After returning to the capital to farm, the abandoned concubine made a comeback.

Lin Qin opened the box, inside was an exquisite jade pendant, carved with a lifelike phoenix.

She asked in surprise, "Your Highness, what is this...?"

"This is a keepsake left to me by my mother, and now I'm giving it to you." Zhu Ling looked at her affectionately, "I hope it will protect you and bring you peace and happiness."

Lin Qin carefully put the jade pendant close to her body, feeling a warm current welling up in her heart.

Over the next few days, Lin Qin devoted herself entirely to culinary innovation.

Using her modern culinary knowledge and combining it with local tastes, she developed a brand new dish – “Crystal Pumpkin Cake”.

This dish is not only crystal clear in appearance, but also has a chewy and smooth texture that melts in your mouth, leaving you with an unforgettable aftertaste.

The crystal pumpkin cake quickly became a hit on the farm, and even people from nearby towns came to try it.

Lin Qin's restaurant business became even more booming, making a fortune every day.

However, just as Lin Qin was basking in the joy of success, the farm was quietly facing a crisis.

Because the making of crystal pumpkin cake requires a special spice, and this spice is extremely expensive.

To ensure the quality of the dishes, Lin Qin spared no expense in purchasing ingredients, resulting in high costs.

As time went on, Lin Qin's funds gradually became insufficient.

If a solution cannot be found soon, she will face huge financial losses.

That evening, Lin Qin and Zhu Ling were discussing countermeasures.

"Your Highness, I..." Lin Qin hesitated, unsure of how to begin.

Zhu Ling noticed her worry and gently pulled her into his arms: "Just tell me what's wrong, don't keep it to yourself."

Lin Qin took a deep breath and slowly said, "I...I might go bankrupt..."

Zhu Ling was slightly taken aback, then smiled: "Got everything? What happened?"

Lin Qin told Zhu Ling about the cost of the crystal pumpkin cake.

After hearing this, Zhu Ling did not blame her, but instead comforted her, "Don't worry, everything will be alright."

“But…” Lin Qin’s eyes were filled with anxiety, “What will we do if I fail?”

Zhu Ling gently stroked her hair, a resolute glint in his eyes: "Even if you really go bankrupt, you still have me. I will always be by your side, never leaving you."

Moved, Lin Qin threw herself into Zhu Ling's arms, her tears soaking his clothes.

Just then, there was a sudden and urgent knock on the door.

"Your Highness, something terrible has happened!" a guard's anxious voice rang out, "The farm... something has happened at the farm!"

Zhu Ling's expression changed, and he abruptly stood up: "What happened?"

The guard's voice trembled as he said, "The farm...the farm has been burned down!"

"What?!" Lin Qin and Zhu Ling exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

Lin Qin grabbed Zhu Ling's arm, her eyes filled with terror: "Your Highness, let's go see!"

The two of them dashed out and ran towards the farm...

Lin Qin looked at the burning farm and felt a chill in her heart.

She murmured to herself, "How could this happen..." Zhu Ling held her hand tightly and said in a deep voice, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." He looked up at the night sky ablaze with fire, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Who did this...?" The fire illuminated half the sky, and the crackling sound of the flames was like the sinister laughter of a demon, mocking Lin Qin's hard work as it was reduced to ashes.

She stood there blankly, like a statue, letting the cold night wind tousle her hair.

Zhu Ling tenderly pulled her into his arms. "Qin'er, don't be afraid. I will find out the truth and uncover the mastermind." His voice was deep and powerful, like a shot of adrenaline, gradually clearing Lin Qin's confused thoughts.

"Your Highness, I'm alright." Lin Qin took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in her heart.

Now that things have come to this, grief is useless; she must pull herself together, find the real culprit, and rebuild her home.

"Matchmaker Wu! What did you just say you saw?" Lin Qin grabbed Matchmaker Wu, who was about to sneak away, her tone sharp.

The matchmaker, Wu, trembled with fright. "I...I didn't see anything. I was just passing by, just passing by..." Her eyes darted around, and she stammered, clearly hiding something.

"Just passing by? Then why are you running?" Lin Qin pressed closer, her gaze piercing.

"I...I..." Wu, the matchmaker, was forced to back away, and finally sat down on the ground with a thud. "I...I saw Chef Qian coming this way, and then...and then the fire started!"

Chef Qian? Lin Qin's heart skipped a beat. Could it be him? But why would he do this?

"Butcher Zhou, did you see anyone suspicious just now?" Lin Qin turned to Butcher Zhou, who was also looking flustered.

"I...I saw Chef Qian acting suspiciously, like he was holding something in his hand..." Butcher Zhou's voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible.

Lin Qin's heart sank; it seemed that Chef Qian was the prime suspect.

Could it be because he's jealous of her booming business that he...?

"Your Highness, let's go find Chef Qian!" Lin Qin's tone was firm, her eyes flashing with the flames of revenge.

Zhu Ling nodded, picked her up, and used his lightness skill to disappear into the night.

In the dilapidated courtyard, Chef Qian was packing his simple belongings, a hint of panic on his face.

"Chef Qian, it's so late, where are you going?" Lin Qin's voice suddenly rang out, startling Chef Qian so much that he dropped the bundle in his hands.

He whirled around, saw Lin Qin and Zhu Ling, and his face instantly turned deathly pale. "You...you..."

"Chef Qian, did you start the fire at the farm?" Lin Qin asked directly, her tone cold and devoid of any emotion.

Chef Qian's lips trembled, but he couldn't utter a single word.

