CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 32 DELICIOUS MUTTON

"I only have you and Xiao Xizi by my side. If there’s food for me, you’ll never go hungry! But you must stay loyal to me."

Zi Yue put down her sewing basket and knelt.

"My Lord, if one day this servant does something to wrong you, you need not lift a finger. I will end my own life!"

When she first entered the deep palace, her master had treated her like a sister. If she were to betray that, she would be worse than a pig or a dog!

"Zi Yue, get up!"

Xia Ruqing swiftly pulled her to her feet.

"I was just speaking off the cuff. Look at you!"

Trust those you employ, and do not employ those you distrust.

"Since I’ve chosen you, I trust you!"

"Thank you, My Lord!" Zi Yue smiled as well.

Xia Ruqing pulled her onto the couch. "Hurry up, Sister Zi Yue, I’m still waiting to put on my socks!"

"My Lord, please don’t tease your servant..." Zi Yue was embarrassed by her persistence.

"My needlework is terrible, and I don’t want those from the embroidery department to do it, so I have to rely on you!" Xia Ruqing continued to sing Zi Yue’s praises.

"My Lord, needlework is quite simple! Shall I teach you?"

"Then, someday, you could make the Emperor a sachet or a fan pendant!"

"That... let’s forget it. The embroidery needle is really too small. I don’t think I... can hold it properly!"

In truth, she had tried. But aside from her fingertips being pricked like pincushions, she had achieved nothing.

So, she decided to give up on that endeavor.

The master and servant were chatting idly when Xiao Xizi lifted the curtain and entered.

In his hands, he carried a small basket covered with lush green leaves.

"What’s that?" Xia Ruqing’s eyes lit up; it looked like some kind of fruit.

"They say these are fruits sent as tribute from the south, including tangerines and grapes!" Xiao Xizi said as he set down the basket and pushed back the leaves.

"This is from Little Zhuzi at Zhaochen Palace. He said they’re extremely rare! Aside from Zhaochen Palace, only Jiaofang Hall received a small basket! Perhaps even that one isn’t as good as this! Not even the Noble Consort got any!"

"Such large tangerines! And the grapes are so big and uniform!" Zi Yue exclaimed.

Xia Ruqing was delighted. She had originally thought there would be no fruit to eat in winter, so she was thrilled to see fruit from the south. How wonderful!

"Zi Yue, later, prepare a generous red packet for Little Zhuzi! Send it over quietly!"

"Yes!"

"Right, did Little Zhuzi say anything else?" Xia Ruqing asked again.

Xiao Xizi, having placed the basket, responded with a smile, "Nothing much. He only said that Zhaochen Palace will be busy toward the end of the year. In a few days, they’ll also be going outside the city to offer sacrifices to Heaven, so the Emperor really has no free time."

Xia Ruqing nodded. "I understand!"

It’s fine if he’s busy, and it’s fine if he doesn’t come! Doesn’t this show he still thinks of me? Being quietly pampered like this is enough!

Peeling a tangerine, Xia Ruqing tasted it; it was sweet and delicious.

"As expected of a tribute!"

In all her life, she had never tasted such a delicious tangerine; it was even more fragrant than an orange.

"My Lord, eat less! They’re quite cooling! One is enough!"

"No worries. Just tell the Imperial Kitchen later to stew a pot of lamb soup to warm me up!"

Xiao Xizi complied, then added, "It’s almost time for dinner, My Lord. What else would you like to eat? This servant will relay your request to the Imperial Kitchen early."

What to eat? Xia Ruqing glanced at the glowing red silver-thread charcoal by the couch, and an idea struck her.

"Besides the lamb soup, order a few sesame cakes toasted to a golden brown, a pot of rock sugar pear soup, a tender piece of streaky lamb, a few packets of pepper-salt and chili powder, and a bottle of sesame oil!"

"Remember, the streaky lamb must be raw!"

