At Noble Consort Xiao’s command, the palace people filed out, leaving only one trusted palace maid standing behind her.

“Miss Luo, has the tavern’s business been good lately?” Noble Consort Xiao asked Luo Sheng casually.

Luo Sheng naturally maintained her composure and replied without revealing anything: “Thanks to Your Ladyship’s blessing, the tavern’s business has been acceptable.”

Noble Consort Xiao leaned back against the beauty couch: “Miss Luo is very thoughtful. Each time someone goes to fetch the beggar’s chicken, there’s always a tasty pastry sent along as well.”

Luo Sheng smiled: “The cook often tries making some small delicacies. I thought that freshly made pastries taste best, so I had Nanny Dou bring them for Your Ladyship to try. As long as Your Ladyship doesn’t mind them.”

“How could I mind? They taste excellent—much better than what the imperial chefs in the palace make.”

The young woman’s eyes showed pride: “I’m lucky. I picked up a cook with extraordinary culinary skills.”

Noble Consort Xiao’s eyes flickered slightly: “Oh, that cook called Xiu Gu—Miss Luo picked her up?”

Luo Sheng nodded slightly: “More or less. I encountered her on my way back to the capital from Jinsha. After tasting the tofu pudding Xiu Gu made, I felt it was heavenly delicacy, so I took her with me.”

Noble Consort Xiao fell silent for a moment.

This indeed matched the legendary Miss Luo’s style.

“Are these small delicacies all ones that Miss Luo likes to eat?” Noble Consort Xiao asked without revealing her thoughts.

Luo Sheng shook her head without hesitation: “Not really. Usually when the tavern wants to introduce new dishes, the cook and I discuss it together. As for these trial pastries, Xiu Gu freely improvises them all.”

Speaking of this, the young woman became even more proud: “Anyway, everything Xiu Gu makes is delicious.”

Noble Consort Xiao’s heart stirred.

Could it be that the one hinting at “early birth of a noble son” through these small delicacies wasn’t Miss Luo before her, but rather that cook at Youjian Tavern?

If that were the case, it became even more mysterious.

Where would a mere cook get the audacity to do such a thing, and what purpose could she have?

Noble Consort Xiao’s slender fingers brushed across the small table as she picked up the teacup resting on it: “This time’s steamed glutinous rice dates—this palace very much enjoyed them.”

“If Your Ladyship likes them, I’ll tell Xiu Gu when I return and have her make them again next time.”

Noble Consort Xiao lowered her eyes and took a sip of tea.

The tea was good tea, but drinking it made her heart feel blocked.

Noble Consort Xiao probed with several more questions but couldn’t probe anything out.

Miss Luo appeared to be unaware.

Speaking of which, if this matter had been Miss Luo’s doing, now that she had shown a reaction, there was no reason for the other party to play dumb.

Thinking about it, no matter how bold Miss Luo was, she wouldn’t be so idle as to toy with a Noble Consort.

Noble Consort Xiao gradually shifted her suspicions to the cook.

That cook perhaps had some background.

With this thought, Noble Consort Xiao conceived the idea of summoning the cook to the palace for a visit.

Fortunately, having summoned Miss Luo to the palace today, wanting to see her cook was also easy.

Noble Consort Xiao set down her teacup and smiled: “This palace is somewhat impatient to wait until next time.”

Luo Sheng was startled, then quickly said: “Your Ladyship can have Nanny Dou go to the tavern to fetch them anytime.”

“Rather than giving someone fish, it’s better to teach them to fish. Miss Luo, could you do this palace a favor and have your cook come to Yuhua Palace to teach the people around this palace?”

Luo Sheng smiled: “Your Ladyship is too polite. Such a small matter is naturally no problem. However, my cook puts all her thoughts into cooking—she’s quite clumsy in other respects. If she comes to the palace and offends Your Ladyship in any way, I hope Your Ladyship will be magnanimous.”

“Miss Luo, rest assured. How would this palace hold it against a cook?” As Noble Consort Xiao said this, her heart stirred slightly.

Just as she thought—Miss Luo wasn’t so simple. The moment she proposed having the cook enter the palace, she had already spoken words of protection for the cook in advance.

Was she afraid she would keep the cook?

