Using Food as My Golden Finger to Treat Illness in the Qing Dynasty

[The author's food-themed novel, Daily Life Running an Ancient Eatery, is complete. The blurb is at the bottom. Please add it to your library~ vb@Jinjiang Mianwei]

[This Novel]

Rong Yue, a modern corporate wage slave, transmigrates to the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty with a food-related golden finger and becomes a palace maid in the Imperial Kitchen with nothing to her name: no family connections, no powerful backers, and no savings.

Bullied by her supervisor and ostracized by her colleagues, Rong Yue is fortunate enough to end up serving the Imperial Noble Consort in Chengqian Palace.

The Imperial Noble Consort is none other than Kangxi's cousin and Yongzheng's adoptive mother, Empress Xiaoyiren of the Tongjia clan.

From then on, Rong Yue focuses on building her career with the help of her golden finger. She studies traditional cuisine, turns her fortunes around, earns promotions, and grows fabulously rich.

*

One of the things the women of the imperial harem have been talking about lately is that a remarkably talented maid has joined the kitchen at Chengqian Palace. Her dishes are delicious, and eating them can even improve your health.

Rong Yue gives a mysterious smile. What can she say? Her food-related golden finger comes with a healing buff. Eat just one dish, and curing a headache or a fever is no longer a dream.

Honey-glazed cherries, fermented rice dumplings, steamed pork with rice flour... With dish after dish, she restores the pregnant and frail Imperial Noble Consort to robust health, saves a young prince from a serious illness, and gets the consorts who once fought over the emperor's favor to put aside old grudges and line up to try her pastries.

Tongjia treats her like a daughter, and Kangxi trusts her completely.

Rong Yue soon becomes a sensation in the imperial harem.

*

Everyone knows that Fourth Prince Yinzhen is aloof and distant, and has no interest in women.

Then one day, rumors start circulating in the palace about Rong Yue and the Fourth Prince.

Some people mock her for trying to climb the social ladder despite her lowly status. But soon, a marriage edict personally requested by the Fourth Prince proves them wrong.

Everyone is baffled. How can a palace maid of humble birth possibly be worthy of becoming the Fourth Prince's wife?

The Imperial Noble Consort smiles faintly. "She is my own niece, so of course the match is perfectly proper."

Only then do they learn that Rong Yue is the long-lost daughter of the Tong family.

*

A little scene:

Everyone in the imperial harem knows that Fourth Prince Yinzhen has very high standards and is extremely picky about food.

Then one day, to everyone's astonishment, he walks into the kitchen at Chengqian Palace, claiming he has come to ask Rong Yue for a late-night snack.

An hour later, the Fourth Prince strolls out, looking thoroughly satisfied.

Thirteenth Prince approaches him and asks, "Fourth Brother, how was it?"

The Fourth Prince smiles faintly. "Absolutely delicious."

From then on, everyone is even more impressed by Rong Yue.

Little do they know that the person in question is blushing furiously, covering her swollen lips, equal parts embarrassed and annoyed.

Why had no one told her that the famously cold-faced Fourth Prince in history was such a foodie?

And that he enjoyed more than just... food.

Reading Guide:

1. The leads are an exclusive couple, and both are sexually inexperienced.

2. This is a partly fictionalized Qing Dynasty setting. Some dates differ from history, and there are many original elements. Please don't nitpick historical accuracy.

3. The recipes and medical knowledge in this story are based on reference materials and are for reference only. Please be cautious if you try anything yourself.

4. This story is entirely fictional. Many of the settings and characters do not match history. If that bothers you, please don't read.

5. My writing skills are limited. You don't need to tell me if you drop the story.

6. The anti-piracy threshold is 70%. Readers who have purchased less than that will need to wait 48 hours~

[Blurb for the upcoming novel Daily Life Running an Ancient Eatery]

Jiang Wan transmigrates. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself in a hopeless situation: both parents are dead, the family is destitute, and their little eatery has been closed for days and is on the verge of bankruptcy, with no income. They can't pay the rent, and the doors are about to close for good.

