The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan-Chapter 103 What is the Princess Doing? (Second Update)

Li Xianyun led the kitchen maids in starting to prepare the ingredients.

She first washed a large wooden basin of mung beans and soaked them in clear water, then prepared ingredients such as sugar, mint powder, glutinous rice flour, and wheat flour.

The mung beans needed to soak for a whole morning to become soft enough to be crushed into a paste, so the mung bean cakes could only be made in the afternoon.

The date cakes could be made a bit faster.

After soaking and cleaning the red dates, Li Xianyun removed their pits, took out the date flesh, placed it into a small basin, and steamed it over high heat in a pot.

After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, she took them out and instructed the kitchen maids to pound them into a paste, beat in eggs, add brown sugar, and mix evenly.

Next, Li Xianyun mixed a small amount of wheat flour with a large amount of glutinous rice flour, then added the crushed date paste into the mix, and kneaded it into dough.

After resting for an hour and a half to let the dough rise, she used molds to shape it into various forms, ready to be steamed on a bamboo steamer.

Throughout the process, Li Xianyun explained while working, doing her best to provide detailed instructions to the kitchen maids.

For those kitchen maids who didn’t understand or remember clearly, she patiently explained again.

She didn’t show any sign of considering them stupid or feeling impatient.

Li Xianyun also took the time to encourage the kitchen maids,

"It’s all right, no one can do it well the first time, I too failed many times before getting it right. Just practice a few more times."

The kitchen maids couldn’t help but think highly of the Princess Consort, who was not only beautiful but also knowledgeable and gentle, treating her servants kindly.

Having worked with her for some time, the kitchen maids truly both respected and adored their Princess Consort.

After the kitchen affairs were settled, Li Xianyun went to the empty space in front of the main building.

The luxuriant acacia and parasol trees cast large patches of shade on the ground, the gentle breeze dissipated the heat, and what better place could there be for woodworking than under the trees?

Bater had already brought over materials like timber, nails, and metal sheets, arranging them neatly in the shady area as per Li Xianyun’s instructions.

The Palace Servants also brought out the tools, waiting for Li Xianyun to teach them how to make the famous "Zhuge Liang’s wooden ox and horse".

Last time, under Li Xianyun’s guidance, they made a hanging chair for the Princely Heir Xuan, and he was immensely joyful when he received it.

The Princess Consort of the Sixth Prince even rewarded them handsomely, all thanks to the Princess Consort’s kindness.

Li Xianyun came to the stone table and benches under the parasol tree.

There were paper and pens on the stone table, as the Palace Servants had come to understand Li Xianyun’s habits.

Before beginning any woodworking project, Li Xianyun would sketch on paper to get her ideas clear before directing them in their tasks.

Li Xianyun sat on the stone bench, picked up the paper and pens, and swiftly drew a sketch.

The sketch had extremely simple designs, and next to the corresponding designs, numbers were also marked.

The Palace Servants couldn’t help but marvel; why is it that when the Princess Consort draws something, it looks just like what it’s supposed to, and seems so simple?

But when they tried to draw it themselves, their hands became stiff and uncooperative, their drawings not resembling anything, like some kind of unidentifiable mishmash.

It was a classic case of their ambitions not matching their abilities.

They couldn’t help but admire the Princess Consort.

After Li Xianyun finished the sketch, she assigned tasks to the Palace Servants based on the outline, while she herself tackled the most difficult part—the wheels.

The wheels were composed of an outer rim, spokes, and a central hub.

The outer rim of the wheels needed to be made from wood that would not break under lateral stress and had to be very sturdy; cedar wood was the most suitable.

Li Xianyun hadn’t expected the Ministry of Internal Affairs to have cedar wood, but Bater had actually managed to procure some.

She sawed the cedar into several long strips and then nailed them together to form a circle, wrapped the outer layer in metal sheets and secured it with rivets, and thus the outer rim of the wheels was shaped.

After the two wheels were made, Li Xianyun used sandalwood to make several spokes.

Making the axle was the most troublesome; it consisted of various parts of different shapes and was the most time-consuming and taxing on patience.

People often say that one who lacks patience can never be a good woodworker, and it is indeed so.

This is also why Li Xianyun always goes about her tasks with meticulous care, possessing a tenacity that does not yield until her goals are reached.

All this had been honed through woodworking.

Once when Li Xianyun was making an axle, Jinwu walked in from outside and bowed to Li Xianyun, saying, "Greetings, Princess Consort."

"Rise," said Li Xianyun.

If she remembered correctly, this must be Jinwu’s fourth visit.

And, curiously enough, all four visits had been within less than two hours.

Each time, he would come and after greeting Li Xianyun, just stand there watching her work, staying silent for a while before leaving.

Before long, he would return.

This time was no different; after completing his salute, Jinwu stood to one side watching Li Xianyun and the Palace Servants work, occasionally making small talk with the servants, looking utterly idle.

Being the personal guard of Yelu Yan, he could not possibly have nothing to do.

These repeated visits were too odd.

Finally unable to contain her curiosity, Li Xianyun looked at Jinwu and asked, "Guard Jin, do you have some business here at the Khan Palace with all these visits?"

Jinwu replied respectfully, "To answer the Princess Consort, I have no particular business; I am just here to look around at the Khan Palace."

He did not wish to come either, but whenever the Khan took a break from his official duties, he would always ask, "What is the Princess Consort doing?"

So, he had to keep coming here to check.

More critically, he dared not stay away.

Jinwu still remembered the second time the Khan asked what the Princess Consort was doing, and he, unclear about the situation, had casually replied, "She should be making pastries in the kitchen."

"Should?" Yelu Yan said, raising his cold tiger eyes to look at him, his voice calm.

The Khan’s gaze was truly frightening, and Jinwu, panicked, quickly said, "I will go right now to the Khan Palace to check."

Thus, he had made four trips in just a short two hours.

Li Xianyun asked, "Look at what?"

Jinwu blurted out, "To see what you are doing."

Li Xianyun thought back to her conversation with Yelu Yan the day before.

She had mentioned making pastries, and Yelu Yan had asked her to save some for him. Was he afraid she had forgotten about it?

Perhaps that was the case.

Li Xianyun said to Jinwu, "Guard Jin, go back and tell the Khan that you do not need to come here over and over. Once the pastries are ready, I will have someone deliver them to him."

Jinwu bowed and said, "Understood."

After Jinwu left, Li Xianyun looked up at the position of the sun; it wasn’t even one and a half hours past, and the dough was not yet ready, so she lowered her head and continued to work on the wheel.

Jinwu returned to the Hall of Diligent Governance, where Yelu Yan was discussing with his ministers the matter of reducing taxes for the people.

Last winter’s heavy snow had killed many livestock, and many people were living in hardship. If the taxes were not relieved, they would have no means to survive.

If such a situation continued, public discontent would grow, banditry would not cease, and the times would only become tougher.

Reducing taxes was feasible, but it could not be a blanket reduction for all provinces and counties; standards must be set according to the extent of disaster-affected areas and the severity of the impact.

Yelu Yan already had an idea in mind but still wanted to hear the ministers’ opinions.

He planned to refine and perfect the idea before implementing it step by step.

As a ruler, every decision was like pulling one hair and moving the whole body, so caution and prudence were necessary. Only in this way could he truly benefit the people and enable them to live better lives.