“The tavern must operate in the evening and cannot do without the head chef. Once I return, I’ll have Xiu Gu come to the palace. Does Your Ladyship find this arrangement acceptable?”

Noble Consort Xiao nodded: “We’ll follow Miss Luo’s arrangement.”

“Then I shall take my leave first.” Luo Sheng stood up.

Noble Consort Xiao nodded slightly toward the palace maid at her side: “See Miss Luo out for this palace.”

After leaving the imperial palace, Luo Sheng went straight back to the Grand Marshal’s Manor.

It was still morning—not yet time for Xiu Yue to go to the tavern.

As soon as she returned to Xianyun Courtyard, Luo Sheng called Xiu Yue into the inner chamber and said in a low voice: “Pack your things. The palace sedan chair is waiting outside.”

“Miss—”

Luo Sheng patted Xiu Yue’s hand: “Don’t be afraid. I’ll wait for you to come back.”

The dragon’s pool and tiger’s den—of course she was uneasy about letting Xiu Yue venture in alone.

But some things had to be done. Even knowing the dangers were numerous, one had to step onto that thorny path.

She was like this, and Xiu Yue was like this too.

They were people who had survived by luck after the Prince of Zhennan’s manor was destroyed. As long as the grievance and resentment in their hearts hadn’t dissipated, even if bloodied and bruised, they had to venture forth.

Xiu Yue gripped that slightly cool hand tightly: “Don’t worry. I’ll return safe and sound.”

Of the Princess’s four personal maids, only she remained—how could she bear to let the Princess walk on alone?

“Go then. Go early and return early.”

Luo Sheng saw Xiu Yue out of the courtyard.

The magnolia tree in the courtyard had already passed its flowering season. The vermillion pomegranate flowers were now blooming splendidly.

Luo Sheng, bathed in the sunlight streaming into the courtyard, walked into the house.

In Yuhua Palace, the atmosphere was slightly tense.

Although Her Ladyship the Noble Consort’s face showed neither joy nor anger, the clever palace people keenly sensed that Her Ladyship’s mood wasn’t particularly pleasant.

The palace maid responsible for announcing visitors had no choice but to steel herself and step forward, respectfully saying: “Your Ladyship, Miss Luo’s cook Xiu Gu has arrived.”

Noble Consort Xiao raised her eyelids slightly and said faintly: “Summon her.”

Shortly after, a woman with her face covered by a light veil followed a palace person inside and respectfully paid her respects: “This humble woman Xiu Gu pays respects to Your Ladyship.”

Noble Consort Xiao looked Xiu Yue over twice and said: “Rise. There’s no need to wear the veil.”

“This humble woman’s appearance is unsightly. I fear startling Your Ladyship.”

Noble Consort Xiao curved her lips in a smile: “You won’t. Remove it.”

She had already seen this cook at the Beihe hunting grounds. If she were going to be startled, she wouldn’t have waited until now.

Moreover, she hadn’t grown up pampered in a honey jar. Having experienced many distressing matters, her heart had long since hardened—how could she be so easily frightened?

If anything truly caused changes in her emotions, it was rather those small delicacies laden with deep meaning.

Thinking of these things, Noble Consort Xiao’s gaze toward Xiu Yue turned colder.

Xiu Yue silently removed her veil.

The palace people who had never seen Xiu Yue were secretly shocked.

No wonder this cook wore a veil—her face was so frightening.

“Xiu Gu, this palace very much enjoys the pastries you make. I specifically asked Miss Luo to allow you to enter the palace to teach the palace maids culinary skills.”

Xiu Yue curtsied slightly: “Thank you for Your Ladyship’s favor, however—”

“However what?”

“This humble woman’s culinary skills are crude. That Your Ladyship enjoys them is tremendous fortune. However, bound by my teacher’s school rules, I can teach at most one person.”

Noble Consort Xiao’s heart stirred.

Compared to when probing Miss Luo and getting nothing but ignorance in response, this cook clearly had problems.

Noble Consort Xiao showed nothing on her face and followed Xiu Yue’s words to order: “All of you withdraw. Taohong, you stay.”

Except for one palace maid with a cheerful appearance, the other palace people silently withdrew.

The hall suddenly became spacious. Noble Consort Xiao rose and walked inward: “Come here.”

Behind the screen was a smaller and safer space—just right for asking about the matter of “early birth of a noble son.”