Chapter 401 Another Storm
Huo Lin looked at Jiang Huan, whose face was rosy and whose eyes were cunning, on the couch, and couldn't help but reach out and gently pinch the tip of her nose.
"You mustn't scare me like that next time."
Thankfully it was a false alarm, otherwise my heart would have jumped out of my throat.
Jiang Huan stuck out her tongue: "I know, it's because that old guy won't listen to a word of reason, so I taught him a lesson."
Huo Lin shook his head helplessly, but his eyes were full of indulgence: "It's good to lock him up for a few days to temper his temper. The most important thing for you now is to take care of your pregnancy and not ruin your health."
“That won’t do,” Jiang Huan sat up, her eyes sparkling. “My snow cakes aren’t done yet. I have to keep an eye on them, otherwise they won’t be able to control the heat.”
Huo Lin couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he could only instruct her, "Alright, then you must only watch and not get tired. Let the imperial chefs do it."
"Okay!" Jiang Huan replied with a smile, got up to straighten her clothes, and then went to the imperial kitchen with great interest.
When she returned to the imperial kitchen, she found the atmosphere even more solemn and respectful than before, but also more lively and bustling.
The imperial chefs were all working hard, eager to use all their skills, afraid that they might not do anything to please Jiang Huan.
"Your Majesty, do you think the thickness of these noodles is acceptable?"
"Your Majesty, are the sesame seeds and peanuts roasted to this temperature?"
"Your Majesty, is this temperature suitable for controlling the heat of the oven?"
Jiang Huan was both amused and exasperated by this scene, but she understood that these people were afraid of following in the footsteps of the old imperial chef.
She patiently guided them one by one, adjusting the details, and soon the first batch of snow cakes was successfully baked.
The thin sheets of dough are baked until golden and crispy, and evenly sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds and crushed peanuts. They feel light in your hand, but they crunch when you bite into them. The aroma of rice and nuts, mixed with a hint of salty and sweet, fills your mouth and is very delicious.
"It's a success!" Jiang Huan took a bite, her eyes lit up, and she was in a great mood.
She carefully selected the best-looking and perfectly cooked portion, packed it in a food box, and went to the Imperial Study again.
She tiptoed inside, placed the food box on a corner of the table, opened the lid, and an enticing aroma immediately wafted out.
Huo Lin looked up from the memorial, sniffed it, and his gaze fell on the golden, glistening snow cakes in the food box.
"This is the snow cake you were talking about?"
"Hmm!" Jiang Huan picked up a piece as if presenting a treasure and held it to his lips. "Your Majesty, please try it. Be careful, it's hot. It's fresh out of the oven."
Huo Lin took a bite from her hand, and the crispy texture and just the right amount of salty and savory flavor immediately won over his taste buds.
His eyes lit up slightly. He took the pancake, ate it in a few bites, and then naturally reached for a second one.
[Mmm, so fragrant and crispy, a hundred times better than the fancy but dry pastries from the imperial kitchen!]
[After taking a bite like that, my appetite seems to have returned.]
As he reviewed the memorials, he would occasionally reach for a snow cake and eat it with great relish, seemingly speeding up his review process.
Jiang Huan felt a surge of joy seeing that he liked it.
She didn't disturb him. She sat down on the soft couch by the window, took out her sewing basket, and began to sew a small baby garment. Her stitches were fine and her expression was focused and gentle.
The hall fell silent for a moment, and sunlight streamed in through the windows, enveloping the two in a warm glow, creating a tranquil and cozy atmosphere.
Meanwhile, deep inside the prison.
The old imperial chef huddled in a corner covered with hay, his clothes stripped off and replaced with rough prison uniform.
His face no longer held its previous arrogance, only dejection and resentment remained.
"Outrageous! Utterly outrageous!" He pounded the ground, his voice hoarse as he roared, "I have served two dynasties and followed the rules of our ancestors for decades, and now I am being humiliated like this by a mere young girl!"
He was unwilling, extremely unwilling.
He was not wrong; the one who was wrong was that unruly imperial concubine who used cunning and seductive tricks to seduce the emperor!
Since the emperor is muddle-headed and unwilling to make decisions for him, he will find someone who can.
A ruthless glint flashed in the old imperial chef's eyes. He moved to the cell door and then pulled out a small piece of hidden silver from the lining of his undergarment.
He has been in this palace for so many years, he has his own foundation.
At that moment, an old jailer walked up to his cell and glanced at him discreetly.
This person was someone the old imperial chef knew. After hearing about the old imperial chef's situation, he came to the prison.
Seeing this, the old imperial chef immediately handed over the food and lowered his voice: "Old brother, please pass on a message to the Empress Dowager for me. Tell her that the Imperial Noble Consort has arbitrarily changed ancestral rules and caused chaos in the Imperial Kitchen. I beg the Empress Dowager to consider our past relationship and uphold justice for this old servant!"
The old jailer quickly scanned the silver twice, and seeing that no one was paying attention, he immediately took the silver and stuffed it into his sleeve.
"Don't worry, Master Liu, I understand."
The news, like a pebble thrown into a still lake, though light, quietly created ripples, and quickly spread to the inner palace through hidden channels.
Inside the Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was resting with her eyes closed when her trusted old nanny quietly approached and whispered in her ear the news that had just come from the prison.
The Empress Dowager paused slightly as she twirled her prayer beads. After a moment's thought, she instructed, "Go and pass on the message to Consort Li. Let her handle it as she sees fit."
Upon learning this, Consort Li immediately summoned her trusted head maid and whispered a few words in her ear.
The palace maid nodded from time to time, and then left shortly after.
The next morning, the atmosphere in the palace was solemn.
After discussing several routine government affairs, an elderly censor with white hair and beard stepped forward, trembling.
"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present!"
Huo Lin sat upright on the dragon throne, his face calm and expressionless, and simply nodded slightly: "Speak."
The old censor took a deep breath, as if to expel the pent-up emotions in his chest, and said loudly, "The Imperial Noble Consort, relying on the Emperor's favor, has arbitrarily altered the century-old regulations of the Imperial Kitchen. This act disregards palace rules and laws. I implore Your Majesty to severely punish the Imperial Noble Consort and release Imperial Chef Liu to set things right!"
As soon as he finished speaking, several officials who were clearly part of the Empress Dowager's faction or had a past relationship with Liu Quan stepped forward to echo his words.
"I second that opinion. Imperial meals are a matter of the Emperor's health and well-being; they cannot be taken lightly!"
"Chef Liu has worked hard and made great contributions. How can he be imprisoned for such a trivial matter? Your Majesty's actions may chill the hearts of this old minister."
"Although the Imperial Noble Consort is favored by the Emperor, she has arbitrarily altered ancestral rules and must be punished. We beseech Your Majesty to investigate this matter thoroughly."
Immediately, the hall was abuzz with discussion, with the criticism directed at Jiang Huan.
Huo Lin remained calm, his gaze unfathomable as he looked at the group of people below who were speaking eloquently.
The old woman, her own body is filthy, yet she dares to accuse her?
Very well, let's settle everything together today.
Just as the senior officials were getting more and more excited and were about to describe Jiang Huan as a wicked concubine who brought ruin to the country, Huo Lin finally made his move.
He slightly raised his hand, and the hall instantly fell silent, all eyes focused on him.
"I am aware of what you have said," Huo Lin said calmly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "I originally did not wish to say much about Liu Quan's matter, but since you all are so concerned, then I will let you see for yourselves!"
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