Chapter 33: You Were Given a Chance, But You Failed to Use It

Qiao Qingyun generously instructed Uncle Li to find someone. As she spoke, Hong Ying and Zhong Shi approached.

"Miss," they greeted.

Without lifting her eyelids, the woman quietly gazed at the dishes on the table, casting a glance at Qingluo.

Qingluo immediately understood, removing the hairpin from her hair and, with a small spoon, took a bit of each dish to test for poison.

"How is it?"

"Miss, there's no poison."

"That’s odd..." Qiao Qingyun frowned deeply. Just then, footsteps sounded outside. She seated herself elegantly, watching as Uncle Li hurried in, accompanied by a familiar figure—a cook.

"Uncle Li."

"This is the new chef I found, Feng Ke."

"Pfft!"

Qiao Qingyun nearly choked on her water. Qingluo quickly patted her back, "Miss, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. Who—Feng Ke? Turn around."

What possessed him to become her chef?

When Feng Ke raised his head, Qiao Qingyun felt a headache coming on. Uncle Li, unaware of their connection, hesitated, "Miss, this is..."

"Uncle Li, this is the young proprietor of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion. How did you end up inviting him?"

Qingluo, amused and exasperated, followed Qiao Qingyun, still supporting her arm.

"Little beauty—ah!"

Qiao Qingyun kicked Feng Ke without hesitation, sending him sprawling. When he pitifully climbed back up, she was still watching him.

"Ouch, Miss Qiao, surely you shouldn't be so rough with me? Look, you’ve dirtied my clothes."

As he spoke, Feng Ke busied himself brushing off his garments. Sensing trouble, Uncle Li quickly withdrew.

This was now a matter between masters; it no longer concerned him.

"Why are you here as a chef at the General's Manor? Are you mad?"

"It’s because you can’t leave the manor easily," Feng Ke replied confidently, seating himself across from Qiao Qingyun. "I thought, if I learn from you, I can teach the others. That way, after your wedding, we can start making money right away."

"Hmph, so you just want to learn my craft, is that it?"

With careless grace, the woman picked up her teacup, took a delicate sip, then pinched a clam with her chopsticks, tasted it, and nodded, "Not bad. But the vegetables are wrong—remember to add onions."

"Ah?" Feng Ke was taken aback; he was sure he'd added them.

He checked the dish thoroughly—there truly were none.

"Do I need to lie to you? The timing is also off; pay attention next time."

She critiqued every dish. Feng Ke, helpless, protested, "But Miss Qiao, aren’t you famous for your acupuncture? How come you know so much about cooking?"

"Because I love to eat. If I love something, I must master it. Otherwise, if that chef leaves, wouldn’t I starve?"

Qiao Qingyun glanced at Feng Ke, "Has the Crown Prince come looking for you lately?"

"He has."

What!

Qiao Qingyun tensed, anxiously watching Feng Ke, "You didn’t say anything careless, did you?"

"No, no. The Crown Prince came to ask about the owner of Little Qing Chef, something about Yun Jian, saying he wanted a visit."

"No, absolutely not! Tell him Yun Jian never meets strangers."

If Yuan Zaichun ever saw her, it would be disastrous.

Still unsettled, Qiao Qingyun watched Feng Ke nod, "Of course, so I refused for you. Was that right, little beauty? Don’t I deserve to hold your hand?"

"Go away! Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell His Highness and have him chop off your paw?"

She scolded coquettishly, swatting away Feng Ke’s reaching hand.

"Ah, women—so fickle. I helped you so much, and you won’t even let me touch you."

"Go, go, go cook! Get these dishes right. There’s no timing here—everything is by feel, instinct, freedom, understand?"

Qiao Qingyun shooed Feng Ke to the kitchen, then sat to eat. Though the dishes fell short, they were still quite tasty.

"Miss..." Hong Ying sensed Qiao Qingyun’s distance toward the siblings, as if she already knew something.

"Qingluo."

Qiao Qingyun suddenly called out. Qingluo, puzzled, listened for the next words.

"Go fetch two months' wages for them. Give it to both and have them leave the General's Manor. Never return."

"What!"

Qingluo was stunned. Zhong Shi and Hong Ying both widened their eyes, dropping to their knees.

"Miss!"

"From today, I am no longer your mistress. The sky is vast, let the birds fly free; from now on, we part ways."

She had only intended for Qiao Qingyun to pay more attention to the pair, but she hadn’t expected Qiao Qingyun to be so ruthless, dismissing them outright. Qingluo was taken aback.

"Miss, Hong Ying knows her mistake, Hong Ying..."

"You needn’t call yourself Hong Ying anymore. If you leave, you won’t tarnish the reputation of the General’s Manor. Still, Hong Ying grew up with me, loyal as ever—even if you became brash after my father's death, you never sought to harm me."

"But you—let me ask, if I’d realized your intentions any later, would you have killed me?"

This time, Qiao Qingyun spoke with finality, giving them no room to maneuver. She had truly become a master, high and untouchable.

It felt terrible—at least to Zhong Shi. What was once within reach was suddenly gone.

"Enough. Leave now."

Qiao Qingyun didn’t even look up, quietly eating. She’d purposely sent Feng Ke away so the siblings could leave with dignity.

Yet... Qiao Qingyun was considering another possibility.

"Miss."

Zhong Shi knelt at Qiao Qingyun’s feet, gazing up at her face with the devotion of a loyal servant. "Miss, please don’t banish us. Could you reconsider?"

For a man, Zhong Shi’s gesture toward Qiao Qingyun was deeply respectful.

"So? What are you trying to say? Should I let you keep hurting me? Wait until I’m captured and locked in the water prison?"

Qiao Qingyun spoke calmly; her words left Qingluo at a loss. Of course, she was only probing to see if her suspicions were true.

"Miss... you—you know everything?"

As expected, Hong Ying broke down immediately.

"I gave you both a chance, but you failed. Did you hope to hurt me? Hong Ying, I’ve never treated you poorly."