82 Sidelines (2/2)

Ye Jiayao answered, ”The elder's birthday is on the 28th of July, close to the mid-autumn of August. The dessert would allow everyone to eat mooncake in advance, symbolizing the reunion of every year. I marked it with a question mark because this mooncake is one that I have created. It was originally going to be launched in August, so no one has tried it so far. Also, it is quite expensive, so I am not too sure if you would like to add it to the menu.”

”What type of mooncake is it?” Lady Xia You asked curiously. She had never understood what was so delicious about sweet mooncakes, whether it be Suzhou-style, or Cantonese style or Beijing style. However, she was intrigued if this new type of mooncake would finally be the one she would like.

Ye Jiayao subtly shook her nerves off. This is Chunyu's mum!

”To be precise, there are two types of mooncakes. Before the launch, these are all considered trade secrets, but since you asked, I'll reveal a bit of information about them. One of them is called the Crystal Mooncake. The skin of the cake is clear like crystal, soft, and bouncy. The filling is made from various fruits and it is sweet, but not sickly so. The other type is called Ice Cream Mooncake. This ice cream is what my master learned from Western countries oceans away. It is so good it's addicting,” Ye Jiayao described, already missing the taste of ice cream. She reminisced how her worries would fade away as she enjoys a cup of blueberry ice cream in a dessert cafe with airconditioning in midsummer time.

Lady Xia You and Elder Princess Yi De exchanged a glance, both perplexed and fascinated.

This was also the first time Helian Jing heard of something like this, but he was absolutely confident in Big Yaoyao's ability.

”Mum and Auntie, have you heard of the chilled drinks that are popular in Jin Ling now? Like the iced pink lady and iced peach milk?” Helian Jing asked.

Yi De frowned a little. ”I think I heard that Liu Li left the palace to have a taste of these cold drinks. Are those really that good?”

Helian Jing smiled proudly and said, ”I'll go out and buy some for you to try tomorrow. These cold drinks were created by Li Yao and they are now the most popular drinks in Jin Ling.”

”Young Royal Highness, there is no need for you to go out and buy it yourself. If you want them, I can send some over anytime,” Ye Jiayao said.

Helian Jing turned to Big Yaoyao and exclaimed excitedly, ”Really?” He could turn this as an excuse to invite him over.

Ye Jiayao looked at him with a smile on her face, but her eyes conveyed a menacing look. Of course, not really! If she had to come over everytime he calls her, she would never get anything done. I like you, Little Jinjing, but you really are slow sometimes.

Helian Jing, quickly realizing his blunder, looked away and scratched his head awkwardly.

Ye Jiayao returned back to the topic at hand, ”The cost of making these two mooncakes are very high and there are many steps involved, so the price really cannot be decreased. The price of a small Ice Cream Mooncake will be at least five taels of silver, and the Crystal Mooncakes would not be cheaper than three taels each. If I were to include all the guests, well... the cost would be frighteningly high. I marked it with a question mark so you can decide whether to include it or not.”

Elder Princess Yi De gracefully touched her pearl headpin and gave a slight smile that hinted of her arrogance. ”As long as it is actually good, this amount of silver is nothing.”

According to the plan, there would be thirty-six tables for the feast, each table would seat ten people, so there were three hundred and sixty people in total. Five taels for each person meant that it won't be over two thousand taels. That was not frighteningly high. This little chef was underestimating the Helian Mansion.

”According to your menu, each table is already a few hundred taels. Why would Elder Princess mind about this small amount when she has already spent so much? What's important is that the food is truly good,” Lady Xia You spoke with a slight smile.

Yi De wanted her to find faults, but Lady Xia You did not want to listen to her. She thought that this chef, a younger age than most, would have new and refreshing ideas. The Ice Cream Mooncake he mentioned was very unfamiliar and hard to imagine, but Lady Xia You was already looking forward to it.

She has also thought that the menu was designed quite well. Heavenly Residence was quite famous in Jin Ling City and if this young man was able to become a head chef there, how bad could he be? She was in favor of letting this chef handle the feast.

At first, Ye Jiayao thought that Chunyu's mother was agreeing with Elder Princess. However, as the conversation progressed, it seemed that Lady Xia You was backing the Elder Princess to a corner. If Little Jing's mother back out now, it would look like that she found the menu too expensive.

Elder Princess Yi De hesitated for a bit. It wasn't because of the money. It didn't even matter how much it cost. She also didn't have any problems with the menu. No. It was because the empress dowager told her yesterday to just leave the birthday feast to the Imperial chefs if there was no one suitable. Elder Princess Yi De just so happened to agree that letting the Imperial chefs take over was more appropriate.

”Mum, come on, let's settle this. If we debate any longer, it will just hold everything up. Big brother and I both believe that Li Yao can do this,” Helian Jing urged.

Lady Xia You shot a glance at Elder Princess Yi De who was still deliberating and said mischievously, ”Next year, my Lord will be turning fifty. We're going to hold a feast then, too. I'm telling you now, Li Yao, when we ask you then, you can't make the prices any higher.”

Ye Jiayao was touched. Who knew that Chunyu's mum could be so kind?