I started as a concubine, and I made the crown prince cry with my delicious food.

Xiao Jingshi is gone.

The entire East Palace seemed to have lost its central pillar in an instant, becoming empty and desolate. After two days of grief, Ye An'an quickly composed herself.

She knew she couldn't fall. She was now the mistress of the Eastern Palace, and she was carrying his child. She had to protect this home for him and ensure he had no worries.

She began to devote all her energy to her career, using busyness to numb her heart, which had become empty due to longing.

"Liren Pavilion" was still incredibly popular. The ladies of the capital were practically fighting tooth and nail to get their hands on a limited-edition "Mirror Flower Romance" gift set. Ye An'an then launched several other individual items, such as lipsticks and eyebrow powders in different shades, which drove women all over the city into a frenzy.

The business of "Wenxianglai" is booming. The newly introduced popcorn has become the most fashionable snack in Beijing, and it is in short supply every day.

Ye An'an is extremely busy every day. During the day, she handles the accounts of two shops and new product development, and at night she also has to learn how to manage the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace.

The Empress now both dotes on her and values ​​her highly. Not only has she entrusted her with full authority over the Eastern Palace, but she also frequently sends Granny Gui to guide her on how to manage internal affairs and handle interpersonal relationships, clearly grooming her to be the future Empress.

Ye An'an learned very quickly. She slightly modified the management model of modern enterprises and applied it to the internal management of the Eastern Palace. She formulated job responsibilities, clarified the reward and punishment system, and optimized the procurement process... With this series of combined measures, the previously somewhat chaotic Eastern Palace quickly became well-organized and efficient.

Even the Empress was impressed by her and often praised her "great talent" in front of the Emperor.

But whenever the night is deep and quiet, and she has shed all her fatigue and lies on that empty bed, that bone-deep longing will overwhelm her like a tidal wave.

She would think of him. She would think of his cool, aloof eyes, his warm embrace, his clumsy kisses, and the adorable way he blew up the kitchen for her.

She didn't know if he was doing well in southern Xinjiang. Was he well-fed and clothed? Was he injured? Was he... thinking of her too?

That night, she woke up from a nightmare once again. In her dream, there was that blood-red battlefield again, and his resolute figure.

Unable to fall back asleep, she threw on a coat and went to the small kitchen. She wanted to make something, something sweet. She felt that only sweets could soothe her bittersweet heart.

What should I make? Looking at the dazzling array of ingredients in the kitchen, an idea suddenly popped into her head—snowflake crisps.

This simple yet incredibly flavorful dessert is perfect for your current mood. It has the crispness of cookies, the sweetness and chewiness of nougat, the caramelized aroma of nuts, and the sweet and sour taste of dried fruit. One bite is sweet but not cloying, with distinct layers that bring immense satisfaction.

She got right to work. She asked Fuyun, who was on night watch, to light the fire in the small kitchen, and then began her "late-night dessert baking".

She first gathered some ordinary, crispy cookies that were usually used to make snacks for the princes, along with some roasted peanuts and sweet and sour dried cranberries. She broke the cookies into small pieces of varying sizes by hand.

Next, place a large piece of butter in a clean, oil-free, heavy-bottomed saucepan and melt it slowly over the lowest heat.

Once the butter had completely melted and emitted a rich, milky aroma, she poured a large bag of homemade marshmallows made with maltose and egg whites into the pot. She then slowly and continuously stirred them with a wooden spatula.

Soon, the plump, white marshmallows slowly melted under the butter, becoming soft and sticky, and could even be pulled into long strands.

It was an extremely healing process. Watching the melting sugar threads, Ye An'an's restless heart seemed to be soothed little by little.

Once the marshmallows had completely melted, she immediately turned off the heat. Then she quickly poured all the prepared milk powder, biscuit crumbs, peanuts, and dried cranberries into the pot.

She quickly stirred it to ensure that every cookie and nut was evenly coated with the sweet nougat.

Finally, she poured the still-warm snowflake crisp semi-finished product into a baking pan sprinkled with a thick layer of milk powder. Wearing non-stick gloves, she pressed and shaped it into a thick, square candy block.

Sprinkle a layer of milk powder evenly on the surface, and a plate of snowflake crisps that look snow-white and smell milky are ready.

"Your Majesty, what is this? It looks delicious." Fuyun looked on, her mouth practically watering.

"This is called snowflake crisp." Ye An'an smiled, picked up a knife, and cut the still-warm sugar into small, even-sized squares. She picked up a piece and held it to Fu Yun's lips: "Try it."

Fu Yun was flattered and took a small bite. The next second, her eyes lit up.

Crispy! Fragrant! Soft! Chewy! Sweet! Several distinct textures and flavors intertwine perfectly in the mouth. Delicious! So delicious that it makes you feel like you're flying with happiness!

"Your Majesty! This is so delicious!" she exclaimed.

Ye An'an smiled contentedly. She picked up a piece herself and slowly savored it. The sweet taste seemed to have a magical power to heal the soul; her heart, which had become empty due to longing, was filled at this moment by this small, sweet cube.

Looking out at the dark night sky and the pale crescent moon, she silently wondered: Xiao Jingshi, what are you doing right now? Are you looking at the same moon as me?

Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself and our baby. I'll also cook lots and lots of delicious food. When you come back, I'll make everything for you.