Chapter 55

Mu Yulu didn't remember how she left the study and returned to the courtyard. Xinyun and Mohe stood on either side of the courtyard gate, and they were startled when they saw her absent-minded appearance.

Xin Yun quickly stepped forward to support her. "Miss, what happened? Why are you so late? Did something happen?"

Hearing the familiar, concerned voice beside her, Mu Yulu finally came back to her senses. Her heart, which had felt like it had fallen into an ice cave, gradually rose again, and she felt a little warmth.

Mohe brought her a cup of hot tea. "Why are your hands so cold, Miss? Did you catch a chill outside?"

Mu Yulu took a sip of tea and slowly shook her head.

She feels like she's survived a disaster.

The conversation between Mu Yugang and Mu Zhaoshi just now made her feel increasingly frightened.

If she hadn't seen that maid tonight, and if that maid hadn't reminded her, she probably would have been kept in the dark by her parents and foolishly sold off by them.

Have they ever considered what would happen if that thug disobeyed Mu Yugang's orders and actually took liberties with her? What if Mu Qinhan disliked that she had been defiled by someone else and refused to marry her again?

What should she do then?

To avoid implicating the other daughters of the Mu family, it's likely that Mu Zhaoshi will actually give her a white silk ribbon and let her hang herself.

My body, which had just warmed up, instantly turned cold again.

According to her original plan, she should have already sold all the house deeds, received a large sum of money, and fled far away. Why would she need to stay here and live in fear?

However, because of Mu Wanyi's exposure, all her house deeds were taken away, and now she can only stay in the Mu mansion and be at the mercy of others.

In an instant, the urge to kill arose again, and she wanted to go to the kitchen to get a knife.

Fortunately, Xin Yun's words brought her back to her senses: "Miss, are you feeling unwell? You have to go to the palace to present dishes tomorrow, you can't be late. If you're not feeling well, I'll go find a doctor for you right now."

As she spoke, Xinyun turned to run away, but Mu Yulu grabbed her arm.

Yes, she's going to the palace to present dishes tomorrow. She's confident that she will seize this opportunity to become famous, just as Qi Zhizhi said.

At that point, Mu Yugang wouldn't dare to make a move against her so easily. He would have to think twice before acting. If they really caused such a scene at the Mu residence, would he still be able to continue his business?

Qi Zhizhi was right. Her reputation was her foundation. No matter what she heard tonight, she had to pretend she didn't hear it. She needed to rest well and concentrate on fighting the tough battle tomorrow.

"I'm fine, just a little tired." Mu Yulu got up and walked towards her room. "It's late, I need to rest. You should all get some rest too."

Whatever happens, let's wait until tomorrow to talk about it.

The next day, Mu Yulu got up very early and was taken away by people from the palace before dawn.

Seeing Mu Yulu being picked up by a palace carriage, Mu Yugang and Mu Zhaoshi looked at each other in bewilderment.

In fact, Mu Yulu had already gone to the palace two days ago with Qi Zhiqi. That time, the palace eunuchs required that the dishes be tasted in advance. Only those that passed the test could stay, and those that failed would be sent back to be made again. If the dishes still could not satisfy the eunuchs on the day of the test, then there would be no need to present any dishes on the Third Prince's birthday banquet.

The dishes Mu Yulu presented that day received unanimous praise from all the palace officials. On the way back, Qi Zhi Qiu kept praising her: "You're about to make a name for yourself, so don't forget your good sister! Remember to call me when you enter the palace for your birthday banquet. I'll go with you and prepare the dishes for you, okay?"

Mu Yulu readily agreed at that time, but after what happened with Madam Qi last night, she decided not to invite Qi Zhi Qiu along and instead went to the palace alone.

This wasn't because she held a grudge, but because that night she realized that Madam Qi was a strong-willed person, and probably someone who always had the final say in the household.

That night, her attitude was very clear, making it obvious that she would not allow Qi Zhi Qiu to continue associating with her. If she continued to cling to him at this point, it would only put Qi Zhi Qiu in a difficult position.

So she instructed Xinyun to go to the Qi residence after she left and tell Qi Zhizhi and his sister that the people in the palace were urging them to hurry up and that there were still many things to do after entering the palace, so she would not wait for them and would enter the palace first.

After entering the palace, she did indeed have many things to do.

First, you need to undergo a physical examination to ensure you are not carrying any poison or weapons. Then, you need to check the ingredients to make sure that all the necessary ingredients are prepared correctly. If you find that something is missing or out of stock at this point, you can still buy it.

Next came listening to the court etiquette, ensuring that he would not be disrespectful in front of the envoys of various countries when serving the dishes that evening.

Finally, each person had to explain the contents of the dish they were presenting beforehand, and the eunuch would record it. What they said at the banquet that evening could not differ from what the eunuch recorded at this time; otherwise, it would be a capital offense.

