PART 06 You are experiencing a split personality!

With a rhythmic clatter, he walked in his wooden clogs, exuding an air of elegance. After a few steps, he could not help but cover his mouth with his hand and retch dryly, while the palace maids behind him had no idea how many times they had offered him tea.

Those eyes were astonishingly bright, so delicate that they defied description. Even Lin Wuniao, a super fan who enjoys watching celebrities in modern times, could not help but exclaim in admiration for those eyes

Lin Xiaochu, your culinary skills are indeed extraordinary; that bowl of Autumn Essence Soup is truly refreshing!

His gaze was incredibly sharp, and Lin Wuniao shrank his head, raising both hands in surrender, conceding defeat

After a long time, he raised his head and casually said to the night sky: "Renxiu, go find out which palace she is a maid from, to actually throw a shoe at this prince?"

She pinched the lantern in her hand, yet she lacked the courage to abruptly turn her head and take a closer look. Suddenly, she recalled the exhibitionists in modern society who have particularly strong preferences. Thus, she cautiously turned her head while contemplating how great her chances would be to escape if she decided to run.

She suddenly came to a halt, and the shadow behind her also came to a standstill. Lin Wuniao's heart raced like a drum as she quietly bent down and took off her pair of cloth shoes

A gust of wind passed by, and she couldn't help but shiver. During midday, when she came out, the sun was at its most intense, so she only wore a light apron from the kitchen assistant, underneath which was a thin undergarment. At this hour, with the sun setting, the wind blowing felt completely different from that of midday

Lin Wuniao had gone hungry all night, and only as dawn began to break did he fall into a heavy sleep.

"Lin Xiaochu, I have heard that you were chosen by Master Manxi to enter the palace as a little assistant. I have high expectations for your culinary skills." He turned his face, smiling even more gently.

"Hmph, so verbose!" The esteemed gentleman at the table did not turn his head, responding to her coldly, yet the corners of his mouth gradually lifted slightly.

She stood there with delight, waiting for the admiring gaze of the Fourth Prince

How could she be struggling?

However, when she saw the bowls, she could no longer smile. There were indeed many bowls, piled high like a small mountain. Lin Wuniao sat among the pile of bowls, wiping them one by one with the pulp of a loofah.

Indeed, it is quite repressed. Those flowers and grasses, embroidered on others, he actually does not pull any of them. They are merely all embroidered on the reverse side of his robe. He is not as stern as he appears; he is fundamentally a paper tiger. Lin Wuniao could not help but laugh.

Miao Manxi's face was cold and chilling, as she looked at Lin Wuniao running around the courtyard with a cold gaze, clearly harboring a belly full of anger

Miao Fangfei, a fellow dormitory resident, harbored animosity towards her and did not wake her up for the morning assembly. She went about her grooming alone, exiting the door sideways, and along the way, she bumped into the door frame several times, her screams mingling with the thuds of the collisions, yet surprisingly, she still could not wake Lin Wuniao.

"Shall we go roast some squab together?" Ruo Liu smiled at her, slowly leaning closer, and with one kick, knocked her high bowl down. Hearing a loud crash, he crouched down like he was playing hide and seek, a smile on his lips, covering his head.

The key point is that this is the palace, where one cannot run around freely. She has every reason to believe that maintaining a low profile here is of utmost importance, and she must avoid getting involved with any disreputable individuals. Once the five years are up, she will be able to leave the palace with confidence to seek her own path. With this thought in mind, Lin Wuniao cautiously took a step back, preparing to flee.

Upon seeing Lin Wuniao enter, his eyes flickered, and he coldly reprimanded, "You might as well come over directly at noon for lunch; why rush over so early?"

Miao Manxi squinted his eyes, his face calm and unperturbed. After a while, he turned his head to look at Lin Wuniao, whose head was covered in dove feathers, and said, "Go back and peel one hundred carrots for me"

"Have you clearly seen your sister's appearance?" she continued to ask

"Are you still not a woman?" He took out a fan, waved it, and the wind lifted his smooth black hair, exuding an indescribable elegance. He still smiled gently, saying, "I have never seen anyone as rude as you, Lin Xiaochu."

Upon turning her head, she saw a weak willow resembling a little white rabbit, crouching in the corner of the wall, gazing at her with eager eyes

First, the cloth shoes she wears tend to lose their heels when she walks quickly. This reflects Tang Xin's maternal love. Given her somewhat modest personality, it is inevitable that her shoes and clothes are made larger, taking into account the possibility of Lin Wuniao gaining weight in the future.

