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

With the light steps of the new palace maids, they walked into the Glazed Palace as gracefully as willow branches in spring, bringing three new landscapes to this ancient palace.

(Whispers echo in the air.)

Lin Zhiruo half-closed her eyes, her gaze seemingly able to see through people's hearts. She carefully observed these new faces, thinking silently in her heart:

(Their reputations and appearances are so mismatched, like the difference between heaven and earth.)

Lin Zhiruo always kept her thoughts to herself. She was secretly planning to interact with these new palace maids in the near future.

However, Lin Zhiruo is not good at communication on a daily basis, so she plans to take it slow and not rush.

But more pressing is...

"Lin Zhiruo, go back to your room immediately."

Su Su put her hands on her hips and spoke in a firm tone, just like the cherry blossoms blooming in spring, beautiful yet thorny.

"But Caiwei once let me live here."

Lin Zhiruo retorted, holding on tightly to the door of the small warehouse in the courtyard.

The warehouse is filled with her carefully collected blending tools and dried ingredients, which are her treasures.

"That was just a joke! Why did you take it so seriously..."

Su Su said angrily, worried that this would affect the new maids.

"It'll be fine. I'll live here."

"I'm telling you no! Look, the other girls are looking at you strangely!"

Then, a strange scene appeared: Lin Zhiruo hugged the pillar of the warehouse tightly, while Susu tried hard to pull her down, and the two seemed to be engaged in a silent contest.

Caiwei naturally would not stand idly by, and in the end both of them were blamed.

In the end, Lin Zhiruo had to move back to her original room.

But faced with the mountains of blending tools and various ingredients, Caiwei felt helpless and had to report to her master, Concubine Yuyao.

The empress, who loved new things, smiled and generously offered to let Lin Zhiruo use the warehouse.

They only reminded Lin Zhiruo that she had to go back to her room when she went to bed, and she could do whatever she wanted at other times.

Lin Zhiruo was secretly delighted: "I'm so lucky to have such a considerate boss."

Su Su still looked at Lin Zhiruo busy in the small warehouse with an unhappy look on her face.

After the tea party, there were no tasks until dinner.

Because of the arrival of three new maids, everyone's workload has been greatly reduced.

(What should I do?)

Su Su said this, and although it was a bit nosy for Lin Zhiruo, it was actually for Lin Zhiruo's own good.

She must have said this in order to help Lin Zhiruo get familiar with the new palace maids as soon as possible.

While having snacks today, she had been looking for opportunities to get Lin Zhiruo and the three new palace maids to join the conversation.

Susu is such a gentle and considerate person who always cares for others in the details.

Lin Zhiruo put down the work in her hands and secretly observed Susu from the gap in the small warehouse.

"...I'm so sorry, I'm always so willful."

There was a hint of apology in Lin Zhiruo's voice.

"It's ok."

Although Su Su said this, her lips were still slightly pouting, like a cherry blossom bud about to bloom.

Lin Zhiruo hid half of her body behind the wall and secretly observed Susu.

“…It’s okay, but…”

After Su Su finished speaking, she turned around and faced Lin Zhiruo across the wall.

then--

"You have to stay with me tonight."

She suddenly grabbed Lin Zhiruo's wrist, and a sly smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, like a peach blossom blooming in spring, beautiful and a little cunning.

(This is……)

Lin Zhiruo pondered in her heart but did not say anything.

"Lin Zhiruo and I are the only ones free tonight! This is perfect!"

Su Su happily held Lin Zhiruo's hand and walked around, as innocent as a child.

(I was tricked.)

Lin Zhiruo sighed helplessly and looked at this shrewd maid, but she felt no annoyance in her heart.

That night, Susu took her to an ancient pavilion on the north side of the harem.

She was originally worried that Caiwei would not agree to them going out at night, but she didn't expect that she would get approval so quickly.

"You have to go to those kinds of parties once in a while."

There was a hint of mystery and anticipation in Susu's voice.

(What kind of party?)

Lin Zhiruo pondered secretly in her heart, but never asked, just followed Susu step by step.

The two of them used the dim light of their small lanterns to illuminate the way ahead.

A neither hot nor cold wind blew gently, bringing a hint of coolness and comfort.

The small flying insects were buzzing in her ears. Although it was a bit annoying, Lin Zhiruo did not dare to complain at all.

"Come, Lin Zhiruo, put this on."

Su Su took out a piece of gauze and handed it to Lin Zhiruo.

"Wouldn't that be very hot?"

Lin Zhiruo asked with some confusion.

"It's okay, it will be cool soon, come."

There was a hint of tenderness and determination in Susu's voice.

Although Lin Zhiruo was doubtful, she still put on the veil as she was told.

Su Su knocked on the door and a palace maid came out.

She was dressed in elegant palace clothes, her face was as gentle as jade, like a blooming lily.

"Welcome, are you two the only ones coming?"

There was a gentleness and kindness in her voice.

"Yes, please feel free to teach me."

Su Su and Lin Zhiruo responded in unison.

The palace maid who came to greet them smiled gently, handed them a small candle, and signaled them to extinguish the lanterns.

Even in the darkness, one could see her stunning beauty, but she was considered old in the harem.

The calmness and composure she exudes makes people respect her.

The inside of the pavilion is exactly the same as the outside, both have an ancient appearance.

Rather than saying that the house is dilapidated due to the erosion of time, it is better to say that it gives people the feeling that it will collapse immediately if no one lives in it.

Although the most basic cleaning has been done, there are still some places where the doors and windows are closed, or the floor makes creaking sounds, which adds a bit of mystery and weirdness to the building.

"This place was used during the time of the previous emperor."

There was a hint of awe and emotion in Susu's words.

Although the number of people in the harem is quite considerable now, there were even more palace maids during the previous emperor's time.

In order to enable them to give birth to a prince, the imperial court summoned countless women from all over the country and imprisoned them in this harem.

Although the number of palace maids has decreased and this place is no longer used, she said that it is still occasionally useful like this.

As for the specific use...

At the end of the corridor, the two walked into a spacious room where about ten guests were already present.

Everyone was covered with curtains and sat in a circle.

The lights in everyone's hands flickered and swayed, creating a gloomy and eerie atmosphere, as if you were in a mysterious environment.

Talking about the activities on Midsummer Night - by now, Lin Zhiruo could roughly guess what would happen.

"let's start."