The people in the main kitchen were currently bustling with activity.
When Lüdou appeared in the kitchen, everyone was quite surprised to see her.
Seeing Lüdou, Li Da's wife hurriedly dried her hands and walked out.
"You haven't fully recovered from your illness, why did you come here?"
"Didn't I tell you to wait until you were completely well before coming back?"
Lüdou took Li Da's wife's hand. "Master, I have something I need your help with."
Li Da's wife nodded readily.
"Tell me, are you craving some pastries? Master will make them for you."
Because Lüdou had been learning how to make pastries from Li Da's wife, their master-apprentice relationship had been known to everyone for a long time.
Lüdou shook her head and pulled Li Da's wife a little further away from the main kitchen.
"Master, do you remember the stories they were telling a few days ago about sharing dreams and swapping identities?"
Li Da's wife thought for a moment and remembered.
She nodded.
"Yes, I remember. What about it?"
Lüdou bit her lip.
"Master, could you help me ask around on how to stop this kind of dream sharing?"
Li Da's wife's expression changed.
She grabbed Lüdou. "Who are you sharing dreams with?"
Lüdou bit her lip again.
"Master, I can't say. Please just ask around for me quietly. This matter is very urgent!"
Li Da's wife could also tell that Lüdou was very anxious.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have run to the main kitchen to find her while still sick.
Li Da's wife thought for a moment.
"You go back first. Leave this matter to your master."
"I guarantee I will find out a solution for you."
"Thank you, Master!"
Lüdou felt relieved. As long as Li Da's wife agreed, it would definitely be done.
With her tension released, Lüdou suddenly felt exhausted.
She had been sick for a few days and hadn't eaten properly.
Having just relaxed a bit after walking in such a hurry, her legs suddenly gave out, and she pitched toward the ground.
Startled, Li Da's wife hurriedly caught Lüdou and helped her sit on a nearby chair.
Li Da's wife thought for a moment, then walked into the kitchen.
A moment later, she came out carrying a bowl of soup.
"Here, Lüdou, drink this bowl of egg drop soup."
Lüdou smiled weakly at Li Da's wife.
"Master, I'm fine. I just walked too fast. I'll be alright after sitting and resting for a bit."
Li Da's wife pressed the bowl into Lüdou's hands.
"Don't worry, Master paid copper coins for this egg."
"Eat it quickly. Once you have some strength, hurry back."
"Master will bring you food later when I'm done with work."
After saying this, Li Da's wife turned and walked back into the kitchen.
She was the manager; not only did she oversee everything in the kitchen, but she also had to make the pastries for the masters.
"Thank you, Master."
Holding the bowl, Lüdou felt her eyes sting.
Without looking back, Li Da's wife waved her hand and went inside.
Lüdou looked at the egg drop soup in the bowl, slowly raised it, and brought it to her lips.
The egg drop soup had a lot of sugar in it, making it delightfully sweet.
Lüdou's tears fell pitter-patter into the egg drop soup.
After finishing the bowl of hot egg drop soup, Lüdou regained some strength.
She placed the bowl back in the kitchen and quietly left.
Once it was time for the masters to dine, the atmosphere in the main kitchen relaxed.
Everyone laughed and joked while cleaning their respective cooking stations.
After tidying up, it was time for their own meal.
They placed the prepared food on a side table and sat around it together.
Holding her bowl, Li Da's wife looked at Mrs. Ma, who had been telling stories a few days ago.
"Mrs. Ma, tell a few more stories to go with our meal."
"Yes, Mrs. Ma, hurry up and tell us."
Seeing everyone's interest, Mrs. Ma thought for a moment and began to speak.
Everyone listened with great relish.
When she had finished a few stories, Li Da's wife suddenly interjected.
"Hey, Mrs. Ma, that story you told the other day about people swapping bodies, is there really such a bizarre thing?"
Mrs. Ma put on a mysterious look.
"Of course. Someone in our village encountered it. It was terrifying."
"So how was it resolved in the end?" Li Da's wife asked deliberately.
"If we ever ran into something like that, is there a way to drive the ghost away?"
"That's right, Mrs. Ma. Tell us so we can be prepared."
Everyone had originally just been listening for fun.
Now, with Li Da's wife saying this, their interest was instantly piqued.
Learning an extra trick is never a bad thing.
What if they actually encountered it one day?
Seeing everyone looking at her, eagerly waiting for the method, Mrs. Ma deliberately kept them in suspense and took a few bites of food.
It wasn't until the person next to her jokingly threatened her that she finally spoke in a feigned mysterious tone.
"I only heard about it too, so I can't guarantee if it's accurate."
"Hurry up and tell us! Cut the nonsense!" Everyone's appetite had been whetted by Mrs. Ma.
Mrs. Ma put down her chopsticks, glanced around at everyone, and lowered her voice.
"Word has it that the family sought the guidance of an enlightened master."
"If you can find a personal item used by the person you're swapping bodies with."
"Wait until midnight, and then take the item and burn it."
"Then, place a sharp weapon under your pillow. That way, the other person won't be able to enter your dreams anymore."
After finishing, Mrs. Ma looked smugly at the kitchen maids who were completely dumbfounded by her tale, and she took a satisfying bite of meat.
"Is that true? Mrs. Ma, what if the other person is a stranger? How could you possibly get their personal item?"
Someone expressed doubt.
Mrs. Ma wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
"If you really can't find one, then just place a sharp weapon. The best choice would be something with a heavy malicious aura, like a pig-slaughtering knife."
"A pig-slaughtering knife?"
Hearing this, everyone believed it a little more.
They picked up their bowls, planning to prepare a pig-slaughtering knife later.
When they picked up their chopsticks to grab some food, they realized that all the meat in the dish had been eaten by Mrs. Ma.
"Mrs. Ma, you didn't even leave a single piece for us!"
Mrs. Ma stood up sheepishly.
"I got too excited talking and accidentally ate a bit too much."
"I'm full. You all enjoy your meal."
Having said that, Mrs. Ma slipped away as fast as she could.
Everyone cursed playfully a couple of times and sped up their eating.
The food at the Prince of Pingyang's Manor was quite good.
As kitchen maids, they certainly wouldn't let themselves go hungry.
Even though they complained, it was just a meal of meat, so they didn't really mind too much.
Li Da's wife finished the rice in her bowl in a few bites and stood up.
"Those on duty later, tidy up the kitchen properly. Check the sparks carefully to prevent any accidents."
"Yes," the kitchen maids on duty replied.
Li Da's wife took out the food she had set aside for Lüdou earlier from a nearby steamer and walked out.
Lüdou returned to her room, washed her dirty clothes, and began looking forward to Li Da's wife's arrival.
Finally, she caught sight of Li Da's wife and hurriedly went to greet her.
"Master, did you manage to find out?"
Li Da's wife nodded. "Let's talk inside."
The two went inside, and Li Da's wife told Lüdou the method Mrs. Ma had mentioned.
Lüdou became worried.
Song Shuyu had gone to Feng City; where was she supposed to get her personal item?
She couldn't possibly sneak back into the Song Manor to steal one, could she?
