"Greetings, Eldest Miss."
"No need for formalities, Head Chef Zhu," Jiang Rui Yue waved her hand casually. "You've worked hard."
"This servant does not dare take credit. This servant is merely performing his duty."
Although the little demoness appeared polite, Head Chef Zhu did not dare lower his guard. His whole body tense and his back sweating.
After receiving a look of approval from Jiang Rui Yue, he began presenting the dishes one by one.
The maids of Qing Luan Courtyard were long used to this scene. They watched as their Eldest Miss listened attentively to the chef's recitation, examined the ingredients, and carefully tasted each dish laid before her. When she finished, she calmly took out a small notebook from her sleeve and began jotting down notes as usual.
Eh...Divine tiger's claws...garlic...fire phoenix's breath...ginger...what beard...beard...what?...
Ever since their Eldest Miss had lost her memory, her behavior had become… strange.
Her personal maids often found themselves stealing glances at her, their hearts tangled with unease and curiosity. It was as though a different soul had taken residence within that familiar body. The person looked same on the outside but her habits, thoughts and even speech was entirely different. Truly baffling!...
The young mistress, who in the past had strictly adhered to the orthodox path of cultivation, eating simple herbal meals and keeping her chamber unadorned and austere--now suddenly changed her taste.
Now, she only wanted mortal meals that rivaled the scale of a state banquet and preferred sleeping in a cozy, luxurious chamber.
The maids could only wonder silently...had their Young Miss truly forgotten everything?
Memory loss was one matter, but where had she acquired this sudden fondness for extravagance and luxury?
Could amnesia truly cause such a drastic change in personality?
It was undeniably strange.
Still, they felt that however their Eldest Miss chose to live, it was acceptable, as long as she was happy. Their duty was to serve her with absolute obedience and loyalty.
As for how the Head Chef suffered or how the Old Carpenter lost sleep, those were none of their concern.
When Jiang Rui Yue finished her meal, the maids quickly cleared the leftovers. They beamed at one another and accompanied her for a leisurely walk in the garden.
Meanwhile, Head Chef Zhu and the food delivery team left in visible relief. After so many exhausting days, there was finally no need for overtime.
The Head Chef even hummed a tune as he walked. His mood was especially buoyant when he recalled the Old Carpenter's stiff smile before they parted.
Haha… it was finally his turn to shine.
During the first few days, when the Eldest Miss threw tantrums over food, he had been run ragged in the kitchen. That despicable fellow had frequently come to gloat at his misfortune. Fortunately, Heaven was not blind—the old donkey soon encountered trouble of his own and had no time to mock him.
Retribution!
Still, old debts remained. Zhu Hai was not someone easily provoked.
The Main Courtyard, Wutong Courtyard.
" Madam, Eldest Miss has already taken her meal and gone to the East garden to take a stroll." A maid came in to report.
Madam Jiang nodded, closing a small booklet she was holding in her hands gestured for the maid to retreat.
The maid bowed respectfully, took a few steps back, and swiftly left the room.
Madam Jiang, however, remained seated in her chair, motionless and dazed for a long while. After some time, she lowered her gaze to the small jade tablet resting in her palm, its surface glowing faintly. She caressed it gently with the tip of her fingers, her gaze gentle but also carrying a trace of unease.
After a long moment, she carefully wrapped the tablet in brocade, placed it into a dark wooden box, and stored it inside her spatial ring, fearing damage or loss.
Sitting back once again lost in a daze.
The room fell into deathly silence. Candlelight flickered gently as a breeze slipped through slightly ajar window, casting a play of light and shadow upon the walls...until a sharp eagle's cry pierced the sky and the calm of the night was shattered.
Madam Jiang immediately rose from her seat, hurried to the window and pushed it open. A small eagle-like bird, not much bigger than an adult's fist, swiftly flew in through the opening and landed on her shoulder, nuzzling against her cheek and trying to show its affection.
Madam Jiang smiled softly and patted it gently while listening to its wild chirping.
The smile in her eyes deepened, and the anxiety in her heart gradually subsided.
Since her husband had already decided to act, then now it was her turn to prepare.
Those who dared to touch her daughter must pay with blood.
The next two days passed peacefully, with no changes or any suspicious movements. However, on the third day, just before the first light of dawn when the guards stationed at the entrance were about to change their shifts, they heard a strange noise.
It was very faint, hardly audible, like a soft buzzing or distant hum. Yet they could feel the air around them vibrate from the tremors of noise. Their hairs instantly stood on end and blood in their body began to pump violently. A quaintly familiar feeling started surging within them, and they quickly exchanged glances.
" Go check."
The guards sent to scout swiftly returned with grave expressions and nodded. Without wasting another moment, they hurried to report their Madam.
The sky outside was still dark and air covered in thick mist but the Main hall of the Duke Mansion was lit brightly as a day. The servants and maids all stood in orderly rows, their expressions grave, though there was not much panic or fear on their faces.
Madam Jiang, fully dressed, sat in the main seat, calmly sipping her tea while listening to the guards report.
"....More than five thousand...then who is guarding his palace?" Madam Jiang raised her brows, surprised that the emperor was willing to take such a gamble.
Madam Jiang did not doubt the report. The guards of the Duke mansion were all experienced when came to such matters. Even if the their vision was obstructed by thick fogs, they could still use their ears to estimate the number of enemies just by listening to hoofbeats and sound of marching.
Madam Jiang placed the teacup lightly on the table, " Go tell everyone to retreat inside the mansion and close all the doors. From now on, without my permission, no one is allowed to enter or leave the mansion."
" Yes, Madam."
The orders were swiftly carried out. All the guards stationed outside at the entranced quickly retreated behind the doors, and the main door as well as the side doors were tightly shut and reinforced.
A small team of guards were stationed to guard each of these side doors while the Captain of the guards personally stood guard at the main door. There was also an elite team of secret guards, patrolling the mansion both openly and secretly, ensuring the safety of the entire mansion and preventing any possible leaks.
All these caused a lot of commotion.
Jiang Rui Yue, who had just woken up to go to the toilet, also heard the commotion outside and soon learned of this news which left her speechless.
Then her expression shifted into something that resembled 'as expected, I can't have an easy life.'
She hadn't even had the chance to warm up and the people here already started looking for her neck.
She just couldn't have a few peaceful days in her life.
The next day, at early hours of morning, a piece of shocking news spread throughout the Capital: the Duke Of State Protection's Mansion had been surrounded by the Emperor's Dragon Scale Guards, and no one was allowed to enter or exit the mansion.
The atmosphere in the Capital suddenly became tense.