Chapter 80: Execute them all!

Pingyu was focused on his father and didn't notice the strange expression on Nezha's face.

What Lin Dongfangcai said was indeed a joyous occasion.

but......

What does it mean that food from home can be brought into the palace?

She asked, "Father, isn't Steward Wang dead?"

Could it be that another noble from Chaoge has come to our house to discuss this? Otherwise, after the death of the Imperial Chef Wang, the Lin family's path to the palace for their pastries should have been cut off. How can someone brush with wealth and status only to have their fortunes reversed so quickly? Is this what they call good fortune after death?

Ping frowned, sensing that things weren't so simple.

Seeing that his daughter was wary instead of sharing his joy, Lin Dong explained, "I don't know the details either. However, it is said that because there are only a few delicious snacks, the Imperial Kitchen has not prohibited the Chief Steward from offering the same dishes. Even without Chief Steward Wang, our family can still gain the favor of nobles."

That makes sense.

She then asked, "Which one was selected?"

"Milk and Jujube Paste Cake".

It was that one!

Having said that, he left like a gust of wind without waiting for Pingyu's reply. Pingyu withdrew his hand, which he had wanted to call out to, and let out a deep breath.

But now that her family has been chosen, the imperial decree cannot be disobeyed.

Ping Yu was seething with anger.

Forget it, never mind!

She shook her head, trying to dismiss the matter.

I have to make cola with Nezha today!

She composed herself and turned around: "Nezha, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting! We'll be right there now..."

Before she could finish speaking, the boy's expression caught in her eyes, preventing her from uttering the words:

Nezha's eyes were dark and deep. Although he was expressionless, the shadows on his face gave him a fierce look.

Noticing Ping Yu's gaze, he raised his head and spoke first: "What are you standing there for? Aren't you going?"

Pingyu snapped out of his daze: "Ah...oh! Let's go!"

The light slid back onto Nezha's face. His expression returned to normal, as if what he had just experienced was merely an illusion of recovery. As they left the mansion, they discovered that the joyous news had spread to every corner of the Lin household. All the slaves shared in the celebration, making it even more lively than the New Year. The laughter and merriment only ceased when they stepped out the gate.

The streets were deserted, making the Lin residence look like a balloon that was constantly expanding and then contracting.

The man and the ghost returned to the woods by the river yesterday, and Pingyu began searching for pine trees.

She vaguely remembered that the pine needles she found yesterday were in this area.

Nezha stood to the side, making a hand seal.

Instantly, the pigeon's eyes flashed red like lights turned on by a touch, and its vision connected with the other's.

The boy whispered, "Go find the man who rode the donkey yesterday."

Little Grey flapped its wings and plunged headlong into the forest.

As the pigeon flew, its feathers brushed against the branches and leaves, catching Pingyu's attention. She looked towards the rustling sound and quickly said to Nezha, "Little Gray has flown away!"

Nezha countered, "It's a pigeon, what if it doesn't fly?"

"But what if it flies away!"

When she was a child, the elderly people in her village also kept birds, and Pingyu knew that birds were creatures that could never be tamed. If the cage lock was ever loosened or there was even a crack in the door or window, it would fly away without looking back. Thinking that her newly named pigeon might very well fly into someone's pot, Pingyu immediately panicked. She clung to Nezha's shoulder, pushing and swaying him: "We have to catch it while we can still see it. Otherwise, it won't be able to come back in a little while!"

Nezha grabbed Pingyu's hand and pressed it down along with his arm: "It's alright."

His simple words of comfort had no effect. Seeing that the girl's gaze was still anxiously fixed on the forest, Nezha had no choice but to say again, "If it tries to run away, I have plenty of ways to catch it. But I'd rather know about you than it."

"What do you want?" Pingyu was initially confused, but quickly realized what he meant. "What my father was saying earlier?"

“Yes,” the boy nodded.

The initial shock at the rising black aura on Lin Dong's face had faded, and the dissected part of the commentary surfaced in his mind. He realized that Lin Dong's phrase "snacks entering the palace" was already an act of "offering to the emperor." But this was only delivered to the palace gates after being confirmed by others; what did it have to do with Ping Yu? Nezha needed to know the details.

Pingyu thought for a moment, then pulled him to a large rock.

The stone had a smooth cut and could be used as a table. She put down the food box and took out a plate from it.

As the bottom of the plate tapped against the stone surface, a sweet aroma of dates wafted out.

After taking out the food, Pingyu continued his actions without stopping.

Nezha saw that she took out three incense sticks and a small stove.

As the girl lit incense, she explained to him, "This is milk and jujube paste cake. It's made with rice, milk, and honey, and the filling is filled with peeled jujube paste."

On the small plate are several small, milky-red pastries, each garnished with half a red date.

Because of its triangular shape, it appears somewhat simple and unadorned.

As the incense was lit, Nezha picked up one of the pieces and examined it.

He heard the girl continue, "This is a snack from my time. Actually, it was originally called red date rice cake. Because the food here is so scarce, I really missed this taste, so I lied and said that I figured it out myself and taught the recipe to my mother to make it."

Red date rice cake was Pingyu's favorite breakfast during his student days.

Unlike other desserts, its preparation is quite simple. Simply grind rice and red dates into a fine paste in a water mill, add eggs and honey for flavor, brush with oil, and steam until cooked. While it cannot compare to later ancient desserts, its advantage lies in its simple ingredients and its ability to be made even in the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

Ping Yu: "My family started out by running a pastry shop. My mother got a new recipe from me and naturally put it in the shop to sell. Most of the pastries in the shop are made using recipes I provided, and no one in the entire Shang and Zhou dynasties could imitate them. That's why my family has become richer and richer, and no one can compete with us."

