Ch 82: Guide to Feeding a Villainous Husband

When Qin Xia arrived at the kitchen of the Han residence, the ingredients he had requested beforehand were already prepared.

By now, his reputation preceded him, and no household would dare be lax when he came to cook. After all, everyone knew that this chef required a hefty price to hire.

Having Master Qin in one’s home was a matter of pride, something people loved to boast about.

“Master Qin, these two jars of fresh milk were delivered just before you arrived, and here are the fruits and flowers. Since we weren’t sure which ones you needed, we prepared a variety.”

The speaker was the head stewardess of the Han residence’s kitchen, who had worked there for over a decade. She had watched the young Miss Han grow up and had seen more birthday banquets than she could count.

Born into wealth, Miss Han had seen all kinds of delicacies over the years, making it increasingly difficult to please her with food. Truth be told, the stewardess was relieved that Master Han had hired an external chef this time.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Qin Xia nodded to her, then turned his attention back to the countertop.

Even though he was aware of the Han family’s wealth before arriving, he was still amazed by the variety of fresh fruits and flowers available in the kitchen during this cold winter season.

Most of the flowers were likely grown in greenhouses, and the fruits must have been preserved using some special methods. While fruit preservation wasn’t uncommon, having such a wide variety in winter was impressive.

For instance, street vendors in winter would use similar methods to store fruit, and even Qin Xia’s wine distillery had a cellar for storing fruit used in winemaking.

With these ingredients on hand for decoration, he wasn’t worried about making an impressive birthday cake.

Yes, from the moment Qin Xia learned he’d be preparing a birthday banquet for Miss Han, he had been planning the menu.

While the Han and Song families were equally wealthy, the birthday banquet of a young girl was entirely different from the birthday banquet of a patriarch.

Moreover, the elders of the Han family were not attending this banquet. It was intended as a lively gathering for Miss Han and her close friends.

If Qin Xia only served rich dishes like shark fin and abalone, they would fail to impress. Girls of this age likely wouldn’t enjoy such heavy dishes either.

After some thought, he decided that the perfect centerpiece for the birthday banquet would be a modern birthday cake.

Visually appealing and sweet to the taste, a cake was exactly what would delight the young ladies.

After deciding on the cake, Qin Xia sketched a simple design on paper and ordered a few custom tools. He practiced making the cake at home, ensuring he could recreate a decent version with the available materials. Once confident, he sent word to the Han family, requesting fresh milk along with fruits and flowers for decoration.

Typically, birthday cakes are made up of sponge cake and whipped cream for frosting. However, due to the limited ingredients, it was difficult to replicate high-quality whipped cream. Qin Xia opted to use mashed yam as a substitute, which would also prevent the cake from being too heavy or greasy for the girls.

Mashing the yam wasn’t a particularly difficult task, so he left it to the kitchen maidservants while he began working with the eggs, flour, and milk to prepare the cake batter.

First, he separated the egg yolks from the whites, keeping only the egg whites, which he whipped into stiff peaks using a bamboo whisk.

This step took nearly the time it takes to finish a cup of tea. The liquid egg whites in the small bowl gradually transformed into a white, fluffy foam, leaving the onlookers in awe.

Next, Qin Xia requested a bit of vinegar, which he added to replace lemon juice, continuing to whip the mixture. Once it was at the right consistency, it was time for the egg yolks to come into play.

The egg yolks were beaten, and flour, sugar, and oil were added, creating a smooth yolk mixture.

The two types of batter were mixed together in two stages, then poured into the round molds Qin Xia had specially brought from Qinan County, ready to be steamed.

Considering the prestige of Miss Han’s birthday banquet, Qin Xia was preparing a two-tiered cake.

One large and one small cake layer were placed in bamboo steamers, with a time limit set by the length of a burning incense stick—about three quarters of an hour.

“How’s the yam paste coming along?”

The maid responsible for this task handed over the prepared yam paste, and Qin Xia scooped a bit with a spoon to inspect it. “It’s still a bit too watery.”

After steaming the yams soft and mashing them, some moisture inevitably remained, which was fine for the filling, but it wouldn’t work well for the outer decoration.

“I’ll redo it right away,” the maid offered.

As she prepared to leave, the head kitchen stewardess stepped forward and said, “Come with me, I’ll show you how to get the yam paste to the right consistency.”

The stewardess, with years of experience running the Han family kitchen, knew her way around cooking. Seeing this, Qin Xia felt reassured. He called over Zhuang Xing and Su Ge’er to continue preparing the other dishes for the banquet.

He sliced cucumbers into sections, hollowed out the centers, and filled them with a mix of corn, carrots, peas, and cooked shrimp seasoned with vinegar. These were arranged on a porcelain plate painted with bamboo branches.

This dish was called “Spring Bamboo Awakens.”

Fresh fish had their heads removed, the middle fillet deboned and scored, then seasoned with wine and salt before being fried in oil. Once the fish was crispy and golden, it resembled clusters of golden fruit, arranged to mimic the shape of a squirrel with the head held high. The dish was completed with a sweet and sour sauce.

This was “Squirrel Fish.”

