Half an hour later, I followed Eunuch De through the palace gates, my hands trembling as I carried the bowl of modified plum soup.

To say I wasn't nervous would be a blatant lie. My hands shook slightly as I walked. This soup was for the Emperor himself! What if he hated it? What if the flavor wasn't right? The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became, my knees threatening to buckle.


"Don't be so nervous, girl," Eunuch De glanced back, clearly noticing my terror. "His Majesty's in a foul mood today. If your soup brightens his spirits, you'll have accomplished something remarkable."

Bad mood... I mentally noted. My assessment had been correct—the Emperor needed something to soothe his troubled mind.

We soon arrived at a majestic building—the Hall of Diligent Governance. The sight of its glittering golden plaque nearly made me faint on the spot.


Inside, Emperor Huang Xiang sat restlessly at his dragon-carved desk. Before him lay a table laden with exquisite dishes, all untouched.

"The same dishes again..." He frowned and pushed the food away. "I lose my appetite just looking at them."


The eunuch beside him cautiously spoke up. "Your Majesty, you haven't eaten properly for days. Your health must be considered."

"I know, but these elaborate dishes taste like wax in my mouth." Huang Xiang rubbed his temples. Just thinking about the Lewises and their smug faces in court killed any hunger he might have felt.

Just then, an announcement came from outside: "Your Majesty, the kitchen has sent a special soup."

"Another soup?" Huang Xiang waved impatiently. "Bring it in."

I entered, my legs nearly giving out beneath me. This was my first time seeing the Emperor in person—his natural authority made me want to drop to my knees.

Eunuch De took the bowl from my trembling hands and carefully placed it before the Emperor.

Huang Xiang was about to push it away when a light, sweet-tart aroma caught his attention. This scent was completely different from the heavy dishes—refreshing and invigorating.

"What soup is this?" He eyed the amber liquid with curiosity.

"Your Majesty, this is a modified sour plum soup," Eunuch De replied respectfully.

Huang Xiang lifted the bowl and took a cautious sip.

Instantly, a sweet-tart flavor bloomed across his palate. The plum's tartness awakened his dulled taste buds, the rock sugar's sweetness balanced the sourness, and the mint's refreshing notes cleared his foggy mind.

More surprisingly, after just one sip, the heavy weight in his chest began to lift. His entire body felt lighter, and even the rich dishes that had repulsed him moments ago no longer turned his stomach.

"Good..." Huang Xiang murmured appreciatively, then drained the entire bowl. "Who made this?"

Eunuch De immediately gestured toward me. "Your Majesty, this apprentice from the imperial kitchen prepared it."

Only then did Huang Xiang notice the young girl standing in his hall—barely sixteen or seventeen, trembling visibly with nerves.

"Your name?" Huang Xiang asked, his tone gentler than before.

"Your servant... Your servant is Feng Lin..." I could barely speak, my voice no louder than a mosquito's buzz.

"Feng Lin?" Huang Xiang repeated. "Why is this soup different from the others? What made you choose sour plum soup?"

The Emperor's direct question made me even more nervous. "Because... because Your servant noticed Your Majesty barely touched breakfast," I stammered, "and thought Your Majesty might be troubled in spirit. So... I wanted to prepare something that could ease melancholy."

"Relieving stagnation and dispelling depression?" Huang Xiang's interest was piqued. "You know quite a lot for one so young. Explain further."

"Sour flavors enter the liver and relieve stagnation," I explained, growing more confident as I discussed familiar territory. "Mint clears the mind and brightens the eyes, while rock sugar harmonizes the system. Together, they stimulate appetite without harming the spleen and stomach. I adjusted the proportions to create a milder soup suitable for autumn."

Huang Xiang studied me with surprise in his eyes. The ability to read his emotional state from his eating habits and create a perfectly tailored remedy was no ordinary skill.

"Fascinating," he suddenly smiled. "A kitchen apprentice who understands medicinal cooking principles. Who taught you?"

"My teacher is an elderly cook from the common district. He's taught me cooking since childhood," I answered honestly.

Huang Xiang nodded, his curiosity growing. Rarely did he encounter such talent—someone who could transform simple ingredients into something extraordinary while understanding food's effect on the body.

"Dehai, relay my command," Huang Xiang suddenly announced. "From today, this young cook will assist in preparing my meals."

What?!