The most important thing in the food industry is to have a classic brand while constantly innovating.

Nezha took a bite of the rice cake.

It has a soft texture between the teeth, and upon entering the mouth, it has both the aroma of milk and the sweetness of jujube paste, while the aftertaste leaves a faint rice flavor on the back of the tongue.

In today's world of limited food options, this is truly amazing.

Rather, the strangest thing is that the Lin family's pastries have never been presented to the palace over the years!

As he savored the food, he wondered: Did the so-called "heavenly treasure" refer to the fact that she brought back the recipes from later generations to the past?

Could it be that someone exaggerated the Lin family's pastries to an excessive degree, but they just didn't suit that vixen's taste, thus bringing disaster upon the Lin family?

Nezha felt it necessary to discuss the commentary with Pingyu.

He put down his snacks, organized his thoughts, and was about to speak.

"I....."

Before he could even begin to speak, he was silenced by the sight before him.

The Taoist priest wasn't surprised when Little Gray flew to him. He smiled knowingly and waved, as if he knew that the carrier pigeon connection was connected to the boy from yesterday.

The other party was clearly prepared.

After a moment's hesitation, Nezha decided to go to the meeting alone.

Pingyu, who was eating snacks, saw Nezha untie the Hun Tian Ling (a magical ribbon) wrapped around his arm.

He piled the ritual implements on the stone surface and instructed Pingyu, "I have something to do. Wait for me here for a moment."

"Where?" Pingyu looked into his eyes and asked, "Will it take a long time? I'll go with you."

“I have to go alone,” Nezha said, avoiding her gaze and taking a step back. “Here’s the Universe Ring. I’ll be back in a bit.”

She spends every day with Nezha, so who else would she need to look for? Pingyu didn't want to go too far about personal matters, so she nodded and agreed: "Then be careful."

"good."

Nezha vanished into the forest in a flash.

He left, and in the woods, nothing spoke except the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves.

It's too quiet, so quiet it's unsettling.

Pingyu, realizing she hadn't found the pine needles yet, prepared to pack up the food box and leave. But as she was carrying the plate, she paused. Perhaps lured by the sweet aroma, a swarm of ants had appeared on the stone surface. They were scrambling at the plate, trying to carry the rice cake away.

Pingyu left behind the patch where ants had crawled.

She crushed the rice cake and scattered the crumbs on the stone surface.

The ants lifted the food and returned to their ranks.

The ant colony's foraging procession slowly grew longer, descending from the rocks towards the edge of the forest, climbing all the way towards Chaoge.

From above, the dining hall also resembles an anthill.

The chefs, carrying various dishes, streamed into the Longevity Palace in large groups.

In the celestial palace, amidst the golden goblets and jade delicacies, one can feast.

"It tastes awful!"

She pouted coquettishly, her breath sweet and fragrant.

The man couldn't bear to see the beautiful woman angry, so he casually remarked, "Having displeased my beloved concubine, I will naturally no longer allow him to live. Guards, drag him away and execute him."

This person is King Zhou, Di Xin.

The guards on both sides were ordered to step forward and arrest the person, and outside they could hear a desperate cry: "Your Majesty, spare me! Please give me one more chance, just one more time!"

The man clasped his hands to the animal skin blanket, leaving scratch marks.

There was still a long queue outside the door.

The frequency of deaths in the palace was more frequent than drinking water; everyone's faces were numb, and they had become accustomed to it.

They were all carrying small dishes; these were people from the Imperial Kitchen. Normally, the banquet should have gone through several steps, with palace maids serving it. But Daji insisted that the person who presented the food should personally serve it, so that rewards and punishments would be clearly defined and no one could claim credit for it.

The cooks, already insecure, were put under even more pressure after this ordeal by the wicked concubine. They couldn't say anything bad about her! They could only inwardly lament their predicament while outwardly praising her, "Your Highness is kind-hearted."

Since the start of the court banquet, dozens of people have been beheaded. When the Empress wanted to water the flowers with her blood, the guards dragged people to the back to kill them. So much blood accumulated that a line of blood seeped from the base of the wall. Everyone knew that those from the Imperial Kitchen were likely to meet a bad end today; the palace servants waiting outside were on edge, not daring to utter a sound.

She lifted the thin veil and took Di Xin's hand, placing it on her collarbone.

The emperor pinched her delicate flesh, feeling so tender it made his bones melt. His heart filled with affection, his eyes deep and unfathomable: "Then, in my beloved consort's opinion, what should be done?"

Daji was a fox spirit who craved the people who made her food more than human food. She wanted human hearts, human flesh, and soup made from human bones to soothe her throat… Gazing into the desire in the men's eyes, she felt a surge of smug satisfaction. Men were truly the easiest creatures to manipulate; a little sweetness and a show of weakness, and they would readily offer up everything they possessed. Daji knew that now, whatever she asked for, King Zhou would grant it.

She traced circles on the king's heart with her fingertips, teasing and tantalizingly close yet distant. As King Zhou grasped her alluring fingers and pulled her closer, Daji nestled into his arms, saying, "In my opinion, why not execute all those waiting outside, and even those who feed on me behind the scenes? These people can't even fulfill my requests; how can they possibly help Your Majesty? Keeping them alive is utterly useless!"

She scoffed, "Why not make an example of them and scare the rest of the people who are actually doing the work? Let them know that trying to fish in troubled waters won't work!"

It was only a matter of a few common slaves dying to win a smile from the beauty, how could King Zhou not be willing? He took Daji's hand, kissed it, and chuckled, "Then let it be as my beloved consort says."

The emperor issued the order with almost ruthless cruelty:

“Execute all of these people.”