Episode 7 recap: Rain in the night, Li Qi sent a cloak to punish Rong'er by making her kneel.
Rong'er and Qing'er were assigned to the pantry, and they were both very happy about it. Rong'er said she had cooked both meat and vegetable dishes at home, and her specialty was noodles. Rong'er was assigned to do qing, which means cleaning and selecting vegetables. Rong'er didn't think much of it, as she had done such tasks since she was young, and she wanted to directly take on the role of being in charge of the cooking. Everyone was shocked by her bold claims, but Rong'er insisted on giving it a try. Aunt Shou Xi said that since Rong'er was skilled at making noodles, she could make a bowl of noodles in one incense's time, and if everyone found them delicious, she would be allowed to pass.
Rong'er enthusiastically started making the noodles, but after cutting the vegetables, she forgot to make the noodles. She managed to make the noodles, but forgot to make the broth. She accidentally spilled the noodles, and was in a fluster. In the end, Aunt Shou Xi had to step in and finish making the noodles. Rong'er and Qing'er ate the noodles and praised them as delicious. Rong'er made an excuse that she was unfamiliar with the pantry, which is why she was so flustered. Aunt Shou Xi said that everyone makes excuses, but regardless of who recommended her or if she was a favorite, the only thing that mattered was the end result, and she hoped Rong'er would work diligently.
Cai Bi assigned Rong'er and Qing'er to wash and select vegetables, and said they must choose the best-looking ones, discarding the rest. They also had to wash the vegetables following the grain of the leaves. After washing the vegetables, Rong'er asked Cai Bi when she could learn to cook. Cai Bi said that Rong'er had only been doing qing for an hour, while she herself had been doing it for three years before gradually being promoted, and she told Rong'er to be patient and work steadily.
Rong'er selected cabbage hearts, but Cai Bi deemed them unacceptable, telling her not to remove all the outer leaves, but to leave one or two so they would still be fresh when used for cooking. Cai Bi happily told Aunt Shou Xi that there were matsutake mushrooms today, which would be perfect for making the Empress Dowager's favorite matsutake mushroom egg soup. Aunt Shou Xi said that matsutake were precious, and instructed Cai Bi to have them washed properly before making the soup. Cai Bi told Rong'er to wash the matsutake with her when she returned, but Rong'er remembered a recipe for matsutake mushroom egg soup in the cookbook she had found, and thought that if she could make it well, she could immediately be promoted to being in charge of the cooking.
When Cai Bi returned, she found that Rong'er had ruined the matsutake mushroom egg soup. Rong'er didn't know that she should wipe the matsutake clean with her hands, and not use a knife or metal utensils. Aunt Shuang Xi punished Cai Bi for her poor supervision, but Rong'er said she should be punished instead, and that she would redo the soup properly according to Aunt Shou Xi's instructions. However, Aunt Shou Xi explained that matsutake were wild mushrooms that took 5-6 years to grow, and were very precious - it was not as simple as just redoing the dish.
Aunt Shou Xi said that Rong'er did not understand the ways of the world, and was impulsive and unsuitable for culinary work in the palace. Grandpa Sun had previously slandered Jing Yi Tai Fei by saying that since the Emperor had bestowed gifts upon Rong'er twice, she was claiming she would become the Empress. Upon hearing this, Tai Fei became furious and summoned Rong'er, who said she had been joking about becoming the Empress. Tai Fei then punished Rong'er by making her kneel at the palace gates.
When Li Qi saw this, he covered Rong'er with a coat and reminded her that her impulsive nature would lead to much suffering in the palace, both inside and outside. Grandpa Sun warned Li Qi not to side with the wrong person and anger Jing Yi Tai Fei. Rong'er said Li Qi was just scolding her, and tried to return the coat, but Li Qi kept it on her and warned Grandpa Sun about his self-serving behavior, angering him.
Rong'er knelt all night. In the morning, Jing Yi Tai Fei sent Aunt Shuang Xi to tell Rong'er to go back. Limping, Rong'er went to the kitchen to try to help, but everyone avoided her. Aunt Shou Xi said Rong'er had not just ruined one dish, but the efforts of the entire kitchen staff, which she could not simply redo. Rong'er felt deep regret upon hearing this.
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