Concubine Li flew into a great rage in the palace. It was her dowry maid who timidly stepped forward and reported, "Your Ladyship, please calm down. That Mrs. Li is just a country woman. If Your Ladyship wants to torment her, what's the difficulty?"
Concubine Li picked up a fruit and then lazily lifted her eyelids. "I'm confined to the palace, while she walks freely outside. How can I deal with her?"
The maid bowed and whispered, "Your Ladyship, do you still remember that His Majesty is extremely fond of the coffee brewed by Mrs. Li? Didn't Mrs. Li once say that each coffee bean was carefully selected by Songzi?"
Concubine Li wasn't stupid. Her words woke her up, and her eyes instantly lit up.
Using the civet cat as an excuse, summon Li Ying into the palace and force her to reveal how she managed to make the civet cat so obedient. Once she learned her skills, it would be easy to find an excuse to get rid of her.
It was truly a win - win situation!
Thinking of this, Concubine Li's anger vanished. She smilingly tossed a hairpin as a reward to the maid.
"Consider yourself clever. Summon Mrs. Li into the palace for questioning immediately!"
The maid left after receiving the order. When Li Ying saw the people from Concubine Li's palace coming, she wasn't surprised. Braving the worried looks of the crowd, she calmly picked up Songzi as instructed and followed them into the palace.
In the bedroom, Concubine Li gently stroked her hair and squinted at Li Ying.
Li Ying kept her head down meekly. When Concubine Li finally calmed down and granted her permission to rise, she stood up neither overly humble nor arrogant.
"Songzi is well - nourished and looks sleek under your care."
Concubine Li took a sip of tea and waved at Songzi. The civet cat's bright eyes were timid. It tentatively took a few steps forward with its small paws and then looked back at Li Ying as if seeking help.
"Do you know why I've summoned you today?"
Li Ying had no intention of beating around the bush. She got straight to the point and fixed her gaze on Songzi, saying softly, "Your Ladyship is deeply concerned about His Majesty's well - being. I assume you've summoned me today regarding the coffee that His Majesty loves."
Concubine Li put down her teacup and smiled. "You're quite smart. No wonder you've won the favor of the eldest princess."
The maid standing beside her scolded, "Since you already know Your Ladyship's intention, why don't you quickly present the method of taming Songzi and the recipe for making the coffee?"
Concubine Li chided, "Don't be so fierce. You might scare Mrs. Li and make her think that we women from the Nanyang tribute are all unreasonable barbarians."
Despite her words, the maids and eunuchs behind her were all glaring menacingly. The palace door was tightly shut. Obviously, if Li Ying didn't honestly reveal the secret of the civet cat coffee today, she wouldn't get away easily.
Li Ying showed a panicked look and quickly took out a box of pre - roasted civet cat coffee beans from her bosom.
"Your Ladyship, please calm down. I've long known your intention and have no intention of opposing you. I'll now present the method of brewing coffee with both hands!"
Concubine Li watched her actions intently. When the rich aroma of coffee filled the palace, she took a sip. It was indeed the same kind she had tasted at the salt therapy club that day. Only then did she finally feel relieved.
She filled the coffee into a silver pot and heated it on a charcoal stove. Then she ordered the maid to send the coffee to the emperor, saying that it was personally brewed by Concubine Li and she hoped to relieve the emperor's worries.
Sure enough, not long after, the maid who had sent the coffee came back with news. She said that after the emperor drank the coffee, he was overjoyed and repeatedly praised Concubine Li for her thoughtfulness.
The stone in Concubine Li's heart finally fell to the ground. After the maid left, she turned her gaze back to Li Ying.
"His Majesty likes this coffee. It's inconvenient for you, a country woman, to enter the palace. Just present the method of making the civet cat coffee beans. I'll order someone to produce them."
Li Ying looked hesitant and stammered for a long time but couldn't say anything definite. Concubine Li raised her eyebrows and said coldly, "Do you dare to hide something from me?"
Li Ying was terrified. She quickly knelt on the ground and lowered her head. "Your Ladyship, please calm down. I would never dare! It's just that this civet cat coffee..."
She looked around and hesitated to speak. Concubine Li understood. She suppressed her anger, dismissed the attendants, and only left her trusted maid. Then she asked in a deep voice, "Now you can speak frankly, right?"
Li Ying hesitated for a long time. Finally, as if making up her mind, she took a deep breath and whispered, "Your Ladyship may not know that this civet cat coffee is actually called 'kopi luwak'. Although it's indeed a top - grade coffee, the name is rather indecent..."
The words "kopi luwak" instantly made Concubine Li show an unpleasant look. When she heard from Li Ying that the coffee beans were washed and peeled from Songzi's feces, she couldn't help covering her mouth and nose and almost vomited.
"You audacious commoner! How dare you let me and His Majesty drink such vulgar things! Guards, drag her out and beat her to death with clubs!"
At Concubine Li's order, two maids were about to drag Li Ying out and slap her.
Just then, they heard an announcement from outside the door.
"Your Ladyship! His Majesty's oral edict!"
"Ever since His Majesty tasted the civet cat coffee at the salt therapy club that day, he was amazed by it. But Minister Lu said that he got the coffee by chance and there was no other source. Your Ladyship has relieved His Majesty's urgent need. His Majesty is overjoyed and orders you to prepare more civet cat coffee. He wants to share it with all the officials."
It turned out to be the eunuch beside the emperor who was delivering the message. He said smilingly, "Congratulations, Your Ladyship. You've regained His Majesty's favor thanks to Songzi and this civet cat coffee."
Concubine Li had to deal with the situation properly. Finally, she managed to get through it. Then she glared at Li Ying coldly.
"Mrs. Li, you've been scheming against me."
Although she wasn't extremely intelligent, she understood that Li Ying had deliberately been mysterious. She had only revealed the secret after Concubine Li had personally sent the kopi luwak to the emperor. Clearly, she had set a trap for her.
The kopi luwak was now associated with her, Concubine Li. If she killed Li Ying at this moment and the matter got out, the charge of deceiving the emperor by making him drink something filthy would surely fall on her.
Concubine Li's pretty face turned pale with anger, but Li Ying calmly raised her head. There was not a trace of timidity in her eyes.
She tidied up her messy clothes, stood up straight, and bowed to Concubine Li.
"Your Ladyship, please don't be impatient. I'm just trying to find a way to protect myself."
"I have no intention of offending you. Kopi luwak is indeed a rare delicacy in the world. I'm willing to tell you the method of making the civet cat eat the coffee cherries. I just hope you'll be kind enough to spare my life."
"The coffee cherries only have their outer skins digested in the civet cat's body. There's a hard shell outside the coffee beans. Before roasting, they must be washed and peeled clean. As long as the operation is proper, there won't be a trace of filth left, and His Majesty will never notice anything amiss!"
With her confident assurance and the emperor's urgent demand for the civet cat coffee, Concubine Li thought it over for a long time. Finally, she gritted her teeth angrily.
"Mrs. Li, I bet you won't dare! If you dare to do anything tricky again, I'll surely make you disappear without a trace!"