Behind the screen was a couch bed covered with soft cushions.

Noble Consort Xiao lazily sat down and nodded to Taohong.

Taohong quickly brought over a small stool and placed it beside Xiu Yue.

“Sit and speak.”

Xiu Yue sat down respectfully.

Noble Consort Xiao observed her for a moment and asked: “The small delicacies sent to Yuhua Palace these past few months—this palace has enjoyed them all very much.”

“That Your Ladyship enjoys them is this humble woman’s honor.”

“Next time, what do you plan to make for this palace to taste?” Noble Consort Xiao’s gaze was penetrating as she stared at Xiu Yue.

Xiu Yue replied with a calm expression: “This humble woman plans to make peanut brown sugar pastry.”

Noble Consort Xiao’s eyes turned cold. She gestured for Taohong to stand guard at the screen entrance.

Xiu Yue seemed completely oblivious and sat properly.

Noble Consort Xiao’s face turned completely cold as she said word by word: “Xiu Gu, this palace is no fool. Tell me what you’re trying to do.”

Xiu Yue rose and prostrated herself, lowering her eyes: “This humble woman wishes Your Ladyship an early birth of a noble son.”

Taohong, guarding at the screen entrance, was shocked and horrified upon hearing these words.

Had this cook gone mad?

Never mind that this was Her Ladyship the Noble Consort—involving dragon sons and dragon grandsons—even in an ordinary household, if the mistress had shown no signs for many years, suddenly saying such words would be extremely disrespectful.

Noble Consort Xiao’s hand resting on the armrest gripped tightly, her face masked in ice: “Xiu Gu, do you know that with just those words, even Miss Luo cannot protect you?”

Xiu Yue’s expression remained calm: “This humble woman knows.”

“Then what exactly are your intentions? Keep playing riddles, and this palace will have people drag you out!” Noble Consort Xiao’s voice was severe and stern, though inwardly she wasn’t truly this furious.

She had already been furious. Now she felt more puzzlement.

Although Miss Luo said the cook was simple-minded and devoted her whole heart to culinary arts, observing her words and actions, she didn’t seem foolish—how could there be reason for self-destruction?

For Xiu Gu to do this, there must be great hidden circumstances.

She didn’t care what hidden circumstances the other party had. Using “early birth of a noble son” to toy with her—if she couldn’t provide a satisfactory answer, she shouldn’t blame her for being merciless.

Never mind Miss Luo—even if it were Grand Marshal Luo, if the matter was brought before His Majesty, would she be afraid?

Xiu Yue knelt on the ground. The cold, smooth golden bricks could faintly reflect her features.

It was a terrifying face.

Xiu Yue thought back to twelve years ago, to her resolute determination when she had deliberately disfigured herself.

After enduring so long, hoping for so long, she could finally do something for the Prince of Zhennan’s manor, for the Princess.

Xiu Yue slowly raised her head and met Noble Consort Xiao’s eyes.

Noble Consort Xiao, her face cold, met that face and her imposing manner faltered slightly.

“This humble woman can lend Your Ladyship a helping hand.” Xiu Yue spoke word by word.

These words were like a thunderclap exploding in Noble Consort Xiao’s heart.

Noble Consort Xiao abruptly stood up: “Say that again!”

Xiu Yue’s tone was calm: “This humble woman has studied cooking since childhood and by chance obtained a medicinal cuisine recipe. As long as one follows the recipe to condition the body, it can greatly increase a woman’s chances of conceiving…”

Noble Consort Xiao laughed coldly: “You think this palace would believe such absurd claims?”

What medicinal cuisine recipe could have such miraculous effects?

If such a medicinal cuisine recipe truly existed, how could no one know of it, waiting until today to be presented to her by a common woman?

This cook must be trying to use her desperate desire for a child to gain wealth and honor—no different from those charlatan swindlers.

Noble Consort Xiao’s face was gloomy. She was unwilling to admit that glimmer of genuine hope deep in her heart.

Early birth of a noble son was indeed a tremendous temptation for her. Even knowing the cook before her was talking nonsense, she couldn’t help her racing heart.

