Noble Consort Xiao continued watching her, her gaze peaceful with a faint smile.

Xiu Yue’s hand trembled, spilling quite a bit of the plum juice from the glass cup.

“This commoner woman is clumsy. Please forgive me, Your Ladyship.” Xiu Yue hastily took out a handkerchief to wipe haphazardly, then curtsied in apology.

Noble Consort Xiao smiled sweetly. “No matter. Taohong, bring Xiu Gu another cup.”

Taohong brought over another cup of plum juice. “Xiu Gu, you must hold it steady this time. This plum juice is a tribute from the south.”

Xiu Yue steadily received the glass cup and drank down the plum juice sip by sip.

Noble Consort Xiao watched as the pale red liquid in the cup gradually decreased, revealing a satisfied smile. “How does Xiu Gu find the taste?”

Xiu Yue lowered her eyes. “The taste is very good.”

Noble Consort Xiao chuckled. “Xiu Gu has excellent skills. Having tasted this plum juice, you’ll surely be able to make even better.”

Xiu Yue curtsied. “Your Ladyship overpraises me.”

Noble Consort Xiao looked at her intently for a moment, then said lightly, “You’ve worked hard today. Next month we may need to ask you to come to the palace again.”

“This commoner woman awaits Your Ladyship’s summons at any time.”

Noble Consort Xiao toyed with her slender fingers and said carelessly, “Taohong, see Xiu Gu out.”

Taohong led Xiu Yue out of the palace gates and stopped. “This servant will see you off to here. Xiu Gu must not forget Her Ladyship’s regard for you. Perhaps we’ll see each other again next month.”

“That would be this commoner woman’s honor.”

Taohong swept Xiu Yue with an appraising gaze, then turned and went back inside.

Xiu Yue was led out of the imperial palace by a young eunuch and went directly back to the Youjian Tavern.

Luo Sheng, waiting at the tavern, was quite uneasy.

Killing the hounds after the rabbits are caught, slaughtering the donkey once the millstone is done—for those who had dwelt long in the deep palace, this had perhaps become the norm.

What Xiu Yue possessed wasn’t just the secret of Noble Consort Xiao’s pregnancy, but also the hope of other consorts becoming pregnant. Having already obtained the medicinal cuisine recipe, for Noble Consort Xiao, eliminating Xiu Yue was the safest course.

However, she believed that as long as Noble Consort Xiao wasn’t foolish, she wouldn’t go so far as to harm Xiu Yue’s life within the palace itself.

In the agonizing wait, the tavern door was finally pushed open, and Xiu Yue hurried inside.

“Let’s talk in the back.”

Master and servant entered the back room, and Luo Sheng immediately asked, “How was it? Did anything unusual happen to you at Yuhua Palace?”

“Noble Consort Xiao had this servant drink a cup of plum juice.”

Luo Sheng’s eyes sharpened as her expression changed. “Plum juice?”

After hearing Xiu Yue carefully recount her experience at Yuhua Palace, Luo Sheng’s expression grew increasingly grim.

For Noble Consort Xiao to bestow plum juice upon Xiu Yue to drink was rather obvious.

Xiu Yue pulled out a handkerchief from her sleeve. “This servant remembered your instructions and deliberately spilled some of the plum juice.”

The snow-white handkerchief bore pale red stains, the soiled areas still damp.

“Come with me.” Luo Sheng immediately stood and left the room, instructing Hong Dou, who was building a snowman with Kou’er, “Go pack up the clay pot braised intestines stewing in the kitchen and bring it to me.”

Hong Dou clapped her hands, shook the snow powder from her dress, and told Kou’er, “Let me put on the snowman’s eyes!”

Kou’er didn’t respond. After Hong Dou ran into the kitchen, she unhurriedly pressed two black agate beads into place. The previously hollow snowman immediately became lively.

Before long, Hong Dou came out carrying a food box, asking with a smile, “Miss, are you taking food to the divine physician?”

The divine physician liked eating intestines—everyone knew that.

