A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 186: Chapter 185 I Want to Eat Too

Perhaps it was the fear of others setting their sights on Lady Xia; intentionally staying away was also a possibility. Lady Xia... It’s just unknown when it would be possible to proceed further!

「Qingya Residence」

Under the clear moonlight, Xia Ruqing sought to cool down and had her servants set the evening meal under the grape trellis in the courtyard. There were no other dishes, just some refreshing small plates: a dish of salted peanuts, a dish of vinegar-dressed tender bamboo shoots, a dish of chili-oil crispy wood ear mushrooms, and a dish of cooked beef. Beside them, she placed a little of the mushroom sauce she had simmered herself. Furthermore, she found a very beautiful white jade cup, poured some of the grape wine she had brewed into it, and began drinking and eating by turns. Alone, how carefree she was.

”Grape wine in a luminous cup at night; as I long to drink, the pipa urges me on.”

”Drunk on the battlefield, sir, do not laugh; since ancient times, how many have returned from war!”

Zhao Junyao had just reached the entrance when he overheard this verse.

”Good poem!”

He followed the sound to the grape trellis, watching Xia Ruqing cradling a cup. She was half-reclining on a lounge chair, squinting, smiling foolishly at the moon while sipping wine.

Zhao Junyao was bewildered. ”Qingqing...”

Xia Ruqing continued smiling foolishly as if she hadn’t heard.

Zi Yue hurriedly knelt to greet him. ”Greetings, Your Majesty!”

Zhao Junyao waved his hand dismissively. ”What’s wrong with your mistress?”

Zi Yue glanced at her mistress and spoke with difficulty. ”Your Majesty, my lady is a bit... a bit drunk!”

Zhao Junyao looked at the wine jug beside her. ”How much has she drunk?”

Zi Yue thought for a moment before saying, ”Just... about three cups, I believe!”

Zhao Junyao’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch. Qingqing, you’re this drunk after just three cups? This silly girl, drinking when she can’t even handle it!

Thinking this, he waved his hand. ”You may all leave for now.”

”As you command!”

Li Shengan and Zi Yue both departed.

Xia Ruqing turned her head, her eyes immediately shining like two little stars. ”My lord...”

As she spoke, reeking faintly of alcohol, she sweetly and tipsily approached him. ”My lord, what brings you here? Look at the moon tonight, my lord, isn’t it beautiful!”

As she said this, her delicate fingers pointed towards the big, round moon.

Zhao Junyao embraced her and lay down on the spacious lounge chair himself.

”Why are you drinking? Are you unhappy? Or... has someone bullied you?”

Xia Ruqing was a bit dizzy. When he held her, she obediently nestled in his arms. ”My lord, no one has bullied me!”

After speaking, she lifted her head in a daze. ”My lord, this is the grape wine I made. It’s sweet and delicious. Would you like to taste it?”

With that, she raised the cup to his lips.

Zhao Junyao wasn’t annoyed and took a sip from the cup she had used. ”Not bad!”

Xia Ruqing’s pink cheeks bloomed into a smile, her heart feeling as if it were filled with honey. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

SMACK!

She planted a kiss on his cheek.

After the kiss, she immediately buried her face shyly in his chest, unwilling to lift her head. Zhao Junyao held her soft body, his earlier displeasure already flung far away, as if to Java.

In this moment, he... was truly pleased! Both heart and body were pleased! No, his heart was truly pleased; as for his body, well, that might have to wait a little longer.

Xia Ruqing, her head still buried, suddenly remembered something and lifted it to ask, ”My lord, have you eaten yet? Are you hungry?”

Having said that, she scratched her small head and asked again, ”My lord, was the poem I recited just now good?”

Zhao Junyao was speechless. Hungry or not, reciting poetry? Is there any connection? Does this girl even know what she’s talking about?!

Yet, he still said, ”I am hungry—both in body and spirit!”

He had long since put the matter of the poem out of his mind.

