"Jiang Liu! Jiang Liu make the fire smaller now! You'll burn the syrup!" Wei Yi Yi snatch his sleeves and shake him hard.
"I can't control them! And can you even burn sugar?!" Jiang Liu tried to remove Wei Yi Yi's claws from his robe.
"An idiot can! Now do something or I'll make your portraits fuel to the fire!"
"Noooooo!!! How could you keep on threatening your brother?! Don't you feel compassion? Or empathy? Are you a heartless monkey?! Also, stop shaking. This brother brain will turn to mush!"
"Stop being noisy! At least reduce the firewood!"
At the side, Xiao Wang Xi ask, "Ummm... Do we separate them?"
"Close your eyes and pretend not to see them." Xiao Yuan Xi answered him tearfully. It's better for servants to remain as background decoration.
It was two consecutive lost for Jiang Liu. The empress took advantage of him, worked him to bone, and abuse him.
Even when the syrup turn up too thick because it was boiled longer than it supposed to, Wei Yi Yi still have the face to blame him!
Is he the one that kept on complaining?! Instead of moving his hand?! Don't lump him together with her! Unlike someone, he can talk while moving his hand, alright.
Wei Yi Yi simply ignore the ugly face that Jiang Liu is making for her. "Here Ah Chen," she pass him the newly coated fruit stick. "Careful it's hot."
She watch as the child cautiously put it down and stare at it as the fruits cool down and crystallize. Wei Yi Yi laugh at how serious Jiang Chen on guarding them.
Turning around to Jiang Liu, she said, in a very contrasting tone, "Hurry up and coat them. If the syrup cools down, it'll be sticky."
"The steam is hot! Even crocodiles would run from this!" Jiang Liu even raise his hand to show her its reddening.
"Crocodile...??" Wei Yi Yi finally cannot follow.
After the five busied themselves in the kitchen, their tanghulu is finally done. Of course, all of this are not possible without making a disaster in the kitchen.
'I know how to cook! Not just with this!' Wei Yi Yi gave comfort to her own self.
Xiao Yuan Xi temporarily excused himself to call for the other servants. When he lead them to a now unrecognisable kitchen, he can only hide his face on his palm as the servants drop their jaws in shock.
There are firewood everywhere; ashes are even on the table; so much sticky substance on the counter!
What did the empress and the sixth prince even did?!
Ah, but the group is no longer here as they proceed to the imperial lake to feast. And even if their are, the servants still need to do their job without complaining.
"They're so pretty!" With astonishment clearly written on Jiang Chen's face, he picked one and raise it to his aunt to see.
Wei Yi Yi carried Jiang Chen and sat him on the swing. Xiao Wang Xi put a blanket on the ground for the empress and sixth prince to sit.
Not caring for Jiang Liu's opinion, Wei Yi Yi grab the young eunuch to sit with them. This brother-in-law, although he always blabber and commenting on every single thing, he seems one to not mind the so called 'traditions'.
Wei Yi Yi never heard him fuss about how improper she treat the people around her.
But then Wei Yi Yi suddenly remember how he gave her an earful about how unlady like she is!
"Hmp!" Wei Yi Yi.
"???" Jiang Liu.
The sixth prince was momentarily lost on where that came from.
Wei Yi Yi let Jiang Chen pick first what he like and also pick up for Xiao Wang Xi. There was no care left for Jiang Liu.
Holding their own tanghulu, they took one bite each.
"Bleh! So sweet!" Xiao Wang Xi accidentally blurt out.
"Delicious!" "Yum!" The two royalty exclaim in unison. The young eunuch could only look at them doubtfully.
Taking another bite, they make fun of the 'crunch, crunch' sounds that are being produced with each chew. The two either crack the coating, chew it slow then fast, or bite hard; making different sound with each different action.
It was a prologue on Jiang Liu biting his tongue.
"Ooowww!"
Wei Yi Yi laugh so hard, she almost roll on the ground.
"Stop laughing! It really hurts! You have no heart for this brother at all. At least pretend to care. See? See?! It's this small eunuch that came immediately to my aid! And you call yourself my sister." Jiang Liu shoot off his mount but his hand is reaching for the plate of tanghulu. Wei Yi Yi only raise her brow for him as reply.
"This is tastier than the one on the market. Even though big sister did not follow the recipe." Jiang Liu talk again.
"Sixth brother, things like sweets cannot be dictate by the recipe! You measure that with your heart and desire." Wei Yi Yi replied with a pleased tone.
The group slowly take their time to eat. Xiao Yuan Xi join them after instructing people in the kitchen. He brought a whole pot of tea to Wei Yi Yi's delight.
Jiang Liu talk about senseless things which become even senseless in their ears. He insists on talking while eating and so was left on his own.
With her peripheral vision, Wei Yi Yi observed Jiang Chen as he eat with small bites. Her one hand holding a tanghulu while the other hold the swing so it won't sway. In her heart, she silently count how many the child have already ate.
Later, Jiang Chen's adult teeth will grow and replace his baby tooth but it would hurt if he develop cavities. Wei Yi Yi does not want him crying in the middle of the night. But it's also not good to discourage a child's appetite.
"Ah Chen, if you have three stick of tanghulu and a stranger ask for one. How many more do you have after?" She asked to distract him.
"Ummm... Two?" Wei Yi Yi laugh when Jiang Chen adorably count with his fingers.
"Wrong! It should still be three. If you want to be nice to others, there's no problem with that. But don't give anything to a stranger unconditionally." With her eyes smiling and full of mischief, the empress pretend to reprimand the small prince with a stern voice.
"That's... You're not supposed to tell that to a kid right?" Jiang Liu interjects. His hand pause from reaching for another stick.
'Shouldn't she be saying, 'be generous', since imperial nephew is a prince of a nation?'
"Listen carefully Ah Chen. It's bad to interrupt someone when they are talking. But if it's your sixth uncle, it's a duty to interrupt him at all cost."
Jiang Liu almost threw the tanghulu to Wei Yi Yi. "Don't teach the imperial nephew bad things!"