A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 694: Chapter 694: New Year’s Eve Banquet

The only blessing was devoured by Xia Ruqing.

It would be a lie to say that no one was jealous, especially Noble Concubine Shih, whose expression was the very picture of displeasure.

But what did it matter? Luck was granted by the heavens.

No amount of jealousy could change her luck!

The Empress Dowager, however, maintained her usual demeanor, chuckling as she spoke, ”Consort Xian Pin truly is blessed with good fortune!”

Nothing more was said. Consort Ning also wore an equally unpleasant expression, but Consort Hui Pin, seated to the side, offered congratulations with a smile.

Xia Ruqing hurriedly nodded. ”Thank you!”

Consort Hui Pin gave a faint smile and said no more.

The feast continued until after the Zi Hour.

After eating dumplings and setting off fireworks outside, the concubines exchanged New Year’s greetings.

Only then did they disperse.

Xia Ruqing rode back in a heated palanquin.

The palanquin was warm and swayed gently, so she fell asleep after only a few paces.

Upon reaching Qingya Residence, Zi Yue and Zi Su practically had to carry her into her room.

Xia Ruqing woke in a daze for a moment, then fell back asleep without even washing her face.

Zi Yue frowned. ”This won’t do!”

She had someone bring hot water, wrung out a damp cloth, and carefully wiped the makeup from Xia Ruqing’s face bit by bit.

Then, together with Zi Su, she helped her undress and settled her into bed.

Xia Ruqing didn’t wake at all.

Ever since becoming pregnant, she had become an exceptionally heavy sleeper.

Looking at her master’s exhausted sleeping face, Zi Yue felt a surge of worry.

”She’s been up for most of the night, and she has to wake early for the ancestral worship tomorrow morning; she definitely won’t be able to get up!”

Zi Su shared her concern. ”Even if she could get up, it’s freezing cold outside. And now that Master is pregnant, she absolutely cannot kneel!”

With that, their anxiety deepened.

”What are we to do?”

Her pregnancy hadn’t been announced yet, so to miss the ancestral worship without a valid reason would be a breach of protocol.

After speaking, they both looked outside, hoping to see the figure of Little Zhuzi secretly approaching with news.

Unfortunately, it was pitch black outside; there was nothing.

It’s so late, will the Emperor even remember? Zi Yue wondered.

Although Master is usually favored, the Emperor is incredibly busy on New Year’s Eve. If he happens to forget, wouldn’t Master still have to get up early tomorrow morning?

”Sigh! It’s no use thinking so much!” Zi Yue murmured. ”The palace gates are locked now, and we can’t get out!”

Zi Yue felt utterly helpless. As servants, they had no power whatsoever. Trying to protect their master was exceedingly difficult.

”Must we really drag Master out of bed so early tomorrow?”

”Master just recently stopped feeling nauseous and was finally sleeping well to nurture her health!” Zi Su said, extremely reluctant.

Zi Yue felt just as helpless. ”There’s nothing else to be done! Let’s just work harder and prepare. Go and bring Master’s warmest clothing!”

”If there’s still no decree from the Emperor by early tomorrow, at least we must ensure Master is dressed warmly!”

”Alright!” Zi Su nodded.

The two of them began rummaging through chests and wardrobes for clothes.

A fox-fur cloak, an incredibly thick padded jacket, cotton scarves, gloves, hand warmers, foot warmers, knee protectors—they gathered everything.

Fearing the knee protectors weren’t thick enough and worried their master would have to kneel, Zi Su and Zi Ning worked through the night to craft a pair of exceptionally thick deerskin knee protectors.

These protectors were thick and large, lined with layer upon layer of deerskin and cotton—more than ten layers in total.

Zi Ning tried them on and said with satisfaction, ”Excellent! Kneeling on these is like kneeling on cotton! They’re soft and warm!”

Zi Yue also tried them and finally breathed a sigh of relief. ”Now we don’t have to worry so much!”

