That evening, in the study of Xuanwu Division.

The Jianzheng sat by his desk, reviewing the income and expenditure accounts of Si Tianjian.

Huang Rang walked in carrying a food box. Di Yiqiu came to the small table, opened the food box, and discovered inside was only… a bowl of water?

He picked it up and sniffed it, finding it was indeed a bowl of clear water.

“What is this?” The Jianzheng frowned.

Huang Rang mimicked his sarcastic tone, saying: “This young lady is in a bad mood today and doesn’t want to cook. But fearing Lord Jianzheng might go hungry, I had no choice but to carefully prepare a bowl of water to bring over.”

“…” Lord Jianzheng found this tone strangely familiar. He responded with an odd smile, “That truly must have been difficult for Miss Arang.”

Huang Rang couldn’t be bothered with him. She snatched up the stinging caterpillar from the table, dissolved a bit of spiritual elixir in water, and fed it to the creature.

This insect’s lifespan wasn’t long—without spiritual elixir feeding, it would have died long ago.

Huang Rang waited at the side, but didn’t receive a single kind word from Lord Jianzheng.

She snorted coldly, picked up the food box, and left.

Was Lord Jianzheng someone who compromised so easily? He had principles!

What had he done wrong?

He stubbornly refused to yield, so the next morning there was also plain water, and in the evening it was the same…

The third day was also…

By the fourth day, the Jianzheng had dark circles under his eyes and had lost a considerable amount of weight.

The two Jianfu and four Shaojian of Si Tianjian saw this and were all anxious.

Zhuque Division’s Shaojian Zhu Xiang couldn’t stand it anymore. She spoke up for her Jianzheng: “Isn’t this bullying?! Just because Butcher Hu is gone, must we eat pigs with unplucked hair? Jianzheng, don’t panic—I’ll make you a bowl of meat soup right now to warm your stomach!”

She was a girl who did what she said. Right then she rolled up her sleeves and went to cook herself.

Before long, Zhu Xiang brought over a large bowl of meat soup.

“Jianzheng, please eat first.” Zhu Xiang handed him a spoon and said, “If you ask me, Miss Arang’s temper is too much! Jianzheng, if you can’t stand it anymore, you should consider me, Zhu Xiang! If you end up with me in the future, I’ll cook for you every day and never throw tantrums!”

She boasted shamelessly at the side while the Jianzheng silently took a sip of her meat soup.

Then he savored it for a long while.

This was… meat soup?

Lord Jianzheng took another sip. He looked at the spirited female subordinate before him and started wanting to put down the spoon.

Zhu Xiang quickly said: “Don’t! Although the taste isn’t good, I can learn. You shouldn’t be too picky either. Come, come, have a few more sips. At least you need to fill your stomach. Look, you haven’t even learned grain avoidance…”

So under her enthusiastic urging, the Jianzheng drank half a bowl of soup with furrowed brows.

That same afternoon, Si Tianjian’s Jianzheng was poisoned!

The court was in an uproar—even the Ministry of Justice was alarmed! From the palace, Eunuch Fu had just arrived when Eunuch Lu came to press for answers. Eunuch Lu had barely arrived when Eunuch Shou came to press Eunuch Lu!

For a time, everything was in chaos.

Yes, the Jianzheng was poisoned.

The fifteen-year-old youth not only vomited until his face turned green, but also experienced hallucinations.

Was there an assassin? How audacious!

Jianfu Li Lu was so angry he arrested everyone involved and had them brought to Baihu Division for interrogation. After investigating for half the day, they discovered the Jianzheng had only drunk half a bowl of meat soup that day!

“Zhu Xiang!” Even Li Jianfu, usually so good-tempered, was now spraying spittle onto Zhu Xiang’s face. “What have you done?!”

Zhu Xiang wore a bitter expression, finally saying: “This subordinate just… just cooked a bowl of meat soup…”

“Speak! How did you poison the Jianzheng? Arsenic or crane’s crest red?! Where did you hide the remaining poisoned soup?!” Minister Li of the Ministry of Justice demanded sternly.

Zhu Xiang pointed to her own study.

Minister Li, along with Qiu Shengbai, went to examine the “poison.”

In the meat soup, they found mushrooms with abnormally bright colors.

…

Xuanwu Division, Di Yiqiu’s official residence.

When Huang Rang entered, Di Yiqiu was already vomiting up his very stomach. Qiu Shengbai was prescribing medicine with a grave expression, while the four eunuchs Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xi wrung their hands and paced anxiously in circles.

Huang Rang sat by the bed and supported him, letting him vomit.

Di Yiqiu only felt his body going weak. He instinctively leaned toward Huang Rang, resting against her shoulder.

Huang Rang ultimately still felt pity for him and asked: “How did it get this bad?”