Watching her little sister sob, Jiang Wan, once a food blogger, rolls up her sleeves. "Don't panic. I'm a professional."

With her exceptional cooking skills, she brings the family business back from the brink. She introduces signature dishes one after another: soup dumplings with thin wrappers, savory filling, and fragrant broth; sour and spicy slices of tender meat in hot and sour soup; and crispy pineapple-roasted pork belly that brings together sweet and savory flavors.

She also comes up with refreshing afternoon drinks, including chilled lychee and waxberry drinks, peach oolong tea, and taro milk.

Every so often, she serves late-night snacks like fermented rice dumplings with osmanthus and duck blood vermicelli soup.

Thanks to her increasingly thriving business, Jiang Wan not only pays off the rent, but also moves to a bigger location, upgrading the little snack shop into a full-fledged eatery. From then on, the Jiang family's eatery sends its delicious aroma ten miles in every direction, and customers stream through its doors without end.

*

Whenever people talk about the Jiang family's eatery in the capital, they can't help marveling that its owner, Madam Jiang, is truly a remarkable woman.

First, she has a brilliant business mind. While making her eatery a success, she is also the first to offer boxed meals and delivery. Her cooking is highly praised by customers ranging from ordinary townsfolk to government officials.

Second, she is always coming out with new terms. Today it's "Grand opening special: spin the wheel to win a prize." Tomorrow it's "Get a discount voucher with every purchase." The day after that, it's "membership cards" and "loyalty coupons." Every one of the 360 days in the year brings something new.

Jiang Wan smiles, keeping her contribution to herself.

These are all the wisdom of modern people!

*

Jiang Wan always thought nothing could be more melodramatic or bizarre than transmigrating. But later, two more things happened that proved her wrong.

The first was that her usually gentle, well-behaved dog suddenly went mad one day and bit someone. And not just anyone, but Shen Dan, the powerful commander of the Imperial Guards. He can manipulate events at court with a wave of his hand, and he is also a highly skilled fighter.

To protect her business and her own life, Jiang Wan decides to make amends through her cooking, especially since General Shen suffers from a chronic stomach ailment. From then on, she works at her restaurant during the day and goes to the Shen residence at night to treat Shen Dan to delicious meals. They agree that once the term of their arrangement is up, they will part ways and call it even.

Ever since she arrived at the Shen residence, the once-cold, quiet household has gradually grown warm and lively. A steaming bowl of porridge is always beside the mountain of case files, and a food box is always at Shen Dan's side before he goes to court each morning. In the end, Shen Dan, who has always kept his word, breaks their agreement.

After years of living alone, for the first time he wants to keep someone by his side.

*

The second thing happens one day when the stern, old-fashioned Minister of War comes to see her. It turns out he is the uncle she has never met. Now that he has found her, he wants to do everything he can to make up for all her hardships over the years. He also hopes she will give up her thriving business and return to her family to become a proper young lady from a distinguished household.

Jiang Wan is deeply moved, but she turns him down. Food is her life's work, and no one can change that.

While everyone else mocks her for being foolish enough to give up a life of wealth and privilege, only Shen Dan tells her, "Your status doesn't matter. What matters is what kind of career you want to pursue."

"A-Wan, I'll support every choice you make. Whatever the future holds, I'll be by your side."

*

A little scene:

One day, after the Jiang family's eatery closes, the usually cool and quiet General Shen pulls Jiang Wan into his arms. With the most unfeeling expression, he says the gentlest words:

"My dear, will you come home with me tonight?"

In his arms, Jiang Wan replies in the gentlest voice with the most unfeeling words: "No."

"The restaurant opens tomorrow. I need to work on some new dishes tonight."

With that, she slips out of his arms without a backward glance and heads to the kitchen, leaving General Shen heartbroken and alone.

Reading Guide and Content Warnings:

1. The leads are both sexually inexperienced, an exclusive couple, with a seven-year age gap.

2. This is a fictional setting, and the story assumes the basic seasonings and ingredients exist. The official titles and customs are loosely based on history, but there are many original elements. Everything serves the plot, so please don't nitpick historical accuracy.

