"Five taels of silver? You think you can give a beggar that much?"
"Auntie, didn't we agree on five taels of silver?" A beggar would never ask for five taels of silver.
“Things are different now. That was the price back then. Now we want ten taels of silver,” said the head cook of the Imperial Kitchen.
They had heard before that this "master" was planning to bring ingredients from outside into the palace to open a small kitchen. They were regretting that they wouldn't have any extra income. Now that they thought about it, it was really funny. She was just a merchant's daughter. Even if she became a Jieyu (a high-ranking concubine), if the emperor didn't like her, she would still have a hard time in the palace.
This is why we've come to them for help again.
"Ten taels of silver, take it or leave it."
What can those ten taels of silver give us?
"Hey, these steamed buns and some side dishes, that's all."
"Don't push your luck. Our young lady is, after all, a Consort Jieyu."
"Pah! That's terrifying! If you're so capable, go ask the Emperor to stand up for you! Let me tell you, if you anger us, you'll never have anything to eat again."
The head cook's finger was practically pointing at Hongxiu's nose. But a quick glance caught sight of Liu Fu standing at the door, and her voice choked.
"Grandpa Fu? What brings you here?"
"Master Chef, what a magnificent sight you are! If I hadn't come, I would have missed out on your impressive presence."
"Please don't laugh at me, sir. I was just teasing this little palace maid."
In front of Liu Fu, the head palace maid in charge of cooking could no longer be so arrogant.
That little bitch actually went and complained.
Now that Liu Fu is here, does that mean the Emperor also knows about this matter?
The head palace maid in charge of cooking suddenly felt a cold sweat break out.
She quickly had someone pack a lot of things and handed them to Hongxiu.
Hongxiu's eyes lit up.
"So much delicious food. I haven't eaten anything this good since I entered the palace." It's ironic, really. Back in the Ning family, they could eat whatever they wanted.
On the contrary, once she entered the palace, she became an enviable figure, but she often suffered from hunger and hardship.
"Auntie, here's five taels of silver for you."
"Oh dear, you silly girl, I was just joking with you, and you actually gave me the money." The silver was practically handed to her, and she really wanted to take it. But with Eunuch Fu eyeing her so intently, she dared not accept it.
"Really not needed?" Seeing the head cook shake her head, Hongxiu smiled and took the silver back. "Finally, I can have a good meal today." Her tone was so cheerful that it made the head cook's face darken.
What does this mean?
Isn't this blatantly trying to make her look bad?
Hongxiu's appearance didn't seem fake.
This imperial kitchen is really going a bit too far.
Almost everyone in the imperial kitchen was terrified.
"Aunt, do you think the Emperor will cause us trouble?"
"Of course not. The Emperor doesn't like this Consort Jieyu at all, so naturally he won't take her to heart."
Why would anyone punish loyal people just because they don't care about them?
Qin Mu waited a moment and then saw Hongxiu come in excitedly carrying a food box.
"Miss, there's something delicious to eat today."
After bowing, Hongxiu carried the food box and headed towards Ning Zixin.
"Your Majesty, the portions are limited, so I will not keep you for dinner." Ning Zixin curtsied, and smiles spread across the faces of the three of them, mistress and servant.
"Liu Fu, are they all telling the truth?"
"Your Majesty, that is indeed the case."
Liu Fu recounted everything he had seen and heard to Qin Mu, and the more Qin Mu listened, the darker his face became.
It turns out that the people in the palace really mistreated Ning Zixin.
"Pass down the order to drag all those people from the Imperial Kitchen out and give them fifty strokes of the cane. If there is a next time, then deal with them directly."
The eunuch beside Liu Fu took the order and left.
Qin Mu always considered himself a wise ruler and dedicated himself to ensuring his people had enough to eat. Ironically, even in his own harem, his women were going hungry.
“It is I who have mistreated her,” Qin Mu said.
Good to know.
Ning Hong nodded. Very good, both objectives have been achieved today.
Firstly, it's to let everyone know that the Ning family's ingredients have been switched, or even replaced with toxic substances.
Secondly, he wanted to change his sister's life in the palace.
His sister did nothing wrong, yet she was being talked about and bullied like this.
Just because she's too pretty? Does that mean she deserves to be bullied?
Unlike Wanlan Palace, Liu Linglong's Longyue Palace is right next to Qin Mu's bedroom, even closer than the Empress's Kunning Palace.
Because of Qin Mu's favoritism, the Longyue Palace was decorated much more exquisitely than the Wanlan Palace.
Looking at the magnificent palace, Qin Mu felt inexplicably guilty for some reason.
"Your Majesty, you've arrived?"
"What is Linglong doing?"
"These are all good things that my father and brothers got for me."
Liu Linglong smiled.
It was like a spring breeze, so beautiful it was almost depressing.
"What good stuff?"
"Look, there's Ganoderma lucidum, and snow lotus, oh, and such a thick ginseng."
Among them, the purple Ganoderma lucidum and Cordyceps sinensis from southern Xinjiang are the most precious, and there is also a Tian Shan snow lotus.
A sentence suddenly flashed through Ning Hongze's mind.
It's probably just a coincidence.
How could Grand Tutor Liu do such a thing?
"Huh, what is this? I've never seen anything like it before." Liu Linglong looked at the insect-like and grass-like things in the unfolded package with a look of disgust. "His Majesty is very knowledgeable and must have seen them clearly."
"Your Majesty, may I ask what this is?"
"This is cordyceps sinensis, produced in southern Xinjiang."
Qin Mu's gaze swept over the unfolded package.
Purple Ganoderma lucidum, Tian Shan snow lotus, and Cordyceps sinensis.
Everything matches up.
He took a deep breath.
"Your Majesty, what's wrong with you?"
"I am fine. I must be hungry. Someone, prepare a meal."
A small dish of exquisite food was served, filling the entire table.
But Liu Linglong only ate a few bites before putting down her chopsticks.
"Linglong, why don't you eat more?"
"I don't like these dishes; they're too greasy."
Liu Linglong shook her head. "Your Majesty, I will have someone make some osmanthus cakes later. I'm sure you'll like them."
Qin Mu simply smiled and didn't reply to Liu Linglong. Suddenly, he thought about it—they were all his concubines, but the difference was just too great.
However, his main focus was still on the package.
Ning Hongze's words kept echoing in his mind.
There's definitely something wrong with this. If it really was the Grand Tutor's doing, then his involvement has gone far too far.
What is he trying to do?
And Linglong, does she know about this?
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