"Yanliu, this girl, has reminded me. It seems I haven't promoted her in vain.
It appears I was negligent. You may leave now and protect the Empress well.
Remember, everything concerning the Empress, no matter how trivial, must be reported to me."
In the imperial study, Ji Shiyou fell into deep thought after hearing Xing Sheng's report.
Xing Sheng's words about Yanliu had just made Ji Shiyou realize.
During the wedding, he had indeed forgotten to prepare a dowry for Mingyue.
"Why are you still here?"
He looked up and saw Xing Sheng, dressed in black, still standing there.
Standing before him like a pillar, Ji Shiyou asked.
"Your Majesty, your request is something this subordinate cannot fulfill.
This subordinate is a man, and there is a distinction between men and women. This subordinate cannot enter the Empress's chambers.
Reporting everything about the Empress to you is truly difficult for this subordinate.
For example, sleeping, changing clothes, and using the restroom – these are all inconvenient for this subordinate to monitor.
Perhaps you could assign a female imperial guard to Lanyue Palace? That would be more convenient."
Xing Sheng was a young man of eighteen or nineteen, blushing and looking troubled as he made his request.
"I retract my previous words. Unless it concerns the Empress's safety, you need not report anything else to me."
Ji Shiyou said through gritted teeth. Xing Sheng was a literal-minded and stubborn person.
If he weren't the most skilled among all the imperial guards, he wouldn't have chosen him to guard Mingyue in Lanyue Palace.
If he forced Xing Sheng to report, this stubborn fellow might actually infiltrate Mingyue's chambers and monitor her every move.
"This subordinate understands. I take my leave!"
With clear instructions received, Xing Sheng vanished in the blink of an eye.
In Lanyue Palace, Yanliu's eyes were wide and her mouth agape.
She had maintained this expression for a quarter of an hour, utterly shocked.
Mingyue had just told her about her plan, not a suicidal plan, but an assassination plan.
She feared that if Yanliu knew about her suicidal plan, she would be scared and try to dissuade her.
Therefore, she only told Yanliu that her purpose in coming to Langyue Palace and marrying Ji Shiyou was to assassinate Ji Shiyou and avenge the countless Wuman people who had died.
Even so, Yanliu was still greatly frightened and was beside herself with shock.
"So, you won't advise me to get along with the people in the harem anymore?
I don't want to be this Empress. I married Ji Shiyou because I had no choice.
My goal is to kill him. If you are worried about being implicated,
I can arrange for you to be transferred out of Lanyue Palace.
I don't want to harm you. Knowing that day would come sooner or later, I obtained a death-exemption token for you.
If you wish to leave, you can do so at any time. That will put my mind at ease."
Although she cherished Yanliu's company, seeing her so terrified, Mingyue couldn't bear to keep her there any longer.
"Princess, I will not leave. I am also a Wuman citizen.
The Princess is of noble birth and is willing to put her life on the line for the Wuman nation.
This servant's life is insignificant, so what is there to be reluctant about?
However, I have a request. Let me handle the assassination.
This servant still hopes that the Princess can live on and does not wish for the Princess to die!"
Hearing Mingyue's intention to send her away, the stunned Yanliu instantly came to her senses.
She knelt on the ground and pleaded with Mingyue. She did not want to leave; she wanted to stay and protect the Princess.
"Silly girl, Ji Shiyou is highly skilled in martial arts, meticulous, and cunning as a fox.
You don't even know martial arts, how can you kill him?
Alright, this matter requires careful planning and cannot be achieved overnight.
It's getting dark, and I'm hungry. Aren't you going to fetch dinner from the imperial kitchen?"
Mingyue changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on this matter.
She did not want Yanliu to get involved, so after having just eaten a large plate of rose cakes, she claimed to be hungry.
"Princess, this servant noticed you don't like the dishes from the imperial kitchen.
So, while you were napping, this servant went to the imperial kitchen and got some ingredients.
This servant will cook Wuman dishes for you. It will be quick."
Hearing Mingyue say she was hungry, Yanliu immediately put the previous matter out of her mind.
She said cheerfully, as cooking was her forte.
"That's thoughtful of you. I'm idle anyway, I'll help you."
"By the way, I've never been to a kitchen before!"
Mingyue, being a princess, had been pampered since childhood and had never entered a kitchen.
So, hearing Yanliu mention cooking, she became eager to try.
Ignoring Yanliu's protests, she pulled her towards the small kitchen in Lanyue Palace.
Feng Tang was very grateful to Mingyue. When he heard Yanliu needed ingredients, he gave her a bit of everything.
Thus, the small kitchen was well-stocked with a wide variety of ingredients, dazzling Mingyue.
In her entire life, she had only seen prepared dishes, never the ingredients themselves.
Each item was novel, and she pulled Yanliu along, asking questions.
"This is called sweet potato. It can be made into sweet potato cakes, or candied with syrup. They are all delicious desserts.
This is wood ear mushroom. It can be stir-fried, served cold, or used in soups.
This is white radish, this is loach, this is duck meat..."
Yanliu, familiar with all sorts of ingredients, introduced them one by one, seeing Mingyue's interest.
"Then let's have stir-fried wood ear mushroom with white radish, watermelon and mutton soup, and chestnut stewed duck tonight, shall we?"
Looking at the fresh ingredients, Mingyue was delighted and randomly paired the ingredients she liked.
"Princess, you cannot do that. Ingredients cannot be paired casually. If ingredients with conflicting properties are combined,
consuming them can be fatal, comparable to poison.
Wood ear mushroom and white radish, when eaten together, can cause dermatitis and eczema. Watermelon and mutton will deplete vital energy.
Chestnuts and duck meat are even worse; eating them can be deadly."
Hearing Mingyue's proposed menu, Yanliu's face turned anxious, and she quickly stopped her.
"Food can kill people? That's wonderful! Tell me, which dishes can kill people?
Don't bother with the mild ones. Tell me about those comparable to poison."
Mingyue's face lit up with excitement, as if a new world had opened up to her.
She had long thought of poisoning Ji Shiyou, but being in the palace,
she couldn't even access medicinal herbs, let alone poisons.
Now that Yanliu mentioned that ingredients could also be deadly, her heart stirred.
"There are many. Dog meat and loach, soft-shelled turtle and amaranth.
Chestnuts and duck meat, persimmons and crabs, lamb liver and red beans.
..."
Yanliu didn't know why Mingyue was asking her this, but she still listed the conflicting ingredients.
"Wait, you've said so much, I can't remember.
Just put all the ingredients here that can be fatal."
Yanliu had listed dozens of ingredients in one go, making Mingyue dizzy.
She directly asked Yanliu to pick out the ingredients and place them on the chopping board.
"Princess, what are you doing?"
Yanliu picked out the ingredients and looked at Mingyue with confusion.
"Hahaha, I don't believe I can't poison you this time!"
Looking at the dozen or so ingredients on the chopping board, Mingyue burst into laughter.
It was as if she could already see Ji Shiyou foaming at the mouth and dying of poisoning.
"Princess, are you... planning to cook this for His Majesty?"
Yanliu finally came to her senses and asked doubtfully.
"Don't ask anything, don't say anything. Go and get dinner from the imperial kitchen.
This matter has nothing to do with you, do you understand?"
Mingyue pushed Yanliu out of the small kitchen, not wanting her to be involved.
Even if something happened, it would have nothing to do with Yanliu; it would all be her doing.
She latched the door and looked back at the pile of ingredients on the chopping board. She hesitated.
She then remembered that she didn't know how to cook.