Bo Qinghuan

Kapitel 30

Gu Zao shook her head and smiled sweetly.

Looking at her smiling face, Yang Hao felt an overwhelming love in his heart. He would have been willing to give up his life for her at this moment.

Seeing that he was just staring at her without saying a word, Gu Zao thought that he was thinking about that again. She felt a little embarrassed and tried to get out of bed to hide it, saying, "This flower crown on my head is too heavy. I'll go take it off."

Before her feet even touched the ground, Yang Hao grabbed her hand and smiled at her, saying, "Let me take it apart for you."

Gu Zao was taken aback, but seeing his smiling eyes, she stopped insisting and simply sat quietly on the bed.

Yang Hao reached out and removed the flower ornament from his hair, pulled out the four-butterfly gold hairpins on either side, took the double phoenix hairpin at the back, and removed the densely packed jade hairpins, throwing them all onto the ebony footstool in front of the bed. Gu Zao only heard the clinking sounds as the ornaments fell to the ground, and as he dropped the last hairpin, she felt her long black hair fall down, cascading down to her chest.

Yang Hao gently stroked Gu Zao's long hair, faintly catching a whiff of fragrant flowers. He couldn't resist pulling her close and inhaling deeply. Gu Zao, slightly embarrassed, pulled her hair back, gathering it all behind her back.

Yang Hao smiled slightly, his hand already reaching out. He whispered, "The hairs that were cut off from us just now are all tangled together, inseparable. From now on, we will be like those strands of hair, each containing the other, inseparable forever..."

As he spoke, his hands reached for Gu Zao's clothes, slowly removing her outermost bridal gown and wedding dress, which he then threw to the ground.

Gu Zao was only wearing a red cross-collar jacket and a pleated silk skirt adorned with fine pearls and gold embroidery, revealing glimpses of her chest. Suddenly remembering the garment Fang Shi had forced her to wear earlier that day, she felt a surge of embarrassment. Seeing his hand reaching for her waist to remove the skirt, and realizing she would have to hide under the covers if exposed like this, she instinctively grabbed his hand. Seeing him smiling at her, she gritted her teeth, knelt on the bed, and her hands climbed to Yang Hao's neck, intending to strip him of his clothes.

Yang Hao watched as Gu Zao, whose clothes were disheveled, undressed him. He saw her breasts slightly exposed, barely visible, and felt her hands moving over his body like snakes. His lower body was already erect. He saw that she had only taken off his outer clothes, and when she reached his waistband, she seemed to hesitate and was about to withdraw her hand. But he was unwilling to let her do that, so he grabbed her hand and pressed it against her without saying a word.

Gu Zao's heart raced as her hand touched the hard spot. Seeing her fixated on the area her hand covered, Yang Hao's teasing desire intensified. He suddenly remembered the words she had whispered in his ear that day, and his mouth went dry. He suppressed his urge to pounce on her immediately and coaxed softly, "My lady, what you said that day still stands, doesn't it..."

Gu Zao's face flushed instantly, but seeing the longing in his eyes as he looked at her, she gently untied his clothes, ran her fingers through the thick, curly hair on his lower abdomen, and finally cupped his already erect and hot member in her mouth.

Yang Hao felt like he was about to explode at Gu Zao's doting affection. He looked down and saw her beautiful hair cascading between his legs, soft and alluring, and couldn't help but gather it with his hands.

Gu Zao felt him grab her hair, then looked up and smiled at him, a trace of glistening saliva still clinging to her lips. Yang Hao looked down and saw the remnants of rouge on his genitals, likely from the rouge on her lips. He gasped, then abruptly picked Gu Zao up and placed her on the pillow. In a few swift movements, he removed her clothes, instantly revealing her alabaster-white body, a slender waist, and a captivating allure. The two cherry-red nipples on her chest were the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. He then saw her shyly and alluringly covering her exposed skin with her hands, and with a slight smile, he pulled off her pearl-embroidered pleated skirt, still tied around her waist.

