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

"Don't you ever adorn your hair with flowers?"

Someone asked softly.

“I’m worried that it will become a burden and affect my duties.”

The other man answered, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

"Even the busy maids in the Liuli Palace would dress up a bit before carrying out their missions."

The questioner continued, a hint of doubt in his tone.

Despite his persuasion, Lin Zhiruo had very few ornaments in her hands.

Apart from a few practical hairbands, there were also a few hairpins or small ornaments she had received at the last garden party, lying quietly in her palm...

"I remember giving you one as a gift. Did you sell it?"

There was a hint of question in his tone.

“Never sold.”

Lin Zhiruo answered in a firm voice.

(At least not yet.)

Lin Zhiruo had indeed considered selling them, but she never found the right opportunity.

Obviously, Quan Wushuang didn't want her to do this.

"Then you will wear it when you come to see me."

Quan Wushuang's words were concise and clear.

“…Is this all right?”

Lin Zhiruo asked half-doubtfully.

"Why not?"

Quan Wushuang asked back, with a hint of confusion in his tone.

Lin Zhiruo originally thought that Quan Wushuang would make some harsh demands, but she didn't expect it to be such a simple matter.

She did not feel disgusted, but rather a little curious.

"As long as you wear it, I will tell you the answer."

Quan Wushuang muttered to himself, then turned to Lin Zhiruo, "Get ready quickly and follow me."

After saying this, Quan Wushuang turned and left.

Xiao Cui had already cried with tears in her eyes and sobs coming one after another.

Lin Zhiruo patted her back to comfort her, and then followed Quan Wushuang's pace.

The kitchen was a busy scene as everyone was busy preparing dinner.

Quan Wushuang finally borrowed a secluded corner for them.

Meals are being prepared here for the many palace maids, and it is rare to find a free stove.

Although the food shop can also make it, it would be a bit disrespectful for the concubines to handle it with the mentality of making snacks.

Although Lin Zhiruo sometimes used that method to prepare medicinal food for Concubine Yuyao, it was an exception after all.

After Quan Wushuang arranged everything, he was taken away by Gao Zhongcheng with an expressionless face to handle official business.

Instead, there was an eunuch sitting upright on a chair, watching Lin Zhiruo and others with sharp eyes.

In addition, the eunuch just now was also observing every move in the kitchen with concern.

"Hey, Lin Zhiruo, can you really make something like ice cream this way?"

Xiao Cui looked at Lin Zhiruo's actions, her eyes full of worry.

"It should be okay."

Lin Zhiruo replied that she had seen others make it with her own eyes.

As long as she remembered correctly, she should be able to succeed.

Large ceramic bowls, small thin metal bowls, milk, sugar, various fruits, and other necessary ingredients were already prepared on the table.

Lin Zhiruo could understand Xiao Cui's uneasiness, because some of the things seemed not to be here.

Luckily, they found milk.

There was a concubine who loved ghee and only ate ghee that was freshly made that day.

Milk spoils easily, and Lin Zhiruo was worried that she might not be able to find fresh milk.

Lin Zhiruo poured the milk into a metal bowl, added sugar, and stirred gently with a tea whisk.

This tool was originally used to stir tea, but at this time it helped her mix air into the milk.

"Here, mix this up."

Lin Zhiruo said to Xiao Cui.

"Uh, okay."

Xiao Cui took the tea whisk and began to stir it carefully.

Due to time constraints, Lin Zhiruo handed the simple task to Xiao Cui and began to prepare other things.

Lin Zhiruo moved the ice on the ground to the table, then picked up the hammer and hit it.

The large ice cubes gradually became smaller and smaller.

"What are you doing!"

Xiao Cui asked in surprise.

"Don't worry, Xiao Cui, just stir it."

As Lin Zhiruo spoke, she put the crushed ice into a large bowl, added a little water, and then poured in a large amount of salt.

Xiao Cui tilted her head and looked at Lin Zhiruo's actions, her face full of confusion.

"Okay, Xiao Cui, put that in."

Lin Zhiruo pointed at the metal bowl and said.

