Chapter 378 Snacks

As the year draws to a close, the concubines in the palace are getting more and more excited.

After all, this is a rare and important occasion throughout the year when one can see the Emperor!

But that afternoon, Consort Li, who was usually the most boisterous, walked into Weiyang Palace with a triumphant look on her face and a brisk pace.

Since the last dismissal incident ended, Consort Li had been harboring a deep-seated resentment that was hard to explain.

She had tried several times to ask Jiang Huan for an explanation: if the emperor wanted to use her to assist in managing the six palaces, why did he dismiss the harem?

What kind of logic is it to give someone a sweet treat and then slap them in the face?

But Jiang Huan always ignored her. Every time Consort Li started to speak, Jiang Huan would either smile and praise her sister for her outstanding abilities, saying that she really couldn't do without her sister, and that she was most at ease leaving this matter to her sister, and so on.

Or he could take the opportunity to give her more and more important palace duties, and say that the capable should do more, that you are my right-hand man, and that he has high hopes for you!

From the preparation of the New Year's banquet to the allocation of allowances for each palace, from the discipline of palace maids to the verification of accounts in the Imperial Household Department, every single matter was truly entrusted to them.

Consort Li was bewildered by this combination of soft and hard tactics, but her initial resentment and doubts gradually faded away amidst the daily busyness and the feeling of being needed.

She even started to enjoy the feeling.

At this moment, she came to report on the arrangements for the year-end banquet, but the expression on her face was as if she had come to show off her spoils.

"Greetings to the Imperial Noble Consort."

Consort Li bowed, and before Jiang Huan could say anything, she sat down on the cushioned chair, her eyes showing her usual arrogance.

"Sister Lifei has arrived." Jiang Huan leaned back on the soft couch, smiling as she gestured for the palace servants to serve tea and refreshments. "Thank you for taking care of the New Year's banquet, Sister."

"It's my duty, nothing arduous," Consort Li said, picking up her teacup and skimming off the foam. Her tone carried a hint of disdain. "It's just that some people overestimate themselves and only cause me trouble."

"You didn't see it, but all those concubines were dressed up so beautifully, as if they wanted to pile all their treasured jewels on themselves, hoping to stand out at the New Year's banquet and attract the Emperor's attention."

As she spoke, she casually picked up a candied plum from the small table and put it in her mouth. The sweet and sour taste made her squint her eyes in satisfaction, and then she naturally reached for the walnut pastry next to her.

Seeing her stance, Jiang Huan mentally applauded herself.

Who would have thought that the correct way to use Li Fei would be to generate business!

Without pointing it out, she followed up by asking, "Oh? It seems you've been dealing with quite a few 'restless' ones lately, sister?"

"That's right!" Consort Li swallowed the walnut pastry, her voice rising slightly, tinged with obvious schadenfreude.

"That Lady Li dared to overstep her bounds by using pearls for her headdress, and I reprimanded her on the spot, deducting three months' allowance. And Lady Zhang secretly had a batch of Jiangnan brocade sent in from her family, saying she wanted to make new clothes. Humph, she doesn't even know her own rank, whether she deserves to use such material. I had the material confiscated and put into the public treasury!"

She spoke with righteous indignation, as if she were a righteous messenger upholding palace rules, but her mouth was never idle.

Candied dates, candied lotus root, almond cookies, poria cocos cake... the few delicate little dishes of pastries and candied fruits on the small table were disappearing at a visible rate.

Jiang Huan barely moved; most of it quietly went into Consort Li's belly.

"I'm just following the palace rules," Consort Li said confidently, picking up the last piece of Poria cocos cake. "At the New Year's banquet, if anyone dares to cause trouble, I won't care about sisterly feelings!"

After saying that, she stuffed the last bite of pastry into her mouth, patted the crumbs off her hands, and looked as if she had accomplished something great.

Jiang Huan looked at the few bare plates in front of her, and then at Consort Li's lingering yet composed demeanor, and couldn't help but smile.

They came here to report on palace affairs, but it seemed more like they were there specifically to have a tea party and snatch up snacks.

However, this hard work is definitely worth rewarding.

"Sister, you handled things impartially and decisively; you've worked very hard." Jiang Huan's smile deepened, and she deliberately asked, "It seems that the pastries here suit your taste, Sister?"

Consort Li paused, a hint of unease flashing across her face, before raising her chin: "I've been working hard to ease Your Majesty's burdens, can't I be hungry?"

Jiang Huan had been waiting for these words. She turned to Xiao Zhao and instructed, "Xiao Zhao, go and pack one of each of these newly made candied fruits and shortbreads for Consort Li to take back with her."

Xiao Zhao suppressed a laugh and left as instructed.

Consort Li paused for a moment, looking at Jiang Huan with a complicated expression.

He seemed to want to be polite, but when his eyes caught sight of the tempting pastries that Xiao Zhao was packing, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.

"Then I thank Your Majesty for the reward."

Soon, Xiao Zhao returned carrying an exquisite food box, which was filled with various kinds of pastries and candied fruits, neatly categorized.

Consort Li accepted the food box, said a few polite words, then got up to take her leave and left like a gust of wind with her maid.

Upon returning to her palace, Consort Li dismissed everyone except for her two personal maids.

She placed the food box on the table, opened the lid, and looked at the colorful and tempting pastries inside, a look of satisfaction on her face.

The palace maid, observing her mistress's expression, couldn't help but whisper, "Your Highness, didn't you say a bit too much at Weiyang Palace today? The Imperial Noble Consort is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor; we should act prudently. Why say such things? It's as if you were trying to curry favor, and you even ate so many of her desserts..."

Consort Li was picking up a piece of pine nut candy when she heard this and gave the palace maid a disapproving look.

"What do you know? I assist in managing the six palaces. It is the rule to report to the Imperial Noble Consort when dealing with unruly people. Besides, I am upright and honest, what am I afraid of? As for snacks?"

She took a bite of the candy, the sweetness melting in her mouth, and said in a somewhat matter-of-fact tone, "I helped her intimidate the six palaces so that she could focus on her pregnancy. What's wrong with me eating a few pieces of her dessert? She should thank me for it."

As she spoke, she tasted all the pastries in the food box one after another, her cheeks puffing out slightly.

The palace maid was even more anxious seeing her mistress's spoiled and greedy behavior.

"Your Highness, I'm worried about you. Don't forget, you and the Imperial Noble Consort are not on the same path. Your...your closeness, what if..."

"Enough!" Consort Li abruptly put down the pastry she was eating, her eyebrows furrowed. "When have I ever needed your interference in my affairs?"

The palace maid turned pale with fright and immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "This servant misspoke, Your Highness, please forgive me!"

Consort Li sat there fuming for a while, her chest heaving slightly. Her gaze fell on the fragrant pastries in the food box. Frustrated, she picked up a piece of sesame candy, stuffed it into her mouth, and chewed it vigorously, as if venting her emotions.

The sweet aroma filled the air, but she felt an emptiness inside.

The pastries at Weiyang Palace are sweet, and the atmosphere there always seems to be warm and cozy.

Unlike her place, which, despite its luxury, often feels somewhat deserted.

Another, slightly older palace maid stood to the side and seized the opportunity to remind her, "Your Highness, it's alright to try some snacks, but please don't have any improper thoughts. There's no going back now. If what we did before is found out, we'll be doomed."

Consort Li's hand, which was about to reach for the food box, suddenly froze in mid-air. She turned around abruptly, and the color drained from her exquisitely made-up face.

"Shut up! I don't need you to remind me!"