Caught off guard, Gu Zao let out a soft gasp and quickly closed her legs, but the view beneath her skirt was already fully exposed to his eyes. Yang Hao chuckled softly, a little embarrassed, and pulled the blanket over his head. It turned out she was wearing a pair of red, open-crotch underpants under her skirt, which Fang Shi had insisted she wear, claiming it was a custom for newlyweds—firstly, to teach brides not to be completely naked to avoid embarrassment, and secondly, because she felt men preferred this half-concealed, half-revealed atmosphere. She seemed to have forgotten that her daughter wasn't a first-time bride.

Yang Hao had only seen a glimpse of her white, plump vulva in the blink of an eye, with dark pubic hair growing everywhere. He couldn't resist any longer, so he lifted the blanket and pressed himself against her, groping his way to her there. He felt that it was already slippery and wet with flowers and rain. He parted her legs and thrust in, but was suddenly startled and paused.

Gu Zao was already aroused, but the moment he entered her, she felt a burning pain, like that of her first time. She groaned and reflexively tried to pull back. But Yang Hao only felt that her flower was warm, tight, fragrant, and smooth, and he couldn't stop. He wrapped one arm around her slender waist and supported her round, plump buttocks with the other, breaking through the resistance and thrusting all the way in.

Gu Zaoqiang suppressed his shock, closed his eyes, and stiffly accepted the love emanating from the man on her body. He seemed to recover from his surprise quickly, lowered his head and kissed her lips while continuing to thrust, but much more gently than at the beginning.

Yang Hao had endured for so long to finally get what he wanted. He had managed to hold back his ejaculation while Gu Zao was talking to him, but now he couldn't hold back any longer and released himself in no time. He suddenly felt that there was no more wonderful pleasure in the world than this.

Gu Zao felt that he had finally stopped moving, and only then did she slightly open her eyes, meeting his gaze directly. Seeing the surprise, joy, and disbelief in his eyes, she felt even more uncertain. She slightly turned her head, trying to avoid his eyes. But he gently kissed her nose, then moved closer to her ear and softly asked, "What happened just now? You weren't..."

Gu Zao's mind raced, but she couldn't come up with a reason for a long time. Just as she was hesitating, Yang Hao assumed she was shy and unwilling to talk about the reason, so he didn't press her further. He just kissed her and said in a hoarse voice, "Second Sister..."

Gu Zaojue felt his lower body harden again, and seeing his gaze deepen as he looked at her, she quickly pulled her legs together, shook her head, and rolled over to him. Yang Hao knew she was afraid of pain, so he had to endure the intense passion himself. He let her rest her head on one arm, wrapped his other arm around her waist, held her tightly, and placed his hand on her chest. He kissed her long, dark hair piled in front of him before saying, "We're supposed to get up at dawn tomorrow for the wedding ceremony, and it's almost four o'clock now, so I'll let you go first..."

As Gu Zao listened to him say those words, his hands kept moving. First, he kneaded and pinched her chest, then moved to her lower body and pulled off the underpants she had been wearing. She felt him pressing against her buttocks, rubbing against her between her legs. The sensation was soft yet firm, hard yet soft. How could she possibly fall asleep? She was so disturbed that she felt flustered and short of breath. She couldn't help but turn around and frown slightly at him, saying, "Didn't you just say you'd let me go? How can I sleep like this?"

Yang Hao, annoyed by her playful scolding, turned her over and glanced at her smooth, supple chest. He chuckled and said, "My wife is right. If you can't sleep, neither can I. Shall we do it again? This time, I promise I won't hurt you again..." As he spoke, he pressed himself against her.

