Yuyu was helping Xiaolian to collect the White Lotus Seed. She knew her master very well. Xiaolian likes to bake White Lotus moon cake. After all, this was her favourite dessert. If given the option between buying from a shop or making it herself, she would choose the latter. Yuyu, herself likes the taste of the White Lotus moon cake baked by Xiaolian more than the one from the shop.
While collecting the White Lotus seed, Yuyu suddenly saw a small golden lotus flower in the pond. Its size was just like her palm. She quickly called Xiaolian to look after it.
"Your Highness! Your Highness! The Golden Lotus blooms again!'
Hearing this from Yuyu's mouth, Xiaolian quickly runs into her. She wanted to see the rare lotus. The Golden Lotus was the rarest flower in Fuzhou and it only grows in the Northeast of Fuzhou. Xiaolian's ancestors were the founder of this lotus. Hence, they build their home in the Northeast of Fuzhou.
"It finally blooms again! It's difficult to see this flower."
Xiaolian touches the golden lotus gently. It was just like the other lotuses but its size is a bit smaller and the petals are golden in colour. Moreover, only one flower of this species will bloom at a time and it only occurs once every three years. Other than its unique colour, its blooming time of its also makes this flower to be the rarest lotus.
"I wonder. Can the seeds be used to make moon cake?" Asked Yuyu.
Xiaolian shook her head.
"No, we can't! Father said this flower is for medical use. So we can't touch it. Although it is for medical use, it can't help to cure my disease. Sounds funny, right? Don't you think so?"
Yuyu quickly knelt. She doesn't mean to remind Xiaolian about her disease.
"Your Highness, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you!"
Xiaolian shook her head and helped Yuyu to get up. She didn't care. Her disease wasn't caused by poison or accident. It was carried by genetics. A few years ago, some of her ancestors had this disease too. The only way to cure it is with a bone marrow transplant but it is very risky. No doctor has this kind of skill. Instead of being a murderer, it is better to just let the patient with this disease live with him until he dies.
"Yuyu, I think it's enough. We can start to make the moon cake now."
Xiaolian helped Yuyu to bring the lotus seeds to the kitchen. It is not a Moon Cake festival yet but who cares. If you want to eat mooncakes, you can make them for yourself.
"Your Highness, have the ancestors tried to cure the blood disease using Golden Lotus before?"
For confirmation, Yuyu asked why the Golden Lotus could not cure the Crown Princess's disease. She thought the miracle flower was a magical medicine for all diseases.
"Um! But they still have the disease. So, the only way is by bone marrow transplant but this method needs professional skill. One mistake can lead you to fatal regrets."
Yuyu gulped. "One mistake can lead you to fatal regrets. It sounds serious and awful." She mumbled alone.
"Your Highness, does it mean..."
"Yup! Death. So rather than be a killer while trying to save someone's life, it's better to let the patient live along with it." She explained it clearly.
Yuyu nodded. It is true, that to live a short life is useless since you only can enjoy life in a short period. However, it is better than trying to live long by risking your life for nothing. Every moment in life is a blessing. Sometimes, people with short lives can understand the meaning of life more than those who have the blessing to stay longer in this mortal life. This world is just a resting place for a mortal. People who know their end time will appreciate and enjoy every moment of their life before it ends, but those who are still waiting without confirmation will always miss every moment that cheers their life and only regret it when the time comes.
"Your Highness, if nobody plucks the golden lotus does it mean we just let it blooms and wither?"
Xiaolian nodded. Such a pity flowers. It's beautiful but no one can pluck it. So it is just a waste to have that kind of beauty if you die alone, die with your beauty. People only can watch and praise your beauty but can't own you. In the end, it will make you feel lonely.
"Isn't it unfair?" Yuyu suddenly spoke.
"Huh?" Xiaolian was confused.
"Yeah, it's unfair. If the flower is a human, it's kind of unfair. It's just like a beauty that cannot be owned by anyone and in the end, the beauty dies alone."
Yuyu's point of view makes Xiaolian silent for a while. She was right. The common flowers can be owned so easily. There are no restrictions for the common lotus. If you want to pluck it, then you just need to pluck it. It resembles women. If you want the girl to be yours, then you can have her. Some beauties just have a bitter life and mostly end their life without anyone with them.
Perhaps there is no perfection in this mortal life. A perfect life only exists in fairy tales. Even the sun and the moon are not perfect, how can they be compared to human life? The only way to have a perfect life is to make the imperfect perfect, by complementing each other.
"Your Highness, Your Highness!"
Xiaolian was back to her reality.
"Ah, yes?! Sorry, did you say something just now?"
Yuyu shook her head.
"It's just Your Highness is too quiet. I guess Your Highness's mind is somewhere out there."
The Crown Princess smiled shyly and continued to make the moon cake.
