"What a rotten brat! She knows nothing about food. I thought I'd get a chance to enter the Marquis's Residence and cook for my own grandson, but that cushy job went to Old Li instead!"
Xu Bo went somewhere deserted and cursed bitterly.
Back when he had been unemployed and drifting around, the Heir Apparent had told him that the Liu Minister's Residence was looking for a cook and sent him there.
He had also promised that once he married Xu Bo's daughter, he would bring Xu Bo back to the Marquis's Residence to enjoy the pleasures of family life.
So Xu Bo had quietly lain low in the Liu Family all this time, passing every piece of information he gathered to the Heir Apparent and the Old Madam.
He had thought Liu Wan's selection of staff to take back to the Marquis's Residence was an opportunity prepared especially for him!
Who would have thought!
He gritted his teeth. He had long been sick of Old Li showing off everywhere, and he could not let this chance to return to the Marquis's Residence slip away.
Clenching his teeth, he informed the steward and went out.
What he did not know was that a maid in a pale padded jacket was following him.
Behind the maid lurked a nanny.
Wang Xia went back and reported the matter to Liu Wan.
The nanny went back and reported it to Lady Liu.
A Hidden Guard lurking in the shadows also went to the study and reported it to Minister Liu.
Wang Xia, the nanny, and the Hidden Guard followed Xu Bo to a medicine shop, where he asked for a small bottle of medicine and said he wanted to see the Heir Apparent.
The shopkeeper said, "The Heir Apparent is still away on business. Tell me what you need, and I'll pass it along."
"This isn't something you're qualified to hear. If the Heir Apparent isn't here, what about the Old Madam? Surely she's here?" Xu Bo asked.
The shopkeeper sighed. "His Majesty placed the Old Madam under house arrest. She's fallen ill and hasn't been out of bed since."
Xu Bo froze, then thought it over carefully. Didn't that leave only the Third Master and Fourth Master to make decisions in the residence?
He knew the Third Master well.
"What about the Third Master? He can make decisions too."
The shopkeeper sighed even more deeply and gave him a weary look.
He just had to bring up whichever kettle refused to boil, didn't he?
"The Third Master was arrested by the Government Office."
Xu Bo: Huh?
He was about to ask about the Fourth Master, but the shopkeeper impatiently drove him out. "Don't tell anyone you came to deliver information. We don't have informants as stupid as you."
Hidden in a corner and pretending to be a customer, Wang Xia nearly burst out laughing.
The nanny and... the Hidden Guard, concealed even farther in the shadows, were also holding back their laughter.
Wang Xia bought a medicine bottle the same color as Xu Bo's, filled with laxative.
Looking at his ledger, the shopkeeper sank into thought over the three bottles of laxative he had sold all at once.
Were that many people constipated lately?
On his way back, Xu Bo was bumped into by Little Beggar. He kicked the child and cursed at the bad luck.
Little Beggar happily took the medicine bottle to claim a reward. "Big sister, I stole his medicine bottle."
Two more beggars bumped into Xu Bo in succession.
He shouted about his rotten luck and beat them up too.
Finally back in his room behind the kitchen, he pulled out the medicine bottle with a vicious gleam in his eyes. Old Li could forget about surviving tonight!
Meanwhile, in the corridor leading to the kitchen.
A tiny little dumpling crawled along the floor, her little bottom wiggling like an electric motor, and soon vanished down the corridor.
Ever since her visit to the palace, Xia Wanwan could not only call for her mother but also crawl very fast.
And now, having shaken off Pan Chun, she crawled toward the kitchen on all fours, her diaper-wrapped bottom swaying from side to side.
The maid chasing after her covered her face and shrieked.
Uncle Li was still cooking the young miss's baby food when he suddenly felt something tug at his lower leg.
Looking down, he met the baby's round face. Her rosy little lips were puckered as she gazed up at him pleadingly.
"Eat... eat... meat..."
"Uncle... Li..."
Uncle Li could not hold out. He covered his eyes. "I can't see you. I can't see you."
