The matter of the cake was soon forgotten.
Madam Li reminded her mother-in-law that it was time for lunch.
Madam Li rose and beckoned to everyone.
“Come along!”
“Today, the Li residence has prepared a flower-viewing banquet. Please do us the honor of staying for a meal!”
Everyone rose, offering their polite thanks as they did so.
The group made their way to the dining hall.
Since the weather was hot, it was inconvenient to hold the banquet outdoors. The room had therefore been arranged to look like a garden.
The moment they entered, everyone felt waves of cool air wash over them.
Ice basins had been placed in all four corners of the room. Maidservants pulled the scroll fans, slowly fanning the cool air into the hall.
All along the walls of the dining hall stood chrysanthemums in full bloom of every variety.
The tables were long and narrow, with chrysanthemums arranged down the middle.
The entire dining hall was filled with the fragrance of chrysanthemums, which left everyone feeling refreshed.
The ladies of the various households had never seen a banquet arranged in such a manner before. Almost as one, they stopped in their tracks and looked around the room with fascination.
“This is such a wonderful idea!”
“We can admire the flowers while we eat!”
“That’s right! It was simply too hot outside earlier, so I didn’t even get the chance to enjoy the flowers.”
“I was regretting it, too!”
“But now everything’s perfect! We can admire the flowers while sitting indoors!”
Madam Li arranged for everyone to take their seats in order, and the servants began bringing out the dishes.
Each person had a small plate placed in front of them.
The portions were not large, just enough for one person.
That way, everyone only needed to eat the dishes in front of them.
If they liked something, they could ask the servants for another serving. If they did not care for something, they could have it taken away.
This prevented anyone from being displeased simply because a dish was too far away for them to reach.
The ladies gazed at the little plates of food, each dish as exquisite as a treasured work of art.
They could not help swallowing.
The ladies attending the banquet at the Li residence today were no ordinary people.
As the families of imperial physicians, they had all seen plenty of the world.
But a layout like this, and dishes like these, were things they had truly never encountered before.
When they saw Madam Li pick up her chopsticks and begin eating, they eagerly followed suit.
The moment the food entered their mouths, their delight only grew.
So it was not merely beautiful—it was delicious as well!
After swallowing the food in her mouth, Madam Li nodded in satisfaction.
“Madam Li, you truly are clever and capable!”
“With your guidance, the cooks in my residence are almost as good as the imperial chefs in the Imperial Kitchen!”
Xu Jinxin smiled brightly.
“With your praise, Madam, all my hard work has been worthwhile!”
“If there is anything you are not satisfied with, please feel free to tell me!”
Xu Jinxin wanted to open a private restaurant.
Today’s banquet at the Li residence was simply a trial run.
These ladies had discerning palates.
If she could win their approval, she could put her plans for a restaurant on the agenda.
When Xu Jinxin saw Duoduo opening one pastry shop after another, she would be lying if she said she was not tempted.
But she also understood very well that the grilled-fish shop could only grow so large.
The iced-drinks shop had already gotten onto the right track, and she had handed its management over to others.
Whenever she had nothing to do, she felt restless all over.
After thinking it over, Xu Jinxin finally decided to try her hand at opening a restaurant.
That was why she had put so much thought into this banquet at the Li residence.
It could also serve as a form of market research.
After hearing Xu Jinxin’s words, the ladies all nodded.
“It’s wonderful!”
“Yes! Not only is it pleasing to the eye, it tastes delicious as well!”
“It’s usually so hard to eat in summer, but today my appetite has opened right up!”
“Exactly! I suffer from summer heat every year, too.”
…
Hearing everyone’s approval, Xu Jinxin felt reassured.
On the way home, she planned to discuss the restaurant with Duoduo.
Xu Jinxin had no intention of leaving Duoduo out of the venture.
For one thing, Duoduo had been her first business partner.
For another, she truly felt that Duoduo was her benefactor.
And third—and most importantly—she wanted to help Duoduo.
In any case, their family was already tied to Prince of Pingyang’s family.
They might as well grow together as a united group.
Only then would they have a chance of rising high enough to enjoy a more beautiful view, rather than turning against one another and fighting their own separate battles.
Duoduo’s pastry shops had also given her a tenth of the shares, even though Xu Jinxin had only offered some advice on how to run the business.
Xu Jinxin always repaid kindness with gratitude.
The entire banquet ended with both host and guests delighted. Everyone was completely satisfied.
After accepting their parting gifts, the ladies said their farewells and departed.
Once Xu Jinxin had finished packing up, she brought Yingniang over to say goodbye as well.
Madam Li took two light little purses from her daughter-in-law.
She handed one to Xu Jinxin and the other to Yingniang.
Yingniang looked hesitantly at Xu Jinxin.
She did not know whether she was allowed to accept it.
Xu Jinxin patted Yingniang on the head.
“Why aren’t you thanking Madam yet?”
Yingniang understood.
She bent her knees in a curtsy toward Madam Li.
“Thank you, Madam.”
Madam Li smiled kindly and reached out to help Yingniang up.
“Madam Li, bring Yingniang over to visit whenever you have the time!”
“My granddaughters have all been talking about how much they like Yingniang.”
Duoduo, standing to the side, looked extremely proud.
“Big Sister has the best temper! I like her too!”
When Madam Li heard Duoduo’s words, the way she looked at Yingniang changed.
She casually slipped a jade bracelet from her wrist.
“The Princess is right. I think Yingniang is wonderful as well!”
“Here, Yingniang. This is a little gift for you.”
“You mustn’t think it too humble!”
Xu Jinxin was slightly taken aback.
They were already on their way out. What did Madam Li mean by giving Yingniang a gift now?
Yingniang was equally bewildered.
Madam Li took Yingniang’s hand and slid the jade bracelet onto her wrist.
She smiled kindly.
“The quality of this bracelet isn’t particularly good, either. Yingniang, just wear it for fun!”
Yingniang stared at the vivid green jade bracelet on her wrist and immediately tried to pull it off.
Xu Jinxin reacted quickly and pressed down on Yingniang’s hand.
“Yingniang, hurry and thank Madam!”
Yingniang looked at her mother in confusion, then saw Xu Jinxin signaling to her with her eyes.
Yingniang bent her knees in a curtsy.
“Thank you, Madam.”
Seeing that Xu Jinxin and her daughter had accepted the gifts, Madam Li broke into a delighted smile.
“You have both worked hard today!”
“It was no trouble at all! I’ve already received a handsome reward!”
Xu Jinxin deliberately put on a money-loving expression and shook the purse in her hand.
Madam Li paused for a moment before quickly realizing what was going on.
This Madam Li was truly a fascinating woman!
She had not even opened the purse, yet she already knew what was inside!
“Aren’t you afraid it might be empty?” Madam Li teased deliberately.
Xu Jinxin pretended to think seriously for a moment.
“Didn’t Madam give Yingniang a jade bracelet as well?”
“That bracelet should be worth enough to make up for it!”
Madam Li laughed delightedly.
Duoduo stood up.
“Madam, I’m leaving too!”
Madam Li stopped smiling.
“Princess, please wait!”
