify me immediately.” The Liu Fairy cast a lingering, reluctant look at the raw corn before returning to the front hall.

The Nursery Skirmish

As the weather grew cooler, the little Empress slept in an indoor cradle. Three little kitten cubs were lying beside her, watching their sister’s sleeping face with great interest while using their small tails to gently rock the cradle.

Three little tails crowded together, pushing back and forth until it nearly turned into a “tail war.”

Liu Qinglan walked over lightly. Seeing the three kittens nodding their heads, half-asleep, she reached out and grabbed her daughters’ tails all at once, gathering them like a bouquet. “It’s time for sleep; why are these little tails still moving?”

“Hee-hee.” Xiao Bai opened her cat eyes, it turned out she was faking sleep.

The other two also snapped their eyes open, moving their little paws to climb onto their mother. “We want to sleep nestled right here.”

Liu Qinglan felt deeply comforted, stroking their fur one by one. “Is it because you like Mother’s scent?”

Luo Luo nudged her furry head, burrowing deep into her mother’s embrace. “It’s because Mother has Mother’s scent on her.”

The “Mother” she referred to was Xie Xuanzhao.

Chu’er nodded in agreement. “Mother, why do you always have Mother’s scent on you?”

Liu Qinglan, the “Liu Fairy” who spent every day and night frantically rubbing spiritual energy off her wife: “…”

“Then why don’t you just nestle in your Mother’s arms directly?” Liu Qinglan said, huffily tugging at their little tails.

Who was the one who groomed you and raised you, after all!

“We can’t. Mother is so busy, we shouldn’t disturb her. You’re so free anyway, Mother, so of course we have to bother you,” Xiao Bai said matter of factly.

Looking at the three righteous little cat faces, Liu Qinglan felt instantly and incredibly guilty. “Alright, alright, go to sleep then.”

The little Empress was still sleeping. She was in a growth phase, so she slept a great deal every day.

The sleeping quarters were quiet in the afternoon. While patting the three cubs on her lap, Liu Qinglan looked at her eldest daughter in the cradle with joy. Ah Yin’s features were opening up, she looked more and more like her Mother. Fortunately, the Emperor’s mother was also a daughter of the Xie family, and their shimmering phoenix eyes were identical, so people would only assume the little Empress took after her grandmother.

Thinking of the sweet corn boiling in the pot, Liu Qinglan eventually fell asleep.

The Great Corn Heist

Sensing their mother’s long, rhythmic breathing, Xiao Bai quietly opened one eye. She soon discovered her two younger sisters were also peeking.

The three little fifis shared a silent look of understanding. Retracting their claws, their plum-blossom paw pads hit the floor silently. They slipped out of the bedchamber in a practiced single file.

Their destination: The Imperial Kitchen!

The Peach Blossom Demon, perched deep within the branches and leaves, watched these three “little habitual thieves” with amusement, knowing they were off to steal food again.

This wasn’t their first time sneaking out. Given the previous mysterious disappearances of desserts, Tao Xi at Liu Qinglan’s repeated request, had learned to lock the doors and windows tight.

Chu’er looked at the bright lock hanging on the door and let out a world-weary sigh. “Auntie Tao Xi locked the door again. She’s learned to be clever.”

Xiao Bai surveyed the scene and beckoned her sisters over to the window.

“We’ll stack up, one on top of the other, climb the window, and then we can pry the wooden latch open.”

So, Xiao Bai stayed at the bottom. Luo Luo stepped onto her small body, and Chu’er used her jumping ability to leap onto Luo Luo’s back. Her little paw landed with a patter right on a furry cat head.

“Ouch!” Luo Luo lost her balance. Thud. The three kittens fell in a heap, their snow white fur stained with dust.

“Again!”

They tried once more. This time, Chu’er successfully leaped onto the windowsill. She squatted down and dangled her tail. Luo Luo and Xiao Bai used it as a rope to pull themselves up.

The small wooden window creaked open, and the sweet aroma of boiled corn wafted out.

“Wow! It’s sweet corn today!”

The three cubs felt like they had hit the jackpot!

They successfully infiltrated the kitchen, rolling down from the window. Ignoring their dirty fur, they propped their paws up on the stove.

Luo Luo pushed aside the lid, revealing the plump kernels of sweet corn. She exerted herself to lean over the edge of the steamer, braving the heat. She bit the base of a corn cob and quickly dragged it out. Plop. It landed on the tray Xiao Bai had prepared.

One by one, they dragged the corn out. Luo Luo looked thoughtfully at a tiny leftover cob soaking in the boiling water. “Forget that one. We have enough.”

The three little cat-balls sat in a circle around the corn and began to “divide the loot.” One, two, three… they ate until they were satisfied and their bellies were round.

“I don’t think I need dinner. Burp.” “Me too. Burp.” “Add me to that. Burp.”

The Aftermath

At dusk, Liu Qinglan wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth and woke up. She looked dazed at the empty cradle in front of her. All four daughters were gone.

Lu Lu spoke from the side: “Your Highness, you’re finally awake.”

“Where is the little Empress?” “She was taken to be fed.” “And the other three…?” “Oh, they’re outside playing with yarn balls.”

Liu Qinglan got up groggily. Seeing the three cubs happily chasing yarn in the courtyard, she felt relieved. She circled around to the back, heading for the Imperial Kitchen.

By now, her sweet corn should be perfectly boiled. She planned to eat five cobs in one go! Heh heh…