After thinking for a moment, Xia Ruqing gave an order. ”Zi Yue... Zi Yue, go and order the meal...”

Zi Yue appeared with utmost speed.

Xia Ruqing instructed, ”I want a bowl of chicken soup noodles with sour bamboo shoots. The chicken soup must be skimmed of oil, the bamboo shoots fresh, and the noodles firm! Hurry!”

Zi Yue agreed and rushed off.

Xia Ruqing spoke as if presenting a treasure. ”My lord, there’s a chef in the Imperial Kitchen who makes delicious noodles. You’ll definitely love them!”

Zhao Junyao hummed in response, smiling.

Xia Ruqing was delighted and, picking up some cooked beef with her chopsticks, offered it to his mouth. ”My lord, I boiled this beef myself. It’s very flavorful. Why don’t you have a taste?”

Zhao Junyao took a bite. It was indeed flavorful and robust, so he smiled. ”Have you spent all this time just studying food?”

Xia Ruqing saw nothing wrong with that and, patting her chest proudly, said, ”As the ancients said, only culinary delights and... and... culinary delights are not to be forsaken!”

Zhao Junyao was amused by her adorably foolish behavior and gently knocked her head. ”If you dare to neglect your reading and studies again, I will be sure to punish you!”

Xia Ruqing looked bewildered and slightly puzzled. ”My lord, I know many words! I... I can also drive—drive trucks! I’m very capable!”

Zhao Junyao was utterly confused. What on earth is this girl babbling about? Has she gone mad?

Just as he was thinking this, Xia Ruqing continued.

”I had no money for school, so I had to start working at a young age to support my grandmother... It’s just my grandmother and me, we depend on each other! I don’t have parents! My lord, do you know what it feels like to be abandoned by your family?”

When Zhao Junyao looked down, her face was covered in tears.

But... What on earth is she talking about?!

”Qingqing, you’re drunk!”

Xia Ruqing looked up at him, her eyes tearful and blurry. ”My lord, will you abandon me?”

”Don’t talk nonsense!”

As long as all the women in the Harem behave themselves, I will ensure they live well, Zhao Junyao thought. If they seek death instead, then they can’t blame me.

Xia Ruqing didn’t respond, just lay in his arms, smearing her tears all over him.

Once she had almost wiped them dry, the noodles arrived.

In addition to the chicken soup noodles with sour bamboo shoots that Xia Ruqing had requested, there was also a large pot of charcoal pot noodles.

Xiao Xizi reported cheerfully, ”Your Majesty, My Lady, the noodle chef in the Imperial Kitchen says this is a new recipe that’s even more delicious than the chicken soup noodles with sour bamboo shoots. He asks for Your Majesty and My Lady to give it a try!”

As he spoke, he set both the charcoal pot noodles and the sour bamboo shoot noodles on the table.

The table was already laden with small cold dishes. The sudden addition of two hot noodle dishes gave the feeling of starting the meal anew.

The chicken soup noodles with sour bamboo shoots were what Xia Ruqing had ordered. Zi Yue came forward to serve, portioning them into small bowls so they would cool quickly and be convenient to eat from.

The charcoal pot noodles were for Zhao Junyao, with Li Shengan stepping forward to serve him.

As soon as the lid was lifted, the aroma of the noodles mingled with the rich fragrance of the soup. Even Xia Ruqing couldn’t help but salivate.

”My lord, I want to eat too!”

Zhao Junyao chuckled. ”I won’t eat then; they’re all yours!”

Xia Ruqing giggled. ”No need, I’ll just have... a small bowl. You should eat more, my lord!”

Zhao Junyao looked at her foolishness; she really was thoroughly naive.

But... Thinking about those clever, calculating types, being naive is better! he mused.

The soup base for the charcoal pot noodles was made with chicken pieces, diced ham, shrimp, dried scallops, dried fish, and various dried nuts, all simmered together to create a rich old broth.