Zhang Da Ying was publicly scolded and ridiculed by Xie Yanci, and for a moment she was embarrassed and could only sit back down awkwardly. It was only after Wen Yu replaced her silver chopsticks that she was able to lower her head and continue eating.
"Here, try this." The emperor continued to put several kinds of meat slices into Wei Shuyi's bowl. "The imperial chef specially processed it. The outer layer is bean curd skin, and the inside is tender and juicy. How is it? If it's too spicy, I'll ask them to pay more attention to the amount next time."
"I think the spiciness is acceptable. Thank you, Your Majesty."
"After Zhaohua was born, you've become thinner and thinner than before. I want you to eat more to replenish your body. Being weak and frail has its own charm, but it looks unhealthy. I don't want to see you like this."
He ignored the concubines sitting around him.
The emperor spoke in a gentle tone, his eyes fixed on her, and reminded her of everything he had memorized in his mind.
Concubine Xin didn't care. She quickly finished her meal and found an excuse to leave. Only Zhang Da Ying didn't understand the situation and continued to eat slowly.
I still remember the last time Xie Yanci came to stay overnight in the West Wing Hall, he thought her behavior was indecent, and even pointed out that "she is heavy and needs to eat less and walk around more."
Why is it that when I go to Sang Yuxuan, they only arrange extra meals?
"Have you finished eating?" Xie Yanci sat up straight and suddenly found that there was another person sitting on his left. He said in an unhappy tone, "If you delay, it will affect..."
"Your Majesty! It's alright. I specially called my sisters to dine with us, and I've prepared fish for today. Please don't rush me. I'm afraid Zhang Da Ying will get a fish bone stuck in her throat."
"I remember that you've always loved eating fish, so you should have put more in front of yourself instead of putting it in front of others. Next time, I'll have the imperial chef, who hails from the coastal areas, prepare a few fish sashimi dishes for you to try!"
Having said that, he raised his voice to instruct Eunuch Yang and told the kitchen to send more fish to Sang Yuxuan in the next few days.
From his words, it seemed that he was extremely dissatisfied with Zhang Da Ying's behavior.
She could no longer sit still and stood up timidly: "Your Majesty, Lady Yi, I am full. I will return to the Yanxi Palace before it gets too late."
"Okay, go ahead."
Before leaving, she couldn't help but look back at the emperor sitting at the table: he would serve food to Wei Shuyi with a smile, and would pat his back gently when he coughed, for fear that he would choke, and he wished to send all the delicious food in the world to this place.
Mammy tugged at her sleeve: "Young Master, let's go!"
"..." Zhang Da Ying held it in all the way, and only when he finally returned to his palace did he dare to let out a long sigh.
"Grandma Jiang, did you see what happened just now? The Emperor treated me far worse than he treated Concubine Yi. I didn't say I was going to finish the whole pot of meat. I just wanted to take a little to taste it. Why did he humiliate me in public?"
"My lady, this is indeed against the rules," the old maid continued to persuade. "Others have no right to touch the new things that the Emperor bestows upon others. At that time, Concubine Yi hadn't even touched her chopsticks, and you... the Emperor would be displeased if he saw it."
"After all, it's still my incompetence. It's understandable that the emperor hates me."
"My lady, you can't say that! I heard that the talented woman in Lin'an Palace was not favored by the emperor during her lifetime, but she eventually became pregnant with the emperor's heir. If it weren't for her bad luck and death during childbirth, her current life would be better than anyone else's!"
Zhang agreed and scoffed, "So what? Granny Jiang, you're not expecting me to seduce the Emperor and get pregnant, are you? God has given me a lifetime of bad luck, I'm not sure of that!"
"Don't you have Noble Lady Wen to help you?" The nanny pointed to the east side hall. "If you can successfully complete what she has assigned you to do, it will be a two-birds-with-one-stone result! When the time comes, I will go and ask Noble Lady Wen for help. Who knows, the Emperor might even summon you again?"
"Grandma Jiang, didn't you always tell me not to make enemies with the Lin'an Palace and to be on good terms with them? Why have you changed your tune now?"
The nanny gently stroked the top of her head. "My principle is very simple. I will make friends with whoever pleases my lady. This noble lady Yi is narrow-minded. Because of that matter, she has repeatedly put my lady in trouble. After much deliberation, I have decided to turn to noble lady Wen, who lives in the same palace with me."
"That's right! Grandma Jiang, you should have thought so a long time ago!"
——
Xie Yanci naturally stayed at Sangyuxuan last night.
Early in the morning, Wei Shuyi tidied up his court clothes for him, and watched him leave with his men to attend court in Xuanzheng Hall.
She turned back to the inner room and took the small clothes she had embroidered recently: "Wen Yu, come with me to Shoukang Palace."
"Miss, are you going to give Princess Zhaohua new clothes again? They are so beautiful!"
"The Queen Mother is depressed and in poor health. My main purpose is to visit her." Wei Shuyi took down the jade ruyi offering on the incense table. "I kneel down and pray every morning and evening, hoping that the heavens will hear my voice and make her feel better soon."
Facts have proved that sincerity will definitely lead to good progress.
The Queen Mother couldn't let go of the Ruyi, and her spirits and energy improved a lot, but she still didn't take off her headband. "Thank goodness the Queen thought of this! She herself has never touched housework, and yet she leads the concubines in the harem to cook for me? Sometimes, I really don't know if she is slow-witted or just naive and endearing!"
"The Empress's filial piety towards you is evident to all. I saw with my own eyes how she wrapped her hands with cotton bandages to learn how to cook. When the time comes, will the Empress Dowager be so kind as to appreciate this gesture?"
"Of course." The Queen Mother was also deeply moved. "Even when I was selecting the Crown Princess, I was impressed by her character. Although she is not as outstanding as other ladies from famous families, she is more cunning than others. I like this kind of woman the most."
"However, I have been working under the care of my masters since I was a child, and I have needed to be very cunning to make a living. Your Majesty, I am afraid you will be disappointed in me..."
"You little girl, why are you still nitpicking and getting angry?" The Queen Mother helplessly tapped her hair with the end of the jade ruyi. "I see your feelings for me and the Emperor. Especially since you brought a princess of good fortune to the Xie royal family. How could I hate you?"
Wei Shuyi looked at the old man's kind face and emphasized again, "But at this gathering, Her Majesty the Queen Mother must dislike the food I cook. Even if you can only taste it, you must find a chance to spit it out. Never swallow it."
"What?!"
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, for my incompetence!" She knelt down again, her eyes filled with worry. "I seem to have been caught up in another conspiracy. Normally, I could have fought off the attacks alone, but this time, they're putting the Empress Dowager's health at stake. I can't afford that!"
Aunt Zijin, who was listening nearby, was also furious: "Who on earth is this person! How dare they even murder the Empress Dowager?!"
Wei Shuyi looked up and observed the empress dowager's expression without saying a word.
She knew that this woman who had been in charge of the harem for many years would not take any action just because she believed one side of the story.
As expected, the Queen Mother put down the jade ruyi and asked, "Why did you tell me? What do you want me to do?"
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