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

"General Manager Quan Wushuang was just being impulsive and took the joke too far."

Gao Zhongcheng led Lin Zhiruo towards the Qionghua Palace where Concubine Dexin lived.

(Presumably, at this moment, the steward is being scolded by Imperial Concubine Yuyao in the Liuli Palace.)

"In that case, how about asking Guard Gao to come and 'taste the food' from now on?"

Lin Zhiruo raised the corner of her mouth slightly and said something that made Gao Zhongcheng look embarrassed.

“Try...try the dishes?”

Gao Zhongcheng looked embarrassed.

(How could he, the commander of the guards, be willing to taste snacks for others?)

"If Guard Gao doesn't want to, then forget it."

Lin Zhiruo snorted coldly and strode forward.

(Quan Wushuang, with his good looks, has deceived countless people.)

(If he didn't hold such power, I would definitely let him taste my 'special dessert'.)

As their thoughts raced, they arrived at an exquisite palace filled with crabapple trees.

Imperial Concubine Dexin was wearing a light red brocade dress and a pearl hairpin in her hair. Compared to her extravagant attire at the flower viewing banquet the day before, she looked more beautiful and charming now.

Imperial Concubine Yuyao came hurriedly, and Lin Zhiruo took the opportunity to request an audience with Imperial Concubine Dexin.

I saw Concubine Dexin looking eagerly at the door, obviously waiting for the steward.

(No wonder, just based on that handsome face, it is enough to make people obsessed.)

"What do you want to ask?"

Concubine Dexin was holding a jade round fan and leaning lazily on the brocade couch.

She was still young, and her behavior was somewhat childish. Although she was stunningly beautiful, she was not as graceful as the other concubines.

Her figure is even thinner than the frail Lin Zhiruo.

Two personal maids stood behind him bored.

When Concubine Dexin first saw this strange palace maid with freckles on her face, she frowned slightly.

But after looking closely for a moment, she suddenly recognized that this was the maid with extraordinary skills at the flower-viewing banquet.

She was stunned at first, then her expression gradually calmed down.

"Your Majesty, don't you like sweet osmanthus candy?"

Lin Zhiruo asked straight to the point.

Upon hearing this, Concubine Dexin's eyes widened.

“How…how do you know?”

"The Queen's expression just now has already told me the answer."

Lin Zhiruo smiled faintly.

The puzzled little face gradually puffed up, becoming as cute as a bun.

"Have you ever felt unwell after eating sweet-scented osmanthus candy?"

Concubine Dexin's cheeks puffed out even more and she nodded silently.

"It's common for people in the imperial kitchen to have a food allergy."

“No…”

Imperial Concubine Dexin shook her head, her cheeks still puffed out.

“That was when I was very young. I don’t remember it clearly.”

She said that when she was still a baby, she almost died after accidentally eating spoiled osmanthus candy.

From then on, the wet nurse and the maid repeatedly told her not to touch this kind of snack.

"You are so rude! You have trespassed into the palace and spoken rudely to the Empress!"

A maid screamed.

(Heh, you have the nerve to criticize me? At the flower viewing banquet the other day, you watched your master being forced to drink without stopping him.)

(These people always pretend to protect their masters, but in fact they are adding fuel to the fire.)

(Let the young Concubine Dexin mistakenly believe that all outsiders are enemies and only they are reliable.)

(Unless Concubine Dexin sees the truth for herself, this bullying will never end.)

(However, they did reveal their true colors at the flower viewing party that day.)

"I'm here on orders from the Chief Steward. If you have any objections, feel free to raise them with the Chief Steward."

Since Lin Zhiruo wanted to borrow the tiger's power, she might as well cause more trouble for the steward.

(This little trick should be harmless.)

She wanted to see how these maids would find excuses to get close to the powerful steward.

"One more thing."

Lin Zhiruo looked at Concubine Dexin expressionlessly.

"Does your Majesty know Aunt Qingluo from Zixiao Palace?"

The look of surprise that flashed across the concubine's face already gave the answer.

Lin Zhiruo asked Gao Zhongcheng to help find an ancient book, and he was searching in the royal library at that time.

As a palace maid, Lin Zhiruo was not allowed to enter or leave the library without permission.

(What did this girl discover?)

Gao Zhongcheng couldn't help but admire her knowledge and composure beyond her age.

A seventeen-year-old girl has such a meticulous mind.

(If she were a man, she would surely achieve great things in the court.)

(Of course, it would be better if we could curb our obsession with food.)

(She should have been an easy pawn to manipulate, requiring only a little bit of manipulation.)

(Although she was reluctant, she would always give in.)

(It is a well-known fact that the Lord is still young.)

"I am sorry."

Gao Zhongcheng whispered to himself.

(Perhaps I should put a stop to the butler's outrageous jokes.)

(But what can be done if it is stopped?)

Thinking of Lin Zhiruo's resentful eyes, he couldn't help but worry that he would be retaliated by the food in the future.

Gao Zhongcheng subconsciously tidied up the loose hair on his forehead.

Lin Zhiruo sat cross-legged on her small couch, concentrating on studying an ancient book.

Various kitchen utensils are placed beside the bed, and various ingredients are drying on the shelves.

Some of these utensils were prepared by Tuo Gao Zhongcheng, and some were borrowed from the imperial kitchen.

"Thirteen years ago..."

Lin Zhiruo whispered softly.

(It turns out that the emperor's younger brother was also born at that time.)

The thread-bound book in her hand recorded the past events of the harem, which she asked Gao Zhongcheng to find.

When the emperor was still the crown prince, he had a prince. His mother and the crown prince were foster sisters, and she was later named Consort Shuwan.

Unfortunately, that prince died young, and no more children were born until the death of the previous emperor and the establishment of a new harem.

"It turns out there was only one concubine during the Eastern Palace period."

Lin Zhiruo was quite surprised.

(I thought that given the Emperor's temperament, he would have already taken in many beauties when he was in the Eastern Palace.)

(I never thought he would stay with one person for more than ten years.)

(As expected, rumors cannot be trusted completely; historical records are needed for verification.)

Thirteen years ago, the prince died, and then...the imperial chef Hongming was demoted.

Seeing this familiar name, Lin Zhiruo understood.

Because she had already noticed the clues.

The spices grown in various places in the harem are all the ones she often uses.

These must not be wild, but carefully cultivated by someone.

Lin Zhiruo knew that someone would grow various spices around his home.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

Looking at the hunched old man, Lin Zhiruo felt mixed emotions.

With his cooking skills, he shouldn't be just a small chef in this red-light district, but my father seems to be content with this.

Thinking that I learned cooking skills from my father in my previous life, and my father's cooking skills in this life are also quite unique,

He loved me even more, who would have thought that I would end up in the harem...