tallest building

Chapter 299 Unrecognizable

When the emerald green vegetable soup was served, Consort Hui was once again taken aback.

The eldest princess praised the dish from the very first bite, smiling as she said, "No wonder my mother couldn't forget the meal she had here. Now that I've tasted it, I'm afraid I'll never forget it for the rest of my life."

“You have a sweet tongue just like your mother,” the Princess said. The Princess was not much older than Consort Hui, but she was of a higher generation. “I think you are too thin and should eat more. If you like these dishes, I can ask Zhang Ma to make them and bring them to you. If you can gain some weight, it will be my credit.”

"Mother, did you hear that? I have a lot of influence! Her Highness the Princess said that if I want to eat something in the future, I can have Zhang Ma cook it for me." The Princess spoke to Consort Hui when she saw that Consort Hui was a little stunned.

"Oh my, that's wonderful news. Eat more so you can be stronger and more fertile," Consort Hui said hurriedly.

"Consort Hui, why aren't you eating? Is it not to your liking?" the Princess asked her with a smile.

"No, I just think it's so delicious that I can't help but savor it for a long time after each bite, otherwise I feel like I'm wasting it." Consort Hui subtly concealed her lapse in composure.

That simple vegetable soup just now, there's no mistake, it tasted exactly like that, and she'll never forget it, no matter how many years pass.

The steamed egg with goji berry sprouts she had eaten that morning had already aroused her suspicions, and now with this soup added to her list, her doubts only deepened.

Is there anyone in the world who can make the exact same dish?
Consort Hui was very suspicious, because even the same dish would always have some slight differences when made by different people.

She trusted her own taste buds more; such delicious food, once tasted, would be remembered forever.

But shouldn't that person have died long ago? He can't possibly still be alive!

Could it be that Zhang Ma and his cooking skills were taught by the same person? They are so similar!
"This water shield soup is so delicious! Our cooks always have a slight muddy smell in it when they make it." The eldest princess also liked the soup very much. "How did she make the shrimp balls in it? They are so smooth and delicate. They don't seem to be made later. They seem to be naturally formed."

Shrimp balls are made by mincing fresh shrimp into a paste and then shaping it back into balls. However, ordinary shrimp balls inevitably contain some small chunks of shrimp meat, but Zhang Ma's shrimp balls are perfectly natural.

The eldest princess was of noble status, and every meal in the palace was extremely elaborate. Later, after she married into the Dong family, she naturally became even more particular about the finest food and the most exquisite dishes.

Logically speaking, the food was already quite exquisite, but we were still amazed by Zhang Ma's cooking skills.

"But to be honest, they've all forgotten the rule of not talking while eating here," Consort Hui said. "It's really a shame not to praise them."

After finally finishing their meal, the princess ordered someone to pour them tea.

Consort Hui seized the opportunity to say, "Your Highness, these servants have worked so hard today, I feel really bad about it. Why don't you reward them with something, especially this Zhang Ma, her cooking skills are really good, we will definitely need to rely on her in the future."

"Since you say you want to reward her, I won't stop you," the princess said. "Just don't reward her too much; you should still reward her in the future."

Consort Hui glanced at Granny Xia, who immediately had someone bring in the prepared gifts.

According to the rules, those who received the reward had to come in to express their gratitude, and Zhang Ma was no exception.

"This is Zhang Mama," said Yu Hu, who was standing next to the Princess.

"This old servant thanks Consort Hui and Her Highness the Princess for their generous gifts." Zhang Ma knelt down to express her gratitude.

Consort Hui stared intently, noticing that the kneeling Zhang Ma before her was vastly different from the person she remembered.

The man was lean and wiry, quick-witted and clever, with a smart look on his face.

But the obese old woman in front of me had a face full of flesh and cloudy eyes.

They shouldn't be the same person, right?
Can nearly ten years change a person beyond recognition?
Consort Hui was unaware. "So you are Zhang Ma. Your cooking skills are truly remarkable." Consort Hui smiled. "The Princess is truly blessed to have found such a good cook, one that would be hard to find even with a lantern."

"Your Majesty flatters me. It's just that the ingredients are fresh, and my skills are only average." Zhang Ma said politely before taking the reward.

Then Consort Hui and the Princess took their leave, saying, "Your Highness has troubled us for so long, please rest!"

The eldest princess then instructed Yu Hu to escort the two of them out.

Walking along the road, the eldest princess asked Yu Hu, "When did Zhang Mama come here to serve us? I've never heard of her before?"

She asked the question purely out of curiosity.

“She only came here last autumn,” Yu Hu said. “In reality, she’s unlikely to stay here for long.”

"Why is that? Is there a better place than the Princess's?" Consort Hui asked with a smile.

“She is actually the wet nurse of the fourth young master of the Gong family,” Yu Hu said. “Originally, she went to the Sanjing Academy with the fourth young master of the Gong family. Later, the fourth young master of the Gong family entered the palace, and it was inconvenient for her to go in with him. Madam Wen is the adopted daughter of the eldest princess. Since Madam Wen has divorced the Gong family, Zhang Ma could not go back to the Gong family, so she came here.”

The mention of the jade pot was just a casual remark, and Zhang Ma's identity wasn't exactly a secret. She had come to the capital with Wen Mingqian and Gong Chang'an long ago and had stayed at the Gong family's residence for a year.

Later, Wen Mingqian and his wife divorced, and they lived in Wuqiu Nunnery for more than half a year, which is common knowledge.

Little did Consort Hui know that what she said was unintentional, but what she heard was taken to heart. She never imagined that Zhang Ma had such a deep relationship with Wen Mingqian.

However, Wen Mingqian and that person didn't seem to have any contact. At least in her memory, the two people had no interaction.

but……

Consort Hui's heart skipped a beat, and a child's face appeared before her eyes.

That child…if you look closely at that child…, he actually bears a striking resemblance to that person…

Could it be that……

She dared not think any further, because it was too terrifying.

"Mother, Mother, what's wrong? Watch your step!" The Princess helped Consort Hui up as she nearly fell.

She missed a step, but fortunately the steps weren't too steep.

The young palace maid serving nearby turned pale with fright. When Consort Hui came down the steps, her hand was on Consort Hui's arm, but it was only a perfunctory touch.

This is how it usually is; she just used a little bit of leverage. She never expected that Consort Hui would slip and fall.

Fortunately, I shielded her with my body, so the Empress should not have been injured.

"It's nothing, it's nothing." Consort Hui quickly composed herself. "I don't know what happened to me just now, I suddenly felt dizzy, but I'm fine now."

"Your Majesty, have you been getting up too early these days? Please rest earlier at night and don't overwork yourself," Yu Hu said with concern.

"I'll go back and lie down now," Consort Hui said. "Perhaps I ate a little too much just now."

Some things really need to be properly digested before they can be accepted, otherwise you won't be able to handle them.