Ye Qichi nibbled on the pastries sent by Eunuch Mu, courtesy of Xiao Jinxing.
She felt increasingly that Xiao Jinxing was either a plotter or a thief.
However, she couldn’t resist the temptation of delicious food and ate quite a bit.
After all, as people say, food is as important as steel - skip a meal, and one starves.
So Ye Qichi busied herself with nourishing concoctions within the palace while on the other side, Xiao Jinxing and Xiao Zhanping were playing chess.
When it was time for the midday meal,
Ye Qichi got her first glimpse of what they call the Emperor’s meal.
Dishes by the dozens.
It was just like what the dramas portrayed, absolutely no exaggeration.
With each dish served, Eunuch Mu would test for poison with a silver needle right in front of the Emperor. After testing, Eunuch Mu would also sample the food. Only after confirming it was safe would the Emperor begin his meal.
Ye Qichi watched these procedures of the Emperor’s dining without any outward reaction.
Internally, she was calculating how Zhao Mengyu could possibly administer poison amidst such stringent protocols.
It seems that it was not mentioned in the book.
The book did not elaborate on the methods Zhao Mengyu employed upon the Emperor.
The details that books offer to readers are finite, and many scenarios are like game dungeons waiting to be explored.
Xiao Zhanping finally began his meal.
As such, Ye Qichi and Xiao Jinxing naturally dined with him.
Dining with the Emperor required utmost restraint.
Ye Qichi had mentioned before, ancient people, especially those of high status, had etiquette ingrained so deeply in their bones that even their dining was a pleasing sight.
Consequently, Ye Qichi ate with extreme caution.
She had to attend to proper etiquette,
and also discern if there was any medicinal substance in the meal. Follow current novels on novel✦fire.net
For each dish, Ye Qichi had a palace maid place a morsel in her bowl.
Before arriving at her lips, she’d casually smell the food, then take small bites.
While eating, she also observed what Xiao Zhanping was eating.
Ye Qichi had tried most of the dishes without finding a problem.
Then it struck her: given Zhao Mengyu’s meticulous nature, if she wanted Xiao Zhanping to consume the poison daily, it was very likely not mixed in the meals. After all, with so many dishes, the Emperor might not try every single one. If he skipped the dish with poison, Zhao Mengyu’s attempt would fail.
A cautious person like Zhao Mengyu would not make such a mistake.
The poisoned dish must be something Xiao Zhanping ate without fail.
But what did Xiao Zhanping have to eat every single day?!
"Father, you still enjoy lotus seed soup so much," Xiao Jinxing suddenly interjected.
At the moment, Xiao Zhanping was savoring a bowl of lotus seed soup.
Ye Qichi was taken aback.
Xiao Jinxing was hinting at her that there was something wrong with the lotus seed soup in Xiao Zhanping’s bowl.
Could he read her thoughts like a worm in her belly?!
He seemed aware of whatever she was thinking.
"Over the years, it’s become a habit," Xiao Zhanping said, "Every meal must come with a bowl of lotus seed soup. It’s like an addiction - without it, something feels amiss. You should try it, too. The lotus seed soup in the Imperial Palace is a flavor incomparable to any other place I’ve tried. I have even ventured out in disguise, but nowhere else come close."
"Then I shall definitely give a good taste to this lotus seed soup Father so heartily recommends," Ye Qichi picked up the bowl of lotus seed soup she hadn’t touched yet.
The lotus seed soup was simmered to a translucent sheen.
It looked truly exquisite, enticing one’s appetite.
But after all, lotus seed soup is sweet, and eating too much of it could become cloying.
The fact that Xiao Zhanping insisted on a bowl every meal was indeed suspicious.
Ye Qichi elegantly brought the lotus seed soup to her nose for a sniff.
Upon catching the scent, her expression subtly changed.
Xiao Jinxing noticed as well.
Ever since arriving at the Imperial Palace, though accompanying his father, he had also kept an eye on Ye Qichi.
Now, he likely understood that Ye Qichi had detected something unusual.
Ye Qichi did indeed notice something amiss with the lotus seed soup.
She hadn’t anticipated that Zhao Mengyu would add opium to Xiao Zhanping’s bowl.
It was a small amount but sufficient to cause addiction.
No wonder Xiao Zhanping eagerly consumed a bowl with every meal.
The opium wasn’t what caused Xiao Zhanping’s lack of desire; it only hooked him on the lotus seed soup. The significant detail was that the soup contained copious amounts of thorny elaeagnus and bitter ginseng!