As someone who appeared only in the side story, what ending could there be to speak of?
But Ella remained calm and composed: "Empress Dowager, you are still in your prime with many years ahead to contribute to the Great Liang. Why mention an ending now? To be honest, this isn't a romance novel; it's a strong female lead story! We're not even a third of the way through the novel right now!
"You know about Wu Zetian, right? Although your character isn't exactly like Empress Wu, you still have many decades of achievements ahead! Why do you think the late Emperor left you so early? It was all to set the stage for your future brilliance!
"Talking about the ending now would be disheartening for ordinary folks like us."
From Empress Dowager Lu's perspective, Grace's destruction of an imperial gift was indeed a serious offense. Even if they both were transmigrators, in this world, one held absolute power while the other was just a novice with a good background. There was no need to form an alliance. So, whether or not the Empress Dowager decided to spare her depended entirely on her mood.
However, Ella came from a higher level of transmigration. Since she had confessed her origins, she had to demonstrate her god-like knowledge of the plot to show her value. After all, a major workplace rule was to enhance your application value, creating value if none existed. As long as she could grasp the empress dowager's psychology, there would be endless possibilities for survival once she left the palace.
Ella felt she was performing exceptionally well. If she had performed this well in her high school and college entrance exams, she would have been admitted to top universities in China. But for some reason, Empress Dowager Lu kept staring at her. After a while, she picked up a few almonds from the table plate and started eating slowly: "What happens next in the plot?"
This wasn't curiosity; it was definitely to test if Ella would reveal any logical flaws!
Ella recalled the few sentences about the female protagonist's ending in the novel: "I've only read up to a third of the book, I haven't gone further... but I vaguely remember the Empress Dowager continuing to work for the people of Great Liang for many years, assisting the Emperor, caring for the people, and being highly respected by both the Emperor and the court. They managed the empire efficiently and always respected the Empress Dowager..."
There was a loud "bang" on the table!
It's over.
Ella looked at the fruit plate lid on the table, her heart tightening.
Empress Dowager Lu was rolling an almond in her fingers: "What did you do for work before?"
"…Sales."
"No wonder." She shot a cold glance. "Were your sales good?"
"…Not really."
"That's odd," said Empress Dowager Lu. "With your glib tongue, you'd think you'd catch a few mice."
So, she was basically calling her a scam artist!
Empress Dowager Lu retracted her gaze, chewing the almonds slowly. She sat there for a long time, her posture unchanged, lost in thought.
After a long while, she refocused her gaze: "Given that we come from the same background, we should feel a sense of camaraderie. But knowing that you've seen through my early life so clearly, it does make me uncomfortable."
Upon hearing this, Ella immediately leaned in: "Empress Dowager! You have worked so hard all alone, achieving great feats for Great Liang. Heaven has sent me to comfort your homesick heart!
"Even though I've read about your life, it's like reading a history book. You have no idea how powerful and charming you are. It's precisely because I couldn't forget you that Heaven was moved to send me here. Please consider Heaven's good intentions and think twice before acting!
"Besides, in this day and age, what's there to hide about a novel plot? It's almost clean enough to be a kindergarten read! Reading about your life is an inspiration for us future generations!"
The Empress Dowager stroked the tassel on her fan: "Even so, you broke my laws. According to the rules, I still need to punish you. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair."
"Empress Dowager!..."
Seeing that pleading wasn't working, Ella decided to go tough. She gritted her teeth and said resolutely: "Empress Dowager, I can do everything except commit treason. I can make pizza, hot pot, Sichuan cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Northeast cuisine, Jiangsu and Zhejiang cuisine, I can do it all! As long as I have the ingredients, even milk tea and cocktails won't be a problem in the future!
With a hint of a sob, she added: "Empress Dowager, President Lu! You know I wasn't favored in the Zhao family, or else I wouldn't have been so empty-headed as to lose an imperial gift. Even if I return, I still have to pave my own way with great difficulty.
"Please have mercy and give me a chance to live. I will remember your great kindness and will be at your service, no matter what!"
President Lu listened: "Why do you know how to make so many dishes?"
One sentence struck a chord in Ella's heart: "Because my parents worked away from home since I was young. I was a left-behind child living with my grandmother. I started cooking when I was eight. My grandmother had a hard life and was in poor health. To let her eat something she liked, while other kids were studying, I was attending cooking classes during summer and winter breaks!
"President, as long as you need me, I will follow your lead and serve you faithfully!"
The Empress Dowager twirled the tassel on her fan, then said: "Can you make mala tang?"
Ella was stunned for three seconds, then jumped up: "Of course I can!"
...
The Cining Palace had a kitchen, and the Empress Dowager generously gave Ella half an hour.
Fortunately, the kitchen of a foodie had almost all the ingredients except for a few era-specific seasonings. Within three quarters of an hour, Ella had a large bowl of fragrant, spicy mala tang ready.
Seeing that it was nearing noon, she also fried two youtiao and prepared some side dishes. Then, under the watchful eyes of the palace maids, who looked as if their eyes were about to fall out, she carried the food out.
On the way back to the palace, she passed a small garden. The plants were lush, and the pomegranate trees had just sprouted new leaves, with raindrop-like crystals hanging on the buds.
Judging by the time, it was probably around the second or third month of the lunar calendar. The light coolness mixed with unpolluted fresh air touched her skin. With a soul in her twenties inhabiting a fifteen-year-old's young body, she felt light and energetic… if only this bowl of mala tang could save her life.
The aroma of the food quickly filled the space as the glass lid was lifted. The Empress Dowager sat at the table, her eyes fixed on the bowl of red soup filled with cabbage leaves, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, tofu puffs, and seaweed. With the rising steam, the stern eyes that had been cold and severe all morning started to sparkle.
How pitiful.
Ella sympathetically handed over the chopsticks, curious: "This isn't hard to make. Just prepare the broth, boil it, and toss the ingredients in. Didn't you ever think of making it yourself?"
The Empress Dowager picked up a mushroom with the grace of reviewing a report: "Have you ever seen a refrigerator seller making a refrigerator themselves?"
"..."
You're so Mary Sue that even your comebacks are unique!
Ella glared at her secretly from an angle she couldn't see. But seeing the Empress Dowager slow down her chewing and frown slightly, she nervously asked, "Does it suit your taste?"
The Empress Dowager picked up a second mushroom: "It's acceptable."
Saying it's delicious would choke you, wouldn't it?
Ella pressed her lips tightly.