118 Ginseng Stewed Black Chicken
◎The medicinal diet failed!◎
"What?! What did you say?! How could Madam Song be suddenly captured by the government?!" Shopkeeper Zhang suddenly jumped up from the stool.
"It's all that Chen Ming! He was the one who falsely accused the shopkeeper." Cui Xiuxiu said, "Yesterday, the police broke in to arrest people. Before the shopkeeper was taken away, he only told me not to let Madam Li He and Madam Zhang Yao know.
"She also told me to quickly go to the Prince's Mansion to find someone. She will insist in court that she knows nothing and drag Sun Qijilang to the Prince's Mansion to death."
Shopkeeper Zhang hurriedly asked what happened next.
"I went there immediately! But the Prince's Mansion was heavily guarded with swords and guns drawn. I couldn't even get close, let alone pass on a message. I had no idea what was going on inside!
"I was so anxious that I ran to the Imperial College in the outer city to look for Master Shen, thinking that he had some friendship with the shopkeeper and might be able to talk to him. But when I went there, his classmates said that Master Shen had caught a cold and was very ill and couldn't see guests.
"I—" She paused, "I really couldn't find anyone, and I didn't know what to do. I could only run to the Jingzhao government office again, but when I arrived, the trial was over.
"I heard people walking back talking about how the shopkeeper argued forcefully in court, firmly denying any involvement in the assault, but the judge who was trying the case was clearly bribed! He dragged Sister Jinyi away.
"I really have no other choice. Even if I want to hide this matter, I can't hide it for too long. So I thought of coming here to ask Manager Zhang and Madam Zhang if they have any solutions?" Cui Xiuxiu said helplessly.
Cui Xiuxiu and Wang Zhi, who were the first to know about the situation, looked at the other two people in the room. Zhang, the shopkeeper, had a worried look on his face. He slumped back on the stool, his hands resting weakly on his knees. "What should we do?"
Zhang Yao, who had been standing silently in the corner, suddenly tensed up, and her expression was calm but a little strange, like the accumulation of leaden clouds before a rainstorm.
"I was the one who hurt the man! I should turn myself in in court and let the master come back! And as for that beast Chen Ming, I'm going to kill him first, and then go to court!" Zhang Yao ran away without caring about anything.
"Oh my!" Shopkeeper Zhang was so frightened that his soul was about to be shattered that he cried out in alarm, "Stop her! Stop her quickly! Don't let her do anything stupid!"
Cui Xiuxiu and Wang Zhi were also frightened by Zhang Yao's sudden action, but Cui Xiuxiu reacted very quickly, rushed forward and hugged Zhang Yao's waist tightly.
"Mrs. Zhang! Calm down!"
Zhang Yao struggled, but was concerned about not hurting Cui Xiuxiu, so she held back. She growled, "Let me go! Let me kill that little beast!"
Just as the two of them were wrestling with each other, Zhang the shopkeeper slapped his thigh anxiously, while Wang Zhi stood there in a daze, not knowing what to do.
“Squeak—”
The wooden door of the house was gently pushed open by a white hand.
There was a person standing outside the door.
The two struggling and grappling people froze in an instant, as if they were under a spell.
"You, why are you back?" Zhang Yao stopped struggling and asked in an unnatural tone.
Li He said calmly, "I've finished my work at the theater, so I came back early."
Zhang Yao opened her mouth and wanted to ask how much she heard, but in the end she couldn't ask.
The room was dead silent. Cui Xiuxiu felt uncomfortable all over and subconsciously wanted to slip away: "Madam Li, I have something else to do, so I'll leave first..."
"Wait." Li He suddenly said, "What's going on with Sister Jinyi? Tell me clearly."
Her eyes swept over Cui Xiuxiu's panicked face, and she added, "Don't worry about me. If you still want to rescue Sister Jinyi, tell me everything clearly."
Cui Xiuxiu's face froze, and she looked at Zhang Yao and Wang Zhi for help. Zhang Yao turned her head away, avoiding her gaze.
Wang Zhize was silent for a moment, then nodded at her. "Tell me, we can't hide it anymore. Speak out, and we can all work together to find a solution."
