"Get up, all of you." Ye Zhen said lightly, her eyes looking at the little girl. "Which of you is the cook here?"
The woman stood up, trembling. "Your Highness, this slave is the cook here."
"I heard you cursing outside just now …" Ye Zhen squinted at her lightly. "What's going on?"
When the little girl heard Ye Zhen's question, she tightened her lips and her eyes showed fear.
"Your Highness, this slave is scolding this dead girl. She only knows how to be lazy all day. I can't help but scold her." The woman replied cautiously.
"I didn't!" The little girl gritted her teeth.
The woman glared at her fiercely. "I told you to clean the garden road. Did you do it?"
"I'm washing vegetables." The little girl said, glancing at Ye Zhen timidly.
"This kitchen is your mother's job. Why doesn't she come? Can't a precious body do rough and heavy work? "The woman scolded her.
The little girl lowered her head. "That's because my mother is ill."
The matron scolded the little girl a few times before suddenly remembering that the Empress was still in front of them. She instantly bent down, "Niangniang, nubi was just scolding this little girl. She and her mother are new and don't know any better."
Ye Zhen saw that the woman's words were still protective of the little girl and her daughter, and her opinion of her changed a little. It seemed that the scolding of the little girl's family as traitors was only said behind her back.
"Since you are the cook here, I have something to tell you." Ye Zhen thought that since the woman had a sharp tongue but a soft heart, she should not really harm the little girl, but why did she call the little girl a traitor?
"Yes." The woman hurriedly bowed her head.
Ye Zhen glanced at the little girl. "You come in and help me."
She wanted to cook a few dishes for Mo Rongzhan. Knowing that the emperor had returned, the kitchen was full of dishes. Ye Zhen asked the cook to bring Huaishan and pork ribs, preparing to make a Huaishan pork ribs soup for Mo Rongzhan, which could strengthen the spleen and stomach. With a little cordyceps flower, the soup was sweet and moist, golden and attractive.
"Make another Four Happiness Meatballs. There are lotus seeds here, so make another steamed black chicken with lotus seeds, mung beans and glutinous rice, and then a stir-fried mushroom …" Ye Zhen looked at the ingredients in the kitchen and ordered the cook and Hong Ying to prepare.
In fact, these dishes were not difficult to make, but it took some thought. Ye Zhen added spiritual spring water to each dish, which made the taste more fragrant.
"Niang niang, this servant has never done these things before. I'm afraid it will take some effort." Xia Zhou was different from the capital. The people here tended to eat heavy food, and most of them would add some chili. However, the dishes that the empress ordered were all light. Although the cook knew how to make it, she had never done it before, so it took some effort.
Ye Zhen smiled and said, "It doesn't matter. I will tell you what to do."
The kitchen maid was astonished. She thought that the Empress lived like a princess in the palace, so how did she know what to do?
"Do it quickly." Ye Zhen said faintly. She really didn't know how to cook before, but she was too bored when she was in Prince Qin's Mansion. She thought that when Mo Rongzhan came back in the future, she could cook for him personally, so she specially invited a chef from the palace to teach her.
Hong Ying and Jianjia helped together. Ye Zhen watched her from the side. She observed the little girl more often and confirmed her previous guess. The little girl should have lived at home without doing any chores, but she was very smart. She could understand many things she didn't understand as long as she explained it to her once. Moreover, she could draw inferences about other cases from one instance. She was really a very clever little girl.
"Niang niang." Eunuch Fu ran over, panting. He couldn't help but thank God in his heart for finally finding the empress. "The emperor asked this servant to come to you."
Ye Zhen saw that the cook was almost done, so she asked Eunuch Fu, "Has the emperor finished reading the memorial?"
"Replying to Niang niang, the emperor is talking to Sixth Wangye. He hasn't seen Niang niang return for a long time, so he is a little worried." Eunuch Fu said with a smile.
"I'm almost done. Has Sixth Wangye not left yet?" Ye Zhen asked.
Eunuch Fu said, "Yes."
"Sixth Wangye should be staying here for lunch." Ye Zhen said, letting Hong Ying stay in the kitchen. She went back with Jianjia first.
After leaving the kitchen, Ye Zhen thought of the little girl. "What is the origin of the little girl in the kitchen? Jianjia, go and inquire about her today. "
Jianjia answered in a low voice. She thought that Niang niang was curious about the word 'traitor'.
Back in the courtyard of the upper room, Mo Rongzhan was still talking to Murong Ke in the study. Ye Zhen knocked on the door and went in. They stopped talking.
"Why did you come back so late?" Mo Rongzhan got up and took Ye Zhen's hand. Seeing her sweat, he couldn't help but frown. "Tired?"
"I just walked a few steps. How can I be tired?" Ye Zhen said with a smile. "I asked the kitchen to prepare a few dishes. Are you and Sixth Wangye eating in the study?"
Mo Rongzhan wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I am eating with Ke in the study. You go back and change your clothes first."
She loved cleanliness the most. She certainly couldn't stand sweating.
"Good." Ye Zhen smiled sweetly at him.
Murong Ke lowered his eyes and didn't look at them, but there was a faint smile on his face.
Ye Zhen returned to the house and told Jianjia to go to the kitchen to send lunch to the emperor and Sixth Wangye first, and then make another for her.
Jianjia quickly went to the kitchen and inquired about the little girl's life experience.
The little girl's name was Lin Zhiran. Her mother, Lady Cao, was originally the wife of a deputy general in Xia Zhou. Her husband was killed on the battlefield and Xia Zhou was lost. The soldiers of the Dark North Army in Xia Zhou all fled back, leaving her and her daughter behind. Because the Cao family was the first of the Jin people to attach themselves to the Dark North Kingdom, they suffered a lot of disdain from others. If it weren't for the cook who took them in at the Marshal's Residence, the mother and daughter would have nowhere to go.
"I heard that Madam Cao has been ill for a few days. She lived in the back room to recuperate, so she didn't go to the kitchen to help." Jianjia whispered.
"So, this Lin Zhiran was originally an official's daughter." Ye Zhen nodded gently. "Is Madam Cao's husband from the Northern Dark Kingdom?"
"No, he is from our Jin Kingdom. The Cao family was exiled. They had no one to rely on, so they were bullied outside." Jianjia whispered.
Ye Zhen nodded gently. "Let someone find a doctor for Madam Cao. That little girl is very fond of this Imperial Consort."
"Yes, Empress." Jianjia answered, but she was a little puzzled. "Empress, do you want Lin Zhiran to serve you?"
"No." Ye Zhen smiled. "I don't know why, but I like the little girl's eyes."
"That's the little girl's blessing." Jianjia smiled. How many people in the world could make the Empress like them at first sight?
Ye Zhen smiled faintly. She was particularly concerned about Lin Zhiran because of another thing. During the divination, the hexagram mentioned that she would meet a noble person in Xia Province.
What is a noble person? Ye Rou couldn't tell, but she felt that if she met Lin Zhiran, she might be able to help her.
...
(Nine-headed Bird Academy)
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