novelcrest Chapter 20: Even if I become your concubine, I have to bring my own food!
Chapter 20: Even if I become your concubine, I have to bring my own food!
The news of Shen Shixi's fall from favor spread from who knows where, but when Chao Yu went to get breakfast, the lavishness and deliciousness of it suddenly plummeted to prehistoric levels.
A bowl of fish porridge and two meat pies—it's not bad, is it? The food is better than Baolin's, but not as good as Cairen's. You could say it's decent.
It's just that it makes people uncomfortable.
Ever since she choked on a fish bone as a child, Shen Shixi has disliked eating fish.
When Chao Yu went to get breakfast, he specifically said he didn't want fish porridge, but the imperial kitchen said that was the only serving left. They were late, but Pan Baolin's people were even later, and they got a bowl of steamed egg custard, a bowl of duck porridge, and a cherry biscuit.
If you ask for fish, just say there isn't any left.
This comparison is even more unpleasant.
When Chaoyu returned, she told him everything. It was because there was a rule in the palace that "any incident involving the trampling of Chaoyang Palace at any time or in any place must be reported in detail without any cover-up."
Bai Ping and the others were all sweating bullets for the other party. Their master had eaten everything in his life, but he never suffered a loss.
Shen Shixi stood up abruptly. "Let's go to the front hall!"
What?
Chao En was stunned for a while before she came to her senses and hurriedly chased after him, "Your Highness, His Majesty must be busy right now."
"He's busy with his own things!" Shen Shixi walked straight away. "I didn't ask him to sleep with me!"
Hungry, with nothing to eat, and unable to walk, Shen Shixi naturally boarded the palanquin. By the time everyone in the harem heard about it, she had already arrived at the gate of Qian Yuan Palace.
"Go and ask if His Majesty is present?"
Chao En had no choice but to step forward and ask. The little eunuch guarding the gate was also speechless. A mere concubine, summoned without permission, had actually come to Qian Yuan Palace. "His Majesty is here. Concubine Shen, please wait a moment. Please allow me to report!"
Upon hearing that Consort Shen had arrived, Li Fude went in without hesitation to announce, "Your Majesty, Consort Shen requests an audience!"
The emperor hadn't had breakfast yet; he had just finished court. The meal was laid out, but he hadn't had time to eat. "Let her in!"
As expected, the Emperor still treats Consort Shen differently, even though he hasn't visited Zhaoyang Palace these past few days.
Shen Shixi entered without even paying her respects, and immediately threw herself at Li Yuanke, saying, "Your Majesty~, I've missed you!"
[You bastard, you're eating and drinking like crazy while I can't even get breakfast! Did I come to the palace just to suffer, toil, and starve? I'll burn this entire harem down one day!]
Li Yuange let her pounce on him, caught her with one hand, and placed her on his lap. "Why did you come so early?"
"Have breakfast with the Emperor!" Shen Shixi hugged his neck, kissed his chin, and then bit his cheek.
"Ouch!" Li Yuanke winced in pain, flinching slightly. "Are you a dog?"
He lowered his head and kissed her lips, taking two bites, and found himself unable to stop.
But Shen Shixi was hungry and didn't respond enthusiastically, so Li Yuanke let her go, mainly because some officials were coming later.
Shen Shixi was slightly out of breath, her lips were red and glossy, and there were still teeth marks left by Li Yuanke. Her hand traced his sword-like eyebrows, which flew diagonally into his temples.
[This face is becoming increasingly pleasing to the eye. Tsk, this is Nuwa's graduation project! If I could find a face similar to this bastard's, I would never enter the palace.]
[Seems a bit difficult. Good-looking people don't have great figures, and those with great figures lack stamina. Tsk, this guy got off easy!]
Li Yuanke chuckled inwardly and squinted at her.
Hehe, her mind is full of silly things, but hearing her say that, I was secretly pleased, and I couldn't help but smile.
He pinched Shen Shixi's chin. "Missed me? I missed you too. What a coincidence, I've already finished breakfast. Li Defu, clear away the breakfast..."
what?
Shen Shixi saw the mockery in his eyes and was furious. She punched him and said, "Your Majesty is so annoying, so mean, deliberately making fun of me."
[You bastard, give me some food! You're making me so hungry I'll scratch your face until it bleeds! Next time you come to Zhaoyang Palace, I'll make sure you can't get out of bed!]
Li Yuanke sneered, "What did you just say? Missing me? Or missing my breakfast?"
Shen Shixi was truly hungry and didn't want to coax him anymore. She got up from him and sat directly at the table. "I've been thinking about everything. I can only think about Your Majesty when I'm full. Aren't you coming to eat, Your Majesty? If you're not going to eat, I will!"