3. The dog has a special reason for biting someone in the blurb. It is usually well-behaved, and its owner always keeps it on a leash.

4. The male lead has relatively little screen time early on. The female lead is not a powerhouse, and there is a light ensemble cast. A male supporting character is interested in the female lead, and there is a secondary couple. Please proceed with caution if those elements bother you.

(Original blurb: August 29, 2022; revised November 5, 2023)

[Upcoming novel: The Daily Wellness Regimen of Imperial Noble Consort Tong (Qing Dynasty Transmigration)]

"You, Imperial Noble Consort of the Tong clan, are the daughter of Tong Guowei, Grand Minister of the Imperial Bodyguard. You come from a distinguished family, and good fortune has blessed your relatives. You have been diligent and frugal in the women's quarters, and have shown sincerity and filial piety in the imperial chambers. Your kindness is evident in your care for the imperial children, whom you raise with fairness and virtue. You uphold the dignity of the phoenix crown and robes, and embody grace and virtue. Your excellent reputation has long been established, and you deserve this great honor. In accordance with the Empress Dowager's command, we hereby bestow upon you the imperial seal and appoint you Empress."

Edict appointing Imperial Noble Consort Tong as Empress, issued by the Kangxi Emperor

What should you do when you transmigrate as Empress Xiaoyiren, a historical figure born into a powerful family, connected to the emperor by countless ties of kinship, and blessed with unique advantages, yet destined to lose a daughter and die young, and your transmigration comes with neither an earth-shattering golden finger nor a System to change your fate?

Yun Xiu knows her destiny and makes a decision: cherish her life and build up her health. If possible, she will never have children.

As a modern woman, she knows all too well the dangers of having children with close relatives. To avoid giving birth to a child with disabilities and spending her life in regret, Yun Xiu resolves never to have a baby. All she wants is to live safely for a few more years.

With her birth and family background, all she needs to do is stay alive and occasionally put a little effort into maintaining her bond with her cousin, and she will be a guaranteed winner in life.

To avoid meeting the same fate as the "short-lived empress" in history, after entering the palace she focuses on wellness and exercise, keeps to a healthy routine, and supplements her diet with nourishing foods, gradually making her once frail and sickly body healthy.

Ever since she entered the palace, the aroma of medicinal dishes and delicious food often fills Chengqian Palace. In time, the other consorts can't help becoming curious about how this Imperial Noble Consort went from frail and sickly to robust and healthy.

Yun Xiu waves them over. "Come on! Let's work on our health and nutrition together!"

*

To Xuan Ye, Yun Xiu is both his consort and someone to whom he is bound by blood ties he can never sever. So he is especially affectionate and attentive toward his cousin.

But his cousin has been in the palace for years and has no children. Just as Xuan Ye is considering which prince or princess to raise in her care, he realizes that several children have already joined the wellness movement at Chengqian Palace.

Yinzhen: "In summer, you simply have to drink a bowl of the Imperial Noble Consort Mother's honeysuckle tea."

Yinsi: "The yam porridge at the Imperial Noble Consort Mother's palace is delicious in winter, too."

Yun Xiu: "...Don't you dare steal them from me!"

*

Years later, Yun Xiu looks at the children grown into adults and the consorts living together in harmony, and feels entirely satisfied.

There's no greater success in life than this.

As for Kangxi? He doesn't matter.

Her goal in life has never been to win affection or find love. She just wants to live to a hundred.

Xuan Ye has always known that his cousin was frail from childhood. So when she entered the palace, he instructed the Imperial Medical Bureau to do everything in its power to care for her health.

And so, after entering the palace, his cousin grows stronger and healthier by the day, her complexion rosy, no longer as fragile as a willow in the wind.

Only then does Xuan Ye realize that his cousin is actually a wellness enthusiast.

Later, he watches as people throughout the imperial harem follow the Imperial Noble Consort's example and learn about wellness, even losing interest in competing for his favor.

What he never expected was that his cousin, who had been frail and sickly since childhood, would outlive him by a long, long time.

Important Reading Notes!!