Couldn’t help but continue listening…

Xiu Yue said calmly: “Before Your Ladyship, this humble woman is like an ant. Yet even ants value their lives. This humble woman has no need to deceive Your Ladyship at the cost of her life.”

Noble Consort Xiao stared at Xiu Yue in silence.

Xiu Yue met her gaze, her expression composed: “This humble woman knows that Your Ladyship finds this absurd upon first hearing. But does Your Ladyship truly not want to try?”

Does Your Ladyship not want to try?

Noble Consort Xiao looked down at that woman with the unsightly features, yet felt this wasn’t some lowly cook but rather a devil tempting her.

And she… was truly moved.

She had plenty of time. What loss would there be in trying?

If this cook was deceiving her, crushing her to death later would be effortless.

In this moment, Noble Consort Xiao experienced what it meant to have one’s heart race with excitement.

It was an emotion she hadn’t even felt during her first night serving the Emperor.

No helping it—who told her that when she first entered the palace, His Majesty had already been a middle-aged man?

After a long silence, Noble Consort Xiao slowly spoke: “If this palace decides to try, how long before results can be seen?”

Hearing this, Xiu Yue’s tense heartstrings relaxed slightly.

No matter how composed and calm her exterior, how could her heart not be tense at all?

The human heart was unpredictable. No one could be certain of another’s choice.

This most difficult hurdle—she had passed it.

“Your Ladyship should know that while the medicinal cuisine recipe can condition a woman’s constitution, the effects vary from person to person. Generally speaking, at shortest two to three months, at longest one year, and one can know whether it’s effective.”

The medicinal cuisine recipe had been left by Divine Physician Li to condition the Princess Consort’s body. It was with this recipe that the Princess Consort, reaching middle age, had been able to give birth to the young prince.

Noble Consort Xiao raised her eyebrows and asked coldly: “Taking one year as the measure—if after one year this palace shows no signs, what then?”

Xiu Yue said without hesitation: “This humble woman will submit to Your Ladyship’s disposal.”

Just as she had gambled on whether Noble Consort Xiao would try, this was the second hurdle to gamble on.

For an ordinary cold, some people could drink ginger sugar water, sleep, and recover completely, while others might lose their lives.

What medicine in the world could definitely cure illness? What mattered was probability.

The medicinal cuisine recipe left by the Divine Physician was enough to make the Princess and her choose to take this gamble.

“Submit to this palace’s disposal?” Noble Consort Xiao asked coolly, her tone growing even colder. “If this palace is toyed with by a mere cook for an entire year, even having you executed by slow slicing then would hardly dissipate the fury in my heart.”

Imagining eating medicinal cuisine for a year only to discover the cook was a fraud—

Noble Consort Xiao raised her eyebrows and said lightly: “If that day comes, I’ll have no choice but to summon Miss Luo to the palace for questioning.”

The implication being that Miss Luo wouldn’t escape being implicated.

Xiu Yue seemed not to hear the threat and said earnestly: “If the medicinal cuisine recipe proves ineffective for Your Ladyship, Your Ladyship can summon our employer to the palace to discuss.”

Noble Consort Xiao was stunned.

Had this cook gone mad? What nonsense was she spouting?

“Discuss what?” Noble Consort Xiao asked coldly.

Xiu Yue lowered her eyes: “Our employer is quite favored by the Divine Physician. If the medicinal cuisine recipe this humble woman presents proves ineffective for Your Ladyship, Your Ladyship could have our employer ask the Divine Physician if there are other methods…”

Noble Consort Xiao’s heart stirred.

The Divine Physician had a gold medallion bestowed by the late Emperor for protection. Even His Majesty couldn’t force the Divine Physician to do anything, much less could she use her status as Noble Consort to make a grand fuss about requesting the Divine Physician to come to Yuhua Palace for the reason of seeking a child.

Rumor had it the Divine Physician gave Miss Luo much face. She might be able to have Miss Luo help quietly request the Divine Physician to examine her.

Thinking of this, Noble Consort Xiao’s eyebrows lifted slightly.

If that were the case, why would she need to try this medicinal cuisine recipe of unknown origin?