Chapter 687: Killing By Poisoning (2/2)
“That...When Auntie Yu hosts another party to teach people how to handcraft something, can you also send an invitation card to me? Danyi wants to personally make a cake for my imperial father and consort mother…” Imperial Princess Yi blinked her beautiful big black eyes as she looked at Yu Xiaocao expectantly.
Yu Xiaocao wondered whether she should build a small handcrafted DIY cake workshop in the palace to satisfy the curiosity of the princes, princesses, and the imperial concubines. She didn’t dare to freely send invitations to the imperial children living in the palace. Who would be responsible if something happened to them?
“Uh...if the emperor and Consort Li agree, then the door to the Xu Estate will always be open to you.” Yu Xiaocao didn’t dare agree to disagree, so she played dumb and pushed all the responsibility onto Imperial Princess Yi’s parents.
Chief Steward Su Chi had promised his teacher that he would take care of Miss Yu when she was in the palace. He stepped forward just in time to save Official Yu who was being thrown into a dilemma, “Official Yu, the emperor is still waiting for you in the Kunning Palace...”
Although Imperial Princess Yi didn’t receive a satisfying answer from her, she knew that her imperial father had summoned Official Yu into the palace for official business. As such, she could only helplessly watch as Official Yu left!
“Princess, you don’t need to be sad. Didn’t Princess Consort Xu tell you? You can just ask the emperor for permission to go to the Xu Estate! I heard rumors that Princess Consort Xu enjoys personally making pastries. She should have equipment and ingredients ready at home, so if you want to experience the process of making cakes, it’s not impossible ah!” The young palace maidservant gently comforted her master softly.
“But…it’s so boring if I learn how to make pastries alone. It’s more fun to do it with everyone else!” Imperial Princess Yi had learned from Consort Li’s niece about the party Princess Consort Xu hosted. It received many praises from all the noble ladies in the capital a few days ago. It was a pity she was one of the imperial children, so she couldn’t leave the palace at will. As a result, she missed this fun and creative party.
Yu Xiaocao finally let out a sigh of relief when she stepped into the doorstep of the Kunning Palace. She was really afraid that her path would be blocked by another imperial prince or princess again.
When the empress saw her arrive empty-handed, the empress jokingly said, “The delicious fragrance from the Imperial Prince Xu’s Estate spread throughout the entire imperial city a few days ago. Why didn’t you bring some pastries for me when you came to the imperial palace today?”
“Uh…” Yu Xiaocao choked on the empress’s words. She pretended to be serious and righteous as she said, “This official was afraid that if anything goes wrong with the food this official brings into the imperial palace, then it would be used against me…”
“Alright ah! Your response is too fake. It’s not like you haven’t brought food into the imperial palace before. If I can’t even trust you, then who would I trust?” Zhu Junfan said after she took a seat. He hinted at her to do as she wished.
Yu Xiaocao laughed mischievously and said, “This official is terrified of losing your favor…”
“That’s enough! Stop with these empty words!” Zhu Junfan pointed at the cakes that were placed next to Xiaocao and said, “Have a taste of the craftsmanship of the new imperial chef from the palace. These are authentic pastries and snacks from the capital.”
“Your Majesty, thank you for the reward——” Yu Xiaocao respectfully responded. Then, she picked up a piece of Glutinous Rice Rolls with Sweet Bean Flour and ate it with gusto. Hmm...it tasted pretty good! Huh? There seemed to be a strange taste inside the bean paste. If she hadn’t been baptized by the mystic-stone water, then her five senses wouldn’t have been this sensitive and she wouldn’t have detected the abnormality! She suddenly felt a burst of sharp pain from her stomach——damn it! It couldn’t be! If the emperor wanted her to die, then he didn’t even need to use poison ah!!
“What happened? What’s this?” When the empress saw the expression on her face change into a painful one, how her lips turned purple instantly, and how she was holding her belly, she panicked and shouted, “Quickly summon an imperial physician!!”
“Who! Who actually managed to conceal themselves so deeply in the imperial palace?!” Zhu Junfan slammed the table in anger. Everyone in the imperial court was aware that he had summoned the Clerk of the Capital for Grain into the palace today. Yu Xiaocao’s current identity was not as simple as a mere fourth-rank official, but she was also Imperial Prince Xu’s wife. If something happened to her in the palace, Imperial Prince Xu might do something impulsive due to anger!! The person who poisoned Xiaocao wanted him to lose loyal officials and have those loyal officials turn against him. This would cause the entire country to become unstable! That person wanted to kill three birds with one stone with such a ruthless and extreme method!
“Uh...does that mean that the emperor didn’t order the cake to be poisoned?” Yu Xiaocao became much calmer after she saw the emperor’s and the empress’s reaction.
“Are you doubting me? Do you have feces clogging your brain? You and Junyang are my right and left arms. How brainless do I have to be to cut off my own arms?” Zhu Junfan was so angry that he collapsed back onto his chair. He wished he could pry open her brain and check to see whether or not her brain was empty!
The empress walked forward and personally supported Xiaocao, who had slipped off the chair and onto the ground. Along with the palace maidservant, the two supported Xiaocao onto a soft couch. When the empress heard the emperor’s words, she glanced at the emperor. For the emperor to be anxious to the point where he would start to curse, that just showed how much he valued Official Yu.
“Uh...since this was not...the emperor’s intentions, then this official...will take the antidote…!” It was very, very painful! Her stomach was experiencing the same pain she felt when she needed to have surgery on her appendix when she was a child in her previous life. It was painful enough to cause her to die!