With the braised pork intestines, Wan Anran ate three bowls of rice before she was satisfied. She touched her protruding belly and started thinking about other ways to eat it. Besides crispy pork intestines and braised pork intestines, there were also braised pork intestines and stewed pork intestines.

The former was a bit complicated, so Wan Anran turned her attention to the latter. She instructed Ju Bai to pick up another serving of pig intestines the next day, which made Ju Bai's expression turn strange.

Do we need to go get it again?

This was not the first time, nor would it be the last. For the next month, Wan Anran would send people to the imperial kitchen every few days to fetch some food.

Most of the imperial concubines preferred to dine in their own palaces, and few liked to go to the imperial kitchen for snacks. Consort Qi's actions attracted a lot of attention, and even made the imperial chefs in the kitchen wonder: what unique tricks did Chef Zhao have up his sleeve?

Emperor Kangxi also heard of this matter.

He snorted: "I bet Consort Qi is hiding in Chuxiu Palace, eating all by herself!"

They actually ate it secretly and furtively?

Emperor Kangxi insisted on going to see what Consort Qi was hiding for herself. He took Liang Jiugong and rushed to Chuxiu Palace around mealtime. Even before they reached the wall, they could smell a faint fragrance that lingered around their noses.

Kangxi's eyes lit up.

He snorted softly, "Just as I expected."

Emperor Kangxi walked to the main gate of Chuxiu Palace.

The gates of Chuxiu Palace were locked. Only after Liang Jiugong knocked did a young eunuch peek out: "Who is it?...Eh? Liang, Liang, Eunuch Liang? Your Majesty!?"

The little eunuch's voice was almost distorted.

His terrified expression made Kangxi raise his eyebrows, a hint of suspicion appearing in his eyes.

What's wrong?

Why are you so nervous about eating alone? Or is Consort Qi doing something that can't be shown to others? Kangxi was suspicious, so he simply ordered someone to stop the young eunuch and walked towards the source of the fragrance.

The trees, which were full of flowers just a few days ago, now have petals falling in the wind, carpeting the bluestone ground with a pale pink carpet.

The fragrance fades, the petals wither and fall.

The scene was quite poetic, until Kangxi's gaze fell on Consort Qi and suddenly shattered.

Consort Qi sat on a stone bench.

In front of her was a simple stove with flames roaring inside, and a large iron plate on top sizzling. Sliced ​​meat rolls piled on top emitted an enticing aroma.

Wan Anran happily picked up a piece of large intestine, dipped it in the refreshing sauce, and swallowed it in one bite. She ate a piece of large intestine with a piece of rice, and if she felt it was too greasy, she would add some of the palace's special pickles, or perhaps a cup of refreshing rice wine.

Of course, you should also appreciate the beautiful scenery in the courtyard.

Wan Anran's smile froze abruptly. She and Kangxi exchanged bewildered glances. Wan Anran's mind went blank. She stood up stiffly and, relying entirely on her own will, performed a curtsy: "This concubine greets Your Majesty."

The courtyard was completely silent.

All the palace servants broke out in a cold sweat, holding their breath as they watched the Emperor stride forward, and then…

Next, will they reprimand their master?

All the palace servants closed their eyes, feeling their lives were over. Even Wan Anran felt a pang of guilt, trying to tell herself to stay calm and not...be afraid.

No, it's just pig intestines, isn't it?

Seeing Kangxi's gloomy face, his tightly pursed lips, and his striding towards her, Wan Anran felt as if her heart was being gripped tightly by a large hand.

Wan Anran and all the palace servants were tense.

Under everyone's gaze, Kangxi walked to Wan Anran and sat down. Kangxi sniffed the fragrance in front of him, and while gesturing for the palace servants to bring bowls and chopsticks, he couldn't help but complain, "Consort Qi, Consort Qi, this habit of yours is not good."

"……ha?"

"How can you eat alone behind my back?" Kangxi picked up his chopsticks and tapped the pot lid with his other hand.

The sound was crisp and clear.

Wan Anran felt as if the chopsticks had hit her on the head, causing her pupils to dilate and her previous panic to burst like a balloon.

