A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 66 What I say is the rule.
Driven by personal motives, the head chef personally entered the dining hall to set the table. At the large table, which could seat eight, only two people were present: an adult and the coroner. Moreover, their seats were right next to each other, showing no regard for the proper etiquette of host versus guest.

Once all the food, wine, and fruit had been served, the adult suddenly said, "No need to serve anymore, you can all leave."

Xue'er, the maid who served the master his meals, was first surprised, then lowered her eyes in disappointment. "Yes, sir! This servant takes her leave."

As the head chef left the dining hall with the servants, his head was buzzing. Was the master really treating Coroner Mu so kindly? He'd better quickly learn a few of Coroner Mu's hometown dishes, just in case.

In the vast dining hall, Mu Qingcheng was left alone to face the capricious master, which put her under considerable pressure. After the maid left, she took on the role of maid herself. First, she poured the master a cup of wine, then picked up a small plate and placed the dishes, pastries, and fruits from the table into small dishes before him, offering a gentle and friendly smile: "My lord, please enjoy your meal."

However, the official's handsome eyebrows furrowed even more tightly. "I invited you here for a meal, not to do the work of a maid. Do you expect to earn a maid's salary on the side?"

Mu Qingcheng was taken aback. "Just a meal?"

"Otherwise what?" Song Shuyu said helplessly. "Hurry up and eat, or you'll ruin your health by getting too hungry."

Mu Qingcheng felt a strange soreness in her nose. She picked up her chopsticks and began to eat.

Song Shuyu had been hungry since morning while waiting for her. He ate a few bites of the food she had put on his plate, but seeing how quickly she was eating, he frowned again. "No rush, eat slowly. There's so much food, savor it slowly."

After saying that, he rolled up his sleeves and ladled a bowl of matsutake soup for her, saying, "It's good for your health, drink more."

Mu Qingcheng was stunned.

Song Shuyu picked up his chopsticks again to serve her food, his movements and tone both natural. "You don't need to eat the communal meals for the officials anymore; they're not very nutritious. I'll instruct the kitchen to prepare meals for you three times a day. Whether I'm at the yamen or not, you can just come here to eat." "My lord, this...this isn't proper," Mu Qingcheng murmured, pursing her lips.

Song Shuyu glanced at her, her eyes full of smiles, "In this Jingzhao Prefecture, I am the highest official, and what I say is the rule."

"Oh." Mu Qingcheng felt the stinging sensation in her nose intensify. Although the adult was unpredictable, he was kind-hearted and treated her very well.

Song Shuyu continued, "Also, Jiang Zhan and his men, although they are your comrades, are still rough men. You should not accept their invitation to drink."

"Why?" Mu Qingcheng asked, puzzled.

"What if you get drunk? What if some clueless person takes advantage of you while you're drunk? Wouldn't that be..."

"No, I can hold my liquor well and I'm capable of self-defense, so I'm not afraid of anyone bullying me. Besides, I trust our people; they won't break the law."

"Coroner Mu!" Song Shuyu's face darkened again, but he suppressed his temper and did not lash out. He simply emphasized again, "One should always be wary of others. If you really want to drink and eat with your colleagues, then inform me in advance, and I will go with you."

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingcheng blinked her eyelashes thoughtfully, "My lord, are you taking such meticulous care of me to make up for the day you broke into the morgue and ruined my reputation?"

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(End of this chapter)