"Good. Start with the courtyard today. And write down everything you know about common poisons. I want to study it." Alex stood up, which made his tired muscles protest. "One more thing. If anyone asks what you're doing or why the courtyard is being fixed, tell them I had a divine vision during my illness and the gods instructed me to cultivate beauty and harmony in my surroundings. Make it sound spiritual and harmless."
"Understood, my lady." Lao Zhang stood and bowed, but this time the bow had respect in it instead of just obligation.
After he left, Alex allowed himself a small smile. Three servants were recruited and motivated. That was a start. In his old life, building a competent team had been the foundation of both his legitimate business and his assassination network. People were the most important resource. Technology could be copied, money could be stolen, but loyal and skilled people were irreplaceable.
Of course, if they betrayed you, they also needed to be replaced. Permanently. But Alex preferred to avoid that outcome when possible.
Auntie Chen was next. The cook appeared around midday, a stout woman in her forties with flour on her hands and a suspicious expression.
"Xiao Cui said you wanted to see me, my lady," she said with a perfunctory bow.
"Yes. Sit down." Alex gestured to the stool that was becoming his unofficial interview chair.
Auntie Chen sat heavily and waited, arms crossed.
This one was going to be tougher. Alex could tell immediately. She had the look of someone who had been disappointed too many times to get excited about new initiatives.
"How long have you been cooking for this household?" he asked.
"Three years."
"Are you a good cook?"
She bristled. "I'm an excellent cook! I trained in the imperial kitchens for fifteen years before I was assigned here!"
"Then why is every meal I've eaten since waking up completely bland and boring?"
Auntie Chen's face flushed. "Because your budget is thirty taels a month and half of that goes to other expenses! I have to feed five people on scraps! If you want fancy meals, petition the Emperor for more money!"
There was real anger in her voice. Good. Anger meant she cared.
"You're right," Alex said calmly. "The budget is insufficient. But that's going to change. I'm working on generating additional income. In the meantime, I need you to answer a question honestly. If you had a reasonable budget and access to good ingredients, could you make meals that would impress palace officials?"
She stared at him. "Of course I could! I used to cook for imperial banquets! But that was before..."
"Before you got demoted to serving the least important consort."
"...Yes."
"How would you like to cook for important people again?"
Auntie Chen's eyes narrowed. "What are you planning, my lady?"
"I'm planning to increase my status and influence in this palace. And food is an important tool for that. People remember good meals. They form positive associations. If I'm going to start building relationships with other consorts and officials, I need to be able to offer hospitality that's memorable." Alex leaned forward. "I can't do that with plain rice porridge."
"That's true," Auntie Chen admitted. "But even with more money, the good ingredients are controlled by the imperial kitchens. They won't sell to a low-ranked consort."
"Then we'll buy from outside merchants through proxies. Or we'll trade favors. Or we'll find another way. The point is, I need a cook who's willing to be creative and ambitious, not someone who's given up." Alex held her gaze. "So. Are you that cook? Or should I find someone else?"
It was a calculated risk. Auntie Chen had experience and skill, but she also had pride and probably resentment about her demotion. He was betting that her pride would win over her pessimism.
She chewed her lip for a moment. Then she sighed. "You really are different, aren't you? The old Consort Yan would never talk like this."
"The old Consort Yan almost died from poison. I'm not interested in repeating her mistakes."
"Fine. I'll do it. But I'm warning you, my lady, if this is just talk and nothing changes, I'm requesting a transfer to another household. I'm too old to waste time on pointless dreams."
"Fair enough." Alex smiled. "Now, I need you to do something for me today. Make a list of five dishes you could prepare for an important guest, assuming a reasonable budget. Include the ingredients and the costs. I want to see what we're working with."
"I can do that."
"And Auntie Chen? When the money starts coming in, you'll get new kitchen equipment and first pick of the ingredients. Consider it an investment in our collective success."
That got a small smile. "Now that sounds more interesting. I'll write up that list."
After she left, Alex felt the exhaustion creeping back. He had been awake for maybe six hours and had already conducted four recruitment meetings, done a workout that nearly killed him, and started reorganizing his household operations.
In his old life, this would have been a light morning. In this body, it felt like he had run a marathon.
He forced himself to eat some lunch, more rice porridge with some vegetables this time, and then lay down for what he told himself would be a short rest.
He woke up three hours later to Xiao Cui gently shaking his shoulder.
"Lingxi! Wake up! Something happened!"