"The evidence is irrefutable, what else do you have to say?" Zhu Ling's voice was like a judgment from hell, causing Chef Qian to completely break down...

He collapsed to the ground, his eyes vacant, stammering, "I...I..."

Chef Qian stammered as he explained the whole story.

Consumed by jealousy, he saw Lin Qin's business thriving while his own business remained neglected, and thus harbored malicious intentions.

He took advantage of the quiet of the night to sneak into the farm and set fire to the woodshed.

He originally thought that a fire would ruin Lin Qin's business, but he never expected it to cause such a disaster.

Zhu Ling ordered his men to escort Chef Qian to the authorities, where he would face severe legal punishment.

Although Lin Qin was heartbroken when she saw the burned-down farm, she was not defeated.

"Out with the old, in with the new! Let's build an even more magnificent one!" She rolled up her sleeves, full of fighting spirit.

Lin Qin's path of culinary innovation did not come to a halt because of the fire.

Instead of giving up, she became more determined and launched even more amazing dishes.

Before the popularity of crystal pumpkin cake had subsided, another dish, "candied hawthorn duck," emerged, with its sweet and sour taste, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, quickly winning over the taste buds of all diners.

"Boss lady, your cooking is absolutely amazing! It tastes even better than what the imperial chefs make!" a customer exclaimed.

"That's right! I heard that even the Emperor sent people to inquire about how to make this candied hawthorn duck!" another diner said mysteriously.

Lin Qin's restaurant was always packed with customers, making a fortune every day, and she became the true culinary queen of the area.

The villagers were all proud of her, and they would praise her to everyone they met: "Our village's Madam Lin is an extremely formidable person!"

Zhu Ling was also incredibly proud of Lin Qin. He looked at her busy figure with eyes full of love.

Having weathered this storm, their feelings for each other deepened, and they often strolled under the moonlight, their tender affection a sight to behold, envied by all.

"Qin'er, you are my lucky star." Zhu Ling gently embraced Lin Qin. "With you here, I'm not afraid of anything."

Lin Qin nestled in his arms, a happy smile on her face. "Your Highness, with you here, I'm not afraid of anything."

However, just as Lin Qin was basking in the joy of success, a letter from the farm shattered the tranquility.

The letter stated that the farm had suffered a once-in-a-century flood, and at the same time, the local bully Zhao Sanhu had his eye on the farm's fertile land and wanted to forcibly seize it...

“Zhao Sanhu? He dares!” Zhu Ling’s face darkened instantly after reading the letter, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

Lin Qin's heart sank. She clutched the letter tightly in her hand and murmured, "It seems we're about to face a new challenge..."

Just then, there was a rapid knocking at the door. "Your Highness, something terrible has happened..."

A guard rushed in, flustered. "News has come from the capital...the Emperor...the Emperor is critically ill!"

Zhu Ling's expression changed drastically. Ignoring the crisis at the farm, he immediately prepared to set off back to the capital.

Lin Qin was also extremely anxious, but she knew that she had to stay at the farm to protect everything she had worked so hard to build.

"Your Highness, please go with peace of mind. I will handle things at the farm," Lin Qin said, forcing herself to remain calm despite her inner unease.

Zhu Ling gave her a deep look. He knew that Lin Qin was under tremendous pressure at the moment, but he had to return to the capital first to deal with the Emperor's illness.

"Qin'er, wait for me to come back." He held Lin Qin's hand tightly, his eyes filled with reluctance and worry.

After seeing Zhu Ling off, Lin Qin immediately gathered the villagers to discuss strategies for dealing with the flood and the local bullies.

"The flood is merciless; we must unite as one to overcome this difficult time!" Lin Qin's voice was powerful and inspiring to everyone present.

The villagers responded enthusiastically, expressing their willingness to fight the flood together with Lin Qin.

Butcher Zhou patted his chest and assured her, "Lady Lin, don't worry. I, Butcher Zhou, may not have many other skills, but I certainly have plenty of strength! Anyone who dares to cause trouble, I'll let them taste my butcher's knife!"

Wu, the matchmaker, also changed her usual gossipy ways and actively organized the women to prepare food and medicine, contributing her efforts to flood relief.

Under Lin Qin's leadership, the villagers built dikes, dredged waterways, and worked together to fight the flood.

After several days and nights of hard work, they finally succeeded in keeping the floodwaters outside the village.

However, as soon as the floodwaters receded, the local bully Zhao Sanhu led a group of thugs and stormed into the farm.

"Lin Qin, if you know what's good for you, hand over the farm, or don't blame me for being impolite!" Zhao Sanhu said arrogantly.

Lin Qin stepped forward without fear, "Zhao Sanhu, this farm is my life's work, I will never let you succeed!"

Zhao Sanhu sneered, "You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to drink the penalty cup! Get them!"

The thugs swarmed forward, but Lin Qin showed no weakness. She used modern fighting techniques to knock the thugs to the ground one by one.

Seeing how formidable Lin Qin was, Zhao Sanhu couldn't help but feel a little intimidated, but he still refused to give up. "Lin Qin, you wait, I'll be back!" After saying that, he slunk away.

The villagers cheered and applauded Lin Qin's courage and wisdom.

"Lady Lin, you are our guardian angel!"

Lin Qin looked at the cheering villagers and felt a great sense of accomplishment.

She knew that although the crisis was difficult, it had also made her stronger and more passionate about this land.

Just then, a fast horse galloped in, and the rider brought astonishing news: the Emperor has passed away, and Zhu Ling has succeeded to the throne!