Chapter 280 Seeking Advice
Huo Lin was busy with official duties and could not stay long. After arranging things properly, he left.
As soon as he left, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to ease a little.
Xie Yunzhi was the only one under pressure, constantly being pestered by Mingzhu about her marriage requirements.
He frantically scribbled notes on the paper, his handwriting somewhat erratic.
"Princess...Please, please speak slowly..."
This feeling was no less than torture.
Amidst the chaos, an announcement rang out from outside the palace: "Consort Li has arrived—"
Everyone was taken aback. Jiang Huan's smile vanished instantly, and her brows furrowed.
Almost instinctively, he took half a step forward, just enough to shield He Ling and Mingzhu behind him.
While I was pondering, Consort Li had already entered.
She was dressed in a light purple palace gown, her makeup still exquisite, but her brows lacked their usual sharpness, and a smile played at the corners of her mouth, though it looked unnatural no matter how you looked at it.
His gaze was fixed directly on Jiang Huan. She tried to make her smile more friendly and soften her voice, but it only made her seem more awkward.
"Sister Zhuangfei, Weiyang Palace is quite lively today. Am I out of timing and have I disturbed your enjoyment?"
Jiang Huan's inner radar started beeping.
A weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken has ulterior motives.
Normally, when we meet, I can't wait to catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye. Did the sun rise in the west today?
He called her "little sister," which made her hair stand on end.
Moreover, Consort Li seemed rather strange when she prayed for the Empress Dowager last time.
A sense of unease flashed through Jiang Huan's mind, but she still put on a smile.
"Sister Lifei, what are you saying? May I ask what important matter brings you here today?"
She deliberately emphasized the word "important".
Consort Li seemed oblivious to the aloofness in her words and walked forward on her own.
The palace maid behind her quickly placed a food box on the stone table.
“It’s nothing important,” Consort Li said, opening the food box herself. A greasy, sweet and sour aroma filled the entire space.
"I recently learned a new recipe for honey-glazed pork jerky. My skills are still quite rudimentary, and I'm not sure if I'm confident in my abilities. I thought you were quite skilled in this area, so I took the liberty of bringing it here for you to taste."
Jiang Huan frowned slightly and looked down at the dish.
The honey-glazed jerky was brightly colored and had an eerie sheen. It was piled up densely on the porcelain plate, and the meat looked so tough that it could knock out a strong man.
The most terrifying thing was the smell—neither sweet nor salty, but greasy and coiled around her nose like a snake.
No, this rotten stuff is going to make me want to vomit if I keep smelling it.
Meanwhile, Consort Li, with a fake smile, probed: "This honey is carefully brewed by me. It's sweet but not cloying, and the cooking time is strictly in accordance with the recipe. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Sister, you'll know how wonderful it is once you try a piece."
"If you find anything lacking, please feel free to point it out, and I will repay you handsomely if I ever need your help in the future."
Jiang Huan suppressed the churning in her stomach, her eyes darkening.
Well, the fox's tail has finally been revealed.
On one hand, they used every means to deal with her behind her back, and on the other hand, they pretended to be her best friend, trying to extract value from her.
Should we repay this debt with a spring of gratitude?
Haha, I'm afraid what's gushing out is just blood.
"Little sister, how are you?"
Seeing Jiang Huan remain silent, Consort Li almost lost her composure, her displeasure reaching its peak.
Phew, calm down. All this humility and patience is for the final victory.
Once I've learned Jiang Huan's unique skills and won the Emperor's favor, I'll have plenty of time to settle scores with her!
"How dare I, with my mediocre skills, instruct my elder sister?"
Jiang Huan's eyebrows curved, but the smile didn't reach her eyes.
The pungent smell still lingered in the air, hitting her stomach hard.
She suppressed her nausea, refused to look at the plate of honey-glazed meat jerky again, and decisively picked up the lid and slammed the food box shut.
She continued, "Moreover, my sister's kindness is too great. My small Weiyang Palace cannot bear it. If it collapses and hurts people, it would be a great loss."
Upon hearing this, the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Mingzhu's eyes widened, He Ling covered her mouth, and Xie Yunzhi was so frightened that he dropped his notebook.
Consort Li's fake smile completely crumbled.
She had carefully prepared the dishes, and she had humbled herself to ask for advice, only to be met with such humiliation!
"Jiang Huan!"
Consort Li's voice suddenly rose to a high pitch, becoming sharp and piercing.
"What do you mean! I kindly cooked and brought the food over, and you not only don't appreciate it, but you're also changing the subject. What are you up to!"
Jiang Huan felt the discomfort in her stomach growing stronger, and she couldn't help but frown, with veins on her forehead becoming slightly visible.
But she still maintained her composure, though her face gradually paled: "Weren't you all calling each other 'sister' so enthusiastically? Since we're all in this together, whatever you're thinking, I'll be thinking the same thing!"
Consort Li was choked and couldn't utter a single word. She trembled all over, and her carefully drawn eyebrows and eyes became distorted.
"You...you..."
She grew angrier the more she thought about it, pointing at Jiang Huan with her fingertips trembling.
"Excellent! Very good! Not only is Consort Zhuang a master of cooking, but she is also a skilled sophist!"
"I'd rather feed this jerky to the dogs than give it to you! Let's go!"
Consort Li's steps were quick and heavy, filled with boundless anger, her hairpins swaying wildly and her jade pendants jingling incessantly.
Seeing this, the palace maids and eunuchs lowered their heads and dared not breathe, hurriedly following behind.
The group came in a flurry of activity and left just as quickly, leaving behind only the awful stench that stubbornly lingered.
Only when Consort Li's footsteps completely disappeared did Jiang Huan relax, leaning on the table, her face as pale as paper.
Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead, and the nausea in her stomach not only did not subside, but intensified due to the persistent smell.
Just now, in order to keep up appearances, my body had clearly been pushed beyond its limits.
"Your Majesty!"
"Your Highness Consort Zhuang!"
Mingzhu and the others were shocked and rushed over, some helping her up and others supporting her, afraid that something might happen.
He Ling frantically tried to soothe Jiang Huan, her hands trembling with nervousness: "Your Majesty, your face is so pale! I'll go and call the imperial physician!"
"No... vomit..."
Before Jiang Huan could finish her sentence, a wave of nausea completely overwhelmed her brain, violently assaulting her throat.
She quickly turned over and vomited violently, her stomach churning and she even brought up bile.
The violent vomiting exhausted her last bit of strength. Her vision blurred, her ears rang, and the shouts of He Ling and Mingzhu became distant and indistinct.
Jiang Huan felt a sudden dizziness, her body went limp and slid downwards, her last bit of consciousness was pulled away, and she was completely plunged into darkness.
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