"I think it's impossible. The wine jar was kept by someone in our mansion until we arrived at Kunning Palace, where it was then put together and taken to Chengtian Hall."
Prince Jing looked down at Princess Jing and asked, "Are you saying that it was Old Five who did this?"
Princess Jing nodded. "Who else in Kunning Palace could do this besides him? Meng Qi is just a useless figure. Could it be that she is really being used by Prince Cheng?"
"Get up." King Jing stood up and walked back and forth twice. "But I can't say that it has nothing to do with Lao Liu. He's been really showing off lately. And those restaurants outside are all selling this dish. I'm afraid it's Lao Liu's work."
King Jing thought of this and slammed the table hard. "So it seems that there must be spies from Prince Cheng's Mansion buried deeper in our palace."
Princess Jing stood up and said, "I have already cleaned it up a little last time, but it seems it is still not deep enough. I will explore it again tomorrow. As for the restaurant outside that Meng mentioned..."
"I'll go find out myself." King Jing slammed the table. "If I find out who did this, I won't let him off."
The next day, he found out that the dish came from the restaurant that Princess Cheng's sister-in-law brought as a dowry, and that overnight, "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" became the signature dish of almost all major restaurants, and that they were all the signature dishes that the emperor had enjoyed. After that, Prince Jing smashed his study to pieces.
He gnashed his teeth and said that he and King Cheng were irreconcilable.
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Meng Qi's mood was like the sunshine after the snow today. Listening to Wang Chenghai's vivid description of how all the major restaurants in Beijing were competing to sell the dish "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall", but later the people from Prince Jing's Mansion smashed the jars of the dishes in each restaurant and told them not to sell it anymore, Meng Qi was so happy that she laughed out loud.
"Okay, let's end this matter here. As for Ms. Zhang, I see that the wind and snow have been getting heavier these past two days."
Wang Chenghai understood, "Yes, Princess, don't worry, I will tell Jiang Wu in a moment."
Yuan Dong whispered, "But if the matter of Ms. Zhang were to be spread at this time, would it arouse suspicion from Prince Jing's Mansion?"
Meng Qi waved her hand. "It doesn't matter. She was already ill, and I thought Prince Jing's Mansion should have heard the news as well. She also looked sick when she was delivering the menu those few days. Don't worry about it."
After saying that, he looked at Wang Chenghai again, "What did Ms. Li do yesterday? Was there anything unusual?"
Wang Chenghai's eyes sparkled when Meng Qi asked, "I suspect she has connections with Kunning Palace."
"Oh? Tell me about it."
"Yes, after you asked me to contact that person, I asked Xiao Chunzi to go back to the west room of Chengtian Palace and wait."
Yesterday, the eunuchs in charge of serving dishes from various mansions were all arranged to wait in the west lower room of Chengtian Hall.
"Later, while I was fetching a teapot to make some soup, I saw Ms. Li and Eunuch Wang from Kunning Palace talking for a long time. She even gave Eunuch Wang a small box. I was afraid she would see me, so I didn't dare to stare. It was the person the princess had me contact with who later told me that she had been following Ms. Li and watching them from behind. After she spoke with Eunuch Wang, she chatted with the lady brought by Princess Cheng. To outsiders, it looked like a normal greeting, but she secretly listened in. She observed what Ms. Li said twice and concluded that there was nothing serious, so it was okay to continue."
Meng Qi frowned. What do you mean by "can continue"? Could it be that some previous plan was put on hold?
"It seems that this Ms. Li is undoubtedly King Cheng's subordinate."
Wang Chenghai nodded, "That's what I think. Even if it's not Prince Cheng's, it's from the Queen's side."
Yuan Dong said softly, "The waist badge you mentioned last time was found in the small kitchen of Kunning Palace. This seems to make sense."
Meng Qi hummed. True, she had been tested in the past, but there was no one in the palace keeping an eye on her, so nothing had been discovered. Now with the help of Concubine Lian, even if it wasn't particularly important, it would be less likely to arouse suspicion if some small-time individuals followed her around to monitor her whereabouts.
Wang Chenghai watched Meng Qi pace back and forth in the room, thought for a moment, and then stepped forward and said, "I have a bold guess."
Meng Qi stopped and looked up at him. "Speak."
"Yes, when the palace maid heard Lady Li say that after two observations, there should be no problem and we can continue, was she referring to the matter of Li Mancang?"
Meng Qi exclaimed, "Yeah, why hadn't she thought of that?" Then she clapped her hands and said happily, "That's right, it must be her. I was wondering why after the two letters were sent back and you spread so many false rumors in the mansion, no one had contacted Xiao Xizi yet. Now that you mention it, it makes sense. It must be her. Ms. Li is observing. She's such a meticulous person. If our guess is correct, she should make another move soon."
Yuan Dong also looked excited. "Princess, where do you think she will start?"
Meng Qi pinched her fleshy chin and said softly, "I need to think carefully about where to start. Should I use her or just make her disappear?"
Wang Chenghai and Yuan Dong looked at each other, and neither of them responded.
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