I could barely believe my ears. The Emperor wanted me to prepare his meals? Did that mean... I was becoming an imperial chef?

"Your Majesty... my skills are limited. I fear I'm unworthy of such responsibility," I hastily protested.

"If I say you're capable, then you are," Huang Xiang declared firmly. "However, I have one condition. Every meal you prepare must bring me joy, just as this soup has today. Can you manage that?"

"I... I'll do my absolute best!" My voice quivered with excitement.

Good heavens! I'm actually going to cook for the Emperor! This is beyond my wildest dreams!

"Good. Go prepare yourself. Tomorrow morning, I want to see what else you can do." Emperor Huang Xiang dismissed me with a wave.

I bowed deeply and followed Eunuch De out of the hall. Even outside, my legs wouldn't stop shaking.

It all seemed so unreal... A simple bowl of plum soup had made me the Emperor's personal chef!

News traveled fast, soon reaching every corner of the imperial harem.

In Phoenix Palace, Noble Consort Liu was sipping tea when her personal maid rushed in.

"My lady, something extraordinary has happened!" the maid whispered urgently. "His Majesty has summoned a young kitchen apprentice to prepare his personal meals."

Noble Consort Liu froze, teacup suspended midair. Though only in her early thirties, she possessed striking beauty marred only by the cold calculation in her eyes that betrayed years of palace intrigue.

"A kitchen apprentice?" She carefully set down her cup. "What's her background?"

"They say she's a new kitchen apprentice named Feng Lin. Apparently, she impressed the Emperor with a bowl of plum soup and earned an immediate promotion."

"A single soup earned imperial favor?" A dangerous glint flashed in Noble Consort Liu's eyes. "What's so special about this Feng Lin?"

"I made some inquiries. Though young, she apparently has an unusual understanding of food. Even Master Scarlet has taken special notice of her."

Noble Consort Liu considered this information, then sneered. "A nobody who's caught the Emperor's eye..."

She rose and began pacing the chamber. As the Emperor's favored consort, she understood palace dangers all too well. Anyone with access to the Emperor posed a potential threat.

"Keep watching this Feng Lin. Report her every move to me," Noble Consort Liu ordered. "I want to know exactly what makes this kitchen girl so special."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Meanwhile, in a side chamber of the Hall of Diligent Governance, Huang Xiang was conferring with Ashen, commander of the imperial guards.

Ashen was a tall, stern-faced man in his early thirties who carried himself with the gravity of a seasoned warrior. He ranked among Huang Xiang's most trusted advisors.

"What did you make of that young cook today?" Huang Xiang asked abruptly.

Ashen looked momentarily surprised before answering carefully. "Your Majesty, I know little of culinary matters and wouldn't presume to judge."

"I'm not asking about her cooking," Huang Xiang waved dismissively. "I'm asking about her character. To read my mood from my eating habits and prepare a remedy disguised as a meal—such a person..."

He paused, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "Either possesses extraordinary talent or is being guided by someone with purpose."

Ashen immediately grasped the Emperor's meaning. "You wish me to investigate her, Your Majesty?"

"Look into the girl's background. I want to know everything," Huang Xiang said calmly. "Her family, her teacher, and... whether someone else is pulling the strings."

"Understood," Ashen replied with a formal salute. "I'll begin immediately."

That very night, Ashen silently approached the imperial kitchen.

Through the window, he saw lights still burning inside. A small figure worked diligently under the lamplight, occasionally lifting ingredients to smell or taste.

That must be the young cook the Emperor had summoned earlier.

She was completely absorbed in her work, carefully studying ingredient combinations. Sometimes she'd frown in concentration, then suddenly brighten with discovery.

Moonlight illuminated her earnest profile, and the pure intensity of her focus caught Ashen off guard.

This girl... she genuinely seemed to love cooking for its own sake.

Still, he had his orders, and couldn't afford to be careless. Anyone who gained access to the Emperor required thorough investigation.

After watching from the shadows a while longer, Ashen slipped away. Tomorrow, he would begin his full investigation into this young cook called Feng Lin.

Meanwhile, I remained blissfully unaware of becoming the focus of such powerful attention. I was simply excited about planning the Emperor's breakfast, testing combinations and flavors.

"I must create something truly worthy of the Emperor!" I promised myself firmly.

What I didn't realize was that the wheel of my fate had already begun its inexorable turn.