Hong Dou ran into the room from outside.

“Miss, it’s raining!”

Luo Sheng naturally heard the raindrops outside the window. At these words, she merely smiled and continued looking down at her book.

Hong Dou came closer, her tone carrying some regret. “Miss, since it’s raining, we won’t be able to hunt.”

She had been hoping to hunt another deer today.

The braised deer meat in clay pot she’d eaten yesterday was so delicious. It was just a pity there had been somewhat few June persimmons, so the portion of that dish had been correspondingly small.

Not enough to eat.

Fortunately, today fresh June persimmons had been delivered—large and thin-skinned. She had inspected each one.

Luo Sheng set down her book and patted the increasingly plump back of the little maid’s hand. “Resting for a day is just right, isn’t it?”

Hong Dou nodded reluctantly, but in a flash her eyes brightened again. “Miss, what shall we eat for lunch? We have a whole basket of June persimmons! This servant counted them—a full twenty!”

Luo Sheng was startled. “Where did so many June persimmons come from?”

June persimmons were rather rare and not easy to obtain.

Hong Dou said with a grin, “Prince Kaiyang sent them.”

The matter-of-fact manner she displayed left Luo Sheng speechless for quite a while.

Meeting the little maid’s expectant gaze, she said, “Then let’s make baked okra eggs. We’ve eaten too many oily things these past few days. It’s just right to eat something light.”

“Baked okra eggs?” Hong Dou blinked. “This servant knows okra—it’s good stir-fried or mixed. But how do you put okra and June persimmons together to make a dish?”

She had eaten June persimmons stir-fried with eggs before.

Sweet and sour, also delicious.

“Use the June persimmons as cups, putting eggs and okra inside to make this dish.” Luo Sheng casually explained.

When it came to cooking, she was willing to say a few more words.

There was no topic safer than discussing food, nothing that brought more pleasant feelings.

“It sounds delicious already. Prince Kaiyang’s June persimmon yesterday really wasn’t eaten in vain.”

Luo Sheng withdrew the smile from the corners of her mouth, her tone becoming cooler. “Don’t casually discuss the prince. Go call Xiu Gu.”

It was still early for cooking—why call for Xiu Gu?

Hong Dou grumbled inwardly but still obediently went to pass on the message.

Quiet was restored to the room. Luo Sheng walked to the window to quietly appreciate the rain.

Outside the window, the rain gradually intensified. Cool wind wrapped around raindrops that flew in at an angle, landing on her cheeks and the backs of her hands, making her feel a trace of cold.

Autumn in Beihe was colder than autumn in the capital.

Especially with such a heavy rain falling, it even had the feeling of early winter.

“Why is Miss standing by the window? Be careful not to catch cold.” Xiu Yue, entering with Hong Dou, saw this scene and quickly walked over to close the window.

Hong Dou couldn’t help but widen her eyes.

Xiu Gu was competing for favor again!

She had wanted to put on a sour face directly, but thinking of the baked okra eggs, the little maid silently endured.

“Miss, your clothes are wet.” Hong Dou pushed Xiu Yue aside and said with a beaming smile, “This servant will fetch you a fresh set. Would you like to wear that white jacket with scattered red flowers, or the apricot-white skirt and shirt embroidered with auspicious patterns—”

“You choose.”

The inner room soon contained only Luo Sheng and Xiu Yue.

Xiu Yue couldn’t help but say, “Miss must take care of yourself. Here in Beihe it’s different from the capital—it’s already quite cold at this time.”

Luo Sheng smiled slightly. “I know. I was just standing by the window to appreciate the rain for a little while.”

Xiu Yue studied Luo Sheng’s expression. “Does Miss have something on her mind?”

In her view, the Princess had obtained that precious bracelet and recognized Zhaohua—her mood should be quite good.

The road ahead was difficult, but compared to before, now was the most worthy time to be happy.

Luo Sheng shook her head, her gaze turning toward the gauze window.

