The pastry, hailed as the best in the world from Jufude, was served. A delicate tray made of sandalwood held four plates each the size of a palm, each holding a small, especially appetizing pastry. Upon tasting a piece, Cai Wei couldn’t help but break into a silent cheer.
The pastries tasted good, but when compared to modern treats like egg tarts, hamburgers, and sandwiches, they were slightly inferior. If she could master the crafting of egg tarts, sandwiches, and hamburgers, she would easily surpass these so-called world-best treats.
Thinking about this, Cai Wei with high spirits stood up, settled her bill, and returned to her inn to deeply ponder over the cooking methods of those dishes.
At the same time, within the towering complex of the palace of the Great Jin Nation with its many resplendent halls and the flowers blooming like the sea.
In the Yukun Palace of the Empress Dowager, the afternoon sun finding its way through the paper windows, cast an enchanting radiance like snow-capped jade palaces. The scene was filled with opulence.
Empress Mo Yuehua lounged on the beauty’s sofa, her magnificent robes spread out, her hair arranged in a cloud-like chignon with a phoenix hairpin. Her well-maintained face, devoid of any makeup, was as alluring as a young woman in her twenties, outshining the opulence of the entire hall.
Around the palace maids were either serving tea, massaging her legs, fuming incense, or carefully fixing her nails.
Below the jade stairs, the shattered gilded official kiln teacup was scatter everywhere. The mildly red tea spilled on the golden carpet on the jade stairs, filling the hall with the aroma of tea. The Empress’s eldest son, King Qin Nangong Yi, knelt quietly beside the debris, not uttering a word.
After a while, Empress Mo suddenly stood up, came down the jade stairs, and stepped onto the palace carpet, her resplendent skirt spread wide like a deep ravine cutting through the golden-red carpet. She slowly moved to the bottom of the stairs, graciously looked at her son, and coldly asked: "Have you come to a decision yet?"
Upon hearing this, Nangong Yi paused for a moment and then replied, "Your son has come to a decision."
Upon hearing these words, Empress Mo’s eyebrows arched slightly and her face showed a hint of expectation.
"When do you plan to propose?"
Nangong Yi replied, "Imperial Mother, I don’t wish to propose. I believe that a man should build a career first, and then establish a family. Therefore, before the major matters are settled, I don’t wish to get married."
Empress Mo laughed a cold, austere laugh, "Just like a true son of mine, Mo Yuehua. For an uncultured girl, not only do you disregard your own life, but you also discard the lives of your mother and younger sister. You’re really ambitious!"
Hearing this, Nangong Yi lowered his head and said, "Imperial Mother, your words are too harsh."
Empress Mo angrily retorted, "Such audacity! Do I speak too harshly or are you simply trying to justify yourself? When you decided to neglect the bloody letter I wrote to you for the sake of that rustic girl, choosing to overlook it; you pursued Tianjizi risking your own life for her sake. She wouldn’t accept being the lesser, so you made excuse after excuse, neglecting our long-term plan and refusing to marry. You put your ambitions before everything else, even the lives of your mother and sister, all for the sake of a woman. Your actions are completely disloyal and unfilial! I regret ever giving birth to you and treating you as my precious child. Who knew you would turn out to be so useless, letting Jin Guifei and her son slowly take power for the sake of an uncouth girl. You... you..."
As Empress Mo’s words became more heated, she lost her color, cluched her chest, and stepped back, nearly falling over.
Seeing his mother , Nangong Yi rushed to her side, reaching out to steady her and said worriedly, "Imperial Mother, please calm down. You must be careful not to harm yourself... "
Empress Mo shoved his hand away, angrily retorting, "I don’t need your fake concern! If you were really filial, you wouldn’t have rejected this marriage proposal, forcing me to worry about you this much."