A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 518: Chapter 518: A Smile Uglier Than Tears

Being stared at by the Little Prince, the Empress had to force a smile, even if she didn’t like it. This wasn’t enough. To show her magnanimity, she also had to praise him.

”The Little Prince is so cute!”

Little Bun seemed to sense this woman’s ill intentions. His smile was so forced it looked more pained than his tears, and he was a bit scared.

With a WAH! he started crying again. While crying, he turned his head and wriggled his little bottom, seeking refuge in his father’s arms.

Empress: ”...”

Being rebuffed by a baby, her smile couldn’t hold and just froze on her face.

At this moment, Xia Ruqing wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

Son, do you realize how embarrassing you’re being?

In the end, Xia Ruqing stepped forward to take Little Bun. While soothing him, she smiled and apologized to the Empress, saying things like, ”The child is still young and doesn’t understand,” and so on.

The Empress was furious, but she couldn’t take issue with a child. She could only manage a stiff smile and exchange pleasantries.

”It seems the Little Prince doesn’t quite recognize me,” the Empress said. ”In the future, Consort Xian Pin, you should bring the Little Prince to Jiaofang Hall more often. Let the Third Princess get to know her brother too!”

Xia Ruqing readily agreed, hurriedly taking the blame on herself. ”It is all my fault...”

After many such apologies, she finally carried Little Bun away with her.

Back at her seat, she gently spanked Little Bun’s bottom twice. ”Son, you’ve really embarrassed your mother!”

Little Bun, with a look of mischief and shyness, hid in Xia Ruqing’s embrace.

It’s because that mean-looking woman took Mother’s place!

Xia Ruqing didn’t quite understand her son’s thoughts. After holding him for a while, she handed him to the Wetnurse Nanny to be fed.

About half a Shi Chen later, the banquet ended. Zhao Junyao had left early. Everyone else also respectfully paid their respects and departed.

The Empress personally held the Little Princess. ”I won’t keep you sisters any longer,” she announced. ”Today is the Double Ninth Festival; everyone should return to their own residences to celebrate. I have already instructed the Imperial Kitchen to prepare additional dishes! Furthermore, the rewards for each palace will be delivered this afternoon!”

Everyone expressed their gratitude and departed.

Returning to Qingya Residence, Xia Ruqing collapsed from exhaustion. Little Bun, having eaten and drunk his fill, had also grown sleepy and fallen asleep in the Wetnurse Nanny’s arms on the way back. Xia Ruqing had someone take him away. She then returned to her inner chamber, removed her makeup, washed up, and lay down.

Zi Yue and Zi Su sat by the window, embroidering while chatting with her.

Zi Su couldn’t help but chuckle whenever the Little Prince was mentioned. ”I think our Little Master is very clever; he knows good from bad in his heart!”

Zi Yue glared at her. ”The palace walls have ears, yet you dare say such things!”

Zi Su covered her mouth and stopped speaking. But after a while, unable to hold back, she whispered, ”Actually, I didn’t say anything significant!”

After the summer solstice, the days grew increasingly short. By the eighth or ninth month, they were noticeably shorter.

Xia Ruqing slept for a little over one Shi Chen. When she woke up, it was already dusk.

Xiao Xizi ran in, sweating profusely. ”My Lady, everything you requested has been prepared. When shall we serve the meal?”

Hearing about food, Xia Ruqing’s eyes immediately lit up. ”How many crabs have you prepared?”

Xiao Xizi scratched his head, pondering for a moment before replying, ”About half a basket, around ten pounds? They are all female crabs, each weighing over half a pound! The master chef in the Imperial Kitchen cracked one open; it was full of crab roe!”

Upon hearing this, Xia Ruqing’s heart bloomed with joy. A crab like this in the twenty-first century would cost a fortune! In ancient times, however, the Royal Family could eat whatever they wanted, with a virtually unlimited supply. Of course, the prerequisite was having Silver. Anything beyond one’s basic allowance naturally cost Silver!

”Let’s serve it now,” Xia Ruqing said. ”It’s just supper, so no need to hold back or be formal! It’s fine to eat while playing too!”

As for whether the Emperor will come, who knows? Perhaps some other concubine has charmed him away—it’s not impossible! I can’t wait around forever.

Xiao Xizi smiled and agreed.

Zi Yue looked around the courtyard with some regret. ”It might be too cold tonight; otherwise, we could have set the meal outside! The weather is so clear today, and the moonlight is lovely!”

Xia Ruqing looked at the grape arbor, frowned, and shook her head. ”Forget it. There are little bugs around at this time; it’s better to set up inside. We can paste up the gauze on the window frames, open the actual window panes, and eat at the kang table. That can be fun too!”

Zi Yue smiled and agreed.

Outside, Xiao Xizi and Xiao Zhu Zi had gone to fetch the meal; there were so many dishes today, one food box was not enough.

When they entered, small dishes were laid out one after another. Eating was all about pleasing oneself, so she hadn’t requested any heavy or overly formal dishes. The little kang table was only so big; if the dishes weren’t tasty and just took up space, why bother? What she wanted were smaller, more delicate dishes.

They were similar to modern home-cooked meals, many of which her grandmother used to make. The master chefs here are skilled, but I’ll never taste my grandmother’s cooking again.

The first food box was filled with dishes: egg custard, fish soup, small steamed buns, vegetable soup, and diced fruit—all prepared for Little Bun. The rest included twelve hot, home-style dishes: duck feet, chicken wings, spare ribs, braised pork, garlic shrimp, Mapo tofu, stir-fried lotus root slices, and more. These were all simple dishes unsuitable for grand banquets, but when well-prepared, their flavor was exquisite and went wonderfully with rice!

The plates were not large, and each dish was presented delicately in small portions. Thus, even with so many dishes, the little kang table wasn’t completely filled.

Then, Xiao Zhu Zi carried in another food box. Upon opening it, a large basket of freshly steamed big crabs was revealed.

Xia Ruqing’s eyes instantly sparkled. ”Big crabs! I’ve waited two years, and finally, you’re here!”

”These crabs are huge!” she exclaimed. ”Xiao Xizi, you said they were half a pound each, but I think these are much bigger!”

Xiao Xizi laughed. ”Most of them are about half a pound, My Lady. I imagine the ones selected for you were the best of the best!”

”Mmm!” Xia Ruqing hummed in appreciation. ”Set them out!”

”What’s beneath them?”

Xiao Zhu Zi and the others then opened the bottom layer of the food box. Inside were all kinds of pastries. Everything she had listed before was there: chrysanthemum cakes, osmanthus candy, lotus root silk pastry, lampwick cakes, and so on—not a single one was missing. These were all her favorites, handcrafted by the old master chef from the Imperial Kitchen, so their taste was naturally beyond question.

”Serve them all!”

Xiao Zhu Zi agreed.

Xiao Xizi then said, ”My Lady, there’s also soup and the small sweet glutinous rice balls you requested. I’ll have to make another trip!” After saying so and bowing, he withdrew.

Xia Ruqing smiled. ”Bring Little Bun here!”

”Yes, My Lady!” Zi Yue responded and went to fetch him.

Before Little Bun could be brought up, there was a stir outside.

”The Emperor—” The Little Eunuch’s announcement was cut off halfway as he began to speak.

Zhao Junyao strode in, gesturing for silence. The hem of the Dragon Robe he had yet to change out of billowed with his steps. Upon entering, he skillfully removed his outer robe, handed it to a Palace Maid, then turned and sat on the kang. Zi Su offered a cup of tea, which Xia Ruqing then passed to him.