The tenderloin of beef was sliced into thin strips, marinated, and coated in batter. Vermicelli noodles were deep-fried until silvery white and placed on the bottom of the plate, with the stir-fried beef strips on top, garnished with green onions.

This was “Silver Thread Beef.”

Slices of chicken breast were stir-fried with fragrant mushrooms and pear in rendered pork fat until they changed color. A few drops of sesame oil, a sprinkle of pepper powder, and ginger juice were added before it was thickened and plated.

This was “Pear Fried Chicken.”

In addition to the meat dishes, there were other interspersed options:

For example, “Tofu Boxes,” where tofu served as a golden exterior encasing a meat filling—an unassuming appearance that concealed a delicious secret.

And for those with a sweet tooth, “Candied Apples” and “Taro Sweet Potato Balls” were specially prepared for the young ladies. One featured crisp sugar threads over soft apples, and the other had a crispy exterior with a soft, sweet interior.

The banquet table was nearly complete.

Meanwhile, the steamed cakes, cooling on the counter, were already teasing everyone with their tantalizing aroma, making stomachs rumble.

Qin Xia asked Zhuang Xing and Su Ge’er to slice several fruits into small pieces and mix them with the yam paste. He also squeezed some juice from fresh berries to tint the paste a soft purple, avoiding the pale look that wouldn’t suit the aesthetic preferences of the time.

The large and small cakes were then cut in half, and the fruit filling was spread in between before stacking the two layers.

After assembling the two-tiered cake, the outside was coated with a thick layer of yam paste.

Instead of striving for a smooth, flawless finish, Qin Xia used a spatula to skillfully shape the outer layer into what resembled flower petals.

The servants of the Han family, who had seen all sorts of elaborate pastries and desserts, were nonetheless mesmerized by this large cake. They couldn’t take their eyes off Qin Xia’s hands, feeling fortunate to have witnessed something so novel.

Finally, Qin Xia could straighten his slightly aching back.

“Bring over the dried fruit and flowers.”

At his command, a vibrant assortment of fruits and flowers was quickly placed before him.

Carefully matching the colors, Qin Xia arranged plump grapes, orange slices, and fragrant melon cubes on top of the cake. A few flowers were tucked between the fruit, their different sizes and heights complementing the harmonious color scheme.

When he was finished, everyone held their breath, afraid that even the slightest exhale would ruin the delicate creation.

“So beautiful…”

One of the young maids gazed at the cake in awe, muttering to herself.

This kind of cake went far beyond being merely delicate; it was deserving of the word “magnificent.”

As servants, they could never dare to dream of such things. Only a noble young lady like Miss Han was worthy of such grandeur for her birthday.

“When you take it to the banquet, be extra careful. Get a few people to help carry it, and don’t rush.”

“Rest assured,” the head stewardess replied promptly.

Without needing Qin Xia’s reminder, she knew full well that this cake needed to be handled with utmost care and reverence. Pleasing the young lady would bring joy to everyone working below, possibly earning them extra rewards.

In the flower hall, a few young ladies had already gathered around Han Lu, the birthday girl. They had eaten some of the sweets earlier, and their mouths were still tingling with sweetness.

They wanted more, but the nanny stopped them.

“My dear girls, if you keep eating, will you still have room for dinner later?” Hearing this, they stopped, adjusted their skirts, and walked together to the banquet.

Not long after they were seated, the head stewardess began directing the servants to bring out the dishes.

As soon as the cake appeared, it became the center of attention.

“What is this? It’s so beautiful!”

“Is it for eating or just for display?”

“You silly girl! There’s fruit on it—it must be for eating!”

The young ladies’ eyes sparkled with delight, and they all started talking excitedly.

As the star of the birthday banquet, Han Lu tried to maintain a composed and dignified appearance, as if she had seen such things many times before. However, the gleam in her eyes betrayed her true excitement.

Her personal maid, ever perceptive, bent down to whisper something in her ear. Han Lu quickly straightened her posture and said, “Place this birthday cake in the center.”

“So this is called a birthday cake? I’ve never heard of it before.”

“Lu, have you had this before?”

Han Lu nodded solemnly. “Yes, I have.”

In truth, she had no idea how to eat it—should it be scooped with a spoon or cut with a knife?

But the more she looked at the flowers and fresh fruits piled on top of the cake, the more she liked it.

She thought that just this one “cake” was enough to make her the envy of all the noble girls in Chuntai County for a whole year!

After the cake, the other dishes were brought out one by one.

With each dish, the server would announce its name, and soon the table was filled. A maid came forward and asked if they would like to cut the cake first.

But Han Lu was reluctant, wanting to admire it a bit longer. “Let’s eat the dishes first and save the cake for last.”

At that moment, she suddenly remembered something.

“Oh, right, what about the fruit wine that the chef sent earlier?”

“Miss, here it is.” A wooden tray was presented before her, holding three long-necked pitchers with handles. The thin white porcelain faintly revealed the color of the wine inside.

Accompanied by a set of five lotus-shaped glass cups, the whole set sparkled.

Han Lu smiled. “Perfect, the fruit wine goes wonderfully with this glassware.”

Taking on the role of the hostess, she looked at her close friends.

“This wine won’t get us drunk. Let’s try all three flavors today.”