Consort Hua's face stiffened, and she feigned a hurt expression. "Your Majesty, I spent three whole hours today brewing this bowl of soup. Even if you want to send me away, please have a couple of sips before you let me go. I don't ask for much, but this bowl of soup was brewed by me personally, and it really took a lot of effort."
She spoke so eloquently and with such a pitiful appearance that anyone who saw her would feel sorry for her.
However, if the other party is the cold-blooded An Honghan, then it's a different story.
An Honghan didn't smell the aroma emanating from the bowl of soup, but after hearing Xi Xizhi's description, he naturally guessed that Consort Hua's visit was ill-intentioned. His gaze lingered on Consort Hua's beautiful face for a few seconds before turning away, and An Honghan said coldly, "If I want to drink soup, I will order the imperial chef to make it. Consort Hua, you should take it back and drink it yourself."
Rejected at every turn, Consort Hua's smile completely crumbled. But when she thought about how hard it was to get this bowl of soup, she smiled again.
"Your Majesty, how can the soup cooked by the imperial chefs compare to the soup cooked by your concubine, which is much more heartfelt?" Consort Hua had been in the palace for many years and knew how to arouse a man's pity. She pretended to sob a couple of times, looking like a pear blossom in the rain.
Intentions? An Honghan narrowed his eyes coldly. It was indeed intentions, but they were intentions detrimental to me.
Xi Xizhi nudged An Honghan's chest with her elbow and shook her head at him.
No matter what Consort Hua says, this soup must not be drunk.
Putting aside the issue of the ingredients, the aroma alone is suspicious and suggests a conspiracy.
Even without Xi Xizhi's reminder, An Honghan already knew what was going on.
"With three thousand beauties in my harem, how many have I failed to please?"
An Honghan never holds back when he speaks; every word he utters hits the nail on the head.
Consort Hua's expression hardened, and her sobs gradually subsided.
Wasn't His Majesty's hidden meaning that he was telling her she was just one of the concubines? To him, there was no difference whatsoever.
If we were to say what dealt the biggest blow to Consort Hua, this would be it.
Xi Xizhi had been paying attention to Consort Hua's movements, and when she saw her suddenly become silent, she was a little puzzled.
"Your Majesty, I have been a concubine in the palace for three years, and my feelings for you have never changed. Although I know that Your Majesty's heart has never been with me, I am still devoted to you. Is it not even enough for me to cook a bowl of soup for Your Majesty?" As soon as she finished speaking, tears fell quickly from Consort Hua's eyes.
She was already beautiful, but now, seeing her so heartbroken and shedding tears, it was even more distressing.
This tactic might work on other men, but it didn't work on An Honghan.
What he hates most are those weak and incompetent women who can only shed tears when faced with difficulties.
His eyes grew even colder, and An Honghan slammed his hand on the table, "If you cry again, I will immediately strip you of your title as a concubine."
An Honghan's tone was icy cold, and as soon as he finished speaking, Consort Hua stopped crying.
An Honghan's words have always been the most authoritative, because every word he says will be fulfilled.
Since An Honghan has already said so, if Consort Hua dares to cry again, not only will An Honghan refuse to drink this bowl of soup, but she herself will also be punished.
Xi Xizhi sighed slightly. This woman really didn't know what was good for her. Even though An Honghan had said he wouldn't drink it, she still shamelessly tried every means to force him to drink it.
"Do you really think I don't know about the wicked schemes you and Minister Liu are plotting?" An Honghan seemed to have known everything all along. He coldly observed Consort Hua's sudden change in expression and continued, "If this soup were truly ordinary, would you risk angering me to force me to drink it? Consort Hua, do you think I'm blind?"
Every word pierced Consort Hua's heart. Others might not know, but how could she not know? Ever since she stepped into the Panlong Palace, her heart had been filled with unease. Hearing An Honghan bring it up, she was even more frightened and broke out in a cold sweat.
"Your Majesty... what are you saying? I don't understand." Consort Hua's hand, holding the soup, trembled slightly.
Even though she refused to admit it, her expression and actions had already betrayed her.
Xi Xizhi jumped out of An Honghan's arms and walked to Hua Fei. "How did you cook this soup?"
Don't tell Xi Xizhi that this soup was simmered slowly over a low flame.
Xi Xizhi didn't believe in that kind of thing; the rich and alluring fragrance was incredibly seductive.
Ordinary people couldn't smell it, but for Xi Xizhi, a cultivator, the scent was very noticeable.
"Of course, it was I who personally cooked the soup for His Majesty." Being questioned by a child made Consort Hua lose face.
Xi Xizhi leaned closer to the bowl of soup, took a careful sniff, and immediately pinched her nose, unable to bear the overly strong aroma.
"Since you want me to drink it so badly, why don't you try a sip first?" An Honghan said casually, just like he always had.
But this one sentence alone was enough to make Consort Hua turn pale.
Consort Hua stared at the soup bowl in her hand, unsure how to answer. Just as she felt suffocated by An Honghan's gaze, she finally spoke up: "Your Majesty, this is a tonic for strengthening the body; women should not drink it."
The moment she said that, everyone's expression changed.
An Honghan looked the worst...
Xi Xizhi chuckled. It was medicine for that kind of thing? Oh right, wasn't An Honghan impotent? Originally, Xi Xizhi was just guessing, but now, with the medicine that Consort Hua brought over, she was even more convinced.
Yes, An Honghan is impotent!
Xi Xi patted An Honghan's shoulder reassuringly, her face solemn, "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
Everyone was puzzled. So many people were watching. Even if you don't tell anyone, others will guess.
An Honghan's face was cold, but he was not misled by Consort Hua's words. "Is it really that medicine? Even if you're going to make up a reason, you should at least make one that sounds plausible."
Consort Hua knelt down with a thud, "Your Majesty, I did not lie... It really is that medicine."
"Guards!" An Honghan coldly ordered, "Pry open Consort Hua's mouth and make her drink it."
Hua Fei was so frightened that she knelt down and took a few steps back, begging An Honghan for mercy. A string of tears slid down her chin, and her entire face was covered in tears.
The guards obeyed An Honghan's orders, snatched the medicine from Consort Hua's hands, pried open her mouth, and poured it into her mouth.
Consort Hua fought back with all her might.
But how could a woman be a match for two grown men? She was subdued in no time and unable to move.
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty, spare my life..."
An Honghan snorted coldly, took Xi Xizhi's small hand, and hugged her, "If it's just ordinary medicinal soup, it won't kill anyone, so Consort Hua can rest assured."
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