Why am I, a cook, always involved in cases?

Several palace maids in white were busy in the food shop.

(Yes, someone seems to have mentioned this before.)

Lin Zhiruo always lingered in the woods or bushes and never set foot in the north room of the harem.

Xiaomei coughed and smiled bitterly and said to her:

"I think they gave you a brief introduction when you first got here. Don't you remember?"

Unfortunately, Lin Zhiruo came here with a lot of dissatisfaction, so she didn't concentrate on listening to others' explanations.

She was probably observing the wormwood growing by the roadside when she was brought here to hear the explanation.

It's her nature.

In the nearby laundry yard, palace maids were washing clothes skillfully.

They were holding what appeared to be bed sheets.

(Very practical.)

It is located next to the laundry area, so you can quickly wash your clothes and bedding.

The location is excellent for an environment that values ​​cleanliness.

"Sorry, I think I've come down with a cold."

Xiaomei said to a palace maid.

The palace maid, who looked very busy, showed a confused expression at first, but quickly put down the laundry basket and placed her hand on Xiaomei's forehead.

"You have a slight fever. Let me see your tongue."

The maid's voice betrayed her age, and her cheeks were deeply lined with wrinkles.

It is rare to see palace maids of this age in the harem.

The palace maid narrowed her eyes and lifted up Xiaomei's lower eyelid to check.

Her technique is much more skillful than Wang Dahai's.

"Hmm—it doesn't look too serious. Just rest for two or three days and don't overexert yourself and you'll be fine. What do you think?"

The palace maid asked Xiaomei.

Her diagnosis was also very accurate.

"I don't want to infect the Empress, so can I stay here for one night, just in case?"

"can."

The maid picked up the laundry basket and quickly walked into the food shop. After putting down the basket, she waved to the two of them.

There is no fancy decoration inside the food shop, and the interior furnishings are simple.

The bare pillars were unpainted, the corridors were simply paved with wooden boards, and the windows were simply square windows installed at even intervals.

Although it has no exquisite decoration, it gives people a feeling of being easy to clean and is actually cleaned very cleanly.

There are many windows and good ventilation.

It should be a pretty comfortable environment here in the coming season.

There was no distinctive smell of food in the room, but it was filled with a strong smell of alcohol.

Xiaomei frowned.

She doesn't like the taste.

But Lin Zhiruo thought the disinfection measures were very thorough and admirable.

Strong alcohol can kill toxins on the surface of the wound, which is a well-known disinfection method.

Lin Zhiruo had always been curious about why there had never been an epidemic when there was only one Wang Dahai in the harem. It turned out that there was such a place here.

"Then please tell them, Lin Zhiruo, that I will be back tomorrow."

"Ok."

After Xiaomei received a wooden sign from the middle-aged palace maid, she walked towards the room indicated by the number on the sign.

Lin Zhiruo was visiting the food shop with great interest, but someone grabbed her neck.

Lin Zhiruo was always caught like this at the Imperial Kitchen Manager's place.

"Okay, go back to work. Don't think you can be lazy just because you're with a patient."

"..."

"Why? Or would you like to help me with the laundry?"

Seeing the old lady grinning, Lin Zhiruo shook her head to express her unwillingness.

Lin Zhiruo had no choice but to return to the Liuli Palace.

The same goes for Caiwei. Lin Zhiruo always seems unable to resist these old women.

Lin Zhiruo wanted to look at it a little longer, but it seemed impossible, so she had to give up and start her journey home.

Lin Zhiruo was walking leisurely, but a group of palace maids carrying laundry baskets were walking hurriedly around her.

I heard that because it rained a lot that season, the palace maids had to wash piles of clothes every time the weather cleared up, which was very hard work.

Only then did Lin Zhiruo remember that she also had to go get the laundry.

(But then again…)

In addition to the lady, there were several palace maids there, but they were all older.

Due to the nature of the harem, palace maids would be semi-forced to replace old ones with new ones when they reached a certain age, and would be dismissed almost before the age of thirty.

Most of those who stayed were people with higher positions or personal maids of concubines.

The head maid Caiwei was already past the age to leave the palace, but she would definitely be beaten if she said this.

Seeing how skillful the palace maid in the food shop was, Lin Zhiruo thought that the harem must need her, so they let her stay.

Lin Zhiruo stroked her chin lightly, lost in deep thought, and her steps became unsteady.

Unexpectedly, she lightly touched something.

At first, she thought it was a solid stone pillar, but when she looked up, she saw a face like a fairy in the sky, like a bright star, hanging above her head, shining with dazzling light.

“Don’t mutter to yourself while you walk, lest you stumble and fall.”

Quan Wushuang spoke softly, like a spring breeze.

"Did I make any noise?"

Lin Zhiruo asked back, with a hint of doubt and confusion in her tone.

Quan Wushuang sighed helplessly, opened his arms, and shook his head gently, his expression seemed to say: "You are really an unpredictable elf."

Seeing this, Lin Zhiruo felt inexplicably unhappy and almost showed an unhappy look.

But she happened to meet Gao Zhongcheng's compassionate gaze, and she barely opened her eyes that were about to close.

"Master General, what is there to discuss?"

Lin Zhiruo asked, with a hint of respect and humility in her tone.

"There's nothing special going on. We just met by chance. Can't we just catch up?"

There was a hint of sadness in Quan Wushuang's voice.

Gao Zhongcheng seemed to want to convey some message to Lin Zhiruo, but unfortunately, she did not understand the deep meaning of it. She was like a blind man touching an elephant, only knowing one side of the story.

