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

While Taozi was waiting for her, Cheng Yu talked to her.

Taozi said, "I was thinking that if you fell asleep, I wouldn't call you. Sister Dingxiang also said the same thing."

"No problem, let's go over there."

The dumpling filling was prepared yesterday morning. Since it’s cold today, it can be stored for a few more days without worrying about it going bad.

Cheng Yu and Taozi went to the small kitchen and saw Dingxiang already kneading dough.

"Yu'er is here. I see it's cold, and the dough needs some time to rise. How about I make something else for the lady first?"

"Let's make glutinous rice balls." Cheng Yu said softly, "I heard that in Jiangnan, people don't eat dumplings during the New Year, but glutinous rice balls. Glutinous rice balls are quick to make, so cook a few for Madam first. After an hour, we can make dumplings without delay."

"We only eat tangyuan on the Lantern Festival." Taozi said in a low voice.

Ding Xiang said, "That's fine, let's do as you say."

Cheng Yu knows how to cook glutinous rice balls. She has replicated persimmon glutinous rice balls before, but time is short now, so she just makes the classic black sesame and peanut ones.

As for fruits, it’s easy too, just pack a few in.

Cheng Yu didn’t want to make too many fruit dumplings because he was afraid they would be too greasy.

And she doesn't like fruit-flavored food. Her favorites are black sesame and peanut flavors. She will make whatever she likes.

Zhao Rulan seldom eats tangyuan. In all the time I've been cooking for her, I've never seen her take the initiative to ask for tangyuan.

If the dumplings had not happened to be wrapped well today and it happened to be the morning of the first day of the new year, Cheng Yu would not have remembered to cook glutinous rice balls.

Cheng Yu did what he said and quickly took the glutinous rice flour and started kneading the dough. The glutinous rice flour had to be well mixed before wrapping, otherwise it would not be sticky.

Seeing Cheng Yu knead the dough quickly, he started to pinch the dough into small pieces, wrapping them one by one. Soon he had made more than a dozen.

The black sesame seeds and crushed peanuts are fried in advance, and the fruits are freshly cut.

With cloves and peaches, it’s done relatively quickly.

Look at the wrapped ones, cook them first.

After cooking, Dingxiang took it to the lady. Xiangling had just gone back to rest. Thinking that Dingxiang had told Xiangling that there were dumplings in the kitchen, Xiangling came in yawning.

"I can smell the aroma from a long way off, but is there a bowl for me?"

"Come on, it tastes better when cooked freshly. Taozi and I were just eating, otherwise I would have given you this bowl." Cheng Yu said.

Xiangling laughed, "I'll cook more. But I'm so sleepy. After eating these dumplings, I have to go to sleep. Otherwise, I'll be busy in the morning."

"On the second day of the Lunar New Year next year, the Madam will also prepare to send gifts to the palace."

Cheng Yu said: "Didn't we prepare it a month in advance?"

Many gifts were sent before the New Year, including various fabrics, medicinal herbs, and jewelry. Several carts were prepared and sent to the palace. The prince was not married yet and had no lady to take care of him, so the gifts sent by Zhao Rulan were also given to the princess consort.

There was no other way. Otherwise, if she gave few gifts to her parents' home, outsiders would not only criticize her, but also say that the girls raised in the palace were unruly.

My brother hasn't married yet, so naturally he has to consider his reputation.

There were many gifts prepared for returning to her parents' home. Zhao Rulan originally wanted to take her husband back with her, but the prince wrote to her in advance, saying that he would not be home for the New Year this year and asked her not to go back.

Plus, she was pregnant, and she was worried that something might happen.

Zhao Rulan didn't want to go back, and wanted Lu Zhaowen to go back instead.

The Princess Consort and the Prince also looked down on the Lu family.

But the princess consort appeared to like the third place winner of the imperial examination in the Lu family very much. In her words, the talented man and the beautiful woman were a perfect match.

If Lu Zhaowen goes, the palace will still do some superficial work.

However, Zhao Rulan thought to himself that it would be nice to let the people in the palace teach him a lesson.

Zhao Rulan had made plans in advance to visit relatives on the second day of the Chinese New Year, but she would not go.

I also told Lu Zhaowen and asked him to go there.

Cheng Yu was just surprised that married women would send so many gifts to their parents' home during the New Year.

As they were talking, the dumplings were cooked. After Xiangling ate them, she went back to sleep.

Cheng Yu made dumplings in the small kitchen and cooked some for Zhao Rulan.

Zhao Rulan has been pregnant for five months. After the morning sickness in the first few months, her appetite has improved. She ate a bowl of six glutinous rice balls and six dumplings.

"My wife said she still likes dumplings, they are very salty and fragrant."

This morning I had dumplings stuffed with wild vegetables and eggs, with small shrimps in them. In the morning I had dumplings stuffed with meat.

There are three kinds of meat fillings prepared, namely pork and cabbage, celery and beef, and green onion and lamb.

The lady couldn't finish the food herself, so it was given to the people in the small kitchen.

***

The busiest people throughout the New Year were the maids.

Other people gain weight in winter, but Cheng Yu has lost some weight this winter. Her face seems to be smaller and she looks more delicate.

After the Chinese New Year, we waited for the Lantern Festival.

The merchants in the street market then resumed their business as normal.

A few years ago, Zhao Rulan proposed to open a pastry shop, and this task was fully handed over to Cheng Yu.

While busy with the pastry shop outside, he also had to ask Mama Li in the big kitchen to learn how to cook, and at the same time cook for the eldest lady. However, the eldest lady said that he had to take care of the chores within the mansion first, and not be too anxious about the chores outside.

First I found a broker to help me find a suitable shop.

If you come across a suitable one, ask someone to go outside and take a look. If it is suitable, then take it.

Cheng Yu's daily routine is to cook for the lady, and ask the chef, Mrs. Li, to teach her how to cook.

It was Mother Li who asked the old lady to let Cheng Yu learn cooking, and the old lady agreed. But Mother Li was worried that Cheng Yu would not like her, so she held back when teaching him. She was also respectful to Cheng Yu.

It was already March when we were so busy.

Zhao Rulan's belly became very big, and Lu Zhaowen came back less often.

Zhao Rulan was too lazy to care.

She just wanted to give birth to the baby safely, but the guy outside was troublesome and was asking Lu Zhaowen to take her into the Lu family.

The streets and alleys in the west of the city.

Lu Zhaowen got off the carriage in a hurry. An old woman in gray clothes was standing outside the door.

"Sir, you are finally here. My wife suddenly lost her temper and my sister's forehead was hit and bleeding. That's why I ran outside to call for help."

Lu Zhaowen ignored him and walked inside. He was worried that it was the girl who always hugged his arm and called him daddy in a sweet voice.

"Lu Lang, you're finally here. You're so cruel. You haven't come to see me for seven days."

Lu Zhaowen's heart softened when he saw Song Yuwei, who looked haggard but was dressed exquisitely and exuded alluring charm.

"Yuwei, I've been busy with court affairs these days. I told you to wait for me in the courtyard. I promise to give you a good status."

Song Yuwei said, "Is the wooden man in your room about to give birth? You suddenly feel a little bit of love? I know you like children the most. Lu Lang, I am pregnant again. It's been three months. I got pregnant in the small kitchen during your New Year's Eve dinner..."

As Song Yuwei spoke, she snuggled into Lu Zhaowen's arms, her hands restlessly drawing circles on his chest.

Full of foxy charm.