Gu Zao was helpless. She knew that this man had just tasted the sweetness, and if she didn't let him have his fill, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep all night. However, this time she wasn't as uncomfortable as before. Gradually, she was even finding it somewhat pleasurable, and she couldn't help but become aroused herself, tightly embracing Yang Hao's shoulders and back. Yang Hao saw her frowning and rubbing against him, heard her soft moans and gasps, and felt a thousand charms and a thousand pleasures in his eyes and ears. He also felt as if he was immersed in the hot liquid exhaled from her, indescribably sweet. He couldn't stop himself and they continued until the early hours of the morning, until Gu Zao begged for mercy countless times before he finally reluctantly let her go. Gu Zao was exhausted, and held by him, she quickly fell asleep.

Chapter Seventy-Three

Gu Zao was so tired that she fell asleep. Just as she was sound asleep, she seemed to hear someone softly calling her name. She was never a deep sleeper, so she woke up immediately and saw Yang Hao standing by the bed, bending over.

Seeing that Gu Zao had opened her eyes but still looked tired, Yang Hao knew that he had been very persistent during the night and hadn't slept for long. He sat on the edge of the bed, stroked her face, and said apologetically, "I didn't want to wake you because you were sleeping so soundly, but it's almost dawn..."

Reminded by him, Gu Zao sat up abruptly from under the quilt. The quilt slipped off her body, and she realized with a start that she was still completely naked. Looking at him, she was surprised to find that he was already fully dressed, and his eyes were now darting around her, looking full of energy, showing no trace of the struggle of the previous night.

Gu Zao's face flushed slightly, and she hurriedly pulled up the blanket to cover herself, but he smiled slightly and reached out to pick her up from the bed, blanket and all.

Gu Zao didn't know his intention and thought he was going to play pranks again. Just as she was about to tell him to put her down and let her put on her clothes, he had already carried her behind the screen wall. Only then did she see that there was a large wooden tub filled with hot water inside, which was steaming.

Yang Hao placed Gu Zao in the hot water, and a wave of warmth immediately enveloped her, making every pore on her body seem to open up. Gu Zao sighed contentedly, splashed some hot water on her face, and then noticed that he wasn't leaving. He was just standing there with his arms crossed, tilting his head and looking at her. Although they had done everything they were supposed to do last night, she still felt a little embarrassed being watched like this. She submerged herself slightly in the water, leaving only her neck sticking out, and then pouted to signal him to leave.

Yang Hao, however, was quite disobedient. Instead of leaving, he grabbed a scented, damp towel from a nearby lacquered and gilded carved screen, rolled up his sleeves, and pretended to wash her. Gu Zao dodged a few times, but couldn't escape his rubbing hands. After being teased for a while, by the time the bath was over, the floor was covered in water stains, and even his clothes were soaked.

Gu Zao was carried back to bed by him. He dried her hair and body with a large towel, helped her put on the full suit that Zao had placed aside, and then helped her change into dry clothes as well. The two smiled at each other before sitting down in front of the dressing mirror. Only then did Yang Hao open the door and call in the servants who were waiting outside.

Gu Zao looked up and saw that of the two maids who came in, the older one looked ordinary, while the other was Zhenxin, whom she had seen before. She was a little happy and called out her name.

Zhenxin was delighted to see that Gu Zao still remembered her. Her initial nervousness immediately disappeared, and she and another woman named Rongcai greeted her and called her "Second Madam." They then went forward to do her hair and makeup.

Although Zhenxin had grown a bit since last year, her temperament remained largely the same. However, with Yang Hao present, she dared not say much. Her hands were remarkably skillful; together with Rongcai, they quickly styled her hair into a high phoenix bun, adorned with a phoenix hairpin in the center and floral ornaments on the sides. They were about to add more pearls and jade when Gu Zao stopped them, so they gave up. They then applied a light layer of powder and rouge, using only the finest imperial perfumes and pigments. Once everything was ready, she glanced at Yang Hao, who was staring intently at her, and gave him a slight smile.