Now, let us begin to diligently catch the pigeons! The Fourth Prince closed his fan, sitting with a smile on the grand chair carried in by the palace maids, and started to watch Lin Wuniao catch the pigeons

He spent the entire afternoon in a state of unease, enduring it time and again, and went to check on Lin Wuniao, who was washing the dishes. Indeed, she had encountered an accident.

As he walked past Miao Manxi, a gust of wind blew by, lifting the corner of his bluish-green robe. One could clearly see that within his robe, there bloomed a cluster of extraordinarily dense green bamboo, lush and dripping with vitality. This was exquisite Su embroidery, yet it was only stitched onto the corner of his inner robe.

That group of dull pigeons was dazed for a moment before they began to scatter and flee in all directions. Lin Wuniao's face was uncontrollable for a period of time, twitching from side to side.

The entire person appears fresh and clean, with striking features, truly evoking the essence of an ink wash painting

It is very cold and damp

To hell with the royal family and nobility, to hell with being low-key and composed, she is already so hungry that she is starting to see things, and she has no patience left to deal with the person in front of her

Her eyes ripple like autumn waters, and the smile at the corners of her lips is gentle

"Who are you? Why are you following me?" she asked timidly, clutching the cloth shoes she had just picked up, fearing that the other party might be some royal relative, which would put her life in jeopardy

Thus, when she crossed the moat and discovered that it was not a certain guard companion following her, her mood began to grow uneasy

Lin Wuniao suddenly understood that this Fourth Prince was probably just someone looking for trouble out of boredom, treating a unique individual as a toy to play with

There is a situation known as being unable to dismount from a tiger, and Lin Wuniao is currently in such a predicament

Please take me in! He tugged at the sleeve of the unadorned garment, revealing a very obedient and innocent expression

"What are you doing, without any sense of propriety?" She glared at Lin Wuniao with a large spoon in hand, her eyes slanting dangerously, but unfortunately, her severe strabismus made it appear as though she was talking to a wooden barrel.

"Who are you?" Wu Niao glanced at him with annoyance. She was still hungry, having missed mealtime, and felt too embarrassed to steal a couple of pastries from the imperial kitchen. Now, with an unknown person appearing, she felt even more frustrated.

The poor little white rabbit slowly removed two oversized cloth shoes from its face, wearing a dazed expression

All the chefs were ambiguously laughing and eating, while only Miao Fangfei wore a face full of jealousy

"Lin Wuniao, shall we go roast some squab?" Ruo Liu suddenly stood up from behind the pile of bowls, smiling as she approached. Everyone's eyes widened to the limit, and they instinctively knelt down.

Fourth Prince

"Lin Xiaochu, you should take a break!" Everyone, with pained expressions, earnestly urged Lin Wuniao, who was rolling up his sleeves and preparing to continue washing the dishes.

That dark shadow, tall and elongated, followed her at a leisurely pace, maintaining a distance of five steps behind her

The other party was wrapped in a black blanket, with their entire face hidden within it, rendering them invisible except for a pair of eyes that shone brightly under the lantern's light

It appears as if one is about to cry, yet also on the verge of laughter, presenting a visage that is caught between tears and smiles

Today, he is wearing a long robe of teal color, without any adornments, and his hair is simply gathered loosely at the top of his head with a light green jade hairpin.

However, at present, it has become Lin Wuniao's greatest burden

He innocently smiled again, lightly tapping Lin Wuniao's head with a fan: "Lin Xiaochu, your expression is truly amusing. This prince has not encountered such a lovely person in a long time"

With her common sense, she fully understands the consequences of wandering around the palace aimlessly. She is not a naive heroine, hoping for a romantic encounter under the flowers and the moon, nor does she wish to sing loudly, using her melodious voice to attract someone who has a genuine appreciation for modern songs.

She perceived a strong sense of expulsion and helplessness in everyone's gaze

I am hungry! She heard a faint voice, carrying a timid feeling

She would not be naive enough to think that this elegant and charming Fourth Prince would fall in love with her at first sight. She considers herself to be merely cute.

