A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 417: Chapter 417 She... Someone to Protect Her!

The vegetables in the garden were still plentiful. Since they couldn’t be eaten all at once, they weren’t picked and were simply left to grow. Eating them fresh as they’re picked is the best!

Seeing that the basket was full, Xiao Zhu Zi hurried forward to take it, afraid of tiring her mistress.

Xia Ruqing dusted the soil off her clothes and instructed, ”Take them to the small kitchen first; later we’ll make a few good dishes!”

Xiao Zhu Zi quickly agreed and ran off.

Xiao Xizi appeared to have something to say but hesitated.

How could they just eat vegetables? They didn’t have any meat.

It wasn’t surprising they were craving it so badly. The staff in the Palace Attendants’ kitchen were all eunuchs retired from the Imperial Kitchen. They were all of an age where staying there was almost like retiring.

Taste? That was non-existent. They did well just to make the food edible.

Besides, they were just laborers, not chefs, not even kitchen assistants.

The taste of the food they made—one can only imagine.

Of course, the most important thing was, they didn’t have good ingredients.

What could they possibly have in a servants’ kitchen?

Meat? It wasn’t entirely absent!

A certain amount was allocated from above on a regular basis, but the kitchen staff would skim their share off the top first. The rest was reserved for those who were more important to serve.

A first-class palace maid, a first-class eunuch... though both were first-class, the masters they served differed, so how could their treatment be the same?

The first-class palace maids by the Empress’s side and those by an Honored Lady’s side were certainly treated differently—vastly so!

A second-class palace maid by Consort Xian Pin’s side, versus the first-class ones attending some out-of-favor Honored Ladies? Also different!

So, if a mistress was out of favor, her attendants weren’t even as well-off as the second-class attendants of others.

Even so, Xiao Zhu Zi and the others still couldn’t eat well, let alone anyone else.

Xia Ruqing was aware of their difficulties. So, when she had leftover food, she would mostly reward them with it. After all, it was a pity to just throw it away.

Her own food was definitely good; at least the meat portions were always generous!

Xia Ruqing’s lips curved upward as she sighed inwardly. This is indeed the palace!

Zi Yue supported her. ”It’s cold outside, let’s hurry back!”

Xia Ruqing nodded. Then, as if remembering something, she instructed, ”Xiao Xizi, go to the Imperial Kitchen and ask for a fresh fish, some chicken, and ribs...”

After giving her instructions, she added, ”Right, and get a piece of pork belly too!”

Xiao Xizi happily agreed!

Xia Ruqing smiled.

Zi Yue teased him, ”When did Xiao Xizi become so unrefined?”

Xia Ruqing shook her head amusedly. ”How can they work if they’re not eating well? They run around outside all day, with no rich food in their stomachs; it’s not easy for them!”

She often rewarded them with dishes, but for the past six months, her own meals had also been plain and lacked oil.

Look at them, every one of them with a sallow complexion!

Zi Yue, however, didn’t seem as affected. After all, girls eat less!

「...」

Xia Ruqing returned to the inner chamber and heard Little Bun crying. Sister Liang was busy feeding him, yet he continued to cry.

”What’s the matter?”

Sister Liang said with a smile, ”Perhaps he... didn’t see Your Highness upon waking up...”

Little Bun was not a crybaby; he usually didn’t cry much.

Xia Ruqing was suddenly amused. She pinched his little nose. ”You’re a man, aren’t you? Why the crying?”

When Little Bun heard his mother’s voice and had his nose pinched, he immediately stopped crying. He stared directly at Xia Ruqing with eyes very much like Zhao Junyao’s. His gaze held both anger and petulance.

It was as if he were indignantly questioning her:

Where did you go without taking me along! Waking up to find everyone gone, the room empty—weren’t you afraid of scaring this baby?!

Seeing the expression on her son’s face, Xia Ruqing was utterly exasperated. She took Little Bun from Sister Liang and gently soothed him until his anger finally abated.

He was put back on the bed, and Little Bun really didn’t cry or make a fuss!

”You be good here. I will make something delicious for you, okay? What would you like to eat?”

Little Bun seemed to really understand, licking his lips! As if he were really considering what he liked to eat.

Sister Liang laughed. ”Your Highness, the Little Prince is not yet two months old; we mustn’t recklessly feed him anything!”

Xia Ruqing smiled faintly, not saying a word.

Little Bun, in a good mood after having eaten and drunk his fill, soon fell asleep after wiggling his arms and kicking his legs for a bit.

Fearing that Little Bun would wake up again and find nobody around, she specifically asked Zi Yue to stay behind.

Xia Ruqing washed her hands and went to the kitchen herself.

「...」

The kitchen was already bustling with activity. Zi Su and Zi Ning were washing vegetables, Xiao Xizi and Xiao Zhu Zi were doing miscellaneous tasks and lighting fires, and Qiu Ye was also there to help.

Seeing their mistress arrive, they hurriedly got up.

”Your Highness, you’re here!”

Xiao Zhu Zi chuckled, ”Your Highness, we’ve got everything ready!”

Xia Ruqing looked around and indeed saw that the vegetables were almost all washed. The muddy lotus roots had been cleaned until they were white and plump, and they were neatly arranged along with the other vegetables.

She said with a smile, ”You all work so quickly!”

With that, she rolled up her sleeves, intending to personally take over.

Zi Su quickly stepped forward to stop her. ”Your Highness, these vegetables are quite cold. If you don’t disdain it, please allow this servant to chop them for you!”

Zi Ning also looked at her with a worried expression. Then, Xiao Xizi and Xiao Zhu Zi looked at her with the same expression.

Xia Ruqing was exasperated and said, ”All right, all right, I’ll leave it to you then!”

Zi Su and Zi Ning hurriedly washed their hands again, ready to start chopping the vegetables.

Xiao Xizi brought a stool over for her. ”Your Highness, please sit and rest for a while; we servants will do the miscellaneous work for you!”

Xia Ruqing nodded and then sat down. She glanced unintentionally at Qiu Ye standing in the corner. She was a menial worker from Qingya Residence and usually did not serve closely. Upon seeing her mistress, Qiu Ye couldn’t help but appear somewhat timid and constrained.

Qiu Ye, realizing her mistress was looking at her, immediately knelt in fear. ”Your Highness, this servant... this servant...”

Actually, the small kitchen isn’t my responsibility. I just wanted to come and help. No one has spoken to me for so long, and I enjoy lively places too! However...

Xia Ruqing said faintly, ”Get up!”

Qiu Ye hurriedly got up and asked to be excused.

Watching her retreating figure, Xia Ruqing felt no ripples in her heart.

Sympathy? Nonexistent! Seeing her reminds me of Qiu Tong—the one who passed messages for the Empress, the Qiu Tong who plunged me into bloody turmoil! Although this has nothing to do with Qiu Ye. I just don’t like her! She truly is a bit clumsy. In the palace, loyalty alone isn’t enough when serving! Clumsy and slow-witted—suited only for sweeping floors! Cold-hearted? Perhaps I am. Anyone blames me? Excuse me, why don’t you try being a merciful, suffering-relieving Guanyin Bodhisattva first and see how it goes? If you can’t, then keep quiet!

Xia Ruqing belatedly realized. Since having Little Bun, I’ve truly become very wary of outsiders! I don’t want contact with unfamiliar people or things. I only dare to operate within my trusted circle. Like a hedgehog covered in quills, I almost want to treat everyone as a potential enemy! Because I... have someone I must protect!

Just as she was lost in thought, she heard Zi Su calling her. ”Your Highness, everything is prepared!”

Xia Ruqing took a deep breath, composed herself, and stood up.