Help! The Frosty Noble's Son Is in Love With Me!-Chapter 345: Secret Plot

"What happened to the princess?"

Today, Princess Zhuyu’s complexion seemed a bit off. Although she tried hard to appear as if nothing was wrong, and others might not notice anything, Qu Fulan, having been with her for so long, could detect subtle changes.

"It’s just too stuffy inside the palace, so I wanted to come out and talk to you. I’ve already reported to my father, the emperor." Princess Zhuyu explained with an effort to remain composed.

Qu Fulan pretended not to notice anything and smiled at her, "Just in time, I was planning to go out to buy some things. I’m thinking of making a dish, and once it’s done, you can try it."

Princess Zhuyu forced a smile and nodded.

Once the two of them got into the carriage, with the maids in another carriage and surrounded by Qu Fulan’s guards, Qu Fulan finally asked her the reason.

"You don’t look well. Did something happen?"

Princess Zhuyu didn’t speak, just handed her a note.

Qu Fulan, puzzled, took it and upon seeing it, her expression changed as well.

"Who gave this to you?"

Princess Zhuyu shook her head. It had been tough for her to hold it in until now, and she was almost in tears, "I said I couldn’t possibly be any princess, yet they insisted I was, and now someone says I’m a fake. If the emperor finds out, will he chop my head off?"

In these times, everyone knew that deceiving the sovereign was a capital offense.

Qu Fulan couldn’t help but recall the time when she was plotted against at the banquet. Now, with this issue concerning Princess Zhuyu, it was evident that there was indeed someone behind the scenes, but as to who exactly, that remained unknown.

Even regarding Princess Zhuyu, Qu Fulan wasn’t certain of her role in all of this.

But a person’s eyes cannot lie. Up till now, Qu Fulan hadn’t noticed any traces of disguise with Princess Zhuyu. If she were pretending, it was impossible not to leave any traces at all.

If it’s an act, it will eventually show. If it’s fake, it can’t be true.

Regrettably, until the truth was fully revealed, Qu Fulan couldn’t be too sure, so she said some comforting words to the princess and took her out to buy ingredients. However, the most important item was not available.

River snails.

River snails have a unique taste that not everyone likes, yet they appear on the menus of various large restaurants. Due to individual differences in preparation, the resulting texture varies, making it not a particularly popular dish.

Such items are typically collected by villagers from the fields and rivers in the morning and then sold at the market. By the afternoon, they are usually gone.

She would return to buy them early the next morning. Anyway, the sour bamboo shoots needed time to ferment, so tomorrow would be just right.

Qu Fulan leisurely strolled with the princess before sending her back. Regarding the note, Qu Fulan advised her to wait and see how things developed since she was still a princess and others wouldn’t dare to act rashly against her.

After sending the princess away, Qu Fulan returned home, where Pei Ji’an was already waiting for her, just about to go look for her.

"It’s so cold, yet you still went out. Aren’t you afraid of catching a chill?" He grasped her hands, finding them cold, and used his warm hands to warm hers.

In such weather, one would carry a hand warmer, but they lose their warmth after a while.

Not only were her hands cold, but her face was chilly too. After warming her hands, Pei Ji’an also cupped her face, couldn’t resist kneading it a few times, and Qu Fulan let him have his way.

A maid brought up hot water, and under Pei Ji’an’s care, Qu Fulan washed her face and hands before finally taking a comfortable bath, finally dispelling all the cold from her body.

"I thought of a few good dishes to make for you all later. If they taste good, let’s have ’Flower Garden Ode’ prepare them tomorrow." Qu Fulan said with a smile.

"Why bother with the dishes? Let the kitchen staff handle it." Pei Ji’an didn’t want her to tire herself.

"You know I enjoy cooking, and I haven’t done much all day; I need to keep active." Qu Fulan insisted.

Eventually, she went into the kitchen and prepared three dishes in total: Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup, Spicy Shredded Chicken, and Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork.

Yes, this time there were both spicy and non-spicy dishes. The Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup is not spicy and is very delicious.

Don’t underestimate this Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup, it’s not as simple as just boiling in water.

It’s made using the heart of cabbage, simmered with chicken, duck, and pork ribs, and the broth is seasoned with chicken and pork puree, with chicken oil drizzled into the soup before serving. The dish ends up being light and elegant, richly aromatic with a thick broth, yet fresh and not greasy.

This dish is a classic at modern state banquets.

Sometimes, the simpler a dish looks, the more it tests one’s skills.

Then there’s the Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork. Many have been puzzled by this dish in modern times; after all, where is the fish in Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork?

Indeed, there is no fish. The ingredients needed are wood ear mushrooms, tenderloin, green peppers, and carrots.

After various preparation and stir-frying steps, the taste is commendable, or else it wouldn’t be a must-order classic in modern restaurants.

The making of Spicy Shredded Chicken is also quite meticulous. It requires specific chicken breast, it’s first boiled and then shredded, then marinated with seasonings, dried in a pan, and mixed with dried chili, Sichuan peppercorn, cumin powder, and sugar.

The finished dish is dry and fragrant with a chewy texture, becoming more delicious with each bite.

When the three dishes were served, Madam Pei’s favorite was the Spicy Shredded Chicken. She loved spicy food so much she wished she could eat the bowl too.

The elderly lady preferred the Boiled Cabbage in Clear Soup. Although it looked like the most plain dish, she found it to be the tastiest. The elderly often like mild food, so it was just right for her.

The marquis enjoyed the Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork. He assumed there was fish in it, but despite not having the taste of fish, the unique flavor delighted him.

Pei Ji’an found everything delicious, loving everything his wife cooked.

Seeing them praise it continuously, Qu Fulan decided to have Flower Garden Ode serve these dishes.

Next morning, she planned to first visit the restaurant and then bring some river snails home.

Though Qu Fulan was preoccupied with business, she hadn’t forgotten about Princess Zhuyu’s matter. She was only waiting for the right time. That evening, as she entered the room, she brought up the issue with Pei Ji’an.

"A note?"

"Yes, she said she received a note and doesn’t know who gave it to her."

Qu Fulan recounted the note’s content to him.

After listening, Pei Ji’an’s eyes narrowed slightly, pondering something. A moment later, he started laughing, making Qu Fulan feel bewildered, "What’s going on? Could it be that you know who gave her the note?"

Pei Ji’an continued to laugh, his voice clear and pleasant, responding as he laughed, "I’m not that capable."

This made things even more confusing, "Then why are you laughing?"

If you don’t know who it is, shouldn’t you be cautious? How can you still laugh?

Qu Fulan watched him laugh for a while before asking, "Alright, stop keeping me guessing. What’s really going on?"

Even if he didn’t know who was behind it, he might have some guesses; otherwise, he couldn’t be like this.

Pei Ji’an curtailed his smiles, though he let out a light snort, "I’m just amused that the fox has finally shown its tail."

Qu Fulan felt confused, looking at him with blinking eyes, "Are you talking about the princess’s tail? Or someone else?"

Pei Ji’an looked at her, smiled again, "Naturally someone else."

Then, he began to share the secret plan with her.