CHAPTER 639: [633] QING CHUAN CHENG WANGFEI 2 (3 MORE UPDATES)

With a creak, the door was pushed open from outside, and several maids dressed in Manchu costume, carrying washbasins and tea for washing up, walked in.

Seeing that Wuya Xiyang had already risen and was sitting dazedly in front of the bronze mirror, resting her chin on her hand, the group paused momentarily and then knelt down in unison to pay their respects to her.

Wuya Xiyang turned her head and recognized that the two leading maids were her personal maids, Su Mei and Su He. Her eyes swept over them lightly, "Rise."

"Princess Consort, the Imperial Physician said you bumped your head, and we must constantly monitor your condition, you should lie down right away, and I’ll go call for the Imperial Physician."

Xiyang had wanted to stop her, but considering that she was supposed to enter the palace to see the emperor today, this incident would surely lead to the cancellation of that event. It would be good to have the Imperial Physician come as a witness.

After Su Mei had left, Xiyang, under the care of several maids, washed up but did not rush back to bed. Instead, she had the maids open the windows and draw back the curtains. The room felt stuffy on this May day after the red candles had burned all night.

She sat on the couch, indifferently picking up the tea to rinse her mouth, when Su He approached, "Princess Consort, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"

Wuya Xiyang was the second daughter of Hai Wang and also the youngest; she was one of only two daughters. Moreover, her mother Mrs. Wen, was Hai Wang’s favored noble concubine. Having grown up without worry, Xiyang did not possess the subservient and obsequious demeanor of a common concubine, sometimes even acting proud and disrespectful, relying on her mother’s favor. Honestly, if it wasn’t for Hai Wang’s status, she would not have been eligible to marry Yin Bi.

Anyway, after Tangyuan carefully recalled the situation, she somewhat looked down on Xiyang. After all, her mother was also known for her beautiful and charming appearance; otherwise, how could she have gained Hai Wang’s favor? How could her daughter not only be unrelated to beauty but also appear somewhat shabby?

Had she not resembled her father, there might be doubts about whether she was truly Hai Wang’s daughter.

Unattractive and ill-tempered, her skills in the Four Arts were merely mediocre, and prone to temperamental outbursts, she could even trip while walking. It was no wonder that Yun Mi looked down upon such a woman who lacked propriety and decorum.

If he truly liked her, he wouldn’t have left her here alone, uncared for.

Yong Zheng’s assessment of Yun Mi was that he was sincere and loyal, with a calm and gentle nature. Could it be that Prince Cheng too was a smart, studious, gentle, and innocent person?

Unfortunately, the original host’s memory did not include what Yun Mi looked like, whether she had never seen him or simply did not have a strong impression.

Xiyang stared at her personal maid for a moment, and amidst the maid’s anxious eyes, hesitated and then shook her head.

"Just a slight headache, and then, I can’t remember many things clearly."

The host had provided her only with partial key memories, enough for her to understand herself, but for some detailed things, she might not remember clearly. So her saying this was also to prevent any mistakes that might arise later, using this as an excuse.

"Ah? Then you should hurry to bed, I’ll go and hurry the Imperial Physician to see if he can come sooner."

Xiyang shook her head, "No need for that, perhaps it’s just because I bumped my head; after some rest, I should be fine. Where is the Prince?"

Su He’s expression stalled for a moment, but before Xiyang could sense anything was amiss, she quickly concealed it.

"Report to the Princess Consort, the Prince drank too much last night and stayed in the East Garden. Early this morning, he went to Yuanming Garden,"

Yong Zheng’s health had been declining over the past two years, engrossed in alchemy, often staying in Yuanming Garden. Moreover, given that it was summer and Yuanming Garden had a pleasant environment for staying cool, he was even less willing to return to the palace.

Yun Mi’s going to Yuanming Garden to pay his respects even while she was uncertain about life and death showed just how much he regarded the elder brother, the emperor. Of course, it also indirectly indicated that she had fallen out of favor as soon as she had arrived.

Fortunately, Tangyuan was an adaptable person, the original host had neither talent nor beauty, how could she win favor?

Right then, she was unfamiliar with the environment, so she decided to adapt for a while before taking any further action.

An hour later, the Imperial Physician arrived and performed a careful examination of her head. Other than some pain when he probed the injured area, there weren’t any particular sensations.

"Princess Consort has a contusion on her head that requires acupuncture treatment, but there is no need for oral medication for now, external application of medicinal herbs will suffice."

Therefore, the Imperial Physician had her lie face down and used silver needles for acupuncture for about half an hour. The process was particularly painful, but she couldn’t scream, so she simply clenched her teeth and endured it.

By the time the treatment was finished, it was almost noon, and she had only eaten two desserts since last night and was starving.

After the Imperial Physician left, she immediately ordered two dishes and a soup, which resulted in the maids looking at her in surprise.

"Princess Consort, you usually have at least eight dishes, why only two today?"

"Why would I order so many dishes for myself? It’s wasteful. One meat dish, one vegetable dish, and one soup are ample, and bring me a bowl of rice. That’s all," she said.

The dishes she ordered were simple: Sour and Spicy Potato Strips, braised pork, and kelp and tofu soup. Any cook should be able to make them.

But after placing the order, Su He still stood there unmoving. She frowned, "What’s the matter?"

"Princess Consort, you never eat spicy foods; you hiccup whenever you do." What a peculiar characteristic.

"Really? I just feel like I can’t remember many things, but what if I really want to eat spicy food today? Just make it for me. I’ll give it a try. If I truly hiccup, I won’t eat it next time."

Su He nodded then went off to give the instructions. As for the Prince, she didn’t even bother to inquire about him. In her view, if he cared about her, he would send someone to check on her or at least ask how she was doing. But the silence on his end spoke volumes about his lack of interest. It was actually a relief—it spared her from having to deal with him.

Today seemed to be the first time the Princess Consort dined inside the residence, but what surprised the chefs was that the Princess Consort had ordered only two dishes and a soup.

"Just those?" they asked Su He repeatedly, who, of course, understood what they meant and hurriedly explained, "The Princess Consort just woke up and doesn’t have much of an appetite."

This explanation dispelled everyone’s doubts. Fortunately, neither dish was difficult to make, and they were ready in half an hour, steaming hot when delivered to Xiyuan in the West Garden.

Xiyuan, who had already been feeling a lack of flavor in her mouth, couldn’t resist when she saw the savory Sour and Spicy Potato Strips. And the braised pork was so tender and delicious, clearly simmered in a large iron pot, offering a unique taste. As she ate, she didn’t forget to ask Su He, "Do I have a small kitchen in this courtyard?"

"A small kitchen? Are you planning to make snacks, Princess Consort? There is one, but it hasn’t been renovated yet; it’s empty,"

"Then have the steward fix it up for me. I want everything there, pots, bowls, ladles, jars, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar. Oh, and do I know how to cook?"

Su He’s eyes widened even further, "Princess Consort, you’ve never lifted a finger in your life!"

Xiyuan sighed inwardly. As expected, she didn’t know how to cook. She couldn’t pretend to know, so—

"Find me a cook. I want to learn how to cook. I’ll be idle otherwise."

The people consider food as important as the heavens, and she felt that her primary task upon arriving here was to settle into her daily life, putting everything else secondary.