She has a troublesome disposition; even while staying in the dishwashing room of the imperial kitchen, she can attract such difficult characters. He has finally made up his mind to keep a constant watch over her, and once the three-year period is over, he will seek an opportunity to send her away

Roasted pigeon, who can tell her why such a technically demanding task has fallen upon her shoulders

As soon as his mouth opened, that green mass slid across his lips and fell into his mouth

The mischievous smile and the shy demeanor from yesterday are completely two different individuals

Mysterious and reserved! She raised her eyes to glance at the imposing figure of the gentleman across the table, silently cursing him from the bottom of her heart

Her ten delicate fingers turned pale from gripping the shoes tightly

She is the realistic Lin Wuniao, with a left voice, and is not romantic

Ah? She was completely bewildered, staring as she walked into the inner room. Miao Manxi was frowning, directing the eunuchs who were delivering dishes one by one, ensuring that each dish was served in the correct order, without any carelessness.

There is a type of person who, like a dying hen with its neck half cut, can still hop around the yard. At this moment, Lin Wuniao gives me exactly that feeling

He was immediately petrified. What if his lightness skill was exceptional? Even if he was the most unruly among all the princes, what difference would it make? Upon encountering the little chef Wu Niao, one could only say that his luck was exceptionally poor.

Cough, a pair of feet can actually cover the face of this prince, incredible!" He pouted, shaking the shoe, narrowing his eyes, "Hey, these feet are really big, like a boat. Hmm! Quite amusing!" He smiled as he concluded, his smile gentle and amiable, yet he no longer resembled a little bunny at all.

It is truly a standard gentlemanly appearance, as refined as jade

Because he does not know if, with this endless "sudden" occurrence, there will come a day when he might suffer a mental breakdown

He let out a cold laugh and replied to her in a voice only the two of them could hear: "Do you think you can handle the ingredients and cooking like they do?"

Unfortunately, Lin Wuniao is not a lovesick girl; she swallowed hard and asked, "What do you want?"

It turns out to be the Fourth Prince. Lin Wuniao looked at him with a dreamy gaze, recalling how she had previously thrown a pair of cloth shoes at his face. Her legs weakened, and she leaned against his arm, about to collapse.

Miao Manxi's lips curved slightly as she flicked her sleeves: "You go to the back first and practice washing vegetables with the palace maids who are also washing vegetables!"

In fact, it is not far from the Imperial Kitchen to the Imperial Kitchen Room. By crossing a narrow path and walking along the moat, one can reach the Imperial Kitchen Room.

Fourth Prince! Lin Wuniao ran over, one hand grabbing the dazed pigeon, the other prying its beak open, "Spit it out, spit it out, hurry up and spit! How could you suddenly think of standing up and catching it with your mouth! That is bird droppings and eggs!" She was heartbroken, looking utterly bewildered.

No way, although it is wrong to discriminate against the working class, it is also inappropriate to embarrass her like this. The other junior chefs who came in have already stood behind the master, assisting and preparing the ingredients. Someone like Miao Fangfei has already been assigned her own stove and has started cooking by herself.

You are so considerate, I have already slept very well, thank you! Lin Wuniao was quite surprised by his thoughtfulness, completely unaware that this was a sarcastic remark

I swear, she was so angry that she almost threw the lantern at the other person's head

She steadied herself and began to count down from the bottom of her heart, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, now. Suddenly, she turned around sharply and with a whoosh, threw the shoe she was holding out.

The little white rabbit was about to come up and scrutinize her face when she slapped it down with a single blow

I beg you, Chef Lin...

"Dear Man Xi, it is truly rare to have the pleasure of inviting you. Would you like to join me in tasting Chef Lin's culinary skills?" The Fourth Prince leisurely waved to the approaching Miao Man Xi, his fingertips holding a small handkerchief that fluttered in the breeze.

I am a weak willow, I am lost! The bedding gradually loosened, revealing a face full of grievance, with bright black eyes holding back a tear, a face flushed red, and the nose still sniffing. He indeed has red lips and white teeth, handsome and amiable, but at first glance, his expression appears extremely childish, resembling a little white rabbit.

The shadow let out a loud cry, crouched down, and held its head. From the sound, it seemed to be a relatively normal young person. Lin Wuniao, trembling with fear, raised the lantern to shine in that direction

"Thank you, adult!" Lin Wuniao pursed her lips, jumped over, reached out to tug at Miao Manxi's sleeve, and whispered quietly.

I want to eat roasted pigeon He smiled and pointed at the pigeons running all over the ground

"Do not kneel and bow down repeatedly." His hand was large and warm, as he pulled Lin Wuniao over and ran off in a hurry.

Lin Wuniao's eyes brightened, and his heart surged with excitement: It has come, it has come, the typical trope of time travel has arrived. In most time travel stories, the male lead is captivated by the uniqueness of the female lead.