"You are right. I was thinking of something just now."
The two ladies worked hard to make a good moon cake. In Fuzhou, the famous moon cake filling is lotus seeds. White Lotus seeds moon cake is too common for Xiaolian. Hence, she wants to try something new. She prepared gingers, scallions, white grape juice, salt, cornstarch, white pepper, sugar, sesame oils, and pork. Yuyu looks at Xiaolian with a puzzled face.
"Today I want to try a new moon cake recipe. We always make the White Lotus Seed filling so I think it's better to try something new." She told Yuyu.
Yuyu was surprised. She cannot wait to try a new moon cake recipe from the Crown Princess.
"I'm so excited. What recipe will Your Highness make today?"
Xiaolian gave her a big smile on her face.
"When I went to Suzhou, I tried their famous moon cake and learnt how to make it from the moon cake seller. So, today we'll have a Suzhou-style moon cake. What do you think?"
"Oh?! That Suzhou Savory Pork Moon Cake?! I love the moon cake too! I can't wait to try Your Highness Savoury Pork Moon Cake."
Times flew and they didn't notice it was already evening. They cannot finish the White Lotus Seed moon cake because it needs some more time to soak the lotus seeds overnight. However, the Savoury Pork moon cake is an excuse. Since it uses simple ingredients, they can make it within 1 day. Yuyu maybe can't taste the White Lotus Seeds moon cake but she can taste the new moon cake recipe by the Crown Princess. Xiaolian put some of the mooncakes into a plate to serve it to her parents.
"Yuyu, come help me to serve this to father and mother."
Yuyu took the plate with the moon cake and followed Xiaolian to the living room. Her parents are usually in the living room now, waiting for dinner. The moon cakes can be their desserts.
Another maid was busy serving dinner when Yuyu and Xiaolian came over. Xie Mo (Xiaolian's father) and Wen Fei (Xiaolian's mother) are already at the dining table. Seeing Xiaolian and Yuyu with a plate of mooncakes made Xie Mo's eyes shine.
"Oh? Is that moon cake? It looks like we are having a special dinner today." He laughed. Her wife, Wen Fei smiled at him and nodded as a sign of agreement.
"My dear daughter, you are good at making moon cake. It's not a moon cake festival yet but you already make some. How diligent." Wen Fei praised her princess.
"Father, mother. It's my hobby. Nothing to praise. Besides, I just felt wanted to eat mooncake today, so I made some."
Yuyu put the plate on the table slowly and asked to leave but Xiaolian stopped her.
"Eh, join us. You've helped me to make this moon cake today. Come and sit next to me."
Yuyu bowed and gave a shy smile to them.
"Sure, Your Highness. I feel shy now because I don't deserve it."
Xie Mo interrupts them.
"Nonsense. You've helped the Crown Princess today. Don't be shy and take your seat."
Since the King gave an order, Yuyu cannot refuse it. She takes a seat next to the Crown Princess, Xiaolian. Suddenly, tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Yuyu, why are you crying?" Xiaolian asked and the others also stopped eating.
"I...I just feel so happy because this gathering reminds me of my family a long time ago but they all are gone after the attack by Barbarians."
Xiaolian pated her head gently.
"Yuyu wipes your tears. You don't have to feel lonely since we are here for you." Queen Wen Fei tried to calm her.
"Right? Let's finish our dinner so that we can eat the moon cake later." King Xie Mo spoke.
After they finished their dinner, Yuyu and the other maid came to clean up the dining table. Xie Mo takes one of the moons came and has a bite of it.
"Mm... It's not the White Lotus Seed moon cake. Do you make a new recipe? What does it call?" He asked.
"Exactly! I got this recipe when I went to Suzhou before. This is their famous mooncake. I can say that it is a Suzhou-style moon cake. They use pork instead of lotus seeds so it's called Suzhou Savoury Pork Moon Cake. Do you like it?"
Xie Mo nodded. The Moon cake is indeed delicious and the pork meat is juicy.
"Talking about Suzhou, you like to go there? May I know why?"
Xiaolian smiled.
"Ah yes. I went there only for lantern festivals because Suzhou Street will look like a bride who waiting for her bridegroom when surrounded by lanterns. But then, I found that it is a good place to visit during leisure and since the Moon Cake Festival is around the corner, I want to try their famous moon cake there."
Well, she was indeed telling the truth but the main reason is she wants to meet the brother who helped her 7 years ago. She only wanted to return the favour but hoping to meet each other again by chance was too impossible for her.
"Xiaolian. I'm not preventing you from going everywhere but please take care of yourself. Don't let yourself hurt. Did you get it?"
"Yeah, yeah. I understood..." Xiaolian pursed her lips.
"Quick, finish your moon cake before it gets cold." She added.