Ji Yunhuan looked at Xiao Yan who was guzzling porridge and asked in surprise, "You don't like it? I see His Highness always drinks it with great relish."
Ever since Ji Yunhuan made meat porridge for Xiao Yan for the first time, Xiao Yan would eat it every few days, and it had become a habit.
Bai Zhi put down the millet porridge in her hand, a look of sadness flashing in her eyes. "I never tire of fine food. Your Highness is a descendant of the emperor, how could you like to eat such coarse food?"
"It's just that I was forced to eat these because of the sudden disaster three years ago. When I served Your Highness, I never let Your Highness suffer."
Ji Yunhuan was surprised and said, "How can the food on this table be considered as hard-fought? It's not spoiled or rotten, and it's still piping hot. How many people want to eat it but can't?"
Seeing Xiao Yan's face becoming increasingly gloomy, Ji Yunhuan asked tentatively, "Your Highness, do you really not like it? Then how about asking the kitchen to make something more exquisite?"
Xiao Yan placed the empty bowl of porridge heavily on the table and said, "No need, I like it very much."
Bai Zhi was anxious. "Your Highness, don't be wronged. Your Highness clearly doesn't like these. Your Highness clearly likes the lotus seed and lily soup and bird's nest and white fungus that I made..."
"Shut up!" Xiao Yan shot a sharp look at Bai Zhi, "Since when has a servant been able to meddle in the affairs of the master? Do you have the final say on what I like to eat?"
It was true that Bai Zhi was someone close to his mother. Three years ago, almost all the people around his mother were killed or injured. Bai Zhi was only responsible for the needlework in his mother's room and did not take care of any important matters. That was why she was able to keep her life and go to the slave camp.
Generally, when a prince is thirteen or fourteen years old, he will be arranged to have a palace maid to sleep with him so that he can understand the affairs of nature. However, his queen mother was always strict with him and did not arrange one for him until he was fifteen years old.
In the past, Baizhi was very well-behaved, so the queen mother wanted Baizhi to serve him. If the queen mother were still alive, Baizhi might be his first woman.
But Baizhi was not his woman. His mother died before she had time to arrange his bedroom affairs. After that, he was imprisoned in the East Palace and no one cared about him anymore.
Bai Zhi may have known her mother's plans before her death, so she became more ambitious and was no longer satisfied with being the maid in charge of the Eastern Palace, so she tried again and again.
Ji Yunhuan didn't know the inside story. She only knew that Bai Zhi used to serve the late queen, and that Bai Zhi had treated her very well in the slave camp, so she subconsciously pleaded for Bai Zhi.
"Your Highness, calm down. Your Highness's taste has changed, and Sister Baizhi doesn't know about it. Ignorance is not a crime. Your Highness, please don't be angry. I will make you your favorite braised pork at noon, okay?"
Bai Zhi knelt on the ground and sobbed, feeling infinite sorrow in her heart.
If it was her who entered the Eastern Palace to serve medicine that day, would she also be the one who is so affectionate with His Highness now?
It was obvious that she and His Highness had been in love for many years, but in the end it was Xiaoyun who was favored by His Highness. This is unfair!
Xiaoyun's family background is not as good as hers, her temperament is not as good as hers, she is not good at needlework or sew, and she can't take care of His Highness. She just has a good appearance, but no matter how good the appearance is, there will come a day when people get tired of it. One day, His Highness will favor her.
Xiao Yan said in a deep voice, "Bai Zhi, you have overstepped your bounds today. Considering that you have served our mother before, I will not hold it against you. From now on, as long as you behave yourself, I will not treat you unfairly."
"If there is any mistake, it should be punished with a cane..."
Ji Yunhuan was terrified when she heard this and immediately took over the conversation, "Punish her, punish her, of course she must be punished. Just fine her a year's salary and let her reflect on her mistakes."
Xiaoyun stared at him eagerly, her big, twinkling eyes filled with pleading. She even drew two circles on his chest, using the beauty trap.
Xiao Yan sighed. This silly woman didn't understand Bai Zhi's thoughts at all.
"Okay, then I'll listen to Xiaoyun and fine her one year's salary."
"Baizhi, you are a smart person. You must remember that not only am I your master, but Xiaoyun will be too in the future. If you make Xiaoyun unhappy, I will punish you even more severely!"
Bai Zhi's face turned pale and she was horrified.
Xiaoyun was just a criminal slave. Being a bed-warming maid was already a very good treatment. Did His Highness want to give her a proper status? Wouldn't that be a joke?
If the late queen were still alive, she would definitely not allow the eldest prince to act so recklessly.
Bai Zhi felt she had an obligation to advise His Highness, but he was so furious that she didn't dare to speak. She could only wipe away her tears and choke back her words, "Thank you very much, Your Highness, for your mercy, and thank you, Miss Xiaoyun, for pleading for me."
Bai Zhi retreated sobbing.
Ji Yunhuan breathed a sigh of relief. This guy Xiao Yan was really difficult to serve. He would beat the people around the late queen whenever he wanted and would not give them any face at all.
Thinking about how many times he had crossed the line, Ji Yunhuan felt a little guilty and couldn't help but be more attentive to Xiao Yan.
"Your Highness, please don't just stare at me eating. You should eat more too. I don't know how long you'll have to stand at the gate of the Emperor's Palace today. It's been almost a month. The Emperor really doesn't understand that Your Highness has just recovered from a serious illness."
Xiao Yan saw through Xiao Yun's little thoughts at a glance. He took a bite of the food with Xiao Yun's chopsticks, pinched her face, and said with a smile:
"You are different from Bai Zhi. You are my woman. No matter where I am, whether I am rich or poor, you are my woman!"
Ji Yunhuan's heart was filled with alarm, fearing that Xiao Yan would start to suspect that she was leaving again, so she immediately said, "Of course I am your Highness's woman, and I will be for the rest of my life. I will never leave your Highness."
If she left Xiao Yan, how could she overturn the case of Duke Ji's Mansion and let her child ascend the throne?
After breakfast, Xiao Yan went to pay his respects to the emperor.
Ji Yunhuan took a nap and when she woke up it was already noon. Xiao Yan had not come back yet. She promised to make braised pork for Xiao Yan, so she went into the small kitchen.
The small kitchen is no longer as simple as before. Three large stoves are burning at the same time. In addition to the share from the imperial kitchen, the small kitchen also has a lot of chicken, duck, fish and meat every day, so much that they can't be finished.
"Why did Miss Xiaoyun come here in person? Just tell me if you have anything to say." The people in the small kitchen greeted Ji Yun with a smile, and were indescribably friendly.
Now everyone knows that Xiaoyun is the eldest prince's concubine, so naturally everyone is trying their best to curry favor with her.
Ji Yunhuan made a braised pork. With the help of her "mastery of cooking skills", she was very fast. Soon the meat was in the pot and the aroma of the meat wafted out.
She took out a piece of silver and gave it to the little palace maid who was watching the fire. "Call me when the time comes. Remember not to move."
If she hadn't collected the sauce and served it on the plate herself, this bowl of braised pork wouldn't have tasted the same as it did originally.
Just as Ji Yunhuan came out of the kitchen, she heard a commotion at the door. Xia Yang hurried in and shouted, "Hurry, someone! His Highness has fainted!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com