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

At that moment, Lin Zhiruo suddenly recalled that Concubine Yuyao once sighed softly and described tossing and turning in the dead of night.

"I also want to get some ingredients to help me sleep. Is that possible?" she asked in a gentle tone.

"Please feel free to use it." Wang Dahai was immersed in playing with Rongrong. He answered nonchalantly without looking up.

Lin Zhiruo couldn't help but feel a little doubtful. Was this really the right approach? She pondered this while carefully searching the food cabinet.

(It is important to look for ingredients that are harmless to pregnant women.)

Insomnia during pregnancy is common, so she decided not to give her any strong ingredients, but only some mild soothing agents.

(This should be just right.)

Lin Zhiruo gently opened the drawer and took out the unprocessed ingredients.

Just then, Rongrong jumped to her feet and followed closely, as if reluctant to leave.

Lin Zhiruo felt a little annoyed and shook her feet gently, trying to get Rongrong to leave, but Rongrong stretched out her sharp claws and grabbed her skirt tightly.

"Don't mess around, it'll break," she chided softly.

"What's going on?" Wang Dahai noticed Rongrong's abnormality.

(Is it because of these ingredients?)

Lin Zhiruo looked down at the food in her hands. Rongrong made a strange sound, slapping the back of her hand with its pink paw pads.

"I won't give it to you." Lin Zhiruo said firmly.

No matter how Wang Dahai and Lin Xiang dote on Rongrong, Lin Zhiruo will never spoil it.

She quickly wrapped the precious ingredients in cloth and was determined not to give them to the little guy easily.

"Then I'll take my leave first." Lin Zhiruo said, turned around and left the food shop.

Quan Wushuang and others should fully support Lin Xiang's intention.

(However, it's best to get their permission first.)

It might take several days for Quan Wushuang to handle it, so she decided to go to the academy first.

(Speaking of which…)

Lin Zhiruo hid a hairpin in her bosom, a gift from Quan Wushuang. She wore it while working, but was always teased by the three girls or Imperial Concubine Yuyao, so she took it off.

(I'll have to wear it later.)

Although Lin Zhiruo felt it was a bit troublesome, she still walked towards the school on the north side.

There were about thirty students in the school, listening to the eunuch's lecture.

There is an old eunuch with an eccentric personality here, but he is not standing on the podium today. This eunuch is in charge of the temple in the harem used to identify the royal bloodline.

Although he was somewhat reluctant, talking to him might be the quickest way. He knew Lin Xiang, and as long as he knew that Lin Xiang had come to the harem, things would become simple.

Lin Zhiruo walked along the corridor towards the old eunuch's room far away from the lecture hall.

"Is my father-in-law here?" she asked softly.

The door was slightly ajar. She peeked in and saw the old eunuch squinting his eyes as he read. He raised his eyebrows slightly, and after seeing Lin Zhiruo through the crack in the door, he beckoned, "Come here."

"Xiao Cui didn't come with you?"

The eunuch often taught Xiao Cui to read. The lively palace maid was loved wherever she went.

"I came here alone today to discuss something with you." Lin Zhiruo pondered how to start the conversation, and finally decided to let the other party see the real thing first, so she placed the paper written by Lin Xiang on the messy table.

The old eunuch raised his eyebrows again. He pointed at the chair and motioned Lin Zhiruo to sit down. Lin Zhiruo obeyed respectfully.

"This is Lin Xiangzhi's handwriting, right?"

"My father-in-law really has a keen eye."

"During the imperial examinations, everyone said that imitating his handwriting would lead to a high score, and everyone competed to imitate him."

That was probably a long time ago, forty years... no, maybe more than fifty years ago. In this country, the qualification of chef was separate from the imperial examination, but Lin Xiang passed both.

He was originally a talented civil servant, but out of sympathy for the hungry children on the street, he resolutely chose to cook. It was said that Lin Xiang had this temperament since he was a child, so his biological father ignored him.

"He sent this specifically?"

"No, Lin Xiang is in the harem right now."

"Oh? I've never heard of that."

The old eunuch widened his eyes, which were mostly covered by wrinkles, and seemed to be completely unaware.

After all, the school is located in the remote north side of the harem, and it seems that it is not well informed.

This reminded Lin Zhiruo that Xiao Cui didn't react much when she first met Lin Xiang.

Even the most gossipy girl had little interest in the wrinkled old man after a group of young and handsome eunuchs came in.

"Since Xiao Cui knew about this, why didn't she tell me?"

"Everyone is talking about the young eunuch. Perhaps it has been covered up."

"Young eunuch..."

The old eunuch stroked his chin and gazed out the window. Beyond the circular window lattice lay the temple where the Queen Mother's sons were chosen. But the old eunuch's gaze seemed to be directed further afield.

"Even if there's nothing new, it doesn't seem appropriate to make a fuss over such a small thing."

"What did you say, sir?"

"It's nothing serious. Someone just said that there are too many young eunuchs stationed in the south, making the palace maids lose their focus on work, so they sent a few of them over."

So that's how it is, Lin Zhiruo suddenly realized. The number of women in the north wing of the harem was indeed less than in other places.

"The food shop has added some men, and they seem to be helping quite a bit."

There were no young palace maids working in the food shop; all were older and more composed. There was one bold maid, Hu Fei. Lin Zhiruo could easily imagine her commanding the eunuchs.

"Okay, let's get back to the point. What exactly do you want from me, young lady?"

"If you want to use this paper for the palace maids in the academy to practice copying, we will prepare the paper ourselves."

The old eunuch raised his eyebrows again and stared at the slender piece of paper.

"He's written something similar before. Back then, Lin Xiang was on his own, and I couldn't help but lend a hand. It seems even a man like him, with age, has learned to skillfully dispatch others. Compared to the help I gave him then, this little thing is nothing to worry about."

"...Lin Xiang has written notices like this before?"

"Yes, they are posted everywhere in the harem. But I am tired of seeing them, so you are not allowed to post any of them here."

The old eunuch shook his head, as if to say, "I never want to write those words again."

Lin Zhiruo looked at the notice on the paper, which also briefly mentioned the matter of heroin.

This made Lin Zhiruo suspicious. She wanted to confirm it no matter what, so she pressed the paper down with her writing brush and stood up.

She wanted to go there immediately to resolve the mystery.

"Then I'll bring the paper over later."

"Hey, don't you want to have a cup of tea before you leave?"

"No, I have something urgent to do."

After Lin Zhiruo finished speaking, she left the place...