sbdcsierra Chapter 114 Little Trick
Chapter 114 Little Trick
Lin Qin opened the food cabinet, and a putrid smell hit her. The rare mushrooms that were once so precious were now moldy and rotten.
Her eyes turned cold, but a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips.
Ha, what a little trick.
She closed the cabinet door without making a sound, turned to Eunuch Wang behind her and said, "Please take me to the storeroom, I need to select other ingredients." Eunuch Wang's eyes flickered, but he dared not refuse, so he had no choice but to lead Lin Qin to the storeroom.
Lin Qin carefully selected the ingredients she needed in the warehouse, and the fresh vegetables and fruits seemed to come alive in her hands.
She deliberately chose some ordinary ingredients, but paired them up in a very clever way.
After selecting the ingredients, Lin Qin did not return directly to the imperial kitchen, but instead led everyone to a pavilion next to the imperial garden.
"What is Your Highness doing?" the Minister of Works asked, puzzled. The others also cast questioning glances his way.
Lin Qin smiled slightly and explained, "This dish needs to be cooked in a natural environment to achieve the best taste." After saying that, she directed the servants to set up a simple stove and arrange the prepared ingredients one by one.
The onlookers were all very curious, as they had never seen such a cooking method before. Even the emperor became interested and watched with great interest.
Lin Qin's movements were fluid and clean, her knife skills were exquisite, and they were truly breathtaking.
She transforms ordinary ingredients into exquisite works of art through her superb knife skills and masterful control of heat.
As steam rose from the pot, a unique aroma filled the air, making everyone's mouths water.
Finally, the dish is ready.
A "Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom" dish, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, was presented to the audience. The colorful flowers were carved from various ingredients, lifelike and breathtaking.
Everyone eagerly began to taste it. The moment it entered their mouths, a delicious flavor burst forth on their tongues, leaving them with an unforgettable aftertaste.
"Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful!" the emperor couldn't help but exclaim. "I have never tasted this dish before; it is simply a delicacy!"
Other ministers echoed his sentiments, and even the notoriously picky Imperial Chef Zhang was speechless, forced to watch Lin Qin shine.
Lin Qin felt secretly pleased as she looked at the admiring gazes of the crowd.
She knew she had won the cooking competition!
"Your Highness, may I ask what this dish is called?" the Emperor asked.
Lin Qin smiled slightly and replied, "This dish is called 'A Hundred Flowers in Full Bloom,' which means that all flowers are blooming and the country is thriving."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor was overjoyed. "What a beautiful sight of a hundred flowers blooming in competition! Princess Lin, you are truly an extraordinary woman!"
Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of the delicious food, Palace Maid Li rushed over in a panic, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened..."
The palace maid, Li, breathless, pointed towards the Imperial Garden and stammered, "Consort Li... Consort Li... she... she pulled up the 'Jade Coral' you just planted!"
Upon hearing this, everyone was greatly shocked.
That "jade coral" was a rare plant that Lin Qin had painstakingly searched for overseas. It was said to have the effect of prolonging life, and the emperor regarded it as a treasure.
Consort Li actually dared to pull it out; isn't that like provoking a tyrant?
Upon hearing this, Lin Qin remained expressionless, simply smiling faintly, "Is that so? Then let's go take a look."
The group followed Lin Qin to the Imperial Garden, where they saw that the once lush "Jade Coral" had been uprooted and discarded on the ground, barely alive.
Consort Li stood to the side, looking at Lin Qin with a smug expression and her eyes full of provocation.
"Lin Qin, you didn't expect this, did you? Your precious darling has now turned into a pile of useless trash!" Li Fei sneered, her voice full of schadenfreude.
The surrounding concubines and palace maids held their breath, not daring to make a sound, for fear of being drawn into this conflict.
They all knew that Consort Li was deliberately provoking Lin Qin, trying to humiliate her.
Lin Qin looked around and her gaze fell on the shovel in Li Gongnu's hand, which was still covered in fresh mud.
A cold smile curled at the corner of her lips. "Consort Li, are you sure you pulled it out?"
Consort Li was taken aback, then realized what she meant and shouted sternly, "Of course I pulled it out! What, do you have anything to say for yourself?"
Lin Qin calmly walked up to Li Gongnu, picked up the shovel in her hand, and examined it carefully. "Why is the soil on this shovel different from the soil at the base of the 'Jade Coral'?"
The palace maid's face changed, and she stammered, unable to speak.
Lin Qin then pointed to a peony not far away and said, "The soil at the base of this peony is exactly the same as the soil on the shovel."
Consort Li's expression changed drastically. She hadn't expected Lin Qin to be so observant, discovering the flaw in an instant.
Lin Qin threw the shovel on the ground and stared sharply at the palace maid Li. "Speak, who exactly pulled up the 'Jade Coral'?"
The palace maid, Li, trembled with fear and knelt on the ground with a thud, crying out, "Your Highness, spare me! It was...it was Consort Li who ordered me to do it!"
Upon hearing this, Consort Li panicked and pointed at the palace maid Li, angrily shouting, "You...you lowly servant! How dare you spout such nonsense!"