Zi Su then said, ”It’s almost dawn. We should rest a bit too!”

Zi Yue gave a tired smile. ”Rest? It’s nearly time. If no news comes from the Emperor’s side soon, we’ll have to prepare to wake Master!”

After speaking, Zi Yue glanced at her master’s sleeping face. She truly didn’t have the heart to wake her, but there was no choice.

”You two go and catch a few winks first,” she told the others.

Zi Su and Zi Ning were so sleepy they could barely keep their eyes open, so they didn’t refuse.

After they left, Zi Yue also lay down beside Xia Ruqing’s bed and dozed off for about half an hour.

When she awoke and saw that there was still no message, Zi Yue began to prepare the things needed for their master to get up.

Unexpectedly, she had only half-finished the preparations when someone arrived from outside. It was Little Zhuzi.

Zi Yue hurried out to greet him as if he were a savior.

Little Zhuzi also trotted forward. ”Lady Zi Yue, greetings!”

Zi Yue asked impatiently, ”Is there any news?”

Little Zhuzi looked around before whispering, ”Lady Zi Yue, don’t worry. Everything has been arranged on the Emperor’s side. Consort Xian Pin just needs to make an appearance; the Emperor will handle the rest!”

Upon hearing this, Zi Yue immediately felt relieved and nodded. ”Ah, Eunuch Little Zhuzi, you’ve worked hard!”

”Rest assured, we understand!”

Little Zhuzi nodded. ”They’re still busy up ahead, so I’ll take my leave now!”

Zi Yue took out a large, prepared purse from her sleeve and pressed it into his hand. ”Our master instructed me last night to give this to you! She said it’s New Year’s, just a small token of good wishes!”

Little Zhuzi was flattered and surprised. After all, he was just a messenger. Apart from Consort Xian Pin, the other masters were merely polite at best. Actual rewards were nonexistent. Only Consort Xian Pin was so generous.

Little Zhuzi was very grateful and felt he couldn’t refuse. He accepted the silver, thanked her, and hurriedly left.

Zi Yue sighed with relief, smiled, and went back inside.

「...」

When it was time to get up, Xia Ruqing was forcibly dragged out of her warm quilts.

Then, Zi Yue and Zi Su fussed over her, bundling her up like a round ball before stuffing her into the heated sedan chair.

Since the Empress was not in the palace, the concubines went directly to the ancestral worship site.

By the time they arrived, almost everyone was already there; even Noble Concubine Shih had arrived.

Noble Concubine Shih was dressed in a red palace gown that day, with a red cloak over it. The red was slightly brighter than a true crimson and was embroidered with peacocks in golden thread.

Between the color and the design, one might mistake it for a Phoenix Robe if not looking closely.

Even the Phoenix Crown on her head was strikingly similar, about eighty percent so, to the Empress’s.

The Empress’s crown featured nine phoenix tails, while Noble Concubine Shih’s had only six. Beyond that, details like the length of the tassels or the size of the Zhen Zhu were almost indistinguishable.

Upon seeing this, Xia Ruqing bowed her head and smiled faintly.

Her ambition is glaringly obvious!

Has Noble Concubine Shih truly bested the Empress and is now so eager to take her place?

But this is also good. With her drawing all the attention at the forefront, my own days will be considerably easier.

Thinking this, Xia Ruqing felt a sense of relief.

She greeted Noble Concubine Shih and Consort Ning with a bow and then stood aside without speaking.

However, though Xia Ruqing remained silent, Noble Concubine Shih had no intention of letting her off the hook.

She wouldn’t feel right without making a few sarcastic remarks, so she sneered, ”Consort Xian Pin, dear sister, you truly are delicate!”

”Taking all morning to appear, and when you finally do, you’re dressed like that! Who are you trying to impress, dressed like that?”

Even though it was cold, the others, mindful that the Emperor would be arriving, paid attention to their appearance and dared not overdress.

Only Xia Ruqing was bundled up like a panda.