The entire warm room was so quiet that it was scary.
Old Man Zhou's heart was beating wildly. At this moment, the wait was so long. Old Man Zhou was nervous about Xia He, but he didn't know that the bowl of noodles she was about to face was actually much more terrifying than the palace maid Xia He … a lot more.
Zhao mama didn't see how the Empress cooked the bowl of noodles, but when Xia He brought the broth over, Zhao mama couldn't help but hold her forehead. She secretly glanced at the Empress and silently thought that it would take forever for the Emperor to eat the noodles personally cooked by the Empress!
The Empress had been learning for several days, but she still hadn't learned how to roll the noodles.
This time, she didn't boil the noodles into dough balls, but directly rolled the noodles into dough balls. In short, there was still a bowl of dough balls in the bowl. To describe it in more vivid terms, it was a bowl of clear soup with a few lumps of dough and a piece of boiled green vegetable.
Xia He was very nervous, and Old Man Zhou was also very nervous. The two people's attention wasn't on the broth. Xia He was so nervous that she didn't dare to look at Old Man Zhou. Old Man Zhou gripped the armrest with one hand, almost crushing it.
When Xia He brought the broth in front of Old Man Zhou, Old Man Zhou was so nervous that he didn't notice the strangeness of the bowl of noodles.
"Zhou, Zhou, Old Man Zhou, please, please … please eat!"
Xia He's teeth were chattering. Her appearance made Old Man Zhou unable to deceive himself anymore. Old Man Zhou was sure that the Empress must have found out that Xia He was one of her people and had evidence. Otherwise, the Empress wouldn't have let Xia He out so easily.
How much evidence did the Empress have? Did she still have room to explain, room to escape punishment? Old Man Zhou held his last breath and didn't take the initiative to reveal anything.
Only by knowing yourself and your enemy could you win a hundred battles. She still couldn't figure out the Empress's background, so she could only advance step by step.
She stood up and knelt down to thank the empress. "This subject's wife thanks the empress for her reward!"
"I already said that you don't have to be so courteous. Granny Zhao, quickly help Old Man Zhou up." Han Yunxi's attitude was polite, and her smile was harmless, as if the person who had just poisoned him was not her.
After Granny Zhao helped him up, she pulled Old Man Zhou to sit down and personally handed him a pair of chopsticks. "Old Man Zhou, this was made by the Empress herself. You must eat well."
At this time, Old Man Zhou looked at the bowl of noodles seriously. She was stunned. What … What is this?
It looked like a lump of dough, but it didn't. In a large bowl of clear soup, there were only four or five fist-sized lumps of dough. Old Man Zhou, who had always thought that Han Yunxi would not poison her, suddenly suspected that this bowl of noodles was poison.
However, she had no choice but to eat.
If she ate it and something happened, Han Yunxi would have to give an explanation to her son, Jiangnan's Murong Family, and the Zhou Family. If she didn't eat it, then she would be looking down on the empress's authority and trampling on the empress's reward. The crime could be small or big.
In palace fights, ruthless moves were never used. They were afraid that their status was inferior and they would be suppressed by etiquette.
Han Yunxi's status as the empress meant that she was destined to fight openly.
If Old Man Zhou knew that the empress had Xia He as a spy, she would never enter the palace.
Old Man Zhou didn't dare to stay for too long. He could only pick up the fist-sized lumps of dough … and eat!
The size of a normal dough ball was very uniform. At most, it was the size of a thumb. It was especially chewy. Moreover, the soup of a dough ball was definitely not a clear soup, but a thick soup. It required all kinds of ingredients to boil it to create a delicious taste. The lumps of dough were chewy, but the soup was fragrant and thick. It could be said that it was a very delicious home-cooked dish.
However …
Old Man Zhou took the first bite and found that the empress's fist-sized lumps of dough were especially sticky to the teeth! It was even stickier than Ma Chi. It didn't have any strength at all. It also didn't have the faint wheat fragrance of high-quality flour.
For the elderly, they were most afraid of eating sour, hard, and sticky food!
It was just one bite, but it made Old Man Zhou eat very strenuously. It also made her start to consider the taste of this bowl of noodles and ignore the question of whether it was poisonous or not.
"How is it?" Han Yunxi asked excitedly.
Of course, she knew that the lumps of dough weren't made like this. She had just rolled the flour into shape and her hands were too sore. Moreover, there wasn't enough time, so she simply chopped a few pieces and threw them into the pot to cook.
Old Man Zhou looked up and didn't answer for a long time. It wasn't that she didn't want to answer, but that the dough was too sticky. Her mouth was full.
She used a lot of effort to handle it and answered, "The taste is very good. This subject's wife is really lucky today."
"If you like it, then eat more." Han Yunxi said with a laugh.
Old Man Zhou didn't just want to eat more. How could she not finish what the Empress gave her?
Thus, under everyone's gaze, Old Man Zhou silently gnawed on the lumps of dough. It was fine if it was sticky, but in the end, she found that the lumps of dough were hard and not cooked through!
Looking at the lumps of dough on her chopsticks and then looking at the three pieces left in the bowl, Old Man Zhou's mood at this moment could only be described with one word, "collapse"!
Old Man Zhou's thoughts had already changed. She thought that if she had known that the Empress's cooking skills were so bad, she definitely wouldn't have entered the palace.
However, after Old Madam Zhou expended a tremendous amount of effort to resist the nausea she felt several times, and after she finished eating a few large lumps of dough and drank the first mouthful of soup, her thoughts changed again. She thought that if she had known that the Empress's cooking skills were so bad, she definitely wouldn't have given out those two red packets and wouldn't have let Xia He enter the palace!
