A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Xia Ruqing shook her head.

”Can’t see!”

”Maybe it’s because... the weather is bad!”

Zhao Junyao frowned, not quite understanding what bad weather meant, and said lightly.

”Fortunately, it’s just a dream for you; otherwise, how pitiful would the people living there be!”

Xia Ruqing almost wanted to cry.

Yes!

The people who lived there initially were indeed quite pitiful.

Maybe it’s because she’s middle-aged now, or maybe because she’s spent too much time in this world.

She becomes more sentimental and nostalgic about the past.

Of course, she also increasingly pities her past self.

She in the 21st century was surely much stronger than she is now.

If she could go back, could she still adapt?

If... she could really return after her death, how would she survive?

This luxurious ancient life, is it like a dream?

Xia Ruqing smiled bitterly.

”Emperor, what would you do if you went to that world?”

Zhao Junyao wasn’t sure what he was thinking and snapped back when he heard her question.

”Which world?”

”The one... in my dream!” she insisted.

”Which one?”

Xia Ruqing was amused and a bit helpless, paused, and decided not to ask anymore.

He’s an ancient person; what would he know?

Seeing that she didn’t persist, he didn’t persist either.

The night was deep, and feeling sleepy and tired, they embraced and fell asleep.

...

There was a snowfall in the middle of the night.

But because of the geothermal heat, the snowflakes often melted into rainwater before reaching the ground.

Thus, early in the morning, they heard the patter of rain outside the window.

They both felt extremely comfortable.

”The weather is so strange!”

”Last night the sky was clear, and today it’s raining!” Xia Ruqing exclaimed excitedly.

”It’s snow!” Zhao Junyao corrected her.

”We’re less than a hundred miles from the Capital City, and it’s deep winter; how could it rain?” Zhao Junyao showed some disdain for her ignorance.

Xia Ruqing pouted.

”Snow is snow!”

”I want to paint!”

Zhao Junyao looked at her with disdain again.

”In all these years, I’ve never seen you complete a decent painting!”

Xia Ruqing felt a bit wronged.

”I want to learn, too!”

”But... the harem is so busy with affairs, and there are many children, so I fell behind!”

”Emperor, now that we have time, can you teach me?”

Zhao Junyao glanced at her lightly.

”This is the nine hundred and thirty-eighth time you’ve asked me to teach you!”

”Will you be like the previous nine hundred and thirty-seven times, learning for two days and then giving up, or do you really want to learn?”

Xia Ruqing nodded seriously.

”I truly want to learn!”

Zhao Junyao raised his eyebrows again.

”You said the same thing during four hundred and fifty-six previous times!”

He no longer looked at her, turning his head to read his book.

Xia Ruqing was furious.

”Hey! Emperor, how can you be like this?”

”You can’t make promises and not keep them!”

Just like the three hundred and eighty-one times before.

Finally, after being pestered by her, Zhao Junyao obediently laid out the drawing paper.

”Alright!”

”What do you want to draw? I’ll teach you!”

Xia Ruqing smiled with satisfaction.

”I want to paint lotus flowers!”

”Although it’s winter now, I imagine if we draw a stream of hot spring water from this hot spring pool and plant lotus roots, the lotus flowers will bloom!”

Zhao Junyao looked at her disdainfully.

”You believe in those plot twists from storybooks?”

”With less hot spring water, it’ll get cold, and the lotus roots won’t sprout!”

”With more hot spring water, it’ll be too hot and directly scald the lotus roots to death!”

”It’s not as simple as you think!”

This time, Xia Ruqing finally returned his stare with justified indignation.

”Hey! I’m talking about painting!”

”Even if it can’t be grown, can’t I imagine it?”

Zhao Junyao twitched the corner of his mouth, helplessly picking up the brush.

”Alright, I’ll sketch the outline; you fill in the colors?”

Xia Ruqing nodded excitedly.

”Yes! That’s perfect!”

Zhao Junyao sighed.

”Really can’t help you!”

Though he said so, his body was quite honest.

His painting skills were excellent.

Picking up the brush, with a few strokes, a vivid and lively picture of Fish Playing Among Lotus Leaves came to life on paper.

Xia Ruqing had seen his painting skills before, so she wasn’t overly surprised.

Just like always, she smiled and picked up the coloring brush, filling in the hollow parts with color, bit by bit.

...

A painting like this could occupy them for an entire day.

By evening, the rain outside had stopped.

Xia Ruqing contentedly held her freshly colored painting, admiring it tirelessly.

”Tsk tsk! Isn’t the color I’ve painted beautiful?”

”Look, it’s simply a stroke of genius!”

Zhao Junyao was practicing his calligraphy nearby.

His strokes were as robust as always, smooth and fluid, with powerful strokes penetrating the paper. The characters he wrote were vigorous, free, and confidently balanced, making them hard to look away from.

However, Xia Ruqing couldn’t appreciate it at all; she only cared about her painting.

Zhao Junyao gently raised his eyes to look over.

Only to see the elegant and expressive Fish Playing Among Lotus Leaves Picture he had previously outlined disappear.

In its place was a painting with gaudy colors, rough coloring, harsh color blocks, resembling a child’s simplistic drawing.

Zhao Junyao’s forehead broke out in sweat, and the corner of his mouth twitched hard.

”Your painting is worse than what Chenchen painted when he was three!”

Xia Ruqing was deeply hurt, reluctantly replying.

”I didn’t have a good teacher to teach me when I was three!”

Here we go again.

Zhao Junyao seemed helpless.

”You didn’t have one at three, but you did at thirty!”

”Qingqing, if you truly want to learn, I can teach you, but if you keep doing this...”

Xia Ruqing gloomily threw the painting aside, pouting.

”Emperor, do I really have no talent!”

”I really want to learn!”

Zhao Junyao this time didn’t even lift his eyelid, just spoke lightly.

”No, you don’t want to!”

...

While the two were bantering, it was time for dinner.

Xia Ruqing, feeling depressed, decided to take a stroll.

She’s not adept at calligraphy and painting, but culinary skills are her strong suit.

Although she had not entered the kitchen for many years, her skills remained intact.

After yesterday’s cooking battle, she gradually found her touch from years ago.

So today, she once again sent the kitchen maids away and diligently began to prepare.

The kitchen maids were uneasy, each sneaking glances.

”Empress, we’ll be waiting just outside!”

”Empress, we’ll come to assist you!”

”Empress, if you encounter any difficulties, please let us know immediately!”

In their hearts:

Oh dear, what’s up with this esteemed person these days, insisting on cooking.

Whether she takes away our job is a minor concern.

If she were to injure herself, wouldn’t the Emperor have us dragged out and executed?

What in the world should we do? They’re quite anxious!

Xia Ruqing smilingly declined their good intentions.

”Just have two of you assist me; I’ll handle the rest myself!”

”Alright!”

”Yes, Empress!”

The kitchen maids’ hearts were somewhat relieved.

Alright, with two people here, at least the kitchen won’t catch fire.

No other way, they’ll have to accept it.

The remaining kitchen maids resignedly withdrew.