Chapter 22: Another Land Acquired "In addition, the general also said that the manor under his name...

Father Liu pondered for a moment, his expression gradually becoming serious. He slowly spoke, "A few days ago, I was chatting with Old Man Wang, and he mentioned a strange incident. I heard that women have been disappearing in several nearby villages recently, and three of them have not been heard from since."

Upon hearing this, Mother Liu couldn't help but exclaim, "How come we haven't heard of such a big thing?"

Father Liu sighed and continued, "This matter has been strictly sealed by the government and is not allowed to be made public. Old Man Wang also heard the news accidentally slipped up when a drunk official at the next table was drinking."

After hearing this, Liu Yeshu felt a chill spread from her feet to her entire body. Could it be that she was almost like those three women...

"Dad, do you know how the government will handle this matter?"

Father Liu shook his head and said, "They said they were secretly investigating, but it seems there was no progress. That's why they had to suppress the news to avoid causing panic." He was about to pick up some food, but then he took back his chopsticks. After putting them down, he asked, "Shu'er, why do you think of asking this?"

"I just felt like I was being watched on my way home today. Even though I didn't see the person, I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation."

Upon hearing this, Liu's mother was horrified. "What should I do? Should I report this to the authorities?" Then she became worried. "I really can't let Shu'er walk alone at night in the future."

Father Liu pondered for a long time. The autumn harvest was coming soon. The harvest of the crops affected the family's livelihood. He and Liu Yeling would probably be busy working in the fields, making it difficult for them to come to the general's mansion to pick up Liu Yeshu every day.

Mother Liu suddenly remembered something and asked, "Master, is there any news from the head of the family?"

Father Liu shook his head slightly, his brows furrowed. “I haven’t received a single word.”

Mother Liu sighed and said worriedly, "It's been so long, has there been any progress in the master's case? When can we, the criminal slaves, be freed..."

Father Liu patted the back of his wife's hand and whispered soothingly, "Don't worry. Affairs in the capital are complicated and it will take time to complete. Besides, we are far away from the frontier, and news travels slowly."

Tears welled up in Liu's mother's eyes: "But... Shu'er is already old and has grown into a beautiful girl. It is inevitable that she will encounter such things in the future..."

Father Liu sighed softly, "Shu'er is lucky to have secured a position in the General's Mansion. With the General's protection, no one dares to provoke him."

Liu Yeshu thought for a moment and said, "I have an idea..."

Seeing that Liu's father and mother were confused, he told them the news that Butler Zhao had said that "private chefs can live in the mansion."

Mother Liu hesitated and said, "I'm afraid this... this isn't appropriate, is it?"

Liu Yeshu continued to explain, "The General's Mansion is heavily guarded, so I feel safer living there. Besides, everyone in the mansion is very kind to me, so I feel comfortable living there."

Father Liu pondered for a moment and slowly spoke, "That makes sense. However...if I live in the mansion permanently, I'm afraid it will attract even more criticism."

Liu Yeshu smiled and said, "When you act as a person, you should always have a clear conscience. If I were to be timid, it would only make me look guilty. It's better to be open and aboveboard."

After hearing this, Father Liu seemed to be thinking about something. After a long moment, he nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Mother Liu, though still concerned, said nothing more. She simply warned, "Shu'er, if you live in the General's Mansion, you must be even more careful with your words and actions. Don't give people anything to talk about."

Liu Yeshu replied, "Don't worry, mother. I'll go home when I'm free during the day, and we can have dinner together."

The next day, Liu Yeshu told Butler Zhao about her plans to move and the reason behind it. Butler Zhao agreed without hesitation. After making lunch, Liu Yeshu went home to pack her belongings for the move to the General's Mansion. She simply packed a few changes of clothes and daily necessities, and some snacks she had made earlier.

