Chapter 273 Thanks
The spicy and sweet aroma hit her nostrils. Qi Yuxuan pinched her nose and drank it all in one gulp before she felt her stomach slowly warm up, and the embarrassment and awkwardness in her heart also faded a bit.
Regardless, the Crown Prince meant well, so it's not too much for her to thank him, is it?
Just thinking about how she had embarrassed herself in front of the Crown Prince several times today, she still nervously gripped the bedding tightly.
The next day, after finishing her breakfast, the eldest princess went to the Empress Dowager's place again, and Qi Yuxuan then led her people to the kitchen in the North Garden.
In the kitchen, a dozen or so imperial chefs had just finished their busy breakfast preparations and were rushing to start preparing lunch. They were washing, chopping, and preparing vegetables in a lively atmosphere, and no one noticed a separate stove burner in the corner.
The palace staff arrived at Beiyuan yesterday evening. The Empress Dowager's illness was progressing slowly, and no one was in the mood to suggest any activities. They mostly stayed in their rooms to rest.
Beiyuan is embraced by mountains, and the coolness is like spring. Qi Yuxuan carried a food box and went to Shengxing Palace alone.
After learning the purpose of the visit, Sun Miao smiled and said, "The Crown Prince instructed that if the Princess comes, there is no need to announce her arrival; she can simply come in with me."
He didn't know if the food box was empty, but seeing the serious little face on the Chang Le County Magistrate's face, he guessed that the two were about to talk about important national affairs, and their attitude was very humble.
This princess is truly extraordinary; it seems that when the crown prince ascends the throne, she will resemble the eldest princess.
Qi Yuxuan was filled with unease, but she didn't show it on her face. It wasn't until she saw the Crown Prince, put down the food box in her hand, and Sun Miao had left that she spoke:
"Cousin, about yesterday... Anyway, thank you very much. This is something I made myself. I hope you won't mind. Consider it a token of my gratitude."
This food box was the same one that Qi Jun had sent Sun Miao to return yesterday. Now, seeing it, he was reminded of the guards with their teasing expressions and the feeling of being full of anticipation only to find a letter and a note.
"Is this a thank-you gift?" He stood by the window with his hands behind his back, freeing one hand to water the hanging pothos. "I thought it was to make up for yesterday's iced drink."
Upon hearing this, Qi Yuxuan recalled that she had sent the letter yesterday under the pretext of delivering iced drinks, and couldn't help but feel suspicious.
It's just an excuse. Does the Crown Prince really need a cold drink? Why is he still thinking about it now?
Perhaps she was exhausted both physically and mentally from being tormented by domestic chores and later her infamy in her previous life. Even if she realized that she was indeed in love with the Crown Prince, she couldn't spare the extra energy to figure out the feelings of a twenty-year-old man. After all, the Crown Prince had already promised not to marry her, and what he said yesterday about getting married if someone saw them was definitely just a joke to tease her.
Most men of this age are like this; it's already quite an achievement to reach the position of a crown prince.
"Then consider it making up for yesterday's iced drink. I'll make the thank-you gift when I have time." She readily agreed, wanting to turn the page as soon as possible.
The food box was opened, revealing a bowl of mung bean, lotus seed, and lily bulb soup, with a few pieces of unmelted ice floating on top. It was refreshing and cooling, perfect for this time of year.
"Cousin, would you like to try some?"
Qi Jun was in a good mood, a slight smile playing on his lips, and he scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth.
He paused.
The tall and handsome crown prince was trembling all over, his fingers holding the spoon suspended in mid-air, not taking a second spoonful for a long time.
"What's wrong? Doesn't it taste good? I tasted it before adding sugar, and it was alright..." Qi Yuxuan became even more uneasy, her fingers almost twisting together.
Meanwhile, in the North Garden kitchen.
"Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!"
A plump, white imperial chef slapped his forehead, staring at the various earthenware jars filled with seasonings next to the stove in the corner, his face full of pain.
"What are you yelling about?!"
The kitchen manager came over and gave him a flick on the forehead, then turned and told everyone else to focus on their work and not to look around.
"What's wrong with this thing? Just throw it out. You've been serving the imperial cuisine for over ten years, how can you still be so frivolous and impatient?"
The steward glanced down and saw only a pile of earthenware jars in front of him, and became even more puzzled:
"This stove was just lent to Princess Chang Le to make soup?"
The imperial chef nodded blankly: "I poured the salt and sugar into the earthenware pot this morning. I was planning to switch them back before cooking at noon, but Princess Chang Le came in a hurry just now, and I forgot to mention it... Now, the princess has already made a bowl of mung bean, lotus seed and lily soup and sent it to Shengxing Palace."
The steward almost collapsed as his vision went black.
The imperial chef was quick enough to grab a piece of the spoils, but neither of them looked well; they were listless as if all their energy had been drained.
If the princess were drinking it herself, it would be fine; they could just smile and say a few kind words, and she would certainly not mind. But it was being sent to Shengxing Palace for the Crown Prince!
The father-in-law mumbled weakly, "Go, go—"
The imperial chef burst into tears: "Please don't send me away, Father-in-law! I have elderly parents and young children to support..."
The eunuch smacked him again: "Hurry up and come with me to Shengxing Palace to apologize!"
Shengxing Palace.
Despite the little girl's expectant gaze, Qi Jun still drank every last drop of the mung bean, lotus seed, and lily bulb soup, even though it was so salty it made his tongue numb. He still lied and said it was delicious.
Qi Yuxuan was overjoyed, "Cousin likes it so much? Then I'll make some more tomorrow and have them delivered!"
Qi Jun: "...No need, let's get something else, I don't like sweets."
Qi Yuxuan pondered: "My cousin, who doesn't like to eat, ate it all. Could it be that he didn't eat enough for breakfast?"
Qi Jun thought to himself, what if there's leftovers? If the little girl doubts his cooking skills and tries it herself, that would be terrible. Besides, there's no difference between drinking a sip and drinking a whole bowl. As long as he swallows it quickly enough, it would be good if it made the little girl happy.
The prince replied very seriously, "No, it's just that your cooking suits my taste so well that I finished it without realizing it."
Qi Yuxuan believed it. "By the way, I also saw an account book yesterday that recorded Xiangqifang's revenue. Every seven days, Xiao Yuyao would personally check the accounts. According to the account book's check time, today is the day they meet. Cousin, do you have any way to quickly contact the Qilin Guards in the capital who are monitoring Xiangqifang and ask them to help arrest people?"
She worried that Ren Shun might alert the enemy, not only failing to capture anyone but also revealing their intentions. Only if the Qilin Guards took action could they be absolutely certain of success.
Qi Jun: "No rush. Xiangqifang is just selling on the surface, not the real culprit behind the scenes. I have some clues about the origin of that stuff. The raw materials mostly grow in the area bordering Nan Yue, and few people know its uses."
"Even so, there are still people in Guangling County in the south who have fenced off land to grow this plant. It seems that Xiao Yuyao is not the only insider in Qi."
Qi Yuxuan fell silent. She had limited manpower, far less than the Crown Prince, who had connections everywhere. In such a short time, he had already found the source of that thing and even wanted to find out another mole.
"Your Highness, the Princess—"
Suddenly, Sun Miao's voice came from outside, interrupting their thoughts.
"The head eunuch of the kitchen has brought a royal chef, saying they've come to apologize. Should we summon them in now?"
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