One plate of bubble shrimp alone was surely not enough to silence the provocative Yongning Princess.
She held a lofty status. Going head - to - head with her, even if it ended in a Pyrrhic victory, was a terrible strategy.
The best approach would be to turn an enemy into a friend.
Seeing the thoughtful look on her face, Lu Xunguang knew she must be hatching another good plan. He sensibly kept silent and didn't disturb her.
Li Ying shut herself in her room and busied herself for most of the night. When dawn was just breaking, she walked out contentedly, carrying several small glass jars.
She left one jar for Lu Xunguang, simply saying it was “toothpaste” for cleaning teeth.
Li Ying briefly explained how to use it. While Lu Xunguang went to try it out, she personally brewed a cup of coffee for him.
This “toothpaste” had a refreshing minty taste upon entry, with a hint of saltiness from the sea salt, which in turn brought out a faint sweet aftertaste. Although it wasn't overly sweet, it was fresh and unique.
Moreover, when the “toothpaste” came into contact with water, it produced a mouthful of dense foam that penetrated every corner. After rinsing, there was a faint coconut aroma in the mouth, and even the teeth seemed a bit whiter. It was much more comfortable than his usual practice of just rinsing with salt water.
Lu Xunguang smiled and said, “A Ying has come up with another novel and wonderful thing.”
Seeing that he found it easy to use, Li Ying felt a bit more relaxed. After he finished the rich latte in one gulp, she couldn't wait to ask, “How is it?”
Lu Xunguang looked at the coffee, which resembled an ordinary latte, except that there were a few pieces of sugar lumps on top that looked like loess. They were fluffy and crispy in the mouth, and the slight bitterness of the caramel blended perfectly with the sweetness.
Not knowing what they were, he answered honestly, “I don't like sweet things, but I still find this coffee very rich. People with a sweet tooth would surely like it more.”
Getting a satisfactory answer, Li Ying whispered a few instructions in Lu Xunguang's ear. Then, she excitedly carried the jars of “toothpaste” and rushed straight to the Princess Mansion.
The Yongning Princess had known she would come. After Li Ying announced her arrival, a palace maid soon led her into the mansion.
The Yongning Princess was lazily reclining on the beauty couch. Seeing that Li Ying had washed her hands and changed her clothes neatly, she waved her hand and said, “Miss Li is quite efficient. Since you're ready, let's start. I haven't had breakfast yet today. I hope you won't disappoint me.”
Li Ying bowed and calmly took out some live shrimps. She prepared the batter and fried a plate of golden and crispy bubble shrimp as before.
The Yongning Princess squinted her almond - shaped eyes slightly and said nothing. However, the palace maid serving beside her sneered disdainfully.
“What Her Highness the Princess wants is a bubble dish that is ingenious, delicate, and as fragile as a blown bubble. All you have are just a bowl of live shrimps. What tricks can you come up with?”
Before her words faded, she watched in disbelief as the shrimps in Li Ying's pan began to puff up with bubbles.
“Eh?”
She exclaimed in surprise, and even the Yongning Princess showed some interest and looked up at her.
“Your fried shrimp is quite interesting.”
She took a couple of bites while it was still hot. Sure enough, she found the outer skin crispy and the inside delicious, with a fragrant taste in every bite.
Seeing the look of admiration on the Yongning Princess's face, the previously disdainful palace maid said resentfully, “Your Highness, what's so difficult about this? It's just frying a shrimp. Our small kitchen prepares the most exquisite dishes. Surely we can make such a simple snack?”
The palace maid's words were full of contempt, but Li Ying didn't mind. She wasn't in a hurry to defend herself. Instead, she calmly stepped aside and let the palace maid summon the imperial chefs from the Princess Mansion to follow her example.
The baking soda she had added to the batter for the fried shrimp was the crucial ingredient for the shrimp to puff up successfully. But at present, in the whole world, only she had this thing.
Sure enough, the imperial chefs did their best and showed their skills, but the fried shrimps either had a thick coating that wouldn't puff up or managed to puff up a little but collapsed as soon as they were out of the pan.
Achieving a result like Li Ying's, with a shell as thin as a cicada's wing, fragile, crispy but not greasy, was simply impossible!
Seeing the imperial chefs sweating more and more, Li Ying smiled slightly, stepped forward two steps, and bowed to the Yongning Princess. “Your Highness, since I've prepared this dish to present to you, there must be some secret techniques involved. Although the imperial chefs are highly skilled, without my special ingredient, they will surely not succeed!”
Her eyes were bright and piercing. The Yongning Princess wasn't stupid. She knew that Li Ying was hiding her trump card and wanted to negotiate with her. She dismissed the palace maids, leaving only two personal attendants. Then, she slowly got up from the beauty couch and looked down at Li Ying.
Li Ying didn't beat around the bush. She calmly took out a packet of baking soda powder as white as snow from her bosom.
“Your Highness, the secret to the fluffy bubble shrimp lies in this.”
Seeing the hesitant look on the Yongning Princess's face, she presented the jars of “toothpaste” she had prepared earlier with both hands.
“Your Highness, this thing is called 'baking soda'. When cooking, it can make the meat tender. When combined with vinegar, it also has a cleaning effect.”
The toothpaste she had let Lu Xunguang try was made by mixing coconut oil, adding a little sea salt, and then dropping in some peppermint essential oil distilled by herself to create a fresh aroma. Peppermint powder was added to give it a pleasant green color.
Coconut oil and sea salt both had anti - inflammatory properties and could remove tartar. Baking soda neutralized acidity, resisted fungi, and provided abundant foam. Peppermint essential oil not only cleared heat but also freshened breath. Long - term use of this toothpaste could not only make teeth whiter but also relieve symptoms such as bleeding and shrinking gums.
Li Ying had also specially combined different oils and essential oils. Almond oil was rich in vitamins, and sesame oil had anti - aging effects. When combined with essential oils from roses, gardenias, jasmine, etc., the toothpaste had different tastes and flavors.
The Yongning Princess had just finished lunch. Served by her maids, she tried the “toothpaste” presented by Li Ying and indeed felt refreshed and her breath smelled sweet.
Her expression softened a bit. Playing with the small, crystal - clear glass jar in her hand, she said playfully, “Do you want to present this toothpaste to please me and make me spare you?”
Li Ying smiled and said, “Your Highness is benevolent. You helped my younger foster - sister out of trouble. You truly live up to your status as a princess of the state. I don't know where such words come from?”
“I'm presenting these things today to show my gratitude for your kindness, Your Highness. I have a good business deal I'd like to discuss with you.”
The Yongning Princess also knew about Li Ying's women's club business with the Grand Princess. Hearing her words, she knew that Li Ying probably wanted to cooperate with her in the “toothpaste” business.
This thing was delicate and tasted pleasant. It was indeed an interesting item.
However...
The Yongning Princess raised her eyebrows and ignored her words. Instead, she asked, “What if... I'm not willing?”
“Since you've presented this baking soda and toothpaste, you should know that if I were to take all these things for myself right now and kick you out of the palace, with your status and power, you'd have to accept it obediently.”
She scrutinized Li Ying. “Miss Li, aren't you afraid?”