A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 525: Chapter 525 Honored Lady, Let’s Go!

Zhao Junyao was feeling vexed. Without even glancing at Honored Lady Jiang, he turned and waved his hand dismissively.

”Out with her!”

Li Shengan was scared out of his wits. Was Honored Lady Jiang seeking death? The Emperor didn’t even want to spare her a glance, yet she dared to linger shamelessly?

He suppressed the disdain in his heart and advised her in a low voice again, ”Honored Lady, please leave!”

The voice was low but carried an implicit threat.

Honored Lady Jiang froze. She sighed and dared not say anything more. Silently, she rose and followed them out.

Li Shengan quickly returned to find Zhao Junyao already lying on the imperial bed. However, the Emperor tossed and turned, unable to sleep well.

Upon seeing Li Shengan enter, Zhao Junyao commanded sternly, ”Send word to Consort Xian Pin!”

Li Shengan was somewhat puzzled. ”Ah?” What word? What was the message?!

Zhao Junyao glared angrily at him. ”Get lost! Figure it out yourself!” With that, he turned over in bed.

Li Shengan stood stunned for a moment, then quickly knelt to apologize before withdrawing with a bow. After a moment’s thought, it slowly dawned on him.

Could it be that... the Emperor was sulking with Consort Xian Pin? It didn’t seem like they were going to sever ties completely. It looked more like a lovers’ quarrel between common folk! The kind where they ’quarrel at the head of the bed and reconcile at the foot of it’!

As Li Shengan pondered this, his heart eased. He really did make one worry! The Emperor had, with great difficulty, found a Consort Xian Pin who was so completely to his liking. It would be such a pity if a small matter led to something serious! But now, all was well. Having figured this out, he felt relieved. If the Emperor commanded him to leave, then he would go and rest!

With that thought, he happily walked away.

Just before bed, Little Zhuzi came in with water for Li Shengan’s foot soak. Little Zhuzi was very diligent.

The large wooden footbasin was filled with steaming water, to which fine-quality ginger, saffron, angelica, and codonopsis had been added. This blend soothed the meridians and invigorated blood circulation. For a eunuch like Li Shengan, who walked a great deal every day by the Emperor’s side, this was extremely beneficial.

Little Zhuzi carried the basin in, placed it efficiently beside Li Shengan’s bed, and smiled earnestly. ”Master, time to soak your feet!”

Little Zhuzi wasn’t one for scheming; he was hardworking and simple-hearted. That was precisely why Li Shengan had chosen him, and only him, as his apprentice. It wasn’t for any other reason but because, in palace service, being too clever was actually a detriment. On the contrary, someone simple-minded and earnest like him was more welcome. Firstly, he wouldn’t stir up trouble and would stick to his duties. Secondly, he wouldn’t cause extra worries, which brought peace of mind.

Li Shengan put his feet into the bucket. The hot, medicinally fragrant water quickly enveloped them. Yes, the temperature was just right, the amount of water just right. It was consistently comfortable.

As Little Zhuzi massaged his feet, he asked with concern, ”Master, how does it feel?”

Li Shengan exhaled deeply, his eyes half-closed. ”Comfortable... You little scamp, your technique is getting more and more skilled! You do show some filial piety. All my efforts in training you haven’t been wasted!”

Little Zhuzi grinned broadly. ”So many were desperate to serve under you, Master, but you chose only me! Naturally, I must serve you well!”

Li Shengan was quite satisfied. ”It’s good that you understand!”

He was the Chief Eunuch, serving directly beside the Emperor. To put it bluntly, even the Empress had to treat him with courtesy; at the very least, she couldn’t afford to offend him. With Eunuch Li as a backer, Little Zhuzi would certainly never be bullied in his life. To slight Little Zhuzi would be to slight Li Shengan, and to slight Li Shengan would mean... AHEM. Needless to say, no one would dare!

Enjoying the comfort, Li Shengan casually asked, ”The Emperor chose Honored Lady Jiang’s name plaque. Does the entire harem know?”

What he really wanted to ask was, did Consort Xian Pin know? That was the ’news’ the Emperor had mentioned.

Little Zhuzi didn’t even have to think. ”Master, the whole harem is buzzing about it... They’re all saying...”

”Saying what?” Li Shengan asked.

Little Zhuzi’s heart trembled. How could he dare repeat the malicious gossip he had heard?

He chose only the relatively less offensive bits and said, ”They’re all saying Consort Xian Pin has offended the Emperor and is about to fall out of favor!”Thinking about this, Little Zhuzi also felt quite downhearted. Consort Xian Pin was amiable and generous, always doling out rewards by the tael. Would that all come to an end now?

”Master... do you think Consort Xian Pin is really about to lose favor?” Little Zhuzi asked with a hint of regret.

Li Shengan tapped him on the head. ”Don’t talk nonsense. Just mind your own business and pay no attention to these rumors!”

Having said that, he lifted his feet out of the basin and rested them on the edge. Little Zhuzi truly didn’t dare ask any further.

He took a cotton cloth to carefully dry his master’s feet and then helped him into his shoes. Only then did he pick up the basin and leave. He emptied the water and tidied everything away before returning to his own room.

Lying on the bed, he drifted off, pondering. Master said those are rumors, so does that mean the rumors are false?

How could Xia Ruqing possibly be unaware that Honored Lady Jiang had attended the Emperor? But she had no particular feelings about this ’attending.’ Perhaps she had been feeding herself too much toxic positivity. Her mindset had become like that of people in ancient times, she supposed—quite detached. This bug was never going to be fixed, was it?!

Right now, what she was most worried about was her own life. Kicking the Emperor! The more she thought about it, the more she felt she had been far too bold. But she also felt aggrieved. She struggled to survive in these ancient times, constantly facing the reality that her emperor husband could be intimate with his other concubines at any moment. That was humiliating enough. To then be expected to cast aside her self-respect and fawn over him like a courtesan trying to please a patron... How could she possibly?! What did that make her?! She feared death, she was a coward, but she did not regret it! If she had to do it all over again, she would still kick him!

When she awoke early the next morning, Xia Ruqing was still silent. She had a little food. After instructing the Wetnurse Nanny to take good care of Little Bun, she returned to the window to practice her calligraphy. Pen stroke by pen stroke, she wrote until her hands trembled.

Zi Yue couldn’t bear to watch. Oh dear, if Her Ladyship doesn’t cry, I think I might!

”My lady, if you’re feeling sad, just cry it out. Don’t keep it bottled up!”

Xia Ruqing was somewhat surprised. She put down her brush and looked incredulously at Zi Yue. ”Why should I cry? I won’t cry!”

Saying this, she stretched lazily. ”Come on, let’s go for a walk. The weather has been clear yesterday and today! I want to go cut down those bunches of grapes.”

She had specially left a few bunches to dry slowly on the vine. Once touched by frost, they would become exceptionally sweet. Though they didn’t look appealing, they tasted great!

Zi Yue hurried to persuade her. ”My lady, your palm is still wounded! I didn’t dare stop you from writing, but climbing high or reaching for things is really not okay!”

Zi Yue followed behind her, fussing like a mother hen.

Xia Ruqing looked at the bandage on her palm. She remembered how, just the previous night, Zhao Junyao had been peeling crabs for her. Her heart ached fiercely once more.

She glanced at Zi Yue, bit her lip, and instructed, ”Then you all go. Cut the grapes down, but don’t send them anywhere!”