The two men placed the metal bowl in the salted ice water and stirred it continuously.

Xiao Cui originally tilted her head with a puzzled look on her face, but gradually, she opened her eyes wide in surprise.

"Huh? No way."

she muttered.

The milk began to curdle and stick to the surface of the metal bowl.

Lin Zhiruo scraped it off with a tea whisk while continuing to stir.

"Xiao Cui, chop up the fruit over there."

Lin Zhiruo ordered.

"Uh, okay."

Xiao Cui picked up the kitchen knife and began to cut the fruit carefully.

Lin Zhiruo kept stirring the milk, and slowly it turned into a soft semi-solidified state.

"It's cut!"

Xiao Cui cheered.

"Pour it in."

Lin Zhiruo instructed.

Lin Zhiruo put down the tea whisk and used a teaspoon to gently stir the fruit and milk evenly.

After stirring evenly, pour it into a glass container.

Feeling like something was missing, Lin Zhiruo poured the soup of candied fruit on top.

Suddenly, someone swallowed.

Xiao Cui, who was crying just now, now has sparkling eyes.

"This is……"

she asked curiously.

“As you can see, this is sorbet.”

Lin Zhiruo replied with a smile.

With more time, they could have added eggs or herbs for flavor, but there was no time for that now.

"How was this done?"

Xiao Cui asked impatiently.

"I'll tell you later. If you don't send it quickly, it will be too late."

Lin Zhiruo urged.

"Well, but..."

Xiao Cui was a little hesitant and frequently looked up to steal glances at Lin Zhiruo.

"Maybe someone needs to taste it?"

Lin Zhiruo thought about it, so she scooped up the ice cream left on the surface of the metal bowl with a teaspoon and fed it to Xiao Cui.

As the cool ice cream melted in her mouth, Xiao Cui shook her hands frequently and smiled contentedly.

It seems they succeeded.

"Come! It's done! It's done! Send this to the Queen!"

Lin Zhiruo and Xiao Cui used the remaining ice cubes to wrap the popsicles in a container and handed them to the eunuch.

The eunuchs who were in charge of monitoring and transporting the ice all opened their eyes wide, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Is that really all it takes?"

the eunuch asked uneasily.

Lin Zhiruo stuffed the ice cream into his mouth without saying a word.

The eunuch's eyes widened in shock.

He reached out to take another spoonful, but Lin Zhiruo slapped it away.

The eunuch looked at Lin Zhiruo reluctantly.

"Hurry up, it's melting!"

Lin Zhiruo urged.

"understood."

The eunuch carefully put the utensils into a basket, wrapped them in cloth and hurried away.

The eunuch in charge of surveillance looked a little envious, but still returned to his post.

After they all left, Lin Zhiruo and Xiao Cui looked at each other.

“…That was a close call.”

Lin Zhiruo sighed.

"I'm not sure yet. It depends on whether the Queen likes it."

Xiao Cui reminded.

They had asked Quan Wushuang's concubines about their preferences in advance, so they should not be rejected.

Including the reduced amount for the poison test, they made enough ice cream.

"Don't scare me like that—disgusting. Let's not talk about this for now. Eat the rest before it melts."

"!"

Lin Zhiruo and Xiao Cui looked to the side and saw Hu Lan'er holding the bowl of ice cream tightly.

"Hey, why are you here?!"

Lin Zhiruo asked in surprise.

"Well—because I saw what looked like a commotion, I couldn't help but drop my errand and come here."

Hu Lan'er scratched her head embarrassedly.

"You're so bad!"

Xiao Cui complained.

Lin Zhiruo also felt that Xiao Cui was right, although if someone said, "Lin Zhiruo, you have no right to criticize others," she would not be able to refute it.

"Something almost happened just now... Hey, ah! Hu Lan'er! You can't eat it all by yourself. You're taking advantage of me without even helping me!"

Lin Zhiruo protested dissatisfiedly.

“This is really delicious~”

Hu Lan'er stuffed the teaspoon into her mouth and ran away, and Xiao Cui chased after her.

(This is not enough to eat...)