I was a queen in ancient times, no, a maid!

Cheng Yu left the palace just before dark.

Her brother Cheng Bin sent her back. Taozi drove to pick her up, but when she saw Cheng Yu got on another carriage, she drove back by herself.

On the way, Cheng Bin explained to Cheng Yu.

"If grandma wants to leave the palace, it will take a few days. Don't worry. I'm still in the palace. I will take care of grandma."

Cheng Bin parked the carriage, helped his sister get off the carriage, and moved some things down.

Cheng Yu gave the reward from the eldest girl to his grandmother, but the old lady didn't want it and asked Cheng Yu to take it all out.

Cheng Yu hummed in response, "As long as grandma is willing to come out, that's already great."

"Brother, what do you think? Do you want to be a good citizen?"

Cheng Bin stared at himself and said, "I, I don't have any skills. If I get out, can I support myself? Besides, I haven't married yet. I think..."

Cheng Yu said, "Then go ask Sister Ding Xiang what she thinks. If you want to get out of being a slut, I'll find a way."

Doesn’t the prince like her very much?

While the prince still likes her, she should go to him and beg him for help. Saying a few words should probably help.

Cheng Bin said: "Yu'er, you should live your own life first. I am your brother, and I cannot trouble my sister with everything. I have to rely on myself. You, a girl, can rely on yourself. As a man, I don't have brains, but I always have some strength."

Cheng Bin didn't tell Cheng Yu that as the prince's bodyguard, if the prince went to the battlefield, his bodyguard could also do the same. If he earned military merit, he could then propose conditions to his master.

He is not afraid of hardship and does not tolerate fatigue.

But he doesn't want his sister to worry about him, or to exchange his sister for anything.

He was with Changfeng all day, how could he not know that the prince had taken a fancy to his sister.

Not only does he not want to use his sister to exchange for anything, he also doesn't want Cheng Yu to sacrifice herself for him as her brother.

It's rare to see my brother being tough.

Cheng Yu was happy.

She asked her brother to go back and wish Sister Dingxiang a happy new year and give her a gift or something, and not to always say that you like someone but not be willing to buy things for her.

If you have money, buy something expensive; if you don’t have money, buy something affordable.

It's much better than talking about feelings with nothing in hand.

***

Cheng Yu was really busy on the first day of the new year, but fortunately, she had nothing to do starting from the second day.

It's good for an unmarried young lady to just stay at home and do nothing.

But she always kept an eye on her grandmother's situation in the mansion, so she prepared a carriage to pick up the old lady.

Until the sixth day of the New Year, no news came from Prince Jing's Mansion.

Instead, the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion sent a maid and a boy to drive over to invite Cheng Yu over.

It was about preparing for the birthday party of the old lady of the Yang family.

This matter was agreed upon before the New Year. Before the New Year, Cheng Yu was busy cooking for the refugees and did not go in time. However, during her free days after the New Year, she did write three menus for the birthday banquet.

She carried it with her and showed it to the girl from the Yang family first.

How to decide the menu depends on what the host says.

Cheng Yu brought Taozi with him. The two got off the carriage and followed the maid into the Zhenyuan Marquis Mansion.

Cheng Yu is in front and Taozi is behind.

Just as she lifted her skirt and walked in, two people came up from behind.

It was Zhenyuan Hou Yang Huaiyuan and his deputy general Yang Jun.

"My Lord, is that Madam Cheng in front?"

In fact, Yang Jun saw Taozi in front of Cheng Yu. In the refugee camp, Yang Jun took Taozi to do many things. After spending a few days together, they became familiar with each other.

"Well, go ask, what's going on?"

Yang Huaiyuan was the Marquis of Zhenyuan, so he naturally walked through the main hall gate.

The side door leads to a different place from the main door, and Yang Huaiyuan was not curious enough to follow Cheng Yu through the side door.

***

Yang Jinxi had been waiting for Cheng Yu to arrive.

When Cheng Yu took out the menu she had written, Yang Jinxi felt that all her worries and doubts were gone.

"I knew you could cook, but I didn't expect you could write a menu. I took a look and it's very well written. From cold dishes to hot dishes, from meat to vegetables, you wrote everything, including cakes, steamed buns, and sweet soup."

Cheng Yu said softly: "My handwriting is not good enough."

“It’s good enough to be able to write.”

That’s right. There are not many women like Cheng Yu who can read.

Yang Jinxi took a look and chose a lighter meal.

"Madam Cheng, I'd like to trouble you to make a few side dishes this morning. My grandmother may have eaten too much greasy food during the New Year. She has had no appetite for the past three days. I'm worried about her health, so I'd like to trouble you."

Yang Jinxi's words were polite and there was nothing disrespectful about them.

What could Cheng Yu refuse?

Besides, isn’t the format of her cooking at home the same as modern private cooking?

"No trouble."

"I will cook a few dishes in the Marquis' Mansion this morning, and it's time for the master to taste the dishes."

After Cheng Yu finished talking to Yang Jinxi, Yang Jinxi asked her maid Caiju to take her to the big kitchen to have a look.

It was also a coincidence that I met Zhenyuan Hou Yang Huaiyuan on the road.

"Madam Cheng, it's really you. Yang Jun said you came to the Marquis' Mansion. This is..."

Cheng Yu was busy bowing, "I greet the Marquis."

"Today, Miss Yang invited us to decide the menu for the birthday banquet of the old lady in the Marquis' Mansion."

Yang Huaiyuan frowned, "Did you handle this matter?"

Cheng Yu looked up at Yang Huaiyuan and thought, Can't I do that?

Although she had never cooked private dishes in modern times, she had been with Zhao Rulan for almost two years and had cooked quite a few banquets, without once embarrassing the young lady.

Seeing Cheng Yu's expression change slightly.

Yang Huaiyuan chuckled, "Don't think too much, Madam Cheng. I just think that you are so young, and organizing a birthday banquet is a heavy task. I am afraid you can't do so much."

"Thank you for your understanding and concern, my Lord. I thought I wouldn't do everything, I'll just be the chef."

Yang Huaiyuan hummed.

"You are really amazing, little lady."

"Many people in the refugee camp asked who you were from, saying they remembered your kindness."

When Yang Huaiyuan mentioned the refugee camp, Cheng Yu asked a few questions with concern.

"My Lord, how are the refugees now?"

"Most of them were taken to other cities and counties for resettlement, but they were not far away. Some chose to return to their hometowns. The refugee areas were rebuilt to a greater extent than the reconstruction. His Majesty meant to rebuild new villages and towns."

"Your Majesty is wise." Cheng Yu also became a little excited.

It is a great thing that those refugees have been resettled.

After saying this, Cheng Yu found an opportunity to say that he was going to the big kitchen to prepare meals for the morning and would not say any more to the Marquis.

Cheng Yu turned around and left first.

Yang Huaiyuan stood there for a while before leaving.

Cheng Yu noticed that her palms were full of sweat. To be honest, she was more afraid of ancient men. She was not afraid of men like her father and brother or ordinary people in the market, but she was extremely afraid of these prominent and well-known people.