That cluster of fresh bamboo, vibrant yet elegant, is exceptionally beautiful

With a complex gaze, he looked at Lin Wuniao, waved his large sleeves, and forced a smile with a pale face: "Ah, this prince truly has no appetite today, little bird. Next time, I look forward to your culinary display."

Very well, you do not know who I am, and I do not know who you are! She smirked, discarded the lantern, covered her face with her hand, and with a swift motion, kicked off her shoes, creating a gust of wind. In the process, she kicked down the pitiful little rabbit and dashed away at superhuman speed

"Lin Wuniao, step aside!" Miao Manxi sighed, took the tea from the hand of a nearby palace maid, pinched the Fourth Prince's mouth, and poured it straight down.

The Fourth Prince's eyes were filled with tears, and he felt nauseated from her relentless teasing

"Oh? Carrots are nutritious only when cooked and eaten with the skin!" she retorted, rolling her eyes. Upon seeing the adults at the table with faces full of ice shards, she wisely pinched her lips with her thumb and index finger, making a gesture to indicate silence

The shadow remained motionless five steps behind her, neither moving nor making a sound. This silence heightened her anxiety, even giving her the illusion that the other party might pounce at any moment to end her.

"It is!" After a concise response, a shadow darted out from the bamboo grove

"Please take in the weak willow, the weak willow will be obedient." The corners of his mouth twitched imperceptibly, his large eyes blinked, as he slowly leaned towards her, looking very innocent.

Rubbing on the stone floor again and again, she turned her head and saw the smiling Fourth Prince, who was watching her with great interest. "Do I need to kneel down and admit my mistake?" she asked foolishly, fearing that she had violated some rule again

The little white rabbit shakes its head

The continuous crisp sound of "whoosh" made the palace maid, who was washing dishes together, turn pale.

She walks, and it walks; she stops, and it stops

The palace maids guarding the pigeons were so frightened that they lowered their heads

You, mixed... The Fourth Prince, upon seeing the green dumpling flying towards him, instinctively slammed the table and stood up, passionately and indignantly rebuking.

Unfortunately, Lin Wuniao is utterly directionally challenged

After a long time, the Fourth Prince finally came to his senses

"My lord, isn't it a waste to have Su embroidery inside?" Lin Wuniao followed closely, cleverly shrinking behind him, flattering, "The bamboo suits you very well, my lord, just as tall and upright as you, with a certain elegance."

Well, it's just washing the dishes, how big of a deal is it

"Don't run away..." The one named Ruo Liu stepped forward, intending to grab her. The moment his cold fingers touched her arm, she completely erupted

After hastily grooming herself, she hurried to the imperial kitchen. As soon as she entered, someone came over to greet her: "Chef Lin, you worked hard yesterday"

Lin Wuniao's head was covered in pigeon feathers and droppings, and he was struggling with great fervor. Upon hearing the call of the Fourth Prince, he quickly looked up at his boss, but after just a glance, he was so frightened that he did not dare to look up again

A pair of cloth shoes, accompanied by the cold wind, struck that shadow entirely

After bypassing several buildings, he suddenly leaped into the air and landed in a small courtyard, where white doves were scattered about, wandering leisurely. Lin Wuniao stepped down, and the ground felt slick beneath his foot

The Fourth Prince shook his head: "This is the first time I have seen a girl who steps in pigeon droppings without screaming or fainting." Moreover, she did not faint into her own arms.

Ah, I've caught one! Lin Wuniao was overjoyed as she lifted a plump pigeon. The pigeon was quietly dealing with its physiological needs, and when she grabbed it, it was startled, releasing a mass of green, viscous substance that flew in a perfect parabolic arc towards the Fourth Prince.

My goodness, it is already past 9 o'clock! Just before noon, she suddenly woke up, looked around the empty room, and finally understood one thing: she had been abandoned by Comrade Fangfei

You are truly the progenitor of schizophrenia

"Damn, disgusting!" She looked down at her feet and saw them covered in green slime

What a lively treasure! Miao Manxi glanced at her, feeling both amused and helpless, and quietly walked in front of her to shield her from the biting cold wind. The wind was fierce, lifting the corners of his robe and revealing the exquisite Su embroidery on the inside of the garment.

I am also hungry! she exclaimed angrily, her fury surpassing his by several times.

"Adult, why can they ... ..." She looked at him with grievance, like an abandoned dog.

"Do you know what my sister does?" she asked, subtly moving the lantern aside.