After flirting with the aloof prince, the concubine ran away pregnant.

The man's expression remained unchanged: "Madam just instructed me to add this mille-feuille pastry yesterday, saying that the eldest daughter had eaten it outside and had been talking about it for a long time, so she specially ordered a box from Songxuelou and sent it over."

"Now, only your plum sorbet is missing a pastry. You can take someone to the door to receive and inspect the goods, and then plate it together with the sorbet."

At the grand banquet in the manor, the number of tea and snacks served was particular, as an odd number was indeed considered unlucky. She had always assumed that Granny Wen had entrusted all the pastries to the main kitchen for purchase and arrangement, but she hadn't expected that she would be given a separate task.

Although Afu was suspicious of the pastries that had been delivered at the last minute, she could only go and inspect them first, dealing with whatever came her way.

She put down the lid she was holding, turned to Bai Zhi and said, "You stay here and watch over things, don't leave for a moment. I'll be right back after I get the things."

Bai Zhi nodded quickly: "Don't worry, sister, I'll keep an eye on things."

When Afu went out, Manager Liu of Songxuelou was already waiting outside the door. He was a middle-aged man who spoke with a smile and looked quite honest.

Seeing Afu come out, he quickly lifted the insulated food box in the car, pointed to the layers of pastries inside, and then pulled open the compartment at the bottom of the food box to reveal a stove filled with hot ashes.

"Don't worry, young lady. It was kept warm with hot ash the whole way, so the pastry didn't collapse at all."

As he spoke, he took a piece of mille-feuille and handed it over. He took a bite himself and then handed a new piece to Afu: "Miss, please inspect the goods."

Afu took a bite; the layers of flaky pastry were distinct, and the sweetness of the butter and icing sugar was just right—it truly lived up to Songxuelou's standards.

She felt a little relieved and nodded, "Thank you for your help, Manager Liu."

Manager Liu smiled, cupped his hands in greeting, and drove off in his carriage.

Afu carried the food box back to the small kitchen, and when she opened the door, there was no one in front of the stove.

She paused in her steps.

Angelica dahurica is not here.

The fire was still burning, and the plum sorbet was already plated. Several small celadon cups were neatly arranged on the tray, and the water droplets on the rims of the cups were wiped clean, making them look exactly the same as when she left.

Yunxi emerged from behind the stove, still clutching a rag in her hand: "Sister Afu, you're back. Sister Baizhi just said her family came looking for her, saying it was urgent. She asked me to tell you she'll be back soon."

Afu squatted down and examined the plum sorbet. The plums on the rim of the cup, the surface of the sorbet, and the degree of melting of the ice were all exactly the same as before she left.

As she was about to get up, her gaze fell on the third cup. The plum blossoms adorning its surface were larger than those on the other cups, and their cut surfaces were not as neat.

She leaned down and smelled it; there was no strange odor. She then tested it with a silver needle, which also proved to be non-toxic.

Perhaps it was just that a single angelica root was accidentally spilled while plating, and then a fresh piece of green plum was cut and casually added on top.

She checked the other cups and found nothing unusual.

"Sister, are you worried that there will be something wrong with this plum sorbet?" Yunxi asked softly, pursing her lips in front of the stove.

Afu didn't answer; the front yard was already urging her, and she didn't have time to check again and again.

"Let's go."

She stood up, straightened her collar, and together with Yunxi and several other maids, carrying trays, headed towards Cining Courtyard.

Laughter echoed from the main hall of Ci'an Temple.

When Afu reached the door, the sound of the maid lifting the curtain startled the people inside. The laughter paused for a moment, then continued.

With her eyes lowered, she led the group in through a side door, placing the desserts one by one on the small tables in front of each person.

"This is a new dessert made in our Shian Courtyard's small kitchen, called Spring Mountain Plum Snow Cheese." Granny Wen stood to the side, introducing it with a smile. "The young master said it has a novel and ingenious flavor, and specially instructed that the eldest young lady try it."