Lin Qin sneered, "Whether it's nonsense or not, we'll know when the Emperor arrives." After saying that, she looked at Eunuch Wang beside her, "Eunuch Wang, please go and report to the Emperor that Consort Li is causing trouble in the Imperial Garden."
Eunuch Wang dared not delay and immediately ran to report to the emperor.
Consort Li's face turned pale
Lin Qin felt a secret pleasure as she watched Consort Li's panicked state.
Just then, a warm, large hand gently grasped Lin Qin's hand.
Lin Qin turned her head and saw Zhu Ling standing beside her, looking at her tenderly.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here," Zhu Ling said softly.
Lin Qin smiled slightly and grasped Zhu Ling's hand in return.
Their eyes met, as if a thousand words were unspoken...
Zhu Ling's appearance was like a gentle ray of light, dispelling the gloom in Lin Qin's heart.
His palms were warm and strong, conveying silent support and encouragement.
Lin Qin felt the warmth of his palm, and a sweet smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
The two smiled at each other, and the air seemed to be filled with pink bubbles, so sweet it made your teeth ache.
The palace maids and eunuchs around him stared wide-eyed. Was this still the same cold-faced King Yama?
They're like completely different people!
Just as everyone was dazzled by this sudden sweet surprise, the Minister of Works jumped out again. He cleared his throat and said in an official tone, "Your Highness, although this 'Hundred Flowers Banquet' has broadened everyone's horizons, the resources in the palace are not something that can be obtained by chance. This old minister thinks that we should appropriately reduce the subsequent budget. After all, we should still be thrifty."
That old man, the Minister of Works, is truly like a mythical creature, always taking in but never giving out!
Lin Qin snorted inwardly, but her face remained smiling. She knew that the old man would definitely cause trouble at the last minute.
His "I'm saving the court money" attitude made Lin Qin want to give him an "invincible whirlwind kick".
What an old fogey! He won't give up until he's faced with the Yellow River, and he won't shed a tear until he sees the coffin!
Before Lin Qin could speak, Zhu Ling coldly glanced at the Minister of Works. His gaze was as cold as an ice dagger, instantly making the Minister of Works feel as if he had been thrown into an ice cave.
He shuddered and dared not say another word.
Lin Qin smiled slightly, ignoring the Minister of Works, and turned to Eunuch Wang, saying softly, "Eunuch Wang, do you still remember the decree His Majesty gave me before?"
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Wang was taken aback at first, then nodded and bowed, saying, "I remember, I remember, how could this old servant dare to forget Her Highness the Princess's decree?"
Lin Qin smiled knowingly and clapped her hands lightly. "In that case, Eunuch Wang, please present the imperial decree."
Eunuch Wang quickly agreed and turned to run off to retrieve the imperial decree.
Watching Eunuch Wang's hurried departure, Lin Qin's smile deepened.
Hehe, let this stubborn old man see for himself who's in charge here!
Eunuch Wang jogged to retrieve the imperial edict and respectfully handed it to Lin Qin with both hands.
Lin Qin accepted the imperial edict and slowly unfolded it. The edict read in bold characters: "Princess Lin is fully responsible for the renovation of the palace gardens. No one may obstruct it."
Lin Qin showed the imperial edict to everyone, her gaze lingering for a moment, especially on the Minister of Works.
The Minister of Works looked worse than if he had swallowed a fly.
He originally thought he could use the excuse of "thrift and frugality" to cut Lin Qin's budget and squeeze some money out of himself.
Unexpectedly, Lin Qin had such a trick up her sleeve. Now, she's done for herself, her attempt to steal a chicken backfired, and she's shot herself in the foot.
He could only swallow his anger and force a smile that looked more like a grimace. "Your Highness is wise, I admire you!"
Lin Qin smiled slightly, rolled up the imperial edict again, and handed it to Eunuch Wang. "With the Emperor's decree, things will be much simpler from here on out."
In the following days, with the emperor's decree and Zhu Ling's covert support, Lin Qin successfully completed the garden renovation.
The once chaotic Imperial Garden has been completely transformed, with pavilions and towers arranged in a pleasing manner, and exotic flowers and plants vying for attention, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
The renovated Imperial Garden is not only beautiful but also full of modern elements.
Lin Qin designed fountains, rockeries, bridges, and streams in the garden, and also introduced a modern lighting system to make the Imperial Garden even more dazzling at night.
On the day the project was completed, the emperor was overjoyed and praised Lin Qin highly.
"Princess Lin, you are truly an extraordinary woman! I will reward you handsomely!"
Lin Qin bowed gracefully, "Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty. I dare not take credit for this."
"Speak, what reward do you desire?" The emperor was in a very good mood and waved his hand. "Just tell me, and I will grant you whatever you ask!"
Lin Qin smiled slightly and was about to speak when she heard Eunuch Wang's high-pitched voice, "Your Majesty, the Minister of Works requests an audience."
Minister of Works?
What is this old guy up to now?
A hint of doubt flashed through Lin Qin's mind, but she remained expressionless.
The emperor frowned slightly. "Let him in."
The Minister of Works bowed as he entered, holding a thick booklet in his hands. "Your Majesty," he said, "this old minister has reviewed the old regulations of the palace..."
Lin Qin's heart sank suddenly.