Could There Be Something So Coincidental?

"Nothing," replied Yun Dai calmly. "Lady Lin of Decorous Service only gave me a cup of cold tea."

Zhao Yuanjing glanced at her and thought to himself, "That Lady Lin of Decorous Service is such a stupid, petty woman. I punished her by forcing her to eat an entire plate of pig intestines, so why would she actually give a kitchen helper any tea?"

She had probably punished this kitchen helper.

"Enough. You can go back to the kitchen." Zhao Yuanjing wasn't interested in making trouble for her anymore.

Yun Dai remained quiet for a moment, then slowly walked out of the room.

Now she was quite certain that Lady Lin of Decorous Service was the reason behind all that had happened the night before.

The problem had probably started with the tea that she splashed on her face.

She just hoped that this jerk of a crown prince could settle his relationship with his own women, and not implicate the innocent.

She was now in his employment, so even though there was very little she could do about this stupid crown prince, she was still going to take her revenge for what had happened back in the Chen family's kitchen.

On top of that, his attitude had been so arrogant today.

Even though she didn't have a husband now, and she didn't have any idea who the man was who had impregnated the original Gu Yundai, she didn't intend to remain single for the rest of her life.

It wasn't because she was trying to look for someone to rely on.

Given her culinary skills, she would be able to get by pretty well, even in ancient times.

But if she could find a man that she liked, then there was no need to insist on remaining single.

A thing like falling in love was good for both the heart and the body.

Yun Dai didn't take any of Zhao Yuanjing's pointless crap to heart.

Once she had earned enough money, she would leave this place, start her own business, and live happily ever after by herself.

Zhao Yuanjing stayed standing in the same place. He watched her walk out without even once turning her head back.

This back view…

Could it be that the woman from the Duke's residence's kitchen had also been her?

Could there be something so coincidental?

But that back view really resembled the woman he'd seen that day.

Zhao Yuanjing's gaze deepened.

Before that incident in the kitchen, he had had this experience once before.

At that time, he had been injured in a small alley near the Duke's residence. Even though it had happened in the dark, after he'd woken up, he'd found Chen Xueyan by his side. And that was why he had let her enter the palace as Consort Chen.

But after that incident, it hadn't happened again.

On the night Consort Chen was married to him...

After that, he never went to his consorts' rooms again.

Going into Lady Lin of Decorous Service's room the night before was only the second time he had stepped into a consort's room.

He had never imagined that stupid Lin Yueniang would actually dare to offer him drugged tea.

Zhao Yuanjing narrowed his eyes slightly.

Did he look like someone very stupid and easy to manipulate?

But…

This matter caught his attention more than the fact that Lin Yueniang had done something stupid enough to deserve death.

Was his illness cured? Or was there something special about this particular kitchen helper?

Zhao Yuanjing rubbed his chin.

Perhaps he really should try again?

Liu Dequan cautiously called out to him from outside the door to remind him, "Your Highness, it's getting late. If you don't go over to greet His Majesty soon, then…the master at the Hall of Literary Brilliance is also waiting for you…"

"Got it."

Zhao Yuanjing replied on his way out of the room. He instructed Liu Dequan as he left, "Send my orders out: from today onward, all three of Lady Lin of Decorous Service's meals every day will be changed to pig intestines."

"Yes, Your…wait, what?" Even though Liu Dequan was in charge of the East Palace and had gone through plenty of major ups and downs during his time here, he was still startled by these words.

Zhao Yuanjing glared at him. "If your ears are not working well anymore, then get someone else to serve me instead. I heard that you've taken in several disciples."

It was common for senior eunuchs to take disciples in.

Liu Dequan quickly shook his head. "My ears are working very well. I'll relay your orders to the kitchen right now."

As Zhao Yuanjing walked to the door, the kitchen helper's dirty face suddenly appeared in his mind again. He added some more instructions, "Liu Dequan, watch over this matter personally. The new kitchen helper has to cook the food, send the food over once she's finished preparing it, and make sure Lin Yueniang finishes the entire plate in front of her."