Before leaving, she went to the backyard, where Liu Yeling was weeding the vegetable garden. Liu Yeshu approached and gently reminded her, "Ling'er, I'll be away for the next few days. You must remember to water the vegetable garden every day. Those greens have just sprouted and are very tender, so they need extra care."

Liu Yeling looked up and replied with a smile, "Don't worry, sister. I will take good care of her. You should also be careful in the general's mansion."

While there was still some time left, she went to feed the camels and chickens herself. When she arrived at the chicken coop, she carefully selected the fattest hen and held it carefully in her arms.

"This chicken is fat and strong, perfect to take to the General's Mansion."

Liu Yeshu returned to the general's mansion carrying her bag and hens. Butler Zhao was already waiting at the door. He led Liu Yeshu through the courtyards and to the backyard. He pointed to a row of side rooms and said, "These rooms are all empty. Take a look. Which one suits your taste?"

Liu Yeshu looked around and her eyes fell on the room closest to the backyard. She said, "If possible, I'd like to live in this room. It's closer to the kitchen, so it's more convenient for me to look after him. The general's birthday is coming up in a few days, and the mansion is going to have a big banquet. Living closer means I can be there anytime."

Butler Zhao nodded in approval: "Not bad, you have thought it through." He paused, handed the key to the door to Liu Yeshu, and said with a smile: "I wanted to let the general take a look at the dishes you ordered before, but the general said that the dishes for this birthday banquet will be decided by the young lady. I have already bought the ingredients in advance and now they are in the kitchen." Before leaving, he ordered a few servants to help clean up the house.

Liu Yeshu pushed open the slightly worn wooden door in front of her. The room was filled with dust. A few rays of sunlight slanted in through the window lattice, illuminating the dust flying in the air. She rolled up her sleeves, picked up the rag she had prepared long ago, and began to sweep.

Several of the servants called in to help were familiar faces. Having enjoyed Liu Yeshu's cooking, they were particularly hardworking. Liu Yeshu stood on a bench, wiping the beams. A young maidservant stood on tiptoe, diligently wiping the high window frames. Two servants worked together to move a heavy bookcase and sweep the dust from the bottom. The dusty furniture regained its shine, the wooden floors were polished to a high shine, and even the cobwebs in the corners were cleared away. A light, fresh scent filled the air, dispelling the musty odor.

As the afterglow of the setting sun streamed into the house, the entire room looked brand new. Liu Yeshu stood at the doorway, tapping her sleeves and smiling at the servants who had come to help. "Thank you for your hard work, everyone," she said. "I have a little treat for you all. Please enjoy it."

With that, she pulled an exquisite food box from her bag. She opened the lid, revealing neatly arranged candies. In the sunlight, the candies shimmered with an alluring luster, and a faint sweet aroma filled the air.

"This is the rice crisps I made. Please try it and see how it tastes." Liu Yeshu said gently, handing the food box to everyone.

The servants were stunned at first, then their eyes flashed with surprise. They looked at each other, somewhat flattered. After all, since Butler Zhao had spoken, this was their responsibility.

A little maid with chubby cheeks carefully picked up a piece of candied cake and took a light bite. It was crispy and crumbly, sweet but not greasy. Her eyes lit up and she said sweetly, "Sister Liu is so beautiful and kind, and she has skillful hands." The others nodded in agreement and no longer hesitated to share the candied cake naturally.

Liu Yeshu couldn't help but pinched the little maid's face.

As the sky gradually darkened, Liu Yeshu stood in the kitchen, looking at the fat old hen on the chopping board. This was the hen she had raised using the system, and it was of excellent quality. Now it was finally useful - she had something to ask for today.

She expertly butchered the hen, plucking its feathers and removing its internal organs. She then cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces and soaked them in warm water to remove the bloody smell. She then soaked astragalus root, angelica root, and wolfberries in warm water, adding sliced ​​ginger and chopped scallions to the pot and began to simmer the base for the chicken soup.

