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

Like Lin Zhiruo's soft breast outline, Xiao Cui's breasts were only slightly rippling with the ripples of life, like lotus leaves swaying gently in the morning light.

"In my opinion, her figure is already plump enough." Hu Lan'er said softly. Her breasts were plump and round, like branches laden with fruits in midsummer, sparkling with an attractive luster.

"So what if she's plump? She's more lovable if she's delicate and petite!" Qin Xiang retorted, her gaze lingering between Lin Zhiruo and Xiao Cui with a bit of harshness and evaluation.

A trace of displeasure flashed across Xiao Cui's face, and the palace maids around her also cast curious glances at her, as if an invisible storm was about to come.

Lin Zhiruo sensed this subtle change and thought to herself that this might be a pointless dispute.

Hu Lan'er seemed to realize this as well. She smiled, handed Qin Xiang an exquisite bellyband, and said gently, "Forget it, forget it, let's go and enjoy the pleasure of bathing." She patted Qin Xiang's shoulder with a bit of comfort and urging.

(Her personality is indeed different and more complicated than I imagined.) Lin Zhiruo thought so in her heart as she walked lightly towards the bathroom.

From Qin Xiang's actions of covering her body, Lin Zhiruo guessed that she might be from a distant place where bathing was not common.

Considering that Qin Xiang and Concubine Yuyao are from the same hometown, she is likely from the arid land in the west.

Water was precious there, so it was no wonder she felt so uneasy about bathing.

Perhaps, in that land, people can only enjoy steam baths (saunas) but cannot experience the pleasure brought by spacious and comfortable baths.

"How did you take a bath before?" In such a hot place, if you don't bathe regularly, body odor will inevitably become unbearable, especially for those who are only satisfied with superficial cleanliness.

"My two sisters are naturally taking a bath here, and I am asking for permission from Empress Yuyao..." It turned out that she borrowed the bathing pool specially prepared for concubines in the Liuli Palace.

Usually, the bathhouse in the palace was a sacred place that was off-limits to outsiders. Although the emperor would sometimes enter it, it was not for daily bathing. I won’t go into the details.

Speaking of this, Lin Zhiruo recalled that she had seen Qin Xiang walking towards the bathhouse many times.

Although she used the remaining bath water, perhaps because she was shy, she always tried to avoid people and enjoy the rare tranquility and privacy alone.

It is not difficult to understand why the two caring sisters suddenly changed their attitudes.

Since Imperial Concubine Yuyao had already agreed, it was naturally inconvenient for them to force their sister into the bathing hall.

Lin Zhiruo happened to have made an invitation, so they just went along with it without any further objection.

"You look a little shy, but there's no time for you to hesitate now." Lin Zhiruo said as she scooped up hot water from a wooden bucket and poured it over her body, as if to wash away all her fatigue and worries.

Then she soaked the towel and began to carefully wipe every inch of her skin, enjoying this rare comfort and tranquility.

Qin Xiang didn't even want to show her breasts. One can imagine how her heart was turbulent when she saw so many concubines lying naked on the stone platform.

Imperial Concubine Yuyao always did things by herself. Qin Xiang had probably never seen such a frank scene before. Her eyes began to wander around and she seemed a little at a loss.

However, Lin Zhiruo had no time to care about her reaction and was just concentrating on doing her own thing.

"Here, this is for you." Lin Zhiruo handed her the essential oil and said softly, "Just apply this essential oil evenly on the concubines' bodies, can you do it?"

"Apply...apply on people?!" Qin Xiang seemed a little surprised, as if she had heard something incredible.

"That's right. Please paint it with the same care as you would a precious work of art." Lin Zhiruo added in a low voice, "This will help the other person relax their guard and open up more easily."

Qin Xiang pouted and carefully began to apply essential oil to the lying concubine.

Xiao Cui beside her was responsible for massaging the areas that had been applied, and her techniques became more and more skillful and gentle.

Lin Zhiruo focused on hair removal. This task did not require day-to-day persistence and effort like massage, so it was much easier for her than Xiao Cui and the others.

After finishing serving the two guests, she relaxed and sat on the stone platform, waiting for the next guest to arrive.

