Chapter 400 Complaint
Jiang Huan was so angry she laughed. "Fine, you're pretty arrogant."
They keep talking about rules and etiquette, so just because something tastes good means you have no rules?
No wonder the imperial meals used to be so bad; were they stir-fried vegetables or boxes of ritual dishes?
Looking at the old imperial chef's arrogant demeanor, she not only didn't back down, but straightened her back, a half-smile curving her lips, but her eyes turned cold.
"Master Liu, I respect you as a senior member of the palace and call you Master, but have you forgotten that this Imperial Kitchen is not your private kitchen? What the Emperor and I want to eat and how we want to eat it is none of your business!"
She swept her gaze across the silent imperial chefs: "What are you all standing there for? Keep cooking! I want to see who dares to take away what I've ordered today!"
The imperial chefs were taken aback by Jiang Huan's sudden and sharp aura. They dared not hesitate any longer, and quickly lowered their heads, their hands moving even faster. They dared not look at the old imperial chef again.
The old imperial chef was so choked by Jiang Huan's words that his face turned red with anger, and his beard trembled with rage.
He never expected Jiang Huan to be so disrespectful to him, daring to rebuke him in public like that.
Having acted arrogantly and domineeringly in the imperial kitchen for decades, relying on his seniority and the fact that he was promoted by the Empress Dowager, he had never suffered such humiliation before.
“You…you…” The old imperial chef pointed at Jiang Huan, his fingers trembling with anger.
"Well done, Imperial Noble Consort! This old servant will go and inform His Majesty right away. The Imperial Kitchen has its own rules, how can you act recklessly like this? Let's see if His Majesty will believe this old servant or your strange and ingenious tricks!"
After saying that, he actually flung his sleeves, turned around and stormed off toward the Imperial Study, looking as if he was going to file a complaint with the Emperor.
As Jiang Huan watched his resolute back, the small flame in her heart instantly turned into a raging fire.
You're tattling, aren't you, a primary school student?
But that doesn't matter. It'll be good for Huo Lin to see what kind of food he used to eat and what kind of guidance he received.
She took a deep breath, and instead of showing fear, she raised a provocative sneer.
"Very well, I will go with Master Liu to meet the Emperor and let him judge whether my efforts to make delicious snacks for His Majesty's health are just nonsense or just a strange and ingenious trick!"
An old man and a young man, one in front and one behind, stormed off toward the Imperial Study.
Outside the imperial study, Wang Degui saw the commotion from afar and his heart skipped a beat. He quickly stepped forward, smiling obsequiously, "Your Majesty, what brings you here..."
The old imperial chef was furious and stubbornly tried to barge in, shouting, "This old servant wants to see the Emperor; I have important matters to report!"
Wang Degui quickly stopped him: "His Majesty is reviewing memorials and has instructed that we should not disturb him."
Jiang Huan said calmly, "Eunuch Wang, go and inform him that I am exchanging culinary skills with Chef Liu and ask him to take a look."
Looking at the frosty-faced Imperial Concubine and then at the old imperial chef, Wang Degui felt a chill run down his spine and had no choice but to go in and announce her arrival.
Soon, Huo Lin's deep voice came from inside the hall: "Summon them."
The old imperial chef was the first to rush in. As soon as he entered, he knelt down on the ground with a thud, his voice loud and choked with sobs.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you must do justice for this old servant!"
Huo Lin was reviewing memorials when he heard the noise and looked up: "What's all the commotion about?"
[What are you doing, making such a racket in my study instead of staying in the imperial kitchen?]
[He even challenged her to a cooking contest? Does he deserve it?]
The old imperial chef quickly embellished the story, concluding with a pained expression: "Your Majesty, this old servant is utterly loyal, and it was all for Your Majesty's health. Your Highness's actions are truly improper; I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"
The eunuchs and guards in the imperial study broke out in a cold sweat, looking at the old imperial chef as if he were a dead man.
Has this old man gone mad? How dare he accuse the Imperial Noble Consort?
