That midnight Pepper Pork Tripe Soup was like a stone thrown into the lake of Lin Qianqian’s heart, sending ripples through her very being.
She could feel subtle changes happening—when Xiao Yu looked at her now, there seemed to be an indescribable complexity in his scrutinizing gaze, and even when Leng Feng came to collect meals, he occasionally cast her an extra glance.
But these subtle shifts brought no comfort. Instead, they felt like walking on an even thinner wire.
She knew she was still under watch: Fu Bo’s investigation hung over her like a sword, and Master Zhang’s silent presence was an accumulating storm cloud.
That morning, Lin Qianqian followed her routine to retrieve ingredients from the warehouse. On her way back, passing through the flowered corridor connecting the front and back courtyards, she ran into a group of people.
At the front was a woman dressed in a golden-threaded, butterfly-and-floral patterned silk gown, with a pinkish-red feathered cloak draped over her shoulders. Her hair was styled in a lavish Chaotian bun, adorned with gold and jade hairpins that jingled with each step. Her face was strikingly beautiful, yet a haughty, unyielding air lingered between her brows. Behind her followed the sharp-eyed Cui’er.
Lin Qianqian’s heart skipped a beat. She immediately lowered her head and stepped to the edge of the corridor, kneeling slightly in a bow:“Your servant greets Consort Liu.”
Liu Rusi’s steps did not falter. She passed right by Lin Qianqian as if she did not exist. Yet, just as they brushed past, Lin Qianqian clearly heard a cold snort of hatred and a low, venomous whisper, piercing her ears like a snake’s tongue:
“Seductive fox, you dare?”
The malice in that voice sent a chill down Lin Qianqian’s spine.
She maintained her bow until the group’s fragrant presence faded into the distance, then slowly raised her head. Her fingertips whitened slightly from gripping the food box so tightly.
Liu Rusi’s hostility was deeper than Lin Qianqian had expected. The term “seductive fox” clearly indicated she knew about Xiao Yu visiting the small kitchen at night! Indeed, there was no wall in the mansion that could keep a secret.
Her mind weighed heavy as she returned to the small kitchen. No sooner had she put down the ingredients than Chun Tao leaned close, lowering her voice:“Qianqian, did you just run into Consort Liu? I heard that last night His Highness went to the Lan Yue Pavilion for dinner, but he didn’t stay long. Apparently… he wasn’t satisfied with Master Zhang’s new experimental soup, and Consort Liu flew into a rage, even breaking some things!”
Lin Qianqian froze, realization dawning. His Highness had visited the Lan Yue Pavilion, but left early due to dissatisfaction with the meal. Consort Liu’s anger, combined with His Highness’ “special attention” toward Lin Qianqian, was now directed squarely at her.
No wonder the fury today was so intense.
A sense of powerlessness washed over her. The women of the mansion’s rear court seemed to live in another world, where all joy, anger, sorrow, and even life and death were dictated by a single thought of that man. And she—simply for being able to make food that pleased his stomach—had become a thorn in their eyes.
Silently, she began preparing the ingredients. Today she would make Claypot Fish Head Tofu Soup, selecting a large silver carp head from the reservoir. The tender meat, with silky tofu, slices of winter bamboo shoots, and fragrant mushrooms, would simmer together into a creamy, savory broth.
But just as she placed the marinated fish head into the preheated clay pot, ready to sear both sides to golden perfection, the pot seemed unable to withstand the sudden heat.
A faint “crack” sounded from the base, and a clear fissure spread rapidly across the bottom!
Lin Qianqian’s face changed drastically.
She instinctively tried to lift the pot from the heat, but it was too late.
“Bang!” The pot shattered completely in her hands! Scalding oil and half-cooked fish head, along with other ingredients, flew in all directions!
“Ah!” Lin Qianqian cried out. Though she reacted swiftly and stepped back, the burning oil splattered on her arms and hands, sending sharp, fiery pain shooting through her flesh. Even worse, shards of pottery and scattered ingredients littered the kitchen, leaving the stove in total chaos.
The sudden crash and mess immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Master Zhang was the first to rush over. Seeing the disaster and Lin Qianqian clutching her burned arm, pale-faced, a flicker of satisfaction flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by a stern expression as he barked:“Lin Qianqian! How dare you mishandle the prince’s official clay pot! If this startled His Highness, can you bear the consequences?!”
His voice was loud, clearly intending to make a scene.
Chun Tao turned pale with fear and scrambled for a clean cloth to help Lin Qianqian.
Suppressing the scorching pain in her arm, Lin Qianqian looked at the shattered pot and then at Master Zhang, who wore a self-righteous expression. Her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach.
She had used this pot more than once, always carefully. How could it suddenly break for no reason? Unless… the pot itself had been tampered with!
It was Master Zhang! It had to be him! He oversaw the kitchen’s utensils and had ample opportunity to do this. He deliberately gave her a pot with a hidden crack, calculated that she would use high heat to sear the fish head, causing uneven thermal stress and shattering the pot!
So malicious! Not only did he want her to make a mistake in front of the prince, he aimed to burn her hands with the splattering oil! For a chef, hands are life itself!
“What’s going on?” a stern voice rang out. Madame Zhao arrived, frowning sharply at the scene before her.
Master Zhang immediately stepped forward, bowing:“Madam, it’s Lin Qianqian! She was careless and damaged the prince’s official clay pot, leaving a complete mess! Such incompetence makes her unfit to serve in the small kitchen!”
Madame Zhao’s gaze swept over the scattered shards and landed on Lin Qianqian’s reddened arms, sharp and discerning.
Gritting her teeth against the pain, Lin Qianqian raised her head and addressed Madame Zhao. Her voice trembled slightly from the burns, but was clear:“Madam, this pot… broke suspiciously. I inspect it every time before use and found no issue today, yet it suddenly shattered under heat. I suspect… the pot was flawed to begin with.”
Master Zhang’s expression darkened. He snapped:“Do not spout nonsense to shirk responsibility! I personally inspected every utensil before distribution. There was nothing wrong! This was clearly your own mistake!”
Madame Zhao looked at both of them, her expression grave. She could sense the strangeness of the situation—but without evidence…
At that moment, a cold voice rang from the kitchen doorway:
“What is all this noise?”
Everyone turned to see Xiao Yu, appearing silently. He wore his dark robes and jade crown, expression calm yet commanding. His gaze swept over the chaos on the floor before settling on Lin Qianqian’s burned arms and her clear eyes, filled with both grievance and stubbornness.