COPYRIGHT © A. D. TorresDate Published: March 28, 2020
Chapter t.i.tle: The Visitation to the Empress" Palace (4)
Chapter no. 27
(Qin Zetian"s POV)
I don"t know what came in my mind that I let the chefs cook foods with modernity or maybe I just missed my life back there. I prepared authentic Filipino dishes that I"ve learned before I died. When I was sick with leukemia I eventually filed an early retirement from the military, and started touring Asian countries. I also learned some of their delicacies, but I was greatly amazed by the Filipino culture and their tradition so I stayed longer in the Philippines. I even remembered buying a property somewhere in a mountainous area and built a rest house there.
As for today with the help of Roushi and the chefs in the manor we made delicious authentic delicacies from the Philippines. Mainly; Chicken adobo, Milky stirred prawns and crabs, Oxtail stew, raw fish salad, authentic Lechon but not the whole pig, Sour meat stew, Pork Sisig and Beef steak. With Halo-halo as the desert. When everything was ready we called the empress and my mother. Coincidentally my cousins; Qin Jiangli, Qin Jiangfe (third uncle"s sons) and Qin Weishen (second uncle"s only daughter) came so we invited them too. My dad said last night that it"s about time the sons choose their careers and for our youngest girl to study here in the capital with the n.o.ble ladies.
Since my 15th birthday is fast approaching, it is only right for my cousins to enter the manor. My eldest sister is 29 years old, my second sister is 24 years old, and my eldest brother is 18, while my second brother is 16. The twins Qin Jiangli and Jiangfe are turning 14 soon, while Weishen is turning 12. I never had expectations with them, but I hope I won"t make out an enemy. Even if I have never met them, I know somehow their lives are hard and that jealousy is inevitable. Second Uncle Qin Wulang never had an official wife and the only person he got close with died, because she was captured by the bandits and got killed. Qin Weishen was his only adopted daughter and he brought her up on his own, even if he was likely not around all the time. The twins never had a mother, since third uncle"s wife had a heart failure it is likely too risky to give birth to both boys. So she gave up her own life. By then my uncles never got married and focused their time at working and becoming great fathers to their children.
"Madame the fourth young miss is here along with the twin young masters"
"Come, come! Sit... Oh it has been so many years since I last saw the three of you." My mother welcomed them enthusiastically
I am seated right beside Roushi and my mom sat beside the empress. I motioned for them to seat beside me, the shy girl Weishen sat beside me then the boys followed beside her.
"Okay let"s dine in, it"s great that you arrived on lunch time. All of you must be hungry so each as many as you can and feel at ease. How was the ride?" my mom said
"The ride went well aunt Lan" Jiangfe answered
I put a great amount of food to the bowls and pa.s.s them to the children beside me. Then I served Roushi who"s absentmindedly day dreaming, my mom and the empress were eating silently so everyone followed. But I saw the discomfort of Weishen as she sat beside me.
"Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"
She shook her head
"Are you not satisfied with the food?"
She shook her head again, I smiled.
"Call me big sister, you"re still young so you need to eat more okay"
Then she nodded in response with a teary eye. Has this child been bullied when she was far away? I doubt my uncle knew what"s happening.