After saying that, she took a tray from a maid and placed the two cups on it in front of a young lady at the head of the table. She also handed a small spoon to the wet nurse holding a child beside her.

A soft laugh came from the head of the table.

Afu didn't look up, but stepped aside. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the young lady in the main seat, wearing a pomegranate red jacket with gold thread lotus embroidery on the collar. Her hair was styled in a high bun, and her eyebrows and eyes bore a resemblance to Xie Xun.

Xie Yun, the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Yongning's family, and the younger sister of the young master.

Afu glanced at it once and then looked away, retreating to a corner of the hall.

"Is this the novel food that Ah Xun mentioned?" Xie Yun scooped up a spoonful of plum sorbet and put it in her mouth. After tasting it, she nodded in amazement. "It is indeed novel."

"That's right," the woman sitting below her replied.

The woman was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. She had a smile on her face, but the smile only reached the corners of her mouth and not her eyes. She habitually hunched over slightly when she spoke.

Zou Shi is the wife of Xie Yan, the eldest son of the Marquis's concubine.

Afu had only seen her a few times from afar in the courtyard before, and they had never spoken.

This Zou was the wife of Xie Xun's half-brother. Xie Xun's brother was born to a concubine and was not well-regarded in the household, so his new wife also had a weak presence in the household.

"The young master really dotes on the eldest daughter," said Madam Zou with a smile, her voice soft and slightly ingratiating. "As soon as the eldest daughter returned, he brought out all sorts of good things. We never had the chance to eat such fresh things before."

The smile on Lady Hou's face faded slightly. She turned to Xie Yun and said, "Try it. This was made by the people in Xun'er's courtyard. It tastes really good."

Ms. Zou stopped talking, smiled, and scooped up a spoonful of ice cream.

Xie Yun ignored Zou Shi and focused her gaze on a child of about two years old beside her.

The little boy, fair-skinned and clean, wearing a bright red robe and a gold-threaded hat, was being held by his wet nurse and was reaching for the green plum sorbet on the small table.

Xie Yun wiped his face with a handkerchief, her tone casually smug: "This child is just like his uncle when he was a child, picky about food."

"A nephew who resembles his uncle is a lucky man," a woman in a dark green jacket chimed in. She was the wife of a member of a collateral branch of the Marquis's household.

The crowd then chimed in, showering him with compliments like "a little top scholar" and "he looks smart."

The main hall was filled with laughter and a peaceful atmosphere.

Afu lowered her eyes, waiting for the order to remove the desserts so she could lead her people out.

"But the desserts that girl made?" Xie Yun's voice suddenly rang out.

Afu looked up and found Xie Yun looking at her.

"It's you?" Xie Yun looked her up and down, his gaze moving from her face to the slightly worn, light blue jacket she was wearing, then back to her face. He smiled enigmatically, "A fine color indeed."

Afu's heart tightened, but she didn't show it on her face. She took two steps forward and knelt down respectfully: "This servant Afu greets the young lady."

"Get up." Xie Yun's voice was clear and bright. "I just heard my mother say that this dessert is your creation?"

"Yes." Afu stood up, her eyes lowered.

Xie Yun scooped up another spoonful of plum sorbet and ate it with great satisfaction, the look of amazement in her eyes lingering for a long time.

After a while, she put down the silver spoon, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and smiled, "My household is in dire need of a cook who can make pastries. My husband has been having a poor appetite lately and can't eat anything. It's rare to find something so appetizing."

She paused, her gaze landing on Afu's face with a hint of condescension, "Would you like to come to my place?"

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Lady Hou was stunned for a moment, her hand holding the teacup paused in mid-air.

Although Afu was a bit unruly recently, she still cares a lot about Xun'er and is the only woman Xun'er can accept right now. Shi'an Academy really can't do without her.

She frowned almost imperceptibly: "Yun'er, this is someone from your brother's room."

"I know," Xie Yun said with a smile. "She's just a girl, how could her brother be so reluctant to part with her?"