Yang Hao led her out, and the two were about to leave when they suddenly heard a startled cry behind them. They turned around and saw Rong Cai standing blankly in front of the bed, presumably having found the bloodstains while tidying the bed. Yang Hao didn't seem to mind; he just glanced at it and then looked down at Gu Zao, laughing incessantly. Gu Zao, however, felt somewhat embarrassed, blaming herself for being careless and forgetting to clean up the stains on the bed from the previous night. While she hesitated, Yang Hao had already pulled her hand, and she had no choice but to follow him out. It was just dawn, almost the fifth watch of the night.

Gu Zao was led by Yang Hao towards the main hall in the outer courtyard. From afar, she could see the hall was brightly lit with candles. Seeing that he hadn't let go of her hand, she quietly pulled it away. Yang Hao turned to look at her, nodded slightly, and then they went inside together.

Inside the main hall, Grand Commandant Yang, Madam Jiang, and many relatives were already seated according to their assigned positions, except for the Old Madam, who had not yet arrived. In the center was an eight-immortal table with a bronze mirror stand on it, along with fruits, vegetables, incense, and candles. It was known that they were waiting for the Old Madam to arrive so that they could perform the traditional wedding ceremony, signifying that they had offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and their ancestors, and then paid respects to their elders; only then would they be considered to have truly entered the Yang family.

Gu Zao followed Yang Hao and first went to pay her respects to Grand Commandant Yang and Madam Jiang. Grand Commandant Yang was in his forties, with a few strands of beard and a slightly plump figure. He didn't seem like a troublesome person. Madam Jiang was also dressed formally today. When she saw Gu Zao bowing to her, she quickly stepped forward with a smile to help him up. She then exchanged a few jokes with Yang Hao and led him to greet the relatives of the Grand Commandant's family. Although everyone had a hint of unease in their eyes, their faces were all filled with joy. Several aunts and cousins came to offer their congratulations, so the atmosphere was not cold.

Madam Jiang glanced at the sky outside, which was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn, and muttered to herself, "It's almost past the appointed time, why hasn't Mother arrived yet? If we miss the auspicious hour, that will be very bad..." She then called to Bi'er, who was standing outside, "Quickly go and ask Huixin to invite the Old Madam over..."

As soon as Bi'er responded, everyone heard a voice from outside say, "Do you think I'm senile and can't even remember an hour?"

Gu Zao looked over and saw the old lady being helped in by Hui Xin and Xiu Xin. She didn't look at Gu Zao and Yang Hao, but went straight to the chair in the middle of the hall and sat down. Only then did she look at Jiang Shi with some displeasure.

Jiang went up and said with a smile, "It's all my fault. I'm not old yet, but I can't control my mouth. I only said it because I saw that the time was almost over and I was afraid that my second brother's new wife would be anxious."

The old lady snorted, then turned to Gu Zao and said indifferently, "Second son's wife, now that I'm here, you and Hao'er should go and complete the wedding ceremony as soon as possible, lest you blame me for being senile and ruining your auspicious time."

Seeing Yang Hao frowning as if he was about to speak, Gu Zao quickly stepped forward, bowed to the old lady, thanked her, and then turned around to give him a subtle wink. Yang Hao paused, and seeing that she was already walking towards the eight-immortal table in the central hall, he had no choice but to follow.

The two knelt side by side on the cushions that had been placed on the ground in front of the table. They followed the chant of the master of ceremonies, bowed to each other, and then went to the old lady to thank her.

The old lady looked at Gu Zao without saying a word. Gu Zao didn't avoid her gaze, but knelt down next to Yang Hao, looking up at her with a smile.

The hall fell silent, save for the faint crackling of the still-burning candle wicks. In the stillness, Yang Hao suddenly kowtowed to the old lady again, smiling, "Mother, your son and my new wife pay our respects and ask for a reward."

The old lady glanced at him, her face seemingly even angrier, but she finally grunted and extended her hand. Huixin, who had been waiting nearby, quickly handed over the pair of dragon and phoenix bracelets that had been prepared beforehand. The old lady took them and handed them to Gu Zao, saying indifferently, "Now that you have entered my family, you must abide by proper etiquette from now on."

