Suzhen found this matter truly troubling: “You’re falsely transmitting an imperial edict.”

“Then keep kneeling. This Prime Minister is leaving first. Anyway, you owe me a favor.”

Quan Feitong smiled, spread his hands, flicked his sleeves and walked away.

In the distance, someone returned at sunset, taking in everything with a light glance before quietly departing.

Suzhen ultimately escaped, feeling somewhat grateful to Quan Feitong despite uncertainty whether this was genuine help, deliberate sabotage, or merely his game.

Her knees hurt so much… it took half an hour to return to her room, slower than a turtle. Back in her room, she angrily pulled out the pouch from her chest and threw it on the ground. Just as she wanted to jump up and stomp on its contents, her foot hung in mid-air but couldn’t come down. Finally, she picked it up and stuffed it back in her chest.

She had been afraid of pain since childhood, but being starved twice these days was unbearable. With Leng Xue not yet returned, she had to limp to the kitchen herself to find food.

Leaving her door, she saw a cook holding a food basket, looking around everywhere. He seemed to be delivering food, but clearly not to her, because upon seeing her, the man walked away quite disdainfully.

Going to the courier station’s kitchen, she saw the cooking fires had almost died out, with only one stove still simmering something. A group of cooks and kitchen maids gathered to eat, with plates scattered across several tables, each bearing nameplates: His Majesty, Consort Xi, Consort Wei, Princess Imperial, Princess, Miss Miao, Miss Gu… Seventh Prince, Ninth Prince, Prime Minister Quan, Minister Yan, Minister Si, Minister Li… and so forth.

From this, it appeared that Lian Yu, Quan Feitong and others’ meals had already been delivered, and the women investigating the case had also returned.

Though Suzhen had prepared herself mentally, she was still disheartened. She forced a smile: “Masters, where is this official’s meal?”

Everyone glanced at her and continued eating – the disdain was obvious at first sight.

Some even chewed loudly without speaking, but the scene was worse than any words. Suzhen also said nothing, coldly watching everyone. She had been quite the little tyrant in her youth, and her glare was quite effective. Many felt uncomfortable under her stare, showing hints of timidity as they looked toward a fat cook.

Suzhen knew this was the head chef. She looked at him coolly and said directly: “Where is my food?”

During the late emperor’s time, the courier station had also housed high officials, so this cook had seen some of the world. His lips twisted as he said: “I heard Court Judge Li has been… performing kneeling ceremonies in the courtyard all along. This humble person thought food preparation was unnecessary – preparing it would just be wasted. Because His Majesty is here, all ingredients are bought and prepared fresh, not daring the slightest negligence. The remainder is thrown away. Today’s ingredients are already used up – a clever woman cannot cook without rice. Please come early tomorrow, Minister Li.”

He continued eating with his head down.

His attitude immediately emboldened the others, who continued their meals. One kitchen maid said shyly: “Prime Minister Quan’s meal tonight was made by me.”

The woman beside her immediately snorted: “Hmph, I helped the master prepare what His Majesty ate.”

The two soon began quarreling, and several men also laughed. One man spat in a feminine manner: “How could you lowly people dare aspire to those above!”

Good news doesn’t leave the house, but bad news spreads fast! I don’t believe that if Lian Yu wants a midnight snack, this place won’t light fires! Suzhen thought viciously, but didn’t tear off the facade, still smiling as she tapped the table: “Aren’t you masters eating? I see there’s still plenty left – sharing some with me shouldn’t be a problem? Or are you saying the masters need to eat their fill before caring about court officials’ lives?”

On the table were braised prawns in brown sauce, flower-ball deer tendon, eight-treasure sauce duck, jade winter melon… a table of good things. Some dishes the masters had barely touched, others were made from ingredients they had privately kept.

Everyone was surprised by her sudden attack, but her words were reasonable, making them all somewhat embarrassed. The fat cook sneered slightly without saying much, just waving his hand. His subordinate understood, taking a greasy plate from the stove with black grime around the edges – who knew what filthy organs or dirty things it had previously held.

The fat cook took it and used his own chopsticks to take generous portions from each dish, handing it to Suzhen.

Suzhen reached to take it, suddenly crying “Ah!” and saying “Slippery from grease” before pulling back her hand. The food immediately spilled all over the cook’s hands. He stared at the filth on his hands, his expression instantly darkening. Just then, a young girl stepped in and immediately asked: “Is what I ordered ready?”

The cook, seeing who came, showed obvious change in his gaze, quickly saying: “Ready, ready! It’s been simmering on the stove – afraid it might get cold.”

The girl nodded with satisfaction, her eyes sweeping over Suzhen without greeting her.