That big bowl of clear soup was simply salt water!
After eating the Empress's lumps of dough, Old Man Zhou no longer had any fighting strength. Not only did her mouth feel uncomfortable, her stomach also felt uncomfortable. She had a feeling that she could vomit at any time.
"Aiyo, you finished the entire bowl? Old Man Zhou is already so old, but your appetite is still not bad. "Han Yunxi chuckled and was very happy.
Old Man Zhou stood up, "Your Majesty … … this subject's wife … … this subject's wife still has … …"
Old Man Zhou wanted to leave. She wanted to go home. She wanted to run out and vomit!
However, Han Yunxi's following words made Old Man Zhou swallow down all of her nausea.
Han Yunxi said, "This consort's matter isn't over yet. Old Man Zhou, you're the oldest among the madams and have the highest prestige. This consort has a very difficult matter. After hesitating for several days, this consort feels that you're the most suitable person to discuss it with. Old Man Zhou, Baili Lixiang donated the two red packets this consort bestowed to the Baili Clan to Northern Li's Musi. When the steward opened it, it was empty. Tell me, why are these red packets empty? "
This … …
Old Man Zhou immediately recalled the Empress's question to Zhao mama. "Xia He was the one who helped this consort pack those red packets for New Year's, right?"
A bowl of noodles was a torture, but after the torture, it was probably a disaster.
Old Man Zhou knew very well that if she said even one wrong word, Esteemed Empress might push the blame on Xia He for the empty red packets, and Xia He would confess that she was the one who ordered it!
Old Madam Zhou suddenly looked at Xia He. Xia He met her gaze and immediately looked away. This made Old Man Zhou's heart feel even more hopeless.
What should she do?
How should she answer?
Old Man Zhou thought for a long time. Han Yunxi didn't rush her, but waited patiently.
Zhao mama, on the other hand, couldn't help but speak up. "Old Man Zhou, Esteemed Empress is asking you a question!"
The Crown Prince had been spending the night at the Grand Tutor's estate recently, and Zhao mama had specially sent someone to inform the Emperor. She guessed that the Emperor would definitely come early.
How could she let Old Man Zhou delay such an auspicious time?
Old Man Zhou's mind had actually wandered off, immersed in vexation and regret. She was such a spirited old lady, but she seemed to have aged in an instant. Her eyes were drooping, her eyes dull.
She said, "Esteemed Empress, Musi's steward must have made a mistake. Baili Lixiang once told everyone that Esteemed Empress gave her ten banknotes from Kangan Private Bank. It was a big red packet! How could it be empty? As this subject sees it, we should send someone to the Musi estate to investigate. "
"This consort also thinks that there's been a mistake. With Old Man Zhou's witness, this consort can rest assured. Alright, this is the only way. Zhao mama, send someone to investigate later, "Han Yunxi said mildly.
Old Madam Zhou immediately heaved a sigh of relief. But Han Yunxi continued, "This consort heard that Jiangnan's Chen family has a daughter who's hailed as Jiangnan's number one beauty. She's both talented and beautiful. Have you heard of Old Man Zhou? "
In court, everyone was afraid of Long Fei Ye's icy face, so no one dared to speak up about the selection of women. But these madams incited public opinion and created rumors from time to time.
They said that some family's daughter was so and so, and that she was going to participate in the palace's selection.
Recently, Jiangnan's Chen family's daughter was the most popular topic, so much so that even Gu had run over to ask about it. According to Gu's original words, "If Long Fei Ye dares to take concubines, this old man will kill a pair of them on sight!"
How could Old Man Zhou's people not understand the Empress's meaning! The biggest conflict between them and the Empress was the matter of taking concubines!
Although Old Man Zhou's people were unwilling, with Xia He's stain on her reputation, she could only compromise.
"Reporting to the Empress, this subject's wife has seen the Chen family's daughter. She's not as good as the rumors say. It's just a rumor. In this subject's opinion, those people who talk nonsense should be punished! "
Han Yunxi was very satisfied with this answer.
"Aiyo, so it's fake. Then wouldn't the person who married because of the rumors suffer a great loss? It seems that this rumor really needs to be punished! "Han Yunxi said seriously.
Then, Han Yunxi asked a few more girls, and Old Man Zhou's people answered carefully. After a while, Han Yunxi lazily stood up, "It's getting late. Old Man Zhou's people should go back early."
Old Man Zhou's people quickly stood up. She secretly glanced at Xia He, knowing that Xia He would be imprisoned in the palace forever. The Empress let her off the matter of the empty red packets. However, she didn't dare to stir up trouble again, and didn't dare to participate in the affairs of those madams.
Han Yunxi's move to deal with Old Man Zhou's people was called catching the ringleader to catch the bandits.
One had to know that Old Man Zhou's people were the wind vane of Jiangnan's noble madams. If Old Man Zhou's people didn't dare to mention the matter of the harem, how could the others dare to? Old Man Zhou's people knew their place, so how could the others dare to stir up trouble?
Afterwards, Han Yunxi sent someone to send a letter to Jin Zi, asking him to fill in the missing money for the red packets. She also bribed the steward to keep it a secret. From then on, no one mentioned the empty red packets again.
That night, Little Rui 'er really stayed at the Grand Tutor's residence.
It was rare for Long Fei Ye to come back early, and he pestered Han Yunxi to take a bath together. Han Yunxi told him about Old Man Zhou's people.
He hugged her and listened quietly. In the end, he said, "Empress, you've closed the door to my three thousand harem. You have to pay for the three thousand affairs alone! "
Han Yunxi was frightened. She was about to run away when Long Fei Ye immediately came over, domineering!
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