Gu Zao accepted the gifts with both hands, kowtowed in gratitude, and then rose to pay his respects to Grand Commandant Yang and his wife, as well as their relatives, who all offered them gifts. The wedding ceremony finally concluded when the sun rose high in the sky.

The old lady then stood up and said, "Now that you two have settled things here, go to the palace to pay your respects to the Empress Dowager." After saying that, she left the main hall. The rest of the people were also arranged by Madam Jiang to have a feast and express their gratitude. Only then was the ceremony considered complete.

Gu Zao followed Yang Hao out of the main room and noticed that he looked rather unhappy, probably still angry with his mother from earlier. So she tried to strike up a conversation, saying with a smile, "Your relatives all seem quite kind."

Yang Hao snorted coldly and said, "Isn't it because they still want me to help their family's shady businesses in the future? Knowing that you are someone I care about, how could I openly offend you?"

Gu Zao smiled. Yang Hao, seeing that no one was around, stopped, took Gu Zao's hand, and sighed, "I used to say I would never let you suffer any injustice. Now, you've only been here a day, and you've already been treated so coldly by my mother. I feel truly ashamed. Fortunately, I told her before that you should be patient for a few more days. After the first month is over, we'll move out and live on our own."

Gu Zao shook her head and laughed, "Second Master, what grievance have I suffered? She was disobeyed by you like this, but in the end, she still accepted me as her wife. Whether your request to move out and live separately is secondary. Do you really want her to dislike me as her wife for the rest of her life?"

Yang Hao was taken aback and looked at her with some confusion.

Gu Zao smiled slightly and said, "I never said I wanted to move out with you. You've been talking to yourself. I'm not moving out. If you want to move, go ahead and move yourself."

When Yang Hao first mentioned this matter to his mother, he was severely scolded. Even his elder brother, Grand Commandant Yang, reprimanded him, but he refused to budge, which is why it has dragged on until now. Now, knowing that she was trying to comfort him because she understood his predicament, he was moved and looked at her speechlessly.

Seeing the gratitude on his face, Gu Zao couldn't help but reach out and flick his nose, laughing, "Old people are just like children; they need to be coaxed slowly. You insisted on marrying me against her wishes, which was already unfilial. Now you want to take me out to live separately; won't that make her even more heartbroken? She'll think I'm the one who instigated it. The way she's acting today is already giving me a lot of face. You're taking advantage of her and just stirring up trouble. From now on, never bring up living separately again. Not only that, but you also need to find ways to make her happy so that my life will be easier. How can someone as smart as you become so confused?"

Yang Hao, despite being reprimanded by her, was not angry at all; on the contrary, he loved her even more. Seeing her playful manner as she spoke, he suddenly recalled their passionate encounter the night before, and his heart fluttered. He leaned closer and whispered teasingly, "I, your Second Master, am usually quite clever, but ever since I met you, I've become utterly foolish, and I'm afraid I'll only become more foolish in the future..."

Seeing that he was acting inappropriately again, Gu Zao was afraid that someone would see and spread the word, so she took a step back to avoid him. But Yang Hao came up to her and was pulling and teasing her in low voice when he suddenly looked up and saw that there was a person standing behind the bamboo forest in front of the courtyard wall, biting his finger and staring blankly in her direction.

Gu Zao saw that it was Yang Huan standing there, but Yang Hao still wouldn't let go of her. She quickly whispered something, and Yang Hao finally let go of her hand, put it behind his back, and turned around to look at her with some displeasure.

Yang Huan walked over, first calling Yang Hao "Second Uncle," then looking at Gu Zao, opening his mouth but unable to utter "Auntie," just staring blankly.

