A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 256: Chapter 255 Where is the freedom?

If she had never entered the palace, perhaps she would have married an ordinary husband. He might have been a poor scholar, teaching in a private school for a lifetime. Or perhaps, like her father, he barely became a graduate but remained a minor, poor official. They would have stayed together always, bearing several lovely children. Every day, he would leave for work, while she stayed home, supporting her husband and teaching the children, who would gather around her, calling her ”mother.” She would make them clothes, cook delicious food for them, accompany them as they began to learn, watching them study and recognize words. Like most mothers in the world, she would hope for her children to be successful and outstanding. As she hoped, the children would grow up, and she would grow old. Then, like most mothers-in-law, she would welcome daughters-in-law into the family and cradle her grandchildren, enjoying the joy of family harmony. Without entering the palace, her life would seem quite good as well.

Certainly better than... Certainly better than now, when she can hardly even see the Emperor’s face. Let alone have children. Someone with little ability like her, if she had children, she might be bullied as well. Better not to have any at all.

With that thought, she let down the carriage curtain.

”What’s wrong, my lady?” Lianlian’s voice was as crisp and sweet as ever, filled with concern.

Honored Lady Lan shook her head and closed her eyes. ”I’m a bit tired. I’ll take a nap. Call me when we arrive!”

Lianlian wanted to say more, but Molli shook her head to signal her. Lianlian said no more.

As Molli fetched a cloak to cover Honored Lady Lan, Lianlian also took out a small box. Molli asked, ”What is that?”

Lianlian replied with a quiet smile, ”Sister Molli, this is the incense that Lady Xi gave us through Sister Dong Cha yesterday. She said it’s calming and helps with sleep!”

”The journey is noisy and the carriage jostles too much. If we light some Calming Incense for the mistress, it might help her sleep better!”

Molli frowned. ”Is it incense made by Lady Xi herself? You don’t even know if our mistress likes it, and you went ahead and lit it?”

Lianlian looked surprised. ”Doesn’t our mistress often light the incense sent by Lady Xi? Sister Molli, what’s the matter?” After saying that, she looked incredibly puzzled.

Molli took the incense box and looked at it. She also sniffed at the scent of the incense and thought for a moment. How come I feel that the scent of this incense is different from what we’ve smelled before!

Curious, Lianlian leaned in to look closely and took a piece to sniff at her nose. ”It’s not, I think it smells the same!”

”Come on, Sister Molli, you’re being too cautious.”

”Our mistress and Lady Xi are like real sisters. Would Lady Xi harm our mistress?”

Saying this, she took two pieces of incense and placed them in the small copper burner she carried. Soon, wisps of fragrant smoke were rising.

Molli frowned, finding the scent unpleasant, and opened the carriage curtain a bit. With the breeze from the moving carriage, the scent did not reach her anymore.

But as for Honored Lady Lan... she fell asleep to the aroma.

Seeing her mistress sleeping even more sweetly, Molli thought to herself, Perhaps, I am being overly cautious! With such a relationship between Lady Xi and our mistress, how could she harm her? Besides, Honored Lady Lan is not favored. What’s there to harm? Moreover, harming Honored Lady Lan wouldn’t benefit Lady Xi at all!

Thinking this way, Molli shook her head and let go of the matter.

...

「They soon arrived at the South Garden.」

This was a newly constructed royal retreat, usually well-maintained and tidy. So moving in was hassle-free, as everything was already in place.

The Emperor and his guards stayed in the front courtyard. The Empress, leading the concubines, all stayed in the back courtyard.

With not many women around, most had their own courtyard, with no contention or rivalry.

This time, the courtyard Xia Ruqing stayed in was much closer to the front than the last time.

Tingfeng Courtyard.

As soon as one passed through the round archway, a bamboo grove that rustled with each breeze came into view. That’s probably why it was named as such.

The courtyard was small but exquisitely detailed. There was no back courtyard, only a delicate and beautiful two-story wooden building. Upon entering, there were three rooms: a bedroom, a study, and an entrance hall. The interior decorations were also fresh and elegant.

The most delightful surprise was the complete set of bamboo tube cups placed on the round table in the bedroom. Polished until they gleamed, they were carved with a variety of intricate and exquisite patterns.

Xia Ruqing picked one up and couldn’t bear to put it down, as she couldn’t get enough of looking at it. Truly an unrivaled work of art!

It had to be said, entering the Imperial Palace had allowed her to see all that she had never eaten or seen in her previous life. Now, her taste had become increasingly sophisticated. Ordinary objects simply didn’t catch her eye. Take jade pendants, for example. In her last life, could those thousand-yuan jades sold in markets even be called jade? And she couldn’t afford them anyway. Now, however, she had a whole box full of them. Gifts from holidays and festivals, items for everyday wear—they were all tribute items.

Xia Ruqing took off her cloak, lay down on the soft bed, and played with the cup in her hands.

A sigh escaped her heart. Thus, competing for favor was indeed essential! Who wouldn’t want to get along with good times? She was determined to compete fiercely. If someone must be victorious in the harem, it had to be her!

”Zi Yue, do you still remember Honored Lady Hu?”

Zi Yue was stunned for a moment before she caught on. ”Is it... the Honored Lady Hu from the Cold Palace?”

Xia Ruqing nodded.

Zi Yue then laughed and said, ”If you hadn’t mentioned it, I almost truly forgot. Last time she came, she fought with you, My Lady, for the main hall!”

It was only a year ago. And yet... she had fallen into such wretchedness.

Xia Ruqing felt not a whit of sympathy, but rather scoffed, Serves her right! That’s what you get for not using your brain when you act!

Zi Yue agreed, ”What goes around comes around, there’s nothing worthy of sympathy!”

At dinner time, everyone had settled into their own courtyards.

The Empress resided in the main courtyard. Noble Concubine Shih stayed in Rosebud Garden, not too far from the Empress. Consort Ning, Consort Hui Pin, Consort Yun Pin, and others each had their own courtyard. Honored Lady Lan, Honored Lady Cheng, and Noble Lady Song shared one large courtyard. They were just a few people, living not too far from one another.

That evening, after the tiring journey, there was no formal banquet. The Empress ordered that everyone eat in their respective places and rest early. Paying respects the next day would suffice.

Everyone gave a perfunctory word of thanks. After eating, they rested.

At Xia Ruqing’s place, her legs were not well, so she didn’t even leave the bed. For dinner, she just had a bowl of porridge.

”My Lady, please eat some more!”

Xia Ruqing frowned. ”No more, eating too much is hard to digest!”

Zi Yue didn’t press her any further. After a while, a bowl of medicine was brought in.

”Then, My Lady, please drink your medicine!”

Xia Ruqing looked at her with a face of despair. ”Zi Yue, how come you never forget at times like these!”

Zi Yue smiled slightly. ”My Lady, your biggest task right now is to recuperate!”

”But the Imperial Physician did give you a certain degree of freedom!”

Xia Ruqing was surprised. ”Freedom??”

What freedom did she have? Could she actually not drink the medicine?