Eating alone?

Wan Anran instinctively wanted to tell Kangxi, "Your Majesty—"

Kangxi's movements were remarkably fluid and graceful.

Before Wan Anran could even speak, Kangxi had already picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a piece of fried, sizzling, and fragrant large intestine, dipped it in the dry dipping sauce, and put it in his mouth.

Kangxi chewed vigorously.

He was somewhat surprised by the texture of the meat; it was crispy and fragrant upon first bite, followed by a satisfying chewiness, and the rich, flavorful oil added to the overall experience, giving him a strong sense of satisfaction.

Does it feel a bit greasy?

There were also many pickles and stir-fries to choose from. Kangxi picked up a piece of pickled cucumber. The cucumber was sweet and crisp, which not only relieved the greasiness of the meat but also added a unique flavor. He nodded: "What kind of meat is this? It tastes like pork, but the texture is quite different from pork..."

Wan Anran fell into deep thought.

She hesitated for a moment, and as she watched the Emperor eat the second, third, and fourth pieces, Wan Anran finally couldn't hold back any longer. She stepped forward to block the Emperor's chopsticks, and with a death wish, said in a low voice, "Your Majesty... this is pig intestines."

Emperor Kangxi was still puzzled by Consort Qi's actions.

When the answer reached his ears, his expression changed drastically. Kangxi's face went blank; his soul seemed to have been jolted out of his body. It took him a long, long time to recover. He stared incredulously at the sizzling, fragrant intestines on the hot plate, exclaiming, "This is pig intestines?! Consort Qi, what's going on?"

It's understandable that the Emperor was surprised.

Hai Tao, who was standing next to her, was almost in tears. She nodded emphatically, thinking that the Emperor would definitely give his master a good talking-to.

Which imperial concubine would eat this stuff?

From initial caution to later self-abandonment, everyone in Chuxiu Palace knew about their master's little quirk that couldn't be revealed.

As for Chef Zhao from the Imperial Kitchen...

He was also speechless with complaints, yet many people still used various excuses to question him about what special skills he had that made Consort Qi come to him so often.

Is the dawn about to break?

Hai Tao felt a mix of anticipation and trepidation, wondering if the Emperor would fly into a rage.

Liang Jiugong and the others were completely dumbfounded.

What kind of pig intestines? Large intestines? Large intestines? Large intestines!? Liang Jiugong stared wide-eyed at Qi Pin, his emotions rising in a mixture of respect and something else.

To be able to eat this stuff... you must be a warrior, right?

While admiring Consort Qi, Liang Jiugong also felt that her luck was about to run out. Making the Emperor eat pig intestines? If word got out, it would be… Just then, Liang Jiugong heard the Emperor's voice: “So this stuff is actually so delicious! This is the first time I've ever tasted it. Consort Qi, if you eat it all by yourself again, I'll punish you severely next time.”

Wan Anran, on tenterhooks: ...

She looked at the engrossed Kangxi with a shocked expression: "Your Majesty, don't you think...?"

"It's just offal, what's wrong with eating it? I've tasted what those refugees eat, and this is so much tastier than that!" Kangxi didn't mind at all, and even kept working, quickly removing half of the large intestine from the iron lid.

Wan Anran panicked.

She didn't have time to be surprised by the Emperor's attitude. Instead, she hurriedly sat down and started eating the fried and grilled large intestine.

Eating is the most important thing!

Oh right, food tastes better when you fight over it than when you eat it alone!

Having eaten her fill, Wan Anran's gaze towards Kangxi softened considerably. She knew that these past few days, Haitao, Zisu, and Jubai had been constantly sighing and complaining in front of her. Even the new palace maids, too afraid to speak up, always kept their distance, looking at her as if she were some kind of magical creature.

Wan Anran didn't care much about these stares, but sometimes she still felt a bit annoyed. Why not just leave the delicious food uneaten, instead of complaining? Since the people in the palace didn't like it, Wan Anran decided to argue with them.

