A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 428: Chapter 428: Is This Considered a... Deal?

But the Empress was, after all, the Empress.

It’s as they say, without shame, one is invincible under heaven.

She saw through it all now.

No longer would the Emperor favor her, and her body would not permit it either.

It was possible that even if she was favored, she might not conceive.

Therefore, she had made up her mind to get Honored Lady Jiang into the Emperor’s bed.

But... how to broach the subject?

Sister Ji suggested a strategy.

”Why not...Your Highness could just speak frankly!”

”The Emperor has never liked beating around the bush; it’s best to bring it up directly!”

The Empress nodded thoughtfully.

That’s right, I’ve been married to him for so many years; I certainly know this aspect of his temperament!

Then... let it be straightforward!

Another day, Zhao Junyao visited Jiaofang Hall as usual.

The Empress indeed did not beat around the bush but spoke directly.

”Lady Chiang is not bad; I seldom see someone so clever and nimble. I truly cannot bear to see her buried in obscurity within the harem...”

She left it at that, implying everything without stating it outright.

Everyone understood the subtext.

Zhao Junyao sat on the kang bed, twirling a jade ring in his hand.

After a while, his gaze turned cold, and he said,

”Since the Empress has brought it up, I will certainly take care of her... but as for others...”

Who was this ”others” he referred to? The Empress was not deaf.

She understood.

A bitterness filled her heart, but she smiled and said,

”As the Emperor’s wife, I am one with Your Majesty. Those whom the Emperor cares for, I will naturally look after well!”

Was this... a transaction?

It seemed not bad after all; the Emperor had ultimately given her some face.

If he truly loathed her and did not care at all, leaving abruptly, there was nothing she could do.

So, the Empress felt a painful joy at this outcome!

Zhao Junyao left after sitting for a short time, as he always did.

That evening, sure enough, Lijing Pavilion in Zhaochen Palace was selected.

At dusk, Feng Anfu led a grand procession to Lijing Pavilion.

It was Honored Lady Jiang’s first time serving the Emperor at night.

So, there was still a Teaching Sister.

As they attended to Honored Lady Jiang’s bathing and dressing, the Sisters’ eyes were filled with respect.

This lady resembled Consort Xian Pin, and her experience was similar too.

Back then, Consort Xian Pin had gone an entire year without receiving favor.

After finally being favored once, didn’t her fortunes soar?

This lady... looked even more beautiful than Consort Xian Pin.

Perhaps just serving once would elevate her status too.

With this in mind, the Sisters became even more respectful.

Honored Lady Jiang was woodenly compliant, undressing, bathing, and changing her clothes.

Her face was expressionless, but inside she was very afraid, and mingled with that fear was a trace of hatred.

Her body, which she had kept pure for so many years, was now to be given to an Emperor with three thousand beauties in his harem? This too was bearable. Entering the harem, she was already bound by fate.

But what she couldn’t accept was that she was actually being sent to the Emperor’s bed by another person. Without the Empress, how could the Emperor have ever thought of her? Without the Empress, perhaps she could have lived out her life in peace within the palace.

She knew such thoughts were indulgent, but that was how she had spent the past year. Suddenly disrupted by the Empress, how could she not hate!

With a cool, distant look, Honored Lady Jiang was sent off on the Chunen Cart to Zhaochen Palace.

Everything was exactly the same as it had been two years prior.

Two faces that looked alike, and a scene that was identical.

Yet, the person was utterly different.

When Xia Ruqing went, she had been dazed, her mind preoccupied with how to cooperate later on.

And Honored Lady Jiang was filled with panic, resentment, and a complex mixture of emotions that could not be clearly articulated.

She entered Zhaochen Palace and proceeded to Zichen Hall.

It was the same small room where the consorts waited to serve.

Back then, Xia Ruqing had carelessly fallen asleep during her first visit.

But Honored Lady Jiang was different.

She sat there rigidly, following all the rules, daring neither to move carelessly nor to look around, let alone to imagine what was coming next.

She sat stiffly like this, all the way until it was time for the evening meal.

Zhao Junyao returned from the Imperial Study Room and arrived here.

If he was busy, he would have his evening meal and then return to the Imperial Study Room to review documents, typically ending around the Hai Hour.

If he was not busy, after the evening meal, he would rest here for a while and read some books.

And then he would bed his concubines!

Fortunately or unfortunately, today Zhao Junyao was not busy.

As soon as Honored Lady Jiang saw the Emperor approach, her face turned pale with fright, and she hastened to rise.

”Your servant greets—ah!”

Having sat for too long, her limbs were too stiff, and as soon as she stood up, her leg cramped up.

Before she could finish speaking, she fell forward.

Zhao Junyao just watched as she landed on the ground, utterly disheveled.

He didn’t reach out to help her.

Instead, he thought to himself: These concubines’ tricks are getting old! He was tired of seeing them. There had been falls, twisted ankles, dizzy spells, chest pains, and more... he had seen them all. This recent fall was the most common of them all.

Honored Lady Jiang was already afraid, mixed with resentment, and now she was also in a sorry state.

If it had been anyone else, they would have been unable to stand it.

But in her heart, she found herself a bit pleased—could it be that if she acted dumb enough, the Emperor would lose interest?

With that thought, she quickly scrambled to her feet, looking flustered and scared.

”Your servant has acted improperly, please forgive me, Your Majesty!”

Having said that, she knelt and kowtowed fervently, appearing timid, shrinking back, and foolish.

Zhao Junyao watched her and simply commanded,

”Rise.”

Then he casually dropped his robe hem and sat down at the small tea table.

Whether the woman was pretending or really had not stood steadily, Zhao Junyao had no intention of dwelling on such a trivial matter with a woman, especially a woman who was sparing no effort to please him.

Honored Lady Jiang thanked him and then stood up tremulously beside him.

Zhao Junyao glanced at her but said nothing, simply picking up a bowl of tea with his hand.

After taking a couple of sips, he instructed Li Shengan,

”It’s getting late. Serve the meal!”

Li Shengan went out.

After a while, palace attendants entered one by one, bringing the Emperor’s imperial meal dish by dish.

Honored Lady Jiang hurried forward to serve, following the protocol.

However, Zhao Junyao was somewhat unaccustomed to it.

He casually gave an order, ”No need to serve, sit down!”

He suddenly remembered the past.

When Qingqing served his evening meal for the first time, her face was so full of grievance, it seemed like it was about to drip water.

As a man, he always felt as if he were bullying a woman.

So... seeing Honored Lady Jiang standing, he almost subconsciously told her to sit down.

But Honored Lady Jiang knew nothing of this. How could she dare sit when the Emperor ordered it? For an honored lady to dine at the same table as the Emperor—if word got out, she wouldn’t live to see another day!

So she stood there, trembling, daring not sit down.

Only then did Zhao Junyao realize that she was not Qingqing, and he didn’t insist any further.

After serving the Emperor his evening meal, Honored Lady Jiang retreated and ate something simple herself, not daring to eat much.

After the evening meal, Zhao Junyao settled casually on the soft couch with a book in his hands.

Under the candlelight, the atmosphere was serene; his profile was handsome, solemn and focused.

Honored Lady Jiang sat on the other side, attending to him.

To say she was ”attending to him” was an overstatement, as she didn’t have to do anything.

She merely sat there, not daring to look around, her gaze eventually settling on the Emperor.