Her words made Si Junlin ponder for a while. However, the emperor simply couldn't resist his curiosity about his queen's cooking skills. In the end, he said, "You just need to agree. As for the rest, I'll have someone prepare it."
Looking at his nonchalant face, Su Wan'er didn't care either. To prevent the emperor from feeling disappointed after tasting her food, she decided to explain in advance, "I'd like to make it clear. I'm not as skillful as your imperial chefs. The food I make won't be as delicious as theirs. Don't blame me if you don't like it."
"Don't worry. There's nothing I haven't tasted," Si Junlin replied calmly.
Su Wan'er just said "Oh" and silently prepared herself for the disappointed look on the emperor's face.
Throughout the night, Su Wan'er and Si Junlin sorted out the families in the accounts. For those that needed special attention, Si Junlin would arrange spies to infiltrate. As for the unimportant ones, they only needed the local government to keep a casual eye on them.
After they went back to rest for a while, at dusk, Qingcao came to invite Su Wan'er.
Upon inquiry, Su Wan'er learned that Si Junlin had already prepared the cooking utensils and was just waiting for her.
As for what she was going to do, in the eyes of those who didn't know their identities were swapped, it was the "queen" preparing to cook for the "emperor". In Qingcao's eyes, it was the emperor making her mistress go to all the trouble again.
"Your Majesty, do you really think it's necessary for the queen to do this?" Qingcao asked meaningfully.
Su Wan'er said helplessly, "When under someone else's roof, one has to bow one's head. Whether it's worth it or not, as long as the emperor wants to eat, the queen has to cook."
Qingcao let out a snort and suddenly leaned closer to Su Wan'er, asking, "Mistress, don't tell me you've really fallen in love with..."
"Absolutely not!" Su Wan'er pushed her away. "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll send you back to my mother."
If she was really sent back home by Su Wan'er, Qingcao would probably be sent back to hell for a remake.
Just thinking about the fear she had once experienced, Qingcao immediately shut up. "This slave knows her mistake."
Looking at her aggrieved expression, Su Wan'er covered her lips and smiled silently. "Don't worry. So far, I'm quite satisfied with you. I won't send you back for a remake."
As they were talking, they had already reached the "queen's" bedroom.
As soon as Su Wan'er walked over, Si Junlin grabbed her and pulled her directly into the small kitchen in the palace. As for the maids and eunuchs, they were all locked outside.
"What are you..." Before Su Wan'er could finish her sentence, Si Junlin interrupted her.
"Don't worry. No one will know who's cooking in the kitchen now," Si Junlin said.
Su Wan'er could only nod helplessly. "You've thought it through."
However, when it came to cooking, Su Wan'er felt a bit helpless. She hadn't been in a kitchen for a long time. Now that she really had to cook, she was actually quite worried.
Taking a deep breath, Su Wan'er picked up the kitchen knife.
The moment she picked up the knife, her aura suddenly changed. She became as serious as if she were going to war.
Si Junlin just watched Su Wan'er. He always felt that she wasn't cooking but was about to kill someone.
He began to wonder if it was right for him to ask Su Wan'er to cook. Looking at how fiercely she was chopping the vegetables, could the food she made really be edible?
If Su Wan'er knew what he was thinking, she would definitely throw the vegetables in his face.
But at this moment, Su Wan'er was only focused on her work and had no intention of paying attention to Si Junlin.
Half an hour later, Su Wan'er finally finished cooking.
Si Junlin stood in front of the stove, looking at the two light dishes and a soup on it. He was a bit hard to accept. "Is that all?"
Su Wan'er nodded. "When I followed my father to fight in the army, I also only made two dishes and a soup. On the battlefield, it was already good enough to have such a meal. Sometimes, we could only eat dry rations."
Si Junlin could only sigh. He picked up the spoon, scooped up a bowl of rice, then picked up the chopsticks and started to eat.
Just one bite, and Si Junlin's eyes widened.
These dishes were indeed not as delicate as those made by the imperial chefs, but they were novel. He had never tasted such commoner's food before. But since the taste was really good, the originally rough meal became ordinary.
"It seems my cooking skills haven't regressed," Su Wan'er nodded slightly and picked up the food to eat herself.
It had been so long since she last cooked. Now that she was cooking again, it reminded her of many past events.
It had to be said that it was quite nostalgic.
Since both masters were in the kitchen, the maids and eunuchs outside the kitchen could only wait. No one dared to leave.
Finally, more than an hour later, the people in the kitchen came out.
Fang Xi quickly stepped forward and asked Su Wan'er, "Your Majesty, do you want to order the evening meal?"
Su Wan'er turned to look at Si Junlin and asked him, "Queen, what do you think? If you think what we just had isn't enough, then order the meal."
"No need. I'm already full." Although the meal was rough, it was quite filling.
After hearing Su Wan'er's story about the past during the meal, Si Junlin thought that this kind of food could be used as a dish to remind the officials to be honest and self - reflective.
After all, since the imperial examination system was implemented in this dynasty, many poor scholars could enter the officialdom and serve the country.
Many people forgot where they came from after being in office for a while. Maybe reminding them would make a difference.
Su Wan'er didn't know what he was thinking. However, since he said it wasn't necessary, there was no need for her to order the meal.
But Su Wan'er didn't expect that what Si Junlin thought was a very secretive thing would be known to the Empress Dowager the next day.
For the sake of her son's dignity, the Empress Dowager quickly had all those who knew about it silenced. Then she summoned Su Wan'er to her palace.
"Lin'er, you're the emperor. How could you cook for someone yourself? Did the queen force you?" Thinking that the "emperor's" attitude towards the "queen" had changed so much recently, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but be suspicious.
In response to the Empress Dowager's question, Su Wan'er could only say helplessly, "Mother, do you think there's anyone in the world who can threaten me? As for why I cooked, I was just in the mood and decided to make some dishes to taste."
After a slight pause, Su Wan'er added in a low voice, "Moreover, I've already thought of a gift for you next year."
Looking at her son's playful look, although the Empress Dowager was quite happy inside, at this moment, to remind her son, she still had a serious look on her face.