"Where did you go just now?"

There was a hint of concern and loss in Quan Wushuang's voice.

"I went to the food shop and never thought there would be such a magical place there."

Lin Zhiruo replied, with a hint of surprise and admiration in her tone.

"...I should have asked the maid to take you on a tour. Did I forget?"

Quan Wushuang was obviously very concerned about this matter, with a frown on his face.

Looking at Quan Wushuang's solemn expression, Lin Zhiruo secretly wondered how to respond.

This eunuch was always full of confidence on weekdays, but occasionally he would have some doubts about his ability to govern, just like a dark cloud occasionally floating across the bright sky.

Quan Wushuang quietly moved the conversation to a quiet path.

After all, if a eunuch with such outstanding appearance as him stood on the road, he would definitely attract countless gazes and interfere with official duties.

This is indeed a wise move, just like a wise man withdrawing from the world in order to seek peace.

"I was just surprised that the management there is even better than I expected. I even think it might be more appropriate to change it to the head steward of the imperial kitchen..."

Lin Zhiruo said slowly, with a hint of hesitation and reluctance in her tone.

However, as soon as she said this, she immediately realized that if this was true, Wang Dahai would probably lose his official position.

This also meant that she would have one less place to slack off, which made her feel a little headache and helpless.

Lin Zhiruo was about to correct her words, but Quan Wushuang frowned again, like ripples on the calm surface of a lake.

"You said you want to change that place to the Imperial Kitchen Manager? If that can be done, it would save a lot of trouble."

Quan Wushuang said, with a hint of helplessness and regret in his tone.

"Why?"

Lin Zhiruo asked in confusion, with a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

"Because only men can serve as medical officers."

Quan Wushuang explained, with a hint of determination and helplessness in his tone.

When Lin Zhiruo was feeling confused, Gao Zhongcheng spoke up to clear her up:

"In principle, only medical officers can prepare food. The same applies to treating injuries. Minor scrapes may be manageable, but serious injuries must be handled by medical officers."

(I see, it suddenly dawned on me.)

Lin Zhiruo immediately understood the reason. No wonder there was no smell of food there. It turned out to be because of this reason.

But new problems also emerged in her mind.

"what about me?"

Lin Zhiruo always fries ingredients as she pleases.

Although she could not bring in ingredients from outside the harem, she would use plants grown in the harem or ingredients from the chief chef of the imperial kitchen to make them.

"We have always turned a blind eye to your behavior."

Quan Wushuang said,

"Many concubines would keep a maid who knew about ingredients by their side. But in a place like that, it would be too conspicuous, and it's impossible to always have ingredients on hand."

From Quan Wushuang's words, Lin Zhiruo vaguely sensed that there seemed to be a more complicated problem hidden therein.

Just like the salary system for palace maids, perhaps there are some inexplicable systems or laws.

But Lin Zhiruo was not interested in this and had never understood it in depth.

You can’t use food ingredients, but you can use alcohol to disinfect.

I believe they have put a lot of effort and thought into this.

As long as you can rest in a quiet and clean environment, the disease can be easily cured without medicine.

If the condition is serious, the patient can be sent back to his or her hometown for recuperation.

Just like fallen leaves returning to their roots, returning to nature.

(What a hassle! The rules of this world are always so complicated.)

But once the system is established, it may be more difficult to change it.

Many people in the world adhere to the principle of "less is more", and are unwilling to get involved in it, just like being a wise man to protect himself.

"For the sake of the future, it would be great if we could transfer a medical officer in some other way."

Quan Wushuang muttered to himself, with a hint of hope and helplessness in his tone.

Quan Wushuang's words were not directed at Lin Zhiruo, but more like he was talking to himself.

He seemed to be thinking about how to make the harem function smoothly without relying on eunuchs.

(Eunuch...)

The eunuchs in the harem accounted for about one-third of the total population.

Compared with palace maids, their average age is generally higher because there is no replacement of the old with the new.

Like autumn leaves, they gradually wither.

(There are no young eunuchs.)

Remember that castration was banned several years ago, and this ban was issued after the current emperor ascended the throne.

Like a flash of lightning across the night sky, it changed the fate of countless people.

Lin Zhiruo didn't know when Quan Wushuang became a eunuch.

But judging from Quan Wushuang's age, it is very likely that the ban was about to be issued.

It was as if the wheel of fate was quietly turning, pushing him onto this road of no return.

(How pitiful! If only we could wait a little longer.)

She involuntarily lowered her gaze and looked at Quan Wushuang's crotch, silently praying and sympathizing in her heart.

Lin Zhiruo slowly raised her head and happened to meet Quan Wushuang's gaze.

That look was filled with complex and deep emotions, like the surging waves in the sea.

(Did I say that already?)

Lin Zhiruo was horrified and quickly covered her mouth with her hands and looked away.

This time, she met Gao Zhongcheng's eyes.

He maintained a calm expression, as if he was also looking at Quan Wushuang with sympathy.

Like warm sunshine falling on the cold land.

Gao Zhongcheng slowly shook his head and urged:

"Manager Quan, if we continue talking, it will delay official business."

Upon hearing this, Quan Wushuang turned around and left gracefully, leaving behind a chic and lonely figure.

Lin Zhiruo put down her hand covering her mouth and thought to herself:

(If such food ingredients can be developed, perhaps the fate of this world can be changed.)

Although this idea is a bit arrogant and unrealistic,

But if you succeed, you will definitely accomplish something earth-shaking.