After handling all these matters, it was already afternoon. By then, envoys were arriving one after another outside the palace, and the imperial chefs were already busy at work. After a short rest, those who were presenting the dishes would begin preparing the food themselves.

At that moment, Chef Yang came over and patted Mu Yulu on the shoulder, "You came alone today? Didn't anyone help you prepare the food?"

Mu Yulu turned around and smiled shyly: "I can manage on my own."

She and Chef Yang had worked together at the Tianxia Diyi Lou restaurant and had some interactions, but it wasn't until this time when she presented the dish that Chef Yang realized she was a woman.

Chef Yang chuckled and said, "When I first met you, I felt a sense of familiarity with you, but when I found out you were actually a woman, I was quite upset for a long time."

He said without any pretense, "At that time, I was thinking, am I really getting old? I can't even compare to a young girl. But after seeing the dishes you presented the other day, I am truly convinced."

Mu Yulu quickly said, "Please don't say that. I asked you many questions at the World's Number One Restaurant before. If it weren't for your generous guidance, how could I have improved so quickly? If you say that, it would really be too much for me."

It's no wonder Mu Yulu was so apprehensive. All her culinary skills were learned from Chef Yang in her previous life. Chef Yang was truly her master, but she couldn't tell him the truth when they met again in this life.

Poor Chef Yang thought she was a prodigy who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere, a self-taught genius with no guidance, whose excellent culinary skills were all honed at home, which made him wonder if he was really past his prime.

So Mu Yulu always felt guilty whenever she faced Chef Yang.

Chef Yang, of course, had no idea what she was thinking. He turned his back and generously encouraged her, "New talents emerge in every generation, and I can't deny that I'm getting old. Your dish tonight will definitely be a highlight of the banquet. Hurry up and get ready."

Mu Yulu nodded, and seeing that it was almost time, she also got busy.

Before they knew it, night had fallen. The Third Prince's birthday banquet was held in the Qichen Palace deep in the imperial city. At this moment, the lanterns were lit, and the red-gold palace lanterns in the imperial city meandered like a river of stars, their light illuminating the lifelike Vermilion Bird patterns carved on the walls.

The air was filled with the aroma of various precious spices, mixed with the mellow fragrance of fine food and wine. The sounds of string and wind instruments flowed like a clear spring from the exquisitely carved music stage at the corner of the hall, lingering between the beams and pillars.

Below the jade steps in front of Qichen Hall lies the vast imperial garden, large enough for horses to gallop across, which is already bustling with activity. Mu Yulu, having finished her work, couldn't resist walking to the corridor to look down at the magnificent scene of people from all over the world coming to pay tribute to the palace.

Just then, a small hand reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve.

She looked down and discovered a tiny, jade-like figure that had appeared beside her at some point.

To be able to move freely in the palace and be dressed so luxuriously, one must either be a prince or the son of a powerful and influential official.

Mu Yulu hesitated for a moment about what kind of greeting to give, but before she could bow, she heard the child ask, "Are you the new imperial chef from the palace?"

His question confirmed to her that the child dressed in gold and jade was a member of the royal family, though she didn't know which prince he was.

Regardless of who he was, she bowed respectfully and replied, "I am not a newly arrived imperial chef; I am merely serving dishes at the banquet tonight."

The child tilted his head and stared at her for a long time, then pouted helplessly: "I thought there was a new royal chef in the palace who was so beautiful, but it turns out there isn't."

Mu Yulu twitched her lips, awkwardly replying in her mind, "Yes, no, that's not it." Just as she was about to find an excuse to leave, she heard the child ask her again, "I'm hungry. There's nothing to eat in the palace. Can you take me to get something to eat?"

Mu Yulu pointed to herself: "Me?"

Then she waved her hands frantically: "No, no, I'm just here to offer vegetables. I'll leave after I'm done. How can I take you to steal food?"

The child tilted his head and stared at her for a while, then said seriously, "This is my home. My name is Mu Heming, and I am the ninth prince of the Emperor. You are taking me to eat in your own home, so it can't be considered stealing."

These words sounded quite reasonable, and Mu Yulu nodded, but then immediately realized something and shook her head violently: "That's not right. Since you're eating at your own home, why don't you just go eat by yourself? Why do you need me to take you to eat?"

Mu Heming lowered his head pitifully, looking up at her like a puppy. "Although I am a prince, no one pays attention to me. You saw it yourself, they are all busy with Third Brother's birthday banquet, and no one is with me."

The more the little guy spoke, the more pitiful he seemed, and Mu Yulu's heart softened instantly. She even imagined a dramatic scene of royal brothers fighting amongst themselves.

She crouched down and leaned closer to look at him. The more she looked, the thinner the child seemed. She was afraid he was often hungry in the palace, otherwise why would he have come here alone to find food?

"Alright then, I'll take you to the kitchen to find something to eat, but you have to promise me first that you won't tell anyone about what happened today." Mu Yulu extended her little finger to make a pinky promise with him: "You can't tell anyone who asks."