A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Over on Yue Er’s side.

Leaving Duanning Palace, she took Ying Luo with her and headed straight toward the outer palace.

A Sister behind her suddenly spoke up.

”Princess, do you need to change your clothes?”

She was going out of the palace, after all; no matter how casual she was, she couldn’t just walk out like this, right?

She should at least change into another outfit, bring some proper accessories, or call a few more people to follow her!

Going out this carelessly—what would others think if they saw?

Yue Er lowered her head and glanced at her own clothes, then frowned.

”I’m just going out of the palace to play polo, I don’t need to change!”

She finished speaking and ignored that Sister, striding out on her own.

The Sister still wanted to say more, but was stopped short by a sharp look from Ying Luo and shut her mouth at once.

Only when the Princess had walked farther away did Ying Luo speak.

”Sister, are you confused or what?”

”Even the Emperor doesn’t say anything about the Princess going out of the palace, how can you be the one to nag?”

That Sister had been sent by the Empress to teach the Princess palace rules and etiquette.

Usually she was responsible for following the Princess around and reminding her about everything, to keep her from acting on her whims.

Because of this, the Princess had never liked her.

But for the Empress’s sake, she never said anything harsh; she just didn’t like her, that was all.

Not warm, not cold, not friendly but not openly hostile either; she wouldn’t even bother saying an extra word.

The Sister could only give a wry smile.

”As if I don’t know what you’re saying is true!”

”But the Empress sent this old servant over here precisely so I could keep an eye on the Princess.”

”By rights, when the Princess leaves the palace...” there should be a whole pile of rules to follow.

”In the past, the Princess would more or less observe some of them.”

”Who knew that today she’d suddenly insist on going out of the palace with just you and Ying Luo at her side, and she’s even wearing something she’d normally wear at home.

This is far too improper. If outsiders see her, what will they think of her bearing?”

If gossip spreads and reaches the Empress’s ears, she’ll be the one to suffer!

Ying Luo just laughed.

”I know all too well how hard things are for you, Sister!”

”But the Princess has a straightforward temperament and hates being constrained, so... please be more tolerant of her!”

”Today is just a one-off, and the Princess is going to the drill ground, not anywhere else!”

”Just turn a blind eye this once!”

The Sister still looked troubled.

Ying Luo had no choice but to pull a silver bracelet out of her bosom and slip it into the Sister’s hand.

”Please be lenient, Sister. Take some time to go enjoy a cup of tea.”

Under Ying Luo’s barrage of ’sweet talk’ and ’gifts’, the Sister finally compromised.

”Only two or three Shi Chen, otherwise this old servant has no way to explain to the Empress!”

”Got it, got it!” Ying Luo replied hurriedly.

The Sister put the bracelet away helplessly, then moved forward with Ying Luo to catch up with the Princess.

...

The drill ground.

When Yue Er arrived,

Chen Yuwei and County Princess Yilan had already changed into their riding gear and were waiting for her.

Seeing her finally show up fashionably late, the two of them laughed.

”You’re finally here. We thought you weren’t coming!”

Yue Er had hurried over, so her cheeks were slightly flushed, but she still said,

”Why wouldn’t I come? We made this appointment ages ago!”

”And not only am I here, I’m going to beat you both!”

Chen Weiyu couldn’t help laughing.

”Oh my, our Your Highness The Princess is bragging again!”

”You lost a sword to me last time—what else do you have you can afford to lose this time?”

Yue Er thought for a moment.

”A few days ago my eldest brother gave me a Heavenly Garment, tribute from the Southern Country; it’s covered all over with all kinds of rare pearls and gems, and the most amazing thing is that the whole garment doesn’t have a single visible seam!”

”There can’t be more than a few of such garments in the entire world!”

”If either of you wins today, that Heavenly Garment will be hers. How about it?”

County Princess Yilan couldn’t hold back a laugh.

”Yue Er, with you throwing out stakes like that, what are we supposed to offer in return?”

”My family might not be short on pearls and gems, but a Heavenly Garment is something I truly can’t produce!”

Yue Er laughed.

”If I put up a Heavenly Garment and you put up a Heavenly Garment, what fun would that be?”

”Then what do you want?” County Princess Yilan raised a brow.

Yue Er thought it over, then said mischievously,

”If I win, how about you give me that full set of Cheng kiln glazed Cheng Kiln Matryoshka?”

That set of Cheng Kiln Matryoshka was exquisitely crafted, with fine, smooth porcelain and a rare natural crackled glaze.

Rumor had it the artisan spent an entire year firing it and only produced that one set; after that, he never fired another. It was the only one in the world, and calling it priceless wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Yue Er had coveted it for a long time, but since it was Cousin Yilan’s beloved treasure, she couldn’t very well ask for it outright.

Now that the opportunity finally presented itself, she naturally wouldn’t let it go and just popped the question.

On hearing this, County Princess Yilan indeed frowned and protested on the spot.

”Hey, you can’t play like that!”

”That’s my one and only bottom-of-the-chest treasure, and you’ve been eyeing it forever!”

”Are we even good sisters anymore?”

Yue Er spread her hands and smiled.

”Fine, fine!”

”If you won’t give it, then don’t. How about you just lend it to me to play with for a few days? I honestly love it.”

Only then did County Princess Yilan relent a bit.

”That’s more like it!”

”Alright, if you win, I’ll lend it to you for a month, how’s that?”

Yue Er clapped her hands in excitement.

”Deal!”

”If I win, you have to lend it to me!”

Yilan shot her a helpless, mock-angry look.

”When have I ever lied to you?”

Yue Er chuckled and turned her head.

”Wei Yu, what about you? If you lose, what are you putting up?”

The three girls had a standing rule: whoever lost would give a gift to the winner.

Which meant if one person won, she could get two gifts.

That was why Yue Er asked.

Chen Yuwei looked at the two of them with a hint of disdain and chuckled softly.

”Look at the pair of you, how little ambition you have!”

”You’re already this old and still hung up on clothes and toys!”

”And you call yourselves Princess and County Princess!”

Yue Er looked over at her and said,

”Then why don’t you tell us what you’re putting up, Miss Chen?”

Yilan also looked over.

”Yeah, what are you staking?”

Chen Weiyu didn’t answer; she simply gave a confident little smile, calmly extended her right hand, revealing her jade-pale wrist and... a crystal-clear, ice-blue gem.

”See this? It’s a Cat’s Eye Stone from Persia!”

”It might not be one-of-a-kind like your things, but it’s still a top-grade gemstone!”

Yue Er wasn’t short on jewels and had never paid much attention to them.

But she could still feel her friend’s sincerity, so she smiled.

”Alright then! It’s settled! Let’s start!”

Yilan didn’t say anything more, only added,

”If we don’t start soon, it’ll be dark.”

Chen Yuwei withdrew her hand and, still full of confidence, said,

”The three of us have a deal—no one’s allowed to go back on her word!”

”Agreed!”

...

The three girls each turned to fetch their horses and take up their polo mallets, getting ready for the match to begin.

In the Great Chu, polo was generally a game for men—or more precisely, for men who practiced martial arts.

For young ladies, it was a very dangerous sport.

If their riding skills weren’t high enough, if their horses weren’t good enough, or if the ground wasn’t even enough, it could be extremely risky.

Fortunately, all three of them were nobles among nobles; they had been learning riding skills since childhood, and their mounts were all top-tier.

So, they had the conditions to play polo.