Lord Jianzheng’s voice was feeble as he said: “Such a great fire…”

“What?” Huang Rang leaned in to listen, but he said nothing more.

When the servants had finished brewing the medicine, Huang Rang blew on it, cooling it one mouthful at a time before feeding it to him.

Everyone knew she was He Xijin’s niece and had an unusual relationship with the Jianzheng, so no one stopped her.

After Di Yiqiu drank the medicine, he finally fell asleep.

Qiu Shengbai packed up his medical kit. After quite a while, he suddenly said: “The Late Empress did not die of illness.”

Huang Rang paused slightly. Qiu Shengbai added: “She died in a great fire.”

“Oh.” Huang Rang acknowledged this but didn’t ask anything else. She sat by the bed, keeping watch over Di Yiqiu.

Life was full of hardships—everyone had their own nightmares.

The young man on the bed had starved for three days, then had such a meal—it was truly too much for him. At this moment his face was pale green, his lips white, looking utterly haggard.

Huang Rang sighed. Before she knew it, she began to feel regret. Really, what was she thinking, quibbling with him over such things…

Baihu Division.

Zhu Xiang had already been bound and hung on the torture rack.

“Give her severe torture!” Eunuch Fu was beside himself with rage. “We must make her confess who’s behind this!”

Li Jianfu wanted to speak but held back—what could be done?

They had no choice but to whip her twice.

Then he persuaded the four eunuchs: “The execution ground is filthy. Would the four eunuchs please take tea outside? When we’ve obtained results from the interrogation, we will certainly report to you.”

Only then did the four eunuchs Fu, Lu, Shou, and Xi leave, cursing and grumbling.

As soon as they left, Zhu Xiang cried out: “Li Jianfu! I didn’t poison anyone, I didn’t poison anyone! I’ll never dare cook again…”

Li Lu was so angry he could only laugh: “You deserve this! How many times have I told you—the kitchen isn’t suitable for you!”

Zhu Xiang wore a mournful expression: “But I’ve cooked for you a few times too, and you ate it just fine…”

“This Jianfu merely survived—that doesn’t equal ‘ate it just fine’!” Li Jianfu grabbed her hair in a few motions, picked up the whip, and with a crack, struck it heavily against the torture rack.

The rack let out a hollow sound, and Zhu Xiang immediately began shrieking chaotically again.

What could be done?

They could only placate the four eunuchs and the Ministry of Justice, and wait for Lord Jianzheng to wake up!

In the official residence.

Following the doctor’s orders, Huang Rang fed Di Yiqiu another dose of medicine.

With nothing to do, she walked around this bedroom.

It was similar to what she’d seen outside the dream—not much had changed in over a hundred years.

Outside there was a clothing rack, a round table with matching chairs. Against the wall were storage chests. There was a small partitioned room—that was for the bathtub.

But when Huang Rang walked in, she discovered this small partitioned room contained not only the bathtub, but also several stacked chests.

The chests looked very heavy, as if filled with secrets.

What kind of things needed to be stored in these chests and quietly placed in the small partitioned room of one’s bedroom?

Huang Rang’s heart was scratched like a cat’s—could this fellow possibly be taking bribes?

Was it gold or jewels inside?

Huang Rang reached out her hand several times but felt it wasn’t right to secretly look at someone else’s things.

But in the end, she snorted coldly—hadn’t Di Yiqiu secretly searched through her study quarters?

At worst they’d each be uncouth once—call it even!

Thinking this way, she instantly felt justified and reached out to open a chest!

Inside was not gold or jewels.

Rather it was…

Huang Rang reached in and felt through the contents.

Rather it was clothing!

These were clearly women’s skirts and robes—exquisitely embroidered, adorned with pearls and jade, magnificent and refined.

This…

Huang Rang’s fingertips slowly brushed over these fabrics, some soft, some crisp, and she felt her heart racing.

These… couldn’t be for me, could they?

Her cheeks flushed slightly—did this even need guessing?

Of course they were!

This wretched creature must know he offended me and is using these clothes to apologize to this young lady!

Hmph! Huang Rang examined them one by one, her heart sweetly triumphant.

There was a soft sound from the outer room. Huang Rang hastily closed the chest and quietly came out.

It was Qiu Shengbai entering. He took Di Yiqiu’s pulse again. After a long while, he finally let out a long breath and said: “It looks like he’ll be fine. Later this old man will have someone send more medicine.”

Huang Rang agreed, her face flushed pink, her heart full of delight.

Qiu Shengbai glanced at her, also completely baffled—what was she so happy about now? Truly, a woman’s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.

The next morning, finally, the Jianzheng awoke.

“Are you thirsty?” Huang Rang gently brought water over. Lord Jianzheng saw her face clearly, then looked at the water in her hand, somewhat hesitant.