“I don’t have anything on my mind. It’s just that since coming to Beihe, I’ve grown accustomed to the high sky and broad land. Today the rain suddenly started falling, and seeing the dark clouds hanging low outside with the sky all gray and gloomy, I feel somewhat unaccustomed.”

“Miss, this servant chose this set for you. Do you like it?” Hong Dou walked in carrying a set of clothes.

On top was a light blue shirt, with a white embroidered skirt placed below.

Plain and elegant.

Hong Dou actually wasn’t very satisfied.

In the past, Miss had liked wearing bright reds and greens, which she thought looked wonderful.

However, Kou’er had reminded her that Miss now liked wearing plain-colored clothes. Thinking about how there was also Xiu Gu competing for favor, she had no choice but to compromise her own aesthetic preferences.

Luo Sheng nodded slightly and had Hong Dou help her change clothes.

Looking at her outstanding and attractive master, Hong Dou was suddenly satisfied again. “Miss looks good in anything.”

Luo Sheng’s mood, which had been inexplicably melancholy because of this rain, relaxed somewhat. She smiled and said, “Go shell pine nuts to eat.”

“Yes!” Hong Dou happily responded and took a small bamboo basket containing pine nuts and walnuts to the covered walkway.

What could be more comfortable than sitting on a small stool appreciating the rain while leisurely eating pine nuts?

It was just a pity Kou’er wasn’t here—it was rather boring after all.

Luo Sheng continued reading while Xiu Yue quietly kept watch in the room.

Though the master and servant didn’t talk much, the atmosphere was very relaxed.

They were each other’s most trusted person.

They shared a common past and had aligned goals.

After who knows how long, Luo Sheng set down her book, her tone carrying some confusion. “At this time, has no one come from the temporary palace yet?”

Zhaohua had used learning how to make sour soup fish brain as a pretext to make contact with Xiu Yue. Logically, today with the rain falling and unable to hunt, someone should have been sent to invite Xiu Yue over.

Yet at this time, there was still no movement.

Luo Sheng rose and walked to the window, pushing it open once more.

Wind and rain immediately rushed at her face, making her instantly feel cold throughout her body.

The rain had been falling for so long without any sign of stopping. The sky grew increasingly dark and gloomy—though it was still morning, it felt like evening.

Somehow, unease welled up in Luo Sheng’s heart.

“Xiu Gu, do you think the rain has lessened a bit?”

Xiu Yue stood beside Luo Sheng and looked outside.

The curtain of rain connected heaven and earth, stretching beyond sight.

The raindrops forming the rain curtain did seem somewhat smaller.

“It seems to have lessened a little.”

“A basket of June persimmons was delivered. According to Hong Dou, there are twenty. Let’s make baked okra eggs.”

“Yes.”

Luo Sheng thought for a moment, then continued, “Cow’s milk is easy to obtain in Beihe, so let’s also make a dish of steamed sweet cheese. Once both dishes are ready, send some to both Noble Consort Xiao and Consort Yu.”

Baked okra eggs and steamed sweet cheese were both dishes well-suited to women’s tastes.

Since no one had come from Zhaohua’s side, she would send someone over to take a look.

Passively waiting had never been her style.

The June persimmons were cut open and hollowed out, filled with okra and eggs, then oil, salt, and other ingredients were added. After that, the cut-off tops were replaced so that from the outside they looked like complete June persimmons again.

Then these prepared June persimmons were carefully placed in a hanging oven to roast.

By the time lunch was approaching, there was still no movement from the temporary palace, but a batch of baked okra eggs and steamed sweet cheese had been completed.

After dividing them into food boxes, Luo Sheng instructed, “Hong Dou, you deliver this to Noble Consort Xiao. Xiu Gu, you deliver it to Consort Yu.”

That Noble Consort Xiao and Consort Yu were interested in the delicacies made by Miss Luo’s cook was no longer a secret.

The two responded in unison, took up the food boxes, left the separate courtyard, and headed toward the temporary palace.