Yang Hao was somewhat displeased. He stepped in front of Gu Zao to block her view, then said indifferently, "She's your new aunt. Have your wife come and greet her when you have time." With that, he left Yang Hao behind, took Gu Zao's hand, and went straight into the moon gate of his south courtyard. Gu Zao turned her head and saw Yang Huan still standing there with his mouth open, a hint of grievance on his face.

Since they were both dressed in formal attire, they didn't change. After preparing the gifts to present to the emperor, they left through the main gate, boarded the carriage that was already waiting there, and headed towards the palace.

Chapter Seventy-Four

Having already sent someone to request permission the day before, the two arrived at the Gongchen Gate of the Imperial Palace. After waiting for a short while, they were led inside by a palace servant. The servant was very polite to Yang Hao. Gu Zao noticed that he seemed to know the place well, so she asked him in a low voice. She learned that he was very familiar with the Inner East Gate Division, which was in charge of the entry and exit of goods in the palace, and had been supplying the palace with precious goods for many years.

Gu Zao followed Yang Hao to the front of the Empress Dowager's Baolu Palace, where they saw the palace maid Li, whom they had met before, come out. After exchanging greetings, the palace maid Li congratulated the two of them and said with a smile, "The Empress Dowager knew that you and your husband were coming today, so she got up early this morning. Please come in with me."

Yang Hao had already thanked her, and then followed the palace maid Li inside. They saw the Empress Dowager sitting upright on a cloud-patterned ruyi-shaped chair. The two hurriedly stepped forward and respectfully knelt down to pay their respects.

The Empress Dowager accepted the greeting with a smile, asked for a seat, and then asked Gu Zao a few questions. After Gu Zao responded to each question, Yang Hao said, "My wife and I are able to pay our respects here today entirely thanks to the Empress Dowager's virtue. Yang Hao is truly grateful."

The Empress Dowager shook her head and smiled, saying, "Two years ago, when I celebrated my birthday, you presented me with rare and precious agarwood, which is quite unusual. This is simply me returning the favor. As for others, I might not have interfered in your family's affairs, but my second sister is a child I adore. I pity her past experiences, and seeing your sincerity now, I believe she is someone I can entrust my life to. That's why I invited your mother over and casually told her a story I had heard from your mother-in-law before. That's all. If I have to express my gratitude, firstly, I want to thank your mother for not interfering in your family and saving me face; secondly, I also want to thank your mother-in-law for the good story she told me, which provided a convenient excuse."

Upon hearing this, Yang Hao looked at Gu Zao with some confusion. Gu Zao thought for a moment and knew that the Empress Dowager must be referring to the story of the White Snake Lady that Lady Qian had told her before. She smiled slightly and remained silent. Yang Hao had no choice but to suppress his doubts and thank her again.

The Empress Dowager waved her hand and laughed, "I've heard too much of this thank-you talk. Let's do something more practical. It's been a while since I ate your second sister's cooking. Since she's here today, why not cook me some good dishes? Just don't feel bad that I'm sending your beloved."

Yang Hao hurriedly said he dared not, and Gu Zao smiled and immediately stood up and said, "Thank you for remembering my skills, Your Majesty. The chrysanthemums are blooming well now, and my restaurant is doing quite well thanks to the plaque bestowed by Your Majesty. Some of the chrysanthemum dishes are quite palatable. If Your Majesty doesn't mind, I will make a few dishes for Your Majesty to taste."

The Empress Dowager thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Fearless of frost, a recluse among flowers. Chrysanthemums have been used in wine and dishes since ancient times, but they are not commonly eaten. Since you have mentioned it, it must be excellent. I am looking forward to enjoying this delicacy."

Gu Zao smiled and took her leave. She and the palace maid, Li, went to the place where they had cooked the dishes last time. The people inside were preparing the lunch dishes. When they saw that Gu Zao had arrived, they hurriedly came over to greet her. When they heard that she was going to cook some chrysanthemum dishes for the Empress Dowager, they naturally did their best to help. Before long, all the necessary ingredients were prepared.

