Ruolan's efficiency was far higher than Lin Wanwan had imagined.
Just two days later, she brought back all the information that Lin Wanwan wanted.
“Your Majesty,” Ruolan said in a low voice from inside the room, “I have found out that Liu Fu, the head of the Imperial Kitchen, is a cautious man, but he has a problem—he is extremely concerned about his image, and he especially likes it when others praise the sauces he personally makes. He often includes his special ‘Liu’s Secret Sauce’ in the meals he prepares for the various palaces to show off his skills.”
"As for His Majesty..." A hint of excitement flashed in Ruolan's eyes, "This servant bribed an old eunuch who kept records of His Majesty's daily life in his childhood. He told this servant that His Majesty's diet does indeed have a little-known taboo."
"Your Majesty, you have a mild allergy to a type of seafood from the south called 'ark shell'!"
"A ark shell?" Lin Wanwan's heart skipped a beat.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Ruolan said with certainty. “According to that old eunuch, His Majesty once accidentally ate it when he was young. It did not kill him, but within half an hour, large patches of red rashes would appear on his body, causing unbearable itching. He needed to soak in a special medicinal bath for several days to get rid of them. Since then, red shellfish has become one of the biggest taboos in the palace, and no one has dared to mention it again.”
Upon hearing Ruolan's report, a glint of light flashed in Lin Wanwan's eyes.
All done.
All the conditions are met.
A manager who is ambitious and likes to "innovate" sauces.
An emperor who would develop a severe rash after eating certain seafood, yet whose life was not in danger.
The combination of these two elements is simply a perfect script tailor-made for her, a flawless and perfect script!
A cold smile slowly crept onto Lin Wanwan's lips.
Liu Fu...
Your death is near.
...
Three days later, Kunning Palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, sweeping away its usual coldness and exuding a festive atmosphere everywhere.
Lin Wanwan meticulously prepared a family banquet under the pretext of "celebrating the complete recovery of her long-standing illness and her good health," and extended a warm invitation to the only "family member" in the entire palace—Emperor Xiao Che.
Xiao Che naturally did not refuse the invitation to the banquet.
As evening approached, he finished his official duties early and went to the newly decorated dining hall in the side hall of Kunning Palace.
The dining room was brightly lit by candlelight, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Several exquisite dishes were already laid out on a small, round rosewood table.
Most of these dishes were prepared by Lin Wanwan herself, along with the palace servants in the small kitchen. There was a light and refreshing cold salad of green bamboo shoots, a soft and sweet osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice lotus root, and a bowl of matsutake mushroom and chicken soup that had been simmered over a low flame for several hours.
Each dish was light and healthy, yet unique and perfectly suited to Xiao Che's usual tastes.
The main course, however, was a completely different and incredibly fragrant roasted venison.
This venison was specially obtained by Lin Wanwan from the imperial kitchen.
When she ordered this dish, she asked Ruolan to pass on a message to Liu Fu.
Ruolan said, “Our Lady said that she knows that Chief Steward Liu’s sauce is the best in the palace. Today, Her Majesty is hosting a banquet to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday. For this main dish, we would like Chief Steward Liu to personally prepare his most prized secret sauce so that His Majesty can taste it together.”
This statement was both an order and a compliment, precisely hitting Liu Fu, a man who cared a lot about his image, where it hurt.
After saying that, Ruolan "unintentionally" added, "It's quite a coincidence that our Empress has suddenly developed a fondness for seafood lately. Just a few days ago, she was talking about how the shellfish sent as tribute from the south must be extremely delicious when made into a sauce."
This seemingly casual remark is the real killer move.
It was like a seed, planted silently in Liu Fu's heart.
On one hand, there was the emperor's appreciation, and on the other hand, there was the empress's hint that she liked seafood.
What Liu Fu will do is self-evident.
At this moment, next to the venison that was roasted to a crispy exterior and tender interior, with an irresistible aroma, was a small dish of bright red sauce that looked incredibly delicious.