When she gets anxious, she doesn't even use honorifics, which makes Li Fude worry for Consort Shen.
The Emperor showed no intention of pursuing the matter, so it seems that Consort Shen will have to be more careful in the future.
The young eunuch was unsure what to do: should he serve Consort Shen her meal, or not?
The emperor came over and handed her his bowl of porridge. "Did the imperial kitchen mistreat you? What inedible food did they send you this morning?"
"Fish porridge, does Your Majesty think I should eat it or not? It's really interesting. I've only been in the palace for a few days, and people already know that I don't eat fish porridge. There are also two beef patties. I didn't know that cattle in the Great Zhou could be slaughtered and eaten at will. People in the palace have started eating beef."
In an agrarian society, oxen were the first-class protected animals.
But she doesn't like beef either, always finding it too dry and prone to getting stuck in her teeth.
However, her teeth are very beautiful and straight.
Shen Shixi took a sip of the red date porridge. It was so sweet and delicious that she drank more than half a bowl in one go.
Li Yuanke glanced at Li Fude, and then Li Fude went out.
I wonder which reckless person provoked Consort Shen again, and those two who were banished to the Cold Palace are still not wary enough?
"Did the small kitchen collapse? Or are all the people inside dead?" Li Yuanke asked irritably.
It's worth starving yourself like this!
"Why should I eat from my own kitchen? Did my kitchen cost you a single penny? You support all the concubines in the palace, and I'm the only one who has to bring my own food as your concubine?"
Li Yuanke picked up a piece of pine nut and goose fat roll and shoved it into her mouth. "Shut up!"
She snorted, chewed the steamed bun carefully, swallowed it, and said, "This is delicious. I like it. I want to eat it again tomorrow."
"Have that cook go to your small kitchen to serve you."
Shen Shixi said, "I don't want to. I'm too poor to support four cooks. If I want to eat in the future, I'll ask the Imperial Kitchen of Qian Yuan Palace."
Qianyuan Palace naturally has the largest kitchen in the entire palace, also known as the East Kitchen, which has five sections and offers a full range of meat, vegetarian and pastry dishes.
Unlike the hereditary imperial chefs in the imperial kitchen, he has many famous folk chefs here, and the flavors are very diverse, including both northern and southern cuisines.
The three cooks in Zhaoyang Palace were transferred from the East Kitchen. One old woman was good at medicinal cuisine, another was good at pastries, and the third could cook both meat and vegetarian dishes, but his taste was relatively light.
"If you want to eat, just let us know."
Shen Shixi ate a hearty breakfast, but didn't leave. After doing some lighthearted tasks, she lay on the couch reading a travelogue. She fell asleep while reading.
I had a good, restful sleep, and when I woke up it was lunchtime, so I ate lunch without paying.
Li Yuanke needed to rest for the afternoon and asked her to keep him company. She couldn't just eat and not do any work. She thought she wouldn't be able to sleep, but she snuggled in his arms and quickly fell asleep.
More ministers were requesting an audience, so Shen Shixi returned to the inner palace. Li Yuanke told her to go back first, saying, "I'll come over tonight!"
"Oh, wait for His Majesty!"
[Come if you want, don't come if you don't!]
Li Yuanke was so angry he wanted to hit someone.
Shen Shixi yawned and went out the door.
Upon their return, the rewards arrived as well: several large boxes of jewelry, not to mention various summer fabrics, two large boxes of silver, one large box of copper coins, and a box of South Sea pearls in silver, gold, and pink.
South Sea pearls, produced in the North Sea, are known as "the most beautiful pearls in the world." This box of South Sea pearls is exceptionally large, with a smooth, round, and colorful appearance, making it a truly exquisite piece.
Even Shen Shixi felt that it was a rare find.
"These were just brought from the south. There are only two small boxes in total. His Majesty sent twelve silver ones to Cining Palace, bestowed eight to Fengyi Palace, and gave the rest to the Master!" Jiang You flattered.
As for the eight thousand taels of silver, it should be for her to support the small kitchen, and the copper coins are for her to give as rewards.
Shen Shixi smiled and said, "Please thank His Majesty for me. Tell him I like it very much, so I won't make a special trip to express my gratitude!"
If he comes over that evening, she'll thank him then; if he doesn't, she'll thank him another day when they meet.
Jiang Youxin said that no concubine in the harem was so disrespectful to His Majesty. Everyone who received a reward would rush to express their gratitude, hoping to catch a glimpse of His Majesty.