In the years of famine, I led a comfortable life with my husband

But no matter what, Su Zhizhi had to continue her job in the imperial kitchen. But no matter what, in order to avoid getting into trouble, Su Zhizhi reduced the frequency of her appearance in front of Concubine Wan after she got into trouble, so as not to be used by someone with ulterior motives.

During this period, Su Zhizhi continued to eat in Yinxuan Palace as usual. Because Concubine Wan was still recuperating from illness, Su Zhizhi's meals were made especially light and delicate.

Even so, the dishes made by Su Zhizhi still had to go through multiple inspection procedures before they could be served to Concubine Wan.

As for the process, Su Zhizhi had seen it with her own eyes. It was first inspected in the imperial kitchen and then sent to Yinxuan Palace. The emperor was afraid that Wanpin would have another accident, so he assigned an imperial physician to Wanpin in Yinxuan Palace. The meal would be checked again by the imperial physician before being placed in front of Wanpin.

Master Bai was shocked by this and felt even more sympathetic towards Su Zhizhi.

"Manager Su, why are you doing this? If you hadn't taken on Concubine Wan's matter, you wouldn't be so cautious now. To put it bluntly, we are just making a living in the imperial kitchen. Sigh."

Su Zhizhi simply smiled at this and said, "Thank you, Senior Bai, for your concern. However, these are all matters within the Imperial Kitchen's responsibilities. If we neglect Concubine Wan, I'm afraid His Majesty will punish us."

Master Bai didn't say much, but just helped Su Zhizhi more often on ordinary days.

In Yinxuan Palace, although Concubine Wan saved the baby in her belly, her body was still damaged. In order not to harm the fetus in her belly, Concubine Wan had to calm down and recuperate in the palace.

Every day, as she watched the food before her become increasingly abundant, she became even more moved by Su Zhizhi's meticulousness and thoughtfulness. After lunch, Wanpin called the maid over and said, "Go to the imperial kitchen and invite Supervisor Su for me."

The maid hesitated, "Your Highness, His Majesty has ordered that you need to rest quietly and not be disturbed. If His Majesty knew about this, I'm afraid..."

"What are you afraid of while I'm here? Or do you not even listen to me now?" Concubine Wan rarely got angry in the palace.

Seeing Wanpin like this, the maid said nothing more. Although she was reluctant, she still went to the imperial kitchen.

At this time, Su Zhizhi was busy in the kitchen, and heard someone outside saying that people from Yinxuan Palace had arrived.

Su Zhizhi was a little surprised, but she put down what she was doing and went out to check.

After understanding the whole story, Su Zhizhi smiled softly at the maid and said, "Then I'll trouble you to lead the way, young lady."

This was the first time she had come to Yinxuan Palace since Concubine Wan's accident. During this period, she rarely went out of the imperial kitchen, let alone strolled around the palace.

There are many more guards guarding the outside of Yinxuan Palace now, and there are also more maids and eunuchs serving inside the palace. Su Zhizhi can hardly recognize the faces of the servants in Yinxuan Palace before, and Su Zhizhi has some considerations in her mind.

When she came to Wanpin again, Su Zhizhi noticed that Wanpin's face was still a little pale and she had lost a lot of weight.

Seeing Su Zhizhi come in, Wanpin smiled at her and said, "Manager Su, there's no need to be so polite. Someone, please give Manager Su a seat."

Su Zhizhi sat not far from Concubine Wan. After hesitating for a while, she finally asked, "How is Concubine Wan these days? I see that she has lost a lot of weight."

Wanpin was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly and said, "After nearly having a miscarriage, it's inevitable that I've lost some weight. However, I really like Director Su's cooking, and I've eaten a lot lately, so I'm not as frighteningly thin as before."

"It is my humble honor to be favored by Your Majesty. Thank you for not despising me." Su Zhizhi was neither humble nor arrogant. She responded to every word Concubine Wan said.

After a long moment, Wanpin sighed softly, "Is Director Su still blaming me? I know everything about what happened that day, but I know in my heart that the miscarriage was not Director Su's fault. Director Su was simply implicated. Fortunately, Director Su is fine, otherwise I would have died of guilt."

"Your Majesty, you must not speak like that. I have a clear conscience about this matter, and Your Majesty is not one who kills innocent people. It is my fault that you have made Your Majesty worry." Su Zhizhi waved her hands repeatedly, pretending to kneel down to Concubine Wan.

Wanpin then changed the subject and talked to Su Zhizhi for a while before letting her leave.

Half a month passed like this, and Su Zhizhi finally waited for the day to leave the palace for rest. She couldn't wait to return home as soon as possible, but Xie Chengjin had been waiting for a long time.

When Su Zhizhi saw Xie Chengjin and thought of what happened in the palace, she felt inexplicably wronged. She walked forward and hugged Xie Chengjin's neck, burying her head in his neck and shoulders. She looked much more fragile.

Xie Chengjin was startled by Su Zhizhi's action, but then his expression softened. The first time he saw Su Zhizhi, he knew that she must not be living well in the palace, otherwise the extra flesh she had gained with great difficulty would have disappeared completely, and Su Zhizhi had even become thinner.

Despite feeling distressed, Xie Chengjin still quietly stayed with Su Zhizhi until Su Zhizhi calmed down, and then she got off Xie Chengjin embarrassedly.

Xie Chengjin prepared a table full of delicious dishes for Su Zhizhi, and Su Zhizhi's mood immediately turned from gloomy to cheerful. While the two were eating at the table, Su Zhizhi told Xie Chengjin about the bad things she had experienced in the palace during this period.

Xie Chengjin just listened quietly to Su Zhizhi's narration of the whole story. When it came to the incident of Concubine Wan, Xie Chengjin frowned slightly.

After Su Zhizhi finished speaking, Xie Chengjin pondered for a moment and said, "Zhizhi, have you ever guessed who did Wanpin's thing?"

Su Zhizhi bit her chopsticks and shook her head in confusion.

Looking at Su Zhizhi like this, Xie Chengjin sighed and said, "I think that the incident with Concubine Wan was most likely the work of the eldest princess."

"The eldest princess? Why?" Su Zhizhi felt more and more puzzled. She didn't know how the affairs of the harem were related to the eldest princess.

Xie Chengjin and Su Zhizhi analyzed, "Wanpin's family background is prominent. She has the entire Prime Minister's Mansion behind her, and no one in the entire harem can match her. Although she is only a concubine now, as long as she successfully gives birth to a prince, she may be promoted to a concubine or even a noble concubine. In addition, she is favored by the emperor, so no one in the harem dares to make a move on Wanpin. However, the princess does not have such scruples."

Su Zhizhi fell silent, and Xie Chengjin continued, "Almost everyone in the capital knows that you have a close relationship with the Princess. But now you're entangled with Concubine Wan in the palace. I guess Concubine Wan's misfortune is just a warning from the Princess to you."

Su Zhizhi stopped talking and fell into deep thought.

Xie Chengjin was also full of worries. Although he had made a deal with Xu Wanqing, the first time he saw Xu Wanqing, he still felt that Xu Wanqing was not a simple person.

After thinking it over, Xie Chengjin couldn't help but remind Su Zhizhi to be wary of Xu Wanqing.