sjar Chapter 544: Entering the Palace to Deliver New Year Gifts
Chapter 544: Entering the Palace to Deliver New Year Gifts
After everyone tasted the vegetables one by one, Zheng Sisi returned to the courtyard and carefully wrote down the cooking methods for each vegetable. Several maids carefully copied the recipes written by Zheng Sisi, preparing to attach detailed instructions for eating when delivering the dishes.
Afterwards, Zheng Sisi ordered her servants to sort the fresh vegetables and juicy strawberries into exquisite gift boxes, and then sent special personnel to deliver them to various mansions.
These gifts were indeed very popular, especially the rare vegetables and sweet and juicy strawberries, which won everyone's praise.
Those who received the gifts sent generous thank-you gifts to express their gratitude for Zheng Sisi's generous gifts. In particular, those fresh vegetables and precious fruits became the most popular gifts.
As time went by, Zheng Sisi's reputation became more and more famous in the capital, and her good deeds were recognized and appreciated by more people.
Early the next morning, snowflakes were still floating in the sky. Sheng Zhen accompanied Zheng Sisi into the palace to deliver New Year gifts.
Emperor Yongshun was very surprised when he heard the news that the two of them had entered the palace. After all, it was almost the end of the year and the palace was preparing for the New Year's Eve banquet. He couldn't help but wonder why the two of them had entered the palace at this time, so he ordered Eunuch Mu to take them to the imperial study.
It was freezing cold outside, with snow and ice everywhere, but once you entered the imperial study, you felt warm as spring. There were several charcoal basins burning in the room, and the fire was strong, dispelling the severe cold. Zheng Sisi and Sheng Zhen shook off the snow on their cloaks at the door, then took them off and put them aside.
When Eunuch Mu saw Princess Anping directing the eunuchs to carry baskets of vegetables from the carriage into the palace, he asked in confusion, "Princess Anping, where did you find these vegetables? They look so fresh!"
Zheng Sisi smiled and replied, "Eunuch Mu, these are all grown in the back garden of our Princess's Mansion. They are not rare."
Eunuch Mu was even more surprised when he heard this. In this snowy season, the princess's back garden could actually grow so many vegetables. It was amazing. Princess Anping was truly a god!
Emperor Yongshun was handling government affairs at his desk in the inner room. When he heard the noise outside, he stood up and walked to the outer room. As soon as he went out, he saw several bamboo baskets full of vegetables on the ground. He asked curiously, "Zhen'er, Sisi, where did you buy these vegetables? It's rare to have vegetables to eat in this cold winter."
Sheng Zhen smiled and replied, "Father, these vegetables were grown by Sisi in the greenhouse she built in the back garden. We thought it was winter now and there were no fresh vegetables on the market, so we picked some and sent them to you to try."
Emperor Yongshun was very curious. He squatted down and carefully examined each basket. He couldn't help but admired: "You are so thoughtful! It's not easy to grow vegetables in a greenhouse in winter. The cost is not small. And some of the vegetables here are something I have never seen before."
Zheng Sisi patiently introduced various vegetables to the emperor, saying that greenhouses are not complicated and inexpensive. She also wrote down the cooking methods for each dish on a list and handed it to the emperor.
After Emperor Yongshun received the list, a delighted smile appeared on his face, and he kept praising the gift for its originality and thoughtfulness.
In comparison, he recalled that the gifts given to him by other princes in previous years were nothing more than some precious antiques and cultural relics, which were obviously not selected with the same care as theirs.
After hearing this, Sheng Zhen, who was standing nearby, lowered his head and touched his nose, seeming a little embarrassed. Zheng Sisi looked at him and couldn't help but laugh softly.
Several people walked into the inner room. Zheng Sisi frowned when she saw so many charcoal basins along the way and asked, "Your Majesty, you should open some windows to ventilate the room since there are so many charcoal basins in your study. Otherwise, if you stay in such a closed space for a long time, you will get carbon dioxide poisoning and experience dizziness, headache, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing."
Hearing Zheng Sisi's words, everyone stopped in their tracks. Emperor Yongshun looked at her in surprise and asked in confusion: "What? Is there such a thing? I have never heard of it."
Eunuch Mu, who was following behind him, stopped in his tracks and his face changed drastically. He had heard that the emperor had been feeling dizzy and unwell recently, but after the imperial physician's diagnosis and pulse check, they all said that it was just because the emperor was busy with work and overworked. But now it seemed that these charcoal basins were to blame. He suddenly realized that it was no wonder that he often felt dizzy!
Thinking of this, Eunuch Mu hurried to the window and quickly opened the two windows. A gust of cold wind blew into the room, making the originally hot and humid air fresh. Emperor Yongshun also felt that his mind was instantly clearer and his breathing was much smoother.