Lin Wanwan knew that the sauce must contain the "surprise" she wanted.
"Your Majesty, please."
Lin Wanwan personally poured Xiao Che a glass of mild fruit wine, her face adorned with a gentle and charming smile.
"Since I entered the palace, I have been greatly favored by Your Majesty. Today, I have prepared a simple banquet, which is of little use. I hope Your Majesty will not find it offensive."
Looking at her eyes, which shone brightly in the candlelight, Xiao Che's cold, hard lips seemed to soften a little.
"You've put your heart into it," he said casually, picking up his wine glass.
The atmosphere at the dinner was warm and harmonious.
Without the mountains of memorials and the vexing affairs of state, the two chatted casually about lighthearted topics, just like any ordinary couple.
Lin Wanwan told him interesting travel stories from folk tales that she had read in books.
Xiao Che, though still not very talkative, listened very attentively, and occasionally asked a question or two about the local customs and culture of a particular place.
The emoji above his head changed from "Attending a banquet.jpg" to "No work today, so nice.gif", and finally, it settled on a little person comfortably soaking in a hot spring with a relaxed expression.gif.
Lin Wanwan's heart remained tense.
She was waiting, waiting for the perfect moment.
Finally, after several rounds of drinks and when the atmosphere reached its peak, she stood up, picked up the serving chopsticks, and took a piece of the best-roasted venison.
"Your Majesty, you work hard day and night, you should eat more meat to nourish your body."
As she spoke, she dipped the piece of venison into the "deadly" sauce.
Then, she placed the venison into the jade dish in front of Xiao Che.
She was extremely nervous. Her palms were already damp with sweat.
She must be impartial and just right.
Just as the piece of venison was about to fall onto the plate, Lin Wanwan's wrist suddenly lost its strength and, extremely "unintentionally," twitched violently!
"Snap!"
A small drop of bright red, viscous sauce splattered from the venison and landed precisely on the clean, slender back of Xiao Che's hand, which was resting on the edge of the table!
That drop of sauce, like a drop of blood, stood out starkly against his skin.
"ah!"
Lin Wanwan immediately let out a perfectly timed, slightly panicked and self-reproachful low cry.
"Your Majesty, I deserve to die! I am so clumsy that I have soiled your hands!"
Her face instantly filled with apology and panic. She immediately took out a clean silk handkerchief from her sleeve and, without thinking, bent down to wipe Xiao Che's face.
She was like a frightened little rabbit, flustered and at a loss.
Xiao Che clearly hadn't expected this little accident.
He looked at the drop of sauce on the back of his hand, then at Lin Wanwan, who looked like she was about to cry. His brows furrowed slightly, but his tone was not reproachful at all.
“It’s alright,” he said calmly, his voice even carrying a hint of reassurance that he himself didn’t realize. “It’s just a little sauce, no need to panic.”
As he spoke, he prepared to pick up a silk handkerchief and wipe himself.
However, Lin Wanwan moved even faster than him.
She had already grasped his wrist and was using her lightly scented silk handkerchief to rub the sauce-stained area on the back of his hand with extreme care and force.
She wanted to ensure that the trace amounts of allergens from the ark shell could have the most intimate contact with his skin.
After doing all this, she seemed to finally relax, though her face still showed a lingering fear.
"It's all my fault, it's all my fault."
Looking at her like this, Xiao Che's slight displeasure at being interrupted from his meal vanished.
He simply withdrew his hand and calmly said, "Let's eat."
"yes."
Lin Wanwan sat back down in her seat, and the huge weight that had been hanging over her heart finally lifted.
She lowered her head and glanced at Xiao Che's hand, which she had "contaminated," out of the corner of her eye.
The place was spotless, with nothing out of the ordinary.
But Lin Wanwan knew.
The bait has been cast.
She herself had lit the deadly "fuse" that could unleash a devastating storm.
Next, all she needs to do is...
Quietly, they waited for the fish to take the bait, waiting for the "good show" carefully prepared for Liu Fu and the Empress Dowager to officially begin.
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