But Huang Rang didn’t wait for his answer. Tenderly as water, she fed him the drink. Then she fetched hot water and even personally wrung out a face cloth, washing his face and wiping his hands for him.

“Are you… not angry anymore?” Lord Jianzheng asked quietly.

Since he was sincerely repenting, Huang Rang decided to bestow gentleness upon him. She sighed: “I shouldn’t have quarreled with you in the first place.”

Lord Jianzheng breathed a sigh of relief and said: “Since you know you were wrong, that’s best.”

Know I was wrong? Wasn’t it you who knew you were wrong and were preparing to apologize to this young lady? Huang Rang was astonished but still didn’t forget the main matter: “After you were poisoned, people came from both the Ministry of Justice and the palace. I heard they arrested a Shaojian who poisoned you and have already locked her in Baihu Division—they’re interrogating her now!”

Hearing this, Di Yiqiu immediately got up. Huang Rang feared he might catch cold again and fastened a cloak on him.

He strode quickly toward the door. At the threshold, he turned back to instruct Huang Rang: “Those several chests of clothing in the back—have someone inform Liuxian Workshop that this seat has already examined them. Have them send someone to retrieve them.”

“Uh… what?” Huang Rang froze. “Wh-what do you mean?”

Lord Jianzheng’s voice was still weak as he said: “This seat was merely examining the styles that have been fashionable in the capital these years. Borrowed them for study.”

“…” Huang Rang walked smilingly before him and kicked him flying out the door with one foot.

—Go drink mushroom soup for the rest of your life, you wretched creature!

Baihu Division.

Zhu Xiang had been hung all night and received two lashes.

Fortunately, everyone knew her cooking skills intimately, so they hadn’t struck too severely.

Thus when Lord Jianzheng arrived, she was still in one piece.

The Jianzheng sent away the people from the Ministry of Justice, dealt with the four eunuchs, and only then ordered people to take her down.

But from then on, Shaojian Zhu’s culinary skills became famous far and wide.

Lord Jianzheng personally decreed, stripping her of the right to approach the kitchen.

The next day, early in the morning, Huang Rang was preparing to go out when she opened her door and saw someone standing outside.

It was none other than the Jianzheng.

Huang Rang was baffled: “What are you here for?”

The Jianzheng still had some dark circles under his eyes. He walked in and casually handed Huang Rang a small chest. Huang Rang opened the chest—inside, sheet after sheet, all land deeds.

“This…” Huang Rang looked suspicious. “What does this mean?”

Lord Jianzheng said: “This seat has already reclaimed all land under my name.”

“So?” Huang Rang asked.

Lord Jianzheng said matter-of-factly: “These were part of Mother Empress’s dowry. When Mother Empress passed away, they were left to me. The names can be changed. This seat has already had someone write them under your name. The fief cannot be renamed, but a lease agreement has been established.”

Huang Rang finally understood: “You mean… all these are mine now?”

Lord Jianzheng hadn’t yet realized he was surrendering his household assets. He merely said: “More or less.”

Huang Rang was so delighted she couldn’t close her mouth. She jumped up, hugged him, and planted a fierce kiss on his cheek.

Lord Jianzheng distastefully wiped the saliva from his face and said: “Stop fooling around. There’s also these!” He pulled Huang Rang out of the study quarters. The area ahead had originally been an open space where students hung their laundry.

Now, arranged neatly above, hung over twenty sets of clothing.

Sleeves fluttering, skirts floating—indescribably beautiful.

Huang Rang asked: “These… these? The clothing from Liuxian Workshop—didn’t you return them?”

Lord Jianzheng said: “These are rough sketches this seat drew personally. The garments from Liuxian Workshop, though beautiful, are after all vulgar marketplace goods, utterly lacking in soul. This seat studied their essence and made improvements. For example, this piece… look at this embroidery work—it’s vastly different from Liuxian Workshop.”

He began discussing embroidery techniques and inlay craftsmanship at length.

It was truly… boring to the extreme.

Huang Rang listened for over half a double-hour before finally asking: “Why make so many?”

“Oh.” Lord Jianzheng said, “Today is your twenty-third birthday, so this seat made twenty-three sets. This way, starting from when you were one year old, one set per year. The designs are complex, so it took somewhat longer. I didn’t make it for last year’s birthday.”

Huang Rang stood before him, suddenly realizing that today was indeed the third day of the third month.

Precisely her birthday.

In this half-life of hers, inside and outside dreams, Huang Rang had barely celebrated her birthday a few times.

How could someone born unwanted celebrate their own birthday?

But today, on each inner lining of those elaborate and magnificent garments was embroidered: “Wishing Arang eternal longevity and immortal prosperity, may her fragrant years continue forever.”

One after another, she received twenty-three years’ worth of birthday gifts.