Xia Wanwan tilted her head up pleadingly and called again, "Uncle... Uncle Li."
In the end, Uncle Li lifted her onto the counter by the stove and secretly fed her puréed meat.
Uncle Li's meat purée is so yummy. It melts in my mouth, so I don't have to chew and chew.
"Smack, smack, smack... yummy."
She smacked her lips, her eyes curving into crescent moons as she looked at Uncle Li.
Whenever Uncle Li looked at her, he saw her through a filter of adorable pink bubbles.
So cute!
Absolutely adorable!
He wanted to take her home and make her his darling granddaughter!
While she was enjoying this heavenly delicacy, Xia Wanwan suddenly saw Xu Bo walk in.
So this is the mistress's father. Triangular eyes and thick lips-you can tell at a glance he's both vicious and stupid.
Is he here to poison Uncle Li?
My poor chef.
Xu Bo exchanged a few pleasantries with Uncle Li, who answered him with a smile throughout.
When no one was paying attention, he poured the medicine from his bottle into a dish he had made.
"Old Li, something tastes off about my dish today. Help me taste it!"
Uncle Li went over cheerfully and had just picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks when the little one swiftly grabbed them.
"No... don't eat..."
The little one shook her head very solemnly, her bib covered in food juices.
Xu Bo glared viciously at her and snatched the chopsticks away, nearly sending her tumbling off the counter.
Perhaps Xia Wanwan had reverted to her true nature. When he snatched them away like that, she began to cry. "Waaah..."
"What are you crying for? Why are you meddling when adults are working?"
As he spoke, Xu Bo reached out, lifted Xia Wanwan, and tossed her onto the floor.
He glared fiercely at her. "Where did this little brat come from? Old Li, why aren't you keeping her from making trouble here?"
Xia Wanwan's bottom hurt, and she cried even louder.
Uncle Li was stunned. He had never imagined Old Xu would treat a baby like this.
He picked the child up and brushed the dust off her bottom, then turned to Xu Bo and scolded him. "How could you treat the young miss like that? At your age, why are you picking a fight with a child? Don't you have grandchildren? Do you treat them like this too?"
Xu Bo's face flushed, then paled. "Old Li, you're actually scolding me over a child!"
He had always been such an easygoing, honest man, smiling at everyone. Even when Xu Bo took his ingredients, he never scolded him.
Yet today, he had actually scolded him over a child.
Rocking Xia Wanwan to soothe her, Uncle Li glared at Xu Bo. "Have I given you too much face all this time? Do you really think being easygoing means I have no temper? She's so adorable. Why would you snap at her?"
Xia Wanwan's cries struck him right in the heart.
He truly could not understand how hard Xu Bo's heart must be to lay hands on such a tiny child!
Pah!
Xu Bo's expression darkened. He knew Uncle Li would not back down this time.
He glanced at his dish. "I know I was wrong, all right? I'll go apologize to Madam and the young miss in a moment. Just help me taste my dish first and see what's wrong with it!"
Seeing him apologize, Uncle Li decided to let it go and reached for the food with his chopsticks.
But the little one in his arms reached out her chubby hand and grabbed them again. Crying, she shook her head. "Poi... poison..."
Xu Bo's face darkened, and in a furious fit, he reached out and slapped Xia Wanwan's hand!
"What an ill-mannered brat! What nonsense are you spouting?"
Her eyes red from crying, Xia Wanwan glared angrily at him, crying and glaring at the same time.
Uncle Li would not stand for it. Heart aching, he gently blew on the little one's reddened hand and said coldly, "I won't help you. You can explain this to Madam yourself!"
With that, he turned to leave with Xia Wanwan in his arms.
Xu Bo had only one thought: he could not let Old Li carry the child away to report him.
If the poisoning was exposed, then he...
No!
He grabbed Uncle Li by the neck, forced his head down onto the counter by the stove, and snatched up his dish to stuff it into Uncle Li's mouth!
Before you continue