April had dressed the Imperial Garden in all the brilliance it had been holding back through winter.
Crimson peach blossoms burned like fire. Begonias drifted like mist. Magnolia flowers stood tall like ivory lamps. Willow branches swayed like green curtains in the spring wind. Petals fell softly onto the white marble paths, as if even nature itself had been carefully arranged for today's spectacle.
This was no ordinary gathering.
Consort Liu's Spring Viewing Banquet had drawn every woman of the inner palace—even the Empress Dowager, who had been quietly resting in the Palace of Compassion, had agreed to attend.
That single fact alone turned this banquet into a political battlefield.
And for the Imperial Kitchen, it meant one thing—
One mistake could cost lives.
For three days straight, the Imperial Kitchen had not slept.
Every ingredient was inspected to an absurd degree. Fish were delivered alive and slaughtered on the spot. Vegetables were harvested before dawn and brought directly from Jade Spring Mountain. Even the water used to wash them had to be freshly drawn that morning.
Head Chef Zhang personally oversaw everything.
From simmering the stock, to preparing the main dishes, to placing the final garnish on each plate—nothing escaped his eyes.
This wasn't cooking anymore.
It was survival.
Qingtian worked with the pastry team, shaping delicate flower-shaped sweets for the banquet.
As she glanced toward the main stove, she saw her master's back standing rigid in the rising steam. His figure was blurred by heat and mist, yet somehow it looked unshakable—like a soldier waiting for the first strike of a hidden enemy.
She knew this banquet was not just important.
For him, it was a war.
The real danger wasn't visible.It was waiting in silence.
By dawn, the tension in the Imperial Kitchen had reached its breaking point.
Chief Steward Li paced back and forth in his pristine uniform, barking orders until his voice went hoarse. Granny Liu followed closely behind him, her sharp gaze slicing through every servant like a blade.
When her eyes landed on Qingtian, they lingered for half a second too long.
Cold. Calculating. Weighing her worth.
Qingtian felt a chill crawl up her spine.
"Listen carefully!" Steward Li roared."Today's banquet decides whether you live or die! One error—and none of you will keep your skin!"
No one dared to reply.
One by one, dishes and desserts were placed into special heat-preserving containers.
The palace servants chosen to deliver them were the most reliable and steady-handed. They lined up in perfect order, silent and disciplined, and marched toward the Imperial Garden.
They weren't just carrying food.
They were carrying fate.
Sunlight bathed the Imperial Garden in gold.
Music drifted through the air. Laughter rang softly. Jade ornaments chimed as concubines moved gracefully beneath blooming trees.
It looked like paradise.
But Qingtian knew better.
Storms always hide behind beautiful skies.
She wasn't allowed near the banquet itself. Instead, she remained in the kitchen, preparing extra dishes in case of unexpected requests.
Time crawled.
Every sound made her heart jump. Every footstep felt like an omen.
She had seen how people like this operated—those who plotted in silence, waited patiently, and struck only when the target was defenseless.
By midday, a message finally arrived.
The banquet was going smoothly.The Empress Dowager was pleased.She had even gifted Consort Liu a jade ruyi as a sign of favor.
When Steward Li returned to retrieve sobering soup, the tension on his face had eased just slightly.
Was it really over?
Qingtian didn't believe it.
If someone had planned this carefully, they wouldn't give up now.
And then—
A palace eunuch came running.
He stumbled through the kitchen doors, face white as paper, voice shaking.
"D-Disaster! Something terrible has happened!"
"Consort Liu… she found something filthy in her soup!"
The air froze.
The banquet before the storm—
had finally become the storm.