Until today, when she met someone with the same taste, a joyful smile finally appeared on her face. Since the Emperor can accept pig intestines, then who knows...? Wan Anran said excitedly, "Your Majesty, how about we eat pig's trotters, pig's ears, and pig's snouts next time? Spicy pig brains taste pretty good too."

Kangxi: …………

The pig intestines were acceptable since they were already in his mouth. As for the pig brain... Kangxi still held them in high esteem, but Wan Anran quickly added, "Oh, right, no. The 'Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces' says that men should not eat pig brains, which is a real pity."

Not only the Qianjin Fang (Prescriptions Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold), but even the Compendium of Materia Medica mentions that "brain damages yang and causes spermatorrhea." Feeding the emperor pig intestines is fine, but if he were to try pig brains, wouldn't the concubines blame themselves for having too few offspring?

Wan Anran glanced at Kangxi.

Looking at the grilled intestines that had been mostly snatched up, I decided to eat grilled pig brains tomorrow.

Seeing Consort Qi's mischievous look, Kangxi knew she was probably thinking about something inappropriate again. He shook his head, stood up, and instructed Liang Jiugong and the others: "Don't tell anyone that we're having dinner here today."

Liang Jiugong breathed a sigh of relief.

Wan Anran also breathed a sigh of relief—if word got out, she feared she would face a barrage of criticism when she went to pay her respects, and there would be no peace and quiet.

Then Kangxi looked at Wan Anran, who was still in a daze, and said, "Come with me to see the Eleventh Prince."

Wan Anran gets excited when talking about peaches.

She rushed into the room and had the palace servants change her and the emperor's clothes. While changing, Wan Anran explained, "Mao Tao hates the smell of large intestine. Every time she eats it, she screams and howls endlessly if we don't change her clothes."

If Yinzhen heard this, he would definitely roll his eyes.

He doesn't hate roasted intestines or anything like that; he's doing it for his mother's sake, you know? Which of the palace concubines isn't reserved and virtuous? Like his previous life's consort, Ulanara, they wish they were celestial beings, with only the first two things to eat, drink, and relieve themselves.

But my mother in this life is much better.

He brazenly stuffed pig intestines into the palace!

As Yinzhen was carried out, he sniffed. Although the faint, lingering scent was still somewhat suspicious, he looked at his father's expression... well.

I guess I didn't eat pig intestines today.

Yinzhen was relieved and, to Kangxi's amusement, respectfully offered his little hand to pinch Kangxi's fingers, revealing a toothless smile.

Emperor Kangxi immediately smiled: "This child is strong and grows up very fast!"

Wan Anran was quite distressed: "He's strong, but he looks a bit clumsy."

Emperor Kangxi was not pleased with this.

He glanced at Wan Anran: "Where is my little eleventh stupid?"

Wan Anran sighed.

Although she was single from birth in her past life, she still had some common sense. For example, the saying "three months to roll over, six months to sit, seven months to roll, eight months to crawl" refers to how babies learn to roll over at three months, sit steadily at six months, roll around at seven months, crawl at eight months, stand while holding onto things at nine months, and walk by one year old.

But now that Mao Tao is almost five months old, she still can't even turn over!

She explained it in detail.

A hint of tension appeared in Kangxi's eyes. He stepped forward with a serious expression and nudged Mao Tao's little bottom: "Come on, Mao Tao! Let's try to turn over."

Wan Anran shook her head: "This concubine has already..." tried many times.

He hadn't finished speaking.

With a quick flick of his webbed feet, Mao Tao nimbly flipped over. While this time he had Kangxi's help, he easily flipped back over without Kangxi's assistance.

Flexible and smooth.

Wan Anran felt that her face was very swollen.

As for Emperor Kangxi, he was so happy that he laughed out loud.

He lifted Mao Tao by his armpits, raising him high to tease him, while looking at Wan Anran with disdain: "Look at you, tsk tsk tsk."

Wan Anran's heart was pierced by countless arrows.

As for Yinzhen, he felt a little guilty. In his previous life, when he was a baby, he hadn't paid attention to how many months it took for a baby to roll over or sit up, and had always pretended not to know.

I only found out today.

It turns out that in my mother's eyes, I've become a little fool.