Luo Sheng nodded slightly.

“Then let this servant accompany you.”

“No need.” Luo Sheng reached out to take the food box and walked outside with Xiu Yue.

Hong Dou pouted.

Xiu Gu, at her age, was competing for favor again!

Turning her head, she met the snowman’s black grape-like eyes.

Hong Dou’s voice suddenly rose. “Kou’er, why didn’t you keep your word?”

Kou’er blinked innocently. “I didn’t say anything. Besides, look how nice the snowman looks with black agate eyes.”

“It doesn’t match at all.” Hong Dou domineeringly pried off the black agates and tossed them on the ground, pressing in two watermelon seeds instead, then nodded with satisfaction. “Isn’t this much cuter?”

Kou’er: “…”

Hong Dou’s aesthetic taste really was lacking.

As Luo Sheng led Xiu Yue to the tavern entrance, she could still hear the two little maids arguing.

The medical hall was right across from the tavern. Though the doors stood open, no one could be seen entering or exiting.

The gatekeeper youth Fuling was drowsing when he saw Luo Sheng approaching and quickly jumped up. “Miss Luo, why are you personally delivering food today?”

Delivering food to Divine Physician Li daily had long become routine, but usually it was Zhuang Han who handled it.

“I haven’t chatted with the divine physician in quite some time. I came to visit.”

Fuling quickly led the two women to the back, calling out, “Divine Physician, Miss Luo has come to deliver your meal!”

A moment later, Divine Physician Li’s vigorous voice came from inside the room. “Come in.”

Luo Sheng entered with Xiu Yue.

Divine Physician Li glanced at the food box, then at Xiu Yue, and said with a stern face, “Out with it. What’s the matter?”

Showing such courtesy without cause—either treachery or theft!

Luo Sheng wasn’t embarrassed. She opened the food box and brought out the tightly sealed clay pot. “Today we made clay pot braised intestines. I brought some for you to taste.”

Intestines?

Divine Physician Li couldn’t help but twitch his lips.

This was his favorite, especially intestines stewed until tender in a clay pot with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tangy pickled red peppers. That flavor—tsk tsk.

“Tell me what it is.” The same words, but this time Divine Physician Li spoke them much more gently.

Luo Sheng handed over the handkerchief stained with plum juice. “Could you please examine whether there’s anything wrong with the liquid on this?”

Divine Physician Li took the handkerchief and brought it to his nose to smell.

Luo Sheng didn’t rush him, waiting quietly.

“Young lady, wait here.” Divine Physician Li took the handkerchief to the inner room. It was quite a while before he returned, his gaze moving past Luo Sheng to land on Xiu Yue. “Miss Luo, you brought this handkerchief because it concerns your cook, doesn’t it?”

A pot of clay pot braised intestines wasn’t worth that much—no need to bring someone along, especially the cook.

Luo Sheng frankly admitted, “You’re quite right. Today Xiu Gu consumed this liquid, so I brought it for you to examine.”

Divine Physician Li’s expression changed slightly. “She drank it?”

Luo Sheng nodded and probed tentatively, “Is there something wrong with this liquid? Is it… poisoned?”

Divine Physician Li was silent for a moment, then said, “Strictly speaking, it’s not poison—it’s a type of insect…”

Luo Sheng’s face paled as she fired off three questions. “What is this insect used for? Can it be removed after someone consumes it? Xiu Gu will be alright, won’t she?”

Finally, she hit the nail on the head. “If something happens to Xiu Gu, what will become of the tavern?”

Divine Physician Li: “…”

Why did it have to be the cook? Wasn’t this forcing him to rack his brains to find a solution?

If something happened to the cook, he wouldn’t get to eat delicious food anymore. Without delicious food, moving his medical hall across from the tavern would have been for nothing.

For the sake of his long-term physical and mental health, he had to take on this trouble.

Thinking thus, the old man glared fiercely at Luo Sheng and said irritably, “You little slip of a girl always giving me things to do!”