Chapter 478 Gift Giving

Looking into Jiang Huan's bright eyes, Huo Lin, who was full of profound thoughts about danger and the importance of careful planning, suddenly found himself unable to speak.

He sighed, rubbed his temples, and said helplessly, "Fine, I can't argue with you, but we must be extremely careful about this matter."

Upon hearing that he had agreed, Jiang Huan immediately beamed and nodded repeatedly: "I know, I know, I promise to report to the Emperor immediately if anything happens!"

She leaned closer, nudged him with her shoulder, and said with a grin, "Don't be so serious. I'm perfectly fine, aren't I? Besides, with the Emperor here, what trouble can those petty villains cause?"

Huo Lin was amused by her cheeky antics and his worries were somewhat dispelled by her banter.

"Very well, I'll just keep a closer eye on things."

Another team of secret guards needs to be dispatched to keep watch for twelve hours straight.

[Southern Xinjiang... Hmph, let them run wild for a few more days.]

To appease Huo Lin and to celebrate the initial consensus reached on cooperation, Jiang Huan decided to cook herself.

The following afternoon, she went straight into the small kitchen of Weiyang Palace, leaving only two maids to assist her.

She tied on an apron, rolled up her sleeves, and busied herself washing, chopping, cooking, and preparing food.

When Huo Lin returned after handling official business in the evening, he was immediately enveloped by an enticing aroma as soon as he stepped into the palace.

The round table in the outer flower hall was already fully occupied.

Golden and crispy fried yellow croaker, vibrant green garlic bok choy, a bowl of creamy white and fragrant fish head tofu soup, and several delicate and refreshing side dishes.

The most eye-catching item is a plate of crystal shrimp dumplings arranged in the shape of flowers, glistening and translucent.

Huo Lin raised an eyebrow and looked at Jiang Huan, who was carrying the last plate of scallion pancakes out of the kitchen.

Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the heat, and there was still a bit of flour on the tip of her nose, but her eyes were surprisingly bright.

"You're back? Wash your hands and eat! These are all my specialties today!" She put down her plate, her tone filled with undisguised pride.

Huo Lin was pulled to the table and sat down as instructed, and he began to eat, savoring each dish carefully.

It seems they truly realize their mistake, given all the effort they've put in.

[Her cooking is still the best to my liking; the ones the palace maids she taught always fall short.]

As Jiang Huan listened to his heartfelt words, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.

She barely touched her own food, focusing instead on serving Huo Lin food and soup, bustling about like a happy little bee.

"Eat more of this. You've been working hard reviewing the memorials, so have a bowl of soup to warm your stomach..."

Huo Lin initially let her have her way, but later, seeing that she had barely touched her own food and was only busy serving him, he stopped eating, picked up the largest shrimp dumpling, and placed it on the plate in front of her.

"Don't just think about me, eat some too. You've been busy all afternoon, aren't you hungry?"

Jiang Huan smiled and replied, "I'm hungry, I'll eat right away."

However, under Huo Lin's silent gaze and the constant barrage of delicious food, Jiang Huan's stomach quickly became full.

Seeing the glistening, reddish-brown braised pork that Huo Lin had picked up from her bowl, Jiang Huan looked at him with a bitter expression and a pitiful look.

"I really can't eat anymore. If I eat any more, I'll be so full I won't be able to walk."

Huo Lin looked at her scrunched-up little face and her noticeably bulging stomach, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes, before putting down his chopsticks and slowly wiping his hands.

"Will you dare to recklessly take risks again and make me worry?"

"I won't do it again!" Jiang Huan immediately raised her hand to promise, muttering under her breath, "I didn't get into any danger, but I'm going to get overfed and sickened..."

Huo Lin, with his sharp ears, glanced at her upon hearing this, and Jiang Huan immediately shut her mouth and acted obediently.

This minor disagreement seemed to have been temporarily resolved during this hearty dinner.

However, the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease.

A few days later, Consort Li came to Weiyang Palace again, this time with an even more solemn expression than before.

She dismissed those around her and took out an exquisite brocade box from her sleeve.

"Your Majesty," Consort Li lowered her voice, "the envoy from the Southern Frontier also delivered this item through my cousin. He said it was a beauty-enhancing jade unique to the Southern Frontier, which, when made into a jade bracelet, can nourish the skin and soothe the mind and aid sleep if worn for a long time."

The brocade box was opened, and inside lay a jade bracelet.

The jade is a rare peach blossom jelly color, lustrous and translucent, with pink wisps of light flowing through it. The bracelet is carved with an intricate lotus scroll pattern, which shimmers and shines under the light, making it exceptionally beautiful.

Just then, He Ling came to ask for instructions regarding the school. As soon as she entered the hall, her eyes fell on the jade bracelet, and she stopped in her tracks.

At the same time, Jiang Huan also heard the system alarm.

"Beep! Nightmare Heart Gu eggs detected. They can penetrate through prolonged skin contact and gradually erode the body as they hatch."

"Warning: This item is extremely dangerous. Immediate destruction is recommended!"

He Ling's face turned deathly pale as she looked at Jiang Huan, her eyes filled with horror.

Jiang Huan frowned. The Southern Frontier had actually sent such a vicious item to Consort Li under the guise of beauty enhancement. If Consort Li were to actually wear it, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Jiang Huan looked at Consort Li and said solemnly, "Consort Li, this matter is of utmost importance. The people of the Southern Frontier are mysterious. This jade bracelet may seem like a beauty product, but it may not be clean inside."

Upon hearing this, Consort Li's face paled slightly, and her voice trembled: "Does Your Majesty mean that there is something wrong with this jade bracelet?"

“Most likely.” Jiang Huan nodded and closed the brocade box. “But that’s precisely why we mustn’t alert them. If they put the bait in front of us, we can turn the tables on them.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she turned her gaze to He Ling beside her and hinted, "He Ling, you are always meticulous and have a good understanding of metal and jade artifacts. You can examine this jade bracelet carefully and see what secrets it holds."

As she spoke, she pushed the brocade box toward He Ling.

This Gu poison is insidious and treacherous, far surpassing ordinary poisons. It is likely that even the Imperial Hospital and the secret guards will find it difficult to crack in the short term.

Right now, we can only pin our hopes on He Ling's system to see if it can identify or even find a way to control it.

He Ling met Jiang Huan's gaze and immediately understood her intention.

She composed herself, stepped forward, took the brocade box, and replied in a deep voice, "Yes, Your Majesty, rest assured, I will study it carefully."

Seeing that she understood, Jiang Huan nodded slightly and then turned to the still-shaken Consort Li.

She comforted her, saying, "Don't be afraid, sister. I will have someone make an identical jade bracelet for you overnight. You just need to wear the replica as usual and occasionally show it to the envoys from the Southern Frontier."

Upon hearing this, Consort Li understood Jiang Huan's plan.

This is a scheme to deceive the public, lure the enemy out, and buy time to uncover the truth and follow the clues.

Although she still harbored fear of the sinister intent behind the jade bracelet, seeing Jiang Huan so calm and composed, and arranging everything in an orderly manner, she gradually calmed down.

She clenched her empty hands at her sides, took a deep breath, met Jiang Huan's gaze, and solemnly curtsied.

"I understand. Everything is at Your Majesty's disposal."