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

When the first ray of light at dawn breaks through the night, the morning light is like a soft veil, shining through the mist and onto the awakening earth.

Xiaomei, as light as a forest elf, gracefully crossed back to the embrace of the Glass Palace.

At this moment, a middle-aged palace maid who still had charm walked into the room quietly. Her eyes were sharp and accurate, like a falcon locking onto its prey. Obviously, she had something important to discuss with Xiaomei.

"It seems that this palace maid came here specifically to see our Lin Zhiruo."

Imperial Concubine Yuyao gently stroked her jade-smooth chin, a gentle smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she whispered to Xiaomei.

She leaned against the Luohan bed, her belly slightly bulging, as if pregnant with the hope of a new life. Although she still maintained her elegance, the laziness that inadvertently revealed a hint of imperceptible fatigue.

Although she wore loose clothes to try to hide her increasingly obvious body shape, her rounded figure silently announced that she was no longer suitable for those cumbersome tea parties.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I did not expect to be taking food here, and I have caused you a lot of inconvenience."

Xiaomei's voice was filled with sincere apology. Apparently, she had consumed the ingredients carefully prepared by Lin Zhiruo during her visit to the food workshop yesterday. Unexpectedly, she was caught by a palace maid and asked about the source of the ingredients.

(This matter was indeed handled improperly and should have been handled more carefully.)

In the food shop, due to the lack of supervision by the chef, it is strictly prohibited to use food ingredients privately, not to mention bringing food ingredients without permission.

If the source of the ingredients is unknown, it may cause dissatisfaction among superiors and bring unnecessary trouble.

Just as Lin Zhiruo was considering whether she could calm the storm by simply taking on all the responsibility, Xiaomei made a surprising request:

"She hopes to borrow Lin Zhiruo temporarily."

"Oh, that's an unexpected request..."

Imperial Concubine Yuyao tilted her head slightly, her eyes flashing with curiosity and surprise, while Xiaomei looked embarrassed and they both looked at Lin Zhiruo, as if this matter had exceeded their expectations.

Lin Zhiruo pondered in her heart that the situation was becoming increasingly complicated, but her thoughts involuntarily drifted towards those rare and exotic ingredients.

After careful consideration, it was finally decided to allow Lin Zhiruo to step into the food shop again under strict surveillance.

This time, the responsibility of surveillance did not fall on Xiaomei's shoulders, but was given to the lively and straightforward Susu.

Despite her petite figure, her agility and straightforwardness make her the perfect person for this task.

Although the harem is vast, the two places are not far apart.

Along the way, Su Su did not remain silent. Instead, she chatted and laughed with Lin Zhiruo, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

"Hey, Lin Zhiruo, when you sent Xiaomei back yesterday, did you notice anything by the lantern in the courtyard?"

There was a hint of curiosity and exploration in Susu's words.

"So Susu noticed it too. We're really on the same page."

Lin Zhiruo smiled slightly and thought secretly in her heart.

That was on her way back from the food shop, or more precisely, after she had a chance encounter with Quan Wushuang and others.

Inspiration came like a spring, and Lin Zhiruo immediately began to look for the necessary materials.

"I just went to pick some precious ingredients."

Lin Zhiruo said lightly, with a hint of indifference in her tone.

As night falls, lanterns are lit, the flames attract flying insects to dance, and some creatures quietly approach, ready to enjoy this rare feast.

"Ingredients? They're not those creepy bugs, are they?"

There was a mixture of fear and curiosity in Susu's words.

"No, it's not an insect, it's the essence of plants and trees."

Lin Zhiruo shook her head to deny it, with a mysterious smile on her face, as if hiding endless secrets.

Su Su obviously felt some kind of ominous omen, her face changed slightly, as if she saw some incredible scene.

"Lin Zhiruo, your room has really changed recently. The smell of food is getting stronger and stronger. Even the head maid Caiwei's face is so gloomy that it looks like water is dripping out of it."

There was a hint of teasing and joking in Susu's words, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

“That’s really awe-inspiring.”

Lin Zhiruo pretended to be frightened, but secretly complained in her heart.

"You don't look scared to me."

Su Su looked at Lin Zhiruo suspiciously, trying to pry into her true emotions.

Lin Zhiruo laughed in her heart, "That's not the case, I'm just more calm."

The head maid acted decisively, but otherwise, she would have had difficulty gaining a foothold in the harem.

"Perhaps soon, Lin Zhiruo will be driven to the warehouse in the courtyard."

Su Su said half-jokingly, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

"That's not bad, a change of environment might inspire me to create more."

A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Lin Zhiruo's eyes, as if she saw new hope.

The warehouse is spacious and bright, and most importantly, it is far away from everyone's dormitories. Even if there is any movement in the middle of the night, it may not be noticed.

Lin Zhiruo was worried about where to put the large amount of utensils that no one wanted that she had collected from the imperial kitchen manager. This was a perfect opportunity.

"Then when I get back, I'll go talk to the head maid Caiwei to see if I can change to a new environment."

Lin Zhiruo's eyes sparkled with excitement, as if she had already seen the beauty of the future.

"Eh? Wait, that's not what I meant..."

Su Su hurriedly wanted to explain, but they had already arrived at the food shop.

"Don't worry about it, let's go in first."

Lin Zhiruo interrupted Susu and couldn't wait to find out what was going on.

"I just wanted to say..."

Su Su's words were interrupted by Lin Zhiruo, and she could only follow her pace helplessly.

Lin Zhiruo's heart was filled with anticipation and anticipation for moving into the cottage. Imagining the scene of making a fire and cooking food there, her heart was filled with excitement and joy.

The middle-aged palace maid was named Hu Fei. Upon closer inspection, her eyes were the same as Concubine Yuyao's, with a hint of green, perhaps with a hint of Western ancestry.

Her name may come from her eyes that are as bright as emerald green, and as mysterious as an elf in the forest.

Lin Zhiruo was led to a place similar to a reception room in the food shop.

In this room filled with a faint scent of alcohol, Hu Fei personally served the fragrant tea.

The table is simple and elegant, and the surrounding shelves and chairs show traces of time and the beauty of vicissitudes, but they appear more sturdy and durable, as if carrying countless stories and memories.

"I didn't realize you were all from the Imperial Concubine's family. I'm sorry for not welcoming you. I hope you won't mind."

Hu Fei's voice was steady and magnetic, completely different from her bold image yesterday when she was holding a pile of clothes. It was obvious that she had received good training in harem etiquette.

Her demeanor and speech revealed a calmness and confidence that made people involuntarily feel awe of her.

(This person must be extremely intelligent, not an ordinary person.)

Although they were all palace maids, not all of them were literate and knew etiquette.

To be able to stand firm in the harem, this person must have something extraordinary.

Of course, Lin Zhiruo couldn't help but wonder whether there was some unknown secret that supported her steady progress in the harem.

Perhaps because Lin Zhiruo had already stated that she was someone close to Concubine Yuyao, a hint of gloom seemed to pass across Hu Fei's expression.

She might be worried that she would receive special treatment because of this, and she couldn't help feeling a little guilty.

When talking about the higher-ranking concubines, others tend to look at their maids differently.

But this time, Hu Fei summoned Lin Zhiruo without her knowledge, and he must have felt quite embarrassed and awkward.