Gu Zao removed her hairpins and tied her hair up, rolled up her sleeves and washed her hands. She washed the freshly picked chrysanthemums and other flower ingredients, soaking them in alum water to clean them. She took some fresh mandarin fish meat, scraped it into a paste, chopped it finely, and put it in a bowl. She added ginger and scallion juice, rice wine, egg white, and salt, stirring until it became sticky. Then she added finely chopped chrysanthemum petals, freshly harvested water chestnuts, and cooked lean ham, mixing them all together. She then squeezed the chrysanthemum fish paste into fish balls the size of longans, and rolled them in red glutinous rice, black glutinous rice, and regular rice that had been soaked in hot water until they were evenly coated with a thin layer of rice flour. She then steamed them until cooked, plated them, and poured a bright sauce over them. They looked vibrant, and each bite was soft and tender on the outside and deliciously flavorful. This was called Chrysanthemum Three-Color Fish Balls.

With the fish balls ready, it was time to cook the Chrysanthemum Crab Roe Shark Fin Soup. This dish uses white chrysanthemum petals, dried shark fin needles, sea cucumber, chicken breast meat, and cooked crab roe as ingredients. Gu Zao took the tender chicken breast meat, blanched it briefly in boiling water, and set it aside to cool. Then, he took the shark fin needles and sea cucumber that had been soaked in alkaline water, washed them, and shredded them. He also shredded the cooked chicken breast meat. Then, he put oil in a pot, first sautéing the scallions, ginger, and garlic until fragrant, then adding the shredded sea cucumber, shredded chicken, and crab roe meat. He added Shaoxing wine, salt, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and chicken broth, then added the shark fin needles to the pot. Once the soup boiled, he skimmed off the foam, and finally sprinkled the shredded white chrysanthemum and coriander on top of the shark fin soup, drizzling a few drops of sesame oil before serving.

The third dish Gu Zao was making was Braised Mushrooms and Chrysanthemum Scallops. The scallops were marinated briefly with a little salt, egg white, and cornstarch. Oil was heated in a pan, and the mushrooms and white chrysanthemum petals were stir-fried with a little broth and salt until thoroughly cooked. They were immediately transferred to a large round plate and arranged in a bird's nest shape with chopsticks. Then, broth, rice wine, ginger and scallion juice, salt, and matsutake mushrooms were added to the pan and brought to a boil briefly. The matsutake mushrooms were then scooped out with a ladle and placed in the bird's nest. When the scallops were cooked to about 90% done, cornstarch was added to thicken the sauce. Once the flavor was rich, the scallops were transferred back to the bird's nest, and the remaining sauce from the pan was poured over them. This dish was visually appealing, crisp, tender, and delicious, with a delicate chrysanthemum fragrance. It was also excellent for clearing heat, calming the liver, and improving eyesight.

This last little snack is quite convenient; it's called Three-Flower Dumplings. Gu Zao used to occasionally make them as a late-night snack when she felt like it. The three flowers can vary depending on the season. In the past, her favorites were chrysanthemums, lilies, and roses. But here, because it's late autumn and early winter, she took five each of chrysanthemums, hibiscus, and crabapple blossoms, along with some minced shrimp and crab meat. She took the three flowers out of the alum water, washed them, blanched them in boiling water, drained them, and chopped them finely. Then she mixed the flower pieces with the minced shrimp and crab meat to make the filling, added a little sauce, broth, salt, sesame oil, pepper powder, and minced scallions and ginger, and mixed it all together. She then used the dough that the cook had rolled out earlier to carefully pinch each dumpling into a delicate little dumpling, which was then steamed until cooked.

Gu Zao prepared the two dishes, soup, and a snack, just in time for the Empress Dowager's usual lunchtime. Following the usual procedure, she delivered them and followed the palace maid, Li, inside.

When she went inside, Yang Hao was no longer there; he had said he was going to the Inner East Gate to discuss some business. The palace maid, Li, presented the dishes to the Empress Dowager and, taking care of the details mentioned earlier, announced the names of everyone.