Suzhen said: “Since Miss Xiang’er has business, Huaisu will leave first.”

Xiang’er remained silent, her eyebrows raised high as if she hadn’t seen her. Suzhen didn’t linger and quickly left.

However, she didn’t immediately depart, only hiding against the wall and peering through the gauze window. She saw the cook take a stewing pot from the stove, pack it in a rattan basket, and respectfully hand it to Xiang’er, whispering: “Your Ladyship’s instructions have all been followed. Made him get his comeuppance. Please speak well of me before Your Ladyship…”

Xiang’er almost immediately scolded: “What nonsense are you talking!”

“Yes, yes, yes… this humble person understands. This humble person never said anything. Miss, take care.”

Suzhen’s heart turned completely cold.

She had suspected something was amiss – no matter how much Lian Yu disliked her or how widely the news spread throughout the courier station, these cooks wouldn’t dare be so arrogant. At most they might gossip secretly. She was still an official after all – unless someone deliberately instigated them and gave them such audacity. She wouldn’t have suspected Xiang’er initially, but Xiang’er’s timing was too convenient. Most importantly, the cook’s look at Xiang’er wasn’t right, as if he had secret words to say.

Watching the cook bow and scrape as he saw Xiang’er out, she quickly slipped away from the other side.

“Master, don’t be angry. From what we see, that Li Huaisu will meet disaster sooner or later. Today she already received His Majesty’s punishment.”

“Exactly right.”

The kitchen returned to calm as the cooks and maids efficiently fetched water and soap to wash the fat cook. After washing his hands, the fat cook said: “I’m going out for a bit. You all eat.”

“Yes.”

He walked to a corner of the courtyard, then suddenly stopped and cupped his hands to his mouth, calling “Miss.”

A person slowly emerged from the swaying tree shadows, placing a round, heavy brocade purse in his hand, saying coolly: “Clever enough, well done. But master must also remember – when people are alive, some words should be said and some shouldn’t. Speaking words that shouldn’t be spoken sometimes brings disaster from the mouth.”

He quickly responded: “Yes, this humble person understands. Miss truly predicts things like a god.”

“It’s not that I predict like a god – it’s that people all need to drink water and eat food, just like we all need that person gone.”

Though the other was clearly smiling, the fat cook shivered, tremblingly accepting the brocade purse as he watched this person quickly depart.

He naturally understood that palace power struggles were always both simple and complex. This woman had once been brought into the deep palace by the emperor and made the Empress Dowager’s adopted daughter.

When she came, she happened to encounter Xiang’er checking on the bird’s nest soup. She had originally come for some aged chrysanthemum honey, but hearing him tell Xiang’er the bird’s nest needed more simmering, she briefly considered and had him remove Li Huaisu’s meal, sending a clever person to pretend delivering food near Li Huaisu’s quarters. Once they saw Huaisu come out, they should notify Xiang’er that the bird’s nest was ready.

Finally, she instructed that if Court Judge Li came here, he should treat her rudely until Xiang’er arrived, then act surprised and say those words to Xiang’er… but remember, don’t speak too definitively.

Suzhen wanted to find a servant to help her buy food, but considering her current situation, she ultimately went out herself with her crippled legs.

Returning to the courier station took another hour. She rolled up her pants to see both knees red, swollen and bruised – probably scraped by gravel when kneeling, looking like muddy lumps. She wiped her eyes and waited for Leng Xue to return for dinner.

But she couldn’t sit still. After weighing options, she decided to find Wuyan to say a few words. She truly didn’t want to be enemies with this lady.

Just as she left her door, she saw the night was hazy with a cold moon like frost. Suddenly, gong and drum sounds came from outside the courtyard. Her heart tightened as she followed the sound, seeing the main courtyard brightly lit with several station clerks instructing servants to summon the various officials and ladies in the courtyard to the main hall for discussion.

Xuanwu stood supervising while Meng Qiao swaggered beside him, hands on hips directing.

Suzhen didn’t hear her name called and stood in the shadows, too embarrassed to brazenly approach. Soon she saw the courier station hang lanterns, lighting the black satin ground like daylight as people continuously emerged from various parts of the station, flowing like tide and quickly gathering in the courtyard.

Xuanwu, seeing nearly everyone assembled, said: “Please follow this humble officer. His Majesty is waiting in the back courtyard hall to discuss the case.”

Soon the group followed him toward the hall.

Wondering how everyone’s case investigation had progressed and who had found clues first, Suzhen’s curiosity was piqued. Seeing Wuyan among them and thinking she might avoid her if she returned to her room, she decided to wait until the meeting ended and followed along.