"Raw? My Lord, what do you want with raw meat!" Zi Yue was startled by her request.

"To eat, of course?"

"What?" Now Xiao Xizi was also shocked.

Watching the two of them staring blankly at each other, Xia Ruqing felt helpless. "Oh my, I won’t tell you for now. Just know that I won’t be eating raw meat anyway. You’ll find out then!"

"Oh..." Xiao Xizi left for the Imperial Kitchen, his heart filled with the most complex feelings he had ever experienced.

As soon as he entered, Xiao Weizi came up to greet him.

"What does the Honored Lady wish to eat today?"

Xiao Xizi felt a bit awkward but still relayed his master’s requests one by one.

"Raw lamb?!" Xiao Weizi was flabbergasted. Everything else was fine, but... what did Lady Xia want with raw lamb?

"Our master wants to eat it..." Xiao Xizi said with resignation.

After confirming repeatedly that there was no mistake, Xiao Weizi went to get the lamb, his heart filled with equally complex emotions.

Lady Xia certainly fancies unusual and strange foods. Everyone in the Imperial Kitchen knew that, and the Emperor himself had ordered them to serve her well! But this... this preference was... truly unique! Zhaohua Pavilion doesn’t have a small kitchen, and private fires aren’t allowed in the palace! Could it be... she really intends to eat it raw?

Xiao Xizi collected the lamb and left as quickly as possible, only to collide squarely with Little Zhuzi, who was just entering.

"OUCH!" Both cried out, clutching their heads.

"Xiao Xizi, why are you so flustered today!"

"I... uh... Our master is waiting for her meal. I must get back first!" I’ll deal with the red packet later!

After saying this, he picked up his basket and ran faster than a rabbit.

Little Zhuzi rubbed his still-aching head, puzzled. "What’s gotten into him?" What was he hiding in that basket that he didn’t want anyone to see?

He went inside and called Xiao Weizi over to ask, "What’s with Xiao Xizi today?"

Xiao Weizi had no choice but to quietly tell him the whole story.

Little Zhuzi was also shocked. "Lady Xia wants to eat raw meat?!"

「Within a shi chen, the news had reached Zhao Junyao’s ears.」

It turned out that Li Shengan, seeing the Emperor had been so busy these past few days that he was neither eating nor sleeping well, had an idea. So, he sent Little Zhuzi to the Imperial Kitchen to see if there were any novel dishes available. The Emperor was always so drained; this wasn’t a solution. They had to find a way to get him to eat more!

However, the Emperor’s meals were usually managed by the small kitchen in Zhaochen Palace. The Grand Imperial Kitchen, though always prepared, couldn’t whip something up in an instant. After all, good food takes time, doesn’t it? A good soup in a stewing pot takes several shi chen to prepare!

"Your Majesty... you’ve been working so hard recently. Please eat a little more!" Li Shengan saw that the Emperor had only taken a few bites of his dinner before wanting it cleared, so he had no choice but to step forward and steel himself to persuade him.

Zhao Junyao glanced at the table full of dishes, feeling somewhat annoyed, and waved his hand.

"Enough! I’m not eating anymore!"

He’d been eating these same dishes since childhood, over and over for more than a decade; he’d long since lost his appetite for them! Usually, it was tolerable. But recently, with so many vexing matters, looking at these dishes after a long, tiring day just irritated him even more.

Anyone who has worked hard all day knows that after such exertion, one craves something truly satisfying, something to whet the appetite—not bland, undercooked food that isn’t even worth a second glance.

"Let’s go! We’ll see what Lady Xia is doing," Zhao Junyao said, rising to his feet.

Suddenly, he felt a touch envious of Lady Xia. She could eat, drink, and sleep to her heart’s content. Just watching her was relaxing!

Then he thought of the other women in the palace. Whatever he ate, they felt obliged to eat as well. They ate so finickily, barely touching a grain of rice, picking at their vegetables one strand at a time—it was enough to exasperate anyone!