She swallowed her saliva, faced Li He's scrutinizing gaze, and silently apologized to Song Jinyi in her heart. She bit the bullet and recounted how Chen Tian had arrogantly come to her house a few days ago and how he had asked for the purchase of Juxing Tower.
After listening to her, Shopkeeper Zhang thought about it carefully. Want to sell the restaurant? It must be a business that is jealous of the competitors. Can they get in touch with the government again...
The most important thing is that ordinary businessmen adhere to the principle of "even if the deal fails, the friendship remains", but this "good man" seems to have some deep hatred with Juxing Tower and actually associates with a villain like Chen Tian.
"Could it be that the evil-hearted people in Zhaixing Tower were behind this?" Shopkeeper Zhang paused after making this guess.
Zhang Yao said, "If it really is them, then we can only hope that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can escape from this predicament as soon as possible and come out to uphold justice."
Li He slowly shook his head and poured a basin of cold water on him: "It's useless."
Facing everyone's gaze, she whispered the secret she had heard in the theater, "...His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can barely protect himself now, let alone others."
The sky outside the window had become gloomy at some point, and a cold spring rain was dripping on the eaves and window frames.
******
Two days later, Cui Xiuxiu and Yang Ying, who were out shopping, saw the imperial edict at the city gate.
Neither of them could read a single word, so they curiously asked passers-by what was written on it.
"The new emperor ascended the throne and issued a decree granting amnesty to the entire nation."
"What does a general amnesty mean?"
"Even guilty prisoners can be pardoned."
When Cui Xiuxiu heard this, she didn't have time to think about it and pulled Yang Ying to the restaurant.
Upon hearing the news, everyone in Juxing Tower cried with joy!
Wang Zhi said excitedly, "There is always a way out! God, please help me! Quick! Go to the prison gate and wait for me!"
Braving the still-cold rain, the crowd gathered outside the Jingzhao Prefecture Prison. They craned their necks, watching as waves of pardoned prisoners emerged, but they still couldn't see Song Jinyi.
A chill gripped his heart. Wang Zhi gave money to the jailer and asked for information.
"Song Jinyi? I don't know who this person is. Anyway, those who can leave today have been released. The rest are all imperial prisoners, serious criminals. We will know when they are executed at the Meridian Gate in five days."
!
Everyone was holding an umbrella, but the cold rain was carried by the wind and stuck to their skin, making them shiver.
In the Juxing Tower, seven or eight people were sitting scattered in the hall, no one spoke, the air in the room seemed to be frozen, and there was a dead silence. The sky gradually darkened, and no one lit the lamp, only the dim light of the sky.
"Is anyone there?" A figure folded up an oil-paper umbrella, shook off the wet umbrella, and turned her head to look at the silent figures in the hall. "Oh my god--" she couldn't help but blurt out.
"Why don't you light the lights? It's scary." Shen Lingyuan said, covering her chest.
Cui Xiuxiu took out a tinderbox and lit the lamp.
"What's wrong? You all look so sad." She sat down next to Zhang Yao. "Is it because of Manager Song?"
Zhang Yao put her arm around her and said, "Master Shen, he will be executed in five days. Please think of a solution. You are a juren, and the officials will definitely listen to what you say."
Shen Lingyuan smiled bitterly, "I only have fame and honor now, but no official position. I'm afraid I can't easily enter Jingzhao Prefecture."
Zhang Yao withdrew her hand in frustration. "If even you are like this, who else in the world can help the master?"
"Although I can't help you personally, I have some news that may be able to help."
Shen Lingyuan informed everyone that the Empress Dowager was in poor health and had a very poor appetite, and the Imperial Kitchen was helpless. His Majesty was deeply concerned and had issued an order to seek out talented gourmets from the public to serve in the palace.
"If I could gain the favor of the Empress Dowager and cure Feng's body, with this merit, it would not be difficult to save a good person who was framed."
Shen Lingyuan looked at the heavy faces of the crowd, frowned slightly, and asked softly with confusion: "This is a rare opportunity, why do you...look like this?"
Zhang Yao moved her lips and spoke with difficulty, "Although this opportunity is good, the chances of success are slim. I'm afraid that by then, there will be more than just our family entering the palace, right?"
Shen Lingyuan nodded: "Indeed, from what I heard, there are Zhaixing Tower, Zuixianju, and Babao Tower in the East Market..."
