Glass House (Jinshi x Reader)

The Threat

Your POV

"This might be your idea of food, but you're serving Lady Lihua!"

"She deserves luxurious meals. I would be embarrassed even showing her this slop!"

"What is your little head made you think Lady Lihua would enjoy something like your bland soup?"

"We know what she prefers to eat."

I sighed, picking up the dishes they had carelessly made me spill on the floor. If I had a choice, I never would've left the Jade Pavilion.

A Few Days Prior...

Maomao and I were tasting Lady Gyokuyou's food as we always did and once again, there was no poison.

"There's no poison," Maomao said as we bowed.

"Excuse us," I continued, "We'll take our leave."

As we were walking away, the emperor stopped us, "A moment." We stopped, remaining in a bowed position as he spoke, "You're famous, Apothecary and Herbalist. I've a request for you."

I refrained from cringing, not liking the sound of the word famous. "Anything."

"Concubine Lihua is ill," he continued, "and I would like both of you to look after her."

Look after really means cure her, and since this is a direct request from the emperor, I don't really have a choice.

"Of course," Maomao replied simply for the both of us.

Back to Present...

"If you're done cleaning, go make yourselves scarce!"

Lady Lihua's ladies in waiting were definitely not a pleasant bunch.

The Next Day...

"Are you at the Crystal Pavilion now?" Xiaolan asked us.

"Yeah," I nodded, "We're looking after Lady Lihua."

She hummed, "I see. Guess that means she hasn't fully recovered yet."

"The poison from the whitening powder must still be in her system," Maomao stated.

"That awful stuff, huh?" Xiaolan continued, "Fortunately, from what I heard it was banned. The eunuchs made sure to locate any still in the Rear Palace and confiscate it."

" No more pointless deaths. Good," I nodded, going back to my meal.

There was a pause before Xiaolan asked, "Can we just take a minute, you two, and appreciate how awesome you have to be for the emperor to personally request your assistance with this?" Well, all that says is he must really not trust the doctor. "You're going to the kitchen later, right?"

"Yep," I nodded.

"Good look luck with the cooking!"

"Thanks a lot," Maomao smiled briefly as I waved to her.

The Kitchen...

Maomao and I went to the kitchen to tell the cooks what not to use in Lady Lihua's meals. There was still poison in her system, so flushing them out with fibrous porridge and diuretic tea was the best course of action.  

"Don't use these or these either," I began pointing out the ingredients, "This. That. And with these. And I want those, over there."

But of course, the ladies in waiting did not accept this meal either.

"Enough is enough! This is our lady's chamber and no place for lowly girls like you."

So, not only did they throw our food out, but us as well.