After being read, she became an empress by eating melons

Outside the imperial study, sunlight shines through the intricate palace eaves and shines onto the bluestone slabs, creating mottled light and shadows.

Nan Rongjie and Nan Rongxi stood quietly outside the door, holding cakes.

The cakes in their hands exuded an alluring aroma, and their delicate appearance looked even more attractive in the sun. This was the gift they carefully prepared for the Queen Mother.

Suddenly, the door of the imperial study slowly opened, and the voice of Eunuch Zhao came out: "Your Majesty, Nan Rongjie and Nan Rongxi are here!"

The two men immediately straightened their appearance and walked forward respectfully.

In the imperial study, Emperor Rentong was sitting at the desk, his eyes deep and sharp.

Seeing Nan Rongjie and Nan Rongxi come in, he nodded slightly and motioned for them to come forward.

The two presented the cake and bowed respectfully, saying, "Your Majesty, this is the new type of food that we prepared for the Queen Mother."

Emperor Rentong looked at them with a hint of admiration in his eyes. He raised his hand slightly, motioning them to stand up.

Then, his eyes fell on the cake, and its exquisite appearance and tempting aroma immediately aroused his interest.

"What is this?" asked Emperor Rentong.

Nan Rongxi immediately stepped forward and explained, "Your Majesty, this is a cake that we specially prepared for the Queen Mother. It has a soft texture and is sweet but not greasy."

Emperor Rentong nodded and signaled Eunuch Zhao to take the silver spoon to taste it. Eunuch Zhao quickly stepped forward, carefully took the silver spoon and handed it to the emperor. The emperor gently scooped up a small piece of cake and put it into his mouth. The delicate taste and sweet taste immediately spread in his mouth, making his eyes light up.

"This cake is not only beautiful in appearance, but also tastes great." The emperor praised, with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes, "It's so delicious, the queen mother will definitely like it."

He stood up, straightened his robe, and said to Nan Rongjie and Nan Rongxi, "You will follow me to the Queen Mother's bedroom and present this cake to her for her to taste."

So they responded "yes" respectfully and followed the emperor out of the imperial study.

The group walked through the winding corridors and arrived in front of the Queen Mother's bedroom. After Eunuch Zhao came forward to report, the Emperor took Nan Rongjie and Nan Rongxi into the bedroom.

Inside the bedroom, the Queen Mother was lying on the couch resting. Her face was a little pale, but when she saw the Emperor come in, she still smiled gently.

After the emperor stepped forward and bowed, he asked Nan Rongxi to present the cake.

The Queen Mother's eyes fell on the cake in Nan Rongxi's hand, and a hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes. Emperor Rentong introduced softly, "Queen Mother, this is a cake that the two ministers carefully made to relieve your anorexia."

The Queen Mother gently picked up the silver spoon and scooped out a small piece of cake. She carefully observed the texture and color of the cake, then gently put it into her mouth.

At that moment, the entire palace seemed to stand still. Everyone's eyes were focused on the Queen Mother's face, waiting for her reaction.

The Queen Mother closed her eyes and savored the taste of the cake. A satisfied smile gradually appeared on her face, revealing her love and appreciation for the cake.

"Good! Really good!" The Queen Mother opened her eyes and exclaimed, "This cake is soft and sweet but not greasy. It's really delicious!"

The Queen Mother then began to eat with big mouthfuls, as if she was intoxicated by the sweet taste.

After a while, she wiped the corners of her mouth with satisfaction and looked at Nan Rongjie and Nan Rongxi, her eyes gleaming with anticipation: "My two lords, this cake is so delicious! Can I try other flavors? Can you make a few more for me?"

Hearing the Queen Mother's request, Nan Rongjie responded respectfully: "Thank you for your kindness, Queen Mother. We will do our best to make more delicious cakes for you."

Emperor Rentong was delighted by this scene. He was deeply pleased to see the empress dowager's satisfied smile and Nan Rongjie and Nan Rongxi's respectful attitude.

So he asked, "Nan Rongqing family, you have made the Queen Mother so happy today, and you have done a great job. Tell me, what reward do you want?"

Upon hearing this, Nan Rongjie immediately pulled Nan Rongxi to kneel on the ground together, and said with great fear and trepidation: "It is our duty to make cakes for the Queen Mother, and we dare not ask for a reward."

Nan Rongxi: [Your Majesty, if possible, can you give me a few more days off? I went to court this morning and made cakes in the afternoon. I am exhausted! ]

Nan Rongjie: ...

Emperor Rentong: ...

Queen Mother: This is what the Emperor mentioned about listening to one’s inner voice. It is indeed interesting!

Emperor Rentong smiled slightly. They had made great contributions this time, so this request could be met.

So, he slowly said: "You don't have to be too modest. Since you cured the Queen Mother's anorexia, I naturally want to show my appreciation. Let me give you a hundred taels of gold, and give Nanrong Yuanwailang seven days off, so that you can make more cakes for the Queen Mother."

Nan Rongxi: [Hahaha… That’s great. The Emperor is really a good man. He actually gave me a day off. I don’t have to get up early and can sleep until I wake up naturally! And the Queen Mother looks so kind. I like her! ]

Emperor Rentong: It’s true. I don’t want to go to court every day.

Nan Rongjie: Oh... Fortunately, I didn’t say anything nonsense.

Queen Mother: This little guy is quite interesting!

The Queen Mother looked at Nan Rongxi with admiration in her eyes. She nodded and said gently, "You are so thoughtful, girl. I really like the cake you made. Every bite is full of sweetness and happiness. In order to make it easier for you to send cakes to me in the future, I will give you a token so that you can enter and leave the palace freely."

When Nan Rongxi heard the Queen Mother's words, he immediately knelt down, took the token with both hands, and said respectfully, "Thank you, Your Majesty, Queen Mother."

Nan Rongxi: [Tongzi, with this token, can I roast sweet potatoes in the palace next time? This way I won’t have to worry about burning my house down!]

Emperor Rentong: ...

Nan Rongjie: I give in. We have to catch her quickly.

Queen Mother: This little guy likes to eat sweet potatoes?

System: [Xizi, why do you only know how to eat? Setting fire in the palace is a serious crime! ]

Nan Rongxi: [Well, it seems that eating a baked sweet potato is not easy! ]

Nan Rongjie's face began to sweat, and he quickly said, "Your Majesty, Queen Mother, it is getting late, and I am afraid of disturbing your rest. Can I take my leave first?"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Rentong nodded slightly to show his understanding: "Okay, you can leave first. I know you have worked hard today, go back and have a good rest."

Then, he turned to Nan Rongxi, with a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes: "Nan Rongxi, I have asked the Ministry of Rites to hold a cooking competition next week. Famous chefs from all over the country will gather together to compete in cooking skills. I hope you can participate and show your talent."

Nan Rongxi felt helpless when he heard this. It was time to get up early again, but there was nothing he could do. He could only slowly respond, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness. I will do my best."

The Queen Mother also heard what Emperor Rentong said. She spoke slowly, her voice gentle and kind: "Nan Rongxi, I am also looking forward to your performance in the Cooking God Contest. In addition, I will reward you with another 100 kilograms of sweet potatoes."

Nan Rongxi: [Tongzi, the Queen Mother actually knew that I wanted to eat sweet potatoes, this is amazing! ]

System: [Yes, you should prepare well for the competition. Don’t let down the Emperor and the Queen Mother.]

Queen Mother: Haha! This little guy is really interesting!