Chapter 84 Mencius' Mother's Scheme Exposed
Wang Huan, somewhat embarrassed, pulled Wang Huanhai aside and asked, "Father-in-law, what exactly is going on?"
"What? What's going on? It's the Emperor's decree! Don't you understand?" Wang Huanhai rolled his eyes at Wang Huan: "The Emperor has a special affection for this girl. You'd better handle it yourself!"
After saying that, Wang Huanhai turned around and strode away.
Watching Wang Huanhai's retreating figure, Wang Huan took a deep breath, then turned around and looked Meng Yanzhi up and down, wondering what was so different about this woman.
Meng Yanzhi stood there obediently, letting Wang Huan look her over. After all, she was there to work in the imperial kitchen, so she would just do whatever they were told to do.
"The menu for His Majesty's dinner is here. Take a look and see if you can cook it all?" Wang Huan frowned as he looked at Meng Yanzhi and handed her the menu.
Meng Yanzhi looked at the ingredients with some disdain. Although the ingredients were all precious, the way they were prepared was a bit of a waste. However, since Meng Yanzhi had just arrived, she didn't say anything else and just nodded obediently: "Yes, Your Majesty, I can make it."
"Since you know how to do it, then go ahead and do it. It'll broaden our horizons as well." Wang Huan chuckled, then turned and led everyone away.
They're all gone...?
Meng Yanzhi had expected that she would be targeted, but she never thought that she would be targeted as soon as she arrived.
What exactly did Eunuch Wang say to this person?
Meng Yanzhi felt a wave of despair, but she still began to tidy up the ingredients and other items. She was very skilled and quick in processing them.
Wang Huan stood silently behind Meng Yanzhi, coldly watching her movements. Only then did he realize that this girl was indeed no ordinary person; her technique was definitely professional enough.
Soon, Meng Yanzhi found all the ingredients needed for the evening, cleaned them all, and chopped them one by one.
"With your knife skills, you think you're qualified to cook?"
Wang Huan stepped forward and looked at Meng Yanzhi with some disdain.
Meng Yanzhi's knife skills weren't too bad, but they were definitely no match for the head chefs of the imperial kitchen.
She looked at Wang Huan somewhat embarrassedly: "Yes, Eunuch Wang is right. My knife skills are indeed not up to par."
Originally, Wang Huan thought Meng Yanzhi was arrogant and haughty, but he never expected her to be so well-behaved, sensible, and humble.
He touched his nose somewhat awkwardly, then began to help chop the vegetables.
Seeing this, Meng Yanzhi immediately became happy and started learning along with them.
"Your knife skills are really terrible. Buy a ream of Xuan paper and cut it; you can practice your skills." Wang Huan gave her a little tip right away.
Upon hearing this, Meng Yanzhi was overjoyed and quickly handed over the gold pendant she always carried to Wang Huan.
"Thank you so much, Grandpa Wang, for being so kind to me!"
Seeing how well-behaved and sensible Meng Yanzhi was, Wang Huan lowered his guard. The two of them discussed cooking together, and all those who had just left the imperial kitchen returned and went about their business.
Seeing this, Meng Yanzhi smiled gently and used the leftovers to make dinner for everyone after dinner.
Previously, these scraps would have been thrown away or fed to pigs, but Meng Yanzhi came from the countryside, so she couldn't stand wasting food!
These scraps are also quite valuable, and the resulting dishes are even more delicious.
At dinner time, Xiao Xingyuan, in a good mood, went to Consort Wang's palace to dine with her.
Looking at the fresh dishes on the table, Xiao Xingyuan smiled, then picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
Wang Huanhai was supposed to serve the food, but it was obvious that Xiao Xingyuan didn't need to; he could eat happily on his own.
"Your Majesty, Meng Yanzhi's cooking is truly excellent. These dishes are still the same as before, but the taste is simply superb!" Consort Wang smiled and looked at Xiao Xingyuan. "Your Majesty, why don't you give Yanzhi to me? You can keep her in my small kitchen, okay?"
Xiao Xingyuan glanced at Consort Wang and said with a smile, "Why are you still so possessive of your food? Such delicious food, it would be such a waste to give it all to you alone."
Upon hearing this, Consort Wang snorted and then said sullenly, "Fine, then I'll just have to reluctantly give it up."
The dinner went well, and everyone in the imperial kitchen received a reward. Now everyone owed Meng Yanzhi a favor, and they all treated her with great courtesy.
At this point, Meng's mother finally managed to get in touch with Consort Liu. She knew very well that Consort Wang was very protective of Meng Yanzhi, so she had no choice but to take a risky approach.
Consort Liu is the Jade King's own sister, so at this time, she can naturally offer the Meng family some convenience.
Hanliu Palace.
"Your humble servant greets Consort Liu, may Your Majesty live a thousand years!"
When Meng's mother entered, she bowed respectfully, then looked at Consort Liu with a smile in her eyes.
"Your Majesty is becoming more and more charming."
Consort Liu sat languidly on the couch, looking coldly at Mother Meng, and said, "Why do you keep requesting an audience?"
"It's all because of that wild girl from our Meng family!" Mother Meng sighed with some resentment, then said in a muffled voice, "Your Majesty, this girl is scheming and vulgar. She is really not suitable to be a lady-in-waiting in the palace. So please do me a favor and let me see her and give her some advice."
"Your daughter is quite capable. On her first day in the palace, she already prepared the Emperor's dinner. Do you think she's not suitable to be a lady-in-waiting in the palace?" Consort Liu raised an eyebrow and looked at Meng's mother with a half-smile. "Or is it that this little girl has ulterior motives?"
Meng's mother was also stunned, never expecting that Meng Yanzhi would have such abilities.
She looked at Consort Liu in disbelief: "Your Highness?"
"I summoned you here late at night to ask you clearly what your Meng family's intentions are regarding this daughter?"
"Should we place them in the imperial kitchen or in the harem?"
Consort Liu knew everything about the matter between the Meng family and the Jade King, so she had to find out exactly how the Meng family had made this move.
Upon hearing this, Mencius' mother was even more dumbfounded.
She took a deep breath and looked at Consort Liu: "This humble woman only requests to see her!"
"So, you didn't know either."
"It seems that this daughter is not of one mind with your Meng family."
"Someone, summon Meng Yanzhi!"
Consort Liu suddenly laughed, as if she understood everything. She got up and walked towards the inner room.
Before long, Meng Yanzhi walked into Hanliu Palace with a nervous heart. Upon entering and seeing her mother, she immediately understood everything.
She stood there, expressionless, simply looking at Meng's mother with indifference.
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