1. The female lead transmigrates as herself, with no System, no golden finger, and no special abilities.

2. The female lead will not have children, but she loves them. According to historical records, Empress Xiaoyiren raised many children, so she will raise children in this story, though this is not a childcare novel. Please don't read if you object to the female lead loving children and raising someone else's.

3. The female lead will not fall in love with the male lead. At most, they will have the familial affection of people sharing a life together.

4. This is a partly fictionalized Qing Dynasty setting. The timeline has been adjusted and there are many original elements. Please don't nitpick historical accuracy.

5. The story contains some food-related elements.

6. All wellness and food recipes come from related books and are for reference only. Please don't imitate them without careful consideration.

7. This story is entirely fictional.

(Blurb dated January 7, 2023)

[Blurb for the upcoming novel The Emperor Claims Her Beauty]

Jiang Qingyao is the beloved daughter of the Grand Tutor, the Empress's own niece, and the Crown Prince's cousin. She is beautiful, bright, and of noble birth. From childhood, she has often visited the palace and kept the emperor, empress, and Crown Prince company. Before long, everyone is convinced she and the Crown Prince are a match made in heaven.

But no one knows that when the imperial edict arranging her marriage is announced, Qingyao is thinking of the sickly young Fifth Prince, Xie Huaicheng, whom she once helped up from the snow one winter, battered and bruised from head to toe.

At sixteen, she marries into the Eastern Palace as planned. But on the eve of her wedding, she has a dream. In the dream, on the night she marries the Crown Prince, the emperor dies and the Crown Prince ascends the throne. After using the Jiang family, he quickly turns against them and sentences them for their crimes. He brands her a woman cursed to bring about the death of her husband, imprisons her deep in the palace, and leaves her to die alone in the bitter cold.

Only then does she realize the Crown Prince insisted on marrying her because of a prophecy from many years ago: a Jiang daughter was destined to become the Crown Princess.

As she lies on the verge of death, she catches sight of a familiar figure rushing toward her, bringing a bitter chill and covered in blood. His hands tremble as he gathers her into his arms.

Jiang Qingyao wakes from the dream in a cold sweat. For the first time in her life, she, who has always followed the rules, thinks about running away from her wedding.

*

On the night of the wedding, Fifth Prince Xie Huaicheng blocks the Eastern Palace's bridal procession in the street. With a single sword strike, he knocks the Crown Prince, dressed in his wedding robes, off his horse. That very night, Xie Huaicheng takes control of the Eastern Palace, sending shockwaves through the court and leaving the officials aghast.

He pins the Crown Prince's severed hand beneath his foot. Then, with blood wiped from his fingers, he gently strokes Jiang Qingyao's cheek through her red bridal veil, his eyes dark and menacing.

Jiang Qingyao turns pale. "Xie Huaicheng, are you crazy?"

"Qingqing," he says hoarsely, "if I had to watch you marry him, I really would go mad."

Beneath the darkened sky, Xie Huaicheng's eyes hold an unrestrained, frenzied love.

No one knows that he has waited desperately for this moment for years.

*

Xie Huaicheng was born into humble circumstances and bullied at every turn. Though he was a prince, he lived worse than a servant. No one in the palace cared whether he lived or died.

One winter, a girl in fine silk helped him up when he lay battered and bruised in the snow. With gentle words, she lit up his gloomy heart. Xie Huaicheng saw a pair of eyes as clear and bright as the moon.

From then on, day and night, he longed madly to draw that radiant moonlight into his arms.

Unfortunately, in his previous life, he was powerless to do so, and could only watch her die amid the palace power struggles.

Reborn, he will never let her go again.

If she is destined to become the Crown Princess, then he will take the Crown Prince's position for himself!

Reading Guide:

1. Fictional setting, with countless original elements. Please don't nitpick historical accuracy.

2. The leads are an exclusive couple, and both are sexually inexperienced.

3. The male lead is reborn later in the story. The female lead is not reborn, but she dreams of her previous life.

4. The male lead does not usurp the throne. There are reasons behind what happens, and the Crown Prince gets what he deserves.

Theme: You must change your own fate.