At this moment, a shivering figure caught her attention.

That was Concubine Dexin, whom she had met a few days ago.

Today, she came with her head maid again, but for some reason she was looking around with a panicked look.

(Why did she come here?) Lin Zhiruo thought to herself.

The palace of a superior concubine should be equipped with its own bathhouse, so there is no need to come here specifically.

Concubine Dexin looked around nervously, but did not notice the wooden barrel at her feet and almost tripped.

Although she was one of the four senior concubines in the harem, she was actually just a fifteen-year-old princess who had not yet been favored.

Her head maid hurried forward to support her, but she also slipped and fell.

Lin Zhiruo couldn't help but wonder to herself, is there no more competent maid?

But then I thought, all the maids there were like this, so there was nothing I could do.

Lin Zhiruo felt more and more embarrassed as she looked at her, so she walked barefoot to Concubine Dexin.

She used the hot water from her bath to rinse the oil off the stone floor to prevent them from slipping again.

"Thank you...thank you..." Concubine Dexin and the head maid looked at Lin Zhiruo in horror, as if they had seen some terrible demon.

Lin Zhiruo stared at them coldly, and the two of them trembled as helplessly as leaves in the wind.

She really hoped they could put away their expressions as if they had seen a demon.

Helplessly, Lin Zhiruo planned to return to her original position and continue waiting, but suddenly something caught her attention.

She looked at the timid Concubine Dexin and found that she still had some excess body hair. Although it seemed to have been shaved with a razor, the shave marks were mottled and uneven, and some places were even inflamed and swollen due to excessive shaving.

"...Your Majesty, would you like to experience a new method of hair removal?" Lin Zhiruo asked softly, with curiosity and anticipation in her eyes.

"Huh?" Concubine Dexin was obviously surprised and curious about Lin Zhiruo's proposal.

However, Lin Zhiruo had already taken her hand and led her towards the stone platform.

Concubine Dexin did not put up much resistance, as if she was infected by Lin Zhiruo's confidence and composure.

Although she was still trembling slightly, Lin Zhiruo didn't care and just focused on doing her work.

Lin Zhiruo urged Concubine Dexin, who was also shyly covering her breasts, to lie down on the stone platform, with a playful smile on her lips.

She slowly applied the specially formulated essential oil (skin care oil) onto her skin, her movements gentle and delicate.

Xiao Cui, ignoring the fear and anxiety of Concubine De Xin and the head maid, firmly pressed her down on the stone platform.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. I will treat you gently." Lin Zhiruo said softly, and then devoted her full attention to her work.

Her technique is skillful and precise, as if she is creating a fine work of art.

Qin Xiang watched all this in a daze, looking at Concubine Dexin with sympathy in her eyes.

After the hair removal was completed, Concubine Dexin's skin became smooth and delicate, as attractive as solidified fat.

Lin Zhiruo couldn't help but take the trouble to deal with her body hair, and then carefully applied essential oil all over her body for care.

Xiao Cui watched Lin Zhiruo serving Concubine Dexin with envy, while she also carefully applied essential oil to Concubine Dexin, enjoying this rare comfort and ease.

After serving other guests, Hu Lan'er was invited to taste fruit juice and was enjoying a moment of rest and pleasure.

Lin Zhiruo thought that she would have to ask Concubine Dexin for some fruit juice to try later.

However, when she saw Concubine Dexin lying on the stone platform in a daze, she couldn't help but start to reflect on whether she had gone too far.

"Your Majesty, aren't you used to being served like this?" Lin Zhiruo turned to the head maid and asked, her tone filled with concern and curiosity.

"Yes... yes." The head maid looked at Concubine De Xin hesitantly. Although the blush on Concubine De Xin's face had faded after bathing, she looked a little pale and haggard.

"There are some dirty things in the...bathhouse...of that palace." The head maid finally mustered up the courage to speak, her face as pale and weak as Concubine Dexin's.

"You mean... it's haunted?" Lin Zhiruo asked in astonishment, with curiosity and surprise flashing in her eyes.

"That's right..." The head maid answered softly, with a hint of trembling and fear in her voice, as if she was afraid of disturbing those unspeakable existences.