The Empress Dowager first picked up a fish ball wrapped in a thin layer of red glutinous rice, took a bite, and nodded slightly, saying, "It was indeed worth waiting half a morning for you. The color of this ball is beautiful; it whets my appetite at first sight. Taking a bite, the outside is sticky and smooth with glutinous rice, while the inside is as tender as tofu, yet it has an indescribable fragrance..." She then scooped up a spoonful of crab roe and shark fin soup, saying, "The chrysanthemum fragrance is rich, the shark fin is tender and flaky, the crab meat is fresh and delicious, and the soup is also extremely tasty. Excellent." Then, glancing at the scallops, she couldn't help but laugh and said, "This bird's nest is even more interesting; how did you come up with such a thing?"

Seeing that the Empress Dowager liked it, Gu Zao smiled and said, "Chrysanthemums have been known since ancient times for nourishing liver blood and improving complexion. Ancient books also record that consuming chrysanthemums for a hundred days will make one feel light and radiant. These dishes are ordinary, but since they contain chrysanthemums, they are somewhat beneficial to the body."

The Empress Dowager shook her head and said, "There are plenty of people who can cook elaborate dishes, but it's rare to find such thoughtful dishes. It's really good that you could think of these." As she spoke, she picked up another three-flower dumpling, ate it slowly, and thoroughly enjoyed the meal.

Just as the Empress Dowager put down her chopsticks, a palace servant came in to report that Yang Hao had returned and was requesting an audience. The Empress Dowager glanced at Gu Zao and chuckled, "As expected of a newlywed couple, so inseparable. You've come back again in no time, as if this old woman wouldn't let you go." With that, she ordered him to be brought in.

Gu Zao was slightly embarrassed by the Empress Dowager's teasing, but she only responded with a couple of words.

Yang Hao strode in quickly. When he saw Gu Zao standing there, his face flushed slightly. He smiled and greeted the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager glanced at the couple, sighed "a perfect match," then took off a jade bracelet from her wrist and handed it to the palace maid Li beside her. Smiling, she said to Gu Zao, "You two are newly married, and I must give you something in return. This bracelet is not very valuable, but it has been blessed and worn for several years. I'm giving it to you now because I feel we have some kind of connection. I hope you two will live a good life together, so that my shamelessness in facilitating your marriage won't have been in vain."

Gu Zao took the gifts from the palace maid Li with both hands and put them on her own wrist. The Empress Dowager then ordered a string of fragrant beads and a palace-made blue satin sable fur coat, which had been prepared earlier to be given to Old Madam Yang. The two of them then knelt down respectfully to express their gratitude. Seeing that the Empress Dowager was about to rest, they both withdrew. The palace maid Li and the guide also gave them gifts to express their thanks before leaving the palace.

The two boarded the carriage and headed towards the Zheng Gate Grand Commandant's residence along the same road they had come from. Yang Hao asked Gu Zao about the dishes she had just prepared, and Gu Zao explained the detailed recipes one by one. Yang Hao swallowed hard and feigned grievance, saying, "My wife always racks her brains to cook for others, but she never makes anything special for me. The food I've had before was all thanks to others; even that wisteria cake was just something I got along with."

Seeing that he was being unreasonable again, Gu Zao ignored him. However, Yang Hao took advantage of the fact that no one was in the carriage, reached out and wrapped his arm around her, leaned in and whispered with a smile, "If you don't cook for me, you won't get a good night's sleep tonight..."

Gu Zao chuckled and tried to slap his hand away, but was suddenly reminded by him that he remembered the bag of curry powder that he had brought the night before the Buddha's Birthday in April. He had used some of it, and the rest was still sealed and hidden at home. He figured it shouldn't have spoiled yet, so he smiled and said, "I'll make you a fresh one when you come back with me to pay respects to your ancestors in a couple of days. I guarantee you've never had it before."