Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 95 - 21: Making a Strong First Impression

At this moment, the banquet had begun, with two first-class tables set up in Sui’an Hall and a total of 30 dishes, including appetizers, main courses, desserts, and soups. The first to be served were six dim sums: Golden Crisp Sparrow, Golden Thread Shaomai, Chrysanthemum Buddha’s Hand Puff, Red Bean Glutinous Rice Cake, Rose Puff, Eight Treasure Cake.

Next, there were six cold dishes: Cashew and Pine Nut, Dried Tangerine Peel Beef, Crystal Crab Jelly, Mustard Goose Palm, Osmanthus Peel Fry, and an Acorn Tofu with Matsutake Oil.

The Old Madam instructed Susu to bring the wine and smiled at everyone, saying, "Do try our family’s wine! Though it’s not famous, it’s unique. It was brewed three years ago, and only this much is left. It will be impossible to get more in the future!"

Seeing Susu and Yang Liu each carrying two small wine jars, about two jin each, Princess Changlong curiously asked, "Since it’s home-brewed, there must be a recipe, how is it that you can’t make it again?"

The Old Madam pointed to Susu and said, "This wine was originally brewed as a playful endeavor by her and a few maids at home, and who knew it would taste so fine. We once suggested she brew more, but she said, ’It was made on a whim, and there’s a certain mood to it. Even if it’s brewed again, it won’t have the same taste.’ And indeed, the subsequent batches didn’t taste the same as the first one."

Saying this, the Old Madam personally opened the two jars of wine on this table, and the fragrance was quite pleasing.

"One jar is Plum Wine, soft and sweet to the taste with a strong aftertaste, and the other is Bamboo Wine, which is refreshing and brisk, invigorating to smell, and has an interesting name—Cold Soul."

Everyone else’s family also had home-brewed wines, which were quite exquisite, but they didn’t sound as elegant. After having a taste, everyone applauded, and even the otherwise reserved Old Princess Consort Zhen Guo couldn’t help but praise, "Such spontaneity, this child has a touch of the Wei and Jin spirit."

Madam Changle Earl has never been fond of delicate and weak maids like Susu, and playing with the Green Jade Carved Plum Blossom wine cup, she wondered, "This Miss Susu looks quite young, wasn’t she just ten years old three years ago? Is she a prodigy?"

The Old Madam laughed, "Wasn’t she just ten! Calling her a prodigy is an exaggeration; she just has a knack for playing with food and utensils, and she’s loved reading recipes and tea books since childhood. In Yangzhou, there’s not much entertainment for us ladies, and I didn’t want to restrain them. You don’t know my third daughter-in-law, she’s good at managing all sorts of affairs but finds two people troublesome. One is my granddaughter who, upon seeing a beauty, wants to paint them, and the other is this girl who wants to make everything into food and incense."

The Old Princess Consort Gong laughed, "If you find them troublesome, let me take them home! Our Qingning has been quite fond of your Sixth Miss since we last saw her at Prince Ke Mansion. Also, Qing Zhi (Miss Zhao) mentioned Susu’s Lotus Tea, saying she’s seen the world, but had never thought of something so elegant!"

Susu humbly smiled and said, "I know nothing about elegance, only how to ruin aesthetics." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Next were six hot dishes, six main courses, two soups, and four desserts, making a total of 30 dishes. It’s worth noting that even the Emperor’s daily meals are only 36 dishes, indicating today’s banquet was quite grand.

Moreover, the master chef from Wangxiang Building was indeed extraordinary, and the Song Family’s ingredients were rare and valuable. A dish of Honeyed Bear Paw received praise from everyone, and a bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was so fragrant that it wafted even to the outer court.

This meal took nearly two hours, and all the guests and hosts were thoroughly delighted.

After the meal, tea was served, and after some time, the Third Madam came to invite everyone, saying that tea and snacks were ready at Pear Fragrance Garden, and invited all the esteemed guests to move there.

The Old Madam said to Susu and Yang Liu, "I know you two don’t like watching the opera, so there’s no need for you to go. Ning Cui and Yun Duo will be enough. You can take a break, Susu should visit the Eldest Young Madam, and Yang Liu can check on the young ladies, does that sound good?"

Susu and Yang Liu were already starving. Hearing the Old Madam’s words, they understood she wanted them to have a bite and rest a while!

After the esteemed guests had moved to Pear Fragrance Garden to watch the opera, Susu and Yang Liu picked out a few favorite dishes from the table and ate a bowl of Zengcheng rice, finally feeling content, and both heaved a sigh of relief.

As it was previously mentioned, being allowed to eat what the masters had left was a great honor, and Susu had long grown accustomed to it. Besides, instead of being leftovers, most were only touched lightly, and the maids used clean chopsticks to pick them. For Susu, who had experienced hunger in female prison, leftovers posed no challenge!

In Susu’s view today, her previous life’s miseries were due not to youthful impulsiveness and not seeing reality, rather than any matter of pride.