Duoduo shook her head. "It failed."
Lüdou leaned in to look at the pastry in the basin. "Isn't this a success?"
Duoduo felt a little discouraged.
"The Master said the base needs to be this tall to be considered a success."
Lüdou looked at the flat, misshapen cake, thought for a moment, and then tipped it onto a plate.
"Princess, let's taste it first!"
Lüdou took a knife and divided the cake into several pieces.
She picked up one piece and handed it to Duoduo.
"Princess, try it first. We worked hard for over an hour!"
Duoduo sniffed the cake, still rich with fragrance, and took it.
She took a small bite.
A burst of sweet flavor rushed straight to her head.
Although the cake was flat and didn't look good, it was still delicious.
Duoduo finished the cake in just a few bites and signaled to Nanny Li.
"You two, take a piece and try it."
Nanny Li and Qingliu each took a small piece.
The kitchen maids watched them with envy.
Duoduo looked at the remaining cake and was about to tell the maids to divide it among themselves when Yunxiao walked in from outside.
"What new treat is being made in the kitchen now?" Yunxiao said, then noticed Duoduo inside. "Your subordinate greets the Princess."
After bowing to Duoduo, Yunxiao's eyes landed on the steaming cake.
"Princess, could your subordinate take some for The Prince to try?"
Yunxiao assumed it was a new pastry Lüdou had made for Duoduo.
Duoduo nodded.
"Take the rest; it's all yours."
"Many thanks, Princess!" Yunxiao was overjoyed. He picked up the plate and turned to leave, as if afraid Duoduo might change her mind.
The cake was gone, but the kitchen's fragrance lingered.
Duoduo pondered where she had gone wrong.
"Momo, you said just now that when you lifted the lid, it was very big?"
Nanny Li quickly nodded.
"Yes! It shrank in an instant."
Duoduo carefully compared each step Li Jin had described with what they had done.
Their steps were all correct.
The cake just now tasted pretty good, too.
So the problem must be in the final stage.
"Alright, let's go. We'll try again tomorrow!"
Once Duoduo figured it out, her mood lifted considerably.
It would soon be time for the evening meal, and the kitchen needed to start preparations.
Duoduo decided not to continue.
Whipping the egg whites into a foam was the hardest part.
Her arms were already sore.
If they kept going, everyone's hands would be useless tomorrow.
After all, there were still half a month left; no need to rush.
Duoduo left with her maids. The kitchen maids sniffed the lingering scent in the air with regret.
"I think just now, the Princess meant to share it with us, but Guard Yun snatched it away!"
"So fragrant! I really want to know what it tastes like!"
"The Princess said she'll make it again next time. Then we'll definitely get a piece!"
"Yes! Next time we'll help, and she'll surely share it with us!"
The kitchen maids all looked forward to Duoduo coming back to the kitchen again.
Yunxiao carried the plate and quickly returned to the study.
"What's this?" Xiao Yi looked at the somewhat unappealing pastry on the plate.
Even though the pastry gave off a very fragrant aroma.
"A new pastry by Lüdou. Your Highness, please try it."
Yunxiao was very excited.
On his way here, he had to restrain himself to keep from sneaking a bite.
Xiao Yi wrinkled his nose in disdain, pinched off a small piece, and put it in his mouth.
A wave of sweet flavor spread across his tongue.
Xiao Yi wiped his hands clean with a handkerchief but didn't continue eating.
"Your Highness, is it not good?" Yunxiao asked curiously. "The Princess didn't look too happy either. I wouldn't have taken it if I'd known."
Xiao Yi looked up at Yunxiao.
"Was Duoduo in the kitchen too?"
Yunxiao nodded. "Not only the Princess, but Nanny Li and the others were all there."
A hint of confusion flickered in Xiao Yi's eyes.
"All of them? All in the kitchen just for this pastry?"
He gave the cake another disdainful glance.
Yunxiao saw Xiao Yi's expression and carefully explained, "I heard that the Princess made this pastry herself with Nanny Li and the others."
"Duoduo made it herself?" Xiao Yi's face showed surprise.
"Yes, Your Highness."
"But I don't know why the Princess was unhappy. Maybe because the pastry didn't turn out well?"
Yunxiao had been guessing.
Xiao Yi glanced at Yunxiao, then reached for another piece, put it in his mouth, and savored it carefully.
The pastry was very fragrant and soft—anyone who liked sweets would surely love it.
Xiao Yi wiped his fingers again with his handkerchief.
"Take the rest."
The sound of Yunxiao swallowing hard was hard for Xiao Yi to ignore.
Yunxiao's face lit up with a huge smile. He bowed to Xiao Yi.
"Many thanks for your generosity, Your Highness!"
Yunxiao took the plate and shoved the remaining cake into his mouth.
After finally tasting that enticing flavor, Yunxiao felt immensely happy.
No wonder every guard wanted to serve The Prince closely—this was the reason!
Xiao Yi watched Yunxiao wolf down the cake and then looked down, unable to bear the sight.
Had the Pingyang Mansion always treated its servants so poorly?
It was just a piece of pastry—why eat it so exaggeratedly?
Cakes were small to begin with, and after Lüdou divided it into pieces, not much was left after Duoduo and the others ate.
Yunxiao finished quickly.
He licked his lips reluctantly.
"Your Highness, this was really delicious!" Yunxiao felt a little embarrassed looking at the empty plate.
Without looking up, Xiao Yi said, "Has there been any movement from the man watching the doctor?"
Hearing the shift to serious matters, Yunxiao put down the plate.
"Your Highness, apart from going to his clinic every day and going home, the doctor hasn't gone anywhere else."
"I also had people monitor everyone who visited the clinic. No one from the palace has been seen."
Xiao Yi looked up and thought for a moment.
"Keep watching him. He just made his move, so he must be waiting for the result."
"By the way, tomorrow, spread the word that Nanny Li is seriously ill and has been moved out of the mansion."
Yunxiao nodded.
"And the Princess? How do we arrange things with Nanny Li?"
Xiao Yi put down the official documents he was reading and thought.
"Go fetch the Princess."
Yunxiao acknowledged and walked out.
Duoduo had just come back to her room with Lüdou and hadn't even had a sip of water when Yunxiao arrived.
"Father, you called for me?" Duoduo bowed to Xiao Yi as soon as she entered the study.
Xiao Yi nodded. "Yunxiao, bring Nanny Li in too."
Curious, Duoduo watched as Nanny Li, equally confused, entered the room.
Xiao Yi explained the plan: "This is the only way to draw out the person behind it."
"Nanny Li, pack your things. Yunxiao will take you to another residence shortly."
"Father, please also assign a few highly skilled guards to protect Nanny," Duoduo suggested.
Xiao Yi's eyes flickered, but before he could speak, Nanny Li knelt down.