Everyone knows that the Emperor dotes on the Empress, spoiling her rotten.
Huo Lin slowly swept his gaze over the weeping old imperial chef, his face darkening.
[That old bastard, relying on being someone promoted by the Empress Dowager, has been throwing his weight around in the imperial kitchen, and now he's becoming increasingly out of line.]
The dishes I usually make are either bland and tasteless or greasy and heavy. That "Clear Stewed White Jade Soup" sounds nice, but it tastes like hot pot broth. And that "Golden Crispy Hibiscus Cake" is sickeningly sweet and so hard it could break your teeth.
[My appetite had just been somewhat appeased by her, and now he's back and has already provoked her.]
She's pregnant; how could she endure such treatment!
Huo Lin slammed the pen in his hand onto the dragon desk, making a crisp sound that interrupted the old imperial chef's lament.
His voice was icy: "How dare you!"
The old imperial chef trembled at the rebuke, his crying abruptly ceasing. He looked up and saw the emperor's gloomy face, and his heart skipped a beat.
Huo Lin gave him no chance to explain, and said sternly, "The Imperial Noble Consort is concerned about my food, which is a sign of her care for me. Not only do you not assist her, but you also act like an old lady, contradicting her in public and disturbing her. Do you know your crime?"
"Your Majesty, this old servant...this old servant was only thinking of Your Majesty's health, those pastries..." The old imperial chef still tried to struggle.
"Shut up!" Huo Lin interrupted him, his voice even colder. "My illness was caused by those snacks of yours."
"As the head of the six palaces, the Imperial Noble Consort has her own principles. How dare you openly disobey her and commit insubordination!"
He grew angrier as he spoke, and thinking of the possible grievances Jiang Huan might suffer, he glared at the old imperial chef: "You keep talking about propriety and decorum, but I want to ask you, the Imperial Noble Consort is pregnant. If she gets upset because of your disrespect and it affects her pregnancy, can you bear the responsibility?"
Only then did the old imperial chef truly realize the seriousness of the problem. He was so frightened that his soul almost left his body, and his face turned ashen instantly.
"Your Majesty, this old servant...this old servant had no such intention! This old servant only...only..."
Standing to the side, listening to Huo Lin's reprimand, the little flame in Jiang Huan's heart was instantly soothed and calmed down.
This old imperial chef is the Empress Dowager's man; this is a good opportunity to teach him a lesson.
She clutched her chest with one hand, and with the other hand trembling slightly, she touched her lower abdomen, her brows furrowing: "Your Majesty, I...I'm not feeling well, my stomach hurts a little..."
As she spoke, she swayed her body in unison, and even managed to shed a few tears, looking as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Upon seeing this, Huo Lin's expression changed drastically. He immediately stood up from behind his desk and strode to her side: "Summon the imperial physician! Summon the imperial physician immediately!"
[I shouldn't have let that old hag spout nonsense here; look how angry she's become!]
If anything happens to her, I will skin that treacherous servant alive!
He turned and glared at the old imperial chef, Liu, his eyes seeming to want to devour him alive: "By imperial decree, Liu Quan has abused his seniority and disturbed the imperial heir. His crime is unforgivable. From this day forward, he shall be imprisoned and placed under strict guard!"
"Your servant obeys!" Wang Degui immediately responded and waved for the guards to come forward.
Old Chef Liu was ashen-faced and dragged away by the guards like a rag doll, too exhausted to even beg for mercy.
He never dreamed that after a lifetime of glory, he would ultimately be brought down by a plate of snacks.
After the commotion subsided, Huo Lin picked up Jiang Huan and carried her quickly to the warm couch in the inner palace. He carefully put her down, his voice full of worry.
"How are you? Still feeling unwell? The imperial physician will be here shortly!"
Seeing that he was sweating profusely from anxiety, Jiang Huan felt bad and stopped pretending.
She opened her eyes and grabbed his sleeve: "I'm fine, I just scared him on purpose..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com