These shops were all quite powerful, and Zhang Yao's heart sank even deeper. "Look, there are so many strong competitors, and each one has its own hidden gem. How easy is it to stand out among these people and win the favor of the Grand Empress Dowager?"
"So that's what you're worried about?" Shen Lingyuan breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The Empress Dowager has a poor appetite and can't even drink her medicine, which is why she's getting weaker.
"Madam Song once mentioned to my family during a casual chat that there's a Madam Li here who spent three years in Medicine King Valley. She praised her for her profound understanding of the common origin of medicine and food, and her mastery of medicinal food preparation.
"This way, you can stimulate your appetite and strengthen your spleen while nourishing your body. It's something no one else can do."
These words instantly focused everyone's attention on Li He.
Zhang Yao was suddenly stunned, "I'm afraid..." She looked at Li He, her eyes filled with complex and unspeakable emotions.
"Master Shen, you don't know that Madam Li...she had a bit of a fright before, and now it's very difficult for her to even meet strangers, let alone go to the palace to cook."
Shen Lingyuan showed confusion on her face and asked subconsciously, "Why?"
Zhang Yao opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.
At this moment, Li He's hand gently covered Zhang Yao's clenched fist.
Li He's face was a little pale. She met Shen Lingyuan's puzzled gaze, and slowly glanced at Cui Xiuxiu, Wang Zhi and others' worried faces.
"Don't worry, Master Shen." She took a deep breath and forced herself to steady her voice. "I'm willing to go. I'll do my best. As long as I can save Sister Jinyi, I'm willing to do anything."
The room suddenly became extremely quiet, with only the monotonous sound of cold rain hitting the eaves outside the window becoming unusually clear.
******
The heavy palace gate slowly closed behind him, making a dull thud, as if isolating the world outside the city.
Li He followed the eunuch who led the way and walked side by side with Zhang Yao on the long and empty palace road.
On either side were high, vermilion walls, reaching as high as the horizon, a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere. The imperial guards, clad in icy armor, seemed to exude a chill, and the mere sight of them sent shivers down their spines.
Every step felt like walking on cotton, or like an invisible boulder pressing down on his chest. Li He's face turned pale as paper, his breathing became rapid, and fine beads of cold sweat oozed from his forehead.
She lowered her head, her gaze fixed only on the hem of the eunuch's robe in front of her. Everything around her—the solemn palace, the palace servants moving back and forth, the occasional distant bell ringing—turned into blurred light and shadow and noisy background noise, unable to leave a clear impression in her mind.
The process of meeting the Grand Empress Dowager was even more like a nightmare: the magnificent palace, the layers of curtains, the blurry figure high above, and the palace maids and eunuchs standing on both sides...all of this brought a huge sense of oppression, making her dizzy.
She stiffly followed the former's instructions and bowed, but she had no recollection of what others had said. Even what the Empress Dowager had said was just a buzzing echo in her ears.
Until she was led to the imperial kitchen by the eunuch, Zhang Yao gently touched her arm and called out in a low voice: "Ahe, Ahe? We're here."
Li He shuddered, and his scattered gaze finally focused.
She looked around and saw the various ingredients prepared on the chopping board, and then she suddenly remembered why she came.
She took a deep breath and forced herself to walk to the stove. She was going to make a dish called "Ginseng Stewed Black Chicken" which is a dish that warms the blood, stimulates the appetite and strengthens the spleen.
She had done this for Huo Changqing before and should have known it by heart.
However, when she picked up the excellent old ginseng, her fingertips trembled slightly uncontrollably. Washing, soaking, processing the black-bone chicken... every movement seemed stiff and slow.
The unfamiliar environment was like cold vines, entwining her arms and making it impossible for her to concentrate.
Zhang Yao silently helped from the side, looking at her dazed look with worry.
Is it really okay to continue like this?
As time passed, Li He began to become anxious. She opened the lid frequently to check on the food anxiously, and was in a panic because she couldn't control the heat well.
When he opened the lid again, his heart sank - the soup was turbid!
The soup, which should have been clear and golden, now appeared gray and unclear, with tiny impurities floating in it, and the aroma also had a subtle burnt smell.
The medicinal diet failed!
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