Once the herbs were properly soaked, she placed the chicken and herbs in a pot, added an appropriate amount of water, and simmered it over low heat. As time passed, a rich aroma filled the kitchen, and the color of the chicken soup gradually became thicker and golden.

As dinner approached, Liu Yeshu added some wolfberries and chopped green onions to enhance the soup's color and aroma. Finally, she skimmed off the oil that floated to the surface to ensure the soup was clear and not greasy.

When Butler Zhao came to tell the general that he was ready to eat, Liu Yeshu carefully poured the stewed chicken soup into an exquisite porcelain bowl and sprinkled some finely chopped coriander on it to add a bit of fresh color.

Soon, Butler Zhao came back quickly with a message: "The general said that today's chicken soup tastes excellent. Where did you buy the chicken?"

Liu Yeshu curled her lips and answered respectfully, "It's my own pet."

A hint of surprise flashed across Butler Zhao's eyes, and then he smiled and said, "As expected of Miss Liu, the chickens she raises taste even better than the best free-range chickens I bought from the East Market. I'll go tell the General right away."

Liu Yeshu's heart moved, and she felt that the time had come, so she said cautiously: "Since that's the case, I would like to ask the general for a favor."

Butler Zhao smiled and said, "The general is in a good mood today. Miss, please feel free to speak. I will convey it later."

Liu Yeshu took a deep breath and released the thought that had been lingering in her mind for days. "I would like to ask the General... to allow me to plant some vegetables in the unused vegetable plot in the mansion. This way, not only can the dishes be kept fresh, but the General can also enjoy the best ingredients."

After hearing this, Butler Zhao nodded thoughtfully: "That's a good idea. The land is empty anyway. I'll report it to the general right away."

Soon, Butler Zhao returned with a delighted look on his face. "The General has approved it! He said that since you're so determined, you can do it. Just be careful not to delay the kitchen work."

"Also, the general said that the farmland under his name is lying idle anyway. If you're willing, you can plant it in the future, and the harvest will be yours."

Liu Yeshu was delighted when he heard this, but he didn't dare to be greedy. "Thank you for your kindness, General. However, my family only has my father and my brother, and we are almost overwhelmed with our own crops. I will stay in the General's Mansion all day from now on. I just want to use my free time to make sure the General eats with more peace of mind."

The words were flawless, and Butler Zhao felt very relieved after hearing them. This girl has really good character and is not the kind of person who eats and takes more than she wants.

After Butler Zhao left, Liu Yeshu murmured to himself, "This way, I can continue to complete the system's daily tasks."

Thinking that the new points would soon be credited to her account, she breathed a sigh of relief. After a tiring day of moving, she was too lazy to even eat dinner. She just wanted to go back to the house and take a nap.

It was past midnight, the moonlight was as bright as water, and the general's mansion was shrouded in silence.

Liu Yeshu felt a burst of heat in her sleep. She turned over in a daze and smelled a strange burnt smell.

The pungent smell awakened her consciousness. She opened her eyes suddenly and found that the room was shrouded in a strange orange-red light.

"This is……"

She hurriedly stood up and opened the window. In an instant, thick smoke mixed with scorching air rushed in her face, choking her and making her cough repeatedly.

Looking closely, I saw flames shooting up into the sky from the backyard kitchen, with black smoke billowing. The flames, like hungry beasts, greedily licked the wooden structure of the kitchen, making a terrifying crackling sound.

Liu Yeshu didn't bother putting on her shoes. She grabbed a coat and threw it on before rushing out. The moment she opened the door, an even more intense heat wave hit her face, almost knocking her over.

She managed to steady herself, squinting her eyes as she surveyed her surroundings. The fire was already raging, nearly engulfing the kitchen and threatening to spread to the nearby rooms. Yet, the surroundings were eerily quiet, as if no one had yet noticed the blaze.

Liu Yeshu was extremely anxious and knew she had to take action immediately. She took a deep breath and ran towards the inner courtyard, shouting as she ran, "The fire is breaking out! Come and put it out!"