I woke up while remaining completely still as I let a small trace of Qi enter the air around me, scanning my surroundings. A picture of the entire estate unfolded in my mind. I mentally marked every servant and important person in the manor. I even notice my husband on his way back to the courtyard.
This practice has become a habit embedded in me in the years since my escape. The slight paranoia I harbored refuses to be completely at ease. After all, it was this same paranoia that led me to discover those plotting to take life and make a successful escape. If not for my constant practice, then my family would have long gotten what they wanted.
Only when the result came back did I open my eyes and gaze at the ceiling. It is always when I first wake up that my mind is the most active. Every thought I suppress at night always comes back in full force.
As usual, the anger at my current situation gnawed at the corners of my mind, but with practiced ease, I pushed these distracting thoughts away. I rose to a seated position and looked towards the crib on my right. In it lay little Feng, still asleep.
My eyes drifted out the window that was still open after last night. The sun had yet to come up, and the sky was still dark.
"Zhou Fa," I softly called out into the room. Immediately I felt his presence appear in the corner of the room.
"Yes, Madam?" The man's voice was barely above a whisper, but it arrived all the same to my ears.
"Send another batch of meat to the kitchens and make sure no servants enter for the next hour. I pulled the sheets from my body and rose to my feet. By the time I rose, Zhou Fa had disappeared, already carrying out my orders.
Stepping out of the room for a brief second, I spotted a servant at their post outside of the door. Seeing me, she brought herself to attention and greeted me with a bow.
"Good morning, Lady Meng," she calmly said.
It still grated on me that I had to change my name for this plan to succeed, but as long as I can achieve my ambition, I am willing to pay any price. It also allowed me to blend in. Nothing good would come from rumors of "Zhou Mei" spreading through the world.
"Watch Feng for me." Without even waiting to hear a reply, I walked past the maid. I had no worries for the safety of Feng. Even in this uncivilized place, harming the son of a city lord is enough to get the perpetrator and their whole line exterminated. That isn't even including the protections that I had set up to safeguard his safety.
Eventually, my feet brought me toward the kitchen, where, just as I commanded, the entire place was empty. On the counter was a wok, a large slab of high-level beast meat along with an egg the size of my head. I tied my hair back with my hairpin and handkerchief and then put on an apron that was hanging from a hook near the door. After washing my hands, I gathered all the tools that I needed for cooking and placed them on the counter.
My hand drifted over the surface of the meat as I inspected it for any flaws. However, I found none. With a tap on my hairpin, numerous herbs appeared on the counter along with a mortar and pestle. I also placed a wok on the stove, poured in some animal fat, and lit a fire for the stove.
With practiced motions, using the mortar and pestle, I grind the herbs into a paste while using a trace amount of water-attribute Qi to preserve the medicinal qualities. The smells of the herbs merge together to form a symphony of scents.
When done, I poured the new mixture through a strainer into a jar and put it to the side. The now clear liquid seemed to pulse with life. It was so potent that if sects knew it existed, wars would be fought over it.
I then took hold of a kitchen knife, and with a few movements of my wrist, half the meat was sliced into strips that glistened under the lantern light. As I moved to store the rest of the meat, I paused briefly as memories from last night entered my mind.
"Sorry about that; the food was so good I couldn't help myself." He spoke in a childlike but honest manner.
"Was it really that good?" I asked in confusion. It was something I simply threw together for myself.
Earlier, while I was cooking, a stoic maid had entered the kitchen and informed me of Meng Tao requesting the servants cook dinner. I decided that I had extra, so I dismissed them and waited in the nursery.
It was simply a whim of mine, yet he reacted as if I gave him a heaven-grade artifact or something.
Shaking my head, my wrist rotated once more, and the rest of the meat was similarly cut into strips. 'Whatever, after the discussion last night he deserved a small treat for entertaining me.'
This was doubly true after he had seemed keen on repeatedly injuring himself in the yard the previous day with a self-replicating stick. Hardly the first time I've seen an artifact, but it was rare that I encountered one that apparently encourages self-harm.
I felt that if I had not created that scene and held Feng near the window, he likely would have quit. Constantly stirring up the wind and staring into space got old very quickly. I do not know what kind of artifact he held, but no matter the grade, only good things can occur by mastering them.
While I was preparing the ingredients, I heard the oil begin to simmer, and I released a pulse of Qi. The pieces of meat were lifted and, for a brief moment, were suspended in the air before entering the large wok. Half of the herbal liquid quickly entered the wok, washing over the slices of meat to eliminate their gamy taste and smell. Seemingly by magic, meat began to stir itself in the pot, ensuring each piece was heating at the same rate.
'Meng Tao mentioned a council. A division of power that was meant to gather subordinates with various specialties to further develop and govern a piece of land. At least that was how Meng Tao described it after eliminating the fluff and overexplanations. '
On one hand, it is inconvenient because it lessens Meng Tao's power along with the power I can use by manipulating him.
'But, who's to say the council can't be manipulated just as well?' I felt a slight smile form on my lips. Cooking always managed to calm my nerves and help me think.
Even though I was thinking deeply, my hands never stopped moving. While the meat cooked, I had already cracked the egg and mixed it with chopsticks until the yolk and whites merged together. Then, as with the meat, every drop of egg was hoisted into the air and then into the pan. Without interrupting the cooking process, the egg fried itself without ever touching the meat that was also in the pan.
Rice from a clay jar to the right of the stove rose into the air grain by grain, followed by the herbal mixture rising from the jar. The rice flew into the mixture and stayed there as if awaiting further instructions.
With a few hand seals, the mixture heated itself, and the rice began to cook. When I was certain the rice was finished, I pulled it from the mixture and threw it into the wok. Then I began to mix and toss the contents of the wok using qi while I manually shook it.
When the food was close to completion, I brought my attention back to the floating herbal extract. I formed another hand sign, and using water and fire attribute Qi, the mixture was quickly reduced to a sauce. With a pinch of salt rising into it from a smaller jar on the counter, the mix was complete. I then brought the mixture into the wok and stirred everything together.
What was left was stir-fried rice that sparkled in the light of the now rising sun. I took enough for a serving. And made my way back to the nursery. After returning, I informed the maid to deliver the food I prepared to my husband. I then sat down at the table near the window and began to eat.
'Mediocre,' I sighed. The ingredients here were near worthless, but it was the best I could make for now. I honestly did not understand how Meng Tao could praise last night's dish so highly when it was made from such pitiful ingredients. But I'll allow him to continue eating it for now.
'In exchange, why don't you clear a place for me on your council, dear husband? ' I let a mischievous grin appear on my face as I stared out the window to see him playing with his little toy once more.
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Hello everyone, how was the chapter? Did you love it? Hate it? Or were you just indifferent? Drop a comment and let me know!
I hope this chapter gives you a deeper look at Meng Mei's thought process. Until next time!